The other day I got asked this question by one of my more recent personal training clients.

“Can we go over some back strengthening exercises?”

The member in question has never had any serious lower back problems but her lifestyle and activity choices prior to us starting always seemed to cause her some grief in the lower back region resulting in some aches and pains.

This situation (and pre-conceived solution) is a popular one in the people I see and many others around the world and I’ve solved them with the same solution time and time again but it was after watching a seminar by Mike Boyle that it became so glaringly obvious in the way it needs to be communicated to the masses.

“Anytime a muscle is injured look for a weak synergist”

(For those that are wondering what a synergist is – see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synergist)

Mike actually got this quote from a therapist called Shirley Sharman and I have to agree with what he says that this is one of the smartest, short sentences that I have ever read and explains a problem so succinctly. As a Kinetic Chain Assessor this is the type of issue that I am always dealing with and explaining to my clients and athletes as to how we need to address it to get a long term solution instead of a short term one only.

The common problem in athletes and clients is that the focus is normally made on the point of origin of pain. If there is pain in the back, let’s look at the back, if there is pain in the knee, let’s look at the knee when many of these cases would be solved by looking at other problem areas like the glutes, hip complex and ankles for the respective conditions. This also explains why conditions repeat themselves because the issues with the synergists that have never been rectified continue to cause problems and result in more back pain, knee pain and so on.

This is very true for problems that result in the visit to a physician and what Mike calls the trauma model. If we have a real accident or injury to a knee like a ACL tear or a broken leg then the trauma model will apply a surgical solution which makes perfect sense. What doesn’t make sense is the application of the above model for what we call overuse injuries like a sore knee or back etc.

In such cases there has been no “car crash” effect as I like to call it and has simply come on over the weeks, months or even years and has resulted in some degree of pain which in the case of the back could be discomfort like my client or a bulging disc to give one example of a worst case scenario.

In these cases, most physicians will still use the trauma based model when to quote another therapist, Gray Cook - “Any time a joint is injured or painful, look above or below.”

From my experience in dealing with this gradual onset type overuse injuries/complaints, the vast majority of them will go away by dealing with the joints and muscles that surround the complaint. As Mike says, “A muscle very rarely gets hurt because it is weak. It gets hurt because it is doing someone else’s job”.

So in light of one of the most common problems in the world these days and as demonstrated by this recent client of mine, low back pain is not resolved by strengthening the lower back. This area is already doing a lot more work than it needs to be and instead look at the muscle and joint region surrounding the hip for starters.

In this specific case the front thing was tight and the back of the thigh and glutes were weak in comparison.

I would however go a step further than what Mike alluded to and assess other regions which is why the Kinetic Chain Assessment is so good and also look at ankle mobility and gait to name 2 other common causes of low back pain. (Mike may have meant this but his examples specifically looked at the joint directly below).

So whether your discomfort is a short term ache like my client above or something more serious but has come about via a gradual onset, remember these smart phrases…

“Anytime a muscle is injured look for a weak synergist”

“Any time a joint is injured or painful, look above or below.”

“A muscle very rarely gets hurt because it is weak. It gets hurt because it is doing someone else’s job”.

Some people are already becoming less motivated about what they are trying to achieve in 2010, and we’re only about 8% of the way through the year!

What they wanted to change is not happening either because they’re just not too sure what the true cost is or they just wanted it to happen miracously without paying that cost!

What seemed important isn’t as important now or at least that’s what they’re telling themselves. When digging deeper, its more because of their huge confidence and faith in not achieving what they want because it’s too hard.

If they do know what the cost is such as training with resistance, eating healthy and performing metabolic routines, then the effort to do these things doesn’t quite make that goal as appealing…..at least not until just before summer when they will want another miracle to happen or same time next year just before 2011 when they yet again promise that this year “will be diffferent”.

Another one I’ve heard is that “something has come up” and I’ll get back on it next month or soon as I can. While there can be life changing events that we all have to deal with I’m talking about the ones that could be considered barriers but not ones that could not be resolved; but instead they choose to use the same excuses that were probably there last year and the year before rather than identify whether there is a solution that fits their time restraints, motivation and current levels of knowledge on all subjects related to their health, fitness and well-being.

Now I’m not saying all this to tell you, “I told you so”. If this does in some way reflect whats happened so far this year and you can relate to any of the above situations, then I’m here to help and tell you that there’s a better way that improves yourchances of success by at least 500%.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve talked about why resolutions, wish lists and SMART goals just don’t do you any justice and I’ll share with you what I go through with personal training clients and bootcamp members.

And initially its as simple as 4 steps. While there are more developed programs I’ll use, this is as effective as anything else I’ve done and easy to maintain as well.

