Is Muscle Soreness Good?

DOMS are the pain you feel in your muscles after strenuous activity. Many people like to gauge the effectiveness of their workouts by the intensity of the DOMS they experience in the following days.
DOMS are believed to be the result of micro tears in the muscle fibres. The eccentric contractions of the muscles (the negative phase, or the lowering of the weight during the exercise) is more responsible for DOMS than the concentric (positive phase, or lifting of the weight during the exercise). DOMS also result from more 'time under tension', or longer durations of exercise, or slower tempo in exercising. DOMS can also result from exercises that you just are not used to; so the good news is that as you 'grease the groove' and become more proficient by practising a movement pattern more often - the less DOMS you will experience.Is it good to have DOMS? Some people believe that muscle soreness is an indication of the effectiveness of their workout, and do not believe they've had a productive workout unless they ache the next day."I had such an awesome workout last week, I could barely move for days!" is something I hear, and I cringe every time I hear it. I want to ask that person if they are stronger, fitter, faster... BETTER in any way, as a result of them aching for days. Just because a workout leaves you in pieces, doesn't mean it has been effective. The test of whether your workouts are effective are by measuring if you are progressing towards your goals as a result of your workouts. Any idiot can design a tough workout that will leave you in pieces for days. I have been on the receiving end of such workouts and all they do is set me back. Do 100 burpees, then sprint 100 meters, then 100 sit ups and repeat constantly for 90 minutes. That will destroy you, but it certain won't progress you. Your workout should always GIVE more than it TAKES. This is why people employ personal trainers or coaches; so that they can reach their goals effectively, instead of just hammering your body every week and getting nowhere as a result.

Establish a method of testing the effectiveness of your workout. If strength is your goal; are you getting stronger? If fat-loss is your goal; are you getting leaner? Just because you're experiencing a great deal of muscle soreness DOESN'T mean you're getting closer to your goals.

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Personal coaching can help you achieve the results you desire, as well as giving you the necessary effective tools you need to keep striving forwards, to keep changing and progressing on your journey.


Challenge everything, especially yourself.

Alex 


Contact me for Kettlebell classes and Personal Training in Southend-on-sea.
Please visit our website: ALEXKAY

Kettlebell class discount

Remember, you have to pay for BOTH classes for the ENTIRE month to qualify for the discount.

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Personal coaching can help you achieve the results you desire, as well as giving you the necessary effective tools you need to keep striving forwards, to keep changing and progressing on your journey.


Challenge everything, especially yourself.

Alex


Contact me for Kettlebell classes and Personal Training in Southend-on-sea.
Please visit our website: ALEXKAY

QUICK SNACK RECIPE

Here is an awesome recipe for a quick, healthy meal that can serve as breakfast, or maybe even a quick replacement for lunch or dinner if you're pressed for time.

I found this delicious recipe on Mark's Daily Apple, a website I highly recommend you follow. I am a huge advocate of Mark Sisson and his Primal Blueprint. This particular recipe can be found originally through clicking here.

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana

2 eggs

1 pinch of cinnamon

A splash of vanilla

Butter (for cooking & topping)

1-2 Tbsp crushed pecans

Optional: fruit (berries), heavy cream, additional pecans

Instructions:

Add banana, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and pecans to a medium bowl and mash together; the batter will be a little lumpy.

Grease skillet with butter and turn on stove to a medium heat.

Add the entire mixture to the skillet.

As the mixture cooks, continue to stir and mash.

Once fully cooked, remove from heat and place into a bowl.

Top with butter or optional ingredients.

Enjoy!

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Personal coaching can help you achieve the results you desire, as well as giving you the necessary effective tools you need to keep striving forwards, to keep changing and progressing on your journey.


Challenge everything, especially yourself.

Alex Kay 


Contact me for Kettlebell classes and Personal Training in Southend-on-sea.
Please visit my website: ALEXKAY

What Works - A Simple Guide

Here is a simple, 100% guaranteed method to achieving great results - better body composition (less fat, more muscle), greater capability (mobility & strength), and a better life (longevity, health, quality of life).

Nutrition – Follow The Primal Blueprint, or the Paleo diet.

These plans in a nutshell are to avoid anything processed. If you cannot find it in the wild, you cannot consumed it. Single ingredient food – a sweet potato contains ONE ingredient – sweet potato. Broccoli contains ONE ingredient – broccoli. Salmon contains ONE ingredient – salmon. You get the idea.

“Eighty percent of your ability to reduce excess body fat is determined by how you eat, with the other 20 percent is dependent on proper exercise, other healthy lifestyle habits and genetic factors.” - The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson.

