Doctor Dumbbell

If exercising alone isn’t your thing, why not try taking part in a group exercise class. There are a wide range of exercise types available and each one provides different fitness benefits. Most classes are designed to use all of the major muscles in the body whilst improving heart and lung strength at the same time. The unique thing about most of these environments is that everyone works at their own pace despite performing the same activities.
GROUP ADVANTAGES

• Instructor offers encouragement and Support

• Increased Motivation

• A place to meet new friends and likeminded exercisers

• No pressure as each individual chooses the intensity they like to work at

• Opportunities to learn from other exercisers

• Instructor provides valuable tips on technique

There are a wide range of group exercise types to choose from:

AEROBICS

Aerobics is basically exercise to music. It is an excellent way to burn huge amounts of calories, tone muscles and improve heart & lung strength. Aerobics involves a series of dance routines that can be quickly learned. Excellent for improving coordination.

STEP AEROBICS

Similar to aerobics but routines are performed on a step. The increased impact can help to improve the strength of the bones and joints. You can choose different size steps – the higher the step the greater the challenge. Start with a small step and gradually progress to higher ones.

AQUA AEROBICS

Group exercise classes in a swimming pool have a reputation for being aimed at the over 50’s age category. Although the low impact effect on the joints appeals to this age group it is worth noting that athletes such as Mohammed Ali, Carl Lewis and Kelly Holmes also trained in water during their careers, so great body benefits to be gained.

CIRCUITS

Individuals perform a set of exercises, each exercise focused on a different muscle group. For example; press ups work the chest, sit ups work the abdominals, squats work the legs. Circuit training tones & strengthens muscles and improves heart & lung strength. The variety of exercises means there is always a fresh challenge.

PILATES

Core stability is essential in almost all human movements. Pilates is an exercise type that targets this area. The cardiovascular benefits may not be as great as some activities, but the core strength gains are immense. Better focus and relaxation are some of the mental benefits.

SPINNING / GROUP INDOOR CYCLING

A spinning class is a group indoor cycling session. Special exercise bikes are used that allow you to work at a variety of different intensities. It is cycling at a wide range of speeds, according to the instructor. Amazing for toning the leg muscles, improving cardiovascular fitness and burning calories.

KAI-BO/ BOXERCISE

These use a combination of training techniques from boxing and karate in a circuit style exercise class. Endurance and muscular strength on the whole is greatly improved. A great way of releasing pent up aggression, improving self-confidence and discapline.

BODY PUMP

This is like aerobics with light free weights. The object is to pump a lighter weight at different speeds in rhythm with the music. Pumping the weights at slower speeds improves the ability of crucial muscle stabilisers. Toning effects on muscles of the entire body are great.

HEALTH WALK

A health walk is a group of people that meet up to get fit on foot by walking. Walk Leaders are responsible for pace setting. Walking burns calories & tones muscles but is less strenuous. This is excellent for those who haven’t exercised for a while, or those who are more concerned with the social aspects.

You could also try a DANCE CLASS (Salsa, Ballroom, Street Dance, Tap, and more…) TAI CHI or YOGA.

Why not try something new this week? It could be fun!

Have you let fear get in the way of your exercise? You probably have, especially if you enjoy classes or group activities.

This morning I dropped my daughter at her ballet class, which she loves. However, going in she mentioned that she was scared. She had missed two weeks and now everything seemed strange and unfamiliar. Perhaps the other children wouldn’t remember her? Perhaps they would have learned new things? Perhaps the teacher would be different? We took some time out to think about how much she enjoyed the class and focused on that and she went in as happy as can be.

I have had a similar experience with my cycle club. I wasn’t able to join them in a London to Nice ride. When they came back with those European miles (kilometres?) in their legs, I felt intimidated. I had also missed the camaraderie and the bond that riding together all day for four days brings.

There is no easy solution to this type of situation. You can shift your focus, remember past success or try breathing techniques. Realistically though, there is only doing it. You can acknowledge that your fear exists and then move on. Nike’s tag line is the best in the business. Just do it. Just DO it. Make it a mantra for yourself if you feel fear. Just do it.