The 4 steps are…

1 - Know what you want

2 - Know why you want it

3 - Know what the cost is to you

4 - Pay that cost

1 - Know WHAT you want

Be SPECIFIC, Know EXACTLY what you want to achieve.

If you don’t know EXACTLY what you want to achieve, how will you know whether you have achieved it or not. And if you have something to aim for, you are more like to go after it because it has DIRECTION, there is a VISUAL aim.

Give it a time also.

A goal is SPECIFIC and EXCITING and has a DEADLINE that means you have a TARGET to aim for. Vague goals on the other hand have left you with allowances for making excuses that get you no where and before you know it, it will be summer when you wanted to be in fabulous shape or the end of the year where you’re left scratching your head wondering where the time went and what went wrong.

2 - Know WHY you want it

Think about your above goal and why you want it.

I don’t mean becasue you want to look better or feel better about yourself.

Be prepared to dig deeper and find the true emotion around it and what is honestly driving you.

Is there vanity involved? Is it emotional to you such as you want to feel pretty or you want a better relationship? Be prepared to peel and peel away until you find what truly inspires you and is far more powerful than I just want to look better and feel pretty good about myself.

If you’re not being truly honest about why the goal is important by continuing to ask yourself WHY at each answer, then you’re not finding the true reason. If you can’t explain it, then expect to fail!

3 - Know The Cost

This is the part that most people fail on. I’m sure you’re aware of what you should and should not be doing. The mistake is not reaffirming it as part of your goals. This is pretty powerful stuff when it comes to making lots and lots of good decisions on a daily basis both big and small. Other wise it is pretty easy to convince yourself that “I’ll start again on Monday” or “I had a hard day at work”.

What is the cost?

It may be financial? Coaching, better foods (though that isn’t always more expensive if you’re saving on excessive amounts of bad foods and drink), good supplements.

It may be time? The exercise you do and the meals you prepare, the education you undergo.

Or it may be the sacrifices you are going to have to make. Putting in EXTRA effort when you workout, not drinking alcohol or eating crisps.

Whatever it is, be honest enough to appreciate what you have to change. At the very least you can then decide whether the cost is worth taking for that goal which was so important to you a few minutes ago.

To some respect its what analysts would call a cost-benefit analysis and then deciding if all the benefits outweight the costs to get there.

4 - Pay The Cost

The goal has been written, you have a truly powerful reason why you want to achieve it and you fully understand what it will take to get there.

Now YOU DO IT!

That’s right, from now on you start to pay the price.

This isn’t a one off. To get to your BIG EXCITING goal is to take little bits of ACTION EVERY DAY as defined by your costs

and continue to pay the price until you have achieved that goal!

If you write down all these 4 steps into a series of paragraphs that you can read 2-3 times a day and reaffirm them all, then your chances of succeeding go up massively. Infact, using the word chance makes it sound like a gamble. If you set out your 4 step goal achievement action plan and stay with it each day you are infact NOT leaving it to chance and the targets you have set are there for the taking!

I really hope you at least try this as laid out in as much detail as I can without making it war and peace. I use this same system on myself in various parts of my life with great success so I urge you to do the same.

Next I’ll be adding some little hints and tips on how to make them even more powerful.

Good luck in making 2010 your year!

Mike

]]> http://www.thebodyplanner.com/blog/2010/01/27/4-step-success-plan-for-goals-in-2010/feed/ http://www.thebodyplanner.com/blog/2010/01/18/your-personal-trainer-isnt-so-smart/ http://www.thebodyplanner.com/blog/2010/01/18/your-personal-trainer-isnt-so-smart/#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:45:46 +0000 bodyplanner http://www.thebodyplanner.com/blog/?p=445 Last week I tore apart the significance of setting resolutions and why as a method they suck for achieving goals that you really, really desire.

If you need a reminder, have another look here

Probably the most popular method of setting goals are using the SMART method and I’ll be honest and say I’ve used them in the past and still use aspects of them now but my problem with SMART is that they don’t take you the whole journey and leave you broken down on the side of the road waiting for assistance again.

In short….SMART sucks!

That’s why I have used the QUEST method for some time now and can honestly say that it is far more productive and successful in goal achievement. I use it for my Personal Training clients and I use it for myself in business and my own personal fitness and find it far easier to manage.

Q is about ‘Q’ualifying your goal, what you want to achieve. Part of this is to have a goal that excites the pants off you when you visualise that you have achieved it. What’s exciting about losing 7 pounds in 2 months if you could achieve 20 pounds.

In the way SMART goals are specific, a QUEST goal will also be specific with dates and also be measureable in some way but it does not have to be realistic. Realistic goals are not exciting goals and anything that inspires you is a lot more likely to influence you into taking good actions than a goal that allows you to wander.

