Tag: gym
Should You Have Sex Or Masturbate Before A Workout?
Should You Have Sex Or Masturbate Before A Workout?
There is a lot said about if you should have sex or masturbate before a workout. Every other person has their own opinions, but hardly any of these broscientists ever get it right. You certainly don’t want to be missing out on all the fun for nothing.
You might find yourself asking this question if you love your partner or yourself way too much. The idea of not making the most of your workouts can push you to stop pleasuring yourself before a workout and we certainly don’t want that.
The Broscientist Explanation
Masturbating or having sex is a physical task and some people believe it is exhausting enough to weaken you before your workouts. These people want you to save all your energy and do nothing before you hit the gym.
We have a question when it comes to this approach, what about the people who have physically taxing jobs? Are they supposed to quit their jobs just so they can get a good pump? We bet you’re smart enough to answer this for yourself.
This Is Why You Should Have Sex Or Masturbate Before A Workout
Releases Endorphins
Engaging in sexual activities is known to increase endorphin levels in your body. Endorphins are secreted from the brain and the nervous system. They have a number of psychological benefits, the biggest of which is to make you feel better and suppress pain.
Isn’t this what you want before a workout? Feeling happy and relaxed can help you get in a better workout. Don’t save sex just for the nights. What good is feeling joyful when all you have to do is go to sleep?
Increases Testosterone Levels In Men
Contrary to the popular belief, fapping or having sex can shoot up your testosterone levels. Most people think when they ejaculate, they’re wasting their precious testosterone. This is not the case. Your T-levels have nothing to do with ejaculating.
Testosterone is the male hormone which is responsible for the development of sex organs in men. Test is also the reason men develop muscles while women, who have estrogen (the lady hormone), can’t build the same muscle mass as men. There are many ways to improve your testosterone levels.
Looking for a top-rated test booster? Check out these top-rated testosterone boosters that can improve sex drive, impact muscle growth while also promoting masculine vitality, health, and virility.
If you start feeling fatigued with mood changes and a decreased sex drive, your testosterone levels may be on a serious decline. This is where test boosters can be your best friend to get you back to peak condition. Not only will these improve protein synthesis to make your gains huge, but with solid exercise, increased testosterone levels can help shed body fat, keep on lean muscle, and leave you with a stellar physique. Your energy levels will increase as will your sex drive and that sexual appetite will return. With an increased confidence and slender physique, you will be in awe of this new and improved you.
Ingredients tend to include Tribulus Terrestris, D-Aspartic Acid, Zinc, Magnesium, Maca, Fenugreek, Tongkat Ali, Mucuna Pruriens, and vitamin D. D-Aspartic Acid is a vital amino acid needed for boosting testosterone. It is responsible for releasing hormones and regulating the release of testosterone. Fenugreek is an herb known for boosting libido and increasing testosterone levels (1) to keep you interested and engaged with sex. Vitamin D is commonly absorbed through sunlight and is great for releasing luteinizing hormones which help to release testosterone (2). All of these ingredients work to your benefit to give you a great test booster to keep you running at maximum capacity.
The rise in your test levels can help you in your workouts by supplying you with energy and muscle pumps. A lot also depends on how you feel after fapping. Your psychological state plays a major role in how good your workouts are. If you feel getting laid will make you weaker, this is how you’re going to feel during your workouts. On the other hand, if you set up your mind that you’ll feel stronger after jerking off, you’re going to kill it in the gym.
Wrap Up
In the end, having sex or masturbating before a workout does little to affect your workouts. All that matters is you should be having fun in the gym. If you think you’ll have a better workout if you masturbate, by all means, knock yourself out. Similarly, if you think to restrain yourself from any physical pleasures will make your workouts more effective, you should do just that. Don’t just serve your time in the gym, make the most of it.
Do you masturbate or have sex before your workouts?
Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Hausenblaus, Heather (2018). “The efficacy of Fenugreek Supplementation on Men’s Health”. (source)
Lerchbaum, Elisabeth; Obermayer-Pietsch, Barbara (2012). “Vitamin D and fertility: a systematic review”. (source)
5 Ways To Build Muscle Outside The Gym and Recover Better
5 Ways To Improve Your Recovery and Build Muscle
Most people make the mistake of thinking that muscles are built while they’re working out in the gym. In reality, the opposite of this is true. You break down your muscle tissues while training and put on muscle size with the right recovery mechanism.
Some people overlook the role of rest and recovery in the muscle-building process and are frustrated when they don’t see results. If you can’t seem to build muscle even after following the right training plan, you’ve come to the right place.
Follow a Customized Diet
If your goal is to put on muscle mass or lose weight, you’ll have to follow a diet which is custom made for you. A customized diet plan is designed keeping your lifestyle, current and goal weight in mind.
No two people have the same lifestyle, goal or current weight and so following a vanilla nutrition plan isn’t going to do you any good. Keep your calories and macros (carbs, protein, and fats) in mind while designing your diet plan.
Kill The Stress Levels
An increase in stress levels is known to raise cortisol levels. A rise in cortisol levels can spike estrogen levels in men which can simultaneously lower the testosterone production. Testosterone is the male hormone responsible for the building of muscle mass and development of sex organs in men.
If you’re someone who can get worked up easily, you should figure out things which can help you calm down. Meditation, listening to calming music, going for walks, pleasure reading are a few things which many people find relaxing.
Focus on Your Sleep
Opposite of what people think, you build muscle mass or lose weight while you’re sleeping. Deep sleep allows for REM cycles to come into play, and optimize your release of testosterone while your muscles can truly rest.
If you want the optimal results, you need to make sure you’re getting anywhere between 7-8 hours of sleep every night. If you can’t get the total amount of hours in a single go, try taking a nap in the afternoon.
