As a trainer I get asked so many questions about how to train, what muscles to train etc etc. Too many times I see people in the gym sitting down, doing a simple bicep-curl… wow ( I always can’t help to think what a waste of time )

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for isolation and targeting a specific muscle, but unless you are training for the World Bodybuilding Championship and you need to increase your right bicep by a quarter cm in order to get perfect symmetry, it really is a waste of time.

I’ve always proclaimed functional training from the rooftops, simply because it is needed by every single human being on earth.

Multi-dimensional training is the fastest most effective method and style to build muscle, burn fat, increase bone-density, correct posture and feel a whole lot better about yourself.

Like I said before, this is a style of training and not a method written in stone. every single exercise, old school and new school can be incorporated into covering all spheres. By simply making sure that one is moving forward (north), sideways (east & west) and backwards (south), the body get trained and strengtened from all sides. This is the true definition of functional training.

Taking lunges forward, squatting sideways and lunging backwards is the simplest exercise in the arsenal of multidimensional training. Here, anybody can become creative and turn a simple exercise into a fat slashing, super fit, super strong exercise.

Happy training to you all

The Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells (2009 Model) is perfect for anybody that is short on space and wants to save thousands of dollars… so that’s pretty much everybody.

But what are these dumbbells really all about?

We’re about to find out.

The Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells (2009 Model) is an adjustable system that allows for one dumbbell to have multiple weight starting from 5 pounds all the way up to 25 pounds, going up in increments of 2.5. It works with a dial that turns to free a certain number of plates, that then stay behind when you lift them up, giving you a desired weight to work with.
The entire system is very well made, strong and sturdy. Being a tall and relatively large person, personally, I didn’t have any problems with doing an array of exercises. On the flipside, I can foresee that a small or short person might find it a little bit awkward to use for some movements. Overall though, any person, novice or advanced will comfortably receive benefit from the system.

The Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells (2009 Model) is an innovation in home exercise equipment, perfect for a total body workout.
The Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells (2009 Model) comes with a money back guarantee, so there isn’t much risk involved.

If there is one thing that I get asked as a trainer all the time, if there is one thing that everybody in the gym struggles with, if there is one thing that everybody in the gym wants… IT’S ABS!

The stomach muscles has always been at the center of any person’s physical image and without blame, a nicely toned stomach does look awesome, right. But if getting them and keeping them was easy, everybody will have them and not just the elite few.

In order to get a powerful, strong, flat, toned stomach, one needs to start at the basics, and that is the exercise off course. Diet obviously also plays a pivotal role, but if you can manage an easy, simple exercise that challenges, targets and isolates the abdominal muscles, you’re well on your way to a beautifully, strong, toned six pack.

The days of endless sit-ups is over and these days there is fantastic tools to help you accomplish the stomach you’ve always wanted. There is very affordable tools, there is very expensive tools and then there is absolute useless tools. One doesn’t need to spend an arm and a leg in order to get abs. A very affordable fitness tool that has been around for many years, a little bit of discipline, consistency and a bit of patience is what you need to accomplish your abdominal powerhouse.

The ab-wheel is a tool that has been around for many years, stood the test of time, is simple, small, easy to use, easy to travel with and as an added bonus strengthens your lower back as well.

If a solid six pack is what you’re after, then the ab-wheel is a must in your collection of fitness tools.

There is a full review of this product on the REVIEW PAGE.

Happy Training!

Injury, whether it’s muscle, joint, bone or tendon, is probably the number one cause for stopping training and you’ll be surprized to know that it is just as easy to prevent injury as it is to sustain it.

The most common injuries is overuse injuries which occurs when one particular joint or muscle is worked out too much and not given enough time to rest and recover. Inflammation of the tendons is the first to pop up and is normally due to the fact that we push too hard, too fast.

Training the body to desired standards is a slow process and it needs time to rest and recover. Muscle strength and development occurs much faster than that of the tendons and joints.

As a rule of thumb, give the body about twelve weeks to adapt to any new training regime. This includes low weight, low intensity, high repitition work.

Yes, you won’t see much change but you’ll be preparing the body internally and when the time is right your results will come through without any pain or injury.

