Strong is more important than calories

Big engines burn more fuel. And by engines I mean muscles. And by fuel I mean calories. If you want to get ripped and look lean for the summer, there is a simple progression.

  1. Move well
  2. Get strong
  3. Rest hard!
  4. Do inefficient exercise (which you can do at a greater level than before now, because you are stronger!)
  5. Rest hard some more
  6. Some kind of caloric control
  7. Drink water
  8. Look awesome!

That’s it.

Seriously.

Ok, it may get a wee bit more difficult ‘towards the end’, but that is the jist of how to look hot for the summer beach season. Read more

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Defining Strong

Recently it came to my attention that many people think that I hate anything that isn’t lifting heavy things and, preferably, sticking them over my head. They seem to think that I ‘only’ make people stronger.

Being stronger does have some terrible side effects:

  • Easier to pick up stuff
  • Increased muscle mass
  • Live longer
  • Look hotter

Being ‘strong’ is the entry point to doing whatever else it is you want to do, whether that is to look better for the beach, perform better in your sport or live a better quality of life.

But what is ‘strong’? What do I mean when I say things are easier when you are stronger? Read more

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The importance of Easy Days

As a PT your process applied to clients should hopefully look something like this:

  1. Assess clients goal (the real goal, not that one they tell you)
  2. Assess clients starting point
  3. Teach client good technique (possibly ‘fixing client’ at the same time)
  4. Creating a plan for client
  5. Helping them work the plan
  6. Adusting the plan (as life is never simple)
  7. High fiving client when the goal is achieved

You could argue all day which is most important, but those are the processes and that is the order in which they need to be performed.

In points (4) and (5), create the plan and then walk the plan, there needs to be a combination of light, medium and heavy types of training. The science of athletic performance and the art of fatloss workouts show us that the best results come from some form of undulating training where intensity (how hard it is), volume (how much of it) and density (how quickly you’re doing it) are varied. There are peaks and troughs in a successful training system.

Unfortunately the media surrounding fitness seems to have created the idea that we have to smash our faces into the wall with every workout we do. This is a modern phenomena. Looking at the historical physical systems we see the idea of yin/yang, soft/hard and relaxation/tension is a foundational tenant. Oldtime strongmen ‘practiced’ and only ever performed extreme feats either rarely (and in private) to test their limit or if they were pursuing a new record. The gladiators of ancient Rome would wake up, train, eat, and then take a nap for several hours, maximising recovery.

The only sensible way to measure success!

The only sensible way to measure success!

Read more

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