Geelong's Gym

Hopefully you’ve been following the fantastic workouts Tom Ovens, one of our Personal Trainers here at Geelong’s Gym, has been putting together for you over the past couple of weeks.  Today’s workout is an introduction to functional training and is perfect for mixing up your workout routine.

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.

So, how did last week’s Stabilisation Workout go?  For Week Two of our workouts with Personal Trainer, Tom Ovens, we have an introductory leg workout using free weights.

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.

Have you tried one of our TRX Suspension Training classes at Geelong’s Gym.  It’s a whole lot of fun and an incredible total body workout.  We thought you’d like to have a brief look at what it’s all about, so we’ve included a video at the bottom of the post.

This particular class in the video is run by one of our experienced personal trainers, Annie Cramp, and the participants love it so much that this is actually the second round of classes they’ve signed up for! 

At Geelong’s Gym we strongly believe in the importance of adding some personal training into your exercise routine, because it’s the best way to achieve fantastic results FAST.  That’s why we opened Zone 10, our Personal Training Studio, which is where this TRX class is taking place.

We have lots of different classes on offer in the studio and our members who take part in them are delighted with the results they’re getting – because these types of functional exercises really work!  But not only that, it’s also much more motivating to work out with other like-minded people, not to mention a great way to get to know other members of the gym.

So, if you need some extra motivation to improve your fitness and/or body shape… or want to work out with someone else… or just want to try out the TRXs and the other great functional training equipment in Zone 10, sign up for the next round of Small Group Personal Training… there are lots of different classes available (like Ultimate Fitness Circuit, Summer Fit or Cardio Express to name but a few), specifically designed to work out all your muscle groups in a full-on, action packed half hour session.

Don’t forget to check out the video below to get a taste of what we’re talking about…

At Geelong’s Gym we strongly encourage Personal Training, because we know for a fact that it gets the best results in the least amount of time.  But here’s a tip to help you get even more benefit out of your PT session: eat food which powers and repairs muscle!

Cherries help prevent muscle inflammation.

Here are three foods which will get you the most out of your session with your Personal Trainer:

• Cherries – it has been proven that anthocyanins eliminate muscle inflammation and pain.  Cherries are loaded with anthocyanins.  Have about two dozen on them, either fresh or dried, ready to eat after your PT session.
• Whey Protein – consuming the essential amino acids found in whey powders during your PT session suppresses cortisol, a stress hormone which can hinder muscle building.  Before your session, mix about half a scoop into your water bottle.
• Low Fat Ricotta Cheese – the protein in ricotta cheese comes mostly from whey and so is full of the best amino acids to pump you up and speed up your recovery.  It’s also the best for building lean muscle.

A tasty way to get all that good stuff inside you is to whip up a smoothie straight after your Personal Training session: put 1/2 cup ricotta cheese in a blender with 1/2 cup skim milk, 1 scoop of whey protein and a handful of pitted cherries.  Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Sometimes (in fact quite a lot of the time) when people get older they do less exercise and less strength work because they think their bodies can’t handle as much any more.

Unfortunately, in making this decision they basically allow their bodies to deteriorate.  What do you mean?! I can hear you crying out.

Let me explain a bit more fully.

Firstly, all forms of aerobic/cardio exercise are beneficial for overall fitness and great for the heart and lungs and should definitely be maintained.  However, aerobic activity doesn’t seem to be able to stop the muscle shriveling that accompanies aging.

If you want a life full of strength and vitality, it's time to start a weights program!

In fact, a Danish study carried out in the 90s provided some startling results.  Male athletes with an average age of 69 who had been training for at least a dozen years were found, unsurprisingly, to be extremely fit.  But, and here’s the scary bit… they had no more muscle mass or strength than their peers who did no exercise at all!  Worse, they were steadily losing muscle.  Yikes!

An additional group of men were looked at who did weight lifting.  And here’s where the results get really interesting… Men in their late sixties who had been training with fairly heavy weights for a decade or more were not only stronger than swimmers or runners of the same age, they were actually stronger than the average 28 year old man.

Biopsies of the weight lifters’ muscles showed the mix of muscle fibres was essentially like that of younger men, a blend of both slow twitch and fast twitch fibres.  The other group of men, despite their fitness, had significantly reduced fast twitch fibres, i.e. the instant strength which allows you to dodge cars.

Please hear me in this, aerobic exercise is definitely important for a variety of health and fitness reasons.  But, top physiologists believe that by middle age weight training is at least as important as aerobic exercise.  And for the elderly it’s even more important as it deters the kind of injuries which most often cause an old body to fail.

So, if you’re in your middle or twilight years and aren’t doing any kind of weight or strength training, I can’t emphasise strongly enough how vital it is for you to start doing some NOW!  And if you’re not sure where to start, why not come on in to Geelong’s Gym and book an appointment with one of our qualified Personal Trainers who will put together a weights program suitable to your particular needs.

Do you ever feel like you’re doing all the right things but the weight just isn’t coming off?  It’s times like this you need a little inspiration and encouragement to keep going, so today I want to share with you a story of one of our members at Geelong’s Gym…

Rebecca Cortorillo with a pair of her old pants

Rebecca Cortorillo had always been overweight and a bigger person.  In January 2008 she joined Geelong’s Gym but, needing some help, in February 2009 she decided to get a Personal Trainer to try and turn her life around.

In the past she’d lost a bit of weight only to regain it again.  Sick of the non-stop roller coaster ride of losing and gaining weight, she knew she needed to be accountable to someone.  And it worked.

