Category: Exercises and Workouts

There are several misconceptions and myths about the fitness of women. Due to the lack of awareness, many people have unrealistic expectations from their workout regimes. But the fact is that women do have the ability and the strength to achieve great heights even from their regular regime. Therefore today, we are going to bust all the myths associated with female fitness and help you get a rational understanding of the same.

The Most Common Fitness Myths

There are many self-appointed experts available who will provide you with completely unreliable information online. As a result, most people, especially women tend to get confused about whether resistance training is good for you. We will here differentiate between the facts and the fiction. This will help you to make good progress and achieve your fitness goals.

Myth 1: Strength Training will Make a Woman Bulkier

This is one of the biggest myths about women’s fitness. The fact, however, is quite different. Strength training will not make a woman bulky until she supplements herself with testosterone and the calorie intake is much higher than the calorie burning.

The body of a woman naturally produces some amount of testosterone but it is just 10% of the testosterone that is produced in the man’s body. So the amount is not high enough to get a bulkier body that of a man. On the other hand strength training builds and tones the muscles and also raises the metabolism rate. You will certainly find more definition in your muscles after strength training but it will not make you bulky.

There have also been some studies that show that if you train with heavy weights, then you will also be able to lose weight. Moreover, strength training prevents muscle loss and also increases bone density. So if you start lifting weights now, it will certainly have a positive impact on your health and mobility in the coming days. It will also help you to stay fit after menopause.

Myth 2: Running is Always A Better Option Than Walking

This is also another very popular myth and most people believe that if you run, you will stay fitter than if you walk. But the reality is a little different. Both walking as well as running work the same muscle groups and therefore the health benefits from both of them are more or less similar. The main difference lies in the intensity of the workout.

It takes more time to expend the same amount of energy at the time of walking rather than running. If you are going from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active lifestyle, then walking will be quite a good option for you. It will improve your cardio fitness slowly and steadily.

Moreover, walking is a much lower impact activity in comparison to running. Therefore walking is much easier on your joints. This is much easier for healthier and heavier bodies. It is true that in comparison to running, walking takes more time to provide you with the desired result, however, you can break it up into shorter and much more frequent walks.

Myth 3: Exercise Machines Are Much Better Than the Free Weights

This is also one of the most common women’s fitness myths. The reality is something completely different than the existing myth. This is because most of the machines that are manufactured are engineered keeping the bodies of the men in mind. This makes it difficult for women when they are trying to find the right alignment. Moreover, these machines tend to target only certain specific muscles while you are seated and it burns fewer calories.

Therefore, instead of you relying on the exercise machines for strength training, it is always a better option to use free weights and resistance bands and perform bodyweight exercises. Moreover, you can also enjoy greater flexibility because there is a range of options available. You will thus be able to choose suitable equipment and will also be able to get a varied fitness time that will be more mobile for providing you with maximum effect.

Myth 4: Exercising Certain Muscles Helps in Fat Burning in Certain Areas

The fact is that there is no wayyou can burn fat in specified areas. This is not possible even if you do certain exercises targeting specified areas. If you are exercising a group of muscles, even then the fat burns at a very constant rate throughout your body. 

Targeted workouts will not burn fats in those areas only. It will, on the other hand, tone the muscles which will start showing more definition as the workout routine reduces the overall amount of the body fat. Therefore, you should continue to attend the targeted fat-busting classes but the difference will not be seen in just one area of your body. It will be visible throughout your body.

Myth 5: You Shouldn’t Eat Right After a Workout

This is another female fitness myth and this can have a disastrous effect on the body of an individual. The reality is that after workout, nutrients are essential for your body. They help in healing your body and making, it stronger. So make sure that you do not deprive yourself. You should have a small healthy snack within 15 to 60 minutes after a workout.

This meal should not just contain sugar. It should also contain enough amount of carbohydrates and proteins. This will provide the necessary fuel to your body and make the workout a fruitful one.

