BodytorqueBlog

The truth about herbalife

2013-03-31T07:36:00.002-07:00

Chris Tomlinson explains all :

Lets clear a few things up about the new herbalife craze. Firstly it is complete BULLSHIT. Heres why :

I think its around £120 for a starter kit. In that kit you get 'slimming tea' which you could get green tea for £1. Mulitivitamins, again £1 from anywere. 2 x 1kg protein shakes, you could buy for around £20 each & protein bars, could buy for around £12-£15. All in all your paying £120 for products that you can buy for £57.00. Herbalife use mass advertising and sales reps to increase there product price so you pay for the name and the cost of there advertising. Herbalife reps are trained salemen to convince you they have the best product. But ask yourself this, are are they completely impartial? Its really nice of them to give you this information free of charge? if you just answered yes to any of those questions, you are a FOOL! Herbalife works on the same way any reps work, through COMMISION! Yes, they make money from selling there product to you! The herbalife diet consists of 1 meal per day, 1 shake per day and 1 protein bar which totals to around a max of 1000 calories. As an example, for super rapid weight loss i could recommend a water diet! You drink 2 litres of water per day, I charge you £10 for this water ( even though you can buy it from the supermarket for 50p ) but your paying for the 'water diet', you consume NO food or calories per day! Due to your body consuming no calories it has no choice but to eat itself which leads to rapid weight loss. Amazing right? WRONG! When the average man needs up to 2000 calories and woman around 1500 for body functions to work (lungs,heart ect) this is massively unhealthy! When you stop the herbalife 'diet' (or any sort of huge calorie restricting diet) your weight will rapidly increase and often go higher than it was before. Good clean eating and hard exercise is the key, its healthy to lose 2/3lb of weight per week and be able to keep it off. Hope this clears a few things up guys! Rant over :)

Training Myths

2013-02-27T10:48:00.007-08:00

Ok let's dispell a few myths.

Pilates gives you long lean muscles FALSE, you cannot lengthen a muscle through exercise it's insertion points are determined at birth via your genetics and leaness comes via a calorie deficit diet.

I want to "tone up" the word tone is derived from the word tonus which is Greek for non flaccid, you want to improve your muscle tone, then you need to Strength train with weights this applys for men and women.
I want to reduce the fat on my stomach I'll do lots of sit ups to burn off the fat. WRONG! You cannot spot reduce fat stores as how they are deposited and stored is purely genetic. Fat loss is about eating less then you will begin to tap into your fat stores, exercise burns little in the way of calories. The abdominal muscles should be trained the same as any other muscle (if at all) and that's with low force high intensity weight training.

I like to do cardio for fitness. Firstly health and fitness are not connected you can both healthy but not fit and the other way round. Cardio is simply short for cardiovascular which means your heart and lungs, whenever you engage in a form of cardio exercise your muscles are performing mechanical work which then engages the metabolic process of your heart and lungs, however high intensity low force weight training will also force your muscles to perform mechanical work but at a much higher level and therefore your heart and lungs will become engaged and forced to work that much harder, therefore you will derive all the neccesary cardiovascular benefit from it without the need to perform additional exercise which is simply counterproductive.

Paul Marsland

Womens Weight Training

2013-01-15T10:05:00.001-08:00

Hi guys,

I've spoken to a few of my clients and members over the past week about starting a Womens Strength & Conditioning class, so i thought i would give you a bit of information about the benefits and the myths that come with it.

Heres a couple of quick points.
- Doing weights WILL NOT turn you into the incredible hulk! Bodybuilders work for years to get where they are with a high calorie diet and bodies full of testosterone.
- Regular weight training will help to gain strength and tone muscles to get that beach body you have always wanted.
- Weight training will help to improve posture for people who have mainly lower back problems for example an inward curve on the lower part of your back known as Lordosis.

Now heres a couple of questions I get asked regularly with some easy to understand answers

"I only exercise to lose weight” and "I only exercise to get thinner. I can burn far more calories doing light cardiovascular work than heavy lifting, shouldn't I just stick to the treadmill?"

While cardiovascular exercise is a great way of burning fat, adding a little strength training to workouts will earn you extra calories every day. You’ll even be burning extra calories while you’re sleeping or sat on the couch watching eastenders.

Research has shown that regular resistance training can increase your Basal metabolic rate by up to 15%. So for someone burning 2000 calories per day, that’s a potential 300 extra calories (more than a mars bar), burned every day.

Do not be dishearten if at first you do not lose a great amount of weight or gain slightly.

Muscle weighs more per square inch than fat, so whilst your weight might not be dropping off very quickly, your clothes will be feeling baggier, you are feeling healthier, more energetic and looking slimmer in the mirror.

"Is weight training right for women? I loved Terminator, but being 5ft6 and female I'm not sure Arnie's muscles would suit me."

Right, this is a big myth I would like to clear up! A lot of women are under the idea that if they use weights they will become muscularly or manly. This is defiantly not the case! Weight training is just as suitable for women as it is for men. Testosterone is a very important factor in the development of muscle growth, so as women have very very low levels of this hormone their muscles develop differently, meaning resistance training will not lead to a bulky, butch physique!

"How can weight training make me healthier?"

Recent research has shown that weight (resistance) training can greatly reduce a number of health risks.

It has been proven to have a positive effect on insulin, resting metabolism, blood pressure, body fat and gastrointestinal transit time, factors that are linked to illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

I hope this clears up a few things for all the women out there! The womens S&C will be starting at Bodytorque Gym on Wednesday 23rd January! First class is completely FREE, so what have you got to lose?

Written by: Emma Rushton

The 2 MOST effective training methods!

2012-10-29T03:30:00.000-07:00

Two of the most effective training methods i believe that get results quick and make athletes get in shape and prepared for events are, Interval training and Giant sets..

Interval training is based on how much effort and athlete can sustain over a distance or set time, an example of this is the 100m sprint as the athlete gives as much effort as possible to achieve a good time.

Interval training have lots of benefits consisting of;

Increased metabolism, If you up the intensity of the workout through alternating cardio and muscle moves, and you increase excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. This is what i call “after burn.” Resistance training builds metabolism-boosting muscle while cardio makes the fat over the muscle disappear. After your workout you will continue to burn more calories because your body is still in shock and this will cause it to burn calories over the 24 hour period.

Improved Anaerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity is how long your body can perform without oxygen while exercising at such a high intensity, for example a benefit of improved anaerobic capacity is improved vo2 and this how much oxygen you can inhale in one breath, the more oxygen in the muscles while exercising can have improve your rep range and posture throughout the exercise.

