Wednesday, October 25, 2017

If at first you don't succeed, hire a personal trainer!

After spending the first few months of 2017,
training on a daily basis, I hit a "wobbly"
in the middle of the year when I was sick for 4 weeks.
This put a total stop to any form of training regime,
and before I knew it I had slipped back into old, entrenched, lazy habits.
But all this has now changed, and this is my view
as I head off to gym, (at 06h00am) 5 days a week.

I am uncertain if my Personal Trainer is jumping for joy because I have arrived...
or the leap is at the end of a session as we both head off to face the rest of the day
Michael Dunstan recently joined The Practice. 
As a Personal Trainer he specialises in metabolic training to ensure his clients
 achieve maximum use of their time with him. 
He uses a high percentage of body weight exercises in his work, 
but also incorporates resistance exercise to help build progressional strength.
“Although most people want to trim weight and gain strength and fitness, 
each of my clients has a different personality, strengths and weaknesses. 
One of my strengths is that I can connect with people on any level and 
I feel that’s a big part of what makes me successful in my work.” 
says Michael.
Michael has been working in the health and fitness industry for the past five years. 
He started out in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape and moved to Johannesburg a year ago. 
“Exercise may seem only physical, but it’s also mental and emotional for many people. 
Many of my new clients aren't accustomed to exercise. 
The first few sessions are always hard but the results are motivating. 
It’s getting through those first few weeks that is key.
 I believe it’s here where I can make a difference because I’m able to
 motivate my clients when they need it.” 
adds Michael.

And now Michael is adding me to the list of "media personalities" that he currently trains.
It’s cool to have a high profile client like David because his transformation is very public
 and can motivate many of his followers.
  I have a very broad cross section of clients, some of whom aren't keen to do exercise in public". 
says Michael.

The great thing about The Practice is that the environment 
doesn't feel like a traditional gym. 
It’s a very private environment with the most up-to-date equipment. 
It’s also spotlessly clean, which is important. 

These have become my friends...
But I still struggle with core exercises.
Although each session focusses on a different part of the body,
they always begin and end with stretching.
Something that I was not very consistent with.
There is also an element of core training in each session,
with the major core day being once a week...
NOT something that I particularly look forward to.
But I have noticed an improvement in the past few weeks
 since I began training with Michael

Skipping is one thing that I am a spectacular failure at.
I have NO coordination when it comes to combining the
 major elements of this exercise...
I believe that Michael and I have come to a tacit understanding
that this will not be part of my work out.
In fact, I can perform the same actions without have the rope in my hands!

Do you feel you need a personal trainer in a private environment 
to help become a better version of you? 
Contact The Practice to make an appointment with Michael.
For more about Michael, 
visit his personal profile at www.keafitness.trainerize.com.

BREAKING NEWS...
When I started at to train at The Practice, it was under the guidance
of Biokineticist Noel Sinclair.
Noel has just finished top of his class at TUT,
(Best student for 2016)
and with a Certificate of Excellence to prove that!
Well done Noel, the only road is forward and upwards.

What are you in need of ?
The Practice is recognized by all major medical schemes.
To find out more about the services that they offer, visit:



Support local, support Linden.

As a frequent traveller and athlete,
The Practice will be keeping me in top condition.
They can do the same for YOU!


All images are the copyright property of
 
and may not be used without permission

Sunday, August 13, 2017

On the road to recovery with the team at The Practice in Linden

Although The Practice is on 1st Ave, Linden,
I must have driven past it many times without realizing what they actually offer.
But all that was about to change...

Coming off an extended illness and training lay-off,
I found myself in the reception area...
sitting on this rather interesting chair.
The area is light, bright and welcoming.
Not at all what I have experienced at other practitioners.

Fresh flowers give it a touch of class...
And these are real flowers, 
there to add a hint of perfume to the waiting area

If you are a Discovery member,
you can get points for each visit...always handy.
You just have to remember you medical aid number!
This machine will remember your details and
on subsequent visits, you log in with your ID number

For my first assessment with my Noel, my coach, 
he checked a variety of measurements that 
enabled him to make a diagnosis as to what my problems might be.
An injured hamstring and a lack of flexibility were just two of the major issues.
This computer image gave a detailed printout of how I was striding while walking
and by extension my running gait as well. 

Time to get started.
I have been a runner for about 20 years and I am too lazy to stretch.
This has always been a problem.
When I was younger...and fitter...I could get away with it.
However, at 64, it has caught up with me and 
I arrived at The Practice with an injured right hamstring.
I had been expecting to be doing push-ups and squats etc,
but NO...LOTS of stretching was on the menu first.

