Fitness
Tips for Desk Jockeys
by
Chris Maloney
http://www.maloneyonmarketing.com
SMASHWORDS EDITION
Copyright © 2010 Chris Maloney
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author
Chapter
1: Take the stairs
The first tip is a simple one:
TAKE THE STAIRS!
As an example, I currently work on the 5th floor of my building and here are some figures that I have worked out:
There are 140 stairs from ground to the 5th floor that take approximately 2 minutes to complete.
Taking the stairs 4 times a day (up in the morning, down and up again at lunch, then down when leaving work) this means I cover 560 stairs in a day (8 minutes)
Over a working week I cover 2800 stairs, the equivalent of an extra gym session a week (40mins)
There are approximately 230 working days in a year
That means I will cover 128,800 stairs in a year for a total exercise period of 30 hours! Now how many extra gym workouts does that equate to....A LOT!
Remember it is the everyday bits and pieces outside the gym that really makes the difference when trying to lose weight.
So take your lazy finger away from that lift button and start climbing those stairs!
Chapter 2: How to burn fat
What is the best fat-burning cardio activity?
There is no simple answer to this question, if there was everyone would be doing it right?
So let’s start by looking at the basic weight maintenance equation: kilojoules in = kilojoules burnt. If you have a higher kilojoules intake than you burn…you will get fat. Conversely, if you burn more kilojoules than you take in…you will lose fat. Simple!
The most common mistake I see when trying to burn fat is people jumping on a cardio machine, selecting the “fat-burning” setting and plodding along for an hour or so. Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!
Well technically it isn’t “wrong”, or at least that is what cardio machine manufacturers will debate. The “fat burning” setting is generally a lower intensity than “cardio” or “fitness” settings, and this is due to the fact that during exercise a higher percentage of fat is used as the fuel source for lower intensity, and a higher percentage of carbohydrates are used as the fuel source for higher intensity exercise.
What this doesn’t take into account is Basal Metabolic Rate. Your Basal Metabolic Rate is how many kilojoules you burn at rest. It is easy to spot someone with a high Basal Metabolic Rate…they can eat a small cow, three packets of chocolate biscuits…not do any exercise…and never get fat. It is natural to hate these people!
However, you can become one of these people if you train smarter. Higher intensity exercise will help maintain a higher Basal Metabolic Rate helping you burn more fat…and save more time…than those using the “fat-burning” setting. Hence the popularity of boot camp style training.
I call this the “have you ever seen a fat sprinter” theory.
The other consideration is the number of muscle groups used. Very simply, the more muscle groups used the higher the number of kilojoules burned.
Chapter
3: When and how long should I train for?
When should I exercise?
There is a simple answer to this question…first thing in the morning…if you can!
Exercising in the morning is the most effective as it kick-starts your metabolism for the day. A higher metabolism means you will burn fat throughout day…even if you are just staring at a computer screen. Exercise also releases positive endorphins, which means you will start the day feeling a million bucks.
Exercising in the morning, before you start anything else you have to do, also means that you are less likely to find excuses as to why you shouldn’t train (such as working back late etc).
Of course, getting up at 6am to train isn’t for everyone. Some of you may have to drop the kids at school, and I’m sure most of you would rather be curled up under the sheets, especially during winter, than pounding the pavement.
Why get out of bed before the sun does? Right?
So if you are one of these people just remember exercising at any time is better than not at all.
If like most, your main meal is at night, you may want to consider going for a walk around the block after the meal. This aids in digestion and helps reduce the chances that the meal will be stored as fat.
If you are going to exercise at night, ensure you leave at least 1-2 hours before going to bed. Exercise releases adrenalin, which can make it difficult to achieve a deep sleep, and recovery is an important part of any exercise program.
How long should I exercise for?
The generally accepted principle is that 20 minutes is the minimum amount of time for exercise to provide enough stimulation to the heart to achieve results.
The maximum time frame depends on what you are training for. If you are training for a marathon your training sessions will obviously need to be longer than those exercising for good health. But a good rule of thumb is between 45 – 60 minutes.
At around 45 - 60 minutes the body starts to enter a catabolic state. Without getting too technical, this means that as a survival instinct the body attempts to store fuel (carbohydrates and fat) by starting to break down muscle instead. The longer you train over 60 minutes the more this survival instinct kicks in.
This break down of muscle is the reason why it feels like you are “hitting the wall”… as muscle is an inefficient fuel source. It the reason why most sports, and aerobics classes for that matter, go for about this length of time.
It is also the reason why most marathon runners look like they could really do with a pack of biscuits… basically they have overdone it too many times.
So keep your training sessions under an hour. If you still have energy left after an hour of training…you are not training hard enough!
Lift the intensity!
Chapter
4: Measuring your progress
Those new dramatic weight loss TV series have a lot to answer for!
They may have heightened the nation’s awareness of the need to get into shape, whilst also satisfying our sadistic pleasure in watching the chronically obese attempt 4 hours of training a day. But, they have also heightened the focus on weight loss as the key goal for any exercise program.
Based on my experience, this focus is misleading and is the reason why many people fall off the exercise bandwagon after starting out with great intentions. A focus on weight loss is misleading simply because muscle weighs more than fat.