Stimulating muscle growth, To maximize growth in muscle mass and strength, exercise must stimulate the Type II, or fast-twitch, muscle fibers. This means for accomplishing high-intensity, low-volume resistance training it will stimulate muscles to grow.

Giant sets are 4 different exercises performed after each order without any rest to maximize effects on the body depending on what your goals are. Example may be a person wants to gain muscle mass they will do heavy weights on a specific muscle, do between 8-12 reps and 4 different exercises in order to gain results a lot quicker than normal 10 reps with a rest and a chat to mates in-between.

benefits are;

It helps you maintain a quick pace during your workout which is an aid to cardiovascular training.

Cuts down on your valuable time by allowing you to complete your workout faster.

Helps you attack the targeted muscle group in a new and effective way.

Effective way to gain results depending on goals.

Thanks for reading,

Ian McCowan
Personal Trainer

www.bodytorquegym.com

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Get motivated - Lose 2 stone by christmas!

2012-10-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys,

Who wants to fit into a jean size smaller for christmas? Want to fill out your tshirt sleeves?
Continue to read to find out how!

Yes, its Chris again, yappering on about motivation! Ive noticed recently since the dark nights have moved upon us that the gym is becoming less and less busy! Especially with the women! (not all women, but a large percentage)

It seems that as soon as the bikini's and vests have gone away for another year the majority of the population fails to get into the gym mindset. What they are lacking is short term goals to focus on. Throughout the summer, you may have a holiday to look forward to, therefore have the NEED for that bikini body on the beach. Why not set yourself goals throughout the other seasons aswell? Setting these goals will keep you motivated to continue on your weight loss/fitness/muscle gain path!

Christmas isnt a time to throw your hard earned gains out of the window! Its a time to continue your path. At christmas, many of see friends and family we may not have seen since last christmas! Wouldnt it be great to show off all your years hard work? On the pull at your works night out? Reap the benefits of your new found sexy body!

Let me break it down to a managable equation;

Theres around 9 weeks till Christmas. If you follow my recommended guideline of losing 2lb/3lb per week, thats up to 27lbs you could lose by christmas. Thats just over 12kg or just under 2 stone.

Now some of you may think this is rediculous and im exagerating the figures but on average
my clients and our bodytorque members continuously lose a minimum of 2lb per week. This is through a combination of good nutrition (NOT DIETING) and consistant exercise!

AND YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

All you need to do is email info@bodytorque.org.uk to find out how you can start your journey!

OR sign up to our FREE newsletter with diet tips, training plans, special offers and up and coming events >>>>>>> http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?llr=lckm48kab&p=oi&m=1111187925067

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Posture

2012-10-15T02:12:00.001-07:00

Posture varies within different people and is influenced but many factors such as hereditary, job, habits and personality. Other things that could affect posture could be shoes and clothing.

Good posture is important as it:

-Allows full range of movement

-Improves physical appearance

-Keeps muscle action to a minimum thereby conserving energy and reducing fatigue

-Reduces the risk of injuries

- Helps the body's systems to function correctly.

Poor posture may have the following effects on the body:

- Produces alterations in the body's function and movement

-Wastes energy

-Increases fatigue

-Increases the risk of backache and headaches

-Impairs breathing

-Increases the risk of muscular, ligament or joint injury

-Affects circulation

-Affects digestion

-Gives poor physical appearance

There are 3 postural defects that you can get or be born with these are:

Kyphosis

- This is an abnormally increased inward curvature of the thoracic spine. The back appears round as the shoulders point forward and the head moves forward. There pectorals muscles become tight with this condition.

Lordosis

- This is an abnormally increased inward curvature of the lumbar spine. With this condition the pelvis tilts forward and the back is hollow, the abdomen and bum protrude and the knees may become hyperextended. Typical problems that occur with this condition are tightening of the back muscles followed by weakening of the abdominal muscles. Hamstring problems are also common because the anterior tilt of the pelvis. Increased weight gain or pregnancy may cause or make this condition worse.

Scholiosis

- This is a lateral curvature of the vertebral column, either to the left or right side. The signs of this condition include unequal leg length, distortion of the rib cage, unequal position of the hips or shoulders and curvature of the spine.

Exercises that can help kyphosis are:
- Rows, they will help to strengthen the back muscles and help you stand straight

- Weight exercises involving standing, sitting or lying, straight arm lifts (on the stomach) and pull backs

- Yoga is good for helping kyphosis as they loosen the muscles of the chest. Poses such as locust pose sphinx, cobra, cat and cow pose.

Lordosis:

The pelvic tilt position is the opposite of an arched back. If practiced daily, it can help correct a lordotic posture. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, tilt the lower part of your pelvis from the floor, forming a hollow bowl between your pelvis and your navel. Perform about 20 repetitions daily

The stability ball bridge strengthens your gluteal muscles. Since the ball is an unstable object, it requires deep core activation. As such, this exercise will work your butt and your deep abdominal muscles. Lie on your back with your calves draped over the ball. Begin with the pelvic tilt. Then, squeeze your butt until you are in a bridge position. As you roll down, try to feel each vertebra touch the floor. Make sure that the lower back touches the floor before the pelvis. Perform 12 repetitions every day

Strengthening your abdominal muscles is essential for correcting spinal lordosis. Performing your crunches on a stability ball will make use of your deeper abdominal muscles. Position yourself on the ball so that you butt, lower back and mid-back are against the ball's surface. Rest your fingers at the edge of your head. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, curl your upper torso so that your rib cage moves toward your pelvis. Perform 20 repetitions daily.

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Lift both legs from the floor, and draw your knees to your chest. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Then, lower one heel to the floor. Keep the opposite knee close to your chest. Slide the other heel along the floor until the leg is straight. Keep your back flat on the floor the entire time. Perform eight repetitions on each leg.

Scholiosis:
-

To perform arm/leg extensions, sit on a chair, or better yet, use an exercise ball. Sit straight up. Extend your left arm and lift your right leg straight up; hold for three seconds then switch sides. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
To perform back extensions, use an exercise ball. Kneel on a mat and relax your upper body over the ball. Lift your arms straight out to your sides, hold for five seconds, and relax. Repeat 10 to 15 times

Writter - Emma Rushton

Our website : www.bodytorquegym.com

Email : Info@bodytorque.org.uk

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Most important meal of the day, but why do we skip it?

2012-10-09T03:43:00.001-07:00

Okay guys going to get up monthly blogs about nutrition! I want to get as much views and feedback as possible to learn about your own diets to see see where I will help.

