Ladies.........do you lift?

Ladies.........do you lift? If not then why not?

Even in these supposedly modern and equality driven times there are still myths, misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding the whole concept of weight training for women and the associated benefits.

The media, popular culture and uneducated personal trainers are just some of the culprits guilty of misleading half of the population.

A dramatic statement I know but this unfounded nonsense is stopping women from enjoying and benefiting from a fantastic training medium, lifting weights.

Below I have listed and clarified some of these myths and misconceptions as well as hopefully provide a little guidance.

Get fitter, leaner & stronger by lifting weights

• Weight training will not make you bulky or muscular
• Unless you want to build muscle, then it takes years of hard work following a specific weight training and nutritional programme
• Lifting weights will help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism
• Weight training doesn't necessarily mean lifting heavy weights
• Although the best health & fitness results come from lifting heavier rather than lighter weights
• Lifting weights will not make you look like a man
• Lifting weights will help you to get fitter, stronger, more coordinated, increase flexibility, be leaner and more self confident.

More and more women are lifting weights with various personal goals in mind when training. However, I am sure that every one of them is making gains towards their goals and reaping the benefits of lifting weights as part of their training regime. Whether for competition or pleasure, health & fitness or physique these goals (and more) will be achieved by weight training as well as cardio and classes. 

Achieve your goals by including weight training in your programme

There are many different ways to train using weights; free weights or machines, weight lifting or body building type programmes, Cross Fit or standard sets and reps? The list is endless and the variations within each are many too. It may seem overwhelming to some and this is certainly why cardio and classes are popular. It is important to know how to lift safely and with good technique, and this often means enlisting the help of a Coach or Personal Trainer. The benefits are many though and well worth it for improvements in posture, mobility, energy levels and digestion as well as those listed above.

As I have stated in my previous blog it is first necessary to know what your goals are, then to get the right programme put in place to help you achieve those goals. A programme for a 25 year old looking to get leaner and more athletic looking is going to be different from that of a 55 year old looking to gain flexibility and strength. Both of these individuals will lift weights as part of their training and both will use similar exercises along the way. However, their overall programmes will be different thus reflecting their individual goals.

I work with many young Figure Skaters most of whom are young ladies, most of whom I get to train with resistance or lift weights. Most of these girls are also achieving success in school and college sports outside skating because they are strong, fit and confident. This is not just through their training with me as Figure Skating in itself engenders many positive life skills. However, being fit, strong and healthy is an important part of the whole picture and one that can benefit many women young and old in achieving a fitter, more active and healthier life.

I hope this has helped, I hope that you now have the confidence to go and lift weights.

What Are You Doing.........?

The most under asked but probably most important question a Coach or PT should ask their athlete/client is "Why are you training? What do you want to achieve for yourself here?" To be fair the athlete/client should be asking themselves this as well, preferably before they engage in paid sessions or even before they take up any structured training activity, gym based or otherwise!

Have a clear idea of what your training goals are!

It really surprises me that even with all the information so freely available online on how to train, what different training regimes will do for you and the approximate timescales involved to achieve meaningful results that there are still so many people aimlessly wondering around the gym without any structure, rhyme or reason to their workout and yet are still hoping to achieve something!

Adaptation to training takes time, and progressive overload has to be utilised and adhered to in order to achieve these physiological changes. Whether you are looking to gain muscle or lose body fat the only way this will be achieved is by following a structured training programme that includes a detailed exercise plan, a weekly/monthly periodised schedule that includes all the recommended activities that need to be completed and sound nutritional advice.

Programme periodisation, progressive overload, adaptation to training

Which brings me right back around to the original question about what your training goals are. If you don't have a clear idea of the destination, how can you plan the journey!

Both client and coach need to be clear and on the same page with regards to training goals, lifestyle changes or sporting endeavours. If the client wants to gain muscle but the coach feels that the client should address movement and postural issues first then these training aims may be in conflict?

Clear communication is the key here with plenty of open questions. The coach should let the client talk and not impose their own preferred training programmes, goals or plans on the client. The client should have a clear goal and question the coach to ensure that their programme is designed to help them achieve their goals.

Be on the same page with clear & open communication!

