TRX Cool Combo Warm Up: Squat, Row, Curl, Raise

Mardi Gras parade part II

Yes I know it's a while back now but am just now getting thoughts back together again!

I'll keep it brief :)

After the small matter of applying metallic gold body paint to every surface of our bodies (seriously, the only parts not covered were beneath underwear and that's it!) - a mere 3 hours in the make-up artists' workroom - it was off and out into the parade marshalling area for some dedicated pre-parade fun!

Or so we thought...

Apparently the gold paint, even sealed as it was by half a can of hairspray each (check out that carbon footprint!), was not to be touched by mere mortals. God-like we were whisked through the thronging marshalling area crowd - awash with colour, clamour, cleavage and costumery - but not allowed to touch another living or inanimate thing. Tough work when our shimmery forms were so appealing to the many photo-taking revellers that really make pre-parade so much fun normally!

So, left near our chariot (a converted table-top truck with wooden panelling and paintings of horses - really quite good actually!) we were to remain aloof from those who would come and look with their hands rather than their eyes. Yes we've all done that before.

The music pumped and the parade-goers partied to the warm-up routines of the different floats jammed into a Sydney backstreet near the parade start. So much fun to be had! It really is one of the best parts of being in the parade - soaking up all the atmosphere beforehand, with a few thousand others who have all dieted, worked out, sewed and body painted their way to fabulousness!

After another 3 hours of standing in costume (and working out every available move I could muster with my gilded 'discus') it was time to rev up the road onto the parade route. To the adulation of tens of thousands of spectators, we mounted our chariot and bunny-hopped onwards. We four golden Olympians (discus, javelin, bow and arrow and torch-bearer) stood toward the head of the massive Team Sydney float and attempted to do them honour with our masterful gesticulation with spray-painted replicas. What fun!! Look, suffice to say there's only SO many ways someone who's thrown maybe 2 discii in their life, can pretend to throw two taped-together plastic dinner plates - but you get my drift.

The crowd roared and cheered, the music swelled and the road to the finish line seemed to take a millennium. Amidst calls, whistles, shouts, the flurry of Team Sydney choreography around us - it was a sea of sights and sounds. What a rush being amongst it all, the attention of it all!! Cameras flashed, we lurched on and the night reached its crescendo as we passed Taylor Square - all hot and dripping with gold sweat!

I won't go into detail about the aftermath once we reached parade end, nor the aching feet or the gold paint in eyes - the elation of the evening was more than enough to keep me going for hours to come :)

Website update!

Look out on the Life Active website for new additions :

* Improving posture is as easy as One, Two, Three, Four


My method for helping anyone improve their posture by bringing attention to four simple points in the body. Forget gimmicks, straps, arduous hours in and out of heels - this is where it's at for more lift, better confidence and appeal!

In three parts, from sequential issues of DNA (Nov09, Dec09, Jan10) - read in order but allow yourself time to do the exercises in each before the next section.

www.lifeactive.com.au/articles/index.shtml  and follow the links at the bottom.

* April is all about Fitness!!


With the April DNA now out, I've concentrated on some myths and some insights into fitness. What is it? Why is it so desirable? How do I get me some??

All will be answered in a bit of a challenging magazine article.

For those not getting DNA, I'll post extracts soon. In the meantime, get in with some fitness basics and testing at:

www.lifeactive.com.au/articles/fitness tests.shtml

Mardi Gras season posting #1

Well what a crazy two weeks it’s been here in Sydney as the Mardi Gras season whisked upon us like some tumultuous technicolour tornado, whipping up a frenzy and leaving a wake of devastation (and underslept partygoers) in its wake.

This year seeing the Mardi Gras street parade and the MG after party separated by a week, brought many a raised eyebrow. And extra party or special event to attend! I actually quite enjoyed the idea of a “carnival” or “Festival” feel within the longer MG Festival. There was the opening ceremony (parade) culminating a week later with a closing party and official afterparty (Toybox).

Let me start with the parade J

Look, arguments over political meaning, relevance, cost, convenience blah blah aside – it still is one of the most colourful and fun events to grace the city streets in the year ! And with thousands of parade entrants rumbling down over a kilometer of parade route, in front of tens of thousands of crowd members (and hundreds of thousands of total viewers) – the gyms and parks of Sydney were al but jammed in the weeks leading up to the event. What a joy to behold! I sincerely hope they are all back there this week keeping up their good work (and their fabulous shapes!).

I got a chance this year again to be in the parade, as part of the Team Sydney float.

Team Sydney is the group of gay and lesbian sports and athletics clubs. Covering both social and competitive levels, it includes teams like the Wett Ones (swimming), Freezone (volleyball) and the Frontrunnners (running club). And look, I couldn’t be more in support of them! (Other than to be in one of the clubs which I should probably look into – ok so I was only introduced to TS this year officially!). A lot of people get scared off team sports and athletics in high school as they are made to feel awkward or uncomfortable – especially in competitive sports where sledging lends itself all sorts of nasty names and comments unfortunately flung across the field. That these guys have formed or joined the teams of Team Sydney is a great beacon to those who would like to be more active, but need more variety than just joining a gym or running around their neighbourhood park.

That besides the point – Team Sydney recruited 4 of us from Golds Gym Sydney to man the “chariot” in the 180-person strong tribute to sports and athletics throughout the ages. The brief – well, besides the costumes being very brief in initial planning! – was to have 4 golden “Greek Olympians” representing the ancient beginnings of formalized sports. There were 4 of us, two boys and two girls, each representing a particular activity: javelin, discus, archery and the Olympic torch run.

In the planning phases we were to be statues, imitating our particular sports in recognizable poses. Laurel wreaths were to be adorned, above glittering metallic gold bodies and classic “Greek style” skimpy clothing (the point was raised that Olympians used to train completely in the nude, however the idea to be completely accurate to form was immediately vetoed in favour of a more “family friendly” approach!).

With days to spare before the parade … each of the teams that were marching had organized their own co-ordinated dances and costumes to represent their own sports following on behind our “chariot” (a ute with wooden panels of horses and chariot wheels). Cheerleaders and flagbearers were to be followed up with Harlem Globetrotteresque basketballers. Our own little truck-top contingent was arranged to meet for full body painting on the afternoon before – hours of gold makeup application and preparation to ascend the parade route in gilded style …

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.