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Weighted Ab Exercises: 3 Simple Movements
When people start their fitness journey, getting well-developed abs is usually one of the main goals. I was no different. Looking back, I used to do a ton of crunches in the hopes of getting ripped abs. But I did all of this without putting enough thought into my...
Training Frequency: What is the best workout split?
In the past two articles, we have looked into training volume and intensity. Based on these articles, we now know that most people should train every muscle group with about 10-20 sets per week in a 5-15 rep range. If you get this right, you will experience...
Training Intensity: Best Rep Range For Muscle Growth
Introduction In the previous blog post, we've looked into training volume and muscle growth. The main takeaway was that training every muscle group with about 10-20 sets per week is a good starting point for muscle growth. But as you can imagine, just how many plain...
Weighted Ab Exercises: 3 Simple Movements
When people start their fitness journey, getting well-developed abs is usually one of the main goals. I was no different. Looking back, I used to do a ton of crunches in the hopes of getting ripped abs. But I did all of this without putting enough thought into my...
Training Frequency: What is the best workout split?
In the past two articles, we have looked into training volume and intensity. Based on these articles, we now know that most people should train every muscle group with about 10-20 sets per week in a 5-15 rep range. If you get this right, you will experience...
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![🧠 There is good evidence on mental imagery and sports performance [1]. By visualizing yourself performing a certain movement before actually doing it, you can mentally practice the motor skills involved in a certain lift.
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Let's take the squat, for example. Instead of just putting a bar on your back and lifting the weight up/down, most people can benefit from actively thinking about "how" you will squat. Visualize the way you unrack the bar, how you will go down, essentially visualizing your desired squat form.
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Visualizing how you will perform a movement, likely will help you master the form a bit better. Since you may have improved technique when making use of mental imagery, your lifts are also more efficient and this can benefit strength performance. As an example, in a 2012 study, researchers found that mental imagery helps improve leg press performance [2].
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Now, to make the mental imagery effective, it's a good idea to mimic the conditions you're in when performing a task. So you can do this in between sets and/or during your warm-up to mentally prep yourself for lifting weights.
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References:
1. Richter, J., Gilbert, J. N., & Baldis, M. (2012). Maximizing strength training performance using mental imagery. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 34(5), 65-69.
2. Lebon, F., Collet, C., & Guillot, A. (2010). Benefits of motor imagery training on muscle strength. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(6), 1680-1687.](https://www.iwannaburnfat.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
🧠 There is good evidence on mental imagery and sports performance [1]. By visualizing yourself performing a certain movement before actually doing it, you can mentally practice the motor skills involved in a certain lift.
-
Let's take the squat, for example. Instead of just putting a bar on your back and lifting the weight up/down, most people can benefit from actively thinking about "how" you will squat. Visualize the way you unrack the bar, how you will go down, essentially visualizing your desired squat form.
-
Visualizing how you will perform a movement, likely will help you master the form a bit better. Since you may have improved technique when making use of mental imagery, your lifts are also more efficient and this can benefit strength performance. As an example, in a 2012 study, researchers found that mental imagery helps improve leg press performance [2].
-
Now, to make the mental imagery effective, it's a good idea to mimic the conditions you're in when performing a task. So you can do this in between sets and/or during your warm-up to mentally prep yourself for lifting weights.
-
References:
1. Richter, J., Gilbert, J. N., & Baldis, M. (2012). Maximizing strength training performance using mental imagery. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 34(5), 65-69.
2. Lebon, F., Collet, C., & Guillot, A. (2010). Benefits of motor imagery training on muscle strength. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(6), 1680-1687.
🏃♂️ A few days ago I discussed how a combination of strength training and cardio (with a greater emphasis on strength training) makes sense if fat loss is your goal. But how can you combine cardio & strength if you want to do both in the same workout?
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When you perform both cardio and strength training in your routine, it is important to consider that cardio can interfere with muscle and strength development [1]. The timing at which you do cardio and strength training helps you minimize this "interference effect".
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If we look at the research, there seems to be a benefit to completely separating your cardio and strength workouts. A 2016 study found that separating your cardio and strength sessions by at least 6 hours results in improved strength gain in trained individuals [2]. A recent experimental study supports this by showing that muscle growth increases if cardio and strength training is performed on separate days [3].
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But I can imagine that not everyone has the time or energy to visit the gym on 2 separate occasions for your cardio and strength workout. If you perform cardio and strength training in the same session, prioritize what is more important to you [4]. If you would like to focus more on developing muscle size and strength, lift weights before doing cardio. For endurance athletes, the opposite applies.
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References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22002517
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25546450
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5592291/
4. Kang, J., & Ratamess, N. (2014). Which comes first? Resistance before aerobic exercise or vice versa?. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 18(1), 9-14.
