[12-Oct-2025 13:31:15 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-back-button-style.php:14 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-back-button-style.php on line 14 [12-Oct-2025 13:31:15 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-back-button-style.php:14 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-back-button-style.php on line 14 [12-Oct-2025 13:31:23 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined 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/home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-boxes-style.php:20 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-boxes-style.php on line 20 [12-Oct-2025 13:54:25 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cz_get_option() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-boxes-style.php:20 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-boxes-style.php on line 20 [12-Oct-2025 13:56:20 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cz_get_option() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-boxes-style.php:20 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-boxes-style.php on line 20 [12-Oct-2025 14:09:04 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-button-style.php:18 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-button-style.php on line 18 [12-Oct-2025 14:09:04 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-button-style.php:18 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-button-style.php on line 18 [12-Oct-2025 14:11:03 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-button-style.php:18 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-button-style.php on line 18 [12-Oct-2025 14:16:31 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-label-style.php:12 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-label-style.php on line 12 [12-Oct-2025 14:16:31 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-label-style.php:12 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-label-style.php on line 12 [12-Oct-2025 14:18:34 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-label-style.php:12 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-label-style.php on line 12 [12-Oct-2025 14:26:44 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cz_get_option() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-style.php:10 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-style.php on line 10 [12-Oct-2025 14:26:44 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cz_get_option() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-style.php:10 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-style.php on line 10 [12-Oct-2025 14:30:36 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cz_get_option() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-style.php:10 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-field-style.php on line 10 [12-Oct-2025 14:35:48 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-small-heading-style.php:12 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-small-heading-style.php on line 12 [12-Oct-2025 14:35:48 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-small-heading-style.php:12 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-small-heading-style.php on line 12 [12-Oct-2025 14:38:15 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cs_typography() in 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/home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-thumbnail-style.php:10 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-thumbnail-style.php on line 10 [12-Oct-2025 14:55:16 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cz_get_option() in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-thumbnail-style.php:10 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/wwwthehumantrain/public_html/wp-content/themes/jupiter/framework/admin/customizer/dynamic-styles/shop/checkout-cart/section-thumbnail-style.php on line 10 [12-Oct-2025 14:59:36 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function mk_cz_get_option() in 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Don’t Make this Big Result-Sucking Mistake. https://www.thehumantrainer.com/trying-to-lose-weight-dont-make-this-big-result-sucking-mistake/ Thu, 20 Jul 2017 17:10:10 +0000 https://www.thehumantrainer.com/?p=12939 Lately, I’ve been running into too many women in my life where the conversation goes something like this:

Me: “Wow. Look at you! You look great.”

Lady: “Thanks. I lost 15LBS. I still got another 15 to go to reach my target weight.”

Me: “What’s your secret?”

Lady: “I do loads of cardio 5 days a week and am really eating a lot better. But the weight loss seems to be slowing down.”

Me: “What about strength training?”

And this is where I get stared at like I’m an alien and told something along the lines of: “I can’t gain muscle until I lose weight because muscle under a layer of fat will only make me look bigger” or “I don’t want to bulk up.”

Sound familiar?

Ladies, the above conversation lead me to writing this article because so many women have the wrong information on weight loss and strength training that it makes me cringe. If you are one of those gals who thinks cardio is the only way to go, and that strength training should be left to da boys, you need to read on. Seriously! Do yourself a favor and take the time to read this article and get all the facts.

Gentlemen – a lot of this info applies to your weight loss goals too, so please read on.

Let’s start with some MUSCLE FACTS (provided by blogger BuffMother):

  • After puberty your essential muscle growth is over and your muscle starts to deteriorate.
  • As you age you lose muscle. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”
  • The act of pregnancy further accelerates your muscle loss. The amount of protein your baby needs to develop requires the baby to steal protein (muscle) from you!
  • Dieting and aerobic exercise without strength training causes muscle loss.
  • Weight training re-builds your lost muscle.
  • Women who weight train won’t increase their muscle size much, just their muscle’s density and strength. So forget the fear of “bulking up.”
  • MUSCLE BURNS FAT!!!!

Cardio and Strength Training SHOULD be a Team Effort

Are you one of those people who goes to the gym day-in and day-out and spends an hour or two on the treadmill?

Cardio is without a doubt a great weight loss tool, but it should never be the only tool in the toolbox.

Heres the deal – With most forms of traditional long duration cardio, you use up calories WHILE you’re exercising, but once you stop, the calorie burning stops too.

Furthermore, if you’re over doing the cardio it can lead to becoming catabolic. Being in a catabolic state means that your body begins to eat muscle tissue for fuel instead of fat-stores and calories. This leads to having less lean mass, causing you to look mushier (for lack of a better term). It also makes your metabolism slow down which means you are going to find yourself having to eat like a mouse just to maintain that new weight. PLUS, youll make yourself bananas from feeling like youre constantly starving. Yo-yo dieting anyone?!

Strength Training and Weight Loss

Strength training, on the other hand, builds muscle. And guess what? MUSCLE BURNS CALORIES! Even when youre lazy on the couch!

