Welcome to your quick-fire, end of week update with a few bite-sized bullet points covering what we’re learning about and loving in three areas: fitness, nutrition and mindset. One bullet from each trainer, a little nugget of health and fitness gold.
FITNESS: Nic is planked out
You may have read about the new 8-hour world record plank set by Chinese police officer Mao Weidong. Holy pirate ship, 8 hours in the plank?! While that is a seriously incredible feat, let’s not kid ourselves – that style of endurance planking (where the task is simply to plank as long as possible) is not worth emulating for everyday strength training. Rather, Nic prefers training the hardstyle plank which provides greater carry-over benefits for other strength exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, hanging leg raises, and pistol squats to name a few.
So what’s a hardstyle plank? Check out StrongFirst Master Trainer Shaun Cairns’ demonstration (he taught Nic in person). The key difference is that an endurance plank encourages energy conservation, while a hardstyle plank is an exercise in maximum tension creation; from the neck down the whole body is braced and tense. Tension = strength. Next time you’re in a plank position, use that opportunity to practise engaging your glutes (butt eats the pants), quads (pull the kneecaps up), your entire abdominal corset, lats and everything in between… now try holding that for about 10 seconds, rest, and go again for several rounds. Now that’s serious plank training!
Nutrition: Libby is doing the easiest detox ever
Lib was feeling the need for a bit of a diet clean up, but has been so busy lately that anything complicated was out of the question! So… she’s doing the 1, 2, 3 cleanse.
The rules: 1 serve of vegetables at breakfast, 2 serves of vegetables or salad at lunch (or split into 2 snacks if there’s no time for a proper lunch), and another 3 serves at dinner. Of course, there’s protein and healthy fats in there too, plus gluten-free carbs and a little bit of dairy BUT with so many veggies going in, there’s not a lot of room for the other stuff, so it’s a little clean eating plan that focuses on what you’re putting IN, not what you’re taking out which is cool.
If you’re thinking of giving the 1, 2, 3 a go, you should know that a serve of veggies is approximately the size of your closed fist. Easy!
MINDSET: Leash is following The Well Path
According to Dr Jamé Heskett, author of The Well Path, the key to unlocking boundless energy, losing weight, reversing the ageing process and restoring balance lies in the Four S’s – sleep, sex, stress and social interaction.
That’s right, no crazy dieting or life changes; just some simple and enjoyable tweaks to optimise your day. Check out Leash’s full review of The Well Path.
Thanks for reading Agogians! Have a wonderful weekend, and we’ll see you in the studio.
