Introduction

Hello everyone, welcome back! In the past several blogs, we have been discussing the importance of fitness, and the overall betterment of your body. However, we will be transitioning to a supplement that is commonly portrayed in a dark light, but have benefits that arguably outweigh the benefits. Creatine is a naturally occurring substance in foods such as red meat, but pure creatine is a substance that can be consumed daily that has a controversial history. 

The Negatives

Occurring as one of the most well-studied supplements on the market, a regular dose of creatine includes just 5 grams a day. This generally has been a safe amount for most, but what are the effects of taking too much? The number one bodily function that may begin to feel the effects are the kidneys, or so many believe. The reason I added that last part is because as creatine monohydrate is continually studied, there is a decrease in evidence to back up that claim. The deciding factor for these research results is mainly dependent on water consumption in comparison to the amount of creatine consumed. When consuming the recommended 5 grams per day, 3-4 liters of water is recommended to maintain healthy hydration and creatine effectiveness. When an insufficient amount of water is consumed, that is when kidney and liver problems will occur, striking fear into those on the fence about beginning. For the age restrictions, there is none. However, many pediatricians do not recommend consumption for those under the age of 18. More information about ‘age limit’ can be seen in the link above. 

The Positives

For young adults, creatine simply will increase athletic performance, encourage muscle growth, improve cognitive function, and limit muscle fatigue. Creatine simply put is a substance that helps store water in muscles and supply energy to the body when carrying out extraneous exercises. For young athletes, creatine is viewed as a performance enhancing supplement by most, but never has been officially ruled that way. Reason being is there are no outlying side effects if taken with caution. Personally, I began taking creatine when I turned 17 and have felt amazing ever since. My muscle mass has stimulated along with my body weight due to the excess water stored within my muscles. Though many factors in my life have changed as well, my mental functions have improved astronomically and I have no reason to stop taking it. 

Conclusion

To conclude, creatine is a naturally occurring substance within many foods, but a daily dose can be taken to improve bodily functions: Enhance sports performance, promote muscle growth, improve mental clarity, and reduce muscle fatigue. In my personal opinion, creatine is worth the benefits, but if still on the fence, creatine is a highly studied field, so feel free to do more research. 

Introduction

Hello everyone, welcome back! Cardio, short for cardiovascular exercise, plays a vital role in improving overall health and fitness by maintaining a healthy heart and building up endurance. Including cardio in your daily workouts will help sustain a healthy weight, an energetic lifestyle, and several other bodily functions! Today, I will be discussing a few cardio exercises that you can easily take part in, whether it be in an actual gym or just outside!

Cardio Exercises

The cardiovascular system is the body’s most important system, ensuring blood distribution, nutrients, gasses, and waste products. Luckily enough, it can be conditioned by everyone, regardless of age! In my life, I enjoy incorporating thirty minutes of quality cardio, ensuring to switch up my exercises pretty often. To start the week off, on Mondays and Tuesdays, I will either run on the treadmill or outside for roughly thirty minutes. For many, the treadmill is easily accessible for those that do not feel like running outside, but the benefits may not be as great. Don’t get me wrong, cardio is cardio, but running outside has been proven to include more mental benefits. For example, running with fresh air will allow you to explore surroundings as well as supply an escape to those with anxiety or depression. However, the varying terrain may be harmful to some depending on location, which is something ownership a treadmill supplies to the user. Treadmills are engineered to absorb some impact of each step, ultimately making them “safer” than running outside. There are pros and cons for each, but switching between them is essential for determining the best fit for your body! Later on in the week, say Thursdays and Fridays, it is time to take on the StairMaster. Though stairs may seem to be a daunting task as they are portrayed in movies with rigorous training, such as “Rocky”, they are arguably more beneficial than regular running. Climbing stairs will not only condition your cardiovascular system, but will also target your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. Additionally, staying consistent will improve abdominal strength, reduce body weight, and provide knee relief. This low risk, high reward exercise is an essential part of maintaining a young, healthy body! Experts tend to recommend 150 minutes of cardiovascular conditioning a week, so over the weekend, either attack the StairMaster or treadmill again, or try biking. Again, for thirty minutes, either ride an exercise bicycle in the gym or a real bicycle outside. Both extend the positives and negatives from running outside or on the treadmill, so go out and experiment both! 

Conclusion

To conclude, partaking in cardiovascular training will enhance heart health, improve your endurance, and supplement mental clarity. For five days a week, thirty minutes each day, your body will be thanking you! If you have any suggestions for furthering this topic of discussion, feel free to comment below!

