Mc D's fuel for elite athletes

Errrrrrm!!! So Mc D's are the official food sponsors of the 2012 Olympics. Im not talking about food olympics where you'll find people with big bellies tucking in to a mountain of food, No!!! I'm talking about the sporting olympics where we get to see elite athletes perform super human efforts to achieve greatness.
It has been reported that there will be 4 Mc D's restaurants within the olympic village to provide the elite athletes with nutritious meals to fuel them into breaking records.

So how did this happen?

For the organisers its obviously not about the nutritional content of the food but the nutritional content of that cheque being provided. What sort of message is this sending out to our ever growing obese children? Eat salt rich fries & processed meat so that you too can run the 100m like Usain Bolt. Child obesity is not a future problem, it is here and now, I'm walking down the streets seeing children as young as 5 and 6 who probably weigh the same if not more than me. Don't even get me started on what these same children are walking & eating after school or the 4 chicken & chip shops that they have to walk past just to get to the bus stop. The Olympic should be promoting a healthier image with the aims to leaving a sporting legacy for our younger people. After the games we want our young people to be running, jumping, kicking and throwing all that they can with aspirations of becoming the next Usain Bolt, Jessica Ennis or Mo Farah. This will not be the case if every 10mins the olympics has to be interrupted for a Mc D's advertisement that their millions have paid for.

But this is just my opinion, who am I to comment, at the end of the day Money Talks, right?!

Written by

Erron Dussard
STONEiMAGE Management
www.stone-img.com

Workout to suit your body type

We all come in different shapes and sizes, therefore the results we achieve through training are different. Our maximum potentials are different and the speed in which we attain results will be different.  Have you ever wondered why your friend only needs to look at a dumbbell before he starts swelling up with muscle? Or why your sister can drop a dress size in a week just by controlling her eating?  While you fight tooth and nail just to lose a couple of pounds. It all comes down to the different body-types.

There are 3 categories known as the Somatotype which are used to describe someone’s body shape, Ectomorph (long limbs and slender), Mesomorph (broad shoulders) and Endomorph (round physique). You will generally tend to fall into one of the categories but it is not unusual to have a blend of 2. What I have done is break down the respective groups and suggest workout methods to help you achieve your goal.

Typical traits of an ectomorph:

•          Small “delicate” frame and bone structure
•          Flat chest
•          Small shoulders
•          Thin long limbs
•          Lean muscle mass
•          Finds it hard to gain weight
•          Fast metabolism

Ectomorphs struggle to gain weight easily so if you fall into this category and your fitness goal is to gain size then you will need to really increase your calorie intake substantially, eating loads of protein and supplementation is recommended. In terms of exercise you want to focus on compound movements working the larger muscle groups. Exercises for you are Squats, Deadlifts, Bench press, Pull ups and dips, working in a rep range of 8-12.

Typical traits on a Mesomorph:

•         Athletic
•          Hard body with well defined muscles
•          Rectangular shaped body
•          Strong broad shoulders
•          Gains muscle easily
•          Gains fat more easily than ectomorphs

Mesomorphs gain muscle easily and are best suited to weight training; the only problem is they can put on fat quickly. If your desire is to gain muscle but stay cut then I suggest you watch your calorie intake and include High Intensity Interval Training with your weight sessions. Interval sets of 1min sprints followed by 3mins jogging at a slower pace repeating for 20-30mins or incorporate a circuit session in your weekly regime also where you do a sequence of exercises packed together without rest in between, normally done by a measure of time rather than reps.

Typical traits of an Endomorph:

·        Soft and round body

·        Gains muscle and fat very easily

·        Is generally short and “stocky”

·        Round physique

·        Finds it hard to lose fat

·        Slow metabolism

Endomorphs carry the most fat so to trim down, dietary habits are important and you’ll need to do loads of cardio as well as lifting light weights doing high repetitions of 15+. A cardio exercise that is highly recommended is Boxing which is great for toning and burning the fat plus loads of fun.

Written by

Erron Dussard

STONEiMAGE Management LTD

@Stoneimage

Better health more wealth

We relate the acquisition of wealth to working hard, having an entrepreneurial mind or having a god given talent. How many of you relate the acquisition of wealth to your health?

Well its logical to think that better health means less days off sick, more work done, better appraisals leading ultimately to salary increases and promotions. Looking into it a little deeper, post exercise there is a release of endorphins into the body similar to that after orgasm which gives you that feel good factor. Those who exercise frequently benefit hugely from this natural high, so much so that when you extract exercise from the routine it is normal to feel low & depressed. Those who exercise frequently have lower stress levels than their lazier counterparts.  Your productivity levels will  go through the roof , your thirst for new challenges and opportunities will increase, your mind will be clearer of stress to be more creative and you will be far happier.


I had a phone conversation with my aunt after she done the STONEiMAGE30minCircuit, she was deliriously high on endorphins, you could hear the excitement in her voice. She said post workout that she was feeling really energised which is down to kickstarting your metabolism into gear. After 6-9hrs of sleep your metabolism slows itself down as you don't need the energy throughout the night, that is why when we first get up everything we do is in slow motion, that knocks on to how you start work and so on. A bit of exercise in the morning can really ignite your day and set you up for a real good one, TRY IT!!! Added to the biological benefits you also look better, when you look better you definitely feel better, your confidence is high and you wake up every day with a real purpose.


