Think about it; if you look back at a whole week of entries and see a pattern such as a bag of crisps every night around 7:30pm; then you know that you have zeroed in on a bad habit that needs retuning.

Eg (Eating a tuna salad while watching Biggest Loser versus gauging on those fatty crisps; just because you’re not as big as those poor bastards are you?)

Another misconception with Results Diaries is that it’s too hard or too time consuming to keep track. Let me just say that I know the difference between an excuse and a fact; do you? That little read book that we give you when you join is little for two reasons; one it’s not heavy so you can take it any anywhere; two it’s small so it fits in your hand bag, suitcase, briefcase etc. So that’s one excuse debunked; let’s try another. The time consuming bit is easily eradicated by the fact that the diary is small and can go anywhere. This means that while you’re out having that café brunch for that all important meeting about replacing the water cooler; or the need for stationary you could also be writing up what’s going down your gob. Embarrassed? You shouldn’t be; you’re doing what’s necessary to be a winner in the game of fitness and your colleagues will respect that if they want to be winners too.

Now I know what you’re thinking; this is just some crappy write up to get me to use that bloody red book. Well you’re half right; the real reason for this article is the way I have seen these little red wonders work with my own clients. When I hear them say things like.

“Using that book really made me focus on eating good food because I didn’t want to right down cheese burger anymore”

“I never realized how much I actually snack:

“I drink a lot more than a thought; I should probably cut back huh?”

My first thought is; “everyone should be doing this; not just my peeps”

These comments are what prompted me to right this article about that little red wonder; the “Results Diary”. So if you’re not already using; start; and if you are; good job and I’ll see you around the studio for a high five or steady handshake.

During this time of year many of us are working long hours in the lead up to the holiday season. It is these extra long hours in the office, sitting behind a desk and in front of a computer that can affect our posture. It is difficult to hold perfect seated posture for 8 hours a day, so we suggest you regularly remind yourself to take a break, stand up, stretch and if possible get some fresh air too! A simple trick to help remind yourself to check and work on your posture is to schedule a reminder in your Outlook program. This will pop up on your screen and give you a visual reminder to take a break. You could set this to remind you every 2 hours.

There are many exercises that assist in creating and maintaining good posture when standing and sitting and our trainers have outlined 3 in the video above.

Deadlifts: This exercise is a whole body exercise that creates whole body strength. It major benefit to posture in the strengthening of the muscles supporting the spine along with the traps (shoulder/neck muscles). Although this exercise looks simple enough, the correct technique is important and should be monitored by your Personal Trainer.

Hip Lifts: This particular exercise requires no equipment and can be performed anywhere. It’s a great one to do at home in front of the TV (in the ad breaks!). By lifting your hips off the ground you and strengthening the hip flexors and improving your core strength. Try to engage your core muscles before you lift then maintain that contraction during the exercise.

Upper Back Stretch (Foam Roller): If you are lucky enough to have a Foam Roller at home than this exercise is great for stretching the upper back muscles that may be tight after a long day. It is important during this stretch to continue to breathe throughout the stretch and NOT hold your breath.

If you would like further education or demonstration on these posture improving exercises or like more information call 1300 NEWLEVEL or contact via this website.

A Personal Trainer will provide you with Motivation to train and Accountability to stick to your goal. However, there are other very important reasons a Personal Trainer is beneficial whether you are a newbie to exercise or even a seasoned veteran. These are SAFETY and TECHNIQUE.

It is important that early in your progression from non-exerciser to fitness fanatic that you are taught the correct technique in all exercises. This will help prevent injuries (which can  lead to lengthy time off), it will ensure you are getting the most out of your exercise and educate you on how to look for correct form.

Training with bad technique can lead to imbalances in your posture, niggling or even serious injury and can lead to a plateau in your results. A good Personal Trainer should always assess and correct your technique in all exercises including the “easy ones”.

SAFETY is something a Personal Trainer can ensure during a workout for people of all fitness levels. Whether you are lifting heavy weights or using the treadmill for the first time. Exercising with someone who is knows how to “spot” your lifts and ensure you’re training environment is free of hazards allows you to free your mind, put your trust in them and just concentrate on the exercise.

If you are interested in learning more of the benefits of Personal Training feel free to call 1300 NEWLEVEL to talk to a trainer, or fill out our 3 FREE Session offer on this website.

