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Metafit for the midlife mumma?

Are you a 40+ female and looking for a new way to exercise that is short on time but big on results? If yes…read on!

If you’ve clicked on this post I’m going to presume you meet the following criteria:

  • Female
  • 40+
  • Currently exercising but not seeing results for the time or money you are devoting to it OR
  • Not exercising but would love to/need to start, but you don’t like gyms, and yoga and/or pilates don’t float your boat either OR
  • You feel a little intimidated to sign up to boot camp run by a 20 year old male trainer alongside his footy team-mates, but you love the idea of working hard and feeling the buzz after a tough session

If any of the above sound like you, then please read on…

OK, so I’m no stranger to pushing my body (& mind) to do heavy-duty physical things…in fact I met my hubby whilst sharing the chin-up bar at the gym!…so when I was introduced to METAFIT it was love at first sight! But doing old-school bodyweight exercises in short, intense bursts for 20 minutes until your legs are burning and you’re gasping for breath isn’t for everyone…or is it?

For the past 18 months I’ve been taking 7 metafit sessions a week. The overwhelming majority of my clients are women, and most of them would be north of 40 (or pretty close to). So why is metafit so attractive/addictive to the 40+ woman?

Here’s what I think:

It’s the RIGHT type of exercise for this age group (and I fit into this age bracket too). What do I mean by RIGHT type of exercise? Its INTENSE but SHORT, you feel ENERGISED afterwards and you GET RESULTS.

HOW? Because you:

  • Get HOT
  • Get SWEATY
  • Get OUT OF BREATH
  • Feel the LACTATE BURN in your muscles
  • Work in SHORT BURSTS
  • Work until you FEEL TRULY CHALLENGED and NEED TO REST
  • Use your own BODYWEIGHT – yep, the same weight that you drag around each day so you may as well use it!
  • FEEL yourself getting STRONGER and FITTER as you master exercises you thought a 40+ woman can’t/couldn’t/shouldn’t do! (Floor to sky tuck jump anyone?)

WHY should a 40+ woman do metafit or HIIT?

  1. BONE HEALTH – weight bearing and impact exercise are essential for bone health and maintaining bone mass at this critical phase of life. After the age of about 30, bone loss starts to outpace bone gain. In addition, the decline in oestrogen production that also occurs as we age has a negative impact on bone remodelling activity. Bone mass is reactive, not proactive. Bone must experience stress ie. load and impact, in order to remodel. Less stress = less remodelling = loss of bone mass.
  1. To build LEAN MUSCLE MASS (notice I say mass and not size) and therefore INCREASE YOUR METABOLISM – muscle tissue = metabolic tissue. The more (dense) muscle you have the higher your metabolic requirements – your body needs & will use more energy whilst at rest compared to someone who has less lean muscle.
  1. The high intensity of metafit promotes EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) or the afterburn effect. Our bodies want to return to their resting state, but after being worked so hard during high intensity exercise, it takes considerable energy (calories) to do this. Even though the actual workout is only 30 minutes, the after effects are felt for many hours (up to 48hrs) afterwards.
  1. To MAINTAIN or INCREASE MOBILITY, BALANCE & POSTURE – the whole body functional nature of the exercises used in metafit see you getting up and down from the floor, moving forwards, backwards, sideways, using your arms and legs to push, pull, bend, lift, jump, hold etc through a full range of movement in all joints. At the same time your core & postural muscles are working to stabilise your torso and maintain posture. And the resistance is your own body – the same weight you drag around all day – nothing more, nothing less.
  1. Check the strength and integrity of your CORE & PELVIC FLOOR. If you find when you do burpees, sprints or jumps and pee your pants at ANY level…fantastic! This is 100% proof that your core/pelvic floor isn’t up to par for this type of training…yet. If this is you, please seek assistance from a specialised women’s health physiotherapist or your GP ASAP. Just like any muscles, these muscles can be trained to increase their strength and tone and your ability to control them. (Sometimes we need to experience a little of what we don’t want to do something about it!)