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🎵 Music @iamryanlittle
📚 This post is an iWannaBurnFat Classic. I posted this about a year ago and it very much still applies today. Occasionally, it's important to remember the underlying benefits of an active lifestyle.
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Having ambitious fitness goals is often seen as something that can "get in the way" of someone's social/family life or even career. But if done right, the opposite should be the case. The benefits you get from proper training and nutrition help you excel in other areas of your life.
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For instance, there is growing evidence showing strength training has beneficial effects on cognitive function (e.g. improved memory and attention) [1]. These are factors that directly benefit your work. Other factors like improved self-esteem, better movement, and increased energy helps improve your overall mood and quality of life [2-4].
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Another cool benefit of exercise is that it improves your ability to cope with stress and anxiety. Being active tends to serve as a good outlet for stress [4]. So instead of seeing fitness as something that takes away from your lifestyle, see it as a way to *enhance* your lifestyle. The important areas of your life (e.g. career & family) can benefit from a healthier and more energized you!
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References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22777332
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21699109
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15304540
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5934999/
💪 The One-Arm DB Row is one of the most common back exercises used. Since you only need 1 dumbbell to perform it, it is also a useful exercise if you currently train at home and have access to some dumbbells. With a few simple tips, today I will discuss how to perform a proper One-Arm DB Row.
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First, make sure your upper body is mostly parallel to the floor. As you can see in the video on the left side, when your legs are too close to your upper body, your back could start rounding. You want to place the stabilizing leg that's on the floor slightly behind your body and wide so that you can maintain a mostly neutral spine.
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Keeping a neutral spine and having the stabilizing leg in a strong position helps you pull the weight more forcefully. When you initiate the pull one One-Arm Rows, focus on pulling your elbows back towards your hips. This is a good cue for most back exercises. See your lower arm merely as a "hook" that attaches the weight to your elbows and pull the elbows back in somewhat of a "J-Curve". This helps train shoulder extension. The main function of your lats.
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The one-arm DB row is a good alternative to bent over or T-bar rows that I have discussed in previous posts. If for some reason your low-back hurts when doing bent-over rows, One-Arm Dumbbell Rows are a great option!
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🎵 Music by @iamryanlittle
🍚 Many of the questions I get related to fat loss are about carbohydrates. Some people have the idea that you must have a low-carb diet to lose fat. But that's not the case.
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A 2017 research review gathered the findings of 32 highly controlled nutrition studies [1]. The review found no significant fat loss differences between high-carb and low-carb diets. This was while matching calorie and protein intake. Theories like the "insulin-obesity" hypothesis that oftentimes are used to make people believe carbs are the enemy have been refuted multiple times [2, 3].
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For the active individual, there are actually benefits when it comes to eating carbs. For one, carbohydrates can improve your training performance [4]. Stored carbs in the form of muscle glycogen is a main fuel source during high-intensity training [5]. Next to this, many nutritious foods tend to be high in carbs. So if you completely restrict carb intake, it becomes harder to get a wide variety of micronutrients.
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Now, if for any reason you thrive on a low-carb diet and are enjoying it, continue the good work. But if you currently are on a low-carb diet and are hating it, you don't have to restrict your carbs. As long as you keep your nutrition controlled (by limiting your calorie intake), you can lose fat on a moderate-to-high carb diet.
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References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28193517
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28765272
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28074888
4. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-7-7
5. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2011.574722
In some places, gyms are still closed. So to help those currently training with resistance bands at home, today I will show you different exercise options for the major muscle groups of your body. As you can see if you swipe left, we have exercise variations for the chest, back, shoulders, legs, and arms.
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Now, about the effectiveness of band training. Is training with resistance bands even worth the effort? Yes. Espcially if it's your only option for the moment. Training with bands is better than nothing. A 2016 study found that elastic training (with tools like resistance bands) are effective for improving muscle strength in healthy adults [1]. Another study found that doing banded push-ups helps with maintaining barbell bench press strength [2].
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As long as the bands provide a good level of resistance and challenge your muscles close to failure, you will be able to have effective workouts. So I suggest opting for bands that are heavy to you for the given exercise so that you can still overload your muscles. I hope this helps and I'll make sure to post more content on effective home-training!
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References:
1. de Oliveira, Poliana Alves, et al. "Effects of elastic resistance exercise on muscle strength and functional performance in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Journal of physical activity and health 14.4 (2017): 317-327.
2. Calatayud, Joaquin, et al. "Bench press and push-up at comparable levels of muscle activity results in similar strength gains." The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 29.1 (2015): 246-253.
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Music by @iamryanlittle - Road Trip