Barefoot running and primal lifestyle

When you hear the word boot camp, most of us imagine ex Army types in fatigues commanding us to hit the ground and give them fifty. But a Primal Lifestyle Boot Camp is something entirely different.
Forget shouting, sweating fitness 'recruits', Primal Lifestyle is all about learning how our physiology from Primitive times struggles with the demands we put on it today. Understand this and you can transform your health, fitness and bio mechanics.
While this all sounds fine on paper, as I drove into the field of a former diary farm in the Surrey countryside to pitch a tent with the rest of my primal campees I had no idea what to expect.
We'd been told to bring no food, just a tent, sleeping gear and a pair of Vibram FiveFinger shoes for a workshop on barefoot running.
My fellow campees were from all walks of life, including a mum of three and lawyer from York and an IT consultant from the Czech Republic, as well as the founder of a snowboarding clothing range from Kent.
Usually going to a fitness boot camp means you worry about being the most unfit person on the camp. But if anything I was unusual in being one of the fittest as many of those taking part had found their path to living a primal lifestyle as a way of overcoming stress, and in one case, a near fatal accident that had left someone in a coma.
WE spent the night getting acquainted around a camp fire where we enjoyed a delicious meal of organic salmon and salad greens. Somehow it tasted all the more tasty when we were told it was to be our last meal until around noon the next day.
According to the founder of Primal Lifestyle Matt Wallender, this is not some cunning ploy designed to help weight loss.
' The primary hormone that controls your sleep wake cycle is cortisol which peaks at around 8am and remains high until noon when the body starts to wind down for the day,' he explains. 'So to eat breakfast when your cortisol is high is in opposition to what your body is telling you to do which is to go out and hunt. The perfect time of the day to eat is late morning or lunch time.'
Hmm, that may well be but as I retired to my tent in the coolness of a May evening I wondered if I should have bought a few secret snacks.
The next morning there were a few grumbles from some who had found their non-Primal sleeping bags inadequate for the cold night. Then after herbal tea went hunting.
This involved walking through the countryside and sprinting as soon as any one saw an animal. Lord knows what passing walkers must have thought as a tribe of thirty-somethings raced over the fields. Although that was nothing on what we had to do next. Be hunted.
As well as serving to replicate how primal man would have lived this also had the affect of supercharging my sensory perception.
As soon as I set off in the woods I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck lift and I felt like I could hear anything within a five mile radius.
I made it back to camp the first time without being caught by my human predators although some were not so lucky. One of our crew returned with scratches and grazes where he had taken it all a bit too seriously and literally dived through brambles.
We set off a second time to be hunted by new 'human' predators but this time I got completely lost. Forget being killed by a predator, I possibly wouldn't have lasted five minutes in primitive times due to having no sense of direction.
By the time we made it back to camp all of us were starving but all we were given were a packet of nuts and seeds. Although to be fair these weren't any ordinary nuts and seeds.
These had been soaked in salt soltion and then dried. This apparently enables the fibres in the nuts to be broken down, helping to release the all important protein.
Learning about nutrition is not something you would normally associate with a boot camp but here everything is looked at holistically.
Don't sleep properly and it will affect your hormone balance which will affect your health. Even the position you sleep in can have profound influences on musco-skeletal health, which can impact on respiration, digestion and nervous system function.
 'I recommend people sleep with out a pillow, using their arms like indigenous groups and primates,' explains Matt. 'This helps to maintain good neck and shoulder function.
'Although those who have been chained to a desk for many years may require a pillow due to joint stiffness.'
I ignored this advice and used a pillow as we were sleeping in a tent but it was amazing how restful it was to rise with sunrise and go to bed when we felt tired. Most interesting of all how easy it was to go without food following the primal lifestyle. Whilst I felt hungry the following morning on waking, the feeling past as soon as we got moving.
On the last day we had a workshop with Barefoot Ted, an renowned US athlete who runs ultra distance marathons completely barefoot.
The theory behind going barefoot, or at least wearing minimalist foot wear like Vibram FiveFingers is that the body should be able to react instinctively with its surroundings. In shoes, your foot can not feel the floor and therefore your body takes shocks and rolls in a way that it wouldn't normally do. According to the barefoot debate, this results in atrophy of the muscles and ligaments rather than allowing the body to move and react as it would have done in primal times.
As we jogged across the asphalt drive of the diary farm and I stepped on a small hard piece of grit I wished I was wearing my old cushioned trainers. Yet the debate made sense.
'The nerves that receive information from the soles of the feet link directly into the part of the spine that account for 98% of low back pain,' says Matt.  'If your feet can feel what you're walking on they can tell the back how to react.
In addition, these same nerves feed the hip rotator muscles that control the stability of the hip, knee and foot.  Block that information with a big slab of polyurethane in cushioned trainers, and now your have highly compromised sensory awareness.'
Primal we may have been for that weekend but I couldn't help but wonder how realistic it would be to retain the principles of primal lifestyle.
But the effects of the camp have lasted long after the wood smoke was finally washed from my hair. I may not have switched to a nuts only at noon diet, but I am rising with the sun and persevering with my Vibram FiveFingers. They feel good, at least in the summer and they certainly make people smile.
The next Primal Lifestyle Boot Camp starts September 10th-12th and costs £220, or £175 if booked a month in advance. To find out more about the camp or Vibram Five Fingers visit www.primallifestyle.com

