Expert personal trainer, diet author and New Body Bootcamp owner Simon Lovell gives his ulitmate tips on how to move forward with your fitness programme so you stay in tip top condition…

1. THE TRAINING FOCUS

Results are achieved when you have a clear idea and understanding of what is ahead of you whether you’re going for a run, training with weights or entering a fitness class. Be sure to set targets and attempt to move a step up each time you tackle a particular task. The result? You’ll feel rewarded, you’ll feel more positive and you’ll look forward to the next challenge.

2. A CHANGE IS FOR THE GOOD

Working in a gym five days a week, I see the same people day in day out. Quite a few of them have the same routine each time they visit and never change it! This kind of training technique doesn’t keep people motivated and what’s more, your body gets used to the challenge so you won’t develop. Sling that routine! Try learning new exercises and if you’re working out more than once per week do something different on every day to keep the variety up. It really works!

3. WHAT HE/SHE IS DOING MAY NOT BE RIGHT!

If you’re in the gym environment, especially training with weights, it’s easy to look at others and think that their approach to training is the correct one. This is normally far from the truth. Beware that most of the time people’s training technique is not correct and you could set yourself up for injury or simply not benefit by what you’re watching. Learn from the professionals and use their knowledge to build you an effective and fun programme. Poor exercise form leads to injury, so let them suffer the agony and frustration of not being able to train properly, not you!

4. THE POWER IS IN THE FOOD

What we do outside the gym is just as important as what we do in the gym. You wouldn’t expect to run a car on an empty tank. You need to fuel your training sessions as well as refuel them when you’ve finished. But that doesn’t mean throwing a pastry or microwave meal down your gob as soon as you’ve finished your last rep. Be sure to consume wholesome foods in their most natural form and your body will begin to take a better shape in half the time. My Lunch Box Diet (www.lunchboxdiet.co.uk) is perfect for fitness training as it’s one of the only diets out there that lets you easily adjust your eating plans according to how active you are, using an ‘Active Carbs’ system. It’s used by gym-goers and athletes as well as those who don’t exercise in the least for healthy weight loss.

5. U-R-INE DEHYDRATION MODE

A bottle of water is the basic requirement for anyone participating in exercise. As we burn calories our body gets dehydrated so it’s important to keep topped up with fluid. You’re normally about 30% dehydrated by the time you’re thirsty, so take small sips as you train instead of gulping it down in one go, or you’ll be off to the toilet in a shot! Remember, keep a towel with you and ensure you mop off any sweat!

6. GOT A TWINGE? GET IT LOOKED AT

If there’s one thing that’s worth knowing to prevent injury is that a person should stop if he or she starts to feel signs that something is abnormal with their training pattern. Sharp pain in the shoulder? You could have a shoulder impingement issue! Back of the legs sore when running? You may need to get your running shoes looked at, have gait analysis or it could be a firing pattern issue between your glutes and hamstrings. This may sound gibberish to some but they’re factors that if not looked at could get worse and cause you more discomfort or even serious injury in the future.

7. Track Progress

Track your progress. Every week at New Body Bootcamp we have a fitness rest so you can re-evaluate your fitness and develop mindset of moving up the ladder rather than down it. Always track your progress as this will provide you with new standards and goals to meet.

8. GET AN MP3 PLAYER or Pump Out Music

These days, portable music players are fairly affordable and there’s nothing more motivating than your own music taste. Personally I like a bit of funky dance music to keep my pace up or allow me to get out those extra repetitions. Pick a play-list of your favourite songs that will get you in the mood to work hard. This way you’ll stay focused in the gym. At New Body Bootcamp we always have cool selection up up tempo beats to set the pace of the workouts.

9. STITCH IN THE SIDE WHEN RUNNING?

A stitch when you’re exercising (sharp pain in the side) indicates you’ve got a diaphragm cramp. Usually this occurs when running. Your liver falls with the gravity as your diaphragm rises as this places a stress on your ligaments.  To get rid of these annoying pains simply exhale deeply to begin with and then inhale. Repeat the process several times. This should relieve the pain. To avoid it in the future take deep breaths when running instead of short ones. Sorted!

10. TRAIN YOUR CORE

The muscles around your waist are the key to your performance in many other exercises in the gym. Sit-ups and back exercises individually can be of benefit, but try functional core exercises using a stability ball or utilizing your body weight as in the following exercise. A New Body we work the abs in most sessions and then target them even harder in other sessions, ensuring you can look and feel leaner than ever.

The Plank. “Eye-eye captain.