 The longest I've gone without exercise is 8weeks which I enforced on myself when I done the STONEiMAGE Experiment last year and those 2 months were my most unproductive months to date since I've been in business. A lack of energy, enthusiasm and motivation financially put a strain on the company and in that period I did not sign up 1 new client. I was a mere shadow of my previous self, very glum and uninspiring, I'm probably lucky to of kept my clients during that period. Once I restarted exercise again I felt rejuvenated, the spring in my step was back, I felt a lot better about myself therefore working better and being a better trainer to my clients. Within days I had signed up 2 new clients and not because I done anything different in my approach but my aura would have been better, much more approachable and enthused which led to those 2 people wanting to train with me. Exercise gives me the energy to take on new business challenges and explore new opportunities which can only be beneficial. 


To achieve all that you wish to achieve you need to be at your best both mind and body. They work in tandem  so for me, to have an imbalance in one aspect of your life it is surely to have affect on another. 


Written by


Erron Dussard
STONEiMAGE Management
www.stone-img.com

Fat loss over weight loss

"I don't get it, whats the difference?"

Well yes there is a difference that many are unaware of and knowing the difference may lead you to reassessing your fitness goals. Major difference is what happens to the fat in your body, with weight loss you may follow a cardio based training programme which not only burns fat but muscle too. Whereas fat loss is all about reducing your body and visceral (internal more dangerous fat surrounding your organs) fat while increasing muscle percentage which will be created by following a weights & high intensity cardio programme.

"So if I lose fat and increase muscle I will still be the same size?"

No, muscle is a lot more dense than fat so even though weighing the same a stone of muscle will appear a lot smaller than a stone of fat. We all have muscle on our body which contracts to create movement but what makes us appear bigger or smaller are the levels of fat on top.

"But my weight is too high for my height and my BMI says I'm overweight".

BMI readings are just a general measurement which doesn't take the specific distribution of weight into consideration. An olympic sprinter for example is clinically obese using the BMI measurements, I myself have a BMI reading of 26.2 which makes me overweight as the bracket deemed as normal is 18-25. Neither myself or any olympic sprinter would ever be seen as overweight or obese and any suggestion of needing to lose weight would be laughed at.

"ok i'm beginning to understand a little, so what will happen to my body shape with fat loss?"

Ok with losing fat and increasing muscle you will be left looking smaller, leaner while creating a more defined & clear body shape. You can drop dress/suit sizes without dropping too much weight and with a more definite shape your clothes will hold better. Looking in the mirror you will look completely different even if you don't weigh much different.

Once again a blog inspired by a client/trainer conversation and I hope this article will be of useful note when setting your fitness goals. Forget the weighing scales, concentrate more on body composition and measurements of key areas arms, chest, waist (measure at point of belly button), hips (around widest area of hip) and thighs (just below buttocks). Allow your clothes to be your guide, set clothe sizes as your goal.

Fat loss over weight loss

Written by

Erron Dussard
STONEiMAGE Management
www.stone-img.com

The No Carb Diet, STONEiMAGE's verdict

Over the last 2weeks I decided to investigate the no carb diet phenomenon. To say the diet has created a lot of controversy would be an understatement but I thought, hey what the hell, if I'm going to form an opinion on the subject then I should understand it more. So here I am once again experimenting with my body (we all remember what I put it through last yr).

The benefits of eating a non-carb diet are dramatic weight loss and bodyfat reduction in a short period of time. This is because the body turns to fat as its primary energy source in the absence of carbs. Now the opposing controversial effects of a non-carb diet are tiredness & lack of concentration which is because carbs provide the energy to the brain once broken down.