This is where the first couple of sessions took place.
As I mentioned before...LOTS of stretching exercises.
Specifically core and butt, which are the most important areas
when it comes to flexibility and control. 
In the alcove at the far end of this section of the training area is a small shop
 where items that might be required for home use can be purchased.

The state-of-the-art equipment might look imposing,
but under the guidance of Noel, each one that I have used so far
 has been carefully explained and demonstrated.

There are still plenty that I have yet to try out.
I have asked Noel to surprise me with workouts that are varied but will push me.
Although I have only had a couple of treatments, I can already feel the benefits
and my hamstring is certainly feeling a lot better

After a session, sit in the back garden at this Koi pond and relax.
The Practice currently is undergoing external changes that we see the addition
of a variety of ancillary services that will be of benefit to all their clients.

What are you in need of ?
The Practice is recognized by all major medical schemes.
To find out more about the services that they offer, visit:



Support local, support Linden.

As a frequent traveller and athlete,
The Practice will be keeping me in top condition.
They can do the same for YOU!


All images are the copyright property of
 
and may not be used without permission

Sunday, July 23, 2017

PN Coaching, my personal journey. Week 2 in review.




Did I do my habit this week?
Hell Yea!
The habit has become something of a habit,
and I make certain that it is completed before I do anything else in the morning.

My start to Week 2. Again , not what I was expecting at all!
I am aware of how this coaching works, and I know that habits can be either good or bad.
That being said, getting back into my road running is an important (for me anyway) habit.
This morning I got dressed in all my running kit, set my watch then opened our front door.
..and discovered what the outdoor temperature REALLY was.
Suffice to say that the run was immediately abandoned and
I headed off to my WARM gym and a workout there.
So my task was completed as I did not waste any time.

Still "working" at 22h00...
But I love what I do, so is it really work?

The weather did warm...slightly,
which meant that outside exercise was on the cards

Nothing like a run to get the blood pumping
and the mind clear and ready for the day ahead.
So, what have I learned this week?
It has been enforced that this is not a race, but a journey.
If I stumble, I have the opportunity to pick myself up
and start the next day with a clean slate.
I have learned to be kind to myself.
I have discovered that I don't need constant affirmation from others 
as I can empower myself.
I am my own worst enemy most of the time.
I can validate my own achievements.
AND, most importantly...
the who, what and why of this PN course,
and its importance to me and those I love.

Here I am,on a cold Sunday evening...
preparing for the week ahead.


Free Trial with Sleekgeek Coaching

If you are interested in creating healthy habits, change and a lifetime of health then here is an offer you cannot ignore. 


SG set up a "trial" for a limited amount of people where they get to try the first month of Group Coaching with us for only R10 rather than the full price of R299. The R10 is simply an admin fee in order to enroll you in the system and SG will be donating the trial fee to a charity as a way of paying things forward.

Read more about the Sleekgeek Healthy Habit Coaching Program and how to take up the special offer here: http://www.sleekgeek.co.za/coach-trial

Photo:

Photo:
Yes I can!
And YOU can too.
The age old question
"How do you eat an elephant"..."one piece at a time"...
applies to the tasks set in this challenge as well.
Need to do 50 push-ups?
5 sets of 10 sounds easier to achieve.
And a tip...
In the final set count backwards, 10 down to 1,
psychologically it makes it seem that there are less to do. 


Photo:
This is my commitment to myself,
and by extension to my family as well.
There will be Burpees and there will be days that I don't feel like training
or eating clean...
but I will persevere!

Saturday, July 15, 2017

My new challenge begins! I review Week 1




Let it begin...
It seems that I have to respond to the Bat signal as THIS landed in my in box this morning. Day 1? Hi Ho, Hi ho, lets get this party started shall we? Have a great week all.








Day 1:
My lesson today was 'time'. And I think that I handled it very well. I have to say that it was not what I was expecting, given the other challenges I have done. But I do understand that the base habits are important to long term goals. That being said, the 45 minutes I wasted at the Johannesburg Licensing department could have been spent more productively. But, I made the best of it and left with smile and no license...it has to be re-ordered, and I need to return in three weeks. My food intake today was also more controlled. Fruit,veg and ostrich steak for supper. And I went to gym this morning. All in all a productive and invigorating day. Now to bed, as I have to be up early to see what Day 2 holds in store for me.

