People often ask us how Fierce Fitcamp differs from other group training options and, following a super successful first camp in Stoke Park, Guildford, we thought we'd tell you how we differ.
Firstly, we understand that nutrition is 70% of the fat loss protocol. Oftentimes the training can be spot on, but if someone's diet is sloppy results can be painfully slow and gradually motivation dwindles. We therefore place a huge emphasis on giving our fitcampers the very latest in nutrition know-how, not only for optimum fat loss but also for optimum health, becuase the more energy you have, and the more healthy you feel, the better your performance. That doesn't just relate to exercise either; work, relationships, self-confidence and life in general all improve dramatically when you feel on peak form. We focus on educating all of our campers on how to eat in line with your goals; up until now this kind of information has only been available to elite athletes, but we have seen how life-changing a proper understanding of how different foods affect your body can be, and we want to share that knowledge with you.
Secondly, we programme our sessions as we would for our personal training clients, using the most effective and time proven training methods available. There are no random sessions thrown in as is the case with many bootcamps available today - each fitcamp follows a progressive training structure designed to condition your body and ramp up your metabolism so that your body burns a large number of calories even at rest.
Our August fitcamp starts on August 2nd and takes place every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday for 4 weeks, at 7pm in Stoke Park, Guildford. For more information and to reserve your place please contact us at info@phoenixprofitness.com
Let lambs become lions!
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Monday, 5 July 2010
Exercise Associated Hyponatremia
Last weekend I was lucky enough to take part in the London to Paris bike ride in aid of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. It was a 250 mile trip over 3 days, and with the sun beating down everyone was cautious of staying hydrated, because most of the horror stories we hear are to do with not drinking enough, particularly during long distance events. As one of my big goals is to complete an ironman, I was really keen to speak to one of the organisers of the event, Kate Roberts, who I clocked sporting an Ironman t-shirt on the first day of the ride. What I heard about her experience shocked me and I felt it was important to share this with other endurance enthusiasts, because whilst dehydration is a major concern, it's essential to know that caution MUST be exercised both ways.
Many thanks to Kate for allowing me to share her story....
To be the fittest and then the sickest you’ve ever been in less than 15 hours is not a good place to be. It is now two months since the Ironman triathlon in Zurich on 2 July 2006 (Swim 2.4 miles / Bike 112 miles / Run 26.2 miles) but although I finished it in 14 hours and 56 minutes (and have the T-shirt) the success of that achievement was overshadowed by ending the day in the University Hospital in Zurich in a coma suffering a tonic clonic seizure due to a sodium level of 111 mEq/L.
Hyponatremia results from an abnormally low concentration of sodium in blood plasma – the normal range being 136-142 mEq/L; severe hyponatremia is recognised as 120 or below. I was lucky not to suffer the fate of others who have died from hyponatraemic encephalopathy (swelling of the brain caused by severely reduced blood sodium). Hyponatremia led to the death of a female runner during the 2002 Boston marathon.
Now that I have the mental and physical strength to accept what happened and move on, I feel almost a duty in highlighting the risks to others who take part in endurance events. In a way, my consolation is that if I can prevent someone else going through the same experience or worse then something positive will have come from it.
Hyponatramia is also known as “water intoxication” which is a simplification of the condition and it does not necessarily result from just drinking too much water. The single most important factor associated with hyponatremia is excessive consumption of fluids which can include isotonic drinks. Reports are that hyponatremia has become increasingly common with the increasing participation of recreational athletes in endurance events.
As I found out, hyponatremia can be extremely serious, with symptoms ranging from nausea, confusion, uncoordination, disorientation, dizziness and weakness all the way to grand-mal seizures and life-threatening comas. So how did I end up in that state?
When you have been training 5 or 6 days a week for six months and set yourself a target you don’t give up easily. The problem was I did not have an appreciation of the risk factors involved. Recognised risk factors include low body weight; female sex; 4 hours exercise duration, slow running or performance pace, race inexperience, excessive drinking behaviour, high availability of drinking fluids, extreme hot or cold environmental conditions. Nor did I have an awareness of the symptoms.
When I entered Lake Zurich at 7 am that morning with a mass start of 1900 other competitors (of which approximately 1500 would finish) I felt ready. I’d given serious consideration to the whole undertaking; the training had gone well, I’d remembered the sun cream (easily forgotten at 4.30 am), I’d even calculated the calories I’d need each hour and had neat stashes of sports bars, gels and the odd peanut butter & marmite sandwich on my bike. I’d worn my kit in (no new shoes on race day), I’d stapled my race number securely to my elastic race belt and I’d told myself not to get dehydrated.
The swim was the usual open water washing machine of arms and legs with no way to avoid the chaos of so many wetsuit clad strangers unavoidably kicking their way through, unwillingly linking arms, clipping heads and fighting for open water, yet madly attempting to follow the same course round the lake. The sky was blue, the day heating up into what was to become the hottest day of the year so far. I was already sweating in my wetsuit and swallowing water.
