Personal Trainer Northampton Blog

When you are engaged in an active lifestyle, supplementing your bdoy is very important. When I say supplementing, I do not necessarily mean artificial powders etc, although these play a significant part but the majority of what your body needs should come from natural sources.

What do I mean by natural sources? Well if you are seeking protein to aid muscle growth and repair, sources ripe with protein are Fish, Milk, Eggs, Cheese (especially Cottage Cheese) and Meat. A great source in particular is Turkey. Great sources of Carbohydrate include Pasta and Bread, particularly Wholemeal bread. and Porridge.

It may not be possible however to get all your total requirements just from natural sources. In these instances, supplements are a marvel. The best protein powder you can take, in my opinion, is whey protein . This is a natural protein source, derived from the cheese making process. It has the highest biological value of protein known. Amounts of protein in each scoop can vary between each manufacturer so you have to check the label for accuracy and also health/safety information.

As we head towards the final part of the year, it will soon be the New Year. This is a period notorious with a massive increase in the fitness market, as people set themselves goals to get in shape, lose some weight or just live that bit of a healthier lifestyle.

The current financial climate has meant many people have turned to home-use fitness equipment, instead of paying repeated gym fees. Others may prefer to train in the privacy of their own home. With this period in mind, my fitness site has a selection of  treadmill reviews to assist you in making a decision regarding which piece of fitness equipment is right for you.

The site is still being constructed so I ask for your patience while content is added but please have a look at what is there already as there are some fantastic pieces of fitness equipment available.

Many thanks and happy training.

This post, as you may have guessed, is about variation. There always comes a point when your body can adjust and almost become used to what you are doing. At this point, muscle growth is harder, losing weight is tougher and the results you want to see are much harder to achieve.

This is where you need to vary things.  In weight lifting, try swapping a ‘normal’ set for one that is done slightly quicker, slower or try a something like dropping the weight. This is known as a drop set. Basically, you complete the set as far as possible and then drop the weight a few kilos and go again until you cannot lift any more, the repeat. sometimes you can end up with just a few kilos but because you are on the fifth or sixth set by now, it will feel very heavy!

Mixing it up this way keeps your body guessing, your muscles growing and you much happier.

You may have heard of “the pump” before, we have even touched upon it here in the past. I thought it a good post to bring back up though. The “Pump” is the sensation we feel when dilated blood vessels and capillaries send blood into the muscles you are working. You can often feel it in isolation exercise, such as on the bicep. It feels almost as if your arm is going to explode!

To assist with this, at the peak of your contraction, hold and squeeze for a second or two.  This forces extra blood to the muscles and “Primes the Pump,” giving you that bigger pumped feeling. A lot of Nitric Oxide supplements that some athletes use pre-workout help to widen the blood vessels and allow more blood to flow to the muscles. (Always read the label.)

So there we have it, a little more information on the pump…try it next time you workout and take your training to the next level.

Well I can’t believe it has been a year since I wrote about Mr Olympia 2008…where does the time go? Yes Mr Olympia 2009 has been and gone and Jay Cutler claimed his third title. I know Jay has a lot of fans and support and I am most definitely one of them. I remember hearing Jay speak once, talking of the different jobs he had when he was younger but how he always found time and a way to get in his required calories in for the day to upkeep his size and training regime. The guy is filled with determination and hard work and this third crown is proof at just how far those characteristics go. I for one can see him adding further titles.

The top three finishers were:
1 – Jay Cutler
2 – Branch Warren
3 – Dexter Jackson

I am lucky enough to live near to some beautiful countryside, which is perfect for running and jogging. A great run I had the other day involved also doing some dips of an old tractor tyre I found half way round. Why not turn your running path into a bigger physical test? (Please do not steal or trespass of course!) But if there is something elevated that you can do a push up from (safely) then it is great to throw it into the mix. I always believe that keeping your body guessing is the way to results.

Happy training!

Since I have taken on more web work, I find myself spending a lot more time sat down and feel very inactive.  If you find yourself in a similar situation each day, you will appreciate the importance of keeping active.  Whether it merely be a 5 minute break to go and stretch your legs, up to a run in the evening when you get home.  It makes you feel so much better and shakes of that lethargic feeling that can grow throughout the day. When you exercise, your body releases hormones that make you feel happier and more alert.

Make sure that you keep active, no matter how much or little you can do.

I talk a lot on here aobut weight lifting techniques and body building, largely because it is my main passion.  Saying this however, the cardiovascualr side of training should in no way be overlooked.  Bodybuilders certainly don’t.  It is a great way to burn body fat and also help to tone muscle groups.  Great examples are running and swimming.  Swimming is advantageous to the extent that it is very easy on the joints, due to the ‘weightless’ feeling of the water.  This greatly reduces the risk of injury and is a great aerobic activity.  However, not everyone can swim, myself included.  Running is a great alternative for a good aerobic workout.  I love nothing better than to run in the countryside, in the fresh air.  But, mentioned above, this can cause impact injuries on the joints.  Running on a treadmill can get around this problem.  At the moment, the reebok irun treadmill is a great buy.  It is cheap, an important factor in these difficult economic times and great for training at home.

Swimming is great for those of all ages.  If you don’t feel confident running, go for a jog or simply for a walk.  The important thing is to get up and get active.  Trust me, you will feel better for it.

I personally love weight lifting and training but even so, sometimes your routines can get stale.  You can find yourself not looking forward to training or almost just going through the motions.  This shouldn’t be the case! You should enjoy what you are doing, whatever it is.  In addition, if you are looking to gain muscle mass, a stale routine probably also means that you aren’t getting the gains you want.  Your body is very clever and can get accustomed to routines that never change.  To get muscle growth again, you have to shock it out of this routine.  Try a heavier weight and do less sets.  Or have a session of pyramid lifting.  This techniques is where you start at a low weight with an exercise and gradually go up in weight each set, until you reach a maximum.  Then, go back down again.  I am talking maybe just 5 or 10 kg difference each time.  It may sound simple, but by the end you are are lifting a normally light weight and it feels anything but!

Another good technique is negative reps.  Get your traiing partner/spotter to help you lift one way when you are tired and you control the opposite movement.  For example, if you reach your limit on bench press, have him/her lift the weight and you slowly control the downward motion.  Although not a complete repetition, you are still pushing your muscles furhter than you would have done.

Please always be safe when using such techniques as lifting when you’re muscles are fatigued is very different. ALWAYS have a spotter with you.

Well yet again I have lost a month. I don’t know how exactly!

During that time though I have well and truly been thrown into making a go of things for myself.  The whey protein king website is now my full time project and I am pleased to say it is going very well.  There is still much more work to do though however.

I have a goal to once again get some more fitness related posts back on to Personal Trainer Northampton.  I won’t ever neglect it altogehter for this is where I started everything.  From my first post, I know am in charge of or helping with about 7 websites.  I love the experience and the learning curve and I will get back to my fitness roots on here so do please keep reading.

Best wishes

David