Looking for some weight loss motivation? Listen to this episode to hear how one of my personal training clients, Carrianne Dukes, went from 105KG (16stone 7lbs) to 68KG (10stone 7lbs) in one year. Her fitness journey consisted of good nutrition, the majority of the time and a consistent exercise programme. In this podcast, Carrianne shares how she manages to stay disciplined to create a healthy lifestyle and keep the weight off. We discuss the common barriers to exercise, her...

In this video we look at ways to stay healthy during both short haul and long haul travel. As we enter the summer season, the rush to book holidays ramps up with package / all inclusive vacations to far off destinations for world travel. In the UK, there is a long standing standing of travellers over indulging on alcohol and junk food at the airport, only to arrive at their destination intoxicated and lethargic, giving rise to poor decision making or in some cases even asked to leave...

In this episode I discuss how to gauge our body fat levels and why it's important to address any health related warning signs. As a general rule, we should monitor our body fat and visceral fat levels, by way of weekly if not monthly composition readings. Excessive levels of abdominal fat are physiologically detrimental to our health, leading to possible type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders and in some cases social exclusion. Poor nutrition, inadequate...

In this episode, my guest is Scott Perry, a professional magician who takes care of his physical and mental health, allowing for high levels of service to his clients and guests. Find out what it takes to stay in good shape, when you are the focus point during shows to the general population or celebrity clients, ranging from Prince Charles to Joanna Lumley. A professional magician requires both physical and mental concentration, much like a Personal trainer, as we are constantly giving...

In this episode, I discuss how to implement a body weight only exercise program, to kick start your resistance based workouts. Our body weight is a physiological free weight, in that it's not attached to a fixed frame or object for support or function. Our upper and lower body limbs, make up a large part of our anatomy and subsequently we are naturally predisposed to workouts focusing on arms and legs. Whilst this is okay, it's important to ensure our core muscle groups are also...

In this episode I celebrate a small milestone of reaching 50 podcast videos, covering health and fitness as a personal trainer. Back in December 2022, I decided to start this channel, simply to share my experiences, thoughts and knowledge on how we can learn to improve our physiological health by way of exercise, nutrition, remedial therapy and general lifestyle choices. Upon making this decision, I enlisted the expertise of a local podcast teaching professional, Miss Carrianne Dukes of...

In this episode I discuss why it's important for men to get out in the sun as much as possible, in relation to improving our libido. Vitamin D, from the sun is our natural source of testosterone boosting energy, which decreases with age, poor cardiovascular health, excess fat storage and erratic sleep patterns. In the UK and various other countries around the world, we have less sunlight, due to our four season cycle, unlike parts of Europe, North and South America, Asia and the...

In this episode I discuss a major muscle group within our body, namely the core. Over the past ten to fifteen years, we have seen an increase in health and fitness articles, trends and fads relating to our core muscles, of which we cannot physiologically function without. Take a look or listen to exactly what this often championed but equally overlooked area of our anatomy is responsible for. Next time a friend, family member or colleague informs you they are training their core,...

In part 2 of my discussion on aerobic fitness, we look at basic, safe tests given to personal training clients. Treadmills, stationary bikes, rowers or swimming pools are good facilities to use for testing and subsequent training, in order for clients to improve their cardiovascular health. Generally we aim for 75% of a client's maximum heart rate during training, allowing for short term increase up to 90% or more, depending the type of exercise prescribed and the client's physiological...

In this episode we look at why it's important to participate in aerobic exercise. Our hearts and lungs are in use every second of our life span and subsequently shouldn't be ignored in our quest for good health and longevity. Walking, swimming, running, rowing, trekking and climbing are generally the go to exercises, used to improve our aerobic capacity, of which can be tracked from day one. With the current advent of depression diagnosis throughout the western world, it's now more...

In this episode, I talk openly about relationships between Personal Trainers and Clients. From ethics, boundaries, morals and trust, to conversations, confidentialities and systems, the relationship can be adaptable, whilst maintaining a professional agreement, between both parties. From initial enquiries and consultations to subsequent training programs, a client should be confident enough to divulge his or her physical, mental and sometimes emotional states, of which the trainer is...