Emerging from the lake after an hour and quarter I felt elated; over the worst part, I told myself. I passed through transition with its inevitable comedy moment of hopping round on one leg, wetsuit resolutely gripping on to your ankles when not even ‘Brave Soldier’ lubricant can really help. My trusty steed awaited, over 1,200 miles covered in training since January.
There’s a certain freedom you get from cycling. The elation of reaching the top of a hill, the exhilaration of the descent, the passing of the miles, but when you do a bike course 3 times with a beast called ‘Heartbreak Hill’ for an ascent is it any wonder you feel a little disorientated? Besides it was now soaring up to 36 degrees C. I was worried I’d dehydrate and I’d had a mild upset stomach for the couple of days leading up to race day. Conscientiously I drank at most of the aid stations, ensuring I always had a bottle of sports drink and water on the go. Water was needed to wash down sports bars and gels. The hours went by. My strategy was to go at a steady pace and save my legs for the run. I had plenty of time to sit in the saddle and drink, watch the scenery, miss a marshal on a small turn off, cycle an extra 4 miles (because 112 miles simply isn’t quite far enough) and not appreciate what was happening to me.
After 7.5 hours on the bike I was ready for transition. A quick visit to the loo and an even quicker deposit of contents made me concerned as diarrhea leads to dehydration does it not? "Must keep up the fluid intake", I thought.
The run was 4 laps of a circuitous route up and down the lake side. There were 5 aid stations on the route. “Good”, I thought, plenty of scope to drink and not get dehydrated. The first circuit was alright as I joined up with one of the guys from the club who was on his second lap and ran the pace I’d planned. I guess it was after that circuit that the problems started.
I couldn’t get my heart rate higher than 128 bpm and yet I'd been aiming to run at 138 bpm. Somehow I was sluggish but understandably put it down to having been on the go for 10 hours or so. Anyhow, the crowds were great and with my Mum and friends at various places around the course I had the encouragement I needed to keep going. It was very hot, I was sweating and stopping for more worrying loo stops on each circuit but at least I had access to fluid so I’d be fine…
At about 20 miles I started to lose it. I went to the loo (again) and on coming out of the cubicle I couldn’t orientate myself. I wasn’t sure which way to go. I knew this was bad but not how bad. I knew I was a bit confused, disorientated, nauseous but, hey, I’d been out for about 13 or 14 hours by this point so wasn’t that how you’d expect to feel? The problem was this was a one way course of 4 loops and I’d already been round it 3 times. Surely I’m not that bad at directions? I asked someone which way to run. My words were slurred. I repeated myself and they pointed one way. I went that way. Walking now, I tried to remain positive. I must be dehydrated I thought. What else could it possibly be? I’ll have some more flat coke which I’d heard was good to drink towards the end of the run.
At one point I felt panicky. Maybe I can’t do this. Maybe I can’t finish. The fighting instinct kicked in. There was no way after the swim, bike and 20 out of 26 miles or so I was going to stop. Not after all the training, all the long weekends on the bike, the missed socials, the early morning swims, the cold baths after long runs. No, not after everything I’d worked towards together with friends who were out there surely going though the same mental anguish as me. Besides, how could I give up when all I had to do was put one foot in front of the other and I’d be alright. Time became irrelevant, my thirst became insatiable. I lost all idea of how long I’d been on the go. All aspirations for a sub 14 hour time melted away and this was now just a matter of mind over body to reach the end; the summit. I now know what summit fever feels like.
So that was it. “A long day out with a picnic” I’d told friends (who were less inclined to accept that doing an Ironman in Switzerland fell in to the category of a summer holiday).
I crossed the line after 14 hours and 56 minutes. The sound of the crowd in the stands cheering my staggered run up the red carpeted funnel where I ran smiling underneath the digital clock with my name on the screen, my hearing muffled, my head throbbing, my sense of needing help now heightened.
“I think I need a drip” were my first words to my friend Ruth who, having completed the course in an amazing 12 hours 12 minutes, was taking photos of those of us without wings.
I don’t remember much else about that night. Tunnel vision set in, my hearing became more muffled, I felt I had “messed up” and felt the world slipping away. I was agitated; I begged my poor mother not to let me go to sleep and told her I was sorry.
I was unconscious by the time the ambulance took me to the hospital and in a coma for two days. The ITU staff hadn’t had a case of hyponatremia before and looked up how to treat it on the internet. According to my mother they were amazing. I have them to thank for looking after me (especially during the seizure) preventing a brain herniation (the CT scan showed water round the brain but not yet in it) and raising my sodium levels slowly enough so I didn’t suffer any of the potential side effects including an array of neurological problems.
