James Key Personal Training, Strength & Conditioning and Rehab Specialist

This is my client Aleena

She has type 1 diabetes and suffers with BPD etc.

☑️Same girl
☑️Same pair of jean shorts
☑️Fit totally different
☑️The funniest/most unique progress picture I think I've received in over a decade of doing this. 🤣

🏋️‍♀️For her, exercise (more specifically strength training) is matter of necessity.

💉Both of the above are incurable. HOWEVER, we can certainly help manage said conditions.

🚑That's where people like myself, as I am a clinical exercise and rehabilitation specialist, come in.

♿We know losing body fat massively helps people living with such diseases.

💪BUT what we're not often told is how much developing muscle mass is vital.

🏃Whilst cardio is important, strength training should nearly always be prioritised.

➡️Strength and muscle mass, according to current best evidence have been clinically shown to;

➡️Increase both quality and quantity of life

➡️Muscle mass decreases your chances of developing various diseases and disabilities.

➡️Help you recover quicker if you do get sick/injured.

➡️Lessen pain and lessen chance of injury.

➡️Make body fat loss way easier.

💊(Even more important for people with diabetes) lessen chance of developing tendinopathy, neuropathy and cardiovascular disease etc which is of increased risk with the condition.

🍬Muscle mass helps regulate blood glucose and insulin levels better.

🌞By strength training mixed with cardio, her quality of life has drastically improved, her blood sugars are much more stable, she has zero back, hip and calf pain now and her mental health has improved.

👏Amazing job Aleena, you're an inspiration to people living with diseases and disabilities.

🤔Your diseases or disabilities don't define you.

💌Message me for specialist help with training and rehabilitation.

🗣️Massive shout-out to my client Richy.

🏋️‍♂️I think he embodies what we do with clients in a nutshell.

⚕️Richy initially came to me with lower back disc herniations etc and associated neuropathy, this is typically associated with numbness, tingling, loss of sensation/strength etc in the lower extremities.

💥Often people are told "rest and don't use your back, you need to be careful and don't lift heavy" etc.

🤯The above is massively outdated and wholely unhelpful (outside of red flags). We know based on the latest research that movement fear/ avoidance and excessive rest is associated with worse outcomes and prognosis in nearly all pain/injury conditions.

💊 Strength training encourages healing, improved tissue capacity, strength, improved pain sensitivity and less likelihood of reoccurrence.

📉Studies also suggest disc herniations and bulges are actually MORE prevalent in people who are sedentary than people whom are active.

🏋️‍♂️Funnily enough, by doing the stuff you're often told not to do based on outdated and unsupported views (yes, round back deadlifts, heavy lifting etc were all included in his rehab) we've managed to get Richy essentially pain free.

💉The devil is in the dosage. Too much or too little are the only time you'll get issues. Gradual graded exposure, progressive overload and working to tolerance are the cornerstones in good rehabilitation protocol

🏋️‍♂️He can now deadlift over 100kg, squat 80kg for reps and is now able to sprint again. We're even doing plyometrics currently aka jump training!

🤔Rehabilitation isn't about what you CANT (yet) do but what you CAN do?

🚑You aren't half as broken as you think you are.

💪Amazing work buddy, you're an inspiration.

💌Want help with training and rehabilitation? My inbox is open.

Oops forgot to post this on here as one is rather busy haha.

💪Here at Omega Health and Performance we are all about quality over quantity. By that I mean tailored programming and nutrition designed with each client's unique needs, likes and dislikes, psychology, disabilities, diseases, strengths and weaknesses in mind. As such all our coaches are highly qualified in all these areas.

🍔There are no gimmicky training methodologies, or generic/fad cookie cutter programming here and certainly no unsustainable fad diets.

📜As an evidence based coach and personal trainer I keep up to date with the latest research. This keeps my coaching current, in conjunction with my own experience and education.

🏋️ HOWEVER the client still has to meet their coach in the middle with adherence. It's a two way relationship otherwise you won't get optimal results. 🤷‍♂️

🏋️‍♂️I think my client Szymon is a prime example of what can be achieved with this approach whilst working with myself due to his fantastic mentality and the hard work he's put in.

