When asked the question, “Do you include weight/resistance training in your training regime?” So many people have the same ridiculous answer, “No, I don’t want to bulk up!” To best understand the benefits of strength training, it is important to understand the science behind  the  process!

Strength training is exercise that uses resistance to strengthen and condition the musculoskeletal system. This in turn improves your muscle tone and muscle endurance. Now, before you attempt to push your car to work (or carry it), base conditioning is important to reduce the risk of injury and long term damage. We can improve our strength in various ways, but most common are: weightlifting and resistance training. These you will find are a lot safer than pushing/carrying your car to work (traffic is so hectic nowadays)!

Now that you better understand what strength training is, it is important to grasp the physiological benefits. Physiologically the benefits of consistent strength training include:

• An increase in Lean Muscle
• An increase in Muscle Tone
• An increase in Muscle Strength
• An increase in Tendon Strength
• An increase in Ligament Strength
• An increase in Bone Density and Strength
• Improved Physiological Health
• Increased Self Esteem and Confidence

So, we have established that Strength Training improves your physical appearance and performance. In essence the muscles use energy to produce movement, functioning as the engine of the body. The increased size in your lean muscle, new found strength and endurance will have a direct affect on improving daily function (work, sport and general activity). Another benefit of a good strength program is the effect on your body composition and overall appearance – this in turn has a direct influence on your self esteem and confidence. Learning NOT to use the scale (weight lost) as a measure of RESULTS and rather looking at the change in the body’s composition is essential! To explain using an example, I have taken one of my clients results over a 10 Month period (below). You will see that initially her weight actually increased, but her body fat and fat mass decreased.

Even though she picked up 0.2Kg’s (on the scale) during her first month of training, her body fat had decreased, her strength, muscle tone and metabolism had improved – giving her a leaner, fitter appearance. This is a clear indication that ‘weight on the scale’ is not an indication of TRUE RESULTS!

It is now clearly evident that a gain in lean muscle improves our physical appearance and performance. This being said, a loss in muscle (atrophy) can hamper your appearance and performance. Research indicates that people not engaged in a strength training regime – lose roughly 3kg’s of muscle per year after the age of 30! What makes matters worse is – for every 3kg’s of muscle lost, there is a direct reduction in your basal metabolic rate (BMR) of 0.5% per year! The reduction in our BMR means that our bodies are less efficient at using the food we consume for energy, it is thus stored as body fat.  BMR is the amount of energy that the body needs at rest to perform and maintain normal body functions. An increase in lean muscle will in turn increase your BMR (due to the high energy demands of your muscle), therefore you can condition your metabolism to speed up and work more efficiently even when you are at rest!

 Estimating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

• Age: years
• Height: cm
• Weight: kg

• Male = 66+(5xheight(cm)) + (13.7xweight(kg)) – (6.8xage(years))
• Female = 655+(1.7xheight(cm)) + (9.6xweight(kg)) – (4.7xage(years))

Note that an increase in lean muscle causes an increase in your metabolic rate. Conversely, a decrease in lean muscle will cause a decrease in your metabolic rate. Bearing this in mind – if you are interested in REDUCING YOUR BODY FAT, REDUCING THE RISK OF DISEASE, increasing physical performance and improving your physical appearance, you should engage in a strength training program to help condition your BMR! Don’t be fooled into thinking that cardiovascular exercise and diets are enough –  sure you will lose weight on the scale, some of which is fat, but most of which is unfortunately muscle! No need for me to reiterate the IMPORTANCE OF LEAN MUSCLE! For the most effective, time saving, intense cardiovascular and strength workout, I recommend KETTLEBELL training. This is a great way to improve overall condition, vaporize body fat and demand new strength.

The list of benefits associated with strength training are clearly evident, and who knows… after you have developed this new found strength, perhaps then you will be able to push the car to work!

SPRING has finally sprung, and the build up to a sunny SUMMER is imminent! While it still comes as a surprise that the masses only wake up to the fact that it is time to get BEACH ready now (as if it were as simple as waving a magic wand), the truth is – that is exactly what happens! This begs the question, ‘why is it so difficult to stick to a training regime, stick with a current one or evolve an existing one?’ The idea behind this article is to assist you in setting out a plan to achieve and surpass you health and fitness goals whilst overcoming obstacles.

