In this episode I discuss why unhealthy men should stop watching sports.

We are constantly bombarded with sports clubs or sports company advertising and marketing, designed to lure the predominantly male demographic into financially support sports brands.

Season tickets to your local football, cricket, rugby, basketball or baseball clubs are highly sought after and subsequently the clubs charge moderately high to very high prices, of which even low income men strive to afford, with the justification of tradition or a physical / mental release from the daily grind at work or home life.

I've personally witnessed supporters arriving at football games, grossly overweight or morbidly obese, watching professional athletes essentially go to work and earn good to incredible high salaries.

The professional sportsmen on the field enjoy the benefits of their physical fitness and skill levels learned, whilst physically unfit, unhealthy men pay to watch them stay in shape and reap the rewards, from financial security to glamorous girlfriends or wives.

The money and time overweight, unhealthy men spend on watching live sports and streaming sports channels at home could be spent on their own physical health, with good nutrition, exercise and education.

Die hard club supporters historically, put 'their club' before almost everything else in life, from quality home purchases to medical insurance cover. This is a recipe for poor health and constant emotional lows, as the chosen team goes years or decades without winning trophies and yet the players remain fit, healthy and financially secure.

If we take a step back and scrutinize this long term tradition, it could be viewed as a very poor decision for unhealthy men to pay to watch fit, healthy men play sports.

Entertainment is a great way to enjoy our spare time, only if we are responsible enough to put our own health first and not ignore the consequences of excess alcohol, smoking and highly processed food consumption, normally associated with sports fans in the UK, USA and Europe .

My advice as a professional personal trainer, is to take time out from consuming sports entertainment if you are overweight or physically unfit, allowing for a season of change to your own health, before returning to supporting other men play sports.

Start today by cancelling your membership to your local team or sports streaming services and get to your local gym. Avoid the habit of boozing at home, whilst watching 'the important game' or frequenting chip shops or fast food outlets, strategically positioned near football grounds or sports stadiums.

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In this discussion we look at various ways to delay, or even avoid the onset of disease.

With the advent of ultra processed foods, pharmaceutical dependency, increasing obesity levels and work related decreased physical activity, we now more than ever are predisposed to accelerated mortality.

Lifestyle addictions to alcohol, smoking, drug abuse or poor quality nutrition are all major contributors towards disease related complications.

During our formative years (13 to 18) we are subjected to a daily dichotomy of decision making, from our educational environment, to our chosen demographic.

Our genetics and somatotype (body shape) are only responsible up to a certain age, let's say 18 years, in our physiological and neurological development. Thereafter our lifestyle choices take over and if our decision making is habitually poor, we are increasing the likelihood of disease.

Musculoskeletal injuries, abdominal obesity, weakened immune systems and cardiovascular disease are often diagnosed at a later stage in life, of which are reversible with a combination of education, self discipline and corrective measures.

With this in mind, it's advisable to implement a healthy lifestyle and prioritize making informed decisions going forward.

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In this discussion, we look at how to train for strength when under time constraints.

Circuit based strength training or PHA (Peripheral Heart Action) circuits are a great way to ensure you recruit the major muscle groups and elevate your heart rate, when you have limited time to spend in the gym.

By implementing this training method, your heart rate will increase to as much as 80% or higher of its maximal heart rate reading.

An example would be starting with a deadlift or squat, followed by a standing military shoulder press, chin ups, then finally a 60 to 90 second cardiovascular exercise, such as incline treadmill run, 500 meter row or cycling.

A metabolically demanding strength circuit with no rest periods between is physically demanding, as it requires multiple systems working in symbiosis under strain.

With this in mind it's not advisable for complete beginners to participate in, however it can be prescribed once a novice has proved he or she is capable of completing (PHA) based circuits, ordinarily 6 to 8 weeks into strength training.

30 to 40 minute circuits can allow for everyday tasks, from work to travel, family or other unplanned commitments, as the circuit is short in it's duration, yet still ensures you train upper and lower body parts.

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In this discussion I talk about how our bodies adapt to muscular stimulation, which together with adequate quality nutrition and sleep, can develop an improved physical appearance, or aesthetics.

The ideal training cycle for visible muscle mass and definition is commonly known as Hypertrophy (meaning the increase in muscle mass at a cellular and visible soft tissue level).

This type of training is typically popular in age ranges from mid teens to late forties, as it requires both time spent in the gym and a moderate to high intake of macro nutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrate).

High amounts of repetitions and sets are required in the weight room, sometimes as many as 6 sets of 25 reps on each major muscle group are implemented to push blood into the legs, back, chest and shoulders, using a volume method, taking hours of dedication, split into anywhere between 4 to 6 visits to the gym per week.

Bodybuilders are generally associated with Hypertrophy training and to some people look pleasing and others not so pleasing.

As a professional personal trainer, with a large number of clients aged 40 and over, it's rare to see a client male or female, literally pile on kilos of muscle mass, however he or she often increases strength with a regular resistance training program.