Healthy nutrition is as simple as eating the right foods in the right quantities. The right foods being single ingredient foods, mostly plants and animals. The right quantities means portion control. Not more than you need, mostly protein, moderate fats and low carbs.

Exercise - Walk, Lift and Sprint. “Those who think they have not time for exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness” - Lord Edward Stanley.

By walking (with intent/purpose, not just ambling) for 45min a day, lifting (heavy) weights (30min workout) twice a week and sprinting once a week (15-20min including rests) you can become incredibly fit & healthy.

Sample:

Monday – Walk briskly for 45min

Tuesday – Walk briskly for 45min, Lift heavy weights for 30min

Wednesday - Walk briskly for 45min,

Thursday - Walk briskly for 45min, Lift heavy weights for 30min

Friday - Walk briskly for 45min,

Saturday - Walk briskly for 45min, Sprint for 15-20min (incl. rest)

Sunday - Walk briskly for 45min.

On the days when you are lifting and sprinting, make sure you warm up properly focusing on mobility, cool down properly focusing on twisting stretches.

Lifestyle – Stress less and sleep well.

Quick guide:

Single ingredient food only. Mostly protein, moderate fats and low carbs.

Walk briskly every day for 45min.

Lift heavy weights two or three times a week for 30min.

Mobilise fully before exercise, stretch fully afterwards.

Sprint once a week for 15-20min including rest periods.

Sleep well and avoid stress.

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Personal coaching can help you achieve the results you desire, as well as giving you the necessary effective tools you need to keep striving forwards, to keep changing and progressing on your journey.


Challenge everything, especially yourself.

Alex Kay Grimmer


Contact me for Kettlebell classes and Personal Training in Southend-on-sea.
Please visit my website: ALEXKAY

Why Some People Achieve Results And Others Do Not

I have seen a very interesting phenomenon whilst coaching clients. I have had clients start with me who are almost identical in body composition, physical ability and goals, and both agree to the same frequency of personal training sessions. In the months that follow, one client has dropped 10% bodyfat, inches from their waistline, and has achieved a double bodyweight deadlift. The other hasn't changed body composition or size at all, and still cannot perform a single bodyweight deadlift. These are real clients, not just illustrative examples.

Why does one person achieve such outstanding results, and the other not?

Quite simply...

Person A applies themselves whole-heartedly during their sessions, ensures they do the homework activities set for them outside of their PT sessions, and they follow the nutritional advise without deviation.

Person B never puts any effort into their sessions, never ventures outside of their comfort zone, never does any exercise apart from their PT sessions, and quite obviously continues to eat and drink as they always have.

You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink.

A personal trainer is not a magician. They will design effective programs for you, provide technical & motivational coaching, give you nutritional advice, etc... but if you do not apply yourself or follow the advice, no personal trainer in the world will ever be able to help you.

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Personal coaching can help you achieve the results you desire, as well as giving you the necessary effective tools you need to keep striving forwards, to keep changing and progressing on your journey.


Challenge everything, especially yourself.

Alex Kay Grimmer


Contact me for Kettlebell classes and Personal Training in Southend-on-sea.
Please visit my website: ALEXKAY

3 Simple Rules to achieving REAL Results

How to achieve REAL results

People everywhere are trying ALL SORTS of things to get the results they desire. The unfortunate truth is that many are disappointed with their lack of results. Why is this? If people are trying so hard, why don't they achieve what they want? Surely some will, even if it's dumb luck; right? WRONG.

The sad truth is most people don't get the results they want because they are looking everywhere, and trying everything EXCEPT the right way. The right way seems to simple, and therefore is often ignored. Why? Because people are looking for short-cuts. Easy methods. The latest gimmick. Here's a home-truth: there are no short-cuts. There are no easy methods. Gimmicks are worthless.

That all seems a little doom-and-gloom; right? Maybe. But there is good news too. The right methods are SIMPLE. So simple you'd be amazed. Not saying easy, but definitely simple. Stick to the following plan and I guarantee you, you will experience twice the results in half the time that you have EVER experienced!

Frequency. Consistency. Intensity.

That's it.

You need to commit to increasing your training frequency. This means the number of times in a week that you train (and by train, I mean stick to a plan that is designed specifically to get you closer to your goals. Not just random exercise in the hope that general activity will produce the results you're after). Think about it: if three people start training every week, person 1 trains once a week, person 2 trains twice a week, and person 3 trains three times a week; whom do you think will experience the most or the quickest results? It's a no-brainer.