Are you a metafit or HIIT convert? How do you find it?

Curious to try? Come and join me at Heart Body & Soul in Glen Iris. You’ll find the timetable here. If you live a little too far away to visit me, search the Metafit Australia website for a coach near you.

 

 

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HIIT Workout for @ home or hotel

The latest DIY HIIT workout for @ home or the hotel room

One of the (many) brilliant things about HIIT bodyweight training is that a workout can be done anywhere at anytime – all you need is a little space, a clock with stopwatch or interval timer app, and a little self starter attitude.

The latest workout attached will take no more than 15 minutes including a warm-up!

So, what are you waiting for HIIT IT!IMG_0316.CR2

Hotel HIIT Workout #4

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Metafit for mums to be

Ok, so you’ve heard that Metafit is suitable for all thanks to the adaptability of the exercises – but what about for the pregnant client? A qualified Metafit coach can regress or progress each exercise to suit their client’s level of fitness, range of mobility – particularly if limited due to pre-existing conditions, and strength. The normal path is that we start with the regression and then progress as the client’s fitness and strength improves, but with a pregnant client this moves in the opposite direction.

“Pregnancy and Metafit- you wouldn’t think that they go together, but after support from my obstetrician and trainer Jacqui I have found metafit to be something that I look forward to as part of my regular routine.

Initially I was sceptical in thinking that I would be able to continue as I started to grow; thinking that Metafit would become less effective.  But as I am nearing the end of my pregnancy I have actually found my strength to increase and my control of each exercise improve as I strive to have the correct technique. My favourite part of Metafit is the endorphin rush after the final countdown on the finisher from Mr Metafit!

Thank you to Jacqui for reigniting my passion for exercise and I know if this baby can’t sleep it will be because it is missing the feel of burpees and squats!” Marie, Glen Iris

Let’s consider exercise during pregnancy. Physical activity and reproduction are normal parts of life. Pregnancy is a normal physiological state – ok so not all women have “normal” pregnancies (me being one of them!) – but the female species has been designed to conceive, grow and deliver a baby. Combining regular exercise and pregnancy for normal healthy women appears to benefit both the mother and baby in many ways:

  • Improve maternal fitness
  • Restrict weight gain without compromising fetal growth
  • Hasten postpartum recovery
  • Reduce risk of developing gestational diabetes
  • Improve self esteem and mental well being

Risks? Currently there are no known adverse risks to a pregnant woman or the developing fetus that are linked with participating in physical activity. However, as pregnancy progresses, the body goes through significant changes such as increased looseness of joints, changes in centre of gravity and an increased resting heart rate. Therefore, modifications to any exercise program need to be considered as the pregnancy continues.

Considerations – while most forms of exercise are safe, there are some general cautions:

  • Avoid raising body temp too high – interestingly adequate hydration, regular exercise and pregnancy combined can all improve a woman’s capacity to dissipate heat.
  • Don’t exercise to the point of exhaustion
  • Avoid exercise if ill or you really don’t have the energy – listen to your body to avoid depleting precious energy reserves
  • Don’t increase the intensity of your exercise whilst pregnant – pregnancy is not a time to try and set a new PB or reach peak fitness!
  • PELVIC FLOOR health is vital. As pregnancy progresses and the pelvic floor muscles come under greater load and stretch, reduce impact to reduce strain on pelvic floor.

METAFIT & the mum to be

In its purest form, Metafit is high intesntiy interval training (HIIT) – pushing yourself to work at 85% max heart rate. It is also bodyweight training, using functional whole body exercises that work joints and muscles through their full range of mobility.

So for a pregnant client, we regress Metafit – reduce the intensity, reduce the impact, modify exercises to accommodate the changes in centre of gravity and of course being prone/supine. Although not really a HIIT session in later pregnancy, Metafit is still a very useful program for the pregnant client as she is completing weight-bearing exercises, working aerobically, and exercising under the supervision of a qualified fitness professional. Effective, efficient, functional training.