Another very important fact that you will have to ensure is that you should not forget to stay hydrated before, during, and after the exercises. This will prevent the occurrence of dehydration and will also help the blood transport the necessary amount of nutrients and oxygen throughout your body. This will help you perform and recover better.

Myth 6: Stopping Your Exercises will Transform Muscles into Fat

This statement is as false as the statement that gold will get transformed into silver. If you take the right kind of nutrition and do proper workouts, the muscle will surely grow as a response to the training program. So if you suddenly stop weight training, the muscles will start getting smaller which is known as atrophy The muscle tissues will not miraculously get transformed into fat cells, they will rather get smaller. 

Therefore, it is highly recommended that you should combine power training with healthy nutrition. In case of an injury where you suddenly have to stop training, then you should be cautious about the amount of food intake.

Summary

Just because you have watched something on TV or have read about something online does not necessarily mean that it is true. You will find information everywhere – from word of mouth to various publications. Therefore at times, it can be confusing. So you must do proper research about facts before jumping to any conclusion.

Deadlift is considered to be the best exercise that provides overall strength to a woman. But apart from providing you with strength, it also helps you to get a good physical appearance. There are a number of reasons as to why women should incorporate deadlifts in their programs. One of the most important deadlift benefits for women is the fact that it helps in making them realize their potential.

Some Important Points About Deadlift that You Should Know

• The higher rep sets of deadlifts can burn fat and build endurance at the same time.
• “Deadlifts thicken the waist” is an absolute myth. There is no truth to it at all.
• Deadlifts reduce the negative impact of bad posture and wearing high heels.
• It is a foundational movement and helps with some of the most advanced trainings that include Olympic lifts.
• In order to get used to the exercise, you should learn the laddering training as well.

Benefits of Deadlift for Women

There are a number of deadlift benefits for womenand in order to know more about these, you can go through the points mentioned below:

1. Best Exercise For Butt and Rear Chain

When you are deadlifting, some muscles are directly claimed. These include:

• Rear thighs (leg biceps)
• Adductors (Adductor Magnus)
• Lower back (Erector spinae)
• Front thighs (quadriceps)
• Gluteus Maximus

Apart from these, there are also other muscles that does the auxiliary work. These muscles include the upper back muscles which again includes the neck, the abdominal muscles and also the calves. This exercise takes up as much as 70% of the total body musculature. It is for this reason that deadlift is considered to be the best form of weight training.

There are a number of women who want to build muscles in the areas that have been mentioned above. It is for this reason that it is considered to be a good idea to include deadlifts in your programs. It is true that other exercises also train the respective muscles, but deadlift is the only exercise that covers the entire body.

Strengthening of muscles, however, does not mean that you will get a six- pack. This simply means that it will provide you with stability while standing and walking. The best part about deadlifts is that it has a holistic nature and helps in increasing the muscle strength of the entire body.

2. Improves Back Health and Posture

Digitalization has provided several people the opportunity to sit back at home and work. But this has also increased the number of people suffering from back pain. Sitting in front of your computer throughout the day can have a very negative effect on your posture and also your back health in the coming days.

But deadlifting can certainly be considered to be the most perfect weapon against this. It strengthens those musclesthat get badly affected at the time of sitting. The important thinghowever, that you need to remember here is that you should execute this exercise correctly. This is true for any exercise that helps in strengthening the muscles but it is most true for deadlifting.

3. Strengthens Core Stabilizing Muscles

Deadlift basically trains and challenges all the muscles that help in keeping your body straight. After a certain point of time, it will be easier for you to do all the daily activities with a straight posture. This will be particularly valuable when you start calculating how many hours in a day you spent daily in stooped posture and how much muscles are atrophying. Deadlift is undoubtedly the perfect balance.

4. Works More Muscles Than Other Exercises

This is an exercise that involves the major muscle groups. So, you will not have to do different exercises for different muscles. You will simply need to do deadlifts and put a checkmark against most of the muscles.

