Inspiration personified

Read more in the March / April issue of Fitness Mag

Support your Workout – Sports Bra special
Jiggle-proof your workout with the latest sports bras. for the chesty girl to the smaller sized girl, for the runner and the gym bunny, choose the right bra for you.

Get all the ‘workout support’ in the March / April issue of Fitness Mag…

Whether you’re a beginner about to embark on a fitness routine for the first time or a competitive athlete who wants to take things up a notch, significantly altering your body requires determined effort and significant amounts of discipline. An in-depth knowledge of training, diet and nutritional supplementation is also an essential weapon in your arsenal. To optimally lose fat while shaping and toning your body you’ll need to combine an effective workout strategy with a balanced nutritional plan that has been specifically designed to provide the nutrients your transforming body requires, while eliminating those it doesn’t. Adding intelligent nutritional supplementation to the equation will help you on your way and facilitate a rapid and more successful.

Read more in the March / April issue of Fitness Mag…

Take an alternative approach to glute training –

If you like structure and routine, and have an umbilical cord-like attachment to the inside of a gym, then these training suggestions are not for you. However, if you crave variety, adventure and fun, feel free to incorporate the following exercises into your training programme. I guarantee that you will start to see changes and improve the conditioning of your body in just four weeks.
The 2012 Olympics are almost upon us and there is yet to be an Olympic Games where the track and field athletes, and their perky posteriors to be more exact, are not the envy and admiration of everyone. When it comes to overall body conditioning and, especially glute training, I find my inspiration in the power, strength and speed that these Spartan-like super humans display.

Article by Nadine du Toit,  follow her on Twitter @GLORYGIRLFIT

Get this workout in the March / April issue of Fitness Magazine

Compiled by Scott Macintosh …

I like to think of myself as somewhat of a ‘Glute Guy’, firstly because, like most guys, I find the gluteals very appealing to the eye and secondly, because I love helping ladies use effective training methods to shape these muscles. over time my interest in glute training has grown as weakness and poor activation of this muscle group are common issues I find with many of my clients. I have therefore had to find the best methods to cure many cases of ‘gluteal amnesia’.
Besides the sexy side of glute training, it is essential to build adequate levels of strength and function in the glutes as they play extremely important roles in a number of functional areas, including: Posture Injury prevention knee and back health Athleticism and sporting performance By improving the strength and activation of your gluteal muscles you will also ensure that you get the most out of your leg as well as total body movements. the glutes play a pivotal role in important compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, stepping, jumping and sprinting, which all involve hip extension and stabilisation. Possessing well-trained glute muscles will therefore improve all of these movements.

DOES YOUR WEIGHT WEIGH YOU DOWN?

With 2012 well on the way, have you made time for YOUR health and fitness goals? Are you struggling to lose that extra weight? Or perhaps a flight of stairs leaves you breathlessly promising yourself you’ll do more exercise…but next week? At the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA), we know that the changes towards a healthier and better lifestyle are daunting to make on your own, which is why the HEALTHY WEIGHT PROGRAMME has been professionally designed to get everyone on the path towards a healthier and more active lifestyle, regardless of starting fitness levels.

You are advised and cared for, by a team of multi-disciplinary specialists including biokineticists, exercise scientists, dietitians and psychologists. They provide support and leadership in a safe and monitored environment, which makes change – so much easier.
The comprehensive 8 week course includes various workshops – with input from the team of specialists, a dietary consultation and personalised eating plan and three weekly, one-hour exercise sessions under the supervision of biokineticists. The specialised exercise routines take place in a group environment and the resultant camaraderie and commitment add to the success of the participants and programme.

On joining, you receive a goody bag packed with useful tools to facilitate your lifestyle change, as well as a New Balance, SSISA-branded technical training top. You can look forward to an exciting array of themed classes, motivational and educational weekly newsletters, bring-a-friend sessions and a final fun presentation and prize-giving to reward your achievements.
Don’t delay this opportunity to transform your life, your shape and your health. Space is limited on these popular programmes, so contact the SSISA today to avoid disappointment.