In any training program you are likely to build some muscle. This is the body’s natural response to exercise so that it is ready for next time. It is most often the case that people will stop losing weight in an exercise program…and this is also about the time when the chocolate manufacturers start counting their profit margins as people give up on the weight loss idea.
But what is most likely to be happening is that you are gaining muscle whilst losing fat, therefore cancelling it out on the scales…but making a big difference to your shape (and no "round" is not the shape I am referring to).
A lot of people use the phrase “I just want to tone up”. What a lot of people don’t realize is that this means increasing the amount of muscle (the firm bits) and reducing the amount of fat (the wobbly bits)...not losing weight.
So my advice is to stop looking at the scales and get out the tape measure.
Take a starting measurement of the circumference of your major body parts (particularly any trouble areas) tonight…then measure again in 4 weeks. I guarantee this will give you a better indication of your progress than the scales will.
Another way to do this is by simply using the notches on your belt, your dress size, or whether you can fit into your favorite pair of jeans.
I advocate using this method of measuring your progress, because at the end of the day it is more important to be happy because of how you feel and look in the mirror or in clothes, not because of a number on a scale.
Chapter
5: Ten quick fitness tips
Move more – Take the stairs, walk the dog, chase the kids (your own), walk to the shops instead of taking the car, wear a pedometer, and hook yourself up to a printer on the other side of the floor.
Quit smoking– Is makes you look older than you are and it will kill you….enough said.
Cut the fat– Remember, a potato chip is not a vegetable.
Get your hand out of the cookie jar and into the fruit bowl - Did you know an apple provides as much energy as a cup of coffee?
Drink more water- Nothing quells the appetite like water, lots and lots of water. Keep a bottle on your desk.
Educate yourself – The more you know about health and fitness the more motivated you will be, so buy some books or surf the net in addition to reading my tips.
Eat less, more often - Studies have shown that eating often helps accelerate the metabolism, so you burn more fat. When you consume 5-6 nutritious, smaller meals a day, the food is more efficiently absorbed and processed by your body than the typical diet of three large meals a day.
Don’t put off to tomorrow, what you can do today – If I hear another person say “I’m going to start my diet or exercise program next week”, I’m going to tell them to drop and give me twenty pushups...starting today. Dear Mr. Freud…I’m getting flashbacks to my boot camp instructor days.
Be realistic – Don’t expect to be able to run a marathon if you haven’t trained in a while (or ever), and don’t start diets that require you to starve yourself. You are more likely to fall off the wagon if you set your goals too big, too early. Start off with smaller goals.
Find a training partner or take up a team sport – You are more likely to sustain an exercise program if you have a training partner or team, as you will not want to let them down.
Chapter
6: Ten quick fatness tips
Someone who doesn’t like the whole fitness idea got a hold of my last tip…..and below is what they came up with…I can’t advocate this but it is damn funny.
Move less – Take the lift, kick the dog, scare some kids (others preferably), drive to the shops instead of walking, throw away your pedometer, and order a printer for your desk so you don’t have to move.
Start smoking – It is a great appetite suppressant and you will look really cool and smell great.
Eat more fat – Remember, a potato chip is a vegetable. A Cherry Ripe is fruit. A toffee apple is a great tasting apple.
Get your hand out of the fruit bowl and into the cookie jar - Do you know how boring it is to eat an apple? A bag of mixed sweets or some chips and gravy is much tastier. And don’t forget the local burger joint now has tick-approved meals, such as the wholemeal salad roll (plus the large chips and thick shake to even things up). Don’t forget the importance of balance.
Drink less water - Nothing is quite as tasteless as water. Have you ever tried keeping a bottle of beer on your desk, or having a few nips of good whisky to make that afternoon fly by?
Go to a health and wellbeing course – A great idea to get out of work. Check them out, book yourself in and get a day off work. Don’t turn up and spend the day at the pub with your mates.
Eat more, more often - Studies have shown that eating often helps accelerate the metabolism, so you burn more fat. When you consume 15-16 large meals a day, you will feel full (and isn’t that is a great feeling!). Try and increase the number of large meals you have by one a week and in no time you will be off the scales. Remember, the more you eat, the more attractive you will be to the girls and boys in the office and the more popular you will become.
Don’t do today what you can put off until tomorrow – If you keep doing this, you will never have to do anything. It solves many problems.
Be realistic – If you can’t run a marathon on the first day then you are a loser. You need to take a good hard look at yourself in the mirror and call yourself many names. Remember, there are many people from countries with little to eat and they do well running the marathon at the Olympics.
Find a training partner or take up a team sport – it is always more fun drinking at the pub with a friend or some mates. Share the experience together.
Chapter
7: Why am I sore for days after I train?
Muscle soreness is something I'm sure EVERYBODY can relate to. Even if you've never stepped into a gym or run 14km, I'm sure that sometime in your life, you've done some sort of exercise or heavy work and experienced muscle soreness.
Within 24 hours to 48 hours after a hard workout that your body is not used to, most people begin to experience soreness in the body parts trained. This is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (or D.O.M.S. for acronym junkies).
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is caused by tiny microscopic tears that occur in the muscle as a result of high intensity exercise. Over the next few days, the muscle begins to rebuild itself only this time it makes itself stronger, so that if you put your body through that exercise intensity again it will be easier, and you will experience less soreness the next time.
