Conferences are a great opportunity to learn from leading industry experts, gain updates on the latest advancements in your field, and network with fellow professionals.
However, tight schedules and limited food options make it hard to remain fit and healthy during conferences. It is common for attendees to forego their diets, forget their workouts, and get little sleep to attend as many sessions as possible. Fortunately, alternative ways exist to thrive at a conference without compromising physical and mental health.
Learn how to stay fit while attending a conference in just a few simple steps! So, let’s dive in.
1. Jumpstart your Day with a Workout.
There is no better way to start your day than with an invigorating 15 – 20-minute workout at the hotel gym or in your hotel room. Exercise works wonders not only on your physical health but also on your productivity, so take this step before you receive any calls or answer your work e-mails.
To make things easier, plan time for your workouts and schedule them at around the same time each day. You could also prepare your workout clothes in advance to remove any obstacles in the “early” morning.
A combination of cardio-type exercises and body-weight exercises is appropriate for a typical morning routine. Crunches, pushups, yoga, squats, and lunges are some exercises that you can do in your room without needing any special equipment.
The endorphins from your workout will leave you feeling refreshed and energized for the conference. Exercise counters the effects of jetlag, clears your mind, and boosts your brain power to prepare you for the mentally stimulating event up ahead.
2. Explore the City as you go for a Run.
An early morning jog or a late afternoon run can be the perfect way to get to know the city while staying on top of your fitness goals. Next month, the Experts Live Europe conference will take place in Prague. So let’s take this as an example.
If you are staying near the Prague Congress Center, where the event takes place, here are some you might want to check out:
Folimanka Park
Along the banks of the Vltava River
Vyšehrad Park
The hill leading to the Prague Castle
How to find such running routes if you are new in a city? Use the Strava GPS cycling and running app or the MapMyRun fitness tracking app. MapMyRun, from Under Armour, is easy and free to use:
The community-driven content provides many exciting and safe options for the best running spots around the city. Alternatively, you can also explore the RunGo app.
If running is not your thing, why not rent a bike or book a bike tour? Grab the chance to meet with people from the conference and explore the area while staying fit and healthy.
3. Walk whenever you can.
Bring a pair of comfortable shoes on your conference trip, and do not be afraid to use them! Try to exercise your legs by walking frequently and using stairs instead of elevators. Invite other attendees on a nature walk, morning hike, or any other physical activity with you to build connections.
Walking during breaks at a conference not only keeps you physically active but also mentally sharp. It is a well-documented fact that regular movement, even if it is just a short walk, can significantly boost cognition and concentration.
By engaging in a brisk walk, you increase blood flow to the brain, enhancing alertness and even improving mood. Moreover, stepping away from the conference allows you to process information, leading to better retention and understanding of the presented material.
And this extra effort will burn off any excess calories you might gain during the conference. Do not hesitate to use pedometers, fitness apps, and health trackers to help you stand up frequently and walk your 10,000 steps.
4. Stick to Healthy Foods and Stay Hydrated.
It is easy to lose track of your diet amidst all the airplane food, hotel buffets, and sugary snacks you are exposed to when traveling for a conference. Eating healthy on the go can be a challenge, but there are steps you can take so that your food meets your daily nutritional requirements.
Consider skipping the dessert table and bringing your own stash of healthy snacks to the event. Protein bars, yogurt, fruit, and nuts are some of the treats you can munch on to keep hunger at bay while boosting your mood, energy, and concentration for the busy days ahead.
Steer clear of high-carb meals that can make you feel sluggish, and do not forget to take your multivitamins daily. Drink water throughout the day, and try swapping out soda and coffee for tea and fruit juices. Go easy on alcoholic drinks, as they can impair your focus and memory.
5. Don’t skip sleep for Nights Out.
Sleep is often the first thing that most attendees sacrifice to keep up with the hustle and bustle of conferences. Although it seems fun, resist the urge to jampack your schedule with non-stop panels, booths, city tours, dinners, networking, and nightlife.
Overloading your itinerary will cause you to burn out before the conference is over. Learn to pace yourself and only pick out the activities that bring you the most value and fulfillment. Most importantly, prioritize getting eight hours of rest over attending an all-night party.
In addition to keeping your immune system strong, good quality sleep prevents you from feeling like a zombie and ensures that you will have sufficient energy to make the most out of the conference. It will also help your body adjust to the new time zone and overcome jetlag quickly.
6. Stretch or Move Around During Breaks
It is tempting to lean back and relax after every exciting event or panel discussion during the conference, right? Unfortunately, sitting on a stiff chair for hours can take a toll on your posture and make you feel sleepy. So, find time in between sessions to get your blood pumping!
Stretch for a minute, touch your toes, or find outdoor spaces to do a few jumping jacks. You can also get up to grab a healthy snack, go to the bathroom, or chat with your colleagues – anything to get your body moving after staying still for an extended period.
