Tag: workout

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25 best fitness blogs

Hello, wonderful people!

Last week I received great news. Flockbrain has selected this blog as one of the 25 best fitness blogs. Flockbrain is a decision making engine that uses machine learning and social curation to find high-quality content.

This list is based on user engagement so YOU guys made this happen!!!! Thank you for every single like, comment, and share.

A lot has happened since this blog started. From a small personal project, this website has become a small business that employs seven people from as many countries. I’m a huge fan of remote work, you know?

It has been many hours of work throughout these years and you have been there all the way.
It occurs to me that, since this recognition is based on your engagement, I could answer or clarify those doubts about fitness or nutrition that haunt your head.

If it is a simple question, I will answer it in the comments and if the question needs an extensive explanation, I will write a post about it. Do you like the idea?

What would you like to know about fitness or nutrition?

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Quarantine doesn´t stop us. The virus is a serious risk so we workout at home.

Quarantine doesn´t stop us. The virus is a serious risk so we workout at home

COVID-19 is spreading worldwide. As you surely know, Spain is one of the countries with the most cases at the moment.
The government has decreed a state of emergency and we must stay home as a precaution. The idea is not to be infected or infect others. We have only been confined for a few days and the peak of the infection is expected in the summer. So we have a few difficult months ahead.

I think this is a time to help our community, be supportive and contribute to make this situation as bearable as possible.

Medical services are saturated, other public services such as schools, libraries, and gyms are closed, as are many small businesses.

Most people have shown their solidarity with beautiful initiatives: from offering to go shopping for older people, applause on the balconies every day at the same time to thank doctors and nurses for their work against this virus, to online concerts via Instagram. Every little action and initiative counts.

From the first moment, I have tried to help and it occurred to me to offer a daily live online training class. Free. Because people and health come before money.

In just five days, not only have people from Spain joined, but also Argentina, Colombia, UK, and the Netherlands.

We exercise with the equipment that everyone has available at home: I teach you how to train with water bottles, chairs, or whatever you have at home.

So I thought that since the WP community has been like a family to me since I came here five years ago, I need to invite you too.

If the quarantine has not yet reached your country, city or town, I am very happy for you and I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that you do not have to suffer this situation. Otherwise, I want you to know that you can count on me and I will help you exercise from home.

Every day, from 4 to 5 (Spanish time) I am live. If the time is not convenient for you, or someday you cannot attend, later I send the link to the recorded class.

This is an excerpt:

Of course, if you decide to join, I will give the instructions in English as well.

.

I wish that wherever you are, you and your loved ones are well and that we all come out of these difficult times more united and stronger than ever.

Blessings!

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SizeUp Apparel. An honest review.

Last week I received an email from sizeupapparel.com asking for a product review. I usually get some of these but when I answer them noticing that I live in Spain, they always apologize telling me that they only ship to the US, Canada…

As you know, I live in Spain and sometimes it is difficult to find companies from the other side of the world that ships to my country. This time was different, and here´s the good news: they ship worldwide!

While they sent my order, I did some search on the company to be able to offer you some valuable information. It´s a company based in Michigan, USA founded in 2011 by Chase Campbell, a 19-year-old entrepreneur. I think that´s really cool, isn´t it? You can read more about it here.

We all love to buy new clothes. It gives us extra motivation. There are numerous companies that are coming up with new clothing and new fabrics almost every day so, it becomes difficult for us to choose the correct brand of clothing. And I’m going to tell you this, SizeUpApparel really deserves that you give it a chance.

I thought the shipping time would be the first thing I would write down on the list of cons, but I was totally wrong. Not only that, the shipping is very fast. I received my order in just three days. I usually buy online from big brands like Nike or Adidas, who ship their products to Spain from Netherlands and Germany, respectively, and the shipments take 5-7 days minimum. So, this was another great and positive surprise.

I got 3 items: a training hoodie, a tank top, and a pair of joggers.

The clothes are also unusually affordable. For tanks, shoppers can pay as little as $19.99. At other brands, the same shoppers might pay closer to $50. Joggers go for as little as $29.99. Plus, they look really good.

Good quality of the fabrics, they feel soft and they also are great for an intense workout. And here´s an example: Yesterday was chest and shoulder day so, I recorded a short video doing some exercises… Chest press, flyes, lateral raises…

The hoodie and the joggers fit perfect, and the comfort level is amazing. I also did some leg exercises to test the joggets to the fullest: they stay tight at the waist, and you can move comfortably up and down doing squats or lunges.

From my personal perspective, SizeUp clothing meets expectations and can be compared to other major brands. Without a doubt, I will become a regular customer. The decision is yours, but I would consider them the next time I go to buy clothes for training.

If you find something you like, I have a surprise for you. use the code CHAPE20 and you will get a 20% discount.