In summary then; 

• The client should have clearly identified goals
• The coach should ensure they listen to what the clients goals are
• The coach should ensure that the programme reflects these goals
• as long as there are no reasons not to, either medical or as highlighted in the first assessment
• if there are any issues then the coach must make sure that the client fully understands how this is addressed in the programme and how it will benefit the client in the long run

Remember, be clear in what your goals are, make lifestyle changes that will last and create new "good" habits; don't cut corners for quick results.

Thank you for reading this blog, I hope you got something from it. Please feel free to give feedback or ask questions here on on my Get Coached FB page.

I'll Do It Tomorrow!

We're all busy all the time and it's easy to put things off that we don't feel are a priority. The only trouble with that is that what we choose to put off soon becomes neglected or forgotten.

People do seem to be time challenged more now than ever before. Even with a plethora of smart devices to help manage time more effectively and efficiently. However, the irony is that the more we seem to do the more our health and fitness deteriorates because the thing we are putting off and neglecting is our health and fitness!

The smarter our devices the more of our time they command

Lifestyle illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke are linked to obesity, poor diet and inactivity which are all on the increase. 

However, the key thing to understand here is the fact that these are lifestyle illnesses caused to some degree by how we live. Which means that to some extent the risk of these illnesses can be reduced by making healthier more active lifestyle choices.

• Be more active
• Eat less processed food
• Drink more water
• Get more, better quality sleep

These are not difficult things to do, and when done appropriately and in conjunction with each other they will have a big impact on one's health and longevity. I know that I want to see my daughter grow up and I am sure most people will feel the same way about their loved ones too. 

Move more, eat & drink sensibly, sleep deeply

So what stops people from making these changes to their lifestyle and reducing their risk of life threatening illness? With all the information readily and freely available on the risks associated with obesity it is still on the increase and people are still dying. It's a big question with a myriad of answers some of which will be valid and others just excuses. What is comes down to though is priorities and choices; what is important to you and what choices you make to help or hinder the lifestyle changes that need to be made.

Make the right choices not poor excuses

The changes noted above are not big changes for anyone to make; yes it will take a little effort and planning; yes it will take some preparation and commitment and yes it will take a little motivation and dedication. So surely it is worth this effort to live a more active, longer, happier and healthier life.

There's lots of help available to those looking to achieve these lifestyle changes either online or face to face with a local personal trainer. Expert advice on one, some or all of the notes above including detailed plans, motivational input and firm guidance to help ensure these become permanent lifestyle changes. The client/athlete and PT/coach should work closely together with plenty of communication on this journey which must be thought of as long term taking months and years rather than weeks. 

I hope this has reached out to at least a few coaches and potential clients to act now!

Thanks again for reading this far and I hope that this will help you towards a healthier life.

Get in touch via this blog or on my Facebook Page Get Coached.

Bad Education

We as coaches and personal trainers  have such a responsibility to our clients and athletes; in fact to the public in general.

We create trends, fads, fashions and habits which are followed, believed and lived by. Lives are changed for the better or sometimes for the worse, and sometimes aren't changed at all which in some ways is the most disappointing of all.

We can change lives

I read two articles recently both of which highlighted the absence of informed education and showed the gulf in knowledge that still exists between those coaches who are professional and always endeavour to deliver the best service possible and those who are only interested in themselves or in it just to make money!

Knowledge, experience and professional conduct

I am not going to name and shame here but a well known celebrity trainer is quoted as advising women not to lift heavy weights and giving totally unfounded and truly ridiculous reasons as to why they shouldn't. Some women will believe this misinformation and miss out on making the gains and changes to their health and fitness that they potentially could. The other side of this coin is that it also shows the PT profession, coaches and all in a very bad, poorly informed and uneducated light.

The other article was an excellent piece by the BBC on the state of the nations health and it's impact on the welfare system, the NHS and the tax payer.

As a nation we eat too much, and too much rubbish as well! We drink too much alcohol and are not active enough. Weight related illnesses are on the increase as are waist lines, whilst more and more young people are being diagnosed as obese.

Healthy lifestyle choices make for fit and healthy lives

GP referal schemes are all well and good and are certainly needed but the intervention needs to be applied sooner and the education on how to live a healthy life needs to go further and deeper in order to reach more people earlier and stop the obesity/inactivity epidemic!

