Your Quick Guide To Keeping Fit

Looking for personal trainer?

2009-12-27T18:11:00.000+08:00

If you are looking for a personal trainer to help you pass your NAPFA look no further! I have years of experience in helping people to keep fit and pass their fitness test. I have also gotten gold for all my IPPT.

I'm able to train 1 to 1 or in small groups. Training schedule and venue are flexible so you have no excuse to start training now! Drop me an email at ian.sgtrainer@gmail.com for more information and we can proceed from there.

How to get gold standard for your 2.4km IPPT run

2009-11-17T00:09:00.001+08:00

The 2.4km run is the toughest station for most, if not all guys taking the IPPT. The table below shows the timing you'll have to meet for different age categories.

To achieve the gold incentive of $400, you'll need a basic running fitness. Do not expect to hit the timing by running intensively for 1 month if you haven't been running for more than a year and your current 2.4km timing is more than 2 mins off the gold standard.

It'll be probably be better for you if you aim a slightly lower standard such as pass or silver and once you have achieved that target then slowly increase the training intensity.

2.4km - Aerobic and Anaerobic systems

Ever experienced those lactate-laded legs that wouldn't move during your 2.4km run? The 2.4km run combines the use of both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Anaerobic exercises means the muscles "burn" glucose "without oxygen". You will be tapping into your anaerobic system after 2 minutes or so.

The table above shows the anaerobic zone which is about 80-90% running effort. Unless you're a Olympic runner, you should be at your anaerobic zone when you're running your 2.4km under gold standards timing. The idea of training is to increase your anaerobic threshold (AT) so you will be able to achieve a better timing for your run.

What is Anaerobic Threshold?

The AT, also known as the lactate threshold, is the point where lactate (lactic acid) begins to accumulate in the bloodstream.

The AT varies from person to person, and, within a given individual, sport to sport. Untrained individuals have a low AT (approximately 55 % of VO2 max), and elite endurance athletes, a high AT (approx. 80 - 90% of VO2 max). You can train your body to remove lactate better and to juice up the aerobic mitochondrial enzymes, thus raising the AT.

How do you increase your Anaerobic Threshold?

You will need to do circuit training or Fartlek ("speed play" in Swedish). If your training is plain aerobic running for 45 minutes everyday, it will NOT help you to get gold. Fartlek will increase your AT and your body will be more adapted to removing lactate better which means you will reach the anaerobic zone at a later stage of your run. A good example of fartlek training is shown below.

Run 400m in 1:30min
Rest 1:30min
Repeat another 5 times
Total distance covered = 2.4km

You can adjust the timing accordingly, if 1:30min is too short you can increase it to 1:35min or 1:40min. The key objective is to meet the timing for every round of your interval training.

You can also try 800m intervals, or a 200m, 400m, 800m 400m, 200m pyramid. If you continually push yourself into a lactate burdened state it makes your body adapt. The fartlek is a high intensity training and it'll be good to have a training buddy with you. Not only it's easier to complete the training with a buddy but it will also make it less likely that you'll skip the training. And always remember to do a proper warm up before the exercise.

More Tips

Drinking tea or coffee might help some runners to achieve a better timing. Check out How Caffeine Affects Runner.

Have a good night rest before the test.

I've achieved 6 consecutive IPPT commando standard gold and everytime the 2.4km is still a killer! So train hard and good luck for your IPPT.

One last note. The 2.4km route is slightly shorter at Maju Camp. I've measured the 6 rounds inside the MT line using my Nike+ watch and it's shorter than 2.4km :)

Reference taken from
1. http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/anaerobic.threshold.html
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fartlek
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaerobic_exercise
4. http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/nutrition/caffeine.asp

Please email me at fb.sgtrainer@gmail.com if you have any queries. I'll be more than willing to help.

Running everyday but still no weight loss? Try HIIT!

