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Posts tagged 'black and white'

BARRY ON TOAST ?!?


Hot on the heels of being invited to the ‘Skinny Bitch Collective’ class, I also got the call to check out the newest London workout, straight from the United States – Barry’s Bootcamp. It’s a regime that’s tried and tested by the famous & glamorous, such as Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Katie Holmes, not to mention personal trainer Jillian Michaels who’s been bringing all her ‘Biggest Loser’ contestants to Barry’s for years. What could all the fuss be about?

Based in north-west London on the Euston Road, the entrance to this bootcamp-themed space (think dog-tags, camouflage wallpaper, metal military details etc.) is guarded by a friendly receptionist, and flanked by a FUEL BAR that serves up some very tasty protein shakes indeed! The studio itself, which caters for c.40 people is seductively lit in red and blue, and is equipped with 20 Woodway treadmills, who’s treads are more like the caterpillar tracks on a Howitzer tank than the belt on your average gym treadmill! They’re made from rubber T-slats, which give extra cushioning whilst maintaining the natural bio-mechanics of your stride, and are a pleasure to run on (relatively speaking!).

Though there are about 10 ‘drill sergeants’ in Barry’s London ‘platoon’, my class is lead by the beautiful Icelandic personal trainer Heidi (pictured above) – a former IFBB figure-fitness champion! I expected this class to be tough; Heidi did not disappoint. The Barry’s workout combines strength and interval cardiovascular training, leaving minimum recovery time and maximum exertion. I’d say half the time, the class was on a treadmill (c.10 minutes at a time) and the rest of the time was spent on the floor, tackling strength training. It is remarkably demanding, and you take it to your own level, but the atmosphere (lighting, group, equipment, motivating trainer, military theme) spurs you on to the next level up.

1) WHY INTERVAL TRAINING?
As discussed in my previous post HIIT ME AGAIN interval training is the optimal cardiovascular training to achieve fat burn goals. By not sticking to the same pace for the entire cardio session (whereby the body  would otherwise go into a steady state and tries to conserve energy) HIIT shocks the body by introducing different intensities, maximising time and transforming it into a fat toasting 10minutes!!

2) WHY STRENGTH TRAINING?
I’m told that Barry’s always include strength training in the class. Today was a full body workout class, taking each exercise to failure with good form. There’s very little rest after each exercise, it is either followed by another exercise or some element of additional cardio, e.g. step ups. This keeps the heart rate elevated, gives the body hardly any time to think/get bored, or indeed to object. The additional bonus of not having much rest is that you burn even more calories – perfect for unwanted fat! And muscles burn c. 15 times as many calories as fat (even at rest) which increases your metabolism yet further!

3) THOUGHTS?
Ultimately, the class is exceptionally high-energy, utterly exhausting, satisfyingly endorphine-releasing, and doesn’t allow you time to think, moan or get bored. The equipment is incredibly well-invested (really superb treadmills) and the grouped format brings out a competitive nature, encouraging you to push through those sickeningly tough sprints! Try it out!

Click here for some photos & explanations of what my Barry’s Bootcamp session involved.

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FIND YOUR LEGS !!!

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I see it all the time – guys in the gym who have colossally sculpted upper bodies and miniature chicken-legs. Not only does this look absolutely ridiculous (no symmetry whatsoever), but failing to train your legs is a physiological mistake. Yes it’s true that the glutes are the largest muscle in the body, but being the largest muscle group in the body, skipping over your legs just won’t do! I’m not going to talk about the muscles you train in this post, rather my reasons for training them in the first place:

1) Aside from the cosmetic reason of creating body-symmetry, legs are worth keeping conditioned (something your body will thank you for as it matures). Strength training of the legs stimulates bone re-calcification, enhances tendon and ligament durability and improves overall joint strengthening.
2) Larger muscles boost the metabolism and burn more calories, so legs therefore can potentially burn the highest number of calories at rest. Most serious bodybuilders seem to believe that a 30min leg session will burn anywhere from 500-1000 calories depending on intensity (that’s 25-50% of your recommended daily calorie intake!). Also, a lot of cardiovascular exercise involves using your legs so by increasing strength and/or size, you’ll help fuel your workouts while burning more calories too!!
3) Being the largest muscle group in the body, training your legs encourages the release of natural testosterone and other growth hormones, promoting overall strength and mass throughout your whole body, not just the legs.
4) And finally it’s good to keep your body guessing. By training your legs, it’ll add yet another important variation to your regime, stimulating optimal muscle adaptation and growth.

