Push your strength

How To Create The Perfect Space For Training At Home

Working out in an ordinary room of your home can create a lot of challenges. You may find yourself constantly interrupted, especially if you have young children or playful pets. You may be distracted by reminders of work or housework that needs to be done, or tempted to slack by the sight of a comfortable sofa and TV. You may also find that it’s difficult to avoid breaking or colliding with things. If you can create a dedicated space in which to work out, you’ll find that your ability to stick to your routine and meet your goals improves significantly – so how should you go about it?

Setting The Mood

The first thing you’ll need is a space in which you can feel motivated. Natural light helps, especially if you’re working out first thing in the morning, so strip away those bulky drapes and fix up some modern shutters that give you better control. You could paint your walls in bright colors that energize you. If you have a preference for yoga or tai chi, choose softer tones that calm you down. 

Some kinds of equipment, such as punch bags, can be suspended from the ceiling on pulleys and hauled up out of the way when not in use. Bear in mind that you’ll also need storage space for things such as dumbbells. If you’re using heavy equipment, make sure the floor is strong enough to support it. Use floor protectors or a sponge-based carpet to protect your floor from wear and tear.

The Right Room For You

Ultimately, the most important thing about your training room is that it should be suited to your individual needs. Everybody approaches workouts slightly different, so there’s no one-size-fits-all template. Think through the way you approach yours to establish what else you might need – a crash mat, for instance, or a beanbag you can flop onto when you’re done.

Once you have a dedicated training room, you can organize a practical routine for using it. If you’re excited about the efforts you’ve made to create it, the chances are that you’ll find yourself working out more, and it will make a great contribution to your ongoing training.

CALCIUM THE BODY FRAME?

It is not the muscles which lift the body but it is the bony skeleton. And the bones are 80% calcium. The levels of calcium keep increasing till 30 years of age and then keep following after that.

 With the increase of age the body calcium requirement keeps increasing. If the body is inactive then the calcium is lost and the bones get weak and loose calcium. It is the active lifestyle and strength training or the weight bearing exercise which help to increase the muscle mass and also preserve the bone health.

 How much Calcium?

How much is that? It depends on your age. According to the Institute of Medicine, the recommended daily amount of calcium to get is:

• 1-3 years: 700 milligrams daily
• 4-8 years: 1,000 milligrams daily
• 9-18 years: 1,300 milligrams daily
• 19-50 years: 1,000 milligrams daily
• 51-70 years: 1,200 milligrams daily for women; 1,000 milligrams daily for men
• 71 and older: 1,200 milligrams daily

 What kind?

Calcium carbonate because “it’s inexpensive, won’t cause discomfort, and is a good source of calcium.” Some people’s bodies may have problems making enough stomach acid, or may be taking medications that suppress acid production. For them, a calcium citrate supplement might be better because it “dissolves a little better than calcium carbonate for these people.”

Supplements, like calcium plus magnesium, coral calcium, and so on? Not necessary.  But they note that supplements that combine calcium with vitamin D — which is essential for the body to appropriately absorb calcium — provide an added benefit.

 Calcium and diet

Your body doesn’t produce calcium, so you must get it through other sources. Calcium can be found in a variety of foods, including:

• Dairy products, such as cheese, milk and yogurt.
• Dark green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and kale.
• Fish with edible soft bones, such as sardines and canned salmon.
• Calcium-fortified foods and beverages, such as soy products, cereal and fruit juices.

Even if you eat a healthy, balanced diet, you may find it difficult to get enough calcium if you:

• Follow a vegan diet
• Have lactose intolerance and limit dairy products
• Consume large amounts of protein or sodium, which can cause your body to excrete calcium
• Have osteoporosis
• Have receiving long-term treatment with corticosteroids
• Have certain bowel or digestive diseases that decrease your ability to absorb calcium, such as inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease

In these situations, calcium supplements may help you meet your calcium requirements.

How much?

The body can absorb only about 500 milligrams of a calcium supplement at any one time, says Puzas, so you can’t just down a 1000-mg supplement first thing in the morning and call it a day.

