by admin | Nov 19, 2021 | Diet
Types of muscles
Muscle Anatomy Basics PT 2 – Types Of Muscle Growth
As you learned in part 1 of this article series, our complex muscular system is made up of different types of muscle fibers.
We have fibers that allow us to go through low-intensity, long in duration activities like cross running, but we also have fibers that have a high power output, thus allowing us to do short, power-burst activities.
Now, this may lead you to this question – If there are different types of muscle fibers, are there different types of muscle growth as well?
And well, the short answer is- Yes, there are!
In this second part of the article series, we’ll explain just that, so without further ado, let’s get to it, by first answering an important question!
Why Do Muscles Grow?
Though it may seem quite simple, the question of muscle growth is quite baffling for many scientists.
And well, so far science has found that there are 3 main factors that affect muscle growth:
- Mechanical Tension
- Metabolic Stress
- Muscle Damage
Think of mechanical tension as the tension that your muscles go through, under the load you’re using.
This sets off reactions in the body that provide energy for each contraction, using energy substances like carbohydrates.
These substances, when broken down for energy, lead to the accumulation of byproducts – This accumulation, we refer to as “Metabolic stress”.
Ultimately, all of these factors combined lead to microdamage of the muscle fibers.
This, in turn, sets off a flurry of reactions in the body that recover the muscles, allowing them to reach their previous capacity… And then some more.
This is what we call gains! It’s just your body preparing for a bigger load on your next workout.
Is All Growth The Same?
As we mentioned, not all muscle growth is the same, as the training stimulus is your primary determinant.
When it comes to muscle growth, there are two main types:
- Myofibrillar hypertrophy
- Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.
NOTE: Hypertrophy is just the scientific term for growth.
Think of myofibrillar hypertrophy as the growth of the muscle fibers, which are, the contractile units of your muscles.
This type of hypertrophy is mainly sought after by powerlifters and other strength athletes, as it primarily leads to increased relative strength (strength relative to your body weight).
Myofibrillar hypertrophy is mainly stimulated in the powerlifting rep range of 1-5 repetitions, close to your maximum strength capabilities.
On the other hand, we have sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, which is the growth of the sarcoplasm.
Think of the sarcoplasm as the jelly-like fluid that surrounds the muscle fibers (myofibrils).
This fluid contains non-contractile elements and provides energy for your muscular contractions.
Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is mainly sought after by bodybuilding and physique athletes, due to its innate ability to increase the bulk growth of your muscles.
This type of growth can be stimulated if you use the bodybuilding rep range of 6-15 repetitions.
HOWEVER…
Volume Is Everything … !
Even though these two types of muscle growth are functional in different ways, the truth is that muscle growth will be practically the same, if your training volume is equated and the set is challenging.
Think of training volume as the total amount of weight lifted in a given set, exercise, or a workout (Weight * Sets * Reps )
To put it simply – In terms of growth, it doesn’t matter if you’re going to do 3 repetitions with 100 kg (300 kg volume), or 5 reps with 60 kg (Also 300 kg volume).
This is valid as long as you train with a challenging weight that brings you close to failure.
Final Thoughts
Muscle growth is something that happens when the body goes through resistance it has never experienced before.
Simply, growth is the body’s preparation for something it hasn’t experienced before.
Depending on the stimulus, you can achieve different types of growth.
In one of the instances, you will primarily gain relative and maximum strength (myofibrillar hypertrophy), while in the other instance you will primarily get bulk muscle growth (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy).
Choose your style of training, depending on the goals you have in mind!
If you care more about maximum and relative strength, focus on the 1-5 rep range to stimulate myofibrillar growth.
And of course, if you care more about how you look, rather than how much weight you can lift for one rep, focus on the 6-15 rep range and dip into the 1-5 range occasionally!
by admin | Nov 19, 2021 | Diet
Fast twitch muscle fibers
Muscle Anatomy Basics PT 1 – Types Of Muscle Fibers
The human body has a complex muscular system that is built from two main types of muscle fibers – Slow-twitch muscle fibers and fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Each of these types is suitable for different types of activities and in this article, we’ll dive into the details, so without further ado, let’s get to it!