Introduction

Hello everyone, welcome back! I hope that this blog series has been and will continue to be beneficial to you all. Today, I will be discussing the importance of core strength, and why it is vital to have resilient abdominal muscles. Training your core will provide your body with improved stability, breathing, athletic ability, posture, and much more!

Abdominal Movements

Core workouts come in many different forms, however here are a few exercises that I value the most in my day-to-day routine. Typically post lift, I will begin with crunches for thirty seconds. This simple movement can be carried out while laying on your back with your heels near your butt. Then, simply sit up and lower your head back down to the floor, really working to feel a burn in your core. Next, quickly transition into flutter kicks for thirty seconds. Similar to six inches, you lay flat on your back, feet roughly six inches above the ground. When in position, quickly move your feet up and down in opposite directions. This will put a noticeable amount of emphasis on your abdominal muscles, which is optimal for progress. When the timer reaches zero, immediately begin Russian twists. For many, this exercise is difficult to maintain balance, so don’t be afraid to take this slow. Position your body in a V-shape on the ground, such that your feet and head are off the ground. As the name presents, you will then twist your torso, moving your hands from one hip to the other for 45 seconds straight. At the surface level, you may not feel anything, but through maintaining proper form and speed, you will by the end. Though your core may be on fire, one last movement is on the schedule: the plank. This stationary exercise takes the form of a stand push-up, but instead of resting your weight on just your hands, place both your forearms on the ground. The time is all dependent on how long you can hold yourself, so only drop when you can’t stay up anymore! I realize that you are confused why my workout only lasted a few minutes, but think again. Actually, repeat the process again! I wish you the best of luck!

Takeaways and Closure

To conclude, training your abdominal muscles is essential for maintaining core stability, which supports better posture in return. Additionally, a stronger core can lead to enhanced athletic performance and a reduced risk of injury. I hope you all give this a try and let me know thoughts and opinions below!

Introduction

Hi everyone, welcome back! I hope that you all enjoyed and potentially even benefited off my last post emphasizing the importance of exercise in your everyday life! Today, I will be discussing the significance of training your shoulders! Shoulders are a key contributor to arm mobility and your ability to carry out everyday tasks. Straining them is common, so maintaining strong, healthy shoulders is crucial! 

Shoulder Movements

The most important part of a shoulder workout is loosening up before you begin. Although stretching has unfortunately not been proven to reduce injury, it will maximize flexibility before getting physically active. A few beneficial shoulder stretches include cross body shoulder pulls, wall climbs, and shoulder rotation with rotation. Though they may sound complicated, everyone can participate! Personally, I have shoulder issues and wall climbs have been my best friend in my recovery process! You simply begin with your chest flat on a wall, and your hand at shoulder height. Then, slowly slide your hand up the wall as high as possible and hold the stretch for ten to thirty seconds. Repeat this a few times and you will feel rejuvenated! When ready, your workout can begin. The first exercise requires a barbell or dumbbells, whichever you have access to. The military press is a challenging, yet amazingly profitable movement that is a repeated motion of lifting the weight from under your chin to over your head. To ensure proper form and minimize the risk of injury, aim to raise and lower the bar at the same rate. Repeat this for eight to ten repetitions and three sets. If you do not have access to special gym equipment, do not worry! Healthy shoulders are not built by an excessive amount of weight, but much rather light movements targeting rotational abilities. For example, prior to my parents purchasing dumbbells, I searched for and utilized household items for weight! I understand that you may be confused by what I just said, but seriously! Lighter objects, such as canned goods, may sound skeptical, but will surely meet expectations. For beginners and experts, lateral front and side raises focus on the fibers within the deltoids, the primary muscle of the shoulder. Think of these variations as peanut butter and jelly. They complement each other without question. There are three main parts of a deltoid (lateral, anterior, and posterior), all of which will be activated! To execute these movements, start with your arms at your sides, then slowly raise them straight up, either forwards or to the sides. Repeat these movements for around ten to twelve repetitions for three sets. There are plenty of other shoulder exercises, so if these are not for you, feel free to venture out!

Takeaways and Closure

To conclude, training shoulders is vital for overall upper body strength and stability, as shoulders support everyday movements and activities. Also, training your shoulders helps improve your posture by strengthening the muscles that keep your shoulders stable, which lowers the risk of injuries and discomfort from poor alignment. If interested in a more in-depth workout, feel free to comment below!

