Archive for year 2009
ForestFit July 29th: The Accumulator
Jul 29th
This mornings ForestFit was a little bit different with the return of an old favorite.
THE ACCUMULATOR!
Basically the idea is we start with a simple exercise and then add another exercise, repeat the first and the 2nd and then add a third, and so on
So starting with 45 seconds of bodyweight squats
Then 45 seconds of squats and 45 seconds of Mountain Climbers
then Squats, Mountain Climbers, and flutters
Then Squats, Mountain Climbers, Flutters and then a short sprint around a forest loop
Then Squats, Mountain Climbers, Flutters, short sprint and push ups
Then Squats, Mountain Climbers, Flutters, short sprint, push ups and then a plank
Then finally Squats, Mountain Climbers, Flutters, short sprint, push ups, a plank and squat jumps to finish
A lot of squats today, beautiful morning so I took some photos of the stretches at the end…
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NOT Another Dull Deadlift Video
Jul 28th
In response to the earlier BLOG post which showed some awful dead lift form, I spent some time today in the Gym with my Flipcam and recorded the correct way (in my opinion) to do a deadlift.
Post your comments and feedback below as normal.
Shoulder and Upper Back Exercise Video YTWL
Jul 27th
Here is the video I promised GRIV earlier showing the YTWL exercise, this is an excellent exercise for archers for mobility/flexibility and sorts out many of the issues with dodgy rotator cuff muscles.
If you’re not an archer, don’t think this is not an exercise for you… more than likely IT IS for you.
If you are interested in more archery related exercise stuff put you name and email address in the boxes below and i’ll let you know when I post some stuff.
Coffee Moment July 26th: Train With a Purpose
Jul 26th
If you thought that weekends are for taking it easy, not getting up until late, lazy breakfasts on the terrace and watching some sport in the afternoon…
Well mine couldn’t be further from that ‘ideal’.
Most of my weekends involve getting up earlier and heading out to an archery tournament.
Much like last weekend my choice of coffee this morning is poor… Some boiled crap with a splash of white stuff that has never seen a cow.
The shoot this weekend is our national championships, which basically means a straight out contest between myself and my team mate Gilles Seywert for honors.
This is the field championships which rewards good shooting AND being fit enough to get around the course being able to perform the whole weekend. If i have any motivation for being fit for my sport, this is it. two days of climbing up and down hills shooting 72 arrows over the course of 6 or more hours.
If you’re not fit there is no way you can perform the same shot at the start and at the end of the weekend.
All those hill sprints I do at Forestfit pay off on courses like this. You kinda feel invincible and certainly way ahead of your competitors when you are not gasping for air at the top of each incline.
The other side benefit of all this training is your balance and flexibility. Many of the shooting pegs are on uneven ground and the angle of your shooting posture is not even close to the perfectly flat ground of your practice shooting facility. This makes it essential for you to have a strong stance and flexibility to contort yourself into the right position for the shot.
Outside observers of archery would think it is sport for the non athletic type of person. I know you can compete if you are some fat bloke, but you’d be far more competitive if you did some type of physical training, and I really know how much more enjoyable it can be when you are fit.
Train with a purpose, don’t just say you want to be fitter, or to lose ‘some’ weight. Train to be better at your sport it really gives meaning to your workout.
Archery Training: Prep For National Field Champs
Jul 23rd
Archery is something that is fluid… it is always moving,
my form
my belief
my training regime
ALL seem to be in perpetual motion, sometimes improving, sometimes getting worse, but NEVER staying the same.
Very much like physical conditioning you NEVER maintain, your body is never in a constant state. The only constant is change, you are either getting fitter, stronger, more flexible, or going in the opposite direction.
I am in a period of ascendency at the moment, which is not hard considering where I have been 
)… Last weekend I won my first tournament for some time, only a local thing, but still a win is a win.
This evening I went to do a little prep for this weekend’s tournament, which is the national field champs in Walferdange, Luxembourg. Sight marks for 20 and 60 meters a couple of quick measures for peep height and sight length and hey presto a sight tape… If you are not using a program like archers advantage to set up your sight marks you are missing out on points and valuable training time.
If you are new to field archery, I would advise on just one thing… make sure you sight marks are really, REALLY accurate. If you don’t do anything else in prep you’ll have at least a sane couple of days on the field course, with a set of marks you can rely on.
Hopefully my form will continue to develop and I can take on Luxembourg’s finest…
Form is temporary, class is for ever )
The Worst Deadlift Form
Jul 21st
I was in Jack’s Gym this evening training one of my superstar clients, down in the main gym area. It is always interesting seeing how some of the guys in there train, I look at the physiques and wonder where they got their training programs from and where they learnt their exercise form!
There is a really good reason why, myself and my coaches are very particular with movement patterns and correct muscle engagement, we never give our clients a weight until they can demonstrate good technique and control, bodyweight exercises are essential for any one starting a new training routine.
