is a big question and one that may of us just cannot answer. The reason for this is that we are a very complex beast and we are constantly plagued with ideas and suggestions from every corner. For example there’s always the latest fad program that’s designed to remove body fat, instantly grow muscles and give us all the mobility we need. Oh and of course it all comes with a shake to make it go down easier!

Boy if it was that easy we’d all look like Hercules or Miss Universe.

There are however some key elements to our health and fitness and top of my list is ensuring that we undertake an exercise regime that makes us fitter and more prepared for what we do in our everyday activities. Sure for some the goal of looking super muscled and chiselled is the main game, however for most the effort required to get there just doesn’t fit into their lifestyle, so how do we workout to complement what we do every day?

Functional Movement and rotation. Every day we bend over, we twist our torso, we step forward and down to pick things up, we reach up, we lift heavy things, we balance on one leg, we get in and out of vehicles, we push trolleys, we pull weeds out of the garden. All of these require strength and mobility and if we don’t continually work on strengthening and correctly positioning the core parts of out bodies they will fail us.

Functional Movement and rotation training comes in many forms, such as traditional Squats, Crawls, Deadlifts,  plus newer styles involving the use of Kettlebells and strap based apparatus like RIP:60 and TRX. The aim with all of these methods is to mimic every day movement patterns and to provide strengthening and lengthening of muscles and joints.

The amount of weight you lift, pull or push is not as important as completing these forms of exercise to improve your strength, mobility and agility.

Ageing into your 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond doesn’t have to mean the end of staying stronger, fitter and healthier and if you adopt measures and exercise habits to incorporate strength and mobility you’ll stay agile enough to enjoy getting out and taking in the beauty on your doorstep.

If you live in or around Melbourne you’re blessed with a plethora of parklands, walkways, bike paths and beaches. It would be a shame if you missed out on taking advantage of these because you didn’t have the energy, or worse still had fallen or hurt your back due to lack of core strength.

Most of the above mentioned exercise routines can be done from home, or work or in your local park. Very little or no equipment is needed. The main element you need is yourself and a goal of achieving a habit of exercise that will enable your body to stay Stronger, Fitter and Healthier for LONGER.

Do some research (google it) on “functional movement” and “suspension training” for tips on how to get started.

Don’t wait for the doctor to tell you to do it, just start doing it. As always if you need some assistance reach out to me.

The post Heath and Fitness – What do I need? appeared first on Ageless Force Fitness.

There are plenty of options, for example:

1. Do nothing. The consequences of this decision will soon be laid bare. You’ll probably shy away from going to the beach, or the local pool or wearing anything that even slightly shows off your best points. But these are just the aesthetic side of you, the almost immaterial aspect of not doing what needs to be done to keep your body and mind in great health.

   Of far more importance is the impact this decision will have on you now and long into the future. For every extra kilo you put on, you increase the risk of preventable diseases walking straight in your front door. Yep the nasties like Diabetes, High blood pressure, Heart disease, Cholesterol problems and of course the not so obvious problems of Mobility and Agility.

2. Get active and exercise. Get naked, put yourself in front of the mirror and critically assess where your historical decisions have taken you. Think about the nasties and then think about all the great things you could be doing if you can control the amount of energy you consume versus the amount of energy you can burn. Exercising must be fun or you won’t stick at it. Find a friend and do something together or seek out a local personal trainer and create a program together that suits who you are, what you need and what will work for you over a long period of time. Exercising on a regular basis needs to become a habit and habits are only formed if you like what you’re doing.
3. Create a healthy eating plan. Not only does being active give you a better body, it also saves you money. Yes that’s right. By being more conscious of your energy intake you make better purchase decisions when it comes to the foods you need in order to look great. You’d be surprised by how much you can eat and still have a great body at the same time, but the trick is in eating the right types of food. You need to eat much less processed foods and much more fresh foods, particularly vegetables. Veges are high in minerals, vitamins and many of the building blocks we need to perform at our best. Take a look at this simple guide for an idea of how to adopt a better eating style.

For over 30 years I’ve adopted a lifestyle of moderation, together with a regime of exercise and I’m proud to say that I’m in the best shape of my life, enjoying all manner of physical activities as a result. A typical week for me includes gym sessions at least 4 times, one swimming session, one bike session and one game of golf, plus an hour or two walking. Whilst my typical week isn’t for everyone the fact that I’m able to to do it is the message I want to share with you. Physical and mental wellness is a place we’d all like to be in, for as long as we possible can. By working diligently at your physical appearance you will put yourself in more control and you will feel better about yourself.