Reduce Your Soreness
Some of us love the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) we get after a brutal workout. While muscle soreness should be experienced periodically, especially if you’re trying to break a plateau, it isn’t recommended to have sore muscles every day.
Epsom salt baths, morning, pre and post stretching routines are a few ways of dealing with muscle soreness. Light steady-state cardio can be incredibly effective in reducing soreness by improving circulation as it sends oxygenated blood to the muscles.
Take Your Foot of The Gas
Sometimes the best way to build muscle can be to not train at all. If you’ve been training hard for a long period, you might be at risk of overtraining. Being in an overtrained state can negatively affect your nervous system and can cause more harm than good.
Our last advice would be not to get too worked up if you’re not seeing the desired results. Building your mental health should be as much a priority as building your muscles. Be willing to take periodic rest whenever necessary.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
How many hours a night do you sleep? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
These Are The Most Underrated Gym Exercises
Underutilized Exercises That Need To Try Today
No two exercises are created equal. Some exercises have gained a cult following and most people choose them over all the other options. There are some lifts which aren’t widely popular but can give you incredible results.
You should give these lifts a try as adding variety to your workouts can ignite growth by shocking your muscles. Warning – these exercises might look easy but will leave you on your knees by the end of the workout.
Rolling Barbell Chest Flyes
For this exercise, you’ll need two barbells. You need to place a 45lb plate at both the ends of the barbells. Get in position by placing the barbells at your sides so that they’re parallel to each other.
Slowly roll out the barbell mimicking the motion of dumbbell flyes. Extend your arms until your chest is a couple of inches off the floor. Return to the starting position by bringing the barbells close together and squeeze your pecs at the top of the movement.
Inverted Rows
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t always need to use weights to train your muscles optimally. The inverted rows train your lats, mid and upper back. You could perform this exercise in a squat rack, smith machine or with TRX straps.
Most people make the mistake of using momentum while performing the exercise. You need to be in total control throughout the movement and need to lift and lower your body at the same speed.
Zotterman Curls
Zotterman curls are a complete arm builder and you’ll hardly see anyone every performing this lift. This exercise should be a part of your arsenal as it trains both the heads of your biceps and your forearms.
At the start of the exercise, your palms should be facing each other. Curl the dumbbells as you raise them to your shoulders. Rotate your wrists to a pronated grip as you lower the weights to the starting position.
Bodyweight Extensions
The bodyweight extensions might look easy but your triceps will be asking for mercy by the end of the exercise. You can use a fixed barbell or a bench, and the height of the surface will depend on your experience level.
Grab a barbell with a shoulder wide grip and get in a push-up position. Slowly lower your body towards the barbell by bending at your elbows. The exercise should feel like the skullcrushers but instead of a barbell, you’ll be using your bodyweight.
Sissy Squats
Do not let the name fool you. There is nothing sissy about this movement. The teardrop in the quads can be one of the most stubborn muscles to develop. Sissy squats are a brutal exercise that can help in accentuating the conditioning of your quads.
Stand with your heels elevated shoulder-width apart. Slightly bend backwards creating a straight line with your body from your knees to your neck. Begin to lean your body backward as you bend at the knees going as low as you can without losing balance. Return to the starting position and repeat for the recommended reps.
How many of the exercises mentioned above have you tried? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Grow Your Calves Into Bulls With This One Simple Trick
This One Tip Will Turn Your Calves Into Bulls
I’ll come out clean; I suffered from CLS (chicken leg syndrome) for a long time. My quads and hams weren’t as big a problem as compared to my calves. Small calves can make your legs looks skinnier than they are.
You don’t want to be ridiculed for having a huge upper body and tiny legs. Having a weaker lower body can even have an adverse psychological effect on you. You might lose all your confidence in your physique if your legs are lagging.
Wearing track pants to the gym and outside isn’t a permanent solution to this problem. Arnold’s weakest body part was his legs. He turned this weakness into a strength by wearing shorts to the gym every day.
People made fun of him for his skinny legs. Arnie, being the champion he is, used this body shaming as a motivation. Look around in your gym, and you might see people with relatively weaker calves.
Other than genetics, the reason behind this could be the lack of knowledge and understanding. The broscientists at your gym might have convinced you to follow the ‘right approach’ to calf training and stick to a certain number of exercises, sets, and reps.
Doing The Wrong Thing
Most people make the mistake of doing the same exercises over and over again. The most amount of variation they have in their calf workouts is the weekly alternation between the standing and seated calf raises.
Calves being the stubborn muscle groups they are, can be one of the hardest to grow. You need to train your calves from all the angles to ensure an overall development. The standing variation targets the gastrocnemius while the seated version targets the soleus.
When it comes to calf training, some people treat it as accessory work and train them at the end of their leg workouts after they’re completely exhausted. You should be training your calves at the beginning of your workouts, especially if you have underdeveloped calves.
Calves Are Not Different
While most people like doing 12-15 sets while training every other muscle group, they stick with just three sets for their calves. You stand on your calves for entire days. You need to be doing more to shock them into growing.
You should be treating your calves just like all the other muscle groups. Aim to hit failure every time you’re training your calves. Regularly changing the intensity of your calf workouts will also take your gains to the next level.
Grow Your Calves Into Bulls
I had tried everything, the standing and seated calf machines, donkey calf raises, single leg calf raises and calf raises on the leg press, but nothing seemed to work for me. There was hardly any technique I didn’t use.
This was when I decided to return to the basics and move my way up. I quit using any weights. I realised people with small calves (me included) wasted a lot of their time on the calf machines lifting heavy weight just to compensate for their toothpick legs.