Foam rollers: The essential kit

Ask most people who exercise whether they do enough stretching or flexibility after working out and the anser is no. Yet flexibility is a vital component of fitness and without it you are effectively just creating a good looking facade with strength and cardiovascular work but on a poor foundation which will eventually result in fundamental problems.
But if you don’t have the time to do hours of yoga and can’t afford regular sports massages, what can you? One solution would be to invest in a foam roller which works on the same principle as a sports massage therapist but costs around £10.
A foam roller is a cylindrical piece of hard foam which you use to self massage your body and helps to release the myofascia, lengthen muscles and increase blood flow and circulation to the soft tissues.
Myofascia is the soft connective tissue that wraps and connects muscles, bones and blood vessels. Often due to injury, misuse or lots of exercise without sufficient stretching it and the underlying muscle tissue can become stuck together resulting in restricted muscle movement and reduced flexibility or range of motion in joints.
Moreover, if one muscle is inhibited another muscle will kick in to do the work resulitng in a domino effect which will eventually lead to biomechanical failures.
So how exactly does rolling on a piece of hard foam help? Foam rollers work by tricking the muscles into relaxing by stimulating the action of a sensory receptor in the muscle fibres called the Golgi Tendon Organ. This is highly sensitive to muscle tension and when it feels a muscle being stretched too tight, it forces it to relax and lengthen to prevent it tearing.
Of course, a foam roller is no substitute for a professionally trained sports massage therapist or for seeing someone if you are injured. But at just over £10 it should be a vital piece of equipment for anyone who exercises, from the occasional 5k runner to someone running regular marathons. The downside? It is painful but stick with it every day and you will see huge improvements in flexibility, range of motion and sports performance. Visit for a range of Foam rollers.
Visit here for exercises that you can do with the foam roller

What's a Beep Test?

If the only type of fitness you have ever done was PE at school, then you may never have had the pleasure of coming across the dreaded beep or Bleep test as it is known.
The test is a way of measuring a person's aerobic fitness - or maximum oxygen uptake (V02 max).
The test is made up of 23 levels with each level lasting approximately one minute. Each level comprises of a series of 20m shuttles with a starting speed of 8.5km/hr. This increases by 0.5km per hour each stage. So, what's the point you may wonder?
With training it is possible to improve your oxygen uptake and the beep test is a simple tool to mark your progress. And in terms of improving your fitness and sports specific goals it is worth being able to improve your V02 max levels.
Why? During most forms of exercise, the body depends on oxygen to help provide the nergy it uses. It is extracted from the air by the lungs and transported via the blood to the working muslces. As intensity increases, there's an increase in the body's demand for oxygen.
But at a certain point, oxygen demand can not satisfy the muscles and the body switches to anaerobic (without oxygen)metabolism. The only disadvantage to this is that the body can only sustain high rates of energy production for a short while. Therefore, improve oxygen uptake and you are more liklely to avoid the high levels of fatigue that come with anerobic methods.

