Nu-U PT in Dural, New South Wales, Australia | Gym/Physical fitness centre

Nu-U PT

Locality: Dural, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 2 9651 2774

Address: Quarry Road 2158 Dural, NSW, Australia

Website: http://nu-upt.com.au

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• Gym/Physical fitness centre
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• Sports & fitness instruction
• Fitness trainer

25.01.2022 The American College of Sports Medicine summarised the evidence supporting stress relief and exercise by stating: "Research supports the idea that exercise can improve the way the body handles stress, and it can provide a time-out from stressors. Exercise programs meeting the current recommendations for health included within a stress management program can be effective in stress reduction."

25.01.2022 NEW TOYS.. Our new power bands have arrived in the gym, and have many great uses: - PULL UPS, CHIN UPS, DIPS- When wrapped around the bottom of the foot, the bands assist these exercises for those who are wanting to progress to performing them without assistance - SQUATS, DEADLIFTS, BENCH PRESS- A great strength tool- when wrapped around the bar the bands overload your strength curve. What this means is that as the bands tighten throughout the lift, the resistance increases. ... Meaning that the top portion of the lift is overloaded moreso than it would be usually, which will carry over to greater strength and power, and assist at the sticking point of the exercise. Bands have also been shown to be great for muscle building, as they induce greater muscle damage and mechanical tension. See more

25.01.2022 TRANS FATS Trans fat intake is best kept to as little as possible. It has been shown to increase the risk of heart disease, the worldwide leading cause of death, mainly through increasing the amount of 'bad' cholestrol and decreasing the amount of 'good' cholestrol. The best way to avoid trans fats is to: - Keep deep fried food intake to a minimum - Avoid commercially prepared baked food, such as store bought pastries, donuts, snack foods and processed foods... - Opt for margarine over butter - Read the label... by law trans fat amounts must be listed See more

25.01.2022 An interesting look at an overlooked eating disorder. Orthorexia is defined as an obsession with eating foods that one considers healthy. Generally speaking, this disorder is more concerned with quality rather than quantity, and is fed by consumer misinformation and buzz-words such as "clean", "paleo", "organic" etc, leading to the unnecessary demonising of certain food groups entirely. The diagnostic criteria for orthorexia is based on these three questions: - Do you look do...wn on others who don't eat this way? - Do you spend more than three hours a day thinking about healthy foods? - Does the diet make it difficult for you to eat anywhere but at home, distancing yourself from family and friends? If you answered yes to 2 or more questions then you fit the criteria. Keep in mind the best diet is the one which doesn't constantly leave you thinking about food. Also, a recognition that there are no "good" or "bad" foods- that if you consume a high calorie meal, you can simply account for it in your daily calorie budget- as opposed to drowning in pity and guilt, or initiating a binge eating cycle associated with periods of deprivation. See more

25.01.2022 LEG PRESS.. Some notes of technique for muscle building purposes * Low foot placement= Quadriceps emphasis * High foot placement= Glutes/Hamstrings emphasis * Mid foot placement= Roughly even distribution between knee and hip extensors ... * Go down as far as your range of motion allows, this means that when you feel your hips start to lift up, and your pelvis start to tilt backwards you have gone too far and tension has shifted elsewhere Keep an eye out for our new 45 degree plate loaded leg press, which will be on the gym floor within the next couple of weeks! See more

24.01.2022 A recent study (Doma et al) found that pull-ups and pull-downs showed similar muscle activity for lats (with pull-ups being slightly better), but pull-ups showed much greater muscle activity for biceps and erector spinae. What does this mean in plain English? Pull-ups are just as good as pull-downs for the lats, if not better, and are significantly better for biceps and erector spinae. Whereas a pull-down, for the sake of ease and comfort, is predominantly a lat exercise, a pull-up is a lat-and-your-whole-back exercise. The winner seems clear to me