And so what if you do not achieve it! Using the above example would you rather achieve 7 pounds weight loss or 18 pounds? When you look at it like that it’s a no brainer.

So while a QUEST goal is attainable (because it shouldn’t be something as ridiculous as lose 90lbs in a month), you’ll be amazed at what exactly attainable can be, just let it excite you rather than be realistic and boring.

So in explaining what Q is, the whole of a SMART goal has been analysed!
It is specific
It is measureable
It is attainable or not depending on how you define attainable as some will also say achievable and the difference between that and realistic is confusing enough and makes SMART a waste of time right there!
It is timely, it has deadlines!

The POWER in QUEST goal setting is what you then do next…

U is “U”nderstanding the goal, WHY is it so important. Lets face it - most people are closed doors when it comes to sharing their emotions publicly but one thing you SHOULD 100% do is understand the TRUTH behind why you want to achieve the goal. The REAL TRUTH is a lot more emotional that “I just want to look good” because, beg my pardon….that is rubbish.

I have gone through this process time after time and I would be that rich man if I had a penny for each time I heard that one. But for every time I heard it and continued to ask WHY, we got to the REAL reason why the weight loss, fat loss is so important, so much so that in some cases it has been a pretty overwhelming experience for that person but at the same time a very exciting one because they finally came clean to themselves (with me) as to WHY the goal is so important.

EMOTION triggers a lot more DESIRE and ACTION than no emotion at all so UNDERSTAND WHY achieving the goal will be so great.

E is to “E”ducate the cost of achieving that goal. BIG, EXCITING goals should have a bit of fear in them (becasue thats what happens when you care) but not to the point where you it is preventing you from taking action because from the start you have no doubt that you cannot achieve it.

Instead, understand the price that you have to pay to achieve that goal.
Whether that is with a professional like me or not, educate yourself about the changes and sacrifices you will have to make. If the goal is that important and exciting and inspiring, then taking action against what you have defined is much, much easier and straightforward to the point that it does not become a sacrifice because the goal is so important.

S is to “S”toke the fire.
Regular goal achievement fails because you don’t continue to repeat a process that stirs up excitement in your body. QUEST looks at using methods like the “4 steps to goal achievement” on a daily basis to stir up your emotions like it originally did when you set the goal. Too many times, I’ve seen goals go ignored for long periods so theres not emotion and no action!

T is to “T”est the goal and evaluate the importance of it and the progression towards it.
When you get closer to a goal you can become lazy because you’re nearly there. Nothing wrong with that when you’re hitting an amazing, exciting goal but to save time, continue to evaluate it’s importance to you on that date because it may be worth chalking it off as done and setting a new goal that does stirs the same emotions up in the present tense.

I’ve done this with training clients who have still achieved the original goal but sooner and started to progress towards their new one.

Obviously, if on testing the goal has no importance anymore, change it immediately. The other features of this method should however ensure that is not the case.

And you must test your progress by measuring against the original goal and ensure you are going in the right direction. This builds further accountability in what you’re doing instead of playing a game of Chance! The costs you have previously identified should prevent this.

I recommend to all bootcamp members that they go through this process as soon as possible after joining and at least once a month from there. After 2-3 weeks away from face to face communication, all my Personal Training clients are HAVING to do this and not one has come back disappointed.

They are inspired, focused and excited about the progress they WILL make in 2010!

Are You?

Then get rid of your resolutions because they suck and program you to fail!

We’ve all gone through the same process at the end of one year and the start of a next and taking some time to think about what we want to do this year and how things will be different but inevitably everything pans out the same and the levels of success attained are not as great as the original aspiration.

Of course we’ll focus on all things health and fitness but the same goes for all areas of your life - career, personal, relationships, adventure, finances…and the list goes on.

I’ve seen it on Facebook more evidently in the last 2 weeks with 1 or 2 people I know in various industries shouting about how 2010 will be “the year”, “their year” and how “it is going to be a very exciting year and time for massive change”

(which reminds me - why do so many people wait until the start of a year to make these promises and not get around to making change as soon as possible. Just supposing me, you or anyone fails our resolutions in say March, why wait till 2011 to start again!)

I can see that the same people are already getting into old habits by the nature of their more negative Facebook status updates. They don’t contain the same high hopes that they did a week or so ago and unfortunately I’m sure there will be more to come.

Don’t get me wrong - I have nothing wrong with resolutions as a starting point. It is a time of year when it is good to reflect on what you want to achieve and they can have a habit of being highly motivational, even if it is only for a short period. I just think there is a far better way to increase your chances of success and achieve more in the same space of time!

