Festive bells

heck out our latest article in Decembers issue of Go Guide magazine



http://issuu.com/goguidemagazine/docs/dec_2012_-_issue_24?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222

Fit Inc @ Go Guide

See our latest article in Go Guide

Open publication - Free publishing

Weighty Women

Many women have a fear about weight training they seem to believe if they lift anything heavier than a bag of sugar they will develop unsightly huge bulging muscles.
The truth is this is highly unlikely.

Firstly building muscle is very difficult, it takes time and dedication with a well thought out workout plan and nutrition plan, even the most gifted bodybuilders struggle to develop as much muscle as they would like.

Second, women lack the main building hormone for muscles which is testosterone.
There is a lot of research done on this topic. What they have found is weight training can actually give the appearance of smaller muscles.


A major benefit is the more muscle mass you have the higher the bodies metabolic rate therefore freeing fat from your body to fuel the energy demand. In turn women should and can lift heavy.

So put those sugar bags down ladies and lift some real weight.

Ryan Stewart

Personal Trainer

recipe for abs!

Everyone would love a 6 pack of rock solid abs but the fact is, performing abdominal exercises such as sit ups only strengthens and firms up the rectus abdominis muscle, more commonly known as the 'six-pack'. Doing these exercises is good as they will give you strong abdominal muscles but will do nothing to reduce the amount of fat on your stomach.

Abdominal fat is present because of too much food intake and the only way to get rid of belly fat and get those eye popping abs is to burn of the fat with a balanced diet and exercise.

Here is an example of a day food plan you should be eating to lower fat:

Breakfast

One tall glass of a homemade smoothie.

Homemade smoothie
1 cup 1% milk
2 tablespoons low-fat vanilla yogurt
¾ cup instant oatmeal, nuked in water
2 teaspoons peanut butter
2 teaspoons chocolate whey powder

Snack #1
2 teaspoons peanut butter, raw vegetables (as much as you want)

Lunch
Turkey or roast beef sandwich on whole-grain bread, 1 cup 1% or fat-free milk, 1 apple

Snack #2
1 ounce almonds, 1½ cups berries

Dinner
Mas Macho Meatballs
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
½ cup crushed saltine crackers
1 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed or whey powder
1 jar (16 ounces) tomato sauce
4 whole-wheat hoagie rolls
½ cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Snack #3
Smoothie


Ryan Stewart
Personal Trainer

The Rotator Cuff

The rotator cuff is a very important group of muscles found in the back of the shoulder coming from the shoulder blade to the shoulder joint. They are important for posture, stability and movement of the shoulder and comprise of the teres minor, infraspinatus, supraspinatus and subscapularis.



A lot of injuries occur due to ignorance of these four muscles and any athletes or gym goers should become familiar with them not just to prevent shoulder injuries but to increase performance too. If you are looking to do any sort of isolation exercises then it should be rotator cuff exercises.


Good shoulder health will help performance in other exercises and sports from bench press to tennis. Working the rotator cuff will strengthen the shoulder girdle making it more stable and will aid anyone looking to lift more on the bench, shoulder press and other upper body exercises. It will also improve posture especially with those who have over worked the ‘mirror muscles’ thus improving rounding of the shoulders making the shoulders look wider and giving a bigger V shape as it helps to bring the shoulders back to their natural position.


Also along with improvements in shoulder stability exercising the rotator cuff will improve flexibility in the shoulder helping golfers, tennis players, javelin and most other team sports and individual sports where shoulder movements are demanding. Maintaining a flexible shoulder joint allows for greater range of movement over the joint therefore it can improve force whilst preventing injury.


Exercises for the rotator cuff are varied try these to take your body to the next level:

Swiss ball press up – place your hands on the Swiss ball shoulder width apart and take up the press up position, lower chest to ball keeping shoulders, hips and ankles in line then raise again.

Lateral Raise – holding dumbbells, if required, stand with arms by the sides thumbs facing body and palms facing backwards. Raise arms to shoulder level keeping pinkie finger facing the sky and thumb facing the ground then lower back to sides.