Instead, split your dose into two or three servings a day. “The best way to take it is with a meal; calcium is absorbed better that way,” Puzas says. If your daily diet includes calcium-containing foods and drinks, you may not need multiple doses.

Not too much calcium?

Daily calcium for people between the ages of 19 and 50 is 2,500 milligrams, and for those 51 and older it’s 2,000 mg.

Calcium supplements rarely cause excessive calcium levels in the bloodstream. “It doesn’t hurt, but it’s not particularly beneficial, either.”

One exception: people who have a tendency to make kidney stones. “You might make larger and more frequent stones with unusually high doses of calcium.”

“There’s really no point in taking more calcium than about 1,200-1,500 milligrams a day,” Bolster stresses.

Exercise preserves calcium?

Until such information is available, consumers seeking to preserve their bones would be wise to rely primarily on dietary sources of the mineral and to pursue regular weight-bearing or strength-building exercises, or both. Walking, running, weight lifting and working out on resistance machines is unquestionably effective and safe for most adults, if done properly. Keep in mind the walking, jogging or running a marathon does not helps to preserve bone density and thickness.

AMINOS & MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY

Muscle Hypertrophy or Muscle growth or Bodybuilding is the intentional growth of targeted muscle tissue caused by resistance training.

Using a variety of training methods one is able to achieve muscle hypertrophy. Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of a muscle through an increase in the size of its component cells. Another effect called hyperplasia may be achieved, which refers to an increase in the number of cells or fibers.

 A muscle can either grow in size by increasing the diameter of the muscle fibres, whilst the number of fibres remains constant. This is possible only if the muscle is strained beyond a normal performance level. Nerves will fire a growth stimulus, which causes protein deposits in the muscle tissue to increase. If the body responds to training with hyperplasia, it will build new muscle fibres altogether, which may also grow in size at a later stage.

Today one have access to a large variety of supplements in order to achieve faster and more efficient muscle growth and avoid unwanted muscle atrophy (shrinkage) caused by overtraining or poor nutrition.

 Amino acids are particularly effective in growing and repairing muscle tissue, because it consists mainly of protein. A large number of natural nutrients are central to the building and maintenance of muscle strength and endurance. For this reason should bodybuilders and other athletes always make sure that they have a comprehensive and balanced diet?

 In case of under supply of important nutrients the body will break down muscle tissue to use its components to repair tissue damaged during training. This will result in an unwanted reduction of overall muscle mass (atrophy).

A muscular body also has increased basic energy consumption and therefore needs more energy without actually exercising. Building muscle during when attempting to lose weight is therefore sensible, because larger muscles consume more energy also reducing the possibility of regaining fat afterwards.

PROTEIN VS MASS GAINER

1. What is the difference between whey protein and mass gainer? 

Mass gainers are protein too. Normally mass gainers supplies 22 to 35% of protein where as Protein powder as such supplies more than 60% proteins. Mass gainer contains more calories than regular whey protein. Mass gainer contains larger amounts of carbohydrates and fats to boost your calorie intake. Both are used for muscle recovery & muscle growth. Good mass gainers contain non sugar complex carbos for prolonged energy supply.

2. What would suit any one if one wants to build muscles?

If someone is a hard gainer or someone who doesn’t gain weight easily and want to build a significant amount of muscle mass, then mass gainer would be suitable for him. If one wants slow gains with controlled body fat percentage, a whey protein would probably be enough. Alternately, you can also use both mass gainer and whey protein to avoid gaining too much fat.

 3. What if one wants to lose fat? Does one still need protein?

If someone has already built sufficient muscle mass and ready to cut fat, then whey protein would be suitable because his body still needs to hang on to the muscles one have already built. This prevents muscle catabolism from all the cardio one do to lose fat. This is important so that after one have lost the unwanted fat; there will still be muscle definition.

 4. Isn’t whey protein only for cutting purposes?

Whey protein is suitable for both bulking and cutting phase. It’s just that some people prefer using mass gainer for bulking purposes, and some people (who gain weight easily such as mesomorphs and endomorphs) use only whey protein to build mass because of the fear of unwanted calories.

