General articles

3 exercises when MACHINES ARE BETTER than free weights

Free weights or machines?
It’s so easy to get confused by the in’s and out’s of programming for fat loss or building muscle.
I believe you should use a mix of free weights, cables and machines whatever your goal is and there are benefits to all three equipment types.
There are some times where free weights are far better than machines… (covered in another article)
But here are 3 exercises when machines are better than free weights.
Seated Cable Rows / Bent Over Rows
Bent Over Rows are a staple movement for back growth, but a movement which allows you to really focus on squeezing your … Read more

STOP just winging it

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
“When I train my chest, I always feel it more in my shoulders than my pecs.”
“No matter what I do I can’t make my chest sore… or even feel it!”
Guys, most of us love training our chest. But its a real kick in the proverbial balls when we put all that effort in and feel nothing for it.
Of the hundreds of guys I’ve coached over the years there is always a common thread for anyone who can’t feel their chest when training, or stimulate growth from it…
MUSCLE ENGAGEMENT
If you can’t engage, contract and feel a muscle squeezing … Read more

How to win at dieting and still have a social life

WE ALL LOVE GOOD FOOD WITH GOOD FRIENDS
That meal out, that trip to the cinema, the glass or two of wine after work at the end of the week. The latte and breakfast meet up with a family member or partner on the weekend.
But can you do all this and still be successful with your physique goals?
YES, BUT…IT DEPENDS
Like most things in health, fitness and nutrition, ‘it depends.’
How often you increase your calories, go off plan with food choices and skip the meals you should be eating for ones you know aren’t exactly a good fit for your goals depend … Read more

The real reason you have no energy

Trust me
Being knackered all day every day isn’t something you have to accept or live with.
I’ve worked with 100’s of people who all complain of having low energy before they started being coached by me and now have bags of energy they can channel into their careers, families and relationships.
So if you always…

Feel tired
Can’t focus or concentrate at work
Suffer from mood swings
Are too knackered to workout
Struggle to get out of bed
Regularly fall asleep on the sofa
Feel exhausted no matter how much sleep you seem to have…

You can get your youthful energy back and feel great again
Here are a few reasons … Read more

5 ways to flavour your coffee without adding sugar or milk

Do you love a cup of coffee but don’t want the sugar or dairy?
Some of us use coffee as a powerful pre workout, some of us use it as a pick me up on the way to work, some of us use it to get switched on mentally and some of us just love it!
I could write about the pros and cons of coffee spanning a few articles but this is simply for those that fancy a cup without the added sugar or milk and are looking for a way to spice up the flavour.
Coffee with cinnamon
Simply stirring in half … Read more

Protein treats

Here are three recipes to help you with your diet when you fancy something sweet.
Chocolate and coconut bites
Ingredients – makes 12

60g coconut cream
1 tablespoon yacon syrup, maple syrup or rice malt syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil
50g desiccated coconut
a pinch or sea salt
100g chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Method
Place the coconut cream, syrup and oil in a pan on a low heat. Mix well and remove from heat.
Blitz the salt and desiccated coconut in a food processor until fine. add this to the pan and stir.
Transfer this mix to a bowl and place in the fridge for an hour to firm up.
split the … Read more

Alcohol – Good, Bad, How to limit consumption and effects

This is part three of my alcohol series. If you missed part one or two here they are:
Will alcohol stop you losing weight?
Will alcohol prevent you gaining muscle?
Now let me start this article by saying …
Alcohol is not all bad!
Good points
Improve cholesterol
Moderate alcohol consumption can; raise good (HDL) cholesterol, lower bad (LDL) cholesterol, and reduce your risk of clogged arteries which lead to heart attacks.
Reduced risk of heart disease
Moderate alcohol consumption reduces risk of heart disease. Moderate drinkers have a lower risk of death from heart disease than teetotallers or heavy drinkers. This may be due to increasing HDL cholesterol … Read more

Will alcohol prevent me gaining muscle?

You love a good drinking session but you also love a great workout and building some real muscle.
Can you do both?
If you haven’t read my article ‘Will alcohol stop me losing weight?’ take a look here as this article will predominantly focus on alcohol’s effect on your ability to build muscle.
So let’s get straight into the facts…
Reduced testosterone production
If you want to build muscle one of the first considerations you should have is if you are producing an optimal amount of testosterone.
Unfortunately every time you consume alcohol this key anabolic hormones production plummets.
Studies have shown that consuming 1.5g of alcohol … Read more

Will alcohol stop you losing weight?

There’s a certain comedic stigma attached to drinking and the alcohol culture, especially in the UK.
“Ever notice how some people talk louder when they drink? That’s why alcohol content is listed by volume”
“I’m not an alcoholic, alcoholics go to meetings. I’m a drunk, we go to parties.”
I’m not here to demonise one of the world’s favourite social intoxicants as it has some great benefits like reducing anxiety at social gatherings and has actually been shown to increase longevity.
BUT you’re reading this because you’re interested in losing fat.
Surprise surprise, many studies have shown alcohol intake aids to increased risk of abdominal … Read more