ARE YOU LISTENING TO YOUR REFLECTION TOO MUCH?

When you look in the mirror, regardless of what you see, ๐’˜๐’‰๐’‚๐’• ๐’…๐’ ๐’š๐’๐’– ๐’‰๐’†๐’‚๐’“?

It’s vitally important how you speak to yourself and what you actually say, the word’s and language you use. In most cases, after we rise in the morning’s, our own reflection is the very first person we see before proceeding with our day.

Your thought’s and belief’s are powerful and impactful. Your opinion’s of yourself are vitally impactful and they set the foundation’s of your mindset and mood as you begin your day. As you catch yourself in the mirror you naturally have the ability to influence your self worth, your confidence, your awareness and your contentment and overall, general happiness.

If you approach this instance with negative thought’s, negative word’s, in essence putting yourself down, ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐˜„๐—ถ๐—น๐—น ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—ด๐—ถ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ ๐—ถ๐˜. Eg. If you tell yourself enough time’s that your not worthy or a lousy friend or colleague or you’re doing a terrible job at home-schooling and letting your children down, you’ll believe it and punish yourself as a result. When in truth, you don’t truly believe this but you’ve convinced yourself otherwise.

Flip this on it’s head. It’s not what you’re looking at it, it’s how you’re looking at it. Change the lens you’re looking through. You would naturally encourage, support, uplift, inspire and raise the spirits of those around you – why would you not take the same approach with yourself? We speak to ourselves more than any other person in our lives. Remember (and implement) the following:

Self Acceptance – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.
Less Judgement – stop over analysing every little action, every decision. Go with your gut. Be selfish at times.
Shift your Focus – not easy. To begin with, for everytime you criticise yourself, compliment yourself. Until eventually, you’ll be speaking to yourself in a more positive, uplifting, supportive manner.

Stay safe!ย โค๏ธ๐Ÿ–ค
#jlynchptย #jlynchptcentre

(RE) CHARGING

In the very same way that we wouldn’t allow our phone or laptop batteries to drain and then expect them to be fully functional and work to their full capacities – (that doesn’t make sense!) – it’s the very same for your physical body and mental state – we must adopt a similar approach and belief with ourselves. Last year was a long and twisting road, and one we are still travelling. It’s very much OK to feel like you have ran out of fuel. It’s most likely, people around you share these exact feeling’s too.

Oftentimes, we are caught up in the ferocious fastlane of life, whilst still picking up the pieces and recovering from the previous year, allthewhile trying to balance the unrest of a curious mind fixated on the uncertainty of the future ahead. I’m confident I’m not alone here!

You don’t need to justify relaxing, recharging, self-care or down-time. It carries many titles but in essence it is simply the vital component of looking after yourself, in whatever form that might be, for you. “Whatever is good for your soul, do that!” Self-care & personal wellness are essential to our best and highest well-being. Set aside time for you, recharge and aim to break up the mundane of your regular life routine.

Here are way’s you can adopt to recharge:

1. Turn off your devices and be free from technology and social distraction for a specific period of time. Have a shut-down time at night also.

2. Certain herbal teas, candles & burning incense all promote a relaxing environment and atmosphere.

3. An interesting/inspiring podcast and/or book will distract your mind from your common stresses.

4. Fresh air & Movement. Exercise! The enjoyable & fun kind – whatever that means to you! Dopamine is very real and it has the ability to turn your foul, stressed, irritable mood into a positive one! 30 minutes daily.

5. Consider a temporary break from alcohol consumption and unhealthy food choices. Poor food choices will only enhance a muddled mind and can leave you feeling fatigued and irritable. Choose balanced and nutritious food’s. Even quantities, often is a nice template. Definitely hydrate. Plenty of water, regularly.

6. Reach out to those who raise your spirits and cheer you up. Communication is vital and a conversation with the right person is very often the best cure!

7. Sleep. Arguably the most under-rated of the lot. “Some sleep”, alone is OK. Adequate sleep (for you) is the difference. Your focus, concentration, patience and a general ability to tolerate day to day life are all strongly impacted by your quantity & quality of sleep. Work on improving both if necessary.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is… Recharge and Relax.