So the last 2weeks have been enlightening for me as I have carbs with every meal normally. Oats, Pasta, Rice, Potato, Bread & Fruit were all off limits. I pretty much went to the extreme of having chicken morning, noon & night literally with babybel's cheese being the snack of choice. The 1st 5days were the toughest with headaches, tiredness & dehydration being the main effects. Up to lunchtime would be fine but by the early evening I found myself feeling really tired & with the headaches I found myself becoming a bit ratty (luckily my clients didn't realise as I concealed the feeling, the fact they see that as my normal behaviour is a bit alarming. Maybe I am an evil sadist). Anyway back were the days of afternoon naps like a baby very similar to what was needed in my last experiment, 1hr would normally do the trick. On another note, no amount of water that I drank would seem to quench my thirst always feeling dehydrated (some days drinking over 3ltrs) & with a horrible dry taste in my mouth, mouthwash was never far away to freshen up. As I began to get annoyed with the constant tiredness & headaches there it was, the silver lining. I had Just finished a light workout (I didn't have the energy to muster anything else) and I was about to go in the shower when I glimpsed my reflection (vein much?!) my abs were showing quite a bit more than before & with just 5days gone even if for a short moment all the negative feelings towards the 'no carb diet' disappeared. Now I know to start with my stomach is fairly toned but the more you get into training the more you look to improve & fine tune the minute of details, so to see this little improvement was something of an achievement. "This no carb malarkey isn't half bad", I allowed myself to think but that all came crashing down at my track sessions on Sundays at Ladywell Arena, Catford, 11am, all are welcome (had to plug it a little). Luckily for me the weather or for whatever reason had resulted in no one turning up. I was there on me tod and quite relieved as even though it was morning I had already felt tired, so I planned a light sprint session. Rocking up about 15-20mins late came my cousin to join in the fun, there & then I knew I would have to work harder than planned. So the structure of our sprint sessions goes 3x150m, 3x100m & 3x50m all ran flat out at maximum effort. The 1st 2 150's I got through with relative ease and I guess the ego got the best of me as we started to stagger the starts and as they usually do, for the better I must add it got a bit competitive. I now decided that I would have to run down my cousin who had a head-start and therefore run 2 or 3 times harder. After the last 150 and 2nd 100m sprint I began to feel so light headed and nauseous that I thought I would faint (don't worry I'm not expecting any sympathy). With my blood sugar already low from the dieting I was doing myself no favours working at 90-100% capacity. When working at such a high intensity your sugar stores are usually burned up so quickly and the fat reserves are called in to use as a secondary energy source, that's why intensity training is the latest thing to be encouraged, short & high energy. So with no carbs in my system and presumably my fat stores running out I was running on empty like a Ferrari without fuel and we all know what will happen if you drive without fuel, eventually the car will breakdown. Luckily my cousin didn't push through with a request for 3x50m at the end which is surprising as when the roles are reversed I am not so forgiving which I'm sure a lot of you can vouch for. After session I was literally craving for sugar like a crack fiend and broke my diet to have a banana, believe me it was really needed. Home, eat & sleep was the order of the day after that. I've only ever felt that bad once and that was again at track but in searing heat.

Week2 it seemed that my body had become accustomed to the lack of carbs and without any high intense training I was getting through the days without needing sleep. I even went for a 10km run on Tuesday even though I ran at a slower than usual pace & it was only then the light headed feeling and rattiness reappeared. Physically I was looking even more toned & in just 10days I had lost 2kg and 2.5% of bodyfat.

Pre no carb diet 9.5% bodyfat

Post no carb diet 7% bodyfat

So now today, the end of the experiment & I cant wait to introduce carbs back in to my life after the exile. Conscious that craving the carbs my body will become like a sponge, absorbing and storing the carbs as fat I will re-introduce gradually. This is the mistake many make and end up putting the weight plus some, all back on hence the term yo-yo dieting.

The verdict.........

My thoughts are while I may in my opinion look better, I don't feel as good as I look and it leaves me to pose the question, "No carb diet, vanity over health, is it really worth it???" I'd have to say no, I love my crazy high intensity workouts and I can not operate normally training my clients to the best of my ability during a no carb diet when I feel lethargic. What I will change in my eating is the amount of carbs I have no longer eating carbs in the evening when the sugar isn't needed as I'm not as active (carbs not used up turns to fat). For a short period of 10days before a holiday, wedding, etc I can see the appeal as the results are amazing and very instant. All I would advise is its a false look as you cannot maintain eating that way for a long time and will resort back to size or gain more once you re-introduce carbs. So if you must, do it for only a short period, this is not a healthy long term solution. Its simple exercise, work hard & eat a healthy balanced diet.


Written by

Erron Dussard
STONEiMAGE Management Ltd
www.stone-img.com

For Goodness-Shakes

What are supplements? Should I be taking supplements? What are the benefits?

As fitness enthusiasts novices or experienced we have all found ourselves asking 1 of or all of the above questions at some point in time.

1st off supplements provide vital nutrients in a simple tablet or drink format that are naturally provided by whole foods. "If the nutrients are already found in our food then why do we need supplements?" I hear you all asking. The beauty of supplements is the convenience factor, within 30secs - 1min you could have your protein shake ready or take your tablets. This simple and quick method will provide the vital nutrients that the body needs without requiring the preparation & cooking time needed for a proper whole meal. In the current days when time is vital and we are always on the go, a supplement is perfect to have at the office desk.

If you have a fitness goal that requires you to follow an intense training regime supplements would be of interest to you as some specific supplements provide the necessary nutrients to aid fast recovery & alleviate the soreness to have you ready for your next workout. For the keep fitters who wish to lose weight supplements can provide the nutrients you get from food at a much lower calorie count which is a huge benefit, to lose a lbs of fat per week there needs to be a 2500calorie deficit per week of calorie intake against calorie burned. A lot of those who you would put in the fitness fanatic category who train 5-7 times a week would often be seen with a shake nearby and most of the time its for quick muscle recovery. Its easy for the body to break down being a liquid format and quickly distributed to the muscles.

There are loads of benefits from taking supplements, convenience, quality nutrients, easily broken down, making up dietary deficits etc but and I repeat BUT!!! supplements is just that, a supplementation to food to assist your diet not a complete replacement of whole food. The benefits of whole food can not be replaced and I would always encourage a client to eat whole natural foods. I understand that preparing 6 small meals per day is not feasible, so with limited time and high physical demands from training supplements is a good idea.

