Here’s the latest edition of my regular series of Quick and Easy Health, Physique Transformation and Sports Conditioning tips.

You can put these into action right now to Look, Feel, Move and Perform better.

These tips are organised into 3 different categories:

1. General Health & Motivation
2. Training (Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Athleticism & Strength)
3. Nutrition

Enjoy!

 General Health & Motivation

‘Up your Vitamin D levels’

Numerous scientific studies show great benefits from getting Vitamin D levels up to normal, such as improved body composition, hormonal levels, bone health, muscle tissue quality and immune system function, to name just a few.

Interestingly, this study showed a significant improvement in power production over four weeks in the Vitamin D supplementation group, as compared to the control group.

These results are tough to interpret, as the subjects were overweight/obese adults. Ideally, we’d study trained athletes with smaller windows of adaptation ahead of them to see just how beneficial Vitamin D supplementation is on performance.

Nonetheless, the study concluded that elevated Vitamin D status was associated with reduced waist-to-hip ratio; an absolute win for overweight folks striving to lose weight.

It certainly makes sense that if we’re improving body composition, endocrine status, and tissue quality, people are going to get more out of their training and make faster progress.

Vitamin D is one of very few supplements that I view as “must-haves’ for the majority of the population, especially as the darker period of the year sets in (we get Vitamin D from the Sun, as well as certain foods).

I advise pairing it up with a good fish oil and multivitamin/greens supplement to cover one’s nutritional foundation.

 Training (Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Athleticism & Strength)

‘Use concentric-only exercises for “off-day” training’

The most stressful, and therefore demanding part of an exercise is actually the eccentric, or lowering phase. This is where the majority of muscle damage occurs, and is the part that will elicit the most muscular soreness.

If you’re like me, you enjoy doing some kind of physical activity on a daily basis. Some people scoff at the idea of never taking a rest, but in reality, moving is good for you, and it can be done daily. If overdone, it can interfere with recovery and lead to over-training. If done intelligently, it can keep you focused and actually speed up your recovery.

While there are many ways to go about off-day exercise correctly, one option is to use mostly eccentric-free, or concentric-only exercise choices.

As examples, think of Sled Pushing, Dragging, and Towing. Additionally you can attach handles or a TRX to your Sled and do Rows, Presses, and Pull-Throughs – you’re only limited by your imagination here. If your gym doesn’t have a Sled or Prowler, find one that does.

Another great option is Medicine Ball exercises, which can be organised into complexes and circuits, or Kettlebell and Sledgehammer Swings, which all have minimal eccentric stress.

These methods will get blood flowing to the appropriate areas and give you a training effect that won’t leave you sore, and may actually improve your recovery time.

 Nutrition

‘Eat more pumpkin!’

Autumn is here! I love it.

The air smells better, leaves get colorful, European Cup/Autumn International Rugby arrives, and, of course, pumpkin flavored everything becomes available around Halloween!

Pumpkin tastes great, and it’s really good for you, too.

For starters, pumpkin seeds are a great source of essential fatty acids. That’s probably not breaking news to you, but guess what? Pumpkin oil actually exists! It is delicious as a dressing, and an easy addition to shakes and smoothies. Just make sure not to cook with it, as the heat will destroy the important fatty acids.

Pumpkins are orange – very orange. That means they, too, provide the health benefits found in other vividly orange fruits and vegetables. These include high amounts of carotenoids and Vitamin C. Carotenoids help fight free radicals in the body, cardiovascular diseases and infection.

Just like carrots, the high lutein & zeaxanthin content protects the eyes, and prevents formation of cataracts. You will also be happy to know that pumpkin is low calorie and serves up a tremendous amount of quality fibre.

Do you like pumpkin too? If so, let’s get some recipes posted up in the comments section!

I hope you’ve enjoyed the latest edition of my regular series and found it useful.

Thanks for reading and please do share with anyone else you know will benefit!

Feel free to post some of your own ideas in the comments section below and on RHP’s Facebook or Twitter pages, too!

Rich

P.S. – to access every installment of my regular ‘Quick and Easy Ways to Look, Feel & Perform Better’ series, click here.