SLOW & FAST-TWITCH MUSCLE FIBER
Muscle Unit Activation
Before we get to the types of muscle fibers, let’s talk about muscle unit (muscle fiber) activation!
The reason why you have different types of fibers in the first place is that the human body is capable of many different types of activities.
You can run for hours on end, but you can also do short-burst, quick sprints.
Think of it this way – The more you increase your training intensity (strain), the more muscle units you activate.
At about 75-80% of your maximum strength capabilities, nearly all muscle fibers (muscle units) are recruited and activated.
Going above that 75-80% mark is only possible via an increased frequency of the brain-muscle signals.
This implies that there is a very intricate connection between your muscle fibers and the central nervous system responsible for delivering contraction signals.
Now let’s have a look at the two types of muscle fibers!
Slow-Twitch Muscle Fibers
Slow-twitch muscle fibers are the muscles you use when you’re running a marathon or biking uphill.
They provide endurance and stability, but they aren’t really capable of high power output.
These types of muscle units have low force production capabilities, so their main function is to produce energy for long periods of time.
Slow-twitch muscle fibers are recruited when you are far from your maximum strength capabilities, or in other words, when the activity isn’t really strenuous but rather, requires endurance.
Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers
On the other hand, Fast-twitch muscle fibers are what you use when doing short intense sprints, heavy lifting, climbing, and any other strenuous activity that demands a certain level of power and strength.
These units have a high power output and can contract really quickly which is exactly why they’re engaged during such quick, short power bursts.
What’s interesting about Fast-twitch muscles is that they have a high fatigue rate because their energy source ATP gets used up really quickly!
Furthermore, as opposed to slow-twitch fibers, this type of muscle unit has much greater growth potential.
What this means for you is that if you are looking for visual development, you should stimulate fast-twitch fibers!
How To Stimulate Fast-Twitch Fibers
To stimulate Fast-twitch fibers, you should primarily do high-intensity training, such as weight lifting, calisthenics, climbing, and sprinting.
Such activities allow you to get closer to your maximum strength capabilities, thus activating and stimulating the development of your fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Generally speaking, as a beginner/intermediate trainee, 5-10 challenging working sets, per muscle group, per week, should be sufficient for the goal of increasing the size and strength of your muscles.
How To Stimulate Slow-Twitch Fibers
On the other hand, to stimulate slow-twitch muscle fibers and develop endurance capabilities, you should engage in activities that utilize them.
Running, swimming, and skipping for prolonged periods of time is a great way of developing your slow-twitch muscle fibers.
Nevertheless, this type of training should be carefully implemented into your training routine, if you are mainly looking to improve your body visually, as well as strength-wise.
Final Words
So, to recap: Fast-twitch muscle fibers provide quick and powerful bursts of energy, while slow-twitch muscle fibers provide endurance capabilities.
Your training routine should be carefully planned out in a way that will tip the scales in favor of the goal you have in mind.
This means that if you want to look better and be stronger, you should primarily focus on quick, powerful bursts and fewer cardio activities, or the opposite if your main goal is endurance.
In part 2 of this article series, we’ll go through the 2 types of muscle growth, so if you’ve liked this article stay tuned!
by admin | Nov 19, 2021 | Health
keto diet plan
Keto or no keto?
The life of the 21st century human is as stressful as can be. We are always rushing to somewhere, always wanting things to move and happen faster and quicker.
Of Course, this has to reflect on our bodies in some way, and it mainly affects our eating and sleeping habits. Let’s talk about eating.
On average, the modern day person reaches out to fast food, or any other substitute, to cross out the chore of eating quicker. This leads to stomach problems, gaining weight, not to mention blood, liver and heart problems.
So what do we do? We go on a diet.
What is the keto diet?
As of the 1970s the Ketogenic diet is one of the most famous dietary regimens. The idea behind it is to get more calories from fat and protein, like chicken, eggs and nuts, and less from carbohydrates, like sugar, pasta, rice and white bread.
