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REPORT Nov 09-Dohertys Gym CITY
IN FOCUS FOR NOVEMBER: Alistair White: Facility Manager and Conditioning Trainer at Doherty’s
Welcome to the first of what PRP hope you will find an informative and eye opening series of monthly reports on a variety of training styles and systems, training facilities and trainers that exemplify all that is exceptional about the fitness scene in
Our virgin BLAST SESSION was held at the newly opened, re-furbished and re-energized Doherty’s
Fast becoming the ‘Ozzie-MECCA’ for all those serious about training and physical development, Doherty’s houses some of the most knowledgeable, credible and respected trainers in the Australian industry and is considered the home away from home to the bodybuilding enthusiast. Don’t be fooled however, this is not just all about bodybuilding. Doherty’s produces exceptional athletes in a variety of disciplines. After chatting to Al White you will understand why...
Pre BLAST with Al White:
PR: How did you get involved in the fitness industry?
AW: “I was training in a gym, and eventually began training with the gym owner. He hinted at me working in his gym, which motivated me to gain my qualification as a fitness instructor and personal trainer. The rest is history.”
PR: Briefly, What is your industry experience?
AW: Back in 1999 I completed my Certificate 3 & 4 in Fitness and Personal Training. I feel lucky to have had a proper grounding in strength and fitness training principles. With over 10 years industry and competitive experience I feel I am still learning and progressing as a trainer everyday. Moving forward, I look forward to the challenge of rehabilitating, management of injury and of utmost importance in my view is pre-habilitation. My single focus for all of my clients is to reduce the risk of injury both while training, and also performing their daily duties. I guess in my early years, training was focused on specific performance results, or recognition of aesthetic satisfaction. In retrospect, I wish I had adopted some of the philosophies I teach now at a much earlier age. Having said that, if I had trained for strength years ago I may have been 'Alastair the power lifter' rather than 'Alastair the bodybuilder'. I definitely have no regrets in training and competing for bodybuilding for the past 7 years. It has taught me discipline, sacrifice and commitment. It has also taught me that experience carries far more worth than knowledge alone. All too often someone has plenty of advice to offer others about how to go about getting ones bodyfat down to super-low (often unattainable) levels. The reality is, that if I were to follow the protocol they advise, I’d never have succeeded like I had. Sometimes you must push past the commonly accepted way of doing things, push the boundaries and see how far you really can take things.
AW: I love the fact that this job keeps me fit and healthy. You CANNOT be successful in this industry as a trainer, or a role model, if you don't practice what you preach. I feel I have always maintained a high level of fitness, and looked after myself optimally through my nutrition and continued training. I HATE the way modern business has exploited a perfectly balanced industry over the past 5 years. When I began, gyms were about building better bodies, or fine tuning athletic performance. These days, it is about revenue. These days it is not enough to prey on the members by unethically committing them to long-term non negotiable contracts, but they go an extra step by promising the world to them if they enter the industry by becoming a personal trainer.
PR: How are you planning to impact the industry?
AW: I let my training, and my accomplishments do the talking. I manage Doherty's
PR: List your athletic achievements?
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INBA Junior Mr. Australia 2002
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INBA Mr. Victoria 2007
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INBA Mr.
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WFF Overall Mr. Australia 2007
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WFF Southern Hemisphere Class 1 2008
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WFF Universe Athletic Runner up 2008
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WFF Universe Superbody 2009 5th place
PR: What is your current personal training and nutrition regimen?
AW: At the moment I am having an unprecedented rest from Bodybuilding training. I'm doing a lot of aerobic based training including running and stair climbing (Doherty’s Gym CITY Team just won the Eureka Stair Climb event, the tallest building in the southern hemisphere at 297 meters and the tallest residential building in the world). I recently participated in the
PR: What is your training philosophy?
AW: You will not become better tomorrow, unless you trainer harder than yesterday today. I also believe you need to have a purpose to your training. Whether it be a contest, fun run, stair climb, marathon, or any other type of event, it gives you momentum to train on the days you feel you're too tired, or unmotivated. Other people use micro-markers to keep them training frequently and with purpose. To fit in to your favorite jeans, or to fill out that fitted T-shirt, you should always set measurable goals and monitor your progress.
PR: What is your training philosophy for /with clients?
AW: No different to my own.
PR: In what way do you believe the Doherty’s Gym experience is different from other fitness environments?
AW: We're like a retail clothing store that you can go in to, take a look around, and even try some clothes on, without being harassed. When you train at Doherty's you're among like-minded real people - both members and staff. We all train, and we all love our gym. We aren't pretenders. I've been working for, and with Tony Doherty for 7 years. While he is a genius businessman and promoter, he is also a ‘people’s person’. I have learnt many skills from Tony. I am very proud to say that on a daily basis I greet all the members of our gym by their first name.
PR: When a guy or girl comes to train with you what can they expect?
AW: A workout that pushes them past their own comfort zone. As a trainer I am enjoying the analytical side of exercise prescription more and more and the challenge of providing and guiding a client through their balanced and structured program to achieve their goals…. Speaking of older, I am beginning to learn how age affects training and I hope I may pass this knowledge on to my clients also.
The BLAST SESSION:
The session Al planned for me was great. He worked me hard and was mindful of my output level, pushed me where needed and in such a way that was not dominating or aggressive but still forceful. A very delicate balance for a male trainer to exhibit toward his female clients and Al’s 10 years experience certainly shone through in this regard. The session was predominantly power based, high volume leg training. A popular theory is that high volume training is considered to be one of the most effective forms of hypertrophy training for legs. This session was similar in format to the Poliquin Method of hypertrophy training referring to a concept known as optimal time under tension (OTUT) and optimal time under rest (OTUR). This targets 2B muscle fibers which are known as the fast twitch fibers and are responsible for hypertrophy. Also known as Advanced German volume training it was used by the German power lifters as part of their cross training programs.
My session consisted of free bar squats, walking lunges, weighted hip thrusts and a very targeted hamstring exercise with a bungee cord which I found extremely taxing and darn hard! Overall the session was very tough both muscularly and cardiovascularly.
I worked up a sweat and was pretty shattered by the end of the 45minutes. What I was very pleased about was the after effects of the session, yes 3 days later I was still walking like John Wayne; the soreness was a deep muscular ache that only comes from heavy targeted training. So in brief, I loved it. Doing this type of session consistently would get great results for those having trouble with exacting change on stubborn and ‘chunky’ legs and glutes. I certainly ‘earnt the right to wear my skirts tight’ that day… I asked Al if this was a standard session he would give his clients and was informed that he would only give this type of session in full to his conditioned athletes. Usually the exercises would be modified and changed dependant on the level of the client.
If you would like to experience the full Doherty’s treatment and get ‘White-ified’ yourself simply follow the links provided.
Pocket Rocket recommends this as one of the best fitness experiences you can have in