Dr. Lawrence Spriet

Sports drinks can be found everywhere these days, from your local gym to your local 7-eleven or corner shop.  So are they just another every-man’s drink that we can drink whenever we like?

Dr Spriet points out that sports drinks were originally designed for elite athletes, so unless you’re training twice a day for hours at a time, they’re completely unnecessary for you.  Water is perfectly adequate.

So what makes a sports drink so special? Sports drinks are made up of water, sugars (carbohydrates) and a small amount of electrolytes.  These elements are vital for elite athletes who need to replace the copious amount of fluids they’ve lost through sweating.

As Dr Spriet explains, the water in your body contains 0.9% salt and your kidneys ensure this level remains constant.  However, when you sweat the body can’t reproduce the liquid and salt without consumption of an outside source.  If you’re an elite athlete it is critical these levels are corrected immediately and so the sports drink becomes essential.

Before you consume a sports drink consider whether your level of physical activity warrants it

Not to mention that the sugar contained in sports drinks helps fuel the brain.  As many sports require quick decision making, keeping the brain fueled is just as important as keeping the body hydrated.

So, there is definitely a time and place for the not so humble sports drink.  However, for the ordinary person who only exercises moderately… beware of the high sugar content contained in these drinks.  They may taste good, but unless you’re going to burn all that sugar off, it’s just going to convert to fat!

But perhaps you use that excuse to avoid the Gym because you’re simply afraid to do anything for fear of doing the wrong thing.  Maybe you’re just not sure where to start.

Don't push yourself so hard that you're crawling through the door!

A few weeks ago I went back home to visit my very large family back in Canada.  While there, I had an interesting experience with one of my relatives who had just started a walking program.  After just a couple of weeks of walking this person’s entire attitude had changed towards exercise.  In fact, his level of self-belief in being able to do it had risen dramatically, to the point that he is now suddenly motivated to pack in a whole lot of extra exercise, like resistance training for toning and conditioning.

I reckon there are heaps of people in the same boat.

The vast majority of people start with the right intention to begin exercising but, as we see so often in the Gym setting, they do too much too early.  It’s like their enthusiasm and motivation kicks into overdrive and they increase the content and length of their workout beyond what is realistically sustainable for a person at their level of fitness.

My advice is start with something manageable, such as an exercise program which you can perform regularly for about 30-40 minutes.  Trust me, working out three times a week for 30-40 minutes is far more effective than pushing yourself beyond your limits with a 1 1/4  hour workout.  Not to mention, you’ll feel tired and exhausted if you try to keep up longer workouts when first starting out and then you’ll just resent the time you’re spending exercising, which could be devoted to something else, and you’ll end up throwing in the towel.

The key to changing your life is to make the change sustainable.  And as time goes on and your fitness improves, along with your energy levels, you’re far more likely to be able to increase the length and frequency of your workout effectively.  By this point you’ll be reaping the benefits of a healthy, fit lifestyle and suddenly exercise becomes more valuable in your life because you’re getting results… so you’ll actually want to spend more time exercising!

Love that coffee!

Here are a few reasons why you need to keep drinking coffee:

1. Coffee can help you breathe better - researchers have discovered that a coffee before you workout can help reduce the severity of exercise induced asthma symptoms.  Drinking the equivalent of 2 cups of coffee about an hour before a workout was as effective as an inhaler at opening sufferers’ airways.
2. Coffee can help you get more out of your workout – yes, a dose of good old coffee between back-to-back workouts can keep you going longer, a study from the Journal of Applied Physiology reports.  Athletes who drank a caffeinated carbohydrate beverage after cycling had 66 percent more glycogen (an energy reserve) in their muscles than those who had a caffeine-free version.  Greater levels of glycogen help you go further and faster in your next workout.
3. Coffee can help prevent post-workout soreness – sick of your muscles giving you grief after every workout?  The University of Georgia in Athens discovered women who had the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee the day after stimulating their quadriceps (such as squats) felt 48% less leg pain within an hour.  Why? Caffeine can potentially block the body’s receptors for the pain-causing chemical adenosine.
4. Coffee can give your cardio session a boost - that’s right, there may just be a way to make those killer cardio sessions feel easier.  Women given the caffeine equivalent of about two cups of coffee an hour before cycling reported 40% less pain than those who went decaf.  Caffeine appears to block neurotransmitters that signal discomfort during exercise, researchers say.
5. Coffee provides fuel for your body – coffee may help you get more from your workout, a study from the University of Birmingham in England finds.  Cyclists using a caffeinated drink absorbed 23% more carbs – getting a bigger dose of fuel – than those who went decaf.  In fact, mixing caffeine and carbs packs greater benefits than either alone, scientists note.

There you have it folks… coffee can actually have a huge impact on your workouts and we all know that health and fitness go hand in hand.  So keep up the coffee!  (Just make sure you keep up the exercise too!)

Your Workout Week Ahead:

Make sure you get out there and really push yourself!

