TightenFit

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Your MIND can be your greatest weapon or your greatest enemy...

Professionalism

Too often this industry is advertised under false pretenses being unregulated. The pictures you see on Social Media don't tell the full story.

I am of the opinion that the industry should be regulated based on trainers practicing beyond their scope. Promoting and sharing incorrect information with an eager to absorb audience. When choosing a trainer please check their credentials and qualifications to ensure legitimacy.

I refuse to be caught up with false promotion of one thing while doing another. I keep it simple and very basic.

Drink plenty of water, train smart and keep your nutrient intake quality rather than quantity . (This makes cheat meals worth it).

So don't be caught up in the hype of social media, make sure you question or do further research on information posted by trainers before accepting as gospel. Trainers should be a prime example of good health, not just physically but mentally and physiologically as well.

The Fit train-(GainTrain)

"It waits for no (wo)man"

You have probably thought about joining a gym or starting a training program, but never actually started. Probably due to waiting; for the right moment, person/ training partner etc.

Why wait for tomorrow, it is never a guarantee. We tend to over think and make drastic changes in order to get into the zone and change your life. Although these drastic changes will yield the greatest results in the shortest amount of time (if you have such self-discipline) I would never recommend it.

Reason being, you will get fed up and over it far too soon before results appear (become evident). Rather increase physical activity above what they currently are. Once you have done this, then you can look at changing your diet. Small steps in the right direction will make all the difference in getting to your fitness destination. The (Gain) train you board may not go in the same direction nor at the same pace as those around you-try not to focus on those around you and rather your own journey.

Efficiency, consistency and sustainability will see you achieve your fitness/health and wellness goals.

Monthlies Part 2…

Training in general pushes your pain threshold up thus allowing you to cope better with the pains and discomfort caused by period cramps and the like.

The follicular phase is the first phase of the cycle and runs from day 1-13. Day 1 being the first day of menstruation. During this phase, you will be able to handle more and push harder. Workouts should ramp up during this phase and be aimed at the higher intensity workouts that will utilise the most amount of energy (HIIT).

The next phase in the cycle is the Ovulation phase (Days 12-15), during this phase your strength levels are even higher as a result of the preceding phase. Capitalise, but be smart. The strength will aid you in toning muscle groups but be aware not to push it too far as you risk injury. Compound movements would be ideal during this phase. Remember focus on form.

Phase 3, the luteal phase (Days 15-28/30), this is usually the time you question yourself. Your body does not seem to respond to much during this phase, it almost could appear to be counterproductive, well it’s not! It is important to note that during this phase, your body temperature will be slightly elevated, so why not take advantage of on this. Workouts should ramp down during this phase making LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) styled cardiovascular training ideal (40mins -2 hours) for this phase.

And finally back to menstruation takes place. This is when you begin to regain homeostasis within. The level of intensity can be increased from LISS to HIIT as the cycle begins again.

"The more active you are [overall] and more regular you are with your activity, the better your periods end up being—less cramping, less heavy flow," explains Stacy Sims, PhD, an exercise physiologist for USA Cycling Women's Track Endurance Program and co-founder of Osmo Nutrition

Remember it is a marathon not a sprint, do not train hard, train smart. Listen to your body and let this be the foundation for your 2018 lifestyle changes.

The Cycle

Ladies, have you experienced training sessions where on one day you will kill itbut on other days just can’t seem to manage. This is may not be due to the training or your diet (calorie restricted). How well do you know yourself- are you taking note of that time of the month?

I am no expert in this regard heck I am a male,nonetheless being a trainer one should understand the plight which femalesendure monthly.

For the purpose of the posts let’s refer to these as the monthlies. It is always a good thing for us to be in tune with ourselves, listen to our bodies and consequently look after ourselves. Ladies it is imperativeto note when the monthliescommence and what is occurring during this time if you intend training or follow a vigorous training programme.