Supplements is a billion dollar business and there are endless companies claiming to provide your body with what no other can. Best to do your research before selecting the best supplement to go with.


Written by


Erron Dussard

Strong is the new skinny

Strong is the new skinny.........

This blog was inspired by a 5min debate mid session with one of my female clients. I won't name her but she knows who she is. 1st of all this particular client is extremely fit with a athletically toned physique but slightly rilled me with a request to train towards being skinny. Normally I train clients to their specific targets and tailor their programme in order to achieve their request but this was one goal that I was prepared to go against and debate. First off skinny is not necessarily healthy and secondly skinny does not look good. Lets not confuse skinny with lean, slim or toned, they're completely different looks. 1 still has curves and a defined physique while the other can be likened to a clothes hanger. Women were designed reproductively to have curves so I really don't see the appeal to reduce yourself to skin and bone.

Strong is the new skinny........

Thankfully in more recent times there seems to be a change in tide with more and more women introducing weight training to their workout regime. Even though on the front of female magazines are still digitally touched up models creating an unrealistic image of what a woman should look like there has been more and more media exposure towards women doing weight training. I think this is down to more health & fitness knowledge becoming readily available via the internet, more fitness magazines & personal trainers like myself freely giving tips via Twitter (@Stoneimage), Facebook (Stone Image), Blogs (iMAGEchat), Youtube (STONEiMAGE TV) etc. women are becoming more aware of the benefits weight training brings to fat loss. Notice I used the term fat loss as apposed to weight loss, what weight training does is increase muscle, reduce bodyfat while increasing your metabolism too, so your body burns more calories at rest. You can have an amazing reduction in bodyfat, look a lot leaner and drop dress sizes without dropping too much weight. The fact is muscle is much more dense than fat so 2 women both weighing 60kg can look completely different if one has a much lower bodyfat and higher muscle percentage than the other. The one with the lower bodyfat and higher muscle percentage will look a lot smaller to her more flabby counterpart. Another reason for the tidal change is the increased knowledge that doing weight training will not automatically result in a woman resembling the hulk which even though the myth still exists it is slowly being eradicated. Weight training will give you the physique and muscle tone that cardio alone can't.

Strong is the new skinny......

Most of the celebrity women a lot of you look to when thinking of your future physique are working with personal trainers and doing weight bearing training. It was recently publicised that once stick thin Paris Hilton had now found a love for the odd deadlift or 2. Mel B, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry (the list goes on) all work with trainers and do weight training. Now there are some extremes like Madonna, Jodie Marsh or any other bodybuilder you can think of but these are results achieved on purpose, not just a natural result of weight training so ladies there is nothing to fear.

Mel B arrives at the gym

Jennifer Aniston in T-bar pose

Jessica Alba shows off her toned physique

Halle Berry is regularly at the gym

Jessica Biel is a self proclaimed gym freak

Strong is the new skinny........

I trained a young lady for the 1st time this week and brought her into the free weights area. Straight away she said she wouldn't go there without me as with all the men in the area she finds it intimidating. I can understand that its an area that the men gravitate to but its not the mens area and theres lots a woman could do in that area to also reap the rewards of muscle tone. I love nothing more than seeing a woman walk into the free weights area and get on with her workout confidently. A lot of the men are impressed to see a woman there rather than making it an intimidating environment. I have a client who is tiny in stature weighing around 53kg but she set a new Deadlift PB of 75kg and Squat PB of 80kg which is more than some of my guys, she grunts and gets the job done with the best of them. Looking at her you wouldn't assume that over 18months I've had her doing all sorts of different weight training and still her muscles are yet to rip through her clothes like some of you would believe to be the result of weights.

Strong is the new skinny.....

Ladies order your STRONGisthenewskinny tshirts for just £20 email info@stone-img.com

Go on give it a go, what have you got to lose apart from the Bingo wings, muffin tops, thunder thighs etc


Written by

Erron Dussard

Is it all in the genes?

• Do we all have a pre-set that physically we are stuck with from birth passed down from family generations before or are we in complete control of our physical state?
• Why is it easier for some more than others to lose weight or why is it within weeks your friend is sculpted like a god/goddess while you are still looking the same even though you do the same workout?
• If my parents have gained significant amount of weight as they've got older is this my destiny? or on the other end of the scale my dad is an adonis so naturally when I grow up I will be too.

All these questions touch up on the subject of genetics................ 

There is a lot of research going on at the moment to try and identify what it is in genetics that has one group of people respond significantly better to exercise than others. 

I train a numerous amount of different people who come in all different shapes and sizes. Some clients respond to weight training and gain muscle quickly while others don't, some can lose weight quickly while others struggle and with the different shapes comes muscle gains in different areas of their bodies, whether that be bigger bum, legs, chest, shoulders etc. 

When at the start of 2011 I done the STONEiMAGE Experiment where I ate a 5000kcals high fat diet a day for 8weeks my body changed but the changes weren't as drastic as I predicted, was this down to genetics I wondered.