If you feel you don’t know enough to get started on a new course, by all means give me a call or send me a note.

All the best and stay Stronger, Fitter and Healthier.

The post Spring is coming! appeared first on Ageless Force Fitness.

Week 1 was definitely just an introduction as it didn’t stress my body to the extent that I would normally stress it via my free weights based workout.

Enter the Week 2 RIP60 transformation challenge. It’s at this point that more movement is added to the routines. What I mean by that is getting both sides of the body to move alternately, much as you would do in every day activities, but with the added resistance of putting bodyweight into positions where strength is required to perform a function. For example performing a Plank, but with your feet raised 40cm off the ground and hanging in the RIP60 straps, or doing the reverse of that by laying on your back and placing your feet in the same straps but then raising and lowering your bum off the floor. This has the effect of working both your hamstrings and your abs at the same time.

The intensity levels were raised a little but not the point where I felt that I couldn’t complete the workout.

Of particular note is the time dedicated to effectively warming up. Injury prevention is critical to achieving great fitness results and the warm up is designed to prepare you for the more gruelling aspect of the workout. I think the warm up lasts for 10-12 mins and extends through all muscle and joint groups so that you’re firing on all cylinders by the time the program proper begins. If you’re considering RIP60 or TRX please make sure you adhere to the manufacturers recommendations for warming up and cooling down.

I’m looking forward to Week 3. I’ve viewed the video and it definitely steps up both cardio and resistance components and adds in many more alternate movements in a superset style approach. I think I’m ready for it though.

Good luck in your health & fitness endeavours and as always stay Stronger, Fitter and Healthier.

The post Week 2 RIP60 Transformation Challenge appeared first on Ageless Force Fitness.

My Week 1 RIP60 Transformation Challenge has just ended and the style of exercise is quite different from my normal workout routine. To give you some context my normal routine is as follows:

• 10 minute warm up including Bike 8 mins, followed by skipping, star jumps, and a few other exercises designed to get all body parts warm as well as raising my heart rate.
• 80 crunches
• 80 reverse crunches
• 80 leg raise crunches
• bench press x 3 sets
• flat flies x 3 sets
• chin ups 2 x max
• shoulder press x 3 sets
• front shoulder raises x 3 sets
• seated row x 3 sets
• tricep pushdowns x 2 sets
• upright rows x 3 sets
• barbell curls x 3 sets
• dumbbell curls x 3 sets
• 5 min cooldown stretches

The RIP60 workout is similar in that it includes most of the above exercises but instead of doing them in sets it is mostly time based, eg 1 min duration for each exercise. This method achieves both a strength and cardiovascular component at the same time, which for an objective that needs to include both, achieves a great outcome.

RIP60 does this through a new method of exercising called “Functional Movement” which involves multi-planar and multi-joint movements – essentially mimicking every day movement patterns.

It differs quite a bit from my usual routine in that my routine is more specific to isolated muscles or groups of muscles. If your aim is achieve muscle mass then the RIP60 may not be the answer for you, however if you want an all over strong, agile, mobile, lean body then RIP60 may well be the answer to your dreams.

The week 1 routine takes about 50 mins to complete and within that there is a serious amount of time awarded to warm up and cool down. The reason for this is that in a RIP60 workout you are stressing a lot of body muscles at the same time. For example while you are performing a chest press your core stomach muscles are also engaged due to the angle of the routine plus the fact that you are being suspended via your grip on the RIP60 bands.

The core resistance/cardio part of the routine only takes about 25 of the 50 mins but in that time you are working hard and fast. Each exercise routine has a duration of 1 min and as mentioned earlier hits multiple areas of the body every time you engage with the system.

Given that I was in good physical shape before commencing the challenge I haven’t found week 1 too difficult. I am expecting this to change as I go forward into week 2 and beyond. I look forward to seeing what I feel about the results and will definitely be interested to see whether I can judge specific change in how my body looks.

More at the end of week 2’s challenge.

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Are you at Risk of being a Diabetes sufferer? This is a big question and Diabetes Australia has developed a 10 step question to help you understand your level of risk.

Diabetes is a killer and it gains 280 new members every day. That’s a new diagnosis every 5 minutes. Currently over 1,000,000 Australians have Diabetes and an estimated 2 million Australians are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and are already showing early signs of the condition.

