You don't get Abs by doing Abs Exercises- so how do you get Abs?

I didn't get my abs from doing abs exercises. This is the worst myth. YOU ALREADY HAVE ABS- the problem is that they are probably hidden. What you need to do is remove the fat that is covering your abs.

YOU CAN'T SPOT REDUCE- doing a 100 sit ups a day is not the answer. Your body decides where the fat will come off and there is nothing we can do about it. Stop focusing on training your abs and start doing the following:-
 

1. LIFT WEIGHTS- the more muscle on your body the more fat your body burns even by doing absolutely nothing. Concentrate on large compound movements. With weights you are working your abs indirectly by engaging your core with each movement. And NO doing weights doesn't make you bulky it gives you that lean defined look.
2. NO MORE CARDIO- instead of long and boring cardio do High Intensity Interval Training- click on my bikini challenge link on my blog home page for some 10-20 minute HIIT workouts you can do from home. Try do 3 sessions a week and trust me you will start to see a difference and start seeing some abs coming through.
3. CONSISTENCY- Consistency is key. Set realistic goals so that you don't burn yourself out after two weeks. This is a lifestyle change -so try fit it into your lifestyle not let it take over your life! Start off with 2 or 3 days a week to see what works for you.
4. EAT CLEAN-this does not mean starving yourself or eating tasteless food, this just means making healthy choices. Click on the clean eating label on my blog home page for some clean eating ideas or follow my instagram page @thechicphysique.
5. CUT OUT GLUTEN AND DAIRY- some people don't realise that they might have an intolerance to either gluten or dairy or both. This causes inflammation in your gut which decreases nutrient absorption and makes you put on weight.
6. CARB CYCLE- eating the same amount of calories day in and day out when trying to lose fat can quickly result in adaptions, making it impossible to lose weight or gain muscle. The solution is to "cycle" your calories. For example on weight training days have a calorie surplus- eat starchy carbs for breakfast and lunch. On cardio days or light training days- try have a calorie deficit- one starchy carb in the morning. This will keep your thyroid activity efficient and leptin sensitivity high, which is necessary for fat loss and muscle gains.
7. DRINK WATER- It increases your metabolism, regulates your appetite and aids in digestion to name a few. A lot of people think drinking water bloats them. One of the main causes of bloating is dehydration. When the amount of water in your body falls too low, your kidneys signal the rest of your body to hold onto water. So drinking enough water can help reduce bloating.
8. DRINK GREEN TEA-Try drink green tea after each meal. In addition to boosting your metabolism it also decreases belly bloat.
9. EAT PROTEIN- Try eat protein with every meal. Proteins are the body's building blocks. After a tough workout, muscles are rebuilt and repaired by the proteins you eat.

 

Which Workout Challenge is for you?

Different workouts to suit different levels of fitness:-

 

For those of you who do not have access to a gym or equipment click on my Bikini Challenge from last year where you will find 5 weeks of workouts to get you into shape for summer! These workouts consist of HIIT exercises (High Intensity Exercises) with a mix of some weights. These exercises are short and intense and will burn fat right off your body in no time. Exercises consist of big compound movements mixed with more muscle focused exercises.

Exercises can be done with or without weights. My advice is to start of with body weight until you have good form then add weights as you get stronger. These are all workouts that you can do from home, in your bedroom or outside in the garden.

For those of you who are more advanced and want to add muscle tone to your body- click on the Lift like a Man Look Like a Goddess link for weeks of workouts involving weight lifting and cardio.

And for those of you who really want a challenge and want to transform their body in lean toned feminine muscle, click on my new challenge-Bulking!

Where do I find these Challenges?

On the right side of the blog page under labels, click on any of the below challenges to gain access to the workouts.

1. Bikini Challenge
2. Lift Like a Man Look Like a Goddess
3. Bulking

The above challenges are an overview of my fitness journey over the last couple of years. Pick a challenge depending on your level of fitness and goals. Work hard for it and don't give up! 

Don't forget to follow my fitness journey on instagram or on twitter for tips, motivation and clean eating ideas:-

Any questions email me

 

Mary

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Put Your Back Into It- Assisted Pull Up Bands

The best exercise to get a toned back is the pull up and it is probably the exercise that most women avoid.

The pull up is such an amazing exercise as it incorporates various muscle groups and as a result gives you that toned muscular back that you can't achieve with other exercises.
 
A few months back I couldn't do any pull ups as I just thought it was something I would never be strong enough to do. My boyfriend was constantly encouraging me to try it and used to  assist me by lifting me up, but as we don't work out together I wasn't doing them enough to get good at them. 

After a bit of research I decided to invest in a rubberbanditz assisted pull up band. There are various different types of bands  which you choose based on your weight and the amount of unassisted pull ups you can do. The easier the bands become you should be moving on to the next band.The pull up band assists you when doing pull ups so you don't need someone to spot you. 

At the beginning I could only do a few reps but now a few months on I can do a good amount of reps with the bands and have started doing reps without the bands as well as I have built up the strength. The most important thing is to create good form and I think the bands allow you to do this. They never get easy but it is addictive when you see the results it gives you.

