Tag: Fitness

5 Habits That May Sabotage Your Workout Program
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5 Habits That May Sabotage Your Workout Program

5 Habits That May Sabotage Your Workout Program

Exercising regularly decreases your chance of developing some diseases and helps you preserve a healthy body weight. On top of that, it helps individuals improve their overall mood, which is great for their mental health.

If you don’t have a strategy in place, though, it will be impossible to achieve your goals. For this reason, a realistic training program must be in place. It will serve as a “roadmap” to lay out the steps needed to achieve your fitness objective.

Moreover, you will also need to adopt positive habits to see results from your program. While it’s important to cultivate positive habits, it’s just as essential to avoid the bad habits that could derail your efforts. Keep reading to learn more about these poor habits and how to overcome them.

Not Warming Up and Cooling Down

As you warm up, your muscles receive nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood as your heart and breathing rates increase. Aside from warming up, taking pre-workout nitric oxide Supplements may facilitate better results.

Additionally, there is less risk of injury or overheating during exercise if you first do a warm-up, which enhances the efficiency of your movements by engaging and stimulating the connections between your nerves and muscles. 

Like warming up, cooling down after exercise ensures that blood continues to flow throughout the body and prevents dizziness and other adverse effects of abruptly stopping physical activity, such as heart palpitations and nausea.

Furthermore, if you give yourself a moment to think about why you started exercising in the first place, you’ll be far less inclined to give up when things become tough. To ensure that your body and mind are prepared for success, use your warm-up and cool-down time to focus on the exercises towards achieving your fitness goals.

Skipping Workouts

Every fitness enthusiast eventually has to admit that they have skipped a workout. While there may be valid reasons to put off exercising for longer than a week, we cannot neglect the chance that you may be dragging your fitness level backward.

When you stop working out, your body immediately begins to decline. In other words, you will see a downturn in exercise’s positive impacts. Muscles become stiff, and cardiovascular and respiratory fitness drops. You will also gain weight because your metabolism has slowed, and you’ve lost about 10% of your ability to utilize oxygen, which helps us burn calories.

Another result is that if we skip a session, things will snowball quickly. One missed workout turns into two, then three, then four, and suddenly you’ve established an entirely new habit.

Not Getting Enough Sleep

Getting a good night’s rest is a serious problem for most people.  The average adult needs between seven and eight hours of sleep every night, but more than 30% of the population is sleep deprived. And that indicates that over 100 million Americans alone also undermine their fitness objectives. 

We work out for various reasons, including better heart health, stronger lean muscle mass, greater stamina, and more. If you don’t get enough good sleep, your body won’t be able to make enough human growth hormone (HGH), and you won’t reap the benefits of this hormone. Since HGH controls the metabolism, not getting enough sleep can also cause you to lose weight. 

In other words, you can boost your weight loss efforts simply by getting enough sleep every night.

Overtraining

If you don’t give your body enough time to recover after a rigorous training program, which can include doing too many exercises in a row without enough rest days, your hard work might end up backfiring. Remember that your body will force you to rest if you don’t make it a part of your program.

The higher the level of your overtraining, the greater the “price” you will “pay” in the form of disease, injury, or fatigue. With greater physical issues comes a greater need for “time off” from a workout. As a result, your routine has halted or, worse yet, reversed.

Poor Nutrition

When it comes to longevity and optimal health, nothing beats a combination of regular physical activity and healthy eating habits.

As we all know, overeating and undereating can result in weight gain. Although a small calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss, consuming too few calories might cause the body to slow its metabolism to conserve energy, leading to more fat retention than if you consumed an equal amount of calories but in a more sustained manner.

Additionally, try to avoid eating anything heavy before bed, as your metabolism slows significantly at night. More importantly, planning your grocery trip can help you avoid being tempted to buy junk food. You may find nutritious prepackaged or simple-to-make dishes in most grocery stores, but don’t forget to read the labels.

While putting fitness and diet first may seem daunting, it might be simpler than you think when you only start early in making a few changes to your daily routine.

Final Thoughts

Developing positive habits is a major challenge to physical fitness. Whether you succeed in reaching your fitness objectives depends on your habits before, during, and after your workouts. We hope you’ll be able to avoid the poor habits we’ve mentioned here so that you can execute your training program successfully.

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3 Easy Ways To Strengthen Your Body
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3 Easy Ways To Strengthen Your Body

3 Easy Ways To Strengthen Your Body

There are many ways to strengthen your body. This can be achieved through regular visits to the gym, performing as a professional athlete or through unintentional avenues such as walking often or gardening.