Here’s the latest edition of my regular series of Quick and Easy Health, Physique Transformation and Sports Conditioning tips.

You can put these into action right now to Look, Feel, Move and Perform better.

These tips are organised into 3 different categories:

1. General Health & Motivation
2. Training (Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Athleticism & Strength)
3. Nutrition

Enjoy!

 General Health & Motivation

‘Do your calves cramp during sports or running? Fix your back and get your core and glutes firing.’

In a recently published study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, a history of lower back pain predicted calf cramping in professional rugby players.

Crazy calf cramps are something I’ve experienced myself on a couple of occasions during matches in the past – reading this study got me thinking…

1. Many rugby players (and plenty of other sportsmen/women) are in heavily extended postures with anterior pelvic tilts and excessive lumbar lordosis (see picture below – translation – among other things, tight hips and poor core control cause a big arch in the lower back).
2. Athletes in these postures struggle to effectively use their glutes to extend at the hip (a key function in running/sprinting).
3. If you can’t use your glutes properly to extend your hip during sprinting, you’ll have to acquire the motion elsewhere – and that likely means extra push-off at the lower extremity: plantarflexion (translation – the squeeze you feel in your calf as you push your toes further away from your shins).
4. Your calves are plantarflexors – hence why they cramp in the conditions above.

So, the way my simple mind sees it – if you lose your glute strength and anterior core control, you’re likely to overuse and cramp your calves when running, especially in conditions of fatigue.

It’s just a theory, and I’d be very interested to see if calf cramping was also predicted by postural assessments at the lumbo-pelvic (low back/hip) region.

In the meantime, here’s my advice if you’re getting calf cramps when you compete.

Fix your lower back posture by getting your glutes and anterior core firing properly.

Adding a dedicated sequence of Hip Flexor Mobilisations -> Glute Bridges -> Deadbugs to your warm-up would be a great starting point.

 Training (Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Athleticism & Strength)

‘Stop considering a week to be seven days long’

Most programs are based on a 7-day week.

I get it – the rest of the world works on a Mon – Sun format, so logic says your training should, too.

Doing so leads to a few different ways to split up a training program; the common choices are 3–5 days of training with 2–4 days of rest or supplemental activity.

Don’t get me wrong; this is fine, and it certainly works – it’s how lots of my programming is set up.

However, consider this – your body doesn’t know what a week is; it has no idea a week is seven days long.

Therefore, you should consider writing/following exercise programs in the optimal format for the results you are looking to achieve.

Viewing a ‘training week’ as however long you want gives you the opportunity to meet more demands while still allowing for optimal recovery. Or, it can be used to hit certain lifts or body parts more often while still addressing other lifts or body parts that may require more time between training sessions to get rest. Here’s an example:

Traditional 4-Day Training Split (with additional Movement Training)
Monday: Lower Body
Tuesday: Upper Body
Wednesday: Movement Training
Thursday: Lower Body
Friday: Upper Body
Saturday: Movement Training
Sunday: Off

‘Spread Out’ Split
Day 1: Lower Body – Squat
Day 2: Upper Body 1
Day 3: Movement
Day 4: Off
Day 5: Lower Body – Accessory Work
Day 6: Upper Body 2
Day 7: Movement
Day 8: Lower/Full Body – Deadlift
Day 9: Off

By spreading the ‘training week’ out, a few things happen.

1. You get an extra day of training to address weaknesses, or to just spread out some of the exercises from the previous model into a fifth day.
2. You’ll have more total days off to recover in the course of a year, as the first model gives you one day off every 7 days, and the second model gives you 2 days off for every 9. You have more days off before hitting certain lifts again, which can allow for better recovery between sessions.

Don’t get me wrong – 7-day models work just fine.

I simply want to challenge you to think outside of the 7-day mindset; it allows you to do some good, different things with your training.

Following on from my featured article in yesterday’s Top Fitness Articles You Should Read, spreading your ‘training week’ out also means you don’t have to start each week on a Monday (avoiding the ‘Monday Mindset’ trap) and also allows you train over the weekend in some cases – a time where many people notoriously slip up with their program.

