Common Sports Supplements

In the sport and weight lifting world, there are thousands of different types of supplements on the market, all designed to improve performance.  Of the many types of supplements, there are a few that are becoming very commonly used, even amongst recreational athletes and the general fitness population.

Protein
In the past decade or so, high protein diets have become the norm for people with all types of goals ranging from weight loss to weight gain, or those that are just trying to improve their daily nutrition.  As a supplement, protein comes in many forms such as protein powders, protein bars, high protein cookies, and premixed drinks.  The most commonly used protein supplement is whey protein powder, but there are many other sources of protein, such as soy, egg, casein, hemp, and rice.  Depending on one's preferences and digestive needs, there should be a protein supplement out there to suit each person.  The average person should easily be able to get more than enough protein from their daily diet, so depending on your goals and needs, think first about whether you truly need to add protein supplements to your daily routine.

Hydration Drinks
Thanks to some high profile companies, hydration drinks are commonly seen not only at gyms, but in everyday situations, such as when driving or at work.  These drinks are often referred to as sports drinks. The general make-up of a sports drink is a combination of water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes.  The general purpose of a hydration drink is to help the body stay properly hydrated during long exercise bouts or prolonged activity in a hot environment.  They also help to regulate body temperature and provide energy for working muscles in the form of carbohydrates.  Because there is usually an added flavor, hydration drinks may also encourage people to drink more fluids during exercise than if they were drinking only water.

Nutritional Bars
There are now a wide variety of nutritional bars on the market, including protein bars, meal replacement bars, high-fibre bars, and energy bars.  Because of their convenience, bars have become popular among the general population and are often kept on hand as a quick and easy snack.  Protein bars are usually used for a pre- or post-workout snack or simply to provide extra calories for those who are trying to gain weight or muscle mass.  Meal replacement bars are usually used by those who don't have time to prepare a full meal or those who may not be able to take a proper meal with them, such as on a long hike or when they are travelling.

Thermogenics
Thermogenics are another supplement that has become very popular and mainstream.  The basic definition of a thermogenic is that they cause a short term increase in the body's metabolism.  Caffeine is the most common ingredient found in most thermogenics and the purpose is generally thought to be for promoting fat loss in the body.  Sometimes, caffeine and ephedrine are combined as they have been found to work together in terms of temporarily raising one's metabolic rate more than caffeine alone; however, this type of thermogenic has been banned in many places due to the potentially dangerous side effects of caffeine and ephedrine combined. 

Regardless of the supplement, each person who is considering taking a supplement should be doing their research to find out if the supplement is safe and if it's necessary to be taking it in the first place.  Greater precautions should be taken if one has a known medical condition or is on any medications or other supplements.

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Everyday exercise tips you can do around the house

Whether you’re a stay-at-home mum or dad or self-employed, it may have occurred to you that getting enough exercise throughout the week can be difficult.
 
While working out at home isn’t going to be as effective as working out in a fully equipped gym, there are plenty of things you can do to keep you in shape while getting on with your responsibilities.
 
Here are our top every day exercises that you will easily be able to do throughout your day.






 
Exercise:
 
Side Plank
 
There are many great core exercises you can do in the home, the side plank being one of them. To perform a side plank first lie down on your side (no, it’s not time for a nap yet).
Make sure that your shoulders are in line with your elbow, then lift yourself so that your thighs are off the ground and hold that position for roughly a minute.
 
Repeat this exercise again but on the other side. By completing 3 sets of this exercise every couple of days, you should begin to see better stamina, core strength and oblique definition.
 
Squat Thrusts
 
The Squat thrust is a great muscle-building and cardiovascular exercise that can easily be done in the home. To start, stand up straight with your hands to your side. You must then bend your knees, bringing you into the squat position.
 
Fall forwards placing your palms on the ground then extend your legs behind you, assuming a press-up position. Bring your legs back in and go back to the starting position. You should aim to do three sets of 10 squat thrusts per day.
 