In the last year he's;

➡️Lost a whopping 50kg (nearly 8 stone or 111lbs) bodyweight
➡️Going from never lifting a barbell before to a 170kg deadlift and a 120kg squat.
➡️Can do pull ups now
➡️KEEPING the weight off sustainably (this is where most people struggle so this is HUGE and needs addressing with the long game in mind)
➡️Built consistency with a positive mindset shift.
➡️Feels way better mentally.
➡️ENJOYING a healthy relationship with food again and being smart. If he wants a take away he can have it without it being of detriment or guilt.
➡️Playing football at weekends now.

Amazing dude you're killing it. 😁

📈Keep chipping away, keep being consistent and work with your coach. Months and years are where your results are, not days and weeks.

💌Inbox is always open for help and coaching. 📮

Massive shout out to my client Denise https://www.facebook.com/denise.oconnor.7311

🤕Denise first came to me as she had neck pain, upper back pain, knee pain (arthritis) & mobility issues. She also wanted to lose weight.

🔙Her main issue she felt was her lower back, which she had surgery in the past due to scoliosis. See: metal rods.

⚕️Idiopathic adolescent scoliosis is a curvature of the spine which worsens as the person ages. Typically people with around 50-60 degrees of curvature require surgery.

📖 Current evidence suggests it can improve with strength training if caught early enough. (Šarčević Z, Scoliosis: muscle imbalance and treatment, British Journal of Sports Medicine 2010, And Mooney V, Gulick J, Pozos R. A preliminary report on the effect of measured strength training in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. J Spinal Disord. 2000 Apr;13)

💊 I disagree with nocebic messages Denise was told such as "you'll probably be in a wheelchair" or "your spine is fragile". (Nobody can predict the future, as you can clearly see, she doesn't need a wheelchair and the spine certainly isn't fragile plus it adapts to loading).

🏋️‍♀️BUT as I say to all my clients, "it doesn't matter if you can't do things (currently), what can you do? And how do we improve on that?"

🎓This is where people like myself whom are qualified in medical and orthopaedic exercise, rehabilitation, exercise therapy and to support people with these long term issues come in, to help people like Denise.

🤸Needless to say she's moving much better, she's stronger, her pain has improved tenfold and she's also feeling much better.

💪 She's lost a few inches of bodyfat as a bonus.

Keep it going Denise, you're an inspiration. 😁😁

📬📩If you're struggling and want premium evidence based personal training, strength and conditioning and rehabilitation my inbox is always open. 💌

💪How to train around pain and injuries, message me if you're struggling. Inbox is always open. 💌

🤯A note on misconceptions, myths, and things that arent (as) important contrary to popular belief but may help indirectly (may help with pain sensitivity and/or help with perception of pain temporarily etc);

➡️Stretching - Doesnt prevent injuries. Strength training also creates the same (see: in non extreme ranges i.e not those needed for dancing and gymnastics etc where extra flexibility training may help) mobility adaptations as stretching.

➡️Foam Rolling - it feels nice lol see: possibly alters pain perception/sensitivity. Don't use with pathologies, certain conditions like osteoporosis etc or breaks, tears, ruptures etc. 😬

➡️Corrective exercises and overly long convoluted warm ups - Dont prevent injury and neither of these things has a better outcomes compared with general strength training and warming up with just the empty bar or the unloaded exercise etc.

➡️Massage Guns - see foam rolling

➡️R.i.c.e - Ice can damage tissue. Only useful if you absolutely NEED immediate pain relief for certain injuries.

➡️Demonizing Form/Certain exercises - Form plays a VERY minimal role in injuries but may need to be modified for some people. Specific exercises arent inherently more risky than others either. The devil is usually in the dosage.

