MD Strength in South Melbourne, Victoria | Coach

MD Strength

Locality: South Melbourne, Victoria

Phone: +61 424 541 336

Address: 29 White Street 3205 South Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.mdstrength.com.au

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23.01.2022 Its an eventful time for FightFit with the addition of FightFit Transformation! In this episode, Mark Derrick - our resident strength and conditioning guru, wi...ll be discussing the details of this exciting new program that will be kicking off with nutrition and training seminars on the 7th and 14th of September. See more

23.01.2022 We Are Back After some backwards and forwards seeking the advice of Business Victoria, I can confirm that the MD Strength Centre will be re-opening again on Monday November 9th. I am absolutely over the moon to see everyone’s faces again, rather than just through a computer screen. ... I will be running my Lifting Crew service with limited numbers to ensure COVID compliancy and the safety of all members. This will also ensure that my high quality of service is always maintained. For those new to the concept and want to know exactly WHAT THE LIFTING CREW IS please read on. The Lifting Crew is my individualised approach to team training. With the benefits of having your own coach (which would be me) who will design a custom program and nutrition plan for you, come and train as part of a team every week with a coach to guide you in a purpose build strength facility. What makes the lifting crew special though are the relationships and camaraderie developed within. How we get started I run an initial 1 on 1 bench marking sessions so that I may properly assess your starting point. I also conduct an initial nutritional consultation and a follow up appointment within 10 days to go through your food diary and provide you with an initial nutrition plan. An initial fee of $350 covers the cost of each of these. However I will waive this fee for anyone who pays upfront for 6 months. And for the remainder of 2020 I will also be waiving this fee for anyone interested in joining. What you will receive: Individual program design delivered through Team Buildr app Tailor made nutrition plan and access to app Access to all face to face coaching during lifting crew coached sessions Access to monthly body composition testing Free access to any seminars and/or workshops run by me. Your Investment - $129.95 debited weekly, and NO, I do not make you sign a contract or have any other hidden fees or silly BS. Current Coached Session Times Monday - 6:00pm-9:00pm Wednesday - 6:00pm-9:00pm Friday 6:00pm-9:00pm Saturday - 9:00am -12:00pm Note the sessions do not go for 3 hrs, I am there available for coaching during these times. Everyone starts their sessions between 6-8 depending on their schedule with the last members finishing up by 9pm.

23.01.2022 The first FREE seminar for FightFit Transformation is this Saturday! Dont miss out on this amazing opportunity to get an insight on 2 foundational components ...to successful training; MINDSET & NUTRITION! Mark Derrick & Guests will be hosting this event at: 8am at Collingwood - (40 72 Rokeby St, Collingwood) 10:30am at South Melbourne - (29 White Street, South Melbourne) This is a FREE event for anyone to attend! See you all on the weekend.

23.01.2022 ***EGG & TURKEY STUFFED PEPPERS*** Macronutrient Breakdown Per Serve. 329 Kcal... 43grams Protein 11grams Carbs 12g grams Fats See more

23.01.2022 To everyone in Melbourne back in lockdown While things dont always go according to plan, if we hold strong, support each other and stay connected we will come out the other side even stronger. I have created this lockdown training package to help maintain your health and sanity during this time. ... You will only need some resistance bands and yourself. You will receive 10 Week Structured Strength & Conditioning Program. 3 STRENGTH and 3 CONDITIONING sessions per week that compliment each other. 4 options for conditioning sessions, including 2x10 week progressive running programs (continuous and interval) which can be completed at your local oval. Access to program via Teambuildr app for 10 weeks which will allow you to track results and record all of your progress. Access to MD Strength FB Group for ability to post questions for any guidance you require. My Macro Friendly Recipe Pack with over 250 recipes. My complete guide to tracking nutritional intake using myfitness pal as well as my macronutrient calculator. I would normally charge you $40 per week to have access to this service but due to the recent circumstance I would like to make it available to as many of you as I can for one off payment of only $99 If you are experiencing serious financial hardship, please email me at [email protected] and I will make this available to you at no cost. As humans we need to support each other through both good times and bad. And remember, # staysafe and # stayathome Mark https://mdstrength.lpages.co/lockdown-training-program/

22.01.2022 The first FREE seminar for FightFit Transformation is this Saturday! Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to get an insight on 2 foundational components ...to successful training; MINDSET & NUTRITION! Mark Derrick & Guests will be hosting this event at: 8am at Collingwood - (40 72 Rokeby St, Collingwood) 10:30am at South Melbourne - (29 White Street, South Melbourne) This is a FREE event for anyone to attend! See you all on the weekend.