Some conference events involve active icebreakers where attendees get to stand up and mingle for a few moments. Participating in these simple but beneficial activities can go a long way in keeping your figure fit, your energy levels high, and your mind focused throughout the day.
7. Find your Hotel Gym and use it
Remember, the hotel gym is your friend. Do not neglect your workouts, as they are crucial for staying in tip-top shape both mentally and physically during the conference. You might even run into fellow attendees or conference speakers at the gym, making networking much easier.
When choosing a hotel, aim for one with proper gym facilities, including cardio machines, workout stations, and the equipment necessary for your workouts. You can also opt for a hotel with a pool if you prefer swimming laps or one that offers regular fitness classes for guests.
To easily find and book a hotel that suits your fitness needs, check out HotelGyms.com. This platform is your one-stop solution for finding the best hotel with a gym where you can enjoy a great workout experience while traveling.
All you have to do is select your travel destination and allow the platform’s GymFactor to do the work for you. This state-of-the-art gym advisor will rank the top hotels with excellent gym facilities, allowing you to compare and choose the best fitness environment effortlessly.
Wrapping Up
Staying fit while attending a conference is not easy, but it is definitely achievable as long as you maintain a consistent workout routine and get sufficient sleep, hydration, and nutrition.
Visit HotelGyms.com to find the perfect place to stay and maximize your workouts while on the go!
To all the attendees of the upcoming Experts Live Europe event for 2023, we hope you have gained some valuable tips and tricks from this health and fitness guide. See you at the Prague Congress Center in September!
After writing my most recent post about misunderstanding the meaning rest, the idea continued to sit in my mind. As I wrote in that post, it’s clear that many of us know we’re not getting enough rest. Even the people who are getting enough rest feel like they aren’t. And in the way the world has changed in recent decades, there are more reasons than ever for exhaustion. But did you know just how many different types of rest exist? In the spirit of trying my best, I decided to look into these various types and share what I’ve learned.
The seven types of rest
The inspiration for this post came from a TED article titled “The 7 types of rest that every person needs.” I learned a lot of things reading this article, and not only that there are different types of rest! We tend to think of rest as inaction, as not moving or being alone. Whether that’s an American way or a Western way of thinking, that’s how I’ve seen rest portrayed in my life. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say resting is synonymous with sleeping – but actually, it’s much more.
Something this article opened my eyes to is the fact that rest happens when we have the time and space to do so. It’s difficult to rest if you’re stressed, don’t feel comfortable, or have pressing things to do. Removing yourself from situations is often seen as the optimal version of rest. That said, it was interesting to learn that rest can also involve enjoying things you love or being around people who fill up your cup.
While physical rest is important, it’s far from the only type. Other types of rest include mental, sensory, creative, emotional, social, and spiritual. What I love about this variety of rest is that each type of rest fills a unique need for people. It reminds us that we’re all different and that we need different things. As someone more introverted, focusing on sensory rest and social rest might be more important to me than other people. At the same time, some people value having more or less emotional rest than myself. We are all different, which means we have different needs.
Shifting how we view wellness
This lesson on rest not only helped shift the way I view my mental health, but wellness in general. There are so many ways we can take care of ourselves and in that same vein, there are so many ways to rest. Rest is more than sleep, and sleep alone won’t always give us the restoration we need.
It can be frustrating to learn that sleep isn’t always the answer, but I’m choosing to lean in. When you think about it, rest and mental health have a lot in common. Just as there is not one way to rest, there isn’t only one way to take care of our mental health. The more we learn, the more we grow, and the better equipped we are to get what we need. In whatever ways you rest, I hope you learn how rest can provide restoration and rejuvenation – something each one of us deserves.
You know that feeling when you learn something and have an ‘aha’ moment? When things you experienced or witnessed in the past start to click into places? That’s called a breakthrough and feels like a new world just opened up. That is what I experienced while reading Dr. Greger’s book and now sharing in the How Not To Die summary below.
Ironically, I received How Not to Die: Discover the foods scientifically proven to prevent and reverse disease as a gift from a friend whom I earlier suggested an evidence-based resource that Dr Greger M.D. (the author) built to discover how different foods affect our physiology – nutritionfacts.org. Now, a few years later the boomerang came back. And I’m glad it did!
While reading the book, I experienced a breakthrough on average every ~20 pages. Yep, I caught myself thinking ‘oh wow, so that’s how it’s working in our body’ that many times and felt thankful for the nutritional choices I’ve tested and made so far.
But I’m not stopping there.
How Not To Die book summary – 5 key takeaways
Double-spoiler alert.
First of all, it’s a big and intimidating book – I postponed reading it for a long time because of its 450+ pages. Second, it emphasizes the problems with diet focused on animal products. In it’s essence Dr. Greger M.D. shares that the only diet that truly nourishes us and stood the test of time & research is the whole food plant based diet. So, if you’re a committed meat-eater or have strong beliefs, that’s ok – I’m here to share my learning, not to change your mind.
