Tag Archives: British Military Fitness

Don’t trust your scales – why you should be focusing on reducing your visceral fat, not your weight

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don'ttrustthescalesBy Andy Kay, Training Manager at British Military Fitness 

If you’ve been watching your scales to see if your exercise regime is paying off, you might be wasting your time. New research has found that doing between two and four months of endurance training can cause either no, or very minimal, reduction in body weight, with participants in a study losing only between zero and 4kg of weight.[1]

Does this mean you should throw in the towel and swap evenings working up a sweat for nights on the couch? No! The same researchers studied the reduction in visceral fat, and found that after two to six months it was markedly reduced, with participants who had lost no weight, having reducing their visceral fat by 6%.

So, what is visceral fat?

Visceral body fat is what is created when the body stores excess calories as fat cells around your organs. You might not always be able to see it on the outside but excess visceral fat is bad news, being known as a risk factor for coronary heart disease and diabetes, as well as being linked to a number of different cancers and even Alzheimer’s disease.

This is because an excess of visceral body fat can interfere with liver function and can disrupt your organs’ normal function. This can lead to an increase in cholesterol, particularly bad cholesterol, as well as increased insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.

How much is too much?

It can be hard to identify if you have too much visceral body fat, but the World Health Organization recommends that a waist to hip ratio higher than 0.9 for men and 0.85 for women is high risk. Divide the circumference of your waist by the circumference of your hips to work this out.

What can you do about it?

As the researchers found, exercise is highly effective in reducing this type of fat, even if it has little effect on weight, with every 1% reduction in body weight associated with a 3% reduction in visceral body fat. Steady state cardio such as running, cycling and swimming, as well as exercise classes based on high intensity interval training such as BMF, are highly effective in reducing fat and helping people to get fitter. Exercise two to four times a week to gain the benefits, and ensure you are leading an active lifestyle the rest of the time, with more time spent walking and less spent sitting down.

What are the first steps to reducing visceral fat?

If you have a high waist to hip ratio and want to reduce your visceral body fat the first step is to get active and start exercising. From there, the focus should be on limiting portion sizes and making sensible choices when it comes to nutrition. Swap sugary and salty snacks in favour of complex carbohydrates, protein and vegetables and try to prepare as much of your own food as possible.

For more information, please visit: www.britishmilitaryfitness.com or to sign up to a free British Military Fitness trial go to: https://www.britmilfit.com/try-bmf-for-free/

[1] http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/obr.12406/abstract

 

 

 

15 Ways To Get Lean And Eat Clean In 2015

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15 ways to get lean and eat clean in 2015By Mark Wood, Head Training Tutor at British Military Fitness 

With the January blues in full swing, most of us need a helping hand when it comes to kick starting our New Year fitness regimes. The festive season of overindulgence is over and here at British Military Fitness (BMF), we have put together 15 top tips to make 2015 your year to get lean and eat clean!

1. Master the basics – Learn to master some of the fundamental exercises. Learning how to complete these exercises with great form and technique will ensure your workout is effective. Spend time learning some of the following exercises: Squat, Lunge, Press up, Sit up, Pull up, Dips.

2. Train with intensity – Our lifestyles can be very demanding so when training, focus on the intensity. Lots of research suggests that High Intensity Training is one of the best ways to train and quickest ways to get results.

3. Use your own body weight – Body weight exercises can be very demanding and challenging but they have great benefits. They are free to do, you can do them anywhere and you can get a whole body workout in a very short time. Start to build up your exercise regime with body weight exercises.

4. Eat breakfast – Breakfast should be one of your most important meals of the day. It is essential to get your metabolism started for the day so you continue to burn calories all day long. Most people tend to either skip or rush breakfast. Yes, you may need to get up a little earlier but it will put you in a much better position to start your day and help you on the way to achieving those goals.

5. Ensure adequate hydration – Hydration is key for anyone looking to exercise. Make sure you are drinking a minimum of 2 litres of water a day. Always turn up to sessions hydrated and make sure you rehydrate with at least 1.5 times the fluid that was lost during your training session.

6. Don’t neglect cardio – Cardio work should be factored in to your sessions. It is one of the greatest ways to get in to shape and is necessary to keep your heart healthy and your body functioning the way it should.

7. Get outside – Exercising in the great outdoors has many benefits. It is much better for you to breathe in fresh air compared to air conditioning, especially if you are stuck in a gym with loads of germs floating around.

8. Carbs are not the devil – Carbohydrates seem to get a bad name. Those who are looking to drop weight tend to avoid any form of carbohydrates. Lowering the amount you consume will help with losing weight but I would not advise cutting them out completely. They are important for energy production, recovery, muscle growth and fat loss. Instead of removing them completely, just ensure that you are consuming carbohydrates that are not full of sugar.