Ultimately, exercising whilst pregnant is a personal choice often determined by the health of mother, baby and progression of the pregnancy. Doing any physical activity is better than none. Listen to your body – if it likes what you are doing, keep doing it. If it tells you to slow down, slow down. When in doubt, seek the help of a professional. The goal is for a healthy mum to deliver a healthy bub!

Putting the spring in your step…..and a smile on your face – a little physical activity each day is good for your Heart Body & Soul.

 

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Focus on landing

Soft landings = safe landings

Metafit uses plyometric exercises (eg. jumps) to build strength and power. When performing plyometric exercises, landing technique is often overlooked, but it is AS if not more important than the concentric (upward) motion of jumping.

The untrained way to land is in a very rigid, stiff legged manner. As a result, all of the impact is absorbed between the hip, knee and ankle joints. It is much more advantageous to land softly and transfer the force to the glutes (butt), hamstrings, quads and calf.

One of the recent points of discussion in strength and conditioning communities focussed on people who are quad dominant v glute dominant. Quad dominant athletes tend to use their quads to shift their weight forward with squatting and jumping movements. This not only transfers a lot of pressure to the front of the knee, but puts a large load on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

By learning how to land softly without noise and controlling deceleration, you will significantly lower the impact forces, decrease the risk of injury and extend the life of your joints.

The key points in landing technique are:

  1. Land as softly as possible, making no noise when the feet come into contact with the surface. How many times have you heard me say “Absorb the impact through your butt and thighs, not your joints”!
  2. Land flat footed or slightly heel first, keeping weight evenly distributed over the entire foot.
  3. Shift your glutes or butt back and keep your knees behind your toes. “Butt out”

Jumping and landing training are highly demanding on the nervous system, so it is essential that the body is warm enough to perform the exercises efficiently. Please practice these key points when performing jumps in a metafit session – your joints will thank-you.

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A dynamic warm-up will have you Metafit ready

Prep your body for METAFIT with a full body dynamic warm-up

Metafit sessions are tough – you work to your maximum for around 20 minutes – pushing, jumping, lunging, planking – moving your body through its full range of motion, using all of your joints and muscle groups. To get the most out of your body and your metafit session, a thorough DYNAMIC warm-up is essential.

Around 10 years ago, dynamic warm-ups started gaining popularity in the sports world as an effective method for professional athletes to prepare before an event.  Today, dynamic warm-ups are a standard routine for athletes ranging from amateurs to professionals…..even metafitters!

In this article, you’ll learn why a dynamic warm-up is so effective—whether you’re about to do a metafit session or play a sport.

What Is a Dynamic Warm-Up?

A dynamic warm-up uses stretches that are “dynamic,” meaning you are moving as you stretch. For decades, static stretching, which requires holding a stretch for 10 or more seconds while motionless, was the most popular type of warm-up for athletes and mere mortals alike.

Today it is recognised that dynamic stretching is ideal as the core of a warm-up routine for several reasons:

  • It activates muscles you will use during your workout. For example, a lunge with a twist is a dynamic stretching exercise that engages your hips, legs, and core muscles.  Whether you are doing alternate lunge jumps in metafit, or lunging for a soccer ball, the muscles involved have already been engaged during your warm-up.
  • Dynamic stretching improves range of motion. In metafit we aim to move our joints and muscles through their full range of motion therefore it is important to ensure we have moved through this range prior to adding intensity and impact so the joints and muscles are primed for action.
  • Dynamic stretches improve body awareness. If you don’t warm-up and hop straight into a metafit session, it may take a while for your body to perform optimally.  Moving as you stretch challenges your balance and coordination, skills that could help your performance and contribute to getting the most out of your session.
  • Warming up in motion enhances muscular performance and power. Studies reveal dynamic stretching before a workout can help you lift more weight and increase overall athletic performance compared to no stretching or static stretching. If you are trying to get stronger, build more muscle, or simply perform better, a dynamic warm-up routine is likely your best bet.