Stay safe! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ–ค
#jlynchpt #jlynchptcentre

TAKING IT TO THE EXTREME (PT. 2)

What to carefully consider, analyse and evaluate ahead of committing to an extreme goal, and your coaches roll, once it’s achieved.
1. Why? What’s your driving force, motivation, reasoning to take on such an extreme challenge? Who are you doing this for? What do you hope to achieve by completing this type of process, and after completion? Would a less intense approach suffice and suit you better? Keep questioning yourself, until you have no more answer’s.
2. Mentality & head space. Many markers contribute, and heavily impact, your headspace and mindset. Sleep, stress & energy should all be at a suitable and satisfactory level before commencing an extreme phase of dieting & training.
3. Your current relationship with food and training. If you’re not content and enjoying these two now, you will definitely struggle going forward.
4. Is your body physically ready and developed enough to pursue a far more extreme condition, for aesthetic or performance based purposes? Like any process of progression, you need to spend time at foundation level and intermediate level before progressing – have you served your time and mastered these two?
5. Have you factored in the cost? Coaching, weekly/monthly food, gym membership, supplementation… For photoshoots, add location, photographer, tan, waxing, make-up, clothing etc etc. These all add up. Quickly.
6. Have you factored in the required time scale and the (possible) degree of restriction to socialising associated with your desired goal?
7. A POA once you achieve your goal. Unfortunately more times than not, the aftermath of “end line” goals, is not good. In my humble opinion, the onus and responsibility lies with the coach. End-result-goals carry a lot of emotion. These emotions, unless catered for, and reacted to, appropriately can have detrimental impacts. Binge eating in direct reaction to completion can lead to self esteem and body composition/conditioning issues. The after affects can also include psychological issues: a feeling of being lost, a lack of direction and purpose, a negative relationship with food & calorie consumption. A superior coach will have discussed a post-goal plan with you.
Your coach has a pivotal role to play from the outset and throughout your entire journey. They need to also give serious consideration to all the factors discussed above, with particular attention to the final point. No person should reach the end line of any goal and then feel lost, as though they’re left in the dark, with no direction where to go or what to do next. Your coach should acknowledge this from the beginning by enforcing a minimum of 2-4 weeks further coaching to ensure you safely and successfully return to a suitable, healthy and happy state of mind and body.
Stay safe! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ–ค

TAKING IT TO THE EXTREME (PT. 1)

For those in the process of, or considering, an extreme physical goal. Note: the following is ๐’๐’๐’• ๐’‚๐’‘๐’‘๐’๐’Š๐’„๐’‚๐’ƒ๐’๐’† to most common, regular health and fitness related goals. Education and experience improves each day in our industry and there are many, many ways to skin a cat – this article focuses solely on the extreme.
In order to grow, to make real significant change in size and stature, in order to dramatically progress and transform your physique and add notable increased muscle mass, you ๐˜„๐—ถ๐—น๐—น have to spend significant time (likely to be far more than you think) eating – possibly eating more than you’ve ever desired. From experience, as both perspective’s of coach and client, you will gain body fat here and will feel a little out of shape.
In contrast, aiming to get extremely lean, you ๐˜„๐—ถ๐—น๐—น at times be required to complete extended periods of far lower calorie intake. It’s likely also, you will, like most, require cardiovascular training, and significant amount’s of it. Hunger and cravings will present. A decent coach should be able to direct you accordingly here and avoid at all cost’s, but, they can and in later stages of an extreme process, usually do crop up!
For either process, your dieting will impact, and likely disrupt, your life, personally and socially. Your goal and target must take high priority, often rising very close to the top of your priority list. Your circle of family and friend’s may well not accept, understand or support your action’s – this can lead to conflict. Again, appropriate coaching here is ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—น. Being selfish at times is the reality of pursuing such a goal. You’ll need to pay specific attention to recovery and sleep in both processes.
We must reiterate that the above applies to extreme dieting and training ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—น๐˜†. It is absolutely not applicable to most, but we feel it’s very worthy of publishing to promote the honest requirement’s that extreme physique transformation demands’. You need to accept and get comfortable with all the above if you’re considering making this extreme level of transformation. If you think its easy or that it can be achieved, shorterm, you’re either delusional or have been strongly misinformed. (PT. 2 Tomorrow)
Stay safe! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ–ค

