The Challenge

I have given myself the New Years Resolution pretty much every year to do something about my fitness. This year has actually seen some progress. I've been a member of many a gym in the past, but like so many others I've never felt entirely comfortable at many commercial gyms and the 'sign you up, then not give a shit' approach they seem to use. I'm a naturally suspicious person, and I like to think I have a fairly logical approach to life and what I encounter. Personal trainers in commercial gyms would look at me blankly when I would enquire as to the finer details of how to use a particular piece of equipment, as I result I would have no trust or faith in that they truly knew what they were doing. Enter Tom at Winning Health Solutions in Shirley, Southampton. A proper strongman gym - you won't find any CV there. By chance I received an email offer via LivingSocial for two personal training sessions, took this up, and I've been seriously impressed. Tom is able to speak in length about nutrition, hormones, biomechanics in addition to the strength and conditioning coaching - I 100% trust the information I get.

This challenge has involved me sending a body photo along with the day's newspaper to Sorel. My choice was the Daily Telegraph, featuring a large picture of the Queen on the front page. Therefore Sorel is in receipt of a picture of me in my boxers, holding a picture of Her Maj. Lucky boy. Quintessentially English, perhaps not - certainly the weirdest email I've ever sent online, even allowing for internet dating.

And no, I'm not posting it here. Sod right off. I'll post a heavily cropped version on Monday!

Anyway, Sorel's initial feedback is that it looks like I used to be in shape, and once the weight is gone I have the potential to look 'not just poker player epic, but EPIC' - thanks dude!

My Fitness Background:

Believe it or not, I used to be an FA qualified football coach, coaching children four times a week during university summer holidays back in 2004. I was a half decent player (not that anyone who's seen me play recently would believe this) and was a svelte 11st 10 (74.5kg). It was an absolutely awesome gig, I can totally understand why teachers do the job they do for the moment you know you've had an impact on a kid.

Unfortunately towards the end of that summer I damaged my left ankle ligaments quite badly, from which I've never fully recovered. Aside from a few weeks of coaching the following year I haven't coached since, and I still feel the effects of this injury. I discovered poker at the same time and since then I've lead a rather sedentary lifestyle with jobs in offices.

I've flirted with gyms, and one weekend job when I was 16/17 involved serious heavy lifting, but I wouldn't say on the whole that I've had a strong fitness background in my youth. I have the type of body that puts both muscle and fat on very quickly, which is good if you're the active sort.

Plan of action:

I'll be working with Tom at Winning Health Solutions, training 3 times a week on upper body, legs and arms. I also have the option of attending 2 modified strongman sessions per week - if anyone has seen Worlds Strongest Man you'll know what this will entail. For those that don't, it's stuff like rope pulls, flipping tractor tyres and dragging weighted sleds as well as regular movements such as deadlifts.

On the nutrition side I will be following a paleo diet (Paleolithic, also known as caveman or Stone-Age diet). For the majority of human existence we have been hunter-gatherers, it is only in our recent history that we've become farmers. Like any diet, it has its supporters and detractors, but it's a diet I have a fair chance of keeping up - effectively meat and veg. Sugar is the major no-no, along with processed foods, grains etc. My family has a history of diabetes, so this diet will also fit in well with attempting to avoid it.

I'll be taking advice from Charles Poliquin in respect of nutrition and supplements. My water intake target is 6 pints per day. In respect of supplements I will be taking coconut oil twice daily, along with fibre and fish oil supplements.

Challenges:

As a result of my ankle injury I was left with an imbalance in my posture (rather than walking on the outside of the foot, one of my ankles as 'collapsed inwards' which sounds more dramatic than it is). This lead to crippling calf pain if I walked for any longer than 5-10 minutes. This problem has been sorted with specially moulded insoles from a podiatrist, however I now experience severe back pain if I stay on my feet. It may flare up within 30 minutes, or I could get through 9 holes of golf over 2 hours with no problems. Having lived a lazy life for the past 8 years it's likely to be a weakness rather than a more serious issue - working at the gym should help address this gradually.

The nutritional side will be the main challenge for me. Water can be taken as tea or coffee, however I like neither. Nuts are a part of the paleo diet, and I can't stand those either. Fortunately I like my meat and my greens, but I will be hamstrung slightly in my meal options. And I hate cooking, although on the rare occasions I've turned my hand to it it's turned out pretty well.

I'm also currently jobless, and looking to relocate to London if possible. I will be looking for temporary work shortly, but fitting in the training around a 9-5 job will be a change. Without this I have the time, but the financial implications of following a paleo diet (it's not cheap!) will make the life aspect of this a challenge either way.

Finally, I'm spending two weeks of this challenge in Las Vegas in June. Needless to say that the diet may slip slightly here! I also spend a number of weekends away for poker - casino food is hardly conducive to eating healthily.

If you've read this far, congratulations. Other blog posts won't be this long - I promise.

Current Music Addiction: Heather Fenoughty - Echoes Of The Past

Films Watched: None