Reviews
After watching a brilliant video called "tame the beast - it's time to rethink persistent pain" - we knew we had to spread it to our followers.
https://buff.ly/2rUrSun
Your body learns pain. If you experience it as a result of genuine injuries the pain is "justified", however if the body is exposed to a stimulus over and over the body becomes conditioned to send pain signals over and over, even when there is no real threat.... Take back pain: you may have injured your lower back once but you are now overly protective of it, and the pain is over-active because you don't use your lower back - you avoid bending, lifting, squatting - things the human body is designed to do. Its an cruel cycle. The pain system is clever in the sense that it stops you from pushing yourself too far. It has some flaws like phantom limb pain for example, the pain system can be over-protective keeping you feeling like you are made of glass. This doesn't take away from how serious your pain is!
We want to help people out of pain at G2G coaching, it stops us from experiencing life to the fullest. Most people need a coach in order to help them understand when to push and when to back off loaded exercise. Book a consultation if you experience pain - we can help you. buff.ly/2lIGV6G
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Too much, too soon, we see it all the time!
When you are bouncing back from an injury or even treading new ground with training: adding too much weight too quickly is a sure way of putting you back to square one.
When it comes to injury: we understand - you used to be able to do it and still associate yourself with that activity. We are here to tell you that patience is a golden virtue - it breeds strength. Learning to load properly is a skill which you can learn with G2G coaching.
Do you actively grip the bar when either pulling or pressing?
This is a question we should be asking more often because more often than not people don't think about their hand during exercise - unless they hurt! By gripping the bar or dumbell harder than you normally would you are controlling the force transfer more efficiently. Think about the axel of a car, you wouldn't accelerate suddenly if it was loose, chances are you will break your car. (You can tell we are mechanics!...) This is the same case with the body, you cannot generate force from a soft position or with soft hands. Can you throw a punch with a soft hand? This is the same principle.
The bench press / Any pressing exercises - By gripping the bar at about 85% of your max grip strength (or 100% if you are maxing out) you will more effectively transfer weight to the bar. It also helps to absorb oscillation of the bar. - Focussing on squeezing the pinkie fingers will ensure proper, stacked wrist to elbow position, reducing the chance of injury. -Squeezing and lightly twisting (bending the bar) will activate the lats and serratus which act as stabilisers in the bench press.
The deadlift / Any pulling exercises - Your grip strength is often the weakest link in any pulling exercise, by focussing on squeezing the pinkie finger you tap into more lat and back activation - the main movers in pulling. - If you are testing your max, you want your grip to hold whilst you test your hamstring and glute strength. - Muscle co-activation results in more bicep and lat activation: is is useful for both strength and hypertrophy goals. More activation means more reps and better "pump" for bodybuilding. For strength: more activation also allows for better control of the bar - regarding the deadlift, the lats and biceps pull the bar into you.
Without making this post long-winded: grip is everything. Improving your grip will make you stronger and reduce your chance of injury.
Should you start training grip? If you don't have time, just start actively gripping the bar in more of your exercises. If you have time: you can do weighted holds in many positions - just don't train grip and then perform deadlifts straight after. Obviously, you might be disappointed about how your deadlift numbers dipped.
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G2G is gonna start Monday with some fad-busting. Society seems to be demonising carbohydrate and we want to lay out the facts and myths about the food group.
What are carbohydrates responsible for? - Energy... They body breaks down the carbohydrate into glucose, then into ATP which is what your cells use to control metabolic tasks. The energy can also be stored for later as glycogen.
- Preserving muscle mass When there is not enough glucose in the body, muscle can also be broken down into amino acids and converted into glucose or other compounds to generate energy.
- Digestive health Some carbohydrates come with a fibre source. Need we explain further?
These are the huge roles of carbohydrate, there are secondary roles of carbohydrates such as: - Hormone regulation - Mood Regulation - Temperature regulation - Sleep cycle regulation ( as a result of hormone regulation) - They add bulk to your diet and a feeling of satiation.
