Picture this: a sunny Saturday morning in Canberra; birds tweeting, clean air and relatively relaxed traffic. And then…
‘Gahhhhh yaaa loserrrrrrrrr!’ Such was the garble of a yobbo hanging out the passenger window of a car weaving across the bike lane in the city. I just kept on peddling, but my mind nagged at me ‘That wouldn’t have happened in Europe.’
Maybe hindsight has shone warm on my memories of European bike tours: quaint villages and stopping for gelato outside a monastery—but is cycling in Europe any better to Australia?

Roads and facilities

For a country that’s only just over 200 years old, Australia’s more-up-to-date logical design of roads should mean that cycling would be easier, right? Actually, because Europe is older, the roads are perfect for cyclists because the regional areas were built when multiple transports shared the same space, eg horses, cyclists, pedestrians. There is allowance for bikes on any road, with space for the bike alongside a white line.
Australia is also a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to welcoming bicycles into overall transport infrastructure. Canberra thankfully is a cyclist’s heaven, with a network of shared paths and cycle lanes on roads. As for Sydney city though, the words ‘death wish’ spring to mind; to go riding anywhere safe means driving there first.
This is opposed to Paris, where cyclists weave around scooters, cars and buses as if they were just like any other vehicle. European public transport has bike racks on regional trains, ferries and some buses. This is also possible on some of Australia’s public transport, but it is not as common, nor as accepted by fellow travellers.
Overall, the quality of the cycling paths, common roads and facilities are better in Europe, particularly Western Europe.

Safety

A bit of common sense is required by cyclists on any continent in any conditions, and it’s certainly not advisable or allowed to peddle along on an autobahn with 200kph Alfa Romeo’s whooshing alongside.
Not that you need to ride on a highway when urban roads are safe enough. In France and Germany, there’s a rule of 1.5 metres width gap when overtaking a cyclist, and to go slow until a safe overtaking position is possible. Trucks slow down so their vacuum doesn’t pull you in when passing.
Cyclists in Australia instead face the prospect of riding in the broken glass of a roadside gutter, apparently still taking up car space—no wonder helmets are needed.
Stranger than seeing a Parisian chap in a suit smoking a cigarette while riding, was that he—and others—didn’t wear a helmet. I asked our cycle tour guide whether this was the European flair for flouting the law, or was it to save the coiffed hair? Incredibly, some European governments allow cyclists to ride without a helmet, and that cyclists would rather have their hair floating in the wind than their brain encased in a protective shell. In fact, the attitude is that helmets are unsafe. I almost choked on my Chandon when the tour guide said that—rather like the Pope saying condoms were dangerous. But the guide’s explanation actually made sense; if you don’t wear a helmet, people are more careful—the cyclist, and the motorists. I was about to tell him that was bullsh**, but then I remembered that cycling is respected in Europe.

Attitude

Unlike Australia.
Can you imagine if people started hacking potholes into cricket pitches for giggles, or pushing goalposts over because they ruined the view? Oh the outrage at such disrespect! If only cycling were an ‘Aussie’ sport.
Remember that yobbo hanging out the window like a drooling bulldog? To him, if a person doesn’t wear a helmet, they’re a ‘bloody idiot’. People like that view cyclists with disdain for riding a ‘poof-bike’, wearing all that tight stuff and shaving their legs.
Whereas, any comment from motorists in Europe would be the opposite: ‘Vite vite Bella !’ And general smiles as you conquered the alp.

Cyclists

While Australia has a range of cyclist types, it is a rare sight to see eccentric bike behaviour. In Europe, weird is normal. Why not have a baguette stashed under the arm that holds a cigarette, while the other hand holds a mobile phone. Businessmen in Gucci. Bohemian arts students with long flowing skirts.
Then there are the training types. These blokes whoosh past at car speeds wearing their team jerseys, barely cracking a sweat even after 70ks before 9am—overtaking with a smile the retired people who spend hours a day cycling along the lakeshore. What a life.

Bikes

If Australia is about all things big and shiny, then Europe is about chic and shabby. The more gaffer tape, twisted rusted spokes and half rubbed-off obsolete brand stickers, then the more ‘cred’ you have. Lots of squeaks, near-flat tyres, seat-stuffing leakage. It’s all an in-built theft deterrent. No one in the right mind would chain up a shiny racing bike.
Australia’s bikes don’t have as good a cycling vintage to pool from—these days it’s either the Huffy from K-mart that snaps as soon as you go over a footpath crack, or something more sturdy that’ll set you back at least $500.