📃Studies;

" What does best practice care for musculoskeletal pain look like? Eleven consistent recommendations from high-quality clinical practice guidelines: systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2020 Jan;

The R.I.C.E Protocol is a MYTH: A Review and Recommendations Domenic Scialoia & Adam J. Swartzendruber-The sport journal

Afonso J, Ramirez-Campillo R, Moscão J, Rocha T, Zacca R, Martins A, Milheiro AA, Ferreira J, Sarmento H, Clemente FM. Strength Training versus Stretching for Improving Range of Motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare (Basel). 2021 Apr 7

INTEGRATION OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PRINCIPLES INTO A REHABILITATION PROGRAM - Michael P. Reiman, PT, DPT, OCS, SCS, ATC, FAAOMPT, CSCS1 and Daniel S. Lorenz, DPT, PT, ATC/L, CSCS2 - Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2011 Sep

Shrier I. Stretching before exercise does not reduce the risk of local muscle injury: a critical review of the clinical and basic science literature. Clin J Sport Med. 1999 Oct;

The Relationship Between Training Load and Injury in Athletes: A Systematic Review. Sports Med. 2018 Aug; Eckard TG, Padua DA, Hearn DW, Pexa BS, Frank BS.

Michaelson P, Holmberg D, Aasa B, Aasa U. High load lifting exercise and low load motor control exercises as interventions for patients with mechanical low back pain: A randomized controlled trial with 24-month follow-up. J Rehabil Med. 2016 Apr

Villumsen M, Samani A, Jørgensen MB, Gupta N, Madeleine P, Holtermann A. Are forward bending of the trunk and low back pain associated among Danish blue-collar workers? A cross-sectional field study based on objective measures. Ergonomics. 2015;"

Massive shout out to my client Ryan https://www.facebook.com/Project.OrionMusic

🏅He absolutely smashed his MMA fight in a unanimous decision.

🤼He's a perfect example of what happens when you have the right attitude and work with your coaches. His mental focus and intensity especially in the last few training blocks in the build up to this fight has been inspiring.

🥊Ryan has taken everything on board I've said, plus we peaked his training and his weight cut perfectly. This has been highlighted in his training, in his confidence during the fight and ultimately, In the result of it.

🏋️‍♂️Working with a strength and conditioning professional (😜👋) and thus utilizing the principles of it within your training makes you better at your sports specific skillset by improving strength, power, speed, agility, quickness, work capacity etc. all of which facilitate sports performance.

💪If you don't build a strong base and work on the aforementioned qualities, you're not being optimal with your training. By that I mean you can't just train like a bodybuilder for sport related goals. This is why I always make it a priority to build a massive foundation with my clients and athletes.

🔺In a nutshell, the bigger the base of the pyramid (the stuff you do in the gym and training to work on your general physical qualities) the bigger the peak (your sports specific skills) will be. 🤷‍♂️

Amazing job dude. You've earned the win. We need to keep the momentum now. 💪

If you want to improve yourself for whatever life throws at you, even if it's not sporting related, message me. My inbox is always open. 📩💌

Massive shout out to Olivia ( https://www.facebook.com/olivia.twilley.50) for the work she's put in. (Videos in comments also).

🏇Olivia is a high level competing horse rider.

🤕When Olivia came to me several months after her initial accident (a one tonne hay bale falling on her and breaking her right ankle and left femur) she was told she would not walk for 6 months or ride for a year and was obviously in alot of pain.

🚶‍♀️We got that down to 3 and 6 months respectively with our training and rehab work. She's also pain free now.

🧑‍⚕️Her physio has been very complimentary towards myself and the work we've done with Olivia. Open lines of communication between your health and fitness team ALWAYS equals the best outcome for clients. Fitness is health and health is fitness.

💪Olivia is very strong both physically and mentally after what she's had to go through. She is an inspiration of not making excuses no matter how hard things get, when it would have been very easy for her to give up and be "woe is me".

🏅We've managed to get Olivia back to where she belongs (and more!) riding and winning again after what could have been a career ending injury.

🏋️‍♀️Oh and she's lost about 10kg bodyfat in the process too. Always a bonus right? 😜

🏥 Rehab IS training, where you "Break s**t down, then build s**t back up again" - Greg Lehman. It doesn't need to be convoluted.

💪With strength training, the human body adapts, heals, becomes more robust, you look better and you also get better at your sport skill work. No matter how banged up you think you are.