Keeping our body healthy and strong has a range of benefits such as being able to undertake heavy tasks more easily, perform better at school or work and most importantly feel better within our skin. 

Goals centred around strength training can quickly consume your every movement if you overthink it. Strengthening your body can be easy and fun but only if you let it.

It is vital to understand that taking care of your mental health and being kind to yourself is an important part of the strength building journey. There is no use beating yourself up for missing one day in the gym. 

You don’t gain all your muscle in one day, so you won’t lose it in one day either. You just need to stay dedicated and positive. 

Make Use Of The Stairmaster

Using the stairmaster at the gym is something you can add into your everyday life without causing too much disturbance to your routine. 

And because you essentially have been walking up stairs your entire life, the stairmaster is practically second nature. Which means it is a really easy machine to get the hang of and I guess you could say master.

The first week or so that you add the stairmaster into your routine, you might find yourself out of breath with aching calves but it will be worth it when you see the definition building on your legs. 

You will also feel a great deal of satisfaction and accomplishment when you notice your improvement in your daily life such as not getting out of breath walking up the stairs at work. 

Using the stairmaster can help you burn anywhere from 70 to 100 calories in just 10 minutes making it a really good addition to your routine as it helps you burn a huge amount of calories in a short time. This is good if you are looking to lose fat and grow your muscles for a more chiselled appearance.

The stairmaster works your legs, abs, back and calves. It can also improve your flexibility between joints in your hips and knees.

Other benefits include relieving stress and giving you the opportunity to focus on your music, podcast or tv show which can be hard to do during other aspects of your workout such as lifting weights.

Use Resistance Bands With Your Workout

If you are a beginner in the fitness world, you may choose to engage in general exercise which helps you strengthen your core and slowly build up your muscles.  As you begin to feel more confident and immersed in the fitness world, you may become more interested in targeting specific areas of your body. 

Using resistance bands is an easy way to upgrade your routine to strengthen targeted areas in your body at a faster rate. You can find resistance bands within gym vending machines, sports shops or on Amazon. Prices typically range anywhere between £1 to £15 ($1-$20). 

The brand and price point of resistance bands is not relevant. Instead you should aim to find something that is within your budget and has a few good reviews. 

One thing that is worth keeping in mind is that resistance bands come in varying levels of resistance. It may be a good idea to get two or three bands to decide what intensity level you like working out with. 

You can also ask the personal trainers in the gym if they have any suggestions for you or if they can give you a test session with resistance bands.

The usage of resistance bands is versatile, but the general idea is that they can be used during exercises to create a resistance force which makes your body exert more energy to complete the exercise. This is a form of strength training without the usage of weights.

Resistance bands are really handy during exercises such as push ups. You will need to get into a push up position and place each end of the band in each hand, with the bulk of the band resting on your upper back. As you begin to push up, the band will stretch and create a resistance which your body will have to work harder to push against in order to complete a total push up.

You can also use resistance bands for lunges, squats, bicep curls, chest press and many more. It is a great way to increase and test your strength. 

Resistance bands are also a good option to keep in your gym bag if your gym has limited weights which always seem to be busy with other people. Resistance bands give you the opportunity to strength train even when you cannot get access to the weights at the gym.

Open Water Swimming

Open water swimming is a fun activity that exercises your entire body. This is a perfect fit for those who live close to any lakes, oceans and reservoirs. If you don’t live close by to any open water, you can opt for an indoor swimming pool.

Swimming strengthens your arms, legs, back, shoulders, chest and entire core which makes it a great alternative or partner in crime to the gym. 

Swimming in open water compared to an indoor pool will exercise the exact same muscles. However due to differences in water pressure, temperature and behaviour (waves), you might find that open water swimming provides a greater workout as it requires substantial resistance and strength.

You must ensure that you know how to safely swim in open water before choosing it over an indoor swimming pool. Open water is not the greatest choice for beginners as there are no lifeguards or shallow ends to help you out.

Most high end gyms also feature indoor swimming pools which you can make use of as part of your membership. Switching between your gym routine and indoor swimming is a good way to keep yourself feeling energized and motivated.

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8 Machines And Equipment You Really Need in Your Home Gym
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8 Machines And Equipment You Really Need in Your Home Gym

8 Machines and Equipment You Really Need in Your Home Gym

Building a home gym is an investment with huge returns for your fitness. It can be a quick setup in your garage, a corner of your bedroom, or a dedicated room in your home. Any way you make it, you’ll want to know what equipment to use to outfit your dream gym.

All the options on this list come in various configurations and price ranges. Your specific product choices vary depending on your budget, space, and fitness goals.

Here are the top eight machines and equipment you really need in your home gym.