The next 8 week Healthy Weight programme commences with basic assessments from 10 April and actual classes starting 16 April 2012.

Space is limited on these programmes so contact the SSISA today to avoid disappointment.
For more information call (021) 659 5600; email fit@ssisa.com or visit www.ssisa.com

Some health experts believe that cellulite is a pure skin problem and that circulation is to be blamed. Poor blood supply is more dominant in the thighs, hips and bum due to the lack of blood vessels in these areas. We are therefore often left with the gorgeous cottage cheese effect.

So what should you do to turn those dimples into a tight and tiny behind?

Dimple-free skin largely depends on a clean diet that is rich in antioxidants, essential fatty acids and amino acids, a regular fitness regimen to combat stress and the constant application of circulation-boosting creams.

What to eat:
Fruits, veggies and whole grains to help build collagen;
Protein in the form of eggs, nuts and seeds will also help to prevent the appearance of cellulite.

And creams?
Most of these, lets face it, expensive creams contain chemicals called Xanthines. This acts as a diuretic, which means you are losing the centimeters but the core of the problem is still very much there! You could have spent that extra money on buying “Real McCoy” supplements or that hot new gym outfit! But instead you are left with just another cream to place in your already full cupboard.

So next time the cellulite-rescue-shopping-bug bites, focus your attention on the ingredients that actually work. These are:

• Cayenne pepper
• Cat’s claw herb
• B vitamins

My preferred brand is Solgar, which is available at your closest JVL outlet. But, always remember that your diet is the most important element. These creams serve little to no purpose without a healthy lifestyle. The creams work outside in and the diet inside out.

Here’s to your cellulite free healthy new lifestyle!

Angel
www.jvl.co.za

So why should this year be any different? Well, this year you have this fit Angel standing by to be your worst fitness nightmare since S.W.A.T, G.I Jane and Rocky. Think of me as your 2012 fitness drill sergeant!

There will be no failure, you will not give up and you will succeed! Say it with me… you will conquer this ongoing, never ending battle with your body! I can promise you that the end result will taste better than any chocolate, so put them down and listen up.

It’s crunch time people and Fitness mag and JVL are standing ready, fully armoured to fight for your right to get fit. All you need to do is commit and you will succeed. Your health is our business and we believe in your ability to get results. I mean, the fact that you are reading this blog post already shows me that you have the desire to change.

To get you started here are a few tough questions you need to ask yourself so that you can get an honest and clear idea of where you stand;
1. Do you have the right eating strategy for you?
2. Do you train the way I say you should… or do you stay home watching endless fitness DVDs with the popcorn next to you?
3. Have you reorganised your house into a fitness boot camp… with supplements stacked everywhere so that you have to leopard crawl between them in order to reach the fridge?
4. Have you sorted out your mind, however crazy this may sound?
5. Have you prepared your hubby, kids, dog and neighbours for the fitness domination that’s will soon take over your life? There will be lots of running, sweating and motivational screaming going on, which could alarm your loved ones. Just let them know that it’s all for the love of fitness!

Fat has heard your cry and it is afraid! Bring on that tight booty, washboard abs, ripped arms and those glutes that salute! Your year will be a success if you stick with the plan we preach, which makes me super excited.

The road to victory is never an easy one, but the tough will survive. So get ready to witness your own health success story and be sure to share it with us.

Good luck for 2012!

Angel… love this life you live!

