Training hard is essential to increase performance, but so is resting hard! High intensity training breaks your body down and makes you weaker, rest makes your stronger. Think of exercise as a stress to your body, which it is. You must put your body under stress in order to increase your physical capabilities, but your performance will only improve if the stress load is appropriate. If the stress load is too intense, too long in duration, rapidly increased or you fail to incorporate adequate recovery time into your regime, then a state of overtraining will occur.
The most common symptoms of overtraining are:
Fatigue
Feeling moody and irritable
Depression
Decreased desire to train
Increased Muscular Soreness after training
Increased recovery time needed between sessions
Increased illnessess and injuries
Decreased performance
The most common causes can include one or more of the following:
Lack of recovery
Increasing load or intensity too rapidly
Increased duration in endurance training without progressive measures
Lack of sleep
Excess alcohol, nicotine, caffeine
Lack of relaxation time
Poor nutrtional habits
If you train when you are showing symptoms of overtraining, you will only break down your body even further and will not make further gains. The best thing that you can do is recover. Eat well, relax, get plenty of quality sleep, stretch and mobilise your body and begin training again when:
You feel like you have slept well
You are looking forward to your workout
You feel energetic
You have a good appetite
You have little muscle soreness
You have no sign of injury or illness
The time needed for adequate recovery from overtraining can vary from days, weeks or even months depending on the severity. Therefore, as soon as you feel like you maybe overtraining, take that day off, miss that training session or 2 if needs be, it could prevent serious problems and help you keep those gains that you have already worked so hard for.
Monday, 31 August 2009
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Quick Fix Workout
If you are pushed for time, try one of these whole body workouts that will push you to the edge!
1.
Jog 5mins
1min Max Effort Run
30secs Squat Thrusts
x 3
30secs Max Effort Run
30secs Press Ups
x 3
20secs Max Effort Run
20secs Plank
x 3
Jog 5mins
2.
30secs of the following exercises without rest:
Press Ups
Tricep Dips
Squats
Alternate Lunges
Crunches
Twist Sits
Plank
Alternate Side Plank
Repeat 3-5 times depending on fitness and time available.
Remember, training is about intensity, not duration.
1.
Jog 5mins
1min Max Effort Run
30secs Squat Thrusts
x 3
30secs Max Effort Run
30secs Press Ups
x 3
20secs Max Effort Run
20secs Plank
x 3
Jog 5mins
2.
30secs of the following exercises without rest:
Press Ups
Tricep Dips
Squats
Alternate Lunges
Crunches
Twist Sits
Plank
Alternate Side Plank
Repeat 3-5 times depending on fitness and time available.
Remember, training is about intensity, not duration.
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
Eggs - One of the best Protein Sources on the planet!
The consumption of eggs has long been a debate, but there is no doubt in our minds that Eggs should be a mainplayer in an optimum diet. Eggs contain all 9 essential amino acids and have vitamins and minerals inabundance. Despite Eggs often being blamed for their contribution to raising cholestrol, (an unfounded notion) the egg yolk actually aids in preventing the accumulation of cholestrol and fat in the liver, how ironic! Extensive research on eggs and their benefits have found that they are also a superfood for the brain, eyes, heart, and even your hair and nails; There have also been studies into their effect on reducing the risk of breast cancer.
The source of your eggs and how you cook them (if at all) is important. Look for high quality, free range organic eggs. Natural is always best, but obviously raw eggs aren't high on many people's favourite food list, and low quality eggs do carry a higher risk of salmonella. However, minimizing the eggs exposure to oxygen is the healthiest way to consume them, so poaching or boiling is recommended.
The Vie Coaches whole heartedly recommend Eggs, and as protein at every meal is essential for optimum health and metabolism, they are an ideal breakfast or snack food.
The source of your eggs and how you cook them (if at all) is important. Look for high quality, free range organic eggs. Natural is always best, but obviously raw eggs aren't high on many people's favourite food list, and low quality eggs do carry a higher risk of salmonella. However, minimizing the eggs exposure to oxygen is the healthiest way to consume them, so poaching or boiling is recommended.
The Vie Coaches whole heartedly recommend Eggs, and as protein at every meal is essential for optimum health and metabolism, they are an ideal breakfast or snack food.
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Tight hamstrings?
Fascia, or connective tissue, envelopes every muscle, organ and bone; fascia is responsible for maintaining your structural identity. Any adhesions or shortened areas of fascia may have an adverse effect on other parts of the body.
The hamstrings region are covered by a line of fascia which runs from the bottom of the foot, up the back of each leg, along the back, and over the head. This line is responsible for maintaining spinal extension, except during flexion at the knee joint and plantar flexion at the ankle.
The bottom of the foot, or plantar surface, may be the source of many problems further up the line.
Have you ever found that when you suffered from a period of tight hamstrings or lower back pain, that you also had tightness in the soles of your feet, particularly upon rising from bed?
Plantar limitation is an issue which can be easily addresed. For more information and treatment strategies contact the coaches at Vie.
The hamstrings region are covered by a line of fascia which runs from the bottom of the foot, up the back of each leg, along the back, and over the head. This line is responsible for maintaining spinal extension, except during flexion at the knee joint and plantar flexion at the ankle.
The bottom of the foot, or plantar surface, may be the source of many problems further up the line.
Have you ever found that when you suffered from a period of tight hamstrings or lower back pain, that you also had tightness in the soles of your feet, particularly upon rising from bed?
Plantar limitation is an issue which can be easily addresed. For more information and treatment strategies contact the coaches at Vie.
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Fat doesn't make you Fat...
