31. Ctrl Alt Delete

Photo: Terrance Emerson / RF123 Stock Photo

I'm currently taking a much needed rest week and allowing my body a little time to recover from a rather intense period of exercise. It feels a little odd. As though something important is missing. It's a similar sensation to the one you get when you leave home without your phone or credit cards. You know you've forgotten something, but can't identify precisely what it is. 

I'd actually take this a little further and say that this morning a wave of guilt hit me. This was probably due to my meet with Luke at Luke Bremner Fitness yesterday, when he took my body measurements. Unfortunately I've let things drift in the wrong direction slightly. But as Luke said, "We've focussed so much on my strength and lifting abilities this year, that we've perhaps neglected my nutrition and body composition a little."

There were some definite positives about my numbers though. Luke having to remeasure my biceps, to double-check their increase in size, gave the old ego a much needed boast. That certainly made all the tough workouts I've done this year feel worth it. And as I told Luke at the beginning of our meet yesterday, "I'm having the best time doing what I do each week, with his team's excellent guideance."

For me, this week also feels like it’s the end of “extra time” - see my blogpost of 01 July 2015 entitled Extra Time to get a full match report! Which, in essence, means the first game is now well and truly over. I'm certainly not upset at the final result. Far from it. I'm highly delighted with my performance and how well my body has coped with everything.

With Mr Bremner’s help, now feels an appropriate time to reboot what I’ve been trying to achieve over the past two years. The prospect of starting something new feels exciting, but I’m also realistic. I know this next phase, when we focus more on my body composition, isn't going to be easy. Firstly, I’m starting at a much higher level this time around. Secondly, for most men of my age, our midriffs have become problematic areas. Often years of neglect and inactivity need to be put right, but I'm up for that challenge. 

I have another meet with Luke schedule for later in the week, when we’re going to discuss my nutrition. This is to help me concentrate on both diet and calorie in-take. It's now May, and I’m determined to be beach-body ready by September. So enough from me. I'm off to select a prospective holiday destination right now…!

30 It's time to kill Batman!

No, I'm not leaving beautiful Edinburgh and moving to edgy Gotham City. Well, not just yet anyway. And I haven't suddenly become some dangerous psychopath either. "So what's with the dramatic headline Derek?" I hear you ask. Let me explain.

Last week I reached the end of a particularly challenging workout programme with Luke at Luke Bremner Fitness. The Tuesday sessions at Jamaica Street were tough. But with excellent motivation from Mr Bremner, I managed to improve either the number of reps or increase the weights I was lifting almost week-on-week.

My Thursday and Sunday workouts, also prepared for me by Luke and his team, haven't been a walk in the park either. The biggest concern I have with these solo routines, that I do in my home gym, is that I may accidentally hurt myself through bad technique or incorrect posture.

So recently I've been videoing these sessions at a midpoint, for Luke to review. He then provides me with some feedback and I can make adjustments as required.

From the footage of my last Thursday routine, Luke identified that my grip for the declined bench press wasn't correct. He gave me with some guidance on what I should be doing and emailed a link to a blogpost, written by another personal trainer, that was most helpful. I made, what I thought, were the necessary changes, and continued on my merry way.

Fast forward several weeks to this week's Tuesday workout. Luke and I had agreed to revisit a series of routines that I hadn't touched since the summer of 2015. The first exercise of the morning was the flat bench press.

"Woo, Derek!" Luke said, as I lifted the barbell off the rack to start a warm-up set. "Your shoulders and arms aren't in the right position."

"But I thought this was what I was supposed to be doing based on the feedback." I replied.

"Good job we're revisiting this particular exercise together." continued Mr Bremner, as I put the barbell back into the rack.

"Let's get you into the right position first, so you'll find the exercise easier."

And he was right. With a few positional adjustments I managed to do four sets of 8 reps unaided. This was particularly pleasing as it was with a weight that I'd had great difficulty in lifting only six months ago. So I was happy chap.

Chatting between reps, Luke tried to find a simile for me on what I was doing wrong.

"It's like your Batman or something, just about to jump off a tall building. Your shoulders are all hunched-up. When really they need to be down and back."

"Okay. I need to try and remember that." I said.

"It's easy to remember," Luke continued, "it's time for you to kill Batman!"

So with that particular superhero being dealt with, I now need to focus my attention on 'showing the wall my elbows'. But that will be another story for another day…!

29 Take aim…

Towards the end of 2015 the Ladybird Books for Adults became a "must have" purchase for people of a certain age in the UK. The Hipster, The Shed, The Mid-Life Crisis and Mindfulness were parodies of subjects covered with wit and humor. 

One particular page in the How It Works: The Wife book literally made me laugh out loud. Juxtaposed to an illustration of a ballet class, with a ballerina performing a pirouette in the foreground, the text reads: "Rosie is a member of a fitness club. There she has tried crossfit, spin and ultra-ballet. Her £600 annual membership meant that each visit last year cost £200." 

