Understanding correct TRX fitness changed my life.
It’s allowed my little northern ass to build muscle, develop areas of functional fitness and maintain a physique whilst travelling all over the world as a digital nomad. Where I go – my gym goes and my gym is my TRX. I wrote a post on the phycological benefits of using a TRX for fitness and on the physiological benefits of using a TRX for fitness. Here, I’m getting down and dirty with the…
What a difference a month of Pina Coladas, cigars and revelling in the Cuban culture can make. But, what an even bigger difference telling myself I was going to gain weight made.
I’m a fitness
fanatic, always have been.
And the fear of putting on weight? I’ve had that bad boy for a ruddy long time. The 4 life changing benefits of telling myself I’m going to gain weight.
I always felt it was something I had to avoid. Something I must…
Hindsight is a bloody marvellous thing isn’t it.
I wish I’d known these
If I could turn back the hands of time. There’s a few things I wish I’d known before I picked up my first 2kg dumb bell. 10 key muscle building fitness facts to my younger self.
1. You need to calculate your nutrition macros specific to you.
Not knowing what you’re
putting into your body to get the best out of it. Is like guessing the fuel
type and oil levels…
If you want to take the gym on the road or be able to exercise any-where any-way. A TRX is for you.
The benefits go way beyond just physical
I find the benefits of using a TRX go way beyond just physical. They’re also psychological. In this post I write about the physical benefits of using a TRX. From my own personal experience of using one for several years and from science. In my post here I write about the psychological…
The benefits of using a resistance band for travel and home workouts are awesome and HUGE!
I used to think it won’t work for me
I used to look at resistance bands and think phaa! No weight – won’t work for me. Man need weight, man need heavy weight! Silly boy. The benefits of using a resistance band a great. Now I look at them like a box of pop tarts, gimme! Bands, especially the above easy level CrossFit one, have…
“I’ll never use a gym again.”
Hooked to a gym
After years of spending time restricted to the belief that I had to use a gym to look good, build muscle, keep fit and thus feel good. Along with the belief that my clients who I trained as a PT did. I can honestly say after finding the best way to keep fit without a gym (we’ll get to it) I won’t step foot inside a one again.
Along with feeling better…
Ok let’s keep it simple as there’s a lot of fluff and complication out there.
Calculating
How to calculate your nutrition macros. Here’s 5 simple steps to calculate your macro intake so you can use it to gain weight (muscle mass) or loose weight (get lean / ripped) whilst using a travel workout or home workout plan. Everyone is different and everyone has their own unique numbers. I learnt the huge benefit of calculating macros and flexible dieting from Nick…
Yerba Mate a drink from Argentina, a drink of culture, a drink with huge nutritional benefits.
The HUGE benefits of drinking Yerba mate. Walk around any street in Uruguay and you will see 99% of people holding a flask and what looks to be a wizards cauldron. In similar fashion you will see the same all over Argentina but more so in social situations and at work. I have an Argentinian friend who will drink 5L of Mate a day.
I’ve been drinking this…
The portable kettle bell for home and travel workout.
I honestly couldn’t live without this little fella, the Drybell. I initially found it here on Amazon, it’s became my go-to almost every day for travel exercising in some way.
It’s a portable kettle bell you can fill with water up to 10kg and sand up to 17kg meaning the variety is endless no matter where you are.
I’m not a one for preaching about fitness utensils and the greatness of things such as…
Supplements that stop you loosing muscle mass.
BCAA
The foundations of protein synthesis and muscle building. The body can’t produce these and so they must be ingested from food/supps. It’s often difficult to find adequate sources of nutrition to supply your body with the required levels of BCAA for maintaining and increasing fitness whilst travelling. Having these little gems helps with that. Grab them here
Glutamine
Taking these supps aids in reducing muscle breakdown and improves protein metabolism. Glutamine is the most common…
TRX is all about time under tension don’t think fast and pump
How to use a TRX with correct technique and why you’re performing TRX wrong. Think slow and squeeze.
Couple of tips to get the most out of a TRX
Do 3-5 second negative phases, when the muscle extends.
Do 1-2 second contracting phases, when the muscle shortens.
Hold and squeeze the muscle at the top for whatever you’re targeting.
Really stretch the muscle an example of this is TRX…
Why use a TRX and resistance band for exercise?. By combining a band and TRX. You can create two different types of training styles. That put the nervous system under different levels of shock compared to standard gym weights.
Personally I’ve found better aesthetic, cardiovascular, flexibility and muscle growth. When using a TRX combined with bands within my nomad travel life. Than I ever have from years of time spent in the gym.
Don’t believe me? Give it a go yourself!
I…
How to keep fit while travelling. By combining a band and TRX. You can create two different types of training styles. These styles put the nervous system under different levels of shock. Compared to using gym machines or weights and a bench.
Personally I’ve found better aesthetic, cardiovascular, flexibility and muscle growth. Using a TRX combined with bands within my nomad travel life. Than I ever have from years of time spent in the gym.