Lying Rotator Roll – lying on one side hold a dumbbell in hand of side facing ceiling, bend arm at elbow to ninety degrees and have wrist across front. Rotate arm at shoulder bringing hand up towards ceiling and keeping elbow in at side then lower.


Daniel
Personal Trainer

Go Guide West Lothian and Fit Inc

Open publication - Free publishing

Legs 11

Leg training it should be done

I often find every time I go to the gym that there isn’t a lot of people training their legs. Lots people say they don’t like training legs because of the intensity. I see lots of guys with big upper bodies and small legs, well done to them for the good upper body but I don’t understand why they want skinny legs with a large upper body. I decided to ask some of my mates do they train their legs?

The answer, “I run”


So I’m going to tell you why you should train your legs.



•Training your legs = more muscle, studies show that doing squats and deadlifts increase the release of testosterone more than any other exercise resulting in more muscle as testosterone is the bodies natural muscle building hormone.



•Also provide an upper body workout, squats and deadlifts work the whole body not just the legs. For example your abs work to stabilize, your chest muscles contact during a heavy deadlift.



•If you have an upper body injury you can prevent muscle loss in the upper body by doing squats and deadlifts.



•Increase overall strength. A stronger set of legs and a stronger core will increase strength in upper body lifts and help develop the upper body.



•Performing squats and deadlifts will help with mental stress, people don’t train their legs as it is very challenging, physically and mentally so performing such exercises will help with mental endurance and make you progress on your fitness journey.




Overall leg training = better all round health and bigger muscle and strength gains.




So get training those legs



Ryan Stewart
Personal Trainer

Core Strength

When it comes to the core people simply think of the abdominals, forgetting the back and other stabilising muscles around the shoulder girdle and pelvic girdle, being the foundation of trunk strength but they are only a small part of what makes up the core. It is weak and unbalanced core muscles that can be linked to low back pain. Weak core muscles result in a loss of the appropriate lumbar curve and a swayback posture. Stronger, balanced core muscles help maintain appropriate posture and reduce strain on the spine. Because the muscles of the trunk and torso stabilize the spine from the pelvis to the neck and shoulder, they allow the transfer of power to the arms and legs. All powerful movements originate from the center of the body and never from the limbs alone. Before any powerful, rapid muscle contractions can occur in the extremities the spine must be solid and stable and the more stable the core, the more powerful the extremities can contract. Training the muscles of the core helps correct postural imbalances that can lead to injuries. The biggest benefit of core training is to develop functional fitness; the type of fitness that is essential to daily living and regular activities like lifting and moving objects. Core exercises to include in your workout are; The plank – take up the press up position with feet together and lower onto elbows with hands flat on floor and elbows under shoulders, keep body in line from ankles through the hips to shoulders for twenty seconds plus. Yoga Plank – take up the press up position again but bring hands in directly below shoulders and feet together and maintain this position with ankles, hips and shoulders all in line. Side Plank – lie on side with feet on top of each other and elbow directly under shoulder, bring hips up so spine is in a neutral position and hold with ankles, hips and shoulders in line. Daniel- PT

Born Free!!

What is your first thought when it comes to fitness? For most it’s the thought of a packed out gym, full of body builders to the glamour girls in there Lycra. The majority of us are very self-conscious so the gym is a very intimidating place to go.  What if I told you, that you could seek all your fitness goals for free and not have to step one foot into a gym.  Sound good? The great outdoors so misunderstood though the fun you could have and the benefits you could receive from exercising outdoors are endless.

It’s Free!!

No membership payments or the struggle to get on a machine. The outdoors is everyone’s to share and enjoy. You don’t need specialised equipment to get fit; you just have to know where to start. The outdoors is always open with no time limits, no restrictions on what you can and can’t do.

Fresh Air

Nothing beats the outdoors for clean air, yes nowadays we are doing what it seems are utmost to pollute our world the outdoors is still twice as clean as air you’d find in a gym.

