End Of Year Reflections - How Did You Do?

It's great to use this time of year to look back on the past year and how much of what you wanted to achieve actually got done.

This can obviously be appied to your fitness, nutrition and health, but also the other areas that make up your life.

As for training, this is one reason i love to keep training diaries. It's great to look back on the past year and even previous years to compare what i have done, what has lead to success, what challenges needed to be overcome etc.

I do feel training diaries lend themselves best when you can attach some numbers to what you are doing, for example weights lifted, repetitions, time taken, distance covered, average speed etc. This just makes it easier to compare training sessions and the results from them.

Even without much of this quantification, i'd still recommend keeping track.It's like looking at a roadmap of how you got here!

I feel i had a good year overall. I trained hard and consistently with a well rounded approach. I did suffer a pretty significant injury, but i was able to work around it so it didn't slow me down too much! I set a goal of Deadlifting 200kg's earlier in the year. As i got to the final months of the year i knew this would need to be revised slightly.

So last Sunday i managed 192kg's - a good personal best and exactly 2 and a half times my bodyweight!

If you didn't have any friendly challenges to look forward to this year, how about setting yourself some for next?!

Time for the Bootcampers to step up to the challenge once again on Monday 4th January. Still some spaces available - http://www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Steve

How Many Burpees.....?

.....Could you do if you just fixed your mind on a number and got determined to get there no matter how big that challenge seemed and how long you had to take?

Check out my effort at 100 from a few weeks ago!



Burpees are a great whole body movement that demand a large amount of energy and effort!

If you are going to do a lot of them it's worth getting very familiar with the movement first and make sure your back feels good doing them.

Adapt to your own fitness levels, take out the press up and the jump if you need to. Also, hands can be on a raised surface to make easier.

As your ability increases work harder and faster for an intense fat burning exercise!

Steve
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Party Season Is Here! Fat Gain Or Loss??

Yes it's December! And if you haven't already seen an increase in your social life then it's probably happening from this week. And let's face it, that can be great and it can also be a disaster for fat loss and fitness.

What happens often is training sessions are dropped, calories are increased, especially from alcohol, fat and carbohydrate! Sleep is reduced, stress levels can be higher etc.

This all adds up to quite a challenge for your body to be a lean, mean fitness machine!

So, let's be as practical as possible about this.

Commit to still exercising. Do your normal days and times if possible, if not simply try to make a different time on the same day. If you can keep some regular habits going this will all be easier to stick with and fully resume once life is more back to normal.

If you have to, simply cut down the time you are exercising to avoid missing it out altogether. Make up for this by working harder, cutting down on rest times etc. If you are spending more than an hour exercising then you are probably not working hard enough anyway!

A longer workout does not mean a more effective one, despite what many people still think. Depending on what you do and what your goals are, a hard 30 minute session can achieve more than 90 mins of easier or less effective work. What are you more likely to be able to fit in?

The bottom line is you are going to feel so much better for staying active. Your body will also more effectively deal with the calories it takes in and keep your metabolism raised for more of the time.

In terms of eating, go for the leaner meats, fish and vegetables first. Fill up on the good stuff and hopefully there will be less room for the not so good!

If you are going somewhere with only snacks available, again try to eat well before going out to avoid over doing the snack calories.

There will be meals where you no doubt do go overboard, and that's ok! Just be a little better to yourself on the other meals you have that day or week. Again, good meats, fish, vegetables and some fruit as the basis for your eating will go a long way to minimising the negative effects of the big party meals.

If you are out a lot, choose to make some nights alcohol free, or offer to drive to make sure that happens. It is your choice and it will still be plenty of fun!

So, to sum up. Keep exercising - you'll, fee, function, and no doubt look better for it! Eat right most of the time, and enjoy yourself when you don't! Stick with this for the next month and you could continue to lose fat and/ or get fitter while enjoying a busy social December!

Steve
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

P.S. Our free week of bootcamp is filling up very fast. Have you registered? www.sussexfreefitnessbootcamps.com

What Size Are 'Normal' People Anyway?

What size and shape are we meant to be?

What are the average's - is that what we want to be?

What are the images we are bombarded with of the 'perfect' body?!

I'm most aware of these questions when shopping for clothes - which doesn't happen that often! I can only imagine the trouble professional athletes have to go through to get clothes that fit!

Now for those of you who don't know me i am far from large framed, i grew up doing long distance running and martial arts - always just a regular or lean size and shape.

Even today with lots of strength training i'm certainly not at all stocky.

Thererfore it always surprises me when jeans are tight around the thighs and bum. Shirts are often tight around the back and neck.

Surely people are meant to move, exercise, and have their body's adapt accordingly!?

It seems that if you are active enough to actually cause some positive changes in your physique you may find yourself out of the current norm. I think part of this is still the popular culture's obsession with the super skinny.

Or we have the opposite side to this:

Sussex Bootcamps are off to the Bright FM awards this evening to present one of the awards and therefore need to be dressed up.

I went to hire a suit from Broadbridges just around the corner from us in Haywards Heath, which was great. On going back to collect my order they had my order slightly queried, as the size of my jacket 'should' have accompanied trousers 4 inches bigger than i need for my waist!

This is relevant to our bootcampers experiences as we often hear of people noticing clothing fitting differently. From the reassuringly baggy, to the concerned tighter around the legs!

If someone, particularly a woman is experiencing areas getting larger from something like a bootcamp, i'm going to suggest 1 of 2 things are happening. 1, they are possibly not being too good with nutrition and this is simply some weight gain, or 2, if it's actually lean muscle tissue then they were under muscled in the first place.

