As most of you know I’ve been off most of this month with another miss-hap… anyway I’m all good and started training again at the boot camps this week:-)

Ive really missed getting up early and starting the day with some exercise and fresh air, so it’s great to be back!

The mornings are a couple of degrees colder but in my opinion you can’t beat sunrise in Sydney.

Well done to everyone who started The City To Surf Running Group, Ali tells me it’s been going awesome! If you’re not yet involved… it’s still not to late to jump in.

The Centennial Park boot camp is still going ahead but won’t be starting till mid-August, Ill give you a heads up a few weeks before we kick off.

There’s a few things going on this month so with further ado…

Client Of The Month
Each month we’ll be choosing a client of the month and the best success story will receive some cool prizes.

The winner will be announced later in the year.

Well done to Marcia Damond, she’s lost 13kg since training with us.

Marcia will receive 1 month FREE unlimited training to all boot camp locations worth $197, a FREE $50 gift voucher for The Running Company and a FREE Dangerously Fit pack worth $95.

Dangerously Fit pack includes: Dangerously Fit T-shirt & water bottle FREE 30 minute massage with Crystal Beinke from ->Bondi Massage<- If you have a success story you would like to share – we would love to hear from you, just email me at dan@bootcampsydney.com.au.

Fitness Test Results
The Results are in for last months boot camp fitness test!

The girls at Rushcutters Bay came out on top with two of the best overall results… we’ll done to you and everyone else who took part! Here are the top performers…

1. Maximum Push Ups In 60 seconds: Alex from the CBD camp did the most push ups cranking out 62.

2. Max Plank hold: Emma from Rushcutters Bay held the plank for 4.31 seconds.

3. Beep test: Ruth from Rushcutters Bay got 10.7 on the beep test. Well done guy’s – you’ll all receive a Dangerously Fit pack, we’ll get those out to you next week.

Visit our members site to view the full of results.

Cross Training Workout Of The Month
Every month I send a cross training workout for you to follow, ->Click here<- for this months workout.

For more workouts go to our FREE members site.

Referrals
Last but not least a big thanks to everyone who referred a friend to us last month, we rely on word of mouth and appreciate you helping us spread the word!

Each member will receive a 50% discount off their next month for each referral that signs up.

Adrian Harrison
Emma Anderson
Steve Jones
Katie Holland
Emerson Todd
Imogen Peach
Ruth O’Donnell
Josie Leutton
Karen Jeffrey
Rachel Salz
Cailin Lowry

If you have a friend, family member or work colleague that you’d like to bring along, just give them one of our $100 gift cards and if they sign up you’ll get a 50% discount off your next month.

Till next time.

Train Hard!

Dan

P.S Stay connected

http://dangerouslyfit.ning.com

http://facebook.com/dangerouslyfit

                        

It’s been a great start to the 2010 at Dangerously Fit, all the boot camps are full of energy and many of you are on your way to your fitness goals (I hope).

In December I had a shoulder reconstruction for an old injury which finally gave in, the rotator cuff tore and bicep tendon snapped during a set of chin ups… OUCH!

It was a bit awkward teaching boot camps in a sling but I’m happy to say that I have two arms again and am able-bodied:-).

I have finally caved in and jumped on the twitter and facebook bandwagon, partly because I bought a new iphone… but mostly to stay connected with you.

Here are our accounts, if you’re on either of these two platforms I’d love to hear from you:

http://www.facebook.com/dangerouslyfit

http://twitter.com/dangerouslyfit

Also if you haven’t done so already…. please sign up to our free members site here… http://dangerouslyfit.ning.com.

The results of our February fitness test results are in, not as good as December which is expected after the Xmas break, but some
good results none the less.

I look forward to seeing you improve in the March fitness test.

Later this month we’ll be holding two FREE workshops for all Dangerously Fit past and present clients.

The 1st workshop will be with a running specialist who will be giving a free gait analysis (walk analysis), and tips for avoiding
running injuries such as knee pain, shin splints etc.

The 2nd workshop will be with a dietitian who will be giving a talk on healthy eating, label reading, diet tips and will answer your nutrition questions.

Ill be sending out the details real soon.

Here’s our workout of the month, it’s a bit of a toughie but give it a try and let me know how you go.

