Should You Use a Lifting Belt?

Whenever you are handling any type of weight in the gym, it is important to stay safe. Especially when you are repeatedly lifting large amounts of weight, safety is key. While proper form is a big part of lifting safely, other aids can be used in order to ensure that you are able to lift larger amounts of weight and prevent injury. One of the tools that is most commonly used by lifters across all disciplines is a lifting belt. Lifting belts can be used for many exercises, such as back squats, front squats, deadlifts, and power cleans.

Before you go to the gym and slap on a belt, be aware of the effects of wearing a lifting belt has. If you are a beginner, wearing a belt could prevent you from developing core strength if you wear it frequently. Belts should be used when you are attempting heavier lifts and need the extra support to your back and core that a proper lifting belt provides. Making sure that you are wearing the belt properly should also be taken into account. All in all, lifting belts are helpful for preventing injury when handling heavy weight, and for providing your body with support as you chase after and hit that next PR!

The Best Protein Is…

After physically exerting yourself time and time again during workouts, your muscles need proper nutrients in order to recover and grow. One of the most important nutrients for muscle recovery and growth is protein. Protein can be found in every well balanced diet, but sometimes athletes and gym goers need another source of protein other than lots of meat, egg, ect. The most common way to add extra protein into a well balanced and an already protein saturated diet is to consume protein shakes. Whether they are pre-made shakes, or ones made from powder, protein shakes are a popular choice by many in the fitness world.

There are many sources from which the extra protein can come from. Prominent example include whey, soy, and casein. Whey protein is the most common of the protein sources, and tubs of whey protein powder can be found for a low price. Whey protein is great for beginners as it is easy to afford and is effective pre and post workout. Casein protein is great for consuming throughout the day and before bed, because of its slow breakdown period which can range from 5-7 hours. Soy protein is a great source of protein for those who want a vegetarian source of protein. It works just like the other protein sources and has health benefits of its own too.

What kind of protein you use depends on what goals you want to achieve and the different protein needs of different people. Some people may want the long anabolic benefits of casein, while others may prefer the simplicity of whey protein. Personally, I use MusclePharm’s Combat Protein Powder (Cookies and Cream flavor). Everyone’s protein needs vary, so it is important to do your research before purchasing a tub of protein powder so that you know which kind will be the most effective for your lifestyle.

The Secret to Time Management

To many of us, 24 hours in a day does not seem like enough time to complete all the tasks that we set out to do. Yet, there are those people who appear to have their life together and are able finish whatever they needed to do. What is their secret? The answer to that question is time management. Knowing how to manage one’s time isn’t a talent that a select few are born with. It is a skill that can be taught to anyone and can be applied to anything in life. Time management can help the way your organize your day in order to be productive at whatever thing you want. Being able to go through the day in an organized and efficient manner will increase productivity and decrease stress. Not only does time management help you to organize your work or school tasks, but it can be applied to literally anything you need to accomplish.

Time management is especially helpful in the fitness world. Organizing your workouts is crucial for success. Without a consistent workout structure that you are committed to following, progress in the gym will be slow and could cause a lack of motivation to continue working out. In order to overcome the obstacles of a busy schedule and procrastination, we must have a plan. There are many proven methods for rising above poor time management, but the one that I personally use is writing out a detailed list of the tasks that I need to accomplish during that week. I normally write the list out on a piece of paper that I keep on my desk, and I also keep it on my phone so I always have a copy with me and can add to it on the go. As an avid procrastinator, I struggle with spreading out my work instead of doing it the night before. The specific strategy that I use is called the Pomodoro Technique. This technique breaks the time you spend working into 25 minute segments separated with a 5 minute break of activity, or something unrelated to your work/ computer.  The app that I use on my phone is called the Forest, which incentivizes you by growing a tree over a predetermined amount of time, and if you open a different app, the tree is killed. I set my timer to 25 minutes and use the app as my accountability partner. I find it rewarding at the end because you can see how much time you spent getting stuff  done. I hope this app can help you break your procrastination habits, as it did with mine!

How to Relieve Soreness

If you have performed any physical activity, then you have most likely felt sore. Soreness is seen as something inevitable that follows serious activity. The science behind it can be found in this article. Despite the seemingly inevitability of soreness following exercise, there are many ways to relieve it. One of the most common ways to relieve sore muscles is by stretching them out. Static and dynamic stretching can help loosen up any tight and sore spots,should be done before exercising. Another common method of relieving soreness is foam rolling. This also helps to loosen tight muscles and prevent injury during a workout. Drinking lots of water and eating healthy foods that are natural anti-inflammatories such as pineapple, are also good ways to help relieve soreness. For those who are very committed to relieving soreness, an ice bath will help soreness after intense activity.

