One of the characteristics of many workouts is the inclusion of the so-called “fast lifts” e.g. the clean, the snatch and the jerk. These exercises require high degrees of skill, power, and flexibility and, when we consider the possible consequences of a missed lift, courage!
Improvement in these fast lifts is often frustratingly slow and moving up in weight may take months of repeated efforts until we feel ready to up the ante and attempt the next level.
So – what if I were to tell you there was a method you could utilize in your training that would give you an almost instantaneous increase in the fast lifts allowing you to make maybe weeks worth of improvements today? I imagine you’d be skeptical at best and probably think I was mad and worst!
This method has long been utilized by elite eastern block athletes as a “plateau buster” – a way of promoting progression in athletes who are experiencing stagnation in their training.
Don’t worry though; it doesn’t require any self administration of anabolic steroids, weird supplements, odd training equipment or anything else that may cause you and your loved ones to question your sanity.
Much of strength training is neurological in nature – we all have muscles and we all have a nervous system but it is the interaction of these two systems that provides us with the ability to demonstrate strength. If the two systems are working out of sync, we will only be able to demonstrate modest feats of strength and power at best. However, if we can synchronize these two systems we can enjoy the fruits of their synergy and demonstrate much greater degrees of strength and power then usual.
Obviously local muscular hypertrophy (size) plays a part in maximal force generation but it is possible for a small muscled person to out perform a large muscled person if the smaller person has had sufficient neurological training. (Think bodybuilders versus weight lifters as a good example.)
Don’t believe me? Consider the fairly common phenomenon of “old lady lifts car off toddler to save life”. I’m sure most of you reading this will have seen headlines like this in the media. What happened to this frail old lady to allow her to demonstrate such a dramatic level of strength? Demonic possession? Popeye’s spinach? Nope – merely an over riding of her normal neurological system caused by fear and adrenalin.
Whilst it is unlikely we are going to be able to replicate the car lifting feat of our octogenarian, we are going to be able to use similar strategies to “fire up” our nervous system to allow us to tap into hidden strengths.
So, before I explain how this method works we first need to explore the neuromuscular system to understand how and why we can use it to our advantage.
Muscles are made up of many muscle fibers which are organized in bundles. We have bundles of bundles of yet more bundles all wrapped up in a final outer layer called a fascia. These fibers are grouped into motor units – a group of fibers which work together in pools.
The amount of strength we can generate is dictated by the number of motor units we recruit for any given task i.e. if I were going to lift a water bottle which weighed 500 grams, I would recruit only a small number of motor units, where as if I wanted to lift a weight of around 50 kilos, I would recruit many more motor units for the task.
This is the basis of the “all or nothing law” which states that muscle fibers either work to 100% of their contractile ability or not at all – it is only the number of fibers recruited which varies form task to task.
Most of us will have experienced the all or nothing law going a bit wrong…and it is this “going a bit wrong” that we want to utilize in our yet to be mentioned training method.
Picture this – you are moving house, and you are filling boxes to load into the removal van…boxes of heavy books, pots, pans, some bedding and all that sort of thing.
You are down to the last box and you know it’s going to be a heavy one – full of books. So, you psyche your self up and approach the box. With a neutral spine and tensed abdominals, you stand over it, squat down and take a firm grip on it and heave it up…and it goes soaring into the air almost hitting you in the face and smashing into the ceiling!
Someone swapped your heavy box of books for a box of pillows and your neuromuscular system was fooled into recruiting too many motor units for the job. Now, if only we could do this at will…
It just so happens – we can, and that is the basis of this method of training.
Its technical name is neuromuscular synaptic facilitation, which we will re-name complex training.
Complex training is a method where we will attempt to trick the body into recruiting more motor units than are needed which will allow us to demonstrate greater power than is normally possible.
Fast lifts generally utilize relatively lighter loads when compared to the slow lifts – this makes sense because a light load will move fast and have greater velocity than a load of great magnitude. Power is basically strength performed at speed so it is essential the load for the fast lifts permits maximal acceleration. Strength on the other hand is maximal force production without any concern for velocity. In complex training we are going to use both loading parameters with a view to maximizing force production at speed i.e. power.
So – the empty box scenario in the gym…
Decide on the fast lift you want to train – let’s say for this example the power clean. Think of a slow lift which utilizes similar movement patterns to the fast lift you want to improve – in this case the bent legged deadlift.
Load up the bar with close to your 1RM (repetition max) for the deadlift and perform a good solid rep – obviously having warmed up appropriately before hand. This should be a safe attempt – in other words there should be no doubt you will make the rep, but it should still be fairly challenging…
While resting for 2-3 minutes, set up the weight required for your power clean. On completion of the allotted rest period perform the power clean. Don’t be surprised if you nearly launch it over your head as it feels so light! You may even manage multiple reps with a weight that would normally “own you.”
So – what the hell happened? Your neuromuscular system was expecting a massive heavy load because of the “feeder” set done a few moments ago, however, you reduced the load and the nervous system over compensated and allowed you to recruit more motor units in synchronization than normal and the result for you? A new PB!
There are a number of other good combinations that can be used in complex training – here are a few to get you started...
Bench press & Plyometric press ups
Front squat & Squat jumps
Deadlifts & Cleans/snatches
Standing press & Jerk
Chin/pull up & medicine ball slams
Remember the slow lift is performed for one good rep at close to 1RM, then rest 2-3 minutes before doing the fast lift.
