In this episode I discuss the denial before acceptance phases often repeated by sports and fitness enthusiasts, when faced with injuries sustained in their chosen sports or pastimes.

Let's take a runner for example, who experiences knee, hip or lower back pain, which diminishes his normal expected times in weekend runs. The runner in question usually defaults to a veritable list of stages both mentally, physically and emotionally as he battles with musculoskeletal complaints.

The runner initially ignores the injury / pain and continues with his Saturday morning park run or evening 10k cardio workout, which in turn leads to acute or severe discomfort.

Weeks or months go by with a notable reduction in the regularity of training and increased rest periods mounting up.

The runner resorts to anti inflammatory medications, quick fix equipment purchased online and hours spent on social media platforms researching possible routes to recovery.

When these solutions fail to fix the root cause of the problem, only then does he consider contacting a local therapist to assess and apply the necessary soft or connective tissue remedial treatments.

Should the therapist suggest a period of abstinence from running, focusing on a return to daily, pain free function, followed by strengthening the body in preparation for a eventual light runs, the runner / client / patient hesitates to adhere to his therapists post care advice and chooses to essentially 'wing it' by way of either totally ignoring the protocols provided and continuing running, or even enlisting the professional care of another therapist, in search of a subtle form of conformation bias, from a second or third party.

The runner's cycle of emotions thus ensues, from delayed acceptance, to anxiety, fear, depression and a final chapter of chronic hopelessness, which may be reversible with the correct diagnosis and subsequent treatments, but in some cases is less likely to prove a success due to the runner simply wanting a quick fix and implementing his own method of coping and recovering. (THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON).

My advice as a qualified personal trainer and sports massage therapist, is to carefully choose a therapist with experience and work together with a common goal of getting back out on the road or track, only this time with a better understanding of injury prevention, allowing for an enjoyable, healthy future.

Watch the full video on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.

Thanks for listening

In this discussion, I look at the current norm of unhealthy grooms and or brides walking down the isle on their big day, with dangerous levels of excess body weight and body fat.

When saying 'yes' or 'I do' it's incumbent on both the bride and groom to be, to evaluate a multitude of decisions going forward as husband and wife.

Often subjects are overlooked or even ignored, from prenuptials and wills to divulging incomes and pensions.

With this in mind it is imperative that both parties address any existing health issues, which left unchecked often give rise to catastrophic outcomes i.e. chronic disease ranging from type two diabetes to long term back pain.

Whilst romance is in the air, difficult conversations are replaced with sourcing wedding venues, dresses, suits, flowers and sorting the dreaded wedding guest list.

The financial implications of the big day and subsequent honeymoon pale in comparison to complications of poor physical and mental health.

With today's media frenzy of championing poor health on TV, social media and even educational establishments, it is no surprise that men and women are happy to pledge the rest of their lives to each other in the knowledge that they are unhealthily overweight or masking an underlying psychological disorder.

Remember to subscribe to this channel and feel free to comment on YouTube.

Thanks for listening here or on Spotify

In this discussion, I look at why it's important to have a hobby or totally separate interest, away from your newly found fitness quest.

Often people new to exercise can quickly become single minded regarding their running, weight training or classes, by way of missing out on social gatherings, family events or even quality time with their significant others.

The effects of exercise and subsequent weight loss or body fat reduction, can become borderline intoxicating, as we tighten our belts or drop a dress size. Let's take a bodybuilder who has to consume up to six meals a day or a marathon runner having to cover up to 30 miles per week, pounding the pavements, both of which are time consuming and take up valuable physical, mental and emotional capacity.

Coupled with full time work and daily routine tasks, it's very easy to slip into a chronic habit of avoiding our once equally important work commitments or social connections. THIS IS NOT GOOD

So, next time you're invited to a works do or a friendly meet up, try not to come up with a flimsy excuse, with a mindset of "I can't attend as it will curtail my fitness progress or goals".

My advice is to ensure you have a balanced view regarding exercise and look into a fun, light hearted hobby from hand gliding to horticulture, which helps you appreciate the hours or days spent staying fit and healthy, which in turn has a degree of physiological benefits when participating in non exercised based endeavors.

Watch the full video on YouTube, or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music.

Feel free to comment and subscribe to the channel, to help it grow and enjoy future free content.

Thanks for listening.

In this episode I look at the reasons and outcomes of the UK and the USA's on-going issue of manual labour workers significantly reducing their workloads and in some cases, stopping work early in life due to RSI (repetitive strain injury) or chronic (long term) musculoskeletal complaints.

According to 2023 Great Britain Labour Force Survey 21% of work related injuries come from lifting, carrying or moving, with the lower back / lumbar region being the most common complaint

From electricians and bricklayers to plumbers and warehouse operatives, the ever present threat of a career change or even forced retirement looms, as the body's ability to adapt and recover from physically demanding workloads decreases.

Let's consider a plumber, whom regularly kneels down to access low height fixings, giving rise to acute or long term tendonitis or ligament damage to his knees.

How about a plasterer / dry wall expert, who spends hours everyday with his shoulders in both flexed or retracted positions, leading to frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) or permanent rotator cuff injuries.

The physiological changes to posture, mobility, flexibility and musculoskeletal strength may creep up slowly during our 20s or 30s, however once we hit our 40s, these changes can have a rapidly declining effect on the above functions, culminating in poor work standards and or increased absenteeism.

Coupled with excess weight gain and elevated body fat levels, the work related injuries can have a devastating effect on the physical and mental health of a once highly skilled and sought after construction worker or landscape gardener.

It's therefore advisable for manual labour workers to consider embarking on regular self care, by way of joining your local gym, hiring a personal trainer or visiting sports massage therapists and physiotherapists to maintain good health and subsequently extending your career into your 60s/ 70s.

Nutrition is also a key factor in longevity, assisting with balanced energy levels and soft tissue (muscle) repair. We often think of manual labour workers gorging on highly processed foods at lunchtime or getting off work early on Fridays to start a heavy drinking session, followed by salt and fat laden takeaways, leading to struggling through Saturday's workload and possibly losing a client or lucrative contract of employment.

I have personally trained joiners, bricklayers, painters and electricians with an eye on sustaining their chosen professions, allowing for a healthy body, which in turn prolongs their ability to provide a high level of service and of course earn a wage respectively.

Listen to the episode here, Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Podcasts and watch the full video on YouTube.

Feel free to like, subscribe and comment on any episodes, it'll help the channel grow.

Thanks for listening

In this episode, I openly discuss the modern day phenomenon of online dating.

With the advent of dating apps now available via mobile phones, smart pads and laptops, its considered the norm for singles to initiate contact with potential dates via anyone of the above devices, with minimal effort and low to zero expense.

This multi billion pound / dollar industry is hear to stay, weather we like it or not and as such it's inevitable at some point, you, a friend, family member or work colleague will join the millions of eager app swipers in search of a date.

As a professional personal trainer, with actual real life experience using dating apps, it's gradually sunk in that in order to get a date we men must be willing to make efforts regarding our physical appearance, which of course is the first line of offence on our profiles.

I've heard on countless occasions of women looking for a date, only to swipe left without even reading our profile blogs, due to men uploading pictures of themselves looking overweight and in poor physical health. The instantaneous left swipe, that follows essentially deletes the profile from the woman's memory, both figuratively speaking and the algorithm on the app itself.

It's with this knowledge and acceptance, men must take action and get back in the gym, out on the road or in the swimming pool to reduce the pounds or kilos of unwanted / unhealthy excess body fat.

Obviously the main reason to get in shape is for our physical health, however part of our DNA and social make up is to meet and subsequently bond with women, be it for casual dating, marriage or starting a family. With this in mind, we cannot blame the app, the uninterested women or society itself for our failure to land that all important first date, and therefore it's incumbent upon us to get healthy and at the very least, have a reasonable chance of meeting the lucky lady for a coffee, lunch or a walk in the local park.

The obesity epidemic sweeping through the male population in the UK, USA and Europe is simply not helping us to stay in the 'romantic hot seat' as even average looking women in low paid employment willingly swipe left, when they lay eyes on a overweight, double chinned, beer bellied bloke from Hull to Harrow.

Okay gents, time to up your game and take accountability for your personal health and appearance, so get to it and increase your already slim chance of landing an exciting and hopefully long term other half.