Now that I have that little bug bearer off my chest lets talk about how to get a good looking pair of pins!

First, to those women with healthy proportions with natural curves and to those women who are considerably overweight. You cannot spot-reduce fat. That is to say, you cannot burn off fat from the thigh or any other body part just by exercising it. This idea, which is also why so many people waste so much time doing trillions of sit ups in an attempt to get a flat stomach, is based on the erroneous idea that fat can be turned to muscle. But as you have already gathered fat is very different to muscle. They are quite distinct in make up and are utterly incapable of turning from one to the other. But even if you could turn fat to muscle, would you really want to?! Think about it, you would be turning big fat thighs in to big muscular thighs. Hardly a good trade!

So what should you do to get those perfect pins? Most importantly you need to maximise aerobic work to help burn off the fat, and you need to seriously look at your eating habits, particularly women with fuller more voluptuous figures. Do not, however, weight train the legs. I have learned over the years that women with fuller figures already have muscular full shapely looking thighs. The last thing you want to do is add to your already well proportioned figure. I have also come to realise that the fuller figure tends to respond quite well to weight training. Once again, this is not really what you’re looking for. Avoid weight training the legs, they get plenty of work by doing cardiovascular stuff.

Conversely, for women at the other end of the physical spectrum, those women with much less natural shape some serious weight training is the answer. Exercises for the inner and outer thighs, the bum and the thigh will all help to add shape. But remember you spend your entire life using your legs so they can handle quite a beating. Unfortunately most women avoid heavy weight training for fear of building too much muscle.

So here is a public Information broadcast on behalf of your legs. “To all those women with slim straight up and down figures; YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TESTOSTERONE TO BUILD BIG CHUNKY MUSCULAR LEGS”. Honestly. Trust me. In twenty years of being in this business I have never ever seen it happen. The only women who can are those with fuller figures, those who are considerably overweight, and women on anabolic steroids. So get stuck into some serious weight training. There are lots off different exercises to choose from. My personal favourite is lunges, but there are a number of variations that all have the same affect. Good old fashioned squats, leg extensions and curls are all good options. Where possible use free weights as these engage numerous supporting and stabilising muscles. Sets and repetitions should vary to keep the muscles guessing. But remember that the heavier the weight, the lower the repetition range will be and the more this leans towards strength and muscle building. As already mentioned, the legs are both very strong and have an incredible amount of endurance (we use them every day of our lives) so whatever set and rep range you choose always work them hard and you will reap the rewards.

Everyday I speed through various underground stations to and from work, passing more and more people that are unfit, breathless and struggling, and everyday there seems less and less room on the trains because of the expanding waistlines.

I usually pick up the free newspapers and seem to read countless stories about the dangers of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, or some other lifestyle disease that can be prevented through a bit of regular exercise.

There is a culture of treatment over prevention and the government spends billions of pounds a year in treating these conditions through medications, hospital fees and health professional’s salaries. Would it not be a better idea to spend some of this extraordinary budget on preventing the illnesses before they arise instead?

When you exercise your heart gets stronger and your cholesterol levels decrease, helping to prevent heart disease. Your blood sugar control is improved, protecting against diabetes. Your bone and joint strength is increased reducing arthritis. Your lungs are more efficient, your blood pressure is reduced, and cancer risk is curtailed.

Exercise releases feel-good chemicals in the brain, and when you are on the treadmill for example, you are not thinking about your bills or the bust up with your loved one, but instead about completing that final minute, so you feel less stressed.

Your body starts changing, and soon you feel more toned, can fit into last years outfits and begin to feel more confident. Combine this with blood now flowing to where it needs to go you may find your sex life improving!

But where has all the motivation to exercise gone? Its probably trapped somewhere between the temptation of the escalator and lure of the car. Or perhaps it vanished when you exercised way too hard all those months ago because the £12K a year gym instructor was not incentivised enough to advise you appropriately.

GP’s command great salaries for the fantastic work they do, which is often well-deserved. Yet an exercise instructor, who needs to have anatomy and physiology knowledge, awareness of medications and side effects, skills on how to perform the various exercise types, an ability to teach, as well as the talent to keep it interesting and fun to entice clients to come back, can earn on avaerage less than a fifth of that of a GP.

