Design and implementation of your wellness training – on and off the film set

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Thursday, 11.01.2012, 01:00pm (GMT) for INFOCUS MAGAZINE

Consider multiple aspects in your thoughts regarding the individual composition of your training:

-The objective of the training
-Your health condition
-Your training levels
-Your shape
-Your planned daily schedule
-Your personal preferences

The training objective is to decide on the content, structure and intensity of your workouts. With a specific goal, it is easier to organize the workouts and the training efficiently. Additionally, motivate yourself to support your specific goals. Ask yourself what drives you, what do you want to train for? Become aware of your goals and motivation, and unleash new energies. Write down your goals in a training diary based on all the experience that you earn while training! Over time, you will see the importance of recording your goals in a diary as it will allow you to judge how realistic your goals are and how consistent your daily actions are to achieve the goals.

Your health is the most important aspect that you must consider when performing any activity. Refrain from performing any stress-related physical activity that is prohibited by your doctor, otherwise it will lead to further pain and complexities. Training is meant to promote your health, and not to do any harm.

Your training level determines the intensity and difficulty of the training. Adhere to a simple rule and design your workouts at the beginning in such a way, so that they are easy for you and you can keep a good overview of your progress and difficulties. Try new moves slowly and be open to anything that you do not know.

With time, you can design your own workout to make it more difficult – go from simple to advanced! This rule is very important so that you do not overstrain your body improperly. Due to congestion, the risk of injury increases while the feel-good factor decreases. If you have experienced strong muscle or joint pain due to intensive training for the duration of a few days afterwards, you know what I mean. You should rather increase the intensity of the workouts step by step. Try to have small, but steady progress and success, because this increases the motivation and the positive attitude toward your exercise.

Sometimes, when you design and practice a new training regime, you may not be able to avoid slight soreness of your muscles. Do not force yourself to something for which you are not ready yet. With regular training sessions, try to improve your awareness about your own body and therefore improve your ability to sustain the right amount of load. Take your time and have fun with your personal growth.
Maintain a keen observation on your daily condition, and the daily routine, because depending on what region you are located, you will have to adapt your energy “budget” to the climatic conditions and the changing daily routines. Be sensible and plan your workouts so that they harmonize with your energy.

Your daily body condition plays an important role in assessing the intensity you can sustain for your workout. If you do not feel well, you may have a serious underlying cause behind it. In such cases, it is advisable to listen to your inner voice.

Trust your body feeling! The body is subjected to much more influences than we are aware of. In some cases, sustainable breaks in training and properly targeted relaxation are better for the health just as much as compulsory training and the training progress. Remain patient and realistic, because the process of recovery requires as much flexibility as the planning of the training –even if it turns your training over on its head from time to time. Maintain and promote a healthy attitude toward your workout!

Every day in your life is based on your own individual preferences –during vacation as well as in your daily life. If you are not an early bird and are not approachable before breakfast, then you should do a light workout after getting up and perform more extensive training later on. If you are an early riser and have no problems getting up early without much effort then, you can perform a longer workout in the early morning. For most people, a relaxation program fits better in the evening or at the weekends in day-to-day life.
It is really important for you to feel and understand your body for healthy and sustainable wellness training. Try to feel what makes you feel good and what gets you overstressed.

Avoid technical instruments, as much as you can, such as the heart rate monitors (as far as there is no need for it to monitor a special medical situation). Technical equipment distracts the concentration. Use this kind of equipment occasionally to make sure that your senses are not deceiving you. But otherwise, train yourself only with the help of simple equipment.

You should respect your personal preferences during the training and learn to add variation and individuality in your training. As a result, exercising provides you more fun! Add your own exercises which you know for example from a Yoga or Pilates class.

Always add contents to your exercise regime that provides you fun. When you are able to laugh during your training, you can conduct your training freely and regularly. Only if you train regularly (on most days of the week) the training will be successfully. This brings positive changes into your life!

Jens Baltrusch has been working worldwide in areas of sport & wellness and now is entrepreneur and consultant in areas of personal training, sport workshops, entertainment, multi media production and online marketing. He can be reached at: “jens@jensbaltrusch.com

Online Review: The Origins of my Spa Beach Workout

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The beach seemed to have stopped the time for me. No humans were to be seen far and wide; only orange parasols and countless abandoned sun loungers lined the beach promenade.

Overwhelmed by this relaxed atmosphere, I laid on one of the sun loungers and stayed motionless and silent between the shadow of the parasols and the shimmering heat of the sand for an indefinite period of time. For me, this was one of the very special places, where I could hide all my thoughts without any effort and enjoy the splendid view of the waves.