In fact, I am sceptical myself. Which is why I loved that every claim in the book is well-researched and backed by science (the book has a total of ~2,000 citations to specific studies). Personally, I’m not eating meat & eggs since 2017 and could relate to a lot that was shared in the book. In fact, after my switch, I started noticing many professional athletes (especially aged 35+) going plant-based because of the extra recovery benefits they’re experiencing.
I’ve listed key takeaways that athletes can incorporate into their lifestyle in my How Not To Die summary (below). Source: depositphotos
But this blog post is not about plant-based eating (if you’re interested in one, let me know. I can share my experience & tips). Instead, here are 5 universal takeaways I’m applying for myself and am sharing with my athletes to improve performance. In no particular order:
#1 High salt intake elevates blood pressure and causes poor sleep
Sodium is an essential nutrient and is responsible – among other things – to move the water from the intestines to the working muscles. We get the small necessary amounts of it with vegetables and other natural foods. However, if we consume too much salt the body may respond by raising blood pressure to push the excess fluid and salt out of the system.
Even just a single salty meal can raise the blood pressure over the next three hours.
So, just imagine what a ‘salty’ dinner (i.e. including ‘party snacks’ like chips/ burger/ fries/ pizza) does to our sleep… Yep, it messes it up and for the first half of the night our body is just trying to normalize everything and calm down.
But it’s not only sleep that a ‘salty diet’ is affecting. It’s everything
In one of the studies mentioned in the book they took an average American consuming a typical Western diet, a sub-elite runner averaging ~80 miles per week on the same diet and a vegan ‘couch potato’ (someone who does zero exercise and is generally not active). The first person had expected hypertension (high blood pressure), the runner who exercised 1-2hrs every day (and probably sweated out most excess sodium) had a ‘normal’ blood pressure of 120/70. And the vegan couch potato? He had an even lower blood pressure of 110/70 – and that’s without doing anything. His diet alone is reducing the impact on his arteries.
I already shared in one of my newsletters how stress affects performance through blood pressure. Controlling salt intake (and, in particular, avoiding salty snacks in the afternoon) might be something to consider to optimize recovery even further.
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#2 Saturated fat increases insulin resistance and impairs glucose use
One of the functions of insulin is to move the glucose from the blood into working muscles. However, saturated fat prevents glucose from penetrating normally into the muscle tissue. Think of it as a ‘wall’ that is created between bloodstream and the muscle. The more fat we have/eat the thicker the wall and the worse our ability to move the glucose into the muscles to use it. That’s called insulin resistance – when the body produces insulin, but it doesn’t work well, so the body requires more.
This is one of the big reasons why some people people eat tons of carbs and are very lean and others gain weight from just smelling the pizza. Pizza = saturated fat from cheese + carbs from the dough. For the latter group those carbs are simply not used in the muscles because glucose does not penetrate the wall of saturated fat.
On top of that, saturated fat contributes to inflammation. This again slows down recovery and puts the body at risk of infections and other diseases.
This was my experience with a plant-based diet back in 2017. I switched meat & most of the dairy in my diet to tofu, beans, lentils and oils. After I found the right amounts I noticed that my recovery went through the roof and I had more energy overall. Even muscle soreness never lingered for more than a day. Moreover, over a span of 3-4 months I dropped from 14% to 10% body fat with no extra effort.
So, one big takeaway from this is to swap saturated fats (i.e. bacon, butter, dairy) for unsaturated ones (avocado, nuts, seeds). That way the body will be able to absorb energy from food better.
#3 Dehydration results in poor physical and cognitive performance
Most of us are in a state of mild dehydration at any point of time. I always emphasize how water is heavily involved in the production of energy and the less of it we have available, the more sluggish we feel. Athletes quickly notice how vital of a role water plays in our metabolism. Performance during a training session with water intake is totally different to the one without.
But it’s not only physical performance. Our brain is 75% water. That means dehydration affects our cognitive function as well. So, all the good habits and important decisions are way harder to do in a state of dehydration. Not to mention the drop in the willpower and lack of motivation.
In the book there is a reference to a cool study where they randomly assigned 9-11 year old kids (not even adults) 250ml of water before taking a test. Guess which group performed better? The one who had a large glass of water before the test.
How to tell if you’re hydrating well? If you gulp some water and pee most of it out, you’re all topped up. But if you drink a bunch and your body keeps most of it, then your tank was running low.
Read also: Top 10 Endurance Athlete Diet Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
#4 Antioxidants heal cell damage caused by oxidative stress
In the How Not To Die book summary of a so-called concept ‘mitochondrial theory of ageing’ was presented. According to that, over time free radical damage (from oxidative stress) to our mitochondria leads to a loss of cellular function and reduces energy production capacity. Put simple, it’s like our phone’s battery capacity – over time the maximal capacity gets lower and lower.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that circulate in our body and result either from normal processes or from external sources (i.e. exposure to X-rays, cigarette smoke, air pollutants, alcohol and even diet). It’s important to note that this cell damage can be slowed down and to some extent even reversed. One way is kinda obvious – reduce exposure to things like smoke, alcohol, air pollution, etc. But another is by consuming more anti-oxidants which pair with free radicals and, essentially, diffuse them.