The fast lift could be performed as a 1RM attempt or multiple reps as training dictates.
As a general guideline, only perform around 3 sets of a similar pairing otherwise fatigue will set in and be detrimental to the performance of maximal power.
In conclusion, complex training gives us a useful tool for making progress in the fast lifts BUT because of the high degree of loading used in the preceding slow lift, should only be used by those who are advanced enough to withstand the rigors of this type of training.
Patrick Dale
www.solar-fitness.com
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
The Tabata Method – Improved Fitness in 5 minutes!
An unbelievable claim?
If someone told you that a there was a training method that could dramatically improve your aerobic fitness, your anaerobic fitness and help you drop body fat while performing workouts less than 5 minutes you’d probably think they were a scam artist, telling you a blatant lie or just plain crazy!
Incredibly such a method does exist and it’s called the Tabata Method.
Dr Who?
The Tabata Method is named after Dr. Izumi Tabata – a sports scientist from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan and is a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) protocol which has been successfully used by the Japanese Olympic speed skating team amongst others to improve aerobic and anaerobic conditioning using very brief workouts.
During his 1997 study Dr Tabata compared the effects of longer, lower intensity exercise with bouts of short very high intensity exercise. Using a unique interval training method the athletes participating in the study increased their aerobic fitness by 14% and anaerobic fitness by 28% in just 8 weeks! It’s worth noting that the subjects Dr Tabata used for testing were already accomplished sportsmen and not just beginners which make this study even more astounding. Even more incredible is the fact that the total actual training time per week was an unbelievable 30 minutes.
What is the Tabata Method?
The Tabata method involves performing 8 – 10 sets of 20 seconds very high intensity exercise separated with 10 second recovery periods giving a total training time = 4 – 5 minutes. The caveat of the Tabata Method is that all the intervals have to be done at 100% intensity – an absolute flat out effort. You have to strive to perform as much work in each 20 second interval as possible and try to maintain that work rate for the 8 – 10 sets. The old adage that you can train long and easy, or short and hard has never been truer than when describing the Tabata Method! As with any type of exercise, Tabata Method should be preceded by an appropriate warm up of 5 – 10 minutes and followed by a cool down of similar duration. All in all the session could take as little as 15 minutes…perfect for anyone who is short on time but still wants great results from their training.
All this and fat loss too?
Traditionalists may scoff at the idea of workouts which promise “fat loss in 5 minutes” but Tabata Method can deliver where many slow steady workouts fail. This is due to a phenomenon called Excessive Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption or EPOC which is sometimes called Oxygen Debt…When performing Tabata Method or any other HIIT, a large amount of lactic acid is produced. This build up has to be cleared on cessation of the exercise and in very simple terms the aerobic system is responsible for the removal of lactic acid from the blood. The aerobic system goes into over drive for an extended period after exercise has stopped in an effort to “flush out” the lactic acid. This means that the metabolism (the rate at which we burn energy) remains elevated for a number of hours after we have packed up our exercise kit and gone home. It’s not uncommon to feel warmer than usual, have an elevated resting heart rate and increased breathing rate for a number of hours after a tough Tabata Method Workout – all indicators of elevated metabolism and therefore increased calorie expenditure while at rest. The primary fuel of the aerobic system is fat so we end up burning elevated amounts of fat after exercise essentially getting two workouts for the price of one! As you can see – Tabata Method is not only time efficient while you are doing it but keeps on delivering in the hours after exercise too.
Exercises of choice…
In his study, Dr Tabata used a mechanically braked cycle ergometer however many exercise modalities The most important thing to consider when choosing exercises to use with the Tabata Method is that there is minimal set up (you only have 10 seconds between sets remember) and that technically, you can perform the exercise under stress when severely fatigued. Multi joint exercises are best as they stress multiple muscle groups simultaneously and put the greatest demand on the cardio-respiratory system – thus giving the most “bang for your buck”. In many cases all you need is a clock with a second had and you are all set for a Tabata Method workout. If you become a real Tabata aficionado it may be worth buying an interval timer which can be programmed specifically for your workouts thus leaving your mind free to concentrate on your workout - check out http://www.gymboss.com/ for an excellent timer which is ideal for Tabata training.
My TOP SIX Tabata Method exercises
1) Prisoner Squats – A classic exercise - prisoner squats are a great “entry level” Tabata exercise due to their ease of performance, lack of any required equipment and the fact that you can easily keep an eye on the clock whist pumping out the reps. Keep your hands clasped behind your head (no pulling on the neck) and keep the chest elevated. Make sure your heels stay down and feel free to walk on the spot between sets to try and keep the lactic acid at bay. To increase the demands of this exercise consider wearing a weighted vest.
If someone told you that a there was a training method that could dramatically improve your aerobic fitness, your anaerobic fitness and help you drop body fat while performing workouts less than 5 minutes you’d probably think they were a scam artist, telling you a blatant lie or just plain crazy!
Incredibly such a method does exist and it’s called the Tabata Method.
Dr Who?
The Tabata Method is named after Dr. Izumi Tabata – a sports scientist from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan and is a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) protocol which has been successfully used by the Japanese Olympic speed skating team amongst others to improve aerobic and anaerobic conditioning using very brief workouts.
