Dynamic back stretches and spinal mobilisations

medicine ball exercises (playlist)

New playlist added to our #youtube channel...some of our favourite #medicine #ball #exercises...visit us at nrgizetv

With the paralympics now finished; lets look back at some inspirational stories...

I'm fitter than most able-bodied women says Sophia Warner | Express Yourself | Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express

lower back pain rehabilitation exercises (playlist)

Obstacle race strength training circuit

Prior to starting any training, it is recommended you have a medical examination to ensure it is safe for you to do so.

Any training program needs to be specific to the individual and event and you need time to develop, build and enhance fitness levels so we advise a minimum of 12 weeks to give the best available progression.

• Build you up to a level of fitness; introduction to training methods and core skills (3 weeks)

• Test, recovery and adjustment of the training program (1 week)

• Build you up to higher level of fitness; more specific and functional (3 weeks)

• Test, recovery and adjustment of the training program (1 week)

• Build you up to an even higher level of fitness; enhancing specific attributes (3 weeks)

You need to set SMART goals and the best way to start is to do a fitness test before you commence your training program so that you can accurately measure progress. It can be a simple like completing a circuit testing all components of fitness you need for the race for 1 minute each exercise/to fatigue and recording your score to measure against next time.

Beginner Core, Balance & Strength Circuit

The best way to do this is to set a time for each exercise to be performed in such as 30s-60s depending upon your current fitness level. Do each exercise for the allotted time one after the other with no/15s rest. At the end of the 10 exercises have a 60s rest and you can repeat up to 3 times depending upon your fitness level.

For instructions/pictures on how to perform visit our website.

Exercise	Weeks 1-3	Weeks 4-6	Weeks 7-9	Weeks 10-12
1	½ Press Up	Full Press Up	T Press Up	Plyo Press Up
2	½ Jacks	Jumping Jacks	½ Star Jumps	Star Jumps
3	Sit Ups	Supine Leg Raises	½ Snap Ups	Full Snap Ups
4	Squats	½ Jump Squats	Deep Jump Squats	Tuck Jumps
5	Back Extensions	Prone Leg Raises	Opposite Arm & Leg raises	Prone Skydiver Snaps
6	Prone Sprints	Squat Thrusts	Squat Thrust Stand Up	Squat Thrust Jump Up
7	Bench Tricep Dips	Chair Tricep Dips	Feet Up Tricep Dips	1 Leg/Stability Ball Tricep Dips
8	Moving Lunge	Stance Switches	½ Split Jumps	Full Split Jumps
9	Table/Fence Chins	Bodyweight Chins	Towel Low Chins	Bodweight Towel Chins
10	Jog on Spot	Heel Flick	Knee Lifts	Rope climbs

Remember to finish with static stretches held for at least 20s each to stretch all areas worked and maintain flexibility. For more information visit our website.

Obstacle Course Training Program - Beginner 10K

Prior to starting any training, it is recommended you have a medical examination to ensure it is safe for you to do so.

Any training program needs to be specific to the individual and event and you need time to develop, build and enhance fitness levels so we advise a minimum of 12 weeks to give the best available progression.

• Build you up to a level of fitness; introduction to training methods and core skills (3 weeks)

• Test, recovery and adjustment of the training program (1 week)

• Build you up to higher level of fitness; more specific and functional (3 weeks)

• Test, recovery and adjustment of the training program (1 week)

• Build you up to an even higher level of fitness; enhancing specific attributes (3 weeks)

You need to set SMART goals and the best way to start is to do a fitness test before you commence your training program so that you can accurately measure progress. It can be a simple like a 12 minute cooper test run, more complicated like a specific 5K predictor test or quite specific; designed to test components you need to complete in an adventure race such as upper body strength, cardiovascular endurance and balance.

Beginner 10k

You should be able to run for at least for 30 minutes and have experienced 3 months of consistent running before you can train for a 10K.

The run program is based on distance.

For core and strength exercises see our obstacle race circuit training program.

Remember to include stretching in your sessions; dynamic before your strength session and static after every session (see our guide to stretching for inspiration).

You can change your days around to suit your schedule...Listen to your body--if it is telling you something is hurting, don't be afraid to take a day or two off (or more if you need it!).

