New Year Diet!!

Now that Christmas is over and New Year’s resolutions have been made, you may be thinking about embarking on a new diet and lifestyle regime.  Overeating over Christmas can leave you bloated, tired and feeling like you have gained a few pounds, particularly since meals over the festive period tend to be high in saturated fat and sugar ... not to mention the alcohol. 

Embarking on a new diet regime should be done sensibly, ensuring that all the food groups are included. Sugar, alcohol, saturated fat and high glycaemic carbohydrates need to be restricted, but this doesn’t mean your diet has to be dull. My NEWtrition is offering a New Year's Resolution package which will involve nutrition goal setting for 2012. The package includes an initial consultation and three follow-ups in months 3, 7 and 11 so that progress can be measured throughout the year. Healthy and easy to prepare menu suggestions will be given and you will be supported along the way via email and telephone.

And don’t forget, we are launching Nutritious Delicious©, a 'cooking for health' course that will run over 3 evenings - beginning in February. The evenings will be informal with cooking demonstrations, tasting, health information and recipes/health notes to take away. The introductory price of the course is £95.

For more information please contact My NEWtrition on 07800 602963 or email info@mynewtrition.co.uk

Can Stability Ball Training Enhance Sports Performance?

Can Stability Ball Training Enhance Sports Performance?

A handful of studies have examined the effect of stability ball training on sports performance and found it lacking in several critical areas, as shown below.

Core Strength. Many trainers believe that strengthening the core enhances performance and decreases the risk of injury (Sato & Mokha, 2008). Core strengthening programs often include stability balls because of the belief that the unstable training surface will increase recruitment of stabilizers and trunk muscles (Anderson & Behm, 2004). Researchers testing these theories found that stability ball training improved core stability in swimmers, but did not improve swim times (Schibek, Guskiewicz, Prentice, Mays & Davis, 2001). A similar result was found in runners: stability ball training improved core stability but did not enhance running performance or running posture (Stanton et al., 2004).

Force Output. The value of unstable training for limb muscle is uncertain (Koshida et al., 2008). A recognized limitation when strength training under unstable conditions (for example, training on a stability ball) is decreased force-generating capabilities (Nuzzo, McCaulley, Cormie, Cavill & McBride, 2008). This occurs because limb muscles assist in joint stability (Anderson et al., 2004.).

Isometric force output during unstable strength training is significantly lower than during stable conditions. Because of this, some recommend that resistance training only be performed under stable conditions when the goal is to improve strength and athletic performance. An intensity level of 80% of maximum is required to result in strength gains, and this level of intensity cannot be achieved under unstable conditions (Koshida et al., 2008). In healthy subjects, the stimulus provided when strength training on stability ball training is too low in intensity to increase muscular strength and so does not seem to provide a training advantage.

Squats and deadlifts performed during stable conditions at intensities as low as 50% of 1RM demonstrated to be more challenging to the neuromuscular system than stability ball exercises. The reduced force-generation capabilities that occur during unstable training have led to the belief by some that instability training devices should only be used to supplement traditional training methods (Wahl & Behm, 2008). However, it has also been suggested that unstable training be “excluded” or “limited” because of the lack of evidence that such training improves strength or hypertrophy or improves athletic performance (McBride, 2008).

Training Specificity. As with all types of training, specificity of training must be emphasized for optimal results when training to enhance athletic performance (Stanton et al., 2004). Exercising in a supine or prone position on the stability ball may not transfer well to sports performed primarily in standing positions (Willardson, 2007). Additionally, most athletes do not compete on an unstable surface. Instead, the instability is more often the result of interacting with an opponent (e.g. football, wrestling, soccer), or the need to place oneself in an unstable position, such as lunging to return a serve in tennis or to catch the ball in baseball. That being said, in some sports settings the use of a stability ball may increase the degree of specificity. For example, mogul skiing, shooting a puck in hockey, and surfing all involve generating forces in unstable conditions.

Thus, science does not support the popular opinion that stability ball training will enhance physical performance (Stanton et al., 2004). Because of the limitations in intensity and training specificity, some researchers suggest that sports performance might improve more readily with free weight training performed on a stable surface rather than exercising on a stability ball (Willardson, 2007).

