core9stives-blog

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GET THOSE SQUATS RIGHT

For an exercise we do in the gym every day - it’s really easy to stray off form. If you want to practice your squats and deadlifts; here is a fantastic tip that you can try at home or in the gym!

1. Stand facing a wall with your nose and toes against it. Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder width with your feet angled out very slightly.

2. Squat down as far as possible with your arms hanging between your legs. (I prefer this to the variation where the arms are kept high.) With each rep, you should be able to drop a little farther.

3. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps every day until you can drop your hips below your knees.

This wall squat is the best way to make sure your knees don’t go past your toes and your back is kept straight. For those who can't drop their hips below their knees after performing the wall squat every day for two weeks, focus on the front squat and single-leg squat for quadriceps development. The wall squat however, is great for anyone. It'll really hone your squat and deadlift technique, regardless of your skeletal structure or stature.

You can always ask our friendly trainers to demonstrate progression and regression of the wall squat and give you a hand with your form. In the video below you can see the progression to using a resistance band

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 WORKING OUT WHILE INJURED July 14th Do you have an old injury? This month we have a fantastic workshop planned in conjunction with St Ives Clinical Physio. It will provide methods and information for our members to use in coping with and preventing further injury while training. Optimising our performance when training is only possible when our overall health is maintained. To register your interest please sign up at the front desk. 

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INTRODUCING ABI

I’ve been training with Core9 for over 2 years now and it’s completely changed my life. Prior to being a PT I was a BDM in advertising and media for 7 years and it was time for a change! I was training at Core9 every morning before work and one of the trainers convinced me to do my PT certificate! Now here I am!

Some of the major things to know about me:

-I'm a big fan of HIIT Training as well as deadlifts and squats

-I have been playing soccer for my whole life & compete in a wed night 5 a side comp

-I used to ski race for Germany under 18’s (lived there most of my life)

-I lived in UK, Canada, America, Indonesia, and Germany and been in Australia 6 years

-I used to travel around Europe and North Africa with the track and field team - 400m hurdles, shot put, discus and 1500m

-I have a degree in International Business from Nottingham Trent University

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Brownie Ingredients

2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flaxseed meal + 5tbsp water)

¼ cup melted coconut oil

½ cup coconut sugar

4tbsp maple syrup

1tsp vanilla

3/4tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ cup raw cacao powder

1 cup almond meal

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients

3 tbsp maple syrup

3 tbsp raw cacao powder

1.5 tbsp melted coconut oil

Method

1.     Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a square baking dish with baking paper

2.     Prepare flax eggs in a small mixing bowl and set aside.

3.     To a mixing bowl add melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup and vanilla, whisk until combined.

4.     Add flax eggs and whisk until combined. Then add baking powder, salt, cacao powder and whisk it all together.

5.     Add in the almond meal and fold through gently until all combined.

6.     Pour batter into baking dish and spread out evenly.

7.     Bake for 22 minutes or until edges appear dry.

8.     Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes, remove from pan and let cool on a cooling rack (the longer they cool the firmer they become)

9.     Cut into desired size pieces and top with whatever you choose!

10.  To make chocolate ganache mix together maple syrup and cacao powder, slowly stream in melted coconut oil and stir until all combined, drizzle on top of brownies!

 5 Benefits of Raw Cacao Powder

1.     40 times the antioxidants of Blueberries.

Raw Organic Cacao has over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries.  Yes 40 times!  It has an amazing ORAC score of 98,000 per 100g, vs blueberries at a mere 2,400.  ORAC scores measure the ability of antioxidants to absorb free radicals (that come from pollution and toxins in our environment), which cause cell and tissue damage and can lead to diseases such as cancer.

2.  Highest Plant-Based Source of Iron

On a plant-based/vegan diet and looking for iron?  The search is over!  Cacao is the highest plant-based source of iron known to man, at a whopping 7.3mg per 100g.  This compares to beef and lamb at 2.5mg, and spinach at 3.6mg.  Note the iron in cacao is non-heme (as is all plant-based iron), so to get the maximum benefits you'll want to combine it with some vitamin C. Think oranges, kiwifruit, superfoods like gubinge or camu camu (which have 40x more vitamin C than oranges).

3.  Full of Magnesium for a Healthy Heart & Brain

Raw Organic Cacao is also one of the highest plant-based sources of magnesium, the most deficient mineral in the Western world.  Magnesium is important for a healthy heart, and helps turn glucose into energy enabling your brain to work with laser-sharp clarity and focus.  The reason why you might turn to a bar of chocolate during an all-nighter at your desk!

4.  More Calcium Than Cow's Milk

Raw Organic Cacao has more calcium than cow's milk would you believe, at 160mg per 100g vs only 125mg per 100ml of milk.  

