I have to admit I have been exhausted. 

The rigours of Medical School and the beginning of the personal training busy season resulted in the candle being burnt at both ends. As a result I hadn't been able to find the time nor the energy to exercise much at all lately. 

During the week, one of my clients started telling me about how they had been unable to get to the gym in the last week. They cited work and family as the primary cause and he was lamenting a missed opportunity to consolidate recent weight loss results. 

I was about to launch into a discussion about discipline and an analysis of his decision making over the last week when I was suddenly struck with a horrible sense of hypocrisy. 

Had I shown discipline with my own training?

The truth was no.

Immediately after the session with my client I phoned my colleague Benjamin Weale and booked in a personal training session with him. I needed a kickstart. I needed to build some momentum. Experience and knowledge can't override the fact that sometimes life takes over. Training with Ben has been great and I love that old feeling you get after a solid workout. 

If you find yourself out of your exercise routine let me give you some advice from my own personal experience - find someone who can get you back on track before it's too late.

The competition in the Sydney CBD gym market is fierce. According to a recent Deloitte report average increases in total revenue have slowed to approximately 4% p/a partly due to the economic slowdown and partly due to the entry of many new players into the market.

When looking at growth by type of facility the 24/7 and small fitness studio models are experiencing the highest rates at 11% and 12% respectively. It appears as though a shift from large gym facilities who can cater to all are being trumped by smaller facilities who can cater to a niche market - all at a more convenient location and at a smaller cost.

Perhaps the most important factor is convenience. Statistics show that the average person is reluctant to travel further than 8 minutes from their home of office to exercise. This has implications for the larger facility who rely on a wider ranging customer base to provide the volume necessary to cover overheads. 

Whilst a creche is a godsend for parents with young children, a gym next door is the preferable option for this time conscious market.

Personal Trainers Sydney CBD are always looking for methods to improve the recovery time for their clients. A number of methods are commonly used to hasten the recovery process including:

• Warm-down
• Cold water immersion (ice baths)
• Massage
• Compression garments (Skins etc)
• Lifestyle factors
• Nutrition
• Psychology

Let's discuss what the evidence says.

A warm down of 5 - 15 min is common practice but the evidence is conflicting with studies showing improvement, no change and one showing negative effect.

The majority of evidence shows an improvement in restoration of physical performance after cold water immersion. Contrasting hot and cold water immersion for 1 minute at a time has also shown a benefit and may be more practical for the personal training client who can have a shower after an exercise session alternating between hot and cold water.

Massage is another interesting technique long believed to help recovery. A review of the scientific evidence showed that massage is unlikely to improve physical performance however it is likely to reduce the incidence of post exercise soreness provided the massage technique is not high pressure.

Lifestyle factors such as high alcohol intake, low levels of restorative sleep and inadequate rest all lead to a reduction in performance and delay the recovery time.

Nutrition is often a controversial topic amongst Personal trainers in the Sydney CBD. Strenuous exercise suppresses the immune system in the short term. Adequate carbohydrate intake post exercise has been shown to mitigate the stress post exercise and may reduce the chance of infection however it must be stressed that consuming carbohydrates post exercise will blunt fat oxidation and may not be optimal for clients focused on a weight loss goal. Exercise causes a breakdown in muscle and adequate protein intake post exercise is important for muscle recovery. Finally, fluid replacement is a key factor for improving recovery and any post exercise liquid should have an appropriate electrolyte composition to maximise the effectiveness. 

As the nervous system controls cardiovascular function, respiration, and metabolism during and after exercise, psychological factors play an important role in recovery. Techniques that can lower arousal post exercise are most important. These include music, relaxation tapes, visualisations and spas.

It should also be noted that there is a degree of inter-individual variance amongst recovery techniques. Our personal training clients in the Sydney CBD are encouraged to try a myriad of techniques to identify which is most effective for their individual circumstances.

If you would like more information please get in touch.