Since training with Marcus Smith she has lost a massive 32 kilos!  In her own words:

“I have heaps more energy, feel healthier and jump out of bed in the mornings now.  Plus, I feel much more confident.  In fact, I actually enjoy buying clothes now.  The first time I bought a new top I was so excited to be able to tell Marcus how amazing it felt to be able to choose any top from the rack.  Marcus makes me laugh, and we have heaps of fun training – it’s great.  It is definitely the best thing I have ever done.  I love it!!”

Rebecca’s story is truly inspirational and the best thing is, she’s still going strong and working towards her goal weight.

So if you’re feeling disheartened with your progress, don’t give up.  You can do it.  And if you need a little help and motivation, why not book in for some Personal Training.  You won’t regret it.

Marcus Smith and Rebecca Cortorillo say goodbye to the old pants, now much too big!

It’s such an exciting time when a woman finds out she’s pregnant.  Many women still want to exercise during their pregnancy but are reluctant to do so for fear of causing damage to their unborn child.

But here’s the good news.  You can still take care of your fitness while taking care of your baby, you just need to adapt to the changes of your body.

What exercise you can do while pregnant will depend largely on your fitness level, which trimester you’re in and, of course, how you’re feeling.  And the best thing about being pregnant at Geelong’s Gym, is if one cardio machine or strength exercise isn’t comfortable, there are always plenty more to try.

You may find it’s a little harder to get motivated, but rest assured the extra effort is well worth it.  Consistent exercise during pregnancy has some huge payoffs such as:

You can keep your fitness level up throughout your pregnancy

• Minimizing aches and constipation
• Help you sleep better
• Lower the risk of gestational diabetes and depression
• Can result in a shorter, less complicated labour
• 35% decrease in the need for pain relief during labour
• 50% less likely to be induced and require intervention in labour
• 75% decrease in the need for forcep deliveries and caesarean sections
• Help you get your body back more quickly after delivery!

One of the most important things to remember is to not let your heart rate get over 140.  This may eliminate some of your favourite classes, although if you’re careful it doesn’t have to.  Make sure you tell the Class Instructor you’re pregnant and they’ll tell you how to keep your intensity and range of motion at a suitable level.

However, there are also some classes which are fantastic for pregnant women:

• Pilates – Pilates helps maintain your abdominal muscle tone, which will support your growing belly, minimize back pain and give you more oomph for pushing during labour.
• Yoga – Yoga is fantastic for strengthening your core and improving your flexibility, pluys because of its gentle movements and emphasis on breathing and meditation, it helps foster a sense of calm.

And don’t forget to keep up your weights program.  Why not invest in a Personal Trainer during this time and allow them to guide you through the correct exercises, which will increase your fitness and keep your body in shape, while keeping your unborn baby safe.

Adam Ryan, Manager of Geelong’s Gym and a Personal Trainer, is not just a pretty face.  He is, in fact, an elite sportsman who competes in a truly unique sport and is currently ranked as one of Australia’s top stair climbers.  So you can imagine what he brings out of his Personal Training clients.

Tyson and Adam bonding over boxing

When Tyson Matheson came to Adam he was reasonably fit, but he had a goal to get into the Army and he needed to increase his fitness significantly.  After training with Adam, he lost a lot of kilos, and now carries less than 6% body fat and is at an elite level of fitness.  Tyson and Adam developed a unique relationship while training together – they fed off each other and pushed each other to extreme levels of training.

And it paid off.  Tyson is now in the Australian Army and he has a new goal – he is hoping to get into the SAS, so he’ll be continuing to keep his fitness at an elite level.

And Adam, well… not satisfied with being one of Australia’s leading stair climbers, next year he is heading off to the peak of stair climbing events – the Empire State Building Stair Climb!

I’m sure most of us know that the key to losing weight is increasing our metabolism.  But did you know that muscle plays a huge role in raising metabolism?

Many people shy away from lifting weights when their goal is to lose weight, because they’re scared of the weight gain from increased muscle size.  But here’s the clincher…

Watch that weight just drop away

One little pound of muscle burns around 10-20 calories a day, while a pound of fat only burns 5 calories.  So growing your muscle tissue will help you burn fat all day long.

Plus there are a whole lot of other benefits of strength training:

• Increased resting metabolic rate which means you burn more calories, even while resting.
• You will become lean and slim, because muscle takes up less space than fat
• Strong bones and connective tissue, which will help protect your body from injury
• Enhanced balance and stability
• Increased confidence and self-esteem

But this only works if you lift enough weight to stimulate muscle growth.  Here’s a tip – if you can lift your chosen weight more than 16-20 times, it’s not heavy enough.

If you’re struggling to know how much weight you should be lifting, perhaps you should consider booking a session with a Personal Trainer.  Believe me, your muscles will feel the difference after a Personal Training session!

The good news is you don't have to start with the really heavy weights!

There are many reasons why people avoid lifting weights.  Here are just a few:

• It’s really tiring!  True, because most of us aren’t used to pushing ourselves to fatigue in anything we do.  That’s why you start slowly and gradually work your way up.
• I don’t want to injure myself!  Firstly, your muscles are meant to burn with the exertion of resistance.  However, it is important to take it slowly and increase your weights in increments, while still providing your muscles with some challenge.  Again, if you’re unsure, a Personal Trainer can help you get the perfect balance.
• I don’t want to look like the Incredible Hulk!  Needless to say, this is usually a concern reserved for women.  But here’s the good news – lifting heavy weights will NOT make you huge, because women simply don’t have the testosterone levels to build big muscles.  But the heavy weights WILL help you LOSE fat.

These are just a few reasons, but they often prevent people from making any progress towards their ideal body shape.  Heavy lifting will help you achieve that body and if you ease into a weight training program and slowly work your way to bigger weights you don’t need to worry about hurting yourself, or any of the other reasons which are holding you back.