When I woke up I’d lost some of my memory. I had absolutely no idea where I worked or how to use my mobile phone. Bit by bit these things and the events of the lead up to the race and the race itself came back. Looking at photos now is helping to fill in gaps I didn’t realise were there. I was in hospital a further 3 days whilst they sorted out the rhabdomyolysis (break down of muscle fibres toxic to the kidneys) and restored me to something of my former self. My psychological state has taken longer to heal with affected levels of confidence, self esteem, anxiety and serotonin, not to mention a nightmare which left me hyperventilating, but I’m on track and have been supported all the way by friends, family and colleagues to whom I am extremely grateful.
The fact that I carried a European Health Card (the old E111) has helped avoid financial repercussions as this paid for about 95 % of the medical treatment. It’s worth logging on to www.dh.gov.uk under Health Advice for Travelers and spending a few minutes organising cover.
As I mentioned already, I do feel an obligation to flag up the risks of hyponatremia to others who take part in endurance events. The motivation behind recounting this personal experience is to highlight awareness of the effect of excessive consumption of fluid and the need to consider nuitritional requirements including whether salt tablets are appropriate.
On a very positive note, I raised over £2,000 for Sight Savers International, a charity which, working with its partners in 2005, helped to treat over 15.7 million people for potentially blinding conditions and restore the sight to 233,203 people.
I was and am lucky to be here and however trite it may sound the experience has made me reflect on the important things in life. Do circulate this to anyone you may feel would benefit from knowing about exercise associated hyponatremia and help me make a positive out of a negative.
Kate Roberts
Many thanks to Kate for allowing me to share her story....
To be the fittest and then the sickest you’ve ever been in less than 15 hours is not a good place to be. It is now two months since the Ironman triathlon in Zurich on 2 July 2006 (Swim 2.4 miles / Bike 112 miles / Run 26.2 miles) but although I finished it in 14 hours and 56 minutes (and have the T-shirt) the success of that achievement was overshadowed by ending the day in the University Hospital in Zurich in a coma suffering a tonic clonic seizure due to a sodium level of 111 mEq/L.
Hyponatremia results from an abnormally low concentration of sodium in blood plasma – the normal range being 136-142 mEq/L; severe hyponatremia is recognised as 120 or below. I was lucky not to suffer the fate of others who have died from hyponatraemic encephalopathy (swelling of the brain caused by severely reduced blood sodium). Hyponatremia led to the death of a female runner during the 2002 Boston marathon.
Now that I have the mental and physical strength to accept what happened and move on, I feel almost a duty in highlighting the risks to others who take part in endurance events. In a way, my consolation is that if I can prevent someone else going through the same experience or worse then something positive will have come from it.
Hyponatramia is also known as “water intoxication” which is a simplification of the condition and it does not necessarily result from just drinking too much water. The single most important factor associated with hyponatremia is excessive consumption of fluids which can include isotonic drinks. Reports are that hyponatremia has become increasingly common with the increasing participation of recreational athletes in endurance events.
As I found out, hyponatremia can be extremely serious, with symptoms ranging from nausea, confusion, uncoordination, disorientation, dizziness and weakness all the way to grand-mal seizures and life-threatening comas. So how did I end up in that state?
When you have been training 5 or 6 days a week for six months and set yourself a target you don’t give up easily. The problem was I did not have an appreciation of the risk factors involved. Recognised risk factors include low body weight; female sex; 4 hours exercise duration, slow running or performance pace, race inexperience, excessive drinking behaviour, high availability of drinking fluids, extreme hot or cold environmental conditions. Nor did I have an awareness of the symptoms.
When I entered Lake Zurich at 7 am that morning with a mass start of 1900 other competitors (of which approximately 1500 would finish) I felt ready. I’d given serious consideration to the whole undertaking; the training had gone well, I’d remembered the sun cream (easily forgotten at 4.30 am), I’d even calculated the calories I’d need each hour and had neat stashes of sports bars, gels and the odd peanut butter & marmite sandwich on my bike. I’d worn my kit in (no new shoes on race day), I’d stapled my race number securely to my elastic race belt and I’d told myself not to get dehydrated.
The swim was the usual open water washing machine of arms and legs with no way to avoid the chaos of so many wetsuit clad strangers unavoidably kicking their way through, unwillingly linking arms, clipping heads and fighting for open water, yet madly attempting to follow the same course round the lake. The sky was blue, the day heating up into what was to become the hottest day of the year so far. I was already sweating in my wetsuit and swallowing water.
Emerging from the lake after an hour and quarter I felt elated; over the worst part, I told myself. I passed through transition with its inevitable comedy moment of hopping round on one leg, wetsuit resolutely gripping on to your ankles when not even ‘Brave Soldier’ lubricant can really help. My trusty steed awaited, over 1,200 miles covered in training since January.