 Nutrition

‘Prioritise adherence for nutritional success’

This is not revolutionary, nor does it apply solely to nutrition.

If you want to be successful, prioritise adherence.

If I asked a handful of people what the top priority would be to help someone improve their nutrition, they would likely go for a number of things; follow a plan, eat real food, cut out the junk, etc etc.

All very valid, but none hit the top of the priority list.

I think nutrition success is often limited by the person, not by the information.

The information is there; it’s everywhere (of course, finding the right information is another thing). The reason changes aren’t being made has more to do with the person (or with YOU), and the ability to be consistent.

If I were to choose one thing to prioritise in a nutrition plan, it would be adherence.

Adherence is your ability to stay the course, or stick to the plan.

Make changes slowly, and choose things to which you know you can adhere.

Pick ONE THING to improve – do that well – then do another, and so on.

Over time, the improvement will be profound. You’ll be far more likely to succeed than trying to go immediately from where you are now, to an all-encompassing nutrition plan that requires you make a number of radical changes in one go.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the latest edition of my regular series and found it useful.

Thanks for reading and please do share with anyone else you know will benefit!

Feel free to post some of your own ideas in the comments section below and on RHP’s Facebook or Twitter pages, too!

Rich

P.S. – to access every installment of my regular ‘Quick and Easy Ways to Look, Feel & Perform Better’ series, click here.

Here’s the latest edition of my regular series of Quick and Easy Health, Physique Transformation and Sports Conditioning tips.

You can put these into action right now to Look, Feel, Move and Perform better.

These tips are organised into 3 different categories:

1. General Health & Motivation
2. Training (Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Athleticism & Strength)
3. Nutrition

Enjoy!

 General Health & Motivation

‘Get out of your footwear as much as you can’

Shoes often restrict our range of motion and provide external stability that our feet need to develop on their own.

This is why many perform some of their training exercises barefoot.

Eliminating footwear improves ankle and foot mobility and stability, reduces calf tightness, increases activation of the posterior chain and proprioception of the foot.

However, for some reason, many gyms do not allow members to take off their footwear (don’t tell me your shoe is going to help much if you drop a weight on your foot).

So in these cases, try out some minimalist footwear (Vibram, Nike Free and New Balance have some great kit) that will provide just enough stability to prevent lateral sprains, all while helping you increase ankle mobility and stability in the foot.

Get out of your footwear (running trainers, smart shoes, or high heels etc) as much as you can, and while shoe-less, do foot and ankle activation and mobility drills to maintain good foot function.

The topic of barefoot training merits a whole detailed article in itself; for the moment, give it a try using your footwear less and feel the benefits.

 Training (Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Athleticism & Strength)

‘Grab a deck of cards for a fun home and travel workout’

I get asked a lot about travel, or at-home workouts.

Here’s a fun answer I often give – get a deck of cards!

Assign an exercise to each suit in the deck, and let the number dictate reps for each choice (face cards are always 10).

Here is an awesome workout you can do anywhere:

• Spades: Reverse Lunges
• Clubs: Core Dead-Bugs
• Diamonds: Glute Bridges
• Hearts: Press Ups (Classic, Kneeling or Incline to suit your ability)

BONUS!

• Aces: 10 Burpees
• Jokers: 10 Jump Squats

If you have a TRX, I recommend making the Diamonds suit  TRX Rows.

If you have a Pull-Up bar, make the Jokers a do-able amount of Chin-Ups, or Chin-Up Iso-Holds in the top position for as long as you can.

Simply turn over a card, and GO!

See how fast you can make it through the deck, and try to beat your time every workout.

 Nutrition

‘Eat more fish – preferably ones that did cool stuff like this while they were still alive‘

I hope you’ve enjoyed the latest edition of my regular series and found it useful.

Thanks for reading and please do share with anyone else you know will benefit!

Feel free to post some of your own ideas in the comments section below and on RHP’s Facebook or Twitter pages, too!

Rich

P.S. – to access every installment of my regular ‘Quick and Easy Ways to Look, Feel & Perform Better’ series, click here.

Here’s the latest edition of my regular series of Quick and Easy Health, Physique Transformation and Sports Conditioning tips.