Aires

The skies are jam-packed with lots of astro action this week.  You’re front and centre for all the best things on offer so push yourself to the limit and don’t hold back on the heart beats.

Taurus

This week really could be the week for you to hit some new PB’s… you just have to believe you can do it!  You are truly amazing and you have awesome stars backing you. Go for broke!

Gemini

Relentless demands on your time are no excuse for not finding time to indulge yourself…  just make sure you balance the chocolate and eating pleasures with a good serve of exercise.

Cancer

Whilst work demands are increasing, make sure your mood is positive and the work is satisfying.  Same goes for your exercise regime.  Maybe it’s time to mix it up a little if it’s boring you.

Leo

It’s time to step out of your usual exercise routine and stand up for what you want to achieve.  Enlist some help from a personal trainer and start a new, fabulous training sequence today.

Virgo

All is going along so smoothly so make sure you get value for money from your membership.  Don’t derail your workouts by having a ‘blowout’ and falling off the tracks.

Libra

You are a Libran who has been working too hard so take some time out to look after yourself.  Your body needs to unwind a little so remember to stretch well after each exercise session.  Maybe some Yoga or Pilates is an option.

Scorpio

Go easy on the people you love. You could start to feel overdriven and given to anger more easily than usual. It’s time to de-stress and get into the exercise zone and lift your endorphin levels. Some good intensity cardio would do the trick.

Sagittarius

Let’s hope you’re in the mood for friendship… perhaps even romance?  Smile and engage with people you see at the gym, someone is looking into your eyes. Be creative with your workouts as that someone is watching.

Capricorn

You’re in an intense work cycle and home life is intense too. Your stars strongly advise to cut yourself some slack and have fun at the gym.  Try a new class that you’ve been eyeing off for a while or throw in those new weights exercises you’ve been thinking about.

Aquarius

Your stars are telling you to get advice from the exercise experts if you want clear direction and motivation. Get your family involved in your plans and results will follow. Listen carefully.

Pisces

You are starting to get on a roll with exercise and you can expect the best results if you don’t get silly with eating and over-indulging before the hard work is done. Input versus output.  Keep a clear picture of your nutritional balance.

Imagine if you could “spray and wipe” the brain?  Imagine if you could pack up, re-sort, throw out and put away all the junk you have cluttered in your head.

There is nothing like a clean work bench or kitchen bench when you’re starting out on a project or meal – you can be so much more productive and work without intrusion.

Give your brain a jolly good clean out before you do your workout!

Guess what? The same applies when you’re exercising.  Before your next workout, try clearing some space in your head that you can work in.

Put stuff aside that you can pick up again later, if you must, so you have uncluttered workout space.

Then you can really concentrate on your workout and what you’re going to achieve.  Work through what you’re going to do (which exercises) and then visualise your fatigue point and how you’re going to react to it.

Trust me, an uncluttered head will result in a much more thought out, and therefore productive, workout!

Functional training basically just means to work more than one part of the body in the same exercise. It will hit every muscle group while also getting your heart rate up for a bit of cardio workout at the same time!

This week we have decided to show you a few functional training exercises that you can complete in the gym or anywhere you have a couple of free weights! This workout is designed for anyone looking to mix up their training and who has had some experience with some free weights.  Check out the video at the bottom to see exactly how each exercise is done.

Complete this program as a circuit (one exercise after the other with as little rest as possible). Do 12-15 reps on each exercise and go around 2-3 times!

Dumbbell squat with front raise

Start by finding a weight that you can handle. Stand with your feet a bit wider than shoulder width apart, holding the dumbbell in one hand. Put your other hand out to balance and squat straight down until you have around a 90 degree bend in your knees or until the weight touches the ground. From there push straight up with your legs while at the same time doing a front shoulder raise until the weight is above your head and you are standing upright. As you fatigue use your legs to help your arm push the weight up by springing up as fast as you can.

Barbell squat and press

This exercise is done in the same way as the barbell front squat that we went through last week. Starting with the bar sitting up in front of your shoulders, push your hips back to get your weight over your heels, then squat down and back up. As you come up keep the bar moving all the time and press it up above your head to complete a shoulder press. Lower it back down and then move straight away into your next squat. This is a great exercise to incorporate into your regular workouts or to include in part of a functional training workout like this one!

Barbell lift and burpee

This is a tough exercise designed to get your muscles burning and your heart pumping! Find a barbell that is about the weight you would do for a squat.  Start by keeping a neutral spine and coming all the way down to the bar with your legs (do not round your back). Lift the bar up,  drive your hips forward and pull your shoulders back. Lower the bar back down in the same way that you came up then put your hands on the ground in front of the bar and kick your legs out behind you to complete a burpee.

The good news is, it doesn’t require much equipment but it will have your legs begging for mercy! It is suitable for any level of fitness experience, from beginner right through to the seasoned gym goer.  Check out the video at the bottom for demonstrations of all the exercises.

