Normal weather - finally!

It has been lovely to have an almost normal week of teaching classes with the exception of Durley courtesy of Tuesday nights snow! However I am sure this week will be without glitches! Hula got off to a cracking start on Saturday with everybody able to hoop successfully - that has to be a record!

This is the last week in which you can book for the Nutrition Workshop on Saturday. I am so excited about this workshop, we have the latest information and research so you can be sure you walk away with the most up to date information so you can achieve and exceed your fitness aims. You are also sure to be shocked at just how much fat, sugar and salt are in a lot of your run of the mill products!

How many of you have actually been working out over the last few weeks as classes have had to be cancelled? Come on be honest! NOW is a great time to really focus on achieving those aims and I have compiled a list to help you get the most from your workouts.

HAVE A SHORTER WORKOUT
This may seem crazy but if you crank up the intensity then the results you will achieve will be far greater than doing an hour on the treadmill at no gradient and a slow walking pace! The AC SM (American College of Sports Medicine) states that '30 minutes of high intensity exercise is as good as an hour at a workload of 60%'.

BICARBONATE OF SODA ANYONE?
Exercise psychologists at Loughborough University found that a teaspoonful of bicarb in water taken an hour or two before working out can give you an extra boost. Through tests published in International Journal of Sports Medicine they found that swimmers who took the bicarb one hour before swimming 200m were able to increase their times significantly. Of 9 swimmers, 8 recorded their fastest times after taking bicarb. Dr Jonathon Folland of Loughborough University says 'during intense exercise the muscles produce large amounts of waste products, such as lactic acid, that lead to stiffness, soreness and fatigue. Because sodium bicarbonate naturally reduces acids, it acts as a buffer against these performance limiting by products'.

HOW IS YOUR POSTURE?
Poor technique is a major cause of injury during exercise. You may get sick to death of saying 'tummies in, shoulders down, feet flat'! But there is a method! Regardless of the exercise you are doing, continually check your posture. Are you as tall as you could be, have you braced the stomach to aid supporting the spine? Are the joints relaxed or locked? This could be the difference between you injuring yourself or having an amazing workout - it has to be worth it, doesn't it?

MUSIC, TV, READ A BOOK?
I would say almost everyone in most gyms will be listening to music, watching the book screen of even reading a book while pedalling away, yes I have seen it! Now this is slightly controversial! Music CAN aid some people and help them perform better in their workouts, however this is only for a very small group. For the most part it detaches you from your workout. How can you possibly be giving 100% to your fitness if you are singing away to your ipod? The same goes for the telly and that book. Commit to the activity you are doing and get those results better and faster!