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

                        

I injured my rotator cuff (shoulder) years ago in an accident and it flared up again over the summer while I was hitting the weights pretty hard.

I managed to maintain my strength while I was away on vacation with some basic bodyweight exercises and working round the injury, but I’ve been itching to get back into some proper training again.

As soon as I got back from my hols I had some remedial massage work done, the guy that fixes me up is excellent but could work for at an interrogation camp. He doesn’t mess around when it comes to giving a thorough massage.

Having someone stick their fingers underneath your shoulder blade into muscles and ligaments that have never been touched before isn’t my idea of fun, but 2 weeks later it’s feeling much better.

I felt surprisingly strong for my first day back and could have done much more , but stopped myself from doing too much too soon. Ill have to build up the volume and intensity gradually over the coming months.

I love training outside down at Bondi Beach, the weathers beginning to warm up and I’m looking forward to daylight savings so we can train later in the afternoon.

Here’s the workout;

5-minute dynamic warm up with shoulder exercises (for injury).

Chin ups 3 sets of 10 reps
Kettlebell clean and press 3 sets of 10

Chin ups (reverse grip) 3 sets of 10 reps
Kettlebell snatch 3 sets of 10

5 minute cool down and stretch.

It’s amazing how good you can feel after one good workout – I can’ wait to get back into full swing again.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit
Boot Camp and Personal Training

                        

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!

                        

To Join Our 16 Week City To Surf Running Program Please Contact Us Today – Numbers Are Strictly Limited!!!

City to surf is fast approaching so it’s time to set yourself a goal and begin training towards it.

Whether it’s your first attempt or you’re a seasoned competitor, having a goal is paramount to achieving the fastest time because you need a goal to strive for.

Dangerously Fit are offering a full 16 week running class that will give you all the tools you need to reach your full potential.

The program includes fartlek, resistance, long distance, hills and sprint training – everything you need to complete the 14km run on August-8 in the fastest time possible.

The classes will be held at Centennial Park on Saturday’s mornings at 8.30am – the price is $320 for the 16-week course ($80 billed per month).

We have limited spots available for this running group – so contact us today to ensure your spot. E-mail dan@bootcampsydney.com.au or call 02 8006 2417.

Wishing you the best of health.

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit
Sydney

                        

Recently we’ve incorporated boxing workouts into our Sydney boot camps and they’ve been a massive hit with everyone in the program.

Boxing is great for cardio fitness, self-defense, weight loss and will help tone the muscles in your upper body.

Studies show that a boxing workout uses both energy systems with 60% coming from the anaerobic system and 40% from the aerobic system.

So you can see why professional boxers are so fit, but you don’t need to be Muhammad Ali to enjoy the benefits of boxing.

Sure, if you want to take up boxing as a competitive sport I would definitely recommend you see a professional boxing coach for 1-1 training.

But if you just want to get fit, lose weight and blow off some steam then boxing fitness is safe and lots of fun.

Most boxing fitness classes will combine regular boxing drills with bodyweight strength exercises and running to enhance your strength, stamina and overall fitness.

Also, during a boxing fitness workout your heart rate can elevate up to 80-90% of it’s maximum which will raise your metabolism and put your body into fat burning mode.

Boxing training will bring about a huge number of positive results, so if your bored of plodding away on a treadmill and fancy a change, feel free to contact me for a free trial session at… dan@bootcampsydney.com

We currently have boxing classes at Rushcutters Bay, Bondi Beach, Centennial Park (Queens Park) and will soon have classes in the CBD (Domain) and Coogee Beach.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit

                        

Here’s the workout

Split campers into pairs, 1 person performs the strength exercise, the other person will sprint to a cone 50 meters away and back. 90 seconds per station, 15 seconds rest then move to the next station.

Exercise 1 – Centennial Park Personal Trainer Combo:
1. Kettlebell Swings
2. Medball crunch
3. Push ups
4. Slam ball
5. Squat jumps
6. Kettlebell Swings
7. Medball crunch
8. Push ups
9. Slam ball
10. Squat jumps

Exercise 2 – Strongman sprints
Split camper into pairs, mark out 5 cones 15 meters apart. 1st person squats down and picks up the kettlebell then runs to first cone and puts the kettlebell down then sprints back and tags partner. 2nd person then repeats, continue until you have reached the 5th cone and then start making your way back until your back at the 1st cone.

Enjoy

Dan Clay
Group Personal Training Centennial Park

                        

If you missed part 1 you can view it here… Fat Loss Tips

If you have any questions please feel free to comment below.

Fitness tip # 6 – Calorie deficit. Through proper diet and regular exercise create a calorie deficit. This simply means burning more calories than you’re consuming. Keep a journal and get a calorie counter, you can record your diet for free at www.fitday.com. How are you supposed to know how many calories you’re putting into your body if you’re not keeping track of what you’re eating and drinking? By creating a calorie deficit you’ll be using energy from your energy stores (body fat). The trick is not to create a calorie deficit that’s too high or your body will think its starving and will begin too slow your metabolism down, your focus should be on losing fat, not necessarily weight. A too high calorie deficit can also cause a reduction in lean muscle mass making it harder for you to lose weight.