So, What CAN Stability Ball Training Do For Athletes?

Injury Prevention. Research has shown the value of training performed on unstable surfaces for reducing the occurrence of ACL injuries (Willardson, 2007). This type of training may heighten the sensitivity of muscle spindles, resulting in a higher state of readiness to respond to perturbing forces applied to a joint. Exposing a joint to forces that are potentially destabilizing in training may be a necessary stimulus to encourage the development of effective neuromuscular compensatory patterns.

Heart Rate Response and Oxygen Consumption. Heart rate response and oxygen consumption rates increase with stability ball training (Jakubek, 2007). As a result, sports that have an endurance component may benefit from supplementing traditional training with stability ball training.

Some Alternative Ways to Incorporate Instability into Training

Various degrees of instability are present in most, if not all, athletic activities: a wrestler trying to prevent himself from being thrown to the mat, a running back trying to break a tackle in football, a basketball player driving the lane to the basket, and a softball athlete lunging to make a catch all encounter instability in their chosen sports. Based on the concept of training specificity, introducing instability into your athletes’ training programs will better prepare them for the demands of competition. Presented below are suggestions on how to effectively introduce instability into the training programs of athletes you work with.

Free Weight Training

Instability can be influenced by both the base of support (such as a stability ball) and by the training method used. Training with free weights has been suggested to be more beneficial than training with machines for athletes due in part to the instability it offers (Anderson et al, 2004; Willardson, 2007) and this instability can be emphasized further with the use of water-filled implements because of the active fluid resistance that water provides (Hedrick, 2003).

Another way to emphasize instability in free weight training is to make frequent use of unilateral over bilateral dumbbell training. Many activities in daily life and in sport are unilateral in nature. Unilateral exercises provide a higher degree of movement specificity than bilateral training and better stimulate the trunk stabilizers (Behm et al., 2005).

Additionally, resistance training exercises can be adjusted to place additional emphasis on core stability (for example: squats and deadlifts performed with dumbbells while standing on one leg; power cleans and push presses performed unilaterally with dumbbells; trunk rotation exercises performed with cables or medicine balls).

Emphasis on Structural Multi-joint Exercises

Instead of focusing only on stability ball training, personal trainers may want to emphasize structural multi-joint exercises such as cleans, squats and deadlifts because training intensity can be continually increased by adding resistance to the training load. Another benefit of standing multi-joint exercises is that they recruit the core musculature more effectively than do stability ball exercises in a standing, functional position and movement pattern. Further, because multi-joint exercises recruit multiple major muscle groups simultaneously, they should be more time-efficient than performing multiple stability ball exercises (Nuzzo et al., 2008.).

Conclusion

While stability ball training does provides some limited benefits in athletic training programs — including improved core strength for injury prevention and enhanced heart rate response and oxygen consumption — it should only serve as a supplement to more effective training protocols. Athletes need to be able to generate force and train specifically for the sport they perform, and stability balls generally do not meet those needs. Standing free weight exercises better recruit the core and provide a higher level of sport specificity than do stability ball exercises, and are an excellent way to incorporate instability into a coach or personal trainer’s program design.

Great Bum workout!

For a great bum workout you need to ensure that all exercises are 

compound movements to maximise the muscles being used with high levels of CV work to.

Bum/tum programme:                                              

Activity Sets Reps Tempo Intensity

Deadlift – dumbbells 3 15 2:2 High

Basic squat 3 15 3:1 High

Chest press 3 15 2:2 High

Clean and jerk 3 15 2:2 High

Lunge – forward 3 15 3:1 High

There are a number of ways the routine can be progressed. You can change the sets, reps, tempo or rest period to create a new stimulus. One of my favourite things to do is perform the exercises using a heavy weight first, then cut the rest period out and complete the workout in a cardio style. I’ve found clients enjoy this type of training – tough as it is and get create results!

I recommend performing this workout on a Monday and then it can be repeated later in the week. If you feel sore or tight in a specific area, give yourself a extra days rest

Here are some alternatives to the exercises listed:

Deadlift – dumbbell deadlift, transverse deadlift, single arm deadlift, single leg deadlift.