Diet measuring tools

Further to my earlier post, it's always a good idea to check your portion sizes every two to three months as it's easy for them to slowly creep up. and more often than not, portion size is the main cause for why dieters fail to lose weight despite changing what they are eating.

Salter Nutri-Weigh & Go Kitchen Scales, £44.03 (www.dietandfitnessresources.com)
This handy litle device calculates calories, percentage of calories from fat, cholesterol, fibre, protein, as well as GI values for over 1400 foods, ingredients and liquids. It's perfect for those people who are commmitted to weight loss as it helps to educate you about foods.

Adjust-A-Cup 4 in 1 measure, £9.75 (www.decuisine.co.uk)
Forget having to buy four separate measuring cups. This dishwasher safe piece of gadgetry measurs pits, cups, ounces and millilitres. And unlike many other measuring devices on the market, it is suitable for use with dry and wet ingredients.


The Diet Plate, £19.99 plus £3.99 (www.thedietplate.co.uk)
One of the simplest and most ingenious ideas, this correct portion sizes for carbohydrates, protein, and veggies marked out on the plate. Of course, there's always the option to build a potato skyscraper upwards but here's hoping you wouldn't!

cooks Dry Measure, £8.0 (www.mykitchencupboard.co.uk)
This is a favourite of this particular Fitbitch as you can use it to check your dry ingredient portion sizes (over eating of the muesli is a particular weakness) and can be used for cooking too.

Portion Distortion

Nowadays, most people don't even register how big the cakes, muffins and sandwiches are in coffee chains. Over the last five years, portion sizes have got out of control and as our minds get used to what we're served, so our own meal sizes spiral out of control - and our weight.
So, how do you know the right amount you should be eating?

Follow this simple guide to help you in eating the correct portion sizes..

Grain Products
What One Serving Looks Like
1 cup of cereal flakes - The size of a fist
1 pancake - A compact disc
½ cup of cooked rice, pasta, or potato -½ of a baseball
1 slice of bread - A cassette tape
 
Fruits and Veggies
What One Serving Looks Like
1 cup of salad green - A baseball
1 medium fruit -A baseball
½ cup of raisins - A large egg
 
Dairy and Cheese
What One Serving Looks Like
1 ½ oz. cheese - 4 stacked dice
½ cup of ice cream - ½ baseball
1 cup serving of milk, yogurt, - The size of a fist
 
Meats and Alternatives
What One Serving Looks Like
3 oz. meat, fish, and poultry - Deck of cards
3 oz. grilled/baked fish - Chequebook

 
Fats
What One Serving Looks Like
1 teaspoon of oil -The size of your thumb tip

The Science of Weight loss

In yesterday's Observer Sport, Olympic windsurfing medallist, Bryony Shaw was interviewed and talked about how she burns fat by training in the morning before eating.
'I'll do it first thing in the morning before eating so that I know I'm burning off calories from my stores.'
How does this work?
The body holds around two hours worth of energy in the muscles and it's only when this is depleted that energy from fat stores is used. So, it's generally believed that if you exercise on an empty stomach you will get to these fat stores more quickly. If you want to further ensure this, stick to a meal of protein for your supper which will help to deplete glycogen stored in the muscles further. Of course, you have to weigh this up against having the energy to exercise - if you end up so tired you can't exercise for as long or as hard then re-think your strategy.

Delicious days

Most people think that dieting means having to cut things out and deprive yourself. But turn it around by exploring what foods are out there that you've never tried, or experimenting with new recipes. There's no better time than the summer to do it when there's so much fresh produce around.
This weekend with temperatures reaching plus 20C, myself and friends opted for a BBQ, having red mullet stuffed with lemon and capers and gilthead bream with lemon and bay leaves, servied with sliced fennel and radish salad in lemon juice and a red onion and fresh tomato salad. Delicious, high protein, low fat meal.