So, which region is better for cycling? Overall, I think Europe is better—for serious cyclists and for the everyday person. But with Tour de France just finished, recent years have had the hope of an Australian win—this would be a complete boon to the attitude to cycling in this country. And maybe yobbos would tolerate blokes who shave their legs.
 

A deficiency in leg strength and endurance is an area which can affect the function of individuals in everyday life. Whether it is your profession, family life, hobby or sporting endeavour it is more than likely that you will spend a significant amount of time using your legs. An efficient, worthwhile and enjoyable method of improving the fitness variables in our legs is through hill sprints. Hill sprints are also a superior weight loss tool, with the potential calorie expenditure being greater than the flat sprint relatives. Hill sprints could be seen as a cross between sprinting and weightlifting; this will have significant benefit to body composition, not to mention self discipline.

While by name it is a sprint, in essence the percentage effort required is relative to your current fitness level. A sprint may consist of a fast paced walk up the incline.

Hill sprints can be split into two categories; long and gradual incline, and short and steep incline. Attention should also be paid to technique and session preparation, and of course recovery.

Session Preparation
As with all forms of physical activity a full body warm up is a requirement. A good warm up should consist of movement which will raise your heart rate and prepares your muscles for action. This can be done either on electronic exercise equipment or by a series of dynamic stretches- stretching through a continuous range of movement. Static stretching (holding a stretch with no movement), exclusively done as a warm up is not a suitable preparation, despite popular belief. A sufficient warm up usually consists of a five to 10 minute period.

Long and Gradual Incline
Hill sprints over a long and gradual incline will primarily train your legs from an endurance perspective, with strength being secondary. Choose an area of relatively even surface which is on a gradual incline of 20 to 30 meters over a length of 100 to 150 meters. Complete two sets of five sprints at a 70 to 90% effort, slowly jogging or walking back to the starting point after each incline run. 60 second to 3 minute break between sets is appropriate.

Short Steep Incline
Hill sprints on a short and steep incline will train your legs from a strength perspective, with endurance being an added benefit as you push through the anaerobic threshold. Locate an area of solid surface with three different inclines of approximately 5, 10 and 15 meters over a 30 meter length. Complete one set of 3 runs to each incline (total of nine sets) at a 90 to 100% effort. Have a slow jog or walk back to your starting point after each sprint. A 200 meter walk and/or slow jog recovery between sets is recommended.

Technique
A focus on technique is important to get the most out of your hill sprints. Pay attention to a strong leg drive and efficient arm motion. It is also important to maintain a stable core in the abdominals and lower back to prove a solid base for the limbs to work from.

Session Recovery
Due to the nature of hill sprints being both concentric (muscle shortening- up hill) and eccentric (muscle lengthening- down hill) movements you will suffer DOMS (Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness) in the 24 to 48 hour period post session. To aid your recovery complete static stretching post session, with massage and hydrotherapy also being recommended.

It is recommended that you add hill sprints into your training regime one to 3 times per week, making sure of at least one day rest in between sessions. You will notice an improvement in strength and endurance, subsequently taking you a step closer to achieving your fitness and lifestyle goals.

During the cold winter months it can be quite difficult to find the motivation to get out and do some exercise. Whilst there are strategies that you could apply, the fact is that training outdoors in winter is much different than in summer; the ground is damp, fog is about, cold winds and just plain uncomfortable. Short days can put you into a hibernated state, so training sessions in the gym after work when it’s already dark can be difficult to get up for.

So when the spring months are approaching and the weather is getting warmer, sun shining and the smell of freshly cut grass is about; the time is here to get moving.

Set a Goal and Plan
If we fail to plan then we plan to fail. Training with a purpose provides much more enjoyment and fun. Turning up to every training session with the invigorating feeling of chasing a goal provides much more purposeful training. Sit down and ask yourself; what do I really want to achieve? It may be a specific fitness goal, or a health related target or even an aim to participate and win a sporting event. Whatever your goal, sit down and write it on paper, look at it and engrain it into your thought processes. You must be personally content, but treat your goal as a journey which can only be attained with solid determination; you will require both of these ingredients to facilitate sustainable results. Once you have done this then set a plan as to how you are going to achieve your goal.

Build a Base
All good and functional fitness training programs will begin by building a base. Progressive overload is vital, however to facilitate this you must first begin at a level of work which suits your current level of fitness. When first starting out, the precise structure of your training will not be so vital, and more importance should be placed on simply getting active and slowly increasing your general volume and intensity.