22.01.2022 We are dealing with some challenging times ahead and I know training is a big part of your life. I want to help you continue your training despite many having limited equipment. I want to equip you with a template that can be used to best adapt things to your situation. Ive created the Home Training Program, for free, to get you through the coming weeks/months. If you are one of the few lucky enough to have your own home gym set up, just email me directly or drop a line in t...he group above and I will send you through a separate template. If everyone bands together and helps out their community we will come out together stronger as a whole. If anyone does require any extra help, please reach out and I will help in any way I can. I hope you find this useful and helps you to maintain a healthy lifestyle during this challenging time. And remember, #staysafe and #stayathome Mark https://mdstrength.lpages.co/at-home-training-program/

20.01.2022 Follow a program and stick to a process that is orientated around your goals. The process of increasing strength and muscle or making any sort of meaningful long term change to your strength, body composition, is determined more by your consistent application to the program and nutritional strategies based on actual science not the latest fad. For training this means accumulating Volume Load (Sets x Reps x Weight) progressively over time, yep thats it, increasing this over ...time is the main driver for your increasing lean muscle. Smashing yourself into oblivion, combining heavy lifting with a tonne of cardio thrown in the same session creates too much interference. This severely limits the cell signalling pathways that promote protein synthesis, which is not ideal for the development of strength or making changes to your physique. To limit this interference, any form of cardio work should be completed at least 6 hrs after any strength based session or ideally on alternate days. I get it, everyone want to feel a burn after a great workout, or lift the heaviest weight. For lifters, or those just wanting to increase your numbers in the gym, spend the time building strength, and developing your form. Dont come in and hit unscheduled maxes every few weeks, because you want a new vid on social media or because you are trying to impress others at the gym. Stick to your program, listen to your coach, and you will be hitting bigger number than you ever thought possible over the next few years. For those looking to make changes to your body, again follow your progressive resistance program, incorporate some aerobic work on alternate days to aid recovery and for general health, as well as implementing sound nutritional strategies that fuel your performance not impose huge restrictions. Your coach will be able to help you with this or point you in the right direction to seek the help you need. If all you are getting is flogged each session by a trainer with a mixture of heavy weights and cardio leaving you almost passing out with no progression, I would find a more qualified and experienced coach. Above all else be patient and enjoy the process!!!

20.01.2022 ***SQUAT PRINCIPLES - SOME PRELIMINARIES*** A few basic pointers above that will help you before you start squatting with a barbell. Stay tuned over the coming weeks for where I will be covering the following SQUAT PRINCIPLES:... [SET UP] [EXECUTION] [COMMON ISSUES]

20.01.2022 Here are two tests that can be performed on the rower to test both Aerobic (with oxygen) and Anaerobic (without oxygen) Capacity. 2000m row to test Aerobic Capacity Good indicator of your of your bodys ability to generate energy (ATP) using oxygen.... 500m Row to test Anaerobic Capacity Good indicator of your bodys ability to generate energy (ATP) without oxygen. Strength Over Weakness Discipline Over Motivation Principles Over Methods Fulfilment Over Happiness

20.01.2022 Even though pushups are a fantastic body weight exercise they are often prescribed to beginners who have not built up the required strength and stability to perform the movement proficiently. During a pushup you are utilising approximately 70% of your Bodyweight with each rep. Now imagine an individual without any training background who weighs 120kg being told to perform pushups. ... Every rep they perform would be the equivalent of bench pressing 84kg. Most coaches would agree that putting this person under a bench and asking them to starting pressing 84kg having never trained before would be quite stupid. Yet many people dont seem to bat an eyelid prescribing pushups to new trainees. To test this logic if you have a set of scales at home, hold a pushup position with your hands on the scales, and you will find that the weight displayed will be approximately 70% of your current weight. So what are some alternatives? -Planks + variations (help build stability required to hold position during pushup) -Incline DB Press (neutral grip) -Wall Pushups -Incline pushups on Box or barbell set up in rack (these can be overloaded by setting barbell lower as you gain strength). Strength Over Weakness Discipline Over Motivation Principles Over Methods Fulfilment Over Happiness

19.01.2022 The Final FREE seminar for FightFit Transformation is on this Saturday. Join Mark Derrick as he runs through the principles of training for optimal body compo...sition and the most effective training regimes to achieve your best physique. 8am at Collingwood - (40 72 Rokeby St, Collingwood) 10:30am at South Melbourne - (29 White Street, South Melbourne) Folks, is a FREE EVENT for anyone to attend! See you all on the weekend.