No excuses, just get better.

Amazing work Olivia keep going and bring home those medals. 😍🏅

If you're struggling with training or rehabilitation feel free to message me. 💌📬

Just a shout out to my client Szymon (will tag in comments) for this amazing effort. 😲😲😱😱

He initially came to me as he had hit a bit of a plateau with his weight loss. We tweaked a few things, made nutrition easy and stress free for him and introduced him to lifting.

✅21kg/45lbs lighter
✅No fads, gimmick shreds or diets and still eating his favourite foods.
✅Tracking his nutrition
✅Being accountable
✅Consistent

Alot of the time people like making things way more complicated (and expensive!) than they need to be with nutrition and weight control in general with the latest flavour of the week fad diet or supplement.

In reality Occam's razor applies the overwhelming majority of the time (other than rare medical issues etc) which means the simplest answer is the correct one, especially for many people who "have tried everything" to lose weight.

At the end of the day the basic fundamentals are always gonna be;

➡️Prioritise lifting and training correctly with intensity
➡️Tracking calories and nutrition
➡️Enough sleep
➡️Proper recovery and stress management
➡️BE PATIENT AND CONSISTENT, weight loss or gain is never linear.
➡️Be accountable and be honest with your coach and more importantly yourself.

Szymon gets this and he's reaping the rewards. Amazing job bud keep going and congratulations on your new job! 😁💪💪

If you're struggling with training or don't know where to start, my inbox is open. 📬📬😊

Stress is stress and it all fills the same cup (whether it's physical stress from training, or social stress; maybe your boss is winding you up, mental health issues etc whatever.)

ALL biopsychosocial factors contribute here.

This is where load management comes in.

If you exceed (or in some cases, subcede) your overall stress tolerance, things can go sideways especially when chronic pain and injury is involved.

Whilst it's all well and good for me to say "lol just be less stressed, tell your significant other or boss to do one and maybe train more, sleep more and eat better" this is hard for many people to modify.

On the flip side some people do need MORE stress (especially physical) in their lives to drive home adaptation they seek. Even In a pain/rehab context we so often chronically underload exercises when we really don't need to.

Regardless there are things we CAN modify to accommodate, your training, sleep and nutrition being a few factors.

Its ok to dial things down or ramp them up to go for a pb if you feel amazing (but not every session). You don't need to thrash yourself into submission in the gym if you've had a bad day and feel like crap. Go to yoga, get a massage etc if it helps you relax.

Tracking and monitoring are key and I do this with all my clients and so many times during sessions I will deliberately modify things I've pre planned to accommodate what's going on with the person in questions life at the moment.

Everyone is different in how they handle stress.

The most important thing is to be smart and consistent with your training.

If you're struggling with training, feel free to message me. 💪👍

This is the other side of the job I do.

This is Jeff whom is in his 60s ('s dad https://www.facebook.com/David22anderson92 )

He's actually about 10 weeks out from a "widow maker" heart attack he had at work, which has a 12% survival rate.

He also has a 70% diseased heart and mouth cancer.

But should he just give up and lose independence? Absolutely not. There are absolutely things he can still do and out of necessity.

Health is fitness and fitness is health. Which is where I come in to bridge the gap.

As a Medical Exercise Specialist and Specialist in Exercise Therapy I'm uniquely qualified to work with people whom have major musculoskeletal, cardiac, neurological and metabolic conditions.

If your health and fitness team work together it always has the best outcome for clients, like we have done with Jeff.

Through heart monitored gentle cardiovascular exercise and strength training we've gotten Jeff out of the 60 day high risk reoccurrence period of having another heart attack.

This will allow him to be able to be fit and strong enough to have a double bypass surgery on his heart and also on his mouth cancer.

We've also sorted his L4 radiculopathy aka sciatica and elbow tendinopathy.

Sometimes exercise, fitness and health are a matter of life and death and not just about how you look or superficial goals.

He is absolutely an inspiration of not making excuses and how exercise and training help manage medical conditions.