This may not be what individuals want to hear but if a small amount of muscle tissue (and it can only ever really be small doing what we do) is added this is simply a healthy and positive response, so don't let old clothing sizes or media images convince you you are not actually looking better!

More soon from the front lines of fitness and fashion!!

Steve

Free Bootcamp Week To Help Homeless At Christmas

That's right we're stepping up to the demand from our Bootcampers and offering an extra week with a difference!

We weren't sure how to run it, we could be having an extra week off! We could be busy promoting our January Bootcamps, our charity events etc. So instead of that we've decided to offer the week of the 14th Dec for free!

People just have to register to reserve their free place and then donate some food that we can then pass on to the Emmaus Homeless charity in Brighton.

We've only just started to tell our current bootcampers about this and the response is very positive so far.

I'm sure it's easy to have mixed feelings about the homeless. Sometimes you hear people saying they have brought it on themselves or are being lazy etc.

Maybe this is true for some of the people who find themselves in this position, but i'd guess there are many who are there through no real fault of their own, who haven't been able to cope, who have had society turn it's back on them.

What we're talking about is other human beings who probably crave some of the things we take for granted at this time of year - friends, family, food and shelter from the winter weather.

If we can do a little bit to give back to those who find themselves worse of at Christmas then i think we should take that opportunity. After all there is generally so much excess and waste going on elsewhere.

So here it is - the last chance to make a difference to your fitness in 2009 and get a head start on any new years resolutions.

Reserve your place here http://www.sussexfreefitnessbootcamps.com/

We're excited to offer some turkey busting workouts!

Steve Cork

P.S. Our new venue for Bootcamps is Trading Boundaries at Sheffield Park. We start in January and we're ready to help you make 2010 your healthiest and best year ever!

10 Minutes, Maybe 5 Minutes To Ultimate Fitness...

This is a post for those of you who just can't get started, or are sporadic in your efforts!

Ulimate fitness (whatever that is) can't be built without fitness. In other words you have to get started, you have to lay the foundation - Stephen Covey said "you can't cram for a marathon by training the night before!"

What you need to do is get some momentum going, make a deal with yourself to do a certain amount of something to achieve some success and energy around your goal.

You can sneak up on something by taking baby steps - what success coach Michael Neil calls "starting small".

Here is an example for me right now. I'm trying to be better at keeping on top of my flat being clean and tidy. Typically this gets put off until it starts to become difficult to move - then i take some action!

I really don't like this approach - or the results - any similarities to your current exercise regime?!

So i made a deal with myself. I can do 5 minutes tidying everyday - there is absolutely no excuse to not do this, and it's not at all daunting to me. I also know that once i'm simply allowing myself to do 5 minutes, the chances are i'll do a bit more than this and before i know it, things are going to be looking different around here!

Apply this to your fitness training right now. Will 5 minutes exercise get you the body of your dreams - possibly not, but you will be far better off than not putting those short efforts together. They will also likely turn into longer efforts and build a successful habit which will equal the body of your dreams!

Consistency is one of the keys to fitness and health. Even if you are focussing on some short term target or result, have some concern for the long term too so that you can sustain the benefits for the rest of your life!

Steve Cork
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk
Fitness Bootcamps - Personal Training

What Did You Have For Lunch Today?

Here is a quick video for you! Ben pounced with his camera just as i was about to tuck in! (A beautiful sunny day in Haywards Heath today which is a welcome change from the floods!)

High quality protein (and enough of it) along with a good serving of veggies is how most of my lunch and dinners tend to turn out.

If it's a lower fat protein then i don't always feel as satisfied so i may need a handful of nuts at the same meal.



Steve
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Pumpkin Workouts For Fat Loss And Fitness?!

It's a bit of fun and something a little different! Our Bootcampers enjoyed this experience last year so we thought we would do more of the same this year.

We're doing 2 different pumpkin workouts this week and most people seemed to select the right size for them - something around 3 - 8 kgs depending on strength and ability seems ideal for what we have been doing.

The great thing is i've had loads of comments today about how the Bootcampers are really feeling the work they did yesterday!

As they are only used to doing mostly bodyweight movements, adding some load soon makes a difference. Having said that people were able to translate their good technique and core strength easily to working with a load.

One of the favourites seemed to be the pumpkin burpees and pumpkin planks (feet on top)!

Watch out, we may include more useful tools in the future! In fact we've just ordered some brand new kit to try out thouroughly to see if it can enhance our boot camp sessions.

More on that soon.

Speaking of fitness and fat loss, i'll be posting my 100 burpee challenge as soon as i've got the time!

Enjoy your fitness and health,

Steve

Challenging Your Fitness?

How do you measure your fitness? It could be just where you are at right now or measuring how much you have progressed.

Whether you realise it or not, i promise you this relates to your results!

You can certainly get an idea of how you are doing based on how you feel and what you are able to do. Other people may comment also.

How about coming up with a challenge to give you something to measure your fitness against? There are many ways you can do this depending on what is meaningful for your to measure.

This could be how long it takes you to complete a certain number of a particular movement or combination of movements. How many times you can move a particular weight, how heavy you can lift, how fast you can cover a distance etc etc.

Every month we issue a challenge to our Bootcampers to test a slightly different aspect of their fitness, and it's great to witness the efforts and see the improvements when we re-test at the end.

Most people seem to enjoy taking on the challenge and competing with themselves (or maybe against others but that's not what we emphasise)! It's simply a chance to raise the bar a little and focus efforts in a particular area.

Not everyone enjoys competing, even just with themselves so there really is no pressure. It's much like the challenge of turning up each day and completing the regular session, just with a number attached.

Personally, every training session is a challenge - i strive to improve on something, because those small consistent improvements add up to great results.