A bonus is that it also works your core!

There are many different assistance levels and you must choose based on your weight and the amount of reps you can do.

Muscle Soreness

It is important to distinguish good muscle soreness with injury. It is also important to know what to do when your muscles are sore, do you continue to workout or rest until the pain subsides. If you experience no muscle soreness at all, this is a sign that you are body has adapted and you are achieving no results.

Muscle soreness is caused by micro trauma to the muscles. It is usually a good indicator that the workout you performed is effective.

When you first begin to exercise, your muscles will be extra sore, this is your body adjusting to the exercise and the soreness will subside. You need to perservere throughout the first few weeks. It is important not to confuse soreness with overtraining.

1. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

This is a deep muscular soreness experienced two days after exercise. This is caused when you embark on an exercise programme for the first time or train a body part harder than usual. It will take at least a few days to a week to recover from this type of soreness.

The best thing to do is not rest but to exercise the affected body part in active recovery routine. Reduce weight and sets. Restore full movement in muscle and help remove lactic acid and other waste products building up in muscles. 

This forces the high concentration of blood into damaged area of muscles and nourished muscles for repair and growth.

You will not be as sore the next day or stiff as you would if you skipped a workout in order to wait for the pain to subside.

2. Typical Mild Muscle

This is soreness that you experience after a good workout. This is caused by micro trauma to muscle fibre level and by excess lactic acid. This  is a good soreness to experience as its mild in nature and muscle function is not impaired. Pain lasts usually a day. 3 days for a beginner. This indicates a good workout as you created trauma necessary to trigger muscle growth. When you  no longer have this or experience this type of soreness the body is telling you it has adapted to the training program. This is not the goal you should be striving for as it leads to no gains.

3. Soreness caused by injury

This is an entirely different soreness. The main you experience here are sharp pain within your muscle or joints. Injuries often apparent as soon as they happen. RICE principle- Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. If you are still sore consult a doctor.

It is important to warm up and stretch before and after your workout to reduce injuries.

Technique is also important to focus on if you don't have the right technique you will cause yourself injury. So practice good form first before moving to heavier weights.

Giant Set 3

Your last giant set of the week focuses on the shoulders and lower body. Remember complete the four exercises in the set with no rest. Rest for 30-50 seconds in between each set. Repeat two more times before moving onto the next giant set.

Click on the following link to see the exercises being performed:
http://thechicphysique.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/weight-training-set3.html

		Reps	Sets	Rest
A1	Weighted Squats	8-10	4	No rest
A2	Shoulder Press	8-10	4	No rest
A3	Weighted Dumbbell Lunge	8-10	4	No rest
A4	Lateral Raise	8-10	4	No rest
B1	Ballet Squat	8-10	4	No rest
B2	Upright Row	8-10	4	No rest
B3	Standing Calf-Raises	8-10	4	No rest
B4	Box Step-Ups	8-10	4	No rest

Giant Set 2

This giant set focuses on chest and back. Perform the 4 exercises in a row and rest for 30-50 seconds in between each set. Then move onto the next giant set.

Click on the link below to see how the exercises are performed:

http://thechicphysique.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/weight-training-set-2.html

I have also attached pictures to show how the extra two exercises are performed.

Single Arm Push Up:

Incline Row:

		Reps	Sets	Rest
A1	Dumbbell Flat Press	8-10	4	No rest
A2	Bent Over Row	8-10	4	No rest
A3	Push Ups	8-10	4	No rest
A4	Stiff Legged Deadlift	8-10	4	No rest
B1	Dumbbell Flys	8-10	4	No rest
B2	Wide Row	8-10	4	No rest
B3	Single Arm Push Up	8-10	4	No rest
B4	Inverted Row/Incline Row	8-10	4	No rest

Week 7/8 Cardio No 1: Fitness Test

Last fitness test today. See how much you have improved and compare today's results to the first week and be proud of yourself.



Click on the link to for more information about the fitness test:

http://thechicphysique.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/fitness-test.html

Giant Set 1

Now we are a bit more advanced and we are moving to Giant sets for two weeks. Giant sets involve doing 4 exercises in a row with no rest. Like supersets you did 2 exercises without rest, with the giant set you perform 4 exercises. There is 2 extra exercises included in this set and I have attached pictures to show how these extra exercises are performed.

Click on the link to see how the rest of the exercises are performed:

http://thechicphysique.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/weight-training-set-1.html

		Reps	Sets	Rest
A1	Dumbbell Bicep Curl	8-10	4	No rest
A2	Triceps Extension	8-10	4	No rest
A3	Hammer Curls	8-10	4	No rest
A4	Tricep Kickbacks	8-10	4	No rest
B1	Reverse Bicep Curls	8-10	4	No rest
B2	Tricep Dips	8-10	4	No rest
B3	Concentrated Bicep Curls	8-10	4	No rest
B4	Overhead Tricep Extension	8-10	4	No rest

Concentrated Bicep Curl:

Overhead Tricep Extension: