5 minutes with Leo

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You can’t miss him. That strong booming voice, great words of weight loss wisdom and The Clap.

We asked MHQ Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Coach and Weight Loss Leader Leo Nannetti to tell us more about his life as a fitness professional and why he does it.


How long have you been a fitness professional for?

I started working in the fitness industry in 2008. I’ve taken breaks here and there over the years to pursue other interests such as snowboard coaching in Canada and NZ, as well as spending time living abroad in Europe.

For the past 7 years I’ve been in the fitness industry full time.

Why did you decide to become a PT?

I started in the fitness industry straight after year 12. I was a little clueless as a school leaver and decided to work in the fitness industry as it was aligned with my passion for sport and working out.

I fell in love with the coaching process after my first client success.

When did you start training yourself?

I started training at the age of 15 at a rock-climbing gym in St Leonards where I was working at the time.

Like many young men, the weights room was an antidote to the excess energy and my own desire to lift heavy stuff. I’ve competed numerous times in strong man and powerlifting.

I won’t post my numbers as they are rather unimpressive, but I did pull a 17-tonne truck 23m once LOL.

What are your clients’ most common goals?

Most people see me 1-1 for technique coaching on the main lifts, I specialise in the big 4 barbell lifts.

I could discuss/coach the deadlift for 6 hours without a break, some say it’s a gift, I say it’s a curse.

I also run the successful MHQ 8-week Weight Loss Challenge with members of Movement HQ and others in my tailored 1:1 online weight loss program.

I really love this and the feedback from successful clients is the most rewarding thing I have ever experienced.

What training misconceptions do you come across? 

You definitely don’t have to train 100%, in fact I would strongly recommend you don’t.

80% effort is the most you’ll want to give despite what I or anyone says to you. Always leave the gym with enough energy for tomorrow.

What challenges do find you need to work clients through?

I predominantly work with people who have been either poorly coached or not coached at all on weight training, barbells, and kettlebells as well as basic bodyweight exercises such as planks and push ups.

I also help with breathing techniques through coaching and specialise in a diaphragmatic release technique that has seen one of our members cured of shoulder pain after over 6 months of unsuccessful physiotherapy.

Another client from the gym has finally had her knee pain vanish after simply learning to balance effectively in the single leg stance.

What top 3 things do you specialise in? 
  1. Weight loss
  2. Lifting technique
  3. Kettlebell training
Are you a strength, cardio or mobility person?

I like kettlebells, barbells, and basic bodybuilding, occasionally I will run to the bathroom.

What movement limitations do you notice in clients during sessions? 

People will fall into one of two categories which are actually two separate ends of the same spectrum. Either too stiff or not stable enough, but both are weak.

What is it about this job that makes you want to jump out of bed at 4:30am?

Firstly it’s 4am, and it’s more like a slow controlled exit as to not wake up my other half.

But at the end of the day, it’s the people I get to work with.

It’s the sense of meaning that my work brings to my life, my ability to serve others and give them the independence and sustainability they need to look after their body, mind and life.

I consider it an honour to help.

Check out the awesome feedback Leo received from the April 2022 MHQ Weight Loss Challenge.

 

Reach out or book your next session with Leo

Get in touch with Leo here, or jump into one of his great classes on the timetable.

5 lower body exercises you should be doing

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By Mark Glanville, Co-Founder Movement HQ, Personal Trainer since 2001.

 

What is lower body training, what types of principles are there and which exercises work best?

To keep it simple, lower body training is generally thought of from the hips or glutes down.

At Movement HQ we try to add a variety of principles and approaches to our lower body programming.

Compound movements involve a multitude of muscle groups like a squat or a lunge which engage the glutes, quads and hamstrings predominantly.

These types of movements are what I like to think of as ‘context building’ or ‘life specific’ which enable us to be able to maintain or improve our ability to sit, get off the ground, walk, run and climb stairs etc.

Lower body training can be segregated into a lower body specific program, or be included in a total body format with exercises like a dumbbell / barbell squat thrust, dead ball slam, kettle bell swing, kettle bell clean or snatch just to name a few.

Lower body training doesn’t always need to be loaded. Bodyweight movements such as air squats and lunges, and plyometric exercises like vertical/broad jumps and single leg movements like pistol squats, Nordic hamstring curls and Cossack squats involve plenty of strength, coordination and skill, and definitely have their place in achieving more global athleticism and strength.

A few hidden or less thought-of benefits of lower body training are things like a higher caloric burn or metabolic demand than most upper body exercises.

And as you exercise, your brain releases serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which all promote happiness and lessen feelings of depression and anxiety.

These benefits are increased through lower body training being generally more demanding.

Some classes on offer at Movement HQ that have significant lower body content are:

Turning all that into practice, my 5 favourite lower body exercises that I think we should all be doing are:

  1. Pistol squats

2. KB front rack squats

3. Nordic hamstring curls

4. KB single leg RDLs

5. Split squat jumps

Jump into one of our classes – or chat to any of our coaches to learn the appropriate warmups, correct technique and regressions/progressions that are best suited to your body.

Read more about Mark Glanville here: 

Check out the Movement HQ class timetable here

 

5 stretches to relieve stiffness when you sit all day

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Does your body feel stiff and heavy after sitting for long periods of time, particularly when you’re stuck in front of a computer or hunched over your laptop?

Do you find that later in the day you feel less productive or lacking energy? Or do you feel pain in your buttocks, shoulders, neck and back?

If that’s the case it may be time to stretch.

In just 8 minutes, Movement HQ Personal Trainer Tori Hand will help you relieve stiffness in the major joints, improve your circulation, and have you feeling more refreshed and energised.

Try them out right here:

This article is for information purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, is general in nature, not tailored to your personal circumstances and you should seek your own medical advice from an independent medical professional with regards to what options are best for you.

Training through osteoarthritis and neck pain

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When you want to lose some weight and have issues with your neck and hips, what is the safest and most effective way to deal with that?

Do you stop exercising – particularly when it hurts your body to move – or is it best to keep going?

Here is Veronika’s experience of overcoming these challenges with her Personal Trainer Danny O’Sullivan.

 

How did it all start?

Veronica: “I’ve been training with Danny for over a year now – after years of giving up on gyms and PT’s because of ongoing pain and mobility issues.

With Stage 3 bilateral hip osteoarthritis and a condition known as cervical dystonia, which causes my neck muscles to contract resulting in headaches and pain, I had given up on ever being able to move or train with confidence again.”

Danny: Veronika began training with me at Movement HQ in December 2020, and now trains on average three times per week.

Mark Glanville (Movement HQ Co-Founder) trains her husband, and he referred her to me as she has some special conditions needing specialist attention. She is naturally hyper mobile, and needed someone with experience in mobile individuals.

Veronika initially wanted to lose weight. In the past however, her trainers had tried to put her through high intensity training which had a negative impact on her as it created too much inflammation in her body, and would cause major setbacks in her training.

Upon our first assessment we quickly identified that it had been quite some time since she had trained so her body had become quite de-conditioned.

“The primary focus when we began training with each other was for her to control her own body.”

This involved learning how to create a good muscle / mind connection to allow her to maintain tension in her body throughout exercises.

We did many different isometric holds (planks, hangs, hollow body holds, supermans) and paired this with some compound movements like deadlifts (started at rack pulls) and bench presses.


How has Veronika responded to the training?

Veronica: “When I began training with Danny, I did so tentatively. I had a mountain of fears to overcome. After every session, I kept expecting inflammation to seize my hips or for my neck muscles to freeze.

To my astonishment though, Danny was able to guide me through a training schedule that kept me moving and getting stronger, without causing my body to grind to a painful halt.” 

Danny: Veronika’s confidence for training has drastically improved. She looks forward to our sessions (and so do I).

She understands that sometimes we can’t push as hard as we did in prior sessions (if sleep is off, that time of the month, feeling stressed etc).

She is really understanding her own body more and now looks at training as a part of her life and not a chore.

What progressions have been made?

Danny: Veronika had the goal of being able to push up off the floor again.

We began this journey with chest press on the rings, gradually getting lower, and pairing this with chest press work with dumbbells and barbells, eventually working down to an elevated on a box, then to a step.

Veronika: “Danny has a brilliant approach to training – he changes up the exercises until I can actually feel the muscles being targeted. And he is able to skilfully push me to my limits, but never beyond them.

The most incredible part of the process, though, is that I actually enjoy training now.

Sure, Danny has a great personality and is fun to workout with but, more importantly, he’s given me the confidence to move and keep moving.

I no longer dread weights training for fear of crippling pain – I actually look forward to it. And, for that, I truly can’t thank or recommend Danny highly enough.”

He’s given me a confidence in my body’s ability to move and heal that I never thought I’d experience again.

 

What’s the strategy with Veronika’s training and weight loss?  

Danny: We still work on weight loss, and she’s recently signed up for the Movement HQ Weight Loss Challenge to help with the nutrition side of things.

We have a few niggles in the body which have set us back a little, but we are addressing them with specific rehab exercises on the shoulder and hip.

We train three times per week (twice at the gym and one home session). On Tuesdays and Thursdays we work primarily on strength with a cardio element, and on Wednesdays we work on her mobility and rehab.

Outside of the gym I have encouraged Veronika to walk more, and to continue being active on her property, she looks after sheep, geese, ducks, chickens, and soon horses 🙂

Book a session with Danny here

Five minutes with Tori

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Get to know Tori Hand – Personal Trainer, Group Coach, proud mother of two Siberian Huskies, and all round-awesomely strong, mobile and ultimate super friendly fitness professional.

Why did you decide to become a fitness professional?

I decided to get into the industry over 8 years ago because I constantly found myself exercising and training, and wanted to learn more about it.

Before I started Personal Training I worked in an organic produce store, nannied and then studied business at uni as I wasn’t sure what to do with myself.

This was all before I had the realisation that I should be in the fitness industry!


How long have you been training yourself?

I have been involved in sport since I was five years old 🙂  At five my mum enrolled me in gymnastics which I continued to do competitively until I was about 12.

At this point I needed to have heart surgery, and was advised not to continue competitively due to the rigorous training demands. Post surgery I got back into recreational gymnastics and continued this into my late teens.

Due to my experience in gymnastics through my childhood and teens, I started my fitness career teaching people ‘Gymnastics Strength Training’.

This incorporates bodyweight strength with mobility and flexibility training and targets the body from many angles which are usually overlooked in conventional training programs.

At the time, this type of training was relatively unheard of and became quite popular among fitness professionals who were wanting to offer something more to their clients, rather than just weights and cardio.

It was also how I liked to train myself back then. This led me to co-found Falsegrip, a gym which is based upon these principles.

Over the years I began to incorporate more weights with gymnastics strength as I found this yielded better results rather than just one or the other.

So these days, I mostly do weights, cardio and mobility. I really enjoy challenging myself to find out how strong I can get.


What are your clients’ most common goals?

Most want to improve their mobility and flexibility. We work towards this with consistent training and occasionally extra home programs.

Many want to gain muscle and we achieve that goal with hypertrophy training and diet recommendations that would be beneficial to muscle growth.

Many also want to learn how to do a handstand. We go back to basics, breaking down what is involved in a handstand and building strength, confidence and co-ordination upside down. Handstands are just as fun as you remember as a child.

What’s a common challenge you need to work your clients through? 

Spinal mobility, specifically thoracic extension. So many people lack spinal movement for many different reasons, one being that we have all been encouraged to keep a neutral spine at all times.

This is simply not the case, as your spine is designed specifically to allow for maximum movement in flexion, extension, side flexion and rotation.

These movements are often forgotten about and sadly result in back weakness, tightness and immobility.

What common issues do you notice in your clients when you coach them?  

Tight pectoral muscles coupled with forward head carriage. This can often lead to kyphosis (rounding) in the upper back and also a lack of glute activation resulting in glute atrophy.

And also I notice tight hip flexors/quads often caused by excessive sitting. This can lead to excessive lordosis in the lower back which can cause lower back pain.


What are some popular training misconceptions you come across?
“Weight training makes women look bulky” – Very unlikely. In order for this to happen you have to train like an absolute animal and eat a crap load and still, it’s very hard for a women to look bulky. Weight training will usually make a woman look more ‘toned’ and help to improve her body composition.

“I want to improve my mobility by doing just one session a week for two months” – It would be nice if it was that easy. The one session will no doubt leave you feeling much better with less pain, but mobility improvements take a long time and in most instances more than one session per week. Compare this to how long it took your body to become tight and immobile? It was very likely more than two months.


What are the top 3 things you like to specialise in? 
  1. Mobility – I am intrigued by the body and what it is capable of
  2. Weights training – I absolutely love it myself and enjoy seeing my clients reach new heights in their strength
  3. Gymnastics – I have an in-depth knowledge and first hand experience learning in a competitive environment. Even though I don’t train it a lot my self these days, I thoroughly enjoy teaching it.

Are you a strength, cardio or mobility person? 

All of them! Although weights would have to be my favourite.

For my own training, each week, I currently do:

  • three to four strength sessions
  • two to three short cardio sessions (these are usually tacked onto the end of my strength/weights sessions)
  • mobility training as I need it.

.

What is it about this job that makes you want to jump out of bed at 4:30am? 

I love working with people and care very much for my clients’ well being.

As much as the early starts can be tiring, it’s actually really peaceful at that hour – before the whole world has woken up 🙂

Reach out or book your next session with Tori

Get in touch with Tori here or jump into one of her great classes on the schedule:

 

SCHEDULE

Six tips to weight loss success

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Ask any personal trainer or group fitness coach what their clients’ most common goals are – and weight loss will generally be one of the major objectives.

The underlying reasons to lose weight are as varied as the people you’ll see at the gym.

They either need to reduce visceral fat surrounding vital organs, minimise the risk of heart disease and diabetes, improve their overall health, move better, feel more energetic, improve their confidence, or fit into that new (or old) pair of jeans.

Successful weight loss is clearly the result of following a controlled and well designed nutrition and exercise plan.

But what underpins that success is having the right mindset.

After running the popular Movement HQ Weight Loss Challenge, personal trainer Leo Nannetti shares his tips on setting the right mindset to lose weight successfully – and for keeping that weight off over the longer term.

1. Work out what lifestyle habits are holding you back and think about possible solutions

2. Make a mental shift from “I have to lose weight” to “I am in the process of losing weight and transforming my life“

3. Create a vision – what’s your Why? Why do you need to lose weight? How will your weight loss enhance your life? Will it help with career progression? Or help you find your soulmate? Or give you more energy for your kids or your relationships? Or more belief in yourself to achieve other things?

4. Work on it daily. Wake up every morning looking forward to another opportunity to work towards your vision. Don’t let a day go by where you don’t take another step closer to that vision, even if it’s as simple as a 30 minute walk or making some changes to your diet

5. Design your environment for success. If you have junk food at home, get rid of it and replace it with fruits, protein bars and healthier alternatives. If you’re prone to late afternoon snacking on sugary foods, have an alternative ready to make the change easier

6. Enjoy the process, and celebrate the wins. When you hit milestones reward yourself with something that contributes to your success. Don’t reward yourself with a “cheat meal”, reward yourself with the best fresh whole food meal money can buy. Treat yourself like you care about yourself.

The journey to successful long term weight loss is more straight forward for some people than for others.

The Movement HQ Weight Loss Challenge has been set up to provide the information, support and motivation you need to stay on track and get results:

🔹 Guidance on your NUTRITION & EXERCISE STRATEGY
🔹 Body composition scans to TRACK PROGRESS & set your TRAINING PLAN
🔹 Sample meal plan to get INGREDIENTS and PORTIONS RIGHT
🔹 Personalised CALORIE & PROTEIN TARGETS for training and recovery
🔹 Facebook SUPPORT GROUP to motivate you
🔹 WEEKLY TARGETS to make you accountable
🔹 Weekly live Q&A.

You also get access to Leo our Weight Loss Specialist who’ll be there to guide and inspire you – and help you keep the right mindset – all the way.

More about the Movement HQ Weight Loss Challenge here

 

Exercise and nutrition during perimenopause and beyond

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By Emily Bennet, Womens’ Health and Fitness Coach, EM POWER PT, Movement HQ.

 

Are you in your 40s and experiencing symptoms you didn’t expect to see until your 50s like hot flashes, sleep problems, mood swings and crazy heavy periods – and wondering is this menopause already?

Whilst menopause may still be a decade away, the lead up to that period can give rise to many physical and emotional challenges. Our Womens’ Health and Fitness Coach Emily Bennet shares some strategies to help you through this stage of your life.


The phases of a woman’s life: peri-menopause, menopause & post-menopause

Peri-menopause is the two to 12 years before menopause. It means “around menopause” and refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years. Women start perimenopause at different ages, as early as their 30s. This is a time where your “oestrogen is on a roller-coaster” and where women typically experience many menopausal symptoms, but can still have their period and can still get pregnant.

Menopause is the life phase that begins 12 months after your last menstrual period, and marks the end of menstrual cycles. Menopause can happen in your 40s or 50s.

