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.

March 25, 2022

What Is Strength Training With Drop Sets?

Author By - Asmita Bhattacharjee Categories drop sets fitness health sports strength stretching workout

With time, the focus is shifting from the conventional methods to the array of strength training and professional trainers focus the most on muscle strength and endurance since they are the foundations of a strong and fit body. Strength training with drop sets, also known as descending sets, burnouts, and strip sets among many others is a way of working out that has been found to contribute to the development of muscle strength and durability. 

What is drop-set training and why is it more effective? 

The primary reason why drop sets have gained popularity among fitness enthusiasts is because of their ability to make the process of achieving the desired results quicker, in a smoother and sustainable way. Strength training with drop sets usually means reducing the load or the weight in a workout by at least 10% after performing the first set, that is, unless one reaches the point when the weight cannot be lifted anymore. The next set is done using the reduced weight following the same procedure. The weight is again reduced for the next set and this cycle continues for several sets. One notable aspect of the drop-set training technique is the fact that the gap between the sets has to be as little as possible, almost negligible for the best results. The idea is not to rest even for a second. This leads to increased muscle tension, tiredness, and in turn, increased endurance and blood flow. 

Why is it advantageous? 

Drop-set training is different from that of the one done with straight and single sets in the sense that strength training using drop sets has been scientifically proven to be better since the muscle tension caused is more in the case of drop sets, thus leading to better results in less time. Little to no scope for rest is the reason the muscles are forced to increase their strength little by little, even though one might not be able to feel their body while working out and post its completion. It is true that doing drop sets consistently is not an easy job and requires way more effort than in the case of single sets or simple weightlifting exercises but it’s also because the results are very different. Single straight sets include repeating the same exercise again and again after resting for a bit in between, without a change of any sort. Thus, the muscles are not subjected to any kind of additional pressure or tension.

Ways to do drop-set training 

The workout should begin with the heaviest dumbbell, that is, the heaviest that the person who’s working out can lift. The key factor is, the weight of the dumbbell is inversely proportional to the number of sets. As the number of sets increases, 10-20% of the weight should be reduced, in minimum time, to keep the cycle going. The amount of weight that is reduced should more or less remain the same in each step to maintain and regulate the muscle tension. Another way of doing strength training with drop sets is by reducing the weight from a bar of plates. The process should begin with lifting as much weight as one is smoothly capable of lifting at least 8-10 times before reaching the saturation point. This is followed by the next set that has reduced weight. The set is completed till the saturation point of that particular set is reached before moving on to the next set. As mentioned before, the time duration has to be minimum, and thus, the act of removing the plates after each set has to be as fast as possible. Thus, these exercises need someone who would help the person who’s working out. If the weight is attempted to be reduced by the person himself, it would lead to a certain degree of muscle rest, even if it’s for some seconds. Muscle rest is not advisable for drop-set training and should be strictly avoided. 

March 23, 2022

5 Stretching Exercises You Can’t Miss Out On!

Author By - Asmita Bhattacharjee Categories fitness health sports strength stretching

Workout is essential for both mental and physical well-being. If you do regular stretching, the threats of various diseases would subside with time and make your immunity stronger. It is also important for staying fit and maintaining a particular bodyweight, which is considered healthy. All bodies are beautiful but there’s no harm in attempting to keep them healthy. Your daily stretching routine should consist of both static and dynamic exercises, that is, holding a position without moving, and a workout that involves movement, respectively. Mentioned below are a few stretching exercises that you can swear by. 

  • Neck Rolls 

Stand straight with your legs apart, the distance being the same as your shoulder-width. Keep your arms loosened. Begin by bending your chin towards your chest. Rotate your head slowly, in a clockwise motion, feeling the rotation. Wait for a few seconds before repeating it in an anticlockwise direction. Do the entire process 3 times. This is a great way to stimulate your head and neck muscles, making you feel alive and energetic. 

  • Tricep Stretch Behind The Head 

This is an excellent arm workout exercise you should inculcate in your daily stretching routine. Stretch out your right hand straight up, keeping in mind that the elbow should be close to your head. Bend it back behind your neck and use your left hand to hold the right upper arm, just behind the elbow. Push the elbow downwards, so that the right hand moves further down and the muscles are stretched. Hold the position for 10 seconds and try the same for your left hand, taking 5 seconds to break in between. Repeat the same, 2-3 times. 

  • Shoulder Rolls 

These would require a standing position with relaxed arms. When you’re ready to start, raise your shoulders, without moving your hands. Next, roll the shoulders back and keep rolling it in a circular motion. Feel the pressure while you’re doing it. After rolling the shoulders backward about 5-10 times, continue the same in the reverse direction, that is, forward. This entire sequence should be repeated 2 times. Feel pumped up already? There’s more to your daily stretching routine. 

  • Hip Rotation 

Hip rotation is a vital part of most daily workout routines because of its beneficial impacts. It makes the hip muscles more flexible, curbing hip aches and muscle soreness. Sit strand with your hands on your hips. Slowly move your hips forward and rotate them in a circular motion 3-4 times. Don’t rush it and feel the pressure in your muscles. After you’re done, come back to the initial position and do the same thing in the backward direction. 

  • Hamstring Stretch 

Hold a standing position and keep your legs straight. Start by bending one of your knees, say the right one, and bring your left foot forward. The toes of your left leg should face upwards, with the heel on the ground. Flex the leg and slightly bend forward. Your hands should be placed on the right thigh. Hold the posture for about 15-20 seconds before relaxing for a while and then doing it on your other leg. This exercise should be done 3 times in your daily stretching routine.

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