No Pain No Gain?!

Some people say 'no pain no gain' when it comes to their training regime which is what they're probably heard on some war films when the drill seargents are shouting at the new recruits. For most people though it is a step too far.

When your body throws up it is a defence mechanism to get out all the harmful toxins and waste products (mainly lactic acid) which has accumulated from a training session gone horribly wrong. Even if you feel like you might throw up then you might have pushed it just that little bit too far.

The whole aim of a training session is to progressively train your body so it makes small adaptations along the way helping you to reach your goals.

If you throw up you'll be depleting your body of much needed water and nutrients which means it will take your body longer to recover and the whole session would have been a waste of time.

If you're training for 45 minutes but feel sick for 10 minutes off it then you'll automatically have to take it easier during those 10 minutes or even sit down to rest which cuts down the amount of calories you'll be burning etc.

Top athletes train hard every day of their lives with sport psychologists, top coaches and nutritionists etc and they never deliberately take themselves to the point of throwing up so neither should you :) Work in your own limits even at 90-95% of your max that's still an intense workout!

Summertime Is On It's Way!!!

Hi, hope you're OK and that your training and diet has been going well so far this year.

It's not too far away now from summertime and trips to the outdoor swimming pools or the beach and putting on your swimsuits that you might not have worn for a while! I always find that quite a few people contact me for one to one personal training and join the boot camps 6 weeks before they're due to go on a beach holiday which for someone who hasn't trained for a long time isn't a long enough period for them to get in shape.

It takes the body 4-6 weeks to notice a change in exercise before it will start making adaptations like increasing your metabolism to burn more calories, toning your muscles and improving your stamina. The stomach area is generally the first place that people put excess weight on and is unfortunately the last place to lose it after training hard and eating well for a few months. Once you have toned up your legs, arms, back, shoulders and chest your body will then start to burn of any excess fat around the stomach area.

That's why March is a great time to start ramping up your training for the summertime!

Happy New Year / Detox

I hope you had a great Christmas and that you have a good New Years Eve too. There can be quite a lot of extra drinking and eating over Xmas and New Years and most people drop of their training a little bit too. Experts have said that most people can 1lb over the festive period and that they can never lose that weight again. After ten Christmas holidays that could be an extra 10lb - after fourteen that's a whole extra stone!

Most people make New Year Resolutions but only stick to them for a couple of weeks. Try to have a bit of a detox in January by cutting out unnecessary sugary snacks which are empty calories and try to eat and drink healthily for a month. I did that last year and lost 5lb.

Cut down on take aways and microwaves meals. Cut down on your alcohol intake. Try to increase the amount of water you drink. Try to increase the amount of fruit and veg you eat. Try to cook a new healthy meal from scratch.

People often consume snacks because they're bored (especially at work). Anytime you feel the temptation to eat a packet of crisps, biscuits or have a chocolate bar, stop and take a deep breath. Eat a piece of fruit instead or nuts or drink a healthy smoothie.

Use the snack time to do some light exercise like walking up a flight of stairs or go outside and walk around the block once to get some fresh air. That way you'll be burning extra calories rather than consuming them!

What the human body can achieve in the cold...

The human body is amazing and can adapt to any conditions:

People climb Mount Everest with the aid of oxygen.

People can scuba dive to cold and dark depths of 150 metres plus.

People trek to the north and south poles for fun.

People can ski or board in the snow for up to 10 hours a day.

People swim for up to an hour in the Antarctic ocean which is the coldest in the world wearing no wet suit (just their heads covered).

45-50 minutes jogging, boxing, skipping and circuit training in your local park is a doddle compared to the above!

Crank Up Your Training Before The Christmas Break

The next 4 week period runs from Monday 22nd November - Saturday 18th December before having a two week break for the Xmas festivities!

Get Fit Boot Camp very rarely has any time off but I know it's a busy time with trips abroad or in the UK, seeing family, buying and wrapping presents etc.

That's why you might want to increase your training for that 4 week period so you can work extra hard before indulging in mulled wine, mince pies, Terry's chocolate oranges, roast turkey and Christmas pudding! E.g:

If you normally do 4 sessions in the 4 week period maybe try to rearrange your diary to fit 6 in.

If you normally do 10 sessions in the 4 week period maybe try to rearrange your diary to fit 12 in.

All sessions need to be used by Saturday 18th December - or you can purchase 10 flexible 'anytime' sessions for £95. Please pay in advance if possible either direct into my bank a few days before the new 4 week period or bring payment along to your last session of the current period.

