Goals goals goals

In order to achieve something, you need some form of goal or achievement to work towards.

The goal must be achievable and realistic but dont set the bar to low...challenge yourself!

Long term and short term goals

Your long term goal should be broken up into short constant reachable goals to assist you in getting closer and closer to the bigger picture the main goal...as a form of guidance to see if you still on track and moving towards your main goal

Example
- say you want to lose 10 kg by December then you need to have short term golas to keep you going to help you reach this... in this caes you'll need to schedule regular weigh in session where a certain criteria should be met...let say and average of 3-4kg must be lost per month over the next 3 months to achieve your big goal of losing 10kg by December.
These monthly weigh -ins can be further broken into smaller goals of weighing each week where the goal would be to lose 800g-1, 2kg per week to achieve the 3-4kg loss at the end of each month.

Now you have a goal in mind? Now to formulate the plan on how to reach this goal.

-ask for some professional advice
-find out how you should approach your goals short and long term.
-do reseach
-educated yourself about the things you need to know to help achieve your goals
-get a propper assessment done and ask for personal trainin or a programme designed for your specific needs and goals (remember. ..what works for one..might not work for the next)
-stay focused to achieve the short term goals to finally reach your main goal.
-to achieve goals in the gym surely there is gonna have to be goals outside the gym...diet (what and when to eat, supplements to help aid in goals and so forth)
- make sure you have all the basics covered. .. (training plan, food plan, supplements plan)

If you have a good plan and a guide to get you there...its much easier to stay on it.

TIPS
-set goal
-break main goal into small frequent goals
-get a propper guide to assist you (trainer, training programme,  diet)
- assess yourself and schedule assessments
-make deadlines where certain goals must be met in order to meet the deadline for main goal.

Failing to plan is planning to fail ;-)

Squats for total lower body magic ;-)

You may or may not know, but squats is king when it comes to boosting test,  growth hormone,  burning overall more calories,  works most of the muscles in the human body in one single move (musles - calves, quadriceps, hamstrings,  gluteus,  abdominals, hip flexors, back, shoulders, arms) one rep of a good form propper squat will work all the above muscles and more.

There are many versions of squats that has taken shape over the years, weather it was to make it easier, harder, more isolated,  whatever the case may be, basic squats is your bread and butter when it comes to building an impressive lower body.

Squats is not the easiest of movements due to multiple factors, balance, flexibility,  strength. So when starting out with barbell squats, ask for assistance from fitness instructor or knowledgeable training partner or friend.

Below I have 2pics of a squat, first picture is the start, thats the position you should be in and thats what it looks like, bar balanced and secure on traps, chest out, back straight, feet shoulder width apart.

2pic is at the bottom of the movement, before starting to make your way back to starting position. Notice how everything looks the same as in 1pic only knees is bent, point is your structure must stay upright and tight at all times, all through the motion.

When squating, always keep your head up, look in the mirror at your form and to keep monitoring if you are doing the movement justice.
Squats like any other exercise is save, but in the wrong hands even water becomes a threat ;-).

You always see massive weights on tje bar for this exercise, yes this is a movement that over TIME you'll get really strong, dont rush the processes,  keep focus on contraction and form and the rest will come soon enough.

Exercises that holds similar muscle stimulation is : hack squats, leg press, box jumps, but if you want the results squats is your answer.

Girls if you dont have a squat rack in the ladies section, go to the squat rack in the men section, when it comes to safety and effectiveness there are no area's off limits... will also help motivate guys to train legs;-)

Have fun, be safe.

Window of opportunity

May of you have heard about the window of opportunity,  commen term in bodybuilding - it relates to time periods (windows) where body can utilise more nutrients than at any other time during the day.

There are two main windows that should be utilised or be of greatest concern,  Breakfast & Post -workout.

Breakfast is of the utmost importance, not only is it the corner stone of any good diet but it akso sets the pace for your metabolism throughout the day and more importantly,  its stops catabolism from the "fast" going without food for 8 hours while sleeping.