5. More Calories Burnt and Body Fat Reduced

When it comes to reducing body fat, it is beyond doubt a  fact that weight training has a much bigger effect on our body as compared to a round of cycling or jogging. This is because at the time of lifting there are a number of muscles working together.

7. Hormone Production Improved

One of the best deadlift benefits for womenis that it helps in increasing the production of the growth hormones. These growth hormones have many advantages. If there is a proper release of these hormones in your body, it means that you will be able to recover faster after the training process. Apart from this, you will also be able to build muscles faster and increase the bone density.Other than this, it will also help to boost up the fat-burning process.

8. Gripping Power Improved

Other than the lower back, the limiting factor in deadlift is the grip. If you grab the snatch grip from the beginning, it will help in training your arms. Having more gripping power will certainly improve your strength. Each set trains the entire body and this also includes those muscles that are able to tightly hold you.

9. Improves Endurance

Whenever you are talking about deadlifts, you are talking about maximum muscle and strength building. Deadlifting also brings about a significant improvement on the stamina of an individual. This in turn has a positive impact on your working capability and endurance. Once you complete sets of more than 10 reps and heavy weight, you breathe in a way you would after a hill sprint.So it is necessary for the big muscle groups to get enough oxygen supply.

10. Prevents Pains and Injuries

One of the most important benefits of deadlift for Womenis the fact that it supports regular movements. If you are in a situation where you will have to lift something that is heavy, then deadlifts prepare you for it.It helps in balancing the disequilibrium of a one-sided daily life. It also helps in preventing the postural pain, overloading or unilateral wear.

Summary

Women, today are unfortunately still made to believe that they are not strong enough. They should pick just tiny dumbbells and nothing else. They are also made to believe that if they lift weights that are heavier than 10 pounds, they will become muscle bound beasts. But this is not  true. The actual fact is that, if you want to get a beautiful, well-toned body with strong muscles, then deadlift is undoubtedly the best option for you.

There have been several debates as to whether one should exercise during menstrual cycle or not. People have pointed out at the advantages and disadvantages for the same. But having an opinion that has been derived from a medical standpoint after going through several studies is what we need to find the truth. 

And that is exactly what we plan to do today in our article.  For those of you who are unsure as to whether you should or should not exercise during menstrual cycle, you have landed at the perfect place. We are going to take a pragmatic approach and look at the various implications of exercises during periods before coming to our conclusion. Let’s see where we ultimately land.

Benefits of Exercise during Menstrual Cycle

When you are having your periods, it is one of the most vulnerable moments for you. Most of you prefer retiring to your couch instead of doing some intense workout regime. And that is completely natural and understandable.

But contrary to popular belief, exercise during menstrual cycle can bring you a bunch of benefits. Yes, you heard that right! You don’t necessarily have to skip your workout regime during this specific time of the month.  Of course, the intensity and type of workout that you perform during periods will change. More on that later!

But first, we are going to take a look at the benefits of exercise during menstrual cycle.

Taps into Your Endorphins

Endorphins are the happy hormones that make you feel better. If you exercise during menstrual cycle, then it helps in releasing this hormone. They also boost your overall energy, thereby decreasing any feelings of lethargy that you might experience at this point. In addition, endorphins also soothe any pain, ache, or cramps that you have during this stage.

Enhances Your Mood

Exercises perk up your mood during periods, thereby keeping you relaxed and happy. And we all know that happy soul is a healthy soul. They will help in eliminating any feelings of anger, sadness or irritably. 

Helps Avoid Painful Periods

Many women experience painful periods, which is known as dysmenorrhea in the medical world.  This makes periods extremely uncomfortable for them. It has seen that light exercise during menstrual cycle can help decrease the pain at this period. 

Lowers the Symptoms of PMS

If you frequently experience mood swings and fatigue during periods or in the days leading up to periods, then it is a good idea to do some light aerobic exercises. They would help you in lowering these symptoms.

