The ‘FNL’ – Friday Night Lifter
by Matt Hodges
23 August 2012
Gym-Blagger [ˈjim-bla-gerɪ] Brit slang, offensive
n pl Gym-blaggers
1. (Social Science / Peoples) a person, mainly male, who has no spatial awareness for his/her or others fitness and health
2. (Social Science / Peoples) (loosely) a person who regards their overall ego more important than their form adj
1. (Social Science / Peoples) People who discount all logic for big biceps
2. (Social Science / Peoples) (loosely) denoting a person who thinks highly of ones self in the gym arena
The Importance Of Calisthenics
by Matt Hodges
16 July 2012
Calisthenics are exercises that use your bodyweight for resistance and are designed to strengthen and tone your muscles and increase muscular endurance. Derived from the Greek kalos, meaning beauty, and sthenos, meaning strength, calisthenics don’t necessarily require any exercise equipment.
While many trainers dismiss calisthenics as only being suitable for beginners or the less fit, I always believe that this type of no-frills exercise can be a valuable addition to just about any training program for absolutely EVERYONE!
Female Weight Lifting: Why Women NEED To Lift Compound Heavy
by Matt Hodges
06 July 2012
Ive recently had a heated debate with a female client of mine about this hot topic in the fitness industry. It became clear to me the unbelievable misconception of female weight lifting and actually how much people listen to whats written in the media. I thought it only appropriate, considering a high population of our clients that are female, that we should write an article to give our views on the subject.
Diary Of A Hardgainer – Part 2/2
by Matt Hodges
28 June 2012
I hope that those of you who read Diary Of A Hardgainer Part 1 can sympathise with some of the issues presented in the article. Part 2 is here to try to re-assure all those who find it hard to gain muscle and answer some of the questions that I see a lot of muscle building forums. Most of the questions all have a common answer, so before we go into each individual question I think it only appropriate that we tackle this little meany first………
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Beware the ‘Celebrity Trainer’
by Matt Hodges
19 June 2012
Let’s be honest. We all want to look our best, improve our health and fitness levels and in some cases, achieve the body or look of our favourite actor or actress. Why not? They’re glamorous, beautiful and usually have the body of a Greek god or goddess. In addition to this, stars in the action genre also have to be in peak physical shape for the demands of their roles and to do this they have to adhere to a strict regimen of diet and exercise. The difference between us and them is that, usually they have a well paid personal trainer and nutritionist to help them stay on track and these days an increasing number of everyday folk are following suit.
Diary Of A Hardgainer – Part 1/2
by Matt Hodges
26 April 2012
After a drastic (or what I thought drastic) 10 minutes with the tape measure and a decreasing level of low self esteem I find myself writing up this article not about the size of my manhood, no, but the on-going battle I have with muscle and my motivation to build the stuff.
The Hybrid Single Leg Exercise
by Matt Hodges
09 March 2012
You want to make your legs stronger? The Hybrid Single Leg Exercise is a great one to try.
You essentially get two exercises in one:
- Reverse lunge
- Single leg Romanian deadlift (RDL)
Vita Coco
by Matt Hodges
06 March 2012
Overview
Having been in the fitness industry for many years now, I tend to see products/services crop up every year that everyone latches on to and more than likely it’ll be celebrity endorsed. Most do not have the longevity and end up being a topic of conversation in a few years time:
The ‘Cross-Over Set’ – fluidity in sessions
by Matt Hodges
15 February 2012
Definition
On the days that you wish to train two large muscle groups an effective way of bridging the gap between isolation exercises is to practice Cross-Over setting. The Cross-Over set refers to three sets that link two muscle groups via a superset and always compound. This set can be solely resistance based exercises or a cardio/resistance based circuit.
How To Get Strong Without Using Heavy Loads
by Matt Hodges
02 February 2012
Traditionally athletes have got stronger by lifting heavy weights, or in other words incorporating exercises with a high external load.
Examples include:
The back squat, where a heavy loaded barbell is placed across the upper back.
The military press, where a heavy barbell is pressed from the shoulders overhead.
The deadlift, where a heavy barbell is lifted off the floor.