Prioritise your training! Don’t negotiate your training program! Imagine this – you are running late for an important meeting. You are already 10 minutes late, and you haven’t even left the house. Would you leave the house without brushing your teeth, or would you take the extra three minutes to brush your teeth (bearing in mind you are already so late)? I doubt there was any hesitation in answering, “Of course I would brush my teeth!” The reason being – morning breath is not ELITE! Your teeth would probably go on strike and forcibly remove themselves during the course of the day to avoid the bad breath! Now… apply the same principle into an exercise scenario. How often have you woken up with the intention of training, only to snooze the alarm, or to put it off till lunch time? Then during lunch you get stuck in a meeting (with a fresh breath of course) and can’t fulfil your personal promise… another day passes, then a week, then a month and before you know it you are auditioning for a part in the ‘BIGGEST LOSER!’ Remember – procrastination is the thief of time!

Now I understand that the majority of people do not get all warm and fuzzy inside at the prospect of exercise (like I do)! However, I firmly believe that your stance will change once you are involved in a training regime where your sessions are regular, objectives are being met and your body starts to take on the form you desire. At this stage you begin to wonder how you would function without exercise. You feel incredible on completion of every session. You feel terrible if you go too long without exercise. Having said this, it does take a few months to actually lock in and start to experience these types of sensations. Most people drop out before they get to this point. For those that do stick it out – training becomes a pleasure and a lifestyle necessity!

Interesting Facts:

Assuming that we sleep every night for 8 hours, we would be awake for 16 hours a day. If this is the case, a person training for 1 hour, twice a week is only training for 1.79% of their awake hours per week. An hour of cardio (moderate to high intensity) will increase your metabolism for roughly 90 minutes after exercise. An hour of weight training (moderate to high intensity) can increase your metabolism up to 48 hours after exercise. It is easy to see the importance of weight training in your training regime! I recommend KETTLEBELLS to assist in both departments!

 Here are the steps to becoming ELITE:

BELIEF

• Look for friends, family or colleagues that have the body you desire. You may think they have ‘perfect bodies’, but believe me they would have struggled at some stage and have worked hard to achieve their goals. Confront these people and ask them how they overcame their challenges. If they can do it, so can you!
• Consistency is the key to success! Understand that this is a lifestyle not a fad! Would you like to lose weight for 2 months and then return to your starting position, or would you like to change the shape of your body, strip away body fat, achieve your goals and look great for the next 10 to 20 years?!
• Establish ‘Results Momentum’. Break your goals into smaller goals. Each success will give you confidence and self esteem to achieve further goals. This will lead to achieving your ultimate goals.
• Your initial effort that you display in your first few months will subside. Remember anything that is worth achieving is worth working for!

VISION

• Visualize your desired fitness level. Think of all the things you have wanted to achieve in the physical realm, whether it be; a fun run, a 10km trail run, a marathon, a triathlon, a cycle race, a surf ski race or a scuba diving trip. Visualize yourself accomplishing your goals. Now imagine what your fitness levels would be and what your physique would look like if you were able to accomplish these goals! You can!
• Use affirmations and connect with them. This gives you the perception that you have achieved what you want to achieve. i.e. “I am getting stronger every day”, “I am ELITE”.

GOALS

• This is the time to transfer your GOALS and DREAMS into REALITY!
• Write down a list of ALL your goals, dreams and aspirations. Now narrow them down to a list of 1 to 3 that are most important to you.
• Make your goals specific. Losing weight is not a goal, losing 3kg’s is!
• Your GOALS must be S.M.A.R.T. (e.g. I would like to train for and complete the IMPI challenge on the 23^rd October. The REWARD for completing this is a new pair of shoes).
• Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reward-based, Time frame - establish a deadline for each goal.

The One80 Team

Since we launched the One80 site, I have been asked frequently what ‘iTrainedToday’ is all about. So I decided to interview, Bryan – the brains behind the concept.