When and if you experience any pain or discomfort, don’t make the fatal mistake of leaving it alone and hoping that it will go away. Trust me when I say that it will come back to bite you. Immediate ice and heat, muscle cream and sport massage is the order of the day.

With more serious injuries, like muscle tears, fractures etc. obviously a physiotherapist is the number one option in this case.

Remember these words: PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!

Take it easy and give your body plenty rest and recovery.

Happy Training!

For an excellent resource on injury prevention and rehabilitaion:

Click Here!

Flexibility is important and that being said, it is probably one of the fitness components that is pushed to the side most often. The general consensus is that if I’m not a pro athlete, why stretch?

Well, this article is aimed at answering that question.

First of all, flexibility is not about becoming as supple as a gymnast but to form a balance in your body. Flexibility increases physical performance. A flexible joint  has the ability to move through a greater range of motion.  Stretching also helps reduce muscle soreness after exercise.

A very common problem among most people is lower back pain and i have written a previous article on that subject. Stretching reduces the risk of low back pain by promoting muscular relaxation.  Flexible hamstrings, hip flexors, quadriceps, and other muscles attaching to the pelvis reduces stress to the low back.
Another great benefit of stretching is an increase in the blood supply and nutrients to joint structures. Stretching increases tissue temperature, which in turn increases circulation and nutrient transport. This allows greater elasticity of surrounding tissues and increases performance. Stretching also increases joint synovial fluid, which is a lubricating fluid that promotes the transport of more nutrients to the joints’ articular cartilage. This allows a greater range of motion and reduces joint degeneration.

These are just a short list of the great benefits of stretching. There is no need to become a yoga fundi, but if you want, that’s great.

10 -15 min of stretching each day will give you benefits I spoke of above and you’ll have a fitter, stronger body.

Happy Training!

The benefits of resistance training is no secret. Consistently doing resistance training is good for the body  and mind.

This article focuses on the weight loss benefit of resistance training.

Cardiovascular exercise is a must if you are trying to lose weight. Adding resistance training 2- 3 times per week will make it a really powerful combination.

Consider the following:

• every additional pound of muscle you gain, your body burns around 50 extra calories every day of the week
• research has shown that regular resistance training can increase Basal Metabolic Rate by up to 15%
• so, for someone burning 2000 calories per day, that’s a potential 300 calories extra burned everyday
• resistance training  can reduce bone deterioration and build bone mass, preventing osteoporosis
• resistance training can also inhibit the affects of Sarcopenia, the age related loss of muscle mass. strength and function
• it has been proven to have a positive effect on insulin resistance, resting metabolism, blood pressure, body fat and factors linked to illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer
• resistance exercise can boost brain power and fight off diseases like Alzheimer’s
• resistance training releases endorphins which is the hormone released when you feel happy

Remember that CONSISTENCY is the key and the body needs time to adapt to whatever you are exposing it to. It generally takes between 8-12 weeks to physically see a result, so don’t quit if you don’t see a result in the first few weeks. Trust me when I tell you that something is happening within your body.

So, add some iron and see your results speed up dramatically.

Happy Training!

Everybody misses a training session now and again and it’s ok. You start your new fitness regime and everything goes great for a couple of weeks and you miss one day. So you feel slightly disappointed in yourself but then you miss another and another and before you can find yourself you’ve gone without training for the same amount of time that you did.

I am guilty of this and so is professional athletes and it is really ok. Give yourself that 80/20 space that allows you to miss 20% of your training days and successfully complete 80%. It is a very do-able ratio that allows for some error that you don’t need to feel bad about.

We all lose motivation from time to time and the key is to just press on. Exercise is supposed to be fun and enjoyable but there is going to be times when it doesn’t feel good, it burns or pains or you just don’t feel like doing it. If exercise were supposed to be fun and games, we’d all be fit and lean.

When you find yourself going into that downward phase, which happens to world class athletes as well, it’s generally time for something new or different. Perhaps a couple of planned out sessions with a trainer, find a buddy to pull you through or just do something crazy like skydiving to get the adrenaline pumping.

Dont give up whatever you do and just because you miss a couple of days in the gym doesn’t mean to stop altogether. Prepare for it and put it behind you when it does happen.

It’s happened to me time and time again but in the end it’s how we deal with these little bumps in the road that helps us reach our goals.