(twice a week from once a week is doubling your results)

You need to commit to training on a regular basis. This is arguably the most important of the 3 values above! In martial arts there is a common saying: “How to get a black belt: Show up. Keep repeating this.” This is the only value that will eventually produce results without the other two values. Admittedly without the other two it will take a long time, but eventually it will produce results. If you commit to 2 sessions a week, then train twice a week. If you can't do one of them, reschedule it so that the week doesn't pass without having done both sessions. This is about being consistent. Not just about being interested!

Last, but certainly not least, is intensity. If you want results, train like it! Nobody ever achieved anything worthwhile in the gym by sleepwalking through their session, whining it's too heavy or difficult (it's supposed to be heavy & difficult!), or making an issue out of the slightest amount of perceived discomfort. I could list off dozens of sayings which illustrate this:

“If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you”

“If you want results, train like it!”

“Suck it up so one day you won't have to suck it in”

“More sweat now, less jiggle later”

“It isn't going to be easy, but it is going to be worth it”

You get the idea... You workout is a very small part of your day. Put the effort in and push yourself as hard as possible. You need to shock your body into changing. If it's comfortable you just aren't working hard enough. To make a stronger, fitter, faster, leaner & meaner body, you have to ask it to do things that are difficult, outside of your comfort zone, things that it isn't currently capable of – that is the only way to change it, to make it a better version of yourself. People who put the effort in will get the results. I see it all the time. One person works out with passion, drive and determination to succeed, whilst another whines every time and shies away from anything resembling hard work. Take a guess who will be awesome in 6 months, and who will still be whinging in 6 months.

Please take note that I did not include any particular methodology. There are literally dozens of ways to achieve the results you want physically. I specialise in kettlebells, strength training, Olympic lifting and using various other tools such as strongman equipment, ropes, plyometrics and callisthenics. I believe these to be the most suitable methods for most people's physical goals, but there are others. Choose a method that you enjoy, but that is also one that suits your goals.

Contact me if you would like to discuss how best to achieve your goals.

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Personal coaching can help you achieve the results you desire, as well as giving you the necessary effective tools you need to keep striving forwards, to keep changing and progressing on your journey.


Challenge everything, especially yourself.

Alex Kay Grimmer


Contact me for Kettlebell classes and Personal Training in Southend-on-sea.
Please visit my website: ALEXKAY

Is compromising okay?

Most people aren't aiming for an Olympic gold medal. Most people just want to be a little fitter, look a little better, manage physical tasks a little easier, and feel a little bit better about themselves.

THIS IS PERFECTLY FINE.

But don't make the mistake of thinking that because you only want 5% of the results that an Olympian has, that you only need to put 5% of the effort in. You still need to put 100% effort in. The difference lies in the method of exercise you will use, and the extent to which you will cheat your nutritional plan.

All roads lead to Rome.

If you enjoy kettlebells classes, attend them. If you enjoy Zumba classes, attend them. If yoga is your thing, attend yoga classes. If you hate classes and just want to lift heavy barbells, do that. If running through the woods does it for you, then run in the woods.  Enjoyment is a key factor in remaining committed, plus a key factor in life. Don't punish yourself with a method that you hate, but recognise that some methods will deliver certain results better than others.

Some methods are more in line with your goals than others. If you want to build muscle or become stronger, running is not the best method. But if you enjoying running for the sake of running, then by all means run.  So deciding what you really want is important. If your day to day activities and your finances mean you can only commit to 1 or 2 exercise classes a week, that is perfectly okay.

However, you also need to be aware that by restricting your physical exercise to 1 or 2 classes a week, you're restricting your results to what 1 or 2 classes a week can potentially provide. So long as you understand that, it honestly doesn't matter to anyone but you.

If you're willing to compromise on your training, you will compromise your results. There is nothing wrong with this, unless you're unhappy with your compromised results.

To get more (or better) results, you need more (or better) in your training. That might mean more time (frequency) every week. It might mean more commitment (not skipping sessions when you don't feel like it). It might mean more intensity (training like you mean it; like you're sponsored by Nike). It might mean a greater financial investment (Personal Training sessions). It could be any or all of those things.

Specific goals will require specific action. If you have a specific goal in mind, and you're just not achieving it currently, come and speak to me about it. I will offer you the best advice I can, without obligation towards anything.

Start deciding what it is that you want to achieve, and start making real progress towards your goals!

Look out for my next post, which will give you 3 simple rules for achieving all the physical results you'll ever want!

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Personal coaching can help you achieve the results you desire, as well as giving you the necessary effective tools you need to keep striving forwards, to keep changing and progressing on your journey.


Challenge everything, especially yourself.

Alex Kay Grimmer


Contact me for Kettlebell classes and Personal Training in Southend-on-sea.
Please visit my website: ALEXKAY