TRAINING OVER THE COMING MONTHS
This is how I am preparing us going into the new year.
The reason we’re increasing the amount of work we do is so..
- You get plenty of work done to compliment all the amazing food you're eating over Xmas and new years
- Your bodies will be able to cope with a large amount of work leading into February's cut - giving you a lot more energy output (=more food).
No Man’s Land
HAVE A PURPOSE
Xmas and new years will see some of you train a little less than you usually would which makes the time you spend in the gym even more important.
Don’t bother coming in if you’re going to muck around, whinge about being there or lift with no intensity. Focus on preparing yourself on the drive to the gym and rock up with intensity and a willingness to get in, get the job done and leave!!!
If you can manage x4 1Hr Sessions a week filled with purpose - you can easily get closer to reaching your goals during the festive season.
Don’t waste your time - just rocking up won’t be good enough. If you’d prefer to switch up some workouts as you’re just not feeling what you're doing - come speak with us!!
Xmas Party & DEXA Scans
The Xmas party is this Sunday 11th December!!!! I expect you to bring a glorious amount of food for us all (mainly me) to eat!
We also have the DEXA scans coming back next Thursday 15th December so if you want to get another scan (or your first) done then please come book it in with us! Please see the list above for available slots (as of posting this).
Q&A
"What's the difference between higher reps at a lower weight vs lower reps at a higher weight?"
The heavier the weight, the less reps you can do but the more tension that weight produces on your muscles, tendons, joints. The lighter the weight, the more reps you can do which causes more metabolic damage (that burning feeling). BOTH of these help you get stronger, build muscle and lose fat.
The picture below shows how different rep schemes causes different types of adaptations. With this in mind and like I said above, all rep ranges work for all types of adaptations. Some are just more appropriate than others.
"Should I be taken any supplements (glucosamine, fish oil, multi vitamins etc)?"
The biggest and most trusted resource on supplements you'll find anywhere is Examine. Here you will find EVERYTHING you need to know about any particular supplement and you'll soon find most simply aren't worth it. Here's a list of things I take/think are worth the cost.
- Creatine
- Caffeine (stop using pre-workout,coffee is way cheaper & healthier)
- Probiotics
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D (especially in winter)
- Fish Oils (If you don't eat fish often)
- Any other glaring individual deficiencies
The last bullet point is important. Don't take supplements just for the sake of them! You can go get tested quite easily to find out if you have any particular deficiencies so I recommend going and doing that long before you invest your hard earned $$$ into any supplements.
Multivitamins are a good "all rounder" but can vary quite a lot in terms of quality. They also might be providing you with not enough of the things you need and too much of the stuff you don't. I don't bother with one as my diet is very well balanced and I'm not deficient in across any of the main vitamin and mineral spectrum (apart from Vit D)
Here's a pretty detailed list of supplements that work for lifters if you'd like to read more - but in all honesty, I wouldn't bother with much apart from what I've listed above unless you know you're deficient in something!
"Is coconut oil (and/or coconut milk) good for you?"
Coconut oil is made up of roughly 90% saturated fat which is associated with higher risks of heart disease - something we obviously want to minimise.
So…
- Is it the healthy food option that it’s portrayed to be? Probably not
- Should we stop eating it then? No, it tastes great and is fine here and there - especially if it’s asked for in a curry!!!
As with everything else in the health and fitness world (especially nutrition) - the poisons in the portion size.
I would recommend sticking with the advice of the Dieticians Association of Australia and...
- Use is sparingly
- Try their “light” alternatives (the light coconut milk taste identical!)
- Make use of other cooking oils like olive oil which is always a safe, healthy bet!
Here's a list of other cooking oils and what's in them. If you read this post you will understand why you want to pick dietary fat options that have higher levels of monounsaturated fats rather than saturated ones.
"Does microwaving wreck the nutritional quality of my meals?"
The short answer is no.
In fact it looks like it can be more beneficial than other traditional cooking methods in terms of keeping nutrients within the food your cooking/heating. Have a read of this detailed explanation by the Australian CSRIO here if you like!
Just make sure you use microwavable containers!