P.S: Join our sites for all your Fitness 911 motivational info;
FACEBOOK: JVL WELLNESS & LIFESTYLE CENTRES
www.jvl.co.za
Twitter: @Angelvdl or @THEJVLNETWORK
www.youtube.com

Benchmark your fitness
Perform a simple fitness test and re-test yourself after 30 days so that you can track your improvements. Make sure you (or your partner) record how many reps you perform of each movement. After 30 days, retest yourself. You should be able to perform more reps.
The exercises: Perform these exercises for 50 seconds, with a 10 second rest between them.
-    Jump Squats
-    Push-ups
-    Burpees
-    Jump lunges
-    Tuck jumps
-    High knees
-    Straight abs*

Follow fitness personalities on Twitter.
Get advice right from the source. Social media helps bring you closer to fitness personalities, offering chances to engage with them on various fitness topics.
My top picks are:
@Jamie_Eason
@AnnaWoodFitness
@Scott_MacIntosh
@GLORYGIRLFIT
@BodyRockTV
@JennaLimerick
@ANGELVDL
@Dischem
@GroundZeroFit
@FitnessForHer

Positive associations
Keep a progress chart to track your fitness on a weekly basis. Write down or plan your workouts thoroughly on the chart and then complete the info when you are done. Take before photos and pin them on your chart for motivation and write down other positive associations you think you’ll feel once you’ve reached your goals. This is something you can fall back on in difficult times as a reminder of why you’ve embarked on a new fitness (or nutrition) regime.
Here are some of mine:
I’ll feel happy when:
-    The first pair of jeans I try on fit perfectly
-    I can run without getting a stitch
-    I can play with my daughter all day and NOT feel like it was an intense shoulder workout
-    I can see some of my abs again

Use a heart rate monitor (from our March/April 2011 issue, Your heart knows how to get fit HIIT the zone)
Knowing and understanding heart rate training zones will ensure that you work at the right level to achieve your goals, and it will make your training more accurate. (What’s your MHR? – MHR is roughly calculated with the following equation: 220 – age = MHR)

60-70%
Working out in the 60-70% of MHR range is ideal for developing general fitness. It is also the ideal range for utilising fat stores as an energy source, as it engages more of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems due to the increasing load.

70-80%
The 70-80% of MHR range is the aerobic zone, and is ideal for developing endurance and improve lactate thresholds. Due to the energy demands in this zone your body will rely more on stored glycogen and digested carbs for energy, but around half of your energy will still be supplied from fat stores.

80-90%
The 80-90% of MHR zone is the anaerobic threshold limit, where your body is producing massive amounts of lactic acid and is only able to maintain this level for a short period of time. This is the best zone to increase your VO2 max to improve your body’s ability to utilise oxygen. This heart rate zone relies predominantly on your ATP-PC system for energy, with some reliance on glycogen.

90-100%
The 90-100% of MHR zone is the upper limits of your physical capacity, and should only ever be reached during HIIT for a short period of time, if at all.

(*Fitness test take from www.bodyrock.tv)

You’ve always wanted to become a runner – but keep putting it off because you don’t seem to be able to keep up the training or don’t even think it’s possible? Let us make it possible for you and help you every step of the way to becoming a 10km or even 21.1km runner.  OptiFit, which runs in association with the Sports Science Institute of SA (SSISA), has a 12 weeks to 10km or an 8 weeks to 21.1km (for 10km runners), hands-on training programme. Recent research, conducted by UCT’s Exercise Science and Sports Medicine Unit on OptiFit’s 10km programme, has shown it to be extremely safe and scientific with participants reaching their goal with no muscle damage or pain.

On joining either programme, you will attend an introductory workshop, and receive a log book, a New Balance discount voucher, and the option of buying a trendy OptiFit –branded training top from New Balance. You will also undergo various fitness and health assessments and can select either a dietary or running shoe assessment. There are three sessions a week, usually two evening and one weekend session where you are fully trained by Sports Scientists. On completion of the course, all your health and fitness assessments are redone and the entire group participates in an official 10km or 21.1km event (Two Oceans) together. The 10km course starts in Cape Town on 23 January and the 21.1km programme on 6 February 2012 and there are limited places available, so book now! You are also given the opportunity of joining the SSISA’s Wellness and Fitness Centre at special rates.

For further information and secure a place on the programme, e-mail optifit@ssisa.com or phone (021) 659 5631 and visit www.ssisa.com (upcoming events).  Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to get fit, healthy and achieve a special goal.