Let’s establish day one accordingly making it better to understand the cycle, specificallythe physiological and the demands put on the body. The demands vary as the cycle progresses, so too does the ability of the body to achieve a desired outcome. In other words, your training may suffer at no fault of your own other than the lack of understanding of timing.

In the next post we breakdown the monthlies, in to sections how well you can perform during these periods (excuse the pun).

Is your Heart working?

The Heart is most important muscle in the human body. Although we may not have conscious control (we cannot actively contract and relax the heart like other muscles), we need to be conscious of the changes that may take place as a result of the selected training programs we choose.

When considering the heart, one should take into account the Resting Heart Rate(RHR). This will give an indication as to how hard the heart is working when, the body is not being exerted [To calculate this: count the number of beats during one minute/ or number of beats in 20seconds multiplied by 3. Ideally done at a resting state (eg. Sitting at your desk, reading this post or first thing in the morning). In other words how much strain is your heart under to maintain minimal bodily functions.

Ideal RHR= 60-80bpm

Your max (age predicted) heart rate (APMHR) is calculated by taking your age and subtracting it from 220 (220-age). This gives you an indication of what your predicted maximal heart rate could be. Should this rate be exceeded it can be harmful. The proposed optimal heart rate to burn fat, one must maintain a workload/intensity of 60%-70% of your APMHR.

With the technological advances we have today, this is all made easier via our mobile devices and smart & fitness watches. These devices track training intensity as well as allow for live heart rate readings to be checked during workouts to ensure the correct zones or being target.

Aerobic (Cardio based) training, increasing the endurance capacity and efficiency of the heart. Anaerobic (resistance based) training increasing the strength of the heart (muscle) allowing for greater (more powerful) contractions per beat.

Do not simply favour one style of training (aerobic/anaerobic) they are both beneficial in terms of lifestyle and longevity. Find that balance, we may not all be athletes but we can become more efficient throughout our daily lives placing less strain on our vital organs to maintain us daily.

If you have any questions on the above or would like to test your max heart rate, please contact TightenFit and we will make sure to keep your heart pumping.

The Emotional change.

This is twofold. It either comes about when you view yourself, looking at yourself in the mirror. Or it is about how you feel about yourself. How you see yourself, and how you think the world sees you.It may be that moment of comfort you find when consuming that chocolate or those hot slap chips. This can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food, where you can’t get by doing a certain routine activity without the assistance from that momentary hormonal spike caused by a delicious tasting carb/fat. Yes that may be a harsh thing to say, but think about it there is no positive long-term benefit to this behavior. Choosing to go to gym instead of eating that snack will give you the same hormonal effect but just with a long term feeling of satisfaction as well as a sense of accomplishment. (You may get to the point when you can consume that snack without it being detrimental to your health. Balance)

Once you have realised these things, you are faced with a choice. The choice to pick who you want to be and how you want to feel, what you do and how you do it is all ultimately up to you and only YOU it should not be dictated by outside forces. Do you want to become a better version of yourself by putting YOU first or are you willingly accepting to continue as you are currently?You will live with the choice you make.

Once you have made your choice, make the commitment like you would to your partner.Pick your hard! Life is hard no matter what, so dictate your hard. And let go of all the things and people that make you feel opposite to how you want to feel.
A healthy lifestyle encompasses not only physical health but also mental and spiritual health. Without the one the others will always fail in picking up the slack. You putting yourself first will ultimately benefit those around you as well as yourself when you are happier and healthier. Your outlook on life and what life has to offer may alter as you progress.

Keep it simple as long as you keep trying, never give up on yourself. You are stronger than you think you.

Happy Women's day!!

For the Ladies,

Since it is women's month and with this in mind, this post is dedicated to the women. Those that want to start, are starting, addicted and those that want to give up.

Those wanting to start, be your own motivation, don't look at superficial things and desire an almost impossible body. You are not the same as the person next to you, as much as society dictates to us to follow the crowd. Let this be a gift to you.