9. Have variety – Variety is a key factor to the success of your training. Your body very quickly recognises and adapts to any exercise or training session that you complete. Therefore in order to progress you must continually make the body guess and challenge it in different ways. Variety in a diet is also key to enjoying what you are eating as well as getting all the essential minerals and vitamins.

10. Train with others – Having a training partner or training in a group has some great benefits. They will help you stay motivated, it becomes a great social environment and you can have some great fun.

11. Train 3-4 times a week – If you are serious about changing your body and getting some results then you need to be training at least 3-4 times a week consistently for a good 3 month period.

12. 90/10 rule – This is a great rule to follow when looking at nutritional strategies. 90% of the time, make sure you are eating for your goals, for your health and are making the right choices. 10% of time you can have more flexibility in your diet and have the treats that we all fancy.

13. Don’t beat yourself up – It is important not to obsess over the occasional slip-up. The most important thing is that you don’t let that one slip-up turn in to a week of slip-ups. Be realistic and make sure you acknowledge how well you are doing and reward yourself every now and then.

14. Avoid low calorie diets – Your body requires a certain amount of calories to function. Without these calories lots of hormonal reactions that are required for you to achieve your goals cannot take place. Avoid any low calorie diets as they are usually just a quick fix, which will be followed by a rebound, and you will find yourself in a worse situation than when you started. An easy way to figure out how many calories you need is by using the following equation.

a. Males: 24 x weight in Kg

b. Females: 22 x weight in Kg

15. Get some rest! If you are training hard, it is important to give the body ample rest and recovery. Some good quality sleep is one of the best ways the body can recover and it is these rest periods when the body becomes stronger and fitter. Be committed but don’t become obsessed. You won’t be able to maintain a very high intensity all the time without the body becoming fatigued.

To help you kick start your fitness, we are offering people the chance to try a BMF session for free at any of our 140 venues across the UK.

The Best Exercises For A Pert Bottom

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Pert bottom exercises by British Military Fitness Instructor

Want a perfect bottom like Pippa Middleton? Then all you need to do is master the squat. The squat is commonly known as the “king of exercises”. It is a fantastic exercise; it targets all the muscles in the legs whilst also adding some strength and stability to the abdomen and lower back area and really targets the core. The squat also gets a large amount of upper body muscles engaged too. Here are just a few benefits to show why everyone should be including squats into their training routine.

pippa-middleton-butt

Increase strength & power

Squatting should be one of the fundamental exercises for anyone looking to increase their strength. They have been proven to significantly increase lower body strength and power. This can have a whole range of benefits from those looking to improve sporting performance to those just looking to improve their lifestyle so that everyday tasks such as climbing stairs become easier.

Run faster

If you want to run faster, whether you are a distance runner or a sprinter, then you should be squatting. The speed at which you run is heavily influenced by your ability to apply force into the ground. To run faster, you need to apply more force. The best way to do this is to strengthen the lower body. Using squats to train the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes will allow you produce more ground reaction force. For those who are distance runners, if you increase you 1RM on a squat then you will also improve you run time. Think of it this way. If you weight 70kg and have 1RM back squat of 70kg then you are going to have to recruit more motor units in order to propel yourself forward when running compared to someone who also weights 70kg but has 1RM on a squat of 120kg.

Increase muscle size

Squats are a great way to increase size of muscle tissue, not only in them legs but all over the human body. Developing muscle mass heavily relies on hormonal responses from exercise. Testosterone and growth hormone are two of the major muscle building hormones in the body. Squatting heavy and engaging the large muscles around the hips will mean you begin to produce huge amounts of testosterone. This release will also have a positive impact of other muscles as it flows through the blood stream. Combining this with some lighter load and higher reps will mean you start to feel a burning sensation within the legs, this burning sensation come from the build up of lactate and lactic acid within the muscle. When the body starts to get a build up of lactic acid you subsequently get a release of growth hormone. Theism just like testosterone is fantastic for this individuals looking to gain some muscle mass.

Torch calories and body fat

I want you to try something for me. After completing a thorough warm up, walk into a squat rack, load the bar with what is the heaviest amount of load you can possibly lift for 15 reps. Complete 4-5 sets of 15 reps whilst only taking around 60seconds rest between these sets and tell me how you feel. I guess you are going to feel extremely worn out and needing to sit down for a few mins ‘to catch your breath’. Completing this type of session will make the body move away from its safe environment of homeostasis and enter into EPOC (Excess Post Oxygen Consumption) meaning the body will need to take on additional oxygen to help you recover. This is accompanied by elevated consumption of fuels, particularly from fat stores. Using a tabata protocol for squatting (20secs all out / 10secs rest x 8) has been shown to elevate EPOC for up to 48 hours post exercise.