Ego lifting keeps these people from having a complete range of motion – which is detrimental in developing your calves. I then did something which might sound a little counterintuitive. I stopped training calves in the gym.
Get On Your Toes
There is a reason ballerinas have toned calves even when they have skinny legs. They spend most of their times on their toes. This puts all their body weights on their calves and ankles. I could see how this can be my ticket to bigger calves.
No, I didn’t signup for a ballerina class. Instead, I decided to train my calves every single day for the next one month at home, right before I go to bed. This proved to be the change my calves needed.
The Workout
This workout consists of only one exercise and one set. You will be doing 100 reps of standing calf raises. You need to make sure you’re on your toes at the top of the movement and squeeze the hell out of your calves.
Have all the tension on your big toe while lifting yourself. Don’t transfer your weight on the smaller toes. You should look like a ballerina standing on her toes while you’re at the top of the movement.
Stand beside a wall and follow the same movement and momentum throughout the exercise. Don’t hold onto or lean against the wall. Doing this can take off the tension from your toothpicks.
You don’t have to worry about the negative motion (below parallel) of this movement. Squeezing your calves at the top of the movement and coming back to the starting position is enough to get the gains going.
Slowly raise yourself during the concentric movement (going up) and follow the same motion on the eccentric part. Don’t drop like a bomb while coming down. Maintain a mind-muscle connection throughout the exercise.
The first time you try this workout, your calves will be on fire. Go to bed right after finishing the workout and give your body time to recover. As you get better, add 15 reps to this exercise. Aim for complete muscle failure at the end of this workout.
Which is the most effective workout according to you?
Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
6 Forgotten But Incredibly-Effective Exercises Which Need To Be Brought Back
Reliving the Golden Days
The beautiful sport of bodybuilding has evolved with time. Machines, juices, and glamour have taken over the bodybuilding world. Don’t get us wrong, we are not complaining, and neither is this article meant to compare the current bodybuilders with the good old days. We’re here to talk about the six forgotten exercises that need to be brought back for bodybuilding’s sake.
With the emergence of the online fitness scene, we see a lot of “influencers” posting their workouts online. We can’t help but notice how different their workouts are from the typical old-school training routines.
It’s almost as if the workout vanity is as important as the physiques that are a result of it. Now, there is nothing wrong with that but we miss watching nasty bodybuilders grunting through their workouts in pain, sweat, and sometimes even blood.
We have put together a list of exercises that were a hit with the golden-age bodybuilders but have now faded with time. Make these exercises a part of your exercise arsenal if you love the golden-age aesthetics as much as we do.
6 Forgotten But Incredibly-Effective Exercises Which Need To Be Brought Back
Bench Tricep Dips
Imagine a sunny day in LA, and now picture yourself in a bare-bone gym in California surrounded by jacked dudes sporting staches, wearing tank tops and short shorts. Yep, we just narrated a scene out of the legendary documentary – Pumping Iron, and this is going to the theme of the article.
The triceps are an overlooked muscle. They don’t get the same love as their siblings – biceps. When people think “arm training” they usually picture themselves curling heavy dumbbells. Hardly anyone imagines themselves performing skullcrushers when arm training is brought up.
The bench tricep dips are on the verge of extinction and need to be rescued.
Steps:
Place your hands at a shoulder-width distance on a bench and lockout your elbows.
Your arms should be perpendicular to the floor at the top of the movement.
Extend your legs until your upper legs are parallel and your lower legs are perpendicular to the floor.
Place your feet flat on the floor.
Slowly lower your upper body until your chest reaches bench height.
Return to the starting position with an explosive movement and repeat for the recommended reps.
Modification: If you find this exercise too easy, you could add resistance by keeping your feet on an elevated platform or do what Arnold did – place a few weight plates on your lap and knock out the reps until the horseshoe muscles pop out at the back of your arms.
Barbell Wrist Curls
A few more years and you’ll only see people perform the barbell wrist curls in old bodybuilding videos or if a bodybuilding museum opens up someday. Forearms, these days, are considered nothing more than accessory muscles. People slap on a couple of fatgrips on their dumbbells or barbells and call it a day.
Steps:
Keep your forearms and elbows flat on a bench while holding a barbell with an underhand grip.
Curl the barbell using your wrists and pause at the top of the movement for a couple of seconds.
Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired reps.
Mod: While holding the barbell with an underhand grip targets the sides of the forearms, grabbing the bar with an overhand grip will work the top of your forearms. Don’t let your ego get the better of you while performing this exercise. Use weights you’ll be able to follow a full range of motion with.
Donkey Calf Raises
Back in the day, hitting the gym was about training with buddies. These days, machines and Instagram have consumed the roles of training partners. Most people like working out on machines in isolation.
We would recommend performing the donkey calf raises with people on your back as it adds a new dimension to your training – stability. Aesthetics are fine but you should also focus on training for functionality. Donkey calf raises ranks high on the list of forgotten exercises that need to be brought back.
Steps:
Place your toes on an elevated platform.
Bend over at your hips so that your upper body is taken out of the equation. It’s best to perform this exercise near a bench press or a smith machine as you’ll have something to hold on to.
Ask your training partner to hop onto your back while you perform the calf raises with a full ROM.
Hold and squeeze the life out of your calves at the top of the exercise.
Cross-Bench Dumbbell Pullovers
Dumbbell pullovers are one of the best exercises for building a V-tapered back, and yet only a few people consider adding them to their training routines. Performing the cross-bench dumbbell pullovers with a strict form will help open up your rib cage and add muscle mass to your lats.
Steps:
Lie down on a bench with your shoulder placed on the pads.
Grab a dumbbell with both your hands over your chest.
While keeping your elbows locked out, slowly lower the dumbbell until it is a few inches off the floor.
Return to the starting position and repeat for the recommended reps.
