Good Morning, I hope you all had a good Friday night.  My Bristol Personal Training clients should be looking forward to a high energy workout after yesterdays strength based programme.  This is a tough one but may be done without the assistance of a Personal Trainer although you will need all the motivational support you can get your hands on.

1000m Row

5 Press ups, 5 chins ups, 5 pendulum Swings, 5 bw Squats

800m Row

10 Press ups, 10 Chins, 10 Pendulum swings, 10 bw squats

600m Row

15 press ups, 15 Chins, 15 Pendulum swings, 15 bw Squats

400m Row

20 Press ups, 20 Chins, 20 Pendulum Swings, 20 Bw Squats

record time to monitor progress.  Good luck with this one.  This is bound to put butterflies in your stomach before you start.... Let me know how you get on and enjoy your weekend!

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

Good morning.  Here in Bristol my Personal Training clients made massive progress with their clean and press, the secret is to not pull until the bar has passed the knees, this prevents the bar moving forwards and away from the body, the difficult part is convincing the brain of the same.  A strength programme today with upper body work focusing on the lift from dead.  As you will need to re-engage your muscles before each lift technique is crucial.  Be sure to reset your scapula each time.  If  you are having trouble with this ask a Personal Trainer to assist you or if you live in Bristol then come on down to James Ross Healthcare.

Squats 1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1

dead row 1.1.1.1.1.1.1  Set up a bench on top of some technique boxes and lay the bar underneath so you can just about reach it.

Dead press 1.1.1.1.1.1.1 lifting from chest to straight arm and back down under control.

Record load to monitor progress and let me know how you get on.

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

Anne-Marie has done it again..... Now you don't even have to cut out your weekend curry to enjoy the 'Green Faces' plan.  Anne-Marie is a Personal Training client and the most inventive of cooks who has managed to lose 1 stone since Christmas following the 'Green Faces' plan and my 30 minute training programmes .  Give her recipe a go and let me know what you think it.

1. Put a heavy bottomed casserole pan on a high heat with enough oil to cover the bottom. While the oil is heating peel and chop the onion. When the oil smokes add all the seeds, cover and shake pan get the seeds popping. Simmer and add onions stirring so they don’t burn.
2. Chop the chicken breast into chunks and add the chicken, ginger, chilli, garlic and other spices to the onions and seeds.
3. Wash the aubergine and cut into dice and add to the pan. Leave to cook for ten minutes.
4. Add the tinned tomatoes and add to the pan, with water as necessary simmer for 5 mins.
5. Finally add the chick peas stir the curry together and season to taste. Cover and allow to simmer slowly for 30 minutes adding water if necessary.
6. Serve with fresh veg.

Good Morning and well done to all my Personal Training clients who completed yesterdays programme and don't worry we will be avoiding your chest and back today as much as possible.

1 minute Walking lunges

1minute Push press

1 minute Pendulum Swings

1 minute Medicine ball slams (5k)

1 minute Row

1 minute rest

Repeat for 3 sets 

Record reps and load to monitor progress

For rower 10 meters = 1 rep.  Clock should run continuously.  Train with a partner or Personal Trainer where possible, as with most timed programmes technique must be monitored closely.  Why not form your own group and come and have some Personal Training here at James Ross Healthcare.

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

Anne-Marie one of my clients has been following my adapted 'Green Faces' plan for the past 4 weeks and has lost 1stone (we are both aware this is not all fat) and she has also been training very hard with a series of 30 minute programmes.  The most common problem my clients complain of is what to eat for breakfast after I have banished toast, porridge and cereal?  My usual answer is eggs, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes or and Omelette (recipe on another day) although some people cannot eat this much in the morning.  Anne-Marie had the same complaints as many of my clients.  She came up with this recipe to make the morning breakfast struggle a thing of the past.

1. Preheat the oven to 180deg C. Prepare a 12 muffin tin. Use silicon inserts or grease the tins well with oil.
2. Put the grated squash and courgette into a large mixing bowl. Add the onion and 2/3 of the bacon (making sure it’s evenly stirred through).
3. Add the beaten eggs and oil and herbs and spices, the mixture should be slightly flowing, but well mixed and bound.
4. Carefully spoon the mixture into the muffin tin. Sprinkle/ place the last 1/3 of the bacon on top of the muffins (this will crisp slightly).
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins until the muffins have risen and the top of the muffins are golden.
6. Allow to cool slightly before removing from tins. Can be eaten warm or cold. Store in fridge once cooled for up to 3 days, they can be frozen and then defrosted.
7. ENJOY!

Good Morning and to my Personal Training clients a well done for yesterday, that was a really tough programme. Most people averaged about 20 minutes.  Let me know how you got on by adding your comments to the workouts you tried.  In the mean time give this a go.