True, you might burn less calories during a 60-minute strength sesh than you would running for the same amount of time, but when you strength train, your muscles are broken down and then rebuilt. Your body uses fat-stores and calories to rebuild the muscle tissue which takes between 24 to 48 hours. In other words, your body KEEPS burning calories and fat for up to two whole days after your workout is done (aka the “after burn” effect). Take that cardio!

Harvard researchers found men who lifted weights for 20 minutes a day had less belly fat than those who spent the 20 minutes doing cardio. As for women: this study found resistance training helps women reduce their risk of stomach fat.

Another study found that 9 months of resistance training increased study participants resting metabolic rate by an average of 5%. Adding one pound of muscle will burn only an extra 5-10 calories per day, but every little bit helps you inch closer to the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.

The more muscle you have on your body the more fat you burn, the more calories you burn. If you have enough muscle on your body you can eat a reasonable diet without gaining weight -this is the definition of having a high metabolism.

Having a good amount of muscle is essential if you want to burn off body fat, and makes it much easier to stay slim.

You Wont Bulk Up

Women are programmed to believe that IF they do strength training they must stick to weights that are extremely light, and do dozens of repetitions so that they can tone up without getting manly arms and legs.

But it’s actually really hard for a woman to bulk up like a man. Women dont have the same Testosterone levels as men do, which is a main hormone for mass building. Therefore, it takes a lot of work, a lot of weight, and often supplements to look like a bodybuilder. Instead of becoming massive, you are going to reshape your body, find it easier to stay slender, and get the long and lean muscles that many women want.

Fat Covering Muscle

There is a big misconception about what causes bulk. “Bulk isn’t muscle; it is muscle covered by fat,” said Mike Roussell author, nutritional consultant and frequent Mens Health contributor. “So if you feel that you are too bulky, then its important to fine-tune your diet to lose the excess fat – not give up weight training.

Older Women NEED to Strength Train

Many women feel that after menopause and the chance for osteoporosis that strength training should be avoided for fear of hurting themselves. But this is when you need to strength train more than ever! Studies have shown that in post-menopausal women, strength training preserved bone density while improving muscle mass, strength, and balance. See! It REDUCES the chance of injury!

Age is only a number. Check out this 80-year old granny on The Human Trainer.

Our Suggestions

There is no need to be intimidated by weights and strength training. Start simple (and lighter) and work your way up. But remember,lifting heavier weights for fewer reps burns significantly more calories (for two hours after your workout) than more reps with lighter weights.

The idea is to get your heart rate up and keep it there, but you also want to make sure the weight you use is challenging enough without causing you to lose your form. You can even use Resistance Bands instead of free weights.

Try this simple yet effective Dumbbells Workout for Beginners by LivingStrong.com.

We recommend that you do 3 strength training workouts per week. Cardio can be done for 10-20 minutes before and after these routines as a calorie burning warm up and cool down. HIIT, can be done on days in between muscle building routines.

For strength training, we suggest circuit training (3 sets each of 3-4 total body exercises back-to-back). For example, with dumbbells in hand, do bent-over rows, then go straight into Romanian deadlifts, and then squats without resting in-between. Once you finish that round you can rest for 30 seconds and do it again. If you want different exercises try kettlebell swings, suspension training, or even battle rope exercises.

For cardio, we suggest interval training. Shorter workouts with intervals are much more effective than running or using a machine for 40-plus minutes every other day. An interval is a short period of exercise performed at high intensity for a specific length of time. Each interval is separated from the next by a short period of rest or lighter activity. Try alternating one minute fast and one minute slow for 10 minutes and then run at a slower pace for 5 minutes to cool down. Even though youre exercising for a short period, youll still net greater fat loss using this method.

Research published in the journal Metabolism?showed greater muscle gains and fat loss in one group of subjects who exercised at a higher intensity for 15 weeks than a second group who exercised at a steady pace for 20 weeks. Although more calories were burned by the steady group, the interval training group lost much more subcutaneous fat.

DONT FORGET-to always warm up and cool down and give your body the time it needs to heal by taking rest days.

The Scale is Deceptive!

Muscle is denser than fat, and one pound of fat takes up about four times as much space as muscle. If your clothes are fitting better and you look good and feel good, forget the scale! Your body composition is changing. Youre losing fat and gaining muscle.

Don’t Forget About Diet

Make sure you’re not compensating for a bad diet with extra cardio. There is no win in this situation.

Yes, exercise is key for weight loss and weight maintenance, but dont forget that diet is 80% of the equation.?Research shows that a combination of diet and exercise is the way to go for sustaining it.

 

The Bottomline – The more muscle you have, the more fuel you’re constantly burning. Though cardio is often seen as a quick fix to shed body fat, strength training is a must to get to your weight loss goals and help you to look and feel your best

Article By: Fitness Dame
Resources: fitnessblender.com, breakingmuscle.com, huffingtonpost, drnatashaturner.com

]]> The Sexual Benefits of Fitness https://www.thehumantrainer.com/sex/ https://www.thehumantrainer.com/sex/#respond Sat, 14 Feb 2015 14:00:00 +0000 http://thehumantrainer.com/sex/

In case you need another reason to hop on the fitness train, did you know that exercise can lead to a better sex life! So, if you’re in a bit of a sexual-slump, read on…. 