 5. What if one doesn’t work out and just take protein/mass gainer? Will one grow?

The purpose of protein is to aid muscle recovery and repair muscle tissues so that the muscles can grow bigger and stronger. If one does not work out, then there is no need for recovery. Since his body does not store protein, it will just be a waste of money. If he takes mass gainer without exercising, there is a chance that his daily caloric input is more than his output, and he might gain fat instead of muscle and he is just wasting money buying supplements.

6. Could I take too much protein?

If one have any liver or kidney problems, or family history, please check with a medical practitioner first. The body will generally consume the protein it needs and excrete remaining nitrogen in urine, after the protein has been broken down. This is why it is important to have healthy liver and kidney functions. If one is taking a high protein diet from supplements and diet, just make sure he is drinking plenty of water.

15 Bodybuilding Tips for Beginners

If you are new to bodybuilding and you want to improve the way you look, here are some useful tips that will help you a lot! You should not expect huge improvements over night, but muscle mass will slowly grow over time.  It’s really important to have patience, to stick to your workouts and diet, and results will definitely show!

1. Stick to Free Weights.

Even though the modern gyms are full of fancy and shiny machines, they will not help you build a solid foundation of muscle mass. Dumbbells and barbells are the best when it comes to building muscle and especially for a beginner.

2. Do Compound Movements.

While you might be tempted to try all the possible exercises you see on fitness magazines or websites, you should stick to the basic movements first. Exercises like the squat, the deadlift, the barbell bench press and the military shoulder press should not miss from your routine.

3. Have a Program and Stick to it.

You cannot just go in the gym and do whatever you feel at that moment. You need to have a strict routine and follow it closely. Ask a personal trainer or an advanced bodybuilder to provide you with a program that includes the exact exercises you need to do, the number of sets and the number of reps per set. When you set foot in the gym you need to know exactly what you will do in that training session.

4. Don’t Train Every Day.

If the person that made you the program knows what he’s doing, your routine should have 3 or 4 workouts per week. As a beginner you don’t need to train more often than that. Spend the other days of the week to rest and recover.

5. Train Each Muscle Group Every Week.

While too many days in the gym won’t help you get bigger, too few workouts are not good either. You need to work each muscle group at least once every week.

6. Learn the Correct Form of Each Exercise.

While you may be tempted to see how much you can lift, you need to start with lower weights and learn the right form of each exercise.

7. Gradually Increase the Weights.

After you master the correct form on each exercise, you need to start increasing the weights periodically. Keep track of how much you lift on each exercise and slightly increase the weight every 2 weeks. This will increase your strength and will lead to muscle gains.

8. Be Cautious.

When you get to the point of using big weights, use a safety belt for lower back protection. You may not have back problems right now, but you don’t want to have them in the future either.

9. Eat a Lot of Protein.

Protein is essential when it comes to building muscle and can be found in chicken, fish, eggs, milk, dairy products and some nuts and vegetables. Most experts recommend at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight for the best results. If consuming enough protein each day becomes difficult, add a protein shake as well.

10. Be in a Caloric Surplus.

In order to build muscle you need to eat more calories than you burn. Use a calorie calculator to find out your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and adjust that according to how active you are. If you have a sedentary job you will need fewer calories and if you are very active you will need more.

11. Eat More Often.

Have 4-5 meals per day and eat every 3-4 hours. Avoid being hungry!

12. Avoid Junk Food.

It’s true that you want to gain some weight, but you want that weight to be muscle mass and not fat! Consume quality food like lean proteins, complex carbs and healthy fats and stay away from junk food, lots of sweets and fatty foods. The only time when you should consume fast absorbing carbohydrates (usually foods that have a lot of sugar or white flour) is right after your workout. Read more about what to eat to gain muscle in this article.

13. Consume Fruits and Vegetables.

Besides macronutrients (proteins, carbs and fats) your body also needs micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). So make sure you consume lots of fruits and vegetables each day!

14. Rest and Recover.

Your muscles don’t grow when you work out but when you sleep. So make sure you get enough sleep each night (about 8-9 hours).

15. Act Like an Athlete.

Try to have a healthy lifestyle and avoid as much as possible smoking, alcohol and other unhealthy vices.

