online personal trainer

Benefits of Exercising Outdoors

/in , , , /by

I love exercising outdoors. There is something about breathing in fresh air that helps you push a little bit harder. It’s also a nice change from being in the gym. You really can do a good workout outdoors anywhere, like a park, the forest or even your own garden. My programmes are designed to allow you to get the most out of any workout with minimal or no equipment, so you don’t need to be tied down to a gym membership.

Still need convincing? Well here are just three of the benefits exercising outdoors will give you.  

 

  1. It helps you focus It can get a little crowded at the gym, which also means you can get distracted, comparing yourself to others and how their bodies are. When you take the workout outdoors, you only have yourself to focus on. There also aren’t any mirrors outside, so no more getting distracted with how your hair is looking, how much you are sweating and how you compare to the person stood next to you.

 

  1. Boost your vitamin D levels with the sunshine Whilst you want to be careful exposing yourself to too much sun (not always a problem in the UK) there are many benefits to getting a daily dose of sunlight. When we are exposed to the sun on our skin, it helps our body’s production of Vitamin D3, which is extremely important for bone health and your metabolic function. Just make sure you wear suncream and sunglasses to protect yourself against harmful rays.

 

  1. It saves you money Gym memberships can be costly, especially if you want a Personal Trainer as well, and whilst you do need a gym for more specialised training, you can actually get an extremely good workout with no equipment at all. Think of the hundreds of pounds you could save for the new clothes you can treat yourself to when you achieve that body you have always wanted.

 

Want to know more?

Contact me today to ask any questions or book your FREE consultation

Call me on 07815 044521 or email me at martinhulbertpt@gmail.com

Marathons – Deciding Your Target Time

/in , /by

‘Why have you chosen that time?’ This is a question I often ask people when we discuss their marathon target finishing time. I get a number of varied replies such as:

  • Well I did xx.xx last year so thought I’d go for this
  • It’s only x.xx pace isn’t it
  • Don’t know really but should be doable
  • I need to do that for a Good For Age/Qualifying Time
  • My half marathon time is xx.xx so I can do this

Realistically, only the last answer is reasonably sensible and even then it depends on when their half marathon was run.

So many people just pick a finishing time or go for the nearest round number to the pace they usually run.

Now there is no actual science to predicting finishing times, it is important that people are realistic. If you are running a 16 week training programme there are so many things that can go wrong, or life gets in the way. Injury, illness, work and family commitments all get in the way at some point.

Let me discuss the answers from above one at a time to see if I can give reasons as to why these may not be sensible.

 

Well I did xx.xx last year so thought I’d go for this

Well done on last year. Are you better than you were last year? How has your training gone so far?

Realistically, to be faster than last year you need to start your marathon training with a better base level of fitness and speed that you had a year previous. If you are not as fit or fast, what makes you think you can run a faster marathon? You also need to change what you did the previous year. Not necessarily by much, but doing exactly the same is likely to get the same result.

 

It’s only x.xx pace isn’t it

Correct. How far can you comfortably run at that pace for at present? If they can currently run 5 or 6 miles comfortably at their target pace at the beginning of their training, then it is possible to run a marathon at that pace. It is then a case of having the training plan in place that will allow progression of the marathon pace miles to ensure that come race day, marathon pace feels comfortable for the majority of the race.

 

Don’t know really but should be doable

What makes you think you can do it if you ‘don’t really know’? Why is it doable? How many miles are you capable of at that pace at the moment?

So many questions that will get you thinking about whether you need to actually keep your mind open and choose a target closer to the race day.

 

I need to do that for a Good For Age/Qualifying Time

Once again, can you run at your target pace for a few miles at the beginning of your training plan? I have seen quite a few people chasing a Good For Age time in order to get in to the London Marathon, but so few actually know how they are going to get there. It is often a case of download a training plan for your target time and off you go, even though you are not up to the starting mileage or paces of the plan when you begin.

 

My half marathon time is xx.xx so I can do this

Now if the half marathon has been ran recently, and training has gone well since, this is a better indicator of fitness and prospects of achieving than the others. Most prediction calculators work on an average of multiplying your half marathon time by 2.22. The quicker you are (under 3 hours) you can get away with averages of 2.1 times your half marathon time. Anything over 5 hours and you are better multiplying your half marathon time by 2.4. If by doing these sums, your prediction is in line with your target then a good plan will give you the required long runs to ensure you have the endurance to convert your half time to a full marathon.

 

Keeping an open mind through training

My best advice is to have a rough idea of your target. This idea has to be realistic and based on what your pre-training training has shown you are capable of. However, be prepared for the initial target to change as you go through your training. You will be better placed around 4-6 weeks before your race to see how your training has progressed and if you are behind, on target, or even ahead of your original target. You can then focus on that pace for the remainder of your training to ensure you are in the best physical and mental shape for race day.

 

Variable Targets

You also need more than one target. Try to have the following:

A-Target – This is why you have done the training, the reason you are going to go all out for. It is just on your limit and will be either a new PB, Good For Age place, or, more commonly, a round number (sub-3.30, etc)

B-Target – This is an outcome that you will still be extremely happy of, even though it is not your perfect outcome. This is usually set at 5-15 minutes slower than you’re A-Target. The slower you’re A-Target the bigger the gap.

C-Target – This is your ‘acceptable’ outcome. One that you will be disappointed with on the day but you will be comfortable with the final outcome once it has sunk in.