Why recently have people jumped on the band-wagon of low-carb? - Rise in instagram exposure. Everyone is a bodybuilder, powerlifter or super-athlete now. Each person needs a unique selling point which makes them stand out. People will tend to copy what gets exposure.
- To sell products. There is money to be made in "magic bullet" products. It's a great business opportunity: don't hate the player, hate the game - as the saying goes.
- Its a trend that people can identify with. People want something to distinguish themselves, people often see it as a challenge. It is a very easy diet change which almost anyone can stick to, once you switch you are part of a tribe.
What would be better to see in society would be criticism of overly-processed carbohydrates or food. These are the things that are truly bad for you - not a sugar cube in your coffee or a banana before training.
Does low-carb work? Depends on your goal. If you are looking to lose weight, low-carb is a way to do it. There are many ways to skin a cat and they ALL INVOLVE REDUCING CALORIE INTAKE.
You need carbohydrate to perform both in the gym and in life.
Eat responsible amounts of natural carbohydrate.
There seems to be a trend of "all or nothing" attitude in the health industry. We will continue to discuss these topics in the future - watch out for the demonisation of red meat!
*Disclaimer* We are aware that people are able to survive without carbohydrates and even live on "zero carb" for years. However, there is only anecdotal, first-hand accounts that these people are healthy or even happy.
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1. Forget the neurotic meal plans and eating methods. Feel that? That's the sense of freedom! Lots of products claim they are helping you but their ultimate goal is profit.
2. Many times we are just eating or drinking because of the social cues. Listen to your body: do you actually require food? However, do not get needs and wants confused: there are times to give in to wants but if this happens too often it stops being pleasurable.
... 3. All food has nutritional benefit, in some form or another. You need food to live, you can't escape it. There is no such thing as bad food, just bad portioning.
4. Eating is a natural stress-cure, it feeds your primitive brain with endorphins. You can also get the feel-good hormones with other activities such as exercise or walking in nature.
5. Unless you're a robot, you will have cravings for beer, chocolate biscuits, bread, potatoes etc - the list goes on. Craving them doesn't make you a bad person, embrace it but remember rule 2: Be present. Enjoy your food or drink; there are so many aspects to think about. The texture, the flavour, the temperature, all contribute to the pleasure of eating.
Like any skill - intuitive eating takes practice. If you need help with this G2G offers lifestyle and nutritional consultations.
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functional (adjective): of or having a special activity, purpose, or task.
We are here to dismantle the myth of functional fitness. What comes to mind when you think of functional fitness? Tire flips, hammer swings, kettlebell work? ... In order to be "functional" you need to incorporate Running, jumping, pulling, pushing, twisting, all the time, at the same time - right? Doing functional fitness will help you perform everyday tasks better, right?
Not in the way you hope.
By practicing kettlebell swings you will get better at swings but that doesn't mean that you will move better outside the gym. Squatting will not make you a better at sports. Flipping a tire doesn't mean you are going to save a person trapped under a car at some point. This argument could go on ad nauseam, to summarise: functionality depends on your goal. If your goal is to increase the size of your arms for a bodybuilding show or for everyday aesthetics: do bicep curls. They may not be deemed functional by some in the fitness industry but they are functional to your goal. Another example: getting stronger - nothing strengthens the whole body like the deadlift. Some say deadlifts aren't functional because of the injury risk and the simplicity of the movement. If the movement is taught well, the deadlift is functional to that person.
All exercise is functional if you transfer the skills you learn to the outside world. For example: you learn to to brace your core and engage the hamstrings and glutes when deadlifting - your kid throws their plate off their highchair, you should remember the same cues to pick it up. The term functional seems to have been bastardised: it now seems to be associated with overly complicated movements which try to mimic manual labour, with promises that you are missing out by not doing them. When someone has a goal the easiest way to get results if often the simplest, performing heavy, complicated movements for time is a great way to get an injury, the technique breakdown is not worth the "conditioning". Many in the fitness industry are trying to reinvent the wheel in order to stand out, the further from the norm the better.
