If You’re Not Improving, You’re Going Backwards. If you’re like me you want to be as efficient as possible with your time so you can spend it doing the things you enjoy. But with our busy schedules it’s hard to fit everything in, including our own fitness. That’s why I recommend people do training or sports they enjoy most. There’s no need to make the habit any more difficult for yourself. You may find that after a period of time in your chosen activity you want to become better and improve. This is no surprise because we tend to compare ourselves to others. Plus, we’re goal striving creatures. Issues can arise with this however. Take for example, you love running and you want to become better. Improving beyond the point of being proficient really requires more time investment. Simply, to become better at it, you need to run further. The same occurs for many sports. Time is one of the best ways to improve. If you genuinely value your time there is a better way and it involves weight training. I believe weight training is the best way to improve at many sports and activities and to improve your general well being. […]

What women should know about Fascia (and its role in healing and building strength) All humans have fascia. It’s the soft tissue made up of collagen, elastin and bound water that exists from head to toe without interruption, surrounding and connecting every muscle and organ of the body. Think of this tissue as an organ or movement that has 3 major roles: elasticity (jumping), protection and storing stress (both emotional and physical). Both men and women can benefit from releasing tension in this tissue – it’s why we stretch. (But that’s a conversation for another time). There are 3 important areas of the body – lumbar spine, achilles heel and pelvic floor – where fascia exists in multiple layers to form a trampoline like structure. For women in particular, the pelvic floor is one of the most under-utilised and misunderstood areas of the female body (which is ironic since it is women who have to STRETCH that tissue to allow for childbirth). This lack of knowledge is no fault of our own. There is, unfortunately, very little in the way of pelvic floor explanation and demonstration in the hospital system or in the fitness industry, unless you source out a […]

A more confident, stronger you! Imagine someone walking into a room. They are standing tall with their shoulders back and their head held up. What is your impression of that person’s mental state? Do they look happy and confident? Now imagine the next person walks into the room. They are shuffling along with rounded shoulders while looking at the ground. What might be your impression about them? Would you think they appear to be lacking self-confidence or portraying a sense of sadness? Research shows our body language tells the story. Over the past 15 years more research has been undertaken to fully understand the link between posture and an individual’s mental state. A 2004 study by Mark Coulson determined there is an almost universal recognition of the “sadness posture” where an individual’s head is bent forward and their shoulders are round. It was also found “happiness” and “surprise” were also instantly recognisable. The study pointed to “stooped posture” being a feature of the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder in many psychological classification systems. A 2015 study concluded “upright posture” in the face of stress can maintain self-esteem, reduce negative mood and increase positive mood compared to the “slumped posture”. A […]