Introducing our resident health and fitness guru, Nathan Green. Nathan started his fitness journey kickboxing at 15 years old and was fighting at 17. He won a state title in modified Muay Thai at 20. Three years ago Nathan completed his Certificate III and IV in Fitness (personal training). Heard of Crossfit? Nathan is a level 1 Crossfit trainer. He is passionate about teaching Crossfit to the masses and helping to create athletes to become the strongest version of themselves. And beards … he’s also passionate about beards. So where do health and fitness fit in with the barber industry, I hear you ask? As a barber, you’d know that our work is quite physical and brings along with it the inevitable aches and pains. Nathan will be introducing targeted exercises to strengthen problem prone areas for barbers and stretches to help relieve the muscle strain.

  1. In this lift, start with feet hip or shoulder width apart and grip outside your knees.
  2. Bending over with a neutral back and tension in the hamstrings (back of the legs).
  3. Pull the bar to just under your chest. Lower and repeat. Ensure weight is evenly distributed between your feet and remember not to round your back.

  1. Start this lift with the same grip and stance width as the row. It is similar to the row – you’re working the same muscles – but, being a deadlift, you can move much heavier weight, and more tension will be placed on the hamstrings.
  2. Start the lift by simply standing up with the weight being a dead hang in your arms, hence the name deadlift. Ensure weight is evenly distributed between your feet, you have a a nice neutral back and tension on your hamstrings. Stand up tall, lower and repeat.
  3. Do this lift first, as it will be the most taxing on your body. Try 3 to 5 sets of 5 reps at a reasonably heavy weight.

  1. Do this one regularly while in the shop. Placing your hand on a chair or wall keeping your arm straight, push into the object you are using and turn your body away whilst also looking over the opposite shoulder of the arm you are stretching. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds each side. You can perform these every 2 hours or so or in between your chop time. This is perfect for opening your tight chest and biceps and will allow the muscles we worked in the lifting to create a more upright posture, resulting in less back pain and more awesomeness whilst on the scissors.
  2. Using the arm of your sick retro barber chair, put one or two of your hands palm down with your fingers facing your legs. Push your weight down on your hands; you should feel the stretch in your forearms. This will help relieve tension in your arms after hours on the clippers. Perform these like the pec stretch, and it will help release the front tension on your body and allow you to open up in the chest for better posture.