Post-menopause is when women typically see their menopausal symptoms settle down, like hot flashes, but can also present additional health concerns, such as osteoporosis and heart disease, due to the decreased production of oestrogen in the body. You should expect to be healthy and symptom free in postmenopause.

Not every woman will experience perimenopause and menopause in the same way; it is a deeply individual experience.


The symptoms of perimenopause

If you have three of the following, it is likely that you are in perimenopause:

  • new onset of heavy/longer period
  • shorter menstrual cycles (<25 days)
  • new sore, swollen, or lumpy breasts
  • new mid-sleep waking
  • increased menstrual cramps
  • onset of night sweats
  • new or increased migraine headaches
  • new or increased premenstrual mood swings
  • weight gain without a change in exercise or eating.

How to adjust your lifestyle to help manage symptoms 

If you do have three or more of the above symptoms, then it’s time to take a step back and re-evaluate your daily routine.

Some things to consider:

Be prepared to adapt your training! Symptoms can fluctuate on a daily basis: you might feel fantastic one day and completely depleted the next. It’s not only very frustrating, but also very hard to plan for. We need to accept that these changes are going to happen – and talk to your coach or personal trainer so we can help you alter your workout to suit your needs. This can look something like doing a mobility/flexibility session or a light strength training session focusing on technique, instead of a scheduled HIIT session – being adaptable is paramount!

Focus on regular exercise & good nutrition – you might feel out of control of your body during this time of your life so it is important to focus on what you can control, such as exercise, eating habits & stress management. The goal of exercise and nutrition is to help you feel and perform your best during this stage of life, as well as help maintain bone, muscle & joint health. Eating less and working out more as we age just doesn’t work!

Find a self calming skill to practice – rather than adding in more cardio, try an activity such as yoga, meditation, breathing or mindfulness which are helpful to alleviate vasomotor related menopausal symptoms (such as hot flashes, night sweats, heart palpitations and changes in blood pressure). It allows you to check in with yourself and help decrease your stress levels.

Reduce or avoid alcohol – alcohol can worsen menopausal symptoms by affecting the vasomotor regulation that leads to hot flashes.

Engage in a creative outlet – take part in an activity that fosters a sense of creativity outside of training, work & family. This helps take the focus away from your body and access a part of yourself that may not get a lot of attention. This may look like activities such as writing, playing music, drawing, sculpting and dancing. Consistency with exercise and nutrition can feel like hard work during this time, so this can help you feel a sense of accomplishment!

Stay connected with friends, family and community – this can feel like an isolating time, where women want to draw inwards and may feel shame or embarrassment at the idea of getting older. Reach out to friends and family for support during a difficult time, as human connection can help improve quality of life.

If you have improved your lifestyle and symptoms haven’t improved, you may want to discuss some other options with your doctor such as HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy).

This is a complex medical decision that is dependent on age, symptoms and risk factors.

Building lean muscle is key during menopause & beyond!

There are several reasons why building lean muscle is a benefit to your body.

By doing regular weight bearing activities you can help to reduce age related changes such as joint, bone and muscle deterioration, and counteract weight gain.

The amount of muscle mass we have also affects our basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is the amount of calories you burn at rest i.e. liver & brain function, breathing, digestion etc.

Our BMR starts to decrease by around 2% each decade, starting around the age of 25, mostly due to loss of mass (typically muscle mass).

Therefore, in order to maintain a higher BMR, building lean muscle mass is key.

Simply stated: Fat is metabolically inactive, muscle is metabolically active. So aim to stay as active as possible and hold onto as much muscle as you can!


Does menopause cause weight gain?

Body fat and weight gain tends to increase due to natural age related hormonal changes, a loss of muscle mass, & lower overall activity level as one ages.

It is ageing rather than the loss of oestrogen throughout menopause is the underlying cause of weight gain.

Remember that shifts in body shape and body fat percentage with age are completely normal!

Whatever stage of life you’re in, try to be open and gentle with yourself because things aren’t necessarily in your control, but you can manage them effectively.

If you are currently experiencing any of these symptoms and you are looking for more of a personalised approach to your training and nutrition, please reach out to me!