More Freebies

Yes I give you more freebies much better than your free water bottle and towel you usually get. As you may know the body needs vitamins and nutrients to function properly. Through the sunlight your body receives doses of vitamin D enough without worrying about taking any supplements. Another little bonus you might even pick yourself up a little tan, ok rare but you never know.

Open your Mind

While outdoors your mind becomes more active as it has to take in its surroundings, from hills you climb to a winding path or to the terrain you’re on.

Open your mind; open your heart to the outdoors.

Dave Low

Personal Trainer

Plyometrics

Plyometric: Bounce Ability

To start with what is plyometric; the main idea behind it is to force the body to exert the greatest amount of force possible, in the shortest time possible from any chosen muscle group. To therefore repeat this action continuously.

Plyometric exercises are more dominantly used with top sports man and woman needing that explosive power, though more and more people are using them in general day to day programmes.  Depending on a person’s fitness goals will determine whether or not plyometric will be of full benefit.

Plyometric Benefits

+ Endurance

For most increasing fitness is one of the key areas they like to improve, with plyometric training it allows a greater endurance allowing an athlete or novice to perform at a higher level for longer.

+ Muscle Strength

Another big feature for most is bulking up or becoming stronger, with plyometric exercises lean muscle is developed far greater providing an athlete with stronger and more efficient muscles.

+ Calorie Burn

The big one for most calories burning, due to the intensity of the exercise it enhances your metabolic rate allowing for higher calorie burn.

+ Injury risk reduced

Due to the extent of the training, plyometric training allows greater motion within the joints improving flexibility and providing muscle strength which reduces the risk of injury.

Plyometric training is endless with the different variations to each exercise and provides endless benefits for the participant. To get started try the most common the box jump, enjoy and bounce your way to success.

Box Jump

One of the most recognisable plyometric exercises is the box jump, as it involves the participant to exert the maximum force possible from the legs to jump on top of a box, landing with two feet. Though other kit could be used such a gym bench or even steps depending on how hard you want the jump. Go on give it go.

David Low

Personal Trainer

Top five bodyweight exercises

The ultimate in workouts has to be your own body weight; you can go to any gym and see everyone doing resistance workouts, dumbbells, barbells, Power plates and studio classes.
Occasionally you see the odd person doing standard press ups at the end of a chest workout or a few variations on there abdominals.
You never really see anyone doing a complete bodyweight no holds barred workout, why is bodyweight training so good

Benefits of bodyweight training:

It's free
Variations are endless
Minimum amount of space required
Can be conducted anywhere
Strength is relative
Body worked functionally
Speed, plyometrics, strength, endurance, stamina, flexibility, movement, are all incorporated

Top five exercises include

PRESS UPS
This is the original bodyweight move and is a great exercise for hitting the chest, shoulders, back and arms, there are many variations and by adding a bit of elevation the range of movement and motion can be increased<strong>.

Variations include

Military Press Up
Toblerone's
Marine press up
Bouncing bomb
Exploding bomb
Bronson press up

BURPEES
This has to be the bad boy of the all over bodyweight exercise; this is a favourite with the British Military and martial artists. Once the subject of unfounded bad press most people ignored this exercise but having never left the top five it has made a dramatic come back.

Variations include

Stand Up burpee
Jump Burpee
Bastardo
Rolling squat burpee
Bouncing burpee
Half burpee

SQUATS
Squats are a great exercise, many people owing to western culture only squat at right ankles, ignoring the Posterior kinetic chain and the elastic energy of the hamstrings and glutes when firing correctly. The squat is also a great indicator regarding hip and ankle mobility or lack of.

Variations include

Jump Squats
Gun Drills
Squat Thrusts
Knuckle squats
Split Squats
Pistol Squats

PULL UPS
Versatile and a mass builder for the back and arms, different variations will allow you to progress quickly, often seen as a test of strength most people find them difficult.