The New Nike Lunar Glide

Last night I was invited to the unveiling of the new Nike trainer, the Lunar Glide which has been two years in production.
Held at their new pop-up cum- art installation store, 1948 down a small alley in the ultra cool district of Shoreditch in London, we were first treated to a potted history of the Nike trainer.
Hard to believe now but the iconic ticked brand only started in 1968 with the first shoe, the Cortez in 1968. This was follwed by the invention of the infamous 'waffle' shoe created by co-founder, Bill Bowerman who hit upon the idea after pouring rubber into his' wife's waffle machine to create grip.
Since then, Nike has gone through the 'Air' phase but now, they've created a female specific shoe that works for both a over pronator (someone who rolls in when they run) and someone who is neutral. How does it work?
Instead of a hard inner support for overpronators, the shoe has an angled sole so if you are neutral you get soft cushioning. Overpronate and your foot will roll and be supported by a harder structure beneath the cushioning.
it's a sound idea as often you can be a neutral runner until you tire. This can lead to changes in the way you run turning you from a typically neutral runner to someone who overpronates.
The shoe will hit stores in July priced £80.

Meeting with the Lucozade Sport Science Academy Team

Last Friday, I made a last minute decision to go up to Loughborough University to the Fit Pro convention (www.fitpro.com), a meeting of some of the leading international names in sports specific fitness, holistic exercise and nutrition.
It involved an early 5am start and bleary eyed driving but it was well worth the effort.
I met with Nick Morgan who is a sport scientist at The Lucozade Sport Science Acamdemy (http://www.lucozade.com/sport/science/about/LSSATeam.aspx) who talked about the impact optimal nutrition can have on physiological adaption.
In short, the fact that training break down the muscle fibres so if you get the right amount of protein, you will see the best results.
This doesn't have to mean gulping down protein shakes and spending a fortune on bars as you can get all this from food sources. But if you are training hard as triathlete Michelle Bletso (who was at Fitpro), then shakes and supplements can be the only way. Once a Ironman competitor, Michelle has just qualified to race in the European Championshis at Olympic distance.
Her training comprises of: 2 x 6k swims, bike interval/brick sessions, a 3hr bike rid and 3 x runs comprisinga base build and 2 interval sessions.That's a week. Not surprisingly, her calorie intake is high (over 4000) and in order to eat enough, she has to supplement or face having to graze all day. Plus, the first hour straight after training is when you need to get the food in for maximum repair. For this situation protein shakes seem like a sensible choice.
So, if you're going to have protein supplements what should you look out for? It shold contain the eight amino acids, the most signifcantbeing leucine. This acts as a trigger mechanism for protein synthesis although it won't work alone. Of all the protein supplements available, Whey Protein contains the best source at 14%.
Phew, god that was a serious posting!

Stuffed roasted mushrooms

Want a quick, healthy dinner or lunch? In between training personal training clients, writing a feature and making sure I have eaten something sustaining but low fat before swim training I made these delicious mushrooms in ten mins.

two Portabella mushrooms
two cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon
2tbs low fat cottage cheese
5 cherry tomatoes

Squeeze the lemon juice over the mushroom 'gills'. Crush the garlic and then add the cottage cheese and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and put in the oven for 10-15 mins. Serve with a salad of green leaves, raw beetroot and carrot.

A recipe to inspire...

Most people think going on a diet means deprivation and misery. But turn it on it's head and think of it as a way of exploring foods and recipes that you've never tried before - these two are delicious!

Thai Slaw
Thai Coleslaw Salad
A variation of a recipe from the Daily Raw Cafe
Serves 4

Dressing

1 tbsp agave nectar
Zest and juice of one lime
1 tsp minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Slaw
4 cups Napa cabbage, finely shredded
2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup carrot, finely shredded
1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small food processor. Process until well combined. In a large bowl, combine all slaw ingredients. Pour dressing over slaw ingredients and toss well. Allow to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving, although overnight is best. Enjoy!!

Another delicious recipe!
http://kalofagas.blogspot.com/2007/11/poached-john-dory-fillet.html


Blogs of note
http://www.khiewchanta.com

Get in shape in a flash

If you're a Brighton & Hove resident, you may be interested in hearing about a new concept in women's only fitness camps, the Fitbitch Boot Camp. Visit www.fitbitchbootcamp.blogspot.com for more details.