One of the key takeaways in this How Not To Die book summary is that the more plant variety (and colors) your diet has, the more it’s healing you. Source: depositphotos
Where to get these anti-oxidants? Well, meat, fish, eggs & dairy have barely any, but colourful plant foods have tons. So, essentially fruits, vegetables and especially berries. The deeper and richer the colour, the more anti-oxidant power it carries. And no, taking anti-oxidants in a supplement form does not seem to work – put head to head against real foods in a study they provide barely any benefit.
Fun fact: one other study tested oxidative damage following bicep curls – for those who took 1,000mg of Vitamin C supplements ended with more oxidative damage. That means recovery from a workout would take longer if one takes a VItamin C supplement, compared to eating fresh berries (read below).
Short takeaway here – less oxidative stress means quicker recovery, more energy, ability to tolerate more training load and, eventually, improve more. So, load up on those fruits, veggies and berries.
#5 Specific plants are very effective at treating muscle soreness & inflammation
Athletes are very familiar with inflammation. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is muscle pain that develops 12-24 hours after intense or prolonged exercise. It’s essentially a result of micro traumas in the muscle tissue that become inflamed and can adversely affect athlete’s performance.
There is a tasty way to treat it – berries!
Muscle biopsies of athletes have confirmed that eating blueberries can significantly reduce that exercise-induced inflammation.
Other studies confirmed that cherries have a similarly strong anti-inflammatory effect and it translates into faster recovery time, reducing the strength loss from excessive bicep curling from 22% down to only 4% over the subsequent 4 days. Wow! This effect works not only in strength training – follow up studies have shown that cherries also help reduce muscle soreness in long distance runners and speed up recovery from running a marathon.
Read also: Legs Sore After Running? Try These 14 Proven Remedies To Relieve It
Probably my personal favourite takeaway from that part of the book is that apparently 300g of watermelon (my soul food) eaten prior to intense exercise was found to also reduce the severity of muscle soreness afterwards.
Seems like the smoothie/ energy shot/ superfood bar craze does have some science behind. But why design (and overspend on) new products when it’s right there!
How Not To Die Summary bonus – Dr Greger’s daily dozen pdf
One key idea Dr Greger proposes in the How Not To Die book is Daily Dozen. That’s his own framework how to navigate the nutritional choices on a daily basis which foods and activities to include to stay as healthy as possible. In a way, one can think of it as a book summary – just without the references, science and 450 pages.
Take a look at the Dr Greger’s daily dozen pdf and download below:
How Not To Die summary – Dr Greger’s daily dozen pdf checklist. Source & link: nutritionfacts.org
The SFG I is a challenging certification, but if I can do it, just about anyone can. I was never the most naturally gifted athlete. But with an intelligent and consistent approach to training, I was able to turn up at the event very well prepared for what was to come.
My preparation for the SFG I really started several years before I even signed up for the certification, when I embarked on a journey to snatch heavy kettlebells.
I was intrigued by some discussion that was had on the StrongFirst Forum about how snatching could make up most (if not all) of one’s resistance training if the goal is general physical preparedness. Two of the most prominent voices in this discussion were former StrongFirst Certified SFG I Instructor Al Ciampa and former StrongFirst Certified SFG II Instructor Harald Motz.
This article outlines the protocol that I have been following for some time now, that has enabled me to comfortably snatch well over half-bodyweight for some good volume. It also ensured that I was physically robust enough to not only pass the SFG I, but to fully appreciate and enjoy the experience.
I also include the peaking protocol that I used for the 5-minute snatch test. This took the general power and conditioning that I developed with regular heavy snatches and applied it to the specific demands and pace of the 5-minute test.
Before we go on, a word of warning on preparing for the SFG I. While I absolutely believe that snatches can make up the lion’s share of one’s training, remember that the snatch test is only one small part of the three-day course.
Review the standards for all six tested movements, and sprinkle in regular easy practice for them. Find a StrongFirst Certified Instructor in your area to review your movements. I was very fortunate that Claire Booth, StrongFirst Certified Senior Instructor, reached out to me offering to help me dial them in.
If you are particularly weak at any of the movements, I’d recommend following a structured strength training plan for said movement(s), alongside the snatch-focused approach that follows.
“A+A Light” Snatch Protocol
A brief note on the current working title of this snatch protocol of mine—the volume I’ve settled on is essentially about half of what Al Ciampa initially recommended to me when I first sought out guidance on A+A snatch training (A+A = alactic + aerobic).
In practice, A+A training consists of brief periods of intense work using the alactic energy pathway, broken up by long recovery periods that use the aerobic energy pathway to replenish creatine phosphate.
When done for higher volume, A+A sessions can be quite lengthy. However, my own protocol has allowed me to reap the benefits of this type of training with a much smaller time investment.