23.01.2022 Our trainer Hayden doing the chin up challenge! What's everyone think of his performance?

22.01.2022 An interesting new form of training that is showing extremely promising results. Blood flow restriction training, aka occlusion training The most common way of performing this is using either knee or wrist wraps and wrapping at a tightness of 7/10 either around the top of the thigh (for training the quadriceps or hamstrings) or around the top of the upper arm (for training biceps or triceps). The trainee will then use a light weight (roughly 20% of their 1 rep max) and perfo...rm 3-5 sets of 15-30 reps. By doing this, blood is trapped within that area- as it allows arterial blood flow, however does not allow venous return. The exact mechanism of its benefits is unknown. The research has shown that it induces muscle growth similar to, and in some studies greater than traditional resistance training using heavier loads. This is great news for those with joint problems such as arthritis, as it allows muscle growth without the accompanying joint pain and inflammation. Also those rehabbing injuries, and those deloading following intense training blocks. Of course, if you have any vascular or sensory problems, you will need to discuss this with your GP before using this technique. All trainees should also consult a trainer experienced in this form of training before commencing.

21.01.2022 The American College of Sports Medicine looked at back pain, and how people deal with it and concluded: "Recent research indicates that excessive activity restrictions are in fact the opposite of what a painful back needs most. When outcomes from patients treated with bed rest are compared with those of patients who continued with work/activity despite pain, faster recoveries occurred for the activity group. In addition, cost analysis studies of back pain indicate that early return to work and physical activity often results in lower health care costs." So my next client who says they can't train because of a bad back will be sent a copy of this article!

20.01.2022 TESTOSTERONE For men, our testosterone is important not only to our sexual and reproductive health but also for the growth of muscle, bone, skin, heart health and more generally our well being. We know that once men pass the age of 40 they lose about 1-2% of testosterone per year, so clearly to keep all cylinders moving we want to do all we can to keep this ever important hormone firing! New research focusing on men aged 64-74 showed that those who slept 7 hours plus had test...osterone readings of 500-700 ng/dl, which was nearly TWICE the level of the men who didn't sleep well, and the SAME as you'd expect in healthy young men. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: For men 50+ who are starting to notice the decline, have a look at your sleep patterns to improve testosterone function!

20.01.2022 ROWER! Our personal favourite for a short, intense and torturous cardio session! Two common mistakes in technique are: - USING ONLY YOUR ARMS- roughly 60% of your power should come from your legs when rowing, push your foot against the panel forcefully with each stroke, and make sure you're coming forward far enough to generate this force - POOR POSTURE- hunching over is a sign of not using the legs, ensure you maintain a neutral spine, and remain relatively upright

20.01.2022 UNDER RATED EXERCISE... THE BOX SQUAT - REDUCES KNEE STRESS- keeps the shin vertical, and makes sure the knees don't travel over the toes - TEACHING TOOL- to push the hips back when squatting - GLUTES AND HAMSTRINGS- smashes them... - FUNCTIONAL- carries over to daily life (stand from a sitting position) - TAKES OUT THE STRETCH REFLEX- by pausing on the box, this removes the rebound effect at the bottom of a regular squat which is caused by elastic tension in our connective tissue, meaning it is purely muscular force which gets you from point a to b See more

20.01.2022 Another study published by the Journal of Fitness research that looked at TRX training vs. regular resistance training concluded that: "Overall, the findings indicate that TRX training improves muscular fitness variables in both younger and middle-aged adults that are generally associated with Resistance training. This could prove useful to individuals looking for more training options to gain both core endurance and muscular strength simultaneously and enhancing the diversity of exercise choices."

19.01.2022 TRAINING WHEN SICK? An interesting new study examined 50 subjects between 19-29, and put them into 2 groups. The subjects were then infected with rhinovirus-16, which is a common cold virus. They kept an eye on the development of the cold in both groups as they continued the study.... The first group trained for 40 minutes a day at 70% of their maximal heart rate: "moderate intensive training." They did their exercise on a treadmill, bike, or stair climber. The other group did NO exercise at all... Quite surprisingly, the cold symptoms lasted the same time in both groups. However, the first 6 days saw the training group have fewer symptoms than the group not training at all! The researchers concluded "These results suggest that moderate exercise training during a rhinovirus-caused URI under the conditions of this study design do not alter the severity and duration of the illness."