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Menopause receives a lot of coverage because women have more links to life and birth however people often forget that men go through life-altering hormonal changes too. Whether this is because the subject isn't covered in media or it is the often-difficult male mentality: "deal with it", "don't tell anyone" and the classic - "I'm fine".
As mentioned in our previous post, G2G receives a lot of members joining to reconnect with the person they once were in their youth. We want... to inspire you to become better than the person you were in your youth. We are here to reassure you that going through these changes is tough, no man wants to be thought of as weak or unable. There are plenty of people who find strength as they age - you just have to start.
You can make a choice not to love in pain, you can get stronger and move better no matter your age, exercise can be moulded around you - We cannot reiterate this enough. If you need guidance, message us about a consultation: G2G can help you.
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This post was not meant to sadden anyone but to inspire them to carve a future with less pain and more empowerment.
Menopause can be very traumatic for women. With that in mind we want to ensure you that you can lessen the side effects by starting strength training and gain all the other benefits of training too. Think less about who you were and what you can become.
Menopause can be traumatic for women and unfortunately its unavoidable, we want to empower you with the knowledge that you can change the side effects. This post was not create to sadden anyone but to inspire them to improve their lives through training. Strength training has a whole host of benefits as well as the ones which counter menopause symptoms. Anyone can start training - it can be tailored to needs and limitations. Many people that come to G2G Coaching are trying ...to reconnect with the person they once identified with, their younger self, the one who played sports, was active, whatever. Unfortunately, as we get older our bodies don't work the same way they did, this includes our hormones. You may not be able to turn back the clock but you can carve out your future so it features less pain and more empowerment.
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When overcoming an injury, you might have to put yourself in uncomfortable positions in order to move better: be it mentally - by challenging your ego or physical discomfort with rehabilitation. ⠀ ⠀ Let's have a story.⠀ ⠀ John has a passion: karate. ⠀... He comes to G2G to lose weight and rehab his shoulders with the main goal of getting his black belt.⠀ John puts in the effort and loses the goal weight AND he gets a promotion at work - good on you, John. Everything is coming up roses.⠀ Three months pass. John is doing well at work: he is managing 130 people.⠀ John doesn't have as much time to dedicate to the gym anymore and he is starting to gain the fat back plus more.⠀ John sits down with the mindset coach and nutritional director of G2G and keeps himself accountable when he is working, he also decides to make time at the gym to become healthier. No one is going to do it for him.⠀ Six months later, John has lost all the extra weight he gained and put in the extra hours of stability and rehab work which to contributed to him gaining his black belt in karate. ⠀ ⠀ John went through some hardship and struggle but kept himself accountable, he kept his goal the goal as a result: he succeeded. He couldn't see nine months into the future but he bought into the process of rehab and health.⠀ ⠀ John triumphed over adversity. ⠀ ⠀ Your state is plastic, where you are now, is not where you will remain. ⠀ This applies to your mindset, physical fitness, financial situation most importantly your injuries and health. ⠀ Sometimes your goal can seem so far away that you might think it isn't even possible keep the faith. ⠀ Injuries heal but you have to wade through some muck. ⠀ Don't let your injuries define you.
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When overcoming an injury, you might have to put yourself in uncomfortable positions in order to move better: be it mentally - by challenging your ego or physical discomfort with rehabilitation.
Let's have a story.
John has a passion: karate. ... He comes to G2G to lose weight and rehab his shoulders with the main goal of getting his black belt. John puts in the effort and loses the goal weight AND he gets a promotion at work - good on you, John. Everything is coming up roses. Three months pass. John is doing well at work: he is managing 130 people. John doesn't have as much time to dedicate to the gym anymore and he is starting to gain the fat back plus more. John sits down with the mindset coach and nutritional director of G2G and keeps himself accountable when he is working, he also decides to make time at the gym to become healthier. No one is going to do it for him. Six months later, John has lost all the extra weight he gained and put in the extra hours of stability and rehab work which to contributed to him gaining his black belt in karate.