 

  canstockphoto8290283

 

Human sexual function is affected by our overall general health and specifically blood circulation. Research has proven that though other things like smoking and heavy alcohol-use definitely affects circulatory health, but ironically cutting back or eliminating these poor lifestyle choices didn’t help sexual function. However, regular exercise and maintaining proper bodyweight was proven to affect overall sexual function positively. Scientific studies have confirmed that those who exercise regularly have a hotter sex life and both men and women who exercise 3-5 times per week, report having MORE sex, more frequent and intense orgasms, and overall a more satisfying sexual relationship with their partner. 

 

So if your sexual satisfaction meter is a little on the low side, the missing ingredient to move it from fizzle to fantastics this Valentine’s Day, could be getting your sweat on! 

 

 

Other ways exercise helps you in the bedroom are:

 

It Boosts Sex Hormones

Exercise causes the brain to produce endorphins which stimulates the release of sex hormones. A Baylor University study found that men’s testosterone levels were highest in the 48 hours after they did strength training, and another study conducted by the New England Research Institute found that if a man’s waist circumference is higher than 41 inches it correlates with lowered testosterone levels. 

 

Cardiovascular exercise can stimulate beta-endorphins, which causes a temporary elevated heart rate, and blood to flow to all the right places.

 

All this to say, exercise causes your engine to rev and be ready for action.

 

Mr. (Miss) Dependable

Those who exercise are found to be less likely to have erectile dysfunction or vaginal dryness. Bye-bye Viagra!

 

It Makes You Feel Sexier

A University of Arkansas survey found that physically fit individuals have more self-confidence and are more likely to see themselves as hot. Oh, and incase you failed to notice, the opposite sex usually finds physically fit people hot too.

 

It Improves Your Stamina

The better shape you’re in, the longer you’ll last in the sack. Let’s face it, sex is work: you need to have strong muscles, especially in your back, abs, and legs to keep it going.

 

It Improves Flexibility

Exercise and stretching can help you become more flexible and limber. If you want to try out some new Kama Sutra moves you might want to work on some Yoga, or Essentrics exercises first.

 

 

WARNING: More is not better

Exercise I mean, more EXERCISE is not better :p 

Overtraining can compromise the immune system, and cause injury and lack of energy; all of which is not sexy. It can also lead to decreased hormone levels, leaving you feeling unmotivated.

 

Your bonus workout is…SEX!

Don’t forget that sex is a workout in itself. With a nice foreplay sesh and a few position changes you can burn as many as 100 calories in 30 minutes.  

 

 

This Valentines Day, try working out WITH your partner. If you’re both getting the benefits  at the same time, you just doubled your chances for sexual success and a few fireworks, not just today, but every day! 

 

 

You can thank me later… 🙂 

 

The Fitness Dame

 

 

 

Resources: fox news, ace fitness, fitbie.com

]]> https://www.thehumantrainer.com/sex/feed/ 0 Working Out and Still No Muscle? https://www.thehumantrainer.com/still-no-muscle/ https://www.thehumantrainer.com/still-no-muscle/#respond Tue, 25 Nov 2014 08:00:00 +0000 http://thehumantrainer.com/still-no-muscle/

Working out regularly and still not seeing the toned muscular body of your dreams? 

 

Not getting results when you’re a dedicated exerciser is frustrating to say the least, and  is the number one reason people give up. But, just because you’re exercising doesn’t necessarily mean you are doing everything right.

 

Here are the top 10 reasons why you may not being seeing the results you’re after:

 

1) FAT!

You may actually be building muscle, but if you’re not getting rid of the layer of fat between your muscles and skin, you’ll never look toned.

 

Some muscles (like abs and thighs) may seem hard to develop, but the reality is that fat seems to stick to these areas more than others. These stubborn areas are often the first place the fat goes when you gain it, and the last place it comes off when you’re losing it.

 

How do you lower your body fat?

With proper diet, cardio, AND strength training.

 

Many exercisers who are trying to gain mass will argue that cardio eats away at muscle and its best to stick with strength training. While that may be true if you over do it on the cardio, you still need it to lose that fat layer, or you’ll never look cut. If you feel that cardio is too time consuimg, may I suggest doing HIIT.

 

*** More on proper diet in #’s 2, 3, 4, 9 and 10  See how important diet is? 🙂

 

2) Calories

Your calorie consumption is very important to your muscle results. Your body needs nutrients to repair tissue, and grow. If you aren’t eating the right amount of calories and the right types of foods you will never gain the expected results for all the effort you put in at the gym. If you’re having trouble gaining mass you may be calorie deficient, and if you’re having trouble getting cut, you may be consuming too many calories. 

The proper calorie count is different for everyone depending on many factors such as age, sex, and activity level. Consult a nutritionist, your doc, a personal trainer, or use a BMR calculator to find the calorie level that’s right for you.