Boosts Your Strength

Performing light exercises during periods can give you the much-needed strength and power that you need to at this stage.  As we stated earlier, this would, in turn, help you in avoiding the fatigue that you often feel during periods. 

Regulates Irregular Periods

Light physical activities can help bring your menstrual cycle back on track if you have irregular periods.  We recommend you combine a healthy diet with light exercises in the days leading up to your periods to combat any issue pertaining to irregular periods.  Include papaya, parsley, and pineapples since they act as emmenagogue and help in kickstarting a late or irregular period.

Types of Exercises to Perform during Menstrual Cycle

With the benefits of exercise during menstrual cycle now known, let us help you identify which specific exercise you should perform here. 

Yoga

Yoga and Pilates can help you in relaxing your body in the days leading up to your period. They would aid you in decreasing the symptoms of breast tenderness, soreness, muscular fatigue and cramping.  Balance-based exercises that allow you to focus on breathing and make you work at your own pace are ideal in this scenario.

Light Cardio

Light cardiovascular or aerobic exercises can go a long way in giving boosting your endorphins and keeping you active as much as necessary. They help in eliminating any feeling of fatigue that many often experience at this stage.  Simple walking or light jogging can suffice here. 

Low-volume Strength-based Training

Try and include low-volume strength-based training while you are on your periods as it will help you in regaining the strength and power that you might lose due to the pain involved with periods. Make sure the training is nowhere close to an intense experience. It would also aid you in improving muscle flexibility.

Tips to Keep in Mind While Doing Exercise during Menstrual Cycle

Before we head out, let us give you some helpful tips related to our subject today.

• Taking a hot bath during periods would help in relaxing your boy and in avoiding muscle spasms.
• Alternate between using an ice pack and a heating pad on your abdomen to soothe any soreness or cramps.
• Constipation, diarrhoea, and nausea can cause hormonal fluctuation during periods. As such, it is extremely important to keep yourself hydrated. Limit your intake of dehydrating beverages such as energy drinks, coffee, and alcohol, and instead go for water.
• Avoid any endurance-based training or any exercise that are too intense by nature.
• Do not lift any heavy weights.
• Listen to your body. When your body is telling you to rest, you should take rest. End of discussion.

Summary

From a hormonal standpoint, the menstrual cycle is an extremely complicated time. During the entire tenure of your menstrual cycle, both your estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest levels. Stopping yourself from working out isn’t a solution. This is a time to look for new workout routines.

Light exercises such a low-volume strength-based training, Yoga, Pilates, light aerobics, light cardio, etc. can help in decreasing pain associate with periods. They would give you the much-needed relaxation and strength that you need during menstrual cycles.  With that being said, don’t over-exercise since too much intensity can do more harm than good to you.

Strength-based training is one of the major sectors of fitness that draws the interests of millions of people worldwide.  Weight lifting is synonymous in this field. The benefits that this form of training brings with itself are numerous.

But, as with any other forms of exercises, there are various risks with weight lifting. If you are not careful, then they can cause serious hazards to your health. Today, we are shifting our focus into some of the most common weight lifting mistakes that people commit. We are also going to suggest you the ways as to how you can avoid them. So, keep on reading if you want to stay on the safe side.

Weight Lifting Mistakes That Can Cause Serious Damage

It is not that experts never make any mistakes, but it is no surprise that it is the beginners who often commit the weight lifting mistakes more. The reason is that when you are starting strength-based training, you have so much information in front of you that it can be a bit overwhelming. The adrenaline rush that you experience because of the excitement during the initial days can often blind you from focusing on correcting your mistakes.

Our list has been designed to aid you in avoiding these mistakes. Not only we will help you correct the technicalities, but we will also talk about gym etiquettes, rest, and overall diet. Let’s begin.

Not Setting Boundaries

When you hit a gym, you might feel a bit anxious looking at the intense workout regime of people around you. You might even feel embarrassed as to how light the weights you are picking in comparison to others. Don’t be!