Research studies indicate that children who eat breakfast perform better on cognitive tests and in school. It also works that way for adults too since our brains need fuel to work properly every day.

Skipping breakfast is a common ‘strategy’ for people who are trying to ‘lose weight’, but unfortunately, it's usually not a successful strategy. Your body (or more likely, your brain) expects to be refuelled a few times each day. When you don't eat breakfast you may feel so hungry by lunch time that you eat more foods than you normally would, which cancels out the calories you cut by skipping breakfast. You may also be tempted to choose foods that are not the healthiest choices when you feel like you're starving.

For many people, eating breakfast is an important part of a weight loss diet. Research studies tell us that people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. Some experts believe that breakfast keeps your metabolism running higher because skipping meals causes the body to kick into 'starvation' mode. This sounds impressive, but it really isn't what happens! It takes three or four days of eating nothing before the body starts gearing down your metabolism. It's more likely that people who regularly eat breakfast also make good dietary choices the rest of the day.

Heres some healthy examples of breakfasts;

· Banana porridge

Porridge made with water and topped with natural yogurt, banana, raisins and sweetened with honey.

· Fruit salad with yogurt and oats

Fresh fruit salad with natural yogurt and a sprinkling of oats.

· Fresh fruit smoothie

Fruit smoothie made from fresh fruit, natural yogurt.

· Muesli and yogurt

Homemade muesli made from oats, seeds, nuts and dried fruit served with natural yogurt.

· Boiled eggs with tomatoes

Boiled eggs with tinned tomatoes

Eating breakfast should be the most important meal of the day! Follow the old golden rule, Breakfast like a king, Lunch like a queen and Dinner like a Peasant!

Thanks for reading, I hope you found it interesting.

Writter - Connor Doherty

Our website : www.bodytorquegym.com

Email : Info@bodytorque.org.uk

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Are you fighting fit?

2012-10-01T03:36:00.001-07:00

In's and out's of training for a pro thai boxing fight.

Getting told you have a fight (event) coming up, its good news but you also realise that there is a long road of training and countless hours in the gym before you step in the ring.

Preparing your own training programme can be good but you also know that you will set it to what you do comfortably. I try to set my training programme with hard and both easy sessions for the long 10 weeks. These consist of strength & conditioning sessions at Bodytorque and also technique at kirkby thai, all to improve my performance in then ring. Nutrition is also a major part of training as you can train as hard as you want but if you eat rubbish, you will gain fat and lack in performance because you are not getting key vitamins and minerals to the body what you will need to perform.

Starting the long training for the fight always begins with checking weight and constant monitoring throughout. Each day consisting of at least 1 hard session. There is times during training when you just want a moment to sit down have some water and relax a second but you always think 'is my opponent training this hard' and 'hes not going to let me rest in the fight', that what thrives you to carry on and push a few more repetitions out. After a couple of weeks the fight is getting closer and the nerves are kicking in abit more, you feel uneasy, cant sleep at night and you don't feel like eating. Then you end up having a poor session, you feel bad, you are stressed out and cannot concentrate.

Last 3 weeks of the fight left, your body's tired, you have cravings for junk food, all your friends are asking you to go and party and your having tempting thoughts about going out and maybe having a chippy. This is where it starts getting mentally tough, your itching to go out with the lads, watch the football and have a laugh with a few beers, your getting peer pressured into having one but you have to think 'I have came all this way why ruin it?'

after saying no, all your friends are off out to town and your off out on a jog. determination and will power kicks in now and this is where the real battle begins.

Last 2 weeks of the fight you start thinking alot about your opponent and what is he going to do? So your practising strategies and improving technique. Throughout the time of training I get sports therapy massages from Emma Rushton at Bodytorque, this is to stimulate recovery, deep tissue repair, muscle growth and flexibility. I also get full diet guidance from Connor Doherty on how to find foods what will improve my endurance, recovery rate and not leave me feeling sluggish.

Its now fight week. Nerves are really kicking in, you become nervous and worried about what your opponent can do to you and the outcome of the fight, you switch off from everything and the fight is what is on your mind, nothing else. Weighing in is scary because you are worried about weight and also you get to see what you opponent looks like and there build, height and reach you take in to consideration. After the weigh in you re-hydrate, eat an get a good nights sleep and become focused on what you are going to do to and get in there and go for the win. Achieve what you never thought you could do 10 weeks ago.

Thanks for reading,

Writer - Ian mccowan

Our website : www.bodytorquegym.com

Email : Info@bodytorque.org.uk

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Nutritional Timing for athletic performance

2012-09-03T02:59:00.001-07:00

Nutritional timing for athletic performance

Recommended per day
1 litre of water per 50lb of bodyweight
1g of protein per 1lb of bodyweight
1g of carbohydrate will provide 4kcal of energy
At least 5 different portions of fruit and veg per day, the more colours in your diet the better.

Before training

Hydration - drink 450ml up to 2 hours before. Kidneys need 60-90 minutes to process excess liquid, so this will be excreted before the event/activity, leaving you hydrated without excess water. Too much excess fluid taken immediately before an activity may cause 'sloshing' in the stomach.

Drink 110-225ml, 5-10 minutes before activity. This will be available to replace sweat.

Energy - 1g of carbohydrates will provide 4kcal of energy. Around 2 hours before exercise you should be consuming a balanced meal of roughly 400/500 calories to provide you with enough energy to complete your training session. You should be aiming for low-glycemic foods such as brown rice, brown pasta for a slow releasing energy release.

During training

Hydration - ideally try to take small sips of water every few minutes. This will keep you fully hydrated during your training. You should be aiming to consume up to litre of water per hour of exercise. If exercising at a hard pace for longer than 60 minutes you will benefit from drinks containing a small amount of sugar. A 4-8% solution of sugar in water. As glycogen stores are depleted, there is greater reliance on blood sugar levels, these drinks can provide this fuel and will enhance endurance and performance.

After training

Arguably the most important phase of nutrition timing.

Hydration - continue to drink your water and rehydrate. Also during exercise and sweating the body loses minerals (electrolytes) such as potassium and sodium that help your body function properly. Sports drinks are designed to leave the stomach quickly to replace these minerals.

