Strength is Beauty (From The Articles Archives)

By Shaun Davison

http://hybridfitnessgrafton.blogspot.com.au/

Julie K Hot and Strong... Crazy huh!

Many women are worried that strength training will make them bigger and bulkier. This is a myth and something females need to overcome. Every person regardless of sex needs to strength train, strength is the main component of fitness and arguably the most important, all the other aspects of fitness rely on strength. 



Guess that's why there's are saying that the strong will survive. Also strength and resistance training will stop the effects of losing our muscle mass as we age, without strength training we can lose up to 1kg of muscle mass a year which is normally replaced with fat and will eventually leave us weak and fragile. Strength training also has a great affect on how we look, it will not make you big and bulky but it will make you look curvy, athletic and toned.

Check out the picture of Heather Bergeron below, one of the fittest ladies on the planet.

As I said strength is beauty!

There are fair to many reason why you should be doing it and really scaring side affects if we don't. 

Please, please never shy away from strength training.


For more killer posts from Shaun check out his site at


http://hybridfitnessgrafton.blogspot.com.au/

Best,

PK

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What is a Burpee? (From The Article Archives)

This is definitely not me demonstrating a Squat-thrust, promise!

PK:          "Okay today we're going to do a ladder set of sprints and Burpees. We..."
Trainee:  "What is a burp-ee?"
PK:          "Here we go again..."

Maclean Highland Games Highlights 2014

GREAT SOUTHERN MAN...

Our greatest McCracken, an original elder, has achieved his one of his biggest goals. To be crowned King of the Maclean highland Games. But not only that but we had another victor in the women's category.

Maclean Highland Games Prep - Daniel McKim Caber Tutorial

 Pro Highland Competitor, Daniel McKim

I wanted to post a technique demonstration video by world champion Caber Tosser, Daniel McKim.

Pull Ups - Are you up to it? (From the Article Archives)

From the moment I came onto this earth, I have been your stereotypical Hardgainer. Being 6'3" and only 80kg, my physique has always been a battle. I loved playing football (Rugby League and Union), and was pretty good as a young bloke. However, once puberty kicked in the other kids got bigger, much bigger. And no matter how much I ate and all the early morning gym sessions at the South Grafton Pool and Gym, I could never put on muscle. I was facing a David & Goliath like Battle every time I stepped onto the field, and my body paid for the brutal hits.

But... my body was strong! Having a good atmosphere and experienced gym junkies around me, I learnt the ropes and worked the basics - Bench Press, Push Ups, BB Squats, Leg Press etc. But the one thing that I found got me astoundingly strong above all else, was the Pull Up!

Ever since I can remember I have loved Chin/Pull Ups.When I was growing up, my dad put a steel bar up between two beams in our garage, and my brothers and I put it to good use. We also use to do them off of our tree house and regularly climbed trees (we have scars and dings to prove it) in our neighborhood.
When I moved away to university, my cousin and I installed a gal pipe in a doorway. It was about this time that I truly got serious about my training and started to incorporate variations and extra resistance into my Pull Up program. To be honest with you, there may have even been a few late night Chin Up challenges held in the house.

This isn't me! I don't wear sweat pants haha

Over the years my appreciation for the Pull Up has grown greater and greater with every rep I do or get my athletes to perform. It's not just another 'Any-Old-Exercise' that should be placed amongst BOSU Balancing, or Tricep Kickbacks. If bodyweight exercises were royalty, the Pull Up would be King or Queen (Pistols and Push Ups could be argued). For most males it isn't that much of a task to get some reps done, but for females (through my years of coaching experience) it can be extremely hard or damn near impossible.

The MBT program over the last 6 months has been about changing just that, getting most if not all my athletes performing good quality pull ups. My female athletes, all of which are now on the cusp of completing one or multiple reps, are seeing the an amazing strength increase and cross-over effect. Push Ups are now becoming easier because their Lats are now stronger and performing their role as the antagonist to the Chest muscles. Grip strength is now improving which is seeing numbers for the free weight lifts sky rocket - And how could we forget the compound movement pattern of the pull up challenging most if not all muscles and forcing more cals to get chewed up than say a lat pulldown where you are seated.

Nothing brings a bigger sense of achievement for me, than when I see one of my athletes nail their first pull up - especially a female athlete. For my athletes at the moment Pull Ups are the holy grail in their training goals. So for a bit of inspiration here is a small selection of videos of females smashing out Pull Ups, while the form is red hot in all of them. The sheer fact that these ladies are dominating bodyweight training royalty, is enough to look passed the odd dodgy ROM.

50yr old - Chin Ups




Rep Madness - Try 39

Renegade With Top Form

Not Revolutionary, But Effective (From the Article Archives)

I love Sport...

Each year we get blessed with a new sporting event with 2010 being no different, if you haven't worked out, the Soccer/Football World Cup has hit South Africa.

Soccer (Sorry but i was raised calling it soccer) has always copped a bad rap when i was growing up i.e. called divers, soft "so-& so's" etc. I played when i was growing up and just took it back up and i can tell you the physical demands of this sport are much higher than most realise.

It is played for 90mins, broken up by 2 x 45min halves. Now i don't like to generalise too much but basically Soccer is 90mins of short sprinting, agility running and jumping. The demand it has on the lowerbody and cardiovascular system is intense, just look at Harry Kewell, he is lean (low body fat percentage) and has a decent amount of lean muscle mass.

Where am i going with this exactly, well as you may have heard, read, seen, experienced whatever, aerobic (steady state) cardio has limited uses and most of these are for aerobically dominant sports/athletes. In saying that most coaches of these sports/athletes are now adopting interval style training to reduce training volume for more training efficiency and preserving their athletes bodies over time.