In this episode I share the top ten things required to be a competent personal trainer. 15 years as a qualified professional have allowed me to learn from clients of various descriptions, ranging from sports enthusiasts to retired pensioners. You might here one or two surprises in this list, whilst also recognize something obvious, so try to envisage a few prior to listening...good luck and please share this with a friend or work colleague. Thanks for listening

In this episode I share my thoughts and experience as a personal trainer, regarding sleep and it's benefits to our health. Approximately one in eight UK adults get less than six hours of sleep per night, according to a 2022 government survey, of which may be adequate for normal daily function, however could be insufficient for good gut health, balanced body composition and slowing down the ageing process. Often, personal training clients regularly report poor sleeping patterns,...

In this episode I get to sit down and my guest Michelle Ahondjo, a footballer, now working in sports with young people. Michelle gives an honest and open account of how and when she started playing football, the physical demands on a woman's body and her plans for the future. We hope you enjoy this conversation and look forward to more throughout 2024. Please subscribe to the podcast and watch us on Youtube. Thanks for listening.

In this episode I discuss why unhealthy men should stop watching sports. We are constantly bombarded with sports clubs or sports company advertising and marketing, designed to lure the predominantly male demographic into financially support sports brands. Season tickets to your local football, cricket, rugby, basketball or baseball clubs are highly sought after and subsequently the clubs charge moderately high to very high prices, of which even low income men strive to afford, with the...

In this discussion we look at various ways to delay, or even avoid the onset of disease. With the advent of ultra processed foods, pharmaceutical dependency, increasing obesity levels and work related decreased physical activity, we now more than ever are predisposed to accelerated mortality. Lifestyle addictions to alcohol, smoking, drug abuse or poor quality nutrition are all major contributors towards disease related complications. During our formative years (13 to 18) we are...

In this discussion, we look at how to train for strength when under time constraints. Circuit based strength training or PHA (Peripheral Heart Action) circuits are a great way to ensure you recruit the major muscle groups and elevate your heart rate, when you have limited time to spend in the gym. By implementing this training method, your heart rate will increase to as much as 80% or higher of its maximal heart rate reading. An example would be starting with a deadlift or squat,...

In this discussion I talk about how our bodies adapt to muscular stimulation, which together with adequate quality nutrition and sleep, can develop an improved physical appearance, or aesthetics. The ideal training cycle for visible muscle mass and definition is commonly known as Hypertrophy (meaning the increase in muscle mass at a cellular and visible soft tissue level). This type of training is typically popular in age ranges from mid teens to late forties, as it requires both time...

In this discussion I look at why it's important to development a good strong grip. Our grip strength is a physiological indication of the force produced by muscle contraction, of which is initiated by our brain sending signals to the appropriate limb etc. A poor / weak grip is considered an important consideration in all cause mortality (ACM) as it can be a symptom of insufficient mind muscle connection, degenerative bone density or in some cases, early onset of Alzheimer's disease....

In this episode I discuss why strength training, also known as resistance training is paramount to our physiological health. Strength training exercise is the foundation for musculoskeletal function and slowing down the aging process. From body weight movements to picking up and putting down objects, we are always required to recruit muscle contractions, whilst maintaining good posture and aesthetics. Our bones, ligaments and tendons require stimulation through resistance based...

In this podcast I discuss reasons we give ourselves for not starting a health kick. January is often seen as a good time to start exercising and leaning in to a healthy diet, however it's far more common to make excuses, as to why we don't actually get started. Excuses range from, it's too cold and windy outside to I haven't got anything to wear, or my friends won't start with me to I haven't got time to exercise. Procrastination is a sure fire route to poor physiological health, of...

In this discussion I share the most common five reasons why new clients hire a personal trainer. There are of course many other on the list, not mentioned here, of which can vary in importance, however in my fifteen years of training clients, the list discussed here are the most common and one in particular is slowly but surely increasing. The UK, USA, Europe and some parts of Asia are increasingly turning to online dating, in order to find a match, by way of the deluge of dating apps...

In this episode I share more of my blood test results, specifically Cholesterol readings. Cholesterol is defined as blood fat found in the liver and every cell in our body, essentially maintaining our brain, nerves and skin, whilst playing a major part in the production of vitamin D and hormones controlling our skeletal frame, teeth and muscles. When we get our Cholesterol blood test results, it's split into categories, the main splits being HDL high density lipoproteins (the good stuff)...

In this episode I share a discussion with my guest Adam Marriott, an amateur climber with experiences in both the Himalaya and Europe. We openly talk about why, where and when climbing and trekking is ideal. The physical and mental disciplines required for this often romanticized sport / endeavor are too numerous to cover in a short conversation and as such this joint discussion is over an hour in duration. From the world famous regions of the Nepali Himalaya to the Aiguilles d'Entreves,...