In part 1, we covered ways to measure your weight (bathroom scales and BMI) and a measure of fat distribution (waist/hip ratio). Here in part 2, I’m going to cover ways to measure your body fat. And this is the important thing. A common goal of many people is to lose weight, when they should be trying to lose fat. The following methods are ways to measure how much body fat you are carrying. I would say that it is much more important to maintain a healthy fat level, than an arbitrary weight.
Cerin
Movement and Variety: Why bigger is better!
First of all, I have to admit I have no direct scientific evidence of this…so I can’t prove a word of what I’m saying…but I know it’s true…its common sense. So with that disclaimer out of the way, here is why my motto is:
“Movement & Variety”
…and why bigger is better!
Assessments: Body Composition part 1 – Body Weight
I’ve split the Body Composition post into 2 parts. In this part I’ll brief you on 3 simple ways to assess your body composition (Bathroom Scales, BMI and Waist/Hip Ratio). In part 2, I’ll go over some less common and more specialised ways to assess just how much body fat you have. First of all…What is body composition?
We are all Kevin and Perry!
This picture is worth 1,000 words…this is a perfect representation of all our bodies…
Fit for different things.
As I have mentioned previously in my article “An Introduction to Getting Fitter“, there are different types of fitness. These include, but are not restricted to, being fit for:
- Running a marathon
- Sprinting 100m
- Throwing a javelin
- Stepping into a ring for a fight
Now you might think “what the hell does this have to do with me…i’m not doing any of them, I just want to get a bit fitter for health/life/performance“. Well here’s a real world situation…
Why are you doing that move?
Top tip for everyone…
Next time your training, when you are doing a move/exercise/drill/stretch etc, just ask yourself:
Ooooo! Kettlebells!
A lady came in and asked me about kettlebell training yesterday.
She had read in a magazine how it is…
Warming up – Karate specific
Last week I told you about warming up in general.
As promised, this week I’m going to give you an account of one way I warm up a Karate session. For me, the priorities of Karate training are:
- Acceleration
- Reaction/reflexes
- Body Coordination/balance/agility
- Limb/eye coordination
My warm ups usually start with basic, generic moves and progress onto more Karate-specific drills of increasing speed and complexity.
Remember, this is just an example of one way I warm up a session…here goes!
Form follows function.
Most people asking me for training programmes do so for aesthetic purposes. They want to lose weight, “tone up”, get big guns…in other words, they want to look better and don’t care about anything else.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with training to look better…but in my experience, people need to work hard and changes are fairly slow. And this can be demoralising for anyone. So many people “fall off the wagon”.
Warming up – Do’s and don’ts of a general warm up.
Here is a quick article on warming up before a training session. We all know we have to do one before training, but do we all know:
- What they are for?
- Why we should do them?
- How should a warm up go?
Supplements – Sports drinks and Protein Shakes. Do you need them?
Look in any sports shop, fitness magazine or gym and there will be adverts for supplements and protein shakes promising to change your body in ways you only ever dreamed of.
But should you spend your hard earned cash on them?
A Short History of Shotokan Karate. Part 7
The final part in the series charting the history of Shotokan Karate by Dr Tudor Jenkins.
I hope you have enjoyed them and learned something from them.
If you have, please tell your friends!
Is this food healthy for me?
Clients regularly ask me if they should be eating this food, or that food. This is my opinion…
This weeks fitness circuit…
This weeks session was an aerobic one. Mostly easy stations, but the aim was to…
“just keep moving“.
A Short History of Shotokan Karate. Part 6
Continuing the history of Shotokan by Dr Tudor Jenkins. Make sure you check out all 7 parts.
A Short History of Shotokan Karate. Part 5
Part 5 of 7. Make sure you see them all!
A Short History to Shotokan Karate. Part 4
Continuing in the series telling the history of Shotokan Karate by Dr Tudor Jenkins.
Part 4 of 7.
Inspirational video…
If you ever need reminding that anything is possible if you try hard enough…
Short History of Shotokan Karate. Part 3
Dr Tudor Jenkins continues his history of Shotokan Karate. Pt 3 of 7.