2009-11-02T16:56:00.006+08:00

You've got to try High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT sessions are short, usually 15-20 minutes with little rest time. It is a form of cardio to burn fats up to 9 times more effectively than normal running in a shorter and more intensive workout. The rest ratio will typically be 2:1 (120 secs rest to 60 secs workout)

So what are examples of HIIT?

There are many ways to do this interval training. One example will be running. You can sprint for 30 secs and rest 60 secs before doing the next interval again. So you will sprint up to a total of 30 secs x 8 = 240 secs for this workout.

Different fitness level, different HIIT intensity

For beginners, you can sprint for 30 secs and rest 90 secs instead of 60 secs and slowly reduce the rest interval as your fitness improves. Do this for 6-8 sets.

For intermediate and advance users, you can increase the sprint interval from 30 secs to 60 secs and rest for 120 secs. Do this for 6-8 sets as well.

Other than running, are there other forms of HIIT?

Yes. Tabata is a very good form of HIIT training. Tabata is created by Dr. Izumi Tabata (and colleagues) at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. It is said to be the best anaerobic-aerobic cardio workout ever discovered.

A Tabata workout has 8 intervals of 20 secs all out intensity exercise followed by 10 secs rest. The exercise can be push up, treadmill, rowing machine, squats, burpees, cycling on bike machines etc.

If you are fit enough you can actually include up to 3 exercises. For example, 8 intervals of push up, 1 min rest, 8 intervals of squats, 1 min rest and 8 intervals of burpees.

The key to Tabata is giving all out during the 20 secs of exercise. If you have any medical history, please see your physician before doing Tabata.

Warming Up

Always do proper warm up before exercise. Especially for such high intensity training. You do not want to shock the body system by jumping straight into a full bloodied HIIT training without warm up.

There's already enough cases of young adults collapsing while working out. Don't let yourself be the next victim!

Enjoy the workout and remember the key to HIIT is giving 100% during the exercise.

Want to lose weight fast? Run before breakfast

2009-10-30T01:20:00.003+08:00

Yes I know it takes a lot of discipline and effort to wake up early in the morning to run but it's really effective for weight loss.

Why run before breakfast?

The body is low on reserve when you just wake up as your previous meal is probably the dinner about 8-10 hours ago. So when you run your body will tap into next most effective energy source which is your fats!

Running intensity and distance

A good 30-40 minutes run will be sufficient. Ideally you should run at an intensity such that you cannot maintain an easy conversation. Every run should be slightly uncomfortable if not it's not effective and you're wasting your time. But do not push yourself so hard that you collapse! You know your body best.

What to eat for breakfast after the run?

Studies have shown that those who skip breakfast end up eating more calories throughout the day. So eat something! Some good examples for breakfast.

Oatmeals - keep you full, energized and healthy

Fruits - high in fibre, which will keep you full,

Eggs - high in good quality protein and low in calories

Yogurt - high in calcium, protein and promotes good gastrointestinal health

Wholemeal bread - keeps you full for a longer period compared to white bread

Good luck and just remember to wear a proper running shoe for your morning workout. Cheers!

Compound exercises

2009-10-29T16:26:00.000+08:00

Always train your big muscle group first.

Some people like to hit their biceps and triceps as their first few sets for their workout. Ideally if you are short of time and your planned workout is only 30-45 minutes, you should train your big muscle groups first for your workout and finish off with smaller muscle groups like biceps and triceps.

What are compound exercises?

They are exercises that will target more than one muscle group. For example, the classic flat bench press will not only target your pectorals (chest muscles), you will actually work out your triceps as well. Therefore if you train your triceps before you do your flat bench press, your triceps might be exhausted and you cannot perform your bench press in good form!

More examples of compound exercises.

Squats - target your gluteals (butt), hamstring and quadtriceps as well as your lower back stabilising muscle.

Clean and Jerk - targets your deltoids (shoulder), triceps, forearm and quadriceps.

Chin ups - lats, shoulder, biceps and forearm

Arnold press - deltoids, triceps