Variations include

Chin up
Side to side
Around the world
One handed
L sit
Parallel
Add a rope, towel, suspension system for variety

ABDOMINALS
The holy grail of exercises, in that we want them, but can't seem to find them. Fear not the six pack is there but don't fall into the "I must do 200 crunches everyday" as the abdominals need to rest like every other muscle group.

Variations include

Ab Roll outs
Super crunches
Double V sits
Jesus Curls
Side plank/oblique twists
Bicycle
Crunches

I need your opinion!  Leave a comment with your favourite bodyweight exercises

Brian Fernie
MMA CSCC
Master Personal Trainer

Rehydrate

When exercising perspiration causes the loss of water from the body along with electrolytes or salts and results in dehydration, this is an ongoing process within the human body where the fluids need to be replaced for optimum bodily functions.

Proper rehydration requires not just water but salts as the body needs these for efficient muscle contractions and nerve impulses. The main electrolytes are sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, hydrogen phosphate and hydrogen carbonate. Exercise depletes the bodies’ salt reserves more quickly bringing the onset of fatigue faster and in this instance water does not have a sufficient amount of these electrolytes to rehydrate as well.

There are three main types of sports drinks available to rehydrate before, during or after exercise with differing amounts of sugars for differing intensities as this is important for performing at your best. Isotonic drinks have the same concentrations of sugars and salts as the human body and are designed to rehydrate sports athletes that perform team sports, middle distance and long distance running, cycling and swimming.

Hypertonic sports drinks have a higher concentration of sugars (carbohydrates) designed to replenish glycogen stores in muscles for after high intensity training or very long distance events like marathons while hydrating and replacing essential salts within the body too.

Hypotonic sports drinks are designed for lower intensities as they have a lower concentration of sugars designed to rehydrate sports people like gymnasts and jockeys as they do not use up as much glycogen as runners or team sport athletes.

When working out at home or within the gym you have to consider the intensity you will be working at to accurately replenish sugars, salts and water within the body. A high intensity workout will require a hypertonic sports drink whereas a moderate or low intensity workout will require isotonic or hypotonic drink.

Daniel O Donnell (much loved by old ladies)
Personal Trainer

Medicine Balls

Play with your balls

Medicine balls are a great way to train, they can add variety to a workout and can target the upper and lower body there are also many exercises that target the core. Medicine balls can be purchases in many different weights and sizes. Some med balls have handles others are different finishes such as leather, rubber and vinyl finishes.  Med ball training can be performed by any age group and by any fitness levels from beginners to top athletes.

Advantages 

• Can improve range of motion
• Core strength and stability
• Upper and lower body strength
• Coordination
• Flexibility
• Can be used with a partner, on your own and thrown against walls.

Med balls are excellent for working the core which is the abdominals, the lower back, hips and spine areas. Med balls are effective as you can mimic functional movements that you use in everyday life for example lifting a heavy box. With med balls you can work many different core muscles at once. As you improve your core strength you are also working your upper and lower body. Med balls are also effective for rehab for example if you have a shoulder injury you could grab a light med ball and with your arms above your head throw the ball off a wall and catch it again and this will re-strengthen the should joint and muscle. 

Disadvantages

• Can cause damage to walls such as scuffs and dents
• Can cause sprains in the wrists and fingers if the catchers timing is off

Examples of medicine ball exercises

Upper body

• Kneeling over head pass (like a football throw-in but on your knees)
• Press ups on the ball.
• Chest pass

Lower body

• Jumping lunges shifting ball from side to side
• Squat
• Front reach

Core

• Russian twists
• V-sit passing the ball from feet to hands and back again
• Overhead floor slam

These exercises will add variety into your programme and you will enjoy performing them.

Next time you’re in the gym just ask to play with the balls.

Ryan Stewart

Personal Trainer

Pull Up's the action man exercise

The ultimate upper body workout, you will have seen it the action movies the hero gets ready for the fight and pushes out a quick set of pull ups.

Pull ups build and strengthen your back, shoulders and arms and help you achieve the perfect V shape.