Over 90% of people who embark on a "diet" to lose weight regain the weight they lose, and more. There can be several reasons for this, but undoubtedly one of the biggest problems is that it is generally assumed that eating fat makes you fat, so a "low fat" diet is embarked upon.
Of course, eating too much fat is not healthy and has adverse side effects, weight gain inparticular. However, it is the type of fat that is one of the important factors in maintaining optimum health and therefore a healthy amount of body fat. Fats are essential for health, particularly for the brain. Essential fats (Omegas 3 & 6) are known as polyunsaturated fats, which cannot be produced by the human body, so must be consumed through diet by eating fish, nuts and seeds. This is in comparison to bad fats, or non essential fats(saturated/monosaturated and trans fats) which are prevalent in the western diet, but are not required to be consumed as the body can easily convert carbohydrates and protein to saturated and monounsaturated fats. Non essential fats can only be burned for energy or stored as fat, and as fat is calorie dense, 9 calories per gram, eating non essential fats will lead to weight gain.
So point 1 to remember - You must eat fats, but they should come from Fish, Nuts, Lean Meat, Seeds and their oils. Not processed foods.
That leaves the question why we can become fat even if we only eat the recommmended amounts of essential fats? One word - SUGAR. All sugars (which include carbohydrates and alcohol) are converted to glucose through the digestive process. Glucose is the fuel used by your cells and is stored as muscle glycogen. However your muscles have a finite storage capacity, so once stores are full, the excess that has not been burned up is stored as fat.
A perfect example of the disastrous effect that sugar can have on body fat is the typical night out. A few drinks (all sugar), possibly a meal or even worse, a kebab/burger at closing time. All of these calories will be converted to glucose, but the muscle glycogen stores will soon become full and the remainder of those calories will be stored as fat. You get up in the morning and think that going for a run will counter-act the effects of the night before. Infact, what it will do is empty the muscle glycogen stores, which will refill on eating your next meal, fat burning will be minimal. The process to break down fat is far more complicated for the body than using up the ready made fuel stored in the muscles.
So point number 2 to remember is - If you are going to consume sugar, burn it off straight away otherwise it will be stored almost immediately as fat.
Having covered Fats and Carbohydrates, we are left with Protein. Its primary function is to build and repair cells, so it is vital for the body. The great thing about protein is that the energy burned to break it down in order to be used by the body, is almost three times the amount used to break down carbohydrates and fats. In simple terms, your body will burn more calories just by eating protein instead of carbs. Furthermore, protein has a higher satiating effect, and prevents the early onset of hunger after a meal. Excess protein is dispelled through the body's waste system and is not stored as fat.
So point number 3 to remember is - Eat protein with every meal, it will raise your metabolism.
Considering this information, you should look at your diet and be honest, is it the fat I eat that is making me fat? The likely answer is no, but that it is the lack of protein and overconsumption of processed carbohydrates. Fruit and vegetables are the natural source of carbohydrates so there is no nutritional requirement for pastas, bread, potatoes and rice etc. These really do make the western world fat.
Of course, eating too much fat is not healthy and has adverse side effects, weight gain inparticular. However, it is the type of fat that is one of the important factors in maintaining optimum health and therefore a healthy amount of body fat. Fats are essential for health, particularly for the brain. Essential fats (Omegas 3 & 6) are known as polyunsaturated fats, which cannot be produced by the human body, so must be consumed through diet by eating fish, nuts and seeds. This is in comparison to bad fats, or non essential fats(saturated/monosaturated and trans fats) which are prevalent in the western diet, but are not required to be consumed as the body can easily convert carbohydrates and protein to saturated and monounsaturated fats. Non essential fats can only be burned for energy or stored as fat, and as fat is calorie dense, 9 calories per gram, eating non essential fats will lead to weight gain.
So point 1 to remember - You must eat fats, but they should come from Fish, Nuts, Lean Meat, Seeds and their oils. Not processed foods.
That leaves the question why we can become fat even if we only eat the recommmended amounts of essential fats? One word - SUGAR. All sugars (which include carbohydrates and alcohol) are converted to glucose through the digestive process. Glucose is the fuel used by your cells and is stored as muscle glycogen. However your muscles have a finite storage capacity, so once stores are full, the excess that has not been burned up is stored as fat.
A perfect example of the disastrous effect that sugar can have on body fat is the typical night out. A few drinks (all sugar), possibly a meal or even worse, a kebab/burger at closing time. All of these calories will be converted to glucose, but the muscle glycogen stores will soon become full and the remainder of those calories will be stored as fat. You get up in the morning and think that going for a run will counter-act the effects of the night before. Infact, what it will do is empty the muscle glycogen stores, which will refill on eating your next meal, fat burning will be minimal. The process to break down fat is far more complicated for the body than using up the ready made fuel stored in the muscles.
So point number 2 to remember is - If you are going to consume sugar, burn it off straight away otherwise it will be stored almost immediately as fat.
Having covered Fats and Carbohydrates, we are left with Protein. Its primary function is to build and repair cells, so it is vital for the body. The great thing about protein is that the energy burned to break it down in order to be used by the body, is almost three times the amount used to break down carbohydrates and fats. In simple terms, your body will burn more calories just by eating protein instead of carbs. Furthermore, protein has a higher satiating effect, and prevents the early onset of hunger after a meal. Excess protein is dispelled through the body's waste system and is not stored as fat.
So point number 3 to remember is - Eat protein with every meal, it will raise your metabolism.
Considering this information, you should look at your diet and be honest, is it the fat I eat that is making me fat? The likely answer is no, but that it is the lack of protein and overconsumption of processed carbohydrates. Fruit and vegetables are the natural source of carbohydrates so there is no nutritional requirement for pastas, bread, potatoes and rice etc. These really do make the western world fat.
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