During his 1997 study Dr Tabata compared the effects of longer, lower intensity exercise with bouts of short very high intensity exercise. Using a unique interval training method the athletes participating in the study increased their aerobic fitness by 14% and anaerobic fitness by 28% in just 8 weeks! It’s worth noting that the subjects Dr Tabata used for testing were already accomplished sportsmen and not just beginners which make this study even more astounding. Even more incredible is the fact that the total actual training time per week was an unbelievable 30 minutes.
What is the Tabata Method?
The Tabata method involves performing 8 – 10 sets of 20 seconds very high intensity exercise separated with 10 second recovery periods giving a total training time = 4 – 5 minutes. The caveat of the Tabata Method is that all the intervals have to be done at 100% intensity – an absolute flat out effort. You have to strive to perform as much work in each 20 second interval as possible and try to maintain that work rate for the 8 – 10 sets. The old adage that you can train long and easy, or short and hard has never been truer than when describing the Tabata Method! As with any type of exercise, Tabata Method should be preceded by an appropriate warm up of 5 – 10 minutes and followed by a cool down of similar duration. All in all the session could take as little as 15 minutes…perfect for anyone who is short on time but still wants great results from their training.
All this and fat loss too?
Traditionalists may scoff at the idea of workouts which promise “fat loss in 5 minutes” but Tabata Method can deliver where many slow steady workouts fail. This is due to a phenomenon called Excessive Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption or EPOC which is sometimes called Oxygen Debt…When performing Tabata Method or any other HIIT, a large amount of lactic acid is produced. This build up has to be cleared on cessation of the exercise and in very simple terms the aerobic system is responsible for the removal of lactic acid from the blood. The aerobic system goes into over drive for an extended period after exercise has stopped in an effort to “flush out” the lactic acid. This means that the metabolism (the rate at which we burn energy) remains elevated for a number of hours after we have packed up our exercise kit and gone home. It’s not uncommon to feel warmer than usual, have an elevated resting heart rate and increased breathing rate for a number of hours after a tough Tabata Method Workout – all indicators of elevated metabolism and therefore increased calorie expenditure while at rest. The primary fuel of the aerobic system is fat so we end up burning elevated amounts of fat after exercise essentially getting two workouts for the price of one! As you can see – Tabata Method is not only time efficient while you are doing it but keeps on delivering in the hours after exercise too.
Exercises of choice…
In his study, Dr Tabata used a mechanically braked cycle ergometer however many exercise modalities The most important thing to consider when choosing exercises to use with the Tabata Method is that there is minimal set up (you only have 10 seconds between sets remember) and that technically, you can perform the exercise under stress when severely fatigued. Multi joint exercises are best as they stress multiple muscle groups simultaneously and put the greatest demand on the cardio-respiratory system – thus giving the most “bang for your buck”. In many cases all you need is a clock with a second had and you are all set for a Tabata Method workout. If you become a real Tabata aficionado it may be worth buying an interval timer which can be programmed specifically for your workouts thus leaving your mind free to concentrate on your workout - check out http://www.gymboss.com/ for an excellent timer which is ideal for Tabata training.
My TOP SIX Tabata Method exercises
1) Prisoner Squats – A classic exercise - prisoner squats are a great “entry level” Tabata exercise due to their ease of performance, lack of any required equipment and the fact that you can easily keep an eye on the clock whist pumping out the reps. Keep your hands clasped behind your head (no pulling on the neck) and keep the chest elevated. Make sure your heels stay down and feel free to walk on the spot between sets to try and keep the lactic acid at bay. To increase the demands of this exercise consider wearing a weighted vest. 2) Burpees – you can’t beat the burpee exercise for total body conditioning! Modify them to meet your individual fitness needs by performing the version that suits you best! To perform a burpee a)squat down so your hands are touching the floor, b) jump your legs to the rear, c) jump them back in and then d) stand up. To increase the intensity of this exercise a press up can be performed when the legs have been jumped to the rear and a leap off of the ground can be added instead of just standing up. Keep the abs tight to protect the back making sure your spine never sags.
3)
Skipping – if you are a proficient skipper, this low tech exercise offers a new twist to traditional rope work. The best skipping styles for Tabata Method are knee-up sprints and double unders (two turns of the rope per jump). Ensure you wear good shock-absorbing shoes and use a sprung surface to minimize the risk of lower limb injuries.
4) Sprinting – this could be performed on a running track, a grassy playing field, a beach or even on a stretch of deserted road. Sprint for 20 seconds, walk for 10 seconds, repeat for 8 – 10 sets. Simple but highly effective! Avoid pacing your self and expect to find that the last few sets are really tough...your sprints may be reduced to a shambling run by the end!
Skipping – if you are a proficient skipper, this low tech exercise offers a new twist to traditional rope work. The best skipping styles for Tabata Method are knee-up sprints and double unders (two turns of the rope per jump). Ensure you wear good shock-absorbing shoes and use a sprung surface to minimize the risk of lower limb injuries.4) Sprinting – this could be performed on a running track, a grassy playing field, a beach or even on a stretch of deserted road. Sprint for 20 seconds, walk for 10 seconds, repeat for 8 – 10 sets. Simple but highly effective! Avoid pacing your self and expect to find that the last few sets are really tough...your sprints may be reduced to a shambling run by the end!