Keep pressing on and see yourself accomplishing your goal.

Happy Training!

Vibrational training isn’t really a new term but is more commonly visible these days in gyms as the Power Plate. Alot of people dismiss this simple but complexed piece of equipment… Be Aware!

One session with this machine and you’ll discover muscles in places you didn’t know you had.

Simply put, it works much more muscle fibers than conventional training.

Believe it or not but all your organs has a frequency that it vibrates at starting from about 5 Hz to 20 Hz. On the Powerplate you can set the frequency between 30 Hz to 50 Hz.

Bottom line… your muscles work more and harder on a Power Plate and that equals more strength and more fat loss.

My first session was really quite comic, since I felt that this was playtime instead of work-out time. Did I get a surprize?

A big YES!

Like I said, I discovered that I had muscle in places that i didn’t know about.

• BENEFITS OF THE POWERPLATE:
• Strengthening
• Increase in lean muscle mass
• Muscle development
• Increased metabolism
• Reduction of fat
• Increased human growth hormone
• Increased serotonin
• Increased testosterone
• Reduction of Cortisol ( stress )
• Increase in blood flow
• Decrease waste
• Decrease cellulite

The Power Plate can also be used for stretching and best of all MASSAGING. All you have to do is sit on it and magic…

Conventional Training has its place but don’t be scared to try new things, trust me, you won’t regret it.

Make sure you get instructions from a professional and vibrate away…

Happy Training!

PS: To get one for your home gym go to the following link

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What is functional training really and how does it compare to other methods of training?

Simply put, functional training is a classification of exercise which involves training the body for the activities performed in daily life.

The old school “weightlifting” exercises generally target only one muscle for each exercise. Functional training challenges multiple musclegroups, big and small, with each movement or exercise.

The short list of functional training benefits are:

• Building “inner strength”
• Endurance
• Improve balance
• Improve range of motion

“Core training” and “Functional training” is very close related as most of the functional training exercises challenges your core and stabilizing muscles. So yes if you’re wondering… abs!

Functional training challenges your body from all angles and through different planes of movement, thus the body is actually working much harder which equals burning more calories.

Another great benefit is that the muscles will develop more naturally and more balanced which will lead to long, elongated muscles as apposed to short, stiff and bulky.

Formal exercise include the use of  stability balls, resistance bands with handles, bosu ball, weight balls and balancing to name a few.

For example:

• balancing on a bosu while doing bicep curls
• walking lunges
• side lunges
• moving a medicine ball from side to side( covering the entire plane of movement )

…………………and the list really goes on and on.

To me personally, one of the major benefits is that it is impossible to become bored with functional training, which we know is the number one reason people stop training.

Remember, it’s always safety first, so make sure you consult with your physician before starting any physical program and ask a certified personal trainer to help you get started if you’re unfamiliar with any new piece of equipment or training method.

From the above statements I’m sure you can tell that I am a very big fan of functional training however traditional training and static machines has its place and I use both. Sometimes you want to target a specific muscle in which case a machine is perfect.

Being a fitness trainer myself and having a coach myself, I understand very well the importance of having a personal trainer.

When I walked into a gym 10 years ago, I thought I knew what I was doing… boy was I wrong.

In essence, the job of a personal trainer is to keep you motivated and keep the workouts interesting. Keeping your exercise routine appealing and maintaining a good fitness perspective is key to long-term success.

The fitness industry changes all the time and the active personal trainer will stay on top of this for you. You won’t have to worry about much, as your trainer will do everything for you. All you have to do is show up and do what he or she tells you. I have found that it makes the road to fitness just so much easier.

Personal trainers are experts  in analyzing and creating a fitness program that is right for you. They are the ones who will calculate your appropriateness to a certain program with regards to your “fitness level,” create the program according to your specific needs, and keep you stimulated and inspired by giving you activities that will not bore you.

The following  is some factors to keep in mind when choosing your trainer:

1. Certification

2. Education

3. Knows how to give the right attention

4. Knows how to track development

5. Good Personality

Honestly, in my experience being a trainer and also having a trainer, it really all comes down to whether you can trust your trainer.

It takes some time to build a relationship but at the end of the day if there is no trust and communication, there is nothing, like any relationship right.

Enjoy your training!