New Year Challenge

A number of F.I.S.H. clients have decided to start the New Year with an intensification of training and diet. I'll be joining them in this. The plan is to follow the nutrtitional guidelines in Foundations for a Better Physique. In my case it also means cutting out all alcohol for at least 5 months.

If anyone would like to join in the challenge please contact me or visit www.derekprior.com and use the "contact us" form.

Foundations for a Better Physique is available as a FREE download from www.lulu.com or you can buy the hard copy from Amazon.

Training Books from F.I.S.H.

Foundations for a Better Physique and The F.I.S.H. Training Log are available from the Homunculus Books Store for £5 each or as a FREE download. Follow the link below.


http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=1604153

New Book Released

My new book "Foundations for a Better Physique" has now been released and is available either as a paperback or download from www.lulu.com

The book cuts through all the confusing information about training with weights to give you the best method, in my opinion, of training your whole body whilst preserving structural balance.

The book describes the six core exercises in great detail and tells you how to periodise your training for optimal results.

Invaluable information on motivation, rest, recuperation, training variables, and diet is also included along with record sheets for diet, training and physical measurements.


Paperback costs £6.25 and download £1.50

The Fat Burning Diet

I recently took a two week break from the 12 week challenge in order to visit Chicago and from there take a road trip to Missouri. The rest from training and dieting did a lot of good, allowing tired muscles and joints to recover fully.

I was also introduced to Jay Robb's book "The Fat Burning Diet", a wealth of information applicable to bodybuilders, athletes, and those simply seeking to shed a few pounds. Jay favours carbohydrate control but not to the extreme degree of Atkins. Carbs are restricted for 2 1/2 days (approximately 15-30g per meal) and then the evening meal of the third day is a carb load meal aimed to restore glycogen levels. In addition the Saturday evening meal is a 60 minute "eat whatever you want".

The benefits are that the body switches to burning predominantly fat for energy, thus overcoming carbohydrate addiction, energy slumps and fat deposition; muscle mass is retained through earting adequate protein, essential fats, and the carb loading meals; there is great variety to the menus, plus simple principles to creating your own meals; and adherance is greatly aided by the carb loading and cheat meals.

I've switched to this diet today, aiming to reach my goal of 156lbs and <10% body fat by 28th November.

If you would like to check out the diet for yourself visit www.jayrobb.com

FISH Dead Lifting Competition

Training has started for the annual FISH dead lifting competition, which will be held at the FISH studio in October.

The competition is for fun and is appropriate for lifters of all abilities and sizes. Entry details are on Facebook and all FISH clients and associates are welcome.

If you would like to attend but have not received training from FISH or their associates please email me so that we can arrange to check technique for insurance purposes.

There will be small prizes for:

1) Heaviest overall lift

2) Heaviest lift relative to body weight (the lighter you are the easier to win!)

3) Heaviest female lift

The competition will be followed by drinks and, weather permitting, BBQ

Lifting straps may be used

We will start with a progressive warm up before proceeding to the first lift. Each competitor will have 3 attempts at each weight before being eliminated.

See Facebook (link at the foot of this page) for more details.

Queries can be sent to derekprior@yahoo.co.uk

For training enquiries please visit http://www.derekprior.com/

12 Week Body Transformation Challenge

Six clients have now started the 12 Week Body Transformation Challenge - all want to lose body fat and build or retain some muscle.


The recording of diet has been made as simple as possible - it involves selecting one of three choices per meal (6 a day including snacks), entering the letter and the time eaten. So far compliance is perfect.


Three people are training with me in the FISH studio but the others have elected to train by themselves following programmes I have written. They all have copies of the diet plan and record sheets and unlimited email support.


Whilst it is naturally ideal to do the challenge with a trainer, not everyone can spare the cost; but its amazing what can be achieved with a good plan, access to support, clear goals, and (most of all) dogged consistency.


Good luck to everyone. 2nd November is not too far away. 12 weeks out of your whole life is nothing, so you might as well succeed.

If you have any queuries please don't hesitate to contact me on derekprior@yahoo.co.uk

To view FISH Personal Training services and products please visit http://www.derekprior.com/

If you would like to participate in the challenge either with a trainer or by yourself send me an email.

Derek

12 Week Body Transformation Challenge

Due to popular demand I am once more offering the 12 Week Challenge for those of you who are serious about making extreme changes to your physique. During the 12 weeks you will work consistently towards your goal. Generally clients want to shed body fat whilst retaining muscle. I usually advise people to aim for between 12 & 24 lbs of actual fat loss depending on their starting fat percentage.

This is a perfect opportunity for those of you looking to get really lean or for those, with more to lose, to make a bug shift in your weight loss goals.

