David Fairlamb gives some valuable training tips to help you achieve your Great North Fitness Revolution goals
Log all your training sessions, times and how you feel. This allows you to check the sessions you have done and how much you have improved. It is also interesting to look back in a few years !!
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While performing some exercises looking in the mirror does help especially if you struggle with co-ordination. If you have a long mirror at home check your posture and technique
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If you start to tire while running try driving your arms this will help lift your legs and give you more momentum especially if you are on an incline. It also helps you work your upper body.
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While performing any specific exercise concentrate and think about which muscle you are working this will intensify the exercise and stop any other muscle groups assisting with the movement. In other words don’t chat or watch the TV as the chance of you performing the exercise correctly is very low!
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When you are walking but especially running try to stay relaxed and stride out. Taking longer slower strides is much more energy efficient than small quicker strides. Concentrate on staying light on your feet trying not to bang you feet down. Try to stay in the air as much as possible and when your feet touch the ground it should be for as short a time as possible.
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A great way of analyzing your stride is to run on flat hard sand. Set a distance of around 50 metres repeat a number of sprints trying each time to lengthen your stride. You can measure each sprint by the prints in the sand. As you push hard you may find your stride length shortens as you tense up. If that’s the case this may be happening on most of your runs so focus on staying relaxed.
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When you start to tire try to stay relaxed and concentrate on holding your posture and technique. If you start flapping your arms and lose the smoothness in your technique you will end up using more energy and tire quicker.
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When performing free weights focus on keeping your stomach and back muscles tight there should be no body movement. If your middle is strong the exercise will feel easier to complete.
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While training keep your breathing relaxed and breath through your mouth. If you are struggling slow thing down and take 2 - 3 deep breaths through your nose and out your mouth, this will give you more oxygen and help you relax. You can then return back to your normal breathing.
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Run or walk light. If you watch any top athlete they look like they glide across the ground, this is because they are light on their feet. Concentrate on running or walking light. If you are in a gym try not to bang down on the treadmill you should hardly be able to hear yourself. The lighter you run the more energy you save and the less pressure through your joints.
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Intervals are all about change of pace. Go slow between the interval then look for that change of pace.
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When you are working a specific muscle group take time to slow the exercise down and focus directly where you should be feeling it. When you have the perfect technique then you can start to vary the pace.
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When performing the plank either the normal or side plank keep your body perfectly in line this is will really strengthen your middle section
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Where possible try to train on a surface that has some give in it like grass, sand or a tartan track.
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When performing step ups keep the arms moving in rhythm as if you were walking this will help lift your legs plus work your top half at the same time.
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Vary you speed when performing strength exercises. Quick, slow, super slow, super quick, quick up slow down etc this will help develop different muscle fibre, stop you getting bored, develop your muscles better and help with weight loss.
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When using a resistance band make sure you control the movement back to the start of the exercise, try to avoid the band taking you back.
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Interval training rather than constant workouts burn more calories. After an intense workout your metabolism is still working quicker for hours after.
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Work hard on the days you feel good, if you don’t feel 100% take your foot off the pedal a little and slow it down, you can’t feel fantastic every day!!
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Working your stomach is great, but you must also remember to work your back or you may develop a muscle imbalance, which could lead to bad posture.