Remember, you are there to train yourself; you aren’t there to impress others. Everyone has to go through a gradual change. The people you see around you also started their experience moving from light to heavy weight. So, do not overtrain and set proper boundaries for yourself.

Not Maintaining a Fixed Fitness Regime

Having a pre-defined workout regime helps you be in control of your fitness. Not having one is one of the most common workout mistakes you can make.  You should accept the fact that you won’t be able to perform every single type of exercise under the sun. And that is completely okay!

Talk to your physical trainer or gym instructor regarding your health and what you want to achieve from working out. Based on your condition and goals, they would be able to give a regime that will best suit you. These regimes might change as you progress, but sticking with them for the time being would be of great help to you.

Avoiding Warm-up Exercises

Most exercise-related injuries occur due to the lack of warm-ups beforehand. They not only help stretch your muscles, but they also are responsible for boosting your heart rate up which eventually allows the blood to reach the various muscles in your body.

All these play a vital role in avoiding injuries. So, no matter how late you are or how time-restrained your schedule is, you can’t afford to skip warming up. In fact, we would say that if you really don’t have time to warm up, then avoid working out that day completely.

Starving

Next up on our list of the most common workout mistakes concerns your diet. Some people think while training that they have to starve themselves out.  Well, you can’t be more wrong!

Your eating habits would greatly contribute to your overall success and failure.  Talk to your physical trainer, doctor or nutritionist and help chart out a proper, healthy balanced diet. Learn about the foods that you should consume before and after working out. Give your body the nutrition it needs to grow healthily.

Not Taking Adequate Rest

No matter how much you workout, but if you don’t rest well, you won’t see the results. This is because the muscles in your body need 24-48 hours to recover after a workout session.  

Of course, the intensity and type of exercise govern how much rest you would need. So, don’t skip sleeping and allow your body to relax. Adequate rest would aid you in stimulating growth.   Rest also helps in strengthening your muscles further. So, don’t commit the weight lifting mistake of skipping rest.

Working Out While Being Injured or Sick

Working out doesn’t mean that you have to punish your body. It should be a healthy process. You need to understand that there will be days when your body can’t afford to workout, either due to some injury or some illness. This is completely natural. After all, no one is a superhero who is immune to injuries or illness.

If you continue to workout while being injured or ill, you will further deteriorate your health and might have to stop working out on a permanent basis.  So, taking a small break is not bad. Always look for the bigger picture.

Using Too Many Reps

Another common weight lifting mistake that people make in an attempt to gain muscles quickly is that they add too many reps to their workout regime. If you keep on doing more reps than you have been instructed, you are going to make yourself vulnerable to injuries.  

Ideally, five reps of each exercise will suffice in helping you reach where you want to reach. The most important factor is to take the advice of your physical trainer.

Summary

It is natural to commit weight lifting mistake, especially if you are a beginner. Don’t let your enthusiasm be your downfall. Excitement and eagerness are always good but you need to have an awareness of your body. Talk to your nutritionist, doctor and physical trainer and set boundaries. This would help you in avoiding injuries and having a healthy workout routine.

Health is wealth. In an attempt to boost your strength, don’t compromise with your health. Keep in mind the aforementioned points and try to avoid committing them. Stay health, workout healthy!

Pumping up biceps continue to remain one of the top-most priority of fitness enthusiasts across the globe. Whether it is for strengthening them or flexing them or to improve their overall appearance, people work their sweat out to boost their biceps.

Therefore, we have decided to help you learn the five most important biceps exercise that would do wonders to your arms.  Keep on reading to find out about them.

Best Biceps Exercises for You

Your biceps are nothing but a large muscle group on the frontal part of your upper arm. They help you in flexing your elbow and in rotating your forearm. With the help of biceps exercise, you can improve your strength, stability, muscle mass, and appearance.  The following exercises would convert your fitness level from generic to biceps-oriented.  