Keep your hips low to the ground and make sure you don’t lift them while you’re performing the exercise.
Arm Blaster Curls
The arm blaster curls have to be one of the most badass bicep exercises of all times. We still don’t understand how it lost its charm with time and ended up on a list of forgotten exercises. If your gym doesn’t have an arm blaster, add one to your gym bag, and your arms will thank you later.
Steps:
Adjust the arm blaster so it fits snugly under your chest.
Place the back of your elbows on the pads and grab a barbell while your arms are fully extended in front of you.
Curl the barbell by bending at your elbows with a strict form.
Only your lower arms should move while your upper arms stay in place.
Roman Chair Situps
How often do you see the current Mr. Olympias train abs on a Roman chair? Back in the day, a Roman chair was a staple in an ab training routine. The Roman chair situps can be much harder than normal crunches as it requires a lot more control from your stabilizers and a strong core.
Steps:
The Roman chairs usually have a lot of moving parts so you’d want to have the roller height and seat distance adjusted right.
Once you’re in position, place your hands on your chest or behind your head.
Slowly lower your torso backward until you’re at least parallel to the floor.
Return to the starting position with a slow and controlled motion.
Mod: You could make the exercise harder by adding resistance to the mix. Hold a dumbbell or a weight plate in front of your chest and perform the exercise to failure.
Do you use any of these forgotten exercises in your workout schedules? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
5 Gym Habits You Should Follow Post COVID
Gym Hygiene Habits To Live By
As much as it might sting, the fact is COVID-19 is here to stay. We should make peace with it and develop healthy habits to combat it. If you think you’re safe from the deadly disease because you’ve got the shots, think again. The effectiveness of the vaccines lasts for a year at max.
The novel coronavirus has permanently changed personal hygiene and how we interact with each other. We’ll soon see the vaccine shots taking the form of antibiotics and face masks becoming a norm.
On top of that, gyms aren’t the most hygienic places. It’s not uncommon to see a sweaty bro covering the benches and equipment with his bodily juices. It has also been found that viruses like corona can spread through the air. The proximity of people in the gyms and ample respiratory droplets in the air make it a fertile breeding ground for the virus.
5 Gym Habits You Should Follow Post COVID
Carry a Towel
If you weren’t carrying a towel already, you are a part of the problem. After the pandemic, you should ideally carry two towels to the gym. One for your face and the other for wiping down the gym equipment.
A very common mistake that most people make is that they keep their towels at random places while they’re doing their set. You don’t want other people touching and handling your wipes. If a single person has touched your towel, it beats the purpose of carrying it in the first place.
Also, for the love of God, stop using your t-shirt to wipe your face. Your t-shirt is full of germs by the end of the day, and then you wear it to the gym and use your sleeve to wipe off the sweat. If you’re so keen on getting an infection, you should rather ask someone to sneeze in your face.
Don’t Use The Gym’s Waterbottles
Many gyms provide you with water bottles and hand towels when you walk in for your workout. Although these gyms might be following the safety precautions, you shouldn’t push your luck too hard.
You should also avoid using your gym’s water cooler, toilets, saunas, and spas. Hit the gym for weight training and leave at the earliest. While you’re on your way out, make sure you don’t stop at the gym’s cafe.
A study conducted by Nature found that gyms are among the four riskiest places for transmission. They acted as “super-spreading” sites for COVID-19 transmission last spring, accounting for the majority of new infections in large U.S. cities. Good luck getting this out of your head the next time you step inside a gym.
Sanitize
Sanitization is the name of the game when it comes to keeping your hands clean of any viruses and bacteria. You should train at a gym that has dedicated staff for sanitizing the equipment every time someone uses it.
Carrying a hand sanitizer to the gym is also a good idea. If your gym doesn’t have staff for sanitizing the equipment, limit your workouts to a minimum of equipment and do the dirty work of cleaning the machines yourself.
Many people have a habit of touching their faces and wiping off sweat with the back of their hands. You should make sure you don’t touch your face without sanitizing your hands. After you’re done with your workouts, wash your hands thoroughly for at least one minute without fail.
Wear Masks
Wearing masks can be irritating, we know, but nothing is more effective at blocking contagious viruses, and it should definitely be a part of your gym habits. There are many kinds of masks in the market these days – designer, artistic, and whatnot but the most effective ones are surgical and N95s.
Surgical masks are a great fit for the gym as they are light and stretchable. On the other hand, working out in N95s can give you the experience of training in an elevation mask.
Many people have the habit of wearing the same masks for weeks. Once their mask gets visibly dirty, they wash it and start wearing it again. You should use a new mask every day. Surgical masks are great for this cause because they are budget-friendly and effective.
Select Your Gym Timings Wisely
You don’t want to be hitting the gym at the peak hours which usually are 5-9 am and 6-10 pm. If your schedule allows, ask your gym management when the iron paradise is the least crowded and book a training session at that time.
Another benefit of training at a ‘quiet’ time is that your workouts will be shorter as you won’t have to wait for your turn at the busy machines. Plus, you don’t have to worry about making sweat babies with the “corona is a scam” guy.
If you go to the gym just for cardio, you should probably explore other options like hitting the track or buying cardio equipment for home. Considering the current situation, if you can do something out in the open, you don’t want to be doing the same thing in a room full of 50 people.
Bonus: Choose Your Gym Carefully
Covid-19 has changed how you should choose a gym. Except for the usual machines, equipment, free weights, you should now also check if the gym has proper ventilation and if they have air purification systems installed at the facility.
We saw a rise in the pod-gym culture after the gyms started opening up after coronavirus. Expect this to become a new standard in one form or the other. Boutique franchises that offer classes to a fixed number of people at a time like Rise Nation, DanceBody, SoulCycle will be big beneficiaries of this culture.
