Geelong’s Gym

I read a line in a book the other day that said, “I am a verb! I am alive, dynamic, ever active and moving. I am being a verb”.

We have a knack of taking a verb that is alive and turning it into a dead noun.

For example, I have a gym membership. Woop-de-do!  Doesn’t get you any fitter or healthier does it, just because you have it?  You have a noun… a membership, nothing more.

Try being an active gym member who exercises regularly; it’s got a lot more potential than just saying you have a membership.  The verb of exercising takes you away from the noun into something dynamic and exciting.

Maybe we could all put some more “doing” into our workouts and into our lives.

And no, this isn't what I mean!

As Valentines Day is just around the corner it leads me to think about love and the impact it can have on your health and fitness.

Did you know that Scientists consider love to be a drug that is good for your heart and your brain?

That’s right.  There’s more to love than soppy doe eyes and syrupy poetry.  So let’s look a bit more closely at this concept of love…

Love is more than just the quiet moments...

The first spark of attraction comes from the brain, which releases a neuro-transmitter chemical called dopamine.  From this there’s a chain reaction that leads to the heart pounding three times faster than normal.  This extra gush of blood makes its way to the cheeks and sexual organs.

This sudden blood diversion causes your stomach to feel a bit empty, thus creating the feeling of butterflies in the stomach and causing your hands and legs to get a diminished supply of blood which results in the palms getting cold and a slight shiver setting in.  Sound familiar?

And of course, love tends to lead to sexual activity!  Making love is actually good aerobic exercise which improves the circulation and can do wonders for the heart.  So love, in its round about way, does in fact lead to improved fitness.

But let’s not forget the added benefit of weight loss!  Intercourse can actually burn around 200 calories in just a few minutes.

Then there are the added health benefits… when making love the body releases endorphins, which can help lessen chronic back pain, arthritis and migraines.  On top of that, there has been some research to suggest frequent love making can boost levels of important immune cells which can help fights colds and other infections.

So this Valentines Day, spare a moment for just how lucky you are to be in love and what a blessing that person beside you is.  And if you’re not in love, maybe this will inspire you to keep a look out for that special someone, because they could be just around the corner.

Did you know that stretching your body properly can give you better health and performance?

It’s true.  Most people have a huge misconception when it comes to stretching.  Some people don’t do it at all, while others do a couple of token stretches and figure they’re set.  But what if you could virtually eliminate the muscle pain after a workout?  Just by stretching?

It’s true!  And we can also eliminate the pain on your wallet.  Buy the Stretching Handbook and you’ll receive a 100% money back guarantee!  That’s right.  If you’re a member at Geelong’s Gym we’ll take the cost of the book off your membership payments.  If you’re not a member, we’ll take the cost of the book off off your new membership when you sign up.  All you need to do is bring in your proof of purchase.  But back to the stretching…

A regular stretching program can lengthen your muscles and make your daily activities so much easier.  Just think, no more easing yourself down, centimetre by centimetre, onto the couch after that run you went for or that step class.

Stretching is something anyone of any age can do and the best thing is, you can do it while watching the TV, working on the computer or getting ready for bed.

A good stretch before your exercise will do wonders for your workout!

Here are just a few of the incredible benefits you’ll receive from regular stretching:

• Reducing muscle tension
• Increased range of movement in the joints
• Enhanced muscular coordination
• Increased blood circulation
• Increased energy levels

And if you really want to know about a full range of stretches for every part of your body, complete with step by step photos to walk you through each stretch, then I cannot recommend highly enough The Stretching Handbook.

Do you want to take your fitness and weight loss to the next level, but don’t want to spend any longer in the gym than you already do?

Thought so.  Well, here’s your answer.  High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

By throwing out your old mindsets that the longer you run, bike etc the fitter and leaner you’ll get, you can burn calories like never before, lose more fat and improve your cardiovascular fitness AND spend LESS time in the gym doing cardio.

With High Intensity Interval Training you'll watch that weight just melt away.

That’s not to say that HIIT is easy, because it’s not.  It’s actually pretty demanding on your body because let’s face it, you don’t get results without working hard.