Firstly, give us a bit of background on yourself. What are your passions, hobbies and what drives you?

I Started post-school life out by studying sports sciences but eventually ended up with programming and maths; which is where I love to stay busy and earn a living. I’ve competed provincially in triathlon so I gravitate towards multi-disciplined sports and also coach the Milnerton Surf lifeguards. Most of all, I love the water: so surfing, swimming, surf-ski and then board racing is where I like to play.

What is iTrainedToday’ all about?

iTrainedToday is a space which combines technology with training. The underlying philosophy is to evaluate the smart use of technology and not just give in to every gadget under the sun. We believe that technology should add value to your training, but stay out of the way and let you focus on getting results- by sweating it out the good ol’ fashioned way! The flagship online log book embodies that philosophy: technology to help you stay on top of your training but simple enough to stay out of your way.

What inspired you to create iTrainedToday?

There are a lot of online training tools out there, and I’ve used a lot of them: from Polar, to Garmin and Suunto and then other non-product related. What bogged me down with each of them was the level of detail they were asking me for with every training session that I wanted to record. There were so many questions and options to fill out each time I eventually stopped using them- they got in my way. I just knew there had to be a better way than writing them down manually or capturing endless yarns of data that i’m never going to have to need. For me, being able to spot trends over time is the most important aspect of a log book. How many meters you ascended during one run is not going to help you evaluate your season’s effort. But knowing that 25km’s of swimming every week for 4 weeks caused you to overtrain is far more valuable. Or knowing that 2 days of bad sleep in a row, coupled with two hard (but normal) training sets resulted in a head cold is key. Cause and effect.

Very interesting, I see the interface is very user friendly – is there future plans to enhance the product? Perhaps add stuff like calorie burnt during activity or average heart rate (if you could upload Polar Heart Rate information)

There are some exciting features in the planning and production phases right now; and a whole bunch have also been scrapped because we believed them to be too “complicated” or they just plain get in the way. That said, as it stands, you -could- add in calorie and average heart rate per session since the session detail field is completely free-form. For example, on my gym workouts i measure and record the training effect based on a summary from my Suunto t6 lab.

Who should use iTrainedToday and why?

Keeping a record of your training is super important. It’s such an underrated discipline and so many people don’t track what they’re actually training and when they’re training. If you don’t have any real idea how can you:

• a) measure your results and link those results back directly to your training?
• b) know what training sessions worked and what you brought you down?
• c) spot trends in injuries and illnesses
• d) explain performance (or lack thereof)
• e) stay motivated when the going gets tough

Yes, you can probably recall the last 3-4 days of training, but you need a broader vision than that. Our bodies work in macro and micro cycles so if you want repeat performances that demonstrate results, you need to look back. The computer is great at storing information, so why not use it for just that?

Could you show us what Bryan allott did last week (your log from iTrainedToday)?

Absolutely. You can also see my training trends. Ski for example, I only train every other week. Swimming is fairly consistent and on track. The one-off dip is part of a longer trend in taking every other week easy (to facilitate recovery) so i’m happy. My running went through a phase and is dipping a little- so now i know i need to pick that up a little this week. And then my gym sessions could be on the up, but overall I’m still happy with them. Need to stay focused though and make sure i stay on top of that and not let that slack for another week.

I see you also have apps for bodycircuit & bodyfit – please explain a little more about these applications

BodyFit is really a tool for personal trainers (but also for yourself if you really are committed) for measuring and tracking the progress of your clients (or yourself) as you go through your training season. You periodically record your weight along with some key caliper measurements and get a summary of body fat percentages. You can review these over time to see if you’re getting the results you are aiming for. Obviously, use the same equipment and the same professional touch to record the measurements for best results.

BodyCircuit was put together because I tend to train when i see a gap in my day and want to push out a 40 minute all body workout *now*. So i put together a set of workouts based on time and let the computer (or my phone) do the counting for me. The great part is that my phone won’t wait for me to take an extra 5 second break. I need to keep up and work hard but don’t have to keep looking at the clock or keeping count of what’s next. I just wait for the “buzz” and look up to see what’s next. Again, a great way to use technology- simply.