How does diabetes affect the body?

Diabetes is serious

Why is diabetes increasing?

Symptoms

The post Are you at Risk of being a Diabetes sufferer? appeared first on Ageless Force Fitness.

RIP60 is an exciting new style of exercise, creating an all over body transformation experience, largely without anything but the RIP60 bands and my own body weight.

I can perform all the usual strength exercises like Chest press, flat flies, bicep curls, tricep extensions, squats, etc with the added benefit of being able to combine many exercises for a compound exercise experience.

The 8 week program is suggested by the RIP60 creator and is designed to transform weak and tight muscles into a streamlined machine.

I’ll be reporting weekly on my progress right here in this blog article. The sorts of effective change I will be measuring includes:

Weight, fat%, muscle growth, visual changes.

Join with me as I take this journey. I’m hoping it will be fun, tough and above all an affirmation that this new style of exercise can get the results the suppliers say it will.

The post My 8 Week RIP60 Transformation Challenge appeared first on Ageless Force Fitness.

This routine is for beginners to intermediate levels of fitness and directs exercises to all parts of the body, providing an all over workout.

The routine is looking to achieve a balance between expanding your heart and lungs capacity, whilst at the same time strengthening muscles and bones.

Why should I do strength training, don’t I just need to walk to stay fit and healthy?

Strength training has benefits no matter what your age, but it is particularly important as you get older. As we age, we lose muscle mass and bone density, resulting in much of the loss of function we associate with getting older.

But you are never too old to gain muscle strength—and that’s not all you can gain! An appropriate strength training program can also assist you in:

• Maintaining your independence and ability to do day-to-day tasks and leisure activities—shopping, involvement in sporting activities,  gardening, climbing stairs and visiting places where you may need extra strength, eg lookouts
• Improving your posture, balance, coordination and flexibility
• Feeling better about yourself—more confidence, self esteem and capacity to enjoy life
• Preventing or improving management of chronic conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
• Managing your weight – as with any exercise you are using more energy than you would if you were not being active.

– See more at details about strength training visit this website:

It is my aim that you will use this exercise workout program to assist you to achieve your goals for your personal health and fitness.

Look after yourself first so that you can look after others.

Live Stronger, Fitter and Healthier.

The post 30 Min Cardio with Strength Element Workout appeared first on Ageless Force Fitness.

Let’s think back a few years, to a time when we either worked primarily with our hands and when we didn’t have enough disposable income to pay someone else to do our manual chores. Statistically we were a much healthier mob. For instance our rate of overweight and obesity in 1995 was 56% and now it edging towards 63%.

We are now the most sedentary generation to have walked the earth and it’s getting worse. Experts predict that Australia’s obesity rate will keep rising, which will put even greater strain on our health system. If current trends continue, it is estimated to increase for both males and females and across the age span, resulting in around one third of 5-19 year olds being overweight or obese by 2025, as well as 83% of males and 75% of females aged 20 years and over. For Australia, this would represent 16.9 million people. This is a staggering forecast and you can read more about obesity on the Victorian Government Health Channel website.

Does it have to be this way? Well the answer is yes unless we all take some positive steps to change it.

A major way that we can bring about change is to change our habit towards exercise. If we are intent on eating more and the facts say that we are, then we need to find a way of using up all that extra energy. Working a sedentary job and not being active outside of work is not going to ward off the inevitable increase in fat due to our increased appetite.

Attitude to exercise is where the greatest challenge is. As I mentioned earlier in this article 40-50 years ago we didn’t have to specifically think of exercise because we incidentally got it. Most families only had one car, most children walked to school and when they came home they played outside until being called for dinner. We now have changed that scenario forever so we need to consciously replace the incidental exercise with a planned program.

There are a myriad of options to getting this done:

Go it alone. Do some research on the Internet and find an exercise routine that works for you, ie it fits in with your (probably) quite busy schedule, then do the routine at home or work. This is the most cost effective method but also the one that places the heaviest demand in terms of effort. You have to do everything and whilst on the surface it might seem easy, there is a a bit of work researching and preparing and if you’re unsure of what to do, it might also be the most overwhelming.

Join a local Gym. A great option if you like being with others as you workout. There is also the added bonus of being part of a social group. From a cost effectiveness perspective the Gym is your next most cost effective option. You get an initial workout program designed for you and have it reviewed periodically by a instructor. You are largely left alone to do your workout but have the support of friends around you. If you don’t like crowds or mirrors this may not be the best option for you.