Some people shake their heads when they hear us reading out the challenge but nearly everyone surprises themselves with what they can do.

We've got a massive age range of people completing the challenges every month, age and fitness level are no barrier.

We're looking forward to witnessing the progress when we re-test in 2 weeks. If you want to enjoy the same sense of satisfaction, improvements in your fitness, fat loss, and muscle tone, join us for the last Bootcamp of the year, starting Nov 16th.

We'd love to see you there.

Best Wishes,

Steve
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

My Fitness Classes Disappearing.....

I've been teaching a variety of fitness classes at the local 'Olympos' Leisure centres for years and years - as well as many other fitness centres and health clubs.

With Sussex Bootcamps taking off in a big way i've needed to adjust and re prioritise my working week.

Every one of the classes that i've had to make the hard decision to move on from has been very difficult. I really enjoy teaching and i love the people that come to my classes - they are most often motivated fitness enthusiasts who enjoy some intelligently applied hard work.

Ultimately there comes a time when just continuing to do the same thing becomes thinking too small - and i want to do more right now!! I guess i can value my time, energy and experience more than the places i have been teaching at!

Building my business where i have more control of the experience from start to finish means i can ultimately help more people and deliver a better product.

While we are offering a different level and type of service currently in terms of Bootcamps, we will be expanding and offering services to more of the Sussex community in due course. Specifically, there will be a Youth Fitness service, Boxing fitness and Kettlebell classes.

We are going to continue to offer the best fitness services in the area with the best instructors.

If you are local to Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill, i still have a Monday and Wed evening drop in class that are not going anywhere soon.

I look forward to being of service to more people, in bigger and better ways.

In Fitness and Health,

Steve
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Restoration - Rest Week or Simply Back Off Week??

Last week after what was a good 7 or possibly 10 weeks training (don't have my diary in front of me to check), it was time for some recovery.

A couple of ways you can approach this and the choice really depends on what you've been doing and how you are feeling.

Firstly you could take a week completely off any training - a good option if you have not done this for a long time and are feeling a bit run down or beaten up from heavy training. Obviously light activity is going to be good.

A back off week can also be a great option. If you are still feeling pretty good but know it's going to be healthy to have a bit of a change, then go for it. With this, you are still going to do some training, perhaps with less volume, less intensity, less duration, different activities etc.

I like the back off week to get in some play time. Some of the things i never get around to doing enough of when i'm in the middle of a more focused and potentially draining routine.

I was actually feeling pretty good. I'd had 4 weeks of 2 strength sessions instead of the usual 3, some different exercises, and then 3 other conditioning sessions. So, my body had already benefited from a bit of a change.

Looking at the back off week, i'm wondering if it was more than many people's training weeks! I managed to fit in:

- A brief, fun, and challenging 2 kettlebell workout, simply stinging together some great whole body movements.

- A brief session of barbell complexes which become very hard very quickly.

- A circuit session which involved a 100 burpee challenge, sprints and pull ups.

- A hard spinning class. A mini core emphasis circuit.

- A heavy lifting session, just with less sets and fewer exercises than normal.

A few of these sessions were pretty short. A big change is taking off any mental pressure to improve anything specific. It therefore feels less intense even if a lot is still being accomplished.

One thing i'd do better at next time is a few less late nights which can make all the difference in actually feeling rested after a 'rest' week.

Steve
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Do you run or not run? Do you think of yourself as a runner or non-runner?

Does the idea of running fill you with fear or freedom?

Are you built for speed or distance?!

Whatever your current stance, we enjoyed providing the warm up to the fun run and walk at St Peter's and St James Hospice on Sunday in Wivelsfield Green.

It was a great morning, beautiful weather, and a great atmosphere; from the kids doing their run and families doing the walk, to the more serious runners.

It almost made me want to join in! But with a bit of a cold i'd have done myself no favours.

I don't consider running to necessarily be the pinnacle example of fitness, (that's a personal decision and choice for you to make) but it's nice to know that if you need to or want to, you can.

If you enjoy running or decide to challenge yourself, then it's nice to be able to do well and improve your ability.

People are often surprised when their running improves from non-running activities, yet we see it time and again. This often occurs in those who are already running to an extent and then add the type of core strengthening and total body fitness that we provide.

This is especially true for the lower body strength and power training that we do. This kind of approach where runners have included more explosive or dynamic movements into their training has been studied and shown to improve performance.

It seems that running economy is improved as muscles and other structures improve their ability to handle the forces being demanded.

The other area that often gets improved dramatically in the runners we see is in their anaerobic fitness. This occurs when people work at a higher intensity level for a shorter period of time. Adding this to the longer slower work that is typical of many runners can make a great difference to general fitness, running fitness, and body composition.

Our Bootcamps never involve too much running, but we use it to improve the above mentioned aspects of fitness and hopefully do enough for people to gradually get better.

I'd suggest most other activities could be improved by enhancing the fitness qualities we emphasise at bootcamp.

The last time i did a 'long' run was quite a few years ago when i was training for the London Marathon. I was up to about 17 miles and decided not to continue with the preparation as i was getting knee and ankle problems.

After Sunday, i'm now quite tempted by the South Downs Marathon next year!

Have a fit and healthy week,

Steve

New Video For You - Snatches, Swings, Burpees, = Magic 50!

Here is a killer work out i did last week!



Putting several whole body movements together like this will really test your conditioning levels and ability to keep going when you start to want to stop!



You can do exactly the same workout with a dumbbell, but the only ones i have at home have spinlock collars which can come undone if not careful!



If you have a go at something similar let me know.



Steve

http://www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk/

Changed Things Up Recently?

When did you last shift the focus of your training?