So basically, I’m saying that muscle soreness after a workout is a good sign. Then again like most personal trainers I am a sadist.
Now a question I get asked a lot: “If I'm still sore from my last workout should I still train?”
Simple, no. Don’t train sore muscles. Your muscles are trying to repair and make themselves stronger. If you train them while they are sore they will hate you, and you will not get any of the benefit of training them in the first place. If you are going to train, try another muscle group or do light cardio.
A question I get asked even more frequently than the last: “How can I make the soreness go away?”
Well the scientific jury is out on whether or not you can actually influence the decrease of D.O.M.S., except of course by not doing the exercise in the first place. But I know you don’t want to hear that so here are some things you can try:
Warm up and stretch – before and after the workout then for a few days after to release the muscles
Massage – increases the blood flow to the muscle which may help the ‘healing’ process
Light cardio exercise – swimming (including jogging in water) and stationary bike are good the day after the game to increase blood flow to the muscles.
Pain killers and anti-inflammatory creams
Icing the area – with ice not icing sugar
Chapter
8: Maintaining motivation over winter
On Saturday morning, whilst sitting at a cafe attempting to recall the license plate of the truck that must have hit me the night before, I was passed by a friend who, after mocking my sorry state continued on their run…in the pouring rain mind you. Inspired, I threw on my running shoes and braved the rain myself.
Which brings me to write this fitness tip…maintaining motivation over the winter months. It is important to stay motivated over winter as you will see the benefits next summer when you put on the board shorts or bikini (guys preferably the former).
Set goals
One of the best ways to keep motivated for exercise through the cold months is to set achievable, measurable goals and write them down. Writing goals down and putting them somewhere you have to look at them every day is a great motivator. A note on the bathroom mirror usually works well.
You should also write down how you will reward yourself if you achieve your goal. This is especially important if you are the type to start things but never finish them.
Once you have written down your fitness goal, tell as many people as you can about it. If at any stage your resolve begins to weaken just imagine how difficult and embarrassing it will to tell everyone you gave up!
If you are short on ideas for goals here is a great one: do a fun run this year (if you haven’t done one before) and if you have completed it before aim to better your time this year.
Warm up
Getting injured is a great way to kill your motivation. To help avoid this happening ensure you conduct a good warm up before exercising. During the winter months this warm up should be longer than usual.
When I was personal training my general rule was no less than 15% of the session should be dedicated to warm ups and cool downs. Please note you should only stretch warm muscles or you will not stretch you’ll SNAP! So go for a 3-5 min jog (you can do this on the spot) enough to work up a sweat before commencing your stretching.
Try something new (cross training)
They say change is as good as a holiday….well personally I would prefer a holiday. But in terms of training nothing is more likely to keep you going than adding some variety to your workouts.
Here are some indoor activity ideas:
Join an indoor sports team. This is a great way to meet people and get fit. Mixed netball appears to be the craze at the moment (guys apparently you don’t have to wear a skirt if you don’t want to).
Join a gym. If you pay for it you will feel more compelled to use it. Ask staff to show you how to use the equipment if you haven’t used it before.
Try an exercise class you haven’t tried before. The variety of class types is endless.
Go to an indoor pool. Working out in water is easy on your joints. Try lap swimming or a water aerobics class.
Invest in home exercise equipment. Choose something that's practical, enjoyable and easy to use.
For those who still prefer to train outdoors:
Start your run into the wind. You'll be less likely to get a cold on the way back if you end your workout, when you may be sweaty, with the wind at your back
Drink plenty of fluids. Cold air has a drying effect, which can increase the risk of dehydration.
Chapter
9: Removing fat from problem areas
Unfortunately, scientifically the only way you can do what is known in the business as spot reduction is by using a sharp knife and a vacuum cleaner…umm…don’t try this at home.
There is simply no such thing as localized fat loss, no matter what type of exercise gadget is used and no matter what type of exercise is prescribed.
SO DO NOT BUY THE LATEST AB MACHINE PROMOTED AT 2AM IN THE MORNING!!!
You can build muscle (or tone) in local areas but fat loss doesn’t work the same way.
The truth is that fat is deposited in areas around your body according to your genetic makeup (you can blame your parents)…and what really stinks is that the first place you put on fat is most often the last place you will lose it. Oh, and while I am at it…fat cannot turn into muscle and vice versa.
I can tell what you are thinking now…“this guy isn’t much of a personal trainer… he can’t even tell me how to get rid of my love handles”. Well I hear you!
The fact that you cannot spot reduce is scientifically proven. But really, what has science done for us lately? Try yelling out “beam me up Scotty”…and the only place you end up is in a padded room or a convention (not sure which one I would prefer to be honest).
So here are two tips I found to work with my personal training clients in somewhat targeting stubborn fat.
Do your weight training workout before your aerobic workout
Weight training is anaerobic exercise (the opposite of aerobics), meaning that fuel is burnt without the presence of oxygen. Carbohydrate is the only fuel that can be burnt in weight training.
During aerobic exercise (such as running), carbohydrate then fat is burnt as a fuel source in that order, due to the presence of oxygen. Like fire, fat cannot be burnt without oxygen available.
So by doing your weight training before your aerobic workout you will burn up your carbohydrate stores so you can get to burning fat faster in your aerobic exercise.