5 Bodybuilding Tips To Help You Lose Weight

For some people, the term "bodybuilding" is far from being associated with actual weight loss. The term itself seems to state that the body will, in fact, be building to a bigger size by way of packing on a large amount of muscle. In some respects this is true. However, bodybuilding promotes the loss of fat and the building of muscle. Because muscle uses roughly six calories a day to merely sustain itself, compared to the two calories needed to sustain fat, building muscle boosts metabolism and turn the body into a more efficiently run machine. If done a certain way, you can use certain techniques to your advantage. Take this list, for example. If losing weight and keeping it off is on your mind, consider these tips straight out of the bodybuilding basics playbook.

Don't Fear Weight Training

Some people fear that lifting weights automatically means bulking up. However, the opposite is true. Though lifting does promote the building of muscle, it turns the body into a furnace for fat cells. Maintaining muscle will allow your metabolism to function efficiently, therefore burning fat even when you aren't in the gym. Aim to include weight and resistance training into your routine three to four times a week. Be sure to incorporate a resting period of no longer than a minute between sets and keep your workout to an hour or less. It's important not to overwork your muscles so that you don't burn them along with the fat.

Be Careful with Carbs

You have probably heard the warnings before about eating too many carbs, but you may be wondering why exactly. You should aim to eat complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbohydrates to promote a healthy insulin output that doesn't come along with blood sugar spikes. Unlike complex carbs that are made of a chain of vitamins and minerals that allow the body to feel fuller longer because they take longer to digest, simple carbs are known to raise blood sugar and boost insulin production quickly. Insulin's job is to convert the sugar in the body to storable glycogen and to direct the body's muscle and liver cells to use the glycogen as energy. However, an overload of simple carbs and the production of too much insulin can lead to overfill of these cells, sending the glycogen directly to the fat cells instead. This leads to more fat being stored in the body. Complex carbs that are high in fiber are best for your health. Incorporate foods like lentils, brown rice, oatmeal, vegetables, and other whole grains into your diet. Be sure to avoid white rice, pasta, bread, sweets, and processed foods.

Increase Protein Intake

Lean proteins work wonders for your metabolism, so aim to consume some each day. They provide important amino acids that allow the body to make growth hormones. Consuming these proteins promotes an increase in the body's anabolic growth hormone IGF-1 which prevents muscle loss and allows for the healthy building of the kind of muscle that burns calories throughout the day. Incorporate lean, low-fat proteins like seafood, chicken, and lean red meats into your diet. There are protein supplements available if you feel unable to consume enough through regular diet. Without enough protein, muscle begins to break down in order to feed the body precious energy. Muscle is essential to metabolism, and, therefore, a healthy body.

Eat Several Small Meals Each Day

Instead of eating three larger meals throughout the day, aim for five to seven smaller meals. This is a great way to rev up your metabolism because then foods are allowed create a helpful thermogenic effect that causes the metabolism to rise to the occasion of active processing more throughout the day. This allows the process of digesting these healthy, frequent meals to burn fat much like healthy muscle does. Eating meals this way each day also promotes healthy blood sugar, a decrease in fat storage, and proper absorption of nutrients. The benefits of this type of meal distribution will prove to be of great help throughout your fitness journey because it diverts the body from using muscle to feed the body energy. As an added bonus, you will feel more satisfied throughout the day, which should aid you in sticking with your program.

Drink Plenty of Water

This may seem like a simple, obvious tip, but an increased water intake is sometimes one of the most overlooked pieces of fitness. Dehydration can easily sabotage your goals because it delays the metabolism and slows the body's systems down. Not drinking enough water causes your organs to function less than efficiently, ultimately working to stamp out any benefits you could gain from diet and exercise. Shoot for at least eight or more glasses of water a day.

Implementing these bodybuilding tips into your daily routine is a great way to kickstart your journey to healthy weight loss. Following these guidelines allows you to lose the kind of weight that you don't want, fat, and build healthy amounts that you do want, muscle. This will continue to set you up for success the longer you practice it. Sticking to a plan like this will ensure that any yo-yo dieting and exercising comes to an end and real progress will begin. Just keep in mind that persistence is key; and you can achieve your fitness goals and maintain a healthy body as long as you are committed.