Please like, comment and subscribe to the channel, for future free content on all things health and fitness related.

Thanks for listening

In this episode, I sit down with Lincolnshire's premier chauffeur, Stephen Jones of White 7 Lincoln, to discuss his own personal journey into a healthier lifestyle.

Stephen came to our center in 2023 with an aim to improve his mobility, flexibility and posture, in order to maintain his physical capabilities, for the long hours spent sedentary in his workspace (the car).

Arriving at his clients homes early in the morning or late at night to drive them to airports around the country, with time deadlines to meet, is a very responsible profession, as clients are also driven to their own weddings or social gatherings in style.

As a high class service, Stephen often picks the clients luggage up to load into the car, allowing clients to relax and destress and then of course enjoy the luxury surroundings of executive travel.

Morning, daytime or night, Stephen is ready to provide his services, of which can often be repeat bookings, as long term clients put their trust in his professional and friendly personality.

However, this can take it's toll on his body and this is where Good Condition Lincoln comes into the conversation, with Personal training and Sports Massage Therapy.

We've guided Stephen to a new, focused and disciplined way of life, with regular stretching, strengthening exercises and nutritional changes.

Find out how this journey is unfolding on here, Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or watch the full video on YouTube.

Thanks for listening and please subscribe to the channel for future free content.

In this episode, I cast my eye over a recent article in the UK's Times Newspaper.

The two page finding, was at best scare mongering and at worst, ill advised by another columnist with little to zero evidence of the potential damaging effects of young men striving for physical fitness through resistance training, nutrition and supplementation.

The USA based social media influencers, whom literally overnight have become tiktok and YouTube sensations with daily uploads of their weight training schedules, eating habits and supplementation, are now followed by millions of young men, aged 12 and upwards, with an interest in improving their physical appearance and performance in the gym or sports fields.

The article in question, challenges this phenomena, with notions of body dysmorphia and injuries sustained through poor technique and or underdeveloped physiologies. Whilst this is not impossible, simply down to the sheer amount of participants, the alarming amount of overweight or obese men in the UK and USA far exceeds those with hang ups or short term injuries through weight training.

Often, unhealthily overweight men seek others in the 'same boat' as themselves, through design or coincidence and likewise, physically strong, muscular and determined young men do the same, by working out in gyms or at home.

TV advertising, newspapers and streaming channels are bombarded with processed food commercials, gambling app promotions and subtle to blatant championing of obesity. This on-going problem is here to stay and as such those with vested interests in promoting unhealthy lifestyles are given free reign to pour scorn on those who take self accountability.

Given that there are indecencies of addictions to exercising, dieting and in some cases performance enhancing pharmaceuticals, it's far more likely that young men aged sixteen and upwards who frequent weight training clubs will reap the rewards later in life, avoiding excess body fat storage, musculoskeletal disorders, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and cancer related complications, which are, for those deciding not to embark on resistance based exercise plans, can be an unwanted but inevitable outcome.

The Times newspaper have chosen not to ask an experienced male weightlifter, personal trainer or competition bodybuilder, opting for a middle aged woman, with what might initially appear to be a deep rooted concern, but in all probability is based on limited experience, knowledge or proof, regarding the aforementioned 'craze' surrounding, muscle clad influencers.

My advice as a professional personal trainer with over 40 years of fitness training is to seek help or simply ask a friend who works in the fitness sector for a few pointers in the right direction, when starting out on your resistance exercise plans and above all take time to learn good form, healthy nutrition and quality sleep.

Watch the full video on YouTube or listen on Amazon Music, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Thanks for listening

In this discussion, my guest is Alison Whitely, a fifty year old mother, wife and adventurous personal training client.

Alison was diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) late in life, by way of initial diagnosis in her son. This hasn't put up a wall and if anything it's spurred Alison on to travel the world, living overseas and recently trekking the Nepali Himalaya up to base camp in the Everest region.

We hear about why and how Alison went about working with myself to get in her best physical shape for the her trek, starting with cardiovascular training and progressing to strength based movements.

Alison, never content to stand still is also building her family home with her husband, with a target of moving in by the end of summer 2024, which itself is a huge undertaking, whilst juggling everyday family life.

Enjoy this discussion and watch the full video on Youtube.

Thanks for listening