Transform your Brain: Transform your Body

To successfully transform your body, you must first transform your mind. The truth is, nobody needs to go anywhere else to succeed. We are all, if we only knew it, already there.

Be aware that I have personally trained many friends, family and clients to incredible, healthy physiques by encouraging them to appreciate one simple principle: Anytime is training time!

I urge everyone, especially Dry July friends, to start this transformational journey by doing as many push-ups or squats as possible every day. Not at the gym. Not at the park; but at home, the office or wherever you are, at any time. 

‘Wasted’ time is especially useful for banging out lots of push-ups and/or squats. Push ups will reward you with strong, toned arms and shoulders; squats will give you a great butt and legs! Everybody wins! Hooray for Dry July!

Are you waiting for the computer to load? – Get on the floor and pop out 20 push-ups! Waiting for the kettle to boil? – Smash out 20 squats! Ads on TV during your favourite show? - Drop and give me 20! By doing this you will train your mind and body to adapt and accept instantaneous and random training as ‘normal’.

When doing push-ups, remember to use varying hand positions on each set of push-ups – wide, close, diamond push-ups, clapping push-ups, asymmetrical push-ups, etc; in order to work all the angles in your arms, shoulders, chest and core. Be sure to contract your abs and core throughout. Depending on how fit you are to start with, you should be getting about 100 push-ups a day; but 10 is fine if that is your limit – the only way is up! So, naturally, build up your reps as you become stronger; it will eventually take only about 1 minute to do 50 push-ups.

The great thing that will inspire is that you will get a ‘win’ everyday, regardless of anything else going on in your life. You will also become more productive at work or study; a set of push-ups or squats gets the blood flowing throughout your body; including your brain!

To squat, just stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart, with your toes turned slightly outward and arms by your side. Engage your abs and pull your shoulder blades gently towards each other. Bend your knees slowly, push your butt and hips out and down behind you as though sitting into a chair. Keep you head and shoulders aligned over your knees and your knees over your ankles. Keep your weight balanced evenly between the front and back of your feet. Lower you body until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then straighten your legs to full standing position and repeat!.

It's so easy! So train hard. It is up to you. Never pity yourself. Use your emotions to fortify your workouts. Exploit your feelings to the optimum potential. If you are happy, celebrate by smashing smash out a set of push-ups. Sad? – Ab crunches! Angry? – One-legged squats! If someone/something annoys you, don’t let it upset you, treasure it, nurture it – save the feeling and unleash it asap into push ups on the very floor you are standing on. Smash it out!

Of all the things in our lives we have no control over, our bodies remain ours. Take control. Achieve your best ever body. No-one can stop you. You can and you will do it. Now DROP and give me 20!