Back Squats 10  (body weight or more)

Chins 10

Dips 10

5 sets in your own time, allow enough rest to ensure each rep is completed with perfect form, use assistance if necessary. 

Speak to a Personal Trainer about correct technique or better still come and visit me.  I saw some shocking videos of local Personal Trainers teaching squats with incorrect form yesterday.  As the most important movement in fitness a Personal Trainer cannot afford to teach this incorrectly or it will jepodise all other results and even lead to injury.  A the bottom of a Squat it is very common for the pelvis to curl under, this is incorrect form.  Avoid this by learning to squat with a bar 6 inches from your chest in front of you.  This will force you to stay upright and your back to remain straight.  You can even hold your hands above your head, this will help even more.  Enjoy your training.

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

Hello.  To my Personal Training clients, I hope you are well rested after a relaxing weekend.  Back to the gym today and we are already busy with 7am trainers.

Kettlebell Programme

SA Pendulum swing 10

SA Clean to Press     10

SA high Pull                 10

SA Snatch                     10

Left then right.  Repeat for 4 sets, record time to monitor progress

Ask your Personal Trainer for assistance with technique.  Let me know what you think of my workouts feedback is always welcomed.

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

No need for any Personal Training today its a beautiful day.  Get yourself out of the gym and head out on foot. Go for a long walk out even a run, just get out of the house.

5 K run or long Walk

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

My Personal Training Clients get great results. But those that get the best results follow the Green Faces diet.  I can really recommend this diet for its simplicity, it really helps get rid of all those cravings that make sticking to your goals so much more difficult.

1. Always, as much as possible, eat only the foods that are on your recommended food chart
2. This is a balanced diet. You need to eat a wide variety of foods.
3. Try to eat different foods every day.
4. Eat whole, natural foods. Stay away from processed foods. Eat organic when possible.
5. Eat protein at every meal and eat a mixture of different proteins. Eating sufficient protein at each meal will maximise your energy, trim your waist, and assure peak performance. Never eat carbohydrates alone as a meal or snack.
6. Eat at least 5 meals a day. Eat something every 3-4 hours and never skip breakfast. You want to try and eat before you get hungry in order to maintain your blood sugar levels.
7. No dairy products are allowed. Eggs are permitted.
8. Carefully pick your carbohydrates. No bread or refined carb consumption.
9. Use fats and oils freely.
10. Stay away from alcohol. It’s a simple sugar and will wreak havoc with your metabolism.
11. Limit caffeine to no more than 1-2 cups per day. This includes, coffee, tea, and diet drinks with caffeine. Also when you drink caffeinated beverages eat protein with them.
12. Try to drink only water when thirsty.
13. Avoid or minimise sugar as much as you can.
14. It may be a good idea to supplement with a multi vitamin and Omega 3 fat.
15. Avoid
    1. Tap water
    2. Fried or microwaved food
    3. Do not over cook vegetables
    4. Do not over cook meat or eat blackened, charred meat.

Pure strength today.  For my Personal Training clients this is a chance to check your strength gains for the first time this year.

Deadlifts 1.1.1.1.1.

Squats 1.1.1.1.1

Bench Press 1.1.1.1.1

For those of you who are doing this in your own gym please ask a Personal Trainer to watch your techique.  Do not sacrifice technique for load it will cause you more problems in the long run.  Good luck and enjoy your training.  For those of you training with me today I will see you at the gym soon. 

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

Bordeaux Quay Bristol teaching kids to cook, brilliant http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Bristol-children-learn-healthy-way-help-Bordeaux-Quay-Cookery-School/article-1736837-detail/article.html

This is brilliant, teaching Bristols kids to cook is a fantastic thing to do, something all restaurants should think about doing, besides being fantastic publisity it's the best way to ensure a happier healthier city for years to come. 

Morning!  My Personal Training clients loved the workout yesterday, intense.  There will be some sore quads about this morning.  Let me know how you got on.  Did anyone make it as far as 20 minutes?

Todays workout.

15 pendulum Swings

5 Chins

5 Push press

Continous for 20 minutes how many sets can you manage? Record weight to monitor progress.

Remember, make sure you challenge yourself.  If you need help with technique ask a personal Trainer or contact this Personal Trainer. 

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

 What a great article about running. As a personal Trainer myself I can only agree running is a brilliant form of exercise.  It's not the best form of fitness training and injuries are very common but I don't think anyones claiming it to be.

The article has been ruined at the end with some very pointless facts that bear no relation to the article whatsoever.