19.01.2022 HOW MUCH BODY FAT IS HEALTHY? Recent research found that our bodily systems are healthiest at these body fat levels: Women: 21.7-33.2% Men: 10.8-21.7% While it is great to push to reach lower body fat levels, it would be wise to spend majority of the year in these healthy ranges!

18.01.2022 UNDERRATED EXERCISE- ROMANIAN DEADLIFT * Great posterior chain movement, activating hamstrings, glutes and erector spinae significantly * Will improve dynamic mobility at the hip * Activates our core muscle- transverse abdominus significantly to keep the spine neutral * Focuses on the hip hinge

18.01.2022 Results from a recent study show that levels of mental health vary according to their level of exercise in leisure time and the physical activity total. People that perform high or mild levels of total physical exercise showed better levels of mental health. Considering only the physical activity performed in leisure time, the risk of suffering mental health pathologies among the "sufficiently active" population was reduced up to 56% or 54% compared to the "insufficiently active" population. Take home message: Mild-high levels of exercise improves mental health, and for best outcomes- perform exercise during leisure time.

18.01.2022 HOW TO WARM UP FOR STRENGTH TRAINING... SIMPLIFIED To use an example, if you were to do an upper body workout, and the first exercise is Bench press- 100kg for 3 set of 5 reps this warm up would be appropriate: - 3-5 minutes dynamic stretching- shoulder/thoracic spine - 40kg x 5 reps - 60kg x 3 reps... - 80kg x 2 reps For every exercise thereafter, perform 1-2 "acclimation sets" before the first working set, with 50-70% of your working weight for 6-8 reps. See more

18.01.2022 SPOT REDUCING BODY FAT "I want to get rid of my tummy, how many sit ups should I be doing?" Despite what fitness infomercials may lead you to believe, no amount of sit ups will magically reduce the body fat around your midsection. You CANNOT perform any exercise to rid body fat from any part of the body. Reducing body fat comes down to maintaining a calorie deficit- consuming less than you expend. If you wish to lose fat from your stomach, arms, legs- whatever it may be, this... can only be achieved through a calorie deficit. Through performing resistance exercises, we are building the muscle tissue, which is underneath the layer of fat tissue. Unfortunately the places we want fat to disappear from the most, is the last place it goes from. This means persistence and patience are absolutely necessary!

18.01.2022 People with high fitness levels in midlife have significantly lower annual health care costs after age 65 than people with low fitness in midlife, after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. "No one had previously investigated whether fitness in midlife translates into decreased health care costs 20-30 years later while adjusting for the risk factors," said Bachmann, instructor in Medicine. "For every metabolic equivalent you are able to achieve, your health care costs decrease by about 7 percent. A lot of exercise machines these days will measure METS, so this is information people can access."

17.01.2022 The old fitness tale of small meals every 2-3 hours has done a backflip, now moving towards an optimal frequency of larger meals every 4-5 hours! - Every time we eat our body produces grehlin, also known as the 'hunger hormone'. Eat less frequently= feel hungry less frequently - Consuming meals less frequently has also been found to be optimal for muscle protein synthesis, meaning more muscle! Focus on total daily calorie intake, and space this out over roughly 4 meals, every 4-5 hours to combat hunger and muscle loss when dieting... Two very important factors of any weight loss plan

17.01.2022 WORKOUT SPLITS.. 'When training volume was matched, subjects who trained just 1 day per week had only 62% of the strength gains of those who split their work over 3 days per week' Take home message: Organise your training week so that you are hitting muscle groups 2-3x per week, rather than 1x

17.01.2022 MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS... To Angela and Anthony who won our bench press competition. Anthony bench pressed 50% of his body weight for 54 reps, and Angela bench pressed 30% of her body weight for 72 reps. We had a great response to this challenge, with many of our members having a crack. Anthony and Angela have scored themselves a singlet and 1 month free membership!... Stay tuned for our next member challenge. See more

