Bodyweight Training

Bodyweight Training

Bodyweight training is one of the most effective ways to burn fat and build muscle. When our weight gets to a certain level many of us decide that we need to join the gym or purchase training equipment. However, it is actually possible to train using your own bodyweight and achieve similar results. Many people neglect the potential of bodyweight training and in this blog I intend to change that and make you aware of the benefits bodyweight training has to offer.

Bodyweight training can help improve your physique by starting with as little as 15-20 minutes work a day. As you get used to the training you should allocate more time which will in turn yield more impressive results. To ensure that you are getting adequate training time you need to make bodyweight training part of your daily schedule. Maybe you could get out of bed 20 minutes earlier or perhaps you could watch TV for 20 minutes less each day. As your bodyweight training progresses you should be able to come up with more creative ways to fit in your training times. If the appearance of your body is important to you then you will always be able to find the time. Stick with it, do it every day and you will begin to notice surprising results.

One of the main concerns with bodyweight training is the frequency with which you exercise. Many people think that you should exercise 3-4 times a week or every other day. This is partially true. People who participate in high intensity, high volume workouts require the additional rest between training and therefore should only train 3-4 times a week. However, bodyweight training is much less intensive. If you train for 15-20 minutes each day.

So now that I have introduced you to bodyweight training and its benefits you are probably wondering what do I actually do? Well there are plenty of exercises you can do but I’ve outlined one of my favourites below:

THE BURPEE CHIN UP COMBO:
 - To begin stand under a chin up bar
- Slowly squat down, bending your knees and keeping your back straight.
- Place your hands on the floor in front of you.
- Kick back with your feet so that you are in a push up position.
- Do a push up.
- Jump your feet back under your chest and stand up rapidly.
- Grab the chin up bar with your palms facing towards you.
- Do a chin up.
- Squat back down and repeat.

Try and keep this up for 15 minutes and you will quickly realise how tough bodyweight training can be. If you do this exercise every morning you will start to notice changes within the week. It will help you burn fat and build muscle in a very short space of time.

Bodyweight training has almost limitless possibilities, it does not stop at this one exercise. If you get onto the BetterTrained website here http://www.bettertrained.co.uk/ there are lots of great bodyweight training ideas and plenty of advice and exercises that you can use in your own routine.

To progress with your bodyweight training set a feasible goal for each week. Once you achieve it set a new one for the next week. As long as you put in the effort you can burn fat and build muscle without attending the gym.

Drop Pounds at the Pool                

A swimming pool -- the kind with lanes, not a swim-up bar -- triggers a negative twinge in many people. Too cold, too inconvenient, too wet, and that's too bad. Swimming gives you a great cardiovascular workout with none of the joint-jarring of running. You'll burn roughly the same number of calories per minute as you would cycling, without the traffic risks. You'll get a restorative workout that helps you come back strong in your other sports. And you'll develop that lean-and-powerful look that draws so many women to the TV when the Olympics are on.

Swimming builds functional strength, starting with your core muscles, back, chest, abdominals. People think it's about making your arms and legs strong, but those are simply extensions of what the core does when you swim properly. Problem is, many individuals can't swim properly -- they thrash, struggle, sink, and give up. Not you. Your swimming lesson, adult version, begins here.

You've seen those old guys who swim lap after lap after lap, never tiring. They're efficient. If you're out of breath after one lap, it's not that you lack "some sort of elusive or special swimming fitness." You're just inefficient.

* LEAD with the top of your head, not your forehead, for better head-spine alignment. Look at the bottom of the pool, not ahead.

* PUSH DOWN with your chest until your hips and legs feel light. That "sinking feeling" you may notice is just your legs and hips naturally riding lower in the water than your upper body. Pressing your chest down gives you better balance. With each stroke, press each armpit into the water.

* SLIP your arm into the water with each stroke as if you were sliding it into a sleeve. A longer body line reduces drag. Extend your arm until your shoulder touches your jaw.

* BE QUIET with your body. Waves indicate wasted effort. Imagine you're piercing the water and slipping through a small hole.

The Starter Swimming Workout

If you get winded, just hang on to the side; it's better than struggling with poor form. This 30-minute workout allows for lots of rest.

* SET 1: Swim 8 x 25 meters focusing on head and chest position, resting for five deep breaths after each length. Then swim 25, 50, 75, and 100m. (Take a five-breath rest after each distance.) Note how many strokes you take on the 25. Swim the remaining laps at a consistent effort, counting strokes. A tired swimmer uses more strokes.

* SET 2: Swim 8 x 25 with a focus on a longer body line. Then swim 100, 75, 50, and 25 yards. (Take the same rests as above.) Swim the 100 very easily. Count your strokes and divide by 4. That number serves as your benchmark for the rest of the set.

* SET 3: Swim 8 x 25 with a focus on "quiet" form. Then swim 25, 50, 75, and 100 yards. (Take the same rests as above.) Note the number of strokes you take on the 25. See if swimming quietly improves your efficiency.