When starting, do not become complacent in the fact that you are better off, because you have trained or attended a training session. You need to ask yourself how did that session challenge you, and how will it change you in the days to come. Discover yourself, remember this journey is about self-discovery. Find out what you enjoy, if you enjoy it, it will be less tedious. You should, at some point, look forward to your sessions. This is when you know you are onto something good, something worthwhile-whom nobody else can relate to.

The 'Addicts'- You may enjoy the lifestyle so much that you crave it day in and day out. Do not let this take away from your life, sacrifices are needed, but not to the detriment of those things important to you such as family and friends-This balance may be even harder to achieve. Be wary of the sacrifices you make and how these sacrifices may affect your life.

The contemplation-Why do this?- You are way past the addiction, but you no longer feel the same as you did. This is when you are facing your biggest challenge, you are asking is the blood, sweat, & tears worth it. The emotions that flow in as the happiness fades. This is usually proportionate to the numbers game. The more you lose, the happier you are.

Now that this seems to have tapered off-the plateau. Everyone reaches this point, I assure you this is normal. You need to reassess your lifestyle-your training your diet and all the rest. Do not simply give up. Question everything, do not accept anything simply because of the way it is. Change things up and keep your body guessing this way you can confuse your body to kick into overdrive and break the plateau in order to get back on track. Once you have changed things up, you need to give it some time to take effect-be patient. Rediscover that hunger and drive that got you started. You are further and better off than you were when you started, do not give up. This is nothing but a speed bump on your journey towards a greater, happier and healthier you!!

[Refer to part 4 of 5 What you need to know when you start training]

The Challenge.

Routine does no challenge us. Yes it makes us efficient. Doing things over and over will not change you because it does not challenge you. If you are not striving for change, then you may fear a challenge. The fitness industry is no less challenging on the mind than it is on the body.

Training, trying to change your life for the better will challenge you both physically and mentally as well as emotionally. There will be days when you wake up and ask yourself "why"- why put yourself through all this, this pain, this sacrifice. What do you gain. There is no financial gain. No bragging rights. If anything there is more to lose. Leaving the old you behind as well as the negative influences that led you to the moment of change.
What you gain from this journey may be personal, in the sense it cannot be seen. Thus only you will know why you started and what you wish to achieve from this. There is no end. If you think there is an end to this you are mistaken. It only becomes easier as you enter the maintenance phase-in order to keep the results you worked so hard to achieve.

Not everyone that embarks on this journey wants to change their physical appearance but work out their mental stress. All of which are a positive on the journey to better health. Training can be the most beneficial antidepressant, without the side-effects of medicinal antidepressants.

Do not view the fitness industry as one of pure looks, try and view it as the entire lifestyle it is meant to be. If you look after your health both mentally and physically then your body will look after you as you age. Prevention is better than cure.

If you want to change, allow TightenFit to challenge you.

Bulking vs Shredding

Thinking this may hamper your ability to achieve desired results. Even worse result in injury. Form and incorrect training loads as well as frequency are often parts of the fitness aspect many people neglect to understand.

We spoken about form in many of the post prior to this one so it would not be necessary to touch on this again ( if you are unsure of Form refer back to previous posts). Training loads refer to the amount of weight you load or use when training and the progression of loading thereafter. So if you are using the incorrect weight in an incorrect manner, your results will not be achieved. The difference in loading comes with the intensity at which you aim to train. If you are training to up your muscle mass, or increase your muscle gain, your intensity may be low but weight bearing/loading will be higher. This means, it will maximise the muscle 'tearing' while keeping your calorie burning at a minimal making it easier for your body to gain weight and overall muscle mass. - be cautious not to do this for too long as it will result in you gaining too much weight.

The old school method would be to endure a 'bulking' phase-usually over winter followed by a 'cutting' phase towards the end of winter beginning spring. The premise is, that this will allow you the luxury of being able to have a high calorie consumption period during the winter (eating what you would like) without sacrificing too much muscle mass during the cutting phase of the year. Remember you will burn muscle mass during cutting.

