Today I was outside playing basketball, even though I might be the worst basketball player in the world seriously sometimes I still dribble with two hands, but it got me thinking about summer activitys. While lifting is my favorite sport, if you can really call it a sport, but isn't the only thing to do during summer that is good exercise so here re some fun activities I can supplement my lifting with. Most of these are good cardiovascular workouts so they will help with fat loss. Also here is the calorie calculator that I used to find out how many calories are burned in a specific amount of time.
Basketball - As I mentioned earlier I'm not very good so I don't play very often but today I was just shooting around for a little and burned around 185 calories in about a half hour. So while it's not my favorite sport it is still a very good option if other people are in the mood.
Biking - This is more as a mode of transportation but is still a good workout. As a kid I would bike everywhere to get around in the summer so biking is lot's of fun and a great way to get from point A to point B if they aren't too far away. A half hour of moderate intensity biking at 12-14 MPH will burn about 340 calories.
Volleyball - Is another really fun game to play over the summer. My good friend Sarah has a net up at her house so over summer we play quite a bit. A half hour of volleyball burns 140 calories, not bad for punching a ball over a net.
Swimming - Swimming is my favorite summer activity because it is so much fun and I live in a place with a bunch of really nice public places to go, and I'm always at Sarah's house and she has a pool so we all awim up there also. A half hour of moderate swimming burns about 250 calories.
Also over summer I plan on working at Brooktondale summer camp which means I have to chase kids around all day and not make too many of them cry (I made one kid cry twice last year. He though I would just sit back and let him hurl insults at me, oh no I went right back at him.) but that takes a lot of energy and is a mini workout. So this summer is shaping up to be great with lots of good times and lots of working out.
Showing posts with label Research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Research. Show all posts
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Tunes
I'm in the gym on Friday getting ready for my lift, I had just finished my preworkout protein, creatine, and caffeine slurry, I had my water bottle filled up and had walked in felling good. One thing I always make sure to bring with me every time I lift is my Ipod. To me that is just as important as my shorts or my water bottle if I'm in the gym. I had just finished up a good heavy set of T-bar rows when I started to feel a little flat. I try and push past it but I just felt flat, like I had nothing pushing me to keep going. I finished my rows and took a quick break from my lift. I went to a corner to try and regroup myself and get back into my normal state of mind that I need to be productive when I decided I didn't like the song playing on the stereo. I went over to my ipod and skipped past the song that was currently playing until I found something I liked and as soon as I found it I flipped back into an energenic mood and finished the rest of my workout with no problem but that got me thinking, can music really make you stronger or faster, or is it all in your head and it's just a placebo effect? Me being the studious student I am decided to see if the every reaching internet had anything on the subject and headed on over to google to look it up. The first link I came across was pretty much all I was looking for. It is an essay written looking over all of the recentish studies done on this topic and summing all of them up in a quick read. The author came to the conclusion that yes indeed music does increase physical performance but the type of music playing makes a difference. Slower seditive music can actually decrease performance and silence is better for activity.
I wasn't very suprised by the results of these experaments and it just reinforced my belief that music is a key component of any workout.
Here is the article I read for this.
I wasn't very suprised by the results of these experaments and it just reinforced my belief that music is a key component of any workout.
Here is the article I read for this.
Monday, April 4, 2011
NO WHEY!!!!!
For the fitness enthusiast such as myself you know that while a solid diet cannot be supplemented there are things that you can add into your diet to assure you are meeting the requirements your body needs in order to do what it is you are asking of it. I am not a huge fan of all of these special supplements that the kids use these days that promise to "Get ripped fast" "Get huge" "SHREDDED SIX PACK AND LOTS OF BODY OIL" but that doesn't mean I am against all supplements. If you read any articles anywhere about supplements the first thing they will tell you is that you cannot replace a good well rounded diet and that is spot on. Without the basic nutrition building blocks you are throwing your money away. A good multi vitamin cannot replace eating fruits and veggies. Creatine can't make up for eating lucky charms for breatfast, pizza for lunch, and burgers for dinner. Without eating a wide variety of healthy foods you cannot get big and strong it is as simple as that. However if you eat your broccoli, pick a salad instead of fries, and consciously chose healthy foods filled with vitamins minerals and other good natural ingredients supplements can be a valuable asset for someone trying to improve themselves.
The reason I am bringing this up is because I recently spent some time (an hour and a half) on bb.com looking for some new protein powder. I was doing this because my tub is almost out and the price rose from 28 bucks to an outrageous 35 dollars and I was not having any of that so I spent the rest of my night looking for cheaper alternatives that fit my needs. I finally settled on SciVation whey, a ten pound jug for 70 bucks. I realized while I was buying it that I'm not actually saving any money than if I had stuck with my current powder but oh well variety is the spice of life. It can't hurt to try new things, especially from a trusted brand like SciVation. Also I had a coupon for 10% off and I saved money by not having to order two five pound containers sepratly so over all I saved about 15 dollars, not bad. Especially if I had gone to GNC or Vitamin World, I don't get why anyone would buy anything there, everything is marked up at least 20%, but thats a different story.
