April 1, 2022

3 Common Exercise Myths

Author By - Asmita Bhattacharjee Categories exhaustion fitness flexibility health sports strength stretching workout

To be fit and healthy, exercising regularly is of utmost importance and has to be accompanied by a good diet and proper sleep. While some experts suggest following the traditional notions associated with working out, some of them focus on newer and more effective methods. There are certain aspects about exercising that have been with us for generations but it turns out that not all of them are true. In this article, we’ll be talking about certain myths about exercise that are very common and need to be ignored for good. If you’re into regular workouts, there are chances you may have heard about or followed at least one of these workout myths. These are misleading and even if some of them have a positive short-term impact, they are not good for the long run. 

  • Static Stretching Before Exercise

We have known since time immemorial that workouts should not begin without you stretching your muscles out. However, according to experts, this is not a good way to start your exercising process. The muscles loosen up before you even do the main workout, which in turn, reduces the efficiency of the workout. Thus, it is advised to begin with some warming up of the muscles by doing some dynamic stretches instead of the static ones that are usually recommended. The dynamic stretches would contribute to proper movement and make your workouts easier and smoother. The best time to attempt the static stretches is at the end of the workout session when your muscles need some cooling down. 

  • Exercising With An Empty Stomach

Many of us have heard that it is a good idea to exercise on an empty stomach since by doing that, the body fats are lost at a faster rate. This method might seem to work for a few days but the results are not visible in the long run. It is very important to maintain a balanced diet and have a healthy breakfast before you hit the gym or go for a run. Research shows that having a healthy breakfast before working out aids the reduction of body fats way more than exercising on an empty stomach. Have you been following this myth for a long time now? Have you noticed your progress to slow down or become stagnant despite being regular with your workouts? This is your cue to make a few lifestyle changes to avoid workout myths like this one. 

  • Walking With Weights 

Being able to walk with heavier weights has been a big flex for fitness enthusiasts. However, experts have gone ahead to confirm that it’s one of the biggest exercise myths that we’re familiar with. Walking with weights can increase the chances of injuries manifold since the pressure points are the joints of the body. Thus, a better alternative is to walk with poles that focus on the upper body and the abdominal muscles. They don’t pose a risk of injuries or painful muscle cramps since they take away all the pressure of the joints like the hips, the knees, and the lower back of the body. So, the next time you’re asked to try walking while carrying weights, try your hand at the poles instead to develop proper posture and strength. 

March 29, 2022

All About Sumo Squats

Author By - Asmita Bhattacharjee Categories exhaustion fitness flexibility health sports strength stretching sumo squats workout yoga

If you are a workout enthusiast, you must be aware of the benefits of squats. Directly impacting the core muscles, thighs, and glutes, squats should ideally be an important part of strength training and muscle endurance workout regimes. Sumo squats are different from regular squats in the sense that they particularly focus on toning and strengthening the inner thighs. Boosting up the performance of the core muscles is an essential concern of sumo squats. We’ll be discussing the basics of sumo squats in this article. With the right kind of motivation, you’ll be a winner at it, doing wonders for your body. 

What is Sumo Squats? The difference with a Regular Squat 

Both the squats have more or less the same function, that is, providing strength and shape to the lower body. But, sumo squats go a step ahead and activate the muscles of the inner thighs or adductors. The reason for the special focus is the difference in the position of the squat. While doing a conventional squat,  the legs are placed apart from each other, considering the width of the shoulders. On the other hand, in a sumo squat, the gap between the two legs is way wider since the knee and toes project outwards, instead of facing the front. 

Variations Of Sumo Squats 

  • Goblet Squats 

The target muscles are the same as the traditional method. The only difference is, the toes don’t move and remain front-facing. The knees, however, are extended a bit further apart, that is, more than shoulder and hip-width. For the advanced arrangement, weights can be added.

  • Plié Squats 

For this type of sumo squats, a glider is usually placed under one leg. The toes should be extended wide and the knees shouldn’t be placed too apart. The gap between the toes should be more than the gap between the knees. Coming back to the standing position after lowering the body is a vital step when it comes to plié squats. While lifting the body, the left foot is brought to the middle. Next, while standing up, the heels and the thighs are brought together.

  • Sumo Jump Squat 

There’s nothing better than adding some speed to your workout to increase its intensity and the tension of your muscles. Spice up a regular, boring sumo squat by doing jumping squats. The emphasis shouldn’t be on the height of the jump but instead, on the technique. Avoid landing on the ground with a thud. Place your feet very gently even if the jumps per minute count is high.

  • Kettlebell Swing Squat 

Sumo squats of this kind include the swinging of the kettlebell between the thighs while doing the squats. The kettlebell should be swung through the gap between the two feet when the squat position is held. When you stand up, swing up the kettlebell to the level of your shoulder, repeating the same till the completion of the set. 

