Stephen Patterson Training

Things I don't agree with

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:11:00 PST

I see alot of weird things in the gym when training or training others. Some are people just uneducated and not knowing the correct movement whilst others are taken straight out of a fitness magazine but not done with great technique.

However there are a few things I see that I don't think anyone should be doing as they will result in an injury.

Tyre Flipping - Now I know there is a big trend these days for strongman type training, however most people when performing these type of movements just result in loading their spine during severe flexion. This is a sure way to get a sore back. I don't think the exercise is even needed to improve power and explosiveness when you can do safer alternatives such as Olympic lifts and med ball work.

Smith Machine Squats - These are just terrible. It is the same as a leg press. Whats the point? You are basically just lifting the bar up and down in one plane of motion. It has no functional benefit whatsoever and will result in an injury of the knees or lower back depending on the position you place yourself under the bar. Actually the smith machine should not be used for anything except putting the bar in the highest setting and doing pull ups from it.

Crunches - why oh why do so many people believe you need to do hundreds of crunches to get a six pack. You are putting your spine in severe flexion with every crunch. Here's a better way to get a six pack, sort out your diet and add some high intensity sprints at the end of your strength sessions.

I could go on all day but you get the gist. Think before placing something in your workout. What are the benefits and what are the risks involved.

Bench Day

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:41:00 PST

Well it is Monday again and guess what - every guy in the gym today did bench press. I am not exaggerating nearly everyone I seen was performing bench at some point. Add to that the incline press, the shoulder presses and general lack of pulling movements, then no wonder most of these guys are hunched forward and have poor posture. Of course they sit at their desks all day working it is a clear recipe for disaster.

Now I have to confess I also worked up to a max effort bench press today, however I also included chest supported rows, rear delt flyes and face pulls. I am constantly at my desk these days writing up papers and thus have to pay extra attention to my posture.

Remember we could all do with including more pulling exercises into our routines in order to help improve our posture and decrease the risk of injury.

Update

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:38:00 PST

Ok so I have been pretty bad with updating the blog as late. Last week I spent a week in Italy following Northern Ireland in the football World Cup qualifiers. Great time but Italy is not what I expected. Maybe need to go back in the summer.

Anyway enough of all that. Was at a seminar yesterday by Dr Tim Foster from Nottingham University. His talk was "Food structure and its effect on bioaccessibility for
optimised bioavailability of micro- and macro-nutrients”. I have to say I was not sure how this was going to go, however some of the information he discussed was very interesting. He discussed how food companies manipulate the food structure to achieve different aims. For example how they actually put fat molecules into certain foods that actually slow the release of energy and make you feel full longer. They do this without actually adding any increase in calories from the fat macronutrient. There is definatly alot of scope for future research in this area especially with regards to helping people lose weight, help make more effective sports supplements and even increase delivery of drugs to patients with disease or muscle wasting.

Check out some of his work in Pubmed. I will be updating more often just got to keep on top of things.

Supplementation During Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 22:59:00 PST

We all look for the best ways to improve body composition, whether that be increased muscle mass or losing body fat. An increase in muscle mass is one of the best ways to improve body shape and one strived for each day by millions of men around the world each day. Nutritional strategies before and after training are well documented to help build muscle through increased protein synthesis. However recent evidence is pointing towards extra benefits when food is supplemented during exercise.

A new study from the American Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism investigated the effects of two supplements and their effects on protein balance during resistance training. One group consumed a carbohydrate supplement whilst the others consumed a mixed carbohydrate and protein supplement.

They found that the mixed supplement was the only to provide a positive protein balance, therefore allowing muscle to be built. This is very interesting especially when you see many men and women consuming their carbohydrate only sports drinks during a training session. The negative protein balance associated with carbohydrate only supplementation may hinder the gains the individual is looking to achieve.

The interesting thing about this study was that both groups were in a fed state prior to training. Thus implying that a mixed protein and carbohydrate supplement may provide additional increases in protein synthesis even when a pre training supplement is consumed.

For people interested in adding muscle to their bodies a supplement regime of pre, during and post workout may be the most effective strategy.

For more information : Beelen M, et al. Protein coingestion stimulates muscle protein synthesis during resistance-type exercise. american Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism: 295(1):E70-7, 2008.

Its so cold

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:11:00 PST

A little bit of snow and the country comes to a standstill. I can't understand why snow manages to cause so many problems. Our schools have shut, we have been asked not to drive on the roads unless essential, we had no train services and even the centre of London was shut down yesterday with the underground closed and the main airports runways out of action. You just have to look at mainland Europe and the US to see that in every other country snow does not seem to cause the same hassle.

Anyway rant over. It was good to see plenty of people out exercising and not letting this so called disaster get in their way of achieving their individual goals. Powerbase (Uni Gym) was packed as usual and I seen plenty of people our running and cycling. Remember no excuses.

Fast Food Hell

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:47:00 PST

We all know people love their fast food. Watch this great video I know I won't be eating anything like it again.

Get you Nutrition on track. The best out there is Precision Nutrition. Check it out.

If Obama Can, Why can't you?

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:47:00 PST

Well the new President is in office and its the beginning of a new era. But is that true for everyone? We are a month into the new year and I wonder how many people have fallen off the fitness bandwagon. The old excuses are back. I am too tired, have too much work on and the best one, I don't have time.