19.01.2022 ***LATEST BLOG POST*** When I decided to start powerlifting nearly four years ago...I received comments about my physique and concerns that I would turn into a man if I continued lifting. However, I knew that I was never going to fit the typical mould of ‘femininity’ and therefore in my mind, defiance was the obvious answer. In doing so, I soon discovered the sense of freedom that comes from breaking stereotypes and disproving norms. I re-discovered what it meant to be strong and female and to be honest, it’s exhilarating. https://www.mdstrength.com.au//the-beauty-in-strength-cele

19.01.2022 ***SQUAT PRINCIPLES FOR BARBELL BACK SQUAT - STANCE WIDTH & FOOT ANGLE*** Stance width and foot angle will largely come down to individual preference and comfort. Your stance will be heavily influenced by your hip structure (femoral heads ability to externally rotate in hip socket) and your Dorsi Flexion. Foot angle you choose should allow you to maintain external rotation at your femoral head with knees tracking in line with toes throughout the lift.

17.01.2022 ***THE ROLES OF A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH*** The role of a strength and conditioning professional is indeed multifaceted. They require fundamental skills of coaching and the ability to understand and apply various sport science disciplines to be successful. Traditionally coaches value knowledge above all else. However without the ability to communicate those ideas with athletes or clients (interpersonal knowledge) or the ability to critically think and be self refl...ective (intrapersonal knowledge) they will undoubtably come undone. It is utterly useless to know close to 100% about a particular topic but only have the ability to communicate 5% of what you know due to poor communication. Much better to only know 50% about a topic and have the ability to communicate at least 40% of that knowledge across to your athletes or clients. Due to the breadth and depth of knowledge required by S&C coaches, they should strive to become excellent ‘generalists’ before being considered a ‘specialist’ in a particular area. See more

16.01.2022 Last weeks heavy squats, top set of 4s at 230kg before some back off work. Thanks to @waynez89 and @gymstgrm for the spot and @strong_bunny for the cues. Cant wait to get in the platform come August 11 @aviaperformance.

16.01.2022 Want to add muscle to your frame over time whilst keeping your physique as lean as possible? Again no fads ot gimmicks, just a progressive scientific approach to ensure you gain muscle. Hit the link below to Join the MD Strength Lifting Crew https://mdstrength.lpages.co/lifting-crew/

15.01.2022 Theres nothing more supportive than surrounding yourself with a team to help you become stronger and happier. At the MD Strength Centre, Mark Derrick will help you look good, feel great and be the strongest and best version of you!

14.01.2022 Years of training and coaching have taught me the importance of following through, creating and sticking to habits as well as the importance of mindset on achieving your goals. Let me help you to develop strategies to make this possible for you.

14.01.2022 ***MACRONUTRIENTS - PROTEIN*** Protein can be obtained from many different sources, both animals, and plants. When compared, animal proteins have much more complete amino acid profile than plant based proteins. In particular the amino acid leucine which acts as a catalyst and helps to trigger protein synthesis (muscle growth and repair). The protein source with the highest leucine content is whey. This is not to say that if you follow a plant-based diet, you cannot achieve t...he same amount of protein and amino acid intake as someone who is more omnivorous. It just means that you will need to consume a lot more volume and from a much wider range of plant sources sources to achieve a similar result. For those of your that have adopted a more plant based diet, including soy foods, pumpkin seeds, seitan and tempeh will help you get some more leucine in your diet.

14.01.2022 Great first week back doing what I loving doing.

14.01.2022 ***COMING SOON!!!*** . . . Stay tuned for updates.

14.01.2022 Regardless of your training goal, if you want to see any sort of progress an overloading stimulus needs to be applied. Some examples of this include increasing volume such as distance or reps, increasing intensity such as speed, heart rate, or weight lifted. This can also be achieved by decreasing rest intervals or improving movement efficiency. This principle needs to be applied if you want to get stronger, become more powerful, improve your conditioning, see changes to your physique, or an increase in your performance. Without this stimulus your body no longer needs to adapt and no further progress will be made. Along with the training principle of specificity (which I will cover next) it serves as the most prominent way to ensure you continue making progress.

