Do you need to switch up your fitness routine? If you want to exercise with purpose, then resistance training could be for you. We talk to Matt Leeb from UP Central about his exercise regime and the benefits of resistance training.
Resistance Training
What’s your personal fitness regime like?
I currently resistance train four times a week with an occasional cardio or basketball bout on the weekends. In the gym, I like to maximise time by pairing agonist and antagonist muscles together. Pairing chest with back, biceps/triceps, or quads/ hamstrings in a super-set allows me to minimise rest because, while one targeted muscle works, the other one is recovering.
What do you eat to stay in shape?
What’s your “go-to” when you’re having a cheat day? My diet might be mundane to most people but I’m happy to eat lean meat and vegetables along with carbohydrates like rice or potatoes. Varying the seasoning and marinades helps keep things interesting. I suppose this comes from my Midwestern upbringing where the emphasis is on “meat and potatoes”. My favourite cheat meal is blueberry pancakes with lots of butter and maple syrup.
What do you like about the programs offered at UP?
The emphasis of UP is our 12-week transformation program. We offer a comprehensive service covering every element necessary to help our clients reach their fitness goals. Each client receives bespoke training and nutrition plans as well as constant access to their trainer to help guide and motivate them through the process. We retain our title as the best personal trainers in the world because we get inside our clients’ heads and we take their results personally.
What are your top tips for people looking to get in shape?
Outside the gym, increase your daily NEAT (nonexercise activity thermogenesis). Use your phone or a pedometer to track your steps and then aim to get that number over 10,000 and beyond every day. Inside the gym, start with full-body workouts if you’re a beginner, and remember that the more fixed and stable you are, the more weight you’ll be able to lift. Try using a slower tempo when lifting to place tension in the correct areas you are trying to train.
UP Central | 3/F Unicorn Trade Centre, 127-131 Des Voeux Road Central
UP Causeway Bay | 11/F, Midtown Plaza, 1-29 Tang Lung Street
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This article first appeared in the February/March 2018 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