Recovery - the body can only consume between 20-30g of protein at any one time depending on bodyweight. I recommend a fast acting whey protein to be taken immediately after exercise, or at least within 10 minutes of completing exercise. I recommend this as your body is in a state of muscular shock it will not be able to break down and absorb any solid protein in a quick enough time. After showering and getting home your body will have relaxed into a more restful state, a balanced meal of protein, carbs and veg would be ideal. High glycemic carbohydrates will replace glycogen stores in your muscles providing adequate energy for recovery. Vegetables will also provide the essential links to react the chemical reactions to facilitate the synthesis of carbohydrates and protein.

Writter - Connor Doherty

For more info on nutrition or taylor made specific diet plans please contact me on connordoherty@bodytorque.org.uk

Sports Therapy

2012-08-28T06:09:00.001-07:00

What is Sports therapy?

Sports therapy consists of different things from massage to light rehabilitation.

Massage & rehab can help athletes get back to being in top form from injury. Injury prevention therapy is also, if not more, important. Muscle strains, muscle tightness and little niggles can all be assisted through massage to improve recovery time so you can continue your sport at 100% performance. Pre/post event massage can be proven in a number of studys to benefit athletes in competition and aid in recovery.

Not only is sports therapy good for athletes, we also help a number of general gym goers in there battle to get fit.

If you have become injured, or leave a muscle strain and continue to train, trust me, YOU WILL REGRET IT. Your problem will not just go away, it will get worse and worse untill it could leave you with a permanant injury. Speak to me for a free consultation to see if I can help. At Bodytorque we are now offering sports massage and relaxation massages. You do not need to be a member to take advantage of this service.

Until friday 7th of september I am offering a limited amount of FREE massages and therapy consultations. To find out more info email me on emmarushton@bodytorque.org.uk

Thanks for reading,

Writter - Emma Rushton, Sports Therapist and Personal Trainer

Our website : www.bodytorquegym.com

Email : Info@bodytorque.org.uk

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RawFit IS BACK! Bodyweight challenge!

2012-08-24T07:20:00.001-07:00

Dates and details have been CONFIRMED!

The theme of the event will be BODYWEIGHT STRENGTH

Everyone will be weighed upon arrival. From then there will be 5 events!

1. Bench press (with equivalent bodyweight on the bar)
2. Squats (with equivalent bodyweight on the bar)
3. Wide Grip Pull ups (with equivalent bodyweight on the bar)
4. Bodyweight Gymnastic Dips
5. Rope climbs

Points will be alocated at the end of each event and totalled at the end.

£15 to enter, including a FREE RawFit tshirt, refreshments and insurance.

Winners and runner up prizes are :

1st place - Winners gold trophy + 6 months gym & classes membership to Bodytorque - Institute of Physical performance (worth £180)

2nd place - Runner up silver trophy + 1 months gym & classes membership to Bodytorque
- Institute of physical performance (worth £90)

All competitors will recieve a free RawFit tshirt and water/energy drinks on the day

Apply now by emailing application@rawfitevents.com

Focus, visualisation, and positive attitude.

2012-08-10T02:08:00.000-07:00

Right guys, I just wanted to talk to you about the importance of positive attitude and the impact it can have on your life. Now positive attitude can come in many shapes and forms, but its about being happy in whatever you. The glass is always half full, not empty. Catch my drift?

Theres a number of benefits for positive thinking; a healthier fitter life, life expectancy increased, reduction of stress and success in your career.

Positive attitude can help boost your immune system, to in turn help you live longer, especially when dealing with viral infections and some forms of cancer, found a 2007 study performed by the Department of Psychology at the University of Kentucky and published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity

Now lets move onto a BIG one now, FOCUS & VISUALISATION. As mentioned last time in my article about motivation, this is paramount. To want to achieve any sort of goal, whether in health and fitness or your career, you must focus and visualise your end result and the steps to get you there.

Lets look at this from a weight loss perspective, in the long term you may have an idol in your head you would love to look like. For example, ive recently had alot of female clients tell me they would love to look like olympic gold medalist Jessica Ennis. Now alot of surrounding factors tell them they will never look like this. Why not? With hard training, good diet and focus ANYTHING is achievable. Remember, these olympic athletes are not born great, they work hard and continue to push themselves to reach their goals, so why dont you?

Again, lets break this down even furthur and look more short term. Each session my clients enter the gym, I tell them to be work hard but more importantly stay positive. If I ask them to perform something specifically challeging, I want them to think, I CAN DO THIS, I WILL DO THIS. Think about the end result and its through this hard work they will achieve there end result. This focus and visualisation is what will help you to complete the task instead of thinking, I cant do this and crubbling on the floor. Its this drive and motivation that will stop you having that cheeky pint at the weekend, or kebab 'to reward yourself' after a tough week. Reward yourself when you reach the result you want! Not half way through!

Like I mentioned in the previous post, FIND MOTIVATION ANYWERE YOU CAN, look for it, search for it and always stay FOCUSED.

Writter - Chris Tomlinson

Our website : www.bodytorquegym.com

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Motivation

2012-07-27T01:58:00.001-07:00

How important is motivation?
To us at Bodytorque motivation is the number 1 ingredient for training! Knowledge of exercises, diet and training means nothing without it. Without motivation, will you leave work after a long hard day to then go to the gym and actually train hard? Will you still put your running trainers on and go out in the rain? Will you lift that extra rep?

Now dont get me wrong, we all struggle for motivation at times, Ive been fairly quiet on this blog recently as Ive had nothing to motivate me to write, BUT...A few of my clients have forwarded me articles this week that have kept them motivated and in turn inspired me to write this. Its about finding your own motivation & drive to reach a goal that you desire. Keeping focused until you achieve what you set out for and then continue to keep going! I can motivate all of my clients to a certain extent, but the real drive and commitment needs to come from within, a deep desire to achieve a certain goal.

Now for me, I find great motivation from videos such as this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6krLeYduBY

What these athletes can do, even though disabled, is amazing! Feel motivated? What have you done this week to push your boundaries or take a step closer to your goals?

Here is a great article that one of my clients emailed me this morning, definately taking 2 minutes to read : http://thedailylove.com/do-you-know-what-time-it-is/

Catching my drift?

Motivation isnt just something that happens, you need to look for it, find it, fuel your desire and reach your goal! Its about focusing on the next stage, taking one step at a time and always moving forward. Nobody can do it for you, ITS UP TO YOU!
Thanks for reading, I hope Ive inspired a few of you. Instead of waiting for tomorrow, or monday to come round to rejoin the gym, JOIN TODAY! The time is now! If you found our article interesting please share it with friends, family and collegues to inspire them too!