Introduction 

Hi everyone, welcome back! I hope that you all enjoyed and potentially even benefited off my last post emphasizing the importance of exercise in your everyday life! Today, I will be discussing the significance of training your legs! Legs are crucial to strengthen as you utilize them in your everyday life. Not only will they provide a wider body stature, your efficiency in tasks will skyrocket as well! 

Leg Movements

Before we dive in, I want to stress the idea of quality over quantity. Many newcomers may be intimidated from the weight being thrown around from veteran lifters. It’s not the volume that created them, but much rather them who created their volume. The first of many exercises that you can carry out is the barbell back squat. This is a rather challenging one,but targets all parts of the leg. They also are proven to “spike muscle building hormone release,” resulting in a healthier lifestyle. To take out this movement, load a weight of your choice onto the barbell, and set the bar into the back of your shoulders (traps). Adjust the position of the barbell to comfort before starting. Next, squat down to the point where your hamstrings/quads are parallel with the floor, then stand back up. Repeat this for ten repetitions and three to four sets. For the next two exercises, they will require a machine. These typically can only be found in private gyms, but are very beneficial. The first is called leg extensions. Just like it sounds, your legs will start under your body, and you will extend your legs up, as straight as you can. To ensure optimal results, go until you cannot do any more. Repeat this movement for three sets. Then, transition to the hamstring curl machine. This can either be seated or lying down, whichever is more comfortable. Mirror the same repetitions and sets as leg extensions. If feeling confident, you can do a “superset”. This consists of doing one set of leg extensions, then quickly transitioning to hamstring curls for a set. If doing all of this correctly, your legs should feel like jello! If you don’t feel fully accomplished yet, you will after this last exercise. The Romanian deadlift (RDL) does not require an excessive amount of weight, but will humble you. This movement resembles a deadlift, but with straight legs all throughout. You can carry out this exercise with dumbbells or a barbell, but I prefer the barbell as heavier weight is easier to control. Keeping the barbell close to your legs and with a flat back, lower the weight towards your feet, igniting a deep stretch to your hamstrings. Then, controllably lift the weight back up. Repeat this motion for ten repetitions and three sets. 

Takeaways and Closure

To conclude, legs are an essential muscle group to strengthen as they play a vital role in the efficiency in your day-to-day activities. Be sure to share your thoughts, ideas, or concerns in the comments below. See you next week!

Introduction

Hello everyone, welcome back! I hope that you all tried out my favorite chest and tricep exercises at your local gym last week! Whether you do the exercises with heavy or light weight, they will ensure that your mind and muscles stay healthy. Today, we will be discussing a few back and bicep movements that will keep your upper body gains equal. Once again, I highly advise taking advantage of these as it will improve all motivational aspects in your life!

Back Movements

With millions of ways to carry out an effective workout, there are three main parts of the back that must be hit to see desired results: back extensors, latissimus dorsi (lats), and trapezius (traps).

Personally, exercising the back extensors include high risk, low reward movements that are not appealing to me. In my workouts, I begin on the lat pulldown machine, which will yield back “wings”. These “wings” flare horizontally on your back as you grow muscle, although the movement is vertical. In order to execute, grab the bar above your head, and maintaining control, pull the bar down to your upper chest. Do this for 3 sets, each going until failure. The next exercise will include a rowing motion. This horizontal pull will target your lats, traps, real deltoids, biceps, and your entire lower back. This optimal exercise requires a barbell, in which you slightly bend forwards while standing, and row the bar up to your hip section. Repeat this motion for around ten repetitions, for 3 sets. If forearms wear you out before finishing a set, you may want to indulge in lifting straps. These are designed to take the weight off of your grip, allowing you to focus on targeting your back!

Bicep Movements

To top off your amazing back workout, you should partake in a few bicep workouts. These quick, effective exercises really compliment a back workout as they are partially activated from the bent-over rows. There are two main parts to the bicep: short head and long head.

The first bicep movement is called the preacher curl, which will target the short head. For these, you are seated with your arms isolated on an angled surface in front of you. This will ensure that no other muscles can help your biceps pick the weight up. You can utilize a barbell or an ez bar during this movement. The ideal amount of sets is again, 3 sets until failure. In addition to this short head workout, the long head needs attention! One of my personal favorites to carry this out is the hammer curl. This motion is utilized with dumbbells, in which you simply curl the weight up to the pec muscle on their respective side. Alternating each arm typically allows one to focus more, an important part of maintaining proper form. These two simple exercises are all you truly need to see bicep growth!