Improve Your Football, Horseriding, Tennis, Golf, Swimming, Rugby, Dancing etc

All top athletes and sportsmen / sportswomen will do some element of circuit training to improve their speed, stamina, strength, power, agility, flexibility etc. From circuit training at least once a week over a 4-6 week period you should feel an improvement in your performance and confidence and your clothes should feel looser. The more you train the fitter you'll get and the least susceptible to injuries you will become so you can play longer during a football match / season etc = 'ultimate performance'.Gift VouchersStuck for a Christmas present? You can buy one to one personal training or boot camp sessions for a unique gift. Contact me for further details.

Boot Camp 'Retreat'

Some people go away on week long boot camp retreats either in the UK or abroad. They consist of 6am starts and late finishes doing 6-8 hours of exercise everyday for 6-7 days in a row. You could do a less hardcore and cheaper version with my weekly 45 minute circuit training sessions e.g.

Monday 9.45am Claygate

Tuesday 9.30am Burpham

Wednesday 9.45am Claygate

Thursday 9.30am Burpham

That's 4 sessions in 4 days!

Or you could do Tuesday and Thursday at 6.45am and 6.15pm at Burpham. That's 2 sessions spread out over the day = 4 sessions in 3 days!

Tuesday 7.30pm Burpham has a late session that anyone can turn up to after work.

Contact me for discounted prices of more than 12 sessions in the 4 week period.

Plus the once a month Sunday half day (4 hour) boot camp for all ages and abilities (spaces are limited).

You could do a similar thing too for your New Year Resolutions!

Leg Injury?

If you have a leg injury but can still walk around you can still turn up for boot camp and have an 'extreme' workout for your upper body, arms, shoulders, chest, back, abs and lower back. Get the blood pumping around and burn some calories.

Upper Body Injury?

You can still turn up to get some fresh air and 'beast' your legs and have a good workout for your core muscles. Much more fun than running around the roads by yourself.

Do You Arrive To The Park Early?

If you get to the park 10 minutes early you could go for a jog or brisk walk as an extra warm up. If you get there 5 minutes early you can pass me your keys and give me a hand with carrying the gear over.“

The greatest wealth is health.” - Virgil

Injured or a niggle? Use RICES to get you back and training quicker!

R = Rest

I = Ice

C = Compression

E = Elevation

S = Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug (NSAID)

Try to rest as much as possible and sit or lay in a comfortable position.

Wrap the injured part in a compression bandage.

Apply ice to the injured part (use a bag of crushed ice or a bag of frozen vegetables) for 10-15 minutes. Let the area warm completely before applying ice again.

Elevate the injured part to reduce swelling (using pillows / cushions etc).

Follow instructions on the packaging and take ibuprofen or aspirin to help reduce the inflammation.

When exercising wear comfortable exercise trainers (with a thick, bouncy sole, preferably not flat) and make sure the laces are secured tightly around the ankle joints.

Wear knee, ankle, elbow, wrist exercise supports if neccessary.

Scared Of The Cold? Don't Be!

Winter time is coming up, are you thinking that it might be too cold for you train outdoors till March? The answer is NO it's never too cold. Millions of people all over the UK exercise outdoors every day and reap the benefits from it, every day I drive around Surrey I see countless people jogging down the road or around parks, some wearing very little! My boot camp along with all other boot camps / outdoor circuit training companies run all year around.

There's no need to stop or head indoors, indoor gym workouts / exercise classes are pretty much the same every time which will lead to you getting mentally and physically bored. Training outdoors in the fresh air will help you get some sunlight through the winter months and also boost your immune system, people who stay indoors all day long catch colds a lot easier then people who exercise outdoors 1-4 times a week.

The main result of exercise is an increase in blood circulation, increase in breathing rate, increased heart rate, increase in body temperature and increased sweat rate (yes you will still sweat!).

There's no standing around getting cold! 45-50 minutes outdoors working hard, getting hot, burning calories and getting fit and healthy. Keep jogging or walking on the spot whilst I quickly explain circuits then go straight into it - the 45 minutes will soon fly by.

Coldest ever session I have done in the UK was back in January this year, snow on the ground, 6.45am Burpham boot camp, pitch black, minus 8 degrees (-8!), no wind at all, I stand around whilst everyone does the hard work and even I wasn't cold, some members still took off layers after 5 minutes.

Gloves and hats will keep those areas warm and sometimes too warm but you can always take off layers when you get too hot.