I hope it’s now clear why we spend a good 5-minutes at the beginning of each metafit session completing a full-body dynamic warm-up. I want you to get the most out of your session and your body. Add this type of warm-up to any pre-exercise routine and your body will thank-you.

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DIY HIIT Workout #5

TABATA – 4-16mins of HIIT

Tabata – is the name given to an exercise protocol developed by Prof. Izumi Tabata in a study he completed using Olympic speedskaters in 1996. The protocol is a version of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), 20 seconds of ultra-intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for 4 minutes. The basics of this protocol are used in a variety of HIIT sessions, but in its purest form participants work at 150% Max HR for 4 mins total!

In this DIY workout YOU can be the coach – you get to choose how many Tabtata sets AND which sets to do. Each set is 4 minutes duration, alternating between 2 different exercises – 20 sec on A, 10 sec rest, 20 sec on B, 10 sec rest REPEAT.

As with all HIIT sessions, a thorough warm-up is essential, as is working HARD in each interval – you need to be huffing and puffing, NO PACING and GREAT TECHNIQUE. Exercise descriptions follow and the exercise basics can be found here

Warm-up:

Arm circles – back/forwards

Leg Swings – fwd & back, side to side

Trunk rotations

10 Body weight squats

5 Push-ups from knees

Jog on spot – butt kicks 15 sec, high knees 15 sec, sprint 15 sec – x 3 each

Main HIIT set:

TABATA – 20 sec work/10 sec x 8 = 4 mins per set

20 sec on ex A, 10 sec rest, 20 sec on ex B, 10 sec rest – REPEAT

30 sec rest in between sets

Set 1 A. Sliders/Skater B. Mt Climbers
Set 2 A. 2-step dash B. Crucifix plank
Set 3 A. Burpees B. No-wall sit
Set 4 A. Sprint B. Split hand push-ups


Sliders/Skaters – Lower into squat position, step sideways keeping weight in heels and butt back, bring feet together, step to other side, feet together. Repeat. Stay low, head & chest up. 

Mt Climbers – In plank position (shoulders over wrists, heels over toes), bring one knee up to chest, return to plank position, repeat other side.

2-Step Dash – Run forward 2 steps, touch flat palm to ground, run back to steps, flat palm to ground. Bend at knees to keep butt down, squeeze butt to stand up, use arms in run phase.

Crucifix plank – wide arm plank, feet together, squeeze shoulder blades together

Burpees – old fashioned burpee. Hands on ground, jump feet back to plank position, jump feet in to hands, stand/jump up explosively with arms raised overhead. Repeat.

Split hand push-ups – One hand forward, one hand in normal push-up position, push-up, change hand position, repeat. From knees alternative.

Sprint – sprint on spot, high knees, pump arms

No-Wall Sit – Hold static squat for 20 sec. Butt back, weight in heels, head & chest up.

 

Cool Down:

Static stretches that target quads, hamstrings, hips, groin, lower back

 

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Metafit – Child’s play for lasting benefits

Metafit – for a  long, healthy life

A metafit session may not be child’s play, but it does involve playful movements such as jumping up and down or standing on one leg, things we often leave behind with childhood. Yet these movements can benefit a grown-up’s body. Jumping can strengthen bones, and standing on one leg improves balance.

You don’t need to come to a metafit session to do either of these movements, but if you do come to metafit I guarantee you will do things you didn’t know you could (still) do. So, if its been a while since you jumped, stood on one leg or went outside your comfort zone, these are some of the reasons to give metafit a go.

A decade ago, a typical cardiovascular class (aerobics class) at a gym often involved so many choreographed moves you almost needed brains in your feet as well as your head. Now the trend that metafit leads is to less complex exercises that improve all-round physical function – not just aerobic fitness, but muscle strength, power, flexibility and bone density.