16.01.2022 YOUTH AND WEIGHT TRAINING Relevant studies between 1980 and 2008 were reviewed and conculded: 'Children can improve strength by 30% to 50% after just 8 to 12 weeks' and 'Youth can successfully and safely improve their strength and overall health by participating in a well-supervised program'

15.01.2022 Negative body image significantly increases the risk of obesity regardless of whether youth have depression, according to researchers at The University of Texas. "Addressing body image in depressed patients who are obese may improve outcomes," said Roberts Ph.D This research suggests that with obese teens, physchological factors must be prioritised in order to maximise the chance of positive health and fitness outcomes- and should not be ignored at the expense of other interventions.

14.01.2022 DEADLIFT Primary muscle groups: Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Erector Spinae (Lower back), Finger flexors (grip) Here's a few reasons why the Deadlift is considered 'the best exercise'? - Works all the large muscle groups of your legs, and lower and upper back, plus many more indirectly- improving strength and muscle mass across many joints - Has functional carry over to every day life, for example picking heavy objects off the ground at home or work... - Can improve lower back pain and reduce the risk of disc injury when performed correctly and increase grip strength and mobility See more

14.01.2022 Another recent article developed by the Journal of Fitness Research looked at High Intensity Interval Cardio Training combined with Progressive resistance training and its effect on Men with Cardiac disease, and found that: HIIT Resistance Training significantly increased aerobic power (+24%), elapsed test time (+29%), abdominal muscular strength (+13%) and decreased systolic and diastolic BP (-7.7%, -5%), rate-pressure product (-14%), body mass (-2%), resting HR (-8%), fasting glucose (-7%), LDL (-36%) and triglycerides (-27%) compared to conventional training.

14.01.2022 RAPID WEIGHT LOSS.. why FAST does not= HEALTHY or SUSTAINABLE! Extreme calorie restriction will cause: - Vitamin and mineral deficiencies - mental fatigue - reduced exercise performance... - suppressed immune system - reduced lean body mass (less muscle mass), which in turn will result in a less favourable resting metabolic rate As a general rule of thumb, try and keep weight loss to roughly 0.7% of your body weight per week, to ensure you avoid these detrimental side effects of crash dieting. See more

14.01.2022 BANDS AND CHAINS! Some may have noticed a lot of different coloured bands lying around our gym! These can be used to perform "Variable resistance training". Adding these bands to your load changes whats known as the strength curve, either making the resistance heavier or lighter as you move through the motion A recent meta analyses found trainers experience greater average strength gains with this additional form of training added to their program, than those performing conventional weight training only

14.01.2022 SIT UPS.. Why this exercise is being phased out Sit ups are a recipe for back pain in most trainers as they: - shorten the hip flexor muscles, which can alter the position of your pelvis, and increase compressive force on your spine - continual flexion (rounding) of the spine, like seen in sit ups has been linked to deterioration of the spine, chronic pain and increased risk of a disc bulge - neck strain, whether or not the hands are behind the head... Good alternatives include planks, swiss ball rollouts... OR simply heavy compound exercises such as squats and deadlifts. See more

13.01.2022 ARTHRITIS... Osteoarthritis affects 1.3 million Australians, and is caused by wear and tear on our joints. Pain, swelling, stiffness, cracking and creaking are just some of the symptoms of this and is most commonly seen in the knees and hips. Research shows that physical activity, and strengthening exercises are far superior to no activity in relieving these. The reasons for this are: - reduced bodyweight, meaning less stress on the affected joint... - increased muscle strength and mass around the joint - improved movement of the joint So if dodgy knees or hips plague you, exercise is one of the best remedies! See more

13.01.2022 WATER Research shows we need it for optimal exercise performance and brain function. One interesting study also showed an increase in energy expenditure of 96 calories per day by drinking an extra 500ml of water per day, showing it can assist in weight loss. To cover all bases, it is recommended you consume at least 2 litres of water per day (8 glasses).