You can put these into action right now to Look, Feel, Move and Perform better.

These tips are organised into 3 different categories:

1. General Health & Motivation
2. Training (Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Athleticism & Strength)
3. Nutrition

Enjoy!

 General Health & Motivation

‘Get a GOOD training partner’

There are random people you meet at the gym who occasionally help you with lifts, or give encouragement here and there.

Then there are dedicated training partners.

There is a big difference.

A good training partner will tell you to get your act together and train hard when you’re slacking off, or even hold you back when your body is banged up, but you’re stupidly trying to push through it. They care about your results and give good quality guidance, technical feedback and encouragement.

It’s guaranteed accountability, motivation, experience, safety, competition, and all-around awesomeness.

To be honest, I often wonder if most people get the best results working with a personal trainer/strength & conditioning coach for these factors more than the actual expertise the fitness professional provides!

 Training (Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Athleticism & Strength)

‘Do more complexes’

Maybe it’s me, but complexes are not talked about or used nearly enough. They had a stint a few years ago or so where they were all the rage, but seem to have tailed off in popularity.

They deserve a spot in your training.

A complex is a series of exercises, done in sequence, usually with the same weight, preferably without putting the weight down.

Why I like them:

• Minimal equipment/space needed
• Time-efficient
• Help groove form on major lifts
• Easily adaptable for muscle gain or fat loss
• No running involved

Things to remember:

• They are taxing. I prefer to see them used at the end of a training session.
• If used on ‘off-days’, I prefer to see them done at a moderate intensity OR done ‘all-out’ if you are not lifting the next day. For example, if you take the weekend off lifting, Saturday would be a good spot to hit complexes.

Here are some of my favorites articles on complexes:

Complexes 2.0 — Optimize Your Fat-Loss Workouts – John Romaniello

Complexes: Different, Harder, and Better – Wil Fleming

Complexes for Fat Loss – Alwyn Cosgrove

Rebuild Yourself with Complexes – Dan John

Screw Cardio! Four Complexes for a Shredded Physique – Chris Shugart

 Nutrition

‘Base your nutritional approach around foods that you actually like!’

The title speaks for itself, but here’s the deal.

If you read this series regularly or have seen any of the information on the RHP Website, then you know the importance I place on making a nutrition plan ‘do-able’.

Adherence is the key to success.

When people decide they are going to ‘clean’ up their eating they often make drastic restrictions with their food choices. It’s as if what they enjoy to eat no longer matters.

Long-term, this strict overhaul often fails when willpower becomes an issue.

There is a better first step.

One that is more productive in the long run than serving up a helping of things that are ‘healthy’ but that you don’t like.

Make a list of all the ‘real’ foods you DO like.

Choose foods that you actually ENJOY eating, and also ones that the majority of people would consider healthy. Choose at least a few in each of the following categories. Here are mine off the top of my head (by no means all-inclusive!):

Protein:

• Meat = EVERYTHING
• Fish = EVERYTHING
• Dairy = Cheese, Natural Yoghurt
• Others = Eggs, Whey Protein

Fat:

• Nuts/Seeds = Any kind or organic peanut/almond butter
• Oils = Coconut, Olive
• Other = Avocado

Vegetables:

• Pretty much anything; Asparagus and Cavolo Nero always go down a treat…

Fruit: 

• Berries, Apples

Other Carbs:

• Oats, Rice, Quinoa, Sweet Potato

Now you have the bedrock of your shopping list.

From here you can search the web for recipes revolving around these items. Clients at RHP get access to more than 60 of RHP’s free, easy, healthy recipes. Finding healthy recipes that include these things will introduce you to some variety.

When in doubt, just go back to your list.

Having this – as your first step and ‘fall back’ – will greatly improve your chances of cleaning up and enjoying your eating.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the latest edition of my regular series and found it useful.

Thanks for reading and please do share with anyone else you know will benefit!

Feel free to post some of your own ideas in the comments section below and on RHP’s Facebook or Twitter pages, too!

Rich

P.S. – to access every installment of my regular ‘Quick and Easy Ways to Look, Feel & Perform Better’ series, click here.