Tricep dips
 
If you’re looking to tone up your arms, tricep dips are an easy home exercise. All you need is a chair or a bench to perform this exercise.
 
While sitting on a chair or bench, place your hands on your side. Lift off onto your hands and push your hips forward, bending your elbows as you move forward.
 
Push yourself back up and repeat. When doing tricep curls, make sure that your hips don’t move too far from the bench or you could end up working your shoulders more than your triceps.
 
Press ups
 
Press ups are one of the most common forms of callisthenic exercise, and the sheer number of variants makes this exercise infinitely valuable.
 
Push ups work your core, pectoral muscles, triceps and deltoids. You should aim to complete at least 3 sets of 10 push ups per day.
 
Diet and supplements:
 
Eating well is essential when exercising. While it can be tempting to graze all day at home, eating a balanced diet is a must if you’re hoping to get results from your home workout.
 

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Build strength with unique exercises and explosive workout

Julian Hooks

Everyone wants to have a rock hard body that is bulging with muscle right? Some people focus too much on the size, however, rather than functionality. There are exercises you can do that will not only build your muscle, but make you lean and fit as well. These exercises are intended to be intensive and will not only build muscle, but burn fat fast.

Muscle Hat Trick

When doing a muscle hat trick you will be strengthening yourself by working on three different areas at once. You will be working quickly and intensely as you do this. You will find that doing a wide array of exercise that move your body quickly with strength training will be the key to getting the muscle hat trick right, ergo getting bigger and leaner faster at the same time.

The Box Drill

Doing the box drill technique is quite simple. It is meant to fire up the calves very quickly. The idea is to jump around in an imaginary box. This sounds silly, but it s very effective for the reason that the successive and intense motion will have you feeling the exercise because you are moving quickly and intensely. Begin by balancing your right foot and keeping your knee slightly bent. You will then swing both arms forward and hops to your left. You will stay on the same leg and hop forward, then right, and then back to the start position. You will switch legs if you want to reverse direction.

Closed-Chain Exercises

Closed-Chain exercises are a great way to build muscle quickly because they are weight bearing exercises which not only force you to keep a certain part of your body still, but lift and maintain that weight as well. Push-ups, pull ups, squats, dead lifts, lunges, and power cleans are all examples of this. The idea is simply doing the exercise in a consistent manner. Exercise such as push-ups, pull ups, and chin ups all work to co-contract the triceps, biceps, deltoids, lats, abominable, and lower back. The level at which this works depends on the angle it is done and the leverage that is given.

Open-Chain Exercises

Open-Chain exercises work the opposite of close-chain exercises. This is because the parts of the body that are being used are allowed to move. Open-Chain exercises are wide in variety as they include essentially any type of exercise which the person doing them is allowed to move their limbs. The bicep curl, leg curl, leg extensions, and bench press are all examples of this. This type of exercise does more to build mass than to actually give a better functional athletic body. These types of exercises build muscle fast, and allow people to bulk up quickly. These types of exercise have been used frequently in rehabilitation setting because specific muscles can be targeted much easier.

Frog Squat Jump

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Ways Health/Fitness Professionals Can Continue to Learn

James A. Peterson, Ph.D., FACSM

1. Have an open mind. Realize that opportunities for learning abound. They are everywhere if individuals can learn to recognize them for what they are. The key is to be receptive to and tolerant of new ideas, new notions and conceptual links, and the potential of embracing new challenges.

2. Reach for resources. Take advantage of the various platforms for delivering information that are available in the field of health/fitness, including books, DVDs, webinars, and social media. Keep in mind that these tools are among the most viable means for obtaining cutting-edge, up-to-date information on key topics and areas of professional concern.

3. Let your feet hit the street. Attend professional meetings, seminars, and conventions that specifically target individuals involved in the health/fitness field. While in attendance at these gatherings, be a sponge for information. Listen, learn, and absorb. Always remember that because your existing job often will not be your last job, it can be quite advantageous for you to expand your "learning envelope."