Once again, I had arrived in this region of Turkey, which I have learned to appreciate very much during my visits here for work. Through all these years, working as a wellness trainer in two holiday resorts, my life on the beach has become so close to my heart that I always miss it when I can no longer be there and just forget everything around me when I am there again. However, this time, I was not here to work, but to relax –and to take some photographs for this book.My life experiences in Turkey had a very positive influence on me. All the important elements of a true “wellness lifestyle” were integrated into my daily routine. Daily sports lessons, healthy eating from the buffet and relaxation in the wellness area of the resort and the beach had won a firm and special place in my life.

The energy that I could muster at this time, the fascination for the training on the beach and the kind of freedom that has given me this phase of life have inspired me to write a series of books about wellness training.

The beach has a similar effect as that of a unique spa on me and is still therefore, one of my favorite places for workouts. When I was in Turkey, I used to coach during the sunrise because there was a pleasant coolness and calmness in the surrounding at that time of the day. I designed various workouts depending on my physical and mental state –meditative, relaxing or intense. I have always allowed myself plenty of room to combine various well-known training philosophies for spontaneous ideas for new movement sequences and using mobile training equipment to various beach workouts, with unique characteristics.

I will now introduce you to one of those, the “Spa Beach Workout”.
In this context, the word “Spa” refers to the idea rooted in spas – to address the body, mind and soul of a man and positively influence sustainable values with more positive aspects of lifestyles.

I hope that this book inspires you for your very own workout on the beach and also helps you to find your personal wellness lifestyle. Enjoy it!

Your Wellness Trainer,
Jens Baltrusch

[Translated Ebook soon coming up!]

Article for INFOCUS MAGAZINE – How to burn fat fast for optimum shape on the set

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Do you want to get in shape and understand how to get or keep a slim shape? Let`s have a quick look into the details of the `fat burning`process of your body and you will know how to slim down – without any fashionable diet!

A view into your bodies `power house`

When you start to workout, your body can supply the energy needs mostly from `glycogen`. Glycogen is a substance into which your body breaks down carbohydrates and with which energy is stored in your body for an effort up to two hours, depending on type and intensity of training. After the depletion of this energy source you have to take in about 30-60g of carbohydrates per hour if you want to avoid a decrease in performance quality,

The `power house` of the muscles, the so called “mitochondria”, only can use glycogen directly, so everything you eat has to be broken down into glycogen before the muscle can effectively use it.

How to control fat burning

To understand how you can burn fat or lose weight you first have to know how your body stores `fat` as an energy source. This will lead to an understanding how to avoid gaining weight and how to lose weight effectively. This simple process has its roots in the metabolism of carbohydrates.

Glycogen is the most important energy source of the human body which supplies organs and cells. A lack of glycogen results in a disturbance of the function of organs and cell metabolism.

The blood sugar level has a central function in the carbohydrate metabolism, which is mainly determined by the supply, consumption and storage of glucose as glycogen in the liver.

There are different kinds of carbohydrates, monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide. Disaccharide and polysaccharide are broken down in monosaccharide so that the energy can be resorbed in the small intestine. From there it is transported with blood circulation to cell metabolism and transported primary to the liver.
To store glucose in the liver it has to be broken down into glycogen. About 150 g glycogen can be stored in the liver and in the muscles. Following a physical activity will result in depletion of this depot first, because the body can transform it into energy quickly.

If the storages in the liver and the muscles are fully charged with glycogen, the rest will be stored as fat.  This is the critical point to understand the fat burning and weight gaining process: if you eat too much carbs, and keep on eating, more and more fat is stored in your body. The solution for effective weight loss therefore is regular exercising on the one hand, following a balanced low to medium carb diet on the other hand. Chose preferably carbohydrates with a `low glycemic index` or low `GI`, because this kind of food is the most healthy and affects your blood sugar level less than food with a high GI.

What is the meaning of the `glycemic index` and glycemic load of food for your daily life?

The glycemic Index (glyx) of a food type shows the effect of food containing carbohydrates on the blood sugar level. A wide spread opinion still is that the glyx has an important role for reduction of body fat. Today, there are several researches which show that the blood sugar level is influenced by a few factors, which can even vary from day to day and from person to person. For weight loss the `glycemic load` of food is more important, because it also reflects, beside the type of carbohydrate, the amount of food consumed.