3) You’re not eating the right things

Muscle requires protein, carbs, and fat to grow.

The more you stress your body, the better your nutrition needs to be. The best way to plan your muscle building diet is to split it up into protein/carbohydrate/fat ratios. Many experts say the best ratio of muscle growth is 30/50/20. Meaning, you’re getting 30% of your total calories from protein, 50% from carbohydrates, and 20% from fats.

Many people, especially women, don’t eat enough protein. Eat a source of high quality lean protein with each meal (egg whites, lean meat, quinoa, fish, protein powder, etc.)

For carbs, choose natural, complex carbs such as: vegetables, oatmeal (not instant), yams, potatoes, beans, and brown rice.

 

When I say fats I mean “good fat” like flax oil, fish fat, nuts, seeds, and avocado.

 

For more on good fat vs. bad fat CLICK HERE

 

4) You’re not eating often enough

Research has shown that eating 5-6 smaller meals (instead of our standard 3 meals/day) is better for us, our energy levels, and quickens our metabolism.

Watch portion size, and try to eat at even intervals such as every 2-3 hrs. Think about it, if your body gets used to food coming into your system every 2-3 hrs it will be less inclined to store it as fat because it is sure food is coming and that you will not starve yourself.

If you don’t feel like you have the time to eat that often remember that not all meals have to be “full meal size.” A balanced snack or a protein shake will work just fine. This will require nothing more than a little bit of pre-planning, and taking food to work or on errands with you. It’s easier than you may think!

5) You’re not getting enough water

Water is SO important for so many different reasons. (Learn more about water benefits here) Many people think if they have water right before, after, and/or during their workout that they’re properly hydrated, but you must hydrate yourself at least 3 hrs before your workout for it to count. Make it a point to drink water throughout your day.

 

6) You’re not exercising with purpose

A lot of people get a workout plan and just go through the motions, or train “too light.” If you’re not challenging yourself, your muscles will never get bigger.

 

  • You should up the anti as you get stronger. Keep a log of how much you lift and how many reps you do. As you feel the exercise get easier with every workout add more weight to the exercises.  Your body will eventually get used to the workout and plateau. As a general rule you should change your workout completely after 8-10 weeks, or when you notice you are no longer getting results — whatever comes first. 
  • If you want to gaining muscle you should be doing 8-12 reps per set.
  • I suggest doing mostly compound exercises such as pull-ups, and squats, and exercising to failure. What is exercising to failure? When you know another rep (with good form) isn’t possible to execute.
  • Don’t only do what you like. We’ve all done it. You have to do exercises that may not be your fav. Curse all you want, but get through it.

7) You’re doing it wrong

Form is very important when it comes to exercise to ensure that you are putting the maximum amount of stress on the muscles being worked, and to prevent injury.

Keep your reps slow and controlled, don’t swing to move the weight (if you are, the weight may be too heavy for you), don’t lock your joints at the top of movements.

8) You’re not getting enough rest

Did you know that muscle building actually takes place outside the gym? Working out actually causing tiny tears in your muscles. The muscle “builds” when it’s healing, and that happens with rest and sleep. Make sure you are getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night, and to take at least one day off a week from working out. Your muscles aren’t the only thing that needs rest; so does you neurological system, tendons, joints, and even your brain. Give your body the rest it needs.

9) You’re not paying attention to pre and post workout nutrition

What you eat 1.5-3 hours before you exercise is going to affect how much energy you have for your workout. This meal should be well rounded, containing protein, complex carbohydrates, and fats. Your post workout meal is arguably the most important meal of the day because your body needs you to replenish the nutrients lost during training. 

 

Complex carbs are very important to your pre-workout meal and protein is very important for you post workout meal, but both meals should be well rounded containing protein, complex carbs, and fats.

 

CLICK HERE for more tips on pre/post workout meals.

 

10) You Aren’t Supplementing Correctly 

While supplements are a good “boost,” they aren’t as necessary as the other points above. Take a multivitamin to ensure you are getting all the necessary nutrients. Take a good quality fish oil or Omega-3 oil: fish oil has been known to increase metabolism and reduce inflammation. And last but not least, whey protein powder makes a great meal replacement and contains good nutrients and amino acids.

 

Remember, consistency is key. You should be working out a least 3 times a week, giving yourself rest days in between workouts, and eating properly. The only way to succeed is to stick with it. 

Resources: musclehack.com, fitwatch.com, nobrainermuscle.com, mucleandstrength.com, bodybuilding.com

]]> https://www.thehumantrainer.com/still-no-muscle/feed/ 0 The Often Neglected but Important, Grip & Wrist Strength https://www.thehumantrainer.com/building-grip-wrist-strength/ https://www.thehumantrainer.com/building-grip-wrist-strength/#respond Thu, 11 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://thehumantrainer.com/building-grip-wrist-strength/

Enhancing your grip and wrist strength is something that often gets overlooked when exercising. Many people think that working on triceps and biceps will in turn automatically strengthen forearms, hands and wrists, but grip is important and deserves a little more direct attention than that. 