When you eat less than 30-50 grams of carbs per day your body runs out of fuel that is typically a quick energy source. After 3-4 days your body starts to break down fat and protein for energy and this makes you lose weight.
This is when dietary fats come into play. Depleted glucose reserves lead to the production of ketone bodies which are used as an alternative energy source.
This new fuel is met with a lot of love by the central nervous system, and especially by the brain.
Sounds pretty basic, but this type of restriction can’t be all the way healthy for you, right?
Oh, you need to lose weight!
Let’s be honest, everyone has nested the idea that a diet is a good idea. We’ve all had after holiday resolutions to cut back on this, and cut back on that.
If you’re planning to go through with this then the Ketogenic diet is probably the best one for you. Especially if you’ve been carrying a bit too much of that extra weight from the holidays for too long.
The regimen is beneficial and very successful for obesse and overweight people. The time period in which it works is around 6 months.
It is absolutely crucial to be pointed out that this is a diet for losing weight, and that is it. It can cause difficulties on the stomach and liver If being followed for too long.
This is a rule that is especially crucial for people that don’t have that much of a weight problem, but want to get rid of a few pounds. A quick tip for you guys – exercise works better for that.
Except for weight loss, it can be used as a treatment for people with epilepsy, acne, glucose tolerance, certain brain and heart diseases.
Another practical use of the diet is to improve insulin resistance. This is why It is one of the most popular diets prescribed by doctors.
But wait, there’s more
We covered losing weight and the beneficial way that it improves your body, but what we didn’t cover is the long lasting effect.
As I said, one must not overdo it with the diet for too long. It’s not a joke and you only get one stomach. The good thing is that you wouldn’t need it after the 6 month period.
Why, you ask. Well, because it decreases the appetite, thanks to lowering hunger hormones such as gherin.
Moreover, It doesn’t interfere with the hormone leptin, which is another important hunger hormone.
You not only get a weight loss dietary regimen that lets you still eat some of the good stuff, but It is beneficial to your body and organs and helps you not to gain weight in the future. What’s not to love about it?
by admin | Nov 19, 2021 | Fitness
Brain exercises for memory
Keep Your Brain Fit with These Five Exercises
People pay for gym subscriptions to keep their bodies fit, they invest time and money into physical workouts. What about mental workouts?
Did you know that once you pass a certain age, your brain cells deteriorate irreparably? The process speeds up if you don’t take care of your mental activities, diet, and general lifestyle.
With everything going on in your life professionally and privately, it may seem impossible to squeeze another workout into your schedule.
However, the following five exercises can help you keep your mind strong and responsive. So, let’s dive into the best exercises for the brain!
#1 Use the Non-Dominant Hand Purposely
If you are right-handed, find several activities to switch to the left hand and vice versa. Those can include everything from zipping your jacket, brushing your teeth, texting on your phone, brushing your hair, writing, or eating meals.
Because most of the mentioned moves are automatic and done by your dominant hand, your brain doesn’t participate in the process.
When you switch to your non-dominant hand, your brain needs to take part in the process. It strengthens your mind, and the more new activities you try with your non-dominant hand, the better.
#2 Do Brain Games
Even though most brain games you can find online claim to help you become more intelligent, the reality is a bit different. Brain games cannot make you more intelligent, but they can help you adopt new problem-solving skills, new patterns and embrace new perspectives.
These games aren’t a joke, even though they might seem like that to you. By regularly practicing brain games, you can improve your focus and memory, or at least, prevent them from deterioration.
any of the available brain games for Android and iPhone and spend at least 15 minutes per day exercising your brain.
#3 Teach
Teaching someone a skill you’ve perfected is a great way to keep your mind sharp. While teaching someone something you’ve been an expert in, you have to focus on concepts and all general and tiny details you might not think about at all.
When you are good at something, you don’t think about your movements that much; you act by automatism.