	Mon	Tues		Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
Week 1	Run Test Session	off		4.5km run Balance	Strength & Core Test	off	6km run	off
Week 2	5km run Core	off		4.5km run / Water running Balance	Strength	off	6.5km run	off
Week 3	5km run (hills) Core	off		4.5km run Balance	Strength	off	7km run	off
Week 4	5.5km run Core	off		4.5km run / Water running Balance	Strength	off	7.5km run	off
Week 5	Run Test Session	off		5km run Balance	Strength & Core Test	off	8km run	off
Week 6	5.5km run Core	off		5km run / Water running Balance	Strength	off	8.5km run	off
Week 7	5.5km run (fartlek) Core	off		5km run Balance	Strength	off	9km run	off
Week 8	5.5km run Core	off		5km run / Water running Balance	Strength	off	9.5km run	off
Week 9	Run Test Session	off	5.5km run Balance		Strength & Core Test	off	10km run	off
Week 10	5.5km run Core	off	5.5km run / Water running Balance		Strength	off	10.5km run	off
Week 11	5.5km run (intervals) Core	off	5.5km run Balance		Strength	off	8km run	off
Week 12	5km run	off	Easy Strength		4km run	off	10K Race	off

How to do Prone Sprints

How to do a Lunge

For all those that are unsure please try watching this...we hope it helps!

Pointy elbows empower office staff!

Intrigued?...read on...

In the current economic climate, with many companies freezing pay and stopping away
days, many offices have a highly stressed, claustrophobic and even depressed
atmosphere. This can lead to employee lethargy, tension, illness and overall poor
productivity. So are companies shooting themselves in their foot for not rewarding
their staff? Are there economical ways to reduce stress, boost employee morale
and thus improve office productivity?....YES.

Picture this;
It's late on a Friday afternoon. Your whole department has been under intense
pressure to wrap up that enormous project you've been working on for months. Nerves
are frayed. Happy hour is looming. No one can think about anything but escape. Then
bang on 4 p.m., in walks a healthy-looking individual toting a strange, padded
contraption that they proceed to unfold over in one corner of the room. This is the
"corporate massage" that your boss promised.

One brave soul offers to go first, and the rest of you watch while he sits down — fully
clothed — at the device, which supports his elbows, chest, and head. As he leans
forward and relaxes, you can feel the pressure on your own limbs start to dissipate,
too. The massage therapist begins with some strong kneading of the shoulders and
upper back.

"Ahh, this is great!" roars your co-worker through the circular face rest. Quietly, but
quickly, people start to drift over to that side of the room, and soon a line begins to
form. One after another, everyone is treated to ten minutes of much-needed relief, and
a funny thing starts to happen. There is no longer a mad rush to escape the office. As
newly relaxed colleagues stand around chatting, the ideas begin to flow again, and a
few great new concepts that will make this project even better appear on the horizon.
Yes, scenarios like this one can actually occur.

Never a dull moment!

Where do we start...after being on the go all Saturday at the x-runner obstacle course; we eased ourselves in gently with an emergency first aid refresher course on Monday.

This week we have done our 4 weekly body composition and fitness tests on our clients, followed up progress on knee surgery for a client; treated clients for inflamed cartilage, sore facet joints, nerve pain and chronic back pain.  We have also uploaded a new exercise video; how to do a press up to our you tube channel...oh and written this post!

No events this weekend so a chance to chill out with a walk in the Derbyshire Dales.
Never a dull moment here at nrgize.

5K obstacle course training program

The guys at x-runner asked us to develop a training program for their entrants; here's the first instalment...

Prior to starting any training, it is recommended you have a medical examination to ensure it is safe for you to do so. Any training program needs to be specific to the individual and event and you need time to develop, build and enhance fitness levels so we advise a minimum of 12 weeks to give the best available progression.

Building you up to a moderate level of fitness; introduction to training methods and core skills (3 weeks)

Test, recovery and adjustment of the training program (1 week) Building you up to higher level of fitness; more specific and functional (3 weeks) Test, recovery and adjustment of the training program (1 week) Building you up to an even higher level of fitness; enhancing specific attributes (3 weeks)

You need to set SMART goals and the best way to start is to do a fitness test before you commence your training program so that you can accurately measure progress. It can be a simple like a 12 minute cooper test run, more complicated like a specific 5K predictor test or quite specific; designed to test components you will need to compete in an adventure race such as upper body strength, cardiovascular endurance and balance.

Beginner 5k

The first eight weeks of the run program are based on time. The time suggested should be spent exercising, which at this stage can mean walking and running. The last four weeks of the run program are based on distance. At this point in the program you should be able to run pretty much the entire distance without any walking.

For core and strength exercises see our obstacle race circuit training program. Remember to include stretching in your sessions; dynamic before your strength session and static after every session (see our guide to stretching for inspiration). Many athletes will progress faster than this program is set up for, which is fine.