12.01.2022 FightFitters! We are developing a new service offering called FightFit Transformation and would like your input. We decided to create FightFit Transformation t...o help people actually transform their lives and habits so they can look good, feel good and be at their best all the time. When developing the FightFit Transformation program we started by understanding the science behind it - our training programs and nutritional strategies are guided by science, market research, 1000's of hours industry experience and feedback from members/non-members. To help us develop this further, it would be great if you could fill in this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9KLB3WZ Thanks!

11.01.2022 To everyone in Melbourne back in lockdown While things don't always go according to plan, if we hold strong, support each other and stay connected we will come out the other side even stronger. I have created this lockdown training package to help maintain your health and sanity during this time. ... You will only need some resistance bands and yourself. You will receive 10 Week Structured Strength & Conditioning Program. 3 STRENGTH and 3 CONDITIONING sessions per week that compliment each other. 4 options for conditioning sessions, including 2x10 week progressive running programs (continuous and interval) which can be completed at your local oval. Access to program via Teambuildr app for 10 weeks which will allow you to track results and record all of your progress. Access to MD Strength FB Group for ability to post questions for any guidance you require. My Macro Friendly Recipe Pack with over 250 recipes. My complete guide to tracking nutritional intake using myfitness pal as well as my macronutrient calculator. I would normally charge you $40 per week to have access to this service but due to the recent circumstance I would like to make it available to as many of you as I can for one off payment of only $99 If you are experiencing serious financial hardship, please email me at [email protected] and I will make this available to you at no cost. As humans we need to support each other through both good times and bad. And remember, # staysafe and # stayathome Mark https://mdstrength.lpages.co/lockdown-training-program/

11.01.2022 In the 53rd episode of the FightFit Podcast, we were joined for a third time by Mark Derrick. Mark is a strength and condition expert who currently putting the ...final touches on MD Strength Centre, which is located at our South Melbourne facility. This new facility will provide a bigger and better experience for Marks clients to take their training to a whole new level under Marks expert guidance. Furthermore, out host Jake has agreed to stick to a program that Mark has created form over the next 16 weeks. Give this a listen to hear all of the knowledge and insight that Mark reveals to Jake - who knows absolutely nothing about strength training! The FightFit Podcast is available on the following platforms: YouTube Spotify iTunes Google Podcasts Breaker Anchor Pocket Casts RadioPublic Be sure to follow us on Facebook for the a new podcast with a new guest every Sunday at 6pm. Facebook @FightFit Boxing Centre Instagram @FightFitBoxing Thank you to our sponsors at Squires Loft. https://www.facebook.com/SquiresLoftE...

11.01.2022 I am extremely excited to announce the launch of my Strength Seminar Series’ which will be running every Tuesday between 6:30pm-8:30pm over a 4 week period starting April 27th. Week 1 - Squat Week 2 - Bench Press Week 3 - Deadlift... Week 4 - Military Press Each day I will cover the technical aspects of setting up and executing each lift. I will also cover progressions / regressions, finally we will go over some strategies for addressing sticking points. If you are interested in learning how to lift correctly and maximise your strength gains then this is for you. For details shoot me a DM See more

10.01.2022 It's an eventful time for FightFit with the addition of FightFit Transformation! In this episode, Mark Derrick - our resident strength and conditioning guru, wi...ll be discussing the details of this exciting new program that will be kicking off with nutrition and training seminars on the 7th and 14th of September. See more

09.01.2022 ***ENERGY BALANCE*** If weight loss is your goal a caloric deficit is needed. If weight gain is your goal a caloric surplus is needed. ... Any Method of eating will ensure you lose weight so long as you are in a caloric deficit, the same as any method of eating for weight gain will work so long as you are in a caloric surplus. If youre not achieving decreasing or increasing weight, you are by definition not in a deficit or surplus. For most people it comes down to choosing a method or way of eating that they enjoy whilst still being able to achieve their goals. This will increase the chances of changes being more sustainable.

08.01.2022 Congratulations to Lee-Ann for her achievements over the weekend at the Australian Championships. . She came away with a bronze medal in the 64kg class against some phenomenal competitors. . Thanks to everyone from @trainingdaygymclayton and @joshjtee, @rebekahmurchie who came down to support, special thanks to @Lucas hu8596 from @suprafitaus for filming. Also huge thanks to all of the volunteers who made the weekend possible.... Extremely proud of how far she has come having only picked up a barbell for the first time 2.5 years ago. Time now to rebuild and strengthen some weaker areas. .

