5 Benefits of Practicing Paintball Once a Week

Posted May 17, 2017 in Sports 2 Comments »

Paintball is a wonderful activity that challenges both the body and the mind. If you are looking for a way to have fun and get healthy, you should think about playing paintball at least once a week. When you schedule a weekly paintball game, you will enjoy a host of benefits that improve your life. Keep reading to discover five benefits that you will experience when you begin practicing paintball once a week.

paintball Read the rest of this entry »

Increasing Your Testosterone Naturally Was Never So Easy

Posted May 15, 2017 in Medical, Motivation No Comments »

Testosterone is popularly referred as an epitome of manhood, that doesn’t mean testosterone isn’t found in women. It’s just that testosterone is found in large quantity in men, while it’s in trace quantity in women. You might be aware of the fact that testosterone plays a vital role in enhancing your sex drive and muscle building, no wonder why most men have greater muscle mass than women.

It’s almost mythical to learn the true power of testosterone and its ability to burn body fat and boost your muscles. Testosterone also comes in handy to increase your libido, sleep, mood, and your quality of life. However, testosterone declines in most men after they hit 30 years, which isn’t good for health.

In many cases it becomes an issue and leads to testosterone replacement therapy, which some studies claim might also not be good for health. Sometimes we need to try to find ways to naturally enhance the testosterone level in the body.

Here’s a list of 7 ways to increase your testosterone naturally:

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5 Tips for Keeping Kids Active and Fit

Posted May 11, 2017 in Kids No Comments »
Kids Exercise

Keep Your Kid Fit Year-Round

With childhood obesity on the rise, more and more parents are looking for ways to keep their kids active and fit. The process starts at home with fridges and pantries that are devoid of the fat- and sugar-laden, processed foods that populate store shelves these days. Instead, parents must work a little harder to provide nutritious and balanced meals that will give kids the energy they need to face each day without the spike and crash that comes from soda and sugary snacks.

But of course, diet is only part of the equation when it comes to the health of your kids. You also need to get them outdoors and running around if you want them to remain active and fit throughout their childhood and beyond. So here are just a few ways to pry them away from their video games and social media and get them on track for some physical fun.

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Staying Young in Mind and Body

Keeping Your Mind Young As You Grow Older

As we grow old, it is important to stay active and healthy, but you should not just concentrate on enhancing the body. The mind is just like any other organ and needs stimulating to keep it working at its best. There are some simple things that you can do to keep yourself fit and healthy in body and mind.fruit bowl

Eat the Right Food

There is real evidence to suggest that eating healthily and having the right foods can help with your brain’s health. People who eat fish once a week, for example, have a 60% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is because fish has omega-3 fatty acids that help to slow brain degeneration.

Many things can rejuvenate your body and mind; keeping an eye on your diet can be the best of them all. Read the rest of this entry »

Breaking the Boredom of the Workout Routine

Spice Up Your Training Plan

Everyone knows that they should be exercising, yet most people dread the very idea. The sweating and strain aside, working out is just boring. Think about the people you see running or at the gym, they look bored of their skulls. If you are going to keep at any exercise routine, you will need to find some way to combat the mind-numbing madness that comes with it.

bored fitness girl
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Is a Memory Foam Mattress Bad for My Back?

Memory Foam is Big Business – But Is It Good For You?

You’ve heard it, time and time again, that memory foam is your ticket to the best night’s sleep you’ve had in ages. This is definitely true for some people who swear by the material, but many others remain skeptical. One of the most common questions we hear is whether various memory foam mattress options are good for your back, posture, and bone health.

mattress female athlete

How Memory Foam Works

Memory foam materials have their origins in 1960s NASA flight experiments. The institution needed very soft material to keep high-speed flight pilots protected against g-force. The same characteristics that make this material ideal for those flights also make it a very comfortable mattress material.