Message me if you're wanting help with rehab or training. 📮😊

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTaSsFLIAZb/?utm_medium=copy_link

💥💣(𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨) First few slides highlight my point!

Unfortunately, we live in a society that believes lifting is dangerous and seen as something done purely for aesthetic reasons. Therefore older people need to take it easy (lol). 🙄

The above view point is misinformed, as is often the case with alot of things In the fitness and health industries.

We don't need more barriers to people exercising and lifting.

You should be lifting for health reasons REGARDLESS of age, to maintain your strength, tissue quality, muscle mass, to help maintain a healthy weight, maintain mobility, managing disease, chronic pain, disability and ultimately live longer with a better quality of life.

As a former care support worker this is something I'm VERY familiar with and what happens when people lose the ability to be independent.

Performance can be defined as sporting performance or for the non athlete, your performance is simply being able to perform your daily tasks. Strength and conditioning helps everyone regardless.

I've trained clients well into their 60s, 70s and 80s to be proficient in the barbell lifts, it's not too late to learn and it's certainly not too late to get stronger.

Strength is money in your health bank. Get saving and investing in it!

Message me if you want to start but unsure how to. My inbox is always open. ☺️📮✉️

This guy works hard. 💪💪

Just a shout out to my client Tim for getting these two PBs. (He is also probably the only person in the world to not have social media. 🤣🤣)

Bear in mind this guy had two ruptured ankle ligaments in December and one in his knee too and was told he wouldn't be able to train for a year;

Bodyweight: 74kg
Deadlift: 180kg
Squat:130kg

We've added 20kg onto each of these lifts since May (he's stronger now than before his injuries) and he's now pain free obviously.

Tim has put on 4kg of muscle since May, gained 2.5 inches around quads and chest, around 1.5 inches around his arms and lost several inches around his waist after tidying his nutritional habits up.

He's also able to train again for Brazilian jiu-jitsu so wins all around. 😁

Focus on what you can do, not what you can't do. That is what rehab is about. Consistency, being proactive and being positive is king with ANY goal. Do that and you'll get results.

No excuses just get better. 💪💪 Awesome job Tim. 😁

HOWEVER, we aren't done yet. (For example, making that deadlift lockout smoother etc). 😉

If you have goals and want results, my inbox is always open. 😊📩

(Sorry it's a bit long.... I know. Buuut it is informative. 😜)

I've had to address this often with newer clients in regards to misinformation and fear mongering (see: ) which ultimately holds people back progressing in the long run. So I just thought I'd make a post on the subject.

Living tissue (including bone, ligaments, connective tissue etc, this is key) adapts under load . The spine is no different and the principles of progressive overload applies to spinal flexion under load too in regards to tolerance and also strength etc.

Many things are nuanced, not simply black or white, not just "good" or "bad" exercises and/or movement patterns. Things don't have to be perfect or overly convoluted in rehab or training and there definitely isn't a one size fits all approach to either.

"It depends" is my favourite phrase honestly lol. Remember, everything is a tool and has a time and place. 😜

If you're struggling with anything training, rehab or pain related feel free to message me. My inbox is always open. :)

Just a shout out to my client Tim for the excellent progress he's made in a month considering where he was.

Tim initially came to me with rehab (2 ruptured ligaments in his ankle and also a ligament in his knee, his shoulder was also causing him issues as it was dislocated in the past), strength and physique goals at the forefront of what he wanted help with. He is also wanting to return to Brazilian jiu-jitsu at some point too.

After a months training with myself;

👉Totally pain free
👉Can press pain free (even behind the neck) after rehab on shoulder girdle
👉Can also squat and lunge to full depth pain free too after being told it would take over a year to train again.
👉Nutrition made easy for him to track.
👉Gained 3kg in muscle.
👉Gained over an inch on his arms.
👉Gained 2 inches in his quads
👉Lost 3 inches around his waist
👉Added 10kg to his deadlift and front squat personal best numbers.

Looking forward to seeing where he's gonna be in a few months time as he has a tremendous work ethic too. Keep it up Tim. 💪💪

If you're struggling with anything, feel free to message me. 📮✉️✉️😊