THE MOVEMENT OF THE MUSCLE, MATTERS

When performing an exercise, a key area of the entire movement, is the initiation, in it’s most simplistic term, what move’s first. The correct initiation of the exercise will determine and control how the rest of the movement look’s and feel’s.
Every exercise has an initiation. Become aware about what move’s first, before moving at all. This information can potentially completely transform how an exercise feel’s.
Once you’re confident in your initiation of an exercise, how you set yourself up and set the exercise itself up, the next stage is to safely and confidently perform the prescribed exercise through your controlled range of movement (ROM) feeling the desired stimulus in your targeted muscles.
The entire process of completing a specific movement or exercise, must be designed around you – your experience, your level of control and your ability to complete it. Adapting an approach that “the bar must touch your chest” for your bench press, or that “ass to grass” for your squat produces optimal result’s is nonsense.
The movement of the barbell, plates, dumbbells, kettlebells, cables… Arms, legs and hips go where you can control, and nowhere else. They should never move, outside of your control, ever.
Question everything. Can I move it, safely and confidently? Can I control it? Can I contract the target muscle and can I feel it?
Stay safe! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ–ค

BUILDING TRUST AND PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP’S

Every single interaction count’s between a coach and client. The same applies for colleague’s. Only two options come into play for every single interaction you have, every time you cross paths with some one – a positive outcome or a negative outcome. Every single time. Building trust and worthwhile professional relationship’s (any relationship for that matter) takes time and effort. You have the ability to create more connection’s, friendship’s and relationship’s by adopting one very clear approach: becoming more interested in people than you are in yourself.
Whether you’re aware or not, you have a professional relationship with every client, every colleague, you work with. As a team of 5, we always aim to know 2-3 personal fact’s about each and every client we work with. Not to be interpreted in any sort of an imposing or “creepy” way but simple factor’s like the name’s and profession’s of their partner’s and children – project’s they’re working on – pets, hobbies and interests etc. Importantly, we also allow adequate time for both ourselves and our client’s to become comfortable with each other before exploring and learning this information.
Success is fuelled heavily by building and creating trust and genuine relationship’s. You don’t need to audition them to be your new best friend, that’s not expected or required, but correctly align your intention’s – make it blatantly obvious that you actually genuinely care – that you sincerely give a sh*t about them – that you’re actually interested and really want the best for them. Surprising as it may be, this is, unfortunately, severely lacking in our industry. If nothing else, they’re money is paying your bill’s – respect that!!
“…They don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care!”

COPING DURING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS

A message to anybody suffering. I actually feel we all are to be honest, on different levels, different capacities, at different times, for different reasons. And so, a message to anybody. Everybody.

Dietary issues. Body image. Toxic partner’s. Toxic parent’s. Toxic peer’s. Finance. Grieving. Stress. Anxiety. Loneliness. Home-schooling. Homeworking.

This is a very tough and challenging time. And so, it’s absolutely OK if all you do is keep going. It’s absolutely OK to do far less when we have so much more to cope with, and overcome. We must take a more subtle, empathetic approach to regular, everyday issues, that in the past we previously may have felt guilt or disappointment towards. These set of circumstances are still alien to us. Yes we’ve been in Lockdown before, but we haven’t been in a third Lockdown in 12 months before – different circumstances require a different approach.

Checking in on those closest to us is important. Checking in on ourselves is vitally important. Some days working out, eating well and completing all your task’s is no problem to us. Some days getting up out of bed, or off the couch is more challenging and binge watching Netflix is as productive as we can manage. Both are perfectly OK in their own right. Both are perfectly OK and understandable right now.

If you feel like training twice a day and baking banana bread, while starting a podcast – go for it! But only if it makes you feel good and doesn’t add negatively to your headspace. Slow down and just do the minimum for a little while, if that makes more sense to you and is required. Both are perfectly OK and understandable right now.

Bad habits may creep in. Moodswings are likely. Your headspace will seesaw from peaceful and tranquil to chaotic and muddled. Support yourself in the same way you’d support your loved ones. Be empathetic, sympathetic and compassionate to yourself. You’re doing a great job! ๐Ÿ˜Š

Stay safe! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ–ค

#jlynchpt #jlynchptcentre

CONNECTING YOUR MIND TO YOUR MUSCLE

A very important component and principle that contributes greatly to muscle growth and development (hypertrophy) is mind to muscle connection.

This process is the action of bringing attentional focus to the “working muscle” and/or “targeted muscle group”. There are two different types of attentional focus:

The first type is Internal Attentional Focus, which is the action of directing all of your attention to the muscle you want to target, develop and grow when you perform an exercise. Fully engaging your targeted muscles is key. IAF means less focus on flying through your reps and far more focus on feeling the tension and the engagement, the contraction of your targeted muscle. Controlling your muscle’s promotes efficiency. Concentration and visualisation goes along way here. Lastly, if you’re trying to isolate a specific muscle, find ways to eliminate the secondary muscles from being recruited by analysing your grip, stance and/or technique.