Fitness tip # 7 – Weight training. Muscle is the only tissue that is metabolically expensive. Therefore increasing muscle mass will elevate your metabolism at rest, you’ll burn more calories sitting behind your desk and whilst you’re asleep, you will also burn a considerable more amount of energy whilst you’re exercising through greater energy demand from the increase in lean muscle. Perform exercises that will give you the biggest return, compound exercises such as deadlifts, squats, pushing and pulling exercises and use a variety of combination lifts and circuits. Use drop sets and superset’s and keep the rest period in between exercises to a minimum.

Fitness tip # 8 – Consume more protein. Eating protein will keep you fuller for longer, meaning you’ll consume less overall calories in a day. Eating protein also makes your digestive system work twice as hard as eating carbohydrates and fat, so by eating more protein you’ll be burning more calories through digestion (this is known as the thermic effect). One of the biggest mistakes people make when dieting is that they lose muscle as well as fat, which will in turn slow down their metabolism. By eating plenty of protein and following a suitable weights program this will ensure you maintain your muscle tissue. If you have trouble consuming adequate amounts of protein, try supplementing with a ‘whole food based’ protein drink.

Fitness tip # 9 – Interval Training. Interval training is the #1 cardiovascular exercise for weight loss. It includes high intensity exercise (for10-60 seconds) broken up with periods of low intensity exercise. The good thing with interval training is that you burn more calories in a shorter amount of time. So there’s no need to spend hrs pounding away on a treadmill, you can be done in 20-25 mins and that’s including your warm up and cool down! This form of training will keep your metabolism elevated for up to 24 hrs after you’ve finished training, through E.P.O.C (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), so you’ll be burning calories even while you’re sleeping.

Fitness tip # 10 – Include a cheat day once a week! Keep your body guessing and have a cheat day once a week. This will stop your body from hitting a plateau and stop your metabolism from slowing down. A cheat day is a good time to eat the foods you’ve been craving throughout the week. No-one can eat perfectly 100% of the time without cracking, so hold off any foods that aren’t in your nutrition plan until this day. Having a cheat day will allow you to be good for the other 6 day’s of the week, (just don’t go too mad)!

Be sure to check back in a few days for part 3 of this mini series.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit Personal Training
Sydney Personal Training
Sydney Fitness Boot Camps
Sydney Corporate Fitness

                        

Fitness tip # 1 – Eat low GI foods. Eat foods that are low on the GI index. Put Simply, The Glycemic Impact Index (GI) of a food tells you whether the carbohydrate in the food is fast or slow releasing. Eating foods that have a high GI rating causes your insulin levels to rise, it’s a known scientific fact that your body has trouble burning fat when your insulin levels are elevated. Foods that are low GI will give you longer lasting energy whereas high GI foods will give you a short burst of energy, leaving you feeling hungry shortly afterwards. Avoid simple sugars which are found in sweets, soft drinks, cakes, bread, bagels, white pasta/rice and juices. Limit alcohol consumption. Instead get the majority of your carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, beans and brown rice.

Fitness tip # 2 – Healthy Fats. Not all fats are bad for you, the right kind of fats are essential for optimal health and help reduce the risk cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and a host of other illnesses. Foods that are high in saturated fat, which are found in animal based foods and Trans fats which are in processed foods should be kept to minimum. Totally eliminate fatty meats from your diet (bacon, sausages etc). If you do eat meat, make sure it’s a lean cut. Make sure you eat plenty of seeds, nuts, avocado’s and fish and be sure to take an omega 3 supplement.

Fitness tip # 3 – Drink plenty of water. Two thirds of the human body consists of water, which makes it our most vital nutrient. Water is necessary for the transportation of essential vitamins and minerals as well as carbohydrates. If your water intake is low you lose the ability to transport nutrients through your body and substances such as urea, uric acid, ammonia and other nasty matter begin to accumulate, leaving you feeling lethargic. If you don’t drink enough water your body will actually store more water because it’s not sure how long it will have to wait for you to drink again. So by drinking more water it’s actually possible to lose 1-2 kg of bodyweight of stored fluid. Drinking a glass of water before your meal can also help control your appetite and stop you from overeating.

Fitness tip # 4 – Eat 5-6 meals times a day. Eating at regular intervals will keep your metabolism burning strong throughout the day. You’re also less likely to binge eat, will have stable energy levels and will burn more calories through increased meal consumption (digestion burns calories). If you have trouble eating 5-6 meals a day, try adding a meal replacement to your diet, make sure its ‘whole food based’ so it has genuine nutritional value.

Fitness tip # 5 – Eat more fiber. A diet that is high in fiber will aid in fat loss whether you’re eating less calories or not. Fiber assists weight loss by releasing sugar into the bloodstream slowly. High levels of sugar in the bloodstream cause an insulin spike which will slow fat burning. Good sources of fiber are found in whole grains, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and vegetables. Avoid refined and overcooked foods.

