August Edition 2018
Article by Darragh Creamer, Personal Trainer
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Gym after 30
Gym after 30
When you're in your 20's, it's easy to find the time and the motivation to go to the gym, but as you get older your priorities change, the gym goes by the wayside and you fall victim to the dreaded middle-aged spread. In this series of articles Darragh Creamer, Personal Trainer, is going to try to convince you to follow a different path, and show you how.
Why go to the gym after 30, 40 and beyond?
Why go to the gym after 30, 40 and beyond?
When you're young, you want to look good for girls/guys. You love sport and you have been playing football, GAA, rugby or tennis since you were in primary school: Getting sweaty is just a part of your weekly schedule. You have few responsibilities, lots of time on your hands and the only thing you need money for is a few drinks at the weekend and some new clothes (See looking good above...).
When you're young, you want to look good for girls/guys. You love sport and you have been playing football, GAA, rugby or tennis since you were in primary school: Getting sweaty is just a part of your weekly schedule. You have few responsibilities, lots of time on your hands and the only thing you need money for is a few drinks at the weekend and some new clothes (See looking good above...).
Then you hit 30, your first kid arrives, you have to (want to) spend time with your other half, there's overtime to be done in work and every penny you earn goes into a savings account in the hopes that one day the property bubble will burst and you'll be able to buy yourself a nice little place of your own in Johnstown because it's right beside the M3 and it takes less than an hour to get to work.
Then you hit 30, your first kid arrives, you have to (want to) spend time with your other half, there's overtime to be done in work and every penny you earn goes into a savings account in the hopes that one day the property bubble will burst and you'll be able to buy yourself a nice little place of your own in Johnstown because it's right beside the M3 and it takes less than an hour to get to work.
It's understandable, it makes sense, all of these things need to be dealt with now! Who has time to think about their health, or how they're going to feel in 20 or 30 years time?
It's understandable, it makes sense, all of these things need to be dealt with now! Who has time to think about their health, or how they're going to feel in 20 or 30 years time?
Take a second to think about that. What good is having a nice car, a nice house or sending your kids to the best school if you can't enjoy it, or worse, they can't enjoy any time with you?
Take a second to think about that. What good is having a nice car, a nice house or sending your kids to the best school if you can't enjoy it, or worse, they can't enjoy any time with you?
If your knees are sore when you walk, if getting up and down off the floor is an effort, if you can't kick a ball with your son or daughter for more than five minutes without huffing and puffing, if your shoulders are rounded forward and you're in constant pain, what do you think your kids are going to remember from their childhood? And what are they going to learn?
If your knees are sore when you walk, if getting up and down off the floor is an effort, if you can't kick a ball with your son or daughter for more than five minutes without huffing and puffing, if your shoulders are rounded forward and you're in constant pain, what do you think your kids are going to remember from their childhood? And what are they going to learn?
So let's address the first of these issues: pain. Most of us have tight shoulders from bending over a computer, a phone or a steering wheel for hours everyday. We have tight hips and sore lower backs because we sit all day everyday and our glutes (ass muscles) don't fire properly anymore and our core is weak. A properly designed strength and mobility programme will address all of these issues. By targeting the muscles in the upper back you can correct your posture and redress your shoulders so that not only will you no longer be in pain, but you'll look better because you'll stand more upright with your shoulders back and your chest proud. By teaching your glutes to fire properly you'll correct the angle of your hips, bringing your lumbar spine back into its natural curve. This will help develop a nice strong round butt to fill your jeans and by bringing your hips into a neutral alignment it will reduce your protruding belly.
So let's address the first of these issues: pain. Most of us have tight shoulders from bending over a computer, a phone or a steering wheel for hours everyday. We have tight hips and sore lower backs because we sit all day everyday and our glutes (ass muscles) don't fire properly anymore and our core is weak. A properly designed strength and mobility programme will address all of these issues. By targeting the muscles in the upper back you can correct your posture and redress your shoulders so that not only will you no longer be in pain, but you'll look better because you'll stand more upright with your shoulders back and your chest proud. By teaching your glutes to fire properly you'll correct the angle of your hips, bringing your lumbar spine back into its natural curve. This will help develop a nice strong round butt to fill your jeans and by bringing your hips into a neutral alignment it will reduce your protruding belly.
Quick Fix
Quick Fix
You don't need much time to start to address this issue. Take 60 seconds first thing in the morning and a couple of times throughout the day to perform the two exercises below and within a few days you should start to see improvements in your posture and feel less pain in your shoulders and lower back.
You don't need much time to start to address this issue. Take 60 seconds first thing in the morning and a couple of times throughout the day to perform the two exercises below and within a few days you should start to see improvements in your posture and feel less pain in your shoulders and lower back.
Crucifix Stretch:
Crucifix Stretch:
Standing tall, looking straight forward, lift your chest up and raise your arms out to your side like Jesus on the cross and externally rotate your shoulders by turning your thumbs back. Pull your shoulder blades together until you feel a stretch in your pectorals (chest muscles) and hold for 30 seconds. Don't forget to breathe, oxygen is important for your continued survival.
Standing tall, looking straight forward, lift your chest up and raise your arms out to your side like Jesus on the cross and externally rotate your shoulders by turning your thumbs back. Pull your shoulder blades together until you feel a stretch in your pectorals (chest muscles) and hold for 30 seconds. Don't forget to breathe, oxygen is important for your continued survival.
Glute Squeeze:
Glute Squeeze:
Standing tall, feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly out, squeeze your glutes (ass muscles) as hard as you can and hold for 30 seconds. Pull your elbows in to your side and make fists to get a stronger contraction. Again, breathe through the contraction, breathing keeps us alive.
Standing tall, feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly out, squeeze your glutes (ass muscles) as hard as you can and hold for 30 seconds. Pull your elbows in to your side and make fists to get a stronger contraction. Again, breathe through the contraction, breathing keeps us alive.
Contacts
Contacts
Darragh Creamer is a Mobile Personal Trainer with a ridiculous mohawk and an even sillier moustache. He lives in Johnstown and specialises in helping clients over 30 to get Stronger, Fitter and More Flexible. At 40 years old he continues to play rugby, train in Mixed Martial Arts and try to learn gymnastics from his 10-year-old daughter.
Darragh Creamer is a Mobile Personal Trainer with a ridiculous mohawk and an even sillier moustache. He lives in Johnstown and specialises in helping clients over 30 to get Stronger, Fitter and More Flexible. At 40 years old he continues to play rugby, train in Mixed Martial Arts and try to learn gymnastics from his 10-year-old daughter.
Visit his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DarraghCreamerPT/ to book a Free Consultation.
Visit his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DarraghCreamerPT/ to book a Free Consultation.
Check out the September Edition for Darragh's next monthly article aimed at getting us active.
Check out the September Edition for Darragh's next monthly article aimed at getting us active.
Related Reading
Related Reading
The August Edition 2018
The August Edition 2018
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