13.01.2022 CHEAT MEAL! A psychological reward.. but is it worth it? A 2000 calorie cheat meal, on top of your regular intake mathematically has sufficient calories to effectively "undo" a lot of the hard work put in the previous week. If you psychologically require this cheat meal or binge weekly, it may be that your diet is too restrictive/ depriving anyway! Enjoy the foods you love, but within moderation and your allocated calorie limit and you will keep the body and the mind healthy... If you feel the need to binge eat, have a look at why! See more

13.01.2022 THAT TIME OF THE YEAR... When a particular TV show airs on television, and the general public is lead to believe you must suffer in order to reduce your body fat. You do not have to starve yourself on 1000 calories a day! You do not have to exercise for 6 hours a day at an intensity and volume far beyond your capabilities! The reality is a controlled calorie reduction and regular exercise should not be EXTREMELY uncomfortable physically, mentally or emotionally. The process ...should be enjoyable, yet effective. The reality is also that the people on this show will leave with a damaged metabolism, injuries, lost muscle mass and will more times than not be back to where they started in a matter of months. Be smart, consistent and choose a plan which is sustainable. See more

12.01.2022 MISTAKES MADE BY BEGINNERS! 1- Program hopping: Changing your program weekly is not a good idea- and no it does not "shock" the muscle. Stick to a program for a MINIMUM of 6 weeks to allow time to learn the motor patterns and progressively overload. 2- Having no plan: Programming is complicated, and requires thought.. not just winging it. A well devised program will include rest times, tempo, sets/reps, an increase in volume from last session etc. Having a plan of attack also allows you to mentally prepare for the session that awaits. 3- Improper form: This can usually be solved by simply dropping the weight (and ego), learning the movement, acquiring the mobility to perform the movement through its full range, and SLOWLY progressing the resistance

11.01.2022 This months challenge will be running until the end of November! Chin ups are a great measure of upper body strength, so have a crack to have a shot at winning some great prizes!

11.01.2022 MACRONUTRIENTS... Defined as 'a nutrient required in large amounts' For us humans, this is protein, carbohydrates and fats. These three nutrients all have an assigned value of calories and make up our total calories consumed. We all have a maintenance level, which means we are consuming as many calories as we expend.... To keep it simple: - If you are maintaining your weight currently, this means that you are roughly at this maintenance level - If you wish to reduce your body fat levels, you must consume less than this maintenance level - If you wish to gain muscle mass, you must consume more than this maintenance level See more

11.01.2022 The popular nutritional supplement Glutamine has been the focus of a meta-analyses and has been shown to have no significant difference to placebo in reducing fat mass or increasing muscle mass. You probably won't see any supplement stores posting this research!

10.01.2022 Check out this guy, some amazing strength happening here.... #Strong #ArnoldClassic

10.01.2022 EXERCISE AND DEPRESSION A meta analyses looked at exercise intervention with people with clinically diagnosed depressive disorder vs. controlled subjects. The study looked at all relevant studies published on this topic and concluded that.... "Exercise has a large and significant antidepressant effect in people with depression (including Major Depressive Disorder)."... "Our data strongly support the claim that exercise is an evidence-based treatment for depression." If yourself or someone you know is struggling with depression, along with other appropriate measures from health care professionals, exercise has been shown to be a great treatment option!

10.01.2022 FITNESS TIP OF THE DAY "If it feels easy, it's not doing anything" Our bodies are adaptive machines, and whatever stressor we place on it, over time it will adapt and overcome.... Let's use leg training as an example. Our body realises that for some reason, every 3rd day we put a heavy bar on our back and squat it a few times- it responds by growing stronger, bigger muscle fibres. If you continue to squat that same weight, your body realises this and has no reason to adapt. It has been subject to this stimulus before. If every session we slightly increase the volume of work we do, the body has a continuing reason to adapt- this is called PROGRESSION, and progression requires CONSISTENCY! Take home message: Step out of the comfort zone, track your workouts and always aim to do a bit more than you did last time

09.01.2022 FITNESS MYTH BUSTED! Researchers from Eastern Illinois University examined exercises performed on a Bosu Ball vs on solid ground to compare core muscle activity. What they found- No significant differences with equal loads What this means- Using the Bosu Ball to increase core muscle strength is useless