Seek Advice
When a person is not feeling well what do they do? They see a doctor! If you really want to achieve your targets then you should seek the advice of a fitness professional. A personal trainer should have the knowledge and experience to assist you towards achieving your targets. However you should select your personal trainer with caution. Ask them what their training philosophy is, if they cannot automatically give you a clear and concise answer then how can they guide a ship with no rudder. Additionally, research a fitness training related question which you already know the answer to and ask it to your potential personal trainer; if they know the answer then that’s great, but if they don’t know the answer and make one up which is incorrect, then you have to ask yourself is it worth the risk paying this person to handle my fitness training. In this situation a good personal trainer will state that they do not know the precise answer, but can investigate it if you like; we all do not know everything. If personal training does not suit your personality or lifestyle then study up about fitness training information. Academic literature is recommended over commercialised advice.

Capitalise on Your Progress
Once you have started your fitness training program and advanced through several weeks of training you must recognise it as an opportunity to progress. Use your training diary or notes as a source of motivation; as this is a history of the training that has been completed. You must capitalise on your progress. If you do this you will not need to become active after a stationary winter next year, as you will be already moving!
 

The anatomical parameters for the core vary from opinion to opinion, however its purpose is clear; the core minimises defunct energy between the ground and the desired performance conclusion, and reduces the incidence of lower back injury.

Muscles regions that effect core stability are; abdomen, lower back, gluteus group, adductor group (groin), hip flexors and hamstrings.

Abdomen
The abdomen primarily consists of four muscles; rectus abdominis (6 pack), inner obliques, outer obliques and transverse abdominis.
 

Rectus abdominis produces trunk flexion as well as controlling the positioning of pelvis forward to ease the stress on the lower back muscles. A sign of weak rectus abdominis is excessive hyperextension of lower back. Strengthening exercise for rectus abdominis are crunches and sit-ups.

The inner and outer obliques are a double layer abdomen muscle laterally adjacent on both sides rectus abdominis. The obliques perform rotation and lateral flexion (golf swing or boxers right cross), and also assist the rectus abdominis in trunk flexion and transverse abdominis is intra abdominal pressure. Exercises to strengthen the obliques are medicine ball twists, dumbbell side bends and side crunches.

Transverse abdominis is the most internal as well as influential abdomen muscle. It acts as an internal belt- like what you would see weight lifters wearing- and performs intra abdominal pressure and is therefore used is every movement within an exercise, sporting activity and general lifestyle environment. Seated contraction and static (prone) hold are recommended to exercise transverse abdominis.

Lower Back
The erector spinae is what is commonly referred to as the lower back and performs back extension, lateral flexion and rotation. If an erector spinae weakness is present there will be an increased risk of lower back injury during lumbar spine (low back) extension and stabilisation; subsequently exercises not recommended are straight leg dead lifts, squat and dead lift. Corrective exercises for erector spinae weakness are back extension, trunk flexion and modified cable row- motionless arms, moving force through back extension.

When detailing your workouts equal time and volume should be divided between lower back and abdomen exercises.

Adductor, Gluteal and Hip Flexors
Inflexibility in the adductor group (groin) – specifically adductor magnus, gluteus maximus (buttocks) and Iliopsoas (hip flexor) can put the lower back at risk of injury, therefore causing core weakness. Corrective exercises for inflexibility in these areas are adductor groin stretch, gluteus stretch, hip flexor stretch and quadriceps stretch.

The supplementary gluteus group muscles in gluteus medius and gluteus minimus also play a role in core stability in that they steady the pelvis so that it does not sag when opposite side is not supported with leg. This condition is known as trendelenburg gait as is often found in models while on the catwalk.

Hamstrings
An area often over looked is relation to lower back soreness and injury- and therefore core stability weakness- is inflexibility in the hamstring muscles (biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranisus). There will be an increased level of injury risk during hip extension activities such as straight leg dead lift and good mornings. Due to the inability to correctly perform hip flexion, compensation is made by the lumbar spine, and the risk of injury will be enhanced if the lumbar spine is not used to this movement or workload. Advised exercise for hamstring inflexibility is supine hamstring stretch (lying on back performing hip flexion by bringing straight leg up ward).

Core stability is a vital component in sport and recreational activities, as well as proficient function in everyday life. If you are diagnosed or feel although you are suffering from core stability weakness then implement the advised exercises to your exercise and lifestyle program.
 