Concentration Curl

First up on our list of best biceps exercises is the concentration curl. It is an isolated bicep exercise that helps you to focus solely on building muscle mass to your upper arm’s core section. For this, you would need a dumbbell and while using heavy weights is always encouraging, the main point here is to pay attention to the act of contraction.

To perform this exercise, you first need to sit on a bench by spreading your legs. You then need to rest your arms (that is holding the dumbbell) on the same side leg. Make sure it is just beneath your knee and the weight is hanging between your two legs. Proceed to place your off-hand on your thigh. This would help you in keeping your torso stable and upright. Slowly, curl the weight up. Pause for a second and then squeeze your biceps at the top.

Next, you need to slowly reverse the movement to return to start. Make sure to repeat it on the opposite side as well.

Chin-Up

One of the most common biceps exercises, chin-ups may not necessarily isolate your biceps, but they surely train them hard. In here, you need to use your shoulders, arms, back, along with your biceps to pull your entire bodyweight from a bar. It greatly contributes to your serious upper-body strength.

To perform this exercise, you need to, first of all, find a chin-up bar. You then need to grab it by maintaining a shoulder-width underhand grip. Make sure to hand at your arm’s length.  Proceed to squeeze your shoulder blades back and down. You also need to bend your elbows and bring the top of your chest to the bar. Wait for a few second and then gently lower yourself down to the starting position.

Spider Curl

Spider curls help in strengthening your arms by making use of smart positioning.  A key note that you need to bear in mind while performing this exercise is the weight of the dumbbell. It is recommended to pick a lighter weight than you usually pick. This will enable you to handle the complete challenge.

To perform this biceps exercise, you need to grab a dumbbell and sit on an incline bench facing forward. Next, you have to squeeze your bicep in order to curl the dumbbell way up in a clean form. Be sure to move only at the elbow. After that, move your shoulder out of the equation. You can do this by keeping your back engaged.   

Standing Barbell Curl

Standing barbell curl can be regarded as one of the most basic, yet effective biceps exercise out there.  Barbells help you in strengthening your arms evenly and simultaneously. The position of your grip allows you to work on the various parts of your muscles.

In order to perform standing barbell curls, you need to grab the barbell with an underhand grip. Make sure that your hands are positioned as wide as your hips.  To focus on the inner portion of the biceps, you need to take a wider grip. Else, if you want to focus on the outer part of your biceps, then you have to bring your hands closer together.

Begin by holding the bar at hip height. Contract your biceps and squeeze your core to curl the bar up to shoulder height. Be sure to squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement. After that, gently lower your weight back to the starting position. You need to ensure that you control the weight all throughout the process.  Your feet must be solidly planted during the entire tenure of the exercise. Make sure not to use your hips to lift the weight under any circumstance.  

Standing Resistance Band Hammer Curl

For our next biceps exercise, we need you to put down the dumbbells and barbells and pick up some resistance bands. These bands help you in working through the entire range of motion by providing resistance through the unconventional part of the exercise alongside the curl lift.  Brachialis is a type of lower muscle that helps in making your arms look thick. In this exercise, the hammer grip puts the focus on the brachialis.

To perform standing resistance band hammer curl, you have to step on the centre of a resistance band. Grip one end of the implement in each hand. Try to hold the resistance band with your palms being parallel to each other.

Next, you need to curl your hands towards your shoulders and squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement. Proceed to lower your hands back down the sides. Be sure to maintain tension on the band. Your elbows must be stable and stay in position at your sides throughout the movement.

Summary

Biceps exercises are not there to merely beautify you. They are responsible for increasing your strength and stability. These aforementioned exercises can serve as the basis of your biceps-training workout regime.

Remember to warm up beforehand and don’t forget to squeeze at the top of each muscle contraction. In addition, take adequate rest so that your muscles are able to benefit from the exercise you are performing.  Be safe and be healthy!