Post-workout - supplementation and good nutrition as quickly as possible following your weight training session.
At this time body is also going catabolic so firstly its to stop this from continuing.
Body is very open to nutrient uptake following session due to a higher sensitivity to insulin,  which means morw nutrients can be utilised to speed recovery and promote protein synthesis.

In the morning I woukd suggest using more use of fats, carbs yes but fats will have a slower burn keeping you fuller and sugar levels more stable (nuts, natural peanutbutter,  eggs, milk)
Post-workout,  fat should be avoided foe the most due to it slowing down the absorption process of nutrients,  and at this stage you want fast, the fastwr the better, so no fats directly after training. Think whey protein,  high molecular carbs such as vitargo,  followed by chicken and rice or potato or pasta.

For more advanced trainees the use of high sugars or simple carbohydrates are used at these times to furthermore spike insulin levels to drive more nutrients into worked muscles, but thats a chapter by itself.

To make the most of these two windows, make sure you have necessary things in place,  if you know you gonna be busy pack in a shake, always make time for breakfast,  have food prepared for oost training, dont waist the window making the food, spend the window eating it;-)

By making more of these two times in your daily routine, you'll be surprised at how much it adds up to greater recovery,  faster metabolism,  better results.

Gluteus

The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the human body, but (excuse the pun) one that is very under trained, the gluteus is active in many exercises like, squats, lunges, leg pess, most quad movement will invole gluteus,  but very rarely do we isolate this muscle for a more targeted focus.

I have added some pics of more isolated/specific exercises that targets gluteus more directly.
Lunges is great for gluteus,  do keep in mind that a full range of motion and a long stride is needed to fully incorporate the gluteus in lunges or any type of quad training.

Squeezes and flexion are also valuable underutilised tool that works
Just flex as you stand and talk or washing dishes or whatever... flexion is exactly what you are doing in a gym just with added weight, same principals apply to just flexing there is just no added weight. Sqeezing and flexing muscle makes the muscle harder and more firm, so sqeeze it like it owes you money.

Many aerobic/fitness classes have this in there routines, so if doing it by yourself is a bit scary or you feel to shy, do a class with friends till you are more confident and comfortable then you can start doing your own thing.

Stabilisation (the plank)

Doing planks is a very good exercise for the entire abdomen,  the problem is very little people do it correctly,  but too high, but too low, knees bent and so forth. ..

The idea behind this exercise is exactly as the name suggests - plank - the idea is to make thighs and abdomen hars by contracting these muscles to form a straight plank like shape between the outer post which is your toes at one end and your forearms at the other side.

As your muscles fitueg under the stressor (gravity) the body will start fighting back and you'll either lift bum to decrease stress or relax between the "posts", this is where you need to fight back and work hard to keep your structure as stable and straight as possible,  when this is no longer possible then the set is over.

Adding weight to this exercise I would highly recommend. .. a big dont.
This is an exercise that leaves the abdominals very open and exposed so lower back will be involved to help counter, by adding weight to an all ready complex exercise will only increase the risk of injury....

To increase the intensity you can tey the following.
- decrease rest between sets
- blow air out of lungs and contract as hard as you can hold for few and release, but still staying in plank form.
- move forearms further away from toes to increase stressor
- try dong planks last in your abdominal routine, this will axt as a pre-fitueg principle and muscles wont be able to handle the same stress as previous due to exhaustion from other exercises.

If this is a new move to you then I suggest doing it first in the seasion while muscles is still "fresh" and have enough energy to execute correctly.

If not sure...ask please.

Food groups, macro nutrients and putting it all together

Health eating includes a variety of foods from all five food groups, to provide the essential vitamins and minerals,  healthy essential fat, fibre,  proteins and carbohydrates...

Protein is king, but not all proteins are equal.
Best sources includes...
-eggs
-chicken breasts (fillet with no skin)
-lean mince
-lean steak
- fish (salmon,  hake, tuna)
-soy products (use as alternative)
-rice and lentils (the combo of grain and lentil provides complete proteins for body to utilise.

Carbohydrates (energy sources) whole grain and low gi works best to keep insulin at bay and blood sugar levels stable.

