Fitness: 3 Tips For The Perfect Warm-Up:

If you said the warm-up, you win! Without a proper warm-up, there are many risks associated with working out, including but not limited to injury, less-than-optimal performance, or slowed progress (aka plateauing).

There are five integral parts of a warm-up that must be addressed before even touching a weight or setting foot on the treadmill. Start strong, finish stronger!

3 Tips For The Perfect Warm-Up:

1. Dynamic Mobility:

Dynamic mobility is the body’s ability to move in multiple directions safely. Closely related to flexibility (but arguably even more important),“dynamic mobility gently increases range of motion to reduce chance for injury,” Johnson says. Injuries caused by lack of joint mobility can be especially debilitating for long periods of time. According to Colin Eakin, MD, a physician at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, recovery from a torn labrum (a common shoulder injury), for instance, could take anywhere from four weeks post-operation rest plus two months of physical therapy to heal, or it could continue indefinitely. To up your chances of staying in the game, dynamic mobility can help. Try dynamic movements, such as arm circles and leg swings against a wall (working the upper and lower body is key!).

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2. Movement-Specific Preparation:

You turn on your car before heading out for a drive. By the same logic, you need to turn on the parts of your brain that control motion in preparation for a workout. The main benefit to movement-specific preparation is activating muscles that will be used in that day’s workout to ensure your workout is as effective as possible. For example, bodyweight squats would make sense if you are doing front barbell squats, and light band presses or push-ups for a day you’re doing a pressing motion, like a bench press.

3. Increase Core Temperature:

It’s called a “warm-up” for good reason. “The increase in blood flow and higher muscle temperature makes muscles more pliable, and that pliability prevents strains,”.

A muscle strain may seem like a minor setback, but once strained, the likelihood of that strain reoccurring becomes much higher, Johnson says, which can lead to more strains, more time out of the gym, and slowed down (or nonexistent, gasp!) results.

Fitness: What To Do To Boost Your Metabolism.

Our metabolism is responsible for converting all calories from the food and drinks that we consume into energy. A fast metabolism burns more calories. However, our metabolic rate is affected by our age, gender, and size.

Nevertheless, there are some ways that we can do to independently control our metabolic speed. Here are some things that we can do to boost our metabolism.

•Sleep

Health researchers have discovered a connection between metabolism and sleep. Not getting enough sleep can seriously slow down metabolism. Lack of sleep leaves your system stressed out. This makes the body produce more cortisol, which triggers your appetite. Also, it throws the system’s hunger hormones out of whack, making you crave more and end up overeating. Hence, it is important to get enough rest.

•Drink Green Tea

Considered a “super-food,” green tea not only contains antioxidants but it also speeds up your metabolism. Also, it is calorie-free, so there is no reason not to have a glass or two every day. Drink up!

•Do Higher-Intensity Workouts

Steady and slow workouts may not always be successful in the race. High intensity workouts, which include interval runs or quick intense exercises can help jump-start your metabolism, which keeps on burning calories even after the workout is over.

•Do Not Skip Breakfast

Breakfast is important as it kick-starts your metabolism and keeps it working throughout the day. Hence, set your alarm clock and grab a bite before starting your day. If you do not have a morning appetite, try a small snack such as a protein shake.

•Hit the Weights

Weight lifting not only helps you build muscle but it also helps in speeding up your metabolic rate. Hence, pump some iron and make those dumbbells your new best friends.

•Spice Up Your Food

Spices such as cayenne pepper contain capsaicin, which is known to help boost metabolism. Add a dash of spice to your food for a fiery kick and to speed up your digestion.

5 Tricks To Help Build Muscle.

Most people are not blessed with the ability to lose weight and gain muscle very quickly. Yes, genetics plays a big part in this, but they aren’t crucial. The biggest problem is that a large number of people don’t exercise properly or pay any attention to their eating and sleeping habits. In this article we will show you 5 great tricks to help build muscle.

1 – Eat Every 3 Hours:

Nutritionists say that if you don’t eat very often, you are actually limiting the rate at which your body builds new proteins. By eating every three hours you are maximizing this number. Just make sure you consume protein in every meal (20-25 grams).

2 – Go Easy on the Carbs After a Workout:

Carbs are great on your rest days, as they help your body rebuild muscle faster. However, researches have found that you should go easy on the carbs after a workout, as they can slow down the rate of protein breakdown. Instead, opt for a peanut butter sandwich, a sports drink, or a banana.


3 – Eat More Protein:

This may sound obvious, but you’ll be surprised by how many people don’t change their diet (or make an insignificant change) when they start exercising. If you’re trying to pack on muscle, you simply need to consume more protein. Try eating 1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight. Aim for the groceries that are rich in protein – cottage cheese, eggs, milk, nuts, fish and of course, meat.

