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

Variation: You wont get different results doing the same things

If you want different results, do different things

Keep the body guessing and avoid plateau!!!

We've all heard the saying "if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got", so why do so many gym goers find themselves stuck doing the same routine and/or attending the same generically structured gym classes for weeks, months even years. When its time to looking at the scales they are left scratching their heads wondering if the scales have broken as their weight hasn't changed.

We are creatures of habit so I understand that if you enjoy something then you'll do it time and again, but the body doesn't work like that. We have been perfectly created to adapt to our environment and the stresses we place the body under. Within 2-3weeks your body will adapt to your workout and it is at that point you need to switch it up and push yourself more with either repetitions or weight. Take your mind back to your 1st proper workout and the aches and pains you felt days after. Also remember after a few weeks, that pain became less crippling after each training session....... That there is the muscles adapting. That aching feeling is known as Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (or DOMS to us fitness fanatics), this is created by micro tears in the muscles after a tough workout which the body then repairs itself stronger so that the previous workload can be dealt with better. I have been training for years and I still yearn for DOMS after a workout, I see it as my only indication that I've worked out. I'm the same with all my clients, if after a session they don't feel the ache the next day then I know that their body is telling me that it is time to step it up. I'm always pushing myself and my clients to see how far we can push ourselves (actually how far I can push them) in order to reach our true physical potential.

There is no space for plateau when you vary your workouts, your muscles will respond better to variety and the results can be endless. Every 2-3weeks push yourself a little harder, increase the weight slightly or increase the repetitions. After 6weeks completely switch up your training programme, incorporate something new and not only will you benefit physically but mental stimulus too. It must get highly boring doing the same old thing, not seeing any results, restore the fun and enjoyment into your training. Here are a few ideas of the things I have incorporated into my training to add another dimension. Bikram Yoga (yoga postures performed in 40degrees heat) for improved flexibility & balance,

High Intensity Circuit training for anaerobic fitness and fat burning Sprint sessions at my local running track with my running club STONEiMAGE Runners. Bikram Yoga is fast growing, there are various studios scattered across London and they will offer you a trial period for a reduced price so you can try it out. Circuit training is easy and you don't need much equipment, just follow a method of doing numerous exercises one after another without rest in between. Running Clubs: you're never far away from a running club who will offer you the chance to push yourself with the added group morale and social aspects provided by the other runners, search online for your local club.

I challenge you to get out of your comfort zone and try something new NOW!!!!

Remember........

If you want different results, you must do different things.


Written by

Erron Dussard
STONEiMAGE
@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