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Click here for photos and descriptions for part of the leg session I did earlier today… Faya x

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DOES MY TUM LOOK BIG IN THIS ???

Ab workout by the pond at Regent’s Park – throw on a hoodie, no excuses and no membership required!

One of my clients’ most frequent questions is how to get the illustrious ‘six pack’. There are of course health benefits to training the abdominal area (reduces risk of lower back pain, promotes improved posture etc.), but when it comes to ‘abs’, health seems secondary to cosmetics! First, if the stomach isn’t flat, there’s likely too much fat being stored; sit-up after sit-up won’t help, as they burn fewer calories vs. proper cardio. ‘Spot training’ simply doesn’t work for this.

The solution is genuinely simple – reduce body fat by increasing activity, whilst controlling calorie intake – abs then will begin to show definition of their own accord. Exercises can improve the shape and bulk of the muscles, but they won’t show unless the fat layer goes first. To do that, above all, engage and work the transversus abdominal muscle, which acts as a muscular corset connecting the upper and lower body, holding in the waist. Try to hit the stomach muscles from all angles. Here’s a 3-point attack plan, with photos! …. (more…)

FEELING STRETCHED ???

WHY STRETCH ?

Alot of my clients don’t (at first) think they need to stretch. Some don’t see the value. Some think they should be lifting something instead, or running somewhere. Some think they’ll (embarrassingly) never be able to reach their toes! BUT by stretching for a few minutes, you will see and feel the benefits. Here are  just 6 (of many) reasons why I consider it vitally important to stretch, in no particular order!

1) Reduces your risk of injury drastically, and keeps you mobile as your body matures.
2) Improves your flexibility, by increasing the range of motion of a joint by stretching out the surrounding soft tissue (i.e. muscles tendons & ligaments)
3) Speeds muscle recovery – after an intense workout, the muscles remain in a partially-contracted state, and by not stretching afterwards, you will feel stiff and sore for longer. Stretching relaxes, elongates and softens the muscles which is important for both strength and endurance training.
4) Creates correct muscle balance – failing to stretch regularly after workouts can lead to problems with posture, & muscle imbalance. Consider someone who sits at a desk for 10 hours everyday, some of his / her muscles will naturally become tighter, others weaker. For example, the hip flexors will be in a mildly contracted state whilst seated, and after a while the hip flexor can tilt the pelvis forward, causing the spine to round, which leads to pack pain. So even if you’re not working out, stretching out the pelvis, hip flexor, back, neck and shoulders for a few minutes every day, will help your body stay conditioned.
5) Improves balance – by increasing the range of motion in joints, it gives the body one fewer reason to impede itself and fall over, as stretching encourages uninhibited movement.
6) Muscular growth – The fascia (fibrous tissue) surrounding muscles is said to limit the amount of space muscles have to grow. By stretching a muscle under a resistance, you can encourage further muscular growth (hypertrophy). Be aware though, Extreme Fascial Stretching (for muscle growth) is very stressful to muscular tissue and can cause injury if not practised properly.

TYPES OF STRETCHING ?

1) PRE WORKOUT ? Dynamic Stretching – always warm up for c. 5 minutes before stretching, making sure the muscles are actively prepared, and then perform dynamic stretches, which effectively means ‘stretching whilst moving’. These stretches should only be held for 3-10 seconds each. Some examples are walking lunges, lunging and reaching, power skipping, knee hugs, quad walks etc.
2) POST WORKOUT ? Static Stretching – these are slow and constant, and each stretch is usually held for 10-30 seconds, during which you’ll consider them mildly uncomfortable. Sometimes they’ll be passive, as someone stretches you out whilst your body relaxes. You should avoid bouncing whilst holding your static stretch, as it can risk tearing muscular fibre. These stretches aren’t designed to make you sweat, rather to lengthen/relax the muscle spindles.