There needs to be more joined up thinking between the various government agencies and the fitness industry, more partnerships and opportunities for the general public to access and learn from the coaches that can make a positive difference.

At Lifestyle Fitness, Kilmarnock we have an ongoing educational programme for the coaches and the level of service provided here is excellent, I am not saying this because I am  coach here but because it is true.

I have been involved in this industry in one way or another for 30 years and I still see some poor examples of coaching and client education.  However, this is getting less and less as those who do strongly believe in this industry continue to strive to make it more professional, better educated and up to date on current practice.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment or some feedback here or on my Facebook page Get Coached.

Road Blocks and Plateau's

I wish I had a penny for every time someone complained to me that they have stopped making gains, or that no matter how hard they try they just can't increase their back squat load etc! They are frustrated and are looking for an easy or quick answer and are even more frustrated and annoyed when I tell them that there isn't a quick or easy answer that I would recommend. I might suggest they reduce the weight on the bar and refine their technique, or take a rest from that exercise altogether for a few weeks. 

"Avoid the road blocks and blast past the plateau's"

This is more common among young lifters who just turn up and lift with a programme or a plan, or with older lifters who don't periodise their programmes effectively to allow for the increased recovery needed by an ageing body. 

Don't misunderstand me here, I am in no way saying that older people shouldn't lift or expect to make gains! They, we (as I am an older lifter) absolutely should and will; in fact it is vital to have strength training as part of a regular exercise regime as we age because of the increased muscle loss associated with ageing. An appropriate strength training programme will reduce, halt and even reverse this age related muscle loss along with maintaining a higher metabolic rate and joint range of motion.

However, this is not what I wish to discuss here. The concept of periodisation has been around for a long time with a mountain of information available as to what it is and how best to utilise the various methods.

"Periodisation is the systematic planning of physical training to maximise gains"

Traditional periodisation can be defined as the planning of a training regime into distinct phases over a period of time to maximise the benefits and reduce the risk of injury and staleness. Each phase will have a defined aim or goal and will last for a set period of time which can range from days to weeks or even months.

• Quadrennial Cycle - Multi year plan usually and Olympic cycle (4 years)
• Macrocycle - Usually a year in length and represents a complete training period
• Mesocycle - A training phase or block usually 4 weeks in length
• Microcycle - Usually describes a unit of a Mesocycle, normally 1 week in length
• Workout - A unit or structure of a Microcycle and is usually measured in minutes or hours

There are also various different methods used as well such as Linear, Block, Conjugate or Undulating Periodisation. No one method is better than another but which should be used by whom is for another discussion.

The need for a periodised training programme is essential if training for the long term, looking for ongoing gains or have a body that has been round the block a few times and needs to be "managed" appropriately to reduce injury risk and maintain a high standard of output. Building in "down days/weeks" lighter training days or weeks will allow for recovery and regeneration during a training block. A whole training block could even be dedicated to regeneration with a complete remove from the exercises and methods of previous weeks thus allowing the connective tissues, muscles and the mind a chance to recover, regenerate and get ready to go again with renewed enthusiasm and energy. 

"Recover, regenerate, rebound, READY!"

Without this type of planning and persistently using the same routine the risk of injury, staleness and lack of motivation increases whilst the chance of making gains decreases! So don't let those road blocks knock you of course or get stuck on a plateau halfway to your goal. This is not where any committed athlete wants to be, and it is certain not where any coach would want their athlete to be either. Periodisation is not a complex science, although the principles do need to be understood in order to plan and programme effectively. 

The following link to the Breaking Muscle (an excellent resource) article "A Simple Guide to Periodisation" gives a basic insight into periodisation with further suggested reading.

http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/a-simple-guide-to-periodization-for-strength-training 

Thanks again for reading this far, I hope this has proved useful? Please feel free to give appropriate feedback or suggest topics to be covered here on my Facebook page Get Coached.

Approaching 50 and Training Smart

I am going to write this piece from the perspective of an ageing former "athlete", if I can call myself that having played rugby for over 30 years and sprinted at a reasonable level for a few of those too!

Ageing actively, if not gracefully!

