Why We Love A Bit of Core

 

• The Transversus Abdominus (TVA), so called for the direction of its fibres, is the innermost/deepest of the major abdominal muscles.

• TVA contracts to increase intra-abdominal pressure providing both pelvic and hip stability.

• A well conditioned TVA helps to support all the vital organs within the abdomen. 

• It is without doubt the major stabiliser of the lower back.

• Poor diet and faulty posture can easily inhibit the abdominal muscles, in particular the TVA – leading to insufficient co-ordination & strength which commonly results in back injury. 

• This is why at All About You, we continuously ask you to 'draw your belly button in' and take the time to ensure all of our clients perform Transversus Abdominus exercises correctly.

For more information on our training programmes guaranteed to give you fantastic abs for your summer holiday, Contact Us at the studio.

Meal Time Monday's - Kedgeree

Kedgeree    - (Serves 2)

If you want something a little different at breakfast time - or for a brunch - this healthy kedgeree recipe is a must. 

Benj, our nutritional expert at the studio is a big fan of this dish and uses it in his detoxification programme. Even if you aren't usually a fish lover the delicate mixture of flavours will have you coming back to this recipe again and again. You could also try this recipe with oily fish like salmon or tuna, with a little more curry powder to spice things up. 

Here’s how you make it:

Ingredients:

·         3 or 4 cups Organic Brown rice

·         2 large smoked Haddock fillets

·         3 large boiled eggs

·         1/2 a red onion

·         3 handfuls of spinach

·         4 spring onions

·         1 Red chilli

·         1 Handful chopped parsley

·         1 Cup of garden peas

·         10-12 Black or green olives

·         1 tablespoon of turmeric

·         1 teaspoon of cumin

·         1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds

·         3 tablespoons of olive oil

·         2 cloves of garlic

How to make it:      

                                                        

Start by setting the rice up in a pan to simmer as this will take the longest to cook. Add as much water as required to cover the rice and include the turmeric in doing so. This will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to cook or until the husk of the rice has opened. Taste to check.

In the meantime start to prepare the vegetables and spices. Slice the red onion, spring onion, garlic, chilli and roughly chop the parsley.

The cumin and coriander seeds can be ground with a pestle and mortar until fine.

For the haddock, place some foil in a baking tray and place the haddock fillets on top. Season the Haddock, adding a splash of milk or water, just for moisture. This will take only 10 – 12 minutes to cook on a medium/high heat (160 c).

Next using a wok or large pan, sweat off the onions, spinach, garlic and chilli, in a little olive oil. Add in the ground spices and leave the pan to the side. This is the perfect time to boil the eggs. They should take about 3-4 minutes. 

Now the rice should be done, you can drain or the water and add the beautifully yellow rice to the pan with the onions etc. adding the peas which will only need heating through. The eggs will need to be peeled and crushed and also added to the mixture.

To finish the dish finally add the haddock which you have pre-flaked and finish with parsley. Stir the Kedgeree through and serve.

Enjoy! If you have any feedback on our recipes then please contact us at the studio.

Why Pilates is the best exercise for pregnant women.

For many women the thought of exercising during pregnancy can cause confusion; should we continue with what we were doing? Is it too much impact on my body? What if I haven’t done any exercise before?

Can I lie on my back? Is it safe...? These are just a few examples of the many questions fitness professionals are asked by their clients when they become pregnant. In short the answer to this question is yes, you can exercise during pregnancy as long as you stick to some basic guidelines;

1) Do not exhaust yourself
2) Keep the body temperature and heart rate under control
3) Keep hydrated
4) Do not lay on your back after 16 weeks
5) No contact Sport or activities that can risk falling over.
6) Make sure you get the advice of a qualified professional.

I have found over the years that the most effective exercise for pregnant women is Pilates. Pilates is a style of exercise developed by its founder, Joseph Pilates, and focuses on building core strength and improving posture through a series of low repetition low impact and conditioning exercises.  

So why is Pilates so good for pregnant women? As previously stated Pilates is focused on building core strength and maintaining correct posture; during pregnancy the enlarged abdominal area shifts the load point on the body which can result in back pain, weak abdominal muscles, poor balance and poor spatial awareness.

The Pilates method can counter all of these issues by allowing a pregnant woman to build strength in her deep abdominal muscles and lower back which allows the body to cope with the extra load. Maintain posture by strengthening weak muscles, stretching tight muscles and developing a greater overall awareness of the body; which in turn will improve balance, co-ordination and spatial awareness.

Tiredness and fatigue is a common complaint during pregnancy, which is why it is so vital to keep fit and healthy throughout the gestation period to help combat the extra effort that is needed to carry an unborn child around whilst continuing daily life.

Pilates offers a low impact, non exhaustive way of building strength for the whole body. It also involves a lot of guidance with breathing control that can actually help a pregnant women relax and sleep better.

In fact the guidance given on breathing control can actually benefit a pregnant woman whilst in labour. Pregnant women can suffer with swollen ankles, cramps and varicose veins.

