Bootcamp Vs Pilates - Which One Wins?

Hey everyone,

Iam sitting here writing this after just participating in one of my Bootcamp workouts and am feeling awesome, so I just wanted to share something with you that has really been bugging me for quite some time now.

Last week I was training one of my private clients when the topic of Pilates came up during conversation.

To put you in the picture, my client has been with me for about 9 months during which time she has lost around 17 pounds, has improved on her muscle tone and shape and her fitness levels have gone through the roof.

She also attends one of my Bootcamp workouts a week aswell.

Along with this she also attends a pilates class with another local instructor.

So anyway, we were halfway through the workout and as she was resting in between sets my client turned to me (whilst getting her breath back of course!)and said: "The Pilates Instructor hates Bootcamp, and doesn't want anyone doing it."

At this point, I looked at her and said: "okay, and why's that?" with a puzzled look on my face.

"She said yesterday that it causes injury and it doesn't focus on core stability."

I was amazed when I heard this and couldn't believe that a fellow professional with well over 15 years experience in the fitness industry had made such an outrageous claim.

Here was my detailed answer to my client and this statement that I wanted to share with you.

Firstly,

You CANNOT compare the Two classes. Each class focuses on different components of fitness!

Depending on what style of class you go to, Pilates generally focuses on balance,flexibility core stability and motor skills.

The exact opposite to Bootcamp! No One said Bootcamp focuses on Core Stability!

There might be a small portion of the workout dedicated to core work and flexibilty but that's not the soul purpose of the session.

Bootcamp workouts focus on Fat Loss.

The aim of each Bootcamp session (or 'circuit training' to use another phrase)is to create Metabolic Disturbance (meaning how many calories you'll burn long after the workout finishes.The minute instructors start focusing on core stability and balance during a Bootcamp workout then it becomes a Pilates class.

So to compare the 2 classes in the first place is actually ridiculous because they both work on different components of fitness.

Secondly,

To say Bootcamp workouts cause injury is just plain dim!


I've been teaching Bootcamp style workouts for well over 10 years and I can genuinely say that this simply isn't true. Come to think of it, I can't think of one serious injury in my class during those 10 years.

I've always said (and still do)that attending some kind of Pilates or Yoga class will benefit you massively in the long run and will undoubtedley compliment your Bootcamp workouts nicely.

The key is to get a balance with your fitness.

If you like attending classes and like to work in a group then combining Bootcamp with Pilates or Yoga is the perfect match and should definitely be considered if you want a balanced fitness program.

and thirdly,

If we avoid Bootcamp Style Workouts completely, how else are we to burn calories?

If it was down to our "local instructor", she would have us all doing Pilates, which is great but what about metabolic disturbance, what about burning calories, what about working on our stamina, strength and endurance?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to disrepect Pilates and I'm certainly not suggesting that Bootcamp is the ONLY way to train, but what I am saying is that we simply can't compare the two classes.

One simply isn't better than the other!

The moral of the story?

Let's ditch the outrageous claims and stop the "Bootcamp Bashing" because without Bootcamp, you may NEVER burn bodyfat.

There's a thought!

Okay, my rant is over and I hope I've made my point.

I'd love to hear what you have to say on this subject. Do I make a good point or am I way off line?


>>> Write your thoughts in the comment section below <<<

Do This (Burn More Bodyfat!)

I get alot of emails asking me about Metabolic Typing so I thought I'd make a quick video on how you can find out more about it.

Take a look at this video. It will tell you exactly what you need to do to find out what YOUR Metabolic Type is so that you can enhance your fat loss results even further.

(I look half asleep in this video! I did some interval training and time trails on the exercise bike before this and they kinda wore me out!)




Here's that link again to find out what your metabolic type is.

Yes, I want to find out what my metabolic type is.

Go go fill it out and I'll email you back your results.

Have an awesome week,

Sam

PS - Here's the link for the the Metabolic Typing book I refer to in the video : )

Disneyworld Hotel Room Workout

It's been a week since I've come back from Disneyworld Orlando and I've finally caught up with everything since I went away (and for those of you that asked, No I couldn't get Mickey's autograph!)

Travelling on my own has kind of given me the bug to do it more often. I had plenty of time to reflect on things and although I may not explore Disneyworld on my own again, I am without a doubt going to plan a solo adventure vacation for next year.

Anyway,that's not the reason why I'm writing to you because today I wanted to share with you my Disneyworld Hotel Room Workout that I did whilst I was away.

Here's the history behind this video = >

I'd decided before I went to Orlando that I would get a few workouts in when I was there so when I checked out the hotel gym I was real disappointed with it. It was small, not much in the way of equipment and there seemed to be a funny smell coming from it so I decided to do a workout in my room instead.

It worked out fine. It didn't require much space and provided I put my "do not disturb" sign on my door then it wasn't a problem (the cleaners were quite persistant at the Hilton!)


So following on from my hotel room workouts in Orlando I've decided to switch my training up completely and do bodyweight workouts only for the next month without having to rely on gym machines or dumbells.

I've also figured of late that I've been hitting the weights quite hard so I want to try a different training stimulus for the next 4 weeks and shock my system.