We know the new President is a fitness enthusiast and one of the busiest people on earth. President Obama makes sure he gets at least 45 minutes a day, 6 days a week. He uses a combination of weights and high intensity cardiovascular training. Now how is it one of the busiest men on earth can maintain a fitness program while many people today cannot. Lets stop the excuses that you can never achieve your fitness aims or goals. Try and maintain a program long enough in order to see change.

Give it a go today. Get yourself on a good program, clean up your diet and make sure to measure progress. Take the measurements weekly to begin and once you start seeing change you can do this every 2 weeks.

Let me know how you get on.

Female Hormone response to Strength Training

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:19:00 PST

I am writing this blog today in response to a question asked by FitNow in the comments section of my Hormonal response to Strength Training blog. Their question was:

Do you know of any studies with females and hormonal response during perimenapause. Most of these studies seem to test young males?

It is generally accepted that Testosterone does not respond to exercise in women regardless of the type of training performed. For example in a study by Kraemer and others (1991) in the International Journal of Sports Medicine, they found that in response to a hypertrophy and neural strength program , males revealed an elevated level of testosterone (72% & 27%, respectively) whilst women produced no response despite lifting the same relative loads.

Women also demonstrate much lower levels of testosterone at rest, approx 5-10% lower than their male counterparts. The main reasons for the differences is generally believed to be due to the female ovaries and adrenals producing much smaller quantities of testosterone.

Growth hormone on the other hand does respond to strength training in females. Males tend to produce greater GH responses than females though. In the same study by Kraemer et al (1991) they also measured GH. They found that male GH levels increased by 850% and 375% following a hypertrophy and neural program, respectively. Females on the other hand had smaller changes resulting in 106% for the hypertrophy scheme and no change for the neural program.

One area of research lacking is that most of the studies showing changes in GH have examined women during the follicular phase of menstruation. More research during the different phases of the menstrual cycle would give us a better understanding of these responses and how to manipulate them.

What we do know is that women do respond very well to strength training just like men. A recent study I have completed (In Press) has shown that strength of young women (18-25)increases significantly when exercise is performed with blood flow restriction. It is well known that this type of training results in increased levels of GH and therefore any have had an impact on the strength response.

Hopefully that answers a few more questions. Any others that need answering let me know and I will try my best to do so.

Olympic Lifting

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:29:00 PST

Short blog post today. Well I finished my Olympic weightlifting workshop at the weekend. I have to say it was very worthwhile and I have come away with lots of useful tips. Both instructors Gil Stevenson and Neil Crosbie provided the group with great information and feedback on our lifts and what we need to do to improve them.

Anyway although I have been using the lifts in my training this has given me the urge to get better at them. In my opinion any athlete looking to improve power for their given sport should be learning and taught the correct technique. They have such a carry over to many sporting movements through the triple extension at the knee, hip and ankle.

Random Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:22:00 PST

Bit of a change of direction for today's blog. I am going to give a few of my randoms thoughts about everything and anything.

1. I am a huge football (Soccer for our brothers across the water) fan and Arsenal fan at that. However what Man City are doing at the minute is just crazy. £107 million bid for one player as well as £500,000 per week for his wages. What hope do the rest of the teams have if they just go out and buy whoever. The fact their owner is worth a cool £15 billion means it is small change. Lets hope team work and tactics can outperform buying success.

2. Technique is a must when training. Recently had an athlete mention how she was feeling her lower back when squatting. Checking her technique it was clear to see she was not staying tight enough. Simply squeezing her shoulder blades together and keeping her chest up and the problem was solved. Talking of squatting if you don't squat to parallel or below don't tell us how much you squat. If you don't do it right you are only making numbers up.

3. Seen this great blog post from Jonathan Flass on how magazines use photoshop to touch everyone up. Great blog and great video. Check it out.

Just a few thoughts to start with. I should have a few more early next week. Heading to a Olympic Lifting workshop in Scotland this weekend run by the UK strength and conditioning association. Should be good to update the technique.

Hormonal Response to Strength Training

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:03:00 PST

Strength training is one of the most popular forms of exercise carried out in gyms all over the world. We know it can help increase strength, increase the size of our muscles, improve sporting performance, reduce injuries and even improve body composition. But what actually happens when we perform a bout of exercise? What happens to the hormonal system of the body and does this knowledge allow us to design different type of programs?

The endocrine system plays an important role in the training process by mediating the remodelling or turnover of muscle protein. A single bout of resistance training causes a change in the hormonal environment , which has been linked to those cellular processes involved in protein turnover or muscle growth.

Two of the main players are Testosterone and Growth Hormone (GH).

Testosterone has been shown to increase following resistance training using multiple sets of 5-10 repetitions at around 85-95% 1RM. The exercises used must involve a great deal of muscle mass such as deadlifts, squats and olympic lifts. Long rest periods have also been shown to be related to an increase in testosterone.

Growth hormone has been shown to increase protein synthesis and is a result of resistance training with relatively short rest periods and a high intensity of training. Repetitions between 10-15 and 3 sets of the exercise produces significant increases in GH as well as high levels metabolite production within the muscle.