The Pilates method includes many dynamic exercises that not only move limbs, but also stretch tight muscles improving circulation of blood around the body, which can help prevent the for mentioned ailments becoming a problem. After 16 weeks it is recommended that women do not exercise flat on their backs; this position may put pressure on the vena cava, which in turn reduces blood to your heart and possibly your brain causing dizziness and nausea.

The Pilates method uses a variety of floor-work and reformer techniques that can safely work your core muscles and whole body without having to lie on your back. One of the greatest benefits of exercising whilst pregnant that is especially relevant to those participating in regular Pilates, is that recovery post pregnancy can come much easier if your core muscles have already been conditioned.

It will also help with problems such as mild incontinence that can be an embarrassing issue to women post pregnancy as they will have greater control over their body.

What do we offer at All About You?
At All About You we have a team of highly qualified Pilates Instructors who can take you for Personal Pilates sessions; tailoring a programme that is suited for your stage of pregnancy, and guide you through safe effective exercise sessions. Post natal our instructors can either resume working 1 on 1 with you or guide you into semi-private or floor work sessions that are regularly held at our studio.

 Whichever form of Pilates you wish to participate in an All About You, we guarantee you will not be disappointed and experience the benefits that Pilates can offer.

If you would like more information on Pilates at All About You please contact us via email: enquiries@aayou.co.uk, call us on 020 8348 9706 or call in the studio in Broadbent Close, Highgate.

It’s Marathon time!

This Sunday over 30,000 people will be taking to the streets of London to complete the ultimate test of endurance, The London Marathon.

For the runners reading this it may excite you, it may bring on feelings of jealousy for not being involved, it might ignite a new desire in some fun runners to dig out the old running shoes and go for it next year...


And for those who aren’t runners you sit and ask yourself WHY??!!

Why would anyone chose to put them self through it?

Why would anyone knowingly inflict that much pain on them self?

Why would you train all through the horrible winter months for it?

And why oh why would some of them do it over and over again?

Everyone has their own unique reasons for doing this. For me I just wanted to say that I’ve run a marathon! Although it was an amazing experience which I am so pleased I did, after ending up with four hairline fractures in my femur I think it will remain my one and only marathon!

So why do people chose to do the Marathon?

A lot of runners will tell you that they literally become addicted to exercise. The pursuit of the “runners high” is mocked by some non believers, but craved by those who do reach those euphoric moments whilst pounding the pavements.

Some say they’re just running away from all of their problems! As a business owner and a pretty stressed one in the last few years I know that nothing quite matches the stress relief and calming benefits of a long run.

The solitude of the marathon run and the training that precedes it is an amazing experience. In the hectic hustle and bustle of life in London it’s amazing to experience 20 minutes without disruption from our mobile phones, emails or work colleagues, let alone a 4 hour stint without being disturbed! Amazing!

Some won’t think this way and I’m sure there’ll be one or two status updates en route on Sunday something along the lines of

“Johnny’s blisters have burst on Tower Bridge!”


In my opinion I think everyone should run a marathon in their lifetime. Whether you’re pushing for a two hour record breaking time or an 8 hour trek the experience is amazing and in my opinion running a marathon teaches you how to get through life...

The Marathon and The Journey of Life
Someone holds your hand through your first steps

You start with no fear

You have a few set backs

You fall down and have to get yourself back up on a few occasions.

You learn from your mistakes

You change one or two things along the way to make it easier.

You have the occasional breakdown.

You try out a few running partners along the way ;-)

Some you need to run away from but hopefully one stays with you til the finish line.

You have amazing highs and unbelievable lows.

You look amazing at your peak and a shadow of your former self at the end!

You bring some new little runners into the world!

There’s a danger that you may soil yourself at some point along the way!

You’re going to hurt

You’re going to cry

And in the end you’re going to look back and realise that you’ve achieved something amazing.

You didn’t stand back and watch someone else’s race, you got out there and ran your own amazing race, you made your mark put yourself out there for others to look up to.

So good luck to Lorraine, Geoffrey, Tom, Benj and Nick from All About You I hope you all have an amazing experience!

The Countdown

I’m away from the studio in Highgate this week and spending some time down on the south coast being inspired! Its now only 100 days until London 2012 kicks off and I’m in Portland at the base for GB Sailing seeing what our Olympic hopefuls are up to.

It’s been an incredible experience seeing the development of the site down here and also witnessing first hand the planning that has gone in to the pursuit of gold medals.

I believe that my business delivers a really good service. I have a great team of trainers and therapists, our assessment process is very thorough and our programming addresses the unique demands of each of our clients.

However, spending a week with a good friend of mine who is the Strength and Conditioning coach to GB Sailing puts things into a completely different perspective. The programmes he has created have been written four years in advance!

They are all broken down into weekly sections to finely tune these athletes and all programmes are compiled jointly with the physiologist, the strength and conditioning coach, the physiotherapist, the nutritionist and the lifestyle advisor and constantly monitored in order to find that extra something that can make all the difference.