The cutting phase has a completely different workout load and intensity to that of bulking. This phase should be aimed at increasing the metabolic rate during training and post training in the most efficient way possible. How do you do this?- By increasing your intensity, reducing the workload and consuming sufficient calories post training and throughout the day-Conscious eating. Research HIIT-High Intensity Interval Training. Something I personally enjoy during my cutting phase. It is important to note that while HIIT can consist of literally anything, you should have some sort of targeting structure.

Therefore, isolate certain muscle groups rather than doing it all at once in one workout. This will help increase recovery time without having to worry about chronic fatigue (fatigue over a long period of time). This also helps with better shaping/toning of certain areas.

Remember, if you are going to bulk be prepared for the cut-or just stay lean and mean. The choice is yours, decide wisely!

TightenFit updated their website address.

Training attire.

It’s not about looking the part albeit you cannot wear a denim pants to training. You do not have to wear the most expensive training clothing. When choosing clothing to train in, look for functionality. The clothing should be non-restrictive therefore your range of movement should not be limited. It would also help knowing which type of training would require which types of clothing requirements. For example, explosive training would require less restrictive clothing, cardio would require breathable clothing where as general basic movements would not require anything specific.

Footwear is probably the most important part of your training attire. Again looks should be secondary to functionality. Your footwear carries you, depending on your weight, foot type(flat, high-arch) as well as foot orientation (Pronation/supination).

Pronation-Rolling of the foot inward during weight bearing- the degree to which the foot rolls is the problem.

Supination-Rolling of the foot outward during weight bearing.

A good way to asses this is to look at the underneath thread of your shoe to check the points of wear and tear. Knowing this will impact your shoe shape and type applicable to you, reducing your risk of injury (ankle, knee and hip). Different types of training would also require different types of shoes, so where explosive training would require a softer compound shoe, weight training would require a harder compound with a flatter sole. In other words, your running shoes may not be the appropriate shoe when doing squats. If you are serious about your training and lifestyle, you would see this as an investment in yourself. Safety first.

Females, please take note! It is imperative that you wear training/sports bras. Not doing so may result in serious injury. Also it fights the pull factor you know you wish to avoid later on in life.

All things considered look for breathability in both footwear and clothing. This will ensure your body’s natural cooling system is not impaired, allowing for better performance. If you feel good you will automatically look good. On that note, if you don’t want attention during training, think about what you are wearing before you begin training.

What is FORM and why is it important during training?

Form - is doing an exercise or any movement for that matter using the correct biomechanics. Biomechanics is the mechanical laws relating to movement.

Form is the most important part to training and exercise so before embarking on these extravagant and intense forms of exercise, focus on basics. Be cognisant of First Observe Range of Movement. It is easily neglected and forgotten during training due to rushing or lacking of concentration. It’s important to not neglect it.

Look to a personal trainer or at the very least ask a professional (Biokineticist or Physiotherapist) for guidance on your movements. Their job would be to test what you know and ensure that you will not cause yourself injury. Remember safety first, this lifestyle is meant to be sustainable in the long term. If you are not confident in your knowledge of training and fitness then and will gladly assist in educating, correcting and improve your form

Utilise your senses, Sight and Touch. Sight, look at the correct way how an exercise should be executed. This would reduce your risk of injury. Observe from the bottom up, look at the joints and how they move relative to the rest of the body.

Touch, touch yourself-yes I said it. Feel the muscles that are working during a movement, this helps with mind muscle connection. Knowing the movement plane, would help to know what muscles should be activated during the workout. Feeling the muscle tighten up or harden during the movements means the muscle is bearing weight this is a good thing (provided it is the correct muscle groups being target).

When working with a personal trainer, ask what muscle group is the exercise working/targeting if you are feeling the strain, or fatigue in the targeted muscle group you are A for away.

