Hill Sprints, but not as you know them.
You might start to notice a new type of hill sprinting in the next few days… Not up the hill, down the hill.
I’ve been using it myself for a bit and wow, I’m loving the results. Let’s talk about the why first…
Eating FOR your Cycle
“I couldn’t stop eating”
“I just wanted crackers and biscuits – I couldn’t stop”
“I felt soooo tired and just kept picking”
These are some of the things clients tell me.
And often my first question will be: “Where are you on your menstrual cycle?”
To which the response is often: “I’m on” or “I’m about to be on.”
So…. let’s address this head on. How should you eat when you’re on or about to be?
Because there’s lots of changes going on in your body in these days. And it would make sense to try to work with these changes rather than trying to crack on as normal or bash them into submission…
So, remember your biology lessons from Year 7? 8? Let’s revisit.
My favourite 3 bits of kit right now.
It’s been a while since we’ve had a kit blog. So here goes – 3 bits of kit I can’t do without.
Fast and Furious Bodyweight Workout
Working out doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. Here’s a fast and furious session you can complete anywhere!
The Side Plank…
We all love to hate it. Erin especially (lolz), and me too, tbh.
But it’s a really important move if you want to build up core strength. It really hits all the side ab muscles (obliques), and it also hits your shoulders, upper back or lats.
So I’m gonna share some top tips on getting it right.
Since I last wrote, the miles in my marathon training plan ramped up quite quickly. In fact, when I saw the second stage of the plan, slight panic set in. The honeymoon stage of training for a marathon was well and truly over. I told myself not to get overwhelmed. Break it down. One week at a time. One day at a time. Nothing was really that different from before, other than the increase in volume….
Conversations that wind me up – Episode #643
Note: this is a fictional conversation. But one that is inspired by several conversations I have in my life as a PT.
Chris: Hi, how are you?
Fictional Mum: I’m OK. Well, sort of. I’ve still got that problem with my [Choose one: hip / back / knee / neck] which means I can’t do [Choose one: sleep / run / exercise / drive]
C: Oh, no. That’s a shame. How long has this been an issue now?
FM: Well a couple of weeks, I think. Actually probably more… It’s been a least since before xyz and that was 6 weeks ago. So it must be a couple of months now.
C: That’s a long time. What have you been doing about it?
FM: Mmmmmmm. Well not much. Resting, I suppose…
The other day I was having a chat with someone at school.
“I’ve got to get back on track with my weight” she said…
“Excellent! What’s your plan?” I said…
Person: I’m gonna go back to Slimming World…
At this point I think I literally banged my head against the wall…
Person: Oh, you don’t like them then… but it always works for me.
Now, I’m not the type of person to slate people’s efforts to get healthy. Quite the opposite in fact, but I lose track of the number of times slimming world / weight watchers comes up in my world.
Me: “Oh it worked for you. Tell me what happened…”
Person: Well yes. It worked. I lost some weight. Then I stopped going, because (Choose one: I went on holiday / I got ill / it was my birthday, husband’s birthday, dog’s birthday) And, you know, the weight came back on again…
And this, my lovely readers is THE reason I don’t recommend slimming world or weight watchers.
Squats!! One of my all time favourite exercises. Pretty much always included in my programmes, in one form or another. And most of you who have attended a session with me will have at some point heard me say: LOWER!!!
But the question arises, How low is low enough?
And of course, the answer isn’t simple. But rather “It depends”
Why become a personal trainer?
The other day I was chatting to a new client about how I came to be a personal trainer. It’s a fun story. So I thought I’d share. Plus, it talks about me, and I love talking about me!
I first started training to be a PT around 10 years ago. In those days, you actually had to attend a course in person. And it lasts about 3-4 months in total. (Today you can get the same qualification online or in a weekend, practically. Ho hum…)
At the time, my life couldn’t have been more different to what it is now…