All the fun at the fair - The Vitality Show

Last Friday, I was a press guest at London's Vitality Show which was heaving with women . Forget the fitness classes and diet stalls - most women were too busy elbowing each other the way to the freebies on the food stalls. Not that I did of course.
But fitness classes that seemed particularly popular were the Iamsuperchick.com, a boot camp aimed at London women, Wii Fit and Beaucamp Pilateshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif ().
This last I had a go of and let me tell you, it was very good.
This is super charged Pilates on Reformers. Forget the slow breathing and movements of a traditional class. Instead, this works the body in such a way that you get the benefits of old school Pilates - lengthening and toning of muscles - as well as the fatburn. Genius.

Get running girls!

I'm all for anything that helps motivate women to exericise and Nike have hit on a great idea. They've launched the Men vs Women challenge.

Log on to www.nikeplus.com and you can join an official online running challenge using their Nike+ system (This is a small device that fits in your shoe that logs how far you run,£19.99 although you need to plug it into an IPod Nano).

Starting on 13 March and ending 20 April, the world’s largest running club, www.nikeplus.com, will tally the kilometers of men and women who join an official Men vs. Women online running challenge using the Nike+ system, £19.99.

This is a small device that fits into specially adapted Nike+ running shoes and transmits data wirelessly to an iPod nano, an iPod touch or Nike+ SportBand. Information on time, distance, pace and calories burned during a run can then be stored on www.nikeplus.com.

The men vs women's challenge though will seek to see who are the stronger sex by seeing whehter it's women or men who log the most kilometres. Plus, there will be individual champions for the following three categories: total kilometers, average kilometers per runner and the most kilometers run by an individual in a 24-hour period.

“The inspiration for the campaign actually came directly from a consumer who posted the Men vs. Women challenge nearly two years ago,” said Enrico Balleri, Director of Brand Connections, Nike EMEA. “In 2008, it was one of the most popular challenges on Nikeplus.com, with runners contributing nearly 2.5 million kilometers. Nike+ has always been about communicating directly with runners, we are excited that the Men vs. Women concept is born from the nikeplus.com community.”

I've been asked to be part of the challenge in their media corp so I'll let you know how I get on! In the meantime, check out their ad featuring Eva Longoria, Paula Radcliffe and a whole host of names!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLyFlDAikac

The Vitality Show - Kensington Olympia

Fitbitch will be off to The Vitality Show this Friday, although if you fancy a bit of pampering or want the chance to try out some new exercise classes, it runs until Sunday.

AT the Zest Fitness Class, you can try out a dance class or workout, or check in for a massage or reflexology at The Vitality Day Spa.

Tickets cost £14.50 in advance or £17.50 on the door. For all the latest news and information on the show, visit www.thevitalityshow.co.uk or call 0871 230 5569 to book your tickets.


For those who can't make it, I'll be blogging about the show next week.