Here are list of squat variation exercises you can try to help you. Also included is a strength continuum chart to help you ensure you are working at the correct intensity, with the correct load, at the correct pace and with adequate amounts of rest depending on what you goal is.

 

Training Effect

Reps

Load (%1RM)

Rest

Strength

1-5

80-90%

3-5min

Hypertrophy

6-12

60-80%

1-2min

Endurance

15+

>40%

30-60secs

Front Squat

Take a grip on the bar slightly wider than shoulder width.
Position the bar so it is just behind the clavicle and close to the throat.
Ensure the chest is high and push your elbows up and in.
Foot stance should be shoulder with apart or slightly wider.
Once in position sit back onto the hips slightly as the hips and knees simultaneously flex.
Push the knees out to ensure they track the toes and stay on the heels at all times.
Once you have broken parallel drive the heels into the ground extending the knees and hips.

Back Squat

Take the narrowest most comfortable grip on the bar for you range on movement.
Position the bar high on the back.
Pull the shoulder back and keep the chest up.
Pull down on the bar and push the elbows forwards.
This should create a natural ledge surface for the bar to sit on.
Once in position sit back onto the hips slightly as the hips and knees simultaneously flex.
Push the knees out to ensure they track the toes and stay on the heels at all times.
Once you have broken parallel drive the heels into the ground extending the knees and hips.

Bulgarian Split Squat

For this exercise you are going to need a bench and some dumbbells.
Take a hold of the dumbbells in both hands.
Elevate your rear foot on the bench and take a step forward with your front leg.
Ensure that the chest is high and shoulders are pulled back with a neutral spine.
Bend at the knees so you body is moving in a vertical fashion until your reach 90degrees in the front knee.

At this point drive back up and return to the top.

Complete the required reps on this leg before changing.

 

10 tips on fighting the festive flab in the New Year

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getfit lose weight10 tips on fighting the festive flab in the New Year By Garry Kerr, Head of Training and Operations at British Military Fitness

Nom, nom, nom…extra eating: During the winter and especially over the festive

season we typically eat more than we would normally and exercising is a great way

to burn those extra calories and keep yourself in shape so when spring finally arrives

you’re in tip top shape! Here are some tips to help you beat the Christmas flab!

 

1. Keep a fitness journal

 

A workout log can help keep your exercise routine on track when you’re

struggling to stay motivated because it will show you how far you’ve come

since you started, and therefore how worthwhile it is to keep going.

 

2. Commit yourself.

 

Get moving! Just do it! There is no time like the start of a New Year. You’ve

got the indulgences of Christmas behind but it’s important you commit. Why

not write all the classes you can attend in your diary so they are viewed as

actual appointments and you’re less likely to cancel.

 

3. Set short-term goals

 

Having something specific to aim for, such as losing a certain amount

of weight or entering a race / marathon for example the Major Series

in the Spring will help you stick to your training

plan. But make sure your goals are achievable. Setting and failing to reach

outlandish targets will put you off.

 

4. Find the fun in it

 

Exercise should not feel like torture. After all, you have made a conscious

decision to do it. You can take great pleasure from overcoming challenges

and progressing with your fitness alongside other people.

 

Does that mean that it will be easy? No. In order to change your body, you

need to experience ‘overload’. This means that you need to keep challenging

your body in order to increase your fitness levels. You will however improve

your fitness levels if you rest and recover properly after each workout.

 

5. Reward yourself

 

Once you’ve hit one of your targets reward yourself. By training and

committing to your training you’ve earned the right to spoil yourself. Whether

it’s a new item of clothing or fitness-related gadgets or clothing – enjoy your

achievements.

 

6. Use visualisation

 

If you don’t believe that you can do that final burpee or make it through

those final reps, you certainly won’t be able to but by picturing yourself doing

it before you try it, you’ll create a mental template that can translate into

success.

 

7. Eating right

 

Food is 90% of the health and fitness battle. You can make great changes

just through making small adjustments to your eating habits alone. While

changing any habits may seem like a daunting task, there is a wealth of

resources available to guide you. By eating a regular mix of proteins, fats and

carbohydrates you will reap the benefits of your physical training routine. You

will have both the energy to perform and the nutritional foundations needed

for recovery. This exercise and nutrition relationship will help you to achieve

your goals

 

8. Be realistic

 

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Unfortunately, while over-used, there is some truth

in that saying.

 

A healthy approach is to aim to improve on yesterday. By repeating this

process you will start to feel like you have made great improvements over a

course of weeks, months and years. It is also important to consider where you

want to be.

 

9. There is gain without pain!

 

While exercise should be challenging in order to encourage the body to adapt

and therefore improve, it should not lead to any injuries.