Treadmills? Good, bad or indifferent?

Treadmills? Good, bad or indifferent?

I’m often asked whether it is ok to run on a treadmill rather than outside. My answer is usually different to each person because it depends why they are asking me the question. There are pros and cons for each. So here are my general thoughts on the subject:

Running outside is better than running on a treadmill when:

You plan to do or have entered a running event

If you are aiming to do an event running outside then you need to get used to running outside. A treadmill helps you run since there is a continual ‘pawing back’ motion through the belt. Effectively part of the running motion is done for you therefore you do not develop the strength through this section. You will over-develop some muscles relative to others which will make it feel increasingly harder for you to run outside if you get too used to a treadmill. It can be easy to convince yourself not to run outside when it is, say, raining hard or blowing a gale. But if you train for weeks or even months for one event only to wake up on that day and discover a downpour then what are you going to do?

When the session you want to do is a long endurance one

Whether a long run for you is 30 minutes or 3 hours it can be really boring doing it on a treadmill. Running outside tends to pass quicker since you have a variety of views and terrain to keep you occupied. In addition, usually our longer runs are a training session for some kind of distance event so I refer back to the last point! Also consider long training runs for half or full marathons where you need to learn to drink and / or eat on the run. If you’re going to have to carry things in the event then the place to work out what is best for you is on a training run in similar conditions.

When you want to consolidate your running

I usually include in my clients training programmes a regular ‘run as you feel’ run. This allows you to pull all your running training together. It may mean pushing hard up a hill because you feel strong or really letting the run stretch out on the flats because you feel flexible. It lets your body respond to its muscles and your fitness while allowing you to just enjoy running (which should be the number one reason we all do it!) with no fixed agenda or target. This is much harder to do on a treadmill as your legs respond to the pace of the machine, rather than your pace being a response of your mind and body.

When you plan to run an off-road event

A treadmill has a flat, smooth and bouncy surface. It doesn’t ‘feel’ the same as grass, sand, gravel or mud under your feet. If you are planning an event on non-road surfaces then you need to get used to running on these surfaces. It is good practice to run on various surfaces anyway since the differences in terrain gives your lower limbs a better strength and stability workout. This means all the supporting, smaller muscles around your ankles and knees are worked more, making them stronger and keeping you more resistant to injury.

When the weather is nice and you have spent all day inside
Speaks for itself really! Why would you want to stay cooped up inside with lots of other sweaty bodies when you could be outside in the fresh air?

Running on a treadmill is better than running outside when:

You are returning from an injury and want to try your running out

Running outside to some extent will strengthen your muscles up but from time to time we can suffer from injuries and niggles. If you have had a set back then it is often worth building your running back up on a treadmill, especially if the injury has been caused by the impact of running. Treadmills nowadays all have shock absorbers to lessen the impact. In addition it is easier to just stop the session completely if needs be when you are on a treadmill, than if you are outside and discover you can’t run anymore when you are 3 miles from home!

When you only want to include a little bit of running in your overall workout

If you run mainly for fitness or you do a lot of cross training then you may want to just include a short running section within an overall cardiovascular workout. Logistically it makes much more common sense to just do 10-15 minutes on the treadmill than to ‘faff’ about going outside, coming back in and so on!

When it’s icy outside

Save yourself a broken leg and use the treadmill instead! 

When you are trying new trainers ou

Most good running shops will allow you to bring their trainers back after a test run as long as you don’t use them outside. Proper trainers are the best running investment you can make so be sure that they feel right for you.

I am a fan of treadmill running when there is a specific purpose to it. I include one treadmill session a fortnight in my own programme, but given I am doing 5 or 6 running sessions a week the proportion of treadmill running is quite small. Since my clients don’t have the need (or insanity!) to do so many sessions I tend to discourage them from using treadmills often, for the reasons I have stated above.

So, when all is said and done, if it’s a case of a treadmill run or no run then I’d pick a treadmill one every time!

Have fun,

All the best,

Matthew Page

Diving into the gene pool

As athletes rely more and more on technology, where does talent end and science begin.
Ever since the first Greek Olympics in 776BC, athletes have been pushing the boundaries of human physical potential on track and field. But now experts believe we have finally hit our limits and the human body can’t achieve more, and this is where science steps in.

I've explored the contribution of science to sport – with recent scientific developments including genetic testing to maximise training schedules, and shark-like swimming costumes to reduce drag in races. They’ve discussed in a line is drawn being between where talent stops and science begins.
Many experts, including those who trained the comedian David Walliams for his cross-Channel swim, believe that athletes, competing in track and field events in particular, have now reached the limit of natural human performance. In these sports, science will have the greatest contribution to future medal tables, where even a small enhancement in performance could make a big difference. Here are some of the scientific advances that may give sportsmen and women the edge.