I'm not talking about jumping on the bandwagon of the newest shiny gadget or the latest celebrity 'must be seen to be doing'!

I'm not talking about radically changing from one type of exercise to another.

Simply a shift of focus, which might actually be quite subtle.

My reps and therefore loads have been changing every few weeks for much of this year. I find it a nice approach - keeps things fresh and focussed.

Now i'm going to give my format a bit of a change. There will still be a couple of specific lifting days, one heavier, and one faster. 3 more days will contain sprint intervals, circuit training, some weighted and bodyweight challenges etc.

Some of these sessions will be pretty brief but the intensity will be pretty brutal.

I'm hoping to at least maintain my strength (improving it in some areas), and drastically improve my general conditioning and endurance.

Looking forward to a challenging 4 weeks of this.

How about you?

Our bootcampers started their next 4 weeks today also. They have the benefits of their focus being changed for them. Can't wait to see their progress while enjoying my own!

Steve
http://www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

New Incentives To Exercise In Sussex!

Wow there is an amazing initiative that seems to have been taken to heart specifically in one of the towns local to me - Burgess Hill.

Locals cannot have failed to witness and feel compelled to get out there.....

This new powerful weapon in the war against obesity and incentive to exercise is non other than.....

Traffic Lights!!!!!! Everywhere!!!!!!!!!

That's right - ditch the car, get on your bike, walk, run, or skateboard - because you are currently not going anywhere fast in Burgess Hill.

In all seriousness though, i am a big fan of getting out of the car and getting places under your own steam. It really is often faster, cheaper, healthier and greener. It depends how far you have to go, but how many people drive 5 mins to get to they gym??

I used to cycle everywhere when i lived in London, and despite a 9 mile commute, it was often quicker than catching a tube with delays etc.

Make the most of the remaining weather and light before autumn and winter really start to set in.

We've had fresh air and sun light in abundance at Sussex Bootcamps. While there is less sunlight and warmth over the next few months - being out there when it is nice weather and soaking up some sunshine (when it's out) year round really does feel great!

Several sessions are now booked up for September.

Go and see if we have spaces left for you!

http://www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Adding More Life And Years!!!

Why do we do this? Put ourselves through all the hard work, the effort, the sweat, the healthy eating?

Well hopefully you derive some sense of pleasure from the act of training, pushing yourself, challenging yourself, spending time more 'in your body' etc.

Possibly you just love the way you feel and look as a result of training?

My hope is that working hard at fitness touches every aspect of your life and improves it, literally allowing you to experience more life!

If you have friends that like to be active, guess what you can participate in whatever they are doing. If you have kids, hopefully they are active and being encouraged to be so. Nothing to back up that encouragemant like being active yourself! Then you get to join in with what they are doing and play a more significant role in their lives, not needing to sit out and miss out!

Same applies for grandparents. How many years do you want to be able to play an active and independent role in your family's life?

A good level of fitness and health is going to enhance all of this in a way that you can't put a price on.

What about challenging times or even emergencies. Do you think fitness is going to make a difference here?

I spent a day learning to surf while on holiday as you can just about make out in the picture above. On that same day another person in the water got into trouble and i ended up going to their rescue. Problem is we were then both in a bit of trouble!

After making the stupid decision to swim for it, getting hit by a big wave and swalling too much water, i had a moment where i almost felt and remembered everytime i had ever pushed myself, fought to keep going, pushed against a seemingly immovable weight etc.

It was like drawing strength from all my training experience in a moment of panic, and thankfully it wasn't too long after that we found ourselves close enough to shore to not be pulled out to sea any longer.

So the message here as far as i'm concerned is fitness will enhance your life, it will be there in the times where you can enjoy it, and hopefully in times where you may need it to get you through a situation!

I believe fitness and health will also contribute to the quality and quantity of your life.

Are you realising the bigger picture in your fitness and health?

Next Bootcamp starts Sepember 7 - i'd love to see you there,

Steve

Let's Get This Started Again...

Ever find yourself saying that about your fitness?

Most people probably do at some time or another - whether from injury or ilness, holiday or a rest week - or just simply getting out of the habit.

It's not just fitness either - it happens across the board for our various tasks and behaviours - like writing a blog for example!!

One thing i've always liked to do is frame exercise and fitness in a different way - hence the term 'everyday athlete' and my encouragement for people to see themselves as athletes.

Taking this a step further and you get to training as a ritual - something espoused by Chip Conrad and his awesome facility Body Tribe - see http://physicalsubculture.com/blog

I've recently enjoyed the DVD produced by these guys and tapping into the concept of training as a ritual is something that strongly resonates with me.

It's a practise, a way of being, a moving meditation, the act of which enhances your life!!

Far from just random movements for the sake of some possible future reward - it's here and now.

If something is a ritual that enhances your life do you think there will be much resistance, much putting off to another day?

How can you infuse what you do with more meaning? It's worth some consideration.

I've been getting things started again today. Not just this post, but after a great week away last week, my routine of training (working on the ritual part!).

I recommend time out from heavy training every 6 - 10 weeks or so, but i've realised that i totally neglected and undervalued time out from the work routine, yep a holiday!

Some stories from that to follow.

For now, time to enjoy the slightly sweeter taste of life after some good time out!

Steve

http://www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Is It Your Mind Or Your Body?....

I’m often amazed and intrigued by the interaction between mind and body (can they really be separated?) and physical activity. We have an idea of what it is we want to do or be like, but what happens after this and what will most likely lead to your success?

Establishing some kind of routine is going to be a big help in achieving success. That is, you don’t really have to plan when you are going to fit exercise in – it’s part of your daily or weekly routine so it’s very likely to be achieved. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for example, you know you are going to be fitting in some specific exercise at a certain time.