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8 Great Reasons To Hire A Personal Trainer

8 Great Reasons To Hire A Personal Trainer

If you’re considering hiring a personal trainer but you’re unsure whether or not it is the right decision for you then don’t worry, you’re definitely in the right place. Although it may feel as though it is a big step to take, it is definitely a step in the right direction. Whether you want to acheive a goal or you’re training for an event, personal trainers are a great way to up your game when it comes to fitness. To help you decide whether or not you want to hire a personal trainer, here are some great reasons to get started:

You’re New To Fitness And Need Guidance

If you are new to fitness and you think you need guidance in order to get off to the right start, hiring a personal trainer is a great idea. Not only will they be able to look at the level you’re currently at, but they will also be able to create a beginners plan that you can stick to it. Although it won’t be easy, you can trust that your personal trainer is not giving you more than they think you can handle. For more tips and guidance when it comes to getting started with fitness, you can visit this site here. 

You Want To Set Goals And Targets

For those that want to set goals and targets but have no idea how to get started, hiring a personal trainer is the best place to start. A personal trainer will be able to look at your current fitness level and analyse whether or not the targets you have set are achievable. If not, they will be able to help you set goals you know you can acheive with a little determination.  Using the information you have given them and your own personal strength, they will be able to put together a fitness plan that will help you reach the targets you set together. For tips and tricks when it comes to setting fitness goals, you can visit this site here. 

You’re Not Seeing The Results You Want

If you have been sticking to a fitness routine for a number of months and you’re not seeing the results you want, hiring a personal trainer is the best way to pinpoint where you’re going wrong. You need to be as honest as you possibly can when it comes to meeting with your trainer as they will be able to take a look at your life as it is, giving you pointers when it comes to improving your fitness. 

You Want To Quit Bad Habits

If you have bad habits that you want to stop, a personal trainer will help keep you motivated and focused. Although they can’t make you quit, they will do everything they can to ensure your habits are as healthy as they can possibly be. 

You’re Looking To Lose Weight And Start A Healthy Eating Plan

For those that are struggling when it comes to losing weight and eating healthy, personal trainers are a great way to help you keep your focus. Not only will they help you develop the perfect exercise plan, but they’ll help you when it comes to your diet pan too. 

You’re Considering A Career In Fitness 

If you are considering a career in fitness and you think you need a little extra push to help you get there, hiring a personal trainer could be a great career move. If you’re looking for something a little extra alongside your personal trainer sessions, you may also want to consider enrolling in one of the many online personal training courses that are available to you. Not only will this help give you an edge above the rest, but it will solidify what you’re learning in your personal training sessions. 

You’re Training For An Event

If you are training for a specific event, you need to be sure you’re doing as much as you possibly can and although it may only be for a short amount of time, a personal trainer could really help. 

You’re Recovering From An Injury

Finally, if you’re recovering from an injury and you’re looking for a little extra help to get you back into your old fitness routine, a personal trainer is your best possible option. They will be able to offer you advice and guidance, helping you get back to the level you were once at. 

Are you thinking of signing up to a personal trainer? What benefits could it bring to you? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.

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Heart rate variability for maximum strength gains

heart rate

When you think about heart rate, you might be thinking about someone doing cardio – treadmills and beeps.

In reality, there’s a lot to heart rate that you might have missed. There are important overlaps between heart rate and performance in strength training that mean a better rate can improve strength.

Read on, because today we’ll be taking you through the two biggest ways that heart rate and heart rate variability impact strength training!

Heart Rate and Variability: Why it Matters

What do you already know about heart rate?

You probably know that an elevated heart rate is a risk for heart attack, stroke, and other common causes of death. You might even be working on your endurance exercise to keep your heart healthy and make sure that everything from sexual health to mental health are up to scratch.

Lowering your resting heart rate decreases the strain you’re putting on the love muscle, helping you to live a longer and healthier life.

How Strength Training Helps Your Heart

Strength training isn’t often discussed for the benefits to the heart, or the other way around – how the heart can benefit strength.

It’s a two-way system. Resistance-trained people are healthier and have a better tolerance for blood pressure without the negative effects.

The heart undergoes some serious stress during strength training but its only short-term. Additionally, your arteries become more flexible and reduce your risk of clogs, clots, and other serious conditions.

HRV: Benefits for Strength and Muscle Gains

The key benefit we’re going to discuss today is how the variability of your heart rate – the range it can go through – is key to strength training.

You’ll mainly notice this between sets. The ability to get back to resting heart rate between sets is key to improving your recovery – a key factor in keeping your performance up over long workouts.

This is the kind of recovery and performance that many people ignore, since it doesn’t increase your maximum performance right now. However, it helps you accumulate more volume over time which is a direct cause of building strength and muscle mass.

Heart Rate and Psychological Factors

You’ll also want to control your heart rate through psychological methods too.

This is one of the ways that your choice of music when training can make a big difference.

Psychological arousal is all about how hyped up you are – controlling this is a key way to adjust how heavy weights feel and help push yourself.

