A.B Training & Performance

25/10/2021

PLYOMETRICS & WHERE TO START…

Plyometric exercises use speed and force to generate powerful movements. When we think plyometric, our minds generally go straight to jumping; broad jumps, jump squats etc. However, there are many other forms of plyometric exercises.

Due to the explosive and high demand nature of plyometrics, we do low rep and set ranges when performing them, so we can perform every rep to the best of our ability.

Plyometric exercises can also, like all exercises, be scaled up and down depending on ability and injury/weakness. There are also some exercises better suited for different types of exercise/sports. I will speak more about this soon.

Swipe ➡️ for a series of plyometric exercises you can add into your next workout!

22/10/2021

FRI-YAY?

How has your week been. Is this Friday a FRI-YAY? Are you now out of restrictions (yay melbs), have fun plans for the weekend, or just lived your week ahd can’t wait for your weekend?!

Or is this Friday a FRI-PHEW, as in, thank god it’s Friday and next week is a new week. Maybe you didn’t have a great training week, or maybe you were a bit slack in other areas of life this week, but that’s okay! We all have those weeks.

I myself didn’t have a fantastic week, didn’t sleep great and had ZERO motivation for gym. Even though I still got 3 sessions in, I know I could have done better. But that’s okay, because there is always next week!

So, what’s on for your weekend? I hope you’ve got something more exciting than me planned… I’m off on a work course 😅

fitness

20/10/2021

“THE BEST TYPE OF TRAINING”

I call BS. Not one type of exercise is perfect, or “the best” for everyone.

The type of exercise that’s best for you, is the one you enjoy, and the one your body responds to best!

There are so so many different types of exercise/exercise classes out there;
• Resistance
• CrossFit
• Cardio
• Pilates
• Yoga
• HIIT
• Boxing
and then these categories can be broken down even further (body weight, GVT, ‘the bro split’, Fartlek etc.)

The exercise you undertake is all dependent on your enjoyment and you body’s ability to be able to meet the task.

Some people for example, can not attend 5 CrossFit sessions a week, because their bodies are not designed to be under that type of load/stress that often.

Yes, we train our bodies to be able to perform new and different movements, but sometimes our bodies will just say no. And that’s okay, because that’s how we were made. Not every body is the same. What works for you, might not work for your best mate.

Me, I love a bit of variety. I like to incorporate different types of exercise into my training routine; CrossFit, pilates, cardio.

So have a think about your training and ask yourself, am I doing this for me and my body, or because someone told its “the best”.

17/10/2021

ARE YOU DEADLIFTING CORRECTLY?

For years I could not perform a deadlift correctly and would always pull up with a sore neck and upper back post exercise. It wasn’t until I was taught correctly at uni and through my coaching certificates that deadlifts are now one of my favourite exercises.

When performing a deadlift correctly, we are working our quads, glutes, back and hamstrings. Now that’s a lot of muscles groups to get under control all at once. But it only take a few small cues to make a world of difference to your lift.

It all starts with your feet, then building up to your hips and through to the position of your upper body. Below I have listed my favourite pointers to use.

✔️ Feet hip width apart, soft knees
✔️ Keep bar close to your body
✔️ Push your hips towards the … (wall/door etc)
✔️ Back parallel to the ground in starting position
✔️ Push the floor away with your feet

There are multiple variations of a deadlift (stiff leg, RDL, sumo etc.) but they all focus on a hinge movement from the hips - i.e.: push those hips back. If you can get your body to ‘break at the hips’ your well on your way to perfecting your deadlift.

So, have you ever filmed yourself deadlifting, or had your movement assessed by a coach? This can be one of the best ways to see if your movement is ticking all the boxes, especially if you are feeling awkward through the movement.

15/10/2021

NETBALL SPECIFIC CONDITIONING SESSION…

To follow on from my post the other day regarding sport specific programs, here is a Netball based conditioning session. As some of you know, I myself am both a Netball player and coach, so of course netball was going to be my first example!

Swipe across for a snapshot of how I program a conditioning session. This can done all in one session, or you can expand on certain sections and break it down over multiple sessions.

Focusing on the balance, power and speed aspects of netball, this session is a great example of an off-season session that can you can try at home!

Let me know if you give it a go!

13/10/2021

THE IMPORTANCE OF SPORT SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING….

I’ve always been a huge fan of individualised and tailored strength programs.

Sport specific programs go that little but further. They are designed around the demands of your sport/s and prepare your body for the movements that it will encounter on the court/field/pitch.

Training our bodies for these demands decreases our risk of traumatic and overuse injuries. It teaches our body to absorb shock, and move correctly, allowing for efficient and effective force production and application.

I will be sharing more regarding specialised sports programs, and also some sample sessions soon. So if this is something you’re interested in, make sure you click follow and keep an eye on our socials for new content!

10/10/2021

NEW WEEK, RENEWED FOCUS.

It’s the start of a new week, a fresh beginning.

Did you hit all your goals/targets for last week?

Is there something you want to improve on for this week?

Each new day is a chance for us to better ourselves and push ourselves in the direction we want to be going.

We may fall off task sometimes, but that’s okay, because we can always get back on track and keep moving.

So, what’s your goal this week?

27/08/2021

BE KIND 💗

The world we find ourselves living in a strange one at the moment. We may all be fighting the same storm, facing covid, in lockdown etc. But some of us are facing it in a luscious catamaran, while others are in a canoe.

We never really know what is going on in someone life, especially at the moment.

So be kind. Whether that he reaching out to loved ones, or just making an effort to be polite to strangers - especially those who continue to go to work, so that you can put food on the table for your family.

24/08/2021

EMOM TUESDAY!

Here’s a workout for you to try at home.

Complete each exercise for 1min, moving straight into the next exercise at the start of the new minute - every minute on the minute.

There are 4mins of work, 1min of rest, then you go again until the end of the 25 minutes (i.e.: you’ll be completing 5 rounds).

Comment below and let us know what you think if you give it a try!

23/08/2021

BENEFITS OF REGULAR EXERCISE…

We all know that exercising regularly will keep us fit and feeling well, but there are many other benefits to regular exercise that are not as often spoken about.

Studies have shown that not only does regular exercise improve mental health - through reducing anxiety, depression and moodiness - it also plays a role in our emotional and physiological health.

Health benefits that have been associated with regular exercise include;
🔅 Improved Sleep
🔅 Increased Libido
🔅Better Endurance
🔅 Stress relief
🔅Improved Mood
🔅Increased Energy and Stamina
🔅Reduced tiredness (increasing mental alertness)
🔅Weight loss
🔅Reduced cholesterol and increased CV fitness

With all that is going on in the world at the moment, and with lockdowns getting harder and harder, making sure you are staying active can really help improve your mood and overall well-being.

I get it, some days we just can’t be bothered, and it’s harder to find motivation without the gym to look forward to. But just getting outside for a walk can make all the difference to how you feel, I know it does for me.

So, why not set yourself a goal this lockdown, and try and get some form of activity done each day, to help keep you sane during these trying times.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need someone to chat to, my DMs are open.

Stay Safe, Stay Strong,

Ash x



Reference: Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006; 8(2): 106.
doi: 10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a

31/07/2021

22/07/2021

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but here’s a little reminder for your Thursday 💕