5) Thrusters – a total bodyexercise which rivals even the mighty burpee! Thrusters can be performed with a barbell, a pair of dumbbells, a medicine ball or even a sand bag. From a deep “front squat” (deeper than in the picture aiming for 90 degrees at the knees) stand up and, using the momentum from your legs, simultaneously press the load overhead before reversing the movement and returning to the starting position. Try to set a rhythm and stick to it!
6) Rowing ergometer – a rowing machine with a programmable timer is an excellent choice for Tabata Method training. Aim to maintain the distance covered from one set to the next or take an average from the 8 – 10 sets completed and try to beat it whenever the workout is repeated. Make sure your rowing technique is sound to avoid any potential lower back injuries. 
When One Tabata isn’t enough…
In isolation, the Tabata Method offers an efficient and effective workout but the fun really begins when exercises are combined into pairs or groups. The options are literally endless for designing your own Tabata hybrid workouts which will keep your fitness improving for years to come…
Tabata Super Sets – Select two suitable exercises and alternate between them for a 10 minute workout which will really get the job done. My personal favourite is skipping paired with burpees. Perform skipping (knee up sprints) for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, followed by burpees for 20 seconds and so on. Repeat the pairing for 10 sets for a short and effective workout.
Tabata clusters – choose 3, 4, 5 or even 6 exercises and perform each one using the Tabata method. Rest 1 minute between exercises and work your way down the list. Try to select exercises which overlap as little as possible to avoid overloading your muscles to such a degree that you are unable to continue. When performing a big cluster of 4 – 6 exercises it is quite acceptable to include a couple of “easier” exercises in the sequence to reduce the intensity slightly e.g. Tabata sit-ups, press ups or step ups offer a brief respite from burpees or thrusters.
Example of a Tabata Cluster
Perform 8 – 10 sets of each exercise before moving onto the next. Allow 1 minute recovery between each exercise. Total time = 24 minutes.
1 Burpees
2 Skipping
3 Prisoner Squats
4 Sit-ups
5 Thrusters
Tabata Circuits - Tabata Circuits are very similar to the Tabata Cluster method except exercises are performed vertically instead of horizontally. Work down the list performing each exercise in turn for 20 seconds using the 10 second rest interval to move to the next station…
Example of a Tabata circuit
Perform 1 set of 20 seconds of each exercise in the sequence, using the 10 second rest interval to move to the next station. Complete 8 – 10 laps of the circuit non-stop to total 24 – 30 minutes of work.
1 Skipping
2 Press ups
3 Squat thrusts
4 Sit-ups
5 Burpees
6 Lunges
The wrap up
Tabata Method offers any fitness enthusiast an extremely versatile and effective addition to their exercise armoury which, whilst challenging to perform, offers a wide range of benefits when used on a regular basis. Don’t let the short work out length deceive you – training the Tabata way will get the job done in record breaking time.
Patrick Dale
http://www.solar-fitness.com/
References:
Effects of moderate –intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2 Max
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8897392
Clarence Bass – Sprints build endurance
http://cbass.com/Sprintendurance.htm
Peak Performance/Raphael Brandon - Aerobic interval training
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0145.htm
In isolation, the Tabata Method offers an efficient and effective workout but the fun really begins when exercises are combined into pairs or groups. The options are literally endless for designing your own Tabata hybrid workouts which will keep your fitness improving for years to come…
Tabata Super Sets – Select two suitable exercises and alternate between them for a 10 minute workout which will really get the job done. My personal favourite is skipping paired with burpees. Perform skipping (knee up sprints) for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, followed by burpees for 20 seconds and so on. Repeat the pairing for 10 sets for a short and effective workout.
Tabata clusters – choose 3, 4, 5 or even 6 exercises and perform each one using the Tabata method. Rest 1 minute between exercises and work your way down the list. Try to select exercises which overlap as little as possible to avoid overloading your muscles to such a degree that you are unable to continue. When performing a big cluster of 4 – 6 exercises it is quite acceptable to include a couple of “easier” exercises in the sequence to reduce the intensity slightly e.g. Tabata sit-ups, press ups or step ups offer a brief respite from burpees or thrusters.
Example of a Tabata Cluster
Perform 8 – 10 sets of each exercise before moving onto the next. Allow 1 minute recovery between each exercise. Total time = 24 minutes.
1 Burpees
2 Skipping
3 Prisoner Squats
4 Sit-ups
5 Thrusters
Tabata Circuits - Tabata Circuits are very similar to the Tabata Cluster method except exercises are performed vertically instead of horizontally. Work down the list performing each exercise in turn for 20 seconds using the 10 second rest interval to move to the next station…
Example of a Tabata circuit
Perform 1 set of 20 seconds of each exercise in the sequence, using the 10 second rest interval to move to the next station. Complete 8 – 10 laps of the circuit non-stop to total 24 – 30 minutes of work.
1 Skipping
2 Press ups
3 Squat thrusts
4 Sit-ups
5 Burpees
6 Lunges
The wrap up
Tabata Method offers any fitness enthusiast an extremely versatile and effective addition to their exercise armoury which, whilst challenging to perform, offers a wide range of benefits when used on a regular basis. Don’t let the short work out length deceive you – training the Tabata way will get the job done in record breaking time.
