About This Site. This site is the website of motivational speaker Craig
Harper. A constantly updated, one-stop
information, inspiration, education and motivation
station. Unlike many similar sites, it is a totally
free resource for anyone who is serious about moving
from mediocre to amazing in any area of their
personal or professional life. With hundreds of
articles covering a wide range of subject matter,
great interviews with cool people and inspirational
video posts, there's more than enough brain-food to
keep you busy for hours. Okay, days!!
Enjoy.
Click play above
to
see one of Craig's weekly segments on national
television. (9AM with Kim & David - Network Ten)
Attention Website Owners!
How would you like to become an online business partner with
Craig? Click
here
to find out how to become an affiliate of craigharper.com
Public Speaking Workshop
- Craig Harper
If you've ever
thought about becoming a professional speaker or
improving your public speaking then this is the workshop
for you.
Life Coach & Mentor - Craig Harper
If
you are interested in maximizing your potential,
stepping out of that 'holding pattern' and being
privately coached by Craig click here.
Business & Career Coach - Craig Harper
If your a personal trainer, gym owner or studio owner who is interested
in growing your business and/or your career, then mentoring with Craig
could be a valuable part of your overall success strategy and
professional development journey.
Body Composition Analysis
- Craig Harper
Craig's
Qualified Exercise Scientists can provide you with a
complete Body Composition Analysis in just 30
minutes.
Fattitude
- Craig Harper
While many books focus on food,
Craig Harper teaches that creating life-long change is more about the
dieter, than the actual diet. This book is perfect for people who have a
history of 'almost' getting in shape.
In this entertaining presentation, Craig discusses the
notion of Renovating Your Body - once and for all. Many of us have a curious
ability to be able to get in shape for events (weddings, parties, reunions
and birthdays), if only we'd get in shape for life.
Food, Exercise, and Lifestyle
Diary -
Craig Harper.
If you're serious about your training,
nutrition, and lifestyle - Craig Harper's training diary is an invaluable tool.
Every day around Australia thousands
of people start a new exercise program, join a gym,
employ a trainer, take up jogging or go on the new
you-beaut diet endorsed by some Hollywood
megastar, all with roughly the same goal - to create
some type of physiological change. Some of us want to be
bigger and more muscular. Some of us want better
flexibility or to increase our aerobic capacity. Some of
us want to run faster or jump higher and some of us just
want to look hot! However, the most common aspiration
for the would-be hard-body (blokes and girls) is to lose
the flab. Keen to be lean is what we are. So, if
you’re in the market to go from slob to sleek, from big
to buff, pay attention and read on.
Getting lean (and staying that way)
is about manipulating four key variables; diet,
attitude, lifestyle and exercise. For the purpose of
this article we will focus on the exercise component
only; but be very aware that for many people getting
lean is as much about what we put in our mouth and our
lifestyle habits as it is about our overall level of
activity or our exercise regime. Also remember that a
calorie is a measure of energy and fat is simply stored
energy. Essentially, it’s all about manipulating the
energy balance. If, for example, we expend 500 calories
per day more than we take in (whether that's through
structured exercise, incidental or occupational
activity) then we'll drop about half a kilo per week.
When we get into energy debt (we're using up more energy
than we're taking in) our body will draw on our stored
energy reserves (body-fat) and convert it to usable
energy to get us through the day. Bottom line; we get
leaner! So, let's look at some exercises that will help
us shift the fat fast? Here’s my top ten ranked on the
world-infamous Harper Fat-o-meter, taking into
account their fat-burning effectiveness, cost and
practicality.
TENTH PLACE:
Cycling –
can be a big fat burner but only if you do it with a bit
of intensity. If you average somewhere around 25 – 30
kph you’ll see that fat melt before your very eyes.
700 - 900 calories per hour
NINTH PLACE:
Inline Skating –
a bit 1995 I know but a surprisingly effective fat
burner if you spend more time vertical than horizontal
and you put some effort into it. If you have the motor
skills of a new-born foal, avoid this activity
700 – 900 calories per hour
EIGHTH PLACE:
Weight training
– not an activity typically regarded as a massive fat
burner but the real fat burning benefits come via the
fact that when we build muscle our overall metabolic
rate increases which means that we burn more fat when
we’re at rest. Bonus! 500 calories per hour
approximately
SEVENTH PLACE:
Squash –
probably something your dad played in the 60’s and 70’s
but if you don’t have the discipline to get lean solo,
drag one of your buddies down to the local squash courts
and work yourself into a lather.
800 – 1000 calories per hour
SIXTH PLACE:
Soft sand running
– if you don’t have time to jog around the streets for
an hour every morning then burn the same amount of
calories in about a third of the time by doing a twenty
minute run in some soft (that means soft!) sand.
800 – 1000 calories per hour
FIFTH PLACE:
Rowing
– ever seen a fat rower? Get leaner, stronger, fitter
and buffed all at the same time. If you have an aversion
to water, head to your local gym and do some indoor
rowing.
800 – 1000 calories per hour
FOURTH PLACE:
Rock climbing
– gone through a boom over the last decade and like the
rowers, it’s hard to find a chubby climber. Total body
strength workout and massive calorie burner.
Particularly good option if you live near the Grampians!