Focus on your problem areas by doing them first in the workout (or in the week)
By performing exercises targeting your problem areas first in the workout (or in the week), you are prioritizing these areas when you have the most energy to train the hardest.
I often see people leaving abdominal training to the end of their workouts…well if this is your problem area, train it first and you may have better results.
Chapter
10: Resistance Training
Before I get started I want to dispel one myth: resistance (weights) training is not just for guys wanting to get so big they look like they are carrying an esky* under each arm! *For the Kiwis, an "esky" is the same thing as a "chilly bin". For the Americans, I’m talking about a “cooler”
Many women avoid resistance training for fears they will end up looking like a female bodybuilder, but I can assure you that result is only in very extreme cases. However, most women I have trained do want to “tone”, and resistance training will build muscle tone quicker than a treadmill ever could...and building muscle helps burn fat!
Here are the five quick resistance training tips:
Free weights or machine weights? Free weights such as dumbbells and barbells are generally more effective as they activate stabilizing muscles such as the abs (finally an abs workout without sit ups!), and they allow for the exercise to go through a natural range of motion. Machine weights have a fixed range of motion and due to pulley systems you generally don’t use gravity as effectively (are not as good for you) as free weights.
How many repetitions and sets? I am a big advocate for what is called pyramid training. This means that with each set you increase the weight you are using and decrease the repetitions. Males should attempt four sets of an exercise with repetitions of 12,10,8,6 respectively, increasing the weight used each set. Females should do three sets with repetitions of 15,12,10. Rest periods between sets should be no longer than one minute for best effect.
Training to failure. On the last repetition of your last set of an exercise you should be failing (meaning that you cannot complete the exercise). This indicates that you have fully exhausted the muscle which leads to the best results. If you are not failing on your last repetition…or at least coming close…you need to increase the weight you are using. Please note: "failing to train" is not the same as "training to failure"
Stretching. Resistance training causes muscles to contract forcefully which over time can lead to the shortening of the muscles, often mistakenly referred to as “muscle bound” (which is actually inflexibility). So it is important to stretch the muscles used in the session before and after training.
What if I don’t have access to weights? There is plenty of resistance training you can do without weights. Squats, lunges, pushups, chin ups, sit ups, and dips are all forms of resistance training and can be just as effective as training with weights. Try getting in the habit of doing a few sets of each of the above after you get out of bed in the morning to get you going for the day.
Chapter 11: Can I train when sick?
A few people have asked me about whether or not they can train when they are sick and how.
Firstly I thought…step away from me you sickos...I don’t want your lurgy! But then I thought I better to put it in a fitness tip and they won’t come to my desk and ask me personally, meaning I won’t need to disinfect my desk again.
I’m going to keep it really simple: If your symptoms are above the neck only (head cold), you can do some lighter training. If your symptoms are below the neck, forget about training…drink lots of water…and rest. Training when you have symptoms below the neck is not good because it distracts the body from doing what it should be…building up antibodies to fight off your flu. Try running to the doctors and not the gym.
Let's get more specific. If you have a cold in which your symptoms are a headache, sneezing, and a runny nose (i.e. a cold), then you should be able to do some light exercise. In fact, light aerobic exercise can sometimes be the best prescription for a headache, as it causes the release of positive endorphins. The old wives tale is that you can "sweat out a cold".
If you are going to train when you have symptoms above the neck, keep the intensity no greater than 50% of your average session. If you feel yourself getting sicker, stop training immediately. You should be drinking more water than normal if training when sick.
When you start feeling better, for the first week keep your intensity no more than 70%, as your body is still recovering and you don’t want to fall sick again. Two weeks after, you should be good to go hard again.
Hope this helps, but please note: if pain persists, please see your doctor.
Chapter
12: Getting in shape from the inside out
The core is something that is often forgotten in an exercise regime. This is because there is nothing flashy about it. Although it involves the abs, it won’t give you give you a six pack or a flat stomach. And although core muscles help determine how strong you feel and how much weight you can lift they are often considered secondary in a training program to show off muscles such as the biceps….ok I was referring to myself there.
Up until recently the only people who really understood core strength were dancers and those who practiced Yoga and Pilates. They develop core muscles as part of their training and it shows…they stand up straighter and have more energy as they get older.
The core is made up of the abdominals, of which the transverse abdominals (which sit behind your six pack if you have one) are the most critical. Pilates instructors will call this the “T-line” which is just some fancy fitness jargon they made up to sell video tapes!
The core is also made up of the muscles in the lower back and the pelvic floor, and besides holding your insides in, they are together responsible for keeping you upright, and transferring power from the legs to the upper body and vice versa (i.e. your golf swing). But more importantly when core muscles are weak it can lead to poor posture, lower back pain and injury, which none of us want!
To best build up your core strength I suggest attending a Pilates class. They are conducted for all levels from beginners to advanced and are a great way to strengthen from the inside out. For those who want to add flexibility try Yoga. If training in the gym try using the Swiss Ball for crunches as it activates the core for stabilization.
But if you can’t get to a class try this Pilates exercise known as the hover, plank or bridge depending on which Pilates video tape you watch:
Before you start, locate your transverse abs — by coughing once. The deep muscle you feel contracting is your transverse abs. Focus on keeping this muscle contracted whilst completing this exercise.