Since it conforms to the shape of your body, you can sleep in any variety of positions without feeling encumbered by stiffness. This softness is what really makes memory foam stand out, but not everyone is convinced that this is what’s best for the human body. Read the rest of this entry »

Regular Exercise Is Key to Enjoying a Long and Happy Retirement

Posted May 2, 2017 in Healthy Lifestyle No Comments »

senior fitness stretchingIf you are one of the 46 million baby boomers today in America, do you think you get enough exercise? Chances are that many of you don’t. While we may not wish to think about getting older, to help our golden years be as happy, long and healthy as possible, it’s never too late to make some life changes and prepare for what’s ahead.

In fact, studies show senior-focused fitness programs help to improve quality of life. Research indicates regular exercise encourages seniors to have a more positive outlook.

Staying active helps to improve balance, makes us stronger and is good for our heart. It can also help older adults stay independent and prevent many health problems that come with age. Even for those seniors with limited mobility, there are still muscle strengthening and aerobic exercise that they can do. Read the rest of this entry »

Strength Training for Rugby Players

Posted April 27, 2017 in Sports No Comments »

Rugby bench pressWhen training to build strength, far too many rugby players fall into the trap of simply trying to increase bulk. While I’m not suggesting that you spend all your time outdoors using rugby equipment, I do think it is important to train your body to repeat rugby-specific movements in the gym.

You’ll want to focus not just on strength, but also on power, conditioning, and injury prevention. It’s always best for athletes to focus on sport specific movements and strengthening the weakest links in the chain.

Using weights to replicate rugby-specific movements at a higher intensity, trains your body to become more adept at the skills that actually make you a better rugby player. By following these exercises you should notice marked improvements, not only in your physique, but also your playing ability. Read the rest of this entry »

The Benefits Of Running for the Weight Loss Battle

Posted April 25, 2017 in Conditioning, Sports No Comments »

Running can help achieve that fit body you’re aiming for. Today, we will explain to you how running can be good in the battle for weight loss!

Many people strive to have a body that will impress. However, the path going there isn’t a simple battle. Many challenges will hinder you from making progress. The first thing that you should ask yourself is, are you up to the challenge?

Spartan Runners

Although running sounds like a simple exercise, its benefits will amaze you. Running has many advantages including better health, uplifted emotions, weight loss, and improved focus. Read the rest of this entry »

The Wonders of Superfoods

Posted April 20, 2017 in Diet, Nutrition Tip 1 Comment »

Superfood Fitness“Superfoods” is a term that many of us have heard but not all of us understand. These are natural foods which boast a whole host of wonderful qualities. From protecting the immune system, to improving brain activity, to aiding eyesight and strengthening bones; they are rich in nutritional value.

As would be expected, they work great as part of a healthy lifestyle to burn fat and build muscle. Best of all; many of them are simple, readily available produce that can be easily worked into our everyday diet regime.

While whole foods are typically the best choice, supplementation can boost our total nutrient intake. Especially when it comes to green vegetables – I don’t know about you, but I can’t eat 3 kale salads every day – supplements like green powders and other antioxidants can really help us meet our daily needs.

But I digress…

So, what are some examples of the wondrous whole-food superfoods available today? Read the rest of this entry »

What is the Best Time to Schedule Cardio Training?

Posted April 20, 2017 in Your Questions 12 Comments »

Your QuestionsI get plenty of questions in various comments throughout the website, but I also get comments and questions via the Project Swole Contact Form.

Generally I address those questions through e-mail, but often I do not have the time to reply to each and every question personally.

The category Your Health Questions attempts to take a more proactive approach to answering your questions so that everyone can benefit from the Q & A.

Scott wrote:

“First off very good site, very informative.

I am 33 5-11 170lbs. I just went from a split where I was doing 30 min low intensity cardio after the work out. I have been enjoying the full body workouts; I feel I get more out of it.

I am trying to maintain the muscle I have and get more ripped toned. Should I keep doing a low intensity cardio session after my work out or should I move to HIIT or some sort of other interval training on the off days?

I always read cardio after lifting or in the am is the best. So will I still burn fat doing cardio on the off days? Help!!”

Response:

First off, thank you for the kind words. I’m glad I can help someone with my babbling.

Second, I agree with you about full body workout routines. I find full body training to be far more effective at stimulating all kinds of gains than a traditional split routine.