How to transform your running

Experts who analyse the way the way that your feet and ankles move while running are now a familiar sight in sports shops, with Nike Town and Asics both launching services in their London flagship stores recently. But increasing numbers of sports performance and rehabilitation experts are now offering cutting edge video gait analysis that looks at the entire body.
'It's only when you study the entire kinetic chain, from the feet right up to the top of the head, that you get a true picture of what's going on,' explains sports performance analyst, Mitchell Phillips of StrideUK who works with athletes, every day runners and those undergoing rehabilitation. 'This enables us to provide a complete biomechanical profile, which can pinpoint potential weaknesses and prescribe corrective exercise and shoe wear to transform sports performance and prevent injuries from occurring.'
This all sounds interesting, but is it really any more useful than popping into your local running shop for free advice?
I was interested in finding out as in the last six months alone, I have been recommended three different types of trainers based on advice from running shops. This has ranged from a neutral shoe to motion control trainers. I'd opted for motion control but the niggling knee pain I'd hoped the shoes might help solve persisted.
To start the analysis, I was first marked with small stickers on 26 different places on my body including neck, lower back, hips, knees and ankles. This helps to pinpoint more accurately how the legs, hips and knees track while running.
to help pinpoint more accurately how the body tracks
Then, I was asked to run on a specialised Sprintex treadmill, both barefoot and in my trainers.
Compared to traditional gym treadmills, with a single belt which propels the body forward unnaturally, the Sprintex model has separate slats which recreate the natural motion of running. And because it can work in reverse, you can be filmed running both from the front and back, as well as from the side.
'It's vital to get this three dimensional view to see what is happening to the body, ' explains Mitchell. 'For instance, if you only view someone running from the back you can't see the way their knees track, which is a great way to identify poor hip and core function; if it tracks inwards, it's often the gluete that are the problem.'
After both static and dynamic tests were completed, Mitchell and co-partner Elle Phillips, then took me through the video analysis, as they do with all clients.
'Giving our clients a visual playback of their running technique provides them with a much better understanding of whats going on,' explains Elle. 'And they're more likely to follow the exercises we prescribe as they can see the issues.'
The video analysis involves slowing down the film and being able to see the entire body in action, including the feet and legs on a split screen with and without trainers. This helps you to see whether the type of trainer you are wearing are doing the job of helping to control any unwanted motion.
Thankfully, my running shoes – Asic GT 2130, controlled my pronation at mid foot, as Elle showed by a line digitally drawn on the video from the inside of my heel to ankle.
What was not so good was seeing how my knees almost touched as I ran, particularly on my right side, indicating weak glute muscles. These were failing to control the inward tracking of my knee, helping to explain my pain. And from sa ide view, my heels were failing to kick up high enough – the ideal should be that they from a right angle – which highlighted weak hamstrings.
'Many runners focus on strenghtening their quads – the muscles in the front of the thigh, thinking it is these muscles that propel you forward while running,' explains Mitchell. 'But these are primarily engaged with controlling the downforce of the running motion, and it's the hamstrings which work to accelerate forward movement.'
At the end of the asssessment, I was given an in-depth report, including a series of exercises to help strengthen my muscles and increase flexibility. The report also included a list of recommended running shoes specific to my unique biomechanical blueprint.
Although prices for this kind of service vary around the country, most start at around £100. It may sound steep but if you're serious about your running, or you want to safeguard against injuries that could set back your training or cause serious problems in the future, this service is invaluable.
'Poor running technique is single biggest cause of back and knee injuries, and this analysis can help prevent these injuries developing,' says Mitchell Phillips. 'Plus, if you want to improve your tennis playing or swimming you book a lesson. Why not do the same with your running  as it could help transform your performance.'

for more information about StrikeUK visit www.strideuk.com. Prices start at £75.
Matt Roberts also offers Biomechanical Service, starting at £100. Visit www.mattroberts.co.uk.

Super stair climbing

This morning, 600 runners took part in Britain's first organised race up a London sky scraper. The winner was Rolf Majcen, 42, who travelled from Austria who summited at 4minutes and 57 seconds.
While taking on a high rise building might seem out of your fitness league, running up stairs is an excellent way of challenging your fitness and helping to strengthen - and tone - the legs and bottom.
Start off slowly by trying to run up a flight of stairs a maximum of three times, and work your way up until you can do it ten times without stopping, Try and pump your arms and move your feet as quickly as possible and vary it; go up one at a time the first time, alternated with two steps at a time the next.
Bringing this into your normal training will help challenge your body and it makes it less boring than always going on the same old, long runs. Give it a try.

Could Nordic diet be the secret?

Forget the Mediteranean diet, the latest diet to be touted as the most healthy both nutritionally and for weight loss is the Scandanavian diet.
their native fruits include blueberries, cowberries and cowberries (the names themselves make you want to eat them - like some kind of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory type fruits) which are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. And the high percentage of lean meat and fish, such as elk, reindeer andn herring are high in protein which have been shown to keep you fuller for longer. Might be worth a try if can handle a herring roll mop. What do you think?

