The 5 Minute Rule

Running? Love it or hate it, it’s one of the cheapest ways of getting fit. All you need is a pair of trainers.  But what if you’re one of those people who say “I hate running”? Try this, and I can make you enjoy, maybe even LOVE running.

Too many people think that they should be able to just put their kit on and run a couple of miles and find they get disappointed when they struggle or worse, they hurt! It’s simply because their body wasn’t ready for the stress that was put on it.  You wouldn’t run a marathon without any training but to your body a marathon could be just two miles.Get yourself a stopwatch and follow the beginners or intermediate program detailed below:

Beginners

The aim here is to get you exercising for a full 30 minutes without you getting frustrated, giving up and chucking your trainers at the cat.  

For this, we follow the “5 Minute Rule”. We treat each 5 minute segment separately and split it into a jog/walk ratio.  Firstly, walk for 5 minutes as a warm up and then jog for 1 minute before walking again for 4. During the jog, go at a comfortable pace, this isn’t about speed!  The walk is so you can recover enough to do the next 1 minute jog at the end of the 4 minutes. Do this 5 times and you’ll have been exercising for a total of 30 minutes. Who cares that you’ve only been jogging for 5 minutes in total? You! Once you get over that and realise that you were exercising for 30 minutes then you’ll start enjoying it!  Honest.

Do this a couple of times a week and then when you feel ready, increase the ratio to 1.5 mins jogging and 3.5 mins walking. If you stick to the program you’ll be progressing at a pace that your body can cope with. Your next mission is to steadily increase the ratio until you’re doing 4 mins jogging and 1 min walking. At this stage I’d class you as an intermediate runner, nice one!!!  It is important to let your body get used to this new regime, so every 4 weeks, have an easier week by stepping back a ratio or reduce the times you jog and also make sure you stretch after each session.

Intermediate –

The aim here is to get you exercising for a full 60 minutes

Simple, follow the beginners programme but run instead of jog, increase your pace to increase the benefits.  Once you can achieve this for 30 mins, progress on to the 10 minute rule.  Start with a 6/4 ratio and when you feel ready then move onto 7/3, 8/2 etc.  By the time you achieve the 9/1 ratio, you’ll be well on your way to running your first 5k or 10 k or marathon!

When I trained a certain Irish ex Blue Peter presenter for the 2006 London Marathon, we adopted this method to complete it and she never ‘hit the wall’.

Good Luck and I’ll see you in the 2012 Olympics!!! 

Stuart Amory x

Find True Love for Valentine’s Day

Are you looking for love online but not having much luck with internet dating?  

Have you ever visited an online dating website and come away with the feeling that you just can’t measure up? All of these people have posted terrific profiles and you just don’t have the time or the writing experience to match them? That’s where The Divine Image can bail you out of this situation and put you on the road to success in time for Valentines!

Camelia Fredericks, London’s Female Version of Hitch and Style Guru offers “Find True Love for Valentines”.  This wonderful pampering package includes a make-up (for women only) and hair styling session, a professional photo session, website selection that fits your needs and a bespoke dating profile written just for you, by Camelia Fredericks.

Camelia will carefully craft your online dating profile to ensure it has the va va voom!  Your enticing profile, complete with a witty user name and headline and eye catching photos will make you stand out amongst the rest.

This fantastic pampering package offered to you in the comfort of your home costs £550 for both men and women. Get ready for Valentines and find true love very soon! 

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Introducing Stuart Amory - Our New Personal Trainer

My name's Stuart Amory of In-Kilter Fitness. I've been a well known personal trainer for over 5 years and a RAF Physical Training Instructor for 10 before that. I have a Diploma in Personal Training and am also an Advanced Kettlebell and Boxercise Instructor, qualified in pre and post natal exercise and am soon to be one of a handful of Certified Bulgarian Bag Instructors in the world!

In teaching and motivating clients, celebrities and soldiers for so long it qualifies me to give to you that little helpful guidance or push in the right direction. However, it's up to you as you'll only be able to reach your goals if you really want to.

I am passionate in what I do which then drives you, the client forward to behaving and becoming healthier, fitter, more confident and look amazing. 2011 is going to be my fittest and healthiest. Follow my tips below and let this year be yours too!


Start with long term goals and then break them down into smaller short term ones that will help you on your way. Decide monthly activities, then weekly and finally daily ones, 'so to achieve my long term goal, I must
do this today'.


Be focussed with your goal. Write your goal(s) down along with a date on piece of paper and attach it to your bathroom mirror or fridge.
Dream of what you WILL feel like when you achieve that goal...if it doesn't excite you then it's not strong enough!
 
Exercise doesn't always mean 60mins at the gym, you could probably do some exercise right now! 

Saying "I have no time for exercise" will get you nowhere. Find ways to get fit...Stairs not lift, get off tube/train/bus a stop earlier, do 3 squats before you sit down.

Make this fun, why would you do something you don't enjoy and why on earth would you stick to it?!?


Get a support group and do it together. Follow @inkilterfitness on twitter and you'll join thousands feeling the same as you.


Celebrate success. We are all big kids at heart and love getting a 'well done' pat on the head, so before you achieve your goal, plan a reward!


Good luck and let's make 2011 your fittest and healthiest year yet!!!

 Stuart Amory