Lie on the floor on your stomach (preferably on a mat), with your hands beneath your shoulders and push up to the top of a push up position (either on your knees or on your toes). Contract your transverse abdominals as above and hold the position for 30-60sec then return to the floor. Repeat 3 times.
With this exercise, breathe freely and deeply and avoid holding your breath. If you want to make it more challenging try lifting one leg, one arm, or both off the ground whilst in the hover position.
Within no time you will be standing up straighter, complaining less about your lower back pain, and driving the golf ball a few more yards than last round.
Chapter
13: Alcohol's effect on training
For this tip I have decided to talk about alcohol and its impacts on reaching your fitness training goals. Now before you skip this tip…I am not so naïve as to recommend total abstinence because that would make me a hypocrite, but I thought it would be good to at least know how drinking can affect what you are trying to achieve with your training and what options there are.
Alcohol impacts on body fat composition…in a bad way
When you drink alcohol, it is the first fuel the body uses. This means that while there is alcohol in your system your body will not burn fat, which isn’t great news for those who have this as a training goal.
Alcohol increases your appetite for fatty food
Ever wondered why you have a craving for a kebab, crisps, some wedges, or bacon and eggs the morning after for that matter? Alcohol tends to have an appetite stimulating effect as it provides little in the way of nutrition, leaving a craving for other foods, which are most often of the fatty and salty variety. It is often the case that it is not the alcohol that makes you gain weight but the food that you eat with it.
Alcohol can lower your motivation
Ever tried training on a hangover? Although it helps remove the headache by releasing endorphins, cardio training with a hangover can also be potentially dangerous as you are often dehydrated.
If you are going to drink, you should consider the following:
They don’t call it a beer belly for nothing! Beer often has the most kilojoules of common alcoholic beverages. Thankfully there are a few low carbohydrate alternatives now available on the market which contain about the same kilojoules as a glass of wine.
Wine can contains about half the kilojoules of full strength beer, and the antioxidants in red wine are good for your heart (in moderation of course).
Straight spirits contain the lowest kilojoules (with Vodka being the winner) but ensure that the mixer is sugarless, this means avoiding soft drink, juice and cordial. Vodka, fresh lime and soda is my favourite low kilojoule option.
Avoid binge drinking as much as possible. This causes an increase in appetite for fatty foods and means you will be less likely to be able to exercise the next day.
Drink water between alcoholic drinks to avoid dehydration.
Chapter 14: Interval training
For this tip we look at interval training, also known as speed play training or Fartlek (stop giggling!) training.
The essence of interval training is that instead of remaining at one constant intensity throughout your cardio workout (boring), you vary the intensity for intervals during the workout.
Interval training has an incredible effect on increasing metabolism beyond that of standard cardio training, and most importantly this increased metabolism can last for up to 24 hours after the workout! The body is very much like a car in this respect, you will burn more fuel if you take off quickly at every set of traffic lights, than if you maintain a constant speed.
The variety of interval training techniques is infinite, and most aerobic classes, especially spin/cycle classes, are based on interval training as they vary intensity throughout the class.
But you don’t need to join a class, try these ideas:
Add a hill into your run (or use a hill setting on the treadmill)
Go as hard as you can for 30sec-1min and then slow down to recover for 1-2min and repeat throughout the workout
Sprint 50-100m then walk back to the start and repeat
Run up a flight of stairs then walk back down and repeat
The interval training I am currently using is very simple yet it is one of the most effective I have found for fat loss, and here it is for your benefit:
Sit on a stationary bike
Pick a moderate intensity setting
Go as hard and fast as you can for 8 seconds
Recover at a comfortable pace for 12 seconds
Repeat for 20 minutes
Do 3-5 times a week
Lose fat!
Chapter
15: The importance of stretching
The last time I visited a physiotherapist they said I had one of the tightest ITB muscles they had ever seen. I, of course, said “why thank you!”
But it turns out it isn’t a compliment and rather the reason why on a regular basis my knees give up their only responsibility…bending.
This brings me to this fitness tip on the importance of stretching.
As you probably already know we are born with fantastic range of movement when it comes to flexibility. How a baby can suck its own toes is beyond me.
So what happens to that flexibility as you get older?
Desk bound = muscle bound
Picture this. You spend eight hours a day for much of the year sitting at your desk staring at a computer screen (hey the web doesn’t surf itself). The act of sitting for this long puts muscles in a state of constant contraction (i.e. in a shortened state). Without doing any activity to lengthen and relax these same muscles your body is left with physical imbalances.
Then you decide to go for a run, or even just do some spring cleaning or lift up one of the kids, and SNAP goes your hamstring, which means you will be doing a lot more sitting from now on!
A typical office worker (when I was working as a personal trainer I made myself a promise never to become one of those…oops), will sit with their shoulders rolled forward, hunching their back, and neck jutted forward. This results in shortened and contracted chest muscles, tension in their upper back, weak posture, headaches, and often wrist and elbow pain.
Add to this the act of sitting tightening the hamstrings and hip flexors (front of hips), and making the backside muscles lazy, as the reason for many a pain in the lower back. And don’t get me started on the impact of high heels on shortening calf muscles!
So what should you do about it?
Well for starters, mum was right, you should sit up straight.
But more importantly you should regularly stretch your muscles before, after, and during work/work outs where possible, to counteract the shortening that goes on during the day.