A survey out today states that half of Londoners are not excited about the games. All I can say to that is they should spend a few days down here in Portland and I promise they wouldn’t fail to be inspired by the facilities, the athletes, the support staff and the potential for amazing success this summer.

Led by triple gold medal-winner Ben Ainslie CBE, Team GB has topped the Sailing medals table at the last three Olympic Games they medalled in 6 out of the 11 sailing events in Beijing 2008 and have high hopes of going even better on home waters. The motto for 2012 is “Inspire a generation” and with 100 days still to go I have absolutely no doubt that The Olympic games in London will do exactly that.

The Art Of Chillaxing..

Meditation and the art of “chillaxing”

If you struggle to deal with Monday morning’s or Tuesday and Wednesday morning’s even then perhaps you need to learn how to switch off a bit more. Our meditation and relaxation specialist Simon Paul Frost from www.mymeditation.co.uk is holding a meditation workshop at the studio in Highgate next Wednesday 25th April and in this article he explains why we need to learn to chillax...


Ask most people if they meditate… the answer would be NO…
Ask most people if they want to feel calm, relaxed, be free from tension, anxiety and be happy about life…the answer would be YES…

Why is it then that most people don’t meditate…but desire the mind set and feelings that meditation provides?

I believe it is the old associations: after all, what does the word meditation mean to you? Orange robed monks sitting in silence for hours on end – a chilled out hippie or even an anti religious practice that is more witch craft than prayer … the list could go on!

If we feel limited by restrictions in our lives then we can lose hope – if however, we can remain calm then we enter a place of better understanding and from this objective perspective we can create any desired changes.

How often have you been in a place of regretful hind sight? Wouldn’t it be great to be in a place of productive for sight and be able to focus on the things you do want rather than waste your energy on all the things you don’t?


Times have changed but our human needs haven’t – we all love to feel calm, we all love to relax and we all would love our lives to be happy and positive…so what are you waiting for?

If you learn to meditate (like a work-out for the mind; the more you do the quicker and faster you become) not only will you be able to understand what meditation is all about you will also be able to say to this modern world that you also know how to “chillax”!

To chill = to feel calm and anxiety free.

To relax = to be tension-free and happy.

To book your place at the workshop on Wednesday 25th April 2012 Contact Us at the studio.

For more information on Simon go to: www.simonpaulfrost.com
For meditations go to: www.mymeditation.co.uk

Is cheating acceptable in your life?

After a weekend of controversy in the Premier League it appears as though cheating in one form or another has become more apparent in the English game and more acceptable to the clubs that benefit from these actions.


Some blame the influx of foreign players for the greater incidence of diving and feigning injury, my opinion is that simply is not true and is illustrated by the fact that the three players involved in these high profile incidents were actually ALL English! (Mark Davies, Bolton, Darren Perch, Newcastle and Andy Carroll, Liverpool)

The sad fact is that the players themselves and the fans of their clubs care little about the rights and wrongs of these actions when decisions are made in their favour!

Outside of football there are currently three Pakistani and one English cricketer staring at their prison cell walls as they complete custodial sentences having been convicted over match fixing allegations as well as numerous scandals that involve cheating within horse racing.

In my opinion the cheating epidemic is not just rooted in sport but in society in general. The pressures of modern living demand that we all need instant success in whatever we do, but the temptation is often there for many to do the minimum required at work, cheat the system for financial gain or cheat on a partner due to their own insecurities.

In my industry clients are constantly looking for ways to cheat themselves thin and find the quick fix. My team and I find ourselves having a constant battle with clients explaining why the latest fad diet is not only dangerous to their health but also completely counter-productive to their fat loss goals.

We see the after effects of lypo suction that has actually emphasised the fact that the client has no glutes to show off after the fat has been removed and welcome clients back with open arms when they decide that the tough option we offer at the studio does actually reap benefits and try our hardest not to say “I told you so” when they explain the only result they achieved from their course of 15 minute vibration training sessions was motion sickness!



Any good trainer will tell you that the concept of fat loss is a very simple one: It’s pretty tough for the average person to follow, but it is VERY simple.

1. Move
2. Eat real food
3. Recover

That’s it!

1. A decent personal trainer will be able to design an appropriate fitness programme for your specific needs (this isn’t the generic programme that appears in the glossy magazines and usually involves exercises with water bottles!)

2. Some people become obsessed with reading food labels. Our advice is to eat anything without a food label! You don’t get food labels on good quality meats, fruit, veg, nuts, seeds.... Eat proper food and your body will thank you for it and give you the results you desire.

3. Remove the stress from your life, sleep more, stretch more, learn to breathe properly, learn to switch off, learn to meditate and keep a smile on your face.

I know it was a slightly devious way of drawing you in with some football chat at the start but it illustrates the point that we shouldn’t accept cheating in any form.
Don’t lose track of honest morals and good old fashioned hard work.

Show cheating the red card - sorry, couldn’t help it!