There’s a certain freedom you get from cycling. The elation of reaching the top of a hill, the exhilaration of the descent, the passing of the miles, but when you do a bike course 3 times with a beast called ‘Heartbreak Hill’ for an ascent is it any wonder you feel a little disorientated? Besides it was now soaring up to 36 degrees C. I was worried I’d dehydrate and I’d had a mild upset stomach for the couple of days leading up to race day. Conscientiously I drank at most of the aid stations, ensuring I always had a bottle of sports drink and water on the go. Water was needed to wash down sports bars and gels. The hours went by. My strategy was to go at a steady pace and save my legs for the run. I had plenty of time to sit in the saddle and drink, watch the scenery, miss a marshal on a small turn off, cycle an extra 4 miles (because 112 miles simply isn’t quite far enough) and not appreciate what was happening to me.
After 7.5 hours on the bike I was ready for transition. A quick visit to the loo and an even quicker deposit of contents made me concerned as diarrhea leads to dehydration does it not? "Must keep up the fluid intake", I thought.
The run was 4 laps of a circuitous route up and down the lake side. There were 5 aid stations on the route. “Good”, I thought, plenty of scope to drink and not get dehydrated. The first circuit was alright as I joined up with one of the guys from the club who was on his second lap and ran the pace I’d planned. I guess it was after that circuit that the problems started.
I couldn’t get my heart rate higher than 128 bpm and yet I'd been aiming to run at 138 bpm. Somehow I was sluggish but understandably put it down to having been on the go for 10 hours or so. Anyhow, the crowds were great and with my Mum and friends at various places around the course I had the encouragement I needed to keep going. It was very hot, I was sweating and stopping for more worrying loo stops on each circuit but at least I had access to fluid so I’d be fine…
At about 20 miles I started to lose it. I went to the loo (again) and on coming out of the cubicle I couldn’t orientate myself. I wasn’t sure which way to go. I knew this was bad but not how bad. I knew I was a bit confused, disorientated, nauseous but, hey, I’d been out for about 13 or 14 hours by this point so wasn’t that how you’d expect to feel? The problem was this was a one way course of 4 loops and I’d already been round it 3 times. Surely I’m not that bad at directions? I asked someone which way to run. My words were slurred. I repeated myself and they pointed one way. I went that way. Walking now, I tried to remain positive. I must be dehydrated I thought. What else could it possibly be? I’ll have some more flat coke which I’d heard was good to drink towards the end of the run.
At one point I felt panicky. Maybe I can’t do this. Maybe I can’t finish. The fighting instinct kicked in. There was no way after the swim, bike and 20 out of 26 miles or so I was going to stop. Not after all the training, all the long weekends on the bike, the missed socials, the early morning swims, the cold baths after long runs. No, not after everything I’d worked towards together with friends who were out there surely going though the same mental anguish as me. Besides, how could I give up when all I had to do was put one foot in front of the other and I’d be alright. Time became irrelevant, my thirst became insatiable. I lost all idea of how long I’d been on the go. All aspirations for a sub 14 hour time melted away and this was now just a matter of mind over body to reach the end; the summit. I now know what summit fever feels like.
So that was it. “A long day out with a picnic” I’d told friends (who were less inclined to accept that doing an Ironman in Switzerland fell in to the category of a summer holiday).
I crossed the line after 14 hours and 56 minutes. The sound of the crowd in the stands cheering my staggered run up the red carpeted funnel where I ran smiling underneath the digital clock with my name on the screen, my hearing muffled, my head throbbing, my sense of needing help now heightened.
“I think I need a drip” were my first words to my friend Ruth who, having completed the course in an amazing 12 hours 12 minutes, was taking photos of those of us without wings.
I don’t remember much else about that night. Tunnel vision set in, my hearing became more muffled, I felt I had “messed up” and felt the world slipping away. I was agitated; I begged my poor mother not to let me go to sleep and told her I was sorry.
I was unconscious by the time the ambulance took me to the hospital and in a coma for two days. The ITU staff hadn’t had a case of hyponatremia before and looked up how to treat it on the internet. According to my mother they were amazing. I have them to thank for looking after me (especially during the seizure) preventing a brain herniation (the CT scan showed water round the brain but not yet in it) and raising my sodium levels slowly enough so I didn’t suffer any of the potential side effects including an array of neurological problems.
When I woke up I’d lost some of my memory. I had absolutely no idea where I worked or how to use my mobile phone. Bit by bit these things and the events of the lead up to the race and the race itself came back. Looking at photos now is helping to fill in gaps I didn’t realise were there. I was in hospital a further 3 days whilst they sorted out the rhabdomyolysis (break down of muscle fibres toxic to the kidneys) and restored me to something of my former self. My psychological state has taken longer to heal with affected levels of confidence, self esteem, anxiety and serotonin, not to mention a nightmare which left me hyperventilating, but I’m on track and have been supported all the way by friends, family and colleagues to whom I am extremely grateful.
The fact that I carried a European Health Card (the old E111) has helped avoid financial repercussions as this paid for about 95 % of the medical treatment. It’s worth logging on to www.dh.gov.uk under Health Advice for Travelers and spending a few minutes organising cover.