To select your initial working kettlebell, I suggest doing a technical rep max (TRM) test on your non-dominant arm. We’re looking for a kettlebell that represents a 10-20TRM. If in doubt, err towards the lighter side. Know that you’ll be going heavier eventually, so you need not let your ego get ahead of you.
As it happens, while I came to the 10-20TRM conclusion on kettlebell selection a couple of years ago, Pavel also suggests the very same thing in Kettlebell Axe.
Train 2-4 times per week using steps one and two below to establish what a given session would look like.
Step one
Roll a die to establish the volume (never perform the same volume in two consecutive sessions, rolling again as needed).
NL = number of lifts (i.e., total reps per session).
*Note that the volume prescriptions are the sum of both sides. E.g., 8 x 5 = 4 sets of 5 on each side for a grand total of 40 NL.
Step two
Roll a die again to establish whether to snatch or half snatch. This is optional, but I think there’s a lot of value in half snatching, and few people seem to talk about it. The half snatch may have done more for my pressing strength than any press-focused programs.
I usually train timeless, but using a stopwatch to dictate rest periods is an option. Five snatches every 90 seconds, and 5 half snatches every 2 minutes provide appropriate work to rest ratios.
The aim is to comfortably perform 20 x 5 of snatches within 30 minutes. If training half snatches, 20 x 5 within 40 minutes is more appropriate given that a half snatch takes longer per rep.
After I achieve these time frames, I swap out sets 5 to 8 of each session with a kettlebell 4kg heavier ((20NL total). When the target time frames are achieved again, I swap out sets 9 to 12 with a heavier kettlebell. This continues until only the first 4 sets remain with the lighter load. These are the last to be swapped out.
I wait until I have done at least five 20-set sessions in each load bracket before progressing. This is a slow and steady approach.
I suggest reviewing the progression in Pavel’s Kettlebell Simple & Sinisterfor moving up in weight, as this is where I drew inspiration from for this method.
The table below provides a visual representation of this progression system. I started it as written with 28kg snatches in October 2022. Without rushing, I reached Load Bracket 2 shown below with the 36kg and 40kg kettlebells in February 2024 at a bodyweight of ~75kg.
Now let’s go over how I built upon my snatch protocol and peaked for the SFG snatch test.
Five-Minute Snatch Test Peaking Protocol/Death March
This peaking protocol can be found on the StrongFirst forum. Al Ciampa is the genius behind this approach, but the post outlining the protocol was shared by Anna Cannington, StrongFirst Certified Team Leader, as below:
OK with Al’s permission, here is the peaking protocol he gave me last year as I was preparing for the TSC. It worked brilliantly!
3x each week, do 2 min of snatches with your TSC bell, in the proper cadence… do not push it. Rest 10min. Then do 1-3min of snatches with: session 1: next lower bell; session 2: TSC bell; session 3: next bell up. Rest about 1:2-3. Work until you’ve had enough (seriously). Do anywhere from 3-10 rounds of this death march. You will know when you’ve had enough.
What follows is exactly how I utilised the Death March protocol. I did two weeks of this (so six sessions), with the third week being an easy week of light practice, culminating in the SFG I weekend.
Begin each session by setting a timer for 2 minutes. With your SFG snatch test kettlebell (24kg for me), snatch at the proper cadence as many times as you can. Each rep must meet the SFG standards and a minimum of 40 reps is required.
After the 2 minutes are up, rest for 10 minutes. Then, complete each training session outlined in the table below:
Some Advice
Follow Al and Anna’s guidance: you’ll know when you’ve had enough. I did as few as 4 rounds after the 10-minute break and as many as 7.
I recommend not attempting the next round of 1 minute if you have any doubt of snatching for 20 reps (even with the 28kg). You’re peaking for a snatch test. You cannot be going any slower than 20 reps per minute. So, train like it.
For the initial 2 minutes with your SFG snatch test kettlebell, you need to complete at least 40 reps. For the 1-minute Death March, you need at least 20.
Conclusion
I firmly believe that the 5-minute snatch test is only dreaded, because so few people snatch enough in terms of volume or weight. If the heaviest that you have ever snatched is your snatch test kettlebell, then that kettlebell is always going to feel heavy, and the 5-minute test will be daunting.
The base I built snatching heavy kettlebells ensured that I was very well-conditioned for the volume of work required at the SFG I Certification.
Al Ciampa’s peaking protocol built upon this base and prepared me physically and mentally for the pace required to successfully perform 100 snatches in five minutes.
The snatch test was certainly an uncomfortable ordeal given the fatigue that had built up over the weekend. Nevertheless, I passed the test with about 15 seconds to spare. I wasn’t trying to complete the 100 reps in record time. Rather I simply stuck to 10+10 at the top of each minute (10 left, swing switch, 10 right, park the kettlebell).
I invite readers to treat the snatch as “the Tsar of kettlebell lifts” that it is. Devote more of your training to this movement. Take your time. Think years rather than months.