A daily negative caloric budget, meaning that you eat less than the amount of calories you actually need, still is considered the best choice to reduce body fat. No evidence exists that nutrition with low glycemic load has the best effect on human health, but it is assumed that a balanced nutrition with overall low glycemic load will serve you best in the long run to reduce weight and keep / improve health.

Please refer to the table below to understand the difference between low, medium and high values for glycemic index and load:

Value Glycemic Index (GI) Glycemic Load (GL)
High 70+ 20+
Medium 56-69 11-19
Low -55 -10

 

Please find here an overview over sample food types with high, middle and low glycemic load. Eat especially food with low to medium glycemic load, rarely food with high glycemic load.

Food Type Glycemic Load (GL) Glycemic Index (GI)
Malt sugar 110 110
Risotto rice Uncle Bens 88.1 113
Puffed rice 70.6 85
Rice crispies Kellogs 54.9 82
Mars bar 49.9 64
Pasta 40.8 60
Basmati rice 38.5 50
Wheat grains 25 41
Red beans 18.8 40
Lentils, canned 16 40
Sushi 13.8 55
Red lentils 10.2 25
Grapes 7 45
Apple 3.9 30
Grapefruit 3.6 25
Plums 2.6 25
Nuts 1.8 22
Almonds 0.8 22
Broccoli 0.2 10

Visit INFOCUS MAGAZINE http://www.infocus-magazine.com/article/JensBaltrusch/724/

 

 

New Book (German): Spa Beach Workout – Wellness Training at the Beach

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“The Beach is a large Outdoor Spa!” (Jens Baltrusch)

(soon coming up in English)

Train at the beach with body and mind, let old habits go and reach a new level of consciousness. Experience with Wellness Trainer Jens Baltrusch a unique training at the beach with all senses and lay the foundation for a more healthy and fulfilled life.

The book is actually available in German via

http://www.epubli.de/shop/buch/Spa-Beach-Workout-Jens-Baltrusch-9783844225716/16314

Jens Baltrusch Wellness Magazine Newsletter 1-2011

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Jens Baltrusch Wellness Magazine Newsletter 1-2011

Download my actual wellness newsletter, where I display the highlights of my online wellness magazine.

Modern Golf Fitness Training – Visit us in “Fit For Golf” (Golfpark Otelfingen, Switzerland)

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If you want to play golf healthier and more successfully, you should come to visit us in “Fit For Golf” in Otelfingen, Switzerland. It is close to Zurich (please have a look at the map below)

 

 

I am a part of the golf fitness team with 5 members. We offer a new perspective to improve your game of golf, which was originally created by our Head Fitness Coach, Daniela Schellenberg (http://www.swissfitgolf.com). She coaches professional golf players on the US PGA tour and practices her view of fitness training in our golf fitness center, which is a unique combination of Feldenkrais, Pilates and functional fitness training.

Our center manager, Diana Schmid, is a professional Pilates teacher and massage therapist. Please have a look at her website with this link http://www.one2one.name/

The rest of our team is a professional dance teacher and pilates professional (Chantal Meidert), an expert in nutrition, yoga and pilates (Esther Gujer-Aguero) and a stress management trainer (Patrick Ulmann).

You see, you would be well advised.

 

How does it work?

First: your physique will be analized to detect weaknesses in your stability and mobility. This is actually the crucial part of a perfect technique – be instable or unflexible, and you will never play as good as you could. Why not use your full potential? Do not waste your time and add the right fitness plan to your weekly training schedule!

Second: you would undergo a swing analysis with our Head Golf Pro, Markus Rath. He is a great guy and finds all the details in your swing within the “TECHLAB”. In the TECHLAB your swing is recorded with high tech equipment and you will be taught in detail what you will have to improve to step up with your game of golf.

Please have a look at the golf pro team of Golfpark Otelfingen with this link: http://www.golfotelfingen.ch/otelfingen-golf-academy/unsere-pros/

 

Finally: we design an individual training program accoding to your weaknesses and swing mistakes. If you train consistently with us, within a few months you will feel better on and off the court, and the chance, that you improve your game of golf, is higher, if you don`t!

 Please have a look at our center with the pictures below – did you ever train on a golf campus, directly at the putting green?

 

 

This is how you reach us for a visit:

Team Fit For Golf, Otelfingen, Switzerland http://www.fitforgolf.ch/

Golfpark Otelfingen http://www.golfotelfingen.ch/

 

Please feel free to contact us for inquiries and appointments!

 

See you soon!