4. Learn from others. Make a strategic commitment to the fact that everyone you meet is a potential source of useful information. In that regard, everyone with whom you interact (particularly professional colleagues) can serve as a viable learning channel for you.

5. Study the pioneers in the field. Contrary to the perception of some health/fitness professionals, their field of study did not commence the day that they were born. In fact, the body of knowledge related to their profession has evolved over decades of scientific inquiry undertaken by a cadre of dedicated individuals. As the old saying goes, "when you drink the water, remember who dug the well." Considering efforts of these pioneers can provide a wellspring of thought-provoking information.

6. Expand your universe. See the world as a classroom. Look upon the actions, practices, and activities of successful individuals and organizations in other fields and endeavors as a learning resource that can be tapped to add substance, clarity, and insight into your own level of informational enlightenment. Figuratively, as well as literally, the learning opportunities in this area are boundless.

7. Be professionally active. To the degree that your situation and schedule permit, engage in an array of professional pursuits. For example, serve on a committee, be part of a writing team, accept a leadership role, and so on. In addition, share your skills and time with those outside your professional community. Be a volunteer. Make a difference. Experiences matter.

8. Master your listening and observational skills. Learn to listen with both your ears and your eyes. The ability to listen effectively is an essential aspect of communication that requires considerable personal commitment to develop - an undertaking that is more worth the effort. In addition, develop the capacity to thoughtfully observe the world around you and try to learn from the process. Make this attribute an enduring personal habit.

9. Develop a learning "bucket list." Detail a list of short- and long-term learning-related personal goals. Create a basic strategy for achieving each objective. Compile a systematic schedule for fulfilling your overall course of action. Ensure that your plan adequately addresses whatever learning-related strengths and weaknesses you may have.

10. Never be satisfied. It is not enough to simply be aware of the need for and the value of lifelong learning. In that regard, health/fitness professionals should never be content with how much they have learned. They should understand that the ever-evolving body of knowledge is an invaluable asset that should be assimilated and applied on an ongoing basis.


James A. Peterson, Ph.D., FACSM, is a freelance writer and consultant in sports medicine. From 1990 until 1995, Dr. Peterson was director of sports medicine with StairMaster. Until that time, he was professor of physical education at the United States Military Academy.

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Top 7 Tips To Strengthen Your Back Support Muscles

Submitted by Emmanuel101010,

Not surprisingly, people with strong trunk muscles and well conditioned leg and hip muscles are less likely to develop back pain and injuries than people with weak or poorly conditioned muscles. Fortunately, your muscles will become stronger if you follow a regular exercise program that challenges your muscles to do slightly more than usual. If you are not already doing strengthening exercises, start with the exercises described here that you can consider to adopt, which focus on the spinal support muscles of the a bend your knees, and keep your feet flat on the floor. Find the neutral position by flattening your lower back against the floor, then arching abdomen and back.

1. Deadbug

Lie flat on your back, up toward the ceiling and finding the point halfway between. Place your fingers at your sides on the bony area of your pelvis just below your waist. Now tighten your stomach muscles as if you were about to get punched. Lift one foot a couple of inches off the ground while keeping your stomach tight and keeping your back in the neutral position. Then put your foot down and lift the other foot. Keep your hands on your pelvis to make sure that you are tilting your pelvis as you lift your feet. Alternate the feet for 20 repetitions while keeping your pelvis stable. As this gets easier, you can increase the difficulty by lifting your arms as well as legs off the floor.

2. Bridging

Lie flat on your back, bend your knees, and keep your feet flat on the floor. Find the neutral position as illustrated above. After which, lift your hips off the ground, maintaining a neutral position in the lower back and keeping the spinal straight and your weight on your upper back. Life your hips up until you begin to find it difficult to maintain the neutral position. Keep your arms at your side, palms down on the floor to provide stability so your hips do not tilt side to side. Lower to the floor and lift up 20 times. To increase the difficulty of this exercise, do alternate arm and leg lifts while bridging. You can eventually add cuff weights to your ankles.