The pull up and all of its variations are not easy to perform and do require a certain amount of strength and technique. If performed correctly and integrated into a training programme significant gains can be seen quickly.

By pulling your body weight upwards from an action of pulling the hands downwards from above your head does involve a big range of motion and places a lot of pressure on your muscles; however the gains out way the cons.

Many people and trainers abdicate the lat pull down machine and seated overhead press in order to progress your pull ups, This won’t aid you in anyway only by executing pull ups and the variations will you progress.

In order to get started and if you are a gym member try using the weight assisted pull up machines which can be found in all gyms, be wary though as you may be lulled into a false sense of security.

If your outside or not a gym member find a bar or tree that can easily be grasped by yourself and execute jump pull ups as follows

Stand below the bar

Use a box step if you have to

Use overhand or underhand grasp andgrip the bar and jump up slowly lower yourself to the ground

as soon as your feet touch the ground jump again repeat

One great piece of advice comes from Pavel Tsatsouline a former Russian spetnatz trainer which he terms as "greasing the pole" which in layman's terms means do a pull up every chance you get.

Pull/Chin up Variations

Here is a list of some types of variations in order to progress your pull/chin ups

Jump up's

Assisted pull up's

Weighted Pull ups (attach a weight belt or dumbbell)

Kipping Pull Up's – use the legs in a swinging motion to create hip thrust, this is a favourite with cross fit athletes

Side 2 Side- pull up taking left shoulder to left hand lower repeat to opposite side

Round the world- chin to one hand slide across to the other hand and return to start position

One arm pull up – Grab the bar with one hand place the other hand on the wrist for support

Clap pull up – standard chin up as you reach the top of the pull execute a clap return the hands to the bar and lower

Doris pull ups- execute a burpee below the bar, explode up from the down position and execute a pull up drop and repeat.

Other variations include the use of towels, ropes chains and partners.

I want your opinion, leave a comment on the ultimate pull up you use.</p>

Brian Fernie
MMA CSCC
Master Personal Trainer

The Art of a Deadlift

If you are looking to add strength to your physique then look no further than the deadlift. As one of the best compound exercises that you may want to introduce to your workout a deadlift provides a full body workout and is a great exercise to increase muscle strength and mass. A compound exercise involves two or more joint movements.

Muscles used in a deadlift

·         Quadriceps (thigh)

Biceps Femoris

Semimembranosus

Semitendinosus

Rectus Femoris

·         Gluteus Maximus

·         Hamstrings

·         Gastrocnemius (calf)

·         Erector Spinae (lower back)

·         Forearms

·         Trapezius

To summarise a deadlift performed correctly will work the muscles in the upper and lower legs, upper and lower back, glutes, forearms and the core.

Teaching points

The equipment needed for a deadlift is weights and a barbell.

·         Stand a couple of inches behind the bar with feet shoulder width apart, pointing forward.

·         Squat down grasp the bar with a grip you find comfortable (see variations for grips) hands should be slightly wider than shoulder width, keep the back straight and keep the head up looking forward. The shoulders hips and knees should all be in alignment.

·         Keeping the arms straight lift the bar using the quadriceps keeping the weight through the heels, don’t allow your knees to overlap your toes on the lift and keep the bar as close to the body as possible.

·         When at the top of the lift thrust the hips slightly forward.

·         Return the bar to the ground keeping the back straight.

·         The movement for the lift and lower phase should be controlled and in a flowing motion. You should breathe in on the lift phase and out on the lower phase.

Advantages

·         Good for building strength mainly in the postural chain which is the glutes, lower back and hamstrings.

·         Needs little equipment

·         Works major muscle groups simultaneously

·         Helps with core stability

·         Safe lift as the weight is not over your head

·         Develops grip strength

·         Provides a cardio vascular workout

Disadvantages

May cause injury in lower back, quadriceps or hamstrings if done with improper technique.

To avoid injury make sure back is straight at all times, this can be made easier by keeping the chest forward and raising the head.

Variations

·         Perform using two dumbbells

·         Perform a stiff leg deadlift

·         Take wider or narrower stance

·         Perform using different grip.