Here’s a few reasons why resolutions suck…

1 - There tends to be nothing specific about them. How do you know if you are succeeding if your resolution is to exercise more. Resolutions can be extremely vague, thats like going into a shop without any idea as to what you want to buy or going to an uncertain destination with no map, compass or sat nav!

2 - They do not exhibit any demonstration as to the reason WHY? All goal accomplishment programs, resolutions or otherwise are likely to go through periods of frustration and uncertainty and that positivity is likely to disappear so it is important to understand the WHYs as they help support the strong emotions attached to the goal and are more likely to result in positive action being taken more often, even in times of struggle. Resolutions do little to remind the individual as to why the task is so important. Less importance is likely to result in less action being taken.

The WHY can actually end up being the goal that is important. Exercising 3 times a week is not as important as perhaps losing 20lbs or hitting a size 10.

3 - Resolutions can be extremely unreasonable and inevitably lead to failure. Resolutions are usually set at times of euphoria and be something like I won’t drink for 3 months. Not a bad target to have and if you’re a regular at The Metropolitan then doing this will not only save a stash of cash but you’ll lose fat as well.

But what if you have a drink within the first month. You understand that to be failure when infact you still have plenty of opportunities to reinforce your decision and make good headway. The resolution in you is dead though which tends to lead to further poor decisions being made and resigning to failure.

4 - They lose importance to you because you never evaluate them. There is no measure to test whether you are going in the right direction or not.

5 - Goals in this format also become intimidating after they have been set. They are sat there in your mind, being evaluated as to whether they are possible or not. Resolutions start to become unachievable!

6 - Resolutions set this way in your head or on a piece of scrap paper tend to lose their appeal. This relates to not having important WHY’s but also the justifications that go on in your head that the goal that has become intimidating is now not so important and failing at an insignificant goal is okay. We know the truth but resolutions will set many up to fail this way.

First off, there is nothing wrong with failure but accepting failure in this environment generally means that there is no effort either and an acceptance of little to no chance.

7 - Resolutions never look at the cost; that is the factors required to achieve the goal. There will be some idea but no real acceptance of what is required. This inevitably leads to a “I’ll start next week” type attitude and before you know it the resolution has lost its importance…..until next month, the month after and before you know it, 2011 is around the corner and its time to wait till then!

Another interesting side note is that there are some people who can use this type of approach and succeed because the instinct to act on a resolution is contained deep inside and/or this approach has less fear in some cases. To that I say each to their own but I do know that for the massive majority it will not work and the 7 reasons above are highly significant for the reasons why they will not. In those few cases that it does work, I would argue that the time taken is far longer in which case their resolve and persistence to succeed are far greater than they would give themselves credit for.

For now, simply choose the opposite to what the majority do by…
1 - Being very specific about what you want to achieve
2 - Understand WHY you want to achieve it. Doing this step alone will help measure how important the goal is to you.
3 - Understand WHAT you will have to do in order to succeed. Again, be specific
4 - Have a goal that excites and inspires you. Does exercise inspire you or getting into the little black dress or being a certain size?
5 - Check your goal on a regular basis, are you getting closer or further, are your actions taking you closer or further?
6 - Remind yourself of your goals on a regular basis - Do they still appeal? If not, are there valid reasons and can the goal be replaced by a one that does inspire, have an importance and a big WHY.
7 - Do not be afraid of failure - Failing on a big, exciting and inspiring goal means achieving a lot more than a dull, lifeless goal with no ambition.

Next I’ll be having a go at why S.M.A.R.T. goals are not so smart and the real solution to goal achievement is to Q.U.E.S.T.

Laters

Mike

First off I just wanted to wish you all a very Happy New Year and I’m really looking forward to seeing my personal training and bootcamp members real soon. For the rest of you I look forward to hearing from you in 2010 and what exciting things you are up to!

I can guarantee that a lot of not all of you are right now thinking about how 2010 is going to be your best year yet as far as your health and fitness goes (as well as the rest of your life which has a dramatic impact on how successful your health and fitness is as well - more on that to come soon!) and why not!

You should be optimistic and positive but you should also know that those 2 things alone will not bring you what you want and it all boils down to how you ACT!!

Thats why joining bootcamp or having personal training or joining a club or gym is a good action to take but…
attending every session, having a program is better
doing extra work if more advanced is worthwhile like some metabolic finishers or HIIT
having a plan of how to eat and drink is vital
having an understanding of WHY you’re doing it is important

And this all starts with what I consider to be the most important component of any goal….