4 – Exercise Your Biggest Muscles:

A good amount of quality sleep is essential if you want to build your muscles faster. Rest improves your growth hormone profile, and allows your muscles to fully recover. It will allow you to train harder and make progress. Some people might need less sleep than others, but generally aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep every day.

5 – Get More Quality Sleep:

A good amount of quality sleep is essential if you want to build your muscles faster. Rest improves your growth hormone profile, and allows your muscles to fully recover. It will allow you to train harder and make progress. Some people might need less sleep than others, but generally aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep every day.

8 BENEFITS OF BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES.

Bodyweight workouts have been something we’ve been doing for many years and still enjoy them. We personally have seen a huge improvement in our strength through bodyweight exercises.  By using just our bodies to get a good workout in empowers us inside and out. Just go do a headstand and you will see what we mean.

YOU CAN build strength by using just your body!

You will also notice your balance improve, your posture, even your mind will be sharper when doing more bodyweight exercises.

Some of the basic bodyweight moves are plank, push-ups, mountain climbers, lunges, etc. But as our Purely Fitters know, there are many other ways to use your body to challenge yourself.

1-flexible -do anywhere – limits your excuses, convenient, “No time” really becomes no excuse.

2) cheap – non expensive way to workout

3) no limits – you control your tempo and intensity, as easy or as hard as you want

4) your body provides all the resistance you need

5) highly efficient –> little time in between sets so keeps heart rate boosted and keep burning those calories, you don’t have to take as many breaks

6) both cardiovascular and strength training – win/win! You burn calories after you finish your workout

7) overall stronger core, be more flexible, and have better balance  – can help with better posture  and improve overall performance

8) anyone can do it -perfect place for beginners to start their fitness journey.

Fitness: 9 Weight-Lifting Tips For Beginners.

A lot of guys hit the weights without knowing the first thing about resistance training. This lack of knowledge can delay results and even cause injury, so it’s important to have an idea of what you’re doing and why. Use these basic weight-lifting tips and tricks to help you get started on a weight-training routine:

1. Choose a Goal:

Having a goal is mandatory for all beginners. Not only will it define what direction you want to go in, but it will also determine what exercises you will need to do in order to achieve your goals. Whether your goal is to bulk up significantly or blast fat, always keep it in mind to motivate and guide you.

2. Be Positive:

With your end goal end in mind, now it’s time to get to work. Stay focused and determined by finding someone to work out with – a close friend or a personal trainer are both great choices. It also helps if you post something up on your wall that keeps track of your progress. Be proud of yourself for taking the first step toward your goal of a dream body.

3. Know Your Limits:

Start off with something light — even world renowned body builders had to start somewhere. Remember that fewer reps and heavier weights build muscle, while more reps and lighter weights, in turn, confer definition. Doing too much too soon can cause injury and sideline you for days, weeks or even months. Start off slow and build from there. For a structured exercise plan.

4. Keep Increasing The Weight:

Although you should start off light, you shouldn’t become stagnant. Getting in shape is all about increasing your repetitions and weight, so try to add at least ten pounds a month, or more, to your exercises. By continually challenging your body like this, you’ll avoid a plateau and keep seeing results. For a performance boost, you may want to consider a creatine supplement, which can provide your muscles with extra energy for more reps and power.

5. Don’t Work The Same Muscle Group  Two Days In a Row:

Your body needs a chance to recuperate. Working the same group of muscles twice in a row burns your muscles out and doesn’t give them the chance to repair and strengthen. In fact, this can actually weaken your muscles. If you worked on your legs today, then work another part of your body tomorrow.

6. Don’t Forget To Work Your Legs:

Having a huge upper body with a small lower body not only looks awkward, it is also dysfunctional. While most people are mainly concerned with having big arms and tight abs, it is crucial to include lower body workouts as part of your routine. To help you carve a solid lower body, check out “How to Build Better Glutes.”

7. Stretch & Flex:

Stretching before and after a workout can help prime your body for exercise and may even prevent some injuries. Do a combination of static and dynamic stretching for best results. After stretching at the end of your workout, you should consider taking a post-workout supplement to help speed up recovery.

8. Keep Proper Posture:

Working out with poor posture is almost as bad as not working out at all. Always practice proper form. Slouching and other habits that can affect your form may increase your risk of injury – not to mention post-workout soreness. Once you feel your form heading south, put the weights down.

9. Practice Proper Nutrition:


Proper nutrition is the only way that you will be able to gain muscle and appreciate the toning that working out gives you. Workout supplements, in particular, can help you get the results you want.

5 Best Free-Weight Exercises For Men.

Achieving an incredibly lean physique does not have to be difficult. Many men are often bombarded with complicated exercise routines and equipment when trying to shed fat and achieve an awesome beach body.