Before

after 8weeks

I found it hard to put on weight, funnily enough I lost weight which was due to the muscle mass drop even with all the high fat, sugar and calories I was taking in without exercising. Even now when I go a small period without training or eating enough I start to lose weight, not talking pounds I'm talking kilos in no time at all. I realise that my body has a pre-set of the weight it wants me to be and will always go back to that setting when I stop training. I have a naturally slim build, broadish shoulders with long limbs similar to my father and no matter how much weights I do I will never resemble the hulk. What is your natural build? What is the build of your parents?

I believe we all have a pre-set that is mostly down to genetics but we can alter our physical appearance if we lead a particular lifestyle whether that be good or bad. Like my earlier blog about somatotypes our natural builds we inadvertently affect the way in which we respond to exercise. Luckily for me my bloodline is full of male and female sport enthusiasts and my dad often likes to boost that he had a natural 6pack without any specific exercise and even up to this day he still has a decent amount of muscle definition even at 50. So its fair to say that genetically i'm blessed but what about those who don't have a bloodline of physically fit and active ancestors surely they should not just assume they're doomed to slobbery, evolution will tell you that we can make alterations. Do you come from a bloodline of athletes? Does your body shape mirror that of your parents?

As a species we have evolved physically throughout the years, you only have to look at how the 100metre sprint times have dropped over the last 50yrs dropping from 9.98 in 1968 - 9.58 in 2009.

With that being said with new technology and new exercise methods have allowed us to physically move forward so that would suggest that genetics can evolve and be changed if you alter your lifestyle and exercise or do something different to the past generations.

Written by

Erron Dussard

STONEiMAGE Management LTD

@Stoneimage

It’s not just your personality she is into..........

What male body parts do it for the women?  here are the exercises to help develop the areas 

A few weeks ago I posed a question to my female friends which heated up my Blackberry and Facebook screen with non-stop feedback throughout the day. I asked the females to list their favoured parts of the male physique. Some answers raised a few eyebrows, with a surprising number of people mentioning hands, but there was a consensus for back, bum, shoulders, arms, abs and the infamous “V” spot. Not to mention cameo appearances for the chest and legs. More than anything, the excited flurry of response made it clear to me that women really do focus on a man's physical appearance just as much as we focus on their bodies. 

There were two main reasons for the attractions, the first obviously being sexual and the second was about the feeling of protection that a man provides. While the ladies loved a man with broad shoulders and strong arms to keep them safe, looking at ripped abs, a toned bum and a cut ‘V’ spot is a major sexual turn on. In general women prefer the look of an athletic swimmer rather than the bodybuilder type. So, if you spend most of your time bench pressing the heaviest weight in the gym so you can be popping buttons off of your shirts then I’d have a little re-think. I know the idea is to work out in the gym and exercise to improve your health and increase your lifespan, but let’s be brutally honest, deep down we go to the gym to make us more attractive and to increase our chances of appealing to the opposite sex. Now I’m not saying girls are only attracted by looks as there’s many other attributes that can get you leering glances from the females, but I stand firm when I say  the first contact you make with anyone is through sight. The girls have to look at your face and body first before they make conversation or even become interested in talking with you?  

Her first glance in the initial crucial seconds will have already given her an impression of what type of person you are and whether she is keen on you. So, you must be physically attractive enough before she becomes emotionally and psychologically attracted too. 

So back to what she likes........  

I’m going to give you some exercise tips to help build and sculpt the muscles she likes.  

The TOP 5: 

I’ll start with the favourite, 6 pack abs and the ‘V’ spot. Everyone has abdominal muscles as they are the internal muscles at the core of the body but it is one of the hardest muscles to bring out for all to see. Please don’t spend your time doing thousands of crunches as that will leave you with an unbalanced core as it targets just one area and if you have layers of fat over the abs crunches won’t shift that fat. My tip is to increase your cardio by doing some interval sprint runs, boxing, rowing or skipping to trim down. After the fat has gone then focus on some quality core exercises that work the whole region like the Plank. The ‘V’ cut is a natural progression of trimming down and having a good core. 

Second which may surprise you guys was the bum, it seems women like to see physically strong glutes as much as we like to see a curvy derriere. One thing that does amuse me is the guys that spend so much time on their upper body and completely neglect the lower half. We’re too busy trying to be the alpha male, impressing other male apes and showing our superiority that we don’t recognise how ridiculous it looks with a big torso and skinny chicken legs. The girls notice though and are not impressed by these disproportions, so guys up your squat and deadlift game. What you don’t know is through working the glute muscles greater testosterone is released into the body which will help you in your gains for size in the upper body also. 

Next was the back, another neglected area in the free weights room as obviously we can’t see our own back so we deem it not to be important. Women love a wide strong back as one female put it, “I like when it looks like you can sink your nails in”, yeah I know WOW!!! To build up your back you want to start doing wide-grip pull ups or if that’s too advanced use the Lat Pull down machine and also the earlier mentioned deadlift exercise hits the back as well as the glutes too. 

