Kettle Bell Workout / Introduction of the RPE scale

I really enjoy training with kettle bells, they add another perspective to 'free-weights' and are a really good tool for building muscle, toning, shaping, and also loosing fat. Kettle bells come in many different weights and sizes. I use a range between 2kg and 22kg at the moment and have also got a 26kg for my more experienced clients.
Below is a simple kettle bell routine, this will get you started and will be ideal for beginners. I recommend a comfortable weight under 10kg to begin with to allow you to gain the right technique as this is very important.

RPE SCALE - basically a scale from 1-10 1 being easy/less intense 10 being hard/intense. I will sometimes use this to gauge a persons level of psycal activity while they are training by asking them on the scale of 1-10 how they feel.

This kettle bell routine will work the arms, chest and back and is ideal for beginners. As always stay safe and always learn proper techniques to lessen the risk of injury. If you feel you may have any problems injury wise always consult a doctor before any intense exercise.

KETTLE BELL #1 WILL FOLLOW IN THE NEXT POST

Back from my time off and itching to get back training

I will be posting alot over the next week to catch up on the time I have missed over the past few weeks :) hope you are all well and are keeping fit. as always feel free to contact me about my personal training/group sessions. I have developed my own style of outdoor training that will open your eyes to what can be achieved away from the gym.

Army Abs - My adaptation - Part 1 - Low Intensity

Army Abs

I have spent the last week researching a number of military style ab workouts, there is many to choose from. I have decided to choose exercises from each routine including my favourites, the ones I feel are most beneficial and also some that I feel are interesting and under used. As with any exercise routine healthy eating comes into play, especially when the ab region is the focus. Try and eat as well as you can, aim to consume the amount of food suggested in the eatwell plate in an article below, any information on general nutrition feel free to drop me an e-mail. (address at the end of this article).

I have decided to write three articles on this subject first starting with a low-intensity 2 week programme:

The Routine-Low Intensity

Week One

Monday

20 x Crunches
20 x Oblique Twists
30 seconds plank
30 seconds side plank (each side)

Wednesday

20 x Sit ups
20 x Double leg Raises
20 x Dorsi Raises
30 seconds sky-diver position

Friday

20 x V-ups
20 x Raised Leg Oblique Crunches
20 x Single Leg Raises
30 seconds plank
30 seconds side plank (each side)
30 seconds sky-diver position

Try and include at least two CV (cardio) sessions with a minimum duration of 20 mins each week.

Week Two

Monday

2 x 15 Crunches
2 x 15 Oblique Twists
45 seconds plank
45 seconds side plank (each side)

Wednesday

2 x 15 Sit ups
2 x 15 Double leg Raises
2 x 15 Dorsi Raises
45 seconds sky-diver position

Friday

2 x 15 V-ups
2 x 15 Raised Leg Oblique Crunches
2 x 15 Single Leg Raises
45 seconds plank
45 seconds side plank (each side)
45 seconds sky-diver position

Try and include at least two CV (cardio) sessions with a minimum duration of 20 mins each week.


As always thanks for reading, happy training, remember to stay safe, any questions drop me an e-mail NickGoreFitnessTraining@hotmail.co.uk

Some simple calf exercises

Here are some simple calf exercises that I personally use and also use in my sessions. These will tone your calfs, add muscle and shape. Mainly calf raises with a few adaptations.

The first is a simple calf raise. Stand with your feet together and raise up onto the balls of your feet (tiptoes) then slowly take your heels back to the floor, repeat 15 times for a set.

Second is an addition to the first, try calf raises with a weight in each hand, if you have no weights a good thing to use is two of the largest milk bottles you can buy (like the one in the picture)filled with sand or water.

Third is once again an adaptation of calf raises, this time find a step/interior staircase and stand yourself on the bottom step heels off the back of the step so you are only on the balls of your feet. Repeat the calf raise exercise , introduce the weights when you feel comfortable.

Alternatively try walking up staircases rather than taking the lift, the action of walking up a staircase naturally tones the calfs. Maybe even have a few laps up and down your own staircase each day. It is the little things you do that will add up to make the big difference, try and incorperate exercise into your everyday life to make the most of yourself.

