YOGA ATHLETE

Sunday, 2 November 2014

My Top 5 Supplements

In general, I do not advocate supplements. Well, at least not the million different typical bodybuilding supplements available nowadays. Most of them will do nothing but slim down your bank account. There are a few however, that really do make a difference. Here is my take on what I consider to be worthwhile supplementation.

Supplements are exactly that – something to supplement your existing nutritional intake. You supplement because you are, for whatever reason, not obtaining sufficient quantities through normal nutritional intake. This could be because you diet is not optimal, and you're missing out on vital nutrients – in which case you should really address that rather than just add in a supplement. The other reason is maybe your requirements are greater than what can be obtained through a usual healthy nutritional plan.

My top five supplements:

Magnesium (oil)

Zinc

Vitamin D

Protein

Creatine

When I started supplementing with magnesium, I noticed the positive effects in about 7-10 days. NOTICABLE effects. I use magnesium oil, which you can buy from Holland & Barratt for about £12, and should last about a month. There may be a tingling sensation when applied to the skin, but that's just an indication that your magnesium levels are low.

Here are just some of the benefits of my all-time favourite supplement!

One of the main benefits is it acts as a muscle relaxant. Potassium and calcium are the opposite, and are responsible for muscle contraction. Magnesium is also responsible for the absorption and metabolism of calcium, as well as actually keeping calcium out of the cells (when magnesium is low, calcium rushes in and causes cell death).

Magnesium also activates enzymes that control digestion, absorption and utilization of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. There is a direct relationship between the amount of magnesium and the ability to avoid high blood pressure. Magnesium lowers LDL cholesterol (bad) and raises HDL cholesterol (good). It also prevents muscle spasms of heart & peripheral blood vessels which lead to things like high blood pressure and heart attacks. Magnesium will also prevent calcium build up in cholesterol plaque in arteries, and magnesium is just as important as calcium in preventing and treating osteoporosis (magnesium is required to activate enzymes for new bone growth too).

Magnesium is also the ultimate stress buster – it supports the adrenal glands that get worn out by stress! Serotonin, the feel-good hormone, depends on magnesium for it's production and function.

Rather than bore you with several more pages of why the other 4 are good, I will just give you the main points:

Zinc acts as a natural testosterone booster (just as important for women, it isn't an exclusive male hormone). I would recommend men taking up to 150mg a day, and women 75mg a day. The recommended daily dose isn't sufficient to obtain noticeable changes. Zinc will improve your athletic performance and strength, as well as supporting reproductive health and fertility. It will also boost your immune system and make you more insulin sensitive.

Vitamin D is actually not a vitamin, but rather a steroid hormone. It is critical for fighting diseases, as well as avoiding the winter blues. If you take it in higher doses, take vitamin K2 alongside it. When you take higher doses of vitamin D you body produces more K2 dependant proteins. There's a great relationship between vitamin D, K2, calcium and magnesium!

Protein! Most people just don't consume enough (people who train have a higher requirement for protein anyway). Whatever you are consuming, you can safely double it. If you cannot get enough in your actual food intake, then supplement! I recommend buying the protein supplement with the LEAST amount of ingredients. Keep it simple. A couple of shakes a day will do wonders for most people (in addition to their food! Do not 'swap' shakes for food!).

Creatine. This is probably the only (typically bodybuilding) supplement to have real science backing it. Over 200 studies over the last decade alone. Creatine is a naturally occurring substance in the body, required for energy production. Quite simply, it will help you exercise at a more intense level (the main reason why people do NOT see results from exercise is a LACK of intensity! Watch out for my blog soon on this exact topic). You will be able to perform more reps, lift more weight, create more tension, speed... etc. You will be able to apply yourself much better. What are you waiting for? My tip is to use plain creatine monohydrate. Don't waste money on fancy supplements when the basic ones do the same thing with less junk thrown in.

There you have it folks! My top 5. If you have a question on any of the above, or maybe another supplement you're curious about, just email, text, carrier pigeon me and I'll get back to you.

---

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

Wednesday, 29 October 2014

Secret discounts!

If you're quick & quiet, you'll be able to sneak off with this amazing discount on the BodyQuest group classes!

The offer is valid for the classes from the 3^rd of November 2014 until 21^st of December 2014. That's 7 full calendar weeks – pay £126 (cash in advance) and save £42!

