Mardi Gras coming to Sydney!

Well it's only a few short (still heatstruck) days until the Mardi Gras parade in Sydney ... and what a kerfuffle! There's more people in the gyms, a lot more tourists out and about soaking up the sun and the atmosphere, and a definite buzz in the air!

Mind you, it might just be living within 100m of the parade route that means I'm probably more susceptible to the excitement...

So as a service to those in the parade, attending the parade or any of the numerous parties around this time  - straight or gay, boy or girl - here's a couple of tips to keep yourself fresh and fabulous in February :)

Mardi Gras 2010 YouTube Video

Plan
Know when your parties are on,  when work is on, and how much sleep and rest you can afford in between. Yes it is well known that after a big party weekend there is very little in the way of productive work done, but you still don't want to be ticking through your month like a zombie (even if it's a zombie in a Herringbone shirt).

Sleep and Rest
7-8 hours a night sleep please - at a minimum! Exercise, brain function, sanity, energy ... all these things will drop nastily the less sleep you have. Make up lost time in the sack (and by this, I'm counting sleeping hours...!) with naps, extra long sleeps before and after the party.
Rest I classify differently to sleep, and differently to sitting on a sidewalk aimlessly staring at things whilst you try to remember where you are. My version of rest is something you really enjoy doing that either relaxes you, takes your mind somewhere else enjoyable, or makes you laugh. I'm not even going to begin to outline the benefits of taking in some proper "rest" time. Just do it !

Exercise
Fancy me talking about exercise .. here of all places (!) Exercise in the weeks leading up to, and after the party will have you looking and feeling your best.
If you've been aiming to look good this season you will have been doing at least some cardio and resistance exercise for a few weeks - kudos to you! The good news is you get to keep it up! Have a day off exercise before the party (no such thing as lasting "party pump" I'm afraid -it's just muscle wasting waiting to happen) and maybe the day after - but no more than that.

If you manage to feel a bit hazy after your frivolity finishes, get thee back to the gym again tout de suite! You'll feel at least a hundred bucks after your first workout back, and back to normal again within a further one or two.

Food
I can't stress this enough - eat! Good food and drink will ensure you stay fuelled for your best performance yet.
* Eat often (every 3-4 waking hours)
* Something with even a small amount of protein (~10-20g) in it each time you eat (aids satiety, keeping you feeling satisfied, and helps keep your body's nitrogen balance up for muscle repair)
* Eat as close to natural foods as possible (fruits especially berries, nuts and seeds, salads, unprocessed meats, milk, grains)
* Keep meals small, especially close to bedtimes.

Drink
Water water everywhere, so no excuse not to drink! 8-12 glasses of fluid a day, and a little more when exercising (read: dancing on a float or in a party!) and when it's hot ... basically whenever you notice you sweat or pee more.

Have fun!
Having friends around, meeting new people and being part of an electric atmosphere - these are some of the best times  that life throws at you, so lap it up and enjoy every minute! I may rant sometimes but keeping bodily health up during this time is going to be the key to you having the very best time :)

Enough sleep!

Lately I've been noticing the big impact sleep has on daily living. Lack of sleep especially!

Life in Sydney is usually pretty darn great. Surry Hills in inner Sydney is wonderful - so close to everything, cafes, shops, nightlife - and work ! However it comes with a bit of a dark side (apart from the rowdy sportsgoers who regularly tramp down my street blind drunk after some random match that's concluded in the Telstra Stadium just nearby)...

Sydney over the last month or so - or could it be an eternity? - has been struck by the most horrendous humidity and night-time heat!

For new places where airconditioning (and the associated carbon "bigfoot"print) is a given, the evening slumber can be a well-moderated affair. Let me get this straight first of all: I actually do practice the mantra of quality sleep, by -

• Having a regular routine before bed that takes about 15 min (small serve yoghurt or protein powder in water, brush teeth, take supplements, light meditation/breathing exercises, set alarm clock and bedside light timer, close curtains, lie down).
• Keeping away from bright lights and TV for about the last hour before bed, and blocking out as much noise and light as possible in the bedroom overnight.
• Time my bedtime to allow for 7-8 hours sleep before having to wake up.
• Have a regular(ish) bedtime each night anyway.
• Not eat anything heavy or drink any alcohol or caffeine within the last few hours before bed.
• Generally not use the bedroom for anything but sleep and other bedtime-related activities... ie no work, checking emails, long reading sessions, weights workouts etc

This works for me and has done for years - normally after my little bedtime routine I put my head down on the pillow and am out within 30 seconds.

Case closed.

THEN comes the Sydney summer... 

No fan trained directly on one's person ; no bare-minimum pyjama set ; no extent of lying spread-eagled on top of all bedsheets, limbs placed strategically so as to minimise contact with anything that could be vaguely heat-producing ... can possibly take away the heat and icky humidity of a Sydney summer eve of late. 

And so gentle reader I have learned to experience what I hoped to never have to tolerate again (without it being self-inflicted ... January friends' birthday drinks, I'm looking at you) - long periods of being sinfully tired during the day. 

So as I pray for cooler evenings and the chance to not stick to the duvet - I bid you (..send portable airconditioners!!) - if your sleep is regularly poor, try a few of the tips above to help start improving it again. And pack light / shower often for your next trip to inner city Sydney.

Eyes wide shut

The last few weeks I've noticed in clients and in my own training something unusual. 

I'm always interested in getting the "right" movement for each exercise. Balancing both sides of your body and ensuring good muscle symmetry. Making sure your weight is resting evenly on either feet, or the sit bones for seated exercises, etc. There's so much movement possible at each joint and a fair whack of it is not really wanted. Strong stabiliser muscles do a world of good to improve the movement quality, and keep movements smooth and even... Until they fatigue. Then you get spine movement, twisting, uneven power and can do some serious throwing out of balance! Not only that, but your muscle gains may just be uneven.

I started closing my eyes for a few reps in exercises that don't require precarious balance (eg squats, bench press, shoulder press etc where the weight could fall). 

And voila! What a thing to actually experience!

All of a sudden you can block out the sights and distractions of the gym and really focus in on the correct muscles and joints! It is actually amazing what kind of feedback your joints and muscles give you, when you aren't taken up analyzing things visually. 

Movements just felt easier to control, and I could work on "feeling" the balance between left and right so much better. This whole world of opportunity arose - correcting form by analyzing it from the inside.

I've tried it now with a few clients, and continue to do at least half my sets at the moment with eyes shut (or at least trying to focus on the internal feeling -- let's just say it looks a little odd me working out with eyes closed, and it's not something that everyone should be doing!). The results are looking (feeling) good!

For the last few reps of a challenging free weight exercise, where normally I'll see the start of spinal/torso movement to compensate for a slightly weaker side - with "eyes shut" I can immediately notice an improvement in balance and movement quality. 

Pretty thrilled at the moment ! 

I will have to say though that it is not for everybody, nor for every exercise or rep. Total body co-ordination requires feedback from as many senses as possible - and vision is still our biggest by far when learning basic moves. 

But if you want to hone an exercise you're already pretty experienced at, give a few SAFE reps a go with your eyes shut, focusing on the muscles being worked on both sides. It'll add great quality to your workouts, and best of all help improve imbalances and muscle asymmetry.