3. Partial Sit-ups

Lie flat on your back, bend your knees, and keep your feet flat on the floor. Find the neutral position by following the above technique. You can roll up a towel and put it under the small of your back to help you maintain the neutral position. Stretch out your arms and place the palms of your hands on the top of your thighs. Curl up your torso until your fingers touch the top of your knees. Hold this position for a moment, then curl back down. Keep the lower back on the floor the entire time the upper back moves. Now follow the same procedure by stretching both arms straight toward the left knee, then both arms toward the right knee. Repeat 10 times in each direction.

4. Alternate Arm And Leg Lifts

Lie on your stomach and find the neutral position. You can put a folded towel under your stomach to help maintain your alignment. Tighten your abdominal muscles and lift a straight left arm and right leg a few inches off the floor. Make sure that your back does not arch. Raise your arms and legs only as high as you are able to while maintaining the neutral position. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Do 20 repetitions.

5. Quadruped Arm And Leg Lifts

Get on your hands and knees. Arch your back up toward the ceiling. Let it sag down so that it dips toward the floor, and then come back up halfway. This is your neutral position. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your straight left arm and right leg while maintaining your spine in the neutral position. Hold this position for a moment and then put your arm and leg down. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Do 10 to 20 repetitions.

6. Functional Squats

Stand upright and place your feet shoulder width apart. Find your neutral position and squat down while maintaining it. Your buttocks will move backward, your chest will move forward, and your center of gravity will drop straight down. Your weight should be balanced in the middle of your feet, not on the balls or heels. To avoid knee pain, do not bend your knees more than 90 degrees. Do 10 to 20 repetitions.

7. Leg Lowering

Lie on your back and bend your knees while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Use your abdominal muscles to keep your back in the neutral position, and slowly extend one leg at a time. Then slowly lower that led to the floor while keeping your abdominal muscles tight. Keep the other leg bent, and make sure that your back does not arch. Do 10 to 20 repetitions.

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C.W.U. for Olympic & Power Lifts

Submitted by fitnessfoundry,

Disclaimer, it is best to have a thorough evaluation by a medical professional before proceeding with a fitness program.

My essay targets the more recreational lifter, particularly those who have an active lifestyle and work 9-5. Generally, this population has a sedentary job and works out for overall health. Unlike professional lifter, who dedicate more hours to training with professional guidance for competition, I am focusing on the needs of the “weekend warrior”.

For the rest of us, who do not have an athletic training coach and work 9-5, I would like to suggest C.W.U. Corrective Warm Ups, multi-joint corrective exercises mixed with dynamic warm ups. Corrective exercises target muscle imbalances while dynamic warm-ups warm up major muscle groups.

Why not just do cardio for 5 minutes? Cardio by itself does not prepare the muscle for the work ahead…it just raises your core temperature. Pre-workout preparation is just as important as the workout itself. In my 15+ years experience in fitness, I have found some common denominators in how people get injured. The first is focusing only on increasing core temperature in their warm up, not specific joint actions (muscle groups) and second, poor exercise technique.

My training experience tells me it would benefit me to learn from their mistakes and include dynamic and corrective exercises in my client’s workouts. This is applicable regardless whether your goal is strength, power, hypertrophy or weight loss. The name of the game is to keep you training for success and not side tracked by an injury. I want to emphasize there is no “silver bullet” in preventing injuries, however by training smarter we can lessen the chances of injuries.

Unlike designated days where you would focus on corrective exercises with more volume (I called them recovery workouts) e.g. rotator cuff, glute activation, thoracic mobility, reactive training, muscle extensibility & flexibility, you can address some of these muscle imbalances or weak links more frequently via a balanced CWU.

There is a well known S.M.A.R.T. principle that is used when creating a program design and I believe it can apply to the warm up. It should be Specific, Measurable, Action, Realistic and Timed.