1.) Training Bench

A training bench allows you to expand your possibilities in your home gym that goes beyond bench pressing.

You can get a complete workout from a floor mat, but a quality training bench improves your range of motion and offers you a better place to lie than the floor.

A few considerations when choosing a weight bench are weight capacity, height, adjustability, and pad width. Some heavy-duty training benches have weight capacities of over 1000 pounds. Unless you’re a competitive powerlifter, a quality bench with about 700 pounds capacity will serve your home gym well.

Think about how you’ll use the bench to determine whether a flat or adjustable one will serve your needs. A bench may come with attachments for leg maneuvers you’re interested in too.

Beyond horizontal presses, you can use a bench for step-ups, prop your feet or hands to angle your body, or lay face down for chest-supported rows.

2.) Barbell

The barbell holds the weight plates that you’ll be lifting. Without the barbell, your bench, weight rack, and weight plates are of no use.

Durability is a key factor when choosing the right barbell. A high-quality barbell can last decades or a lifetime as long as you don’t drop in with no plates on it.

A barbell with bearings allows the weights to spin separately from the bar. You can reposition your hands more easily during movements like the clean and jerk and snatch with a barbell with bearings. However, powerlifters tend to prefer a bar that doesn’t spin for deadlifts, squats, and bench presses.

3.) Weight Rack

Strength trainers, bodybuilders, and competitive lifters likely find the weight rack the centerpiece of their home gym. It’s an essential piece that holds the barbell in place and provides extra plate storage. The option to add cable pulleys, dipping bars, or other extras makes your weight rack a multi-use training session station.

Space is a vital consideration for many machines and equipment on this list. Planning for a weight rack is no different. Three possible configurations are a power rack, a squat stand, or a foldable rack.

A regular power rack should have a sturdy frame and attachments to expand its usefulness in your home gym. Usually, it has four upright posts that support band pegs and dip bars at various heights.

A squat stand looks like a trimmed-down version of a power rack. It has two upright posts with holes for adjusting the height of pegs and dip bars. Some models feature spotter’s arms. You’ll likely be able to bench press from the floor with a squat stand.

The most compact option is a folding rack. A wall-mounted rack that folds back against the wall when you’re not using it is perfect for a garage home gym. The drawback to this setup is limited additional features.

4.) Weight Plates

Now that you have a training bench and weight rack you want to invest in some quality weight plates. These are what you load onto the barbell to increase the weight you’ll be lifting. Some types work with loadable dumbbells and kettlebells too.

Two key factors that make a high-caliber set of weight plates are weight accuracy and durability. Accuracy means you can correctly track your progress, especially for competitive lifters. You want to know exactly what you’re capable of. They should be durable enough to last about a decade.

Traditional weight plates are made of iron or steel. They are less expensive and easier to store than bumper plates, which are coated in rubber or urethane.

A couple of reasons you may consider investing in bumper plates is because they are quieter and less likely to damage your floor if you drop them. The rubber coating keeps them from clacking together or scraping against surfaces. Iron plates are also prone to rust if they are exposed to humidity or moisture.

5.) Dumbbells

You’ll always use your barbell and weight plates with both hands. Dumbbells allow you to work one side of your body at a time as in dumbbell rows. The muscles in each arm work independently even if you are using one in each hand.

Buying separate pairs of dumbbells is the most expensive way to build your collection. You can get iron dumbbells or ones coated in rubber, like bumper plates. You’ll get a greater range of weights with individual pairs than with adjustable dumbbells too. You can also rest these dumbbells on the end of your thigh between reps. Adjustable ones have a locking mechanism preventing this.

Adjustable dumbbells usually have a bar on which you load small weight plates and a locking mechanism to keep them in place. Many are made of plastic, making them less durable than a set of rubber-coated dumbbells. You also use up time changing the weight plates.

Once again, space becomes a factor in your choice of dumbbells. If you want a broad range of weights you’ll need a storage rack and space to put it for individual fixed dumbbells. They come in 5 lb increments, so that can add up quickly. An adjustable set saves space.

It comes down to thinking about your space and what type of dumbbells will best serve your needs.

6.) Kettlebells

Kettlebells have the advantage of compact, versatile performance. You can combine weight training with effective cardio through kettlebell flows.

Kettlebells are a space saver in that you only need a few or just one to gain the benefits of a kettlebell workout. You can do some kettlebell swings when you’re short on time, too.

Using kettlebells has a positive impact on all areas of lifting. A proper kettlebell swing teaches and reinforces proper hip hinge mechanics that translate to good form with a barbell. You’ll get your heart pumping to add a cardio session too.