As I mentioned already, I do feel an obligation to flag up the risks of hyponatremia to others who take part in endurance events. The motivation behind recounting this personal experience is to highlight awareness of the effect of excessive consumption of fluid and the need to consider nuitritional requirements including whether salt tablets are appropriate.
On a very positive note, I raised over £2,000 for Sight Savers International, a charity which, working with its partners in 2005, helped to treat over 15.7 million people for potentially blinding conditions and restore the sight to 233,203 people.
I was and am lucky to be here and however trite it may sound the experience has made me reflect on the important things in life. Do circulate this to anyone you may feel would benefit from knowing about exercise associated hyponatremia and help me make a positive out of a negative.
Kate Roberts
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Speed Development & Fat Loss Interview
Phoenix Pro Fitness head coach Charlotte Ord was recently interviewed by Tim Egerton at Sprint Strong on the topic of speed development and fat loss. Here's the lowdown!..
Charlotte Ord Interview
I recently conducted an interview with Charlotte Ord who is one of Britains leading personal trainers. It is a really interesting read and Charlotte reveals some great information. Enjoy!
Tim: Hi Charlotte. Thanks for taking some time out to do this interview.
Charlotte: No worries!
Tim: I know you were recently named Personal Trainer of the Year at the International Fitness Showcase Awards. It would be great if you could fill us in with a little more information about yourself.
Charlotte: Sure. Um, ok so I’ve always been pretty sporty, um, and played a range of different sports at school; I was on the junior England lacrosse squad and rode horses internationally as well, so I got quite a bit of experience through both of those. I actually rode professionally for a few years before realising that I really wanted to become a personal trainer, but as I was already doing a lot of teaching the transition from one to the other was fairly smooth. I’ve been coaching fitness now for about 5 years and absolutely love it; I’m the director of Phoenix Pro Fitness which is a Surrey (UK) based personal training company, and we’re in the process of moving into our own gym facility at the moment, so that’s super exciting!
Tim: Having been a successful athlete in a number of sports, do you train your clients in much the same way as you trained when competing?
Charlotte: To be honest, no! I think particularly with my lacrosse training because it was within a school structure to start with, there wasn’t that specific a training plan in place; I stayed fit because I was doing so many different types of sport and put my all into all of them, but at the international tournaments a few times I found myself running low on energy and I’m certain that was because neither my training nor nutrition were geared towards the events themselves, it was all a bit haphazard. I encourage my clients to have the same commitment, team spirit and skill practice that I benefitted from, but the actual conditioning elements are way more structured. I don’t want my clients to be in any doubt as to whether they are ready for the task in hand, and that means being vigilant when it comes to preparation.
Tim: You have authored The Beach Babe Workout, a 30-day step by step exercise and nutrition programme for females. With this in mind I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on how (if at all) coaches and trainers should approach programming differently for male and female clients.
Charlotte: Um, to be honest I train my male and female clients in a very similar way. Girls are surprisingly tough so I definitely don’t go lighter on them in terms of body relative loads, technical lifts etc, but I would take into consideration hormonal balances of each and how these may affect performance, and advise how to optimise these both in terms of training, recovery and nutrition. Generally I find lifestyle, like stress levels, sleep patterns, and goals to be more influential factors in my programming than gender.
Tim: As well as being an expert in training for health and aesthetics, you have an interest in strength & conditioning for sports performance. Are there many similarities between your programmes for these different populations?
Charlotte: Um, yes and no. Obviously someone training for an ultra marathon is going to have a fairly different programme to someone who is 5 stone overweight and not exercised for 10 years, but there are similarities in that both programmes will essentially be fat loss programmes (no one wants to carry excess fat), both will cover both bi and unilateral movement patterns and work the body in each plane of motion, and both will incorporate elements of corrective work, core training, resistance work and intervals.
Tim: What would be your five 'go to' exercises for an athlete wanting to develop sprinting speed, and why?
Charlotte: The first one would definitely be the deadlift; it’s a posterior chain exercise which is notoriously weak and extremely relative to the sprint technique, and is a great one for all round strength development. Second, um, I think split squats, all variations of... these can be adjusted through stance width to place emphasis on particular muscle groups so are versatile but my main reason for liking them in terms of speed development is that all running takes place on one leg, and hence we need to train the body to be strong, fast and stable unilaterally. In terms of explosive work I like bounds, skips and hops equally for transferring power into a horizontal plane, so we’ll count them as one! Again these are easy to progress depending on the athlete’s training level and goals. I really rate cleans as an explosive strength exercise, and finally hip flexion, particular psoas exercises, such as supine leg raises, to encourage a quick leg turnover.
Tim: What are some of the biggest mistakes you see being made by coaches and athletes in the gym?