About Emily Bennet

Emily’s mission is to educate women on the benefits of strength training that go beyond aesthetics. She’s also qualified to safely serve mums of all ages, from pregnancy to post-natal and beyond. Her approach is to inspire women to embrace their training and explore the incredible things their bodies can do. “Coaching women is not a one-size fits all approach. We’re unique individuals at different stages of our lives. Whether your goal is to get that first pull-up, deadlift twice your bodyweight, or just feel confident in your own skin, I’ll be there to guide you every step of the way!” Emily is a GGS-1 (Girls Gone Strong) certified coach, Safe Return to Exercise pre and post natal certified, and specialises in women’s strength training and  pregnancy and postnatal training for mums of all ages. She comes from a background of competitive swimming and CrossFit coaching.

💻 www.theempowerpt.com.au 📲  0478 001 105

Have a chat or book a session with Emily here

 

Four reasons to include handstands in your training

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Shortly before his 30th birthday, Danny O’Sullivan came across a handstand class and gave it a go.

He found it highlighted some major discrepancies in his body and showed him movements he was restricted in.

It was more than just a party trick.  Handstand training became something that gave him structure, purpose and changed his life for the better.

Several years on, you’ll find Danny balancing on one or two hands on Sydney clifftops, on our blue floor, and teaching and inspiring his clients at Movement HQ to do the same.

According to Danny, here is why you need to include handstands in your training.


Strengthens the whole body

The more common benefits of handstands are that they help us to develop upper body strength, core and back strength, as well as strengthen the shoulders, elbows and wrists.

Not to mention handstand training also helps strengthen the legs.


Enhances our emotional and mental wellbeing

Although it is often underrated, the ability to maintain an inverted position against a wall can have a powerful effect on our bodies and minds.

It can help you be more relaxed, carefree and positive. It can give you confidence and strength, improve your mood and mental discipline. You might even find that spending time upside down helps you improve your focus and cognitive function or just helps you feel more connected with yourself in the present moment!

Here are some of the ways in which handstands can benefit us emotionally and mentally:

  • We become more confident because we know that we are capable of doing things we used to believe were impossible
  • We get a feeling of freedom as well as self expression as we learn how to overcome our fears and push past our limits both physically and mentally
  • We increase our mental strength by learning how to deal with different kinds of pressure (the pressure coming from pushing against the wall) in order to find balance in an upside down position
  • We experience greater discipline within ourselves because we learn how to practice handstands regularly without giving up at first sight of difficulty or failure which is something most people struggle with when trying new things
  • We become more focused on what’s happening right now instead of worrying about things outside our control (like work deadlines). This is something that happens naturally when practicing handstands because they require concentration while holding them, so there isn’t much room left for thinking about anything else during that time.

Relaxes our mind

Some people like going out for a night on the town, some prefer curling up on the couch with a good book and tea, and some find their relaxation balancing on their hands.

It’s true: handstands are relaxing! No matter how much time you have to dedicate to handstand practice, you can take the time to focus your attention on something totally different from what you do all day. When you’re concentrating that hard, it’s harder (or impossible) to think about whatever else is stressing you out at that moment.

Plus regular handstand practice will help you to feel good about yourself when your handstand gets better or when you learn new variations of it.

 

A complete workout, whilst you chill out

Handstand training gives you a great workout, and it’s not just because you’re using your whole body at once. It builds strength, endurance, balance, confidence and flexibility—in a way that feels like fun. We’ve all been kids before. If you don’t believe me, try it out for yourself!

Handstands are also an excellent way to relieve stress. When you’re upside down, your blood is circulating differently than usual. This change in circulation helps improve your mood and creates a more relaxed state of mind.

It’s more difficult to be stressed out when you’re standing upside down on your hands!

 

Who is handstand training for?

According to Danny “Everyone should be doing it. In terms of the frequency, it would depend on the person’s training age, their ability to recover, their wrist strength and capacity their joints can withstand”.

Danny is always keen to chat about handstand training.

You can reach out to him between client sessions on the gym floor, by email, or jump into one of his classes here at Movement HQ to experience the fun for yourself.

Related article:
FIVE REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO DO UNCONVENTIONAL TRAINING


By Movement HQ Co-Founder Mark Glanville

READ HERE

ABOUT DANNY O’SULLIVAN

From an early age, Danny played soccer, tennis, Gaelic football, hurling and did swimming. “It was from playing these sports and being unfortunate in the number of injuries I got, that makes me the coach I am today.” Danny’s been coaching sports teams since he was 16, has attended gyms since he was 19 and he’s been a certified Personal Trainer for over 11 years. Danny is passionate about educating people on mobility training to improve their movement patterns and build strength in greater ranges of motion. He believes that everyone deserves happiness, and it’s not OK to spend our days with chronic pain or in fear of movements.

