Archive for the ‘Fitness Tips’ Category
Wednesday, September 19th, 2018
Most people who exercise do so for two main reasons – to lose weight or to build muscle. Sometimes these can be done concurrently. In order to lose weight people do cardio exercises which help in shedding the fat. They also focus on burning more calories than they are consuming. Building muscle is a bit more complicated because it requires eating and exercising in the right way. A lot of lean men and women fail to build muscle because they think it is as simple as lifting some weights and waiting for the results. Building muscle takes hard work, consistency, and most of all knowledge on how exactly you can pack on the muscles.
So here are 8 tips to get you started on your bulking journey.
1. Eat Enough
As you work on increasing the size of your muscles you must provide your body with enough food to support this growth. It is important to consume enough calories to ensure that you are taking in more calories than you are burning. A calorie deficiency leads to weight loss so aim for the opposite. Taking in more calories leads to weight gain and when coupled with weight-training this will result in muscle growth. (more…)
Tags: bodybuilding, build muscle, exercise, fitness, gain muscle, muscle, muscle building, muscle gain, workout
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Thursday, August 16th, 2018
The liver is the marvel of our body. It is a vital organ responsible for secreting bile and breaking down the fats along with eliminating toxins from the body. Weight loss is the prime concern for most people when they think about the food they consume. But what most fail to realize that they should be mindful of your food intake to save your liver from severe health problems.
Let us take a look at some common eating habits that are detrimental to the health of the liver. In our daily lives, we tend to adopt eating habits that gradually deteriorate our liver. A full liver cleanse can be helpful in reversing the damage to some extent.
- Excessive Alcohol Intake
You might not know what too much alcohol means as far as your liver health is concerned. From mild scarring to severe inflammation of the liver cells, an excessive intake of alcohol can cause a severely negative impact on the liver. It reduces the liver’s capability to eliminate toxins from the body. Moreover, if the negative impact of alcohol takes a toll on the liver, the ability to break down alcohol further reduces, thus, causing chronic damage. So, it is advisable to keep the consumption of alcohol at a moderate pace. A good rule of thumb is one standard drink for women and a maximum two for men per day.
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Tags: Diet, food, health, injury, liver, meals, nutrition, organs, Supplements
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Wednesday, August 8th, 2018
Here is an interesting guest post by a good friend of Project Swole. He wishes to remain mostly nameless (aside from mentioning his name is Andy), but trust in me he is smart and experienced, and I think this piece will really connect with most Swole readers.
“It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.”
“What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?”
“You ask a glass of water.”
– Douglas Adams, British author, and humorist
Human beings like habits, as a rule. It’s like that old phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” So, if we do something, and it works out ok, we’ll do it again.
Good or bad, habits allow us to predict the future – if I do this (exactly as I did yesterday), I know what will happen. Habits equal proven outcomes. Get on this train at this time in the morning, and I’ll be at work on time.
And if those habits are linked to a reward of some description, anything from a hit of dopamine in the brain by achieving a specific goal or, heaven forbid, one of a human being’s primary rewards – either food or sex, we’ll be back same time tomorrow, guaranteed, with our plate in our hand, as it were.
Habits provide routine, and for us, routinely provides security.
Unfortunately for us, some habits don’t sit well with others, and the rewards each brings actually off-set against one another, which kind of defeats the object. Take, for example, the diabetic cake-shop owner. You get my point. In fact, like the rest of our existence, it’s all just one big juggling act, seeing what works, what doesn’t, what affects something else, and so on, and hoping for a happy medium somewhere along the line. (more…)
Tags: bodybuilding, exercise, fitness, gain muscle, muscle gain, physique, progress, strength training, tips, weight lifting, Weight Training, weightlifting
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Monday, July 30th, 2018
You have to remember that you can start to really change your life when you are working out and trying to build muscle as fast as possible. Someone who is trying to build muscle needs to have a plan, and it is much easier for you to start following a plan. This plan helps you get the best chance to have the muscles you have always wanted, and you can do this if you are young or old. You look your best, and it all happens in about 90 days.
Follow these steps, make a plan, stick to it, and live healthy for 90 days. When you see what you accomplish and how you feel, you might never stop. (more…)
Tags: build muscle, cardio, Diet, exercise, gain muscle, goals, hiit, muscle gain, workout
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Wednesday, July 4th, 2018
Many people who hit the gym tend to concentrate more on the lower body exercises and the body parts with muscles that tend to bulge easily, and they can end up forgetting about the back and shoulder exercises.