Don’t believe me? Give it a…
The best natural pre-workout nutrition and supplements. You can’t beat the Mexican nomad fitness life. After waking I’ll normally have a cleansing tea of mate and lemon followed by:
Banana – 1
BCAA – 1 tab
Glutamine – 1 tab
Mexicans finest coffee with a dab of natural plant sugar
The water bottle I use whilst exercising has salts and whey protein in. Fuelled.
Why the supps? Well,
BCAA: Foundations of protein synthesis and muscle building. The body can’t produce these and so they must be…
Workout with the portable kettle bell, Drybell. I honestly couldn’t live without this little fella, the Drybell. I initially found it here on Amazon, it’s became my go-to almost every day for travel exercising in some way.
It’s a portable kettle bell you can fill with water up to 10kg and sand up to 17kg meaning the variety is endless. No matter where you are.
I’m not a one for preaching about fitness utensils and the greatness of things such as gym…
Don’t be put off by this strange offering at the end of a meal in India.
India’s natural remedy for indigestion. It’a natural stomach remedy. that helps digest food but also aids in a variety of stomach problems. Fennel seeds with sugar. If anyone knows how to aid their stomachs, Indians do. Let’s face it they eat curry for breakfast lunch and dinner day. Day in day out and still manage to frequent to the toilet like a normal person.
Some…
Stick to these tips to support and maintain muscle mass when you’re away from your routine
How to maintain muscle mass when travelling.
BCAA: Take these tablets with you.The foundations of protein synthesis and muscle building. The body can’t produce these and so they must be ingested from food/supps. It’s often difficult to find adequate sources of nutrition to supply your body with the required levels of BCAA for maintaining and increasing fitness whilst travelling. Having these little gems helps with…
After recently trekking the ABC over 10 days in Nepal I found a few little tips helped me along the way.
Nutrition and fitness tips for trekking at attitude. These tips help in terms of not loosing muscle mass, aiding performance and good preparation.
Tiger balm, garlic, ginger and a date on a table with the Himalayan mountains in the backdrop
Nutrition recommendations when trekking
Ginger and garlic: Split the garlic and put it into your water bottle along with the ginger. It aids…
How to workout at home or when travelling.
TRX: #BAE I mean what can’t you do with these things. The possibilities are endless. Hang it from any door, tree, structure and train every part of your body across hypertrophy, strength and cardiovascular.Grab them here
Easy level CrossFit band: Come in various strengths. I find the various ways in which I can place muscle groups under tension for time challenges my nervous system in a completely different way to conventional weights. With these you…
The benefits of chewing Chew Coca leaves. The three leaf offering sign to pachamama.
Despite their obvious qualities, que Escobar, and the fact it’s actually very difficult to get hold of them outside of Peru and Bolivia (although you can buy them in tea form elsewhere). There’s a reason the Incas and Peruvians chew these leaves like Europeans and Americans chew gum
White teeth
Chewing the leaves strengthens your gums and whitens your teeth. The same oxidization that is responsible for overcoming high-altitude…
Papaya often thought of as a little bland, think again
Seven benefits of eating Papaya
Digestion
Especially for high protein diets. The presence of papain, a digestive super enzyme breaks down protein. This ensures a reduced conversion of protein into body fat. If the protein in our diet is not digested properly, it may cause arthritis, constipation, diabetes, high blood pressure.
Heart Health
The seeds of papayas are good for a healthy heart having three powerful antioxidant vitamins, namely vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin…
Who has time for diets? Incorporate some of these little wins into your daily routine.
30 foods that help fight fat.
Kale – The fibre curbs carb craving, iron and vit B
Pumpkin seeds – 30g = 2mg of zinc essential for fat cell reduction (and sexual function eeyyyooo!) eat them early in the morning for best results
Peanut Butter – Contains enzymes that cut appetite
Oatcakes – Eat them early, slow release carbs counter late energy fatigue
Grapefruit – blunts insulin spikes, helps liver…
Foods for gains, renewing and aiding your muscles after training
Foods to eat for muscle gains:
Cottage cheese
Low in fat and high in slow releasing casein protein to keep your muscles drip fed for hours
Oats (with a pinch of cinnamon)
Re stock your body’s glycogen levels. Adding cinnamon will stabilise your blood sugar levels for a more sustained energy supply
Papaya
Vitamins A,C and E which support muscle recovery and its enzymes reduce inflammation too easing any soreness
Avocado
The essential fats deliver valuable energy and it’s high…
And all from your kitchen cupboard
5 easy and natural fitness performance enhancers
Lemon juice
Alkalises your body’s PH to boost energy. Add as much as you can to water
Bran flakes
As well as helping with the old toilet breaks the betaine in the cereal improves cell function and helps prevent dehydration during your workout
Baked Beans
Packed full of magnesium which is essential for muscle function
Gherkins
The sodium and potassium improve your electrolyte balance
Sodium Bicarbonate
Add a pinch to water and drink before exercise to reduce…
