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Heart rate for fitness explained (March 11th, 2011)

Do you know your resting, exercise and maximum heart rate? Many trainers do not know, many probably have never even thought about it, but your heart rate can give a clear indication of your fitness levels and also help you optimise your fitness training.


There are three heart rate readings which are of importance to trainers. Firstly, there is the resting heart rate. As the name suggests, this is the number of heart beats per minute whilst you are not performing any form of activity. The best time to take this reading is first thing in the morning, using your index finger to apply slight pressure over your radial artery in your wrist to take a measurement. Secondly, there is the exercise heart rate. This is the number of heart beats per minute during prolonged exercise. This reading is best taken from the side of the neck. Thirdly, there is the maximum heart rate, which is the 100% maximum heart beats per second when exercising.

The YouTube video to the right (brought to you by Mahalo) should instruct you on how to take accurate heart beat readings.

An average resting heart beat reading is around 70bpm for a male and 75bpm for a female, although this can range drastically from person to person, from as little as 45bpm, up to 100bpm. Becoming more physically active will usually result in your resting heart rate decreasing, as your body becomes much more efficient. Taking your resting heart rate can therefore be a good gauge of your fitness level, or at least one major aspect of your fitness level.

Finding your maximum heart rate

The basic way in which many professionals determine maximum heart rate is by taking a person’s age in years away from 220 (220-age). So the maximum heart rate for a 25 year old would be 195bpm, for example (220-25=195). This is a rather simplistic formula, as you probably realise, yet it does allow us to calculate a rough target zone; 75-85% of your maximum heart rate. The 25 year old would take his/her 195bpm maximum heart rate and multiply it by 0.75 and 0.85 to see his/her target zone. In this example, the target zone is 146bpm-166bpm. The target zone is considered the optimal heart beat for cardiovascular benefit and maximum fat burning.

3 exercises for a perfect butt! (March 5th, 2011)

Shaping the perfect butt is high up on the list for many female gym goers, so in this guide we will explore the exercises which are best suited to help you achieve this goal!

The following three exercises target the gluteus muscles (the bum is made up of three muscle heads; gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus, which are often collectively referred to as the “glutes”), as well as the hamstrings, quadriceps, hips and groin.

The exercises mentioned will help strengthen and shape the muscles of the butt, but they will do little for fat reduction. This is why it is essential you also perform cardiovascular exercise and follow a suitable diet if you are carrying excessive fat around the butt and hips. Fat burning supplements may be useful, but you must ensure you are following a sound diet and exercise program before considering any supplements.

Watch the embedded videos for visual instructions on how to perform the exercises by personal trainer Michelle Trapp.

Squats

Squatting is probably the number one exercise you can perform if you wish to target the muscles of the lower body. Not only does squatting target the butt, it also hits the quadriceps, hamstrings, hips and the core.

You can perform squats with a barbell, dumbbells, body weight, or whilst holding weighted items you find around the house such as full drink bottles. You perform the squat by descending from a standing position by bending at the knees and hips, as if you were sitting down on an imaginary chair. Keep your feet flat on the floor and the back straight throughout the exercise. Descend until your upper legs are parallel with the ground, and then ascend by forcefully pushing through your heels.

Try 3 sets of 12-15 reps.

Deadlifts

Deadlifting is not an easy movement to master, so whilst it is a highly effective exercise, it is advisable you seek help from a personal trainer or experienced trainer before attempting deadlifts. The glutes, hips, hamstrings, quadriceps, groin, core, and upper back are targeted from deadlifting, so it is an extremely useful exercise.

Deadlifts can be performed with a barbell or dumbbells. Place the dumbbells or barbell in front of you, and then squat down and grasp hold of the weight. Extend at the hips and knees to lift the weight, whilst ensuring the torso remains straight throughout the exercise, and keep the weight close to the body so the back does not roll forward. Once you are standing up erect, reverse the movement back to the beginning, and repeat.

It is hard to explain how to perform the movement safely in words, so please view the instructional video so you have a visible guide, and also ask for help from a personal trainer in the gym.

Try 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Lunges

Lunges target the same muscles as squatting, as it is a variation of the squatting movement. Lunges can be performed with the resistance placed on the shoulders (using a barbell), or with the resistance below the body by grasping onto a pair of dumbbells. The dumbbell variation (or better still, just using bodyweight) is advised to begin with, as stability and balance may be difficult for a beginner when using a barbell.

To perform the dumbbell lunge, stand erect whilst grasping a pair of dumbbells down by your side. Lunge your left foot forward, landing on the heel first and then let the rest of the foot make contact with the floor. Bend at the hips and knees to lunge down, until the front thigh is parallel with the ground. Now forcefully push from the front foot so you return the starting position. Perform the same movement with the right foot.

Try 3 sets of 8-10 reps on each leg.

NO2 supplements explained (February 26th, 2011)

NO2 supplements now line the shelves of high street supplement stores and have become extremely popular as a pre workout formula to improve performance, increase pumps and help the user gain greater muscle size. The majority of top supplement brands have NO2 products, such as BSN’s N.O. Xplode, Maximuscle’s Pump Up and Reflex’s NOS Fusion.