[email protected]

Physical preparation for childbirth

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The miracle of childbirth. One of the most natural and incredible events that can occur in our lifetime. Yet so complex, with the potential for women to experience many different outcomes.

Pelvic Health Physio Jenni Davies and Personal Trainer Emily Bennet share their experience on pre and post natal anatomy and exercise to help pregnant ladies before the big day (and nights) arrive.

 

1. Have a birth plan covering all scenarios

Jenni: As much as we’d love everything to go perfectly when we give birth, the honest reality is that it often doesn’t. The more informed women are pre-natally, the more empowered they are to make decisions they’re comfortable with.

This keeps a sense of being in control and in good health through all stages and possible outcomes pre-natally, during delivery and post-natally.

Women who are well informed and feel like they’ve been an active participant in their birthing process are the least affected by any negative outcomes post-natally. And women who have very definite ideas about how their birth is going to go who have not considered any alternatives, tend to really struggle post-natally.

It’s important to get good support and relevant information to help prepare you, and not frighten you.

Women deserve to be empowered, even if it means finding out the uncomfortable reality of giving birth before they do actually go through the process. I’ve seen too many women devastated after birth once they have issues who are so angry they weren’t told what could happen beforehand, so that they could have made better decisions.

 

 

2. Reduce the discomfort of some common pregnancy aches and pains

Jenni: Pelvic girdle pain is common. This is felt either in the back around the sacroiliac joints or at the front in the pubic symphysis.

Also many women experience lower back pain, aching through the hips and abdominal/round ligament discomfort or pain. The less common aches and pains come from variscosities occurring in the labia.

Overcoming these pains is a really individual thing for each woman but a global rule of thumb would be to:

a. Try to weight bear symmetrically (ie 50:50 between each leg) when standing and lifting, but also sitting symmetrically, so avoid sitting with both legs to the side, or with one tucked underneath you.

b. Keep active and stretch regularly

c. Seek help from a pelvic physio if pains are not settling, or are starting to limit activity or interfere with sleep and usual daily routines.

 

3. Get assessed and focus on your pelvic floor

Jenni: Ideally we’d see all women at approximately 20 weeks during pregnancy to check their pelvic floor and discuss any concerns they have. We also go through birthing options and positions with them at that time. These are things your doctor generally wouldn’t cover with you.

Being able to fully relax the pelvic floor muscles is really important for birthing. This is particularly relevant for women who have a history of painful sex, endometriosis, pelvic pain or tightness in their pelvic floor muscles (vaginismus).

The final stand out recommendation is performing a pelvic floor program during pregnancy. This decreases the risk of urinary incontinence post-natally (statistics show that 1 in 3 women leak post-partum).

 

4. Keep an open mind about delivery

Jenni: Don’t have any expectations. Keep an open mind and be aware of all your options so you can make an informed decision and make sure your birthing partner knows what your wishes are so that they can advocate for you in the moment if needed.

Discuss any concerns you have with your Obstetrician/Midwife during your pre-natal checks.

 

5. Make sure you exercise – safely – during pregnancy

Jenni: Starting or maintaining a general exercise program is important and decreases the risk of interventions including caesarian sections, reduces the risk of high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. This in turn decreases the risk of post-partum issues for mum.

Emily: Strength training & cardio during pregnancy is both safe and incredibly beneficial, regardless of your experience level with it. That means even absolute beginners can get started with training during pregnancy!

There are just a handful of activities and exercises pregnant women should avoid completely, and some specific symptoms to watch out for while you train.

Whilst you’re pregnant it’s best to avoid any exercises that are a high risk for the mother or baby (eg contact sports, a high risk of falling, activities done in high temperatures), prolonged exercises on your back in the later stages of pregnancy, exercises that aggravate existing pain, exercises that cause you to use the valsalva maneuver & exercises performed at such a high intensity that you can’t speak comfortably.

If any particular exercise causes pain or discomfort, leaking, or sensations where you feel like your belly bulges out, or bulging/heaviness in the perineum, you should stop and either modify or avoid these exercises.

The best thing is to tune in to what your body is telling you, and if you’re getting hints that your body needs to back off, do so.