 

The reasons for having these three targets are that during a marathon there are so many variables that are beyond your control that could affect your result. Such things as the weather being hotter or windier than usual, getting caught up behind slower runners (especially at the larger marathons), having an upset stomach or needing a toilet stop.

The overriding message is be sensible, be realistic, know what you are capable of at this moment in time and most important, have a good flexible training plan that suits your lifestyle, your capabilities and your target.

 

Do you want a personalised training plan?

Contact me today to ask any questions or to book your FREE consultation

Call me on 07815 044521 or email me at martinhulbertpt@gmail.com

Martin Hulbert

Personal Trainer & Running Coach Leicestershire

My Marathon Training Survival Tips

/in , /by

For those of you training for a spring marathon, March equals miles. It will most likely be your highest mileage month with the long Sunday runs steadily increasing to peak distance. This is the time to do all you can to keep the wheels on and yourself healthy and injury free until the big day. Pounding out the miles and ticking off sessions isn’t the only way to do this. Here are some of the key factors I have learnt over the years.

 

Fuel

We know pre and post workout fuel is fairly crucial when it comes to performance but it can be hard to stay on top of it once your mileage creeps up. You’ll need more calories but it’s important to remember that not all calories are created equal. Carbohydrates are needed to keep you going, and for recovery. That doesn’t mean that you should reach for the biscuits, cakes or sweets. Aim to eat whole foods and natural ingredients and steer clear of the processed foods.

 

Sleep

Getting quality shut eye has been proven to correlate directly to your running performance.  If you’re struggling to achieve enough sleep, speak to me for some tricks to help you.

 

Stay strong 

To prevent any niggles becoming injuries at the crucial stage, it’s important you put a little time into staying strong and mile-proofing your body. Core work and strengthening exercises will help to stave off those injuries and they’ll only take a few minutes of your day.

 

Stretch

You’re tired, you’re short on time – I know. I used to ignore stretching. However, I also used to suffer with injuries. You are more likely to drop stretching from your routine than the runs themselves. All of my running training plans come with strengthening and stretching exercises to help to keep you running.

 

Progress and pacing

If you’re really struggling to stick to your training schedule or not seeing the improvements you’d hoped for, it can be hard to stay motivated. But there may be a reason you’re struggling. Are you eating enough of the right foods? Are you getting the right rest and recovery? Are you running at the right pace for both your ability and your target (and do these two match – a lot of people pluck a finish time out of the air without being realistic that it is achievable)?

 

When you feel stale it is a good time to re-evaluate your training plan. Does it work for you? Remember that it is YOUR training plan and sometimes the plans you take from the internet or a book simply do not work for you.

 

Do you want a personalised training plan?

Contact me today to ask any questions or to book your FREE consultation

Call me on 07815 044521 or email me at martinhulbertpt@gmail.com

Martin Hulbert

Personal Trainer & Running Coach Leicestershire

It’s Time to Take Action

/in , , /by

Simply wanting something is not enough, neither is just writing down your goals and then doing nothing about it. If you want to make changes, you need stop making excuses and take action now. So many people say “oh they are so lucky”, looking for any reasoning behind why someone is successful or has made changes in their lives, without recognising that most people get where they are because they work extremely hard for it. So if you have goals and have just been thinking about them, here’s how you can take some action today.

Put in the effort – You must do everything possible to get what you want and put in the effort. If losing weight is your goal, being healthy some of the time then going crazy eating cakes & chocolates is not going to get you to your goal. If you want to get fitter, you have to sweat and work hard at some point to push your limits and improve. It doesn’t matter how much you want something it will never become a reality without action & commitment. So put everything you have into it. Be prepared to work hard and you will get there.

Stop making excuses – We are very good at finding excuses as to why we can’t do something instead of looking for solutions. Most of the time the main thing getting between you and your goals is the excuses you use to stop yourself from doing it. When you want something bad enough you can get very resourceful at making things happen. So look at your goal and believe you can, and will, achieve it. http://www.mhhealthandfitness.co.uk/how-to-get-started/

Find someone to hold you accountable – If you aren’t very good at sticking to what you said you were going to do, then find a friend, or family member who you report in to. Each week, sit down and tell them what you are going to do and then have them hold you to it. This can go visa verse and you can help them with their goals too. It can actually become quite fun where you can choose penalties and rewards depending on how well you did that week. This is also where a Personal Trainer can be helpful to keep you achieving.

Look at your priorities – What are your priorities? Obviously family comes first, that is a given. But when it comes to free time what do you do? If you aren’t reaching your goals, then maybe you need to re-evaluate what your priorities are. Are you setting time aside each week to cook healthy dinners and exercise, or do you chose to spend your time watching TV or flicking through Facebook? If your goal is important, you will have to make time to achieve it. If you won’t, it is not that important to you. Sometimes things will get in your way and your priorities will temporarily change, but when that happens you need to get back on track as soon as possible.

Stop procrastinating – If you really want to make that change; your health, fitness or your mind, then you have to expect that you’ll need to work hard. Success doesn’t happen overnight and it definitely doesn’t happen by sitting there and doing nothing. I’m not going to lie, it’s not going to be easy, but the rewards will be worth it.

Do you want a personalised training plan?

Contact me today to ask any questions or to book your FREE consultation

Call me on 07815 044521 or email me at martinhulbertpt@gmail.com

Martin Hulbert

Personal Trainer & Running Coach Leicestershire