 

Who Benefits from a Stronger Grip?

 

  • Anyone who does Strength Training:  Strengthening forearms, hands, and wrists will make lifting easier, allow you to have more control and therefore prevent injury, do more reps, and train longer/have more endurance.

Strength Training Exercises that benefit from stronger grip are: Bench Presses, Jerks, Kettlebell Swings, Deadlifts, Muscle-ups, Cleans, Curls, Rows, and Pull-ups.

  • Sports players: Sports that require one to throw, or swing a bat or club such as Basketball, Baseball, Football, Tennis, Rugby, and Golf can also benefit from grip training. 

Other sports that need a strong grip and wrists are: Martial Arts, Volley Ball, Wrestling, Boxing, Rock Climbing, Yoga, Gymnastics, and Water Skiing. 

  • Musicians: Grip strength, hand strength, and strong wrists are essential when playing instruments such as guitar, piano, violin, and drums.
  • Everyone Really:  Wrist and hand strength help with everyday activities like opening doors, jars, typing, and carrying groceries.

 We all really do benefit from having a strong grip and wrists! 

 

Other Benefits of Grip & Wrist Training Are:

 

A More Complete Look – Bodybuilders will benefit from working on their grip strength because many have trouble achieving a balanced arm-look (i.e. having huge upper arms and small forearms). Hand muscles actually continue up into the arm, so working on your hands will help build the forearm.

 

Hyper Irradiation – Hyper Irradiation or Radiant Tension is when tensing one group of muscles increases the intensity of other contractions in the body. For example, when doing a squat with your Human Trainer Suspension Gym you should apply tension to the handles by squeezing them before descending, and continue squeezing throughout each rep. By doing so, your whole body will engage and stay strong, allowing you to do potentially do more reps. 

 

Hence, having a stronger grip = allows you to squeeze more = resulting in more upper body stability = more endurance.

 

Reduced Risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome- One of the causes of carpal tunnel syndrome is wrist weakness. Carpal Tunnel is when the tendonsget inflamed in areas of the wrist and forearm and press into a nerve causing numbness and pain throughout the arm. Most of us spend more time doing activities that require the wrists to be flexed (bent back) then bent forward. This will cause the extensor muscles to overstretch over time, and the flexor muscles to become tight and weak from lack of use. Exercising these muscles will prevent this and will therefore reduce the risk of carpal tunnel.

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How to Strengthen Your...

 

Wrists – One must understand that there is virtually no muscle in the wrist, so to strengthen the wrists one must stabilize the joint by strengthening the surrounding muscles of the hand and forearm. 

 

Hands – Hand muscles actually begin above the elbow. Therefore, in order to improve grip and hand strength one must include forearm and upper arm exercises.

 

There are 2 Different Grip Strength Types:

 

Crushing Strength: This one is pretty obvious. It’s how strong you can squeeze something with your entire hand. A good example of this would be crushing a beer can.


Pinching Strength: Pinching Strength is when you squeeze something with just your finger tips and thumb. Working your pinching strength will build up and strengthen your forearm muscles, fingers and thumbs.

 

 

EXERCISES

 

Grip and Wrist Training should be part of your regular workout routine and should be done once or twice a week. Remember that just like with any other muscle you can overtrain your grip — Start Slow. Start with 8-10 reps of 1 set per exercise, and work your way up to 3 sets. Stop if you feel pain.

 

Here are some exercises for you to try:

 

Tennis Ball Squeeze – Hold a tennis ball in one hand and squeeze as hard as you can for about 5 seconds. Then relax the hand for a couple of seconds, and repeat. Do 3 sets with each hand.

 

Finger Extensions – This exercise is great for building grip endurance and wrist strength. Place a rubber band around all your fingers and thumb on one hand. Open your fingers up as wide as you can, pushing against the band. Relax, then repeat. NOTE: The closer the rubber band is to your finger tips, the harder the exercise will be. 

 

Wrist Curls – Perform wrist curls to build forearm strength.This can be done with either a bar or dumbbells (3-5 LBS). Sit on a bench or chair and bend forward so that you can rest your forearms on your upper thighs. Holding the bar or dumbbells, hang your hands off the front of your knees, palms facing up. Relax your wrists so they drop back as far as possible, fingertips towards the floor. Then raise the bar back up towards you while keeping your forearms down on your thighs. Hold for a second and return the bar back down towards the floor to complete one repetition. 

 

Wrist Rotations – Perform this with dumbbells. Get in the same position as with the Wrist Curls, holding the dumbbells with your palms face up. Make sure your knees are hip distance apart, feet planted firmly on the floor. Keeping your forearms on your thighs, rotate the dumbbells inward until your palms are facing down. Then, rotate the dumbbells outward until your palms are facing up again. You can do this one hand at a time if it feels more comfortable. Repeat. 

 

Wrist Roll Ups – Perform this exercise using a stick (like a broomstick) and a rope. Tie one end of the rope at the center of the stick and the other end to a dumbbell (3-5 LBS). Hold the stick with both hands as close to the ends as possible, palms facing down. Roll the rope up until the dumbbell reaches the stick, then roll it back down. Repeat 3 times.

