Sporting need to be lean machine

OVER the past decade I've probably used one phrase thousands of times, but it's only now that I fully understand it's meaning.
“Making the weight.”
I came through my first Great 08 medical this week with flying colours, but the true task I've undertaken has sharply come into focus.
I have 20lbs of useless body fat on my frame, giving me a body fat total of 20%.
Most professional footballers and rugby players operate nearer to 10%, while boxers and jockey's often come in a whole lot lighter.
So, to be taken seriously this year, my first task is to cut my body fat total in half. That means dropping around 20 pounds.
That's the equivalent of nine bags of sugar, nine litres of water or 12 tubs of ice cream. Hell, losing that much weight is going to be like giving birth.
However, according to exercise physiologist George Wilson, that's exactly what I've got to get rid of in order to succeed this next year unscathed.
I ended my first week of training at Wilson Health & Fitness Centre, based at Executive Fitness in the Old Haymarket off Dale Street and, fat issues aside, things went as well as I could have hoped.
George has worked with plenty of the north west's top football clubs and tons of acclaimed jockeys, including Frankie Dettori.
However, whipping me into shape presents a whole lot of different problems.
After going through a series of tests, George shaved my chest – in a very doctor and patient kind of way, I might add – then got me on the exercise bike and wired me up to the ECG for a stress test.
This was to measure the condition of my heart.
I had a target of 165bpm to achieve – that's just above 85% of my heart rate maximum - while keeping the bikes speed above 70.
Meanwhile, George was upping the resistance on the ergometer every minute.
At first it was easy enough and I was chatting away and sitting back on the saddle.
But all too soon I was sweating like a pig in a blanket, panting like a dog on heat and shaking like a . . . well, you get the picture.
I made it past my target but fatigue kicked in fast and within a matter of minutes I was spent – thighs burning and dripping with sweat.
The problem is down to my higher end fitness. When I tired, I tired fast.
Like my standard health check, my fitness is fine for any normal person my age, and with my sporting habits.
But compared to professional athletes my fitness is farcical.
What I need to do is increase my energy, strength and stamina which will take me those extra miles.
Another area that needs work is my flexibility. Sitting up with my legs out straight I could only manage to push my finger tips 12 cm over my toes – which is about 40% short of what I need to be capable of.
Also, while I have good grip strength, my left hand is substantially weaker than my right. No jokes required, thank you.
And while The Great 08 programme starts a lot sooner than you might imagine, my target now is to drop the extra 20 pounds inside 10 weeks – in time for event number two on the calendar for which I have to be at my lightest.
Have I got you curious yet? Then don't miss next week's column to find out exactly what I will be competing against over the next year.

WATCH IT: See an interview with George Wilson and watch Nick struggling through his medical online at: www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/videos