You improve your hip hinge mechanics during kettlebell swings because you squeeze your glutes at the top of each rep. According to research, your body receives instant feedback on whether or not you sufficiently activated your glutes. That makes kettlebell swings the perfect way to practice hinging technique under less loaded stress than when deadlifting.

7.) Resistance Bands

Resistance bands may seem redundant if you have a sweet weightlifting setup. But bands provide variety in your workout that contributes to your gains in unique ways.

For example, using a barbell for bicep curls means your muscle is relaxed at the top and bottom of each rep. The weight feels heaviest at the midpoint. An elastic resistance band challenges the muscle through the full range of motion.

Bands also provide accommodating resistance when lifted or looped around another implement. This means the resistance curve is reversed compared to what the muscle is used to. Uniquely working the muscle has positive effects on your gains.

You can use bands to increase the intensity of your bodyweight movements. Banded push-ups and squats to bump up your training.

One last recommendation for adding resistance bands to your home gym: they’re cheap. You can keep several lying around without dropping a lot of cash.

8.) Cardio Machine

Heart health is one of the most important aspects of taking care of your overall health. A solid cardio routine goes hand in hand with strength training and bodybuilding.

Donning your running shoes and pounding the pavement may not always be an option or a desirable scenario. Many people live in areas with long seasons of extreme heat or cold. This is a time when a home gym seriously contributes to your gains.

Space is the most valuable commodity for most of us setting up a home gym. Luckily, a cardio machine or equipment doesn’t have to hog precious square footage. Battle ropes, an exercise bike, or stair-step system all give you a great aerobic workout without taking up the whole room.

If you have more space to commit to a cardio machine, there are excellent machines to help you meet your goals. A treadmill, elliptical, or rower are popular choices that most of us already know how to use.

So, What Do You Really Need in Your Home Gym? 

Your home gym can be your little corner of fitness paradise. Even if you build it slowly by investing in each piece over time, starting with this list will make a home gym where you’ll want to work out every day.

  • Training bench
  • Barbell
  • Weight Rack
  • Weight Plates
  • Dumbbells
  • Kettlebells
  • Resistance Bands
  • Cardio Machine

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Coffee a Good Pre-Workout Drink
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Is Coffee a Good Pre-Workout Drink?

Is Coffee a Good Pre-Workout Drink?

Would you like to start your day with a hot cup of coffee? Believe it or not, that cup of Joe might be doing more than just providing a quick pick-me-up. Coffee might actually make an excellent pre-workout drink. Wondering how that works and what the potential benefits are? We have partnered with Glasshouse Mountains Coffee to explore the idea of coffee as a pre-workout drink and to give you the skinny on whether or not it’s a good idea.

What Is in Coffee That Could Possibly Make It a Good Pre-Workout Drink?

For one, coffee contains caffeine, which improves mental alertness and increases physical energy. Caffeine also helps to promote fat burning and can enhance athletic performance. In addition, coffee is a good source of antioxidants, which help to protect the body against damage from free radicals. These properties make coffee an ideal drink for those looking to get the most out of their workout.

So, How Much Caffeine Should You Have in Your Coffee Pre Workout?

The amount of caffeine you should have in your coffee pre-workout will depend on a few factors, including your body weight and sensitivity to caffeine. However, a general guideline is to consume about 200 mg of caffeine, or two cups of coffee, about 30 minutes before your workout. If you are new to drinking coffee or are sensitive to caffeine, start with a lower dose and work your way up as needed.

What Are the Potential Benefits of Drinking Coffee Before a Workout?

Drinking coffee before a workout has several potential benefits; here are some of the most notable:

Improve Mental Alertness and Focus

Caffeine is a natural stimulant that can help to improve mental alertness and focus. It can be beneficial before a workout as it may help you to concentrate more on your form and technique.

Boost Physical Performance

Caffeine has also been shown to boost physical performance. For example, in one study, participants who consumed caffeine before exercise could bike for more extended periods than those who didn’t.

Weight Loss

Drinking coffee may also help with weight loss. Caffeine has been shown to boost metabolism and increase fat burning. Additionally, coffee is a low-calorie beverage, so it can be a good choice if you’re watching your weight.

Lower Risk of Diabetes

Drinking coffee has also been linked with a lower risk of diabetes because coffee contains antioxidants and other compounds that help to regulate blood sugar levels.

What Are the Potential Risks of Drinking Coffee Before a Workout?

While some potential risks are associated with drinking coffee before a workout, these are typically only seen in people who are sensitive to caffeine. Some of the potential risks include:

  • Anxiety and nervousness: Caffeine can cause anxiety and nervousness in some people. It may be magnified if you drink coffee before a workout, as the physical activity may increase your heart rate and exacerbate the effects of caffeine.
  • Dehydration: Caffeine is a diuretic, which can cause you to lose more water than you take in. It can lead to dehydration, especially if you don’t drink enough water throughout the day.
  • Insomnia: Caffeine can also interfere with sleep, so drinking coffee before a workout may make it more difficult to fall asleep at night.