Fitbitch Boutique Boot Camps

If you want to get the fittest you've ever been and ensure you have a fabulous beach body by the summer, book in for a Fitbitch Boutique Boot Camp, coming soon to residents of Brighton & Hove.
Unlike other fitness boot camps around, this will be exclusively for women and numbers will be kept to a maximum of 16 to ensure personal attention and a unique, supportive environment.
The camps will run for four weeks, four days a week and will include an optional diet plan, 24/7 text support and and a shared web forum. And by the end of it, you can expect to have lost weight, dropped inches and feel fantastic.
If you're interested in trying out a class before committing and being part of a unique fitness initiative, you can book in for one trial out class on Sunday 5th April, Monday 6th or Tuesday 7th.
Email Rachael at info@bodybalancefitness.co.uk or leave a comment here.

Download your fitness

In an ideal world, we'd all be able to afford a personal trainer to take us through our paces. Sadly, unless you're a Hollywood star that will remain as much of a dream as winning the London Marathon. But now there's a whole range of fitness applications that you can download to your IPhone or Ipod touch, which means you can get the next best thing - a fitness expert at the touch of a finger.

YogaTrainerLite, free
Always wondered how you do a downward dog? Got some spare time in the morning or before bed to do yoga but not quite sure how? This application has a huge variety of postures which are illustrated with pictures, along with written and voice guided instructions.
You can customise your practise by building your own sequence of postures, follow a pre-built sequence or just do a few postures, whatever suits. With sequences for both the beginner to the advanced, this is perfect for someone who doesn't have the time or money to go to a yoga studio regularly but needs guidance.

Ifitness, £1.19

Experts recommend that if you train regularly, you should change your exercise programme every four to six weeks. If you don't, you won't see any improvement in shape or fitness because your body will get used to the stimulus. The best way to do this is to book in with a personal trainer but this application is a great second best. It has a database of over 150 exercises, and it's even divided into muscles that it targets so you can focus on just your bottom or your core if you choose. Alternatively, opt for one of their pre-programmed routines, ranging from strength building to weight loss. You can even track your progress by logging your workout results which is sent automatically to your email.

Ipump Workout, free
To build strength, muscular endurance or simply to lose weight, this application can help. It includes two total body workouts so if you're unsure about how to put an exercise programme together, it's perfect. It includes images and videos of each exercise, as well as audio counting of each repetition. just like a personal trainer so there's no skipping out of doing the correct amount of repetitions. So, much like having a personal trainer on hand, there's no pretending you've forgotten how many you've done. You can also keep a log of the number of sets, repetitions and resistance that you perform which is a perfect way of ensuring that you progress and continue to challenge yourself.

RunKeeper Pro, £5.99
Whether you're new to running or you have started entering races, this is a brilliant application although it's only designed for the 3G Iphone. It uses the phone's inbuilt Global Positioning System so that runners, cyclists and even hikers can track the duration of their workout, pace, distance and even speed. This means, no more having to log on to mapmyrun before you go out for a run to check distance. Simply take your phone and it will do it for you. You can also download it onto your phone's dashboard and share the results with friends – if you dare!

BlueSpark Heart Monitor, £2.39
You can spend anything from £25 to over £200 on a heart rate monitor but now you don't need to with this nifty application. To use this you must have Apple headphones with a microphone or an Iphone 3G with inbuilt microphone. It's this which tracks the sound of your heart beat, either through a wrist or neck pulse, helping to provide your beats per minute as you exercise. Why is this important? If you know your heart rate, you can ensure that you're pushing yourself hard enough, and training in the right heart rate zone for your purpose. Ok, the motivation to push still comes from you but you're far more likely to do it if you can see the results for yourself. The downside is that you need to be somewhere quiet for the microphone to pick up your heartbeat and reviews vary on how accurate it is as you exercise.

Ipump Pilates, £2.99
If you take a Pilates mat class, likelihood is the teacher will gear the class to the weakest member in the group which is frustrating if you feel ready for more. The alternative used to be an expensive studio based class but now this affords another option. It has 63 images, videos and audio coaching and you can play music while you do it. For something so exacting as Pilates where you're trying to overcome years of poor posture or muscular imbalance, this is not the same as having someone watch you but it's a good start for helping you build your core strength.

** For all applications, read the limitations before downloading as some require extra system requirements in order to view videos.


Image by Free-StockPhotos.com