09.01.2022 An interesting look at why BMI is an outdated measure, as it does not take into account muscle mass.

09.01.2022 A controversial new study, published on November 5, 2015 by "Obesity Science and Practice: Candy, soda and fast food are not to blame for the rising obesity trend in the US" Researchers Just and Wansink reviewed a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States and found that consumption of soda, candy and fast food is not linked to Body Mass Index (BMI) for 95% of the population. Given that there was no significant difference in consumption of these indulgent... foods between overweight and healthy weight individuals, the researchers concluded that the overwhelming majority of weight problems are not caused by consumption of soda, candy and fast food alone. "Diets and health campaigns aimed at reducing and preventing obesity may be off track if they hinge on demonizing specific foods." He adds, "If we want real change we need to look at the overall diet, and physical activity. Narrowly targeting junk foods is not just ineffective, it may be self-defeating as it distracts from the real underlying causes of obesity." The lead researcher here is alluding to the fact that these food groups are not the cause of obesity, chronic inactivity and consuming excessive calories is the cause. Examining overall consumption over the course of a day is far more effective, and ensuring a caloric deficit through overall intake- rather than demonising specific foods that are not the real contributors.

09.01.2022 FOAM ROLLING... Research suggests foam rolling is superior to traditional static stretching as it: - increases short term flexibility without affecting exercise performance - increases long term flexibility in programs that last greater than 2 weeks - can reduce muscle soreness following a workout (DOMS)

08.01.2022 ARE YOU BUILT TO SQUAT? For myself, unfortunately not. God blessed my skeleton with long femurs (thigh bones) and a short torso. Add to that being 6"2, the bar has to travel a fair distance to get from A to B. Looking at the picture below (left), this means my squat is ugly- a lot of forward lean and a low bar position in order to keep balanced and not very deep in comparison. Not a movement that comes very naturally! If we look at our other trainer Anthony's squat (right), h...is frame consists of short femurs (thigh bones) and a long torso. Tell Anthony to squat and he can stay nice and upright with a high bar position, go very deep and it looks a lot more effortless and pretty! Not fair is it! But not much we can do about it, work with what you were given!

07.01.2022 WHEY PROTEIN What is it? Proteins isolated from whey, which is a by-product of cheese production. Why use it? - Build muscle: Protein is the most important macronutrient for building muscle tissue - Convenient: It's suggested that individuals who weight train consume 3g protein per kg of bodyweight... this makes that process alot easier, as consuming large amounts of meat can become difficult, and time consuming to prepare... - Cost effective: most whey products come to roughly $1 per serve for 30g protein - Absorption: Whey has a higher biological value than chicken, beef and eggs- meaning more protein uptake - Studies have shown whey consumption can lower the risk of osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes and obesity See more

07.01.2022 AVOID THESE EXERCISES! Behind the neck shoulder press and lat pulldown put you at a great risk of injury! Here's why: - The position that your shoulder is in to do these exercises is referred to as the 'DISLOCATION POSITION', as it is a position where your shoulder ligaments are under the greatest amount of stress- or put more simply, this is the position people get into when they dislocate their shoulders! - Majority of people are unable to externally rotate their shoulder e...nough to get into the right position, and compensate by flexing their neck (as seen below) - Puts the rotator cuff muscles into a poor position to perform one of their main roles, which is to stabilise the shoulder joint Simply avoid these exercises, and perform them in front of the body instead! See more

07.01.2022 WHY THE SCALE MAY BE LYING? You are new to exercise, have been consistent with your weight training and have been spot on with your diet. SO WHY ARE THE SCALES NOT MOVING....! Lets keep in mind, those new to weight training have an increased training response and that muscle tissue is far more dense than fat tissue. Also, as a side note, your weight fluctuates significantly during the course of the day depending on food and water intake.... If you have lost 1kg body fat, and gained 1kg muscle... the scales will read the same, however the mirror will tell a different story. Superior methods of measurement include girth measurements, skin fold testing or DEXA scans. See more