The programme consists of:

Goal setting

Weight and body fat monitoring

3 Personal Training sessions per week (weights)

Optional outdoor group training twice per week (running, hill walking, bootcamp)

12 week diet plan with detailed record sheets (vegetarian option available)

Unlimited email support

Advice on supplements and supplement ordering service

Option for additional Personal Training sessions for only £10 each
Optional photos (before, after, and monthly)

The entire 12 Week Body Transformation programme costs only £50 per week (payable at the beginning of each week)

SPECIAL OFFER: If you pay for the entire 12 week programme in advance it will cost you only £450 (a saving of £150!)

*prices are for the FISH Studio. If you wish to train at another location please contact me for a quotation.

Payments can be made by cheque, cash, or Paypal.

Contact: http://www.derekprior.com/ or derekprior@yahoo.co.uk

Telephone: 07735433467

International clients please see ONLINE TRAINING on http://www.derekprior.com/

Consistency

Whenever you see someone with a lean, defined physique you can be sure they have trained, and even more importantly dieted, with consistency. Rather than hitting the gym hard for a few weeks, or following a rigid diet which leaves you hungry and ready to binge at the drop of a hat, it's more productive, in the long-term, to keep progressing with small steps.

Many beginners to weight training make the mistake of increasing the weight too much. For years body builders have been saying that if you can't feel the muscle working then the weight is too heavy. Outside of power-lifting/strength/athletic performance circles this is absolutely right.

To build muscle you need to keep the target muscle under tension; you also need to focus on the function of the muscle and not on the lifting of the weight (which is a tool for increasing tension). Ego is often the curse of weight lifters. What's the point of benching 100kg if you are only starining your tendons and rotator cuff muscles?

A useful aid to making continual progress is to use small increments, micro weights (such as Plate Mates). These allow you to increase the load by as little as 1/4 of a kilo. This is most helpful for busting plateau's with smaller muscle groups.

Diet is the same. Make small adjustments that are easy to follow rather than depriving yourself so much that you can't sustain it.

Generally, increase protein (but not to the ridiculous levels recommended by some body builders, unless your goal is to keep growing huger), reduce carbs (but not as low as Atkins) and increase monunsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Ensure you take sufficient amounts of Essential Fatty Acids (omega 3 & 6; I would recommend Udo's Choice oils, flaxseeds and oily fish). A multi vitamin/mineral supplement is good insurance too. Make sure you have enough B6 in particular to metabolise all that protein.

I find it helpful to create food record sheets that list the 3 or 4 options for each meal as A, B, C etc. You then simply record the letter and the time of the meal. Too much choice may be detrimental; keep things simple.

If, like me, you like to socialise then you could have one cheat meal per week where you eat what you like for an hour. This is an opportunity to go to a favourite restaurant and have a glass of wine or two. Any more than that and you can't get really good results (although you might just be able to maintain).

To get the best results, you have to be consistent. It generally takes 12-16 weeks for a figure competitor to get into peak shape, and they often start off in good shape anyway. Make your eating and training parts of your routine, not chores to be gotten out of the way. When they become as easy and unconscious as breathing you will be on the way to serious transformation.

For help and advice or to book training and nutritional plans please visit http://www.derekprior.com/

Vegetarian Training Diet

Statstically, vegetarians have a higher body fat percentage than meat eaters. They either tend to be corpulent or "skinny fat". I was vegetarian for 25 years but spent the last year eating chicken and fish to see if it made any difference. It certainly made muscle gain and fat loss easier but I concluded it wa snot essential. I'm back to my veggie ways, and happy with it.

The big problem with vegetarian diets is that they tend to compensate for protein with increased amounts of carbohydrate. If you eat too many starchy carbs (most nutritionists recommend 60% of calories come from carbs!) they will be stored as fat. They also increase the incidence of type II diabetes, mood swings, energy fluctuations etc.

Rather than loading up on pasta, bread and rice, vegetarians are better off increasing their intake of essential fats (omega 3 and 6) and finding high quality proteins.

An essential fat blend (such as Udo's Choice oil or capsules) is perhaps the easiest way to meet your EFA requirements. It's also a good idea to stock up on flaxseeds and almondss (although nuts and seeds generally are a good investment). Obviously portion size is important as nuts are calorie dense.

Protein should come from eggs and whey protein chiefly (isolate rather than concentrate. Ion exchanged is the best source). You can also use prepared egg-white mixes or egg protein powders.

Quorn and soya products are also a useful form of protein. For carb-load days you can combine beans and rice to make complete proteins too.