Lie on the ground with your elbows and palms of your hand on the floor. Lift your entire body up so you’re on tip-toes. Keep your back straight and assume a straight line. Hold yourself up for as long as you can while inhaling and exhaling through your nose. Increase your time when you revisit the exercise and you’ll be well on your way to a better core.

11. SYMMETRY

Ever walked on the beach and chuckled as you see the big guy with bulges everywhere apart from his legs and ahem! Yep he’s made the common mistake of training what he enjoys and not thought about muscle symmetry. By the same token, just because you can see your front half it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t train your back or lower half.

12. COOKING FOOD KILLS THE NUTRIENTS IN YOUR DIET

So we need to have the correct amount of nutrients in our diet from a broad range of sources, in their most natural form, every single day! If you don’t then this will affect the way your body responds to certain foods and will not synthesise correctly proteins and other sources that help develop muscle and lose fat. Especially if we’re exercising we need more, so watch your diet like an eagle does its prey.

13. STRAPPED FOR TIME? BRING IN THE BIG MOVEMENTS

Sure, isolating the legs and arms can be a big part of a workout but have a think about this: How long have you got to train? 30-45 mins? If you find yourself with little time because of work or family commitments, then when it comes to weight training we need to think about implementing big movements such as Squats, Press Ups, Lunges, Deadlifts and Barbell Rows. These exercises are what we call compound movements working large muscle groups. You’ll develop overall strength with these and you’ll get your workout done quicker. They work the ‘isolation’ muscles too, just as the secondary movers, so you’re still working the areas you want!

14. ALWAYS TRAIN ON A MONDAY!

It’s my golden rule! If you can, Monday is the day to get that initial session in, with cardiovascular exercise at least for part of your session. It’s the start of the working week for most. Miss this day and you’re less likely to go for the rest of the week without exercising.

15. AVOID TRAINING WHEN YOU’RE SICK

Training when your immune system is down can be very dangerous. It’s like kicking somebody when they’re down. So if you’ve been caught by the bug or feel like your energy levels are little to be desired, take it from me, take some time off. Besides, if you exercise when you’re feeling like this, you won’t be putting in your maximum effort so what’s the point? You’ll be better off coming back stronger when you are better, and you’re less likely to put your training back by more days. What’s more, you don’t want to spread germs around other people.  Gyms can be a breeding ground for nasty bacteria at the best of times. Get away!

16. WHAT IS ON YOUR FEET?!!!

Would you see David Beckham wearing a pair of slippers to play football? I’d pay to see it, but that’s beside the point! Do be careful about your footwear, especially when you’re exercising where there is impact involved. Avoid wearing street wear on machines like the treadmill as this will have an adverse effect on your limbs and joints. Buy some running shoes to take some of the impact away and cushion you as you land.

17. BEWARE OF EXERCISING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH!

As some of my clients will tell you, they sometimes get a good slap on the wrists, normally in the first week or so of clientship! I’m constantly asking questions such as:  What have you eaten today? When was the last time you ate? If one of my clients isn’t performing how I expect, I can normally find out the reason quite quickly.

18. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE SLEEP

Your muscles repair when you’re in the land of nod, so there’s the first reason to get a good night’s kip. Also, it will affect your energy levels if you don’t get all the hours you need. Everyone is different. Personally, my ideal is about 10. With this amount I normally wake up wide-eyed and can get on with my day pretty quickly. If you find that when you wake up that you instantly want to go back to sleep again, chances are you haven’t hit the sack early enough.  Try an hour or so earlier the next time if you can. Try and set a sleeping routine and you’ll feel ten times better for it!

19. DON’T SWING WEIGHTS AROUND LIKE BUCKETS OF WATER

You’re in control when you perform weight repetitions, don’t let the weight control you. Performing a resistance exercise slowly will put more stress on the muscles leaving you with a better physique in the long run. Take at least two seconds to let a weight move and another two for it to regain its start position. Avoid increasing weight until you’ve mastered this technique. If you’re swinging a weight up and down it’s too heavy for you. Start light and build up. You’ll reap the rewards and get a pat on the back from me!

20. UNDERSTAND THE TIME TO REST

Admittedly, it’s good to be aggressive in the gym, work hard. My motto is Maximum Effort, Maximum Return meaning the more you put in, the more you get out. But if you’re feeling on a particular day very sluggish and tired, take a day off. You’ll return the next day stronger and ready to face another tough session. If you’re new to the gym, test your energy levels and how you best react for example to training in the morning, mid-day or evening. Take a look at what you’re eating. Make notes of when you’ve felt at your best and what you’ve consumed. Copy your good days, not your bad!