If you have this mentally or physically in your diary, successfully completing such sessions becomes far more likely than starting with a blank canvas each week for when you are going to do what. Similarly just waiting until you feel like being active may not work out.

Another aspect that is going to set you up for success is your sense of commitment to the task at hand. How often do you communicate a lack of commitment to something (either to yourself or to others) with words like ‘try’, ‘do what I can’, ‘see what happens’ etc? If you imagine you are connected to a positive result by a chain, how many little things like this create weak links in that chain?

You have no doubt had times in your life when you have been extremely determined and resolved to do something no matter what. You need to vividly remember such feelings when it comes to considering your task at hand; otherwise when the going gets tough, your mind is likely to give up well before your body.

Having this incredibly strong ‘I’ll stop at nothing’ attitude doesn’t mean you then throw caution to the wind, but it does mean the little things will not get in your way.

Think about it, almost all of the same excuses are going to affect those who succeed and those who fail, but which group listens to the excuses and changes their plans? Which group counters or ignores the excuses and carries on?

How about you? If you stop for a moment to consider something you really want to achieve and further consider what you think will be necessary to achieve it. Now notice what barriers or get out clauses jump out! Is it a couple or a couple of hundred!?

Some people have so many reasons why they are likely to miss the mark on what they want to achieve that they are basically set up for failure. Is it past injuries, past results, demands of family or work, your age, the weather, the exercise, the type of food, money, equipment etc, etc.

If the last part of this article sounded a little negative then I want to assure you it’s not meant to be. Because the act of hearing an excuse, recognising it for what it is and moving forward is extremely positive. Every time you strengthen that muscle of commitment, resolve and determination it is a great thing.

Set yourself up for success with the routine, commitment, and the resolve to keep your mind on your side. We all have moments of doubt or negativity. When you start to listen to such thoughts and what you choose to do next is your choice - how exciting is that!


Come along to the new drop in Saturday Circuit class - http://www.sussexsaturdayfitness.co.uk

Next 4 week fitness bootcamp - June 22nd - http://www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Steve

This Week's Training And Yesterday's Workout

It's been good to drop my reps down to 4 each set this week. I say good but i mean different!

It was a bit of a shock to the system - in a good way, but i do like the focus of just grinding out those few strong reps.

I've started to consider my conditioning needs also, especially now that i'm teaching far less fitness classes that demand my participation like spinning. I'm going to be doing some sprint intervals and conditioning drills on some of the days between the strength focused workouts.

How well rounded is your programme right now? Or depending on your focus, are you working generally in the areas you need to and specifically in any other areas you need to?

Here is yesterday's workout.

Barbell Power Snatch - worked up to 54kg x 3. Not done for while but felt good
Deadlift - did 4 sets of 4 at 156kg
Glute/Hamstring Raise - 3 sets of 4

BB Push Press and - 1x4 @68kg, 3x4 at 70kg
Weighted Chin ups - 1x4 @15kg added, 3x4 @17kg added

1 Arm Press Up and - 3x4 each
1 Arm Horizontal Ring Row - 3x4 each (both of these assisted with non working side)

The new pull up/ dip tower is a bit disappointing but it adds some options (other than banging my knees!)

All the best for your training,

Steve

P.S. THE 4 week fitness bootcamp starts again tomorrow! http://www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Time Called On Sawyers Health Club!

Sad news that the independent Haywards Heath health club Sawyers, is coming to a sudden close soon.

It's sad because i'm all for independent clubs who are a bit different with perhaps more character or personality than you might find elsewhere. I'm sure the size of the club also had something to do with this - being fairly small.

But it definitely had a different feel to it than the Leisure centres etc.

It's been a victim of its landlords wishing to develop the site, rather than simply the recession.

I was relatively late to being involved with the club in Haywards Heath (having taught some classes a few years ago when they also had a club in Crawley). I've been teaching a few classes there (spinning, circuits) since Jan 08 and enjoyed them a lot.

Best Wishes to the owners, staff and members of Sawyers.

I hope to see some of of you at classes or Bootcamp. It would be a pleasure to stay involved in your fitness and health.

Steve
P.S. Our Saturday Fitness circuit is about to return to Cuckfield and new to Horsham. More details soon.

Have You Earned A Rest Week Recently?

A rest week - or at least a back off (lighter) week from your usual routine?

This is something i've written about and recommended to people before. I've suggested an easier week for every 6 or so weeks and a week off every 12 or so weeks.

Just make sure you earn it! You should be making some good progress in the weeks that lead up to these more restful times, and feel better for taking some time out. If you feel like the rest was like a backwards step then you either didn't need it - or the session you came back to was just an off day for you, or something else (sleep, colds, stress) influenced it.

I'm in a rest week right now. I think i timed it perfectly. I made some really good progress into my 9th week of training and now my body feels like it wants a little time out to fully recover.

At the same time i was still eager and fired up for each week and each session, and i'm mentally already looking forward to this weeks lighter activities - and next weeks full on training again!

In fact it started today with practising some different skipping and a little core focussed work!

I think this is one of the reasons everyone should have some performance goals they can measure their progress against. Otherwise you might lose that weight, fit into that clothing, tone up etc, etc - but then what?

If you have performance goals then there is always something to enjoy striving for.

If you are training without a sense of improvement and planned rest, chances are you are doing the same thing week in week out - which is far better than doing nothing. But, does it inspire you to really engage with your training and get the most out of it?

Because guess what? If you're not fully engaged and not getting the most out of your training there are a couple of likely results. Firstly you might just drift on and on and on etc. Secondly, you might just drift away, thinking it didn't work or you didn't enjoy it or you got bored.

