Hey,
Hope you had a top weekend. I had a rrrrrrreal good one! Liverpool wumped Man utd 3-1, with Suarez looking awesome and the team as a whole, played like a team and went for the attack whenever possible. (Being too defensive has been a problem of late you might know) .
Aswell, one of my best mates Steve was cast as an extra in the film ‘Ironclad’ which is out now.
The film was ok (not usually my thing) but he played a gladiatior-soldier role and was just totally ace seeing him on the big screen!
Today I just wanted to highlight the importance of training in groups. On Saturday, we had another rip-roaring session, ending with some hardcore sledding after some strength work and a lighter circuit.
We had 10 Bootcampers all working hard which made for a great atmosphere…….pushing each bootcamper a little harder than they would have on their own.
Have you ever had that feeling where you simply don’t feel like training……………and if you do still exercise (many just give up)……….you drop the intensity level, or the number of sets or increase the amount of rest you take? It’s not a bad thing by the way! I have these feelings too!
Training with a friend / in a group
Training with someone else will really push you. Whether it is simply to show up, whether it is to keep the weight heavy or the speed high, or to jump into the next set even though you’re struggling.
You KNOW that sometimes that PUSH will do you the world of good and take you to YOUR NEXT LEVEL.
So this week my message is simple: Come try out Bootcamp…………..or find a friend or someone to exercise with. By the way, It doesnt have to be someone you know! Why not ask someone in the gym whos your size and shape to ‘work-in’ on a couple of sets.
If you train in a busy commercial gym – theres usually only a few bits of ‘great’ equipment (power cage, pull up bar, dips bars,……even benches!)…..so get both your training sessions in within the same time….and push each other that little bit more!
You never know – it might just end up being a great training session…..and the start of your new found LEVEL of motivation.
Help one another out!!!
Aswell, you might be thinking that all group classes are created equal. Like going to an aerobics class will get you in tip-top shape….
Do I think thats a good idea? Well, it depends on your situation doesnt it?????
If you’re new to exercise, or just coming off a program that had very little cardiovascular work – you might benefit for a while. (If you’re highly trained you ll benefit from maybe a few weeks max though). If you re new to exercise then an aerobics class might keep you progressing for a few months. Whats the problem with aerobics? Find out the pro’s and con’s here ——-> http://www.yournextlevelfitness.co.uk/?p=94
In a nutshell, they’re not intense enough, and they don’t often change the parameters. That is – the workload, for example the sets, the reps, the load used, the rest between exercises.
How do you expect to get better when the stimulus stays the same (or roughly the same) ??
In fact – check out this 2006 study, where it found that in nearly 13,000 runnners (doing aerobic exercise as it happens)…they actually gained weight throughout their running years. The researchers put this down to age – and suggested that runners need to actually do more as they get older…….The effects of changing exercise levels on weight and age-related weight gain
I have a much more simple solution for you. Stop trying to do more aerobic exercise, grab a heavy object (barbell, dumbells, sandbag, sled) and get moving.
Check this sandbag vid out – a few have tried this at bootcamp and been shown a lesson about being tough!
—->(Click the pic to watch the vid!!!!)
I tell my clients and bootcampers often – you ve either got to do it harder….or do more. Seen as though I ( and no doubt you too?) don’t want to be training night and day every day – Just choose the first one!
Oh yeah………
I mentioned in last weeks blog post about The Biggest Loser competition, and also Andrea losing 26.92% of her bodyweight in 24 weeks on a 3-5 hours of exercise per week. The biggest loser contestants train in a group. Coincidence? Nope.
We know that they get better results training together. Andrea trained with her sister for 90% of the time she was trying to lose a serious amount of weight. Coincidence? I’ll let you decide.
John
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