After came arms which was no surprise. When talking with an interested female notice how quickly and subtly she touches or glides her fingers across your arms (tale tale sign she’s interested). With that being said don’t all rush to grab the dumbbells and get curling straight away because the real size of your arms is really when it is straight (unless you plan to walk around with your arms curled flexing your biceps all day). Work your triceps by doing dips and narrow armed push ups as the triceps are the larger of the 2 areas around your upper arm. That is not the only part of the arm though guys, when getting specific the forearms were pointed out as a turn on too. Anything requiring you lifting your own bodyweight will automatically strengthen your forearms. 

Last of the 5, but the women assured me it wasn’t by any means the least, was broad swimmer shoulders. Broad shoulders are all about feeling safe and protected while being with their man. Now getting broader is a natural part of weight training but to really target the shoulders these two exercises will help, barbell shoulder press and lateral raises will aid in working the small different parts which make up the shoulder. 

 So that's all you need to know to get the body of her dreams. In the simplest of terms work your full body in a balanced way so that you are in proportion rather than over working the top half, as for a woman it is not at all attractive.

Written by

Erron Dussard

@Stoneimage

Vanity or Life longevity

Why do some of us pay a regular fee per month for a gym membership, spend a small fortune on training attire, Hire a personal trainer, take part in group training or push ourselves to the limits expending blood, sweat and tears on regular basis?

 Is it down to our wish to feel healthy and live longer or is it all about our desire to look better, whether that be for ourselves or possible suitors?

Over nearly 3yrs being a personal trainer I have trained over 100people and I can count on one hand excluding my pinkie finger and thumb the amount of clients that upon our 1^st consultation have said to me that their main aim is to just feel healthier and improve their living. The requests are normally to lose weight and tone up which I would assumingly relate to appearance based goals, correct me if I’m wrong. Now I’m not saying that we are so self obsessed that all we want to do is to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror and literally want to pounce on our reflection but however you want to sugar coat and justify your attendance in the gym, the underlying reason tends to be that of vanity. Now there’re obviously different levels of vanity and some like to go overboard but we all have a bit of that vain self-loving in us and there’s nothing wrong with that. If you don’t love yourself why should anyone else.

As a personal trainer I know the deeper impact of exercise that cannot be seen to the naked eye, such as the chemical and psychological benefits of regularly exercising. The most commonly spoken chemical benefit of exercise is that of the release of endorphins into the body after an intense workout which leaves you feeling exhilarated in the same way as you would after orgasm. Naturally produced by the body, endorphins are possibly the best (and most legal way)way to achieve a natural high. Psychological benefits include greater self-esteem, confidence, stress release and improved mental alertness. 

My conclusion is that it is more often than not vanity which brings you to the world of exercise in the first place but it’s the health benefits (some of which I listed) which keep you exercising and make that lifestyle change. Simply put they both work together in helping you to become a better you.

Written By

Erron Dussard

STONEiMAGE Management LTD

@Stoneimage

Pump iron to burn fat

Simply put, weight training will give you the slim, toned, sculpted physique that cardio alone just cannot do.

The development of muscle leads to an increase in your metabolism, meaning while at rest & doing nothing your body will still be burning calories at a higher rate. Its all about the afterburn, if done properly after a weight session your muscles should ache, this is known as Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (DOMS). What this is, is mini micro tears in your muscles from the stress of the exercise that repairs itself back stronger in order to cope with that exercise again. The recuperation period normally takes between 24-72hrs, during this period the body is working hard to repair and therefore burns a lot more calories at rest than cardio. Don't worry about the scales as with weight training it will look deceiving as the weight stays the same but you notice a much more slender and lean physique. Muscle is more dense than fat so even though weighing the same muscle appears a lot more compact.

I tend to assess new-bees at the gym for a little while before offering assistance and what I notice is that a person will go from 1 cardio machine to another for a whole hour, do this for a few weeks, get bored, not see their desired results and then abandon the gym still forking out their monthly fee. Those that I do speak to, the general fitness goal tends to be weight loss or wanting to tone up, the moment I mention weight training as a highly effective tool for both I am met with a unanimous response of "I don't want to bulk up", or "I wanna burn the fat 1st for a few weeks and then do weights". Can I dispel the myth now that doing weights automatically means you will turn into the hulk. Ladies you do not produce the required amount of testosterone to blow up like the hulk, the muscular ladies you see go to extreme lengths to get that way. Guys as long as you are doing the correct repetitions and maintaining a low rest period, you too will not bulk up to great measures.

Cardio will help you lose weight Im not denying that but is your desire really to just be a shapeless drape of skin over bones or would you like a nice defined physique. You only have to look at a marathon runner to see the physique countless cardio will get you in comparison to a athlete who incorporates weight training into their training.

 Hours jogging on the treadmill will not perk up the booty and an hour on the cross trainer wont reduce the moobs either. But what will is weights!!! Ladies get in the free weights room/area, don't be afraid its not just for men. I train a lot of women who all do weights, bodyweight or some form of resistance training and not one of them have hulked up, one even deadlifts and squats her own bodyweight.

Guys blast the MOOBS with the Bench Press and trim that GUT with Pull ups, Ladies shape that BOOTY with weighted Squats and banish the BINGO WINGS with Tricep extensions.


