Here is my article about training your abs for that beautiful flat stomach. Most people think that you have to do endless crunches but that is not the case. Crunches only work the rectus abdominals but there are other abdominal muscle groups that need to be worked in order to have that flat shape and a balanced core. Find out more here.
. https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/why-endless-crunches-are-not-the-way-to-a-flat-stomach/
If any of you ladies are interested in doing a Lifestyle Camp late April, start of May please message me. I have had requests to put on another camp but I need a few more ladies to make it happen. The camp will include: accommodation, BJJ training, S&C, stretching and mobility, nutrition with all meals covered, meditation, empowerment and some zen sightseeing.
If you wanna get away, recharge and get to know some other fabulous ladies, this might be perfect for you. Please email me sophiadrysdalefitness@gmail.com for details.
Here is a very simple recipe that does not require cooking and fulfills all your protein needs with about 30 grams of protein per serve. Canned salmon with the bones is one of the most calcium-rich, non-dairy foods. One serving contains about 200 ml of calcium which is two thirds as much calcium as a cup of milk. The recommended intake of calcium for adults is 1000 ml and 1300 ml for pregnant or breastfeeding mums.
Canned salmon is also high in Omega 3 fatty acids which is important for our skin, heart, brain and reducing inflammation in our body, So it is a win win all round. It goes well with some chopped carrots or crackers.
Canned Salmon with Yogurt and Sweet Chilli Sauce (serves 1 )
- 2/3 cup of canned salmon
- 1 tbsp unsweetened low fat yogurt.
- 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 1 chopped green onion (spring onion)
Drain canned salmon, add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
This camp is going to be epic!
Ladies, the Pan Am camp starts on Saturday March 5 so if you haven't registered now is the time! The camp will include training, technique, drilling, nutrition, meditation and visit to the Rowdey Rollers event and the UFC! I will arrange pay per view. Click here to book your spot. It is going to be so much fun! https://sophiadrysdale.squarespace.com/buy/buy-pan-am-camp
"During pregnancy, the shift in weight distribution and centre of gravity causes pressure to mount on the mother's lower back, hips, and pelvis. This tightens the hip flexors and weakens the gluteals and hamstrings considerably. The imbalance can cause lower back pressure and a lot of pain. The abdominal wall may also separate, creating what is called diastasis recti, and the hormone relaxin is released which loosens all the ligaments in the pelvis. To top it all off, the ligaments of the pelvis, adductors and glutes are all weakened further during the birthing process. It’s a hell of a lot to deal with, and the overall result can be painful – many women have trouble climbing stairs and walking at a brisk pace.
But all is far from lost. I am back to doing the sports I love at a high competitive level, and I want you to get back to what you enjoy, at the level that you desire. The journey back to your former athleticism starts here..."
Read on about my article I wrote for Breaking Muscle Magazine about getting your core and hips strong again after having a baby. There are step by step videos. Enjoy.
http://breakingmuscle.com.au/au/mommy/how-to-restore-strength-for-sport-post-pregnancy
Here is an exercise from the article. Put a tennis ball in between your legs and move your knees from side to side.
Avocados are a monounsaturated fat and are considered hormonally neutral in that they don't affect your inflammatory levels.
We are all raised to think fat is bad and that it makes us fat... what a lot of people don'tnt know is that if we eliminate all fat from our diet then our body will manufacture fats for it's survival. Fat is critical for our hormones, cell structures and vitamin absorption amongst other things. In fact vitamin A, D E and K are all fat soluble vitamins. So don't shy away from fats.
There are a few different kinds of fats. Saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Today we are going to talk about the UNsaturated fats. There is much contention about polyunsaturated fats. People think that they are all good for you because they are UNsaturated, but it all depends of whether they are an Omega 3, 6 or 9 polyunsaturated fat and how they are processed. Omega 6 polyunsaturated fats are everywhere in our diet.They are found in cooking oils such as canola, sunflower and safflower oil (which I don't recommend using, but that is a whole other blog). Other Omega 6 polyunsaturated fats we consume regularly are peanut butter, mayonnaise and salad dressings. Omega 3 polyunsaturated fats are found in fatty fish such as salmon, tuna or sardines. These polyunsaturated fats affect our hormones and our inflammatory levels. Generally speaking Omega 6 polyunsaturated fats increase inflammation and Omega 3's decrease inflammation.
Most of us have diets that are way too high in Omega 6 fatty acids which is why we suffer from the myriad of inflammatory based disorders such as asthma, eczema, arthritis, high blood pressure, depression, and the list goes on. In order to lower our levels of inflammation we need to consume more Omega 3 fatty acids such as fish, sardines and salmon. If you can't handle all the fish, then take fish oils - but high quality oils, in small jars, found in the refrigerator.
Monounsaturated fats on the other hand (which are also a liquid at room temperature) are considered hormonally neutral in that they don't affect your inflammatory levels. Fats found in avocados, almonds and olive oil are ideal.
So next time you freak out about fats, remember that they aren't all bad, but also remember that the ones you thought were good may not be so good for you. Stay away from the canola oils, mayo and salad dressings even though they may be unsaturated and opt for fish, avocado and olive instead. Replace peanut butter for almond butter. Your joints, skin, heart and just about everything will thank you!
Choke Lab featured my favourite technique in the whole world - my over the top sweet from x guard that is actually set up from single x with the foot in the sleeve. I feel this is a great setup because it breaks down your opponent's posture really well and prevents the leg drag.
The best thing about this is that I was chosen as the first female black belt to demonstrate a technique on their page!. Thank you Choke Lab for the opportunity.
Give this a try! https://youtu.be/niOzXtGoo6k
Side plank hold. There are many challenging body weight exercises that strengthen your core and your stabilizers which are essential if you are a BJJ athlete
What a lot of people don't know is that weight training as we know it came about from the body building industry where dudes who would toss around big chunks of metal in the form of bars or dumbbells in an effort to get huge. Going to the gym and doing our 8-12 reps with some rest and then doing it all again 3 times through before we move to the next station is considered normal for strength training but it is actually stock standard hypertrophy training and ideal for body builders, not necessarily for a performance athlete.
Body building training is fine... if you want to be a body builder, or if you want to have great pecs for the beach (for the dudes) or if you want a perky butt in a tight pair of jeans (for the ladies). However this type of training may not help improve you in your sport. The body only knows the movement patterns and the amount of force exerted during that movement. It doesn't know numbers, weights or reps. The body only adjusts to the stimuli it is exposed to, so if you expose it to just a certain movement at a certain weight, with a certain range of motion at a certain speed for a certain amount of time, your body will respond to that specific stimuli only. Basically, what I am trying to say is that if you do slow steady hamstring curls in the gym but your sport requires you to do explosive take downs, then maybe the slow steady hamstring curls may not be that beneficial for your sport - even if you do end up with nice looking hamstrings. What would be a better option would be plyometric box jumps or sled sprints to build on that explosive power.
Since the body only adapts to the specific stimuli it is presented with, it makes much more sense to do movement patterns that are the same or as close to as those of your sport. A jiu jitsu match can last anywhere between 5 - 10 minutes depending on your age and belt rank. Jiu Jitsu requires muscular endurance as well as bursts of intense power based movements so it would make more sense to do strength training in a circuit format with little rest. Body weight exercises are always best and adding explosive moments such as squat jumps and clap push ups will help you to build speed as well as cardiovascular fitness.
Sign up to receive my newsletters where I will be demonstrating some exercises that are ideal for developing strength for jiu jitsu.