Manipulation of the types of resistance training will have positive effects on your body composition and strength parameters. Heavy weights with long rest periods will work wonders on your strength and power outputs, whilst medium to heavy weights with short rest periods will help improve hypertrophy, muscular endurance and also can help with fat loss.

I hope this helps give you a better understanding of what occurs with strength training. Any questions let me know.

Lose Fat Without Cardio

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:57:00 PST

Here is an article I published over at Ezine Articles. It ties in with my last post about how to train during busy periods. It uses minimal equipment and lasts about 20 minutes or so.

The Holy Grail!!! If you think this article is going to discuss Tom Hanks running around searching for a blood line to Jesus you may have picked me up wrong.

Instead I am talking about fat loss, weight loss, 6 pack abs, your perfect body, all of which we all aim to achieve and strive to work for.

We have all heard the stories about the long boring cardio you have to perform to achieve this. Well I am here today to tell you that you don't need to spend hours jogging, cycling or walking. It is pointless and could actually make you retain fat.

Maybe you think I am going to discuss intervals. That's the new buzz word surrounding fat loss. Interval training is a great way to lose fat however they don't necessarily have to be performed on a piece of cardio equipment. Why not try a different form of interval training. A method you can perform in your own home.

Metabolic workouts may be your answer. One of the best forms of metabolic workouts would be bodyweight circuits. It's just you on your own with a stopwatch. Metabolic workouts will increase the growth hormone produced within the working muscles. The lack of rest between the different exercises increases the metabolite build up in the muscles with increases in substances such as lactic acid and hydrogen ions. This build up of metabolites can change the shape of your body very quickly.

Now don't tell me you can't do this? I am taking away all the excuses of paying for gym membership, not wanting to leave the house, no equipment etc. This circuit I am going to give you today can be performed in the comfort of your home. However this is not easy. Weight loss is not easy. It takes hard work and dedication to both your fitness program and diet.

If you can do both you will succeed and get the body of your dreams. Ok what you have been waiting for, the exercise. Try this circuit and let me know how you get on.

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds. No rest between exercises. Rest at the end of each set for 2 minutes and then repeat 2 more times.

1). Prisoner Squat
2). Press Up
3). Burpee
4). Squat Jump
5). 1 leg deadlift
6). Wall Slide
7). Dynamic Lunge
8). Swiss Ball Jacknife
9). Single Leg Hops (15 secs each leg)
10). Bicycle Crunch.

Three total circuits, 5 minutes each circuit with 2 minutes rest between sets. Total time - 21 minutes.

Enjoy

Workouts for a Busy Gym

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:16:00 PST

Its that time of year again. Everyone has got back in the gym to try and get in shape. But we all know how busy the gym can be and how difficult it can be to follow your training plan.

Here is a great article By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Gyms are busy. Too busy. And it is always busiest when you settle in for your TT workout with its awesome fat-blasting supersets.

I know it drives you nuts when you are trying to pair lunges and
presses while someone is taking up valuable workout space chatting or doing some pointless fluff exercise. Why can't they just get out of your way and let you finish your super effective TT workout?

Crowded gyms are such a big problem that I designed the following TT workout that helps you perform my trademark "noncompeting" supersets - the most effective way to lift for fat loss - without letting anyone get in your way. This new version of TT lets you get it done right, even in a busy gym.

The secret to this workout is the pairing of two exercises that can be done at the same bench and often with the same weights. So you won't lose your spot between exercises. Camp out in your little area, work hard, and you'll get lean and lose fat faster than ever.

NOTE: This workout originally ran in Men's Fitness magazine, but I've actually improved the workout just for you! Always looking out for my TurbulenceTraining.com subscribers.

Workout Guidelines

· Workout 3 days per week alternating between workouts A &
B. Rest 1 day between sessions.

· In week 1, you will follow an A, B, A schedule. In week 2, a B, A, B schedule. In week 3, an A, B, A schedule, and in week 4, a B, A, B schedule.

· Each pair of exercises constitutes a "Superset". In each
Superset, do one set of the first exercise followed immediately by the next (1A & 1B) and then repeat.

· Rest 1 minute after completing the exercises in the
Superset (i.e. after 1A & 1B).

· Repeat each Superset until you've completed a total of three sets of each exercise in the pair, then move on to the next
pair.

· Use a 2-0-1 lifting tempo for all exercises (except for any holding exercises like the plank). Take 2 seconds to lower the weight, pause briefly, and then take 1 second to lift the weight.

· Finish each workout with stretching for the tight muscle
groups only.

· For full exercise descriptions and photos, see the Turbulence
Training manual.

Warm-up

· If you are limited by time, reduce the number of sets in the workout, but always perform the full warm-up.

· Never skip a warm-up.

o Perform this circuit 2x's using a 2-0-1 tempo:
- 10 reps of bodyweight squats or step-ups
- 20 seconds for the plank
- 8 reps of kneeling pushups or regular pushups
- 10 reps of inverted bodyweight rowing exercise or band pull

- Perform 2 warm-up sets for each exercise in the first Superset.
- 1 set of 8 reps with 50% of the weight you will use in your
"real" sets.
- 1 set of 8 reps with 75% of the weight you will use in your
"real" sets.

