Atlas Top Tip: Squats

Squats are a fantastic exercise whatever your fitness goals, but are you getting the most out of them?

Full squats are more beneficial for the normal gym user because of its application in the real world. Doing a ‘half squat’ will only allow you to obtain half the results.

Practice and train for full flexibility to be able to squat all the way to the floor. Your body will thank you for it!

Hit comment below and share your top tips on how you perfected your squat or any advice you'd like to share with other Atlas Performance clients and fitness fans.

The Importance of Sleep

Getting to bed at a reasonable hour is the key to complementing your training during the day by allowing your body to properly recover and it has also been linked to reducing the chances of abdominal body fat build up.

Yes, there are other factors that contribute to abdominal fat build up, but getting a good night's sleep is the first and best step you can take.

Sleep can also affect your health as a whole. In its 2004 report Wake Up Australia, respected analysts Access Economics estimated the total annual financial costs of sleep disorders in Australia to be $6.2 billion.

“We estimate that over 1.2 million Australians (6 percent of the population) experience sleep disorders,” Access Economics said.

Some illnesses such as heartburn, asthma, depression and heart disease can impact sleep quality and can be worse during sleep periods. Certain medications and alcohol can affect sleep, sleep patterns and quality of sleep.

Email us for more info on tackling sleep related issues!

Tis the season for blueberries

Did you know the blueberry industry in Australia is one of the most premium blueberry industries in the world? Today 90% of blueberries sold in the Australian market are Australian grown.

What you really need to know though is how good blueberries are for you. Blueberries contain minimal calories and virtually no fat and they are rich in vitamin A, C, and E. They are also a good source of dietary fibre, are rich in potassium, manganese and magnesium and are believed to provide the most health-protecting antioxidants of any fruit or vegetable.

In fact it is the anthocyanins (an antioxidant) in blueberries that give them their blue colour.

Not sure what all the fuss is about? According to ABGA: “Antioxidants are very well known for their health benefits, especially their ability to reduce damage to our cells.

“Antioxidants help counter the damaging effects of free radicals, which form during normal metabolic processes and are associated with the development of several diseases including cancer and heart disease.

“Scientists have discovered that an antioxidant rich diet can assist in the prevention of disease and illness. Recent studies have found antioxidant rich blueberries are especially good for several health issues.”

ABGA says blueberries have anti-ageing effects, can improve eyesight, protect your heart, may improve your cholesterol and can treat urinary tract infections.

To maximise these amazing health benefits, keep frozen blueberries in your freezer during the off season and stock up on the fresh varieties now when you can get them from fresh vegetable markets and some supermarkets. Chuck a handful into your fruit salad, add them on top of oats, mix them into muesli or add them to your protein smoothie for a great antioxidant boost.

Click here for a great smoothie recipe we tried earlier.

Why aren't West Aussie walking?

Are you a regular walker? If so, you may be in the minority according to a new study.

Sport and Recreation Minister Terry Waldron says he was very concerned about the results of latest research conducted by the Physical Activity Taskforce, which revealed a decline in the number of West Australian adults walking for recreation and transport.

“I am very concerned about the results which show a nine percent decline since 1999 of people walking for recreation and 10 per cent less since 2006 walking for transport,” he says.

The findings from the 2009 WA Physical Activity Survey show only half of physically active adults walked more than 10 minutes for recreation and one in five walked more than 10 minutes for transport in the previous week.

The survey also showed a corresponding decline in the use of local footpaths and streets for physical activity.

The Minister says he is very concerned about the results as walking was a key indicator of how active communities were, because it was the easiest, cheapest, most accessible and popular form of physical activity.

“Walking for recreation or as a form of transport other than the car, has many benefits for the health and wellbeing for the walker and also creates less congestion on the roads and less pollution for the community,” he says.

“We are very concerned about these latest findings, and believe a concerted effort to increase walking is required across all levels of government and community.

“With Western Australia’s growing population and increasing pressures on existing infrastructure, we need to encourage people to walk more, to build walk-friendly environments and make it habit forming to walk rather than use the car.”

Heart Foundation senior manager of physical activity Clover Maitland says it is vital to find at least 30 minutes a day to exercise.

“Finding 30 minutes of physical activity a day, such as walking, is one of the best things you can do for your physical, social and mental health; and it’s as easy as walking out of your door and into your local neighbourhood,” he says.

Professional athletes need work/life balance

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jared Tallent is a firm believer in the value of a healthy sport–life balance, the subject of important new research on Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) elite athletes.

A recent study conducted by the National Athlete Career and Education (NACE) and AIS ACE programs at the Australian Sports Commission has found sporting performance may be boosted by a well-balanced lifestyle combining work, study and training.

The NACE and AIS survey of 143 AIS athletes looked at their attitudes and approaches to sport, study and other activities. NACE consultant Dr Nathan Price said the findings of the study indicate that sport–life balance has a positive effect on an athlete’s performance and longevity in their sport.

"More than 90 per cent of athletes surveyed indicated they believed that actively engaging in non-sporting pursuits helped to lengthen their sporting career,” Dr Price said. “Of those athletes that were studying or working, 72 per cent believed that their sporting performance benefited from them undertaking education or employment.

Jared Tallent, who recently won the 20km walk gold medal at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, and a silver in the 50km and bronze in the 20km at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, said maintaining a well-balanced lifestyle has helped his international success.

“There’s definitely a positive relationship between my life balance and athletic performance,” Tallent said. “I have been able to maintain long periods of being injury free mainly because I haven’t over trained and have spent time on other commitments.”

Tallent currently combines his training with studying a Bachelor of Business Studies in Financial Planning at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University.

“It’s easy to let sport take over when you are competing at an elite level,” Tallent said. “But it’s good to have other passions in life so that you have something to move onto once you finish your sporting career.”

The NACE program supports more than 3000 elite athletes across Australia each year in managing their education, work and sports performance, as well as preparing them for life after sport.

WA kids are overweight

According to a new study from The Department of Health, although parents think their children are healthy in fact one in five WA children are overweight or even obese.

Principal Epidemiologist Peter Somerford says: "In the 2009 report, parents have presented a positive view of their children's health, with almost nine out of ten children reported as having excellent or very good health.

"However, the report shows that more than one in five (22.6 per cent) of WA children aged five to 15 years are overweight or obese. The rate has not changed significantly since 2004.

"About half (45 per cent) of this age group get their recommended one hour of physical activity each day, but girls are less likely to do this than boys (38 per cent compared with 52 per cent)."

The survey showed one in two (47 per cent) children aged five to 15 years were eating the recommended amounts of vegetables each day, up from 39 per cent in 2004.

Although more than 95 per cent of children aged four to 11 years are eating the recommended daily intake of fruit, this dropped to just less than 24 per cent in the 12 to 15 year age group.

"These results reinforce the need to continue our efforts to promote healthy weight and active lifestyles in WA children," Peter says.

The report is available online at: http://www.health.wa.gov.au/publications