Are you ready to be motivated?

by Phill Wright

My aim for this blog is that by the end, your answer to the title will be a resounding yes. If it's already yes, then I aim to help create an even more powerful yes.

I've not always been sporty or into fitness. As a young lad, I was never the most able on the sports field. However, I did possess an ability to push myself more than that of those around me. I remember doing the 400 meters in secondary school and coming second out of 8 competitors. On ability, there is no way I should have come second in that race but those with the talent seemingly didn't share that determination. I remember breathing so heavy on the final straight that I sounded like I'd just escaped from a smoke chamber. Teachers were a little worried that I was having some sort of asthmatic episode but after a couple of minutes, I was fine. (although admittedly it look a little longer for the redness in my cheeks to normalise)

As I said though, my childhood wasn't super sporty and it was only in my 20's that fitness became more of a passion. My school and student days were much more 'normal' although all school and progress reports shared one common theme...'Phillip is persistent'.

In NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) terms, two types of motivational directions are identified. They suggest that people are either 'toward' motivated or 'away' motivated. 'Toward' motivated would be someone working towards a goal, let's say their first 10km road race. However, someone wanting to avoid diabetes would be considered as 'away' motivated. In my mind, motivated toward is a stronger and more positive driving force as in this situation, an individual would be looking and focussing forward and ahead in time.

Irrespective of this, I believe that there is much more to how we as people are motivated and ultimately, I see it is a choice, completely under our control. We decide how much effort we apply to tasks, how organised we are, how much we seek assistance when something is alien or taxing.

So how can you start motivating yourself? Now these aren't tips, they're choices. Pillars that have helped me overcome obstacles and I completely believe they apply for us all and could make a huge difference for you:

• Set your goals - It doesn't need to be world conquering. This is a goal for you, no one else, you! Be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time bound) with it but also, check it weekly. If you're organised, be sure to schedule week on week how you'll stay on target. If you're not a diary person, just revisit once per week and decide how you're going to stay on track that week. Do it now though, don't read any further until you've set your goal and make a note of it.
• Learn to be resilient - Just like the time you learnt to walk or ride a bike, learn not to give up until you get there. It doesn't matter how long it takes you or how many attempts, you will get there.
• Start stretching your imagination - I'm not assuming that you haven't challenged yourself with your goal but in my experience, we tend to be a little cagey when setting goals. I want you to answer this question "Do you know what you're capable of?". Do you have any idea of where your potential lies? If I'm honest, I don't know where mine is but I most certainly will continue to step further towards it. Just because you haven't done it before doesn't mean it can't be done. As creatures, our instincts are to move forwards and we're at our happiest when we're achieving, it gives us a sense of purpose, self belief and self esteem.
• Only listen to self talk if it offers you something positive - Unlike popular belief, self talking isn't a sign of madness. Well, if it is then we're all clinically nuts. Unsurprisingly, many people charge their self-comments with doubt and criticism, also known as limiting beliefs. If you're telling yourself that you can't do something, answer this "How the heck do you possibly know that you can't?, have you tried it?, tried it again? and not given up until you've figured out how to?" The answer is that you can. Thomas Edison discovered some incredible inventions but it also took him hundreds, almost thousands of failed attempts to get there. In fact, his thoughts express this point beautifully "Many of life's failures are individuals who did not realise how close they were to success when they gave up". 
• Be what you expect from others - In the world we live, there are so many distractions, commitments and pressures that our sense of identity can be pulled, pushed, twisted, tied in knots and forgetting who we are is so easily done. If you expect and enjoy kindness from others, be kind. If you expect helpfulness from others, be helpful. If you expect love from others, be loving. What has this got to do with motivation? Being more in line with your own values will help your sense of happiness, purpose and help you stay settled in the world you build around you.

It does take continual effort but like anything in life, the more you do it, the easier it becomes and the less you need to think about it. 

I return to my original point, are you ready to be motivated?

Get Results By Being Deliberate

Phill Wright, Director of Creating Chaos

No one likes wasting time. I am certainly no fan of willing time away with little outcome and I'm guessing you're of a similar mind.

In the time I've spent in the fitness industry, there has been a huge influx in the abundance of information, guidance, support and available services which is fantastic for consumers. Ultimately, more choice is available and the likelihood of people finding something they enjoy is much greater.

So why are there still so many people committing to varying types of fitness and clearly not getting the results they desire? Personally, I don't think it has much to do with actually what they're doing but more how they're doing it. I would most certainly suggest that some methods of conditioning are more effective than others but even more important than that is the approach, the way in which people select their state and execute exercise.

When you look into it, athletes, those with seemingly unobtainable bodies and levels of fitness do many similar exercises to most gym goers...squats, presses, pulls etc. Ok, the programme athletes have will be written most likely by an expert but the most significant difference is that they take it seriously. Every single repetition of every single exercise is done to the best of their ability, often quickly and with significant load but importantly, they completely focus on doing the exercise.