Turbulence Training Interval Training Guidelines

· Research has shown that interval training is very effective for fat loss.

· It is recommended that the stationary cycle be used for
interval training because it allows for an easy transition between
work and recovery.

· Finish each interval workout with stretching for the tight
muscle groups only.

Beginner Interval Workout:
· Warm-up for 5-minutes.
· Perform an interval by exercising for 30 seconds at a hard
pace (at a subjective 7/10 level of intensity) - i.e. fast walking.
· Follow that with "active rest" for 90 seconds by exercising at a slow pace (at a subjective 3/10 level of intensity) - i.e. slow walking.
· Repeat for 3-6 interval repetitions. Finish with 5-10 minutes of moderate intensity exercise for a cool-down at a 4/10 level of intensity.

Advanced Interval Workout
· Warm-up for 5-10 minutes.
· Perform an interval by exercising for 30 seconds at a very hard pace (at a subjective 9/10 level of intensity).
· Follow that with "active rest" for 60 seconds by exercising at a slow pace (at a subjective 3/10 level of intensity).
· Repeat for 3-6 interval repetitions. Finish with 5-10 minutes of moderate intensity exercise for a cool-down at a 4/10 level of intensity.

Workout A

1A) Wide-stance Squat (8 reps)
- Set your feet 4-6 inches wider than shoulder width, your toes pointed forward.

- This superset works best if performed in a squat rack that also has a chin-up bar.

1B) Chin-ups (6 reps)
- If this is too hard, perform a Reverse-grip Lat Pulldown.
- Rest 1 minute and then go back to Squats.
- Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next
Superset.

2A) Barbell Step-ups (8 reps per leg)
- Use a step that's high enough so that your knee is bent 90 degrees.
- If you have to use DB's for the step-ups, take an extra 30
seconds rest when going from the step-ups to the rows.

2B) DB or Barbell Row (8 reps)
- Keep your lower back naturally arched.
- Rest 1 minute and then go back to Step-ups.
- Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next
Superset.

3A) Side Plank (5 reps per side)
- Contract and brace your abs for 10 seconds per repetition
while keeping your body in a straight line.

3B) Stability Ball Jackknife (12 reps)
- Rest 30 seconds and then go back to Side Plank.
- Do this Superset 3 times and then go to the Intervals.

Workout B

1A) Low-Incline DB Chest Press (8 reps)
- Set the incline to one notch above the flat-bench position.

1B) DB or Barbell Romanian Deadlift (8 reps)
- Keep your lower back naturally arched for the entire
movement.
- Rest 1 minute and then go back to 1A.
- Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next
Superset.

2A) DB Close-grip Chest Press (8 reps)
- Push the dumbbells straight up, not together.

2B) DB Rear-deltoid Lateral Raise (8 reps)
- Keep a tight arch in lower back and lean forward as far as possible.
- Perform this exercise extra slowly so that you don't use
momentum.
- Rest 1 minute and then go back to 2A.
- Do this Superset 3 times and then move on to the next
Superset.

3A) Elevated Push-up (12 reps per side)
- Place one hand on a 4-inch step or box and lower your body as
far as possible.

3B) Stability Ball Rollout (15 reps)
- Keep your body in a straight line at all times--don't allow your back to round or bend backward.

Let me know how this workout goes for you and email me your
results. Better yet, take a before and after picture and some measurements to monitor your progress.

If you have any other questions, just let me know.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:55:00 PST

Hey guys just got back from my skiing holiday late last night. Great trip really enjoyed skiing, think I may have to take it up as I will deinately be going back.

Well its that time of year again and everyone is trying to get back in shape after the excess of the holidays.

If you want to finally lose belly fat and transform your body, my friend and world-famous trainer Craig Ballantyne has put together the Ultimate Turbulence Training for Fat Loss Solution – and it is GUARANTEED to help you lose weight this year.

Not only will you get the proven Turbulence Training for Fat Loss workouts and nutrition programs, but Craig is also giving away bonus copies of his #1 best-selling book, “Just Say NO to Cardio” and UNLIMITED email support for the first 25 people who get started with his proven Turbulence Training for Fat Loss System.

PLUS, if you are one of the first 200 to grab your copy of Turbulence Training for Fat Loss you’ll also get access to an exclusive coaching call to help you lose more fat this year than ever before!

And you’ll get a free 6-month Turbulence Training membership. There are even MORE free early-bird bonuses, but I don’t have space to list them all.

The only catch is that he doesn’t open the doors on this incredible offer until 12 noon (EST) on Monday, January 5th. So mark that on your daytimer and set your alarm so that you don’t miss your chance at the fast action bonuses!

So be ready at 12 noon (EST) on Monday, January 5th when Craig opens the doors on the Ultimate Turbulence Training for Fat Loss Solution.

Here’s the site where you’ll grab your copy and bonuses:

www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Sincerely,

Stephen Patterson

www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Skiing

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:05:00 PST

Hey guys last blog post for a week or so. I am heading skiing tomorrow morning to Andorra. Can't wait never been before so should be great fun and a great way to see in the new year. I hope evryone has had a great Christmas and is looking forward to getting in the best shape of their lives in 2009.

Until then have a Happy New Year and thanks for reading my blog.

