Month: September 2020

The best way to achieve anything is to set goals. In order to be successful, there needs to be order in how you decide what to pursue and how much time you give yourself to obtain it. Setting short-term weightlifting goals is a good way to stay on track with reachable deadlines. One of the best methods for setting obtainable goals is by using “SMART goals”- a system that categorizes the different elements of an objective so that you…

When people set fitness goals, they are often made in the context of time. By having deadlines attached to your goals, you will have more motivation and be able to track the progress you’re making better. Some common times that are used for setting goals are at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. To make and hit your goals for these increments of time, it is important to have realistic expectations for what is possible to…

Along with using saunas, taking ice baths, and consuming protein, foam rolling is a very common method for decreasing muscle soreness, or DOMS, and speeding up the recovery process. The general theory behind foam rolling, also called self-myofascial release, is that by “rolling” out the muscle, you can release knots in the muscle that develop from training. These knots left to their own impede muscle growth and recovery, according to foam roller advocates, and they require due attention via…

Many weightlifters swear by the ritual of partaking in long sauna sessions following training. Sitting in a sauna after workouts is believed to increase growth hormone, flush out toxins, prevent protein aggregation, improve circulation, elevate neurogenesis, and slow aging. Saunas are also often used simply because they feel good. Just like warm baths and being outside under the sun, sitting in a sauna is a physically enjoyable experience. This feel-good sensation from being warm, according to studies, is caused…

Stretching is an underrated aspect of fitness and building muscle. Neglecting stretching and mobility training is one of primary causes of injury from working out. Mobility increases the range of motion of your joints and stretching increases the lengths of muscles. Increasing both mobility and flexibility will improve your workouts, recovery, and strength. The difference between mobility and flexibility is that mobility improves the ability of the body to go through movements and flexibility increases what length a muscle…

Feeder workouts are a style of training that involves doing high amounts of repetitions with light weights every day to speed up the growth of a muscle. This method can supposedly increase the size of a lagging muscle by forcing blood into it on a consistent basis so it is supplied with higher amounts of nutrients. The logic behind feeder workouts is that by doing high rep low weight quick training sessions for a specific muscle group every day,…

DOMS, or ‘delayed onset muscle soreness’, is the soreness that you feel in your muscles after training. DOMS mostly occurs from eccentric activity. This is because the lengthening of a muscle under resistance damages muscle fibers. This damage can vary in its severity and manifests itself in soreness following the days after a workout. DOMS mostly results from performing new exercises or training again after time off. This is because when your muscles are used more than is normal,…