Old-school basic training, with movements such as push-ups, tuck jumps and burpees. Yes BURPEES – where you squat on the ground with your hands on the floor and kick your feet back so you are in a push-up position. Then jump your feet back into the squat position, jump up in the air and do it all again.

What is good about these movements is that, although they take effort, they are not complicated to do and, because you move quickly from one to another, there is no time to get bored.

“Traditional classes like step or aerobic classes have waned and I think its because the complexity of the choreography often compromised the physical benefits you got from them,” says Alisha Smith, education manager with Australian Fitness Network.

Metafit is functional training

Metafit is based on functional training, meaning exercises that target multiple muscles at once rather than just one muscle, such as a bicep curl. These movements are closely related to activities of daily living – think of how many times a day you move from sit to stand.

Now you don’t need to come to a metafit session to get fit, but one advantage of a class is that you generally work harder than when you are left to your own devices.  Metafit will also push you to vary your movements. Modern living can limit how we use our body. We walk a bit, sit a lot, don’t lift much weight and don’t jump. Yet research shows jumping is the most effective exercise for improving bone density, says Professor Robin Daly, chair of exercise and ageing at Deakin University.

Bones thrive on the stress and element of surprise that comes with jumping, he says. “We should include bone-loading activities like jumping, skipping and hopping. To improve bone density, it’s more important to vary the direction in which you jump than to keep jumping higher. Jumping from side to side is one way. So is a burpee.”

Metafit "explosive jack"

Bones thrive on the stress and element of surprise of jumping – a metafit “explosive jack”

“We don’t know exactly how much jumping is needed to improve bone density but our research suggests 50 to 100 multidirectional jumps three to five times a week.”

A lot happens in a 30 minute METAFIT session – some of the results of HIIT training are obvious in weeks, others not so obvious but have long lasting benefits for your health and well-being. Come and try a session – no fancy choreography, just old-school functional training that gets results.

 

 

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How to Foam Roll Like a Pro

DIY Massage with a Foam Roller

Have you seen people rolling around on a foam roller and wondered what on earth are they doing? Why are they doing it? How do I do it? Let me put your mind at ease!

The foam roller is a brilliant tool to have around the house – it can be used before training, after training, before a stretch session, even just to give yourself a massage at the end of a busy day. The benefits of using a foam roller include:

  • muscle tension relief (post metafit soreness!)
  • correct muscle imbalances
  • injury prevention
  • increase range of motion & flexibility

In addition to its therapeutic benefits, a foam roller can be used as a training tool – think of it as a way of decreasing stability therefore increasing the degree of difficulty of core exercises that you would normally perform on a solid surface e.g. plank hold with hands on the roller, or lying with your spine down the length of the roller and performing an alternate arm/leg lift whilst maintaining balance.

Foam rollers are sold at most sporting equipment stores and cost anywhere from $15-$60+. Look for one that is solid enough to withstand regular use and retain its shape. There are also rollers with raised patterns and dimples on them that provide additional deep tissue massage – just be careful with how “deep” the massage is!

The diagram below by Greatist.com shows you “How to Foam Roll Like a Pro”. When rolling, the pressure or intensity you feel should be no more than a 7/10 where 10/10 is excruciating. If you feel too much pressure, back off and take it a little more gently.

So, buy yourself a foam roller, keep it in the family room and when you next sit down to watch the TV grab the roller and massage away!

Foam Rolling Infographic

Get health and fitness tips at Greatist.com.

 

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DIY Workout #4

The 15/45 Workout

I’m going a little “retro” this week and bringing back the skipping rope. This is a fantastic piece of equipment to have in your collection. They are cheap ($3 from K-Mart), user friendly, transportable and best of all you can do a very effective and time efficient training session using them. This week’s workout combines 45 seconds of skipping with good old fashioned bodyweight exercises. Complete the set of exercises – should take around 5-7min – rest for 60 seconds, then repeat (a third time if your game too!)

