Hannah\’s Blog

This week has been so busy, I have just finished proofing the final copy of our latest Winning Times and hope to have it added to the article section by the weekend.  Typing the last amendments before we go to print, I have just realised how sore my shoulders are from yesterdays workout.  I trained shoulders, back and arms and thought the workout was average (not really  my word) but my body is telling me something different this evening.  My shoulders, back and arms are all sore, I think I had better get back to taking GLUTAMINE more regularly as that is one of the keys to recovery. 

I am finally having my picures re-sized for my gallery and should be up in the next couple of days, they are from my New York trip before Christmas and some taken in the gym a couple of weeks ago for a “Get Lean” article that SJ has written.  If you watch my turning flash player, you can see that I am sporting a new hair cut!  I love it!!!

Well done Rebekah for last nights workout, you successfully can do 2 neutral chins on the bar!  Watching G.I Jane and Terminator 2, got you really fired up and I am so proud of you!  Chantel, you have had a great week and are already making some positive changes to your physique.

Tomorrow is cardio and clients, wonder if I’ll still be aching???

Resting hard today as did Cardio Step on Friday night which was fun in the Winners Studio and yesterday I started the day with long bike ride and then later on I trained LEGS and Chest.  The workout took 35 mins and it wasn’t until I was walking down the stairs I realised how hard I had worked out!  Shaky Stevens!!!  It was smith machine squats, lying leg curls, seated claves and incline db chest press and abs.  I have increased the weight of the squats each week, yesterday was 30 reps on 15 kg each side, so next week 16.25kg and just increment it one stage at a time.  I am tempted to db press the 17.5kg next week with a spot as the 15kg are good, but I need progress!  Did cardio this morning with Jon, 20 mins stairclimber and 20 mins treadmill but that’s it, no more today!  REST and EATING BIG and clients and weekly planning! 

Hope you have all had and are having a good weekend,  New York pics and new shots of me coming soon!

Chantel, I hope you had a lovely birthday yesterday and are ready to work off that birthday cake in the STEP class tomorrow evening?  Rachel, I hope you had a wonderful holiday in Thailand and I was really pleased to hear that you have been keeping updated about our latest news by logging onto the gyms webiste.  You have been away for 6 weeks and I am sure you have missed the gym, even though I know you trained real hard out there!

It hs been a good week of training, I trained on Tuesday the shoulders, back and arms.  SJ gave me spot on incline supination curls and made me ’scream’ with the intensity, hard work!  Pausing and peaking the muscle at the top and really lowering the negative! OUCH!  Triceps was different, we did a high incline bench ez bar french press and my triceps are really sore still today!   Recovery cardio and a little fat burning on the arc trainer yesterday and today a nice run up and over the coast of Babbacombe.  Tomorrows aim is to the lower body workout and then the STEP class work permitting for the plan and then weights again on Sunday.

Well done to Sam, who has now lost 7lb in 3 weeks.  Sam is really taking the whole exercise and nutrition seriously and is showing great gains.  Her complexion is glowing and she is feeling so much better in herself, well done!!! 

This week has flown by, I have been busy working on clients and their objectives for 2009  Most of them have been done and now we are working our way through the ‘goal planning’ stage where we are breaking down their goals into smaller stages, making them easier to achieve and more easily reached! 

I attended one of the new classes that have started in the studio this week.  It was ‘Step’ with Rachel and it was good.  It was hard but the other ladies and I got through it.  It was fun to be on the other side of the step for a change!

I have done an outdoor run with Jon this week, we did a nice run from the gym up over and along Babbacombe and back, the sun was out and it was real good to get some fresh air!  I have done a long outdoor bike ride today along the coast, the morning as getting lighter and the sun was out again! 

Training has gone well this week, I trained on Wednesday, progam A and really felt it the next couple of days, it was standing military shoulder press, neutral grip pulldowns, seated incline db curls and single arm db extensions with abs.  Once again, one warm up set with 2 work sets!.  Yesterday I went to the gym and did early morning cardio and then back in the afternoon for Programe B of Squats, leg curls, calves, incline db chest press and abs.  I think I could have trained again today, but I remember that this is not always good for me, I think to take it easy and to give all out when I work out and to allow for recovery is the key, its just at times, you want to keep training, cos at the end of the day it makes you feel good, doesn’t it?

My weekly planning almost done, I hope yours has been done too and you have remembered what your goals are, why you are doing it and what foods will help keep you in balance and will make you feel good.

Enjoy your week!

Joined Helen for cardio yesterday which was nice to do, she was having a ’struggle’ and the diet and training is kicking in, it was nice to help her out and we can ‘talk for England’ so we did 40 mins in the gym talking and cardio much to the annoyance of one of our members who was trying to run!  Sorry Andrew!

Today I have trained on a B split, I have gone back to the original A/B programme that SJ designed for me after the NPA finals.  The blitz training programe I was doing was good and especially over Christmas with lots of rest but, now with January and the gym and myself and coaching etc, it has left me a little ‘blown’.  So with this type of A/B training I can train every 3 days and still get gains like I have had before whilst not taxing my energy levels too much.

Helen was training legs and chest so I trained alongside her and we were able to spot each other.  The idea is one warm up set and 2 work sets, so I did squats on the smith machine and then leg curls, Incline db press and seated calves and then abs.  I was really strong on the lying leg curls 4okg for 8 reps and still strong on chest, 2 x 8reps on the 15kg.  I am really looking forward to training on Wednesday.

My planning for the week has been done and to all my clients, we will be going through our Serious Fit Events and having a look to see if any suit you as well as your other goals, so get ready!………..Hope your food planning and days ahead are planned and ready to go to?!?

