Russell Holman Strength & Conditioning Coach

Less Is More

2011-10-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

Last month I was invited to present at a workshop on minimalist shoes by Saucony to the press.

The concept behind minimalist shoes is, too much stability from the shoe all the time, means the foot and ankle loses its own ability to stabilise. Some shoe companies are simply putting there shoes to market and letting everyone just get on with it. What I liked about Saucony was they want to get the message across that if you have spent a lifetime in stabilising shoes on your feet, you must strengthen up before taking their shoes out for a spin, that's where I came in

Hands up - baby hands up!

It was a good day presenting my ideas to not only running journalists but also some from the glossy magazines. Most of them looked at me like I was a madman, because what i demonstated as an exercise for strengthening your feet probably looked more like it would work everything OTHER than your feet. However, after I had made them all perform the exercises you could see the lighbulbs go off as they got 'it'. In order to work my feet and ankles for running I have to stand on my feet and move, because that is whats going to happen when i run!

The feedback was excellent and so far I have seen one article about the day and also been contacted by a journalist for Runners World to contribute to an article in the new year.

So click here to read The Sun onlines version of the day (make sure you click on the link to minimalist running tab)

A Long Overdue Post

2011-08-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

Well I really have been slack haven't I!!

So here is an update on my personal challenge.

Training was going exceptionally well, I adopted what some experts might label as reverse periodisation, I feel it is appropriate, which when applied to this goal simply means I was looking to acquire the necessary speed for a sub 2 minutes 800m then learn to endure it.

I was regularly hitting my 400m and 800m paced targets over shorter distances and was continuing to improve my strength and power, when work got in the way. I had 3 footballers wanting to work with me over the summer and when I get long term clients, who are coming in every day and working towards something, I do the work with them, it is something I have always done from working with Sepeng in South Africa, through my days at West Ham and Gillingham and still do today. It builds a camaraderie, which is especially important when working 1-2-1, it can also be a case that when people are tired I can do the work and then turn around and say 'come on I'm tired and a lot older and if I can then...' you get the picture.

So during a period when my plan had been to be running 5-6 and 700m intervals at faster than race tempo, I was performing short explosive multi- directional drills (not good for me for me but very good for them) All the players returned to their clubs in tip top shape and one of them even topped every single fitness test.

Does this mean I have failed? Far from it! How? Well every single day since I set myself the challenge I have had a purpose for that days training, it has been part of a bigger picture, I was TRAINING rather WORKING OUT and have to say I'm in the best physical shape I have been in for a long time. The goal is still there I'm just looking at next track season rather than this one, Ill be 44 going on 45 so the achievement will be even greater!

Set yourself a goal and start TRAINING!

Introducing Bish the Fish

2011-04-10T05:12:00.000-07:00

Michael Phelps beware! My sone Luke 'bish the fish' Holman is gunning for you ... Lucky for you he is only 8 so you will be long retired by the time he hits the big pool. He has asked me to post this and send it to the great man himself via twitter so lets see what the legend thinks

Poor quality footage I know - I did it on my phone at the end of an hours training session

Go Go Power Stranger!

2011-03-23T04:09:00.000-07:00

Well for the last few weeks I have reintroduced myself to intensive plyometric training and walking like John Wayne for several days after each bout.... I obviously had a perkier bum when I ran that’s all I can say!

So in addition to the slightly more familiar strength work I have been hopping and bounding around Fit 4 Personal Training Centre like the proverbial spring lamb. I also took advantage of the sunshine to start my speed (or not so speedy) work. Thankfully the back is holding out, but I do need to find a touch more speed ,however, I do have four months or so to find it.

Having finally done some research into the task in hand I found out only 2 UK men in the age group 40-45 actually broke 2 minutes for the 800m last year and my old mate Andy Knight missed out by a couple of 10ths, so that’s certainly given me the impetuous to push myself on. Hopefully by next posting ill have some video to pop up. Til then take a look at our latest client testimonial on Fit 4's Blog

Meantime I'm off to jump around!

Would Dubai-leave it

2011-02-25T10:33:00.000-08:00

Well as you can see I still harbour ambitions to write headlines for a national red top newspaper one day.

January was a busy month for me, regular clients getting back into the swing following Christmas and new year as well as new starters getting the Fit 4 treatment

Then came a call to go to Dubai to work with a VIP client, not entirely out of the blue but unexpected nonetheless. Apparently they wanted me 'yesterday' so the wheels went into motion to ensure that all my clients would be well looked after while I was away, as well as buying up enough ambre solaire to stop the top of my bonce from frying.

However, as often happens, opportunity went as fast as it came and I spent the rest of the month continuing to scrape the ice of my windscreen.

In the meantime I’ve decided that I need a personal challenge to give my training a focus this year (see I do practice what I preach) So at the grand old age of 43 I will be attempting to break 2 minutes for the 800m. Whilst its not in the same league as a 4 minute mile it is still regarded as a watershed for many club athletes up and down the country and I'm sure would rate me quite highly amongst the fossils

Its by no means a formality, especially as I haven’t raced for close to 15 years! Blimey now I do feel old. But having kept myself pretty fit over the years I feel its doable

Ill be posting updates on my blog as to how training is going and obviously throughout the summer as to how the races are progressing, although I must confess getting of to a pretty inauspicious start by aggravating my back in the first week! Still I'm back on track – pardon the pun – and working mainly in the gym on my strength as well as reacquainting myself with the fundamental running drills which though I've coached many people to do I've rarely spent time doing myself lately.

Also please do check out the latest Fit4 personal training centre blog, this month Anne Searle proves we are not a one man band by singing Freds praises

January Blues

2011-01-19T11:04:00.000-08:00

Well December actually.... i must try harder to keep my blog posts current!

Fit 4 client Tom Yousef was told in June by the rugby coaches at Oxford University if he wanted to get his varsity blue this season he had to be fitter. Cue the phone call to me and some gruelling rugby specific conditioning throughout the summer on The Old Deer Park in Richmond (its nice to get out and about from time to time). Tom, despite being tired from long arduous hours working his internship, gave every session all he had and based upon the RFU fitness test we could see he was improving. Well obviously he continued that application upon returning to college because in December he achieved his goal and played in the Varsity match at Twickenham and was on the winning side as well as Oxford produced a dominant display.

The moral here is have a SPECIFIC goal and it really galvanizes the mind to do whatever it takes to achieve it.

Clients Update

2010-12-18T02:08:00.000-08:00

I've now handed over the Fit 4 blog to some of our clients who will be posting their stories and updates throughout 2011 so take a look at Ed Kimbers story which is up there now.

Also take a look at Alan Mortlocks MMA debut which is now posted on YouTube and see the shape a 55 year old is capable of getting in before you start to make up those excuses for not chasing your dreams.

I'm now looking forward to a break over Christmas, as my wife keeps reminding me, I have only had a week off work this year. That will recharge my batteries for January when our 'NEW YEAR NEW YOU' campaign will see many new clients join our existing base and give me and the team at Fit 4 many more challenges throughout 2011.

My NBF

2010-11-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

For the second week running I will be chatting to Danny Kelly on talkSPORT, this time about the physiological effects of flying on sportsmen... I will have to get my own Twitter if this keeps up!!

Lost The Fight But Won The Battle

2010-11-03T05:10:00.000-07:00

On Saturday evening, I went along to The Brentwood Centre with John Green from Premier Physiotherapy and a couple of Fit 4 clients to watch my client Alan Mortlock achieve his life time ambition of climbing into the ring and competing in a professional combat bout. I saw Alan prior to the fight and he looked relaxed and ready for it and had the 'tigger bounce' so many competitive athletes display prior to an event.

He was up against a man half his age but infinitely more experienced in Mali Richardson and ultimately that experience was to be the difference between the 2 men as Mali ran out victorious.

Shortly afterwards I popped into the dressing room to chat with Alan and the 'tigger bounce' was still evident. Despite the loss in the cage he was beaming ear to ear having got in there and done it.

Last night I received a text from Alan saying how much he had enjoyed training and wanted to keep it going for his next goal.... looking good on holiday!!