Main factors in my corrective warm up design:
1. The exercise order is important, it should not be a series of random movements and it is also not designed to exhaust your energy.
2. Since the human body can move in 7 directions. Forward, backwards, left, right, up, down and rotary, so should the warm-up.
3. It should be specific; if your workout has a heavy emphasis on the posterior chain e.g. dead-lift, it would be wise to also “fire up” the antagonist muscles in your warm up e.g. abdominals –Stability ball bicycle crunches. Another example, if your workout has heavy emphasis on cleans and overhead presses then you want to ensure rotator cuff, erector spinae are warmed up e.g. stability ball pikes.
4. Warm up must include unilateral movement. E.g. t-pushups, walking quadriceps stretch with overhead reach.
5. Warm up must be progressive. E.g. walking quad stretch with overhead reach now finishes with a single leg hip hinge.
6. In a nutshell, design the C.W.U to do MORE in less time. It should take no longer than 5 minutes.

Some of my corrective warm up drills might be challenging but not impossible. Individuals with flat feet may find lunge with rotation and single leg balance challenging. Others with upper cross syndrome may find the overhead reach difficult and also find it hard not to shrug while doing the stability ball press ups or t-pushup.

Note: Having unaddressed muscle imbalances due to injuries or from a sedentary job may limit your performance. One of the requisites of having good form is joint mobility. Left untreated, you are also at higher risk for shoulder, low back and knee injury. Solution…customized corrective exercises.
Foam roll: Benefits, myofascia release, muscle extensibility, promotes muscle recovery.

A Few Benefits of C.W.U.:
• Movement in all anatomical planes- functional, movement patterns.
• Increase core temperature- increase blood flow.
• Core stability-increase muscle fiber activation, recruitment of internal oblique, quadrates lumborum, paraspinal muscles, mid/low traps, transverse abdominus , serratus anterior to name a few. E.g. stability ball pikes.
• Scapular retraction, protraction, depression, upward and downward rotation.
• Unilateral movement: knee stability, hip mobility & stability, balance, ankle mobility
• Improve range of motion:
• Wrist mobility: Stability ball press ups.
• Rotator cuff stability/mobility (at GH joint): t-pushups
• Thoracic mobility- Lunge with rotation, spiderman stretch
• Flexibility: lateral walks lengthen adductors.
• Deceleration: reverse lunge with rotation.
• Breathing, Mind Body: Body Awareness, Mental preparation for workout.
• All levels of fitness and age.
• Helps identify over trained areas before loading. (Might need to foam roll again, unload or more rest) use discretion.

Olympic lifts and power lifts are fantastic exercises that are worth learning correctly. Snatches, power clean and press, dead lifts, front squats, back squats require specific joint mobility (and stability), flexibility, timing, core strength & stability, body awareness and proper technique to reap the benefits.

To maximize your potential and prevent injuries I also recommend doing a movement screen by a fitness professional to identify musculoskeletal asymmetry. Past injuries, current lifestyle (sedentary or active) and goals are also very important in developing a progressive, challenging, result driven training program. With this being said, I also suggest getting guidance from an experienced lifter rather than only watching a video. Having someone watch your form and properly correct it is priceless.

C.W.U for barbell clean, front squat and press, back squat, dead lift*:
Equipment- Stability Ball –Choose a medium size ball.
Note, for a dead lift (hip dominant) workout do not perform the stability ball pikes instead do bicycle crunches.Increase challenge by working in socks, however orthotics users should not take their sneakers off.
2 circuit sets, Repetitions see below, Frequency: 3x/week, 4-6 Weeks

Stability ball pikes: Start with ball in front of you, rollover stability ball until your feet are on the apex of the ball. Hands slightly wider than shoulder width, neutral neck, do not allow hips to fall, shoulder blades in back pocket, core engaged. This is your starting position, legs are fully lengthened and arms have slight elbow bend.
Inhale and pull ball inwards with your abdominals simultaneously driving hips upward. Your head will be between your arms at the peak and chest facing stability ball. Exhale and return to starting position. Reps 8