 

Many people, particularly those new to exercise can become over enthusiastic

because of the physical changes that they experience. Our bodies can only

truly complete exercises at 100% intensity for a number of seconds. Exercises

completed over the course of an hour-long session are performed below

maximum intensity. You should therefore focus more on your technique and

try to work as hard as possible but not push yourself to the point of nausea.

 

10. Abandon an all-or-nothing attitude

 

Don’t think of exercise with an all-or-nothing approach. If you unexpectedly

miss a session, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on track tomorrow.

Remember; exercise and fitness is a way of life, it’s not a destination.

 

Seb Morgan’s Fitness Column: What’s your excuse?

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WHAT’S YOU’RE EXCUSE?

I’m too weak, too slow, too big. I ate too much for breakfast, I got a headache, its raining, my dog is sick I can’t right now. I’m not inspired, it makes me sweat, it makes me smell bad, I’m allergic to stuff, I’m fat, I’m thin, its too hot, I’m not right I got shin splints, I’m distracted, I’m exerting myself too much, I’d love too really but I can’t, I just can’t my favorite show is on, I’ve got a case of the Monday, the Tuesdays, the Wednesdays; I don’t want to do this, I want to do something else after new years, next week I might make a mistake.

I’ve got homework, I feel bloated, I got gas, I got a hot date, my coach hates me, my mam won’t let me, I bruise easily, its too dark, its too cold, its too hot, this is dangerous, sorry I don’t have a bike, I don’t have trainers, I didn’t get enough sleep, its not in my DNA,Ii don’t want to look all tired out, I need a better coach, I don’t like getting tackled, I’m not the athletic type, I don’t want to get sweaty, I have better things to do, I don’t want to slow you down, do I have to do this?, as soon as I get a promotion, as soon as I get some money I have no money I might sit this one out…what you’re excuse….pick one, I bet you have heard it before or maybe even said it yourself.

Go on, be honest. be savagely honest with yourself. no one else needs to know. what is you’re excuse and is it real? Really think about it. Is it something that acutely holds you back?, that really stops you going out and doing something, some form of health and fitness activity. has it taken you’re leg or even legs? an arm even? is you’re day so full that you don’t have time to make a cuppa and sit down? Do you have so little money you cant go to the park for a run, jog, WALK.

Let me ask you….really? Is that really the truth….or an excuse.

Last year we saw a great feat of human courage in the rugby world cup and recently the six nations, soon we will all be watching the triumph that is the Olympics and even more so the Para-Olympics and let me ask you when you watch that event and its amazing human beings. Do you think they made an excuse when it was cold, raining, hot, not enough time to do school work, normal work, we’re tired at waking at dumb o’clock, the training was too hard, they failed, they lost that race, they got bitten, they had personal issues, had lost an arm, leg, both legs…….do you think they made an excuse.

And don’t give me the…oh yeah, but they had support, they’ve trained for year etc…as I tell people I train or fellow Brazilian jujitsu players….everyone has to start somewhere.

At this current moment I’m watching Frank Skinner on sport-aid swim for the very first time and seeing a smile appearing on his face as he realizes he overcome one hurdle of the biggest fear of his life is incredible….I’m also smiling at his personal achievement.

He did so again….why cant you?, whats you’re excuse.

My personal excuses are, I’m smaller than everyone else, I’m not as strong, I’m getting older, there’re too far head of me in the game, there’re just so much better and these are the excuses i use to push me that little bit harder….but that’s me, you have to find you’re own.

Now i do understand that if you think you need a little push or guidance but a little to intimidated to go to the gym and see all these muscle men (who in all honestly are probably training wrong…HA) it can be scary and then you’re let of on you’re own and then PT’s coming up saying “can i help you, yeah i’ll show you for 5 mins, you want more it will cost”.

So if you find yourself in this position I’m going to advice the original and leading park fitness group, British Military Fitness. they train in over 100 park across Britain with over 400 instructors who are either ex or current serving servicemen and ladies but don’t be fooled by the Military bit…….its a very fun, engaging session lasting only an hour where you are guided, instructed and supported by you’re instructor and the other members of you’re group and whats more than a gym…the members communicate, talk, share, support and even get together after the sessions or weekends.

Its a great environment and is basically a personal training session with someone who is not just out to get you’re money to pay there gym-rent, they are there to really help you.
Yes,I am being bias as I am an instructor but what i have seen really has taken my by surprise and for anyone who feels a bit nervy of taken that first step, we are there all the way with you…plus you’re first session is free.

To find out more and a park near you search ‘British Military Fitness’ or ‘BritMilFit’ into a search engine.

If you have a goal, we’ll get you there. Remember; I’m with you all the way.

Seb is a free-lance personal trainer, you can follow him on twitter at @sebmorganpt