Thanks Bryan! That was certainly educational! To start logging your workouts click here

Training the Core - by Chris Seymour

‘Core’ – this is a word we hear drummed into us continuously by fitness professionals, health magazines and advertising TV, but do you actually have any idea about how to train the core? If you are thinking – sit-ups, crunches and back extension, you may be doing yourself a serious injustice! I’m not suggesting that these exercises do not have a place in your training programs, but this article will help (hopefully) to educate you with regards to core training. I understand that some of the terms may be a little ‘foreign’, but if you have any queries or questions please feel free to comment and I will do my best to supply you with a less scientific answer!

As I mentioned previously, one of the most common myths associated with core training is that all it involves is sit ups and back extensions. Why train the body in one plane, when we do not operate like this during daily activity? Consider how the chronic shortening of just one muscle, which happens to be a core muscle, can impede performance and cause imbalances that lead to injuries (much the same way doing bench press every time you go to the gym will cause external rotation of the shoulders – this is bad by the way, unless you are auditioning as the lead part in the Hunch Back of Notre dame)! A great example of an overworked muscle would be the rectus abdominus. As this muscle is overworked, the core muscles are often ignored. Exercises such as: crunches, leg raises and exercises on abdominal machines all work in the sagittal plane, this limits the benefit to muscles that produce hip and trunk flexion (note that repetitive trunk flexion places increased injury-causing stress on the lumbar spine). For this reason it is imperative to train the core in multi planes, especially in the transverse plane, in order to create stabilization in the trunk. The benefits of training like this are:

• Improved posture
• Strength and
• Motion in the entire body

So we have established that an efficient core routine consists of multi planar movements. As the body moves, the center of gravity changes, and forces exerted by and on the body’s tissues are constantly changing. Dynamic stabilization must be included to increase proprioception and trunk stability as well as stability in the rest of the body. This will allow the body to react with external forces and stresses more efficiently – such as gravity, carrying objects or changes in terrain. It also helps the body to react to internal forces exerted by other muscles. Core exercises should include strengthening, stability on stable and unstable surfaces, reacting to external forces (medicine ball throw or catch) and multi planar movements.

 The goal of functional core training is to develop in the core a system of efficient automatic responses to work as a stable base from which to generate optimal force and motion. It can be compared to driving a car (although some never master this) – when you first attempted to drive, you thought about ever thing you had to do, and generally didn’t perform them too well either! But as you practiced you became more proficient and eventually driving became second nature – now you drive without thinking too much about the dynamics. When training a new client I always tell them that their training program is like building a house. As much as you would love to apply the finishing touches in the first week, you first need to lay a strong foundation – and what better place to start than the CORE!

Pole dancing for Fitness - by Chris Seymour

Pole dancing, yes Pole dancing! While I would love to write a formal post on this topic, you can understand how a testosterone filled man of 29 years old doesn’t associate Pole dancing as a fitness option! Having said that, in my limited experience as a  pole dancing observer, I have never come across a pole dancer who is ‘out of shape!’ This sparked the thinking – what if I constructed a pole in my dining room… um, ok not really! I then decided (a relief to some I’m sure) to ask Lindé our very own Pole Dancing Expert/Instructor/Personal Trainer what her classes entail, what the benefits are and what I could expect from learning a few sneaky moves! This is what I learnt:

The classes are broken into 3 different stages, namely beginner, intermediate and advanced. These 3 stages consist of 6 lessons each. The beginner stage will help lay a strong foundation, which is essential before increasing the difficulty level. During this stage you will learn moves such as; spinning, climbing and hanging. Believe me when I say, you will feel muscles you never knew existed! As your fitness, strength and confidence increases you will progress to the intermediate stage. During this stage you will be amazed  and highly impressed with yourself realizing that you can now do what you previously thought was impossible! The advanced stage is a combination of the previous 2 phases and during this phase you will learn to combine and sequence your newly adopted skills. The Oblivion dance floor will never be the same!