Its The Final Countdown.. Da Da Dah Daaaah

2010-10-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

The end of October see’s two landmark moments for a couple of my current clients

For the past 6 month I have been working with Alan Mortlock in preparation for his upcoming cage fighting debut at the age of ... wait for it.... 55 ... yes I did mean to type 55... No it’s no mistake. I met Alan by chance, he had popped into Runnersworld to buy some trainers and we got chatting.
Back then the fight date seemed so far away but we set about building a foundation of strength which ultimately we would convert to power as well as ensuring he had sufficient conditioning to get through his 2 x 5 minute round bout. Alan has really applied himself to every session and I have never once tempered a session because of his age and I know he has worked just as hard in his other training. So Saturday night in Brentwood he will climb his ‘Everest’ I will of course be there to watch and support. I’ll let you know the result in my next blog.

Earlier today, I was back at Gillingham FC for the first time in nearly 5 years with Simon King.

Simon has been unable to play since 2009 with a very serious ankle injury. Following close to 3 months of rehabilitation at Premier Physiotherapy with John Green he has been running with me for the past 8 weeks and now he is ready to return to the club and join in with football training and is now hopefully a matter of weeks from a league football return. It was nice to catch up with Andy Hessenthaler, Nicky Southall and Danny Spiller who were all there in my time with the club as well as bumping into a few others from behind the scenes and Matt Lawrence who I know from my spell at Crystal Palace. Like Alan, Simon has applied himself really well to the task of getting back and I really can’t praise the work of John highly enough. Without his initial input Simon would never have got to the point of being able to charge around the fields with me. His return to training also means the long overdue haircut; I’m sure his long bottle blonde locks will look better on the barber’s floor than they ever did on his head! I look forward to returning to the Priestfield in the coming weeks to see him return to action.

This evening I'm on Talksport with Danny Kelly and Matt Holland discussing the effects of alcohol on sporting performance so I better go off and have a few drinks to calm the nerves ;)

Is That The Time?

2010-09-15T01:21:00.000-07:00

I think I need to take my calendar back as it must be wrong! It can’t be September already?

It’s been a hectic couple of months, following a much needed family holiday - which is now a dim and distant memory - I spent the summer working with my many and varied clients.

For many years I was working with groups of athletes or footballers who shared a common goal and days could occasionally be routine and would often raise a shout of Groundhog Day from the more vocal of the bunch, I now have someone walking through the door every hour with different needs, wants and goals and I find that challenge an enjoyable one.

What’s especially enjoyable is to see how far some of them have come in a short space of time (this time last year I was sitting in a building site and Fit4 didn’t exist) In fact last night, a client I have had since December, brought her husband along and they had a joint session, she watched her husband and the penny dropped! Exercises she had once struggled to master, she was now well beyond and is now doing higher level more challenging stuff. The fact she told me she couldn’t run back in March when I first put her on the treadmill and she has since completed a 5k and will be taking the start line in a 10k next month should have been a clue ha ha.

Over the coming months I will be handing over the Fit4 blog to some of these clients and they can tell you their own stories (ill be editing out the bad stuff about me obviously) and keep us all updated with their progress so keep an eye out for that

Flight Of The Concordes

2010-07-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

I recently helped out an old friend of Premier Physiotherapy, Danny Cowley, who when he was a player at Hornchurch was a regular visitor to get him over various injuries.

Now Danny is very successful as manager at Concorde Rangers, who have gained promotion to the Ryman Premier Division this season and he asked me for some advice to freshen up his pre season a little. This involved making a couple of tweaks to what was already a very good plan, as well as meeting up with the squad for a training session. I was surprised by the number of familiar faces he had in his squad, with several lads I had worked with when they were in the West Ham Youth set up, however, I wasn't surprised by the attitude and application everyone showed during the evening while completing a gruelling pre season workout which would challenge a premier league player.

I will be popping back towards the end of pre season for another session and look forward to keeping tabs on results as the season progresses.

Sucessful Period

2010-06-11T03:51:00.000-07:00

Well the last few weeks have certainly been a very busy and productive time.

As well as maintaining my work with clients at Fit4 Personal Training Centre, I have also been working with several Footballers in conjunction with John Green from Premier Physiotherapy Centre.

Soon after the season had finished I spent a week working with a young player from QPR who needs to improve his speed, after a days testing we decided on the areas he could most improve and within ONE WEEK we had taken 0.2 seconds off of his time over 10m - He has program to follow to continue his improvement throughout the summer and we will be working together for a week prior to his pre-season.

