I've been involved with sports and physical training for as long as
I can remember with the privilege
of working with some fine coaches
and athletes
The
Royal Marines training was physically very demanding giving me an insight
of the limits to which one can be pushed
Session 1
Getting started and
discovering what you are and just what your physical goals should be
When you begin a fitness regime
it is vital to have a long term plan but the first thing to
establish is your personal fitness credentials.
1) How fit are you?....
Don't know?... Why not get a professional to check out your exact
fitness identity... If you want to improve your health this will be
a great way of starting and worth every penny you might spend because knowing the
correct
direction to take with full confidence is crucial...A visit to the doctor will
help establish
your targets... Some gyms offer fitness assessments, check them out.
Having a measurement, fat percentage,, height and weight, blood
pressure and heart rate observation can give a valuable indication
of your fitness status.
2) From the very start,
get to understand a training schedule or program... Most gyms offer
a induction but an initial induction for one session isn't really enough...
Think about having 2/3 sessions of personal training, some of the
Maltese rates are among the best value in Europe. The confidence you
will get from a few sessions of personal training may well be the
key to beginning a lasting association with fitness and better
health.. for life. Your personal trainer will explain different
exercise along with specific body targets to work on and how to get
the best results.
3) Once you have got
going into a fitness schedule put this into your mind.... Your
physical health and personal appearance count for a lot...So don't
use the common excuse that you don't have time because if
unfortunately you become ill
you'll have time to be sick. How many times a week should you
exercise?... Once is
better than nunce. Twice, is twice as good, and three times a lady
will make you feel better than listening to that old Lionel Richie
song. Four times is better than four-going the regime. Regular exercise is definitely the master key here. Exercise
can last as little as 20 minutes, so don't get carried away or have
a guilt complex for not doing over long sessions. Spending too much time
on exercise or beating yourself up are the most common switch off's
for terminating the treadmill.... Variation? ... You betch ya....
Obtain a system that makes your exercise regime interesting. This
can be done with a multi program schedule... Like everything, eating
the same diet, watching the same TV, watching Chelsea win every
game, can be a boring... Change the CD occasionally. Yes, I am a
Chelsea fan by the way. Up dating a program regularly will help
achieve faster results
4) Is weight loss the
only reason to exercise?..... No Amigo, not at all. Joints need
exercising, muscles need gentle stretching, blood become oxygenated
and better quality when it pumps around your body. The heart
is a muscle that enjoys controlled exercise making it more
efficient. The enriched blood that exercise has stimulated will give
a feel great mode, which in turn helps reduce the stress factor.. and we can all do with a break
from that old misery. Your body immunity quite likes a dollop of
protection that exercise develops and fitter people do get sick less
often than non exercisers. oh and the old grey matter, the
thinking organ, the brain, this excells a little better when oxygenated....
There u see, I couldn't spel ockygianted until i bygon xersize....
Yes, folks exercise really does reduce stress, and improve immunity,
make you look better, think better.. and become a better.. how do
you say in English, Maltese and French.. a whole better person
5) When can you
start???????????
6) As they say.
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift....
That's why we call it the present....
Drop me a line if you
get stuck.. 79301038
Winter rowing
With the intense
heat of a Maltese Summer sizzling your skin, it can be hard work
keeping a personal level of fitness up. Some are content to keep a
maintenance program going though July and August but now that winter
is really here and the temperatures have dropped, it is time to push
the level of your rowing schedule up a notch.
Stamina and endurance
training are ideal for this time of year especially for those that
like the ranking challenges that Concept 2 online ranking provide.
Start hitting 5000 and 6000 meters for a few weeks of conditioning
with consistent step up improvements then move up to 30 minutes and
10,000 meters. When your averages start improving on the 10000 go a
step further and take a crack at the 1 hour time. It might be a good
idea to start wearing padded rowing gloves before beginning the
winter program and longer distances especially if your hands haven't
yet developed calluses at the bottom of your fingers.
The endurance workouts
will develop great aerobic conditioning and also strengthen the
hamstrings, lower back and shoulder muscles. Your targets may be to
ultimately improve personal 2000 meter times and this will be
phase one of the way achieve those goals. As winter heads toward
Spring the ultimate tests may well be chosen as the level of your
fitness prowess and tackle the half marathon.
Use a log card as a
personal trainer during this phase it will definitely keep the
motivation high and morale high as you achieve.
Good luck
Ken
Watch out for regular
Ken's Koaching Korner sessions
Daves' Muscle building tips
Bench press
One of the biggest upper-body compound movements in
weight training. Apart from working your pectorals it also works
your triceps to good effect.
Lie flat on a
flat bench and make sure your legs are about 2 feet apart with your
feet flat on the floor. Grip the bar keeping your hands 3 feet
apart, take the bar off the rack and straighten your arms up, but
don’t lock your elbows. Lower the bar towards your nipples and stop
the bar at around ½ inch off your chest, this should take around 3-4
seconds. Immediately start to lift the bar to the start position,
this should take around 2-3 seconds. It is important to inhale
deeply as you bring the bar down and exhale deeply on your way back
up.
Always
stretch & warm up before lifting, I recommend 25 reps using the bar
alone, move up to 50% of your maximum for the first set(10-12 reps),
70% of your maximum for your second set (10-12 reps) and your
maximum (last set) should be a weight you cannot lift for more than
12 reps. Concentrate on your chest throughout. Make sure you lift
the bar straight and the weight is distributed evenly.
Never try to
go too heavy and compromise strict form, at best you will NOT grow
and at worst you can seriously injure yourself.
Stick to these
tips for good form and your chest should be bulging in no time.
Position 1
Mid point and preparing to push up whilst exhaling