- Oats
- rice
-quinoa
-whole grain low gi breads and cereals
-sweet potato
-pastas

Fats and oils - essential is what we aim for due to the facy that body cant make these fats so we need to introduce it via our dietary intake.

- olive oil (keep it cold, heat destroys the chain and fats become less desirable
-nuts and seeds, (almonds, unsalted peanuts,  brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds)
-avo's
-Flaxeed oil and coconut oil

Fruits - provide plenty of micronutrients but they also carry a high fructose (sugar) so tick to low gi fruits

-apples (strong antioxidants)
-bananas(high in potassium)
-pineapples (digestive enzyme bromelain, helps break down food)
- oranges (vit. C and fibre)

Vegetables - avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes,  go for low gi groups...vegetables should form the bulk of your carbohydrate intake.

-spinach
-broccoli
-cauliflower
-cucumbers (raw)
-carrots (raw)
-onions
-fresh garlic

When putting together a nutrition plan use these as your options. If you are not 100% sure go see a health care professional -dietitian or nutritionists.

You are what you eat so make sure you are feeding your body with the right nutrients to yield the best results.

BCAA

Bcaa's... branch chain amino acids

Bcaa's is the fundamentals of muscle...the building blocks that makes and repairs muscle and the development there of...

Bcaa's is very important for any athlete who is serious about recovery and optimal development...

Chicken is very high in bcaa's...you also get it in powder form or pill form, if you are not already making use of this supplement in your arsenal. ..pls do so...it is essential if you are serious about training...

Bcaa gets used directly by muscle, therefore its highly beneficial to use to keep you from hoing into a state of breakdown (catabolism) muscle starts eating away at muscle to provide the fuel that is needed to continue, this is negative and if muscle building is your goal, the one thing you should avoid at all costs.

Reasons to use this supplements
- muscle repair and growth
- improves mood, concentration and sleep
- improves immune function and maintenance of general health
- aids in health digestive tract
- enhancing physical performance and restricts cortisol release during training (cortisol is the hormoan responsible for catabolism,  stress enduced,  any form of stress not just training related).

Hope this sheds a little light on the top of branched chain amino acids ( bcaa's)
Bcaa's is widely available at pharmacies or supplement shops.

Good ratio to look for on labels
- 5g dose providing
- L-leucine;  L-valine; L-isoleucine
- 3; 2; 1 ratio meaning that L-leucine must be the highest, L-valine second and L-isoleucine the lowest of the chain.

My recommendations on dose - 15-20g a day depending on training status.
-5g apon waking to stop catabolism
-5g, 30 min pre-traing
-5-10g immediately post training
- if recovery is not up to par then an additional 5g can be added before bed.

Ab training routine for beginners to intermediate trainers

Abdominal training is highly beneficial for one and all, its relevant for the average gym goers to the highest sport profession.  Having a strong midsection has many many benefits,  good posture,  fewer back problems, better performance, smaller waist just to name a few...

Abdominal training should form part of your normal training routine atleast 2-3 times a week,  for beginners I recommend 1-2 a week just to speed recovery at first, abdominals is very fit muscles once they are activated and can be done full force 6 days back to back and no sign of fitueg but thats for advanced to professional levels and is not not needed to sculpt a healthy strong defined mid section.

Ab training routine for beginners 1-2 a week.

Crunches on floor knees bent (put hands on quads, crunch and slide hands till knee caps are in palm of hand and slowly return to starting position) 3 x 15

Bridge also known as Plank (forearms and feet is the only oarts touching the floor while you suspend your body like a brige between the to anchors so to speak forearms and feet, back must be straight at all times,  form is crucial here. 4 x failure slow and controlled.

Hanging leg raises on support frame- for beginners start with legs bent to get the form and contraction correct. Make sure back is straight and firm pushed back into back cushion. Slow and controlled contract abdominals to bring knees up till thighs are parallel with floor and slow return to starting position,  do not swing and use momentum for this will defeat the purpose completely.  3 x12-15

Rest for beginners should be 90-120 sec. between set to provide enough rexobwry so sets can be completed as you progress rest time will be decreased.