So here's a couple of pointers to help you get more from every ounce of exercise you do:

1. Before exercising, prepare your session and rid yourself of as many destractions as possible. (put your mobile on aircraft mode if necessary)
2. Challenge yourself. Your body benefits from exercise by adapting to the challenges that it faces. If there are no challenges, the benefits will be less.
3. Commit to improve your ability to execute the exercise(s). No matter how many times you've done it, there is always room for improvement.
4. Enjoy how much self belief you'll feel knowing that every minute you spend exercising is completely worthwhile and helping you achieve your goals

NB. With the above, I'm not dismissing the importance of enjoying exercise or social sports. This is crucial and if you don't enjoy it, try something else

Jenny Wright, OutFit director

Back in August I had some fantastic news – I’m pregnant!

As well as being overjoyed and extremely excited, I also felt a little scared. What will happen to my training? Will I get fat? Will I lose all my strength? Will I have to stop doing all the things I enjoy?

When I was past 12 weeks and able to tell others my good news, the next question after “when is it due?” was “so when are you going to give up all the exercise?”

The common train of thought amongst people is that pregnant women should be wrapped up in cotton wool and shouldn’t do much more than go for a gentle walk in terms of exercise. I knew that this couldn’t be right – pregnant animals in the wild don’t stop hunting, pregnant women in the olden days continued to work and hunt, and pregnant women now in developing countries continue to do manual work, walk miles and look after their families. Why should it be different here?

Those of you who know me will know that I am quite into my training (that’s probably an understatement). I enjoy being physically fit, and typically would train 2 to 3 times a day in a variety of ways – running, kettlebells, bodyweight circuits and hockey to name a few.

When my husband and I decided to start trying for a baby, I wanted to be as prepared as possible for what was about to happen to my body, and the changes I would inevitably have to make. I am fortunate in that I work in the fitness industry and therefore I have a number of experts and resources to go to.

To my surprise however, most trainers and instructors were very cautious about advising me about training during pregnancy. And those that had studied it were men and obviously could not fully understand the changes that occur to a woman during pregnancy.

I could only find articles stating that “you should not lift heavy weights”, “you should not over exert yourself”, “you should not raise your heart rate above a certain level”, “you should not do any balance work” and so on. What about the things I could do?

So I looked overseas for my information. I found a few blogs by fellow female kettlebell instructors in America who had continued to train during pregnancy and had a trouble free pregnancy and gave birth to a happy, healthy baby. This gave me hope, although being a bit of a geek; I still wanted to know the science behind exercising whilst pregnant.

I found a brilliant book by Doctor James F Clapp called 'Exercising Through Your Pregnancy'.

In it he details the research that has been done on the effects of training whilst pregnant (surprisingly little until about 30 years ago when he set up numerous research programmes), he described the physiological changes to the body that happen during pregnancy, and the effects of exercise on the body and the effects of exercise on a pregnant woman. The benefits of continuing to exercise are numerous, and mostly positive additive benefits to those which naturally occur to a pregnant woman.

A lot of the changes that occur during pregnancy make the body extremely efficient – more oxygen intake, more efficient at getting rid of heat, better heart rate regulation. All of these changes also occur to women who regularly exercise. Combining exercising with being pregnant adds positively to these effects; it improves the supply of glucose and oxygen to the baby (provided the mum eats adequately and regularly).

The fitter, stronger and healthier you are, the easier labour may be, the stronger the baby will be, and the easier it will be to get back to pre-pregnancy size and fitness.

there are certain things that need to be said here. My body is used to, and has been used to for years, the types of training that I do. It is not a good idea to start an exercise programme or new types of training when you’re pregnant; and if you feel any pain or have any complications during pregnancy – always consult your doctor or midwife before continuing training.

The most important thing to understand is that it is not the time for pushing myself, or trying to beat personal records; I must listen to my body and if I’m feeling tired/exhausted/any pain, then I must stop or not try to train. I also must fuel my body properly – it’s not a case of “eating for two” (you only actually need an extra 300 calories a day, and this is only from 6 months onwards), it’s a case of eating healthy, nutritious foods that will enable the baby to develop and grow, but also sustain me through my training.

I am now 18 weeks pregnant, and I have continued to train most days throughout. I tend to do 20-30 minutes of kettlebell and bodyweight circuits in the morning before work, and then a long run including hills sprints or intervals with the dog after work.

If I feel too tired – I don’t train. The only thing I have stopped doing is playing hockey due to the physical nature and contact of the sport. I understand that when bump gets bigger I will have to slightly change and tailor my training to accommodate it. But unless I have any complications during my pregnancy – I will continue to do what I love doing. If I can’t train for some reason – I know that it is only for a few months, and most importantly – the baby now comes first. Nothing is more important to me than being able to give birth to a lovely healthy little boy or girl – that is something no amount of exercise can ever take the place of.