Here's my Disneyworld Hotel Room Workout:
(I kept forgetting my script in this video!)



Here's how it looks on paper:

***

Circuit 1

Push Ups into 2 x Mountain Climbers
Single Leg Bridging
Inchworms
Prisoner Lunge (walking or static depending on how much room you have)
Grasshoppers

Circuit 2

Plank touching Shoulders
Crab Walking
Y Squat
Squat-Crawl (include push up to make it harder)
Burpees

Bodyweight Tabata Intervals

20 seconds of High Knee Lifts
10 seconds recovery
20 seconds Jump Squats
10 seconds recovery

For 4 minutes

***

And that's my Disneyworld Hotel Room Workout!

>> Try it out and let me know how you get on in the comments section below <<

Peace out,

Sam Winkworth
CPT, SPN

PS - If you're looking for more bodyweight workouts like this then you'll love Craig Ballantyne's Bodyweight Workout Manual. It's a 4 week workout that will help you burn body fat and help you transform your bodyshape whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced. Go burn some bodyfat NOW!

How My Trip To Orlando Is The Same As Your Fat Loss Plan.

Hey,

I hope you've had a killer week and have been kicking some serious ass with your fat loss progress?

Yesterday I got back to the UK from my week long break in Orlando. I actually still feel quite jet-lagged as I sit here now and write this but not as bad as I thought I might be.

The trip was kind of a mixture of business and pleasure. At the start of the week I attended a 2 day fitness conference and after that I went on to explore Disney World, which included Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Universal.

All in all a good trip and nice to have some chill out time. Would recommend it every once in a while.

During the conference, I made plenty of notes and over the course of the 2 days I managed to jot down some great quotes that really got me thinking and thought I'd share them with you here.

Read these quotes if you want to succeed.

1) "There are 2 reasons why people fail. By the thoughts that occupy their mind and by the people they surround themselves with." - Bedros Keullian

I love this quote! Just like your body needs to be fed with the right nutrients to get the best out of it, your mind ALSO needs to be fed with the right THOUGHTS. Having the right mindset and maintaining a postive "CAN-DO" attitude when you're goal is to lose bodyfat and transform your body is key.

Also, surrounding yourself with people who are stronger, fitter and leaner than you will help you with your fat loss journey. This will help raise your game and bring you up to their level alot quicker than if you were to do it on your own.

2) Done Is Better Than Perfect...Quit worrying about what the best way to eat and train is and just GET STARTED TODAY! - Craig Ballantyne

You don't have to be a perfectionist when it comes to starting a fat loss plan. Whilst paying attention to detail is important, it's not essential. Just get going and start that fitness program that you said you were going to at the start of the year. Start cutting out sugar and processed food from your diet. You'll be amazed at what a difference it makes.

3) Do You Have A Degree In GSD? - Vince Del Monte

This was my favourite quote of the whole conference! This stands for "Getting Shit Done."

Blunt from Vinny but to the point which I love!

In my experience, when it comes to training and nutrition, alot of people "talk the talk" but don't "walk the walk". In my 13 years as a fat loss coach I've come across plenty of clients,personal trainers, nutritionists even doctors who "KNOW" plenty about nutrition (some of who know more about nutrition than me), they KNOW that sugar will play havoc with their fat loss plan, they know that alcohol will put a hault on their progress and they realise that consuming processed food won't see results but STILL choose to eat in this way.

You can read all the text books, magazines, learn all the latest fat loss resarch under the sun but there comes a time when you just have to "Get Shit Done" and simply start putting into practice what you've known all this time.

If you want to succeed with ANYTHING in life (not just your fitness goals) then take a leaf out of Vinny's book. You need to have a positive can-do attitude with a strong desire to succeed.

I'll be reminding myself of these 3 quotes over the next few weeks and will be sharing with all my private clients.

Start to install some discipline in your life and start taking ACTION today.

Are you following these 7 Fat Loss Tips?

Hey, Sam here!

Wow, can you believe that summer is over already? I blinked and I missed it! Usually I take a vacation over the summer season but this time round as I’ve been so busy I haven’t been able to do so.

So anyway I’ve decided to book an autumn break away to Orlando, Florida this week (I fly out tomorrow actually-yikes!). It’s a bit of business and pleasure actually. Fitness conference for first 2 days then on to explore Disney World for the rest of the week. When I booked the fitness conference I realised that the five star hotel that I’m staying in is over looking Disney World so I simply HAD to book in for a week and check out the parks whilst I’m there.

You can’t travel over 6,000 miles to a Fitness Conference (which is being held in one of the Disney World Hotels) and NOT check out Universal, Sea World, Disney etc,

That would be mad! = >

Anyway I’m not writing to talk to you about the weather and my holiday coming up, because today I wanted to give you some killer Fat Loss Tips to help you stay on course for achieving the body of your dreams.

Here are the tips that I use with all my private clients that you can start implementing NOW!

1) Plan, Plan, Plan And Do More Planning!

You know…So many times I hear of people embarking on a new fat loss plan and they haven’t planned properly for it. The classic excuse I’ll get is: “There is no healthy food where I work.” Or “I’m so busy I don’t have time to eat healthily.”