Whether you use my protocol or another approach is your choice. If you take this path though, not only will your snatch tests become less daunting, but you’ll become far more resilient against whatever physical demands life throws at you.
To paraphrase an ad for a Swiss watch, “You never really own a kettlebell. You merely look after it for the next generation.” If you get quality bells and take care of them, they will outlive you. You might as well get good ones—CLICK HERE!
Harry Westgate is a personal trainer based in Tyne and Wear, North East England. He is a StrongFirst Certified SFG II Instructor offering in-person instruction to those local to Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead, as well as online coaching for those based elsewhere.
A former competitive amateur boxer, Harry still spends some of his free time practicing the striking martial arts of boxing and Muay Thai. His strength and conditioning practice is built upon the hard style kettlebell snatch, and he regularly snatches a 40kg bell at a bodyweight of well under 80kg.
Harry’s coaching practice focuses on helping people from all walks of life and occupations to become as strong, well-conditioned, and pain-free as possible, so that they may enjoy long-term health and fitness.
Minimalist in nature, Harry’s approach to training ensures that his students get the maximum benefit from their training without excessive exercise selection and overly time-consuming workouts. Instead, Harry teaches people to do enough in their sessions to get the desired stimulus, while leaving them with plenty of time and energy to tend to their other priorities and responsibilities.
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to find a routine that works and stick with it. That’s fine for your daily coffee order, but when it comes to exercise, doing just one type of workout is a surefire way to shortchange your fitness.
There’s no single discipline that can offer everything you need to be physically fit. One form of exercise that offers cardiorespiratory benefits may fall short in mobility, while another mobility-focused workout may never get your heart pumping. Plus, isn’t it a little boring to move your body the same exact way, day after day?
To help you round out your fitness routine (and keep your head in the game), we paired up popular workouts that complement each other and, when done in tandem, provide a holistic approach to exercise and cross-training.
Here are six “yin-yang” combos to try.
1. Yoga and Cycling
Jaclyn Alterwein, senior manager of music and content at BODi, combines indoor cycling with yoga in her personal workout routine. Yoga, she explains, helps strengthen many of the muscles used in cycling.
“It also helps open up the entire body and improve posture, which is advantageous to executing proper riding form,” she says. And yogis who have yet to try cycling may find that time in the saddle brings more ease to their practice.
“Because cycling improves both cardiovascular health and lower-body strength, it will help those yoga postures that require lower-body strength and cardio efforts,” Alterwein says.
Aside from the physical benefits of this pairing, the combination of yoga and cycling can offer a sense of energetic balance. “It’s great to balance the high energy required for cycling with the calm energy that practicing yoga provides,” Alterwein says.
BODi’s Yoga52 is a series of practices led by four world-class trainers that you can do right at home. With descriptive cues and precise instruction, you’ll never have to look up from the mat so you can stay focused on your breath and body.
2. Cycling and Running
This combo was made for cardio enthusiasts. Both cycling and running are excellent options for building endurance and maintaining heart health, but running is a high-impact exercise while cycling is a relatively low-impact activity.
Alternating between the two can help prevent injuries and minimize rest time, explains Brett Durney, a certified personal trainer and co-founder of Fitness Lab.
Pairing cycling and running “will provide you with the ability to train on consecutive days while allowing body parts such as ligaments and tendons to recover from the high-impact effect of running,” Durney says.
“As we age, impact becomes incredibly important for bone health, but it also becomes something that we need to watch and monitor closely. Managing the amount of impact you are placing on your body by utilizing a combination of cycling and running means that you can work out frequently and recover at the same time,” he adds.
3. Running and Strength Training
If you want an example of a well-rounded athlete, find a runner who regularly strength trains. Or a lifter who also runs. This pairing delivers that sought-after “strength + cardio” combo that’s often considered the gold standard for a workout regimen.
“There are so many reasons for runners to strength train, particularly because strength training prevents injuries, improves muscular endurance, and promotes strong bone health, which are all excellent benefits for runners,” Alterwein says. Additionally, the stronger your glute, core, and leg muscles, the faster you’ll tick off those miles.
And if your happy place is the weight room, it makes sense to occasionally trade your lifting shoes for running sneakers, as pounding the pavement will boost your cardiovascular capacity in a way that strength training won’t, says Alterwein.
4. Strength Training and Cycling
Combining cycling and strength training is one way to keep your body (and brain) guessing, says Alterwein. “Mixing up your workouts is not only a great way to prevent boredom in your fitness routine, but the variety of the demands placed on your body forces it to constantly adapt, which leads to consistent changes and growth,” she says.
Pair strength training with cycling, and you’re also likely to see improvements in both disciplines. “The cardiovascular benefits of cycling can help in those moments when your breath is so important to lifting weights,” Alterwein says.
For cyclists, strength training can help improve posture and efficiency.
“An efficient ride improves your power,” she says. “Strength training also improves cadence, or how fast you can get that pedal around, both in and out of the saddle. I often advise those who are struggling to maintain a quicker pace out of the saddle to strengthen their legs and core.”