John went through some hardship and struggle but kept himself accountable, he kept his goal the goal as a result: he succeeded. He couldn't see nine months into the future but he bought into the process of rehab and health.
John triumphed over adversity.
Your state is plastic, where you are now, is not where you will remain. This applies to your mindset, physical fitness, financial situation most importantly your injuries and health. Sometimes your goal can seem so far away that you might think it isn't even possible keep the faith. Injuries heal but you have to wade through some muck. Don't let your injuries define you.
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Strength training gives the person positive training responses regardless of age: as long as the right programming is applied. Hypertrophy creates more muscle cells: they require more nutrients which can help older people struggling with weight-gain: create more cells which require fuel. Strength training helps to strengthen the joints by challenging their full range of motion: which is an issue for people that become more sedentary.
Training of any sort, is useful for retain...ing balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falling in the first place. By increasing the muscle mass around joints, this helps to protect the joints - this padding is especially helpful in reducing injury from falling.
The mental benefits are pretty self-explanatory: by learning a new skill which will help you in the future - you gain confidence.
Everyone knows that exercise and getting your heart-rate raised results in a release of endorphins and dopamine, know as the feel-good hormone.
Without going into too much detail: strength training tends to bring your hormones back into balance, they are responsible for so many functions in the body - including sleep quality. In short, people tend to sleep better after introducing training to their regime.
Age should not be the limiting factor for activity.
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Its lurgy season 😷 🤧 But you can can help yourself in a way you didn't think possible: manage your stress! In this study Cortisol (stress hormone) is positively correlated with respiratory infections. Positives of the study: - Good size of study ... - Good range of ages - A had a quarantine of 4 days before - Each group had a similar number of smokers - There were no seriously unhealthy people in the study - They even checked childhood history of disease
So, there will be a hole in the study somewhere, but it's nice to know that maybe managing stress will lead to fewer sick days.
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If you aren't tracking your goals, you could be hindering your progress. Having said that some goals are easier to track than others. Open-ended goals such as "I want to feel healthier this year" have multiple methods of attack: - improve your mental health - improve your physical health ... - Better nutritional habits ( which is linked to mental and physical health) It comes down to how you feel: which is difficult to answer because it's so subjective. How do you feel compared to last week, last month, last year? It's difficult because memory is not as reliable as we think.
Quantitate goals are a bit more directed, it doesn't make it easier. Say you wanted to lose weight: you might have micro goals within the larger one - you might call them habits. - I want track my food intake - I want to increase my daily steps - I want to train with weights twice a week.
You can correlate your weight loss with the habits you track.
The goal can be shaped around your personality: are you an objective or a subjective person? Sometimes objective goals can make you neurotic, and most of the time people are following a qualitative goal when they should be following a quantitate.
- I want to get stronger.
Strength is a subjective term, there are lots of factors which influence how strong you are. Try rephrasing it:
- I want to increase my maximum squat by 10 kilograms.
This is a bit more defined: we know what you want and we have a way to measure it. You might find that redefining your goals have peripheral benefits: increasing your squat has been proven to increase overall body hypertrophy and strength.
What are your goals? Are they qualitative or quantitate?
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Treat yourself like you are someone responsible for helping. If a relative was complaining about chronic pain in their body you would nag them to get it checked until they did it. A niggle if left unmonitored and unchecked will left to complications later on, so, tag a friend with a reoccurring injury or pain below! Consider G2G coaching, it could save years of pain and frustration.
These are a "secret weapon" core exercise, that if you know - you know. It's a core roaster and is easily transferable to everyday life or sports! There are so many variations too, bar, bands, cable or even dumbbell: there's one for every level. Give 'em a go!
We cant believe it's 2020, time flies, feels like 2015 was just yesterday. We want to wish everyone, member or not, a Happy, prosperous new year! Whatever your goal is - go after it with passion and persistence : we believe in you.
All the best,
... G2G coaching. xo
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