08.01.2022 *** REMINDER *** This Saturday 7th September, we kick off the first FREE SEMINAR for FightFit Transformation! Mark Derrick & Guests will discuss two ke...y components of the Transformation program - MINSET & NUTRITION. 8am at Collingwood - (40 72 Rokeby St, Collingwood) 10:30am at South Melbourne - (29 White Street, South Melbourne) Remember folks, this is a FREE EVENT FOR ANYONE to attend! Don't miss out on this awesome opportunity.

08.01.2022 Fantastic effort by Tom and Lee-Ann who competed yesterday at Avia Performance. Tom in his first ever meet managed to go 6/9 in U69kg class, with his best lifts: Squat - 155kg Bench - 95kg... Deadlift - 205kg Total - 455kg Extremely proud of how far he has come in such a short space of time, particulalry his ability to hit over 3x BW deadlift for his first ever comp. To prove what an absolute beast he is, he will be leaving to walk Kokoda next week as well. Such a great role model to all of his clients. I personally cant wait to see what the next few yrs holds. Lee-Ann competed in the U64kg and hit 9/9 on the day with her best lifts: Squat - 132kg (+7kg pb) Bench - 87kg (+12kg pb) Deadlift - 175kg (+15kg pb) Total - 394kg (+34kg pb) Definitely her best comp by far, which is a testament to her dedication and consistent application to her training. We decided that she wouldnt know the weight on the bar for any lifts. This enabled her to walk out, set up and execute without fixating on the numbers she was trying to hit. Also, cant leave out Training Day Gym with the amazing culture they have created that enables all lifters to train together in an ego free environment. Thank you to Avia Performance for putting on such a great day. A huge congratulation to all competitors on the day. What an amazing sport and community.

08.01.2022 ***MD STRENGTH CENTRE COMING SOON TO FIGHTFIT SOUTH MELBOURNE*** Get everything you need to achieve the results you are after. As a member, you will receive: ... >Your own coach (that would be me) >Access to the MD Strength Centre during FightFit opening times. >Access to 6 Coaching Sessions per week (yes face to face, and all with me) >Weekly technique workshops >Full access to training and nutrition apps >Individualised designed program >Tailor made nutrition Plan >Body composition analysis > 24/7 access and support from your coach (me) >All the tools and support to become the best version of yourself For more information visit the following link https://mdstrength.lpages.co/lifting-crew/ Stay tuned for more updates.

08.01.2022 Following the Government’s recent directive to keep our state safe and slow the spread of COVID-19, it is with great sadness that the MD Strength Centre cannot open next Monday 13th. On the plus side I have now spelt reopening right this time haha. Maybe I should be working on a new slogan during lockdown haha. ‘MD STRENGTH CENTRE WHERE ENGLISH IS IMPORTANT BUT BIGGER BICEPS ARE MORE IMPORTANTER!’ Stay tuned though as I will be releasing a new 10 Week Lockdown Program 2.0 in the next day or two to help you stay healthy during this time. As usual if anyone needs any assistance please DM me and I will endeavour to help you out where I can.

08.01.2022 Following a process that is goal orientated is the best way to accomplish the goals most seek to achieve through hap hazard random sessions. It is no different than saving money. If you decided that over the next 5 years for example you were going to save $200 every week. You would have accumulated over $50,000 by the end (more with interest). If you decided that you were wanting to save over the next 5 years, but would only save money when you felt like it. Sure some wee...ks you may put in more than $200 but over the long run you would most likely save a lot less. This is why Training trumps Exercising. Yes, randomly performing exercise can seem more enjoyable to some people, but they do not achieve the long term results most individuals are after. If your goals are to drop body fat, increase lean muscle, increase strength or enhancing performance then following a structured approach [TRAINING] is what you need. If you simply like a more unstructured approach and are doing it more for fun and to get a little bit fitter, but are not concerned with having a sustainable approach for dropping body fat increasing lean muscle, increasing strength or enhancing performance then Exercising may be more suitable for you. Strength Over Weakness Discipline Over Motivation Principles Over Methods Fulfilment Over Happiness