Stretch safe, here are some pics of me having a stretch! Faya x

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HIDE UNDER A HAT !!!


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No time to shower after a workout? Need to pick up something at the supermarket? Feel like hiding? Caps are cute and perfect for hiding, and I find the block black and white ones are great as they go with everything in my training wardrobe!

Whilst a cap is a small thing, it’s part of a bigger theory on gym attire; I think it’s worth getting a few key outfits for the gym, including accessories and footwear. It encourages you to go to the gym more, because you’re not going to feel motivated to train whilst putting on a smelly old t-shirt. It’s not a catwalk but you are allowed to look good at the gym, and dedicated training gear can be designed to enhance your performance (e.g. oxygenating, breathable fabrics etc.)! I’ll be posting new gym kit on here…

Back to the cap? I Went to Barcelona a while ago and bought this cap from the Gaudi museum, I think it’s rather fun as it has an F on it (stands for Fitnessontoast, obviously)! These extra photos where taken on the roof spa/gym complex of my hotel.

Happy shopping this weekend, hope you find a great training cap 🙂 Faya x
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THE (KETTLE) BELLS ARE RINGING !!!
Primrose Hill

Just me, my 6kg kettle bell, and the park… combined, they give a versatile and explosive full-body workout, which builds power and burns fat! Why do kettle bells work you say? The position and thickness of the handles (hanging directly under the wrists) unevenly distributes the weight which requires more strength in the grip, & more core engagement as the weight is far more difficult to control. Dumbbells by comparison are centred and therefore balanced – kettle bells are inherently unstable; their handles protrude from one side of the sphere & act like an additional pivot point control.The ‘kettle bell swings’ keep the muscles working through the entire motion, so they work all together which avoids imbalances, and is softer on the joints / bones. So they’re great overall muscle-conditioners, & a basic 20min workout can burn up to 270 calories. They were also Gerard Butler’s secret weapon for strength and tone in the movie 300 😉

Here’s my circuit: Do 3 sets for…

PEPPERMINT TEA ME UP !!!

Having a nice Peppermint tea before bedtime; apart from finding it very relaxing, it’s clinically proven to have a sedative effect, which helps send you off to the land of nod peacefully! Extra-perfect this time of the year, as it can strengthen your immune defenses against cold and flu (the mint leaves contain potassium, calcium and vitamin B) whilst the restorative sleep adds another barrier.

One further benefit is that it simulates the sensation of being full (I’m looking at you, late night snacker!!) when it’s basically just 100% water (hydrating, good for skin, good for blood pressure etc.) and best of all, contains a waistline-busting 0 calories, with no fat, carbs or salt! Did I mention it’s naturally caffeine-free, great for stomach pain and aids digestion? Try adding a sprinkle of cinnamon or perhaps some fresh ginger to the mix, for additional taste and digestive benefits! Mint Tea; not superfood, superdrink!

Good night! Faya x

LET’S MAKE TRX !!!
LET'S MAKE TRX !!!

Me, a tree and TRXee. See? (A jump squat)

I love training (myself & clients) in the park – fresh air, gorgeous scenery and awesome people watching – and these days, it doesn’t mean I have to lug 10 tons of kettle bells along with me! With a TRX (stands for Total-body Resistance eXercise), all I need is a tree! No weights, plates or slates; instead, just some gravity and my own body weight as resistance. It’s basically two connected nylon straps with handles, which give a full-body workout, build strength, refine balance and enhance core stability, all at the same time. TRX is the classic example of “functional training”, an industry buzz-phrase that’s thrown around a lot, but which put simply, means ‘exercises that mimic every-day human movements’ (unlike for example, some stationary machines you’ll find at the gym). Trust me, when you do it properly, it’s a lot more painful (and effective) than it looks !!!

In this picture I’m just doing jumping squats. The TRX advantage is that it allows me to get down really deep in the squat by encouraging a more extreme low-point, offering a backstop for balance, and crucially, providing a spring-board to energise my jump back up. It encourages improved posture, and targets not just the legs, but also the abs and arms too. Stringing together 3 sets of 30-reps, done as quickly as you can, with correct form, will see you in (very fit) pieces on the floor!

Ouch – arms and legs… Now your turn!