I have been a Personal Trainer based in Melbourne for 15 years and the number one obstacle preventing people from achieving their goal is TOO MUCH STRESS! I don't know anyone who does not want to get results with their health and fitness goals, yet that is exactly what it seems like when I see my clients sabotaging their own goals by eating junk food, drinking too much alcohol, working too many hours, not drinking enough water, I could keep going and going but I think you get the point. For many years I had spent endless hours studying and paying big bucks to learn the latest exercise methods and techniques to provide the best Personal Training experience ever! However I was very frustrated from many of my clients lack of results due mainly to the poor habits listed earlier. I soon came to the conclusion that it does not make any difference to their goal at all how hard their training sessions or what latest exercise technique I was using if they continued to adopt these destructive habits. So for the past 5 years most of my learning has gone into the reasons behind the lack of motivation, desire, willpower and willingness to stick to a plan. Which I will admit is significantly harder than any exercise program or advanced method I have ever tried to learn! And out of all of this I can conclude now the biggest factor and saboteur of any program is STRESS. In this article I will share with you some of the important lessons and tricks I learned over the years to help you avoid the trap so many fall into.
Core Strength Training requires a great integration with lower body and upper body and possibly the best exercise for achieving this would be the CHIN UP! Many of the people we see when they first start training lack a considerable amount of upper body strength. And women find chin ups significantly more difficult than men. Funnily enough, this exercise is their most hated when they start, but becomes their favourite when they become good at it! Unfortunately, many people don't persist to learn good technique and build the strength to be able to lift your body which often leads to injuries and lack of ability, as many common movements such as lifting a box require strong upper body muscles. Just because pull-ups and chin-ups are hard, it doesn't mean women can't do them! In fact, you should be able to lift your own body with your arms. In nature, this sort of movement is very basic and in fact a matter of survival, in fact it mimics the skill of rock climbing!
Just because the weather is cold, miserable and wet doesn't mean you can't do a great workout right inside your own home. Actually most of the bodyweight exercises are the hardest to do and you can have lots of fun with the different combinations. Bodyweight exercise got its name because your own body provides all the resistance needed to help you get fit. You can address every muscle in your body with hundreds of exercises that can be performed in a small space and adapted for your fitness level. It’s a simple answer to the challenges of weather, time constraints, finances, or just plain boredom.