Patrick Dale
http://www.solar-fitness.com/
References:
Effects of moderate –intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2 Max
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8897392
Clarence Bass – Sprints build endurance
http://cbass.com/Sprintendurance.htm
Peak Performance/Raphael Brandon - Aerobic interval training
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0145.htm
Interview with Patrick Dale
INTERVIEW WITH PATRICK DALE
BY: KEITH L. BALBERT
Co-VP Real Gainz
ISSA CFT
Hi everyone! Today I am here interviewing Team Real Gainz Member, and our most prized writer Patrick Dale. Whether you are reading an article on Real Gainz online site or in our printed magazine you will find we use his articles throughout both.
Patrick at this time I would like to thank you for your time doing this interview. Is there anything you would like to say before we begin?
Hi Keith – I’d just like to say a huge thanks to Real Gainz for publishing my work and that I am looking forward to working with you as the magazine and website go from strength to strength.
OK let’s get started with the first question:
Q. I understand you live in Cyprus now. Please tell our readers where you were born?
A. I was born in the City of Bristol in the south of England. I lived there for my first 20 years or so before heading off in search of fame and fortune! I still have family and friends there so visit regularly – although I don’t know if I’ll ever live there again.
Q. Why did you leave Bristol England to live in Cyprus?
A. I was lucky enough to be offered a job in Cyprus and I always wanted to live in a Mediterranean country as I love the warmth, culture and people so it was an easy decision to make. The UK doesn’t have the best weather and, without getting too political, I don’t like the way the country is going – the cost of living is getting higher all the time and crime rate is soaring. I felt it was a perfect opportunity to improve my quality of life…and get a year-round tan!
Q. When did you realize you were interested in pursuing a career in fitness and sports?
A. I can’t actually remember a time I wasn’t interested in fitness and sport! I have always been fascinated with the ideal of ultimate physical performance ever since seeing Pumping Iron and watching the 1976 Olympics on TV. My first memory of training is running around the block, aged 7, getting “in shape” for school sports day. I was encouraged by my parents, some fantastic school teachers and coaches to pursue sports from an early age. I’m just so lucky that my lifelong hobby became my job once I reached adulthood. I get paid to talk about my hobby all day – how cool is that?!
Q. I saw on your Real Gainz page you went to college to study Physical Education. Can you please tell our readers what college you went to and what degree do you hold?
A. When I started in the health & fitness industry, there was very little in the way of formal qualifications in the UK so I spent two years studying a BTEC Physical Education at Bath College of Further Education in the England. It was basically 2 years spent learning how to coach a wide variety of sports from athletics to weight lifting. It was an enjoyable and useful course which exposed me to a huge number of different sports but from the perspective of health and fitness, not hugely beneficial.
Q. Besides your college certificates, do you hold any personal training certifications and if so what kind and from what organization?
A. Blimey – that’s a long list! I have qualifications in teaching Aerobics and Circuit training from the YMCA, weight lifting coaching qualifications from the British Amateur Weightlifting Association (BAWLA), a diploma in Personal Training from Premier Training International, a certificate in sports massage and rehabilitation from Premier Training International, numerous nutrition qualifications, I hold a variety of CHEK institute qualifications and I am a qualified trampolining coach and certified climbing instructor.
Q. Wow – a very mixed bag! No wonder your articles cover such a broad number of subjects. I see from your Real Gainz page you were in one of the most elite fighting units in the world, the British Royal Marine Commandos. Even here in America their reputation is unchallenged. How was that experience for you? Can you tell our readers where you saw action?
A. I had an amazing time in the Royal Marines and wouldn’t have missed it for the world. The skills I learnt such as team work, perseverance, self reliance and mental toughness have been so useful in later life. I made some great friends and got to see some interesting places whilst doing exciting things (sky diving for one!) that I would never have had the chance to do otherwise. During my time as a Royal Marine Commando was deployed in Northern Ireland where I worked as part of a small unit involved in boarding and searching ships moving in and out of Belfast harbor and gathering intelligence from passengers. It was basically an anti-terrorist role and a career highlight. I spent my last couple of years working with boats – from speed boats to troop carriers which was a great experience as I love the sea.
Q. After leaving the Commandos you started your own company called Solar Fitness Qualifications. Can you please tell our readers what Solar Fitness does and why you went in this direction instead of a typical personal training company?
A. Prior to joining the Marines I had my own small personal training and aerobics teaching business so on returning to civilian life I decided to move away from personal training and into lecturing rather than go back in the same direction. After working for another qualifications provider for a few years my business partner and I decided to go it alone and Solar Fitness Qualifications was born. I have an endless passion for the health and fitness industry but it breaks my heart to see bad personal trainers doing their clients more harm than good and I wanted to raise the level of people working as trainers. Too many trainers currently working in the industry can’t even squat and dead lift properly and I really want this to change. I figured the best was to achieve this was to have my own training company. SFQ courses are 8 weeks long and cover everything from basic anatomy and physiology to advanced programme design plus nutrition. Every day is 7-8 hours of theory and practical lessons plus evening and weekend work. I’d describe it as a foundation course as really, even over 8 weeks, we only scratch the surface of the skills a personal trainer should have. We make sure our graduates leave us with an excellent grounding in the basics and the understanding that they have a long way to go.
Q. How can someone who is interested in becoming certified by your company become certified? Do you have any distance learning courses?
A. We currently only offer full time residential courses and we do not offer distance learning although that is something we are looking into at the moment. Because of the practical elements we focus on (exercise techniques, teaching skills etc) we believe the best way to learn is to do. We are currently exploring the possibility of offering the non-practical elements of the course, such as anatomy, physiology and nutrition via DVD/distance learning but this is something for the future. I enjoy the interaction with the students and the theatrics of teaching too much to want to provide our material on DVD – at least for now.