Overhand grip: palms facing the body

Underhand/overhand grip: one hand over palm facing the body, the other hand under hand palm facing away from the body.

·         To progress the deadlift lift heavier.

Ryan Stewart
Personal Trainer

Fighting Fit

More and more people now a days are incorporating boxing in to their  training schedule, whether it be in a fitness class or playing around with your gyms punching bag putting yourself through the paces. The benefits to boxing are endless and for to start with you don’t need to be the next Muhammad Ali to enjoy the boxing experience.

A boxing workout can be suited for all fitness levels to the very beginner to the sessional pro the benefits are still the same.  The combinations and technique can be changed depending on the client with the intensity either increased or decreased.

Boxing is usually seen as a male dominated activity, as due to the physical nature of boxing, though the aspects and benefits of boxing are just as beneficial to ladies as it is men.

For prime example calorie and fat burning are increased due to the intensity of such an activity. As with boxing the workout entails you to use the larger muscle groups and they are constantly been put through their paces increasing the work load.  More importantly for women boxing doesn’t add muscle bulk but more toning giving definition to the muscle.

With fitness just being one of the many benefits, boxing training also allows you build a functional physique while provide self-confidence. 

The actual boxing workout itself may involve pad work, bag work even a little shadow boxing to the more intense sparring depending on your level of experience. There even might be a few cardiovascular and strength drills so the body is fully conditioned.

As with any new activity you give a try to it is also vital your aware of the safety issues and ensures correct technique is maintained.  Go on give it a try; instead of being fit you could be fighting fit.

David Low

Personal Trainer

Thump Boxing Instructor

Pull for Success

Hi I am Daniel O’Donnell, Personal Trainer at T.O.D Coaching, and I am going to tell you how to become stronger with one move.

Do you want a more powerful upper body, a better posture or just to look good and feel more athletic? Well then drop the weights and get pulling! The effective and universal pull up has been around for decades and is a real test of upper body strength and body balance but is often avoided due to it being too hard or because the knowledge of its effectiveness is not known. People often focus on the ‘mirror muscles’ or ‘beach muscles’ when it comes to getting fit and neglect the bigger and more important muscles of the back. These muscles stabilise the spine and shoulder girdle giving you a stronger base to perform other tasks for example a bench press, picking your child up or performing better in your chosen sport or hobby.

The pull up is a bodyweight exercise executed by an overhand grip and pulling the chest up towards the bar, the shoulder blades should be pinched together while keeping the lower body rigid then lower until the arms are fully extended . Breathe in while pulling then out on the lowering phase controlling the movement to prevent locking of the elbows.

The pull up will strengthen the often injured rotator cuff which is essential for stabilising the shoulder and if trained and maintained can help any novice gym goer or athlete push more weight or become more efficient at other exercises or day to day tasks. The pull up is a compound exercise and due to the number of muscles used with this exercise it is a great one for burning fat as it uses the arms, shoulders, chest, upper back and the core which all include the biggest muscle groups within the upper body. Also an added benefit of the pull up is the work out it provides for the shoulder girdle and core which are essential in fixating and stabilising the areas around the spine therefore improving posture.

To improve, increase or just do your first pull up follow these exercises twice a week and you will have success like never before:

Day 1     Chin Up                                3-5 sets                                6-12 reps

                Low Pulley          3-5 sets                                8-12 reps

Day2      Inverted Row    3-5 sets                                6-12 reps

                Dumbbell Row  3-5 sets                                8-12 reps

Perform these exercises with your current workout plan and when you can complete more than 8 chin ups and inverted rows try the next group:

Day1      Pull Up                  3-5 sets                                6-12 reps

                Prone Fly             3-5 sets                                8-12 reps

Day2      Alternate Grip- 3-5 sets                                6-12 reps

                Pull Up

                Single Arm-         3-5 sets                                8-12 reps

                Pulley

Daniel O Donell (much loved by old ladies)
Personal Trainer