Regular stretching has the following benefits:
Increased flexibility and better range of motion of your joints
Lowered risk of muscular imbalance and repetitive strain injuries
Improved circulation
Better posture
Stress relief
Enhanced coordination
Tips for stretching
There are too many types of stretches to go through, so here are some tips for stretching in general:
Do not stretch cold muscles, always warm up first
Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds
Stretch slowly and don't bounce
STOP if a stretch causes pain, rather than mild discomfort
Relax and don't hold your breath
Stretch both sides of the body to avoid imbalances
Stretch both before and after a workout and between exercises.
Chapter
16: By popular demand...training the abs
The abs are made up of three distinct muscle groups:
Rectus Abdominis or “the six pack” which is broken up in upper, middle and lower abs (or eight pack if you are Brad Pitt)
The Obliques or “love handles” which rest on the sides of the abs.
The Transverse Abdominals or core that sits behind the six pack and is there to keep you upright and your insides in.
Despite what they say when advertising an AB3000 machine on TV at 3am in the morning, crunches are the most effective way to train the six pack.
Notice I said crunches...not sit ups.
Sit ups, where you bring your whole upper body up to your knees, are not an effective abdominal workout! They rely on momentum, and the use of the hip flexors which effectively do the work the abs should be doing...but without the benefits.
Perfecting the crunch is simple, and you will find it a lot easier than a sit up!
Lie on your back with your knees bent up and feet flat on the floor (do not "lock" your feet under anything or get someone to stand on them - this is cheating).
Rest your hands on top of your thighs about half way up
Crunch up sliding your hands up your thighs to your knees, which will bring your shoulders slightly off the ground. Focus on feeling your abs contract.
When your hands are on top of your knees, hold at the top for one second and slide back down.
Repeat as many times as possible
You can also perform a crunch on a Swiss Ball to bring the stabilizing transverse abs into play.
The crunch is effective at training the upper and middle abs, however does not activate the lower abs. This is because the crunch brings the ribs towards the hips. The lower abs are activated when the hips are brought towards the ribs, i.e. a reverse crunch.
A reverse crunch is slightly more challenging but necessary for a complete ab workout
Start in the same position as the crunch above with your hands on the ground beside your hips
Lift your feet off the ground and roll back, bringing your hips slightly off the ground towards your ribs (like rolling into a ball) using your hands as stabilizers
Roll back to the starting position
Repeat
The love handles
The obliques are responsible for twisting movements. Tight oblique muscles help with the impression of a smaller waistline.
My favourite exercise for the obliques is the bicycle crunch:
Lay flat on your back as if doing a crunch.
Lift your legs up bent to create a right angle at the hip and knee (your lower legs will be parallel to the floor).
With your hands supporting your head, perform a "one shoulder at a time" crunch and in a bicycle fashion, bring the left knee and your right shoulder towards the centre of your body at the same time.
Next repetition, switch your crunch so that your left shoulder and your right knee come closer together.
The twisting movement will tighten your obliques
Important note!
Training the abs is all about volume. Famous R&B artist Usher has been said to do 1000 crunches a day. The Beckhams do 250 crunches together before going to bed each night.
Do not add weights or medicine balls to your ab workout, unless you want the abs of a front row forward. Weights add muscle bulk to the abs, so for a flat stomach you should increase intensity by adding volume and variety rather than resistance/weights.
Please note all the crunches in the world will not remove the layer of fat over the abs. Therefore diet and aerobic exercise are critical for a flat toned stomach to be visible.
Chapter
17: Go play outside
Firstly, exercising outdoors is good for the soul. If you have gotten into the habit of doing all your training indoors (or not at all), now is the time to get out there and mix it up.
There are actual psychological and physiological benefits to training outdoors. Outdoor training is more engaging and mentally stimulating due to the changing scenery and terrain. The changing terrain exercises different muscle groups that can’t easily be targeted in indoor training.
Outdoor activities involve higher levels of weight-bearing activity, which means you burn more kilojoules and improve bone density. Let’s be completely honest, the treadmill does the walking for you doesn’t it!
The Sun is also your best source of Vitamin D. When the Sun's rays hit the skin, the skin makes Vitamin D, which is absorbed in to the blood. Vitamin D is essential in building strong bones, and fighting certain cancers and immune diseases. Vitamin D is also one of the better anti-depressants, there is nothing like the mood boost that comes from being outside in the sunshine. Research has shown that lack of sunshine leads to depression…and this may be the reason why the British whinge a lot.
Also, outdoor training is quick. You can go for a walk around the block in the time it would take to get in your car and drive to the gym.
And the best thing about cardio exercise outdoors….you can have a goal that is a destination! Nothing is more soul destroying than sitting on a stationary bike for an hour and never moving from the spot in which you started.
A few things to remember when outdoor training:
The Sun will dehydrate you so make sure you drink plenty of water
Protect yourself from the Sun – and wear sunglasses (you will look cooler)
Uneven outdoor terrain can increase the risk of rolling an ankle, so make sure you are wearing properly fitted sneakers.
Chapter
18: Let's get ready to rumble
In this tip I will cover the most popular type of training I ever do as part of my personal training sessions…boxing. Before I start this tip I would like to include a disclaimer: I do not advocate violence in any way so make sure the only things you are hitting are shadows, pads, or bags.