The first option isn't great but the second one is a sad waste! In the sense that everyone should be able to engage with and enjoy the physical aspects of their life - in such a way that it works and is life long.

If you are in one of our Sussex Bootcamps, then you get a 4 week on 1 week off cycle imposed on you to a certain extent. Each bootcamper needs to make the right choice for the off week for them.

Do you need to keep pushing hard with a similar style of training?
Do you need to keep pushing hard but choose different activities to those on a bootcamp?
Do you need to back off and do a smaller amount of intense work with lighter activity?
Do you need to back off and just do light activity each day?

Check in with how you are feeling, consider what you have been doing over the past few weeks or months, and then act accordingly to stay fresh and progressing.

Have fun!

Steve
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Podcast Interview With Pete Cohen And Myself!!

Hi,

Please have a listen to this podcast that Pete did with me. We cover some good ground on the foundations of what makes for mental success that leads to the physical success that so many desire.

Learn to establish the habits that make exercise easier, and how to best include fitness in your life - enjoy!!

http://www.weightlossguru.com/index.cfm/Podcasts

Steve
http://www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Training Update

No squash at all last week - Rubbish!

My grip issue now resolved i've been winning a fair bit!

I'm into my 9th consecutive week of 3 good weights sessions a week. After successfully completing this week i'll take a week off from structured weights sessions.

Planning to play around with a bit of bodyweight and kettlebell stuff, as well as get more squash played!

After the week break, i'll get back into it and i'm looking forward to some stronger sets of only 4 reps!

Can't wait to find out what weight my front squat and deadlift will be at after 3 weeks of 4 rep work.

Hope yours is going well!

Steve

Squats for better Abs!

Hopefully you have a training routine right now - if not start, commit to something do-able and build yourself a positive habit that will pay off for the rest of your life!

If you're training, hopefully you are including some kind or several kinds of squatting movements.

Squats are a great fundamental movement pattern that can go a long way to enhancing the function and composition of your body.

This is not meant to be an instructional post - you should be able to find some great technique articles and video's online.

Yes there are some basics that apply to pretty much all squats - feet a comfortable distance apart (around shoulder width), heels down, knees inline with your toes, bracing your mid section to maintain a natural curve in your back, keeping your upper body reasonably tall.

The great thing about squats is, however you do them they involve a great amount of your body. Even though i know this, it's nice to be taken by surprise pretty much every time i do a type of squat i haven't done for a while, do more reps or use more load than i've been used to.

It's often a tightness in my abs, sometimes glutes, quads or hamstrings - or some slightly evil combination of the above!

For weighted squats i always do front squats (with a barbell across the front of the shoulders). There are a few reasons for this; i often train at home with no rack or partners so a back squat is not such a practical or safe option, front squats are very useful for getting better at the explosive olympic lifts where the bar is caught in the same position as a front squat when performing a clean, and i've always liked the strong amount of core work i feel from doing them.

1 leg squats are also an interesting and challenging version that require no equipment.

Enjoy your squats, make sure you are doing them correctly and make them a core part of your training.

Steve
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Inspiration! Who Are You Surrounding Yourself With?

So much to write - so little time!

I attended one of the most inspiring fitness 'events' as a fitness professional of over 11 yrs. Back in February i made the journey to Louisville, Kentucky to attend the IYCA summit.

I've been to quite a lot of conventions and courses over the years, but this one by the International Youth Conditioning Association had something truly special about it.

The speakers were absolutely amazing and i'd go as far as to call the event life changing! Yes i learned loads about the best ways of helping children and teenagers, and i learned from some of the best in the industry. But it takes a lot to get me to travel so far. I wanted to meet the people who had inspired me from afar and bring back some of the magic that they seem to live their lives with!

I believe we should seek the influence and contact with people who inspire us in our daily lives also. Thankfully, with the internet we have the ability to do just that.

With the internet though, it's almost too easy. Who are you surrounding yourself with face to face, who do you spend time with? Do your friends / family / colleagues support your desires and efforts to make the most of yourself - or do your efforts make them uncomfortable? Do you then get inspired and cheered on and have examples to aspire to? Or are you reminded of the barriers, the way things 'really are' and encouraged to live firmly within your comfort zone?

So yes, buy the books and visit the web sites of those who inspire you. Then use that to create positive environment in your life - both people and place!

We do everything we can to create such a positive environment for people on our Fitness Bootcamps. The groups really seem to work well together with a bit of structure from ourselves.

We aim to provide the right mix of support, inspiration, education, and accountability that can truly make the difference.

I'll be implementing what i learned about youth fitness training over the coming months.

For the best fitness bootcamps and personal training in Sussex, come and get inspired at www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Steve Cork

Whoops - Thankfully Training Has Been More Consistent Than Blog Posts!

There is nothing like the feeling of getting in a few consistent weeks of good training after being a little more sporadic!

Active - Yes!

Training and games of squash - Yes!

But not quite the dedicated routine of athletic weight training 3 times a week.

This, along with the squash several times a week and the focus of the training journal is what i've been back to. It felt even better after coming back from a couple of weeks with some flu bug i caught while travelling to America.

Each training session, as is typical for me, encompasses the whole body. At the moment though it's even more comprehensive as i'm hitting an explosive lift, both a leg and hip dominant movement, and both horizontal and vertical pulling and pushing.

In previous years i've definitely favoured the vertical pulling and pushing and typically only done either a leg or hip dominant movement - not both.

It's a good energetic session and really more physically balanced than previously. Lastly i'm including far more variety to the movement choices over the course of a week which can only be beneficial.