Now, regarding your cardio questions, I have a couple responses and then I will discuss my reasoning:

  • My opinion is that you should focus more on high intensity interval training (HIIT) than on aerobic cardio.
  • If you insist on doing aerobic cardio at the same time as weight training, then it should be performed after weight training, but then you have to accept the drawbacks of doing cardio after weight training.
  • If you insist on doing aerobic cardio, not at the same time as weight training, but on the same day as weight training, it should be performed in the morning, on an empty stomach.
  • If you insist on doing aerobic cardio on a non-weight training day, then you have 2 choices:
    • in the morning on an empty stomach – to maximize fat loss
    • any other time of the day – used as active recovery
  • If you plan doing HIIT, it should not be performed before a workout.
  • Cardio in general works best when performed 8-10 hours before or after weight training, or on a separate day.

Female Sprinting

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Falling Asleep at the Wheel? Learn to Combat Driving Fatigue

Posted April 11, 2017 in Healthy Lifestyle, Medical No Comments »

Drowsy drivers are a danger to themselves as well as others on the road. According to the CDC, the problem has reached alarming proportions. The dangerous combination of fatigue, drowsiness, and driving often ends tragically.

Sleeping and drivingWhen questioned, 1 in 25 drivers reported falling asleep at the wheel of a motor vehicle at least once within the preceding month. Data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that driving fatigue and drowsy drivers are responsible for 100,000 accidents and 1,500 deaths every year. However, many experts believe these numbers may be a gross under-estimation.

Thousands of motor vehicle accidents are the result of a sleepy driver who wasn’t paying attention, had a delayed reaction time, or had an impaired ability to make decisions on the road. Read the rest of this entry »

How to Create the Ultimate Home Gym

Posted April 11, 2017 in Exercise Equipment No Comments »

What Would Your Ideal Home Gym Look Like?

Away from the annoyances of a crowded gym, a workout space at home is a sanctuary that can be tailored to your every whim and desire. You can give the soulless house music a miss, mute the mindless chatter, skip waiting lines and travel times and really focus on what matters – getting fitter.

Creating the ideal home gym depends on your goals, but there are some must-haves whatever pre-conceived designs you have.

Home gym Read the rest of this entry »

5 Ways to Make Nutritious Food Tasty

Posted April 6, 2017 in Nutrition Tip No Comments »

By: Paul Jenkins CEO and founder of DNA Lean

Nutritious Food in a Nutshell

Fitness experts, medical doctors, psychologists and even venture capitalists recommend eating better every chance they get. But with fast-food chains readily available within walking distance of workplaces and whole, organic, fresh foods more expensive than their processed counterparts, it’s not easy to implement such expeditious advice.

veggies

If this weren’t hard enough as it is, farmers’ markets are sometimes located remotely from central areas, making it an entire adventure to fit a two-way trip in one’s schedule without missing out on an entire afternoon.  Moreover, healthy food always seems to taste… well, plain-old bland in comparison to ice-creams or the good, old-fashioned burger. Not even those venture capitalists would spend their life-earned investments on such odds.

Nonetheless, when it comes to the quality of one’s life, all of these problems fade away and turn into mere hindrances that are easy to deal with. Below, you’ll find some of the fastest and cheapest ways of delivering some richness to your healthy food. Using this advice, you can also improve upon 6 of the best pre workout meals you need to know.

Are you ready to make healthy food delicious again? Read the rest of this entry »

Potential Guitar Injuries and How to Prevent Them

Posted April 4, 2017 in Injuries, Medical No Comments »

What are the health and safety issues to follow for a guitarist

For a guitarist, music is where his life is. Any discomfort or injuries can severely hider a guitarist’s impact of playing to the best of his capabilities. For maintaining proper health is a tough shot for a guitarist. As an example, in a general health guideline, it’s often narrated that punching things frequently is not a good idea. But as you know, a professional guitarist can’t help that.
Guitars and squats
Therefore, guitarists need to maintain some additional health care practices to ensure their health and professional efficiency. In this article, we have done something on that issue. After thorough research as a guitarist myself, I have listed down top health problems of a guitarist and how to get over them. Hope anyone with a guitar to play, will benefit from this article. Read the rest of this entry »

10 Reasons Not to Train Like a Professional Bodybuilder

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when attempting to gain muscle is to imitate your favorite professional bodybuilder.