Four of New Level Personal Training’s best trainers got together and decided on their 3 best tips to Shape Up For Summer. So when we put them all together we have 12 Tips to get in shape. The tips in no particular order are:

1. Stop Eating Processed Food, Eat Natural Food

2. Drink More Water and Green Tea

3. Do Whole Body Exercises

4. Stick To A Meal Plan

5. Cut Out Alcohol

6. Increase The Workout Intensity

7. Lift Heavier Weights

8. Do High Intensity Cardio Intervals

9. Cut Out All Sugar From Your Diet

10. Train At Least 4 Times Per Week

11. Drink More Water During The Day

12. Cut Out All Take-Away Food

So, there you have it!!! 12 Tips to think about in the lead up to Summer. If you would like further advise feel free to download our 3 FREE Session offer on this site, or simply contact us on 1300 NEWLEVEL for a chat!

Dani had been a member of New Level Personal Training Newtown for about six months and by her own admission, when she first started she wasn’t too sure about having a personal trainer. She decided she was going to give it a go because she had heard about some of her acquaintances getting some amazing results.
Well, what was the end result, we may well ask young Dani?

“Now, I am the biggest advocate for it. I never thought I could achieve some of the results I have achieved. Today, for example, I just did 100 kilos on the 45 angle weights with the thighs…..”
Stop there, Dani! I think you meant the 45 degree Leg Press machine, but we know what you meant! Anyway, back to you…
“So I would say give it a go. Come in, have a look, talk to the trainers. They are amazing – they will give you a good deal and they will get you the results you want to achieve,” concluded a cheery Dani.

UPDATE: Not only will personal training get you the results you want, but your confidence and self esteem will improve dramatically, which will have a positive impact on your private lives.
Just ask Dani. When she first came to us she was still a uni student and only had a part time job. In the time since this interview was recorded, Dani has – unfortunately – left New Level Newtown, because she got the job of her dreams working in the marketing department of a major international cosmetics company and has, as a result, had to move to Melbourne.
Well done Dani and good luck with your future endeavours – and never give up working and exercising hard!

As demonstrated by Tonci from New Level Personal Training (Newtown, Geelong) in the video above, the Kettlebell Swing is a fantastic exercise for strengthening and toning the legs. As this exercise is quite ballistic you need to ensure your form and technique is correct otherwise injury can occur. This is why having the direction and attention of a Personal Trainer is a must.

Once your Personal Trainer progresses you through your program and introduces kettlebells to your training you will start to notice the wide range of exercises that can be performed using the kettlebell. The kettlebell basically looks like a cannonball with a handle, but it is it’s simple design that allows it to have so many exercise options.

When performing the Kettlebell Swing (as demonstrated in the video above), you need to ensure you bend your knees, keep a neutral spine and only bring the kettlebell up to eye level (parallel to the ground). Use the momentum created by the swing to perform a high repetition count which will engage the anaerobic energy system.

Females are recommended to start with an 8kg kettlebell and male with a 16kg one. However, before performing any kettlebell exercises on your own, please get advice from a Personal Trainer on correct technique to prevent any injury.

If you would like to know more about Kettlebell training, please call us on 1300 NEWLEVEL or contact us via our 3 FREE Session offer on this website.

Ivan had one goal and one goal only, when he first started at the New Level Personal Training Newtown studio in Geelong. Just like many other guys, he wanted to be able to bench press his own body weight.

When he first started, Ivan could barely lift 30kgs in the bench press. His technique was somewhat flawed, his stamina was severely lacking and his overall upper body strength was nowehere near where it should have been.

“I’ve done really well over the past six months. When I first started I set myself a goal to increase my strength and bodyweight and I have managed to do that thanks to the staff here at New Level Newtown”, said Ivan.

Possessing a slender, ectomorphic body structure, his trainer Tonci knew it would be a hard slog to initially pack lean muscle onto his slight frame, so he instructed Ivan to increase his protein intake, right from the start.

In conjunction with a supervised resistance training program, an accompanying intense cardio program and being provided with continuing nutrition advice, Ivan was soon able to reap the full rewards of his newfound improvements in strength, flexibility and overall fitness.

So much so that after six months of dedicated training with his trainers Tonci and Renato, Ivan can safely say that he is in the very best physical condition that he has ever been.

“This training has given me a lot more strength and confidence. I had quite  bad posture when I first started and that was one of the things  I really wanted to target. Today I have pretty much sorted that out and I feel so much better as a result!” concluded a proud Ivan.