You should know that working out your upper body is very important if you want to maintain an all-round fit body. Being well rounded and robust from your back, shoulders and the rest of your body gives you a good posture and an excellent body shape.
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Tags: body weight, bodyweight, exercise, fitness, health, strength, strong
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Monday, March 12th, 2018
If you are interested in bulking up, you probably are worried the only way this is possible is through consuming steroids and other drugs that help to accelerate the process. But this is not necessarily how you gain muscles. You can pursue a natural muscle development process, which calls for dedication and a bit of patience. In a few months, you can begin to see changes if consistency is upheld. While doing it, note that age is a factor that affects the process, so make sure to embrace exercises that are right for your age.
Adjust your Diet
Before you even think about any workout options, you would need to adjust your diet. First thing is to increase calorie intake, but not too much – just enough for your workouts. But while doing this, avoid junk as this will only make you to gain more weight and you don’t need that. Second ensure you are hydrated well. Consume enough water especially during workout sessions. Water keeps your energy levels up and gives you the lubrication you need for your joints.
It also supports digestion and absorption so you are able to get essential nutrients. Lastly, consider taking muscle building foods. Take more foods that are rich in omega-3s and omega-6s. Eat proteins, fiber, and carbs in plenty and also consider foods like eggs and nuts, which provide nutrients for muscle build-up.
Strength Training Exercises
To gain muscles, you need to work out. Nothing gives better results than strength training exercises. You have to be patient as this process might take time. Just do it daily and ensure to rest so you don’t exhaust yourself. Before you go into any training, it is advisable to first warm up so you don’t injure your muscles. Some jog or walk could help to prepare you for the practice. The objective is to get your heart rate up without burning many calories.
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Tags: build muscle, Diet, exercise, fitness, gain muscle, nutrition, tips
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Tuesday, January 30th, 2018
The spine is one of the most vital components of the entire body. Spinal problems can be incredibly serious. If something goes wrong and you wind up injured, you might be paralyzed. Strengthening the spine might not eliminate the risks, but it can definitely help to minimize them.
So, what can you do to strengthen your spine? The answers are plentiful. Within this guide, you will find tips for strengthening your spine.
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Tags: back, fitness, injuries, injury, injury prevention, prehab, prevention, spinal, spine, strength
Posted in Best Exercises, Fitness Tips, Injuries | 1 Comment »
Thursday, January 18th, 2018
Men often have a tendency to overdevelop their upper bodies at the expense of their lower bodies. There are also a few common misunderstandings about weight loss versus fat loss out there in relation to diet and nutrition. Don’t sabotage all your progress — especially if you’re trying to lose weight but gain muscle.
Gaining muscle is a delicate balance between consuming enough calories (from healthy foods) and routinely working out. In fact, it is difficult to do both at the same time without sabotaging muscle gain. (more…)
Tags: exercise, legs, lower body, workout
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Thursday, September 21st, 2017
Every athlete worth their salt has hit a plateau. You all know the feeling — suddenly gym sessions feel less productive, gains slow to a crawl, and you start to feel stuck.
Often, the natural response is to train harder and longer, assuming that plateaus can just be powered through, but pushing your body harder when it might actually need to slow down is asking for injury. Injuries aren’t fun for anyone, but if you’re preparing for a competition, race, or big game, it can be a death knell for your training.
Why Am I Hitting a Plateau?
While some plateaus are part of the natural training cycle, others are due to improper training. It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in your own drive and push too hard for too long. The result is a burned-out athlete whose body is breaking down instead of building up.
Avoiding bad training habits seems like it should be common sense, but it’s easier said than done. Everyone wants to be the best, and you get there by training, right? So what’s the difference between pushing and pushing too hard? And how do you toe the line without long-jumping over it?
Unfortunately, there’s no perfect formula for everyone, but with an updated training strategy, it’s a little easier to navigate the minefield of training fatigue. As with most athletic advice, this comes with a strong dose of “listen to your body.”
