free training Apps + mtb mag + youtube channels it's all in the HIPS

There are a lot of mobile and Tablet apps out there and some are better than others here are a few Android Apps that I have been using that are helpful.

this is one of a series that Virtual Trainer have done, they cover, bosu, resistance bands, kettle bells, most of the every day  fitness tools that we can use at home or in the gym. This one Body wight is free the others are about five euros. It would be nice to see them sold a pack at a discount price. Having said that, The Apps are nicely put together with simple video instructions, married with timers for hitt with a nice range of exercises to keep your workouts fresh.

selecting the muscle group displays a number of options.

Next up is a swimming App, sounds a bit strange but it has some nice tips from instructors with some clear video showing common errors and instruction on how we can change. I like this as the verbal and visual combination help me imagine how my stroke is. It's a free App that and some work has gone into this so well worth a look.

the App is all in English inspite of the Spanish title, just my IP address

The last App that I enjoy using is International Mountain Bike Magazine, much the same as mbr in the UK or Bike in Spain, new bike reviews, tech, riders and rides in different parts of the world, nice glossy pics and good stories. Some nice video links. Like all mags they have one focus to sell products and this does that too. So why spend five pounds when you can have a mag that is free.

there are lots of back issues so you have plenty to catch up on.

 

Youtube is also being used as a kick off point like facebook to promote business as we move away from normal TV and try to find what interests us directly. Here are two top picks for both fintess and mountain bike.

Jeff Cavaliere is a physio and trainer that puts together the scince and bio-mechanics with his athlean x brand as we try to get in shape. In his videos though he says the word 'guys' at the end of every sentence but I have found his explinations very helpful and his variations on the standard workouts are refreshing. For example why to we thrust out hips forward at the top of a squat or kettlebell swing? these things start to make sence when you after watching a few videos. If you know write me a comment below and see if you're right.

Staying with hips, the boys at Global Mountain Bike Network have some nice skills videos that can help us all polish our riding. And its all in the hips. Again if you know why the hips are so important than write a comment to see if you're right.

Tri-cas are your new Workouts

Weekly triathlon fitness workouts. You don's have to be into triathlon, in fact there is a move away from training plans that focus on base and build and peak schedules. This is a way to spice your weekly workouts using a wide range of muscle groups, reducing monotony and increasing your fitness.

This a cardio focus but we also need to mix in strength and flexibility workouts again giving us more scope.

Lets have a look, so you might want to swim one day, run the next have a active rest day walking to work, use the weights in the gym the next and get a good ride in on the weekend. An active week without the pressure and boredom of the same old sessions.

We can also adapt this to  working strength and power by doing sprints, high cadence laps in the pool, hill climbs on the bike, so you always have a surprise for your muscles.

As the seasons change then we can move into other activities, more winter hikes, indoor yoga, hitt sessions, long slow laps in the pool using a different stroke. Summer time outdoor swims, fun runs and a trip abroad to ride or hike somewhere new.

The only plan you need is try new things stay away from your old routine and get a mix of training into your week.

Bread, Beer and your Bank Balance

A huge part of our culture, toast with butter and jam for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and few beers after work.
Treat these two like chocolate and ice-cream. Both are calorie dense easy to overdose and addictive.

Think about your body like your bank account. If you spend more than you earn you go overdrawn and it takes a long time and hard work to get back on track. If you eat more than your body uses as energy you will gain weight. And again it will be hard work to get back into shape.

Beer as much as we like it, and the old-school riders will still say that it is good for you after a long hard ride, it has iron and the like, but the quantity of empty calories from alcohol far out strip any nutrients. It may feel good but what our bodies need is water and clean calories from carbohydrates such as fruits.

Lets look at bread, the main problem is the refined flours used to make this product, bread is not a natural product like rice, so therefore it's mixed and created by man. Even healthier breads with seeds and nuts and are still hard to say they are good for you as we cannot prove that they are made with a better source of flour the Un-Refined type.
All food that is prepared in a factory has not only been through a mechanical process a lot of its ingredients have also been modified with e numbers, sodium (man made salt) so it is hard to find a clean product in the bakery.

So what do we do? Well like I mentioned treat them like ice-cream and chocolate, keep your consumption low and the quality high and remember that your body is like your bank balance.

calorie re cap,
1gram of fat = 9 calories
1gram of alcohol = 7 calories
1 gram of carbs = 4 calories
1 gram of protein = 4 calories

keep and eye out for products with this symbol it means that they sould be using Un-refined products