YOUR MINDSET and how you OPERATE IT
Thats what gets you up for 6:45AM or go to the gym after a hard first day back at work next Monday
Thats what makes you work hard when you’re there at bootcamp or in the gym or out on the road
Thats what retains a positive “I CAN” attitude into February, March and the rest of the year
Thats what makes you choose the right foods to go into your shopping trolley and stop you going to the vending machine at work
Thats what makes you prepare your food for at work for a few minutes each night
Thats what makes the NUTRITION and EXERCISE components WORK!

So one thing I HOPE YOU HAVE NOT DONE IS RESOLUTIONS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WORK!

Over the next couple of weeks I’m going to be posting a few articles/posts/exercises that I hope you work with to reach your potential so that the 2 things that really matter become habits, actions and processes that come so much more naturally.

Such as…

Why resolutions SUCK
Why SMART goals SUCK
Why QUEST is the only method
Developing your 4 step methods on the site for all to see and why that works
Using other goal setting exercises to help and assist your success
Using other actions to make your goals become a reality
The most important part of goal achievement and how to get there
The best goal achievement program that I know if you want to make 2010 the best year of your life across ALL parts of your life.

So much that you’ll be watering at the mouth in anticipation of what you ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE THIS YEAR in you health, fitness, physique, career, relationships, finances, lifestyle….you name it!

Let me know how good a time you’ve had over Xmas, whether you’ve been good or bad (hahaha) and I’ll speak to you soon

PS See ABC bootcanmpers on the 11th Jan for GROUND ZERO!

Laters friends

Mike

DREAM, BELIEF, ACT, WIN

When I was in HMV there was a whole host of the latest fitness DVD’s being plugged by the rich and famous like the ones below.

If you didn’t know it already, many of these DVD’s are fake and don’t deliver what you think they will when you buy them.

I recall one personal training client that I started with 10 months or so ago who had a dozen or so of these DVD’s and in her own words “really enjoyed one or two of them but they didn’t make any changes to my body”.

What you should realise is that some of the celebrities that endorse these DVD’s are actually training like an athlete in preparation for these shows. By that I mean they will be put through their paces by a trainer several times a week and in some cases more than once a day. They are also on a very restrictive diet plan that is unsustainable in the longer term. You just have to see a couple of these celebrities a few months after and how they have put a lot of weight back on.

So while I advocate “doing something is better than nothing” principle be aware of what these DVD’s are and what they promise and instead have a bit of fun with them and understand what it takes to get results that are sustainable.

One of the DVD’s that may actually be better than the others is The Body Blitz that is endorsed by ex-East Ender Hannah Waterman. I have read the bio on Amazon and it says…

So how’s she done it? To find the very best scientific way to lose weight, Hannah went to Loughborough University – the country’s leading centre for sports science – and worked with their weight-loss expert Martin MacDonald.

The DVD focuses on interval training and is divided into short bursts of intense exercise followed by a rest period. According to Martin MacDonald “All the latest scientific studies show it’s the most efficient way to burn fat. In fact it’s 4-5 times better at burning fat than normal aerobic exercise”.

Cardio Blitz involves short (10 second) bursts of intense exercise i.e. skipping, running on the spot) interspersed with ‘active rest periods’ doing moves like squats and lunges.

Tone Blitz mixes up short intervals of high energy burpees (like the old school bunny hops) with toning moves using weights (like lunges and sit-ups).

The DVD also comes with Hannah’s ‘Six Meals a Day Diet’. So as Hannah says “With this DVD you get to exercise less, eat more and still lose weight – can’t be bad!”.

So first off - it is based on the programs of an experienced coach and not someone who calls themselves a “celebrity trainer”. What is that anyway?

The programs delivered are also based on scientific findings which are that metabolic resistance training and interval training are 2 of the most effective forms for fat burning and conditioning and far more effective than what over 90% of people are still doing at home, outside or in the gym. Just like what we do at ABC BootCamp and as part of our Personal Training systems back in Manchester - no aerobic type workouts with crunches to be seen! To target fat loss effectively you must use the muscle tissue and periods of high intensity followed by lower intensity releases the fat tissue form the cells and be prepared to be used as energy.

The nutrition component is based on healthy and nutritious eating and not some silly fad like the golden syrup diet or Atkins. I would guess that it is not dissimilar to The Elimination Plan that is based on removing unnatural foods sources from the diet.

So while some male friends may want you to get The Pussycat Dolls workout, The Body Blitz would be a better alternative if you’re looking for a cheap solution that just may be a lot better than the majority of workouts available.

I’m back on the internet now to complete my shopping!

Mike

It seems that everyone is a bit concerned about Xmas coming up soon and the effects it will have on their weight and the good work they have been doing in getting in better shape throughout the last few months.