Charlotte: My number one bug bear with coaches is that they don’t actually coach, they count reps. That isn’t helping anyone, I think if someone comes to you to help them achieve a goal you have to give them as much information and guidance as you possibly can to help them get there. They can probably count themselves! Athletes, and non athletes actually, tend to want to lift weights and forget about the core and prehab work. It can be a bit laborious so it’s the first thing they want to skip, which is why I always programme it first.. no core work, no lifting weights! Doing it first also helps to activate the stabilisers necessary to lift well. The other thing I often notice is people compromising form in order to shift more weight. I think if you’re a strongman competitor there may be validity in lifting as heavy as you physically can no matter what, but in terms of transference to sport it’s not relevant if you can’t maintain good form, which is why I train my clients to technical failure only. Needless to say I don’t train too many strongmen competitors!
Tim: Thanks again Charlotte. Could you let the readers know where they can go to find out more about you?
Charlotte: You’re welcome, thanks Tim. My website is www.charlotteord.com and my gym's website is www.phoenixprofitness.com
Charlotte Ord Interview
I recently conducted an interview with Charlotte Ord who is one of Britains leading personal trainers. It is a really interesting read and Charlotte reveals some great information. Enjoy!
Tim: Hi Charlotte. Thanks for taking some time out to do this interview.
Charlotte: No worries!
Tim: I know you were recently named Personal Trainer of the Year at the International Fitness Showcase Awards. It would be great if you could fill us in with a little more information about yourself.
Charlotte: Sure. Um, ok so I’ve always been pretty sporty, um, and played a range of different sports at school; I was on the junior England lacrosse squad and rode horses internationally as well, so I got quite a bit of experience through both of those. I actually rode professionally for a few years before realising that I really wanted to become a personal trainer, but as I was already doing a lot of teaching the transition from one to the other was fairly smooth. I’ve been coaching fitness now for about 5 years and absolutely love it; I’m the director of Phoenix Pro Fitness which is a Surrey (UK) based personal training company, and we’re in the process of moving into our own gym facility at the moment, so that’s super exciting!
Tim: Having been a successful athlete in a number of sports, do you train your clients in much the same way as you trained when competing?
Charlotte: To be honest, no! I think particularly with my lacrosse training because it was within a school structure to start with, there wasn’t that specific a training plan in place; I stayed fit because I was doing so many different types of sport and put my all into all of them, but at the international tournaments a few times I found myself running low on energy and I’m certain that was because neither my training nor nutrition were geared towards the events themselves, it was all a bit haphazard. I encourage my clients to have the same commitment, team spirit and skill practice that I benefitted from, but the actual conditioning elements are way more structured. I don’t want my clients to be in any doubt as to whether they are ready for the task in hand, and that means being vigilant when it comes to preparation.
Tim: You have authored The Beach Babe Workout, a 30-day step by step exercise and nutrition programme for females. With this in mind I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on how (if at all) coaches and trainers should approach programming differently for male and female clients.
Charlotte: Um, to be honest I train my male and female clients in a very similar way. Girls are surprisingly tough so I definitely don’t go lighter on them in terms of body relative loads, technical lifts etc, but I would take into consideration hormonal balances of each and how these may affect performance, and advise how to optimise these both in terms of training, recovery and nutrition. Generally I find lifestyle, like stress levels, sleep patterns, and goals to be more influential factors in my programming than gender.
Tim: As well as being an expert in training for health and aesthetics, you have an interest in strength & conditioning for sports performance. Are there many similarities between your programmes for these different populations?
Charlotte: Um, yes and no. Obviously someone training for an ultra marathon is going to have a fairly different programme to someone who is 5 stone overweight and not exercised for 10 years, but there are similarities in that both programmes will essentially be fat loss programmes (no one wants to carry excess fat), both will cover both bi and unilateral movement patterns and work the body in each plane of motion, and both will incorporate elements of corrective work, core training, resistance work and intervals.
Tim: What would be your five 'go to' exercises for an athlete wanting to develop sprinting speed, and why?
Charlotte: The first one would definitely be the deadlift; it’s a posterior chain exercise which is notoriously weak and extremely relative to the sprint technique, and is a great one for all round strength development. Second, um, I think split squats, all variations of... these can be adjusted through stance width to place emphasis on particular muscle groups so are versatile but my main reason for liking them in terms of speed development is that all running takes place on one leg, and hence we need to train the body to be strong, fast and stable unilaterally. In terms of explosive work I like bounds, skips and hops equally for transferring power into a horizontal plane, so we’ll count them as one! Again these are easy to progress depending on the athlete’s training level and goals. I really rate cleans as an explosive strength exercise, and finally hip flexion, particular psoas exercises, such as supine leg raises, to encourage a quick leg turnover.
Tim: What are some of the biggest mistakes you see being made by coaches and athletes in the gym?