What a great week so far, we have had confirmation that we will be moving our Paignton gym to its new site at NORTEL and we will be up and running in about 4 weeks.  New equipment ordered and on the way and my gym TORQUAY will be getting new equipment also!  Fantastic!  All we have to do now is wait to hear if we are getting our Newton Abbot Site!  3 gyms, 2 new for 2009!

Well done to all my clients for looking after themselves quite well through Christmas.  Big congratulations to Rebekah for her new job and her terrific weight loss, we now have the lowest body fat ever and she is loving carb cycling!  Good for you, you look great, new programme next so that we can reach your goals!

Ah, goal setting is coming along nicely for some of you and the rest of you, we will be done by end of next week.

We have some great Test Yourself Events up again for 2009, starting with Serious Fit in March, half marathon in June, 24 hour charity bash in July, 1o km run in august, 2km row in Sept and Xmas quiz in Dec!  So if you are struggling with goals, then use one of these events as a personal challenge!

Dot, I hope you are feeling better, I know how much you must be missing the gym!

So, the only part that doesn’t ache is my legs, my calves are sore from Mondays pump.  My chest and back is sore from Tuesdays session, I pushed the 15kg db on my own for 12/10/6 reps which I was really pleased at, then db flyes, wide grip chins, 3 sets, close grip pulldowns and seated row.  Yes, still sore as I am typing away.  Too busy for beach sprints yesterday, so will do tomorrow. 

Today I trained shoulders and arms with Dean, we started with db shoulder presses, I pressed the 15 kg, (with a little help) 4 sets and then it was db lateral raises superset with reverse fly machine, 3 sets. Reverse bb shruggs with a slight pause at the top.  Arms was pushdowns superset with incline supination curls, 3 sets and then preacher curls with the ez bar superset single arm db extensions, 2 sets.  Arms and shoulders are now coming on.  I’ll try hard for sprints tomorrow so that will complete full total body ache!

I hope you have all done your ACTION plan and set GOALS for the year ahead?

Now its time to put them  in gear and drive forward……..

Friday afternoon, I had a great outdoor sprint session with Helen and Jon.  We went to the beach and did beach sprints at 3/4 pace x 5 and then x 5 with a harness on, and double jumped a hurdle, 2 x 20.  It was a crazy easterly wind, but was great to be outdoors and then we did hill sprints, each of us choosing a path to the top, I of course chose the worst one and that was really hard!

Helen is preparing for her ‘Arnold Amatuer Debut’ on the 3rd March at the Arnold Classic, Ohio, USA, she has just under 9 weeks to go and has in the lat few days showed that she is leaning up and her body is starting to change, she will look great as she is on target now, eating every 2 hours, 7 meals a day!  Double cardio a day, training with weights 3- 4 times a week and gymnastics and soon routine practice!  A lot of hard work but well worth it.

This morning I trained arms with Dean.  He planned the session, we started off with triceps and did dips then ez bar push (close grip) straight into press (french press), that got the triceps going! and then it was on tricep pressdowns on the cable crossover machine.  Biceps up next cable curls superset into db hammer curls, every thing was 3 sets, Dean worked on a 12/10/8 and I stayed around a 12/10/10, I tried to stay lighter and to feel the squeeze with a contraction held at the top/end.

Tomorrow is the start of the week for everyone to be officially back to work and we at the gym are ready for the new members where we can help them reach and attain their goals, should be a busy couple of months, but very rewarding.

Don’t forget PUMP starts back tomorrow at 6pm, arrive early to get your token from reception to claim your step and please arrive early to set your station up!

NOTE: to all my clients, I hope your fridges are now clear from all rubbish and only with fresh produce, lets all start the way we mean to go on, and that also means that your cuboards are free from any rubbish!

Happy New Year to everyoe, may this year be the best yet in all that you do.

Lets focus on the positive things in life, remember you get what you wish for!

Smile, be happy, engage conversation with people.

Give your time to people.

Focus on what you want in life.  Don’t focus on what you don’t want!

Set an action plan/to do list.

Do an ‘ecology’ check, is it possible/realistic?

Set the long terms goal/s.

Now break it down into smaller piece/chunks/goals.

Check back weekly.

Do daily things to help you get there.

TAKE MASSIVE ACTION AND YOU WILL GET THERE.

IF YOU SEE IT, YOU CAN ACHIEVE IT.

LIVE, BELIEVE AND ACT OUT YOUR DREAM/S.

Happy New Year to you all x

Oh my goodness, what a leg session I had yesterday on New Years Eve.  Jon, SJ, Helen and myself had a mammouth leg workout.  It started with a tri-set of leg press, single legs for 8 reps, 8 reps db jump squat with 10kg’s  into 3/4 deadlifts 8 reps x 5 sets!  Legs wobbly but feeling good.  Next up was single leg squats 8 reps with 10 kg’s into steps ups with the db alternate legs for 8 reps!  THEN UPSTAIRS for leg extensions 8 reps superset lying leg curls 8 reps for 3/4 sets, can’t remember now, becoming a blur for some and then seated calf raises.  Just when I thought it was all over into THE STUDIO for sprints, the width of the room twice, but with Helen trying to hold me back/slow me down/kill me with a karate belt wrapped around my hips!  I really enjoyed the session, one good thing about christmas is that I have had a few extra calories and had the fuel for a change to complete this great workout, BUT my brain had gone by the afternoon, switched the oven on and went to get my food out of the oven later only to find my food on the side!  Still, luckily all workouts aren’t like this or I would never get anything done in life!

Great way to see out 2008!