Squats – split squats, boss squats, single leg squats, BOSU single leg squat.

Chest press – dumbbell chest press, single arm chest press, Swiss ball chest press, Swiss ball dumbbell chest press, Swiss ball single arm chest press.

Clean and jerk – clean and jerk with dumbbells, single arm clean and jerk.

Lunge – lunge with dumbbells, lunge with Olympic bar, lunge onto BOSU, BOSU lunge with dumbbells, BOSU lunge with Olympic bar.

If you’re wondering what any of these exercise are a great resource is www.ptonthenet.com, for more information.

I hope this is useful to you all, let me know how you get on!

For more information on personal training see www.feelgoodpt.co.uk 

Alex’s success story

Alex’s success story

Read all about Alex's success story! 

Alex before training 

I started training with Dominic at Feel Good PT 24 weeks ago - since that time I have lost 3 stone I am 10.7 but much more amazingly I have reduced my body fat from 43.8 to 29.6%.  I have gone from a size 16 to a size 8!!!! And I still have some more to go. I am determined to reduce my body fat to below 24%.

Alex before training 

I now do some form of exercise 4-5 times a week and love it. I have so much more energy and confidence. It has been so empowering and would say to anyone that if I can do it they can, but they need the professionals to guide them.  Not once have I injured myself but have been pushed beyond what I ever thought my body was capable of.

Alex after training 

I have recently run a 5k charity race in just over 25mins, and am now planning on a 10k and half marathon. Anti-depressants gone, stress still here but I manage it in such a more positive way now.  My children, family, friends are amazed and so proud of what I have achieved.

Alex after training 

Move of the month - Squats

Move of the month - Squats

This move the month is a squat. Squats are a great exercise for the glutes, hamstrings and quads. A great quality of the squat is there is room for progression and the option to incorporate other major muscle groups.

Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Keep your eyes and shoulders facing forward, gently lower yourself in a control manner ensuring you keep a straight spine and stop when you reach a 90% angle at your knee. Pause then return to the starting position.

If you find you are tight in the calves and raising there heels try getting them to take a wider stance. This should stop the heels rising and give more stability.

To progress the intensity of this workout you can add a new variable such as, dumbbells, Olympic bars, kettlebells or a VIRP to create a new stimulus.

To increase the intensity of the exercise you can incorporate different muscle groups and compound movements.

A few good combinations are;

Squat to shoulder press,

Squat to bicep curl,

Squat to frontal or lateral rise

Give it ago! 

Why not take part in an RNLI Reindeer Run near you

Why not take part in an RNLI Reindeer Run near you

How do I improve my running times?

Do I need to adapt my training schedule if I wanted to start running further distances than the 5k or 10ks?

Running short, fast distances is a different physical demand v half marathons, marathons ect. Depending on your starting fitness level and what time or distance you’re aiming for will determine how you should plan your training periodization.

If you’re currently running 5 or 10k’s then your cardiovascular system can cope with the workload and the most common reason you’re not running further is because you’re suffering from muscular fatigue whilst running which is causing you to stop.

For an average marathon runner, the heart rate during the race will range from 132 to 142 beats per minute. Provided that you pace yourself correctly it will not be a cardiovascular but a muscular endurance limitation that will stop you from running further. To improve the distances you’re running you need to start to improve your muscular endurance. Before we start to talk about what exercises and periodization we should do let’s look at the movement patterns in running that we need to condition the body for. It is worth noting that athletes have their own individualised running style which will affect the conditioning program.

The running stride

The stride can be split into three phrases: support, drive, and recovery. The support and drive phrases occur when the foot is in contact with the floor. Recovery occurs when the foot in flight to the next drive phrase. Let’s talk about these three phrase in more details; It is important to understand each phrase of running in order to develop a successful conditioning programme for the movement pattern we are trying to optimise. 