The sooner you push, pull or lift a weight the sooner you'll see results.


Written By

Erron Dussard
STONEiMAGE Management LTD
@Stoneimage

Does size really matter?

Are us men going to proclaim to the world that we work hard in the gym to feel better and look good for ourselves or admit that we like to look good to gain the attentions of a potential suitor?
Do we consider what women look for in the male physique before pumping iron or are we to busy getting massive so we can be the alpha male of the free weights room?
All this leads to the ultimate question, Does size matter???

It has been well documented that the females preferred physique of a male is the athletic build of a swimmer/footballer rather than the muscular hulk like bodybuilder/wrestler. With broad shoulders, toned abs, slim waist and muscular legs the athletic physique is proportionately sculpted.

I see guys daily in the free weights room lifting big weights, with dangerously poor technique, working on the vanity muscles, arms and chest. Im all about quality over quantity, so if that means dropping the weight down and performing the exercise properly then so be it. You'll actually get a better contraction through the muscles doing it slowly and controlled, rather than fast and erratic, therefore leading to better gains.
When did the male fixation with the chest and arms start? The disproportionate Johnny Bravo look is taking over with this new 'get hench or die trying' mentality contagiously spreading through the gym. The Johnny Bravo look has never been cool and I've never known a woman to yearn for a guy whose arms are bigger than his legs. When I posed the question to quite a few women about their favoured bodypart, the male glutes scored highly.
Why do some guys neglect the legs and back to focus all their time on the arms and chest. They are labelled the vanity muscles as purely simple its what can be seen in the mirror. Working on your back muscles will pull your shoulders back, leaving you with good posture and your chest pushed out more. The kite like look of the swimmer can be gained by doing pull ups which also work the large muscles of the back.
Now to the neglected legs, i'll let you guys in on a little secret, working uour legs and glute muscles boost the production of testosterone in the body which is the growth hormone needed for bigger muscles. So working your legs will boost the size of your chest and arms, who would of thought it.

Those who like to focus on gaining size are rarely found doing effective compound exercises. Don't waist time doing isolation exercises on the smaller muscles like bicep curls but focus more on the larger group muscles. Compound moves like Squats, Deadlifts, Pull Ups and Bench Press will lead you to getting the gains you desire.

While we leave the Johnny Bravo's to focus on the vanity muscles the rest of us who like a proportionate look Circuit Training is highly effective. Circuit Training can be every & anything as long as the method of doing numerous amounts of exercises one after the other without rest is followed. Ive introduced doing short sprint intervals in between each circuit set which will help me to keep lean while building muscle. Example: after i've done a circuit set I will jump straight on the treadmill, jog for 1min and sprint as fast as I can for 30secs, repeating this 3 times before returning back to my next circuit of exercises. Doing that workout I burn between 800-900 calories in 60mins.

One thing that deters me from the Johnny Bravo look is the mobility factor, I've seen buses turn and look more agile than some of these guys. With the constant lifting and curling your muscles get shorter leaving you very tight and immobile after a while. Over the last year i've introduced Bikram Yoga (yoga in 40degrees heat) which has helped to keep me flexible. With more flexible muscles your range of movement is improved leading to better quality performance during exercise. So its a good idea to dedicate some time to having a good stretch to loosen those tight muscles.

This are just my opinions that i'm sharing for an educational purpose, if the Johnny Bravo look is what you want then good on you. But having an serious body imbalance now could lead to issues later in life, so for that purpose I ask:

Does size really matter?

Written by

Erron Dussard
STONEiMAGE Management Ltd
www.stone-img.com
www.twitter.com/Stoneimage

To carb or not to carb?

This debate will continue to go on while people remain dieting in order to lose weight, carbohydrates (carbs) have been highly publicised by some diets as being a prime nutrient of weight gain. Low-carb diets are food plans that restrict carbohydrate consumption for weight loss. Foods high in carbohydrates, such as bread and pasta are restricted and replaced with protein rich foods (e.g. meat), high fat foods (e.g. dairy and fried food) and foods low in carbs (e.g. green leafy vegetables). This forces the body to use fat & protein from food also stored body fat as its main source of energy and weight loss can take place rapidly. Some well known diets like the Atkins, Stillman or Hollywood use these methods, they have become famous for their fast results and are regularly used by celebrities on a short term basis before a film or award show. Other benefits such as blood sugar levels being reduced and lower blood pressure have been documented, but these diets have not gone without their criticism. Overlooking the superficial benefits there are severe underlying health risks which dieticians and researchers are keen to point out. Risks such as kidney damage from the high levels of proteins, heart disease and a risk of cancer are just a few of the listed risks. The brain is also fuelled by carbs so with these diets you can suffer from a lack of concentration too. Carbohydrates are the bodies’ main and optimum energy source so without carbs in your diet it can lead to a real lack of energy so strenuous exercise is not recommended and this is not a diet taken by sports people, it is like the lazy persons option to losing weight.  