Also while John visited Latvia to work with a NBA star I held the fort back home and worked with a couple of Gillingham players who have been sent over by James Calder. Having worked for the Gills in the past it was good to have a gossip about the old place whilst putting the guys through their rehabilitation.

I also have a couple of potential marathoners, who's personal stories are such, that if we get them round the 26.2 miles it will give me more personal pride than probably anything else I have done (and that includes seeing my athlete standing on the medals rostrum at the Olympic Games!!!!) I shall update you on their progress throughout the year

Up 4 The Challenge

2010-05-11T03:37:00.000-07:00

Well after 6 months Fit4 Personal training centre is now in full swing and I personally have a great client list of motivated and determined people.

When John Green and myself first discussed the concept of opening a training centre as opposed to a traditional gym, I always thought we could do something novel and make personal training actually personalised! So far so good, every client I have has set themselves a challenge, some wish to lose weight some are focussed on a specific event (ranging from 5 k runs to marathons, ironman and even MMA bouts) and that is so important because with a specific and realistic target that the client wants I can make sure each and every training session is working towards that target.

So if you’re thinking you want to ‘get fit’ then think again and decide what you REALLY want to achieve. Once that’s been decided then the sessions can be organised and that way your sessions are not just a list of exercises but the next step to achieving a goal!!!

Full Steam Ahead!!

2010-02-12T06:38:00.000-08:00

Well January has been pretty full on here. The new year has started well with Fit 4 attracting lots of new clients and I have been busy with a premier league footballer looking to regain fitness.

However the highlight of the year so far has to be receiving a very excited voicemail from a client who had just completed the 5 mile run I had given him to do. This was the whole reason myself and John Green set up the training centre - to give everyone the opportunity to pursue a goal and assist them along the way.

The 5 mile run isn't this guys goal, but its a major stepping stone for him! I have several new clients who have set themselves personal challenges and I can wait to receive there excited messages as the year progresses

Semi Final For the Rocket

2009-12-14T05:52:00.000-08:00

Despite the best efforts of my wife and her X Factor addiction I did manage to catch some sport this weekend.

For a change I found myself watching snooker, not my sport of choice I must admit, but over the last month I have got to know Ronnnie O'Sullivan who has been attending one of my distance running conditioning sessions at Fit 4 Personal Training Centre.

Away from the green baize Ronnie is a keen and enthusiastic distance runner and has been a really good addition to the group who are mainly members of Woodford Green Athletics Club, a club I was a member of myself over 20 years ago.

He fought back against John Higgins in the UK championships at the semi final stage only to narrowly miss out on the Final.

I look forward to seeing him at out next session, where i know as in everything Ronnie does 100% will be given

Fit 4 Personal Training Centre

2009-11-05T03:17:00.000-08:00

The signs above the door.....

And we are Open For Business!!

This brand new Training Centre is ready for you to start working towards your goals, so decide what you want to get Fit 4 and we will work with you every step of the way. Everybody is welcome at Fit4 regardless of experience or ability. Yes our trainers do work with International Footballers and Olympian Athletes but if you haven’t done any exercise since your P.E.lessons at school be assured that you will receive the same attention to detail, support and motivation to achieve as anybody else.

The Services offered are:

Personal Training – these One –to –One sessions are tailored to the individual. You will set your own targets with the help of the trainer, your nutrition will be analysed and you will undergo appropriate physical and physiological tests to monitor your improvement

Multi Person Training – these sessions can cater for up to 4 people at the same time! Each of you will receive your own personalised training schedule so it doesn’t matter if you have different abilities or targets within the group (for example a husband and wife wouldn’t necessarily want to achieve the same things from their training sessions) you will all work towards your own goals, however, you will share the experience, be each others motivational team and perhaps more importantly share the costs!

Alter G Treadmill - FDA cleared and built on NASA technology, AlterG is changing the way people recover and train. Our unique technology allows you to run or walk at a fraction of your body weight, so you can dial in exactly where the pain stops and movement feels good again. Leading medical professionals are using AlterG to help their patients recover better and have a smooth return to activity. Top athletes and teams are using AlterG to recover and train smarter, reducing the frequency of training injuries by minimizing stress on their joints, while still building fitness. Now you can too!