You should opt for the gym which avoids cross-contamination with the right capacity, cleaning, and ventilation. A gym that makes temperature checks, wearing masks, using sanitizers mandatory, and requires you to pre-book your workout time slot should be preferred.
Do you follow any of the gym habits mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
Mental Health – How a Bodybuilder Can Improve it?
One of the most common questions bodybuilders think about is the necessary factor that helps them stand out from the rest and make their place in big competitions like IFBB. Most of the answers you will get on the internet revolve around taking care of your diet, exercising, and buying nutritional supplements to boost your performance in powerlifting bodybuilding for success. But the single most influential component that will take you places no matter which competition you are preparing remains one – your mindset and mental health.
Without having the optimum cognitive function and a sense of mental wellbeing, you cannot stay motivated and strategic for building up those big muscles you need to win any competition. This is especially true for big contests like IFBB in which you are already facing lots of stress and trying to figure out a way how you can beat the stress and leave nothing to go unnoticed while you train for the big game.
If you want to really know how to become a huge muscle guy, you need to focus on the roots first. This is how you will be able to get to the level you aspire to be. Your roots, in a literal sense, start from your attitude. Let’s find out some ways you can amplify your mental health with the best tactics around:
1. Practice Discipline
Practicing discipline helps you train your mind to come in the form it needs to perform at its best. When you are disciplining yourself, you are getting into the training mode. Make a note of whatever diet, supplements, and steroids you are consuming and track your intake by the end of the day. Instead of getting carried away by a lazy routine, schedule your day, and make your mind to practice working on fixed timing.
If you have an endurance training session at 6 in the morning, get up at least an hour ago and prepare yourself for it. It might seem a thing of the military for you, but discipline in itself is a great form of self-care. Not only are you training your mind to beat the competition this way, but also you are giving your mind a huge favor in getting goal-oriented and healthy.
2. Fix your Sleeping Hours
For bodybuilders, every second can be a deciding factor for your progress. This holds true, especially in big competitions where you have to compete with a lot many around you, and a minute of more sweat than the other competitor might be the differentiating factor in your success. So, make sure while you stay careful about making every minute matter, you pay enough attention to your training and resting hours. In this regard, taking care of your sleeping cycle remains a prominent factor.
Make sure if you get 7 hours of uninterrupted REM sleep, you stick to these hours. Anything less or more might disturb your whole training regime, especially when the competition you are training for is big and you got nothing to lose. This will also help boost your mental performance as your brain will stay alert, and your circadian rhythms would not interfere in your routine.
Must Read:: The Importance of Sleep for Bodybuilders
3. Take Brain-Friendly Foods
You can take a diet rich in omega fatty acids, natural serotonin-producing foods, and antioxidants for improving your mental health. Taking antioxidants can also benefit your mind in terms of reducing chances of inflammation, which often appear as “brain fog” and does not let you think clearly like you ought to think. To maximize your brain’s potential, you need to take foods such as fish, green and leafy vegetables, liver and liver oil, walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, and other types of seeds, and consume healthy proteins cooked through steam or hot oven.
Brain on FOOD > > HERE
You need to be careful about the type of food you are consuming in your daily routine and consider the sources. For example, taking too much processed food is not only going to affect your physical performance but also make cognitive factors such as decision-making abilities weaker than usual. Make sure you stick to nature and only include foods that add to your mental and physical health.
Staying hydrated is also a key element to staying mentally sharp and active as you train and get ready for the big day. If you do not consume sufficient water, you will feel that you lack the general will power, confidence, and the energy it requires to work on the body you want. Also, the depletion of electrolytes will make it even harder for you to stay in the right state of mind and exercise. Drinking enough water to balance out the sweat is of significant importance when it comes to taking care of mental health.
Read this Article:: Drink More Water If You Want To Lose Weight And Build Muscle Fast
4. Play Mind Sharpening Games
While you are training and exercising throughout the day to keep your mind alert, it is also essential that you play some mind sharpening games for better performance and training. As you play these games regularly, you will note you have less mental fatigue than usual, and you can get much better results while you are training and building your muscles. In a way, these games are helping you to create more accuracy and agility in the mind that ultimately helps you in improving your cognitive performance by the day.
Mind Delights > > Buy Now
For the right brain, you can do activities that revolve around you being creative:
Writing.
Abstract thinking.
Reading.
Painting.
Playing an instrument, and others.
For the left brain, you can focus on playing mind-sharpening games such as:
Solving crossword puzzles.
Playing scrambles.
Playing brain teasers and trivia quizzes.
Solve logic problems and others.
These activities will keep you in the fresh state of mind that will ultimately help you boost your performance and keep you ready for the big competition ahead. With better mental agility and an increased concentration, you will feel at your best and be able to outrank your competitors in a better way through sparing a few moments of the day to do such activities.
5. Experiment with Different Exercises
Only warmup, workouts, pieces of training, and cool-downs are not enough to keep your performance at best. Though exercises and workouts help to improve your mental health, taking out some time to engage yourself in doing rhythmic exercises that involve rhythmic breathing and a present state of mind will help you increase will power and concentration that you need to get better at the game and outrank other competitors. These exercises involve yoga, meditation, martial arts, judo karate, and other ancient techniques that satisfy both your mind and body to engage well with each other.
You will note that your mind will be better able to find a balance and perform better in training as well as the competition day. Such exercises will help get the better circulation of nutrients and oxygen towards your brain and get you in the right state of mind.