Basically what it involes is short bursts of maximum intensity exercise interspersed with low to moderate intensity exercise.

How does it work so well?

• HIIT conditions and trains both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems.
• HIIT increases the amount of calories you burn after your exercise session because it increases the length of time it takes your body to recover after each session.
• HIIT causes matabolic adaptions that allow you to use more fat as fuel.
• HIIT can limit muscle loss which can occur during traditional weight loss.

The key with HIIT is to use MAXIMUM effort in your high intensity intervals, not just a higher heart rate.  Give it your all and watch your fat just melt away!

If you need some help with changing over to a HIIT method in your workouts, check out our Personal Trainers at Geelong’s Gym.  They are all very experienced in the HIIT method and more than willing to help you take your fitness and weight loss to that next level.

Have you ever felt like you were the only one hurting after a session at the gym?  You’re not the only one.  Here’s a look at one woman’s humourous take on a week of Personal Training at “Torturer Gym”.  Just remember, nothing good  comes without hard work.

The name says it all!

Dear Diet Diary

As a Christmas present this year, my daughter, Cresley [what a thoughtful darling] bought for me a week of personal training at the local health club. Although I am still in reasonable shape since being a high school cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.

I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Juan Antonio [ooh what a name] who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear. My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started. The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

Monday

Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Juan Antonio waiting for me.   He is something of a Greek god: he has curly hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Yippee!

Juan Antonio gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skilful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring! Juan Antonio [call me Tony by now] was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my stomach was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around. This is going to be a FABULOUS week!   My New Year resolutions will be easy.

Tuesday

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out of the door. Tony made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air. Later he put weights on it. My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Tony’s rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT! It’s a whole new life for me.

Wednesday

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn’t try to steer or stop. Tony was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. His voice is a little too perky for early in the morning; and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Tony put me on the stair ‘monster’. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Tony told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. He said some other garbage too.

Thursday

Tony was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were back in a full snarl. I couldn’t help being a half an hour late; it took me that long to tie my shoes. That man then took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. He sent a skinny woman to find me. Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine - which I sank.

Friday

I hate that man, Toady or whatever his name is, more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. He is a stupid, skinny, anaemic, anorexic little bighead. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it. Toady wanted me to work on my triceps. I don’t have any triceps! And if you don’t want dents in the floor, don’t hand me the flippin’ barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I landed on the health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn’t it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

Saturday

That person, that Toady, left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing him made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

Sunday

I’m having the Church bus collect me up so I can go to services today and thank God that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter Cresley [the cruel, whingeing creep] will choose a gift for me that is fun: like root canal treatment or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!

Have you set some goals for the year ahead yet?

Most of us see January as a time for goal setting and planning ahead what we want to accomplish over the course of the year.

I thought I’d share with you some funny goals I read:

Maybe your goal for the year is to lose a little weight.

• I will polish my pate – Bald Person
• I will do less washing and wear more deodorant – Executive
• I will not regale the same story at every function – Incorrigable Bore
• I will remember that Cake Day is only on the 29th of every month – Foodie
• Finally, remember that a New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one Year and out the other!

I’m sure that over the years you’ve set some New Year’s resolutions of your own, maybe you stuck to them and maybe you didn’t… so to help you have your Best Year Ever, we decided to help you keep track of your goals for 2010 and the progress you’re making.

You may have fitness goals, personal goals, business goals, relationship goals… whatever it is, Geelong’s Gym can give you a tool to make sure you don’t forget about it by the end of January.  And it’s free.  Simply click here to get started.  The page says “Make That Decision NOW”, so sign up and let 2010 be your Best Year Ever – remember, it’s completely FREE.