The works do

Other formal do’s with clients and suppliers

Parties at the local sports club

Meeting up with friends for that last night out before going back to meetup with their families

The big meals on Xmas Day and Boxing Day

And eating and drinking in excess at all of them.

I’ve seen it time and time again where people go a bit too far and before they know it they’ve put on 7lbs in January and are mortified about how they look and feel.

First off I wouldn’t feel too guilty, I’m not one of those trainers that says you have to be careful all year round and you have to balance times of work with times for rest and celebration. Of course you have the choice whether you want to or not but just set your expectations accordingly and don’t get too upset or surprised if you put a bit of weight on. The fact that you do the right thing over the course of a year should always mean you can cheat a bit more when on holiday or in the festive season.

You’re the one in control, right?

On the other hand if you want to minimise the reversal in any progress you have made over the last few weeks, then try these strategies out.

Drink more water before you go out and eat. This will curb your excesses by giving you that sensation of being full.

If drinking alcohol, make every third drink a water. Maybe you won;t do anything stupid either : )

Eat protein in your meals first to curb the effects of all the carbs you have on your plate (rise in insulin level equals more fat!) . The intake of protein will also fill your appetite more so and prevent overeating.

Snack! Yes that’s right snack. Then maybe you won’t stuff yourself in one sitting with enough food to feed the family.

Fast before the main event. Take note that I don’t mean starve so drink plenty of water but being in a state of depletion means there is less chance of a larger proportion of your food intake turning to fat because your energy stores have to be filled up again. Fasting is a very healthy strategy when done right as in Eat Stop Eat.

You still have time to exercise. At times like this I particularly like 4 minute sets of Tabata routines. Quick, intense and as effective on your ability to burn fat as anything else.

As an example pick 2 exercises, perform the first for 20 seconds with maximum effort followed by 10 seconds rest, then the second for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds rest and repeat 3 more times to total 4 minutes. Rest for a minute and pair up another 2 exercises. We have one routine at our bootcamp in Manchester where it is pretty much dominated by Tabatas….I call it Flash Bolt!

Here’s a few examples, and 2 are just bodyweight so no problem there then : )

Use these strategies and you might find that you don;t put any fat on at all during the festivities.

If you’re in Manchester and want to get started now before the excesses come into play, then we have 4 open days during December for ABC BootCamp starting on the 7th December for all new visitors looking for Fun, Fast Fat Loss and Fitness. For more details email me at info@TheBodyPLanner.com or call on 07977 573 866.

See you again soon

Mike

The Body Planner

“I’ve got this to do and then this and then see the kids…..and didn’t make it to the gym”

“I’ve been so busy at work recently that it’s been impossible…”

“I had such a bad day I just wanted to sit down and never did my workout”

“I haven’t had time to prepare anything so just wanted to get a pizza”

“I’m too busy to train”

…. and a number of others that are pretty similar all adding up to the fact that you are very busy.

In the past with actual clients I’ve had pretty similar conversations so not just with people that haven’t decided to make any changes to help lose 10lbs or drop a clothes size or to reduce their back pain but from people that have signed up and decided to make the change for the better and started to invest in their health. I actually even had one consultation request earlier this year who really wanted to lose weight but was really busy and didn’t think that she had the time. The way her life was planned she actually didn’t and after requesting a consultation never actually got round with the best intentions that she had to actually take it. That was a first!

First off I’m not knocking the fact that there are other parts of your life like your family and career that are just as important (let’s sidestep for now the belief that these things will also improve when your health has improved but as you ignore nothing seems to improve, sound about right!).

But what I would put forward to you is that there is a clear difference between things outside of your control occurring (once in a while) and being busy but not having greater time management skills that allow you to cope better and achieve more.

With better time management I have noticed that it is possible to get more things done, waste less time (which you will be doing) and having time to get to those goals that you want to.

This isn’t the ramblings of a personal trainer who thinks we should all make time to workout and not understand the lifestyles of poeple these days as I am one of those people just like you. Trust me - I have as little time as any to train and eat right if I didn’t want to.

As someone with their own business I have a number of hats on each day whether it be the trainer/coach, customer service, sales and marketing and I.T. amongst others in addition to being the manager of any of these tasks that require delegation. On top of that I’ll have my own lifestyle which will then include maintaining and at some times with the appropriate goals improving components of my health and fitness while also balancing with my home life with my girlfriend and other circles.

Sure there will be times of a week, month and year when certain things are a higher priority than others but I only know that because I have managed it accordingly beforehand to understand what it is that will take a higher priority so if you’re real honest about wanting to get in shape and finding that you’re “too busy” and making excuses start looking at ways that you can manage the time better.

Plan your day out the night before, what you are going to be doing and when unless events outside your control come to light.