Q. Besides being interested in fitness I understand you are also interested and have competed in various sports. What sports have you competed in?
A. I started my competitive sporting career as a long/triple jumper and sprinter during the summers of my youth and played Rugby during the winter, both at national schools level. I also played a fair amount of basketball and fenced competitively although not to the same standard. When at college I experienced some success in trampolining, diving and weight lifting and spent the next few years pursuing those. From those very technical activities I moved into endurance sports and competed in triathlon and distance running (my bests include a 17 minute 5k, a 35 minute 10k and a 1hr 24 minute half marathon) and held a UK national top 100 ranking in short course triathlon for 2 seasons. Unfortunately, due to lack of proper coaching and too many races I suffered from severe physical and nervous exhaustion and stopped competing after just 4 seasons. Bodybuilding fascinated me so I got very into hypertrophy training and training for aesthetics and considered competing but realized that as a tall heavy weight I was way to lightly built and would have been beaten by the female figure competitors (!) and decided to save my parading around in a posing pouch for the beach. In addition to the sports mentioned I have also played men’s lacrosse, studied Karate, Tae Kwon Do, boxing and judo but only for interest and not competitively. Nowadays, I don’t compete in any sports but still train hard enough that if s scratch game of basketball or rugby comes up, I can play at a reasonable level.
Q. I know one area of interest to you and that you are extremely passionate about is family health and fitness. Why this part of the fitness industry over general fitness?
A. Because, as a rule, most people are in terrible shape! Obesity is now an epidemic and chronic diseases like type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome X and hypertension are becoming the norm. Our modern lifestyle and diet are making us ill and, although people live longer than they ever have, for many people, quality of life is much reduced. Who wants to live to be 90 but spend the last 30 of those years in a hospital bed? Not me that’s for sure! It takes relatively small amounts of activity to keep the body fit and eating healthily is far from complicated meaning vitality and well being are within virtually anyone’s grasp. For some reason, the health and fitness industry tries to complicate getting in shape and I want to show people that, for the vast majority, small changes will pay massive returns in terms of enjoying a longer and more productive life!
Q. Besides training and writing for Real Gainz what else do you do? Are you all work and no play or a mixture of both?
A. I do work hard but I like to think I work smart as I want to have plenty of leisure time to make the most of! We have a wonderful climate in Cyprus which means spending time out doors is a real pleasure so I like to spend as much time enjoying it as possible. Because I spend a fair amount of time training my leisure time tends to be spent relaxing – sat on the beach reading and listening to music is my idea of heaven! I am also a HUGE movie buff and try and see as many films as I can. Live music is another passion of mine and I try to go and see both local and international artists when the opportunity arises.
Q. When working out what does your workout routine look like?
A. Very mixed! As I am no longer interested in bodybuilding I don’t do that type of training any more and strongly believe that hypertrophy training is only appropriate for a small percentage of the population. I focus on athletic-type training which promotes both function and appearance which is not generally the case with bodybuilding type training. I train 5-6 times a week and rotate through strength training (multiple sets with low reps), muscular endurance circuits, interval training and the occasional longer, slower aerobic based workout. I prefer to train outside in the fresh air so most of my sessions involve the use of sandbags, medicine balls, weighted sleds and bodyweight exercises and when strength training I seldom perform isolation exercises, preferring to focus on the big lifts such squats, dead lifts, over head pressing, bench pressing, chins and bent over rows as these exercises provide the most “bang for your buck”. I also perform the classic Olympic lifts and their variations on a regular basis. I use swimming, jumping rope and running for my aerobic and interval training and do core work every other training day.
Q. What does your nutrition plan look like? Do you believe nutrition plays a vital role in health & fitness?
A. Nutrition is vital for health AND appearance and my eating reflects this. I focus on a high consumption of fruit and vegetables, unprocessed grains, plenty of lean animal protein and lots of water. I do have a sweet tooth which I indulge from time to time but 95% of what I eat is clean food prepared as simply as possible to minimize nutrient loss. I am a very firm believer in simple nutrition and base every meal around a lean protein and vegetables/fruit which seems to work well for me. Contrary to a many nutritionists’ opinions, I eat a fair amount of saturated fat as I believe is vital to health and it’s actually trans fats which are responsible for many of the health problems blamed on fat consumption. I also believe that animal protein is far superior to vegetable protein and make sure I eat plenty of meat on a daily basis. I guess my diet is very “hunter/gatherer” orientated. As far as supplementation goes, I keep consumption to multi vitamins/minerals and fish oils as a “safety blanket” to ensure I get optimal levels of these.
Q. I’ve heard that Cyprus is a beautiful island. Can you tell those of us who haven’t been there what it’s like there?
A. Sunny, friendly and relaxed! It’s a beautiful island about 250 miles long and 75 miles wide. Inland we have a range of mountains called the Troodos Massif where you can ski for 4 months a year. It’s a typical Mediterranean Island and the pace of life is reflected by this – the native Cypriots say “slowly slowly” and that’s how they live their lives – which can be frustrating initially but after a while is a fantastic attitude and way to be. I’ve been here over 4 years now and think of it as home.