Our website : www.bodytorquegym.com

Email : Info@bodytorquegym.com

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Suspension Training

2012-07-13T03:19:00.001-07:00

The term suspension training refers to an approach to fitness training that uses a system of ropes and webbing called a "suspension trainer" to allow the user to work against their own body weight.

Suspension exercise offers a new form of training for people of all abilities. It allows you to leverage your own bodyweight with gravity to develop strength, balance, flexibility, and joint stability simulaneously.

By suspending your body against gravity you create dynamic resistance, allowing you to use gravity to target any muscle in the human body.
By changing the angle and thereby increasing or decreasing the resistance, you can find your optimal resistance point. The more horizontal you are, the more you are lifting.
Suspended bodyweight training forces your body to engage your core and stabilizer muscles, resulting in a more flexible, symmetrical and complete workout.

We have put together a video at Bodytorque to showcase just a few exercises for a full body workout.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqUSr27B5Ps&feature=plcp

Chest flies

Reverse back flies

Bicep Curls

Tricep extensions

Squats

Torso Twists

Shoulder Press

Plank / Half Plank

Spider Man Ab Crunches

Alternate leg ab crunches

Hamstring Curls

Our website : www.bodytorque.org.uk

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Dietery Supplements

2012-07-02T03:52:00.000-07:00

Now although a lot of you out there are using these in your everyday diet, some of you still don’t know why your using them or what they are for and only take them for the simple fact that the big guy on the free weights recommended them or the skinny girl on the treadmill is using them. Today I’m going to clear up a few fact, myths and dangers behind some of the most popular supplements.

Firstly, supplements are not to be used instead of elements of your diet. For example, because you are using a protein shake, don’t use this instead of eating chicken. The clue is in the name ‘supplement’, in definition means adding, so therefore just adding to your diet, not replacing. On a macronutrient level it is much better quality of nutrients in good well produced food rather than supplements. There are many different reasons for people to use supplements, a few of these include, poor diet, poor appetite, vegetarian, recovery but in my career most people are taking them only from recommendation from somebody else, or heard they should be taking it.

Protein powders – remember your body can only absorb roughly 30g of protein at any one time, protein powders boasting high amounts of protein is unnecessary as a lot of it will be wasted or converted into fat.

Whey protein – this is the most common protein many of you will have heard of. Whey protein is the best protein to have post exercise within 15 minutes to rebuild muscle tissue as it is fast acting and quickly absorbed.

Casein protein – This is one you may not have heard of but still a great supplement. Casein protein is a slow releasing protein which is not absorbed quickly like whey, this means it is great as a shake before bed as it will slowly continue to feed your body and muscle growth throughout the night.

Blend proteins – This is also another great protein as it has the best of both, fast and slow releasing proteins which make it good if budget is tight.

Weight gainers – As a product these weight gainers normally contain high amounts of calories for athletes such as bodybuilders as it can be difficult for them to eat the amounts of calories needed for their muscle growth. Many people use these as a ‘quick fix’ to get big but many end up with excess body fat due to incorrect training. When mixed with a good diet and good training some good muscle gains can be made.

Creatine – This is a popular supplement among gym goers and fitness enthusiasts as it appears to show great gains. Firstly rapid muscle growth, this is not necessarily muscle. Creatine has a great water retention ability to make your muscles appear bigger. Secondly, creatine is a natural substance that is already produced by your body for your explosive energy system. Creatine is only active in the muscles for 1 – 3 seconds for a lift before having to wait for it to fill the muscles again. So, good for explosive power lifters, not good for the average gym goer trying to gain lean muscle. Also creatine in excess has proven in the past to have detrimental side effects damaging the liver.

Fat burners – although these tablets will burn fat, they can be extremely dangerous to your health. They work by raising your heart rate to elevated levels using stimulants such as caffeine, this is extremely bad for your heart as it is not designed to be under pressure for consistant long periods of time. Users have reported side effects such as, chest pains, stomach cramps, headaches and tingling in fingers and toes.

Multivitamins - Eating enough food that will supply your body with the recommended daily value of nutrients your body needs is possible. Although we all know this can be difficult if you’re on the go. A good multivitamin will have your RDA to allow you to recover, boost your immune system and help your body to function.

Our website : www.bodytorque.org.uk

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What is Strength & Conditioning?

2012-06-08T04:41:00.003-07:00

So guys, I know we bang on about this quite alot and its importance but we have only recently realised that we havnt really explained the concept of S&C to you.

Strength & Conditioning at Bodytorque helps athletes and non athletes alike to become, faster, stronger, fitter and generally better at their chosen sport.

Scientists specializing in exercise have identified nine elements that comprise the definition of fitness. The following lists each of the nine elements and an example of how they are used:

• Strength – the extent to which muscles can exert force by contracting against resistance (holding or restraining an object or person)
• Power – the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movements (jumping or sprint starting)
• Agility – the ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing directions (zigzag running or cutting movements)
• Balance – the ability to control the body’s position, either stationary (e.g. a handstand) or while moving (e.g. a vault or gymnastics stunt)
• Flexibility – the ability to achieve an extended range of motion without being impeded by excess tissue, i.e. fat or muscle (executing a leg split). Flexibility can be further broken down into: static passive, dynamic and static active
• Local Muscle Endurance – a single muscle’s ability to perform sustained work
• Cardiovascular Endurance – the heart’s ability to deliver blood to working muscles and their ability to use it (running long distances)
• Strength Endurance – a muscle’s ability to perform a maximum contracture time after time (continuous explosive rebounding through an entire basketball game)
• Coordination – the ability to integrate the above listed components so that effective movements are achieved.

Conditioning by definition is the bodies ability to work easily and/or with lessened stress while performing a chosen activity. Example: When you learn to do something new it can often be difficult and uncomfortable, but the more you persist at it the easier it becomes, until it is a task that can be carried out with ease or almost instinctively.

All energy systems are to all be trained equally for a good rounded level of fitness in sport. We will go into a little more detail in our next post.

Our Strength & conditioning class’s at Bodytorque provide perfect training for all of these catagories and elements of fitness. If you really want to step up your tempo of training with qualified experienced coaches then why not come and try one of our classes for FREE? Please contact us at info@bodytorque.org.uk quoting BodytorqueBlogS&C.

Classes are £5 for non members and are on :

Tuesday at 6pm

Friday at 7.30pm

Our website : www.bodytorque.org.uk

Email : Info@bodytorque.org.uk

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Tony Moran trains for CFC light heavyweight title

2012-06-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

We would just like to apologise for the delay in any blog posts recently, we'v been really busy with a number of different athletes for numerous competition in the next month or 2. One of these athletes is Tony Moran.