 

Basketball Dribble – To build wrist strength sit in a chair and bounce a basketball on the floor beside you, flexing your wrist up and down to quickly dribble the ball. Switch hands when tired. 

 

Hammer Hits – For this exercise, hold a dumbbell (3 LBS) vertically in your hand, with your arm straight out in front of you (elbow slightly bent), like you would a hammer. Rock your hand up and down like you would if you were hammering something. This exercise is great for building forearm and grip strength.

 

Towel Hangs – For this exercise, simply wrap a towel over a bar, hold onto the towel ends and hang from a bar a for count of 10-15 seconds.

 

Plate Pinching – Grab two wide-rimmed weight plates and hold them together by using all four fingers to grip the outside part of the plate and your thumb on the other side.

Squeeze the plates together and attempt to lift them off the floor, using your legs to lift and keeping the back straight. Switch arms and repeat. *Warning: To avoid dropping the plates do not do this exercise to exhaustion. If you feel like the weight may slip out of your hand slowly bend your knees while keeping your back straight and put the plates down gently.

 

Hand Gripper – Hand grippers are great tools to build your crushing strength. Make sure to get a good quality one from a fitness equipement supplier.

 

 

Don’t forget about this key area of the body. We use our hands EVERY DAY for practically everything. Dedicating time to building strength in the hands, wrists, and forearms can save you from injuries and pain, and can help take your workout to the next level. 

 

 

Resources: health.ninemsn.com.au, Bodybuilding.com, livestrong.com, wrustexercises.blogspot.com, yogatuneup.com, megliofitness.com, LA Times, selfgrowth.com

 

]]> https://www.thehumantrainer.com/building-grip-wrist-strength/feed/ 0 Exercise and the Food Pyramid: Nature’s Prescription for Ailments and Health https://www.thehumantrainer.com/food-pyramid/ https://www.thehumantrainer.com/food-pyramid/#respond Sat, 20 Oct 2012 23:43:14 +0000 http://thehumantrainer.com/food-pyramid/

While it would be difficult to overemphasize the importance of crafting one’s diet around the food pyramid, there are clearly other necessary factors for attaining optimal health, such as regular exercise and adequate sleep. That said, the World Health Organization created the food pyramid in the 1980s in order to inform the public about the right foods to eat and the correct allotment of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins to consume every day. 

World Health Organization’s Food Pyramid 
Although the first food pyramid was disseminated from Sweden in 1974, the food pyramid that amassed the most fame and credibility is the World Health Organization’s food pyramid, which came out in 1989. The 1989 WHO study concluded that around fifteen to thirty percent of one’s diet should entail fats, fifty to seventy percent should include carbohydrates, and the remainder should include proteins. The USDA and WHO make the distinction, however, between free sugars and naturally occurring sugars. Free sugars are those carbohydrates that are sometimes added to foods to make them more palatable, like syrups added to fruit juices, and they include many classes of sugars, like glucose and fructose. 

Clearly the dietary emphasis should be on naturally occurring sugars and complex carbohydrates. As an important historical note, the 2002 update of the WHO’s 1989 findings only virtual change was bumping down the recommendation of saturated fats from ten percent to less than ten percent. The latter dietary suggestion is more attuned to current health findings. 

Move It to Lose it 
There are so many types of exercise, ranging from strength training to endurance training, that sometimes people are overwhelmed enough by the options that they dismiss or discount the process entirely. This is unfortunate because exercise has been shown to bolster heart health, mental health, and sleeping patterns while lessening the occurrence or symptoms of diabetes, anxiety, insomnia, and obesity. In other words, exercise has been shown to make someone feel great, lose weight, and even prevent bad moods from occurring in the first place! 

Diseases of Affluence 
Health experts have dubbed some partly avoidable health problems, like heart disease and cardiovascular illness, as diseases of affluence. These conditions are named such because exercise oftentimes presents a potent and potentially free treatment for these conditions. The problem is that affluent people sometimes live a sedentary lifestyle, which can involve desk work, that precludes but doesn’t excuse skipping out on exercise. 

Are You High? 
It’s almost hard to fathom why anyone wouldn’t occasionally exercise to stay mentally and physically healthy. Exercise actually helps the cardiovascular, immune, and overall central nervous system function more efficiently while improving sleep and mood health. For example, a 2008 neuroscience study demonstrated that exercise improved spatial learning and neurogenesis in the hippocampus while increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Other studies have shown that exercise helps to curb low self-esteem and stress. Researchers conjecture that the endorphins released during exercise act as naturally antidepressants that help prevent depression. Research also shows that anandamide, or an endogenous cannibinoid receptor, might be equally responsible for the runner’s high. Perhaps the best thing about this natural high is that it feels wonderful and it’s healthy. 

GUEST BLOGGER: Luke Annis writes about exercise, beauty & more at www.grouphealthinsurance.org.