Strength Training PhD

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:56:00 PST

Hey guys. How are the holidays coming along, its such a hectic time of year. Finally finished up uni for the next few weeks. I have just finished another study for my PhD and am currently back at home in Northern Ireland to see all the family.

So today I thought I would share a little information on my actual studies. My PhD is geared around strength training with blood flow restriction. It is a realatively new type of training (10-15 years) as far as published research is concerned and mostly originating from Japan. Basically it involves resistance training whilst the blood flow is restircted to the working limbs by the use of a blood pressure cuff. Now whats so good about that? Well the important aspect is that the load you lift is very light i.e. 20-50% 1RM compared to the normal heavier loads of 65-90% 1RM usually associated with getting bigger and stronger. The restriction of blood flow to the working muscle acts to stimulate a greater recruitment of fast twitch muscle fibres thus imitating a heavier load. The exact mechanism behind the strength and growth associated with this type of training is unkown but can be mainly put down to an increase in motor unit recruitment or an increase in circulating hormones such as growth hormone or IGF-1. We like others are looking at establishing some of the mechanisms behind this training.

You may ask why this is even important? Well for individuals who are coming back from injury or older frail individuals who cannot handle heavy workloads this type of training may be of great use. Secondly we will gain a better understanding of how the muscles grow.

Well there are of course some limitations. The first being not everyone wants to train with blood pressure cuffs strapped to their limbs. Secondly you can only train your limbs it would not be advisable to try and restrict flow to your chest or back you may have problems finishing the set or even breathing (Note although I am joking please don't try this at home it should only be carried out under proper supervision). What we can take home from it however is that the training is actually very intense. There is a build up of metabolites within the working limb that are not released until the end of all sets. For your own training this is easily transferable. Cut down rest periods or pair exercises for a greater metabolite build up and build up the intensity of your workouts.

I hope I have given you a better understanding of my research. I have just finished of submitting a journal article so hopefully that will be out in the new year. I will of course keep you updated so you can read it in detail.

P.s. Good luck with the last minute shopping. I still have a few things to get tomorrow. Nightmare shops will be packed.

Update on Training - Never Give up

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:55:00 PST

Hey guys

Though I would give you an update on my training. Well it has not been going to well the last week. Up until last Friday things have been going well, I had not missed any sessions int he gym and my eating plan was working well. I was losing body fat while gaining muscle mass.

However on Friday during training I felt a tweak in my neck. It was during a warm up set of cleans. So I decided to call it a day and went home. Within an hour I could not move my head as my neck had gone stiff. This lasted until Sunday morning. I can move it now but it is still a little tight. Therefore I have taken a week off from the weights.

However that is no excuse for stopping. So I have started doing some body weight circuits. Mainly lower body due to the neck strain. I must say I have had no side effects. My workout has consisted of 8 different exercises for 30 seconds each. No rest was taken between exercise and the whole set lasted 4 minutes. This was then repeated 4-5 times. It is short but very high intensity thus won't hamper my gains in the long run.

Take home message: - No matter what the problem find a way to get your exercise done. You do not need to make it to the gym you can do whatever you want at home with your bodyweight as resistance. Doing circuits will give you the benefit of resistance training and cardio rolled into one.

Will Obesity ruin London 2012

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:36:00 PST

A new study suggests that by the time the London Olympics come around, one in three British aadults will be obese.

Now it is great we have got the olympics and I am sure it will cause an increase in the numbers playing sport. However we cannot ignore the fact that we are getting bigger as a nation. This fast food society we have become is getting out of control. To quote the article

"The Department of Health said Britain was taking the lead in the global fight against obesity.

"Obesity is the biggest health challenge we face -- every year 9,000 people die prematurely," a spokesman said.

"The UK is leading the world when it comes to facing up to the problem and tackling obesity."

The government recently launched Change4Life, a campaign which aims to improve children's diets and activity levels."

Thats all very good saying we are going to do this and that but already 25% of kids aged 4-5 in England are overweight or obese. We need to educate everyone. No matter what we tell the kids it is the parents (the ones who are getting bigger) who are feeding the kids every day.

Nutrition has a key role to play in tackling obesity levels however I personally do not feel that the food pyramid often used by governments in the western world is one we should be appying. It is of no coincidence that since it has been brought in obesity levels have been increasing. The food pyramid believes that most of our carbohydrate sources should be from grains such as bread, pasta, rice etc.. Instead when it was originally designed most carbohydrate sources were meant to come from fruit and veg.

Along with this the second biggest problem we have is kids should be taking part in more sport and activities. Government should be making more money available for after shcool clubs as well as increasing PE levels in school. Why not give our kids 5-6 hrs per week of PE. Tell me that won't help reduce costs to the health service. This goes for the parents too. There is a lack of exercise performed by most adults who get no were neare 3-5 hours exercise per week. We have to make it more accessible otherwise we are on a slippery slope that will be hard to come back from.

Lets encourage kids and adults to exercise and eat the proper nutrition otherwise London 2012 will have been a great waste of money. Why put Billions into it if we are one of the fattest and unhealthy nations in the world?

Oprah Cut the Fat

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:24:00 PST

There seems to be a common theme with Americas most famous talk show host. Oprah has a problem with her weight. Now tell me something I didn't know. Over her career she has been in and out of shape and it now seems she is back up to 200 pounds. So what you may say. Well her BMI now puts her in the obese category. Her constant yo yo dieting is having terrible consequences to her health.