Make sure you go and do a five minute warm up on the treadmill or a short walk around the block, then you’re all set to go…

Barbell front Squat

It is important when performing any squat to try and push most of your weight through your heels rather than further forward over the balls of your feet. To do this, try to shift some of your weight back before you lower down. For this particular squat you need to hold the bar in front of your body, so start light and work your way up! Perform 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Dumbbell side lunge

Hold the two dumbbells in front of your chest and take a big step out to the side. You want to try and bend down on the outer leg, and leave the inner leg straight. Squat down on that outer leg then push back up to the middle and out to the other side. Keep your head up, looking forward while maintaining a neutral spine. This exercise works on the inner thighs more than a traditional squat.  Complete 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps on each side.

Fitball hamstring curls

This is a great stabilisation exercise that really gets the hammys burning. Lie flat on the ground face up with your feet on the  fitball and raise your hips up until you have a straight line from your ankles through your hips to your shoulders.  Curl your feet in towards you as far as you can and slowly return back to the start, keeping your hips up the whole time during the set! Complete 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.

Side lunge over bosu

This exercise uses the same technique as the dumbbell side lunge. The main difference is that instead of using weights for extra resistance you are using  your own bodyweight on a decline to increase the difficulty. The bosu also creates some instability that adds an extra element! Complete 2-3 sets of 8-10 each side.

Tom Ovens - Personal Trainer at Geelong's Gym

Do you need to add a little bit of extra oomph to your workout?

Are you feeling bored with your current workout routine and want to try something new?

We have exactly what you need… over the next eight weeks Tom Ovens, one of our Personal Trainers, will be bringing you a different workout designed to shake up your usual routine and challenge your body!!

Are you ready for it?!  You better be, because we’re bringing it!

Today’s workout is a stabilisation based upper body/core workout suitable for people with a good fitness level who have been doing some regular resistance training for a period of time.  Check out the video for a demonstration of the exercises.

• Fitball Dumbell Flys - similar to a regular chest fly, but by being on the ball your body is forced to recruit more core muscles!!  Complete 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

• Fitball Push-up/Jack Knife – a challenging upper body/chest exercise that involves massive core activation. Complete 3 sets of 10-12 reps.  For an extra challenge try super-setting (back-to-back) the push-ups and fitball flys.

• Sitting Rope Leg Tuck – this exercise really targets the upper abs and is great for working on coordination.  Complete 3 sets of 20-30 reps (one rep is over and back with the rope).

• Lying Leg Raise – doing this exercise directly after the rope leg tuck will cover the entire core.  Make sure you control your leg speed on the way down and engage the core to maintain a neutral spine.  Complete 3 sets of 15-20 reps.  Super-set with rope tuck for an extra challenge!

• Fitball Barbell Pull-up - This is a great exercise to change up your regular back workout.  It also incorporates a lot of stabilisation for the core.  It’s important to do this exercise at a controlled pace and keep your hips up, making sure they don’t sag down.  Complete 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Kettlebells provide a fast, fun, full-body workout!

Why are they suddenly so popular?  Because they can give you a fast, efficient, full-body workout!  Plus, they’re user-friendly and don’t require quite as much flexibility in the wrist, shoulder and upper-back as barbells and dumbbells do.

Kettlebells also make for a fun workout with heaps more variety, because they allow you to swing from one move to the next without stopping.  Which also means your workouts are more intense but in a shorter space of time – a great benefit for busy people trying to cram in a quick workout without skimping on the quality.  Oh and, without all the stopping in between moves, you speed up your metabolism and burn more kilojoules faster, while still adding muscle.  What’s not to love?!

Keen to give them a try?  Book in for a session in Zone 10, our Functional Training Studio, and see for yourself what a fantastic workout Kettlebells can give you.

So, if you’re looking for the ultimate fat burning exercise, look no further.  Here are a few tips to get the most out of your skipping:

Having the right technique is important!

First, you need to get your technique right… feet should be hip-width apart, with your weight on the balls of your feet and knees slightly bent.  To reduce impact while still promoting bone strength, you should jump only about a centimetre off the floor.

Begin with 10 sets of 10 jumps.  Each time you do a workout, increase the number of jumps per set until you can do 100 jumps non-stop.  Then build up to 500 jumps.

Once you’ve mastered that, you can add some more variety into your skipping workout.  Here are some alternatives you can try:

• Alternate steps, i.e. jump with one foot on one turn of the rope, jump with the other foot for the second turn… like you’re jogging in place.
• Lay the rope in a straight line on the floor, jump forward and backwards over the rope, making sure you’re landing softly on your toes each time.
• Fold the rope in half and hold it taut over your head.  Do squats for 1 minute, keeping both your arms and core engaged.
• Do the alternate steps but this time do high knee lifts, bringing your knee to your chest each time.

Now all you need to do is get a Skipping Rope or come along to Geelong’s Gym and use one of ours.