Well that’s all the questions I have for you today Patrick, Thank you Patrick for doing this interview with me.
BY: KEITH L. BALBERT
Co-VP Real Gainz
ISSA CFT
Hi everyone! Today I am here interviewing Team Real Gainz Member, and our most prized writer Patrick Dale. Whether you are reading an article on Real Gainz online site or in our printed magazine you will find we use his articles throughout both.
Patrick at this time I would like to thank you for your time doing this interview. Is there anything you would like to say before we begin?
Hi Keith – I’d just like to say a huge thanks to Real Gainz for publishing my work and that I am looking forward to working with you as the magazine and website go from strength to strength.
OK let’s get started with the first question:
Q. I understand you live in Cyprus now. Please tell our readers where you were born?
A. I was born in the City of Bristol in the south of England. I lived there for my first 20 years or so before heading off in search of fame and fortune! I still have family and friends there so visit regularly – although I don’t know if I’ll ever live there again.
Q. Why did you leave Bristol England to live in Cyprus?
A. I was lucky enough to be offered a job in Cyprus and I always wanted to live in a Mediterranean country as I love the warmth, culture and people so it was an easy decision to make. The UK doesn’t have the best weather and, without getting too political, I don’t like the way the country is going – the cost of living is getting higher all the time and crime rate is soaring. I felt it was a perfect opportunity to improve my quality of life…and get a year-round tan!
Q. When did you realize you were interested in pursuing a career in fitness and sports?
A. I can’t actually remember a time I wasn’t interested in fitness and sport! I have always been fascinated with the ideal of ultimate physical performance ever since seeing Pumping Iron and watching the 1976 Olympics on TV. My first memory of training is running around the block, aged 7, getting “in shape” for school sports day. I was encouraged by my parents, some fantastic school teachers and coaches to pursue sports from an early age. I’m just so lucky that my lifelong hobby became my job once I reached adulthood. I get paid to talk about my hobby all day – how cool is that?!
Q. I saw on your Real Gainz page you went to college to study Physical Education. Can you please tell our readers what college you went to and what degree do you hold?
A. When I started in the health & fitness industry, there was very little in the way of formal qualifications in the UK so I spent two years studying a BTEC Physical Education at Bath College of Further Education in the England. It was basically 2 years spent learning how to coach a wide variety of sports from athletics to weight lifting. It was an enjoyable and useful course which exposed me to a huge number of different sports but from the perspective of health and fitness, not hugely beneficial.
Q. Besides your college certificates, do you hold any personal training certifications and if so what kind and from what organization?
A. Blimey – that’s a long list! I have qualifications in teaching Aerobics and Circuit training from the YMCA, weight lifting coaching qualifications from the British Amateur Weightlifting Association (BAWLA), a diploma in Personal Training from Premier Training International, a certificate in sports massage and rehabilitation from Premier Training International, numerous nutrition qualifications, I hold a variety of CHEK institute qualifications and I am a qualified trampolining coach and certified climbing instructor.
Q. Wow – a very mixed bag! No wonder your articles cover such a broad number of subjects. I see from your Real Gainz page you were in one of the most elite fighting units in the world, the British Royal Marine Commandos. Even here in America their reputation is unchallenged. How was that experience for you? Can you tell our readers where you saw action?
A. I had an amazing time in the Royal Marines and wouldn’t have missed it for the world. The skills I learnt such as team work, perseverance, self reliance and mental toughness have been so useful in later life. I made some great friends and got to see some interesting places whilst doing exciting things (sky diving for one!) that I would never have had the chance to do otherwise. During my time as a Royal Marine Commando was deployed in Northern Ireland where I worked as part of a small unit involved in boarding and searching ships moving in and out of Belfast harbor and gathering intelligence from passengers. It was basically an anti-terrorist role and a career highlight. I spent my last couple of years working with boats – from speed boats to troop carriers which was a great experience as I love the sea.
Q. After leaving the Commandos you started your own company called Solar Fitness Qualifications. Can you please tell our readers what Solar Fitness does and why you went in this direction instead of a typical personal training company?
A. Prior to joining the Marines I had my own small personal training and aerobics teaching business so on returning to civilian life I decided to move away from personal training and into lecturing rather than go back in the same direction. After working for another qualifications provider for a few years my business partner and I decided to go it alone and Solar Fitness Qualifications was born. I have an endless passion for the health and fitness industry but it breaks my heart to see bad personal trainers doing their clients more harm than good and I wanted to raise the level of people working as trainers. Too many trainers currently working in the industry can’t even squat and dead lift properly and I really want this to change. I figured the best was to achieve this was to have my own training company. SFQ courses are 8 weeks long and cover everything from basic anatomy and physiology to advanced programme design plus nutrition. Every day is 7-8 hours of theory and practical lessons plus evening and weekend work. I’d describe it as a foundation course as really, even over 8 weeks, we only scratch the surface of the skills a personal trainer should have. We make sure our graduates leave us with an excellent grounding in the basics and the understanding that they have a long way to go.
Q. How can someone who is interested in becoming certified by your company become certified? Do you have any distance learning courses?
A. We currently only offer full time residential courses and we do not offer distance learning although that is something we are looking into at the moment. Because of the practical elements we focus on (exercise techniques, teaching skills etc) we believe the best way to learn is to do. We are currently exploring the possibility of offering the non-practical elements of the course, such as anatomy, physiology and nutrition via DVD/distance learning but this is something for the future. I enjoy the interaction with the students and the theatrics of teaching too much to want to provide our material on DVD – at least for now.