WINNING GENESOne day scientists may be able to pick the winner of a race before it has even started, by looking at the competitors’ genetic make-up to see which one carries “performance genes”.
In recent years researchers have identified genes that confer athletic advantage, and some are now suggesting that genetic profiling for so called performance genes could be used to identify the athletes of the future. For instance, the ability to use oxygen efficiently is key to having the winning edge in all sports, as it keeps muscles going for longer. Some people carry a mutated version of a gene called EPOR, which results in an abnormally high number of red blood cells – the main oxygen transporters of the body. People with this mutated EPOR gene have more oxygen whizzing around their body, helping them to carry on working longer and harder than others. Researchers identified an entire Finnish family with this EPOR mutation, several of whom were championship endurance athletes, including the gold medal cross-country skier Eero Maentyranta.
It is likely that athletes able to break records in the future will be such physiological “outliers” – people who naturally possess extremes of normal body biology, which also happen to enhance performance. For instance, one helpful gene is called ACTN3. It comes in two variants, one of which makes muscles more suited to endurance events, and the other to sprint or power events. One American company has even started to offer people the chance to have their genes tested for performance-enhancing variants – at £50 a pop – to find out which sport they are genetically suited to.
So will we see genetic profiling by talent scouts? I’m dismissive as rediretcting athletic aptitude is incredibly difficult. There are too many genetic variations and environmental factors involved to make accurate predictions.

CHEMICAL ASSISTANCESome common enhancers, which might be called an appliance of science, are drugs such as anabolic steroids and EPO, the hormone that promotes red blood cell development. These are banned, although athletes tend always to be one step ahead of the regulators, using new undetectable drugs. The long-term effects of the use of such substances are unknown.
Some technologies, however, such as simulating the effect of training at altitude by placing an athlete in a pressure chamber, are not banned. This increases the number of red blood cells by making the body think it’s in a low oxygen environment, making it step up blood cell production. Nor is taking sodium bicarbonate before competition banned. This acts as a buffer in the blood, helping to prevent the build-up of lactic acid that causes burning muscle pain.

HIGH-TECH KITWe’ve already seen the impact that science can have on world records through advances in technology. In the 1990s, new materials science made it possible to use carbon fibers to build bicycles with characteristics that had never been seen before. An early example was Chris Boardman’s Lotus monocoque carbon frame, which he rode in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. In the one-hour speed event, Boardman was able to travel 7km farther than the legendary Eddie Merckx had achieved 30 years earlier. But riding a standard A-frame bike, he managed only a paltry 10m more than Merckx.
Materials science makes a contribution to sport in many other ways, from shoes that let people bounce higher, to “go-faster” swimming costumes. Some cozzies, for instance, mimic the skin of a shark, making the swimmer more streamlined and reducing drag. High-tech equipment won’t make super-athletes out of mere mortals, but, it can make the difference between winning and losing for those at the peak of their game. “You need talent and preparation,” says Alan Currie, the psychiatrist for the UK Athletics team. “Self-motivation is integral to success, if you want to reach the top.”

Is your body built for sporting success?Have you got the perfect physique for sport? No matter what science can create to enhance our body’s performance, the basics have to be there, and this means having the right body shape for a sport.

One for the boys or the very hard core girls.

Build an All-Sport Body

Lay the foundation for a year of muscle growth with a versatile training tool: the power cage. Most men shy away from the power cage, so you won't have to wait in line to use it. You'll improve your strength, mobility, and endurance with this simple routine. Do the workout three times a week, resting at least a day between sessions.

Perform the exercises in succession, and then rest for 60 seconds before repeating the circuit once or twice.

1. Barbell Duck-Under

Set a barbell at waist level on the supports of a power cage, and stand with one hip next to it. Take a long stride beneath the bar, then duck underneath. Stand up on the other side, and repeat the motion to return to the starting position. Go back and forth until you've passed under the bar 8 to 10 times in each direction.

2. Reverse Push up

Sit on the floor under the barbell with your legs straight, and grasp the bar with a shoulder-width grip. Hang from the bar so only your heels touch the floor. This is the starting position. Pinch your shoulder blades together and bend your arms to pull your chest to the bar. Pause at your highest point, then lower yourself. Aim for 8 to 10 repetitions.

3. Front Squat to Shoulder Press

Load the barbell with a weight you can press overhead 8 times. Holding the bar on the front of your shoulders, bend at the hips and knees. Pause when your thighs are parallel to the floor (or lower), and then press up and push the bar overhead. Lower the bar to your shoulders. Do 8 reps.

4. Pull-up to Hanging Leg Raise

Grab the pull-up bar at the top of the cage with your palms facing away from you. Pull yourself up until your upper chest is as close to the bar as you can get it. Holding that position, bend your legs and bring your knees in toward your chest. Lower your legs, then lower your body to the starting position. Aim for 6 to 8 reps.

Good luck.