Now I wish I had been quicker on my camera to catch this guy training but it was simply the worst deadlift form I had ever seen, so I did a quick search on Youtube and found something pretty close to what this guy was doing… The main difference was the guy was lifting 140kg plus with a lower back so rounded you could see the vertebrae sticking out through his shirt! It was quite painful to watch and just wonder what state his back is in after each session.
If you want to learn good technique for a deadlift, which just happens to be one of the most effective exercise for fat loss and all body strength, I will film and post a video tomorrow on how we get everyone to deadlift safely and effectively.
Are there any other exercises you want to see being demonstrated? Leave a comment below and we’ll get the cameras just for you.
ForestFit Today – Tabata method for fat loss
Jul 20th
Monday is a ForestFit day, with currently three groups running, two this morning and a hardcore session tonight.
The theme for today was Tabata, quite a straight-forward training protocol but with big effect to your metabolism.
In simple terms you work hard for a short period say 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds and then repeat. Today’s routine consisted of pairs of exercises repeated 2 or 3 times.
Starting with our trademark GetFit.lu warmup we headed in to the forest for the first pair of exercises.
- Overhead Squats and Sprints. so 20 seconds of squats, 10 seconds rest, 20 seconds sprint, 10 seconds rest… repeat 3 times.
- Zero Resistance LAteral Raise and Lateral Lunges
- Incline push ups and Mountain Climbers
- Modified Pull ups and Plank
- Hill Sprint
- Reverse Lunge and Side Plank
- Under/Over bars and Sprint
- Finish off with a metabolic finisher 24 flutters, 10 push ups, 18 Elbow Stabilisations, 32 Lateral Raises AND then a hill sprint.
This is probably on the shorter end of the scale for our interval based routines, but the effect on the metabolism is huge. Every participant will have been burning calories like crazy all through the day today )
Here are a couple of pictures of the session… you’ll see our lovely forest, this is what I get up for at 5.30am 3 times a week ) Not hard to see why!
Coffee Moment: 19th July Mondercange Archery Tournament
Jul 20th
Sat under the veranda of the club house at Mondercange during the practice 45 minutes watching the rain hammer down, typical Luxembourgish summer weather ;o).
I’ve shot one end and decided to skip the next in favor of the dry porch and a particularly bad cup of stewed coffee.
I sometimes wonder why I do this.
Started me thinking about being fit gives you a sense of invincibility at times. When i look along the shooting line and see a lot of very unhealthy guys struggling with the conditions, i know that i have one up on all these guys even before we start scoring.
Good feeling.
I watch lots of sport, and participate in a fair bit too, those that are better prepared physically and mentally always come out on top PERIOD.
Talent kinda helps too, watching the two guys on my target, rarely scaring the middle of the target, i know that their talents lay in some other part of their life.
Physical preparation can come easy and is something anyone can do even with limited time and resources. Try the following simple exercises to be a better archer, sportsman, and maybe have less body fat too.
Leg Matrix Lite
Complete each exercise one after the other with little or no rest. Time yourself to complete the circuit. Rest for the same time it takes you to complete the circuit, then repeat. Do a maximum of 3 circuits
| Exercise | Manual-Notes (if any) | ||||||||||
 Bodyweight Forward Lunge1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart. 2. Step foward with one foot and bend your knees into a lunged position. Your back knee should come close to touching the ground and your front leg should be bent to about 90 degrees at the knee. 3. Maintain your upright posture throughout the movement. 4. Return to the starting position and repeat. Once repetitions are completed then repeat with the other leg. Trainer’s comments: |
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 Bodyweight Squats1. Start by placing feet shoulder width apart and holding your arms out in front of you. 2. Proceed to squat down like you are going to sit in a chair. Your upper body will lean forward slightly and your hips will shift backwards while going down. 3. Remember to keep your knees from going out in front of your toes while squatting. 4. Repeat according to your required repetitions. If you want to make the exercise more challenging hold your arms at your sides or behind your head. Trainer’s comments: |
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 Lateral Lunge on BoxStart position: Stand with feet hip width apart. Place hands on waist or out to sides for stability. Step laterally 2-3 feet and place foot onto a box 12-24” high. Bend knee into a lunge. Pushing off foot, return to start position. Continue with same leg or alternate as prescribed. Remember to keep head and back upright in a neutral position. Shoulders and hips should remain squared at all times. Trainer’s comments: |
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 Lateral Leg Raise/Hip Abduction1. Lay on your right side, resting your upper body weight on your elbow. Using your hand for balance, lift your left leg upward as high as is comfortably possible. 2. Hold for 5 seconds and slowly lower to starting position. 3. Repeat for the recommended repetitions and repeat with the other leg. Trainer’s comments: |
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