So if you want to improve strength and coordination, tone and get into elite shape,  whilst learning a unique skill, or just want to impress your hubby, boyfriend or friends at half time during the next tri nations game – Pole dancing fitness is for you! It also makes for a perfect Hen Party idea, since Lindé is able to travel. To enquire or book a session contact Candice – candice@one80.co.za

In the last article, ‘Is SUSHI low in Calories?’ I was asked how the calorie counts related to common foods such as burgers, steak etc. The table will give you a little insight on how overconsumption of SUSHI can be quite high in calories. It would make sense to first understand how many calories we should be consuming per day. This formula will give you a better idea:

Estimating your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

• Age: years
• Height: cm
• Weight: kg

• Male = 66+(5xheight(cm)) + (13.7xweight(kg)) – (6.8xage(years))
• Female = 655+(1.7xheight(cm)) + (9.6xweight(kg)) – (4.7xage(years))

• Weight Loss: RMR x (1.1 to 1.3)
• Maintenance: RMR x (1.4 to 1.5)
• Weight Gain: RMR x (1.6 to 1.7)

• Note that the Sushi Roll comparison is with California Rolls
• Note that the Sashimi comparison is with Farmed Salmon

Is SUSHI low in Calories?

I often hear my clients tell me they ate healthy over the weekend, because they ate sushi. This prompted the thinking – is Sushi in fact healthy? Well, sure it has essential fats such as Omega 3 and 6, but through study it would appear that limiting your portion size is essential to keep your calorie intake down!

Watch out for SUSHI rice, because they contain a fair amount of carbohydrate. Also note that certain SUSHI restaurants add flavor to their SUSHI pieces by means of mayonnaise (we all know how fattening mayo is) etc! Sashimi would definitely be your safest bet, but moderate intake of your regular SUSHI pieces will not ‘break the calorie bank!’

I have compiled a list of some of your common SUSHI pieces that you will come across with their corresponding calorie counts. This will help assist you when you have that next inevitable SUSHI craving!

The One80 Winter Taster Special has once again been a great success! The sun is out and spring seems to be gracing us a few weeks earlier! So don’t delay the opportunity to get into ELITE shape this summer – sign up now for this incredible offer!

Note that if you take advantage of this CRAZY offer, you will be eligible for a 10 SESSION SPECIAL and/or a months GROUP TRAINING SPECIAL! To find out more about our specials or to book your assessment contact Candice: candice@one80.co.za

One80 is now selling the full EVOX range. Watch out for weekly specials!

This week we are running a special on EVOX Lean Pro – R395!

• 16 grams of protein
• Zero Carbs & Sugars

For more information on our supplement range or to place an order, contact Candice: candice@one80.co.za

What is this ‘ELITE’ all about?

You have seen the word ‘elite’ on a tweet or facebook update or heard it in conversation with one of the One80 trainers. The word may  appear to be used loosely at times, but I assure you it holds special meaning and relevance to all members of our team! Ever heard of the saying, “if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life?” Well… we at One80 share this common ground! We love our clients/friends, we love training, we love pushing the boundaries and share in the awesome energy that is – One80! Elite is a by-product of our training style… it is not bestowed by walking through the doors, it is earned! To find out more read on!

To best understand what is meant by the term or word ‘elite’ – join us for a Tuesday or Thursday night group training session. The workout personifies the word, ‘elite!’ Your first session is FREE and all are welcome. It begins at 7pm sharp. All the details of the sessions follow:

The One80 ELITE Workout A fresh, unique and exciting approach to training, moving away from the mundane body building approach of old and giving birth to a new era, a new beginning, a new direction – ONE80!!! The One80 ELITE workout, incorporates multi planar movements, improving strength, speed, agility, endurance, dynamic flexibility and coordination at an electric intensity, rewarding you with true health, true results and true fitness – not just the appearance of it! Our One80 Elite workout personifies functional training with an insanely creative and fun approach, whilst still maintaining a brutally tough level and a rewarding sense of achievement upon completion. Beware of imitations – “we don’t use machines, we create them!”

Understand it, Live it, Be it… ELITE is waiting for YOU!