Put your food together the night before - people that blame busy circumstances always seem to have time to sit watching Eastenders etc for an hour when they could be taking 15 minutes to prepare food that will give them energy and substance and save the pennies spent on crap sandwiches and pizza slices.

Review your day each night - What didn’t you achieve and be honest as to why. I’ve never met a person yet who has these events outside their control on a daily basis happen. This is not the time for logical reasoning. When checking do you only have excuses instead of a proper reason.

Get yourself a Personal Trainer or join a Bootcamp or find another source of information and a plan of action to follow for your exercise regime. A lack of knowledge is a convenient truth to tell yourself that there is not time  but armed with the right knowledge and expertise you will find out that the time required to get to your goals is far less than you imagined. The inconvenient truth is that you would perhaps rather tell yourself the timing is not right. Being accountable to someone else may also be what you need. In the event that you come up with excuses rather than reasons, a good coach is going to know the difference and be able to help you manage better. (As a side note one of my clients has lost 20lbs using routines that last 20 minutes a day. Have you got that sort of time and ambition).

If something so personal is not what you can comprehend or afford look over the internet. Some good sources of information on the Internet that you can download and/or use at home are Turbulence Training and Precision Nutrition but just do a search and find out for yourself (”fat loss ebook”, fat loss program). There is also a lot of free information out there these days on sites like Youtube.

Stop wasting time or at least be honest and don’t complain about your shape, size and health. It’s one or the other. How much time do you actually waste each day? Use a day planner to check it out over a few days that helps you check your day and see wasted time. There’s a difference between having a rest break and having an hour 2-3 times a day watching TV, being in a meeting that has no value and sending emails throughout the day (and being on Twitter and Facebook!).

Planning requires some focus as well. Those clients I mentioned that to be fair have identified (with my help of course) that they are making excuses and need better time management are also the ones that have yet to complete proper goal achievement principles. That’s not a coincidence! Goals give you focus that require planning and action, they don’t just happen on their own and good drills will highlight issues with your planning and ability to organise effectively. Another product I recommend that covers this subject amazingly well is The Magic Hundred by one of my mentors Dax Moy, one of the experts in goal achievement and is a great program in keeping you motivated as well.

The bottom line is that you are not one of the unfortunates that has zero time to improve each by week and may well be making excuses or be intimidated into accepting not to try. Whatever your reason, you’re just the same as me and thousands of others that feel like their lives are moving at the speed of light with no time to react but all you need is a bit of planning and the acknowledgement that you are always willing to learn more.

I hope you make the change or at least admit that you don’t care in which case don’t moan and certainly don’t call me.

Mike

]]> http://www.thebodyplanner.com/blog/2009/09/15/does-a-personal-trainer-from-manchester-have-time-for-fitness/feed/ http://www.thebodyplanner.com/blog/2009/08/13/manchester-personal-trainer-checks-out-england-cricket-team-warm-up-during-the-ashes/ http://www.thebodyplanner.com/blog/2009/08/13/manchester-personal-trainer-checks-out-england-cricket-team-warm-up-during-the-ashes/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:21:40 +0000 bodyplanner http://www.thebodyplanner.com/blog/?p=403 During the last Ashes test match at Headingley there was a lot of heated discussion about the methods used in England’s pre-match warm up. In a game of football/soccer on the pitch, Matt Prior went down in agony and was close to pulling out because of back spasms.

The issue being argued was that professional cricketers were playing football about 30 minutes prior to the match toss and not more than 60 minutes prior to the first ball being delivered and that something like this was eventually going to happen because these guys are not footballers.

I have to say that I completely agree and wondered myself why a game of football was being used as a warm up. Possibly to relax the guys prior to a big games in the series. Maybe they needed a bit of relaxation after being woken up at 5am by a fire alarm in their hotel and having to stand in the rain for an hour. Whatever the reason it astounded me that a professional sports team would be doing something so close to the start of a major match because there was nothing specific at all about what they were doing to what they were about to do. Even if they had done someting else beforehand, why do this?

Perhaps not as ridiculous as cricketers playing football but I’ve come across others also that have no specific warm up that prepares them for their activity from other sports like hockey and rugby to the gym member and evening runner.

Do you warm up correctly for what you are about to take part in?

Is it specific to what you are about to do?

Does it create the right outcome?

In sport different positions require various components of fitness at different proportions. What Matt Prior does as a wicket keeper is different to the role that Andrew Flintoff plays as a fast bowler.

The warm up that a jogger requires will be different to the one that a gym member does prior to doing a resistance workout and requirements could be different again based upon whether it is a strength training workout compared to a high volume workout.