Sport is a fantastic thing to both do and watch, however doing it does take it's toll; but so does watching it if you spend too many hours on the couch! If you have been active all your life as I have either competitively or recreationally, then it is not something you want to stop. 

However, I have had to adjust my approach to training as my recovery time is longer and I cannot sustain the training intensities of previous years.

My training goals have also changed as I have aged, I am no longer training for sports performance. Those days are gone, pretty much; although we do have the odd over 40's roll about the rugby pitch every now and then! 

My focus now is on maintaining mobility, a decent level of fitness and strength and trying not to gain too much body fat! 

So I hear you ask "Why are you telling us this?" 

It is well known that as a population we are living longer, there are more opportunities for an ongoing active lifestyle and as such most of us want to sustain our active lifestyles for as long as possible. There are many reasons for wanting to remain physically active; grandchildren are a very strong reason, and a longer retirement will be a terrifying prospect if all you can do is sit and watch daytime tv!
So keeping fit and healthy as we age means training appropriately to keep the risk of injuries low whilst maximising the benefits of training. Training for maximal strength challenges our connective tissue and recovery time between sessions whilst just doing aerobic training might be good for heart health but has limited benefits for overall strength and mobility. A balanced programme combining strength, aerobic and mobility elements specifically designed for you will ensure that you have the best opportunity to to keep fit, healthy and active for many years to come.

Train smart, age actively, healthily and happily! 

To find out more about training smart and what a bespoke programme looks like for you please get in touch by commenting here or on my Get Coached Facebook page. Thanks for reading this article and I hope it gets you moving! 

Strength & Conditioning for Health & Fitness

Sometimes we accept pain as a permanent part of our lives. Something we have to put up with because it's just there and a part of us and we feel there is nothing we can do about it but take pain killers and anti-inflammatories! It does not have to be that way and I am going to outline why it doesn't have to be that way and what can be done to effect that change.

"Constant pain is debilitating and can impact life quality too."

I think this is an unnecessary situation to be in for many reasons. I am not talking about chronic pain from debilitating conditions such as Crohn's disease or arthritis or any other such condition but pain from bad posture, and inactive or tight muscles.

For the purpose of simplicity I will refer to Strength & Conditioning Coaches and Personal Trainers as Coaches; and athletes or clients as athletes.

Bad posture and tight muscles can for the most part be corrected with time, effort and the correct input from a qualified Coach or Physical/Physiotherapist. To reduce or remove someone's pain through stretching, foam rolling, manipulation and exercise will improve your athletes wellbeing and quality of life. Your athlete will be happier and will recommend your skills and services to their friends and family. 

"An appropriate intervention will help to correct postural deficiencies"

I am not going to talk about any corrective exercise regimes here or what particular postures are bad or which muscles are most commonly tight. What I want to make clear is that those of us who deliver Personal Training, Strength & Conditioning or Physical Therapy should be able to assess an athlete's posture and identify obvious muscular imbalances and from there, design and deliver an appropriate intervention.

Coaches must be able to deliver more than a strength programme or a weight loss routine to our athletes. We, as coaches, are in the business of improving our athletes, helping them achieve their goals and changing their lifestyles. Sometimes a more holistic approach to training and educating our athletes is needed and to do this effectively we must have the necessary skills.

Coaches must educate and equip themselves with the skills and tools needed to appropriately assess their athletes and deliver the necessary interventions. This is essential both as a developmental process for individual coaches as well as increasing the professional standards needed within this industry. Our athletes pay us for a service that can potentially improve their health and wellbeing as well as get them fitter or stronger. They are trusting us to look after them and that we know what we are doing! 

"Ongoing education is a must for all aspiring coaches."

However, it is also important for athletes to understand that they must either speak to their coach or find a coach to work with who has the skills and experience needed to assess and address any postural deficiencies or muscular imbalances. 

I have several athletes who have seen improvements in their shoulder or hip range of motion as well as a reduction in pain whilst moving or exercising. Some of this work is ongoing while with others it has been a bonus product from a rounded programme that includes appropriate exercises and effective stretching. 

To find out more about this or other training programmes get in touch with me at Lifestyle Fitness, Kilmarnock or via my Facebook page, Get Coached.