*Stability ball bicycle crunch (for dead lift workout only): Sit on apex of stability ball with feet shoulder width apart on the floor. Walk your feet out as you roll yourself down until the lower part of your back is on the ball. Now place your right hand on the floor and left hand behind left ear. Right foot remains on the floor with a 90 degree knee bend. Raise left leg off the floor and keep it parallel. Simultaneously, lift your right shoulder/upper back & right elbow and bring your left knee back to make contact with your right elbow above your abdominals. Reps 16 each side

Stability ball press ups: Kneel in front of ball, with hands pointing forward and wider than shoulder width, elbows outwards. Brace your core and step back one leg at a time, feet may be hip to shoulder width apart. Inhale and slowly lower chest, while keeping a straight back. Focus on shoulder blade retraction (pinching mid traps), exhale as you press up. Reps 8

Walking quadriceps stretch and with opposite overhead reach. Right hand grabs right ankle, bring to glutes on to ball of left foot and reach overhead with left arm (arm aligned or behind ear-finger tips reach for ceiling). Release foot and step forward. Repeat on other side. Reps 4x each side.

Reverse knee tucks. Grab left shin with both hands and tuck knee to chest (stretches left low back and hips). Release and step back, repeat knee tuck on other side. Repeat 4x each side.

Lateral squat with 180 degrees rotation: Side step to left, left knee should be stacked/aligned with foot, hip and shoulder. Left knee should track with foot, weight on left heel, drive hips back, straighten right leg and you should feel a stretch in your inner right thigh. Hold for 2 seconds. Pivot on left heel 180 degrees and side step with right leg. Repeat steps above. Reps 4x.

T-pushups: Set up for a normal pushup. Shoulder blades in back pocket, core engaged, feet hip with apart, neutral neck. Focus on pinching shoulder blades (mid traps) as you descend. Return to starting position, turn hips to left side simultaneously allow your feet to fall to the side (do not stack feet). Hips should not drop (similar to a side plank), right arm turns with body and is perpendicular to the floor, fingertips reach for ceiling. Do not allow the arm to fall back, align with body. Return to starting position, pushup and repeat on the other side. Reps 4x

Spiderman stretch: Start with a straight arm plank position. Feet hip width apart, hands slightly wider than shoulders, bring right leg next to right hand, plant right foot. Loop right arm behind right calf/leg and hold for 3 seconds. Unhook right arm from leg and twist torso till chest and head face right wall, right hand reaches for ceiling. Hold for 3 seconds. Bring right hand back to starting position and repeat other side. Reps 4x.

Lunge with rotation, reverse lunge with rotation: Stand with a front squat grip hand position (not clean grip). Fingers on front of shoulders, elbows lined up with shoulders. Shoulders in back pocket. Step forward with right leg into a split squat, land on right heel and keep weight on right heel, both knees at 90 degrees, shoulders above hips. Rotate elbows to right side, your head must stay centered. Rotate back to center, drive thru right heel to move forward. Repeat on left side. Reps 4x

Standing horizontal chops with thumbs externally rotated, diagonal chops: Stand tall, arms extended together in front of you at chest height, palms facing up. Keep arms horizontal as you mimic a standing cable mid trap pull apart, keep palms facing up.
Diagonal chops, same starting position but with palms pressed together. Separate palms diagonally in front of you, right palm faces up and left palm faces down. Diagonally lift right arm till aligned with ear and diagonally bring downward left arm till aligned with hip. Reps 8x, Repeat on other side with reverse palm position.

After a few weeks, you can introduce new movement pattern e.g. curtsies, spiderwalks. Add instability to a squat progression by performing it on the flat side of a bosu. A new multi-joint corrective exercise e.g. half kneeling 1 arm ball dribble. Mini band hops etc… Again, it’s progressive, time efficient and geared for injury prevention.

Many people can come up with reasons for not warming up before their workout e.g. time restriction. There are also many debates on whether to stretch before or after a workout, efficiency of foam rolling and even question the importance of warming up itself. I personally resigned from the debating society and rather focus on what yields the best results.

Your time is very valuable and learning how to maximize your training session is a great investment. What you do will carry over to your day to day activities and allow you continue train like an athlete.

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