Look Like a BodybuilderIf you’ve seen the magazines: Flex, Iron Man, Muscular Development, etc…, you’ve seen the pro bodybuilding routines. These guys train one body part a day, 10 exercises for each muscle group, 6 sets per exercise, 12-20 reps per set, and they put together brutal 6 days per week workout routines, sometimes with 2-a-days.

What they don’t tell you, is that routines written by professional bodybuilders are not going to work for you if you are not either a pro bodybuilder yourself, or an unemployed, juiced up, genetic freak. If you follow these routines, you will overtrain faster than Arnold shows his bare ass in a Terminator movie. At least you will learn how NOT to train, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

My Experience Training Like a Pro

I wish someone told me all these things before I started on some ridiculous pro routine when I was 16. This guy had me using ramps, training 6 days a week, once a day for two weeks then twice a day for four weeks, and focusing completely on machines, cables, and leg presses instead of squats.

What a complete waste of 6 months that was. When I finally confronted a personal trainer about my sore body and lack of progress, he ripped up my routine and set me straight. Thanks Ted!

Here are 10 reasons why you should not train like a professional bodybuilder:

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How to Build a Career with 4 Simple Changes in Lifestyle

Posted April 2, 2017 in Business, Healthy Lifestyle No Comments »

Be Prepared for New Opportunities

Life is a wonderful journey. Each step comes with some new opportunities. Tests and tools both are its constant companions. However, sometimes life slows down. Sometimes nothing makes sense. People come to a point from which nothing but thick gloom comes to view. Most don’t understand this is the point of change.

From this point begins another life, another journey, lest you are willing to make some conscious effort to change. Anyone can get a job and stick to it. But, everyone cannot build a career. This is a difficult task which only a rare few succeed in making.

achieve career success

So, what are the changes that you need to make to build the solid foundation upon which the castle of your career will stand? Read the rest of this entry »

Does Coffee (Caffeine) Help You Build Muscle?

Posted March 30, 2017 in Supplements, Your Questions 4 Comments »

Your QuestionsI get plenty of questions in various comments throughout the website, but I also get comments and questions via the contact form.

In the past I have address those questions through e-mail, but often I do not have the time to reply to each and every question personally. I want to take a more proactive approach to answering Your Questions by posting them in the blog. This way we can be sure that everyone benefits from the Q & A.

Joe wrote:

“I have heard that too much caffeine can be detrimental to muscle growth because of its tendency to increase cortisol which has catabolic effects. That being said, it also stimulates testosterone production, so its actual effects are a little unclear. Here’s a little medical study I found on the web to back it up:

Dose effect of caffeine on testosterone and cortisol responses to resistance exercise.

Just curious if you’ve heard anything along these lines and I’m interested to hear your take on it.”

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Top 5 Benefits of Massage for Weightlifters

Rock Massage

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. Read the rest of this entry »

Understanding Your Body – What is Testosterone?

Posted March 24, 2017 in Medical No Comments »

old man bodybuilderWhen you’re trying to make the most out of your body (as you only ever get one!), there’s a lot of different stuff that gets thrown into the mix. You have to watch out for your chemical imbalances, as well as anything else that could throw you off of your normal routine.

So, What Exactly IS Testosterone?

Testosterone is a chemical messenger that takes its place amongst other androgens – it’s also the primary sex hormone in males on this planet. It’s produced primarily through the Leydig cells, which are located in the testicles of men (although women do also produce this hormone in their ovaries), a small amount is produced in the adrenal glands as well.

Testosterone is there to help sway the two different genders into their sexual development phases properly; it adds to the aspect of desire, as well as producing sperm. Testosterone has many other functions, and even professional athletes are using it to get an edge above the competition; but why is that exactly?  Read the rest of this entry »