Remember the key to making these sessions effective is to work hard – no pacing, no cheating on form – full movements.

Equipment: stop watch or timer, skipping rope

Warm-up:

Leg Swings – fwd & back, side to side

Calf/Achilles stretches

Trunk rotations

Jog on spot – butt kicks 15 sec, high knees 15 sec, sprint 15 sec – x 3 each

Main set:

Reps/Time Exercise Key Points
15 reps Body weight squats Legs shoulder width apart

Butt goes back as knees bend

Weight on heels

Head/chest up

Squeeze butt on way up
45 sec Skip OR Run on spot OR step ups Light on feet

Work hard & fast
15 reps In-out push-ups Full plank position, weight forward over hands

Hands wide, bend elbows chest to ground

Complete push-up

Hands in close, bend elbows to brush ribs, lower chest to ground

Complete push-up

Option – from knees
45 sec Skip OR Run on spot OR Step ups  
15 reps Reverse lunges Step one leg back

Lower back knee to ground

Keep chest upright & shoulders relaxed

Push through front heel back to start position

Change legs
45 sec Skip OR Run on spot OR step ups  
15 reps Get up planks Start in full plank position – heels over toes, shoulders over hands

Keeping butt down and core stable, lower down onto forearms – 1 arm at a time

Return back up to on hands. 1 rep
45 sec Skip OR Run on spot OR Step Ups  
15 reps Mountain climbers Start in full plank position

Keep butt down

Bring 1 knee under chest in between hands

Return to full plank

Change legs, continue
45 sec Skip OR Run on Spot OR Step ups  

 

60 Sec recovery – Repeat x 1-2

Cool Down: Static stretches that target quads, hamstrings, hips, groin, lower back

 

 

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DIY Workout #2

Winter warmer

Winter has HIT! What better way to keep your exercise routine up even though the days have turned cold and miserable, than to turn your lounge room into a gym. All you need is a timer, an open door or window – trust me, you’ll need it – and a high energy music playlist. Remember to warm-up, work hard for the main set and cool down – you’ll be done in 30 minutes.

Equipment: timer (use timer function on smart phone or download an interval training app – there are many to choose from, play around with the settings to program work/rest intervals)

Warm-up:

Arm circles

Leg Swings – fwd & back, side to side

Trunk rotations

10 Body weight squats (concentrate on squeezing butt)

5 push-ups from knees

15 sec jog on spot, 15 sec high knees on spot, 15 sec butt kicks on spot, 15 sec sprint – Repeat x 3

Circuit: 30 sec break in between rounds

Round 1: 30 sec work/10 sec rest x 3

  1. Body Weight Squats – butt back, weight on heels, add a jump if feeling strong
  2. In-Out Push-ups – arms in close to brush rib cage for 1 push-up, hands out wide for 1 push-up, repeat
  3. Burpees with a turn – perform a normal burpee but jump 180 to complete second burpee facing opposite direction.

Round 2: 30 sec work/10 sec rest x 3

  1. Sliders – stay low in a squat, step sideways bring feet together, step back to other side. Key is to stay low, weight back on heels.
  2. Down & hold push-ups – lower chest to just off floor, hold for 3 sec, push-up, repeat. Do from knees if you can’t get chest low enough from toes.
  3. Burpees with split leg thrust – normal burpee but when you thrust legs back into plank position make v shape (legs wide apart), then complete as per normal

Round 3: 30 sec work/10 sec rest x 3

  1. Reverse lunges – step back into lunge, back knee to ground, change leg each time
  2. Walking push-up – in plank hold, take 2 steps sideways, perform push-up (drop to knees if needed), walk 2 steps back, perform push-up
  3. Burpees with sprint – perform a burpee then sprint on spot for 5, repeat

Round 4: 20 sec on/10 sec recovery x 8

  1. Sprint on spot OR skip with rope

Cool Down: Gentle walk & static stretches that target quads, hamstrings, back, arms, chest

 

 

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