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6. Take Care of Steroid Cycles
Bodybuilders might take steroids that increase the testosterone level in the body, which ultimately helps in improving performance at the competition with better muscles and higher core strength. People show their concern over the use of steroids on their psychological health – but facts have revealed that such effects occur when these steroids are taken in excessive amounts, or the steroid cycles are disturbed. In many cases, bodybuilders who experience such negative consequences are unknowingly taking steroids that are not manufactured in accordance with the law.
To make sure you do not get any adverse effects on your mental health through steroids, you need to take some measures and take great care of your steroid cycles. Moreover, legal steroids should be taken that mostly contain creatinine. A natural steroid that yields faster muscle recovery, and better muscle buildup.
Steroid Cycles > > HERE
To avoid any danger to mental health, it is essential you take steroids in cycling, a relatively safer method to consume steroids as compared to stacking, pyramiding, or plateauing, all of which might lead to substance abuse. Cycling involves taking multiple doses of the legal steroid in a specific amount of time and waiting for the dose to complete its effect. For better maintenance of mental health, it is essential you take care of the method you use for taking the recommended steroids and the total dosage of the product.
Overall
While anyone can follow strict diet routines and do training sessions for getting big muscles for the competition. A more necessary thing to remember is to get prepared from the inside – something not possible without having a great mental state of wellbeing – through better mental health. If you are not strong enough from the inside to bear the intense pressure and stress of the game, your muscles, no matter how big they are built, cannot help you win. Winners in such sports know that the real competition begins at the mind. It is one of the factors that differentiate a pro from an amateur.
5 Home Gym Essentials To Build A Great Body
Introduction Home Gym Essentials
So far, 2020. was a hectic year, and it will undoubtedly be remembered in history primarily because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus took us all by surprise, and it hit many industries hard, including travel, airlines, but it also shook the fitness world. Gyms were always an oasis of health, but all of a sudden, they became unsafe, and in many countries, they are still closed. Even if they are open, exercising with masks and latex gloves is anything but pleasant. Because of all this, many people are turning to working out at home with Home Gym Essentials.
While you can do a lot with just your bodyweight, having some home gym essentials will make your workouts much better, helping you build a great body from the comfort (and safety) of your home. In this post, we will give you five pieces of equipment that will allow you to hit every muscle in your body but won’t hit your budget too hard, so make sure you read it through.
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#1: A Pull-up Bar
Buying a pullup bar is an absolute must for any home workout. Without it, doing pullups and chinups is next to impossible. Sure, you can try doing them on a door, or on a tree branch outside. But, considering that you can get a decent pullup bar for cheap and that it lasts a long time, it is one of the best fitness investments you can make.
Pull-up Bar > > Buy Now
The most obvious thing you can do on a pullup bar is pullups and chinups. These exercises are hard and are one of the best ways to train your back, primarily lats. Having developed lats will give width to your frame. Besides lats, pullups, and especially chinups, hit your biceps and will help you build nice looking hands. Also, you can do scapular retractions on a pullup bar, which will help your posture.
Besides pullups, you can use the bar to do hanging leg raises, which is one of the best exercises to target your lower abs, but it hits the full six-pack.
And of course, you can use the pullup bar for hanging and stretching. Hanging from a bar is one of the best things you can do for your shoulders, as it decompresses them. It also stretches your lats and is good for your spine. Hanging from a bar is something you should definitely include into your routine, and if you install a bar in your doorway, you can do it every time you get in or out of your room.
#2: A Pair Of Adjustable Dumbbells
The most versatile piece of exercise equipment you can buy is certainly a pair of dumbbells. Even though you can technically do all the exercises with one dumbbell, it is not convenient, and a workout will take you twice as much time as you will have to switch sides all the time, so get a pair.
Yes 4 All Adjustable Dumbells > > HERE
A single pair of dumbbells will hit every single muscle in your body. Also, exercising with dumbbells enables you to do one side at a time, and will fix imbalances as the stronger side will never take over the load.
Also, it is very important to get a pair of adjustable dumbbells, unless you have the budget to buy a whole set of fixed-weight dumbbells. Adjustable ones will save you a lot of space, and will still allow you to perform the exercises with optimal weight. Yes, you won’t be able to switch between exercises instantaneously like when working out at the gym, as you will have to readjust the dumbbell. But if you plan your workouts well, you will be able to do more than one exercise with the same weight.
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#3: A Jump Rope a Home Gym Essentials
With a pullup bar and a pair of dumbbells, you will be able to hit all of the muscle groups in your body, which will help you gain size and strength. However, one big thing will still be missing from your workout – cardio. Unfortunately, most cardio machines such as treadmills, stationary bikes and rowing machines are very expensive, and they take up a lot of space, requiring a dedicated exercise room. But, there is one piece of cardio equipment you can buy for cheap, and carry around with you anywhere you go – a jump rope.
DEGOL Skipping Rope > > Buy Now
Rope skipping is an excellent form of cardio which will burn a tone of calories, helping you trim down fat. Also, it is very safe, especially if you jump with two legs. Because you are not jumping high, the impact on the ankles and knees is minimal, and you won’t have any issues with a jump rope even if you are a bit overweight.
Also, jumping a rope helps your hand-eye coordination, and is an enjoyable activity, especially because you can try different jump rope techniques and figures.
Furthermore, you can combine it with other types of bodyweight cardio such as burpees, to create intense HIIT sessions that re guaranteed to burn a lot of fat, helping you get shredded.
#4: An Adjustable Exercise Bench
Although you can perform most exercises on the floor, yoga mat, or your furniture, an adjustable gym bench will make your workouts more convenient. You will be able to exercise correctly and with proper form, which will reduce the injury risk, and also promote muscle building.