In alot of warm ups all I generally see are walking or slow running and static stretches (which actually switch the muscle fibres off and make you feel more relaxed - kind of the wrong approach when you’re about to get physical and intense for the next 45-60 minutes!)

What you’re left with is a body and mind that still ain’t that switched on when infact these are the things that you should be considering and feeling after having a preparation phase to your activity.

All muscles should have been targeted and have that feeling of already been exerted - don’t save yourself 100% for the work. Use dynamic stretches instead of static stretches (If you really feel the need for static stretches, perform them first and follow them up with dynamic movements). Movements with resistance should be applied instead of mindless jogging to achieve muscle tissue activation and address any muscle imbalances and weaknesses .

All joints should have been worked, giving a feeling of more mobility in preparation for working through full ranges of movement.

A feeling of elevated heart rate and being a little bit sweaty should be achieved, perhaps even very sweaty that increase blood flow around the body.

Some specific areas to consider…

The hip region and taking the muscles and joints through every range of motion that the hip can go through. I use all manner of lunges and squats in combination with upper body movements that work the shoulders and core (see below) to do just that.

Glute activation. Any work using the lower body should include the bum to make movement more effective and less pressure on the stabilising muscles in the lower back.

Shoulders and Rhomboids (mid back) to enable better function in movement and the position of your posture.

Core Activation to link upper and lower body using static and dynamic movements. Like the lunges they should be performed through all planes of motion to activate all core muscles - sensible and practical really.

Not only does this prepare the body for what you are about to do but gives you endless warm up routines to work with that engage the mind and truly prepare you for your workout or sport.

I think the biggest mistake people make is just thinking about their workout without preparing and seem hesitent to work hard in their warm up. Make time for a specific, outcome orientated warm up and your chances of injury will drop dramtaically, your efforts will increase and so will your results.

Get sweaty and out of breath in your warm up and keep it specific. Only use a football if you’re a footballer folks.

Laters

Mike Bach

The Body Planner

Plan To Get Better Results

Even in our Boot Camp I get the members to perform warm ups drills that feel like they’re part of the main session and tick all the boxes above.

Want to address any weaknesses and imbalances that can cause injury? Find out why all our Manchester based Personal Trainer clients undertake a Kinetic Chain Assessment.

I love movies, it’s the perfect break for me and a way to wind down and relax. I’ve always preferred it to going out and getting wasted on beer. I’ve done a bit of that as well in my college days especially but if I could I would get one of those cinema rooms like you see on MTV Cribs and go and watch a film or a series of 24 - the best show on TV!

The problem with going to the cinema is we have the best pick and mix going - the shrimps and bananas, the big long fizzy cola bottles and white chocolate mice. I must confess that I have a sweet tooth so how do I still stay in good shape?  - even in a bad  month I’m sub 12% bodyfat

Again it’s one of those mindset type answers coupled with another prevention strategy that is basic and simple, yet very powerful.

1 - Remind yourself of your goals, the cost of your goals (the sacrifices you have to make) and the importance of these goals to you on a regular basis. Keep them on a card and read as many times as necessary throughout the day.

2 - Create habits. The first one is to remind yourself constantly about your goals. Whatever your actions are create habits. If you want quick results, more habits may have to be made but be realistic according to your personality. Let 1-2 habits get firmly installed into your memory banks so that they become second nature.

Would you get an alcoholic to lose 4 stone and start a business at the same time. Possibly not! Worry about one thing at a time if the nature of the change and your personality are at conflict.

3 - Remove temptation. When I am in a period of wanting to really burn bodyfat I know the pick and mix is going to ruin it or the sweet section at the petrol station of supermarket.

So what do I do?

Not allow the opportunity in the first place by not entering the pick and mix area.

Also bring some other snacks

Don’t go shopping when hungry

Don’t have spare change on me.

It’s not like I need to do these things all the time - I’m not an addict, I have already created good habits and the goals and commitment to the cause do a lot for avoiding such pitfalls but if they are not enough, then removing the opportunity to fail can be the missing ingredient for all of us.

So if you want to get super lean and look great naked or in your clothes and willpower alone is not stong enough, what things could you do to avoid temptation?

Avoid going shopping when you are hungry and avoid certain aisles.

Train and exercise with somebody else better than you - a friend, using a trainer, a small group or bootcamp. Whichever it is, they must take away that opportunity to sit at home and blame lack of time.

Be around like minded people away from exercise that don’t tempt you to go to MacDonald’s or have several drinks. Let people in your circle that push you towards your goal and not the pullers that sabotage you.

Empty your cupboards from the crap that is in them. Anyone who starts the Elimination Plan knows this as part of the strategy.

When opportunity knocks to do the wrong thing, make sure you throw a dummy and go in a different direction.

Mike.