Click here… Workout Of The Month

Lastly a big thanks to everyone who referred a friend to our boot camps in the last month or so…

Eimear O’Neill x3
Mark Downie x2
Sarah Chinchen x2
Claire Devine x2
Damien Burke x1
Bronwyn Patterson
Nicole Silver
Lindy Lopez
Emma Anderson
Hayley Chard
Stephanie de Lorenzo
Natasha Borshoff
Melissa Yeo
Juliet Pegler
Jen Manning
Litsa Pehlivanis
Alexis Linton
Robbie Keenahan
Priscilla Heathwood
Charlotte Galbraith
Ben Croft
Anna Shcherbak
Martin Ashton
James Stanford
Chris Chapman
(my apologies if Ive missed anyone).

We don’t do much advertising and would rather reward you for helping us spread the word…

…so if you have a friend or relative you think would like to get fit and into shape, refer them to us and if they sign up we’ll give
you a 50% discount off your next month.

Refer 2 people and your next month is FREE!

Till next time….

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit

                        

Great workout this morning, thanks for putting so much effort in!

We’re 10 day’s into the program and everyone’s going awesome, I can already see a change in your fitness levels.

Check out some pics of this mornings Coogee boot camp session…

What better way to start the day!

Hold!

Working hard!

Nothing better after a good workout.

The Circuit…

Station 1. Push ups
Station 2. Dumbbell Squats
Station 3. Barrier jumps
Station 4. Kettlebell high pulls
Station 5. Med-ball crunches
Station 6. Running step ups

The Cardio…

30 seconds hills sprints
30 seconds plank
30 seconds stair sprint
30 seconds alternating lunges
30 seconds mountain climbers
30 seconds push ups
30 seconds depth jumps
30 seconds hills sprints
30 seconds dips
30 seconds burpees

These types of workouts are awesome for burning calories, will burn body fat quickly and tone your muscles – not bad for a 45-minutes session.

Keep up the good work!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit

P.S If you would like to book a 2 week trial to any of our Sydney boot camps , click here… www.bootcampsydney.com.au

                        

Write Down Your Goals!

Well its that time of year again when we start making new years resolutions.

If your anything like me you’ll be setting out your goals for 2010 so I thought I’d let you in on the process I use…

Step 1. Figure out your end goal and make it specific!

The first step is to know specifically what you want.

Your brain needs specifics to find a solution, so instead of saying “I want to lose weight”, change it to “I want to lose 10 kilos, tone my muscles and flatten my stomach.”

So what are your goals for 2010?

Grab a pen and paper and start writing them down.

Step 2. Figure out why it’s important to you.

You need to know why you want to reach your goals and why they’re important to you, new resolutions fade quickly and if you don’t have a clear reason ‘why’ you’ll quickly lose interest.

Again the key here is to be specific!

If you just say “I want to lose weight so I feel better”, this won’t keep you motivated for long.

Instead “I want to lose weight so I can fit back into my designer clothes, feel more confident at the beach, get compliments from my friends and feel more attractive” is far more powerful.

Know why you want to reach your goals, most people don’t train to reduce blood pressure or decrease the risk of diabetes… the majority of people want to look better, which is O.K but just know why your goals are important to you.

Step 3. Set yourself a timeframe.

Unless you set yourself an end date your goals have no ending and become pointless.

You’ll put training off to ‘another day’ and start eating clean ‘tomorrow’.

Setting a timeframe adds urgency and makes the goal real, your subconscious mind will begin figuring out ways to make your goals a reality.

Again be specific! Write down the exact date you want to reach you’re goals by.

Step 4. Figure out your plan.

Boot Camp At Bondi Beach December '09'

So you’ve figured out your end goal and set yourself a timeframe, now it’s time to set out a plan.

Write down a plan you’re going to follow and then stick to it, as the old saying goes ‘if you fail to plan you plan to fail.

Whether it’s joining a boot camp, hiring a personal trainer or simply following your own exercise regimen… have a plan.

Also have a plan B in case anything get’s in the way, if you have to stay late at work and miss a workout when and how will you make up for it?

Step 5. Consistently take action!

Everyday you need to take action.

Whether it’s training, eating clean, saying no to a glass of wine… every action you take will either take you one step closer or one step farther away from your end goal.

Step 6. Visualize.

Spend a couple of minutes everyday visualizing.

Visualize yourself having achieved your goal, imagine how it feels now you’ve succeeded.

Imagine how good will it make you feel?

Step 7. Read your goals everyday.

Now you’ve written down your goals it’s time to put them somewhere you’ll see everyday.

It’s easy to forget why you started out, re-reading your goals will keep you focused and remind you why it’s important you stick with the program.

And that’s all there is to it, follow this plan and make ’10’ your best year ever!

Wishing you the best of health.

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit

P.S If you’re looking to get into shape quickly and have fun along the way then I highly recommend you try out our boot camp commencing January 11th.