The reason why I found this so funny is because I know people - of both sexes I hasten to add - who've spent huge amounts of cash on gym membership fees but within weeks of joining have lost interest in their own well-being. The one phrase that really irks me, when chatting to anyone about fitness and nutrition, is when they say, "Yes, I really need to hit the gym hard!"

Over the past couple of years of working with Luke and his team at Luke Bremner Fitness, I've come to realise this is a misconception. Unless you're in good shape to start with, immediate results from the gym are often unobtainable. We're so used to living in an "on-demand" age, that when desired body transformations don't happen as quickly as we'd hoped, we simply give-up and lose interest.

My advice to anyone embarking on a programme to change their body and diet, would be to stop thinking "short haul" and start thinking "long haul." Something that spurred me into action, was the sudden realisation that I wasn't getting any younger. The prospect of spending my senior years taking prescribed medication every morning is an unattractive concept. Hence the reason why I've been working on getting myself match-fit again. I know what I'm doing is forever. It's a complete lifestyle change. I don't perceive it as being a quick fix.

To help me with my progress, when I first started, Luke asked me to write down a few aims and incentives. These were to help the both of us understand where I want to get to. My aims, or goals if you like, were practical things. For example, "Swap the moobs for pecs." The incentives were the things I wanted to happen, or treat myself to, as a result of what I was doing in the gym and kitchen. Again an example being "Find Mr Right." 

At the beginning of 2015 Luke asked me to review my aims and incentives, and now as we start another new year it's time for me to evaluate these again and refresh them as required. 

So here are my goals for 2016:

1. Looking at the data collected over the past twelve months I see that I've managed to reduce my body fat by 1.5% between March and the end of last year. So in 2016 I'd like to try and shave another 1.5% of body fat off - if I can - and bring my total down to 15.5%
2. I'd like to maintain my current body weight of 81kg, unless it increases due to muscle gain.
3. Add a little more cardio into the workouts I do at home. I have a self-powered treadmill that's been idle for almost two years. It would be good to incorporate that, or alternatively is it time to buy a bicycle for weekend rideouts?
4. Continue to develop and tone all muscle groups as we're currently doing.
5. Nutrition. I'd like to expand my repertoire of meals so I have more variety, but at the same time I'd like to pay attention to what food types I should be eating when, e.g. post-workout meals, non-work days etc.

My incentives for the this year are almost unchanged, but there's one major difference. 

The quest to find Mr Right has been pushed down into second place. Top spot goes to "My health, well-being and happiness." This is because I've found such a good place to be in, both physically and mentally, that I have no intention of leaving it. 

My other perennial incentive is to buy some new motorbike leathers. Last year I fell out of love with biking for some reason, which was odd considering it's been part of my life for 25 plus years. In 2016 I'd like to reconnect with that pastime, so perhaps something new to fit the trimmer me would be the incentive to kickstart that interest again.

So if you see me out on a bike - petrol or pedal-powered - in the springtime, don't forget to give me a wave. And if you live in the Edinburgh area and you're really serious about transforming your body through exercise and nutrition, then why not get in touch with Luke Bremner Fitness. There really is no time like the present. So what are waiting for now? January 1st next year…?

28 In transition

Photo: Copyright © Elena Duvernay

Over the past couple of weeks I've been feeling like a triathlete in a transition zone. Let me explain why.

My 8 week programme of workouts came to an end. So it was time for Luke at Luke Bremner Fitness and me to check numbers, take photos and review my progress. I was fearful that things may have drifted a little, especially as five months had past since my last progress check-up. However I shouldn't have worried. Body measurements showed improvements in most areas, and importantly I'd managed to reduce my body fat by another 1%. 

So I'm now the leanest that I've been since starting my fitness programme back in April 2014. Certainly if you compare the pictures that Luke took of me when I started, with the one taken two weeks ago - see image below - the transformation is clear to see. 

I also took the opportunity of a 'rest week' to pop in and see Jonny Wilson at Bodyworks Edinburgh. It had been sometime since he'd worked his magic on me, and my body felt in need of a deep tissue massage before commencing with my exercise routines. 

The following week Mr Bremner presented me with my two new home workouts. As I do these solo, we spent an hour running through the exercises, to ensure that I was familiar with what I had to do. Two days later and I was giving my Thursday workout a whirl for the first time. As often happens, my technique for some exercises wasn't brilliant. However I've developed a system of marking this information down on my workout spreadsheets, so that Luke and I can analyse my progress at a later date. A pre-arranged trip to London meant that unfortunately I've yet to try my new Sunday workout, but it will certainly get an airing this weekend.

I was back in Jamaica Street this week for my regular Tuesday morning session. Luke revealed what exercises he had in store for me for the next 8 weeks. Challenging is the word that springs to mind. Despite my best efforts, I was considerably below-par and not firing on all cylinders as usual. As Luke explained, it was probably due to "…a combination of sub-optimal nutrition and low energy after a busy weekend…". 