So what can she do.? Well when you fall of track the best thing to do is get back on straight away. Oprah needs to set herself targets she can achieve. She is never going to be 120lb and consistently stay there. She has serious issues with her food, therefore needs to stop dieting and pick a healthier way to eat. Dr John Berardis Precision Nutrition system is one type program. He teaches people the way to simply and easily make food choices healthier and more effective for weight loss. His 90% rule would be great for Oprah. This entails eating 90% of all meals by following the Precision Nutrition Plan and then the other 10% you can have variations. This way you have a target to hit each day. If you get there you will see results.

Finally she needs to make exercise part of her daily routine. She is one of the richest people in the world, therefore she is most likely extremely busy. However she needs to make more time for exercise. Lets face it for her healths sake she needs to. Whats the point in having all that money if you are not going to be around to make good use of it.

Oprah changes peoples lives. By setting a great example she could really help the obesity epidemic the US has. We have seen her influence in other areas. She really could make a difference. Come on Oprah cut the fat and get going.

Small Changes

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:05:00 PST

Sometimes we try to make to much change at once. We rush straight in with good intentions and try to change everything at once. However this usually results in failure.

I find that the best way to have consistent changes is to slowly introduce new things every week or two. Once you have these new themes embedded in your normal behaviour you can add the next phase.

For example if you are trying to lose weight don't jump straight in and cut out all carbohydrates. Take it slowly. Why not try and change your lunch meal. Change from your usual carb heavy sandwiches and try a healthy salad with a chicken breast. You will cut back on about 50-100g of carbs and thus make it more likely you will sustain this action.

Do the same with your training. Add in another rep or set every day you train. Or even add in 10 minutes of intervals twice a week. Slowly but surely you will get your change.

Habits are hard to break. Change them slowly and you will be surprised at the changes you actually make 3-4 months down the line.

Annoying Gym Habits

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:32:00 PST

I have recently started training (3 months) back in a commercial gym. I had previously trained in my garage with a squat rack, barbell and a set of dumbells. Now some of the best gains I have made in regards to my strength occurred when I started training on my own in my cold garage.

Why I hear you ask, well it lets you keep a higher intensity and best of all you have no time for time wasters.

The reason I have joined this gym is that I am in university later and later these days with my PhD so I need to get my training done close by or I won't be training until very late at night.

Now when I say this is a commercial gym setting it isn't entirely correct. It is the universities strength training facility. Everything you can ask for, lifting platforms, squat racks, bumper plates ,heavy dumbells and a sprint corridor. Its full of professional and recreational athletes as well as bodybuilders. However after only being back 3 months I miss my home garage setting.

Gym etiquette does not seem to be common practice these days. Here are my main 3 gripes about the way people behave in the gym.

(1). My biggest pet peeve definitely has to be the guys who use lifting platforms and squat cages to do bicep curls or any other meaningless lift when people are wanting to squat or perform Olympic lifting. Why oh why do they do this? In our gym it is actually one of the rules plastered on the walls but still you see them with their Olympic bar and 10 pound plates each side doing cheat curls with the help of their 120lb spotter.

(2). Putting away equipment when you are finished. You know the scene you go to use a piece of equipment only to find that before you can actually start you have to clear up behind the lazy sh*t who was there before you. Of course you see people looking about unsure if they can actually use it as they think people are just taking a break between sets. Take home not put your bloody weights away.

(3). Weight before technique. Since joining back I have seen some terrible technique mostly caused by people trying to use too much weight. Whats the deal with quarter squats? Well from what I have seen it seems to be the case if they took half their weight of they could squat to at least parallel and then slowly begin to build the weight back up. But as usual egos get in the way and it all comes down to telling your mates what you can bench and squat. Well if you don't do it with proper technique then you can't do jack sh*t. Forget the heavy bench and squats, forget the rounded backs when doing deadlifts fix your technique first. Once it is fixed the weight can then be added to the bar.

So there you have it a few bad habits that occur in most gyms around the world and the ones I love to hate.

P.s. Could not leave you without giving you one more. If you are in the gym your aim should be to train. Stop trying to distract people to talk to them. They are their to work out. If you don't want to then go home you can phone your friend later. Before you start your next workout have a look around. At least half the people in the gym will be chatting to their mates, checking out the ladies or even texting on their phones. By all means rest between sets but not 10 bloody mins.

That's all for today folks

Stephen

British teacher suspended over push-up punishment

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:17:00 PST

Has the world gone mad. Read this today and could not believe it. A school teacher quite local to myself has been suspended for "wait for it" giving out push ups for pupils who are late to class.

Maybe its just me but have we gone mad. Poor pupils are now greatly overweight lets make sure we don't give them anymore exercise. Who knows what may happen to them if they do to much.

Now I am not being to harsh I understand he was giving these push ups as a punishment, however it was actually his pupils who agreed this policy as an act of punishment of being late.

What do you think has the world gone mad?

No excuses

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:43:00 PST

Hey guys. Well its been nearly a week since I last updated this blog. First off sorry for the delay in posting anything. Last week I changed the home address of my site and there was a problem transferring it over to blogger so only came back online yesterday.