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THE DREADED MOUNTAIN CLIMBER AND ITS BENEFITS

 Efficiency

If you value efficient moves in your strength-training workouts, mountain climbers are a perfect fit. They are a compound exercise, meaning they work several joints and muscle groups simultaneously. The steady running motion targets your glute and leg muscles, including your quadriceps and hamstrings. Your core muscles, including your back, hips and abs, work hard to keep you stable. Even your shoulders and chest get a piece of the action. You can boost the overall strength benefits of the exercise by keeping your hips closer to the floor.

 Improved Mobility

Because mountain climbers are dynamic -- meaning they involve constant,smooth, and repetitive movement -- they're great for increasing joint flexibility.

Every repetition involves flexion and extension of the hips and knees, which loosens up the joints and improves mobility. Improving hip and knee range of motion improves overall function, boosts athletic performance and lowers your susceptibility to injury. Should mountain climbers be challenging for you in the beginning, because your hips are particularly tight, place your hands on an elevated surface. As your hips loosen up, ditch that step and place your palms on the floor while doing the move.

 Cardiovascular Health

The mountain-climber exercise is known for building lower-body strength, but the constant switching of the legs also gets your heart rate up. That's a big plus for your heart and lungs. Choose the pace of the movement based on your current fitness level. If you're not in great shape, keep it slow and walk the movement, keeping one foot on the floor at all times. As your cardiovascular health improves, speed it up. If you've been working out regularly, do it as a jump, switching your feet mid-air.

 Coordination and Agility

Mountain climbers require coordination, quick feet and an acute sense of timing. Thus, they're great for testing and improving agility. To pull off one to three high-energy sets, you've got to maintain impeccable form, keeping your weight distributed between your feet as they shuttle quickly back and forth under you. Make sure to direct your knees forward and stop if your back starts to sag or if you feel yourself stumbling.

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MEET RYAN NUMBER 2

Core9 trainer Ryan was born in Toronto Canada and moved to Australia 2 years ago to play rugby with the Warringah Rats. He has a love of sports, playing rugby throughout the UK and America and ice hockey and snowboarding in Canada for over 10 years.  Ryan loves strength and conditioning training, along with functional fitness which makes him a great fit for Core9. Ryan enjoys being outdoors, travelling, cooking and music. Ryan floats between the gyms at St Ives and McMahons Point and we are lucky to have him on board. Make sure to have a chat to Ryan when you next see him in the gym.

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MUAY THAI SUMMARY

Last Saturday we had our first Muay Thai workshop led by trainer Ryan. The morning of our workshop started with a warm up of coordination and basic footwork, then straight into gloves and pads on. The group covered basic Thai strikes using hands and elbows and then to knees and roundhouse kicks. After that warm up the fun began with some complex combos and a whole lot of confusion. As the workshop progressed the team got the hang of things and definitely had a deeper appreciation of the sport. We love to see the Core9 family trying something new so a big thank you to trainer Ryan for running the workshop.

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SNICKERS DESSERT PROTEIN BAR This recipe is a guide and will vary depending on what protein powder is used! So play around and have fun with it! Recipe is for a 20cm square cake tin. Biscuit Base:1 cup coconut flour 1 cup protein powder of choice (this will alter the taste/ texture of the bar) I used a plain pea protein powder2-4 tbsp cocao/ cocoa powder1/2 cup smooth peanut butter1/2 cup liquid sweetener of choice (maple syrup, agave, rice malt syrup, coconut nectar etc)1/2 cup liquid of choice (water, nut milk) In a bowl add your coconut flour, protein powder and cacao powder and mix well. Add the peanut butter, liquid sweetener and mix until it creates a crumbly texture. Add 1/2 cup liquid of choice and mix until it creates a thick batter (you may need to add more liquid). Transfer to your lined cake tin. Caramel Layer:1/2 cup smooth peanut butter1/2 cup liquid sweetener of choice1/4 cup melted coconut oil In a bowl combine peanut butter and liquid sweetener. Mix in coconut oil until you have a smooth and silky caramel. Pour over biscuit layer. Place in freezer to set. Once frozen remove and cut into desired size bars. Melt your favourite healthy chocolate and drizzle on top!

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TRAINERS TIP: SLED SPRINTS Whether you want to make like Rocky IV or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, sled pulling is a great way to help you run faster and improve your performance in many sports. But if you want to improve your prints in particular, how fast should you run, and how heavy should the sled be?

We know adding resistance to some movements is obvious. To jump higher, for instance, you can squat with weight. To push harder, you can do presses or explosive pushups.

But how do you add resistance to activities where you're moving through space instead of sitting on a bench? For instance, how do you add weight to sprinting? Well, cement shoes or running piggyback are two possible options. Another one is dragging a sled.

The idea of pulling a sled isn't completely out of the blue. One of the all-time great movie training montages, from Rocky IV, features Rocky pulling a sled through the snow.