Online Training – For those of you that would benefit from a more hands off approach, but still want our guidance we offer an online option. You will receive a full month’s workouts, from resistance training to cardio and rest sessions.

For Details of Costs Call Now 07949 997466 or email info@fit4personaltraining.com

Fit4 Personal Training Centre - Opening Soon!!!

2009-10-15T03:58:00.000-07:00

The new venture I have embarked on with John Green is very nearly ready to be unveiled.

Fit 4 Personal Training Centre is a by appointment only, private gym. This means your training sessions will be planned, supervised and monitored at all times and your sessions will never ever be compromised because other people are using the equipment that you need to be using. Our trainers will therefore be able to track your progress against your pre stated goals and ensure that every minute you spend working out with us is a minute closer to what you want to get Fit 4.

If you are interested in visiting our centre or if you are a personal trainer looking for a location to work from, then call now for information on 07949 997466

New Venture

2009-09-14T04:50:00.000-07:00

Well time is flying this year! what is it they say about the older you get....

The summer was a good one for me, lots of successful work with the footballers I have been working with as well as some massive improvements from a few personal training clients I have taken on, which leads me into the new venture I am embarking on in partnership with John Green.

Work has started on a brand new training facility in Chadwell Heath which will take shape over the coming weeks, as you can see its currently a building site but by October it should be a unique personal training enviroment with some of the best strength and conditioning equipment in the UK.

JULY ALREADY!!!!

2009-07-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

Off season used to be quiet time when I worked for a football club.

Now I am working with a few players on a One to One basis i don't feel like i have stopped!!

Craig Bellamy had a knee injury at the end of last season which he aggravated during the International game versus Finland, so he was determined to get back to fitness so that he would be firing on all 12 cylinders (it used to be 4 cylinders but footballers don't drive 4 cylinder cars!) To that end i spent 2 weeks in Cardiff working with him after he had spent a month in London working with John.

Following that myself and John juggled our time making sure that Dean Ashton, Kieron Dyer, David James as well as Leon McKenzie all received the individual input they needed.

June then finished with a training camp in Vale Do Lobo, Portugal. All the above attended with the exception of Dean who used his wedding as an excuse to stay in England to train rather than graft in the soft sand (lightweight!!!)

David, Kieron, Craig and Leon all reported to there clubs for pre-season training so hopefully they will continue to progress under the guidance of the club fitness staff.

July is my holiday time so I will be off to Portugal for a change, this time no sand running.

Off Season Antics

2009-06-08T04:05:00.000-07:00

When John Green started working with footballers on a 1-2-1 basis and started to involve me he said that during the off season things would be quiet. Well happily for me (and the bank manager) he was very wrong!

Since the end of the season we have both been very busy working with several players - I think that players are now seeing that 6 weeks off is just plain wrong for professional sportsmen and are keen to maintain fitness have a short break to recharge batteries and then prepare again before pre-season starts.

So working mainly on maintaining strength and general fitness at the moment before holding a camp in Portugal at the resort of Vale do Lobo before the players return to their clubs.

Time Flies

2009-05-14T04:26:00.000-07:00

Not that I have been having much fun!

During April went to work for the London Marathon as I have for many years now, during the build up I work in the press office, which this year was virtually hijacked by the Katie and Peter show!

I got drafted in to provide a massage, after a physio got cold feet - the whole thing was filmed for their reality TV show - and i have never seen Roy the other physio move so fast to bags massaging Katie!

On the Race day I am involved at the sharp end of the race taking the lead athletes splits on the course, this basically means i get to whizz around at the front on a motorbike. The Men's race was a cracker and its still amazing to see how fast these guys are moving.

After the Marathon I was due to get back into working with the usual suspects, namely Dean Ashton and Craig Bellamy, however, I came down with a type of pneumonia which really hit me for 6. Thankfully I seem to be on the mend and looking ahead to a very busy off season with a whole host of players looking to maintain there fitness through the summer so I will keep you posted with those details!

Ashton on the Up

2009-04-09T00:31:00.000-07:00

Dean Ashton recently returned from a training stint in Portugal with John Green from Premier Physiotherapy where he trained on the sand.

On his return we went back to AlterG training, at Premier Physiotherapy Centre in Chadwell Heath, to unload and recover. He seems to be progressing very well and the plan is to be outside for full loading next week.