Connect with a Personal Trainer and take up their bootcamp style group training sessions. You’ll get a trainer who is committed to getting you the results you’re looking for as well as closer attention to what activities work best for you. Each session is dynamic and will keep you on your toes. You have the added benefit of a small group, working together, encouraging each other and going through similar journey’s.

Lastly if you’re still not confident that you can make change happen, enlist the support of a Personal Trainer to specifically work with you one on one to create a program that encompasses not only exercise but also nutrition, making a balanced approach to exercise and better health.

Time is not your enemy, it’s attitude and this is something you can change.

Exercise is not an elective it is an imperative.

Help yourself and you’ll be helping others. Be a leader not a follower. Above all be active in your pursuit of being Stronger, Fitter and Healthier.

Good luck and good exercising. If you need help just give me a call.

The post Why Exercising is not an elective! appeared first on Ageless Force Fitness.

Why would any of us want to lump ourselves which such a degenerative disease? What do we get in return for a dedicated life of overeating and under exercising? PAIN! and lots of it.

Hardship –

Let’s be frank. Obesity is not cool, it’s not attractive and it’s not necessary. We have the best food in the world, we have the best of education, we have the best exercise facilities and we have the time to manage our input and what we are putting in our mouths. The rules of the game are simple enough. Put an amount in that you reasonably expect to use up in the course of your daily activities. So long as there’s a balance of in and out you’ll have your weight under control and be much more likely to enjoy your self a whole lot more.

Hardship comes from within and also outside. Obesity makes it hard for you to be proud of yourself, the way you look compared to people who are slimmer is a constant cause of concern and it gets to you, so why put up with it when there is an alternative. Life is difficult enough, without putting preventable pressure on yourself. You also know that other people look at you and are either dismayed or attempt to get a laugh at your expense.

Immobility –

For me one of the big no-no’s of obesity. The inability to get around as freely and as effortlessly or as quickly as someone half your size is no fun.

Doctor visits –

Who really enjoys going to the doctor and if you’re obese the reason you’re there will be to either check on your heart, your joints, diabetes or a pill top up for some other disease that can easily be attributed to your obesity.

Excuses –

I don’t know about you but I hate making excuses and if I have start making them because I’m masking the weight I’ve put on I really am on a very slippery slope.

There is a better way. We’ve all seen shows like the Biggest Loser and whilst we may not agree with their tactics or inducements, we would have to be motivated by the contestants life changing efforts. If they can do it so can you. There is help and it’s not too far away, you just have to be open and ready to accept that there is another way.

Reach out to friends, family and others who have had success in getting their weight problem back under control. There are so many things waiting for you to experience if you get back your mobility, energy and zest for life. The Ageless Force community is also there to provide inspiration and support.

We’ve just learned that Jamie Oliver is attempting to make inroads into this epidemic and has started a movement via change.org. You too can help by supporting the petition that Jamie has created. You can sign it here.

The post Why are so many of us not scared of being obese? appeared first on Ageless Force Fitness.

I want to explore this as it appears that most people know very little and it’s such an important topic that spreading the news about it is a task we should all take on with gusto, determination and persistence.

The guidelines are pretty clear on providing a good balance of protein, fibre, carbs and fats and make it quite easy for us to adopt a healthier eating plan.

The guidelines are:

The table is all good but what does it mean in practical terms:

Women:

Men:

This sample meal plan is for a man aged 19-50 years of average height, healthy weight and light activity.

The above are samples only but give a very good indication of meal sizes. Unfortunately everyone seems to be busier these days and it’s not always possible to follow a strict meal plan, but your goal should be to concentrate on why the guidelines are worth following. It’s all about “your” health and your ability to enjoy every day without the fear of the dreaded “preventable disease”. Being overweight or obese is a recipe for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes II as well as heart disease. These diseases will either bring your life to a premature end or make your life miserable.

Do yourself and your family a big favour. Take a close look at these guidelines and give them a go. At the same time ask yourself whether you’re hitting your exercise target of at least 30 minutes a day. Stay tuned for some helpful words on that topic.

Let me know how you go, I and others who read my articles are always interested in how you are tackling the big issues of health and fitness.

The post How much do you know about the “Healthy Eating Guidelines”? appeared first on Ageless Force Fitness.