Remember, patience in your progress. Focus on the basics and understand why you are doing the movement. Listen to your body and look after yourself in order to enjoy this journey of self discovery.

Happy Training

doing what they love and enjoying every moment of it.

When it's survival of the fittest.

Just like any relationship squats need full commitment. Else it just won't work. Compromise and depth is what it's all about. I'm feeling this one, immediately...oh how I have missed this.

It's good to be back. Recovery Fueled by lean Gain, first time trying the chocolate (got the variety pack) and it's a winner.

What you need to know when you start training!

Part 5 of 5: What to expect next.

Your achievable goals are set, you have equipped yourself with information, chosen a training discipline you like, checked out your future trainer and completed your health and movement screenings. You have gotten into the training and you have just absolutely fallen in love with the results and progress. Setbacks don’t freak you out and you are now well on your way to achieving you goals (If you know sure of any of the above, please check out part one of the series).

Today we address what happens once you’ve reached your initial goal.

In most cases we’ve been involved with, our clients realise that their initial goal only scraped the surface of what they are able to achieve. They often decide on a new set of goals, deciding to see where their limits lie. These are goals set by the clients themselves and we are surprised by many of the goals that are set. These goals are often ambitious and once achieved, seem to accelerate the snow ball effect.

While writing this post we ask one of our longest attending members of Tightenfit about her thoughts on the road to achieving her goal. She said that she had achieved her initial goal ages ago and just kept setting new ones, all the while getting fitter, stronger and healthier.

This future reaffirmed our belief that what you have started is a lifestyle, not a quick fix FAD. It is about the journey and not the destination. Don’t panic! This is totally normal and the long term benefits are well worth it. These benefits include reduced risk of picking up lifestyle and family diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension and cholesterol (especially if you work on your diet). You also combat the associated complications of aging, such as osteoporosis, and you may end up living a longer, more fulfilling life. Provided your training is done is safe and sustainable way.

In short, embrace the journey and live life. Do not be afraid of change, if you don’t ask you won’t know. Aim to educate yourself about yourself. Take it slow and it will show (Results wise).
Thank you for reading!

For enquiries about post topics or possible post topics, training and lifestyle questions feel free to drop us a message [email protected] or drop us a comment. Don’t forget to like and share!!!

What you need to know when you start training!
Part 4 of 5: How to deal with setbacks.

Your achievable goals are set, you have equipped yourself with information, chosen a training discipline you like, checked out your future trainer and completed your health and movement screenings. You have gotten into the training and you have just absolutely fallen in love with the results and progress. (If you are not sure of any of the above, please check out part 1-3 of the series).

The next thing you know you’ve picked up an injury, get sick or have to miss training sessions due to work/family responsibilities. These are just a few examples of the setbacks we can face along the way.

You have to realise that setbacks WILL happen and make peace with it. From a mental stand point, you should take setbacks as an opportunity to work on a different area of your health and fitness journey. This will ensure that the process does not come to a grinding halt.

During these periods open and honest communication with your trainer about what’s happening is important. Good trainers will understand, keep you motivated and adjust the training program to allow of these setbacks. However, if you don’t communicate with them, your progress and goals may suffer or you may hurt yourself further.

Let’s look at few of the more challenging setbacks you may face:
Often at times, injuries seem like massive setbacks. This is not the case for most injuries. “Why?” you may ask, well you need to understand why injuries happen. If you follow correct training etiquette & form, injuries happen as a result of reaching movement limitations (this usually happens when you haven’t done a movement screening) or previously dormant/undiagnosed injuries start surfacing as you start to test your limits. In these cases TightenFit & Anwar Louw Physiotherapy work closely together to ensure that training can still continue safely (most times, not always) while the injury is being sorted out.

The other major setback tends to happen is a mental one. This happens when you have missed a number of training sessions, like a week or two, for whatever reason. This has a bigger effect earlier on in your journey and slightly lesser so the longer you have been training. Most times you start falling back into old bad habits. The key to breaking this cycle is to just get that 1st session under the belt. That 1st session gets your endorphins pumping again and in most cases is good enough to kick start your love for training again- In this moment you will realise what you have been missing all this time.