07.01.2022 [Apologies, seemed to only upload one video yesterday, I have corrected this now, so that you may view best lifts of the day] Fantastic effort by Tom and Lee-Ann who competed yesterday at Avia Performance. Tom in his first ever meet managed to go 6/9 in U69kg class, with his best lifts:... Squat - 155kg Bench - 95kg Deadlift - 205kg Total - 455kg Extremely proud of how far he has come in such a short space of time, particulalry his ability to hit over 3x BW deadlift for his first ever comp. To prove what an absolute beast he is, he will be leaving to walk Kokoda next week as well. Such a great role model to all of his clients. I personally cant wait to see what the next few yrs holds. Lee-Ann competed in the U64kg and hit 9/9 on the day with her best lifts: Squat - 132kg (+7kg pb) Bench - 87kg (+12kg pb) Deadlift - 175kg (+15kg pb) Total - 394kg (+34kg pb) Definitely her best comp by far, which is a testament to her dedication and consistent application to her training. We decided that she wouldnt know the weight on the bar for any lifts. This enabled her to walk out, set up and execute without fixating on the numbers she was trying to hit. Also, cant leave out Training Day Gym with the amazing culture they have created that enables all lifters to train together in an ego free environment. Thank you to Avia Performance for putting on such a great day. A huge congratulation to all competitors on the day. What an amazing sport and community.

07.01.2022 Extremely exited to launch the FightFit Transformation Program. FightFit Transformation is an evidence based program; it is ongoing and adapts to ensure you continue making progress for the long term. You will not only transform your body but you will also develop a stronger, healthier and happier mindset, surrounded by a community of like mined people. I will be conducting a series of workshops over the coming weeks that will cover training and nutrition for optimally chan...ging of body composition as well as mindset. (Details Below) Tag a friend who you'd like to do this with! PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE: 1) Free initial consultation, includes body composition, nutritional overview, and bench marking for program. 2) Ongoing progressive program designed to optimise your physique. 3) 4 x 60min face to face small group sessions per week. 4) Nutritional coaching. 5) One Coach who oversees all programming and nutrition planning. 6) Access to Body Composition Tracking 7) Access to ME (your coach) 24/7. 8) Access to a private Facebook Group 9) Full Access to FightFit Boxing Centre 10) Full Access to Team Buildr App and Cronometer App for programming and nutritional tracking. 11) Shopping tour with an Accredited practicing Dietitian (APD) SEMINAR DETAILS: NUTRITIONAL & MINDSET Saturday September 7th FightFit Collingwood - 8:00 AM FightFit South Melbourne - 10:30 AM TRAINING SEMINAR Saturday September 14th FightFit Collingwood - 8:00 AM FightFit South Melbourne - 10:30 AM

06.01.2022 ***SQUAT PRINCIPLES FOR BARBELL BACK SQUAT - GRIP AND ELBOW POSITION*** GRIP WIDTH - Place hands on the bar as close as your shoulder mobility allows. If your shoulders have poor external rotation or you have poor thoracic (upper back) extension, widening your grip may help to reduce any discomfort you experience. If really poor, I would recommend some other form of squat (Goblet, Front, Safety Bar to name a few) whilst you work on improving external rotational and/ or thorac...ic extension. GRIP TYPE - This will largely come down to personal preference. Using a grip that allows you to get into the tightest, most secure and safest starting position. Pinkie Under Grip can help to reduce some pain in wrists, shoulders or elbows, particularly in bigger lifters. If this allows you to get into the best possible position then great. However if you are using this as a band aid, when you could be treating the cause (mentioned above) I would recommend treating the cause first. ELBOW POSITION - Your elbows should be closer together than your wrists, and be constantly pulled together whist simultaneously retracting your shoulder blades. Think about trying to touch them together. COMMON ISSUES - Wrist and elbow pain, main causes for this are poor thoracic extensions and / or poor shoulder external rotation. Keep an eye out this week on @functional_therapies page for some exercises that could be beneficial for you.

06.01.2022 Before becoming a member of the lifting crew, everyone goes through a comprehensive benchmarking session. This usually lasts around 90mins but can stretch out (and usually does) to 2+hrs. The reason for this length is that I want to ensure that you have a basic grasp of some of the fundamental movements. Skills covered in this session include, Squatting, Hinging, Pushing (vertically and horizontally), Pulling (vertically and horizontally). I also assess your work capacity so... I can get and idea of how much work you can recover from. From here, I am able to design a program for you that not only fits your goals, but also takes into account your working schedule and other training commitments you may have. This is particularly important for members who partake in combat sports through the week as well (both recreationally and competitively). As any strength and conditioning program for combat sports athletes needs to be integrating into their training week not simply added on top as extra. This session also gives you a chance to get to know me and my approach to strength and conditioning, ensuring that we are a good fit for each other and the lifting crew is something that could be beneficial to you. After your session I encourage you to come in and practice some of the movements taught. You are able to do this in the lifting crew coaching times for the remainder of the week you complete your benchmarking session in. This enables you to meet most of the members, and also start to get a feel for how everything works before joining. If your interested in taking your training to the next level for 2021 visit www.mdstrength.com.au or send me a DM and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.

