Blog

By Sinead Duffy
Are there times when you doubt yourself and your abilities? Have you missed out on opportunities because you felt you were not talented enough, lacked education or felt unattractive?
Time and time again, I coach people who have lots of talent and wonderful ability, yet for various reasons they are filled with self-doubt. They give up on their dreams, settle for less and become stuck in a rut due to lack of self-confidence. It is no wonder that those who lack self-confidence are less adventurous, get less out of life and always underachieve.
Having self-confidence is crucial to living a fulfilling life. It influences your success at work, your relationships with others and your performance in everything you do. Confident people have faith in themselves and their abilities and they believe that that they can have the best in life.
The good news is that confidence is a skill, it can be learned, and just like driving a car, it can become a habit. As you know, we don’t even have to think about our habits as they are part of us.
Apply the following 5 steps to greater self-confidence and you’ll soon notice positive changes:
Step 1 – Decide to Become Self-Confident
Write out the answer to the following two questions:
- What would your life be like if you were confident?
- What would self-confidence mean to you?
Based on your answer make a decision today to invest your time, effort and money in becoming self-confident.… [ read more ]

Motivation can be defined as the desire to achieve, the fuel that inspires us to reach our goals. It has been said that motivation strengthens the ambition, increases initiative and guides our energy. Motivation is one of the most important keys in fitness success. I say this, due to the fact that I usually train athletes who are highly motivated.  It is easier for a professional or even amateur athlete to stay motivated to train because their living or their ability to win in competition depends upon it.
When it comes to training the average person, we often find that people are not as motivated, so they often fall short of what they really want to accomplish.  This does not mean that they won’t work as hard; it’s just that they might not know how to visualize the necessary keys to stay motivated longer. Normally, the design of a successful fitness-training program should always begin with the end in mind. And so, the first thing you should do to is set your goals, because these can be very motivating. In setting those goals, be specific, it’s always helpful to concentrate on your weak areas physically, so that as you work out you will see results.  There is nothing like results to improve motivation! After that it comes down to being consistent in your workouts.
But what if you have trouble staying consistent?   Usually, this happens due to being overcommitted in your schedule or sometimes, it goes back to motivation.  One of the biggest things that… [ read more ]

Why You Need a Physical Assessment Before Starting an Exercise Program
I have been a trainer for elite and professional athletes for over 18 years.  The most important lesson you learn when working with elite athletes is the importance of having a balanced body to achieve efficient movement. It is no different when working with our clients. People want to improve their fitness levels, have more energy and feel stronger in their daily lives.
During our initial assessment meeting, we review previous training history, measure body composition, discuss time commitment and set short and long term goals. The purpose of the initial assessment is to educate the client about his or her fitness status relative to fitness standards. The initial assessment creates baseline data to measure future progress and to motivate clients as they meet their fitness goals.
Based on the initial assessment we can design a program that is specific to the client’s needs. Taking into account the client’s age, we supplement aerobic endurance with strength-developing exercises. This allows for enhanced muscular strength and fitness. In turn, it can help to improve mobility, balance, coordination and activities of daily life.
Here’s proof that it’s never too late to improve your fitness. One of my most remarkable success stories – no it doesn’t involve an athlete – involves an adorable 85-year-young woman. Out of the blue, I receive a phone call asking for help. The person on the other line explains how she had heard of our executive athlete programs … [ read more ]