VIGBODY Bench > > Buy Now
If you can, buy an adjustable bench. This will allow you to do more exercise by changing the incline. Training muscles from multiple angles will trigger even more growth, and you will start noticing results in no time at all. A good adjustable bench will allow you to go decline as well, which will open new possibilities, especially when training abs and chest. But, any kind of exercise bench is a much better option than using home furniture, as the improved stability will decrease the injury risks.
Also, if you get a foldable bench, as soon as you finish your workout, you can store the bench under your bed, or in the closet. That will save you a lot of space, which is important if you don’t have a dedicated exercise room.
#5: A Set Of Quality Resistance Bands
We talked about how dumbbells are the most versatile piece of gym equipment, and that is something you can say for resistance bands too. In fact, because resistance bands weight much less than dumbbells, they are an excellent travel companion, and you will be able to carry them anywhere with you. Also, they are much more affordable than dumbbells, which is also worth mentioning.
Renoj Resistance Bands > > HERE
What makes resistance bands unique is that the tension increases as the band stretches. This allows you to train your muscles in a new way, quite different than free weights. So, even if you own dumbbells, combining them with resistance bands will make your workout perfect.
Also, some exercises such as band pullaparts are a great way to improve your posture, and you can only do them with bands. Furthermore, bands are one of the safest ways to train your muscles, and the injury risk is minimal. They are an excellent option for rehabilitation and will help you work around your injuries, which is why you can see them in rehabilitation centres around the globe.
Conclusion
If you buy a pullup bar, dumbbells, jump rope, adjustable bench and resistance bands, all this Home Gym Essentials, you will have more than enough equipment to start working out from the comfort of your home. This will keep you occupied until the gyms reopen, at least. And who knows, maybe you will decide that you like working out at home more and decide to continue doing so even when the COVID-19 pandemic passes.
Of course, you can invest in bigger pieces such as home gym machines, but they take up much more space and are more expensive. There are also many other budget accessories you can buy, such as foam rollers, that are a good investment, but you can hardly consider them as an essential.
Overall
In fact, if you are really strapped for cash, get only the first three items from the list. With a pullup bar, two dumbbells and a jump rope, you will be able to do a great workout, building both strength and endurance. An adjustable bench and resistance bands will only push that workout to the next level, so get those when you can too. Just remember, hoarding the equipment won’t replace working out, so no excuses – get some Home Gym Essentials, and start working out today!
5 Fitness Tips While Gyms Are Closed
Fitness Tips
COVID-19 still hasn’t gone away, and unfortunately, it will stay with us for a while, at least until scientists come up with an effective vaccine. While all areas of life are affected, gyms are one of those places that are hit hard. Because a lot of people exercise in a constricted space, touch the equipment on the same spots, and spend time indoors, in a (poorly) artificially ventilated space. In many countries, gyms are still closed, as they are a perfect place to spread the virus. Sure, maybe they are still open in your country, but going there isn’t that smart. Fitness Tips are one of he best things you can know in nowadays.
Plus, you will need to wear a mask and protective gloves, and watch out for other gym goers that come near. Making sure you are keeping a proper distance. All of that is anything but comfortable, which is why people ask how to stay fit while gyms are closed. At least until this COVID-19 nightmare passes.
This article will tell you all about that, giving you 5 Fitness Tips on how to stay fit during the pandemic. Tips are quite simple, and it won’t require too much effort or preparation to follow them, only some dedication, so start by reading the article to the end.
First Things First – What Will You Miss The Most
This article is intended for people who don’t have a full home gym set up in their garage. If you do – good for you! If you have all the equipment at home, you won’t miss anything but hotties exercising around you, and bros to talk about your PRs. But, for the rest of us, things will be much different. Most people go to the gym because of the equipment there. Tones and tones of weights (literally), machines, cardio equipment, all ready to use immediately.
If your #1 goal is to get bigger and stronger, the thing you will miss the most when not working out at the gym will be the weights. Without appropriate free-weight equipment, you will not build strength and size the way you were used to, and you will have to adjust.
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Lack Of Adequate Weight Issues
And if you don’t have a barbell with the needed weight, your strength lifts will suffer the most. If you don’t do squats, deadlifts, and presses, your numbers will drop, and there’s no way to avoid that.
However, the good news is that muscle memory exists, and you will be back to where you were as soon as you get back to the gym. Also, if you continue to exercise with what you have, you will prevent muscle decay. Which will also contribute to getting your numbers back to where they used to be.
As for the size, there are more options to keep it (which we will discuss later), but again, without a good old barbell. You can’t expect the same amount of gains you had when visiting the gym regularly.
What To Focus On of this Fitness Tips?
Your focus when not visiting the gym should be a bit different – staying fit. While being strong and big is also a part of fitness, now that you don’t have access to gym equipment is an excellent time to work on other fitness areas you were lacking.
While strength and size do get the hype, there are other things you can focus on to get fitter – getting leaner, increasing endurance, power, mobility, flexibility, improving nutrition. In the sections below, we will talk about all of them. Giving you ideas that will help you create interesting routines that will keep you busy and make you healthier.
1 Clean Up Your Nutrition – one of the best Fitness Tips
When your main goal is to get as big as possible, and to lift as much as possible, having clean nutrition is not exactly the priority. As a meathead, you are probably looking to get as much fuel as possible. As long as it has protein and calories in it, it’s good. The only exception would be the cutting season, where you do watch out what you eat. But, let’s face it, you are mostly compensating for poor nutrition by lifting super hard.
However, now that the gym is unavailable, continuing to eat the same way will result in you getting fat. To prevent that from happening, it is a good idea to clean up your eating habits.
Now that you are spending more time home, try to prepare most of your meals yourself. In other words, stay away from junk food. If you are working from home, there is absolutely no reason why you should eat on the street or order delivery from fast-food restaurants. Also, try to ditch soda and sweets too. Opt for cleaner, home-cooked food, at least for the majority of what you eat.