Support

During the support phase, the foot is in contact with the ground and supports the body against gravity. The body's centre of mass is in the lower abdominal area between the hips. When contact is made with the ground, the knee joint goes into flexion. As the supporting leg bends at the knee, the pelvis lowers on the opposite side. The pelvic dip is opposed by the tensor fasciae lataeilio-tibial band of the supporting leg, the hip abductor, and the abdominals and lower back muscles. The knee flexion is opposed by the eccentric contraction of the quadriceps. The supporting hip continues to extend, and the body's centre of mass passes over the supporting leg. The knee then begins to extend, and the opposite hip rises from its brief dip. The support phase begins to transition into drive.

Drive

The drive leg extends at the knee joint, and at the hips. Such that the toe maintains contact with the ground as that leg trails behind the body. The foot pushes backward and also down. During the drive, the foot may extend also, by a flexing of the soleus and gastrocnemius. Because the knee joint straightens, much of the power of the drive comes from the quadriceps group, and in some running styles, additional power comes from the calves as they extend the foot for a longer drive. This motion is most exhibited in sprinting, shorter runs or a forefoot running style.

Recovery

When the driving toe loses contact with the ground, the recovery phase begins. During recovery, the hip flexes, which rapidly drives the knee forward. Much of the motion of the lower leg is driven by the forces transferred from the upper leg rather than by the action of the muscles. As the knee kicks forward, it exerts torque against the lower leg through the knee joint, causing the leg to snap upward. The degree of leg lift can be consciously adjusted by the runner, with additional muscle power. During the last stage of recovery, the hip achieves maximal flexion, and, as the lower leg rapidly unfolds, which it does in a passive way, the knee joint also reaches its greatest, though not full, extension. During this extension of the leg and flexion of the hip, the hamstring and gluteal muscles are required to stretch rapidly. This creates a load to unload reflex also known as the stretch reflex.

So what have we learn from talking about the bio mechanics of running? Firstly, we have identified that there are different muscle groups at play which we are going to have to concentrate on at different times in the conditioning programs depending on what movement pattern we are optimising. Second, different muscle groups play different roles at different times. And third, we see the importance of the muscles loading to unloading.

Here are some helpful tips to include in your running programs.

Eccentric lunge to power drive

This exercise is designed for eccentric strengthening of the quadriceps going into load to unload movement pattern.

Step 1: Start with two dumbbells by your side, pick a relatively light weight. Slowly lower yourself into an anterior lunge, aim for a 3 down: 1 up tempo.

Step 2: From this position power up with your legs and arms in a running motion driving the opposite leg forward. If you’re trying to improve your sprinting or fast times then flex the ankle complex to raise the heel.

Step 3: Carry the exercise on by repeating step 1 on the opposite leg.

Improve your endurance

Concentrate on building the endurance in your lower body through compound exercises. A few ideas are squats, deadlifts, planks and lunges. Perform 15+ of each exercise with minimal rest.

Running should be the main bulk of your programme with a mixture of long slow duration runs and shorts sprints. Remember that the running machine will not be as beneficial as running outside.

High intensity training

If you’re trying to improve your times you will benefit from including high intensity training. It is also well-known that increasing the intensity of cardiovascular exercise improves oxygen supply to the muscles and increases the lactic acid threshold in the muscle tissues. Over time, lactates build even at low-intensity activity like marathons. It is important to have a high lactate threshold to tolerate this for longer. Similarly, oxygen supply must be as efficient as possible. So high intensity training is vital for long distance running, even if the run is performed slowly. This will also help when dealing with the difficult terrain that many runners will have to deal with. Hills, descents and rocky ground are often added for an extra challenge, and high intensity training will complement your training programs work by improving recovery times. Remember the treadmill is not the small as running outside and will not be as beneficial.

For more information on personal training see www.feelgoodpt.co.uk 

Welcome

Welcome to Feel Good PT's Blog.


Hi I'm Dominic Burns. I am a qualified Personal Trainer with a passion for health and fitness. I have gained experience through working all kinds of clients, from those wanting to lose weight and tone up to London Welsh RFC players and international athletes. 


In my Blog I want to share my experience to help educate people about Health and Fitness. If you have any subjects or questions you would like to learn more information about then please email me 


Dominic