Takeaways and Closure

To wrap it all up, similar to the chest and triceps, the back and biceps compliment each other very well. This is due to the activation of biceps during some back movements. Be sure to share your thoughts, opinions, or even your own back and bicep exercises down below!

Introduction

Hi everyone, welcome back! I hope that you all enjoyed and potentially even benefited off my last post emphasizing the importance of exercise in your everyday life! Today, I will be discussing the significance of training your chest and triceps. Strength training plays a tremendous role in my life as it not only improves looks, but also my day-to-day mentality. 

Chest Movements

Everyone will lift and exercise in their own unique way, but there are statistically proven methods that will yield optimal results. The chest has two main groups that must be targeted during chest days in order to experience these desired outcomes: sternocostal and clavicular. Personally, I enjoy starting my chest workout with flat bench press, usually progressing to three sets of five repetitions. This first movement will engage both parts of your chest, setting you up for a remarkable lift. The second activity I carry out is the incline dumbbell bench press. In a similar manner to before, I work up to a top set of eight repetitions. This movement will particularly target the clavicular (upper chest muscle fibers). The reason for only aiming for six reps is because low repetitions and high volume is the most ideal for muscle growth.

Tricep Movements

Accounting for two-thirds of your arms, triceps are a crucial factor in gaining muscle mass. It is typically seen that people train their triceps during their chest days because the flat and incline bench press both utilize triceps even though the chest is targeted. Two key exercises I include in my workout to secure the greatest gains are dips and overhead extension, likely known as “skullcrushers”. Dips can be carried out on various machines, but I tend to steer away from machines. This is a controversial movement since many are incapable of achieving the desired eight to twelve repetitions. In this scenario, the machine assisted dips are the way to go! If eight to twelve is a cakewalk, attach a belt to your waist and add weights. Whether machine or free weight, triceps will be emphasized, yet lower chest will be slightly active. The second exercise, overhead extensions, requires a dumbbell that you vertically move behind your head. These can be conducted sitting down or standing up, whatever is most comfortable! Once again, aim for the eight to twelve repetitions. 

Takeaways and Closure

In brief, the chest and triceps are a dynamic duo of muscle groups that utilize similar “push” movements, making them a tremendous pair for an optimal workout! Be sure to share your thoughts, ideas, or concerns in the comments below.

Introduction

Hello everyone! I welcome all of you to the first edition of my blog that will be focusing on the importance of health and fitness. Today, I will be discussing the benefits that accompany exercise in your daily life. Exercise is an essential commodity that is often overlooked because of the unnecessary rigorous tasks that flood the name.

Self-Confidence

According to a study managed by the National Library of Medicine, there is a clear-cut relationship between “physical activity and self-esteem”. Whether the extent of the exercise is vigorous or just moderate, the pain one endures will always be succumbed by the results. It was also concluded that the more effort devoted correlates with the sense of accomplishment one feels at the finish line. Not only will one begin to look better, their sense of superiority within everyday tasks will ascend as well.

Motivation

As of 2009, according to a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, only half the United States adults engage in the recommended physical activity mark per week. Lack of motivation to do such a simple task that yields extraordinary benefits can only predict a devasting future. The drive to do any task in life is essential, and validated by numerous research experiments, physical exertion accomplishes that.

Stress Reduction

As many will encounter, being the newbie in the gym is not for the weak-minded. Much rather, you feel a sense of intimidation. But, why? The answer is simple. You feel as if you do not belong. As Harvard’s Medical School puts it, the first steps are the hardest, “but as you get into shape, you’ll begin to tolerate exercise, then enjoy it, and finally depend on it”. Obtaining the sense of belongingness is crucial to furthering your mental. Exacerbating your physical stress during meticulous actions will relieve mental stress.

REM Slumber

As reported by Dr. Abhinav Singh, a sleep medicine physician at Sleep Doctor, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep provides five profound impacts: Dreaming, emotional processing, memory consolidation, brain development, and wakefulness preparation. But how does one achieve this REM sleep? The simple answer is that physically exhausting the brain will enforce an easier recovery process at night. Going to sleep tired will earn you a finer night of sleep, better prepping you for the upcoming day. In short, exercising fatigues your brain, producing a more recovering slumber that will be effortless to emerge from. Once you encounter REM, your brain will begin “to process new learnings and motor skills from the day”.