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.

                        

The class will be held Monday, Wednesday and Friday lunchtime from 1.10pm to 1.50pm. Monday and Wednesday will be cross training, Friday will be a boxing class.

The workouts are designed for weight loss, functional strength and fitness.

Because this is the first CBD boot camp we have a special offer for a limited number of people.

We are offering a FREE unlimited membership for 1 month to any of our boot camp locations to the first 10 people who refer a friend to our new Sydney CBD boot camp.

If you have a friend or work buddy you think would like to get into great shape let them know about our CBD boot camp, and if they sign up you get a free 1 month membership worth $179.

Just think if you refer 3-4 friends to the Sydney CBD boot camp you will get 3-4 months of unlimited training absolutely free, and at $179 per month that adds up to quite a few $$$.

But…

We can only offer this deal to the first 10 people because we are limited by the Royal Botanical Gardens to how many people we are allowed to train in a group at once.

If this sounds like something you and your work buddy’s might be interested in shoot me an email at dan@bootcampsydney.com.au or call 02 8006 2417 for more info.

Cheers,

Dan
Owner/Head Trainer
Dangerously Fit Boot Camp CBD
Domain, CBD, Sydney

                        

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/

                        

It’s been a while since my last post, it’s been a hectic couple of weeks with the March boot camps starting up again. We’ve had a flying start to this months boot camps – we saw great results from everyone last month and we’re aiming to do one better this month. We’re also bringing in a nutritionist that will be supplying a weight loss plan and will be giving us ongoing support through our soon to be launched Dangerously Fit community site (more on that soon).

So for today I’m just going to leave with a really cool video clip I came across yesterday, check out the surfer dude – he’s insane!

Everything is Possible – The most popular videos are here

Speak soon.

Dan
Dangerously Fit

                        

But now I’m in the best position of my life both physically and financially and I only go to the gym once a week to lift really heavy stuff – for fun.

The other 3 training sessions are all done outdoors in the park or at the beach with only the use of Olympic rings, sandbags, kettlebells, bodyweight and med-balls – all tools that we use at our boot camps.

It’s funny but as soon as I stopped working and training at the gym my life instantly got better.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to imply that leaving the gym was the only reason for a turn in events, but it just worked out that way.

Here are 5 reasons why NOT to go to the gym…

1. Waiting for equipment
This used to drive me nuts. I reckon I’d waste a quarter of my valuable workout time waiting for equipment. Not only are you getting cold whilst you’re waiting but it’s impossible to finish your workout without spending an extra 15-20 minutes in the gym – and who wants that?

Either build your own home gym, join a fitness boot camp or use the jungle gym at parks and beaches – that’s what they’re there for.

2. People bugging you
Now I don’t know if people just used to bug me because I was a trainer but I’d spend half the time answering people’s questions. I’m not anti-social but if I’m training the last thing I want is to be asked questions when I’m In mid workout – if you need advice then hire a trainer. My Info Is reserved for my personal training and boot camp clients!

I was once asked a question mid bench press whilst listening to my I pod!

Then there’s always the guy that spends the whole time walking around the gym giving bad advice to unexpecting victims even though he’s In terrible shape himself – every gym has one, he’s the in house know it all.

3. Expensive memberships
What a con! Gyms are nearly as bad as banks. You pay hundreds of dollars for a membership card so you have the privilege to pay them a monthly membership fee – cheers!

Then you get locked into a long term contact with no way out (unless you give them more money).

For the all the money you spend on gym fees spend a few bucks on some useful pieces of home training equipment and use it for a lifetime with no more fees.

4. Useless equipment
A little secret in the fitness industry is that all those shining fancy machines you see in gyms are actually useless. I haven’t used machines for years because they don’t work – they don’t allow your body to move in the natural way it was designed to and often lead to overuse injuries.

If you want to be lean and toned forget about the machines, get yourself some dumbbells/ kettlebells, Olympic rings and you make your very own gym.

5. Rubbish trainers
The truth is most trainers suck. Some of these big franchise gyms (mention no names) churn through trainers so fast they simply cannot keep up with the demand of their massively high membership rates. So they hire trainer’s fresh out of 3 month fast track certification course and throw them on the floor. Many of these trainers have no experience training clients and by looking at them don’t have experience training themselves.

It’s time to try something new!

Get out of your comfort zone.

Get out of the gym.

Get outdoors.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously fit
www.bootcampsydney.com.au

                        

Do you have a plan?

Have you been keeping track of your progress?

Are you doing something everyday to bring you closer to your goals?

How close are you to achieving your new year’s resolutions?

If your goal is to lose 12 kilos this year have you already lost 2?

Time goes fast so don’t waste it, if your goal is to get into shape don’t procrastinate – start TODAY.

It doesn’t matter if you’re behind, work a little harder and make up for it.

Often people who fail to reach their goals are unsuccessful because they do not outline their expectations, establish appropriate timeframes and evaluate the results of past programs.

Try using this 4 step V.P.I.C training model;
1.Visualize – Have a vision of exactly what it is you’re trying to accomplish.

2.Plan – How you will get there, what you need to get there, what could prevent you from getting there.

3.Implement – Begin training, schedule training sessions and think of them as appointments.

4.Close – Review last program, what went right – what didn’t, what can be improved? Begin planning and implementing next program.

There’s nothing you can do about the past 2 months – they’re gone forever, but unless you start today before you know it we’ll be in 2010.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay

                        

This mornings workout…

Fitness Test
Maximum push ups in 60 seconds
Maximum plank hold
1000 metre run

Partner workout
Partner up with someone of a similar fitness level, 2 exercises per station, 1 partner performs one exercise and the other partner performs the second exercise. At the end of the 60 seconds compare rep count and change exercises – try to perform more reps than your partner.

Station 1. Push ups and squats
Station 2. Squat thrusts and barrier jump
Station 3. Dips and step ups
Station 4. Burpees and Mountain climbers
Station 5. Sit ups and lunges

Enjoy

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit Boot Camp Sydney
Boot Camp Centennial Park

                        

1. Cost effective – very little equipment is needed
2. Large variety of exercises
3. Competition between partners provides better fitness results
4. Accountability and social support
5. Its more fun!

We often use buddy training in our boot camps and find that it works particularly well. The competitive side in people comes out they push themselves to the limit which in turn yields better results – faster.

The Buddy Training Workout – Tabata Style

This total body workout will consist of bodyweight exercises. Each station you will alternate between 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Repeat this 30 second set another 8 times for a total of 4 minutes followed by a 1 minute rest before moving on the next station.

Exercise 1 Med-ball squat and pass

Exercise 2 Buddy Push up and Row

Exercise 3 Plank and reach (tapping opposite hands across)

Exercise 4 Buddy resisted reverse lunges

Now go find yourself a buddy to train with – or join one of our Sydney boot camps and get training.

Train Hard!

Dan Clay
Dangerously Fit Personal Training
Sydney