Before taking up mixed martial arts, Tony was a professional boxer who fought for World, Commonwealth and British titles, even competing in three bouts which were named in the top ten fights of their respective year.
Moran took this experience to the cage and has now carved out a successful career in MMA, using his outstanding striking game and reach to defeat a plethora of opponents. Whilst he may be known for his devastating combinations and headkicks, Moran is no slouch on the ground either and is comfortable wherever the fight may go.
Former training partners Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Michael Bisping, Cheick Kongo and Tom Blackledge all speak highly of Moran and fully expect him to do well at the highest level.

Pro Record: 9-3-0
Height: 6ft 7″ (200cm)
Weight: 205lbs (93kg)

Tony has been with us for a while now working in his aerobic training phase keeping him at a good base fitness ticking over waiting for fight dates. Now he has a tough opponent in former UCMMA heavyweight champion Ben Smith for the CFC light heavyweight title on June 30th.

We have now stepped up Tonys training to encorporate more explosive work to train his anaerobic energy systems. Exercises such as explosive pull ups, press ups with claps and tyre flips.

He is working each exercise directly after one another for 5/6 minutes, to replicate the demands of an MMA fight round. He then has 1 minute rest before repeating a furthur 2 rounds. Were doing this with Tony 3 times per week and another 2 sessions per week focused entirely on cardio respiratory training including hill sprints, interval sprints and fartlek training,

Tony is a great fighter and great guy. Sacrifices alot, like many other fighters, to chase his dream and we are confident we can help him achieve his goal.

Our website : www.bodytorque.org.uk

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Heavyweight prospect Paul Taylor trains for challenging fight

2012-05-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Background

Pro Record: 2-2-0
Height: 5ft 10″ (178cm)
Weight: 250lbs (113kg)

A heavyweight fighter from Birmingham, Paul “The Terror” Taylor started his career in mixed martial arts by jumping in at the deep end. With a professional record of just 1-1, Taylor stepped up and faced a huge challenge in UFC fighter Jeff Monson.
Even though Taylor lost the fight, he earned the respect of everybody in the MMA community with his resilient performance.

Since the fight with Monson, Taylor has joined Bodytorque affiliate Sapphire MMA. Bodytorque have also taken responsibily of Pauls Strength and Conditioning to sponsor him for his next fight fight against Scott Saward at UCMMA.

Training

Pauls currently training 3 times a day to keep well rounded in all aspects of his game. 1 of these sessions is the responsibility of Bodytorque to make sure Paul is at his most explosive and conditioned peak on the day of the fight.

Even though Paul was already very fit and explosive before he came to us, we have been using numerous techniques to improve his ability as a fighter.

As a warm up we start Paul off with gentle jogging and then move him onto some light footwork drills on the agility ladder to keep this heavyweight fighter light on his feet.

After Paul is fully warmed and stretched we start him off on his circuit. Each station is 45 seconds with no rest inbetween.

Battleropes are used as a great full body conditioning tool. Used for muscle endurance and interval cardiovascular training.

Barrel lifts and slams improve Pauls explosive power. He needs to squat, bring the barrel to his chest and then stand up to extend his arms before slamming the keg as hard as he can on to the tyre.

Squat Press - Increase strength and explosive power in pauls legs, hips, low back, abdominals, shoulders, and arms.

Tuck jumps holding a kettlebell. Great for Pauls cardio
and plyometric power on his legs

Double arm 28kg kettlebell swings - without going into to much detail this one of the best exercises any athelete can do and one we also recommend to every person that enters the gym. For great muscle endurance, power, strength, fat burning propertys and muscle stability this is one of the best exercises we recommend.

We finished off with Paul having to pull a small car for 100 yards as fast as he could, turn around and push it back as fast as he could. ! minute rest and repeat 2 more times. Added power and endurance on his legs will help with controlling his opponent and driving through him for takedowns.

With the fight being so close we are not pushing Paul for longer than he needs to as he has to be carefull to not burn out so close to his fight. The whole session will last 20 mins, only 5 minutes more than his fight time but is 100% effort for the full 20 minutes.

Paul is a great guy and great fighter, he has a fantastic work ethic and refuses to train anything less than 100% for his sessions. Were confident in Pauls ability as a fighter and look forward to helping him make his way to the top.

Our website : www.bodytorque.org.uk

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Glycemic Index and Exercise Performance

2012-05-15T03:26:00.000-07:00

When it comes to talking about carbohydrates and their role in enhancing performance, it seems all carbohydrates may not be the same. Even distinguishing between sugars and starches may not be enough. Glycemic index of a food represents how quickly a food is digested and how high your blood glucose (or blood sugar) will rise after you consume that food. The higher the glycemic index, the higher the rise in blood sugar. To accurately test the glycemic index of a food, one would need to ingest a small serving of a carbohydrate food, and then measure the glucose in the blood over a two hour period. The glycemic index is given in terms of a percentage. Pure glucose results in the highest glycemic index: 100%.

So, if a food results in a glycemic index of 80, this indicates that eating a small serving of that particular food results in a rise of blood sugar which is 80% as great as consuming the same amount of pure glucose. There are many factors that can influence the glycemic index of a food. These include: the structure of the carbohydrate, the absorption rate, what and when you ate previously, and other substances within that food, like the amount of protein and fat.

So, how can this affect athletic performance?

If athletes consume lower glycemic index foods throughout the day and up to 1 1/2 hours before sports activity, they might experience the following positive effects: 1) they might not have a drop in blood sugar prior to training/competition; 2) they might have a higher concentration of fat in the blood to use for energy which will then "spare" their muscle glycogen (stored carbohydrate); "sparing" muscle glycogen usually results in less fatigue and better performance. Conversely, consuming moderate to high glycemic index foods after exercise might help to promote muscle glycogen storage, which is good, since muscle glycogen is required for energy.

Here is a list of some high glycemic index foods (greater than 70%):

waffles, bagels, white bread, rice cakes, graham crackers, Cheerios, watermelon, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, carrots, jelly beans, Life Savers, honey.

Here are some moderate glycemic index foods (50% to 70%):

orange juice, Gatorade, rice, oatmeal, Grape Nuts, wheat crackers, whole wheat bread, pineapple, raisins, bananas, grapes.

Here is a list of some low glycemic index foods (less than 50%):

Whole meal pasta, peas, chick peas, lentils, baked beans, peanuts, pears, oranges, sweetened yogurt, apple juice, skim milk.

* depending on digestibility, low glycemic index foods may be able to be consumed up to 30-60 minutes before sports activity.