06.01.2022 Fangjie 9 weeks into following a structured approach for the first time. Hitting 65kg for sets of 5 easily using a double overhand grip. This is my favoured grip for anyone starting out. It is a great builder of grip strength as well as acting like a safety measure to control load used. This is due to the fact that your grip becomes the limiting factor so will break first before anything else.

06.01.2022 Here are a few key differences between the Conventional and Sumo Deadlift. The Sumo Deadlift places less stress through the spine as you start in a much more upright position. Starting with a smaller moment arm between your hips and the bar, this would explain why it feels more difficult to get moving at first but is usually easier to lockout if position is maintained. The Conventional Deadlift places much more stress through the spine as you generally start in a much more ...bent over position. Starting with a much larger moment arm between your hips and the bar, this explains why it usually starts moving well off the floor but you may find it harder to lockout. One of the determining factors as to which lift you may feel more comfortable lies in with structure of your hips. This is a topic for a later date. . Strength Over Weakness Discipline Over Motivation Principles Over Methods Fulfilment Over Happiness

06.01.2022 ***MACRONUTRIENTS - CARBOHYDRATES*** Carbohydrates can be obtained form many different food sources examples include fruits, vegetables, cereals potatoes. All carbohydrates are made up of one (monosaccharide) two (disaccharide) or many (polysaccharide) sugar molecules. These are broken down in the digestive system into glucose. It is glucose that provides energy and powers all of the body's functions. The smaller the chain of sugar molecules, the quicker this process to brea...kdown to glucose is. Not so commonly know is that glucose is also your brains primary fuel source. Something to consider if you are getting the 2-3pm brain fog or productivity at work is dropping (it might not be a caffeine hit that you need) but rather some extra carbs in your diet. Generally speaking those who are less active may require less carbohydrates than those who are more active. For endurance athletes or those partaking in hard intense training sessions, intakes of carbohydrates can be anywhere from 5g per kg b.w. (for easier days) and up to 10-12 g per kg b.w. (for hard days where total training time may be over 4hrs)

06.01.2022 ***TDEE - TOTAL DAILY ENERGY EXPENDITURE*** Quite simply this is the measure of how much energy your body burns through each day. This energy is measured in calories (kcal) To follow on from my post on ENERGY BALANCE, generally the more active we are, the more calories we need to consume to fuel our body.... Despite hitting the gym 2-4 times per week most of us would still be classed as sedentary populations (unless of course you have a physical job or are very active throughout the day). as for the rest of the day we are not very active. As very little of our energy burned comes from training, the main focus of our 2-4 sessions per week should be on building muscle (resistance training). Only between 5-10% of your energy burned would come from your training yet a whopping 15-30% could come from simply being more active throughout your day. One way of tracking this is step counting, although not always highly accurate depending on the device you have, it still acts as a really great guide. Aiming for 10-12 thousands steps per day on top of a structured strength program would have you obtaining much better results than smashing through 4 workouts designed to burn maximum calories in that session. Simple. Use your training sessions to build muscle through a structured and effectively periodised resistance training program. Increase the amount of activity you do throughout the day (10-12 thousand steps) to burn through lots more calories long term. This will have you achieving a much leaner and more sustainable physique.

05.01.2022 Whether you are an aspiring Powerlifter, Combat Sport Athlete, Martial Artist, Swimmer, Triathlete, play a Team Sport looking to get one up on your competition. Or simply tired of not seeing the results after hours spent tirelessly training. Allow me to help you by developing a program that will see your performance sky rocket.

04.01.2022 *** JOIN A COMMUNITY NOT A GYM*** Receive the actual service you require to get better .... not another fancy template or circuit style group training class. No it won’t be easy, yes it will require dedication....But you will become stronger than you ever imagined and have a community of like minded people as well as a coach striving to make you better.

04.01.2022 ***MACRONUTRIENTS - FATS*** Fats can be consumed form a variety of different animal and plant sources. Their main role in the body is to aid in hormone regulation and transportation of various Fat Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E and K). Daily intake of Saturated Fat's such as butter, cream, fatty cuts of meat and coconut milk, cakes, pastries, or deep fried snacks should be limited to Under 10% of total calories with most coming from unsaturated sources such as fish, avocados, oli...ve oil, nuts (such cashew and almonds). Fats can also be used for energy by being broke down into glycerol and fatty acids in the process of lipolysis. The fatty acids can then be broken down directly to get energy, or can be used to make glucose through a multi-step process called gluconeogenesis.