As always thanks for reading, happy training, remember to stay safe, any questions drop me an e-mail NickGoreFitnessTraining@hotmail.co.uk.

In the pipeline-Things to look out for over the next few days

Just to keep you posted on what I am up to personally. As always im busy with work, writing this blog and of course playing a bit of World of Warcraft in my spare time :) yes I regularly geek it up!. I have been researching a load of exciting new things, from new ways to work out to new products in the fitness market. Over the next few days i intend on writing a number of new blogs including:

I raise you two calfs-Calf toning exercises

Supplements-Good or Bad
Videos of the basic 3 exercise ab routine
Information on a Kettlebell work out
Some ideas on adapting army style workout routines (high intensity)
and of course More DIY at home Fitness

as well as a number of other interesting topics.

As always thanks for reading, happy training, remember to stay safe, any questions drop me an e-mail NickGoreFitnessTraining@hotmail.co.uk.

Make your own Medi-Ball - save loads of cash

With the price of medi-balls being so high, some as much as £50 they are an expesive piece of kit to aquire. I do have real medi-balls but to begin with I managed to improvise and make my own. To do this I bought a basketball from a sports shop and some play sand from Argos, I also purchased a puncture repair kit :) . It is probably obvious what I did but I will explain anyway.

First I cut a small hole in the basket ball (kids get your parents to do the cutting lol!!!!) and used a funnel to fill the basket ball with the play sand, then I used the puncture repair kit to cover over the hole that I had cut. Make sure you glue it peoperly :). This will make a fairly weighty ball so remember to be safe. If you want an accurately weighted ball then you can always fill it up with sand while on scales (like in the picture below) .I have also found smaller basket balls that are great for making lighter smaller medi-balls with.

To further challenge yourself why not fill the basket ball 1/2 full with water to make an unstable ball. Alternatively you can fill it 1/2 with sand to make it lighter. One last way to make the ball unstable is when you cut the hole in, take a balloon and push it into the basket ball keeping the hole of the balloon accessable. Then you want to fill the balloon with sand until it has a bit of weight to it, tie it off and poke the tied end into the ball, patch it and glue it over,  this will then roll around inside the basket ball and make it unstable.








As always thanks for reading, happy training, remember to stay safe, any questions drop me an e-mail NickGoreFitnessTraining@hotmail.co.uk.

Beginners Basic ab 3 exercise routine

To properly tone the ab region you have to take into account the amount of muscles that are situated there. Normal sit ups will predominantly work the top of the abs, leg raises will work the bottom with oblique twists working the obliques down the sides of your ab region. This is the most basic 3 exercise ab routine.

Sit ups - There are 3 ways in which you can do a sit up, basically Easy,Medium, and Hard.



This is the Easy way to do a sit up, rest your hands on your thighs  and slide them up and down keeping your back straight and neck and head aligned.



This is the 'medium' way of performing a sit up, (sorry about the funny clip art). Once again keep straight back and neck and head aligned. This time place your hands on your chest. this will feel harder than the previous and is the most common form of sit up amoungst beginners.

 

This is the hardest way to perform a sit up, notice that the person has their hands on their temples rather than clasped behind their head. This is the best way to carry out this exercise as clasping you hands behind your head can lead to upper back and neck pain as you pull the neck forward rounding the back and spine in the process.

LEG RAISES  


Start off in this position with both legs in the air gently lower both legs to the floor keeping them straight and in a controlled motion. As they nearly (but not quite) touch the floor raise them slowly

back up. Alternatively you can just do it with one leg at a time while keeping the other in the air, if that proves to be too hard place one leg on the floor and go alternate from there. 10-20 repititions(whatever you can manage , remember dont push yourself too hard too fast!)

OBLIQUE TWISTS



Oblique twists start off in the original sit up position however this time you are to cross your legs and hold your arms out infront of you. As you come up for the sit up twist to one side then return your back to the floor repeat and twist to the other side. Make sure all movements are fluid and not jerky as jerky movements can lead to pulled/twisted muscles.





 



As always thanks for reading, happy training, remember to stay safe, any questions drop me an e-mail NickGoreFitnessTraining@hotmail.co.uk.