However, for the recovery we mentioned above its equally important to bring psychological arousal – and your heart rate – down after intense training.

Again, music can be a great choice here, and the music that you use to hype-up between sets isn’t appropriate continuously. Too much psychological arousal, or a chronically elevated heart rate, are bad for both training and health.

That’s why it’s good to find the right tempo playlist for pre and post workout and of course for the workout itself.

Learning to switch on and off when you need to is a great way to develop yourself as an athlete and bring about the best results with the most sustainable, healthy methods.

Post-Training Recovery: How the Heart Supports Muscles

Heart rate and arousability aren’t just about when you’re in the gym, however.

What you’ll find is that intense exercise will keep you in an elevated state of anxiety for a while after finishing. This keeps your heart rate up and places additional stress on your heart if you don’t balance it out.

This is clear from the relation we see between other forms of stress and the risk of heart problems. Any chronic increase in anxiety and heart rate can negatively effect your health, so it’s a significant matter.

Balancing your stress levels out after a training session is one of the ways you can reduce the chronic loading of your heart. This also helps with your exercise recovery and the development of strength.

Improving your return to a resting, restorative heart rate and psychological state can improve your session-to-session progress. Heart rate and relaxation methods – from low-BPM music to meditation to yoga – can all aid in this balancing act.

The Big Lesson

The benefits of proper heart rate and anxiety management for training is a huge deal.

If you’re planning on pushing yourself to new personal bests – and recovering so that you can keep doing it – you need to consider the physical and psychological impacts.

Fortunately, you can manage these changes in both the short and long-term. Developing good habits and being aware of how and handling the stress levels is easy with practice and the right tools.

How to Implement and Improve HRV for Strength Training

How do you improve your heart rate – and variability – without losing all your strength?

This is a question we hear a lot, since a lot of strength enthusiasts see endurance and strength as exact opposites.

Obviously, if you’re doing ultra-marathons you’ll struggle to keep the meat on your body – it’s easy to lose muscle. However, endurance and cardio training don’t have to be long-haul, and you can use them to improve your strength performance.

To start with, you actually need to track your heart rate.

You can’t set and achieve goals if you can’t measure the changes. This is why you probably want a heart rate monitor – so you can see if you’re getting better!

You won’t need to use this for all your sets and we recommend avoiding it for top-sets. Use it for warm ups and some of the lighter weights to see how you respond. Make a quick note of them and compare from session to session.

A weekly average is probably your best bet, since everything from sleep to stress can change your heart rate.

How Should You Train Your Heart for Strength Training?

HIIT is the best way to do this.

There are a lot of myths around HIIT – like the idea that it’s “better” than normal cardio, or that it burns more calories – but neither of those matter.

The important part is that HIIT allows you to focus on high-power, intense exercise. This assists with your heart rate variability while also helping you focus on explosive strength.

This is also specific to the kind of heart rate improvements you need: the ability to produce huge efforts and then recover quickly.

How to Build a Great HIIT Session for Strength

The kind of HIIT we’re talking about here comes in many forms. HIIT isn’t a single type of exercise, just a way of structuring different types of training. You’ll find there are some great choices for building other athletic characteristics (such as power, coordination, and speed):

  • Sprint intervals
  • Med ball/wall ball throws
  • Lunges and single-leg work
  • Jumps, hops, etc.
  • Core exercises
  • Rotational and single-leg work

If you combine these types of exercises into high-intensity circuits (using things like Tabata), you can make big differences in a way that helps your strength training, rather than harming it.

This is also great since it helps you cover muscle groups you might not focus on in training and can help prevent injury.

Effort Equals Results: Give Your Cardio Some Love

As with the rest of your training, you should be putting some thought into how you improve your heart rate for strength training.

Too much work in long-haul endurance can lead to slow-twitch adaptation. This can be a problem for strength, so you should aim to implement these lessons in your own training.

Heart rate isn’t the most glamorous way to improve in strength training – it’s not a good as a big bench press or huge squat – but you’ll be setting yourself up for those changes with a healthier, stronger heart.

Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

Cardiovascular health and training don’t have to compete with your strength training.

Aside from the health benefits, these kinds of changes to your heart rate and efficiency can support better recovery and handling more volume.

Controlling and improving your heart rate are the two factors you need to consider and work on. Controlling your heart rate comes with psychological methods – from music to active relaxation – while improving it for the long-term is all about training smart.

Use these tips to add some high-quality, explosive HIIT to your training. You’ll find that your strength goes up, you cover some of the most under-rated areas of training, and you have the best chance for overall progress!

Joe Bailey

Joe Bailey

Joe Bailey is the Wizard of Lightbulb Moments at GetSongBpm. He’s recently developed a heart rate calculator to help people find their target heart rate simply by tapping their screen. When he’s not behind his own screen he’s in front of the crowds in the UK running 5km and 10km events and cross-training regularly.

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