Where Can You Get Good Quality Coffee for Your Pre-Workout Drink?

If you drink coffee before a workout, it’s vital to ensure that you get good quality coffee. Look for coffee that is freshly roasted and brewed. Avoid instant coffee, as this often contains lower levels of caffeine and other compounds that can be beneficial.

Additionally, you may want to consider adding other ingredients to your coffee to further boost its performance-enhancing properties. For example, adding a small amount of fat, such as coconut oil or grass-fed butter, can help slow caffeine absorption and provide lasting energy. You can also add protein powder or BCAAs to your coffee to help fuel your muscles during your workout.

Many online coffee retailers sell quality coffee beans and grounds. However, remember that they should be freshly roasted and brewed for the best results.

Does Coffee Really Make a Good Pre-Workout Drink?

The jury is still out on whether or not coffee is the best pre-workout drink. However, some potential benefits make it worth considering. If you are sensitive to caffeine, start with a lower dose and work your way up as needed. And be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid dehydration.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether or not coffee is the best pre-workout drink for you. Try it out and see how it affects your performance. The results may pleasantly surprise you!

What’s your favorite pre-workout drink? Let us know in the comments below!

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how to get fit
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Want to Get Fit? Here’s How to Make it Happen

Want to Get Fit? Here’s How to Make it Happen

Many of us have resolved to get fit and live healthier, but haven’t been able to achieve our goals. But just because failure is common doesn’t mean it’s inevitable. If you want to get healthier and more fit, these tips will help you follow through to make it happen.

Be Realistic

According to Zenbusiness, choosing a goal you’re unlikely to achieve is only setting yourself up for disappointment and frustration. As tempting as it may be to set big, lofty goals, it’s better to commit to ones that are significant without being out of reach. For most people, that means aiming for personal bests rather than trying to become the best in your sport. While it may feel less exciting, the sense of accomplishment you feel when you achieve your goal makes it all worth it.

Make A Plan

Every goal is doomed to failure without a gameplan. Instead of setting vague goals like “start running,” make your goal specific. If you want to become a better long-distance runner, for example, you can resolve to run 10% further every week until you meet your target distance. Want to grow stronger? Learn about the Mathias Method Strength System approach to strength training which can help everyone from beginners to advanced lifters.

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Break Down Big Goals

Big goals are daunting, and it’s easy to feel paralyzed by the scale of the task ahead. Keep it manageable by breaking down your big goal into smaller chunks with shorter deadlines. Want to run a half marathon but can’t make it around the block without getting winded? Start by aiming to run a mile without stopping, then aim for a 5K, a 10K, and beyond. This strategy not only makes your goals seem less intimidating, it also builds your motivation with mini-successes along the way.

Give Yourself The Tools To Succeed

Physical fitness isn’t achieved in isolation. Finding the energy to get active day after day requires treating your body right all of the time, not just when your running shoes are on. Likewise, exercise can clear the path for other wellness goals. For example, quitting drugs or alcohol makes it easier to have time and energy for workouts, just like exercise and a healthy diet make it easier to curb cravings and cope with the stress of addiction recovery.

Share and Track Your Goals

If you don’t tell anyone about your fitness goals, no one knows if you fail. While that might seem like sound logic, it also makes it much easier to give up on a goal that’s important to you. Instead of keeping your ambitions a secret, share them with friends and family to increase your odds of sticking to it. Simply talking about your goals on Facebook can make you 36% more likely to achieve them, according to reporting by Shape.

Too shy to share your objectives publicly? Smartphone apps offer more discreet ways to hold yourself accountable.

Forgive Slip-Ups

The path to self-betterment is rarely linear. The odds are good that you’re going to lose sight of your goals at some point during the year. Instead of beating yourself up or deeming yourself a failure over a slip-up or two, acknowledge setbacks as part of the process and make a plan to get back on track.

Reward Yourself

Finally, be sure to reward yourself for successes—both the big one and the little ones you find along the way. Even when it’s hard, meeting your fitness goals shouldn’t feel like a punishment. By rewarding yourself when you meet a benchmark, you keep your motivation high so you can make it to the finish line.

Creating new habits is hard, and it’s easy to write off your fitness goals as just a bunch of empty promises. But the truth is, they’re only empty if you let them be. This year, kickstart healthier habits and make “get fit” a reality. Your future self will thank you.