I only take three supplements they are whey, a multi vitamin, and creatine. I take Optimen by Optimum Nutrition which I find to be a very good mutli. For 24 dollars I get two months worth of pills which are very easy to take, three a day, and help to ensure that I am getting all of my vitamins and minerals that my diet my lack or help to make sure I go above and beyond my daily value of essential nutrients. The creatine I take is micronized creatine by Higher Power Nutrition. For 15 bucks I got 500 grams (great value) which will last me approxamatly 1000 years so if my math is correct that like a dollar a week! Amazing I know. Creatine is naturally produced by the body but not in lager amounts a good source is red meat but buying it is much more efficent and easier. What creatine does for the body is it aids in the production of ATP which I like the bodys gasoline required for movement and physical activity. While you exercise you use ATP for energy and eventually you run out the creatine lets you produce more and replenish lost ATP fast so you can do more work in less time leading to more muscle hypertrophy and eventually more gains. Also with extended use (2-6 weeks) it can make muscles harder, more defined and larger, which is always a good thing.
Time in regards to supplementation is vary important. Professional bodybuilders are meticulous about there dosage amounts and times because there is a best time for everything. I will avoid going into depth about feeding and fueling your body and save it for another post but will stick to the best times to take your supplements. For someone like myslef
Apon waking while you are eating your breakfast this is the best time to take your multi. Getting it in the morning is also easier to remember and will help ensure regularity which is key. Taking about 20-25 grams of protein beofre you lift is advised because it minimizes muscle lose while lifting and gives your body something to use immediatly to help repair fibers. Taking 5 grams of creatine with your protein is recommended because if helps provide your muscles with more energy which will enable you to train harder. Once you are done working out as soon as possible you should take around 50 grams of protein to aid with growth. Whey is ideal in this situation because it is absorbed very quickly. Also another 5 grams creatine will help in your recovery.
It's really late and I need my eight hours minimum in order to be at optimal levels tomorrow so I'm going to end it there and if there is anything I missed I will go back and address it in a later post.
The reason I am bringing this up is because I recently spent some time (an hour and a half) on bb.com looking for some new protein powder. I was doing this because my tub is almost out and the price rose from 28 bucks to an outrageous 35 dollars and I was not having any of that so I spent the rest of my night looking for cheaper alternatives that fit my needs. I finally settled on SciVation whey, a ten pound jug for 70 bucks. I realized while I was buying it that I'm not actually saving any money than if I had stuck with my current powder but oh well variety is the spice of life. It can't hurt to try new things, especially from a trusted brand like SciVation. Also I had a coupon for 10% off and I saved money by not having to order two five pound containers sepratly so over all I saved about 15 dollars, not bad. Especially if I had gone to GNC or Vitamin World, I don't get why anyone would buy anything there, everything is marked up at least 20%, but thats a different story.
I only take three supplements they are whey, a multi vitamin, and creatine. I take Optimen by Optimum Nutrition which I find to be a very good mutli. For 24 dollars I get two months worth of pills which are very easy to take, three a day, and help to ensure that I am getting all of my vitamins and minerals that my diet my lack or help to make sure I go above and beyond my daily value of essential nutrients. The creatine I take is micronized creatine by Higher Power Nutrition. For 15 bucks I got 500 grams (great value) which will last me approxamatly 1000 years so if my math is correct that like a dollar a week! Amazing I know. Creatine is naturally produced by the body but not in lager amounts a good source is red meat but buying it is much more efficent and easier. What creatine does for the body is it aids in the production of ATP which I like the bodys gasoline required for movement and physical activity. While you exercise you use ATP for energy and eventually you run out the creatine lets you produce more and replenish lost ATP fast so you can do more work in less time leading to more muscle hypertrophy and eventually more gains. Also with extended use (2-6 weeks) it can make muscles harder, more defined and larger, which is always a good thing.
Time in regards to supplementation is vary important. Professional bodybuilders are meticulous about there dosage amounts and times because there is a best time for everything. I will avoid going into depth about feeding and fueling your body and save it for another post but will stick to the best times to take your supplements. For someone like myslef
Apon waking while you are eating your breakfast this is the best time to take your multi. Getting it in the morning is also easier to remember and will help ensure regularity which is key. Taking about 20-25 grams of protein beofre you lift is advised because it minimizes muscle lose while lifting and gives your body something to use immediatly to help repair fibers. Taking 5 grams of creatine with your protein is recommended because if helps provide your muscles with more energy which will enable you to train harder. Once you are done working out as soon as possible you should take around 50 grams of protein to aid with growth. Whey is ideal in this situation because it is absorbed very quickly. Also another 5 grams creatine will help in your recovery.