I have also been working hard with the training study I am currently running for my PhD along with making responses to comments for journal article I have submitted. It has been a long week with little sleep.

But one thing remains constant. I always make time for training. It does not need to be long sessions if you are pushed for time. I have managed to keep up my full body routine so far this past week. I will be doing more measurements on Saturday morning to see if I am improving.

Anyway got to get back to the work but make sure you make time for your training and health. Nothing is more important.

Intensity

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:52:00 PST

Hey guys.

Didn't get the opportunity to blog yesterday due to being very busy with a current training study I am carrying out for my Phd.

Today I am going to talk quickly about intensity during a training session. In my opinion this is one of the easiest ways to make quick changes to your body. When training you should perform every set and rep with as much intensity as possible. Unless you are training for maximal strength I see no reason for long rest periods between sets.

Superset exercise such as bench press and bent over rows, chins and dips etc so that while one set of muscles are resting the others are working. Shorter intense sessions usually result in a better physique provided your diet is in check 90% of the time.

Give it a go and let me know how it feels. Try and get the same session you are currently doing done in less time. Trust me you will notice the difference.

When Gourmet Meets Nutrition

noreply@blogger.com (stephen_patt) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:49:00 PST

When Gourmet Meets Nutrition,

Part 1

by Dr. John Berardi, CSCS

First published at http://www.t-nation.com/

Sometimes "health food" is just plain awful. And it's this simple fact that drives some folks away from eating healthy altogether.

While I lament this fact, I have to admit I feel most sorry for those poor folks who decide to lower their heads and keep at it — those who keep eating miserable tasting food because they want to lose weight or accomplish some other health or physique-type goal.

And I feel sorry for them because they don't even know there's a better way.

You see, every day, there are people out there eating healthy, easy-to-make meals that might easily be found in gourmet restaurants. Meals that could impress the most discerning foodie. Meals that could fool a first date, a reluctant spouse, or picky-eating kids. Meals that just plain taste good. Meals that, when planned and eaten consistently, can improve and even completely transform your body.

And how do they do it?

With the principles of what I call "gourmet nutrition."

Traditionally, the worlds of gourmet cooking and healthy nutrition have been at odds. The gourmands have sacrificed all (including nutritional value) at the altar of flavor and the "artistic presentation of food."

And the nutritionists have sacrificed all (including flavor) at the altar of physiology and nutritional value.

Yet flavor and nutritional value are not mutually exclusive. I prefer to think of them as absolutely reconcilable. And by using the principles of "gourmet nutrition" you can create meals that both taste great and are healthy, too.

To this end, a "gourmet nutrition" meal must conform to the following:

It must taste great.

Simply put, to be considered "gourmet nutrition," meals must taste great, and not only to your weightlifting friends. They must taste great to everyone from chefs, to foodies, to guys and girls whose idea of "gourmet" includes chocolate-mint flavored protein shakes.

It must contain lean, complete protein.

Protein is the building block of muscle. And even if you don't want to build more muscle, you definitely want to preserve the muscle you have for as long as you can. This helps to keep your metabolism revving, improve your fat loss profile, and reduce cardiovascular disease risk. And that's why I encourage you to eat a lean, complete protein source with each gourmet meal.

It must be low in sugar and processed carbohydrates.

Sugar isn't always the demon ingredient it's made out to be, but there are valid and strong reasons to limit sugar and processed carbohydrates in your diet. These types of carbohydrates (when ingested outside the workout window or in the absence of complete meals designed to slow digestion and absorption) digest too quickly, leading to erratic blood sugar, energy levels, and hormonal responses — none of which do your health or physique any favors.

It must prioritize healthy fats over bad fats.

Whenever possible, the goal of every health-conscious individual should be to eliminate the nasty trans fat we hear so much about. But even beyond avoiding trans fats, it's important to keep our saturated fats in check while prioritizing healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats. Gourmet nutrition means eliminating trans fats while balancing out your saturates, monos, and polyunsaturated.

It must control calorie intake and density.

One of the major reasons many people gain fat as they age (aside from lack of exercise) is the fact that their daily meals are often too high in calories. Indeed, many popular food choices can be quite calorie dense. And this means that even though you don't feel like you're eating a lot of food, you're packing in too many calories with each meal. To this end, "gourmet nutrition" meals should be designed with calorie density and portion control in mind. This helps you avoid sneaking hundreds of extra calories into your diet with each meal, unknowingly.

It must include fresh, natural, additive-free ingredients.

In general, the fresher the ingredient, the better it is for you — and the better tasting. So, when choosing your meals, ask yourself if you've ever seen what you're about to eat growing in the ground or running around on a farm somewhere. If the answer is no, you're about to eat processed food. Ditto for anything that comes in a box or plastic container.

Please understand it'll be next to impossible to avoid all processed foods. In fact, there may be some processed foods that you want to include in your diet. That's okay. Really, you just want to make sure your daily diet draws mostly on fresh, whole foods.

It must offer you carbs only if you "deserve" them.

You've probably read all about high carb vs. low carb dieting. In myopinion, this high vs. low carb debate is a little misunderstood. As the body handles carbs best when it's in an exercised state, the best carb strategy is this: eat carbs only if you've earned them.