With the BODi Bike, you’ll get access to hundreds of heart-pumping rides, which also include Cycle & Strength classes that utilize the bike’s swivel screen monitor to incorporate strength training into your cycling workouts.
5. Cycling and Pilates
Like yoga, Pilates can help balance out a high-energy sweat session on the bike. While Pilates workouts are challenging, their focus on breath, form, and control can have a calming effect on the body. Conversely, cycling will ramp up your heart rate in a way that Pilates simply can’t.
Additionally, Pilates workouts can improve flexibility, posture, and core strength. “All of these improvements can be utilized to improve form on the bike, which provides a more efficient ride and prevents injury,” Alterwein says. “Pilates can ‘fine tune’ those muscles required for maximizing your bike performance.”
If you’re looking to get started with a Pilates practice, Beginner Pilates With Lisa Hubbard is a three-week program designed to teach you the basics of Pilates exercises and breathwork. Building on what you learn in previous classes, you’ll create a strong foundation of movement and stability that you can take into all other types of workouts.
6. Pilates and Running
For avid runners, Pilates can bring their form and technique to the next level, as it builds strength and stability throughout the entire body, especially in the core, back, and hips.
“If your sport or hobby is running, then being strong and stable will provide you with optimal performance, optimal enjoyment, and, most importantly, healthy joints, promoting health and longevity,” Durney says.
For Pilates devotees, time on the trail, tread, or sidewalk can help “fill the gaps” in their fitness routines. “People who predominantly use Pilates as a main form of exercise should look to running in order to build and optimize their aerobic and anaerobic levels of fitness,” Durney says.
Note: This article was the MASS Research Review cover story for January 2024 and is part of their “From the Mailbag” series of articles. If you want more content like this, subscribe to MASS.
This article isn’t about the exact question listed above. In reality, it’s about an entire genre of questions that involve trying to reach a specific body-fat percentage within a specific (and often very short) time frame. I’ve answered this question countless times throughout my fitness career, and the person who asks the question is virtually never satisfied by my response. The truth is, I am generally critical of this question because I’m critical of the goal-setting process it reflects. I never set a specific body-fat percentage as the goal of a diet or program, and I prefer to utilize flexible timelines rather than a specific deadline for goal completion (whenever possible). In this article, I’ll explain why body-fat goals with fixed timelines are inadvisable and offer a better alternative.
Nobody Cares What Your Body-Fat Percentage Is
My first issue with making a specific body-fat percentage your goal is related to logical reasoning rather than empirical scientific data. Simply put, nobody cares what your body-fat percentage is (including you, most likely). In my experience, body-fat goals are (at best) proxies that are believed to be roughly compatible with the true goal. For example, someone might want to get down to 20% body-fat because their most recent blood tests revealed high cholesterol and impaired glycemic control. They might assume that they can get those blood biomarkers in check if they’re able to get down to 20% body-fat, which may indeed be true. However, their goal isn’t actually the body-fat percentage; if they got to 20% body-fat and still had high cholesterol and impaired glycemic control, they wouldn’t have achieved the actual endpoints they were truly hoping for.
Sometimes people will set body-fat goals because they believe it will improve their athletic performance. For example, a powerlifter might believe they’d be more competitive in a lower weight class, or an athlete might believe they’d be more explosive if they had a more favorable strength-to-mass or power-to-mass ratio. These folks might assume that their athletic goals would be taken care of if they reached their intended body-fat level, but body-fat percentage is once again a poor proxy in this scenario. If a powerlifter got down to their goal body-fat percentage, competed in a lower weight class, but ended up performing poorly and placing worse, I doubt they’d be satisfied with that set of outcomes.
Sometimes people will set body-fat goals because they believe it will help them achieve a particular aesthetic appearance. For example, someone might see a fitness model or bodybuilding competitor with a desirable physique, estimate that individual’s body-fat percentage, then set out to attain that very same body-fat percentage. The most common approaches for visually estimating someone’s body-fat percentage are either guessing or using a three-by-three grid of images with estimated body-fat ranges. Here’s the problem: body fat distribution varies from person to person, and the visual impact of muscular definition depends on the combined effects of subcutaneous fat storage and underlying muscular development. So, imagine you estimated the body-fat percentage of a fitness model and used that as your goal. Would you be satisfied if you achieved that body-fat percentage but looked totally different due to insufficient muscularity? Alternatively, would you be satisfied if you achieved that body-fat percentage but ended up with absolutely shredded limbs while retaining considerable fat in your abdominal section? The satisfaction that comes from achieving goals is highly subjective, but in most cases, these hypothetical scenarios will lead to more disappointment than satisfaction. Even in competitive bodybuilding, where fixation on body-fat percentage values is rampant among competitors, emphasis on specific body-fat values is misplaced. The leanest bodybuilder doesn’t always win, and judges will never ask, measure, or know your body-fat percentage. The goal of a competitive bodybuilder is to achieve a certain look that balances muscularity, symmetry, and leanness – it’s hard to win a show with high body-fat, but competitors are better served by focusing on their overall physique and presentation instead of focusing exclusively on an arbitrary body-fat percentage goal.
