Client Diary – Breathing

This session was by far the hardest and with the racing season just around the corner it’s the standard of all my future sessions. I had the usual tortuous threshold reps to do and I hit all my targets for these.

It’s still painful but the secret (as Gareth is constantly shouting at me) is to BREATHE, deep long breaths, steady and from the belly.

This obvious technique takes time to master and comes with time but deep steady breaths oxygenate the blood and dispel the lactic and toxins out – its controlled and I’m finding by adopting this technique I am caging the inner brat who is constantly telling me to “stop of your going to die”.   The very fact that Gareth said the session was excellent told me I’m improving every week , the man does not give away compliments like a free newspaper , they are rare and like pay rises occasional , either way to hear that when you’re the other side of the pain feels good.

As well as the physical improvements I’m seeing I’m also breaking into new psychological ones. You don’t get this in a gym membership, you won’t find it in a magazine and the internet’s full of good and bad information. This is why I can say 100% that having a personal trainer can make a huge difference.
I was told by Gareth to stop taking sugar, I scratched my head thinking I could ration its but in the end that approach is too liberal. I have had no sugar in drinks for 7 days, I don’t miss it and I don’t want it and I feel a lot better without it, aah the power of a personal trainer!
My whole outlook to training, diet/focus and mental aptitude has changed – the results of this will be out in a few weeks but I am very confident with the fact and actuals in front of me that I will be very happy with them.

Client Diary – A Surprise weigh in!

Before I had the session I was weighed – this was a surprise weigh in and I have to say I was over the moon to have lost 3 kgs –
I have a further 8 kgs to go but this is achievable once I increase my riding time and my food intake becomes healthier.

This week’s session focused on spinning and efficiency on the bike (as I had a RAMP test planned for the next day).  I spent 5 mins at a high cadence gradually moving my heart rate up to my Threshold for 35 mins. The session was very interesting as I learned a great deal about my pedalling action and how I could control my power output by being more efficient in my pedal stroke. It wasn’t that easy a session though – they never are. After 30 mins of Bike focused efficiency and heart lung action I got down to some core work to strengthen my middle torso and work off the blubber.   A great session where I’m starting to see (as is Gareth) a real turn round in my performance – so this is great motivational news.

Also I discovered a great food tip this week (See our Nutrition Advice) – as advised by Gareth. I live in a busy house with children this means you are often faced with BAD FOOD temptations – being a weak male I will often give in and take that temptation. The way to combat this is to replace those temptations with GOOD FOODS like NUTs and seeds.
I now eat pumpkin seeds in the same way I would habitually east crisps – it’s the best thing I have done to date diet wise – seeds are so good for you, oils, the right sort of energy and protein, plus you get the feel good factor ok knowing you are taking in good fuels.
The rest of this week is rest!

Client Dairy – Power

I turned up to the session without having breakfast – this was a mistake as after a 5 minute warm up I went straight into a 20 minute power pyramid . I’m not making excuses up but I did feel week and have learnt my lesson ref fuelling and should have known better but that’s life isn’t it. The session on the watt bike was HELL maintaining the power output and staying at threshold was a nightmare. I worked as hard as I could and really had to get my mind in focus. Mental strength is something I will be focusing more on and Gareth pushed me hard and helped me through this mist of pain – the mist came back several times but once you have broken through the mist you can do it again . After this tough session on the watt bike it was 30 mins of core work. Core work and being coached when you’re doing core work is revealing – there is no hiding place , crunches , plank the lot – pain again is in the mind and it was on sale in my head believe me .

The session was the hardest I have done yet maybe even ever – but , like the previous week its setting me up for knowing that my weeks Turbo training needs to me tougher and more intensive and at threshold – I need to focus and break through the mist of pain and break through to that blue sky on the other side . Mantra for the week “if it doesn’t hurt your not trying hard enough “

Client Diary – Introduction

Hi
I’m like many of you reading this have a family want to get fitter and hit some goals. In my case I’m 47 yrs old have a beautiful wife and 4 lovely daughters and a grand daughter. I’m of average fitness but have always been overweight in my view. I have a very busy job where I travel lots so family, training and personal goals are always being juggled with my body being the main area that looses out.

I have been cycling over 16 years. Seven of the years I have been a member of a cycling club. I have completed and competed in many long distance events over the years, some taken seriously and some not at all with some very painful consequences. This year I decided a coach would make a big difference. I needed someone who understood my goals, mentored me through the milestones and pushed me through the pain barriers that have always stopped me in the past.
So in 2010 I have a goal of completing a 10 mile time trial in 23 mins and finishing the la pebie cyclosportive (in less than 4 hours (120k over several large cols in the Pyrenees).
I selected Cynergy because I wanted the one to one personal approach they offered. I needed someone to understand my body make up and to tell me honestly what it was capable of achieving and to monitor my progress.

So the journey has begun I will keep you posted on my training , how I get on , how I succeed and where I fail either way in this blog I hope to have you laughing , crying empathising and maybe even motivate you along the way ….