]]> https://www.thehumantrainer.com/food-pyramid/feed/ 0 Beat Your Swimsuit Dread – Tips on how to look great this bathing suit season. https://www.thehumantrainer.com/91beat-your-swimsuit-dread-tips-on-how-to-look-great-this-bathing-suit-season/ https://www.thehumantrainer.com/91beat-your-swimsuit-dread-tips-on-how-to-look-great-this-bathing-suit-season/#respond Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:05:49 +0000 http://thehumantrainer.com/91beat-your-swimsuit-dread-tips-on-how-to-look-great-this-bathing-suit-season/

Summer is fast approaching. Can you feel it? Sure, this season brings about the joy of hanging with good friends, BBQ’s, and sunshine, but for some it’s partnered with the feeling of dread…for bathing suit season that is!

No need to feel squeamish this bathing suit season. Just use these helpful tips and you’ll be ready to flaunt it right in time for the first beach party!

These tips are divided into three distinct sections 1) Exercise 2) Food and Nutrition 3) Beachy Bonuses.

Read through the whole article to make sure you get the full benefit of all of these great tips.

 

EXERCISE – Work it off. Firm it up.

The best way to look better is to work for it. Here are a few things to keep in mind during your workout to help give you an added boost.

Don’t just do Cardio: You many think that you only have to pump up the cardio in order to lose the extra poundage you put on over the winter, but you need a balance of cardio and strength training to get the best results. Sure, cardio burns calories and gets rid of fat, but strength training will help increase your resting metabolism and firms and tones the body. So, for best results mix both into your training session.

  • For long lean muscles, work with lighter weights and do more reps.
  • Try doing 30-60 seconds of cardio in between your strength training sets (IE. jumping jacks or jump rope) or adding some high intensity intervals (HIIT) to your cardio routine. This will challenge your heart and lungs throughout your workout and will therefore burn more calories.

Work your Core:  A good posture will make you instantly look better in a swimsuit. Pulling your shoulders back and keeping your head up will not only make you look confident but will also pull your stomach in. Having a strong core is essential to having good posture. Core muscles are the abdominals, lower back, obliques and glutes. Strengthening the core will also help you lose fat faster and will keep your waistline looking tight and slim.

For a great core workout check out our article: The Low Down on Core Strength Training

Try All-in-One Routines: Research shows that full body workouts are more beneficial to losing weight because you will burn more calories from working out all of the major muscle groups at the same time. Plus, a full body workout is great for those who have a hard time sticking to a schedule. If you can’t make a workout, you won’t miss working on a certain muscle group like you would if you do split-workouts. A great piece of equipment to help you get your full body workout on is a suspension gym. Because you are suspended from holding onto hanging straps you have the added bonus of trying to keep your balance in every exercise. This will keep your core and legs engaged in every exercise you do.

Check out The Human Trainer suspension gym.

Squat!: Squats are probably the best exercise you can do to gain leg definition in your thighs and help you have a cute perky butt!

Don’t underestimate the power of a sexy defined back: If you haven’t already, make sure to add some bent over rows, lat pull-downs and pull-ups to your workout sessions.

Stretch: Stretching the tight muscles in your body will help elongate your muscles resulting in looking leaner and having better posture. For more information on stretching read: Stretching. Do You Do It?

 

FOOD AND NUTRITION – You Are What You Eat.

Drink Water: Water keeps your skin looking healthy, regulates the body, and flushes out toxins. Not drinking enough water will cause your body to retain water, which will make you look bloated.  Carbonated drinks will also make you bloat. Alcohol will make you retain water, and juices and sodas are full of sugar. Try to stick to water as much as possible. To eliminate the boring factor try added lemon or lime to your H2O.

Cut Down on Sugar & Salt: Eating sugar off balances your blood sugar levels, which causes you to crave even more sugar and increases your appetite. Try your best to avoid sugar at all costs. Foods that have a high sodium level can cause major water retention.Stay away from processed foods and fast food, as they are full of sodium, preservatives and saturated fat.

Watch your Carbs: Consuming a diet high in processed carbohydrates can cause major weight gain. Stay away from products like: breads, donuts, cakes, pizza, pasta, biscuits and muffins. Get your energy from carbs like fruits and vegetables. Just remember that fruit is high in sugar. Have no more than 1 or 2 fruits a day, and stick to the ones with lower sugar content like: apples, pears, strawberries and blueberries.

Smaller Portions. More Often: Eating 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day as oppose to the standard 3 is a good way to keep your body knowing there is always food coming. This way it won’t have reason to store fat and will keep your metabolism revved up.

Go for Healthier Protein Sources: Avoid processed meats like cold cuts, pepperoni and sausages. Fish, eggs, nuts and poultry are great protein sources. Remember that a proper protein portion is no bigger than the size of your fist!

Get your Healthy Fats: Fats from fatty fish like salmon, avocados and almonds have been found to help you gain muscle and lose fat. If you aren’t getting enough from your actual food a great alternative is fish oil supplements with Omega 3.  