The government needs to shift some of the treatment budget into prevention and what could be a better start than paying exercise instructors better wages so that they are better-qualified to motivate, educate and support people on their personal exercise journeys.

Perhaps the struggling, breathless, commuters could also start the exercise they have been promising for months, or at least walk up half of the escalator stairs because as a well-known supermarket says: “every little helps,” especially when it comes to exercise.

Best of all we can all reduce congestion at the underground stations and create more room on the trains!

I’m on a ‘well deserved’ break at the moment; enjoying the Mallorcan countryside. Whilst here, it has occurred to me that the beach body phenomenon is all about the end result and not the journey.  Once you’ve got your beach body, do you just want to become inactive and allow a flabby, saggy body to reform?

If you have summer holidays booked and you are shaping up to look great on the beach, perhaps start thinking about some activities to do whilst you are there.

Here are some suggestions:
•    Early morning or late evening jogs
•    Explore the surroundings with a hike
•    Find a scenic spot and practice Yoga or Tai Chi
•    Rent a bicycle and go to the next town or village
•    Bring a football and head for a pitch or open space (you’ll always find somebody looking for a game)

The great thing about all of the above is that it will inevitably lead to a stronger connection with local people and/or the environment.
Have fun and use the comment section to post your ideas for holiday fitness.

What sort of a person are you? Are you more visual, aural or kinaesthetic? Some times you’ll find clues in your language. Some people say: “I see what you mean” whereas others say: “I hear you”. The former is a visual person, the latter aural. Now, it’s not quite that simple and most people are probably a mixture. I am mainly visual with a bit of kinaesthetic thrown in. But how does any of this relate to keeping your health related fitness goals on track?
It’s about setting up the CORRECT support systems. They should relate to your dominant sense.
My wife needs to hear how well she is doing. The bathroom scales show her that she has maintained a healthy weight. The mirror shows her great body.  That ‘showing’ or seeing doesn’t motivate her. When a friend of hers comments on her figure or I mention that I’m impressed by her running- that’s what works for her.
So what about you? Here’s your challenge:
1.    Figure out what sort of person you are (visual/ aural/ kinaesthetic)
2.    Check this with the person that knows you best (see if they agree)
3.    Write down 5 phrases or actions that tie in with your dominant sense
For example for a mainly kinaesthetic person five actions might be:
1) Get a hug from my loved one when I come back from the gym 2) Get a massage every month that I maintain a healthy weight 3) See if my doctor will shake my hand if I get my cholesterol level down 4) Enjoy the muscle soreness after a workout 5) Enjoy how easy it feels to carry the shopping now due to my strength gains.
Once you personalize your motivation in this way, achieving your goal becomes easy. Good luck and ,as always, let me know how you get on…

People tell me that they don’t go to the gym because they feel intimidated. They don’t know how to use the machines, they have no coordination or rhythm or don’t have the right clothing. There are fitter people there, who have perfect bodies.
This is a good point and the leisure industry needs to take a step back and look at what it is doing. There are national and international priorities around reducing obesity. These need to tie in with making an exercise venue as accessible or attractive as a supermarket, post office or pub.
Let’s start with the machines. Do all gyms need to be equipped with complicated cardiovascular and resistance machines? NO!  Exercise can be compared to play. When you watch children in a school playground, they don’t have complicated equipment but they are certainly exercising. For adults, this could mean indoor assault courses or speed drills.
What about those out of step in an aerobics class? Does it really matter? Is it time to try some music with no beat to follow (classical, abstract)? Or could the movements be free form anyway? The body responds to the activity whether you are moving in time or not.
I have worked with older adults and physical activity for the last twelve years and many come to exercise in their regular everyday clothing. That’s fine as long as the shoes are flat, rubber soled and they can move freely. This should be an inspiration to anyone who feels that they don’t have the right gear.
The fitter people who have perfect bodies will always at the gym but do they determine the agenda? I think that we are close to a tipping point where everyday people become the majority and have more of a say in their local gym. This bit is up to you. Now is YOUR time, if the gym has intimidated you. You can get together with friends and take control. You have a lot of leverage here and can involve media and politicians to get this right. Let me know if I can help you (stephan AT doctordumbbell.com). Good luck!