That's only £6 a class, and if you do this, we'll throw in Tuesday the 23^rd of December's kettlebell class in FREE!

All payments must be made in cash, in full, by the 8^th November 2014 to qualify.

BodyQuest Classes

There are 3 classes a week at BodyQuest Kettlebell Gym - 2 kettlebell classes and 1 circuit class. The kettlebell classes are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7pm, and the circuit class is Saturday mornings at 8.15am. All classes are £8 per person.

If you are new to kettlebells, you need to contact us to book in, and you will need to arrive no later than 30min early (6.30pm) for tuition on using the kettlebells. The Saturday circuit class is getting more and more popular with the awesome energy that Kirsty delivers, you're set up perfectly for the weekend!

There are 12 classes in the month of November, and 10 classes in December (before Christmas). That's a sh!tload of exercise between now and Christmas that could make a huge difference to the usual Christmas 'bulge'.... I guarantee you that if you attended those 22 classes, plus made 2 changes to your nutrition, you would be amazed at the difference in your body in just 8 weeks! When making changes to your nutrition; look for the one or two changes you can make that will have the biggest impact. Here are some examples:

Cut out sugar - this includes soft drinks, and the usual junk like chocolate, ice cream, cakes, biscuits, etc

Cut out soft drinks - if you're a heavy consumer of soft drinks this is great change to make

Cut out anything with food colouring in - you'll be surprised....

Cut carbs - especially eliminating bread and pasta (maybe even rice & potatoes too)

Consider cutting out dairy. A few weeks will tell you if there's a difference and whether it's worth adding back in or not.

Cut out snacks between meals - more challenging than you may realise, and don't make the mistake of increasing meal quantity to make up for it!

So there you have it. 22 classes from November to Christmas. Attending all of them will make a big difference, but are you will to step out of your comfort zone, and make it a priority?

Trial By Fire

My trial is by Fire. What is yours?

(Trail By Fire is a clubbell workout – 100 double swipes, 100 mills, 100 hammer swings. The swipes are 100 doubles (both arms at the same time), the mills are 100 in each hand (done separately) and the hammer swings are 50 in each direction).

7 full weeks remain until Christmas! I am going to be counting them down, as I have set myself a target, a goal, to achieve within that time. Why? Because so many people, most people will slack off in the run up until Christmas, and then wonder what on earth happened. Then the usual hard slog to fix it begins in January, which is twice as hard because of the lapse before Christmas. It invariably ends up as a disappointing failure.

Are you going to be that person, or are you going to be the person who gets a head start on everyone else? NOW is always the time for action! I started a plan 3 weeks ago, but if you didn't, you can start now! 7 weeks is more than enough time to make a habit, and make a change. Think of the difference it will make in January, if you arrive then healthy, fit and strong! You get to make that decision; nobody else, so join me. Do whatever you want to, but start now - set a goal to achieve, formulate a plan to get you there ON TIME and go for it!

If you need help with goal setting and planning, get in touch, book a consultation and together we can make it happen for you!

My First Muscle-Up!

On Monday I performed my first muscle-up. This is when you perform a pull-up, go up and over the bar, and then press yourself further up until your arms are straight and the pull-up bar is at your waistline. The funny thing is, I have not been doing any pull-ups lately. In fact, not really at all since last year. But what I have been doing is working with the clubbells, and also plenty of "movement" and flow drills. This combined with my understanding of the technique required for muscle-ups, allowed me to perform one just on a passing whim to try it.

When you focus on a holistic approach to your training; you develop certain things. The ability to move well, proprioception and the ability to properly engage tension in your body to deliver strength/power. Kettlebells, clubbells, maces and bodyweight exercises/flows will all develop your ability to move well, which helps with proprioception (the ability to sense how your body is positioned and to control it effectively). Lifting heavy weights with correct technique will teach your body how to properly engage tension and alignment to deliver force. This means that you can getting strong at one thing, and your general ability to be strong at something else will improve.

So what does this mean to you? Train your body to move and to move well. More isn't better, better is better. Lift heavy weights that really challenge you. It's the only for you to properly engage tension and alignment throughout your body. All of this, combined with an ability to FLOW seamlessly from one position to another using correct breathing patterns will give you a healthy, capable body that you can be proud of.

Wednesday, 3 September 2014

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.

Tuesday, 22 July 2014

Kettlebell class discount

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