It had never occurred to me before, that leaving my diet in the hands of others, would have such a significant impact on my performance in the gym. At least I'm now aware of this and know for the future. Certainly within a couple of days of being in control of my nutrition again, I was almost back to form.

So this current transition period is almost at an end for me and I only have one more session at Luke Bremner Fitness left this year. 2015 has certainly been an interesting twelve months. Turning 50 and hitting many of the physical targets, that I originally set myself, have been real achievements. 

However I'm not about to sit on my laurels. Despite the interruption of the impending festive period, I'll be doing my home workout routines as usual. I also intend to give some thought to new objectives and incentives for me to aim at during 2016.

As I've written in several seasonal cards this year… "Exciting times a-hoy!"

27 T-Shirt Day

Today was BBC Radio 6Music's "Wear your old band t-shirt to work day". This included a neat interactive element. If you tweeted a photo to 6Music of you, wearing your favourite band t-shirt, then they would try and play a track by the artist or group on your shirt. 

As a result of tweeting the photo of me wearing an a-ha singlet, that I got at their 2002 Lifelines tour in Glasgow, I received a reply from the Radcliffe & Maconie production team. They asked whether I'd like to appear on the show to chat about the garment, which I was happy to do.

The presenters, Mark Radcliffe and Elizabeth Alker, were very complimentary about they way I looked, and how well the shirt fitted me. Many people on Twitter also sent nice comments to me, when the photo was retweeted. 

So this afternoon I suddenly became aware that the world can finally see the results of what I've been working towards with Luke, and his team, at Luke Bremner Fitness.

This realisation felt very satisfying. It also confirmed to me that my original aim of getting match-fit for the second half of my life was one of the most important decisions that I've made, and will probably every make, in my lifetime.

If you're in the UK and have access to iPlayer Radio you can listen to my chat with the hosts by scrolling along to 00.43 on this link for the next 29 days:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06phwbg#play

26 Ton-up

Image: Copyright © Geoff Leighly via 123RF.com

"Let's just stop there and take a moment Derek." Luke said to me yesterday morning.

I was a little confused about this, as I'd only just started the first super-set of my workout.

Mr Bremner continued "What do you think you've just lifted there?" 

My response was immediate, "Ninety-five kilos." I paused, and then asked "Ninety seven and a half?"

Luke remained silent, and then the penny dropped. 

"Not one hundred!?" I said.

"Look at what's on the bar.", was Luke's response.

Sure enough, on 03 November 2015, I deadlifted 100 kilograms for first time.

I don't usually subscribe to this action, but I felt reaching this milestone merited a "high-five" with Luke.

That particular moment epitomised everything I've been doing with Mr Bremner, and his team, over the past nineteen months. 

Week after week I've been challenging myself in what I'm capable of achieving. The guideance and motivation I receive at Luke Bremner Fitness, every Tuesday morning, inspires me to stretch myself further during my other two solo weekly workouts. 

"You're a quite a different person to one who first came into the training studio last year." Luke said to me later.

And he's right. I am!

I'm now not only fitter, healthier and happier, but based on yesterday's performance I'm also so much stronger. Who'd have thought that? Certainly not me!

Note: Weights mentioned are equivilant to 210lbs, 215lbs and 220lbs in Imperial

25: Putting my shoulder to the wheel

Photo - Copyright: Kzenon @123RF

It's been a number of weeks since my last blogpost, so while I take some much needed time out from work and the gym, I decided to quickly jot down a few thoughts about was has been happening.

At the start of July I drove from Edinburgh to London in order to visit my parents. It was a quick trip, with the return leg being made a couple of days later. Although the journey in both directions was pleasant, by the time I got home my right shoulder and arm felt very fatigued.

I began to think logically about why driving should have caused this. It then occurred to me that my posture has changed significantly since starting at Luke Bremner Fitness. So I decided to alter my car seat to a more upright position. Bingo! Later that month I drove to Manchester and back, and on that journey I encountered no physical discomfort at all. As a result I've now adjusted my office chair so that it's in a more upright position too.

For sometime now, both Luke and I have been aware of the restricted mobility I have with my right arm and shoulder. We know there are certain exercises, like the bench press and kneeling military press with barbell, that are still challenging for me to do. 

About twelve months ago Luke suggested that I visit Bodyworks Edinburgh for an assessment on my problematic side and to see if a deep tissue massage would help loosen things up. Jonathan Wilson, a remidial and sports massage therapist at the practice, has been looking after me ever since. 

Usually I opt for an hour-long session. This provides Jonny with sufficient time to work his magic on my right side, without it becoming too painful. In addition, there's often time remaining for him to demonstrate some daily exercises for me to do that will assist me. Currently I'm doing various chest and shoulder stretches - with the aid of a door frame - and some Y, T and W exercises.

The combination of adjusted seating positions, massage and stretching excercises are definitely starting to pay off. My Tuesday morning workouts with Luke, plus my Thursday and Sunday solo workouts at home, have been going along nicely. As long as I'm making progress - whether it's the number of reps, an increase in weights, or simply better technique - then I remain a very happy chap.