March 27, 2022

4 Ways To Improve Your Squatting Position

Author By - Asmita Bhattacharjee Categories exhaustion fitness flexibility health sports strength stretching workout

If you want to get your lower body in shape, there’s no better workout than squats. Squats are an important part of most workout routines, especially if the focus is on strength training and developing balance. The proper position can be difficult to sustain initially but with time, squats are going to be your favorite workout for their immense benefits. However, you have to ensure that you’re following the proper techniques while doing a squat. We’re here with this article to help improve your squat.

  • Correct Technique 

Paying attention to the technique is an important part of improving your squat strength. Whichever type of squats you attempt, you’ve got to maintain the basic posture that includes keeping the hips back, chests forward, and knees pushed outwards. If you follow these three steps appropriately, there are chances that you’re doing your squat workouts correctly. Ideally, you should be positioning your knees diagonally, instead of keeping them parallel to each other. This doesn’t restrict movement and you get more comfort while performing the squat. Try to go down as much as is possible, to make the most out of the workout and help your lower body become stronger. 

  • Hip Strength

The more we talk about how you can improve your squat workout, the more you’ll notice how important it is to pay equal attention to every part of your body that’s going to be involved while you’re performing a squat. If you don’t have strong hip muscles, also known as glutes, spinal erectors, and hamstrings, your squat wouldn’t be satisfactory. Your hip muscles should have good coordination with your torso if you want to attain the ideal squat position. Hip strength is important for most strength-based exercises because of the vitality of hip extension for firmness. The exercises that can help you develop your hip muscles effectively are rack pulls, dumbbell swings, or kettlebell swings, Romanian deadlifts, etc. 

  • Core Strength

If you want to improve your squat workout, you have to focus more on quality than on quantity. Even if you do 5 to 10 squats every day, the position should be proper and your core muscles should be firm and upright. The best way to get your posture correct is to take a deep breath before you start the squat and hold it while you’re sustaining the squatting position. When you get back up, release the breath. Then when you attempt the next one, take a deep breath again. In this way, the pressure points of your torso would be uniform and you’d be able to develop a firmer core. Avoid doing the squats too quickly in the initial days to avoid injuries and excessive muscle cramps. The key is to start slow and steady. 

  • Shifting Pressure Point 

One of the most important tips to follow while you’re holding the squatting position is to apply pressure on the floor, instead of your knees. In this way, you’ll shift the pressure point and the posture would be more accurate and way easier to do as well. You should always use all the force you can downwards, to keep your upper body straight and steady. This reduces the chances of injuries as well.

January 20, 2022

Health Benefits Of Sports

Author By - Asmita Bhattacharjee Categories fitness flexibility health increased stamina mental health sports strength

Incorporating a sport in one’s life can most certainly be life-altering in more ways than one. Sports of any sort have humongous health benefits, physical as well as psychic. Sports along with individual human health,also promotes community health and societal health by instilling a sense of harmony and sportsmanship amongst one and all. Besides the wide range of miscellaneous benefits, here are a selected few that are of paramount importance to health and well-being. 

  • Body Flexibility/Physical Fitness

In today’s almost digitized time and age, physical fitness is of utmost importance. Sports and athletics keep the muscles taut and prevent low bone density. They aid the body to “sweat it out” which removes harmful toxins and also burns extra calories. Physical fitness keeps lethargy, drowsiness and body ache at bay, which prevents a number of chronic disorders including diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol etc.

  • Reduced Stress/Improved Mental Health

As the age old saying goes,” A healthy mind resides in a healthy body.” Indulging in sports aids the release of hormones known as ‘endorphins’ in the body which helps to reduce stress and tension and prevents exhaustion and tiredness. Endorphins increase the energy levels of the body and help the mind to focus and analyze. 

  • Healthy Vital Organs 

Sports promote the health of our delicate internal organs like heart, lung and kidneys. Playing a sport improves blood circulation, thereby improving heart health and stabilizing blood pressure. It also regulates irregular breathing patterns, deriving more oxygen into the body and expelling harmful gasses like carbon monoxide. This in turn keeps the lung surface intact, promoting healthy lung function and improved efficiency.

The kidneys are also positively affected by sports. Sports promote better metabolism and elimination of wasteful products like urea, uric acid, and ammonia smoothly through the kidneys, in the form of urine. Cholesterol and harmful fatty acids are also eliminated. 

  •  Increased Stamina And Confidence

Playing a sport also increases individual stamina and confidence amongst other essential life skills. Sports and athletics prepare the body for strenuous toil and hardwork and prevents the body from tiring even after long hours. It increases the body’s capacity to endure and sustain. Practicing a sport also increases confidence of performance and presence, boosting energy and proactivity in work life as well as social life.