One of the most sought after yet misunderstood areas of fitness training is the slimming and toning of the mid section, or abdominal region. There can be no denying that a flat, fat free mid section with the abdominal muscles showing is a desirable fitness goal. Due to this being a sought after effect the over commercialised section of the fitness industry has taken advantage of the public’s hope for quick results by retailing what are unsuitable and ineffective equipment and programs. There is no shortcut to success in fitness training, especially when conditioning the core. Many in the over commercial section of the industry have little knowledge and practical experience with far too much focus on business rather than substance.

Misconceptions and Myths
The first hurdle one must overcome when setting out to achieve a flat and firm mid section are the misconceptions and myths surrounding this area. 

First and foremost to achieve a flat and toned stomach you must reduce the body fat covering the abdominal region. Spot reduction (reducing fat only in a particular area) is a myth. Generally speaking fat loss will occur on an all over body basis. Fat loss cannot be reduced in a particular area by just exercising the muscles in that region.

Secondly and perhaps related to the previous point, you do not perform abdominal exercises as the exclusive part of your training program to achieve results. Yes, you may be toning that muscle –which is important – but it is of little value with a large amount of body fat coving these muscles and limiting their usage. The main offender for promoting this misconception are the retailers which only focus on the trunk flexion movement – which produces muscular contraction in the rectus abdominis – and if this is done exclusively as your core training program it may produce injury due to a muscular imbalance.

Structure of the Core
An understanding of the structure of the mid section is required if you are looking to perform exercises in a suitable manner, without the risk of injury. There are four areas of focus.

The rectus abdominis is the most commonly thought of muscle in the core region, and often referred to as the six pack. This muscle is located at the front of the abdominal musculature, and performs the trunk flexion movement.

The oblique muscles play an important role in processing everyday and sporting movement. The obliques consist of the outer and inner layer of muscle performing rotation, lateral flexion and stabilisation.

Transverse abdominis is possibly the most important muscle in the mid section. Transverse abdominis produces stabilization of the mid section (an isometric muscle contraction – muscle contracts but does not lengthen or shorten) which is a vital role. If this was not in place we would be unable to sit erect, let alone produce movement.

The lower and central back is an area often forgotten in core exercise program prescription (especially in the gimmicks previously mentioned). This region consists of the lumbar spine and erector spinae muscles. If these muscles are not exercised due to too much focus on other areas there is a high chance of injury due to muscular imbalance.

Dealing with the Issues
Whilst it is all good to outline common principles in mid section training there are everyday areas of lifestyle which will significantly influence an individual’s ability to achieve results. Most societies – both eastern and western countries – have been intoxicated with disruptive influences.

Consumption of alcohol is a major disruption to any individual’s pursuits on both a daily basis and throughout a lifetime. Although being around seemly since the beginning of time the consumption of alcohol produces absolutely no positive results. An individual will be negatively influenced by reduction in inhibition (snowballing into an increase in consumption), significantly reduced post consumption functioning resulting in inactivity and slow thought processing, and increased high glycemic sugar consumption. Alcohol makes people feel good, but in reality it’s a social disease on a global scale.

The Solution
So the big question is; how do I get a flat and toned mid section? Once looking past influencing aspects as discussed, results come down to one primary factor; energy in vs. energy out – essentially exercise and nutrition), with lifestyle and the pre disposition of body shape (including race, sex and age) also being considered.

Energy in vs. energy out revolves around the type and volume of exercise and nutritional intake. Quite simply – within reason- an individual must burn more energy (calories) then they consume. Basil metabolism must be considered when analysing a person’s requirements. For effective exercise there must be an emphasis placed on volume, intensity and overall focus whilst being designed into a suitable structure. A suitable program outline for an individual genuinely seeking mid section improvement would be a total of 6 x 50 minute training sessions per week, divided into 2 x Aerobic Conditioning, 2 x Boxing and/or Muay Thai, 1 x Core and 1 x Strength and Conditioning (weight training). Program content must be varied every five to six weeks to allow the body to make adaptations. Strength and Conditioning, and Core programs should be a specific schedule of exercises including appropriate sets, repetitions and recovery periods. Aerobic Conditioning and combat sport training can vary from session to session; whilst focus on intensity is maintained.

Suitable nutrition is a logical component of any fitness and health program. Not only must you consume the appropriate low fat options to maintain control of energy intake (fat is high in energy, but not our bodies first choice), but it’s vitally important to consume the appropriate carbohydrates to facilitate the required training intensity. Reduced carbohydrate diet plans are an unsuitable option as we need the appropriate energy to train, especially for mid section training.

The absolute bottom line is that there are no short cuts involved in achieving a lean and toned mid section. There are many gimmicks offering solutions, however they produce little to no results. Quite simply to achieve results with you training; you must do what’s required.