Below is a sample (strict) fat loss, muscle building diet for vegetarians:


Breakfast: ½ cup berries, 1.5x scoops of whey, 1 tea spn Udo’s Choice, 15 almonds, water

Mid AM snack: 1 x whey, 1tspn Udo’s or 5 almonds

Lunch: 2 x wholemeal Nimble bread, or 1 slice of bread, or half a cup of wholegrain rice, or 1 sweet potatot
a) 250 cals veg protein (qourn or soya)
b) cottage cheese or
c) 2 eggs

5 almonds or 1 dessert spn seeds

Mid PM snack: 1 x whey, 1 tspn Udo’s/ 5 almonds

Dinner:
A) 250 cals veggie protein, B) cottage cheese, C) 2 eggs
salad/veg, 1 dspn of Udo’s

Evening snack: 1 x Casein
5 almonds or 1 tspn Udo’s


You should supplement with a good multi vitamin/mineral.

(Post workout: A) 2 x Pro Recover, 5g Creatine
Or B) 2 rice cakes, jam, 1x whey)

Every third day have a carb-load meal (an extra sweet potato, half cup of rice, slice of wholemeal bread and maybe add a banana to breakfast).

Consistency is the key - with both training and diet. Don't do anything excessive...just keep following th eplan, week in, week out, and the results will come.

If you are socialising, one meal per week could be a cheat meal....eat anything you like for an hour (but don't go crazy and gorge yourself!) This could be an opportunity to go to an Italian restaurant or whatever you fancy (just order anything from the main course and sterr clear of the bread and desserts).

Keep alcohol to an absolute minimum (save it for your cheat meal ideally).

E Book

The training E Book is nearing completion. Most of the text has been written and the photos will be taken in a few weeks. This is an incentive to enter another peak phase of dieting once this two week holiday is over.

I've elected to reduce carbs a bit more and increase essential fats, which are vital for encouraging the body to burn fat as energy.

I'm training with low volume and heavy weights at the moment. Generally I do a warm up set of ten reps, the weight stays the same each workout for this. I then perfrom one set of 6-8 reps making sure to increase the reps or weight each workout.

Exercises are predominantly big compound moves, although I am using giant sets on shoulders at the moment.

My body fat % is now below 12% and should dip below 10% in the next month or so.

Many of my clients are now upping the weights and reducing the reps - training is always cyclical. A number are working on increasing their deadlifts so that they can at least lift their own body weight. Two clients are close to lifting twice their own weight. At this rate we may need to arrange a competition.

For all Personal Training services visit www.derekprior.com

Foundations for A Better Physique

I'm finishing off a new eBook on the foundations of physique training, soon to be available online. The book cuts through all the nonsense written about building the body and gives you all you need to start developing a proportional, structurally balanced, healthy physique.

Summer

As Summer approaches it is the time to get into peak condition. My own training frequency has increased and I am using predominantly hybrid training - high reps pyramiding up to low reps with big compound exercises. My current favourite is clean and press which is really starting to bring my shoulders up.

I've also started running down at the sports park athletics track. Badminton starts Thursday, along with occasional tennis and the new boot camp (training on the beach).

Sessions are starting to book up at the studio, home and for the outdoor sessions. Let's make it a summer of achieving the best possible results.

F.I.S.H. Web Site

Thanks to Matt Flower and Lee Geering F.I.S.H. now has a website featuring our prices, online training, telephone consultations and photos. Matt & Lee are currently in serious training for April's posedown!

Spring

Spring is upon us and, as is the tradition at this time of year, most of my clients are moving towards peak condition for the summer.

My own training has altered from the heavy liftin gof the winter. I am training4-5 times per week using relatively high repetitions (generally 8-15, sometimes more), short rest intervals, and a variety of grips, angles, combinations of exercises whilst keeping in the big moves like dead lifts and squats.

I've reverted to a parallel grip for incline dumbbell press in order to rest the shoulder joints a little and I've dramatically reduced biceps work, having made some good gains during the winter.

My goal is to shed another 5 lbs of fat by Easter. Abdominal definition is already starting to come through due to adjustments to my diet:

Currently I'm eating 6 times a day with moderate amounts of low GI carbs, good fats, and fairly high protein. I've also added some cardio in the form of boxing just to speed up the fat loss.

Personal Training in 2009

F.I.S.H. Personal Training Prices 2009
Fitness Instruction for Strength & Health



Personal Training (1 hour at MetamorFit Studio) £45


Personal Training (1 hour Cavalry Crescent) £35


Personal Training (1/2 hour Cavalry Crescent) £20




Health & Fitness Consultation (1 hour) £30


Goal Setting and Programme Design £50




Online Training £40 per week (available internationally)