Have you exercised? If so, you've earned a higher carb meal. Have you exercised a lot? If so, you've earned even more carbs. However, keep this in mind; if you haven't exercised, your carb intake should probably be lower. Therefore "gourmet nutrition" means having two categories of meals — higher carb meals (for when you've earned them) and lower carb meals (for when you haven't).

Post Workout vs. Anytime meals.

My meal classification strategy uses the distinction between post workout and anytime meals. Why does this classification exist? Well, research shows us that the body handles carbohydrates best during and immediately after exercise. From this, we know that it's a good idea to consume most of our daily carbohydrates during and after exercise (Post Workout). Likewise, if we haven't exercised, it's best to avoid higher carb meals during this time — instead focusing on proteins, good fats, and fruits and veggies.

Please note that this rule is a general rule of thumb that works well for most as a starting point. Now, I should mention that some people are actually able to tolerate higher carbohydrate intakes outside of the Post Workout period. These individuals generally know who they are. They're often naturally very lean, and sometimes very skinny.

If you don't fit into that category, you're best off consuming carbs only in the two to three hours after an intense workout, or at least using that as the starting point for some trial and error, slowly introducing carbs outside that window and measuring the results.

So there you have it — 8 criterion for designing "gourmet nutrition" style meals — meals that both taste great and can help improve your body. And now that we've defined this criterion, I'd like to share with you some wicked recipes that personify "gourmet nutrition."

The Popeye Fruit Smoothie

The Protein Shake

Popeye Fruit Smoothie (Post Workout)

Servings

1 large or 2 small

Prep Time and Cooking

TimePrep time: 5 minutes

Prelude

Spinach is a super-food high in anti-inflammatory nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and alkaline potential in the body. (No wonder Popeye ate it to boost his strength.) As a result, we try to include spinach in many of our meals, including our shakes. And while spinach doesn't seem like it'd be a great smoothie ingredient, this shake tastes awesome as raspberries, goji berries, and cashews lend their unique flavors to the mixture.

Ingredients

1 cup raspberries (frozen)
1 cup spinach
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup cashews
2 scoops Vanilla Low-Carb Metabolic Drive
2 tablespoons fresh goji berries

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a countertop blender. Blend on high until mixture is a smooth consistency.

Variations and Options

If you're lactose intolerant or wish to avoid dairy, replace the 1 cup of yogurt and 1/2 cup of milk with 1 cup of lactose-free yogurt and either 1 cup of unsweetened soy milk or 1 cup of water and 1/2 scoop protein. Alternatively you can substitute with non-cow's milk dairy (i.e. goat milk, yogurt, etc.)

For a major vitamin boost, add up to 3 cups of spinach to the recipe.

If you can't find goji berries, you can substitute with goji berry juice or raisins.

Eggs Benedict

Breakfast

Eggs Benedict with Grilled Onion (Any Time)

Servings

1 large or 3 small

Prep Time and Cooking Time

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Prelude

Eggs benedict is a high carb, high fat breakfast tradition; delicious but not so friendly to the waistline. So with this recipe, we've decided to cut the carbs, replacing the English muffin with grilled onion slices. We also decided to cut the fat with a low-fat Hollandaise sauce. The net result is a veggie-packed breakfast that's not only delicious, it's nutritious, too.

Ingredients

Eggs Benedict
Olive oil cooking spray
3 onion slices (1/4 inch thick each)
5 oz (140 g) smoked chicken breast low-fat deli meat
3 cups spinach
3 tomato slices
1.5 oz parmesan cheese (grated)
3 whole omega 3 eggs (individually poached or fried

Hollandaise Sauce
2 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch of salt
pinch of Splenda
pinch of chili powder

Instructions

Preheat a non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Lightly coat with spray and gently place the 3 whole onion slices in the pan.

** Tip: The onion slices are in place of an English muffin, so it's important not to break them.

Cook until the bottom is nicely browned and then gently flip each slice. Cook until onion is nicely browned on both sides.Carefully remove from pan and set aside.

While the onions are cooking, whisk all hollandaise sauce ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Add mixture to a small saucepan and gently heat until mixture is warm but not boiling and set aside.

Once onions are done, re-spray pan and add the spinach. Cook until spinach shrinks to at least half its original size. Remove from pan and set aside.

Place three onion slices individually on a plate. Put a tomato slice on top of each onion slice. Place 1/3 of the chicken, spinach, and cheese on top of each onion slice. Top with an egg and garnish with hollandaise sauce.

Variations and Options

Post Workout Option: Add two slices of whole grain toast or any Gourmet Nutrition oatmeal recipe.

For a meat variation, substitute chicken with 2 oz (70 g) of lox or 5 oz (140 g) of turkey ham

For a cheese variation, substitute parmesan cheese with slices of havarti or aged white cheddar.

For a veggie variation, substitute the spinach and tomato with other vegetables such as sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, or red peppers. For a sauce variation, replace Hollandaise sauce with fresh home-made Pesto (recipe provided in Gourmet Nutrition V2).

If you'd like to avoid Splenda, you can replace it with a small amount of Stevia.

Dr Berardis new Gourmet Nutrition book is out now to buy. It features over 120 delicious recipes and its a Bragain.