In terms of squash - my grip seems to have adapted and i'm back to having more fun and winning more games again!

How has your progress been in the last few weeks? Where is your training leading you - both in the short and longer term?

Hope you are being productive and having fun with it!

Look out for a link to a podcast that Pete Cohen did with me recently, coming soon.

Remember - you are an athlete!

Steve
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

More Real Lessons From Squash....

Firstly i thought i better bump that last post down, just in case Jonny read the description of a calm, smiling me as his opponent - and spat drink over his computer or choked on some food!!

There have definitely been moments of calm and smiling though - it's just not always been easy to maintain.

Here's why.

I started off learning to play with a dodgy grip on the racket - i was tearing up the grip and cutting my thumb! However i minimised this and managed to improve fairly quickly.

'Problems' began as soon as i tried to hold the racket properly - i started to get worse.

If you have the wrong technique for something it soon becomes a big challenge to unlearn it and do something different - especially if you are always trying to learn in a pressure or performance situation - and that pressure can easily be self imposed.

You can often see this with simple patterns of movement or exercises that people just want to work hard at and not take the time to learn the skill.

This is what happened to me - and i was totally freaked out by the reality of my squash playing situation.

I'd had a pretty bad game, and i'd already been thinking i needed some time just practicing hitting a ball by myself. So after this bad game i decided the time was now!

I couldn't believe it when i found i could basically do nothing with the ball that i wanted to - literally hit it where i wanted between 0 and 2 times on any given attempt. I stuck it out for 25 minutes or so until i could have some basic control for a decent number of repetitions.

Sometimes i think we need to stop and consider if we need to strip something back to its basics so our only concern is what we are doing and how we are doing it - especially when starting something.

I think the grip issue stemmed from the small amount of tennis i played as a child.

Faulty habits can be physical and mental so watch out what you carry forward with you!

Steve
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Beginnings.........

Beginnings are always a very interesting dynamic time - anything can happen, radical choices can be made and beliefs left behind or taken on a new.

Beginnings can be more uncomfortable for some than others. Ever seen (or been) that person clinging to their old ways and habits for fear of change!!

I've enjoyed beginning a new game over the last few months - squash.

It's challenging, exciting, sometimes frustrating, sometimes exhausting!

I like the game and i like the quality and intensity of the physical challenge.

I guess like most games there is a strong mental aspect. It's easy to focus on results only and get caught up in frustration and self criticism. But when pretty much anyone is better than i am to begin with, that would not be a recipe for long term enjoyment and participation!

I'm still very eager to see improvements and points - but it seems the best moments come when i just focus on hitting the ball well, moving well, and smiling!!

This no doubt reflects what many go through with their fitness training. We want it all right now. We don't want to spend time learning to move effectively, develop the necessary qualities and build that all important foundation.

But if you can step back, set yourself some targets, agree and commit to a certain amount of work to achieve them, it's then ok to mentally relax and enjoy the process. In fact you may get there faster and with better results!

I had a different beginning about 3 years ago - i took up gymnastics for the first time! I loved it!

As i'm not going to classes of this anymore what could i share with you about that experience?

Well with a background of movement and fitness i picked up a certain amount of basic stuff reasonably well. This was both good and bad!

It meant when i started to get the hang of how to do something i would then hammer it! I would definitely get overly frustrated at times, and keep practicing things when i was no longer fresh enough to reinforce perfect technique.

I also probably didn't respect the different forces that i was subjecting my body to enough.

So all of this ended up with tendinitis on the back of my right hand / wrist, and at this point, not doing any gymnastic training.

Sometimes you just have to step back and look to the longer term. Having done this you are more likely to be able to enjoy the moment - and that is something we should all have more of!

As Pete Cohen said at our Haywards Heath event recently - "people take themselves far too seriously"!

Steve

Big Event - Big Goals - Big Progress

Everything has been a bit manic after our successful charity night.

I still can't quite believe how well the evening went and how positive everyone has been about it.

Anyway - let's relate this to your fitness!

I've said for a while that having some big 'WOW' goals will probably add a lot of fuel to your efforts in the shorter term. As long as you can link that inspiration with action that is!

Once you commit to doing something bigger and perhaps out of your comfort zone, all sorts of things need to and will start to happen to get you there.

Just taking initial steps towards that bigger goal will likely give you great confidence and experience to draw from in the future.

It wasn't until life coach Will Perry made a comment that i realised this as related to running our our event. He said something along the lines of "It's always nice to see people doing something out of their comfort zone and growing accordingly".

This is exactly what happened with us and the event, and with people taking on those bigger goals everyday.

Maybe you decide to take an aspect of your training to a new level, maybe take part in some event or competition. For some people completing a month of Bootcamp would do this!

I've done a couple of more endurance based charity events in the past - the Three Peaks Challenge, and the Trailwalker.

Personally, i don't like to needlessly suffer, and i like to succeed. So a commitment to do such events spurred on specific training to make these events easier.

I'm not sure how you would do it any other way. Maybe neither of these is such a massive undertaking - you only need to walk after all! Yet many people did not get close to the end.

When you prepare for and achieve something beyond the normal for you - it raises the bar on what is possible for you - new beliefs are formed, maybe even new parts of your identity.

I read something recently about someone who really made progress with their training and the effects on their physique when they accepted the statement "I am an athlete". This was then put on top of the computer screen and anytime there were any doubting voices about going to train, she only had to look at this to get going!

Find something that would fire you up and maybe even re-set your beliefs in what is possible!

Be an everyday athlete!

Steve Cork

It's 11.14pm on Sunday night!!

And what am i still doing up and on my computer?

Well there is not long to go now until our charity health and fitness event on Tue night at Central Sussex College in Haywards Heath.