It is true that huge amounts of weight can be lost really quickly so that’s why I say that if you wish to follow the diet then it should be a short term option. With it comes the consequences of yo-yo dieting, as the body now craves carbs, once you again introduce it into your diet you can quickly put the weight back on. I would never be an advocate of such dieting methods and believe that everything should be consumed in moderation making sure that your calorie intake does not exceed your calorie expenditure, so simply put exercise and eat a balanced diet is my tip to losing weight.       

Written by

Erron Dussard

STONEiMAGE Management LTD

Legs, Bums and Tums

It’s true, it’s a common problem and you most definitely aren’t the only one. If I was to ask you what parts of your body would you want to tone up right now? What would you say??? 

Before you all scream the answers at your computers, let me hazard a guess, “Legs, Bum and Tum”. Now I’m not a female mind reading genius (I wish), just a Personal Trainer who has heard these body parts mentioned time and time again.

Why?

Its simple women’s bodies have been purposely created for carrying and giving birth to children so their hips are a little wider, bum shapelier and tum a little softer than men and that is the beauty of women. Whether it’s having a more perk derriere, flatter stomach or a toned set of pins exercise will have a positive effect on your physique.

I’m going to describe and list my Top3 exercises for each body part that you can do at the gym or at home

Legs

Having a toned set of pins is always a popular one whether it’s preparing for the beach or the summer when the skirts come out and the tights are discarded. Exercise can reduce cellulite which is a common problem as women get older. So here are my top3

3. Leg Curls: You’ll need a stability ball for this exercise which is perfect for toning up the back of the thighs. Lie on your back and place both heels on the ball with legs outstretched, raise hips off of the ground, maintain position and then roll the ball back and forth curling your feet backwards.

2. Split squat: you’ll need to use a bench, chair or aerobic step for this exercise which is great for the thighs and can be performed with or without weights. Place your back foot up on the step with your front foot on the floor 2 footsteps ahead, bend your front leg and lower your back knee down before standing back up straight.

1. Ski Sits: This exercise can be performed practically anywhere and being an isometric exercise (muscle contracting static at same length) will help build strength of the legs and leave it smooth and toned. With your back firmly against a wall, squat down into a seated 90degree position and hold this for as long as you can,

Bums

A lot was made of Miss Pippa Middleton’s bum last year being curvy not that I can understand why (could of done with being curvier) but what is clear is that Pippa has a toned physique. With these exercises your bum will gain a new found shape and firmness to it that will have you side glancing at every mirror or window you walk by.

3. Lunges: Now there are loads and loads of variations to this exercise which works to tone the back of the thigh  and the glutes. epending on your training levels you can try tougher adaptations but I’m going to describe the alternating lunge. Step forward with one leg, bend your back leg, lower your knee towards the ground and then, pushing through the heel of your front foot return to starting position before repeating with the other leg.

2. Deadlift: A weighted compound exercise which is highly regarded as one of the top single exercises as it works the arms, back, core and more importantly your glutes. Get a barbell for this exercise, hold the bar in front of your legs with arms straight, slide the bar down the front of your thigh, lean your upper body forward keeping your back straight and as you go lower slightly bend your knees and then lift the bar back up to standing straight.

1. Squats: Had to be number 1, again another exercise that is debated as the best as it also works multiple muscles when done with a barbell across your back. This exercise will help produce a toned bum, creating more prominent curves and a higher booty. An exercise that is often performed with poor technique often leading to injury. So for the correct technique, place feet shoulder width apart, raise your toes up in your trainers, push your bum out, tilt your hips back and squat down to a 90degree angle and then pushing through the heels of your feet stand back up straight.

Try Kelly Stone's Sexy legs and booty workout at home or in the gym

Tums

Sculpting a flat stomach can be the most difficult task where fat covers the deeply buried internal core muscles. As a woman it is the area that gets manipulated the most over the 9month pregnancy period being stretched and pulled every which way. After given birth especially if surgical cutting is involved the lower abdominals become very weak and the area most problematic. Now is time to banish crunches as an ineffective core strengthening/toning exercise. I say this as the crunch targets only the top of the abdominal muscles and if you’ve seen a toned stomach you’d have noticed that there are 6 or sometimes 8 different parts to the abs and that isn’t including the obliques at the sides. From reading my previous blogs you will know my thoughts on ‘Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym’ so be sure to have a healthy balanced diet but here are exercises to further aid you to tone the abs.

3. Scissor kicks: any stomach exercise involving the lifting or raising of your legs will work the lower region of the tum. Lie on your back with your hands by your sides, push your lower back into the floor and then raise your legs 6inches off of the floor and then criss cross over your feet

2. Barbell roll out: kneel down on the floor with a barbell in front of you, place hands on the bar shoulder width apart, roll the bar forward lowering your whole body down with your arms outstretched and then using your core muscles roll the bar back and kneel back up straight.

1. Plank:  My single best abs exercise as it works the whole core. Again an isometric exercise that will help build the strength of the core so the muscle will soon break through the fat. Balance on your forearms and feet raising your whole body up, keeping your back straight with no arches or dips and hold the position for again as long as you can.

These areas may be a problem now but with these exercises and balanced nutrition they will become problems of the past.

Written by

Erron Dussard

STONEiMAGE Management LTD

@Stoneimage