Here’s a question: Why don’t people take ownership of the problem and stop blaming everything and everyone else other than themselves as for why they haven’t achieved their ideal body shape yet?

Be organised…no, infact be super organised. Prepare your food the night before and take it to work with you in a tuppaware container. I used to do this when I worked as a lecturer for the YMCA in Central London. These were long hours (sometimes 7 in the morning till 9 at night!) but I managed to it. If I can do it, then you can too.

2) Record what you eat

Did you know that recent research suggests that those who use a food diary for their fat loss plan are more likely to be successful than those who don’t?

It’s true. Keeping a food diary should be quite straight-forward. Try not to regard it as a chore. The main purpose is to provide you with an overall view of the food and drinks you are consuming during a typical week.

You can download yours here.


3) Avoid Wheat, Dairy and Processed Food

This tip is real simple to follow. Avoid anything tinned, canned or packaged. If you remember that rule then you can't go wrong. Instead opt for fresh natural, wholesome foods that haven't been modified with additives, elmusifiers or preservatives to preserve its lifespan.

Most wheat and dairy is heavily processed so you're best off cutting it out whenever you can.

4) Use Intermittent Fasting.



If you haven’t tried intermittent fasting for your fat loss yet then I strongly advise that you do so.
Have a listen to the interview I gave with Eat Stop Eat Author Brad Pilon if you haven’t done so already. He’s a great guy and I love his nutritional philosophy so be sure to check it out. Even if you’re a little sceptical about intermittent fasting for fat loss I still think you should take a look.

This interview will blow you away!

5) Find a good Training Program



Why do people always associate losing weight or getting fit with joining a gym? This is the exact opposite of what you should be doing!
You can do it at your home. Find a good training program to help get you started. You don’t have to train hours on end. Just 3 times a week, starting off with 20 minutes and then build upon that.

If you’re stuck for ideas then you should download this great bodyweight workout from my good buddy Craig Ballantyne. You don’t need dumbbells, stability balls or expensive machines for this, all you’ll need is your body!

6) Don’t beat yourself up!

So many people that I’ve come across during my time as a fat loss expert will be going really well for a few weeks with their nutrition and then for whatever reason they have a day where it wasn’t so good and before you know, they’re back to their poor eating habits again.

If you have a bad day with your nutrition don’t beat yourself up over it, get back on the wagon and know that tomorrow will be a much better day.
Don’t be “All or nothing” and avoid putting too much pressure on yourself to eat the perfect diet.

7) Eat organically whenever you can!

Eating fruit and vegetables that are free from pesticides and meat that is free from steroids is by far the better option if you value your health. Now I understand that it’s not always easy or practical to eat organically. Life sometimes gets in the way however we should all be making an effort to eat organically whenever we can.

Aand if you want proof that pesticides are bad news then watch the video below:



Here’s also some more recent research on the dangers of pesticides and how it’s been strongly linked to Parkinsons Disease.

Check out this article from Paul Chek's Blog:

So try these 7 tips over the next few weeks and let me know how you go.

Okay, I’ve got a plain to catch,

Here’s to a new you,

Sam Winkworth

Barbell Circuit

I get alot of questions asking what the best fatloss workouts are.

Good question this...what IS the best fat loss workout?

Having researched over a thousand different workouts during my 13 years as a fat loss coach and tried and tested every single one on both myself and my clients, I can safely say now that the best fat loss workouts are the ones that create the most metabolic disturbance.

This is how many calories you burn both during and after exercise known as EPOC (Exercise post-oxygen consumption).

This won't happen if you do long, slow, boring, steady state cardio like jogging or swimming.

You'll only create metabolic disturbance (EPOC) by performing weights and interval training.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the long slow cardio workout, it's just that it's not the best for burning body fat that's all.

Interval training is research-proven to be far more effective for burning calories.

It can be done on a treadmill, on a bike, with weights or just your bodyweight.

Below is a great barbell circuit I've devised for you that can be done instead of your intervals. It still works in the same way as if you were doing your intervals on a treadmill or bike and you'll also create metabolic disturbance aswell.



www.youtube.com/samwinkworth

Have a play around with the weight,although you may want to select a weight that you can comfortably shoulder press because when you come to this exercise, you don't want to be changing the weight around.

Here's what it looks like on paper:

8 x Regular Deadlifts
8 x Romanian Deadlifts
8 x Upright Rows
8 x Front Squats
8 x Shoulder Press
8 x Lunges

Rest for 1/2 minutes then repeat that 3 times. Killer !!!

Train hard and be strong,

Sam


> Let me know how you go in the comments section below <

Your Weekend Workout - Kettlebell Bodyweight Workout

Here's a great workout you can try out this weekend whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced.



www.youtube.com/samwinkworth

If you're new to exercise and aren't too sure on some of the movements shown in the video then you could do normal squats instead of the overhead squats, kneeling push ups instead of regular ones and burpees without the jump.

You can also build up to the designated reps aswell. You could do 5-10 reps on everything instead of 10-20 to make it a little easier.

The workout should take you no longer than 30 minutes (if you work fast).

Good luck,

Sam : )