Just visit…

http://bootcampsydney.com.au for more info.

                        

The gym at my hotel was pretty basic but as always on holiday I took a set of Olympic rings with me for some outdoor training. On my first attempt I hooked the rings over the only tree I could see that had branches (most of the trees around were palm trees), within 2 mins I had to move to another site coz I was getting attacked by giant green tree ants. After walking around for a while looking for another tree I found a kids playground which became my gym for the rest of my time in port Douglas.

I then flew to Darwin for next leg of my trip where men are men and so are the women. Unlike port Douglas I decided to stay in a backpackers and although noisy was lots of fun as I got to meet more people. I love Darwin – there’s always something to do, the place is buzzing 7 days a week and the town is very new and happening. The markets are great and the sunsets are the best I’ve seen anywhere in the world and literally draw in thousands on people.

I was also lucky to be there for the beer can regatta which only takes pace once a year, this involves drinking as much beer as possible throughout the day then racing boats made from beer cans and round a buoy about 100 metres out. Luckily everyone made it back without drowning – they sure love a drink in the Northern Territory.

After spending 5 days in Darwin I booked a 3 day camping trip to Kakadu National Park which turned out to be the highlight of the trip. Our tour guide was a great laugh and had me in stitches the whole trip, he’s a combination of Steve Irwin, Rodney rude and Crocodile Dundee.

Kakadu is an amazing place and far exceeded my expectations, everyday we were swimming in waterfalls looking at incredible scenery and viewing aboriginal artwork – some up to 50 thousand years old. You couldn’t go swimming in many places as many of the billabongs and creeks are infested with big crocs, but there are plenty of places that are safe.

During the trip we saw just heaps of wildlife including snakes, lizards, buffalo, dingo, saltwater crocs, freshwater crocs, sea eagles, kites, huge 7 meter termite mounds, rock wallaby’s and jabiru’s. We also saw jumping crocodiles in Adelaide river which is the only place in the world you can see a tour like this in the wild.

I booked a tour barramundi fishing and caught my first barra, we were swimming lures past the noses of 5 metre crocs but it wasn’t really the best time for barra fishing as it’s the ‘cold season’ (33 degrees is cold for the Territorians) but we still was caught around a dozen fish up to 75cm in length. We were eating barramundi for days and got so sick of it I gave the rest away to people in the hostel.

I got a ride to Litchfield National Park with two Irish backpackers I was staying with, like Kakadu the gorges and waterfalls are amazing and we spent the day swimming in different waterholes and looking at the incredible scenery.

Unlike Port Douglas I couldn’t train outdoors, it was just too hot for me. I found a good gym 5 minutes from where I was staying and managed to get a workout in everyday I wasn’t on a tour.

Well I can honestly say that it’s great to be back, one of the best things about going away on a long trip is coming back feeling totally relaxed and refreshed. I’m fortunate enough to have job I love and what better place to do it than Sydney’s parks and beaches.

Ill personally be hitting the training hard through August, although I managed to train 3-4 times per week while I was away Ive eaten out too much and will get back into good shape before it begins to warm up in September.

Training in the gym in Darwin was a nice change but I’ve missed training outdoors with kettlebells and sandbags, as much as I love the warmer climate it’s a lot easier training in colder conditions.

All through this week we’ll again be having fitness test’s at our Sydney boot camps, if you’ve been here through July be sure to come to these sessions so you know how much your fitness has improved. If your still thinking about getting started now’s a good time to before the September rush.

I look forward to training you again this week – see you soon.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit

                        

Instead today we’re going to go through the 3 WORST exercises you can perform in your workout, these exercises will at best do very little and at worst injure you.

The 3 Worst Exercises

1.) The Abs Machine

When you’re training the core it’s important to move the trunk through a variation of movements, i.e. rotation, static hold, extension, flexion, extension with rotation etc. Too many crunches can cause an imbalance between muscles which is bad for the spine and can cause neck and back pain.

The only thing worse than doing too many crunches is doing them in a machine that limits natural movement, these types of machines train your trunk in an unnatural extension to flexion motion while seated.

You’re far better off training your core through a range of movements using bodyweight or free weights.

2.) Back Machine

If the abs machine isn’t bad enough then meet the worlds most stupid machine ever invented – the back machine.

This machine is bad for you for many reasons;

Firstly it overloads the lower back without strengthening the butt and hamstrings which can lead to muscle imbalances and does nothing to stretch the hip area like squats and deadlifts do.

Secondly, just like the abs machine you’re seated moving the trunk through one plane of motion (front to back) which doesn’t help strengthen any of the smaller muscles (stabilizers).