Continuing on from our last post, let’s look at some other ways that the Twelve Days of Christmas can remind us of some gifts we can give our bodies.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven swans a-swimming…

Did you know that the swan is considered to be the Bird of Light?  Light reminds me of the sun and the importance of Vitamin D to a healthy body and the maintenance of strong bones, musces and teeth.  Our bodies only store enough Vitamin D to last between 30 and 60 days, so it’s really important that we get outside (being sun smart of course) throughout the year.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me eight maids a-milking…

I’m sure you know where I’m going to go with this one.  Diets rich in milk and milk products help build and maintain bone mass throughout the life cycle.  This is especially important during childhood and adolescense when bone mass is being built.  And for those who are approaching the older years, strong bone mass may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.  This doesn’t have to be full cream milk either, low-fat or fat free options are just as good for your bone mass. 

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me nine ladies dancing…

Nine Ladies Dacing

Many people when they think of dancing immediately think of ballet and girls in tutus.  But believe me, that’s not all dance is about these days.  There are many different forms of dance, most of which provide a fantastic way of staying fit and healthy, while still having fun.  If you don’t believe me, come along and try a Geelong’s Gym Body Jam class and discover the amazing workout that a variety of dance genres will give you.  Trust me, you’ll break a sweat and have fun doing it!

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ten lords a-leaping…

Have you ever watched kids jumping and leaping around on a trampoline?  It looks so easy but it’s actually a great form of exercise.  Jumping with a jump rope is a fantastic way to increase your heart rate and get your blood pumping.  Or take a leaf out of the kids’ book and get on a trampoline.  Ten minutes of jumping is the equivilent of 30 minutes of running!  Yes, you did read that right!  So is anyone adding a trampoline to the Christmas list?

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me eleven pipers piping…

Did you know that the Scots used to carry bagpipes into battle with them?  In fact, there is strong evidence to suggest that bagpipes were present at the great Battle of Bannockburn back in the 14th century.  I can imagine that the pipers came together just before the battle started and played played a rousing, stirring rendition of songs such as Scotland the Brave.  I’m sure that there was nothing more motivating or inspiring to propel them into fierce battle.  If you need that extra bit of motivation when you’re working out, try loading some strong songs with a good beat onto your ipod and see what a difference it makes.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming…

In many cultures drums are a symbol of power and if you’ve ever been at a concert where the drummer has done a solo I’m sure you would agree with that, because you can feel every beat reverberate through your body.  If you’re struggling with your workouts, put some music on with a strong drum beat in it, listen for a moment and let the power of the drumming flow through your body.  Then let that power come out in your workout, let it motivate you to push harder and stronger than you ever have before.  Remember, having a good workout is 90% about having the right mindset.  If you’re thinking power, then you’ll produce power!

As we rapidly approach Christmas, have a good break but don’t forget to take care of the health and well-being of your body – you’ll have a better Christmas for it. 

All the team at Geelong’s Gym would like to wish you a safe, happy and healthy Christmas and New Year.

Unless you’re the Christmas Grinch I’m sure you’ve heard the popular Christmas song, The Twelve Days of Christmas.

In the lead up to Christmas I thought we’d have a look at the 12 gifts in this song and how they can be a gift to the health and well-being of your body (or not as the case may be!).

Christmas - a time for joy and laughter

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree…

Did you know that according to Greek legend the first partridge appeared when Daedalus threw his nephew, Perdix off the roof in a fit of jealous rage?  Now I’m not advocating that you add nephew tossing into your fitness repertoire, but something you may not know about partridges is that they are seed eaters?  If you want to increase your metabolism and keep your brain alert, try snacking on seeds, such as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, in between meals.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two turtle doves…

Turtle doves symbolise love and deep friendship.  During this Christmas season, take the time to show those you care about how much they mean to you.  Sometimes the end of the year and the lead up to Christmas can be stressful and the ones who usually bear the brunt of your stress are those you love the most.  I’m sure you’ll have a much happier and healthier Christmas if you show a little extra love to your friends and family.  And if you’re really struggling to get rid of that stress, come along to a Yoga Class at Geelong’s Gym and watch it just melt away.  I’m sure your family will thank you for it!

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three french hens…

Did you know that french hens are actually a variety of chicken in France?  Chicken is a low fat protein and is, in fact, one of the best sources of protein.  However, if you suffer from heart disease or high cholesterol then chicken is something you should try to avoid or at least eat very little of – chicken has a considerable amount of cholesterol, almost as much as red meat.  So check with your doctor before you indulge in a whole lot of roast chicken on Christmas day!