Plateaus and training fatigue generally stem from overdoing it every time you’re in the gym or under-recovering after you go home. (more…)
Tags: cross training, crosstraining, exercise, fitness, health, injuries, injury, overuse, prehab, prevention
Posted in Conditioning, Fitness Tips | No Comments »
Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
With the summer in full swing, it’s only natural that more and more people are taking full advantage of the long daylight hours by spending plenty of time outside. A natural source of annual encouragement for an increase in activity is certainly a good thing, especially for those of us who are serious about health and fitness.
On the other hand, those inspired to begin a fitness-training program during the summer months ought to be keenly aware of how to build a proper training foundation to ensure their continued progress while also avoiding deterrents like an injury or training plateau. Dale Parducci, a fitness coach and personal trainer from North Bergen, New Jersey, offered a few common-sense tips for summer fitness training. (more…)
Tags: exercise, fitness, Fitness Tips, health, healthy, Healthy Lifestyle, summer, work out, workout, workout tips
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Monday, July 17th, 2017
Are you in the gym day in and day out, but feel like you just are not seeing results like you used to? Well, it is completely possible that you might be overtraining, which is a lot more common than you might imagine.
Overtraining means that you are training so hard your body does not have the time to rest and recover, as it normally should. This condition can lead to a slew of negative side effects, like muscle atrophy, motivational loss, and mood swings.
Overtraining can even diminish the results that you worked so hard to earn, so it is imperative that you never let this happen to you. Stick to the following tips and information to ensure that you never over train. (more…)
Tags: fitness, health, over training, overtraining, recovery, weight lifting, Weight Training, wieghtlifting
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Monday, June 12th, 2017
The Top Endurance Exercises
Athletes have become bigger and stronger and are in better shape nowadays, and the trend towards endurance training has only accelerated this phenomenon. Athletes are getting leaner and more ‘ripped’ than ever, in nearly every sport.
It used to be that a baseball player, for example, would focus on exercises specifically designed to improve the specific skill set that they needed to succeed on the baseball field. The same sport-specific training was true for every sport. But as people began to see the broad-spectrum benefits that came with endurance training for events like the triathlon, it became evident that an individual with greater strength and endurance in any sport could benefit from a more well-rounded circuit of exercises.
It didn’t take long before regular people started to realize that they could benefit from endurance training, too, and it quickly became more and more popular. Today, its appeal is at an all-time high. Even weekend athletes, as a result of endurance training, are becoming almost indefatigable.
Here’s why. (more…)
Tags: cardio, Conditioning, endurance, exercise, fitness, health, high intensity, hiit, intervals, speed work, speedwork, working out, workouts
Posted in Best Exercises, Conditioning, Fitness Tips, HIIT Routines | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 5th, 2017
Bodybuilding is a great way to sculpt and tone muscles, but the strain that it places on the body is sometimes too much to bear. Injuries are not uncommon among bodybuilders, and lower back pain is one of the most common problems experienced by lifters everywhere.
If you’re experiencing lower back pain, you don’t have to stop your workout routine. However, you should remember these tips that will help you manage your back pain and heal quickly. Warming up, stretching properly, and maintaining strict formex will go a long way, but try these too:
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Tags: back pain, bodybuilding, form, health, healthy, injuries, injury, pain
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Tuesday, March 28th, 2017
Weight lifting is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world. Millions of people hit the gym every day to work out in the weight room and strive to achieve their own ideal physique. Rigorous weight lifting results in a lot of stress on muscle fibers – in fact, this is exactly how resistance training works!
When the routine is right, the results are usually impressive. Sometimes the rigors of training can cause lasting tears in muscle tissue. The damage done to muscles in the process can be a serious problem for some. It is highly recommended that weight lifters make regular appointments for massage therapy. (more…)
Tags: fitness, health, massage, recovery, weightlifting
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Saturday, March 18th, 2017
Some people have difficulty getting six-packs, and others have trouble believing that abs are made in the kitchen and not the gym, but this doesn’t downplay the importance of exercising and strengthening the core. Having strong muscles in your abs and back make it easier for you to do everyday tasks; from lifting your kids (and pets) to carrying your groceries.
A solid core can also help you to maintain good posture and prevent back pain. As important as exercising the core is, crunches are boring. Keep reading to find out five great exercises you can use to strengthen your core. (more…)
Tags: ab training, ab workout, abdominal, abdominals, abs, core, crunch, exercise, fitness, pike, plank
Posted in Fitness Tips, Workout Routines | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 28th, 2017
If you’re looking for muscle gain, you probably think that devoting more hours to the gym is your best bet. But you’re wrong. Your diet is also responsible for a high percentage of your progress, but it is not always the key to getting out of a training rut.