For a basic routine, there are only five free-weight based compound movements that men need to engage in to transform their appearance. These five movements to recruit several muscle groups and simultaneously flood the body with anabolic hormones like testosterone. Make sure you take the right workout supplements like creatine and whey protein to get maximum results.

1- The Squat:

Known as the “King of Lifts,” the squat is the best compound movement that recruits the glutes, hamstrings, quads, core (obliques, abs, lower back and hip flexors), and calves. Many strength coaches like Charles Poliquin recommend squats as a necessary exercise to increase speed, power, balance, flexibility and — more importantly — shed body fat! Squats are the most effective when you go to or dip below 90 degrees.

Variations of Squats — Back Squats, Front Squats, Bulgarian Split Squats

2-The Deadlift:

Ronnie Coleman, several time winner of the Mr. Olympia, credits the deadlift to developing a massive back. This movement is a highly functional strength movement that mimics picking up heavy objects off the ground. The deadlift primarily recruits the glutes and hamstrings. The core is also involved in order to pick up the loaded barbell. Deadlifts also strengthen the traps, upper back and shoulders.

Variations of Deadlifts — Traditional Deadlift, Romanian Deadlift, Sumo Deadlift

3-Presses:

Perhaps one of the most favorite free weight exercises commonly performed by men is the bench press. This movement helps develop a massive chest, but also recruits the core, triceps, biceps, upper back and shoulders. Presses can also be performed using dumbbells.

Variations of Presses – Flat, Incline and Decline Bench Presses, Supinated Dumbbell Presses, Shoulder Presses, Military Presses

4-Chin Ups:

Chin Ups, often confused with traditional pull ups, is a very dynamic compound movement that requires one to pull one’s body weight up utilizing not only the biceps, but the upper back. The core is also used help stabilize the body during the chin up.

Variations of Chin ups – Neutral, Pronated, Supinated Grip Chin Ups, Loaded Chin Ups (weight attached to belt).

5-Rows/Pulls:

Row or Pull movements, similar to Chin Ups, primarily recruit the upper back, biceps, and posterior deltoids. Similar to all other exercises, the core is used to help balance the body and concentrate on the main muscle groups.

Variations of Rows/Pulls – Lat Pull Downs, Seated Rows, Dumbbell Rows, Barbell Rows, Cable Rows.

How To Train Your Abdominal Muscles?

There is still a lot of confusion regarding the training of the abdominal muscles and especially few have clear ideas. Of course! Each of us is done differently and what works for me is not necessarily good for you and vice versa, then do not listen to anyone who tells you "I know how you must train your abs!", Because who says so is the first not to have understood anything.

What I urge you to do is to try on your skin the different exercises and choose 3 or 4 you hear your most or those that you like the most and run with the correct technique can (which you can read below).

Among the many debates, one concerns the choice of the optimal number of repetitions. It is better to train these muscles with weights and more reps or lighter with greater loads and fewer repetitions?

Here too, the answer is "it depends on how your body reacts." If you are not trained will not recommend to start with overweight and few repetitions, if you train then a session with overweight you do it and always doing utmost attention to technique.
In conclusion, of course, neither method is inherently better than the other because both methods are based on principles physiologically correct. It may be right to alternate phases of work with a high number of repetitions (15-25 reps) to work stages at low reps but with heavier weights (6-10 reps) bearing in mind that the purpose is not to use the maximum weight but make sure that the lighter weight seems the heaviest possible contracting at maximum and maintaining the contraction during each single repetition. However, if you use the abdominal toning to prevent low back pain, you should not use overweights to train your abs, because the first is easy to make mistakes in execution, according easy overstraining their lower back.

Any exercise you want to do to run it properly are important suggestions that are valid for all exercises that tone your abs:

1-Before starting the exercise exhale (throw out) all the air you have in the lungs

2-Run the exercise, contracting your abdominal muscles, in apnea until you're back to the starting position
Inspira (throws in air), exhale and start exercising

3-Make sure that your pelvis is always in retroversion, ie forward and the lumbar curve and not in lordosis

4-Your concentration must necessarily be focused on abdominal contraction
Stop 2/2 the point of maximum contraction all times

5-Count to three outward, that is, after you've exhaled when you start exercising and count to 2 at maximum contraction and count to 6 to return.

As for the kind of exercises do you list a few, the ones I like the most, know that there are countless others that you know looking on the internet.
- Crunch on the ground or on fitball
- Reverse Crunch on the ground or on fitball
- Crunch oblique to the ground or on fitball
- Total abdominal (+ crunch reverse crunch)
- Crunch free alternate (for oblique crunch + Crunc for reverse oblique)

Finally: do not ask me "how soon will begin to look at my turtle?" Because they do not know you first, second is not toning the abs that these magically jump out. Rather ask yourself how much fat you have in front of your abs and to eliminate this fat is not the best thing to do exercises for abs, lose weight but taking care of your power your daily movement and your mind.