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four calling birds…

Here’s an interesting fact for you… in the original version of the song the calling birds are actually “collie” birds, a variety of black bird in England.  Does anyone remember the song Sing A Song Of Sixpence where the black birds were served as a meat pie?  Now it’s difficult to find many health benefits in pie, since it’s loaded with buttery pastry and many other things we shouldn’t be eating.  But let’s face it, Christmas is a time when we should be able to loosen up a little and if necessary open the top button of our pants to create a little more room.  Let yourself indulge a little, because you can always work it off in the gym in the New Year.  Afterall, that’s what New Year resolutions are all about!

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me five golden rings…

I bet you’re wondering how I’m going to turn gold rings into a health benefit, right?  Well aside from the weekly massages you could probably demand if you gave  your true love a gorgeous ring, there are actually some health benefits to wearing rings, or copper ones at least.  Copper has been used to promote health since ancient times, although the greatest benefit it has is through ingesting small amounts as recommended by a doctor.  However, there are many people who swear by wearing copper jewellery to target specific areas and alleviate things like arthritis.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me six geese a-laying…

Once again we’re back to food, which I guess isn’t that surprising considering so much of Christmas revolves around eating!  Goose eggs are highly sought after, especially since they’re much larger than your ordinary chicken egg.  But I’m sorry to say that goose eggs are incredibly high in cholesterol and so for the greater good of your body, I recommend staying away from these.

Tune in next blog post for the remaining six days of Christmas.

We all know that exercise is the key to greater fitness and losing those few extra pounds or gaining that muscle mass you’re looking for.

But did you know that exercise actually decreases the risk of some major health issues?

I’m not talking the common cold here, I’m talking about some major health concerns.  Here are just a few that exercise can make a huge difference to…

Hands up who would like to avoid these!

Exercise decreases the risk of a Heart Attack - exercising regularly, combined with healthy changes in your diet, lowers your cholesterol and blood pressure which greatly reduces the chances of having a heart attack.

Exercise decreases the risk of Osteoporosis – exercising regularly, especially weight-bearing exercise, greatly diminishes the risk of osteoporosis and can even reverse it by building bone tissue!  That’s pretty good incentive to start getting fit and healthy.

Exercise can reduce the risk of developing Breast Cancer by up to 60% – sounds far fetched right?  But estradiol and progesterone, the two ovarian hormones linked to breast cancer tumor production, are lowered in the body by… you guessed it, exercise!  This is because a woman’s body is most susceptible to these hormones between ovulation and menstruation, but habitual exercise can delay ovulation until later in the menstrual cycle, thereby reducing the time a woman must fight these hormones.

Not only that, but fat is a catalyst in the production of estrogen (estradiol) and, as we know, regular exercise burns body fat, thus decreasing the rate of estrogen production.

There are so many other types of illness that exercise helps reduce or prevent, so how about adding some regular exercise into your routine.  After all a long, happy and HEALTHY life is what we’d all love to have.

Geelong’s Gym’s very own Gym General Manager and Personal Trainer, Adam Ryan, has once again blitzed a super challenging stair climbing event.

On Sunday, Adam took part in the Eureka Climb 09 at the Eureka Tower in Melbourne, the tallest building in Australia and the world’s second tallest residential building.  The climb was a charity event to raise money for disadvantaged young people.

Eureka Tower in Melbourne, Australia

A huge amount of endurance and stamina was required for this event and Adam has put in months of strategic training to prepare himself, both physically and mentally.

The climb consisted of 1958 stairs, 89 levels and 300 metres of vertical elevation!

Adam had two goals: to beat his personal best time and to break the event record. He achieved both goals and came in second overall in the Race. What a fantastic effort! Well done Adam!

As Adam accomplished both his goals… a question that begs to be asked why second place, well we should all have goals and targets to aim for… just be careful what you aim for…. because sometime you only get what you aim for.