It's really late and I need my eight hours minimum in order to be at optimal levels tomorrow so I'm going to end it there and if there is anything I missed I will go back and address it in a later post.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Research
What are some of the best basic exercises to do in order to build muscle?
There are thousands of lifts, body weight exercises, and machines out there that are all designed to do the same thing, build muscle. However some are more effective than others, others are for specific body parts, and some are for toning or gaining striations. While all of these exercises are good there are three lifts that are in a class of their own and truly deserve all the hype they get.
The first of these grade A lifts is the bench press. This is the most popular and widely preformed free weight exercise out there and for good reason. The bench press this the best way to work almost every muscle in your upper body. When done correctly the bench press uses the pectorials, triceps, and deltoids in order to move the bar. All three of these groups are worked at throughout the lift, the deltiods and pecs are first targeted when you lift up the weight and lower it to your chest, once you start to push all three groups are activated and used to move the weight away from you. the reason is is so effective is because you are using some many different areas that when they all work together you are able to move heavier weight which leads to building bigger muscles.
The second lift of the three is the deadlift. The deadlift is one of the ultimate lower body exercises because it incorporates your hamstrings, quads, glutes, and spineus ecrectus. You start with a barbell at your feet your legs shoulder width apart, however that can vary depending on what kind of deadlift you are doing but for simplicity this is just a basic deadlift. You grab the bar with your hand a bit wider than your feet, make sure to keep your back straight, and stand up.
The final and best lift out there is the squat. Squats are truly the king of bodybuilding. The squat is not just a lower body lift in fact if you regularly squat it will increase almost all of your other lifts! To do a proper squat you start with your feet a little over shoulder width apart or more depending on preference, I like to have my feet touching the outside of the rack I feel like I get better hamstring and glute activation this way. Once you get your feet set you simply sit down until your legs are parallel to the ground. This is very important because if you fail to go to low you are not engaging all of the muscles and are leaving out a huge part of the range of motion. Once you are at 90 degrees you push through your heels and stand up sounds easy right? Wrong. The squat is as physically taxing as weightlifting get there is only one other lift I have ever done that even comes close, on squat day you better be ready to bring it.
These three lifts are all so good for one huge reason, they require several groups in order to be preformed. If done properly these lifts will works every single muscle in your body because they are the best of the best.
There are thousands of lifts, body weight exercises, and machines out there that are all designed to do the same thing, build muscle. However some are more effective than others, others are for specific body parts, and some are for toning or gaining striations. While all of these exercises are good there are three lifts that are in a class of their own and truly deserve all the hype they get.
The first of these grade A lifts is the bench press. This is the most popular and widely preformed free weight exercise out there and for good reason. The bench press this the best way to work almost every muscle in your upper body. When done correctly the bench press uses the pectorials, triceps, and deltoids in order to move the bar. All three of these groups are worked at throughout the lift, the deltiods and pecs are first targeted when you lift up the weight and lower it to your chest, once you start to push all three groups are activated and used to move the weight away from you. the reason is is so effective is because you are using some many different areas that when they all work together you are able to move heavier weight which leads to building bigger muscles.
The second lift of the three is the deadlift. The deadlift is one of the ultimate lower body exercises because it incorporates your hamstrings, quads, glutes, and spineus ecrectus. You start with a barbell at your feet your legs shoulder width apart, however that can vary depending on what kind of deadlift you are doing but for simplicity this is just a basic deadlift. You grab the bar with your hand a bit wider than your feet, make sure to keep your back straight, and stand up.
The final and best lift out there is the squat. Squats are truly the king of bodybuilding. The squat is not just a lower body lift in fact if you regularly squat it will increase almost all of your other lifts! To do a proper squat you start with your feet a little over shoulder width apart or more depending on preference, I like to have my feet touching the outside of the rack I feel like I get better hamstring and glute activation this way. Once you get your feet set you simply sit down until your legs are parallel to the ground. This is very important because if you fail to go to low you are not engaging all of the muscles and are leaving out a huge part of the range of motion. Once you are at 90 degrees you push through your heels and stand up sounds easy right? Wrong. The squat is as physically taxing as weightlifting get there is only one other lift I have ever done that even comes close, on squat day you better be ready to bring it.
These three lifts are all so good for one huge reason, they require several groups in order to be preformed. If done properly these lifts will works every single muscle in your body because they are the best of the best.
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