04.01.2022 TRANSFORMATION THURSDAY: 1 year between these progress shots of @strong_bunny , taken without photoshop or filters, with the same pose and fr...om the same distance. On the Left - Jan 2017: Body Weight: 73.5kg Lean Body Weight: 45.23kg Body Fat Weight: 28.27kg Body Fat Percentage: 38.46% On the Right - Jan 2018: Body Weight: 63.5kg Lean Body Weight: 50.42kg Body Fat Weight: 13.08kg Body Fat Percentage: 20.60% Lee-Ann decided to start training with @md_strength with the main goal of changing body composition and getting stronger. One of the main hurdles she had always struggled with when it came to her general fitness and health was juggling around her already busy lifestyle; working full time as a teacher, volunteering and family commitments. Together Mark Derrick Strength & Conditioning and @strong_bunny worked towards creating a progressive strength program and nutritional plan (fuelling performance) that would not only work around her hectic lifestyle but also work for her (NOT a program based around smashing her to oblivion and putting her on a ridiculously restrictive diet). As a result, she has been able to incorporate positive habits into her day to day routine, making changes to her lifestyle and reaping the benefits as pictured above. When it came to changing the way her body looked, Lee-Anns previous go-to plan was to run several times a week and restrict her eating. After a years of running and excessive cardio, seeing no major changes to her body as well as flaring up an old knee injury, she decided to try something new and see how lifting weights could benefit her. After the first 3 months and seeing more changes to her body than years of running (and experiencing no more knee pain), she became hooked. Fast forward to over 2.5 years later, she is now a competitive powerlifter, finishing with bronze medal at the recent Australian Powerlifting Championships in the 64kg class is still continuing to makes changes to her body composition. But more importantly she has made her training and nutrition part of her lifestyle, enabling her to become healthier, happier and better able to cope with the stressors of everyday life.

03.01.2022 ***SQUAT PRINCIPLES FOR BARBELL BACK SQUAT - Barbell Position*** Barbell positioning to start with will largely come down to what you are trying to achieve. A Weightlifter will want to maintain an upright torso position in the bottom of a clean so the bar position for a back squat with the best carry over would be a High Bar. A Powerlifter looking to squat the most amount of weight in competition would benefit greatly from the leverages and muscular recruitment that a Low Bar... position offers. If you are new to lifting or an athlete, the Mid Bar may be a better choice as you get a more even distribution of torque through your legs, glutes and lower back muscles. As well as being a safer option. High bar runs the risk of getting dumped forward on the neck with more inexperienced lifters whilst low bar can put unnecessary strain on shoulders, elbows as well as creating even more fatigue through lower back. A Mid Bar position can be a happy medium. The other alternative of course would be to use a safety bar if your gym has one. Regardless of the your bar position you choose, the barbell should still be in line with your mid foot when performing the movement.

02.01.2022 Following the Governments recent directive to keep our state safe and slow the spread of COVID-19, it is with great sadness that the MD Strength Centre cannot open next Monday 13th. On the plus side I have now spelt reopening right this time haha. Maybe I should be working on a new slogan during lockdown haha. MD STRENGTH CENTRE WHERE ENGLISH IS IMPORTANT BUT BIGGER BICEPS ARE MORE IMPORTANTER! Stay tuned though as I will be releasing a new 10 Week Lockdown Program 2.0 in the next day or two to help you stay healthy during this time. As usual if anyone needs any assistance please DM me and I will endeavour to help you out where I can.

01.01.2022 No fad diets or gimmicks here, just proven scientific methods that will have you dropping unwanted body fat whilst maintaining all that lean muscle you work so hard to build. Click the following LINK to Join the MD Strength Lifting Crew. https://mdstrength.lpages.co/lifting-crew/

01.01.2022 We Are Back!!! It is with great excitement that I will be officially reopening the MD Strength Centre next Monday 13th July. Due to the small group structure we are lucky enough to be back operating at full capacity from the 13th. This will mean that I will only be able to accept a limited number of new members for the time being. ... I have put in place measures to ensure compliance with COVID-19 regulations as your health and wellbeing is my number one priority. These include sanitising stations, wipes and disinfectant and spacing all racks & machines for social distancing purposes. On top of this each member will have their temperature taken and recorded upon entry. For anyone interested in joining my lifting crew feel free to shoot through a DM and I will be in touch.