The AlterG has kept me busy, as well as Dean we also had another footballer travel to us to use it in a bid to be fit for his teams run in, marathon runner have been supplementing their training on it and I also have had one of our physiotherapy clients who had suffered from a traumatic head injury on the Gtrainer for some gait re-education work which has been fantastic to see his progress, the treadmill allows us to work at speeds and for durations that we just couldn't achieve on a standard treadmill.

Training News

2009-03-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

Well It's been pretty busy lately, what with increased involvement in Dean Ashton's rehab which has recently included a running session on the AlterG Gtrainer at Premier Physiotherapy centre in Chadwell Heath.

The Alter G has also been utilised lately by plenty of runners who are in training for the upcoming Flora London Marathon.

I've also been linking up with Craig Bellamy who has had a bit of bone bruising in his kneecap but hopefully will be back in the scintillating form he has been displaying recently.

Dean is progressing well supervised by John Green and is putting in some good sessions now on the G trainer so it shouldn't be long before he progresses outside firstly in the soft sand then onto the football pitch so I will keep you updated as he continues his rehab.

As I mentioned the Alter G is the ideal 'cross trainer' for someone who is now starting to feel all those training miles in there legs as you are still running but with reduced stress to muscles tendons and joints.

I'm currently away with Craig preparing for the upcoming Internationals so i will definitely be working hard to give him a chance of facing the Germans

CoreX System

2009-03-01T00:47:00.000-08:00

This week as well as the usual work at Premier Physiotherapy Centre in Chadwell Heath I also spent some time teaching a personal trainer I know the work we do with the CoreX System

This system was developed by leading physiotherapist Alex McKechnie, who I had the pleasure of meeting many times whilst I worked at West Ham United. John Green brought him over and has stayed in close contact with him ever since.

My personal trainer friend was looking for a niche so i suggested he puchased a CoreX and judging by the interested generated within the gym as we worked he should have plenty of new clients soon.

Recently I have only been able to do upper body conditioning with Dean Ashton following his posterior ankle arthroscopy with James Calder and Niek Van Dyke to remove a bony prominence from the inside of his ankle.

Dean has now begun his rehab in earnest and will be fit for pre-season, we will be videoing his work at various stages and this will be posted on our sites!

Snow Joke

2009-02-07T01:19:00.000-08:00

Like almost everyone else I was affected by the snow this week. A planned trip to Manchester had to be abandoned. I was due to continue working with Craig Bellamy who I have worked with on and off for the past 10 months, since he came for treatment by John Green at Premier Physiotherapy Centre, and I was looking forward to continuing following his recent transfer to Manchester City, his hectic schedule of games now mean that we will have to wait until March.

Meanwhile, this week I was delighted to see Carl Cort get a start in the game against Wolves and especially pleased to see him bag a goal against his former employers.

Carl had considered quiting the game in the summer, however, he decided to have one final attempt and came to see John Green in August. After some surgery on his knee by renowned surgeon Andrew Williams he spent 6 weeks working intensively with John.

Once John was happy with his progress he spent 6 weeks working intensively with me. In addition to our input he also had regular sessions with Terry Escourt our martial arts expert and swimming coach Lynette Dyer. He worked HARD! He reaped the rewards of that hard work with a contract at Norwich City.

I spoke with him on Monday and he was keen to face Wolves at Molineux so when I saw his name in the starting line up I wasn't surprised to then see his name pop up on 47 minutes in the goal scorers column.

Lets hope for a better week next week!

An Introduction

2009-02-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

I am a strength and conditioning coach and a member of the Australian strength and conditioning association.

I started coaching in the 1990's and between 1995 and 1999 I worked with South African 800m runner Hezekiel Sepeng, a period which saw Sepeng improve his personal best by over 2 seconds and gain silver medals at the Olympic games, World athletics championships and Commonwealth games.

Since then I have worked primarily in football including stints at West Ham, Gillingham and Crystal Palace

I specialise in Strength and Conditioning which focuses on training movements and not isolating muscles to improve your performance and reduce the risk of injury or re-injury and I work very closely with Chartered Physiotherapist John Green from Premier Physiotherapy Centre.

I will use this blog to highlight some of my work and keep you informed as to what i am upto throughout the year