To Summarize: High glycemic index foods may enhance performance in athletes and can be useful during and after work-outs or competitions. Low glycemic index foods may be helpful prior to sports activity. However, research is controversial; so, high and low glycemic index foods may not be beneficial for all athletes. If student-athletes want to "experiment" with different types of carbohydrates, encourage them to do so during practices not competition.

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RawFit announces full details

2012-05-09T10:04:00.002-07:00

RawFit is an organised event to challenge all aspects of strength and fitness using uncoventional equipment and functional movements

They released this statement on facebook earlier today:

RAWFIT 2012 will be held at Bodytorque gym on 14th July 2012

There are currently 8 confirmed events to take place :
(Not in the day order)

1. 1.5 mile run best effort (Timed)
2. Pull ups (For reps in 1 minute)
3. Tyre Flips (For reps in 1 minute, different weights for male and female competitors)
... 4. Axle Clean & Press (For Reps in 1 minute, different weights for male and female competitors)
5. Car Pull/Push (Timed)
6. Keg Lifts onto a platform (Timed)
7. Wheel Barrow Sandbag Load (Timed)
8. Squat your on bodyweight on an olympic bar (For Reps)

Points will be allocated at the end of each event and the top 3 atheltes for male and female catagories will be awarded prizes.

Entry is £25 and will include refreshments, a FREE tshirt and insurance.

Anybody is welcome to apply for the competition although we do request a good level of strength and fitness

For details on how to apply just email Rawfitevents@hotmail.co.uk

To find RawFit on facebook and stay up to date as details are released just click on www.facebook.com/RawFitEvents

Muscle&Fitness Magazine visit Bodytorque

2012-05-07T10:14:00.000-07:00

Last week we welcomed a few new faces here at Bodytorque. This was expert Strength and Conditioning Coach Marco Mastrorocco (from Muscle&Fitness), professional photographer Brian Roberts and inner armour fight team manager Liam Axworthy . They had came to Bodytorque in order to write a number of different articles on fighter fitness for the magazine and the importance of athletic ability in a Mixed Martial Arts fight.

As Sapphire MMA's strength and conditioning facility a number of the professional fighters came along for a workout with Marco while he explained the importance of fitness for MMA.

Bodytorque owner Chris Tomlinson warmed up the team with some simple jogging, dynamic stretching and plyometrics to activate muscle fibres.
Marco then took the reigns, set up and explained his circuit. It revolved around a number of stations with alternate strength exercises or plyometric jumps for 5 minutes (mimicing the length of an mma round) Full details of the circuit will be described in the article.

Marco then set up 2 more different rounds and the strain began to show in the team as everyone continued to put in 100% effort

Bodytorque would just like to thank Marco for coming all the way to Liverpool and showing us some new effective techniques which we now incorporate into our own circuits! A great friendly man we would love to have him back anytime!

We would also like to thank Brian Roberts for all 2000 photos he took on the day (to be uploaded on the Bodytorque facebook page), Liam Axworthy for some promotional Jaco clothing and all the team that put the effort in and worked hard in the training.

Overall a great day that everyone enjoyed, look out for us in the next few articles of fighting talk in Muscle&Fitness magazine.

Our website : www.bodytorque.org.uk

Email : Info@bodytorque.org.uk

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REMEMBER - WINNERS FIND A WAY, LOSERS FIND AN EXCUSE, WHICH ARE YOU?

Thanks for reading, we would be very greatful if you could please spread this link to inform others how they could also better themselves!

5 easy to follow tips to pack on muscle mass

2012-04-30T02:09:00.001-07:00

1. Never train hungry

If you’re hungry, your body is already starting to eat your muscle in order to provide energy for your daily needs, training on top of this will only use up important muscle as energy for your workout.

2. The importance of protein

Consume a variety of whole eggs, chicken, lean beef, fish and milk throughout the day if possible for high quality (bioavailable) muscle building protein, rather than supplementing your diet with supplement protein shakes. To find out how much protein you should be consuming for muscle growth use the following formula

Bodyweight (kg) x 2 = ____ g of protein

3. Post workout static stretching

Always stretch when finishing your workout, your muscles are tight, what you want to do is get it back to normal size & elasticity before you leave the gym. To grow bigger muscle, the muscle will need to be stretched and flexible to continue for growth, not to mention could lead to poor posture. Even though stretching is not the fun part and is boring, the benefits are well worth the 10-15 minutes and will help you recover quicker, avoid injuries, increase your range of motion, increase flexibility, reduce muscle cramps plus many more benefits.

4. Compound lifts & hard training to increase testosterone

The compound lifts and training hard will cause your body to be placed under the most amount of stress, and this releases and promotes the most amount of testosterone production in your body thus increasing muscle growth. Compound lifts are movements that use multiple muscles, e.g bench press uses chest + triceps, lateral pull down, biceps + back.

5. Eating and calorie intake

In order for your muscles to grow, there needs to be a positive caloric expendidure in your body, meaning you need to eat more calories than your body is burning off for energy. 15 x your body weight in lb’s is the general rule. Eat protein and complex carbohydrates in every meal. Stick to whole grains, oats, brown rice and wholemeal bread for good carbs.

Our website : www.bodytorque.org.uk

Email : Info@bodytorque.org.uk

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REMEMBER - WINNERS FIND A WAY, LOSERS FIND AN EXCUSE, WHICH ARE YOU?

Thanks for reading, we would be very greatful if you could please spread this link to inform others how they could also better themselves!

Weight Management Tips

2012-04-22T07:20:00.001-07:00

Now after talking to a lot of you guys and asking you what you wanted us to write about, this was right at the top of the list, weight management tips that were easy to stick to but will still get results.

3 General rules for healthy lifestyle

1. Eat at least 6 quality small meals per day. Eating more meals per day increases the body's metabolism, gives you a constant flow of energy and reduces the likelihood of your body storing your food as fat.

2. Write everything down, having a visual diary of food habits can help break routine and help you see where you are going wrong. You are also less likely to eat bad foods if you know you have to write them down for someone to see.

3. Join a gym or hire a personal trainer with a friend, this has many benefits.
Foremost among these advantages are that you'll have a workout buddy, who can keep you motivated and keep you company while you get used to the gym environment and exercising regularly, and you'll save money because most gyms and personal trainers offer discounts when you train with a friend. Bodytorque offer personal training for only £15 per hour.