So, what is NO2 and how can it help?

NO2, or Nitric Oxide, is what the body uses to communicate between cells. It is a free form gas which is created within the body when L-arginine is converted into L-citruline. Nitric Oxide is composed of one nitrogen atom and one oxygen atom.

Scientific articles refer to how Nitric Oxide controls blood flow and the signals made between nerve cells. As a result, NO2 supplements have been created which are designed to increase NO2 levels in the body, and therefore aim to enhance blood flow. Increased blood flow is desirable for many bodybuilders, as it is believed the muscle pump is a powerful precursor to muscle hypertrophy (growth) and nutrients can be delivered better to the muscles.

Side effects from Nitric Oxide supplements

NO2 supplements contain the amino acid arginine. Arginine in high quantities can cause stomach upsets, diarrhoea and nausea. There are no clear guidelines on how much should be taken, so most labels on NO2 products have a recommended dosage but advise the user first tries a lower dose to gauge their tolerance to the supplement. It is worth remembering that other supplements you are taking, such as protein supplements, often also contain arginine as well (therefore increasing your overall intake).

Where can I buy NO2 supplements?

Your high street supplement stores should sell NO2 supplements, as do most online supplement retailers.

You can also purchase NO2 supplements in the FitnessUncovered shop.

5 misconceptions which may be impairing your progress (February 19th, 2011)

There are many myths and untruths which plague gyms and impair the progress of the many people wishing to lose weight, gain muscle size, or reach whatever goal they aspire to. Below are five such misconceptions, with a brief explanation as to why such a belief is at best unfounded, or most commonly completely untrue.

“Weight training is not for me, I don’t want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger!”

Weight training is used to apply resistance to the muscles of the body. Over time this will strengthen the muscles as they become accustom to the resistance, and also increase the size of the muscles as they follow the process of muscular hypertrophy.

Just because you do not want to look heavily muscled, should you shy away from weight training, however. Weight training has many benefits to the body if followed correctly, and is suitable for both sexes and a wide range of age groups. Strengthening the muscles and connective tissue of the body is great for injury prevention as you become older, and weight training will increase the metabolic rate for those looking to reduce body fat.

Bodybuilders follow a weight training program specifically designed to increase muscle size, and follow a lifestyle (rest, diet, nutritional intake, supplements and possibly illicit substances) over many decades to appear how they do; you, on the other hand, will not resemble the incredible hulk by lifting weights a few times a week as part of your overall fitness plan!

“High fat foods will make me fat”

Dietary fat does not equate to bodily fat once consumed. Dietary fats are vitally important for many bodily functions, so foods such as oily fish, oils, nuts and seeds should not be cut out of our diets because they contain a high level of fat!

We should limit our intake of foods such as crisps, chips, take-away’s and fried foods; although such foods can be included within our food intake sparingly.

“If I skip meals I will lose weight quicker and look better”

Drastically decreasing food intake is a major factor as to why many people yo-yo diet. Skipping meals will cause a drastic decrease in calorie intake, and therefore lead to a decrease in body weight. The problem with this approach is it cuts out vital micro and macronutrients completely, and causes hunger, heightened stress and low energy levels. The approach is also further flawed due to the complexity of the body – the body is not stupid, and soon realises it is being starved. This results in it trying to retain as much fat as possible due to fat being energy dense. The body will likely begin to strip away muscle to use as fuel.

The much better approach is to slowly decrease food intake by slightly decreasing food servings, but ensure you are consuming a balanced diet full of vitamins and minerals. Also look to perform calorie taxing exercise during the week.

“Low repetitions are for mass gaining, higher repetitions are for toning”

Mass gaining is all about increasing the size of the muscles via muscle hypertrophy. Muscular hypertrophy tends to be best achieved with a repetition range between 8 and 15. Muscle tone is all about having some moderate level of muscle size, yet having a low enough body fat level for the muscles to be visible and defined.

Muscle “mass” and “tone” is merely a difference of muscle size and possibly body fat levels. You could reach a toned look quicker by following a repetition range focused on building muscle whilst also looking to minimise fat levels.

“Protein drinks are not for me, I don’t want to add lots of muscle”

Protein drinks are often seen by many as an exotic supplement only suitable for bodybuilders and athletes. This view is quite strange, seen as we all consume protein within our diet and it being very important for tissue repair – something a gym goer is likely to have a higher demand for. Protein drinks can be very useful and convenient for almost all gym goers as a way of increasing protein intake, especially directly after a gym session when the body is most likely to need it!

You should of course look at your overall diet before considering fitness and bodybuilding supplements, however. Protein should be sourced from a variety of natural sources, such as chicken, meats, fish, nuts and so on.

Why green tea is great for weight loss (February 6th, 2011)

If you’re looking to experience fast weight loss, one beverage that you must not overlook is green tea. Many people get all caught up in all the various energy drinks on the market, but if you’re looking for fast and effective results, you simply cannot go wrong with this beverage.

Seeing green tea weight loss results is something that more and more people are experiencing now that the word is out about all the various benefits that this drink has to offer.