 

BEACHY BONUSES 😛

Find a Flattering Suit: You may not be perfectly comfortable revealing all of your lumps and bumps but finding the right suit for your body type can help accentuate your more flattering parts and hide your weak spots, making you look and feel more va-va-voom. Remember that solid colors are always more flattering then crazy patterns, and stay away from horizontal stripes.

For great bathing suit advice for women check out Oprah.com’s article.  For men check out Esquire Magazine’s article

Get a Tan: No one wants to hit the beach looking like a big white piece of mozzarella cheese, and having a tan willmake your muscles look more defined and will give off an overall leaner appearance.  Have a few tanning bed sessions or try a spry tan.

Moisturize: You want your skin looking healthy and glowing when you hit the beach, so eliminate dry, dull skin by exfoliating regularly and moisturizing daily.

Reduce Stress: High stress levels can cause the body to produce more cortisol, which can trigger storage of abdominal fat. Take a yoga class or do daily meditation to keep your stress levels in check.

Hit the gym BEFORE the Beach: Try to lift some weights right before, or at least the day before a swimsuit day. This will cause your muscles to look fuller for your “big reveal.”

Take a Self-Esteem Pill: There is a lot to be said about the power of the human mind. Research has shown that placebo pills are just as effective and sometimes even more effective then actual medication because the mind believes it is getting meds and help healing. If you believe you are hot stuff other people will believe it too. Focus on your positives not your flaws.  

Follow these tips and you will be well on your way to looking glorious in a swimsuit.

Have a Wonderful Summer! Don’t forget to wear sunscreen!

Resources: Asiance Magazine, bodybuilding.com    

]]> https://www.thehumantrainer.com/91beat-your-swimsuit-dread-tips-on-how-to-look-great-this-bathing-suit-season/feed/ 0 Get hot and sweaty this Valentine’s… GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER! I’m talking Couples Workouts. https://www.thehumantrainer.com/56get-hot-and-sweaty-this-valentine-s-get-your-mind-out-of-the-gutter-i-m-talking-couples-workouts/ https://www.thehumantrainer.com/56get-hot-and-sweaty-this-valentine-s-get-your-mind-out-of-the-gutter-i-m-talking-couples-workouts/#respond Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:00:26 +0000 http://thehumantrainer.com/56get-hot-and-sweaty-this-valentine-s-get-your-mind-out-of-the-gutter-i-m-talking-couples-workouts/

 

Research shows that people who have a workout buddy are more likely to stick to an exercise program; and there is no better partner to workout with then… your partner! You’ll give it your best shot simply because they’re watching, spend more quality time together, and you’ll get the gift of a better lookin’ gluteus maximus to pinch!  So grab your love off the couch and help each other get fit this year!

 

But how do you workout together when you are both at different fitness levels and like to work out in such different ways? I knew you’d ask that.  🙂

Here are some great ideas to get you started:

Just try it! Most of the time one partner tends to prefer cardio (usually women) while the other tends to prefer strength training (usually men). By working out together you can balance your workout program to include more of both. Plus, switching up your workout routine can help you avoid workout plateaus. So, why not try the yoga class your wife attends every Sunday, and you can teach her how to do suspending weight training? You may end up working muscles that you didn’t even know were there!

Sign up for a class together. Consider trying something new that interests you BOTH: karate, indoor climbing, 5K training, or sports: How bout a co-ed softball team? Or JUST GET OUSIDE! Take up hiking, canoeing, or cycling.

Cardio: Do cardio that allows you both to work at your own intensity level. Group classes like spinning allow each participant to workout at their own level; meaning that you both get the workout you want while staying side by side. 

Jog Much? If you are a slow jogger and your significant other is faster, try intervals. Work at one partner’s faster pace for a few minutes, and then recover at the other person’s slower pace. More and more research studies are showing that short bursts of high intensity exercise is better for you than the typical hour or more long workouts at moderate intensity.

Strength Training:  Switch places with one another between sets. While you rest, your partner can switch the weights to their own level and complete their set. ADDED BONUS: You’ll have someone to watch your form and tell you if you need an adjustment.

Stretch together. Assisted stretching has major benefits like increased flexibility, reduced muscle pains and headaches, and better sleep. Aiding your partner by giving her leg a little extra push when doing a hamstring stretch for instance can be very helpful. Just don’t overdo it.

 

ADDED BONUSES:

  • You’ll have more shared interests and more to talk about.
  • It’s Sexy. Taking care of your body and your health shows that you want to be your best for yourself. Ambition and self-esteem is a huge turn on! Which leads me to…
  • A deeper bond & A BETTER SEX LIFE! Exercise produces chemicals in the brain that create feelings of happiness, reduced stress, and also increases arousal and libido. Several studies show that men and women who exercise regularly report better and more frequent sex with their partners. And think about it: heavy breathing, sweating, touching – this sort of physical contact at the gym can’t help but translate into bedroom benefits. GRRRR!

So don’t skip the workout this Valentine’s Day. You’ll feel less guilty about indulging in that heart shaped box of chocolates, and even one couple workout a week can help bring you lovebirds closer.

Check in for my next article. I’ll have a Couple Workout for you to try!    

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