The second type is External Attentional Focus, which is focusing on something outside of your body that is motivating, not the muscle being worked. EAF is often implemented if the goal is orientated specifically around strength or power (e.g. 1 Rep Max) rather than for aesthetic purposes.

It is both important and advised to manipulate both variables! ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ‹๏ธโ€โ™‚๏ธ Regardless if your pulling, pushing, lifting, squatting, thrusting, etc, you need to ensure you’re feeling the exercise physically and mentally. A suitable warm-up circuit will contribute greatly to a successful mind-muscle connection later in your workout also and so its vitally important to pre-activate your muscles correctly before you workout (another day’s article!)

Stay safe! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ–ค

#jlynchpt #jlynchptcentre

THE REALITIES OF RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS – MY EXPERIENCE TO DATE

Some of my observations that I feel no book or college course can teach you. I’ve learned the following the hard way – by living it and experiencing it – never underestimate the unique lesson’s that experience teach us.

Above all, you are openly committing yourself to a life of vulnerability, one for which most people couldn’t handle or comprehend.

With that, you will be gossiped about, judged and criticised unfairly and possibly/probably made fun of, particularly at the beginning. You’ll learn of some of this, but will never know of the full extent.

The majority of people wont be able to truly relate to you, particularly if you struggle to switch off. This can and likely will put strains on friendships and relationships. Self employment will expose your flaws but also enhance’s, promote’s and educate’s you about your strengths.

Some people (inside and outside of your circle) will be quick to highlight your slip-up’s, mistake’s and failure’s, and slower to support and promote your service’s and business.

You won’t ever improve unless you learn to embrace constructive criticism from others’. Critic’s often want you to mess up and fail. Constructive critic’s want to help. A monumental difference in a person’s intention. Letting go of your ego will allow you tap into your full potential. The following approach works:

Listen.
Understand their point of view.
Don’t be defensive.
Delay your reaction.
Admit your mistakes.

If you’re a start-up or self-employed, keep going!!

Stay safe! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ–ค

#jlynchpt #jlynchptcentre

KEY CONSIDERATION’S IF WORKING FROM HOME

What occurred as a novelty in the first half of last year, now seems as though it is here for the long-haul. Like many, your employer or organisation may have arranged for you to work from home. Like many, it’s possible you were expected to make the switch over-night and were given no follow-up strategies or set of guidelines to make working from home effective and efficient without it impacting negatively and being detrimental to your mental health and general headspace. Given your laptop and assignments and sent on your way. Not good enough!

The novelty probably will (and has) worn off for most by now. You need to have healthy habits and regular routines in place to ensure you’re focused and productive during working hours and you have the ability to properly switch off after you sign out each evening. I’ve compiled a list of habits I feel will greatly benefit you:

1. Set a routine and Stick to it. Do not leave working hours and personal hours become muddled together. Rise at the same, regular time each morning. Carry out your usual morning routine. Include your usual “commute” time but utilise it. Read, walk, stretch, cook. Most importantly be strict on finishing times. When your usual working hours stop, stop working.

2. Create a dedicated work space. An office or work station work’s really well. If you don’t have this at your disposal, designate an area in the house free of distraction and interuptance. Make sure it’s comfortable and you have everything you need in one place.

3. Take regular breaks. It can feel like we are expected to be “online” and “available” all the time. This is fine, until it begins to affect your mental health, and over time, it will. Break’s from stressful situation’s and pressure are essential – include a proper lunchbreak and regular shorter break’s in your working day.

4. Working from home promotes isolation. Staying connected has never been so important. Arrange a virtual coffee or catch up with friends, colleagues (away from work hours) or family. Virtually socialise and interact – it’s vitally important for us all.

5. Time Management. “To Do List’s” should be your new best friend. Learn more about, and improve, managing your time. Implement the 4 D’s of email/work load stress management:

Delete: applies to approximately 50% of the emails you receive

Do: if it’s urgent or can be completed quickly

Delegate: if someone else is free/can deal with it better

Defer: longer task’s. Need specific time set aside to complete these

6. Be kind and forgiving to yourself. Acknowledge the situation, alien and unknown to us all. Do what you can, as you can. Productivity might slower than usual, focus might be blurred. Distraction is everywhere. Do what you can, as you can, and regardless, relax when you’re working day is done.

Stay safe! โค๏ธ๐Ÿ–ค

#jlynchpt #jlynchptcentre