Be sure to check back in a few days for part 2.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit Personal Training
Sydney Personal Trainers
Sydney Boot Camps
Sydney Corporate Personal Training

                        

I’ll try and keep this simple, the best exercises for increasing muscle are also the best exercises for losing fat. All these exercises have one thing in common: they work many muscles at once and are very challenging to the body.

Scientific research and real world experience shows that total body workouts are the most effective form of training for fat loss and muscle gain. But lets go one step further…

Your results can be substantially increased by using total body exercises within a total body workout! For example, squats are one of the best exercises for building lean muscle whilst shedding unwanted fat.

So what if we took the squat and combined it with an upper body movement like a shoulder press. Now this exercise becomes unstoppable for getting you the great results. Its plain to see that by incorporating your upper and lower body into one movement youll reap even greater rewards.

Heres The Fantasy Body Equation:

more muscles worked = more calories burned + more lean muscle = more fat loss + more muscle gained

To be totally honest I have a big love hate relationship with the exercise Im about to show you. Firstly I love them because of their ability to burn unparalleled amounts of fat and secondly for their muscle building properties that keep me in great shape. On the other hand I hate them because they break me every workout (but in a good way), be warned these exercises are not for the weak minded.

So without delay, let me present my top 7 exercises for shedding fat and building lean muscle.

1. Olympic Lifts: Dumbbell or Kettlebell Cleans, Snatches, High Pulls or a combination of all.

2. Wood Chopping exercises: Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Med Balls, Bands, or Sandbags

4. Press Up Combination Exercises: Press ups with knee raise, Push up with Row, Push up with burpee etc..

6. Med Ball Snatch with Slam Combination

7. Squat combination exercises: Squat and press, Squat and row, Squat and curl etc.

If you incorporate these exercises into your workouts I guarantee you’ll see better results faster.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit Personal Training
Personal Trainers Sydney
Boot Camp Sydney
Corporate Personal Training Sydney

                        

Missing workouts and losing the lean muscle mass you worked so hard to develop is a big mistake.

The reason…

Less lean muscle equals lower metabolism, muscle accounts for the bulk of your daily calorie burning (between 65-75%).

This means that you’ll be burning less and less calories 24/7 putting you in grave danger of piling on unwanted body fat through the holiday season.

It gets worse…

The loss of strength will mean your training has regressed – a rude awakening on your first day back to training.

But…

There are a few clever strategies you can use to maintain or even increase the number of calories you burn everyday.

Use the strategies below to avoid stacking on the holiday kilos…

1. Reach Your Totals. Your body cannot differentiate between 100 squats all at once versus 100 squats performed in a day. If you honestly can’t fit in a 10-20 minute workout during the day, look for little chunks of time where you can get in a certain number of reps a day that will work your entire body.

Got a spare few minutes before the turkey has to come out of the oven, then crank out 12 press ups, 12 bodyweight rows and 15 squats. Using this system will soon add up to large number of reps by the end of the day that will burn just as many calories as if you did all the exercises at once.

Its important to recognize that this system should only be used as a backup to performing your usual exercise routine of total body workouts and interval training which are scientifically proven to burn 9 times as much fat as traditional exercise (click here for fat burning workout).

High intensity exercise and short rest periods provide the body with the best hormonal environment for muscle gain and quick fat loss.

Be sure to choose large compound exercises that work as many of your bodies major muscles in the shortest amount of time i.e press ups, chin ups, bodwight rows, squats, lunges etc.

Use the routines below to “reach your totals”, adjust the rep range according to your current level of fitness.

There’s no need for any fancy pieces of equipment, just use your bodyweight and if you have them dumbbells or barbells.

Perform the program every other day ensuring you rotate between routine 1 and routine 2, you can either reach your totals by performing one exercise at a time i.e 100 squats (with rest breaks until you reach your total) or by performing the exercises as a circuit i.e 20 press ups, 20 bodyweight rows and repeat 5 times throughout the day until you reach your total.

Reach Your Totals Holiday Program

Routine A

Press ups: 50-100 total
Body weight Squats or reverse lunges: 100-200 total
Bodyweight Rows: 50-100 total

Routines B

Walking Lunges or Hip Extensions: 100 total
Bodyweight Dips: 50-100 total
Dumbbell or Barbell rows

2. Be More Active. Technology has made us a lazy and overweight society, during these holidays be more active. If you need to go to the shops and it’s 15-20 minute walk then leave the car at home, take the stairs instead on the escalators and elevators. All these small steps add up to burning more calories at the end of the day.

3. Perform a minimum of one strength training session per week. Studies show that by performing just one strength session per week you can maintain your current level of lean muscle mass. So to be certain of maintaining your muscle mass perform at least one intense strength workout per week to avoid the dreaded regressions in fitness levels. For optimum results try to perform 3-4 total body workouts per week with interval training.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit Personal Training
Personal Trainers Sydney
Boot Camp Sydney
Corporate Personal Training Sydney