If you want to run faster to improve your performance in a given sport, or a change of pace from your regular workout routine, you can try pulling a sled. Now, sled pulling isn't fancy or complicated. Load a bunch of stuff on a sled and run.

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CORE9 MCMAHONS IS HERE The Core9 family is expanding this month with the opening of our new gym in McMahon's Point. The tireless efforts by the construction crew and the Core9 team have ensured that this gym will provide the best possible experience to all our members. Head over to our social media pages to keep track of the grand opening. You will have already met some of the amazing new trainers who have been stopping by St Ives to train along side us in preparation. With the Core9 passport system all St Ives members are welcome to head along to visit and try out the new gym once the doors are open. 

We will post the final reveal photos online over the next week. Please remember as a Core9 member you can use your membership at any other Core9 location.

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MEMBERS SOCIAL NIGHT Last Tuesday we held our first ever live DJ session and Members Social Night and the turn out was amazing. We partied it up in our workouts with the DJ's live music and then chilled out with some drinks and good conversation downstairs at The Land of the Smiles. We truly have the best clients in the world and we loved the opportunity to get to know you all better. All the Core9 team want to say a big thank you to everyone who came along and made it such a fun evening, which we will repeat again in the future. If you have any ideas for our next members event please don't hesitate to pass it along to the trainers.

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A little tour of McMahons in progress...

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KETTLEBELL WORKSHOP

On the 10th March the Core9 team went through a vigorous and informative Kettlebell workshop with Kettlebell expert Dave. The team learnt from the base down on how to perform an effective swing. The first step is to work on the foundation of the movement which is a deadlift. Then we moved through the step by step process on focusing using the hips and less movement through the shoulders. After the team mastered the swing we moved on to the Kettlebell Press. The Core9 family soon got to feel the uncomfortable experience of holding the abnormal object in the "rack" position which is holding the kettlebell behind the wrist. Then pressing through to the overhead position. Everyone in the workshop thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and not only perfecting our movement patterns we also had a laugh perfecting our "sss" sound on our lifts. Thanks again to the amazing Dave for sharing his time with us.

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SPARTAN SPRINT 7KM

"No retreat. No Surrender. This is Spartan Law" This was also Core9's Law. Our team of 10 set off early to prepare for glory. The weather was perfect and the spirits were high, as were the nerves. After chanting " We are Spartans" we embarked on our 7km+ and 20+ obstacle course. The course did not fail to challenge us and excite us. We wrangled our way through mud, clay and water and weighted ourselves with sandbags, stone buckets and tires. The hills left our quads burning and the rope climbs left our arms aching, but we did it!

We left the gates a team and we crossed the finish line as a team. A special shout out to our clients who smiled all the way through and never gave up. We were proud to experience this adventure with you.

A big thank you to Jess M for bringing our team logo to life and to Sarah for arranging our transportation and of course thank you to our trainers who were there to lift, pull and push the team through to glory.

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Simple Silky Healthy Chocolate Mousse- By Jess Barkhan

Ingredients:

1 avocado

1/2 cup liquid of choice (water, coconut milk, almond milk, hazelnut milk etc)

2 tbsp liquid sweetener of choice (maple syrup, honey, coconut nectar, rice malt syrup etc)

1/4 raw cacao powder (can use cocoa however raw cacao contains lots of antioxidants and minerals that are good for you)

1-2 tbsp nut butter of choice. This is optional but I recommend! (hazelnut butter, almond butter, peanut butter, tahini etc)

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

pinch of cinnamon

Blend all ingredients except for cacao until smooth. When all combined add in cacao powder and blend again.

Chill in fridge and enjoy!

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WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?

We care about your fitness and we also care about your safety. Our next workshop is for our parents, carers or grandparents.

Come and join us on Sunday the 22nd April at 10:45am @ Core9 St Ives for  a three hour parent first aid workshop run buy a qualified Paramedic from NSW Ambulance.

The workshop will include paediatric CPR, Choking, Breathing Problems, Febrile Convulsions, Bites and Stings, Meningococcal, Head injuries, Drownings,  Anaphylaxis, Burns and Poisons. 

Tea/Coffee and cupcakes will be provided along with a Summary Poster of the top 10 emergencies for kids and babies.

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INBODY SCAN

The InBody 570 gives you all the relevant information that you require to precisely measure body composition on an ongoing basis. The device and associated equipment is completely portable offering owners or users greater convenience of use.

The InBody 570 is a highly effective, efficient and precise device which tests and provides in-depth results in less than two minutes.

The InBody 570 uses 15 impedance measurements by using 3 different frequencies to measure the 5

segments of the body to provide over 40 parameters relevant and specific to body composition.

The InBody 570 allows you or your trainer/health professional to regularly monitor your level of body fat, lean muscle mass and muscular development so you can understand how your diet, lifestyle and training regime are influencing your overall body composition.