Exercise De-Mythified. Exercise is full of myths and rumours, we attempt to clear a few up here with this info graphic.

Outdoor fitness Winter Guide

The ridicous religion of health and fitness

I'm just sat up in Cumbria enjoying a couple of days break at Jen's family home and though I'd put together a quick blog.

With it being Easter weekend, for many a time of indulgence and for others a time for reflection, I thought I'd indulge in a little reflection myself.

With today marking the end of lent, I guess for those having given something up, it's a junction point, do I revert back to where I was? It's a decision that has to come from within, certainly if we're going to stick to it as we live in a free society and have the fortunate circumstance allowing us to decide for ourselves.

It certainly appears this way on the face of things, but is it really the case?

Whilst I love working in an industry that I have a clear passion about, there are certain parts to the industry that I don't understand...and if truth be told, I feel are very shameful. Whilst health and fitness is a personal investment that everyone should prioritise, not everyone has the knowledge or expertise to support themselves and rightfully so, many seek guidance. This demand for guidance creates space for thought-leaders and role models to steer people in the right direction. The shameful truth is that many 'role models' create dependancy from their subscribers. Instead of aiming to empower followers, a stronger reliance is forged through clever marketing, material that only seems to answer only a handful of questions and a continuance in a buying and selling mentality.

Having been in the fitness industry now for nearly 5 years (is that all???), I'm still figuring things out and have a lot to learn but what is very evident is that (and this applies to trainers and consumers) there is often almost sectarian splits between ideas and what people believe and follow. Now If I'm not mistaken, everyone seems to be after the same thing, good health, reducing the risks of illness and enjoying a fit and able body. So why all the segregation?

Well, it's good to have many different routes, ways and paths, there is no right or wrong way to live. However, the negativity stems from the sometimes hostile division between paths that we choose.

No one person on the face of this planet knows the answer to every question or has the perfect plan for everyone yet some of the so called role models would have you believe this. Many modern plans discuss going back to basics and living like cavemen. Whilst there are some extremely positive principles in this idea, is it not hypocritical idealism in the sense that unless you actually fully adopt the life of a caveman, (no computers, no internet, hunting for food etc) it would be nonsensical. Life has evolved from this stage and surely this a good thing. Maybe the theory isn't actually the problem but the fact that many people take ideas or concepts to extremes and follow them as they may a religion. Almost placing role models on a pedastal giving them an iconic or unhumanly status. In my understanding, this is not a positive step as it changes the dynamics completely. What was previously sticking to a healthy plan has now become an approved way of life ruled by a grand figurehead. Fitness shouldn't be so serious. It shouldn't be judged or judgemental and should be open to change as the circumstances of life do. Keeping it fun, vibrant and explorative helps people stay enthused and excited about fitness.

An unwelcomed observation is that often those who are followed overtly display dismissal or disapproval towards unaligned thoughts? Why? Is it fear of the unknown? Surely approval would inspire a more empowered and confident approach; leaving followers much more able to explore, learn and be better placed to make informed decisions. After all, as professionals, this is what we want isn't it!!??






- Posted whilst adventurising using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Cumbria

The 80-20 Rule

In the years that I've been in the fitness industry, I never cease to be amazed how people struggle to maintain a balance that keeps them where they want. That said, it is understandable. We live in a society that is jammed full of temptation and promise. A chocolate bar may well be advertised as the ultimate ticket to pleasure, feeling fantastic, sensual moments and all the rest of it but is the reality just the heightening of your taste buds. The chances are that it'll send you on a rollercoaster of feeling all great before slumping into a lull and possibly some bloatedness along the way.

There is no one super diet that fits all, regardless of what the watchers of weight may tell you or those that are clearly the biggest losers. The only way any plan will work long term is if it is sustainable and realistic for you. Exercising 3 or 4 times a day is not sustainable. Eating no carbs is not sustainable. Living off shakes is not sustainable. Instead, try and incorporate the 80-20 rule which I'm sure you've come across before. Basically, aim to be good and healthy at least 80% of the time and allow yourself treats and avoid complete abstainance of the things you enjoy. This doesn't mean becoming a binge-monster whereby you're a disciple of health 80% of the time and then spend the 20% bouncing between the king of burgers / the local cigarette factory and an off license. It sounds ridiculous but a lot of people have the midweek structure of work helping them create routine and then unleash the dragon come the weekend.

