Unlocking Multiple Forms of Progression in Personal Training
When we think of progression in personal training, the first thing that comes to mind is often load—the weight on the barbell, machine, or dumbbell. While increasing load is a common and effective measure of progress, it’s crucial to recognize that there are many other ways to advance in your training. Relying solely on adding […]
The Importance of Range of Motion
Before delving into this blog post, I want to emphasize the significance of training across full ranges of motion, encompassing various planes of movement. Whether you’re an athlete or an individual pursuing fitness for daily life, exposing yourself to diverse positions holds immense value and can greatly enhance performance. However, is it always essential to […]
Maximising Muscle and Strength: The Importance of Rest Periods
How long should you rest between sets for optimal muscle and strength gains? It’s a question that many gym-goers grapple with, and the answer may surprise you. In my early days as a personal trainer, I believed that shorter rest periods were the key to maximising muscle engagement and achieving greater gains. However, recent research […]
Our Eating Habits
As humans, we’re creatures of habits, yet we’re often unaware of them. I reckon that if we’re a little more aware of them, many of our problems would be resolved. Eating habits are one of them, whether that’s what we eat, when we eat, how much, and where we eat. There are so many triggers […]
Why exercising is a poor way to burn calories
You’ve probably done this before: started a diet or wanted to lose some body fat, and your first call to action was to hit the gym and do 100 hours of cardio. A few weeks go by, and you get sick of it, noticing that you’re doing less and less, up to the point where […]
It’s not that we need to move slowly for hypertrophy; rather, the weight forces us to move slowly to create greater tension.
For hypertrophy to occur, three pillars need to be addressed: Metabolic stress Mechanical tension Muscle damage The primary focus should be on mechanical tension, which falls under ‘time under tension.’ However, most people simply think about moving weights slowly, but it isn’t solely about that. Instead of opting for a lighter weight and just moving […]
Do you really need a warm-up?
At some point in your life, you’ve probably been told to spend 5 to 10 minutes on the bike to get the blood moving. Spoiler alert: your blood is always moving. I’m not saying you shouldn’t warm up, but there are better ways to do it, and you probably don’t have to spend as much […]
Breaking Free from the Chains of Perfectionism: A Guide to Taking Imperfect Action
When striving for success, it’s all too common to become ensnared by the pursuit of perfection. The desire for ideal circumstances, perfectly aligned stars, and flawlessly orchestrated conditions can often lead to a single, unfortunate outcome: inaction. If you find yourself saying, “I’ll do this when everything is perfect,” or “Now isn’t the right time,” […]