06.01.2022 TOE SHOES... fashion crime perhaps, but are they actually improving your running performance as they claim? Two studies found they: - Increase the risk of stress injury through lack of cushioning - Showed increased bone marrow edema after 10 weeks - Did not result in a more economical running pattern... From this, it is fairly safe to say that these shoes will not produce any significant benefits that would be gained otherwise from wearing regular training footwear. See more

06.01.2022 AVOID THIS EXERCISE! Exercise: Dumbbell standing external rotation WHY? The purpose of performing this exercise is to strengthen the rotator cuff external rotators, which is very important for keeping the shoulder joint healthy. Performing this exercise with dumbbells like shown below is not working the muscle against gravity, it is working across gravity.... in fact there is no resistance on the rotator cuff at all, as gravity resists downwards. To add resistance to this exercise, we advise that you either use a resistance band or cable machine as shown below.

06.01.2022 A recent study from the International Journal of Epidemiology, which included a massive 1.3 million individuals, found that: - INTENSE exercise for a duration greater than 300 minutes per week resulted in a 39% lower mortality (death) rate - INTENSE exercise for greater than 150 minutes per week resulted in a 22% lower mortality rate. - MODERATE physical activity for greater than 150 minutes per week had a 10% lower mortality rate - "Daily living and occupational activity" re...lated exercise had no significant effect for men, and a very small effect for women. Take home message: Train hard to live longer!

06.01.2022 BANDED PALOFF PRESS Another rare, yet great exercise that is training the core in one of it's most important functions, being resisting rotation, rather than constant flexion/extension exercises (eg. crunches, leg raises). A great exercise for athletes, general gym-goers and those with persistent back pain.

05.01.2022 A great visual created by Eric Helms that explains program design well. When creating an exercise program, many variables must be considered.. And some are more important than others. Prioritising the manipulation of volume, intensity and frequency is necessary for progression. The current research for strength and hypertrophy points towards: Volume: 40-70 repetitions per body part per workout... Frequency: Each body part 2-3x per week Intensity: Enough to produce muscular fatigue (1-2 repetitions shy of concentric failure) See more

05.01.2022 CAFFEINE... A central nervous system stimulant, and one of the most widely used drugs in the world. It has been shown to increase power output, endurance, resistance to fatigue and mental alertness when taken prior to exercise performance. Currently there is no evidence to suggest that caffeine intake prior to exercise will produce adverse effects. It is noted that caffeine intake post workout should be avoided, as it can result in elevated cortisol, which has been linked to fat gain and muscle loss.

04.01.2022 A recent study published by the Journal of Fitness Research concluded that when combining different forms of exercise into a singular session the optimal order to follow to achieve the most significant fitness outcomes is: 1) Cardiorespiratory training 2) Strength training 3) Flexibility training 4) Neuromotor exercise

04.01.2022 Happy Australia Day!!! Have a great day...

04.01.2022 1 in 5 Australians will experience a mental illness at some point in their life. A conversation could save a life. #ruokday #itaintweaktospeak

03.01.2022 BICEPS... EMG studies look at how hard the target muscle is working during different movements, here is the results of what was found to be the most effective biceps exercise!

03.01.2022 COMING SOON... Keep an eye out for this new addition to our gym! Plate loaded leg press will be in the gym very soon!

02.01.2022 3 COMMON WEIGHT TRAINING MYTHS Myth #1- building muscle reduces your flexibility; quite the opposite, working a muscle through a full range of motion will increase muscle length and joint range Myth #2- Weights make women bulky- FALSE, females do not possess nearly enough testosterone to become bulky from simply weight training. The muscle bound ladies seen in CrossFit and Bodybuilding competitions consume high calorie/protein diets, use legal (and sometimes illegal) suppleme...nts and are mostly genetically predisposed to greater muscle growth Myth #3- Low reps don't build muscle size- low reps develop our type IIb muscle fibers mostly, whereas high reps builds mostly type IIa- training both is your best bet