900 – 1100 calories per hour
THIRD PLACE:
Boxing
– Ah yes... the ideal activity for the ultimate Alpha
male (or female) who want to alleviate themselves of
some serious lard and frustration at the same time…. a
little higher on the fun scale than stair running
(unless you get punched in the head, of course).
800 – 1000 calories per hour
SECOND PLACE:
Skipping
– a highly effective fat burner and very practical
activity. Ten bucks for a rope and you can burn fat
anywhere. If you’ve got dodgy knees, ankles or back be
careful of the impact.
700 – 900 calories per hour
FIRST PLACE:
Stair running
– about as much fun as hitting yourself in the head with
a spanner but very effective at expending a lot of
energy per unit of time. Massive calorie burner and
really hits the legs and butt. You might want to start
with a walk and build into the run. 1000 - 1200
calories per hour
* All of the energy expenditure
figures are based on an 80kg individual. The calorie
range takes into account that different people will work
at different intensity levels. If you are heavier than
80 kilos the calories per hour figure will increase, if
you’re lighter it will be less.
Okay, so you’ve decided to hit the
weight room because you like the idea of having some
extra muscle and burning more fat while you’re just
hanging out. Good plan. I’ll assume that time’s an issue
and you have no desire to spend three hours a day at the
gym. In order to maximise your time I’ve chosen four
compound (multi-joint) exercises which should help you
pack on some beef fast and help you kick-start that
slumbering metabolism. Complete 3 – 4 sets of each
exercise for 10 – 15 reps and ensure that you warm up
well and lift with good technique – you’ll get better
results and fewer injuries. It’s all about quality not
quantity, so leave that ego at the door.
Bench Press
(works chest, shoulders and triceps)
Lie on your back with your feet flat on the
floor, your head touching the bench and your butt
staying in contact with the bench at all times.
Hold the barbell in an overhand position, a
little wider than shoulder-width apart.
Lift the bar off the rack, inhale and bring the
bar slowly to your chest
Press the bar back up to the starting position,
exhaling as you complete the movement
Lat Pulldowns
(works back and biceps…in a big way)
Sit facing the Lat-Pull machine. Lock your legs
under the rollers and take a wide overhand grip on
the bar
Arch your back, inhale and pull the bar towards
your upper chest with your elbows out wide (not
tucked into your ribs)
Return the bar slowly to the starting position,
exhaling as you do
Deadlifts
(deadlifts are almost the total body exercise – if you
could only do one strength exercise, this might be it)
Stand facing the barbell with your feet slightly
apart
Bend your knees until your thighs are almost
parallel to the ground
Take an overhand grip of the bar with your hands
about shoulder-width
Keep your back muscles and abdominals muscles
tight and keep your back a little arched (and keep
it that way through the movement)
Inhale, contract your stomach and lower back
muscles and start to straighten your legs, moving
the bar up towards your knees
When the bar reaches knee height begin to extend
your upper body so that you are standing erect with
your arms to your sides and the barbell resting on
your thighs. Exhale as you complete the movement
Stand still at the top of the movement and then
slowly return the bar to the floor keeping your
spine in the slightly arched position
Start this exercise with a very light weight and
build your weight as you master the technique
Squats
(works legs, lower back and butt)
Place a barbell across your shoulders with the
weight of the bar sitting on your trapezius muscles
(to protect your spine)
Hold the bar with a wide grip
Inhale, arch your back slightly, look straight
ahead and lift the bar off the squat rack
With your feet shoulder-width apart and your
toes slightly angled outwards slowly bend your knees
and squat down, with your back bent slightly forward
and your butt sticking out a little. Keep looking
straight ahead as you squat
Pause once your thighs are parallel to the
floor, slowly straighten your legs and upper body
back up to upright
Motivational
Speaker - Craig Harper Craig Harper is one of Australia's most respected
motivational speakers and educators. Some of Craig's recent clients include:
"We had our annual
conference over the weekend of the 23rd and 24th Feb, 2008 and we had
Craig Harper as one of our presenters. He was wonderful, funny and
professional, and he got our message through to the staff in a positive
and fun way. He was loved by all!"
DVD
- Renovate Your Body - Craig Harper
In this entertaining presentation, Craig discusses the
notion of Renovating Your Body - once and for all. (Also
available on CD).
Fattitude
- Craig Harper
While many books focus on food,
Craig Harper teaches that creating life long change is more about the
dieter than the actual diet.
Food for thought
- Craig Harper
In this book, Craig Harper
walks the reader through his 21 rules to Permanent Weight Loss.
So you've decided you want to get in shape (again)
- Craig Harper
Imagine a pocket-sized fitness book that takes just twenty minutes to
read. Craig Harper addresses the REAL getting-in-shape issues.
DVD
or CD - Renovate Your Body - Craig Harper
Alinta
Telstra
ANZ Bank
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
National Australia Bank
Corporate Express
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
Department of Infrastructure
Department Planning and Community Development
Simplot Australia
Porter Davis Homes
Rothschild Merchant Bank
Royal Children's Hospital
Fernwood Fitness Centres
Flour Daniel
Brivis
Sensis
Western Water
South East Water
For more information on booking Craig click
here.Some nice words about Craig:
"We had our annual conference over the weekend of the 23rd and 24th Feb, 2008 and we had Craig Harper as one of our presenters. He was wonderful, funny and professional, and he got our message through to the staff in a positive and fun way. He was loved by all!"
Ally Memic, IMCD, Australia