I have posted far less about myself over recent months. The reason being, well why would anyone want to read about my training? I mean, that's your job right?

But I thought a little harder and on closer inspection, I'm not any different from any of my clients. For example, I have long working hours. I have the same time pressures to try and fit in my training, prepare my food, and get adequate sleep. I have social occasions to attend, and temptations to try and resist! I have family and friends that I have to balance.

So, I guess my point is, rather than seeing myself as somehow different or separate from my clients, we are all in the same boat.

So here is where I am at with my training. I am preparing for a Physique Competition in May under the guidance of my coach. Yes, all coaches need a coach. These photos are 4 weeks apart. The goal of the first phase of training was to:
-Improve structural balance
-Improve strength in large ranges of movement
-Ensure good movement patterns
-Ensure proper activation of muscles during exercises

During this phase I managed to gain 2kg in weight whilst getting leaner. Did I train every day? No I trained 4 x per week with 2 recovery days consisting of steady state cardio.

Did I want to die after every session? Far from it! Some sessions felt relatively easy. Sure, I worked hard but this was easy compared to some training I have done in the past.

Did I ever take a set to complete failure? Nope. I left around 2 reps in the tank on most sets.

So why am I telling you this?

1) You can only ever progress to those really hard phases of training having done the groundwork first.

So many people skip over this point. It isn't sexy. However, you won't be able to get through those hard phases without doing these foundational phases.

2) You don't need to feel as if you are dying after every session.

Sure, there is a time and place for those sessions. However, these should be planned phases, interspersed with 'easier' blocks of training. If you are putting the pedal to the metal all the time you will crash at some point.

3) There is a time and a place for training to failure, however, these should be planned and infrequent. You CAN make great progress without going to failure.

4) You should take time to ensure you are properly executing exercises and activating the right muscles before adding lots of load. What's the point of lifting more weight badly? Injury will be the only outcome.

5) You should hire a coach. This isn't a plug to hire my services. I think everyone should have a coach in some capacity. Someone to offer guidance. To take away the guesswork. To push you further than you thought possible. To tell you how AND why. To be there for support.

So, there you go. That's what I'm up to at the moment. If you find any of this insight useful then feel free to comment