So, here's some tips that can help you get the most of the 80-20 rule:

• Apply it to food. Try and cook or prepare your own meals 80% of the time and know what goes into what you eat. Vary your meals and get a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats in each meal where possible.
• Don't fully avoid the things you enjoy that maybe a little naughty. This can often lead to bigger cravings. Just be sensible with how much you have.
• Think about how foods make you feel afterwards rather than during. Sometimes, the immediate satisfaction can push the knowledge of how foods leave you feeling. This can often help you avoid foods that your body reacts badly too which can link to allergies and intolerances.
• Apply it to your exercise levels. Exercising all the time like some sort of robot doesn't do much more than put your body into a state of constant damage. You need repair time and recovery to benefit from exercise. Incorporate around 20% of your week to receovery.

Make sure you leave some comments and add your experiences. We all have experience that can help others

Incredible upper body conditioning circuit

Whilst I'm not the biggest fan of developing fitness for the sake of aesthetics but I know this is important for most. Not only does this mini upper circuit give you a strong and stable core, it will conditioning your stomach, arms, chest and upper back like no other work out and it's only 8 minutes long. No one has the excuse to say they can't fit 8 minutes in and you don't need any equipment.

To make it a little easier, just do the same exercises with your knees on the ground and look to keep the same full range of movement although if you start with part range, look to build it up gradually.

A billion times better than doing any bench or machine weights as it's true strength relative to your body.

Enjoy and if you don't have wobbly arms after this then you're a robot!!

Top tips to keep you driven

The connection between intention and the follow through is fairly crucial, I'm sure we can all agree on that. When it comes to fitness, we see a distinct dislocation so often between what people set out to achieve and what they actually do achieve.

It's only February and all those New Year resolutions seem a thing of the distant past and the old habits that have haunted start to creep back in. Let's face it, we are creatures of habit, of this there is no denying. However, you are completely in control of the habits that you adopt and need not worry about being haunted by the old and often too easy habits creeping back in.

When it comes to setting goals and keeping yourself inline with your intentions, here are some top tips that will make your goals much smarter than those around you:

• Be specific with your targets but more importantly, have an ongoing aim that runs continually alongside shorter and more specific aims. For example: I aim to always take the greener option and avoid using the car unless absolutely necessary. Unless you have back to back specific targets, once each one is done, there is no plan in place and you've all heard the 'failing to plan is planning to fail' saying. Another example may be that every year, I aim to try and learn a completely new type of exercise / activity.
• Focus on your feelings more than numbers. Living in a world where statistics and quantities are all too readily available, we can often get far too obsessed with weight, body fat and other figures that can become the pinacle of self judgement. If you are going to make judgements of yourself then you'd need to be taking an unthinkable number of tests and assessments to make sure that the readings give you a fair and accurate reflection of your state of health. Make life easy and go on your feelings.
• Take time on a regular basis to think about achieving and know exactly how it feels, how it makes you feel, how it looks in as much detail as possible. Make these details familiar and reflect upon them when you're not feeling at your strongest. This may be whilst reaching for a chocolate bar or whilst your struggling to finish your last press up. Strong feelings that have such positive attachement and meaning for you will work like a great weapon for you...you'll be surprised. This is similar to a rehearsal in sports and used by many that achieve on a high level. So much time is spent in preparation going through every possible detail. It may sound strange but prepare yourself to achieve.
• Tell those that you love and trust. We all admire achievers and people who are driven and you'll be supported and respected for your goals...who knows, maybe you'll inspire. However, it's a bizarre human trait to feel fear of ridicule when it comes to having goals or aspirations. Know this...when we're born we have two intrinsic fears which are 'loud noises' and 'falling'. All other fears are learnt and fabricated. They don't serve a purpose!

Hope this helps and I look forward to your comments.

How To Use A Foam Roller Safely

More and more people have become aware of the benefits of using a foam roller so I thought I'd put together a quick guide on how to use them to properly. There are loads of great examples on YouTube showing how to actually use a foam roller to target specific muscles in the body. Here is a good example:

Whilst they are very good, it is worth knowing a little bit more than just how to roll on certain areas. Let me explain...foam rolling is all about targetting the myofascial tissue which effectively renders it a massage. Doing this is great as it's where tension builds up and soft tissue is often responsible for imbalances in posture / tightness and soreness. However, doing it in or around exercise can be dangerous without putting a few key elements into how you do it. When you foam roll a specific muscle, done properly will switch the muscle off so it stands to reason that switching a key muscle off prior to an exercise that requires that muscle could be risky.

Here is a simple structure for when foam rolling during or around exercise:

1. Isolate - Target the specific muscle / muscle group that you're looking to roll and then work across the entire muscle length focussing on areas of greatest soreness
2. Inhibit - Work between 45-90 seconds on that area to switch the muscle off and release the tension
3. Activate - Reactivate that muscle by dynamic movements aimed to directly switch back on the muscle working through full range
4. Integrate - Now integrate the muscle into bigger movement patterns that use the targetted muscle again focussing on full range and good form.

I'll be giving some full examples of this in a host of coming video-blogs that I'll be posting. Hope it all makes sense and fire those questions my way