Running facts

Runners burn 12 per cent more calories on a winter’s day as the body works harder to stay warm (not just runners everyone this really is not a plus point for running)

A cup of black coffee before a run can boost the fat-burning effects of the activity, studies have found.  (Coffee increases the heart rate, if you were sat in a chair drinking coffee it would increase the amount of fat you burn.  The fact is you have just told half the country that coffee is good for them which is perhaps a little careless. Coffee is an irritant to the body and it blocks the absorbtion of calcium... try running with osteoporosis)

Please tell us about your fantastic experiences and how they make you feel and stop interpreting facts to suit your stories.

http://www.facebook.com/l/377d2;women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/diet_and_fitness/article6994253.ece

 Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

For my Personal Training clients who have been following this for the last 3 days you may take today as a rest day.  For those of you who may have missed some of the last few.........

60s bw Squats

60s Bent over Row (dumbells)

60s Press ups

Continue circuits until failure.  Continue for at least 12 minutes.

If you are unsure of technique ask a Personal Trainer or contact this Personal Trainer.

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

Plan your New years regime to avoid 'burnout' before February 

We are closing in on the end of January, the month of the 'burnout'.  Like every other gym in Bristol we have been filled with those looking to fulfill their New Years resolutions and lose weight.  Whether using a Personal Trainer or just doing their own thing there is always huge risk of 'over doing it'.  Our Physiotherapist and Osteopath can only agree, his busiest month every year is February.  So how do we avoid this 'burn out'?   Well aside from working with a Personal Trainer to insure you are using correct technique James Ross Healthcare have the ultimate package.

We start with a full body assessment from Osteopath and Physiotherapist, James Ross.  We then sit down as a  team and build a fitness package for you.  This can involve individual treatments; Physiotherapy, Osteopathy, Sports Massage or Pilates for maintainence.

Any fitness regime, whether using a Personal Trainer or not, must involve foam rolling (a tennis ball can also be used) assuming you are not having two Sports Massages per week. As with professional athletes, foam rolling is a must for muscle maintainence especially during these early stages of fitness training. Foam rolling or even better Sports Massage is used to keep the muscles long, supple and knot free.

Good luck with your Fitness training!

25 Pendulum swings 20kg

25 Deadlifts (lift body weight)

40 Step ups

20 Burpees

20 Chin ups

20 Single Arm Cleans (Kettlebell or dumbell) 1/4 body weight

400m row between each exercise.

As aways if your not sure of technique ask the nearest Personal Trainer or contact this Personal Trainer

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

50 box jumps

25 single arm clean to press (kettlebell or dumbell)

400m rower

3 set for time

If you're unsure of technique ask a Personal Trainer for assistance.

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol

My Personal Training clients get fantastic results, but their results come much quicker when they follow a sensible nutrition program from the start and get rid of all of those cravings I spoke about in yesterdays post.  The plan that my Personal Training clients follow is the 'Green Faces' plan.  What not give it a try yourself?

1. Always, as much as possible, eat only the foods that are on your recommended
2. This is a balanced diet. You need to eat a wide variety of foods.
3. Try to eat different foods every day.
4. Eat whole, natural foods. Stay away from any processed foods. Eat organic when possible.
5. Eat protein at every meal and eat a mixture of different proteins. Eating sufficient protein at each meal will maximize your energy, trim your waist, and assure peak performance. Never eat carbohydrates alone as a meal or a snack. Enclosed, is a "Recommended food chart" which has protein sources you should eat.
6. No Dairy products are allowed. Eggs are permitted.
7. Carefully pick your carbohydrates. Choose from the "Recommended food chart."
8. No bread or refined carb consumption.
9. Use fats and oils freely.
10. Stay away from alcohol. It is poison to your body. Your body must detoxify it and neutralize its adverse effects. It is a simple sugar and will wreak havoc on your metabolism.
11. Limit caffeine to no more than one to two cups per day. This includes coffee, tea, and diet sodas with caffeine. Also when you drink caffeinated beverages eat protein with them.
12. Try to drink only water when thirsty.
13. Eat 3 times per day.
14. Record everything you eat and drink if a food diary.

• Sweets, soft drinks, beer, wine, or any other alcoholic beverage, sugar 
• Avoid tried or micro waved foods
  Avoid, eating carbohydrate foods without protein
• Avoid margarine, hydrogenated oils or fat substitutes
• Avoid roasted nuts
• Do not overcook vegetables
• Do not overcook meat or eat blackened, charred meat

What to avoid when trying to lose weight the right way or even just improve your health and energy levels

Hello and thank you for visiting my workout of the day blog.  I have had a number of clients struggle to get to the gym during the recent weather and have subsequently missed out on their training.  I also have a number of clients who only manage to come and see me once a week.  It is for these clients that I will be posting a new workout online everyday.

Bulgarian Split Squats KB

Barbell bench press

Chins (weighted if need)

Reps 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 Circuit

Record time and load for future comparison.

Ed Ley Personal Trainer Bristol