Intermediate trainers 3-4 x a week

Hanging leg raises on support frame - legs closw to straight, keep slight bent in knees. 4 x 12-15

Bridges / Planks 4 x failure try and move forearms and feet further apart to increase workload on abdominals but do not sacrifice form for over load.

Cable crunches - standing or seated at cable machine bar attached to cable hold firm behind head and crunch the weight downward like a normal crunch just witj added weight, keep movement slow and controlled, focus on contractions, its not a big movement(range of motion is compact and short) its small and powerful,  keep constant tension in muscle for entire set, once set start abdominals should remain in contraction till weight is returned to base and you step out. 4 x 15-20

Sit -ups on roman chair - pretty straight forward,  just check your form, back should be straight with abs doning the work not the lower back, if you feel lower back working 2 possibilities is responsible,  either you are to fatigued to keep good form or you are doing it wrong. Do this exercise first to avoid the fatigue factor. 4 x 12-15

Rest for intermediate 45 - 60 sec. Keep things moving, catch breath, slow breathing down take a sip of water and hit it again, stay focused and on point.

This routine will send you on your way to a healthier stronger midsection.
Always focus on contraction and good form, as we all know rome wasnt built in a day, take your time and do it right, correct training heelds great results all the time.

Summer is around the corner, start sculpting now and avoid disappointment.

Fat burning and supplements

When looking at supplements thats gonna give you bang for your bucks there are a few things to consider...

CLA- (conjugated linoleic acid) this is a natural facilitator for fat loss by increasing the enzyme Lipoprotein Lipase, wich breaks down fat and also very effective at blocking estrogen and interferes with estrogen signalling in breast cancer cells, therefore slowing down even preventing breast cancer and gynocomastia in male bodybuilders. Effective dose - 2500 - 3500mg a day

Green Tea Extract - fatburner and powerful antioxidant
Green tea has many health benefits but for this segment im only gonna touch on fat burning. Green tea significantly increases thermogenesis and calorie expenditure over 24 hours by increasing the respiration rate of brown fat cells...
Effective dose - 75-90mg per serving 2-3 times a day with meals.

Guarana Extract (caffeine)
Energy boost and fat burning.
Caffeine as you know is a central nervous system stimulant,  increased alertness and more focus. Caffeine enhances energy and power output to increase fat metabolism and delaying onsets of muscle fatigue.
Effective dose- 200mg twice daily 6 hours apart.

L-Carnitine - cellular and mitochondrial energiser.

Carnitine is a potent fat burner because it is responsible for the transport of fats into the cells to be used for energy in the body. By raising the level of muscle carnitine, you support the fat burning process, and because your body becomes more efficient at processing fuel, it will increase your energy levels. Elevating carnitine will also improve physical performance by burning more fat, sparing glycogen, clearing muscle lactate, and increasing anabolic hormone response but that foe another time.
Effective dose- 500mg 2-3 times a day

These are all save and effective supplements for fat loss,  you can use them alone or in a fatburning combo by supplement companies, just make sure its all there and at the effective dosages; -)

Back to basics for back....

These moves should form great part of your training routine for back...its big basic moves that work...arnold did it in his prime...phill heath is doing in his prime. ..why? Cause they work!

Warming in the winter...

Its that time of the year where we dissappear under layers of warm clothing. ..winter is here.

Its always a good idea to warm up and get muscles into work mode...when its cold/winter its critical that body gets a nice decent warm-up.

I see a lot of people stretching before they train...stretching a cold muscle is not wise...secondly, stretching sends a signal to the brain that tells the brain the work is over, we can relax now...and then you start a workout...see where im going with this...if you stretch before you train, you arebsetting yourself up for a fall...stretch when you done with training.

Warming up...
Any form of cardio for 8-10 min just to get heart rate going and get warm blood pumping throughout the entire body.

I suggest that your first exercise of your program should have at least 2 warm up sets with very light weights.
These sets are not counted as part of program. ..uts for safety reasons only.

Also. ..clothing plays a major role...dress appropriate... dress comfortably so movement is easy...

Everything is a little slower when its cold..so take your time and prepare your body if you want your body to perform optimally without injury.