So to summarise, setbacks will occur. These are actually opportunities to address other areas of the health and fitness journey that we tend to neglect. E.g. diet.

“Setbacks aren’t the end of the road, but simply a scenic detour.”

Hope you found this post helpful. To find out the topic of our last post in this series, you have to will have to keep an eye on this space.

What you need to know when you start training!

Part 3 of 5: What to expect once you’ve started training.

Your achievable goals are set, you have equipped yourself with information, chosen a training discipline you like, checked out your future trainer, completed your health and movement screenings done (if you know sure of any of the above, please check out part one of the series).

What comes next? You start training!

If you have gone through the our previous posts, you will have an idea of what the training will look like and have some idea of what the end product will look like, but today we will enlighten you on what your journey may entail.

The 1st part to note is that changes do NOT happen overnight- Rome was not built in a day. Be patient and believe in the process. We are regularly bombarded with images of people who have seemingly achieved their weight goals in no time or have seemingly got to their athletic goals with minimal effort. While there are always exceptions to the rules, this is not how things happen for the vast majority of us. It takes more than just a week of training to get to your goals.

Don’t despair! It’s not all doom and gloom. We are here to tell that positive change will happen quickly. When it comes to the weight loss component the journey looks as follows:

• In the 1st month of consistent training you will notice gradual changes to your body and gradual changes in your strength and endurance.

• In the 2nd month of consistent training those closest to you will start to notice the changes in your body and your energy levels.

• In the 3rd month of consistent training everyone will notice the drastic changes in your appearance.

The 2nd thing to note is that your body will be sore and stiff after the first few training sessions. This is normal. It is just your body going through a natural process of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) due to your muscles adapting to new stimulus of training. It will gradually get less and less as you get stronger and fitter and your body adapts better with training (improving recovery time). To help you through this initial stages, as your body adapts, you may want to consider deep tissue sports massages. This will help ease the pain and stiffness and has the added benefit of helping your recover (by increasing circulation throughout the body) from training quicker (i.e. accelerating your progress to your goals).

The 3rd thing to note is that in the initial 3 months, the scale is not your friend! Your body will be going through a muscle building processes, you will be learning new movements and your bodily processes (digestion, metabolism, etc) will be all over the place as it tries to adapt to what’s happening. This will lead to the scale readings being all over the place. To prevent yourself from becoming de-motivated, stay away from the scale for the 1st few months of training.

Lastly, all things considered don’t do this for anyone. Don’t do this for the likes, the follows, the comments and views. You are your biggest motivator and your biggest critic, so your mental state and attitude is your most important tool in this process. There will be those days when you don’t want to go to training, those days that you feel like you are not getting any results so why bother, and there will be those days that you fall off the eating wagon and feel really bad about what you have eaten. Those are the days where you need to tell yourself that this is a journey and all journeys have their ups and downs. This is where the importance of having a trainer and support system that will keep you on track and keep you going becomes a major factor. Your approach to training sessions has an impact on the effectiveness of the session and ultimately the timeline of your results so it is important to accept the physical challenge your trainer has set out for you. Do not say or think that you can’t do the exercise until you have tried it, tell yourself you can….you will be amazed by what your body can do when you tell it to. “Your body won’t go where your mind won’t push it”-Think about it.

This is your journey do not preach the lifestyle in the aim of gaining support. Gain support through your actions, be the motivation for those around you. Yes initially this may be a lonely journey which very few will understand. Hence choosing a training discipline that has the ability to motivate you and keeps you wanting more is imperative. If it doesn’t excite you, you won’t come back. Training should at some point become a priority, in the fact that the day should not feel complete without it. The aim is for you to want it more and more as time goes on. Herein will you realise the complete benefit of training not only on your physical but your mental.

Next up, Setbacks and how to deal with them.

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