Lastly, the way that most people perform this movement in such an out of control manner for speed just makes me want to vomit. It literally looks like they are trying to lie down for reps- is this the type of movement that we want to get really good at? Wait, don’t answer that;)

For a strong healthy back stick to the basics; deadlifts, step-ups, good mornings and hip extensions are much more effective.

3.) Elliptical Machine

To be honest, if you’re massively overweight and haven’t exercised for decades then this machine does have some value. But other than that it’s pretty useless.

It is a low impact alternative to running on a treadmill but you get very little range of motion and does not burn anywhere near the calories as it claims it does.

Also the elliptical machine isn’t a very good machine to use for interval training because it causes the knee to go into hyperextension – not good!

The only reason the elliptical machine is so popular is because it’s so easy – I’ve seen people read magazines while on these things – how hard can it be?

A far better option for your cardio training is interval training.

It’s proven to burn nine times more fat than steady state cardio and will get you fitter much quicker. If you’re a beginner or are excessively overweight use an exercise bike or use bodyweight i.e.
burpees, mountain climbers etc.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit – Boot Camp Sydney

PS- What other exercises do you see people doing in the gym that make you cringe? What other exercises do you absolutely hate? What exercises have gotten you hurt in the past? Please share your personal experiences by posting a comment to this blog post, thanks!

                        

Check out the article here…

You’re lying face down in the grass and someone is screaming at you to push that final press up.

You sweat, the muscles hurt and you may be thinking, “Sod this, why not go back home and crawl into bed?”

There are many answers to that of course. Working out gives you a chance to escape the kids for half an hour, regain the vigor of your loss youth or (and this seems very popular) the chance to “look good naked”.

Then there is your health. Being sick – long-term sick I mean – is an exhausting, unpleasant and miserable experience. That is obvious. It can destroy much of the joy in your life. Just getting about day-to-day when you have on-going heart problems or when you are dealing with cancer – think about what that would be like.

The health benefits of regular exercise (and the word “regular” is important here) have been known for a long time. Here is a list of the major ones:

And while this may be familiar to some of you, it’s also worth pointing out that regular exercise boosts self-confidence and helps prevent depression.

Obviously go and see your doctor if you’re concerned about any aspect of your health. If you have undiagnosed diabetes or serious depression then attempting 10 chin-ups is not going to help you. You need medical care.

But I do think that if a drug company could invent one drug that had all the health benefits listed above – it would have made billions.

Well we are saying there is a “drug” that can do all that. And unlike sticking a fistful of tablets down your throat in the morning, getting out and doing some training is a lot more fun – at least the way we do it!

Here’s a quick video of one of our Sydney boot camp workouts, check it out…

Wishing you the best of health

Emiliano
Boot Camp Instructor
Dangerously Fit Boot Camp

P.S Visit Boot Camp Sydney for more info.

                        

There simple…

…but effective!

Top 2 Fitness Tips

Perform Total Body workouts
You can do these using a 5 station circuit, we often use these types of circuits at our Sydney boot camps.

This way you get to work the upper body, lower body and core all in one circuit. The way we program the circuits is an upper body pull (i.e. row, chin up), lower body push (i.e. squat/lunge)
upper body push (i.e. press ups, shoulder press), core movement (i.e. plank, rusina twist), lower body pull (kettlebell swings, deadlifts).

Perform each exercise for between 50-60 seconds and have a 10-15 second rest between each station.

High Intensity Carido
Interval training (HIIT)has been scientifically proven to burn nine time more fat than regular steady state cardio and keeps the metabolism elevated for up to 48 hours after your workout.

Perform interval training after strength training or on non-strength training days at least 3 x per week.

Depending on your fitness level alternate between 10-20 seconds of maximal effort, followed by 10-20 seconds of rest. Repeat these intervals for 10 times with a 90 second rest, then perform a 2nd set. The type of cardio can vary but at our Sydney boot camps we like to use bodyweight exercises i.e. burpees, mountain climbers etc or good old fashioned sprinting and hill training.

Top 2 Diet Tips

Eat at regular intervals
You should look to eat your first meal as soon as you wake in the morning and then every 2-4 hours after to starve fat and feed the muscle. By suppyling your body with regular fuel you will keep your metabolism high and will stop your body from going in to fat storage mode.

Think fiber first
When consuming carbs Eat as many green veggies as you like to keep your belly full between meals. For optimum fat burning try to cut out starchy carbs such as bread, rice and pasta, the only time you can break this rule is immediately after your workout.

Use these 4 health and fitness tips and you can’t go wrong!

