Month: September 2023

“Jason – Can I work out so that I loose fat from my: stomach/back/legs/arms” – you name it!

This question is one of the most repeated questions that I receive from my PT clients. It has long been believed that spot reduction, the ability to selectively lose fat from specific areas of your body by exercising a particular muscle group will in turn lead to fat loss in that area.

Unfortunately, this is not based on any scientific evidence. Our bodies burn fat from all over the body, not just one particular area.

Here’s why spot reduction doesn’t work and some recommendations for a more effective approach to fat loss.

Body Fat Distribution: Your genetics largely determine where your body stores and loses fat. While you can tone and strengthen specific muscle groups through exercise, this does not mean that fat will be reduced from those area of the body.

Calory deficit: The most effective way to lose fat is to be in a state of calorie deficit, where you consume fewer calories than your body needs. This prompts your body to use stored fat for energy, leading to overall fat loss.

Cardio exercise Cardio exercises like running, cycling, or swimming can help you burn calories and increase your overall metabolic rate. This contributes to fat loss throughout your body, not just in one spot.

Resistance training: Building muscle through resistance training is essential for long-term fat loss. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, so increasing the amount of muscle your body holds can help boost your metabolism and in turn, fat loss.

A Balanced Diet: A healthy, balanced diet is crucial for fat loss. Focus on single ingredient foods such as chicken, vegetables, rice, if there is an ingredient list avoid if at all possible.

For more information like this that will help you to achieve your fitness goals in the shortest time possible get in contact today and book your free consultation…

I have been working out of gyms for almost 30 years now and this is the one tip I wish I could pass on to as many people as possible.

It’s a very simple muscle contraction that is the most effective for building muscle. This is called the eccentric muscle contraction. An eccentric muscle contraction occurs when a muscle lengthens while under tension,
typically during the lowering phase of an exercise. For example, when you lower a dumbbell during a bicep curl, your bicep is undergoing an eccentric contraction. Eccentric contractions can be beneficial for muscle due to increased muscle damage: Eccentric contractions cause more micro-tears in muscle fibres compared to concentric (shortening) contractions. This increased damage triggers the body’s repair and growth processes, leading to muscle hypertrophy (growth).

Another benefit is that muscles can handle more load during eccentric contractions than during concentric ones. This means you can work with heavier weights during the lowering phase, which can stimulate greater muscle growth. Growing muscle like any discipline has a right and a wrong way, in my 30 years of resistance training I have learned how to grow muscle in a safe and effective way. One consideration for training in this way, is that you will often need a training partner or personal trainer to spot you during this eccentric phase (and to help with the concentric phase of the lift – think shoulder press) – and that’s where I come in.

Get in touch if you’d like to train together and break through any current plateaus you have. Would love to hear from you!

Jason

As a running coach based out of Galway, I get alot of questions from potential clients about running, speed development and running technique. Here’s some of the most frequently asked questions I get asked:

• Is running good for me?

Yes running is absolutely one of the most all around beneficial forms of exercises you can partake in. Running uses all the major muscle groups, from calves to glutes to back and shoulders. The cardiovascular benefits are also second to none with higher speeds of running really challenging the heart and lungs to function effectively.

• How do I start running?

Start slow and start short. Start by running slowly, allow your body to adapt to your new form of exercise by focusing on running technique. Start short with small runs, 5 minutes away from your house and 5 minutes home.

• Is running good for fat loss?

Running has been proven to be the best form of fat loss when you are moving at high speeds, this is known as sprinting but at high speeds our risk of injury goes up so build up to your top speed slowly over the course of several weeks.

• Do I need to warm up before running ?

Yes a warm up is strongly recommended before running, running is a dynamic form of movement and any dynamic form of movement requires a warm up. This can be as short as 10 minutes of light jogging on the spot, squat movements, lunges and arm swings will all have a positive effect.

• Should I stretch before running ?

Yes stretching is extremely beneficial, but dynamic stretching is strongly recommended where static stretching is recommended only after your training session is over.

• How often should I run?

This is a serious issue with many runners, loading is important, overloading the body and an injury is inevitable. If I were to try Christiano Ronaldo’s weekly training I would expect an input within a week or two, allowing the body time to adapt to the new loading stress.

• What mileage should I be doing weekly?

This is linked to loading and there is no set distance per week you should be running, some weeks I run 5km, some weeks I run track sessions that are about to little more than a mile total. Listen to your body, if it feels loose and healthy you can further load it, if it feels fatigued and tight it’s time to take a break and allow for a recovery period.

• How do I avoid injuries?

Loading, warm up, stretching, running technique, and allowing for recovery time will reduce injuries by a shocking margin. Start slowly and short, warm up, stretch before and after and let your body rest and injuries can often be completely avoided.

• How do I improve my running times?

Strength and conditioning, plyometrics, shorter faster runs will greatly reduce your running times.

• Will running give me large muscles?

Yes and no, the glutes, quads, calves and hamstrings will definitely become more muscular while the upper body shows little sir of muscle development. Any movement pattern that causes fatigue will build muscle but you will not create a bodybuilders physique though running, although you will create a lean athletic physique.

I hope you found some of these frequently asked questions about running useful, if you’d like to have a chat about your running journey, be it from a beginners point of view or as a GAA athelete or similar, please get in touch.