Harry about to explode into an attack

So for those who want or need to incorporate cardiovascular training into their weekly lives, than logically interval training is the go. Why? Basically high intensity (interval) cardio burns energy after exercise whilst aerobic only really uses energy during exercise. So basically you can be sitting reading a book after a sprint session and still be burning calories. But for the Regular Joe's and Jane's trying to lose weight, get lean, tone, get more definition or whatever you want to call it, asking them to go to the local oval and do sprints is a big ask. The solution...

Social Sport aka "Pick Up" Games...

Now this concept isn't new and it's been promoted by coaches and trainers for years. Social or Pick Up is competitive sport played in a social setting i.e. backyard cricket or a game of soccer at a park. The beauty of Social Sport/Pick Up Games:

• It can be played with family/friends/acquaintances;
• It's fun;
• As long as you have some equipment it can be played just about anywhere; and
• It's a great workout as it's a less intense version of the real thing.

So you get all the benefits that the pros do just not as easily or as frequently. Therefore, whatever is interesting you at the moment - grab/buy some equipment, invite some friends, get out to the oval/court and play a game for 20-30mins. You'll get fresh air, sun, a good sweat and ENJOY THE BENEFITS.

Obama Loves Pick Up Basketball

 

Best,

 

PK

 

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Maclean Highland Games Highlights 2013

Calling all McCrackens...

It is time again for the Annual Maclean Highland Gathering, and I'm putting the word out for all the McCrackens to save the date and clean the rust off those highlander muscles.

Weekly Fluid Intake #1

Over the years I have enjoyed including snippets of my life as a Strength & Conditioning Coach and the people that have been working with me on my blog and facebook pages. Now that I have joined forces with Fluid Physio & Gym, each week I will add a quick insight-reflection into the work we are doing down at the centre. Now without further ado, here goes...

Active Meditation (Barstazz Inspiration)

I just saw this video and was straight away inspired to train and 'get-up-&-go-get-some'. Check this awesome little video out from the Barstarzz crew:





PK

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Oldie But A Goodie - Bodyweight Training

Long time no speak.

I was at a family function over the weekend and I had a discussion about bodyweight training and getting back to the roots of physical activity - mastering one's own body. I am a self-confessed lover of bodyweight training and hitting a park and doing gymnastics exercises etc.

PK vs. INJURIES

(This is my best attempt at a tough pose, sorry)

This is the first installment of my PK versus series, a collection of mini-articles to give you some hints and tips on hot training, health, lifestyle topics and many, many more. So let's get started...

Maclean Highland Gathering 2013

Easter is an amazing time of year for me - Chocolate, Family, Holidays and MACLEAN HIGHLAND GATHERING!

McCracken Clan 2012

"Improving Every Year!"

No Excuses Revisited

Jacob Lollback & Corey Jones

(Photo courtesy of goldcoast.com.au)

In 2010, I released a series of posts and videos on my site called the 'No Excuses' series, which featured my training, diet and general info after a major ankle injury I sustained playing Soccer. I was preparing for the Jacob Lollback Memorial (the first ever), and unfortunately was stuck in a 'moon boot' and using crutches for the majority of the lead up. But the purpose of the experiment was to train around my injury and see what I could achieve minus the standard training required to prepare for the event. I utilised a variety of resistance and bodyweight training combined with cardio, all with minimal emphasis on my legs. For a full explanation check out this link to my blogposts here:

NO EXCUSES POST 1

NO EXCUSES POST 2

NO EXCUSES POST 3

 or

NO EXCUSES VIDEOS LINK

So why exactly am I revisiting the No Excuses Series? Well I went and scored myself another annoying leg injury...

We Always Need Heroes - Jamie Mitchell

"We Always Need Heroes"

This is the first installment of a series about the people whom I hold as great inspiration or I look up to in my own life. The title of this series “We Always Need Heroes” came from something I hold important and that is to support those who serve and protect my freedom and my life. Each year I show my support to Legacy by purchasing one of their wristband which has “We Always Need Heroes” written on it. It leaves me a constant reminder to live life and value what I have. There is no objective judging criteria for my selections and I will explain why these people have made my list in each blog post. They will come from all walks of life and obviously those whom have achieved great physical feats will predominantly star in this series - however there will be some surprises in there too.

Calling all Richmond Residents (Smart Phone Friendly)...

Calling all Richmond Residents...

Training on Gorgeous Main Beach Yamba

I am privileged enough to have worked on this amazing beach for the last 6 years with some pretty amazing people.

Alzheimer's Disease (Dementia)

When it comes to health, we as professionals don't always have the answer. If you came up to me and asked if physical exercise and healthy lifestyle choices will stop any chances of someone getting any long term health issues like Cancer or Dementia, I can't honestly say that it would. It isn't as cut and dry when it comes to questions and answers like this.

A Morning At Hybrid Fitness

It has been a while since I have had time to get everything back to normal after my hectic move up to Lismore. Fortunately, I scored a few days back in the Clarence Valley last week and all I wanted to do was go check out the Hybrid Fitness new gym facility in Grafton.

Magnus Scheving aka Sportacus

I came across the kids show "LazyTown" whilst channel surfing, during my time laid up with a serious ankle injury. It's a great show about being fit and healthy as well as good morals laid out for the kids through its stories. The star of the show "Sportacus" is played by a former aerobic gymnast, Magnus Scheving, what I didn't know is that he is also the CEO, creator and co-founder of LazyTown Entertainment.