Have you ever seen a fat boxer?
Umm ok...let me rephrase that…have you ever seen a fat boxer outside of the Super Heavyweight division?
No…of course you haven’t…because boxers are some of the fittest athletes in the world. I’m guessing not getting knocked out due to fatigue is probably good motivation for them.
So why are boxers so fit?
Follow these instructions:
Stop what you are doing right now and stand up
Start shadow boxing as fast as you can for three minutes
Rest for 30 seconds, then repeat 12 times
Still standing? Didn’t think so
Now imagine someone throwing punches at you while you are doing that!
So how can you incorporate boxing training into your fitness regime without getting into the ring?
Skipping rope
Even though you may not have done this since you were 7 years old, it is one of the most effective cardio workouts you will ever do. It works the whole body and is higher intensity than running. Most people who can run 20 minutes cannot skip rope for 20 minutes.
It also keeps you light on your feet. When you think about it boxing is a lot like ballet in this respect, only there is no music and the dancers hit each other. Moving on.
I often take a skipping rope away with me when I travel, as it is one of the few cardio workouts you can do in a hotel room (there is probably a joke there but I refuse to do it).
A few tips for skipping rope:
Buy a hard rope not a soft one – you will be able to skip faster
Small hops, not big jumps as they will wear you out faster
No windmills, the arm movement should be all in the wrist
Alternate between hopping on both legs to alternating legs
If you want to keep track you can get skipping ropes now that count the number of jumps you do.
Rock hard abs
Boxers have great abs because they have to. Did you know Houdini was killed after being punched in the stomach? Undoubtedly, his final disappearing act.
There are too many ab exercises boxers use in their training to cover in this tip so I will only cover two (and one of them won’t be the exercise where you drop a medicine ball on your abs from a great height - I don’t think that one will catch on)
Crunch Punch
I covered crunches in a previous tip. The variation this time is at the top of your crunch you throw three shadow punches, left, right, left, before you return to the starting position, then repeat but this time at the top throw right, left, right at the top.
This is great for the abs because it causes you to pause at the top of your crunch, maximizing your effort, and the punches make you twist a little which brings in your obliques (or love handles).
Lower Ab Throwdowns (you will need a training partner)
Lie on your back with you training partner standing over you, your head between their feet. Grab their ankles and keeping your back on the ground put your legs straight up in the air so you are in a 90 degree angle at the hips.
Get your partner to grab your ankles and throw your legs (do not bend your knees) towards the ground. Your job is to stop them hitting the ground by using your abs, then return them back to 90 degrees, and repeat. They can throw your legs at angles to bring in your obliques.
This is a very effective exercise for targeting the troublesome lower abs, but avoid this if you experience lower back pain.
Punching like you mean it
There are a few ways to easily increase your punching power, that will also give you a more efficient and effective workout.
Aim 6 inches beyond your target. By aiming beyond your target, be it a focus pad or a punching bag, you are effectively punching through instead of punching at, which due to the laws of physics means you will hit a whole lot harder.
It’s all in the hips. Surprisingly, most of the power in a punch comes from the hips and not the arms. To maximize this, start your punches with your hips. For example, if you are throwing a right punch, in one smooth motion twist and open your hips up to the left first then follow through with your right arm. This hip movement is another reason why boxers have great abs.
Before I forget you can also try kick boxing for a great all body workout, but I refuse to talk about it after a personal training client missed the pad one time and kicked me when no man wants to be kicked.
Chapter
19: If you can't measure it you can't manage it
The statement “If you can’t measure it … you can’t manage it” is as true in fitness as it is in business. For this tip I look at how you can measure your outdoor training so you can make sure you are improving over time. Please note for this tip you can replace “run”, with “walk” or “ride” if you want to
Using a watch to measure how long you have run for is only half of the equation, you also need to know how far (in kilometers or miles) you have gone in order to track any improvements.
For example, if you ran 5km in say 30mins, you were running at an average speed of 6 minutes per kilometre. There are now two ways you can improve your fitness:
Maintain the same speed but increase the total distance of the run (thereby increasing the total time for the run)
Maintain the same distance but increase your speed (thereby reducing the total time for the run but increasing intensity)
If you just aimed to increase the total time of your run and measured it with your watch, there is no easy way of knowing if you slowed down your speed (intensity) to reach your time goal.
Fortunately, there is a website that can help with measuring distance. Mapmyrun.com allows you to map and plan your runs, calculating distance and calories for you…for free!
It also has a section where you can search runs in your local area that others have saved. I used this on the weekend and discovered a scenic run which was an inspiring change to my regular tracks.
Chapter
20: Supplements, do you really need them?
A question regarding the necessity of supplements recently came through my inbox, so I thought I would share my vast experience with supplements for this tip. You name it…and I bet that in most cases I would have tried it!
Basically the idea behind supplements is to exactly that, to supplement your dietary intake so that you are getting all the nutrients your body needs….the idea being that if the body has all the nutrients it needs it will be more likely to grow muscle and burn fat faster (when combined with an exercise program).
“Ok so it’s settled then, I should be taking supplements”...well maybe not. In most cases a healthy, varied, and balanced diet will provide the body with enough of the nutrients it needs to perform at its best, without the need for forking out for expensive supplements.
