From my recent experience of transforming gyms in Dublin like Be Fit For Life from a 3,000 sq ft gym to a 6,000 sq ft luxurious state of the art facility, you need to follow the same step-by-step guide that we did if you want to be successful in transforming your body. There are 5 fundamental principles that should help you reach your goals.   1. Start With a Vision It’s important you take the…

Exercises like chin-ups that fight against gravity develop more muscular physiques Testosterone levels in men have decreased by 20pc in the last 20 years. Why is this significant? Because it’s directly related to the reason why men get man boobs. Testosterone is the raw material needed to build muscle. While it has decreased, the level of the female hormone oestrogen in men has risen, which is why it’s not uncommon to see so many overweight…

Does your trainer utilise a training variable called “Tempo” in their group training programmes? It was a great addition to training in the fitness world originating from Australian strength coach Ian King and Canadian strength coach Charles Poliquin. Charles Poliquin AKA the Strength sensei introduced the 4 digit version of tempo into training It is normally written as a 3 digit number (originated by Ian King), or as a 4 digit number (originated by Charles…

They’ve started to appear a while ago. I didn’t think about them at first, although I did notice them, slowly multiplying as the years passed. I’m talking about my grey hairs of course, which provide a stark reminder that we all succumb to the ageing process. The difference is that the rate of decline in physical appearance, energy and well-being will vary from person to person. You can delay the signs of ageing. The good…

The emergence of fitness gyms in Dublin over the past few years is both a blessing and a curse. It gives people who want to engage in a healthier lifestyle more options to begin their fitness journey. Unfortunately, if exercise is the drug of choice, the instructors, coaches and personal trainers who are administering the prescriptions to gym goers are poorly educated and inexperienced. Exercise is the drug of choice, but you get the wrong…

Get out of your comfort zone and train hard if you want a beach body Maybe you’ve been away already this summer or perhaps you are one of those lucky ones with a holiday still to come. At this time of year the ‘beach body’ countdown is unavoidable. But often the excitement of looking forward to a sun-kissed summer holiday is offset by the fear and anxiety about exposing your flesh. The image you have…

It is common for coaches, self-proclaimed “weight loss experts” and any Dublin personal trainer to highlight their clients’ successes via the medium of social media. But the client’s success is often defined in terms of weight loss, and fails to include details of what ratio of that weight loss was muscle, fat or water. The weight on the scales is not a great reference point for your success. It is often the source of great…

In personal training, a Dublin personal trainer recognises that each client is an individual and has different requirements when they train, depending on training experience, ability, injury history and also physical attributes. However, when it comes to a Dublin bootcamp, small group training, Crossfit WOD’s, Body Pump classes, the Dublin personal trainer conveniently forgets all these differences and adopts a “Cookie-Cutter” one size fits all approach which unfortunately increases your risk of injury. At Be…

There have been some inspiring victories in the recent Euro 2016 football competition – Iceland’s defeat of England and Wales’s triumph over Belgium are two that spring to mind. But what are the lessons from Euro 2016? A coach can see what you can’t see In adversity it is important to have belief, as you may be required to lead and inspire those around you. This is something we’ve also seen in Euro 2016 –…

Has the passing of time been good or bad for a personal trainer in Dublin looking to improve his knowledge of training and nutrition? Twenty years ago the only way to acquire knowledge from true experts was to travel and intern with them, attend live presentations and seminars, direct consultations or to order their latest publications and tape cassettes via mail order. Has the advent of technology such as the internet, MP3, Podcasts, blog posts,…