Keep it warm...keep it safe

Compounds that count...

What is compound exercises? ??
Compound in this text means a move that involves a lot of muscle to contribute to the exercise...
Exercises of these nature normally aquire heavier weights...its big moves with big weights so to speak...

Examples... squats..deadlifts..bench presses. ..these are all very good compound exercises to have in your arsenal of exercises...men or female..these are the fundamentals of weight training of most sports...its the basics and they work...

Why do compound training???

Compound moves forces many muscles to contribute energy to do the move...making this a very anabolic move...meaning it puts factors into play that normally doesnt happen with singular or isolated movements... the 2main ones that we are focusing on is 1 Testosterone and 2 Growth Hormone. .. T and GH plays major roles in the body. ..T is the main key to muscle and GH the main key to fatburning, longevity, sleep patterns just to name a few...

Compound moves should be the basis of any training program if results is aquierd. ..
Do big moves for big changes...
If you are not sure about the technique or havent done it ever...ols consult...a) a trainer at the gym or b) a fitness instructor. .they are there if you need help...these are difficult exercises and there is right way and a wrong way to anything...make sure you are doing the right way...

Train hard but train smart...

Keeping it fresh. ..

Training for wellness and healthy living should be functional as well as fun...everybody likes new things...from the oldest lifter to the most hardcore lifter will lie if they say I dont love a new program even if its nit even a new one.. just something else. ..a change in pace. ..

My programs of any kind has a 6-8week lifespan. .then its time to change...
Why do I do this???

The human body is excellent at adapting. ..the body is designed to build up memory even in muscle...
The idea is to keep the body guessing. ..before the body gets a time to fully adapt to the stimuli, you chnage it uo again for 6-8 weeks.

Ways to keep it fesh....
Change program every 6-8week
Change order of program around...mix the pattern.
Change exercise order in program. .things you normally do last..now begin with that exercise.
Ad extra reps or sets to exercises. .if you normally do low reps. .now go for high reps and visa versa. .
Move away from machines and do more free weight...
These are a few ways to change the same program. ..

Ladies same applies to you...go do a step class for a month or spinning if thats not normally what you do...and the other way around...if you just do cardio or classes. .go hit the weight from time to time... nit trying to step on anybodies toes here...just saying keep it interesting and challenging...the body will thank you for it...

Keep your body guessing. ...

Resting for better results

Yes you read the header correctly. ..resting for better results this ''better" includes fat burning...muscle growth...wellness. ..

From the top... when training of any kind, the body breaks down, cortisol levels rise, catabolic state...
This tears on micro level needs time to heal and recruit new muscle fibres, if this doea not happen then tje micro tears become macro tears and soon injury or over training will result.

Keep in mind that if you train...thats just a small percentage of the transformation,  you can kill yourswlf in the gym, countless hours of lifting and cardio, if your aftermath is not sound then very poor results can be expected...

Now we all know that a good diet is key to any sport really to perform at peak levels...but if there is no time to rest and recover then its all pointless...

Sleep is the king of recovery...the body can only full recuperate and build new cells even burn fat and more defined when you sleep...im talking bout a good nights rest even a afternoon nap.

If you sleep patterns is wack then chances are that you will not lose weight if that is your desired goal...nor will you get stronger or build lean muscle...in all three these cases the exact opposite will occur. ..

When you sleep (REM-rapid eye movement) then magic happens in the body...hormones balance...growth hormone is released (fat burner, longevity, recovery) and Central nervous system gets a chance to recover...

Tips on rest...
Try and not train weight 5 days a week without a rest day in between..say a 2 day split 2 training days (monday and tuesday) then an off day (wednesday) and 2days on again (thurday friday) on off days you just do mild walking cardio to circulate fresh blood to muscles...

I also suggest a week off after every 10-12 weeks...this gives body ample time to rest and recover and renew your hunger for training again.

Get a good night's sleep 6-8hours per night... naps is good too...

Train hard...rest hard...keep the balance. ..;)

The Dreadful Scale...

Dont you just hate getting on to tje scale after working your rump off to tip it in your favour and....nothing...