Let’s say, you are a great basketball player. When you grab a ball, do you think about the position of your hands and legs, or do those movements come to you normally? Explaining to somebody else what to do will trigger brain activities that have been asleep, so you’ll make your mind sharper.
#4 Change your Regular Home-Work Route
Most of the people take the same road every day on their way to work. If you change the route, it can increase your creative thinking.
You can also change the transportation, ride a bike instead of walking or vice versa, choose alternative roads instead of the highway. Try to go to work every day via a different route, so you’ll have to come up with a new way every day, which will keep your brain active.
#5 Use New Words
Next time you grab a book to read, keep a notebook with you to write down unfamiliar words. Then, look at the words in the dictionary, and try to use those words at least five times in sentences during that day.
It will boost your language processing skills!
Final Words
Taking care of your mind and not letting it rust is just as important as taking care of your physical health and look. Try some of the games above and be consistent. Observe how your mind responds to the game and you’ll be surprised how effective the games are.
Which game will you try first? If you have more ideas on how to keep your mind sharp, please share them in the comments.
by admin | Nov 19, 2021 | Fitness
Is There a Way to Stay Fit While Travelling?
When traveling, you want to embrace everything around you – new places, new customs, new people, new smells, but also new foods and delicious treats. Nobody wants to keep counting calories when staying in a top hotel with more than delicious meals and restrain himself from trying national food specialties. It is why many people often come back from a trip with at least three or four pounds. But, luckily, there are some tips on how to stay fit while traveling. Get ready and take notes for your next trip!
Tip #1 Invest in Some Good Travel Exercise Equipment
If you exercise regularly, there is no need why you shouldn’t keep up with your workout schedule. But, instead of having a complete workout, spend 15 minutes to complete one series of exercises each day.
Let’s say the first day is leg day, you can do push-ups the second day, and so on. If you have compact travel equipment with you, there are higher chances that you’ll do at least one exercise if you see the equipment in your suitcase.
You’ll be sorry to skip the workout because your fitness equipment has traveled so far!
Tip #2 Do Sightseeing on Foot
Walking on your vacation is an excellent way to engage in physical activity, which won’t require you to change your sightseeing plans. Instead of taking a cab, or going by bus, walk to your next tourist spot. It will help you burn calories from lunch, and you’ll discover more interesting places along the way.
Tip #3 Do Hiking
Explore the surroundings of the place where you are traveling for some interesting hiking locations. Hiking will reveal beautiful nature and provide you an exceptional and memorable experience.
Hiking is fun and doesn’t seem like exercise because the beautiful landscapes will distract you, so you’ll forget about burning sensations in your muscles. You can choose the distance and terrain that matches your fitness condition.
Tip #4 Do a Morning HIIT Workout
HIIT workouts are designed to get you the most of your workout in the shortest time. It will include quick, but effective exercises, such as burpees, push-ups, high knees, crunches, scissor leg lifts, etc.
In only ten minutes, you can complete one HIIT workout before breakfast. You can find free HIIT workout videos on YouTube, so you don’t have to pay for a fitness app subscription for only several days of vacation.
Tip #5 Do Watersports
If you are on a holiday that includes the beach, don’t just indulge in sweet cocktails and tanning. Take a morning swim or jog on the beach. Water and sand will provide resistance, so you’ll get a more intense workout you can complete in a shorter time.
Tip #6 Plan and Balance Your Meals
Research the national cuisine of the place you are visiting. Find what some good restaurants are and check their menus online. That way, you can choose the food you want to try, so you can plan the rest of the meals to stay within your recommended daily calorie intake.
You don’t have to give up on trying local specialties. But, stay away from Pizza Hut and McDonald’s for snacks and on-the-go meals.
Final Tip
Relax and enjoy your vacation. Do short workouts and plan your meals and exercises before you get on the plane. Even if you skip a workout one day, it won’t make you gain 10 pounds.
Instead, try to get the most out of your vacation. But, make sure it is an active vacation.
How do you stay fit while traveling? If you regularly gain weight when on a trip, what do you think are the most obvious culprits?