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit

                        

It doesn’t matter how hard you train – you CANNOT out train a poor diet and I believe diet is about 80% of weight loss.

The following nutrition guidelines have produced some life-changing results for our personal training and boot camp clients all over Sydney.

If you follow our nutrition plan and exercise program CAREFULLY you can expect to lose 1kg per week.

Nutrition Tip 1. Eat at regular intervals

Your first meal of the day should be right after you wake up in the morning and then every 2-4 hours thereafter for a total of 6 small meals per day. This is the foundation of any weight loss program as it feeds the muscle with the nutrients it needs and prevents the body from going into starvation mode which will slow down your metabolism and fat burning.

You should try to consume 3 staple meals per day – breakfast, lunch and dinner, and 3 snacks (mid-morning, mid-afternoon and before bed).

Nutrition Tip 2. Eat carbs that are high in fiber

Remember to focus on the quality of the carbohydrate first, then on the quantity. All carbs (except dairy) should contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving with less than 10 grams of sugar per serving.

Use the following 5 step carbohydrate reduction process to begin eliminating bad carbs…

Step1. Replace all white carbs with whole grains and all refined sugars with natural sugars i.e. fruit and honey. This will keep your blood sugar levels stable which is key to maintaining high energy levels and burning fat.

Step2. Limit all 100% whole grain starch and natural sugar consumption
to within 1-2 hours post-workout or immediately upon waking for breakfast. Your body best handles these types of carbs at these times without excessive risk of this energy being stored as fat.

Step3. Replace all starches and sugars with fruit and veg. Fruit and veg are the most nutrient dense carbs and are loaded with all types of nutrients, antioxidants, minerals, fiber and other photochemical’s making them an essential component of any sensible eating plan.

Step4. Decrease the amount of fruit and increase the amount of veggies (except corn, peas, carrots and potato) to limit the amount of natural sugar (fructose) that will prevent your body from maximally using stored body fat for fuel. Eat plenty of dark green veggies like green beans, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, dark leafy lettuce etc.

These types of veggies are the most figure friendly foods and you can consume as much of these as you like.

Step5. Use strategic carb and calorie cycling to take your body to next level (my clients and I have had great success with this but it is beyond the scope of this article).

Nutrition Tip 3. Take the right supplements

Not all supplements are equal and like everything you get what you pay for. The best type of multivitamin supplements are whole food based – meaning they originate from real food and not coal or tar as many synthetic vitamins do. These types of supplements are little more expensive but are definitely worth it.

The right type of multivitamin will ensure your body functions optimally even if you fail to eat 8-12 servings of fruit and veg a day.

You should also be taking a high quality essential fatty acid or fish oil supplement. Omega-3 fats found in fish oil are scientifically proven to increase metabolism and generate increased fat burning, besides having a host of other benefits like preventing cancer, reducing inflammation and joint pain, enhancing skin and hair quality, etc.

Well, those are my 3 nutrition tips you can instantly begin implementing. Keep your diet simple and clean and you’ll look your best in no time.

Let me know how you go.

Dan Clay
Dangerously fit

                        

A few years ago I used to think goal setting was just fancy talk people in seminars would talk about, but after reading books such as Psycho-Cybernetics, Leading The Field and Think And grow Rich I began using some of their techniques – and within a short amount of time my life began to change for the better.

If you don’t have clearly defined goals you have nothing for your subconscious mind to work towards. And as Earl Nightingale put it…

“A person without a goal is like a ship without a rudder!”

Your subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between reality and fiction, so you can actually trick your subconscious mind into doing anything that you feed it, borrowing another quote from Earl Nightingale (I’m bit of a fan)…

“You will become what you THINK about!”

If you keep thinking about walking around looking toned and lean, guess what? This will become reality.

But…

Thinking is only a part of the process because you still need to take action!

However if you keep focusing on your end goal you’ll be thinking less about getting up at 5.30am to go to boot camp and find it easier to NOT cave into the temptation of eating junk food.

Instead you’ll have more focus on the end goal – and how good it will feel once you get there.

And once you do get there it will be well worth the effort!

Right now get a pen and paper and write down your goals, add a timeframe you’d like to achieve them by, now put it somewhere you will see everyday like on your desk or fridge.

By subconsciously seeing your goals everyday you’ll be feeding your subconscious mind with something to work towards, and when you have clearly defined goals anything can happen.

Till next time!

Dan Clay.
Dangerously Fit

P.S Here’s another post I did a while back on a similar topic…

http://dangerouslyfitpersonaltraining.com/blog/fat-loss-diet-or-exercise/