But let’s be honest how many of us can say that we have a “healthy, varied and balanced diet”? I definitely know that I don’t all the time…unless by balanced you mean holding a beer in each hand. So I take a multivitamin supplement every day, it is inexpensive and helps make sure my vitamin and mineral intake is at least at the recommended level.
Also our bodies still haven’t adapted that well from the caveman years. This is why vegetarians will often need to take iron supplements (primarily found in red meat). Iron is necessary for blood to carry oxygen around the body, and lack of oxygen reaching your muscles will make you feel very lethargic.
Note you should avoid mega doses of supplements. There is no evidence to suggest that taking over the recommended dosage will improve your body’s performance, and in many cases it can be dangerous. Therefore, taking four Vitamin C tablets instead of the recommended one has more of a chance at turning you into an orange (you are what you eat), than helping you ward off the lurgy any better
If you are in doubt as to whether or not you need to take supplements see your doctor for a blood test and they will let you know what you are lacking in.
Now for the fun stuff – the most popular training supplements
Protein
The average person needs approximately 1 gram of protein per 0.75kg of body mass per day. At the moment I weigh 93kg, so that means I need to take in about 70grams of protein a day to maintain muscle. A glass of milk at breakfast (~10g), a palm sized piece of meat at lunch (~30g) and dinner (~30g) and my protein needs are fulfilled.
However, anyone who has seen me in the kitchen at work at about 8am has seen me furiously shaking up a protein drink…why? This is because when you are training heavily, particularly resistance training, your body needs more protein in order to rebuild muscle, in some cases up to double the standard recommended intake.
The average protein shake when taken with milk will contain about 30-40grams of protein, so it can be a good supplement instead of eating more. While more convenient it is also often more expensive than eating, so you have to do a cost/benefit analysis for yourself.
Excess protein gets turned into fat or passed through the body, so consuming heaps of protein shakes a day isn’t going to help with your fitness goals, and it can actually cause dehydration and damage to your kidneys.
You also need to check the type of protein shake you are taking. Many of the cheaper protein shakes are loaded with carbohydrates, which will help you bulk up but is not good if you are trying to say lean. If you are trying to stay lean then stick to 100% whey protein.
I have seen meal replacement shakes work quite well on weight loss programs but you should avoid using these to replace your whole diet, as your body craves nutrients that you can only get from eating.
Creatine
Creatine is a natural substance produced by the body and stored in the muscles. Without going into the technical detail, a chemical reaction between Creatine and a substance called ATP is the driver of all muscle contraction. Creatine itself is essential for providing fuel for short explosive activities, such as sprinting 100m or lifting heavy weights.
The theory behind taking Creatine supplements is that if you have more of it in your body you will be able to go harder for the full 100m or lift a few extra repetitions of a weight.
I have taken Creatine as a training supplement on and off for years now. It sure has come a long way, I remember my first experience when it was a relatively new supplement and I ended up doubled over in agony from crippling stomach cramps. Thankfully they have now eliminated the side effects and it is widely available.
After using it for a while does it work? All the scientific evidence points to yes but I’m not sure, it does make you retain water which does make your muscles look bigger. What I can tell you for sure is that when I take Creatine I can lift more weight, be it psychological or physical I don’t know, but frankly I don’t care as long as I am lifting more weight!
Fat reducers
The idea behind these supplements is to artificially raise your metabolism, and suppress your appetite, so that you lose weight fast.
Personally I’ve tried a few of these types of products and I have to say they scare the bejeezes out of me. Firstly, they often include guarana or caffeine to boost the metabolism, which is fine in small doses, but some of the leading brands are the equivalent of up to 10 cups of coffee per day! I guess this is ok if you don’t plan on sleeping for the next week or so, but some of us have jobs to do.
Secondly, the potential side effects of stomach cramps and diarrhoea are not pleasant. So my advice...stay away from these.
Tip: Caffeine mobilizes fat cells so they are burnt faster during training. A cup of black coffee before an aerobic session can help you maximize this benefit. You don’t need to take expensive supplements.
Hormonal Supplements
Let me tell you a story….
My first weight training instructor at age 17, was an ex-body builder by the name of Shane. Shane had taken almost every legal and illegal hormone supplement known to man in his career, and yes he was and still is as big as a house.
But, Shane was then 30 and retired from body building, yet was still suffering from the side effects of hormonal supplements that I only thought were rumours.
He had lost all the hair on his head, and grown hair all over his upper arms and back. His chest, once revered on the body building stage, now competes with bikini model’s.
And the scariest part of all, he had only recently recovered from triple bypass heart surgery at age 29.
The moral of the story…these supplements work but it is not worth it. Unless your doctor prescribes them, stay off the hormonal supplements, because you can’t reverse the damage you might do to your body’s natural hormonal balance.
Chapter
21: How your fitness can survive the silly season
It’s that time of year again, time to eat and drink more in one month than you have in total this year. I, like you reading this, struggle to keep a training routine over this period. Fortunately I have learnt a few tricks over the years that can help you keep your fitness over this period…so without further ado here are my top 7 fitness tips for surviving the silly season.
Water is your friend. If you are out drinking either have water in between drinks or have a few glasses before bed. Dehydration and hangovers does not assist in training motivation. Drinking water also fills you up so you are inclined to eat less.
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