Nothing is correct my friend...and here's why...
After embarking on a new program or fitness goal...one will find one's self on a scale sooner or later...here is what you need to keep in mind...

Changes that happen in the beginning of a program or new goal will start of at micro level...very small (structures inside muscle and fat cells...hormones and energy levels)...so at first no results will be norm...but thats only what the scale tells you...

When the aim is to lose fat and drop a few kilos...this normally happens. ..for a long while the scale is static...doesnt move...here is why..

For a while the body is gonna balance on a scale. ..meaning youll see no results...this is due to the fact that the mody is making new muscle and losing fat at the same rate...therefore no scale movement...look and feel will work much better at this stage...is your pants more loose...do you have more energy. ..do you look and feel different. ..

The scale is a method to check what you weigh...thats all it can do...it takes nothing else into account...therefor dont get discouraged when scale doesnt mirror how you feel or hope for...I myself is not a fan of the scale...its fine to check now and again just where you at from time to time...other than that get to know your body and start paying attention to it...and soon youll find yourself not beingba fan of yhe scale too;)...

Look and feel - 1 .... Scale - 0

Cardio Conundrum

I often get the question ''when is the best time to do cardio'' to burn fat?
Its a very good queation cause so many people get it wrong...

Cardio is  beneficial at anytime for a healthy lifestyle...but if losing fat is the primary objective then there is 2 windows you should make use of...

1) cardio first thing in tje morning on an empty stomach

This approach is primitive but it gets the job done...reason for this is that when you do cardio first thing in the morning the body is running on empty(during the night while sleeping the body uses up all the energy it has stored to maintain and repair the body while in rest mode, so when you wake, the body is already in the reserve stores (fat stores), so all you are doing is  using this to your advantage

Cardio of this nature is slow paced and long duration. ..meaning for example ; walking on treadmill at moderate intensity for a long duration(45min)
This is a safe an effective method to use.

2) after weight training cardio.

This method relies on the same principals as morning cardio due to the fact that you use the weight training to use up all energy sources before getting to cardio...

This method is a lot shorter and much more intense. .. high intensity cardio should be kept under 25 min and intensity should be 80-90% of max output. ..think stepper or rowing(fast pace short duration.

Cardio should be done on off days or rest days...just a nice moderate pace walk will suffice, 20-30min...this is called active recovery. ..heart rate increases and carries fresh oxygen and blood to trained muscles...healing the bidy faster and getting rid of waste products that slows your progress...

Recap: cardio first in the morning on empty for 45min @ moderate pace

Cardio after weight training for 20-25min @high intensity

Cardio on off days for 20-30min @ moderate intensity. ..active recovery. ..
Boom...now you know;)

When life hands you lemons...reap the benefits

Fat burning 101

Firstly. ..weight loss and fat loss is two very different things...weight loss is the loss of weight in the form of fat, muscle, water...where as fat loss is what it suggests its the loss of unwanted fat

The science is fairly simple. .. your calorie output must be greater than the input. .. meaning that your activities during the day must burn more calories than you are consuming. .. say your calorie intake is 1500 calories per day...then calorie expenditure must be around 1800-2000 calories per day...leaving you in a devesit of 500 calories...this will be best and safe way to go about your daily intake and output. ..

Foods that makes the magic happen faster: low gi carbs such as - oats, sweet potatoes,  rice, green veggies (think broccoli)
Quality lean proteins - chicken breasts...lean mince, fish, eggs, lean red meats, whey protein
Good fats - omega 3 is the way to go...avo's, extra virgin olive oil, milk, nuts

Those are the macronutrient you need in everyday life...out of these you plan a diet or meal plan... these foods will make fat burning more attractive for the body to adapt too... the science is - a good quality protein, a good low gi carb that can sustain blood sugar levels and good fats that regulates hormoans and healthy brain function.

Tips: prepare meals in advance to avoid eating junk just to get through the day
Eat smaller more frequent meals throughout the day 4-6 meals
Drink lots of water to help digestion and fat burning.
Never skip breakfast
Eat a big healthy breakfast to kickstart metabolism.