I've been up working on some final bits and pieces to make sure everything goes as well as possible.

You have to know what this is all for and what i'm going to be talking about.

Why do you have to know? Because it's all about YOU! Your health, your fitness, and making 2009 the best it can be.

If you have got your health and fitness sorted then it's far easier to raise your game in all the other areas of your life.

If you wait until your fitness and especially your health suffers, well, you can pretty much guarantee that everything else is also going to be affected for the worse.

Don't let this happen!

All the speakers on the night will be giving you as much valuable information and inspiration as possible, to take what you are already doing to the next level or get you started in the most effective ways.

The second reason for the event is to raise money for St Peters and St James Hospice.

I hope you can see what a great evening this is shaping up to be.

Come and make a difference to yourself, and a local charity.

We are filling up fast so register now at www.sussexbestever.com

Oh, and i'll be talking about the 5 keys to transorming your body in record time. I'll be sharing what i've learned as a personal trainer and fitness professional for over 11 years.

Join me and the other speakers;

Jo Bareham
Christian Bates
Pete Cohen

for a fun night and a chance to win some great prizes!

We want to help you make a difference!

www.sussexbestever.com

Steve Cork
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk

Sussex Charity Health And Fitness Evening!

I've got BIG NEWS -- a major announcement to share with
you.

But first, I want to take a moment to say something
very important -- something I may not say often
enough...

THANK YOU!

I feel fortunate to have you as a subscriber and in
many cases client and I really appreciate your interest
and business during 2008.

We work hard at being the best Fitness Professionals
and being the best fitness resource in Sussex, but we
realize we're not the only choice. This is why we're very
appreciative of your loyalty and grateful for the opportunity
to continue helping you however we can.

So again, thanks!

Now...on to the BIG NEWS!

And this is really BIG - in fact you will probably be
reading about it in the newspaper, possibly hearing
something about it on the radio.

Here's the scoop:

I have teamed up with three other highly respected
Sussex health, fitness and nutrition
professionals to host THE event of the New Year.

It's a 2-hour extravaganza called...

"How To Make 2009 Your Healthiest and Best Year Ever!"

The focus of the entire event is YOU, your body, your
appearance and your health - because without your
health, what do you really have?

And the focus will be on THE most important aspects of
you health - the strategies and techniques that
radically and rapidly improve your quality of life.

This special event will also help raise much needed
funds for St Peters and St James Hospice.

Plus, you'll have an opportunity to win some of the
£1,000 in prizes we'll be giving away at the event.
Wait until you see what we have in store for you!

You can get the entire story by clicking the link below
- or copy and paste it into your browser window:

http://sussexbestever.com/


We are putting on this event for three reasons:

1. We want to give back to the wonderful Sussex
community that supports our businesses.

2. We want to challenge Sussex residents to make 2009
your best year ever, and

3. We want to raise money for a very worthy charitable
cause.

In the spirit of the season, we are not charging
anything for you to attend How To Make 2009 Your Best
Year Ever! - all we suggest is that you make a donation to
St Peters and St James Hospice.

So you can help yourself and help others at the same
time.

In my book, that's a BIG WINNER. I hope you agree.

Go to our website right now to get all the details
about "How To Make 2009 Your Best Year Ever!"

Just click the link below or copy and paste it into
your browser window:

http://sussexbestever.com/


I look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

Ben Davis and Steve Cork
Sussex Bootcamps

P.S. This is a rare opportunity to learn all the inside
secrets from Sussex's most respected and in-demand
health, fitness, and nutrition experts. The event is
perfect for men and women of all
ages. I encourage you to tell your family and friends
about "How To Make 2009 Your Best Year Ever" by forwarding
them this email. They are welcome to attend also - and they'll
certainly thank you for sharing the good news with them.

Embrace The Challenge!

**MAGIC 100 ALERT!! - START YOUR YEAR WITH THE MOST AMAZING 100 DAYS - AND THEN BUILD ON IT AGAIN AND AGAIN - CLICK THE LINK ON THE RIGHT, YOU'LL BE HAPPY YOU DID!**

Here is something you need to do in order to take things to the next level - or even just easily sustain your efforts.

Find a challenge, maybe something you have never done before, not done for a long time, or something familiar but with a twist!

It's great if you are motivated purely by keeping fit, being active and the feeling that comes with this.

Many people however are not!

This is where you want to get specific on some fitness or activity challenges.

Competing at a sport or in an event is one great way to focus your efforts. And don't put this off until some distant date, you'll probably learn far more and meet some great people by jumping in at the deep end and going for sooner rather than later.

Have fun with it! Don't insist on perfection or being the best just have a blast!

If you track your numbers - probably most easily done with weights or numbers on some kind of fitness machine, you have a great way to compete against yourself, or workout partners.

If you don't want to restrict this to something local, get online and find some places where you can post your workouts - enter into some friendly competition this way.

There are gym challenges, concept 2 indoor rowing events, outdoor events etc, etc.

I'm all for competing against yourself but sometimes it's good to check in with what others can do.

This can be a massive wake up call, and can be great for re-setting your beliefs for what is possible. Hopefully at some point you will get some reassurance that you're doing pretty well in at least some areas.

I sometimes use types of challenge in classes or bootcamps - usually of the variety of a set of exercises and seeing how much can be done in a given time.

One challenge i'll be having another crack at shortly will be the 100 burpees as fast as possible. It's been quite a while since i first did this, and this time i'll beat my old time (i hope) and video it for your pleasure!

Cheers,

Steve Cork
www.sussexbootcamps.co.uk
P.S. New Bootcamp starts Mon 5th Jan - hear we go again, it's going to be a great year!