Ivan will now take a short break as his wife is due to give birth to their second child in a few week’s time, but he has vowed he will be back to tackle his new goal.

Whatever that may be, we are certain that it will be a case of WHEN and not if Ivan does it. Congrats and all the best with Bub No. 2!

NOTE: Apologies for the poor sound quality, after all we are professional personal trainers, not professional film makers, lol!

As Tonci nicely demonstrates in the video clip above, Tabata Training can give you maximum results in minimum time. Tabata training is a typically used with Resistance Exercises using weights building muscle endurance, and increasing the anaerobic capacity.

The Tabata Training formula for success is:

Push hard for 20 seconds
Rest for 10 seconds
Repeat this 8 times!

Total workout time = 4 minutes!!

In the video above Tonci ditches the weights and resistance exercises and instead applies the Tabata formula to his cardio workout on the spin bike. Basically this is another form of interval training when done on the bike, and as you can see the intensity of the hard 20 seconds needs to be high to be effective.

Traditional Tabata Training as mentioned earlier uses resistance exercises (weights) with the most effective being compound exercises such as squats. The use of Kettlebells is also very popular when performing a Tabata Workout.

Tabata Training should not be used as a daily workout rather scheduled in as a fortnightly or monthly addition to your program.

Simon was in the cooking industry for 10 years and decided to make a career change to Personal Training. His former career as a chef gives him a great advantage when designing nutrition plans for his clients. Simon knows what works and what doesn’t, how to prepare food quickly, and has lots of tips for cooking the healthy way!

New Level Personal Training founder Trav Bell talks to Simon in the video above about some of the ‘most asked’ questions from clients about nutrition, and along the way Simon reveals some handy cooking advice.

Some of the key points are:

• Prepare your lunch and snacks the night before so you are not rushed in the morning and decide to just buy your lunch.
• Prepare some soups (especially during winter) on the weekend and put them the freezer in containers ready to go when you need them.
• Use the palm of your hand as a guide for the correct portion of the ‘protein’ in your meal. eg: Red Meat, Fish, Chicken.
• When cooking on a pan, get the surface really HOT first. This helps seal the food quickly and hold in the nutrients.
• A light spray of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on pan is better than dripping it in oil.
• Sealing your chicken breast in a pan first then allowing it to continue cooking in the oven is a good way of cooking the chicken without frying it in oil.
• Poaching and steaming are healthy cooking techniques that need to be mastered.
• Try not to overcook your vegetables. Keep them crisp. Overcooking them will release too much of their goodness.

Simon will be back with some more cooking and nutrition tips in future videos. If you have any questions you would like to ask him, just comment below this post or simple call 1300 NEWLEVEL.

Personally, I think in the next video he should wear a ‘Chef’s Hat’, be in the kitchen and give us a ‘Master Class’… What do you think?

In her own famous words, Heather comes to each personal training session at New Level Personal Training Newtown with the intention of not getting broken, but getting fixed! Heather is another astounding success story generated from the Newtown studio’s young but ever growing archives of ordinary people achieving extraordinary personal results.

When she came to us, Heather was extremely unfit, rather overweight and certainly did not have the confidence to push herself to beyond her own personal boundaries. That’s before she met “Ray” and “Michelle” (her affectionate names for her trainers at New Level Newtown!), who have not only managed to “break” her on many occasions, but have also succeeded in “fixing” our girl.

Heather recently decided to up her training to three PT sessions per week, as well as combine a regular Monday night Group Boxing Session at the studio. The results have been nothing short of spectacular.

In a period of just eight weeks, Heather lost an incredible 4.1 kilograms. In the same period she shaved a total of 5.5 cms off her waist and a further 5 cms off her hips!

Most of all, though, Heather’s attitude and outlook on life is far more positive, than it was before, despite having an extremely stressful job in a Podiatry Clinic that leaves her drained both physically and emotionally. “I feel really happy, because all this work is paying off.” said a beaming Heather, just after completing a gruelling Results Week Challenge on the treadmill, where she shaved more than a minute off her personal best time!

“The only problem I have now is that my clothes don’t fit me anymore. I had this shirt I used to wear for job interviews and formal occasions. I went to put it on, the other day, and it was way too big!”

Heather is a real credit to herself and a firm believer of the old saying, where there is no pain, there is no gain! Congratulations Heather and I guess that means you have no option now but to go out and shop for a whole new wardrobe – every girl’s dream come true!!!