I’ve also came up with the 5 best top tips for both weight loss :

Weight loss

1. Sugar Free Chewing Gum

Chew gum or eat mints. The act of chewing is part of the digestive process which helps to simulate the process of eating. It has two main effects on you; it distracts you from your feeling of hunger and it makes your body believe that you are eating. The power of the mind mustn’t be understated here – if you convince your body that you are not hungry (through chewing gum or mints) then you will stop feeling hungry.

2. For dessert, fresh fruit or berries

After a meal I know a lot of you all crave something sweet, have just one portion of fruit will supply your body with good sugars and stop your craving for sweet food, stopping the temptation of cake or ice cream.

3. Drink a glass of water upon waking

The water you drink first think will kick start your metabolism for the day and also start your rehydration. We lose our hydration at night from breathing out moist air, sweating and digestion, so since we are not in taking any fluids while we sleep we become dehydrated.

4. High intensity training

The “Fat Burning Zone” shown on most cardio equipment as only 60%-65% of max heart rate is really a myth and is NOT optimal for burning fat. At higher intensities, you are burning far more fat. In addition, interval training allows you to exercise at very high intensities for a much longer period of time than steady state, so again you burn more fat. As an added bonus, there’s also an afterburn effect known as EPOC (excess-post exercise oxygen consumption) when using high intensity training. You burn more calories for up to 24 hours after interval training, whereas going for a slow steady jog burns very little.

5. Offer to be the 'designated driver'

If you go out for dinner and drinks with family and friends, offering to be the designated driver will save you hundreds of empty calories.
In addition to drinking fewer calories, you'll probably eat less as well because alcohol often makes us "let our guard down" and eat when we are no longer hungry.

GET FIT

HAVE FUN

FEEL GREAT

For anymore information on weight management or for a FREE 30 minute personal consulation please contact us through one of the following and quote 'BodytorqueBlog' :

Our website : www.bodytorque.org.uk

Email : Info@bodytorque.org.uk

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Thanks for reading, we would be very greatful if you could please spread this link to inform others how they could also better themselves!

What is Functional Fitness?

2012-04-13T05:19:00.000-07:00

The new big hype among fitness enthusiasts is functional strength and fitness. Now what do we mean by this? Functional strength and fitness is increased by mimicking real life situations with familiar equipment and working over different planes of movement. For example, a builder that’s used to knocking down walls with a hammer would have good muscle stability around the shoulder joint compared to somebody using a shoulder press machine. The shoulder is a ball and socket joint so therefore is designed to move on multiple planes of movement in circular motions rather than heavy weight on singular plane lifts. This can be replicated with Sledgehammer hits on a large tyre or kettlebell swings.

What are the benefits?

The movements promote muscle balance, joint stability and cardiac improvement. In comparison, though machines appear to be safer to use, they restrict movements to a single plane of motion, which is an unnatural form of movement for the body and may potentially lead to unbalanced muscles causing bad posture or injury.

In 2009 Exercise Physiologist Keith Spennewyn conducted research, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research which compared functional training to fixed variable training techniques, this was considered the first research of its type comparing the two methods of strength training.

Results of the study showed very substantial gains and benefits in the functional training group over fixed training equipment. Functional users had a 58% greater increase in strength over the fixed-form group. Their improvements in balance were 196% higher over fixed and reported an overall decrease in joint pain by 30%.

What equipment can be used?

There is a lot of equipment out there from a variety of shops but these can be costly. At Bodytorque, this is the specialty of the gym boasting a variety of equipment such as tractor tyres, kettlebells, kegs, battleropes, sandbags and sleds just to name a few.

To find out more about how Functional fitness can benefit you or to check the Bodytorque class timetable please contact us through any of the following to book yourself into a FREE trial class! :

Our website : www.bodytorque.org.uk

Email : Info@bodytorque.org.uk

Facebook : www.facebook.com/bodytorqueperformance

Twitter : @Bodytorquegym

Thanks for reading, we would be very greatful if you could please spread this link to inform others how they could also better themselves!

Strength and Conditioning For MMA

2012-04-01T13:48:00.001-07:00

What is Strength and Conditioning?

Here at Bodytorque we take average gym go'ers along with amatuer and professional fighters and turn them into fitter, faster, more explosive athletes! Through using unconventional training equipment such as beer kegs, tractor tyres, sledge hammers and battling ropes (plus much more) we create specific programs to give our fighters the power and endurance to WIN fights!

Strength and Conditioning for MMA is Vital
Strength and Conditioning for MMA is one of the most vital training aspects from beginning amateurs to seasoned pros. Take an average athlete who is training in MMA and has a decent skill set and compare them to someone with that same skill set except this second person is faster, stronger, more explosive, and has better endurance. Who’s going to win?

Strength and Conditioning Should be Year Round

Strength and Conditioning training should always be ongoing. Often times, mixed martial artists take breaks from training in between fights which is understandable, but the successful ones are always still in the gym keeping active. One of the best times to focus on strength and conditioning for mma is when you aren’t focused on training for an actual fight. Then when your 8 week fight camp finally does begin, you are already an athletically improved version of yourself.

Where Can I Do Strength and Conditioning?

Strength and Conditioning can be done at specialty facilities, such as Bodytorque, where classes are specifically planned to give fighters the winning edge over their opponents. (Location & timetable is on www.bodytorque.org.uk)

Strength and Conditioning Wins Fights!

Many fighters are unaware of the importance that strength and conditioning for mma plays in the success of their careers. Have you ever watched a fight where one fighter looks to be years ahead of the other fighter in terms of technique? They execute flawless takedowns, crisp striking, and beautiful near submission attempts. BUT, then the 3rd round rolls around and that fighter is gassed. They’ve got nothing left. Their arms and legs are full of lactic acid and their breathing is extremely labored. We’ve all seen it before, and this is where the fighter with the greater cardio, endurance and explosive power, due to strength and conditioning takes the fight over and comes out with the win/win bonus.

At Bodytorque we are currently training fighters from a number of gyms in the merseyside and working very closely with world GBH title holder Bryan Creighton, British flyweight title contender Mick Gerard, English Kickboxing champion Danny Horton and many other pro fighters such as Ian Entwistle, Mark Ryder and Declan Williams to name just a few.

Still skeptical? Still not convinced? To find out more about Strength and Conditioning and the Bodytorque class timetable please contact us through any of the following to book yourself into a FREE trial class! :

Our website : www.bodytorque.org.uk

Email : Info@bodytorque.org.uk

Facebook : www.facebook.com/bodytorqueperformance

Twitter : @Bodytorquegym

Thanks for reading, we hope to work with you very soon!