Q. Besides being interested in fitness I understand you are also interested and have competed in various sports. What sports have you competed in?
A. I started my competitive sporting career as a long/triple jumper and sprinter during the summers of my youth and played Rugby during the winter, both at national schools level. I also played a fair amount of basketball and fenced competitively although not to the same standard. When at college I experienced some success in trampolining, diving and weight lifting and spent the next few years pursuing those. From those very technical activities I moved into endurance sports and competed in triathlon and distance running (my bests include a 17 minute 5k, a 35 minute 10k and a 1hr 24 minute half marathon) and held a UK national top 100 ranking in short course triathlon for 2 seasons. Unfortunately, due to lack of proper coaching and too many races I suffered from severe physical and nervous exhaustion and stopped competing after just 4 seasons. Bodybuilding fascinated me so I got very into hypertrophy training and training for aesthetics and considered competing but realized that as a tall heavy weight I was way to lightly built and would have been beaten by the female figure competitors (!) and decided to save my parading around in a posing pouch for the beach. In addition to the sports mentioned I have also played men’s lacrosse, studied Karate, Tae Kwon Do, boxing and judo but only for interest and not competitively. Nowadays, I don’t compete in any sports but still train hard enough that if s scratch game of basketball or rugby comes up, I can play at a reasonable level.
Q. I know one area of interest to you and that you are extremely passionate about is family health and fitness. Why this part of the fitness industry over general fitness?
A. Because, as a rule, most people are in terrible shape! Obesity is now an epidemic and chronic diseases like type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome X and hypertension are becoming the norm. Our modern lifestyle and diet are making us ill and, although people live longer than they ever have, for many people, quality of life is much reduced. Who wants to live to be 90 but spend the last 30 of those years in a hospital bed? Not me that’s for sure! It takes relatively small amounts of activity to keep the body fit and eating healthily is far from complicated meaning vitality and well being are within virtually anyone’s grasp. For some reason, the health and fitness industry tries to complicate getting in shape and I want to show people that, for the vast majority, small changes will pay massive returns in terms of enjoying a longer and more productive life!
Q. Besides training and writing for Real Gainz what else do you do? Are you all work and no play or a mixture of both?
A. I do work hard but I like to think I work smart as I want to have plenty of leisure time to make the most of! We have a wonderful climate in Cyprus which means spending time out doors is a real pleasure so I like to spend as much time enjoying it as possible. Because I spend a fair amount of time training my leisure time tends to be spent relaxing – sat on the beach reading and listening to music is my idea of heaven! I am also a HUGE movie buff and try and see as many films as I can. Live music is another passion of mine and I try to go and see both local and international artists when the opportunity arises.
Q. When working out what does your workout routine look like?
A. Very mixed! As I am no longer interested in bodybuilding I don’t do that type of training any more and strongly believe that hypertrophy training is only appropriate for a small percentage of the population. I focus on athletic-type training which promotes both function and appearance which is not generally the case with bodybuilding type training. I train 5-6 times a week and rotate through strength training (multiple sets with low reps), muscular endurance circuits, interval training and the occasional longer, slower aerobic based workout. I prefer to train outside in the fresh air so most of my sessions involve the use of sandbags, medicine balls, weighted sleds and bodyweight exercises and when strength training I seldom perform isolation exercises, preferring to focus on the big lifts such squats, dead lifts, over head pressing, bench pressing, chins and bent over rows as these exercises provide the most “bang for your buck”. I also perform the classic Olympic lifts and their variations on a regular basis. I use swimming, jumping rope and running for my aerobic and interval training and do core work every other training day.
Q. What does your nutrition plan look like? Do you believe nutrition plays a vital role in health & fitness?
A. Nutrition is vital for health AND appearance and my eating reflects this. I focus on a high consumption of fruit and vegetables, unprocessed grains, plenty of lean animal protein and lots of water. I do have a sweet tooth which I indulge from time to time but 95% of what I eat is clean food prepared as simply as possible to minimize nutrient loss. I am a very firm believer in simple nutrition and base every meal around a lean protein and vegetables/fruit which seems to work well for me. Contrary to a many nutritionists’ opinions, I eat a fair amount of saturated fat as I believe is vital to health and it’s actually trans fats which are responsible for many of the health problems blamed on fat consumption. I also believe that animal protein is far superior to vegetable protein and make sure I eat plenty of meat on a daily basis. I guess my diet is very “hunter/gatherer” orientated. As far as supplementation goes, I keep consumption to multi vitamins/minerals and fish oils as a “safety blanket” to ensure I get optimal levels of these.
Q. I’ve heard that Cyprus is a beautiful island. Can you tell those of us who haven’t been there what it’s like there?
A. Sunny, friendly and relaxed! It’s a beautiful island about 250 miles long and 75 miles wide. Inland we have a range of mountains called the Troodos Massif where you can ski for 4 months a year. It’s a typical Mediterranean Island and the pace of life is reflected by this – the native Cypriots say “slowly slowly” and that’s how they live their lives – which can be frustrating initially but after a while is a fantastic attitude and way to be. I’ve been here over 4 years now and think of it as home.
Well that’s all the questions I have for you today Patrick, Thank you Patrick for doing this interview with me.
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