Benefits of the Power Clean

Power cleans are one of the best exercises for helping to build strength in Olympic lifting. They help build explosive power, which is helpful for athletes looking to improve their strength and speed. An exercise that can help you improve your power clean is the shoulder press, due to the fact that similar muscles groups are used for both lifts. Power cleans help build grip strength along with providing you with a full body workout. For those not serious about heavy lifting or athletic performance, power cleaning is an excellent way to burn fat, as it is a full body workout. Proper power cleaning form is important so that you can get the most out of the lift. No matter what fitness goals you have, the power clean is a great way to build strength, increase athletic performance, and get in shape.

Benefits of the Shoulder Press

The shoulder press is one of the key movements for building upper body strength. You can perform the shoulder press with a barbell or with dumbbells. It is a relatively simple movement, but as with every exercise, form is crucial. Executing the movement with proper form is the most effective way to train the muscles involved and prevent injury.  Performing the shoulder press will help build up your shoulder strength by a significant margin, along with building back strength and core stability. Even if you’re not looking to build large amounts of strength, the shoulder press is still a useful exercise for helping strengthen your core and for contributing to your health.

How to Build Strength

Building strength is something that can benefit everyone. Especially when it comes to athletic performance, strength is one of the most important parts for any sport or activity. There many exercises that contribute to the overall building of strength. Example include front squats, back squats, deadlifts, along with many other movements that target the upper body, core, and legs. In order to consistently build strength and see the results of your work, you must workout regularly and stay committed to some sort of workout plan. The organization of your workout plan should depend on your body type along with what kind of athletic activity you are seeking to benefit yourself in. Feel free to contact us if you would like to receive a free workout plan specifically designed for your body type and performance goals. Follow this website or subscribe to our YouTube Channel to learn more because these topics will be expanded upon in the Future.

Does Cardio Kill Gains?

The idea of integrating cardio into a systematic workout routine is a frequently debated topic by many in the fitness world. Different people have different opinions about whether cardio does or doesn’t hinder muscle growth, which they adamantly share, but is their any scientific evidence behind these claims? The answer is yes. In order to fully understand whether or not cardiovascular activity prevents and or reduces the growth of muscle mass, we must look at the scientific evidence and research done by medical professionals.

Understanding how our muscles grow is important for determining how much cardio we should add to our workout routines. So how do we make sure that cardio doesn’t kill our gains? Long story short, we should balance both cardio and strength building exercises in order to become more healthy. Balance is the key to achieving the health benefits of cardio, along with continuing to build our muscle mass and strength.

Benefits of Olympic Lifting

Olympic lifting is recognized worldwide as a serious strength building sport. Competitive Olympic lifting is growing rapidly in the United States and all over the world as athletes seek to test themselves with a series of different lifts. Despite the stereotype of Olympic lifting being only for super strong people, many everyday men and women looking to improve their health turn to Olympic lifting to do so. For those seeking better athletic performance, Olympic lifting helps exercise multiple muscle groups across the body in only a few movements. Better Speed, stamina, and overall strength are only a few of the many benefits of Olympic lifting. In order to fully enjoy the rewards of Olympic lifting, you must (as with every lifting motion) use proper form. From the grip to the release of the bar, every part of the movements are essential to perform the motions without injuring yourself. Olympic lifting is also a great source of cardio. Its quick bursts of high intensity exercise are beneficial to your health. Because of its numerous health benefits, Olympic lifting is a great way for athletes to improve their performance and for anyone to improve their health no matter what profession.

Benefits of the Deadlift

The Deadlift is one of the 3 main powerlifting movements. It may seem like a simple exercise, just pick up a bar with weight and put it back down right? However, in order to properly deadlift, you must maintain proper form so that you are safely able to perform the movement. Without proper form, you could cause serious injury to your back, legs, arms. Learning how to deadlift with proper form is crucial to your physical development as you advance through the movement.  Not only do deadlifts help athletes build their hamstrings, core, and other muscles used for explosive speed, but they also have numerous health benefits too. The health benefits of deadlifts include burning fat, improving your core, and better posture. So whether you are a serious athlete or someone who just wants to get in shape, deadlifts are a key exercise for your improvement.