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Also, make sure you keep the relative protein intake high. Switching to clean eating will probably result in eating fewer calories, which is likely to put you in a caloric deficit. To ensure you are preserving muscle mass, eat enough protein, around 1 gram per pound of body weight per day. Meat, eggs, cheese, peanuts but also protein powders are all viable sources to get quality protein. Of course, to preserve muscle mass you need to exercise too; only eating protein alone is not enough.
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2 Get Some Essential Equipment
Bodyweight exercises are an excellent way to keep your muscles engaged when you are not able to visit the gym. That makes them a perfect option for home quarantine workouts, but also for traveling. And if you are creative, you can train any muscle group without any equipment. You can use chairs to perform dips, tables to do rows, or door for pull-ups. But, that will only get you so far, and it will be a much better decision to get some > > GYM Essential fitness equipment for home gyms.
Getting just a pair of heavy dumbbells and a pull-up bar will give you so many workout options, which makes these two pieces of equipment an absolute must. The good news is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get them. Also, if you are really short on funds, getting a pair of used dumbbells is going to be even cheaper. However, visiting garage sales is not exactly the brightest idea during a pandemic.
Dumbbells > > HERE
Of course, the more money you have, the more equipment you can get. Just be careful about constricted space, as gym equipment tends to be large, exercise machines especially.
3 Focus On Other Training Modalities
Considering that exercising at home means limited weights, you will need to be creative when creating workout plans. Things are easy at the gym – you just try to lift more weight than the last time. Because you have more weights than you will ever need around, you will always have a challenging number of plates on both sides of the bar.
Pull-Up Bar > > HERE
At home, things are different. Even if you have a pair of quality heavy adjustable dumbbells, you will probably find the weight lacking at some point, especially on compound movements such as deadlifts, presses, and squats. Plus, you will always be able to lift more with a barbell, as it is a two-handed exercise, which is why relying on weight alone is not a valuable option if you want to continue progressing. So, what are your other options? Here are some:
Increase volume – the most obvious thing to do when you don’t have access to heavy weight is to increase the number of reps and sets you do. You will hardly beat your one-rep deadlift PR when exercising at home. Instead, increase the number of sets and reps you perform, and go closer to failure. More sets will tax your body in a different way, and your workouts will feel harder. However, increasing volume taxes your CNS less than lifting more weight, which will mean better recovery.
Increase frequency – because lighter weights don’t tax the body as much, you will be able to train more often. This will keep you busy, keep things interesting, and also burn more calories. Of course, it is still a good idea to spread out your workouts and avoid doing the same muscle groups in consecutive days. But training 5-6 times per week when weights are lower is doable if you plan it right.
FLYBIRD > > HERE
Decrease rest time – when weights are lower, there is absolutely no reason why you should rest as much as you did at the gym. So, forget about 5-minute rest between sets. Three minutes tops is more than enough for most movements. Cutting rest times will make the workouts more challenging, giving your muscles new growth stimulus. So try out different options in the 30 seconds to three-minute range.
Try supersets and giant sets – another great wat to decrease rest times is to perform supersets and giant sets. That way, you are still working out, but you are resting muscle groups that were active in one exercise while you perform the other. This is a great way to get conditioning as well as to build muscles, all that while saving time.
Slow down – Another option to make workouts more challenging is to slow down on the eccentric (lowering) part of the lifts. This will hit your muscles hard and will cause a lot of soreness the next day. So make sure you use this tactic sparingly. It is effective, but if you are too sore the next day (or the day after that), you won’t be able to work out at all.
Try isometrics – performing isometric hold in the most challenging portions of exercises (such as the bottom of the squat) is extremely hard and will force your muscles to work overtime. Isometric holds kill inertia, which means no cheating. That will force your muscles to do all the work, and in the most challenging position there is, spurring new growth.
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4 Doing Some Mobility Work Won’t Kill You
This article is about getting fit, and even though most guys only care about size and somewhat strength, mobility will keep you healthy in the long run. Therefore, use this opportunity, and do some mobility work to fix those imbalances years of neglect created.
Working on your mobility and flexibility will not only make you feel better as it will take care of those nagging pains and clicks you feel often, it will also keep you injury-free. So, by taking care of your body now, you will develop good habits. All of which will help you prevent injuries when you do get back to the gym. And no injuries means more time spent lifting, which will translate to more gains and new personal records. In other words, not only that a little yoga or foam rolling won’t kill you. It can help you get bigger and stronger, just indirectly.
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5 Train Outside
Lastly, we have another part of fitness that meatheads avoid – cardio. Yes, running on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike is boring, there’s no denying that. That’s why you’ve always made excuses not to do cardio. But, things have changed, and now that you don’t go to the gym it’s time to work on your cardio by exercising outside.
Walking, jogging, or cycling outside is much more fun than doing the same activities indoors. You get to enjoy nature, spend time on the fresh air, in a corona-safe environment. Of course, all that while burning fat and working on your conditioning. Furthermore, you can stop at a local park and do a few sets on a pull-up bar or dip station. Also, it will help you build muscle mass, making outside exercise a win-win situation. So don’t avoid it anymore, lace your shoes, and hit the track today!
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Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways to stay fit (or get fit) even without gyms. What’s more important, you will still continue to exercise regularly, and you won’t lose that valuable habit. And as soon as the gyms open, you will get back where you belong. Getting your gains and PRs back where they belong too. And who knows, you might keep some of the habits build during the quarantine too, even after you get back to the gym.
So stay persistent, and make sure you exercise regularly, no matter which type of activity you choose. Let us know in the comments below how you are getting buy during the pandemic? How you are managing to stay fit when gyms are not available.