TAI CHI is thought to be one of the most practiced forms of health exercise on the planet. It is a gentle form of exercise that can keep you supple and refreshed.

Tai Chi is a Chinese Martial Art that has been practiced for hundreds of years, and is not exhausting or stressful. It is a series of continuous movements that relaxes the body whilst improving internal strength, stamina and suppleness. Most modern styles of tai chi trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun.

The excellent thing about Tai Chi is that you don’t need any special equipment or clothing. You can do it at any time, although for the best results, a morning session is ideal.

Learning to relax is the essence of Tai Chi. The slow gentle movements are designed to loosen up your joints and make you less tense. Breathing is essential, and it is good to practice to prepare:

• Try lying or sitting in a comfortable position and inhaling long slow deep breaths, taking the air right down to your stomach. Exhale smoothly. Start for a couple of minutes and gradually increase duration. This will help you stay relaxed when you begin to perform the movements.

When you practice Tai Chi not only do your muscles relax, but the nerves are calmed as well. Whilst other forms of exercise strengthen certain muscles, Tai Chi teaches the muscles to tolerate pressure without tension. The unique thing about this ancient art form is that rather than speeding up to get better, the more you slow down and relax, the better you become and the more you improve.

You can learn Tai Chi through books, DVD’s and taking part in a class, of which there are many across the UK, suitable for all ages and ability levels. Log on to www.taichifinder.co.uk to find your nearest class.

A bad back is no fun. It restricts what you can do.  Every day suddenly has its challenges. It can make you feel down, even lead to depression.
There are many reasons for chronic lower back pain. Certainly, you should see your doctor and find out as much as you can about what you can and can’t do.  That is the first step to taking control of the situation. There are three further steps to reducing or eliminating your pain.

Chronic lower back pain

1. Move! Yes, you guessed it. Movement is good. The key here is that it seems any type of movement or exercise is better than being sedentary.  Walking, cycling and really anything else that you feel like doing.  However, jolting or jarring movement are not a good idea and as always start slowly. This is a brave step- the normal human reaction is to stop moving.
2. Strengthen your legs. They are designed to do a lot of the work that the back ends up doing. This also takes a certain amount of re-education on favouring the legs for every day tasks such as lifting. Like any habit if you can force yourself to do it for, say 21 days it will become natural.
3. Work your deep postural muscles. Pilates is a great way to do this. A physiotherapist or exercise specialist can also help

And then let us know how you got on especially if you have an inspirational story that will help others.

Yoga basically translates as “the union of mind and body.” The main principle of yoga is to first discipline the body so that eventually you can train your mind to reach a higher consciousness. The stretching and fluid movements in Yoga increase stamina, unblock energy and improve muscle tone.

HATHA yoga is the most common form that unites mind & body. It is excellent for new comers, as technique is emphasised from the start. It is an amazing way to relieve stress and the benefits include improved focus & self awareness and better body alignment & flexibility. Other types include:

ASHTANGA (Power Yoga) is a physically demanding form of yoga that follows a set of movements called a Primary Series. It is very fast moving and energetic. This is a dynamic work out.

SCARAVELLI yoga awakens the spine by using breathing and gravity. This energises the whole body.

TANTRIC yoga uses the body and senses to open the Kun Dalini (an energy centre at the base of the spine).

YOGALATES combines the breathing, flexibility and focus aspects of Hatha yoga, with the core stability gains of Pilates.

YOGA-BOXING gives the relaxing effects of yoga, the physical & spiritual aspects of tai chi, aerobics and boxing. A stress busting, spiritual work out.

BIKRAM yoga is the 26 Hatha moves practiced in a room 5-10 degrees higher than body temperature (98.4F).

The governing body for Yoga in the UK is the British Wheel of Yoga. If you would like to try it, log on to their website for further information.