Charlotte: My number one bug bear with coaches is that they don’t actually coach, they count reps. That isn’t helping anyone, I think if someone comes to you to help them achieve a goal you have to give them as much information and guidance as you possibly can to help them get there. They can probably count themselves! Athletes, and non athletes actually, tend to want to lift weights and forget about the core and prehab work. It can be a bit laborious so it’s the first thing they want to skip, which is why I always programme it first.. no core work, no lifting weights! Doing it first also helps to activate the stabilisers necessary to lift well. The other thing I often notice is people compromising form in order to shift more weight. I think if you’re a strongman competitor there may be validity in lifting as heavy as you physically can no matter what, but in terms of transference to sport it’s not relevant if you can’t maintain good form, which is why I train my clients to technical failure only. Needless to say I don’t train too many strongmen competitors!
Tim: Thanks again Charlotte. Could you let the readers know where they can go to find out more about you?
Charlotte: You’re welcome, thanks Tim. My website is www.charlotteord.com and my gym's website is www.phoenixprofitness.com
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Beach Body Workout
With summer on it's way (yes, even we Brits have seen a flicker of sunlight in the past few weeks!) our clients have started to turn their thoughts towards holidays and swimwear, and their fitness campaigns are being ramped up accordingly. If you are interested in how we help our clients get into bikini body shape for summer, you might like to check out the interview our head coach Charlotte Ord did recently with fitness coach March Kent. Just click the link below...
http://marckent.com/840/charlotte-ord-interview/
http://marckent.com/840/charlotte-ord-interview/
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Guildford based Phoenix Pro Fitness coaches on Sky TV
Below is a short video promo of Phoenix Pro Fitness director Charlotte Ord. With help from her fellow trainers at PPF, she presents a functional training and fat loss show on the Active Channel, Sky 281, helping people from all over Europe learn new techniques to help them get fitter, healthier and happier.
Monday, 3 May 2010
Would you like to lose 11cm off your waist in the next 30 days?
Our latest client to finish her 30 day personal training trial at Phoenix Pro dropped a fantastic 11lbs and 11cm off her waist. Needless to say both she and our team are thrilled, but these are results that we are used to achieving thanks to our tried and tested SYSTEM of achieving fat loss, and hence why we are so confident in giving our clients the opportunity to start seeing results before they sign up for membership with us.
Did you know that the acronym for SYSTEM is:
Save
Yourself
Time
Energy &
Money
? Well as far as fat loss is concerned it's essential. Sure you can get some results by eating a bit less and training a bit more, but the likelihood is that without a proper formula, or the willpower of a saint, the motivation will soon dwindle and you'll be back to square one, having wasted time, energy and money.
What makes our team of coaches so successful at achieiving the results our clients are looking for is that we know the recipe required for creating an internal environment in which your body is happy to let go of surplus fat. It's a balance of smart nutrition, intelligent training, and a healthy dose of mindset coaching, and it gives rise to a more athletic, slimmer, happier and more energised you.
Our trial is just £69, a ridiculously low investment for a whole month of expert advice from Charlotte Ord, UK Personal Trainer of the Year 2010, and her team at Phoenix Pro. For more information or to book your trial, contact us today at info@phoenixprofitness.com
But hurry, our schedules are filling up pretty fast!
Did you know that the acronym for SYSTEM is:
Save
Yourself
Time
Energy &
Money
? Well as far as fat loss is concerned it's essential. Sure you can get some results by eating a bit less and training a bit more, but the likelihood is that without a proper formula, or the willpower of a saint, the motivation will soon dwindle and you'll be back to square one, having wasted time, energy and money.
What makes our team of coaches so successful at achieiving the results our clients are looking for is that we know the recipe required for creating an internal environment in which your body is happy to let go of surplus fat. It's a balance of smart nutrition, intelligent training, and a healthy dose of mindset coaching, and it gives rise to a more athletic, slimmer, happier and more energised you.
Our trial is just £69, a ridiculously low investment for a whole month of expert advice from Charlotte Ord, UK Personal Trainer of the Year 2010, and her team at Phoenix Pro. For more information or to book your trial, contact us today at info@phoenixprofitness.com
But hurry, our schedules are filling up pretty fast!
Sunday, 2 May 2010
3 easy steps to start combatting unexplained lethargy & fat loss failure
I've been focusing a lot of my personal research on stress and fat loss recently, and how nutrition plays a big part in combatting both 'unexplained' tiredness and plateaus in fat loss, even when exercise regimes and calorie intake seem conducive to success.
Following a live & dry blood analysis with rugby, boxing and strongman strength and conditioning guru Phil Richards last weekend, I am now even more convinced that both our feelings of well being and body transformation success are enormously influenced by 2 things. Our diet and our stress levels.