02.01.2022 FLEXIBLE DIETING... Also known as 'If it fits your macros (IIFYM)' ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In simple terms, Flexible dieting is having set targets of Protein, carbohydrates and fats to hit each day. The amount of each is dependent on your goal, obviously less for weight loss and more for muscle gain. ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This form of dieting places no restriction on food source, meaning it is a much more sustainable approach, as if you are craving a particular item you can simply fit it into your daily totals without the added guilt that would normally ensue. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tracking all of these things might seem difficult, however with iPhone and Android apps such as My Fitness Pal, tracking is as easy as scanning a barcode or searching the enormous database for your daily meals... these apps also allow tracking of your micronutrients and fibre, to make sure you are covering those bases also. The apps also have calculators that add up how much of each you should be consuming, based on a number of factors. This is a great tool to keep you accountable and make sure you aren't just guessing your intake and leaving your goals to chance. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flexible dieting is similar to your traditional 'calorie counting'- however allows more favourable changes in body composition, leaves more freedom of choice for food source, doesn't demonise foods typically not considered 'clean' and allows people to have a social life with more control and awareness of their food intake. See more

02.01.2022 COMING SOON! Another addition to our new equipment! Will be in the gym shortly Multi station able machine, with chin/pull up bar, seated row, lat pulldown, tricep pushdown station and dual cables Keep an eye out!!

02.01.2022 ALCOHOL AND MUSCLE BUILDING The University of Helsinki conducted a study, administering 1.5 g ethanol (alcohol) per kg of body weight to 8 healthy men aged 20-26, and found that their testosterone levels dropped by 23% on average between the 10th and 16th hour after they started drinking. Furthermore, cortisol levels were elevated by 36% on average, and growth hormone secretion was heavily suppressed. Reduced testosterone and Growth hormone secretion, along with elevated cort...isol are not ideal conditions for muscle growth or fat loss! The bottom line- if this is an infrequent occurrence, then the effect will be insignificant. If this is a weekly or even fortnightly occurrence, then you should adjust your fitness expectations accordingly!

02.01.2022 AVOID THIS EXERCISE- Upright row! * Places the shoulder in full internal rotation- there is nothing wrong with going into full internal rotation, the problem lies when you load this position with heavy weight in a vulnerable position, when performed repetitively this will cause impingement in the shoulder in more cases than not. * Good substitutes for this exercise for bodybuilding purposes are lateral raises or shrugs, for strength training purposes any clean variation using a wide grip

01.01.2022 EXERCISE SPOTLIGHT... BARBELL SQUAT The king of all exercises, and rightly so! This movement trains one of our most primal movement patterns, which is standing from a position of either sitting or squatting.... Lets take a look at what this exercise is doing at the 3 major joints involved: Hip: Trains hip extension (glutes, hamstrings) in a horiztonal plane, which is a crucial pattern for athletes, especially those requiring sprinting efforts, tackling or any explosive movement. For the non athletic population, hip extension strength is important for general activities of daily living, such as standing from sitting, bridging, running, walking. The barbell squat also stresses the hip abductors, adductors, and rotators by keeping the knee in line with the toes (not collapsing in or out) Knee: Trains the knee extensors (quadriceps). Important for athletes who require jumping, sprinting, cycling and tackling efforts. Also important for the ageing and/or non-athlete population to keep adequate function in daily living activities, and also to reduce load on the knee joint, and in turn the risk of developing osteoarthritis. Spine: Barbell squats require maintaining either a neutral spine, or the ability to remain in slight extension throughout. These two functions train our core muscular system, as well as our spinal erectors. These two muscular systems are important for preventing lower back pain. Keeping these muscle groups strong is also important for athletes for support, stability and reduced risk of injury. If you are unable to perform barbell squats due to injury or joint problems (which is fine), opt for an alternative which is in most cases just as good! Your options are a box squat (For those with dodgy knees), safety bar squat (for those with dodgy shoulders), goblet or front squat (for those with a dodgy back).

01.01.2022 The habits of successful people..

01.01.2022 Get around this months member challenge! 1 minute row max effort.. Winner gets a Plus Fitness singlet and a month free membership. Get rowing