The Road to GPA worlds Bench Comp 2015
In February 2015, I decided that I wanted to compete in the Global Powerlifting Alliance World Championship. I had let myself go after winning my last meet in September 2014 and gained about 8 kilos from well, being lazy and eating like a pig through the festive holidays (I am the last person you would hear use […]
3 Traits of successful athletes
They train hard Nothing is easy. Without work you get nowhere. Your input will affect your output. Talking about be able to lift more, or being able to drop a pants size will get you nowhere. Getting off our a$$es and working it off will get us the results we wish to attain. Sacrifices have […]
Understanding the standing front press
The standing front press is basically pushing a barbell over your head. It requires you to move the bar from the top of your chest to the overhead position. No half reps. Full range of motion from top of chest to overhead position, and no jerking the weight up with your legs. It is one of […]
PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY
No it’s not. When I started out as a personal trainer in 1999, I didn’t have a clue to what I was doing. Don’t get me wrong. I knew biomechanics, what exercises worked which muscles etc etc. I also knew that I needed personal training clients and dishing out a big can of pain was the […]
The ” feel good ” factor and why it shouldn’t be what you’re aiming for when training.
Exercising (whether you are doing a personal training session, lifting weights, running, swimming etc) releases endorphins. The same hormones that are responsible for that feel good emotion. Is that a good thing? Yes, of course it is. But should it be the sole reason for exercise? No. That’s as good as going to the gym […]
Functional training and “entertrainment”.
In recent years, the term “functional training” has been tossed around in the personal training industry like pizza dough. But what is it really? Is it to mimic movements in sport? Or show how well you can perform challenging stunts on a Swiss ball? Let’s first define function: “To work or operate in a proper […]
The 7 most common mistakes at the gym.
In the past 15 years in the industry as a personal trainer, I have seen people sign up for gym memberships and fitness programs only to fall off the bandwagon because they don’t see the benefits of working out. Here are the most common training mistakes I’ve noticed and why they should be avoided – […]
Mobility and its importance.
I recently saw a very cool pic someone had posted on Facebook of a girl in a Yoga pose. Behind this girl was a neon sign cleverly positioned around the shape of the girl, which read: “I bend, so I don’t break”. Mobility and strength have a very strong correlation. In simple terms, if you […]
Benefits of Barbell Training.
If you have been to any decent gym, you would notice that the centre piece of the gym is the barbell squat/power rack. Why? Performance: Maximal Strength The barbell is most efficiently used for maximal strength training. Maximal strength is the maximum amount of strength you can exert without relation to the movement being done. […]
The Core Training Misconception.
Core training has been made popular by the media with pictures of washboard abs and tight midsections. Many personal training programs put a lot of emphasis on ab and back work to strengthen the core. But what is the core really? Firstly, lets take a look at what the core consists of – The abs, […]