To put it simply, we are only as healthy as the liquid we float in, and if our blood is congested, tired, & sticky, the likelihood is that's how we'll feel too. At a basic level, it comes down to blood acidity; the more acidic, processed foods we consume, the higher the acidity level of our blood & the worse we feel. This goes for water too. Many of us still drink tap water by the gallon thinking that it is good for us, but it's actually riddled with hundreds of chemicals (350 in the UK), rust & sediment from pipes, and a number of nitrates that are washed off fields, including herbicides and pesticides. Yum.
It was interesting to hear a coach like Phil, who has worked with some of the biggest, strongest men in the sporting world, reiterate over and over again how important a positive mental attitude and the ability to talk about problems rather than bottling them is for both health and fat loss. People who have a tendency to harbour intense emotions are proven to experience more bowel problems, and those who suffer from anxiety, pessimism and other repeatedly negative states of mind are at twice the risk of disease. This ties in convincingly with the fact that high and maintained levels of cortisol (caused by a variety of different stressors) results in impaired metabolism, insulin resistance (potentially leading to what is known as Syndrome X, or Metabolic Syndrome), and consequently, more fat, particularly around the abdominal region. I will be going into more detail about the relationship between cortisol, testosterone and insulin resistance in the next few days, but today I just want to give you 3 quick tips on how you can immediately start feeling brighter and more alert.
So,
1) drink bottled water only. Remember you are only as healthy as the liquid you swim in. So keep it really clean.
2) Take alkalising salts or bicarbonate of soda every day to help reduce your blood acidity levels and promote healthy red and white blood cell production.
3) Get as much sleep as possible. It sounds obvious if you're constantly feeling below par, but it's more than just a simple case of shut eye. A lot of people get into the habit of staying up late, getting up early, and generally depriving themselves of the sleep our bodies really require in order to function optimally. The problem with getting too little sleep (ie. less than 8 hours a night) is that sleep deprivation results in elevated cortisol levels, which in turn contributes significantly to insulin resistance. Studies have shown that people who sleep less than 6.5 hours per night secrete a whopping 50% more insulin yet are 40% less sensitive to the effects of insulin compared to normal sleepers..bad, bad news for both fat loss and health at large.
I will be in touch in the next few days with more easy tips on how you can start lowering your cortisol levels, improve your blood composition for good health, and take the handbrake off your fat loss without changing your exercise programme.
Until then, stay Strong,
Charlotte
www.phoenixprofitness.com
Following a live & dry blood analysis with rugby, boxing and strongman strength and conditioning guru Phil Richards last weekend, I am now even more convinced that both our feelings of well being and body transformation success are enormously influenced by 2 things. Our diet and our stress levels.
To put it simply, we are only as healthy as the liquid we float in, and if our blood is congested, tired, & sticky, the likelihood is that's how we'll feel too. At a basic level, it comes down to blood acidity; the more acidic, processed foods we consume, the higher the acidity level of our blood & the worse we feel. This goes for water too. Many of us still drink tap water by the gallon thinking that it is good for us, but it's actually riddled with hundreds of chemicals (350 in the UK), rust & sediment from pipes, and a number of nitrates that are washed off fields, including herbicides and pesticides. Yum.
It was interesting to hear a coach like Phil, who has worked with some of the biggest, strongest men in the sporting world, reiterate over and over again how important a positive mental attitude and the ability to talk about problems rather than bottling them is for both health and fat loss. People who have a tendency to harbour intense emotions are proven to experience more bowel problems, and those who suffer from anxiety, pessimism and other repeatedly negative states of mind are at twice the risk of disease. This ties in convincingly with the fact that high and maintained levels of cortisol (caused by a variety of different stressors) results in impaired metabolism, insulin resistance (potentially leading to what is known as Syndrome X, or Metabolic Syndrome), and consequently, more fat, particularly around the abdominal region. I will be going into more detail about the relationship between cortisol, testosterone and insulin resistance in the next few days, but today I just want to give you 3 quick tips on how you can immediately start feeling brighter and more alert.
So,
1) drink bottled water only. Remember you are only as healthy as the liquid you swim in. So keep it really clean.
2) Take alkalising salts or bicarbonate of soda every day to help reduce your blood acidity levels and promote healthy red and white blood cell production.
3) Get as much sleep as possible. It sounds obvious if you're constantly feeling below par, but it's more than just a simple case of shut eye. A lot of people get into the habit of staying up late, getting up early, and generally depriving themselves of the sleep our bodies really require in order to function optimally. The problem with getting too little sleep (ie. less than 8 hours a night) is that sleep deprivation results in elevated cortisol levels, which in turn contributes significantly to insulin resistance. Studies have shown that people who sleep less than 6.5 hours per night secrete a whopping 50% more insulin yet are 40% less sensitive to the effects of insulin compared to normal sleepers..bad, bad news for both fat loss and health at large.
I will be in touch in the next few days with more easy tips on how you can start lowering your cortisol levels, improve your blood composition for good health, and take the handbrake off your fat loss without changing your exercise programme.
Until then, stay Strong,
Charlotte
www.phoenixprofitness.com
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