Thoughts on Day 2:
This morning I was thinking about the concept of "time". Does the PN coaching mean "time" in the dictionary definition, or could it be something more philosophical. We all complain that we don't have enough "time", yet each of us have the same number of hours in a day. What we do with them is what causes us to lose "time". We surround ourselves with electronic devices that are supposed to save us those elusive minutes,seconds, and hours. But do they? I don't believe that they do. We waste precious time by giving our attention to Facebook, Instagram and the like. Do they add to our day? Or do they distract from our allotted daily time? Why do we allow that to happen? How many times have you said "The day just ran away from me"? (My hand is up!) Why did we allow that to occur? Because we needed an excuse at the end of the day for not achieving our goals? It almost happened to me today. When the PN email arrived this morning I was so busy with my Blog and Facebook that I was about to leave it for later. Then I stopped myself, closed all the open windows that would distract me and listened and read the daily task. The (relatively) few minutes that it took set me on the right path for the rest of the day. I intend to try and make this part of my habit...and relying less and less on Apps for what might be seen as validation. It is not always easy, but it will take a conscious effort on my part to make the most of every minute of every day. Procrastination is the thief that robs us in broad daylight and we don't even notice that our space is being invaded. We have alarms to protect us in our homes, so too should we have an internal alarm that makes us aware when our "time" is being stolen. I am grateful and blessed.



This is how I started off  Day 3!
It is the first time that I have run a morning 5km in a long while.
Some months ago, I got really ill and that 
put me back as far as training was concerned.
It was also winter is South Africa, which was not conducive
to getting up in the pitch dark to regain my fitness levels.
But now that my feet are firmly on this new path,
I am "making time" to exercise, despite my own protestations.
This is how my day began. The first time that I have run 5km since being sick! Not a great time(for me currently) but I was looking for distance rather than speed.
But why am I posting a running picture on this coaching page? I will tell you why.It was part of my "time" today. I was not going to run, but I had scheduled it, just like some other tasks that I had to get through...and I did. Time has always been an issue for me. As I child it was drummed into me to be early rather than on time. Being late, even by 1 minute was never an option. Over the years I have rebelled to the point where I would be late on purpose, just to prove that I could. That anarchic stage has now passed and I find myself in a better place...time wise. One where I am in control and aware. This "time" task is merely re-enforcing that fact.


Not a good day mentally.
Just one of those days where I asked "WHY".
And that was for all aspects of my life currently.
Was I able to answer myself, not really.
But what it DID do was allow me to focus on what makes me feel this way.
Is it of my own making or am I allowing outside influences to distract me?
And the conclusions that I came to...
Just a stone in the road, tomorrow WILL dawn brighter
and I WILL be able to see the context of what made me feel this way.
Hindsight is always 20/20...

Day 5 dawned and turned out to be better than Day 4.
Part of my "time" was to look back at how far I have come.
Both with and without the help of SG.
That being said, I would not have maintained what I have
where it not for the support of this on-line community.
I have found that my "task-for-the-day" arrives at roughly the same time every morning.
This is itself has entrenched the time habit.
I open, and do the tasks immediately.
It gives me a sense of accomplishment that prepares me for the rest of the day
For those who are wondering if  this coaching is only about 'time',
it is not...but to find out the rest, what not take advantage of the FREE month.






NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING...
But a pleasant surprise never the less.
Today was the day I had been dreading...
Time for images and measurements!
I have to admit that I was surprised by what the tale of the tape told me.
And in a positive way!
Why do we all believe the negative things that we continue to tell ourselves?
Is it not "time" to take control and celebrate who and what we are?
I think that it is...


And, just like that Week 1 comes to an end.
Certainly the coaching was NOT what I was expecting,
but it has reinforced my feelings about healthy habits.
Or any habits for that matter.
Do them long enough and they become second nature.
Like breathing, you don't even have to think about doing them...
they just happen.
Make the most of each day...
The time for me this past week was well utilized.
I look at my calendar and every task on every day has been ticked off.
A gentle Sunday planned as I prepare for the new week.
I am excited about what lies ahead,
and how each week will bring me closer to my goal.


Free Trial with Sleekgeek Coaching

If you are interested in creating healthy habits, change and a lifetime of health then here is an offer you cannot ignore. 


SG set up a "trial" for a limited amount of people where they get to try the first month of Group Coaching with us for only R10 rather than the full price of R299. The R10 is simply an admin fee in order to enroll you in the system and SG will be donating the trial fee to a charity as a way of paying things forward.

Read more about the Sleekgeek Healthy Habit Coaching Program and how to take up the special offer here: http://www.sleekgeek.co.za/coach-trial

Photo:

Photo:
Yes I can!
And YOU can too.
The age old question
"How do you eat an elephant"..."one piece at a time"...
applies to the tasks set in this challenge as well.
Need to do 50 push-ups?
5 sets of 10 sounds easier to achieve.
And a tip...
In the final set count backwards, 10 down to 1,
psychologically it makes it seem that there are less to do. 


Photo:
This is my commitment to myself,
and by extension to my family as well.
There will be Burpees and there will be days that I don't feel like training
or eating clean...
but I will persevere!