Even when using a Hypertrophy training program for a client, it's still unlikely the client will grow large, defined muscle, as historically the client simply cannot sustain the amount of quality calories required to build the 'perfect physique'. Also, his or her sleep patterns simply don't allow for the anabolic regrowth, normally seen in younger people.

With this reality in mind, it's advisable to aim for improved strength and posture, over aesthetics, in the first instance and if our body responds to such a degree we start to see visible muscle mass, then this would be a bonus, accounting for age related degeneration, sedentary professions and ill suited genetics.

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In this discussion I look at why it's important to development a good strong grip.

Our grip strength is a physiological indication of the force produced by muscle contraction, of which is initiated by our brain sending signals to the appropriate limb etc.

A poor / weak grip is considered an important consideration in all cause mortality (ACM) as it can be a symptom of insufficient mind muscle connection, degenerative bone density or in some cases, early onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Physical strength plays a major part in our longevity, allowing us to enjoy a quality of life in advanced years (aged 40 years and over).

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In this episode I discuss why strength training, also known as resistance training is paramount to our physiological health.

Strength training exercise is the foundation for musculoskeletal function and slowing down the aging process.

From body weight movements to picking up and putting down objects, we are always required to recruit muscle contractions, whilst maintaining good posture and aesthetics.

Our bones, ligaments and tendons require stimulation through resistance based exercise, alongside quality sleep and nutrition.

Men should consistently participate in weight training, to assist in keeping testosterone levels from dropping.

Women, who once historically avoided weight training for fear of 'getting big' or acquiring male characteristics are now embracing the short and long term benefits, in the way of coping with menopause and enjoying improvements in their body shape.

If you are thinking of starting strength training and learning a new skill, my advice here is to write down a goal and put a date in your diary of exactly when you intend to start.

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In this podcast I discuss reasons we give ourselves for not starting a health kick.

January is often seen as a good time to start exercising and leaning in to a healthy diet, however it's far more common to make excuses, as to why we don't actually get started.

Excuses range from, it's too cold and windy outside to I haven't got anything to wear, or my friends won't start with me to I haven't got time to exercise.

Procrastination is a sure fire route to poor physiological health, of which there are zero benefits.

Personal trainer free tip - Write down the date and time you plan to start exercising and share this with a colleague, who agrees to hold you accountable, until such a time you can consistently hold yourself accountable.

Remember, you may have a multitude of excuses, but in the end it always comes down to you...so get it done.

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In this discussion I share the most common five reasons why new clients hire a personal trainer.

There are of course many other on the list, not mentioned here, of which can vary in importance, however in my fifteen years of training clients, the list discussed here are the most common and one in particular is slowly but surely increasing.

The UK, USA, Europe and some parts of Asia are increasingly turning to online dating, in order to find a match, by way of the deluge of dating apps available.

With this in mind, personal trainers are now seeing a slightly younger age group show interest or eventually hire us to kick start their physical improvements prior to entering the world of online dating and thus, in theory giving the client a better chance of securing initial interest from prospective matches, leading to a date and subsequently relationships.

You may have your own reason to hire a personal trainer from the initial consultation, but as time goes by, we often learn clients actually have a multitude of requirements, some of which are in our remit and sometimes not.

When a client presents a trainer with a problem / requirement not in our professional remit, we are happy to refer the client to another health care professional, from a GP or chiropractor, to a physiotherapist or mental health counsellor.

If you are thinking of making the first step to working with a trainer, start by writing down a list of reasons why and then revisit your list again to give yourself clarity on your requirements. This can help the consultation process, with your trainer and free up time for a trial session if required.

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In this episode I share more of my blood test results, specifically Cholesterol readings.

Cholesterol is defined as blood fat found in the liver and every cell in our body, essentially maintaining our brain, nerves and skin, whilst playing a major part in the production of vitamin D and hormones controlling our skeletal frame, teeth and muscles.

When we get our Cholesterol blood test results, it's split into categories, the main splits being HDL high density lipoproteins (the good stuff) and LDL low density lipoproteins (the bad stuff).

Our lifestyles contribute to either good or bad cholesterol, ranging from diet, exercise, sleep, alcohol and smoking.

To avoid fatty deposits building up in our arteries and subsequently risking heart attack or stroke, it's advisable to get your cholesterol checked with your GP or privately with a registered health care professional.

In the meantime, you can listen here to find out my own personal results and what I do to maintain a healthy score, aged 53 years young.

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In this episode I share a discussion with my guest Adam Marriott, an amateur climber with experiences in both the Himalaya and Europe.

We openly talk about why, where and when climbing and trekking is ideal. The physical and mental disciplines required for this often romanticized sport / endeavor are too numerous to cover in a short conversation and as such this joint discussion is over an hour in duration.

From the world famous regions of the Nepali Himalaya to the Aiguilles d'Entreves, Gran Paradiso and Spanish Pyrenees, in Europe, we have both put ourselves forward to tackle these incredible geographical phenomena.

Subjects covered here include, travel, training, equipment, weather, instruction, ego and naivety. So please sit back and enjoy this podcast.

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