If you’re looking for the real secret to achieving the muscle development you want, it’s simple – get more sleep. That’s right. Sleep is likely the missing piece to your training regimen.
In fact, according to research, it just may be the most important component of your regimen as it helps to increase muscular strength and size and promote efficient recovery.
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Tags: fitness, gain muscle, health, healthy, lifestyle, muscle gain, sleep, sleeping
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Wednesday, June 15th, 2016
When Fitness is the #1 Goal
If you truly want to become fit, there is more to it than just jogging or doing a few sit up every day. As a matter of fact, the food you eat can also cause you not to be fit. The best way to do this is to hire a personal trainer than will help you get a handle on your diet and what you need to know about nutrition in order to become healthier and fit while losing weight or just toning your body.
A personal trainer will not only help you learn about nutrition, but will start you on a fitness program that will fit your own personal goals. Some people without specialized diet requirements may need to hire a personal nutritionist as well, but many trainers, as I personally did, also receive certifications in sports nutrition and other nutritional disciplines in order to offer the most effective diet advice possible and in some cases even write personalized nutrition plans.
In the majority of cases, you will need to start out slow both with diet and exercise, especially if you have not exercised or followed a health eating plan in a very long time. The good news is that you can choose a private, semi-private or group training session so you can train along with a friend and not feel so alone. On the other hand, if you want to work alone with a trainer that can also be accomplished.
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Tags: Diet, exercise, fitness, massage, nutrition, personal trainer, personal training
Posted in Fitness Tips, Healthy Lifestyle, Motivation | No Comments »
Friday, July 24th, 2015
Don’t Waste Time Training Legs the Wrong Way!
Your legs are the foundation of your physique. With their bulging tear drops, incision-like cuts, and shredded striations, prize leg development can win you a contest. Lagging leg development can also lose you a contest. Additionally, having strong legs makes it that much easier to develop a strong upper body. Here are 6 mistakes most athletes make when training their legs. These tips apply both to active bodybuilders and newbies, so pay attention!
The Top 6 Leg Training Mistakes
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Not Training Legs At All
A lot of people completely avoid leg training. Why? Personally, I find it hard to understand. But there’s obviously a reason why they do; theories are they already have some preconceived notion that their legs are developed beyond what they are in actuality, or they see leg training as “hard”.
It’s true that leg training can be painful, and you generally are sore afterwards, but many bodybuilders grow to love that soreness, as with other muscles. Avoiding leg training is a critical mistake, and you can’t build a house without a foundation.
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Tags: exercise technique, hamstrings, leg training, legs, mistakes, myths, quads, squats, squatting, technique, Weight Training, weightlifting
Posted in Bodybuilding, Exercise Technique, Fitness Tips, Weight Training | 8 Comments »
Monday, October 21st, 2013
Want thick, dense abs that stand out like a washboard? Want a ripped midsection with veins and shredded striations? No? How about this: Want to look good naked?
Well, you will never achieve any of those goals if you train your abs once a week with three sets of crunches for 100 reps, or if you eat like a horse. Avoid these 6 common abdominal training mistakes and your abs will dial in. Whether you are a bodybuilder, an athlete, or a novice, chances are you are making several of these mistakes in your training right now. Take heed!
The Top 6 Abdominal Training Mistakes
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Tags: 6 pack, ab training, abdominals, abs, Conditioning, fitness, six pack, weightlifting
Posted in Bodybuilding, Exercise Technique, Fitness Tips, Weight Training | 6 Comments »
Tuesday, October 1st, 2013
Want big arms? Want lean, shredded arms? Then don’t make any of these arm training mistakes. Here are 6 great arm training tips for bodybuilders, fitness athletes, sports athletes, and newbies alike. Forget the myths, stop the mistakes, and train your arms proper!
The Top 6 Arm Training Mistakes
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Tags: arms, biceps, exercise, exercise technique, mistakes, myths, triceps, Weight Training, weightlifting
Posted in Bodybuilding, Exercise Technique, Fitness Tips, Weight Training | 7 Comments »
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