If you don’t experience any of the sensations mentioned above and with guidance of a trainer, you can keep going.

The bottom line is that as long as your doctor or pelvic floor physio says you can exercise, you can go ahead and exercise! Of course, you may need to modify some exercises, especially later on in pregnancy which is why it is important to work with a pre & postnatal qualified coach.

If you’re just getting started with training during pregnancy, my advice is to ease yourself into it.

Start slow and gradually build yourself up. I recommend using the perceived effort scale which is a way to measure how intensely you’re working based on how you feel.

Start at a 3-4/10 intensity and as you get more practice you can build to a 5-6/10. I don’t recommend going above an 8.5/10 intensity when you are training whilst pregnant (so this rules out HIIT training).

Every woman’s pregnancy experience is unique – your body is performing an incredible feat in pregnancy! Keep the focus of your exercise routine on helping your body feel comfortable and supported, right now and for the long term.

Exercising during pregnancy has a ton of benefits, and we believe it is important to work with a qualified pre-natal coach so you have a safe, healthy & strong pregnancy & postpartum experience.

 

Try the Movement HQ Pre and Post Natal Program

 

5 reasons to do Unconventional Training

Written by

By Mark Glanville, Co-Founder, Movement HQ, Personal Trainer for 21 years.

 

Let’s chat about my favourite form of training.

Unconventional training is everything other than the usual Dumbbell, Barbell and isolated machine work (conventional training methods). 

Unconventional training can consist of so many forms. Think Animal Flow, Rings and Stallbars and Functional Mobility style training.

It can also use so many different types of equipment like Kettlebells, Suspension Trainers, Gymnastics Rings, bodyweight, Vipr, Battle Ropes, Mace Bells and Indian Clubs just to name a few.

Why do it?

The benefits of changing it up to this style of training are endless.

Just a few would be….

1  Increased instability in training like when using a suspension trainer or rings forces your body to work much harder to stabilise. This utilises more of the deeper muscle groups and core. That in turn increases the metabolic demand by adding higher stresses to the nervous system

2. This really can take the boredom and monotony out of training by giving you much more freedom to be creative. It will also test your body’s functional limits

3. Increased mobility is a result of moving the body through space (rather than just moving a weight through space) that can be much more challenging than conventional lifting and challenges multiple muscle groups if not the entire body all at once. Changing movement patterns and ranges increases stresses on the body forcing it to adapt to variations obtaining real world strength and resilience

4. Unconventional Training has the ability to call on both anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. This takes away the need to jump on the old treadmill every session to achieve that cardiovascular burn

5. A well programmed Unconventional Training circuit can/will also be ultra time efficient. You’ll have more time to do life and not feel obligated to spend hours of time at the gym.

How to master Unconventional Training

It would be so easy to read this, get pumped and start YouTubing the most outrageous and crazy exercises. If you’re a beginner this could increase the risk of injuries which may just turn you off exploring this training style any further. 

So please hear me when I say I believe that Unconventional Training needs appropriate coaching.

Please don’t rely on video tutorials. Come and try a bodyweight, rings and stall bars, kettlebell or animal flow class.

Or talk to myself or one of our awesome coaches about a program or personal training sessions focused on some unconventional routines.

Now before I go, I need you to understand that this is in no way piling crap on ‘Conventional’ strength or cardiovascular training because it absolutely has its place.

I am merely trying to highlight the benefits of changing it up and stepping away from the norm. 

Trust me when I say that throwing some kettlebells around and implementing some primal movement along with some of the other examples I have mentioned into your training schedule will have you feeling ‘unreal’.

It may also help you find a new motivation and allow some creativity and new achievements to take place.

Now go get ya monkey on!

 

Related article:
Handstand Training

Find out from Movement HQ Personal Trainer Danny O’Sullivan why you need to include handstands in your training schedule.

READ HERE

About Mark Glanville

Mark is co-founder of Movement HQ and has been training and coaching since 2001. Mark specialises in three dimensional and functional movement, rehab, active aging, pre and post natal and athletic development. Mark’s aim is to motivate and educate people to become stronger, more athletic and increase general movement and function.

He set up this beautiful facility to coach and educate people on the importance of adapting a multi disciplinary and multi dimensional approach to movement. Mark says “for me helping people understand the ultimate balance and importance of movement, regeneration and nutrition is really important”.

[email protected]

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