So, if your goal is to improve a health-related metric, set a goal for that health-related metric. If your goal is to improve performance, set a performance goal. If your goal is to look a certain way, set an appearance-oriented goal. In all three scenarios, body-fat percentage is merely a proxy for the true underlying goal, and a poor proxy at that.
Nobody Knows What Your Body-Fat Percentage Is
Let’s assume you skimmed the last section, rejected the premise entirely, and set a goal to achieve a specific body-fat percentage. How would you actually know if you reached your goal?
The most obvious answer is that you’d get your body-fat percentage measured. In reality, this is a surprisingly inadequate answer. Body-fat measurement is categorically off the table; the only way to truly measure body fat is cadaver dissection, and that seems like a pretty extreme choice to me. Instead, there are many common methods for estimating body-fat percentage. The classic estimation methods are underwater weighing and skinfold measurements using calipers. More modern estimation methods include bioelectrical impedance analysis, air displacement plethysmography (BodPod), three-dimensional optical scanners, ultrasound imaging, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Intuitively, most people seem pretty comfortable assuming that underwater weighing and skinfold measurements are imperfect methods subject to meaningful estimation error. People tend to naturally assume that older methods are less accurate (if they weren’t, why would we bother to create newer methods?), and it seems pretty far-fetched to assume that identifying the thickness of skinfolds at a few specific sites or identifying your bodyweight in a pool will yield an extremely precise body-fat value. On the other hand, people tend to naturally assume that newer methods are very accurate, especially if they involve equipment that is expensive and technologically impressive. So, do newer estimation methods like BodPod, DXA, and bioelectrical impedance analysis give us precise estimates?
Unfortunately they do not. For example, a cross-sectional study published in 2004 estimated the body-fat percentage of 27 male bodybuilders (1). They used a variety of estimation methods including underwater weighing, deuterium dilution, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, prediction equations based on body mass index, skinfold measurement, bioelectrical impedance, a three-compartment model incorporating total body water, and a three-compartment model incorporating bone mineral content. These methods were compared to a four-compartment model, which served as the “gold standard” for comparison purposes. The results of these estimation methods are presented in Figure 1.
Looking at the wide error bars in Figure 1, you can see that it isn’t particularly rare for common body-fat estimations to overestimate or underestimate body-fat by several points. For example, the error bars for DXA span from roughly +6 to -5. Imagine your goal was to cut from 15% body-fat to 10% body-fat – a fairly typical fluctuation for someone transitioning from the end of a winter bulk to a manageable cut for the summer months. It’s not totally implausible to imagine a scenario where DXA underestimates your body-fat by 5 points at the start of the cut, and overestimates your body-fat by 5 points at the end of the cut. You could fully achieve the goal, while your body-fat estimates would reflect no change in body-fat percentage (despite a substantial drop in body mass). In other words, you did exactly what you set out to do, but DXA would suggest that you were shedding lean mass at an alarming rate. Of course, the opposite could also occur – if DXA overestimated your body-fat by 5 points at the start of the cut and underestimated your body-fat by 5 points at the end of the cut, you’d be convinced that your cut was dramatically more successful than it truly was. To be fair, Figure 1 isn’t all bad news for body composition estimation. If you look at the average value for each estimation method, they performed pretty well at the group level. They overestimated some people, underestimated some people, but overall provided a pretty good estimate of the group-level average. This figure demonstrates why these body composition estimation techniques are fantastic for assessing group-level averages in research, but inadequate for precise estimates at the individual level.
The data presented in Figure 1 might be convincing to some, but I’m sure there are people wondering about two specific details: how might these data look for non-bodybuilders, and what do the individual data points actually look like? To address both considerations, Figure 2 displays some data that I presented back in 2017 (2). We estimated body-fat percentage values in 34 adults with overweight or obesity using BodPod, DXA, and ultrasound, and compared these values to a gold standard four-compartment estimate. Figure 2 shows three different Bland-Altman plots, which each visualize the level of agreement between two of the measurement devices. For example, the first plot in Figure 2 is labeled “DXA.” The x-axis values are the “average” body-fat estimate obtained from DXA and the measure it’s being compared to (the “gold standard” four-compartment model). In other words, you estimate body-fat via DXA, estimate body-fat via the four-compartment model, and take the average of the two to obtain the x-value. The y-value is the difference between the two estimation methods. The larger the difference, the lower the level of agreement between the two measurement techniques. The thin bold line in each figure represents the average difference, and the dashed lines represent the 95% limits of agreement. The 95% limits of agreement are roughly two standard deviations above and below the mean difference, and should generally contain about 95% of the difference values for 95 percent of future measurement pairs.
Looking at Figure 2, we see that the group-level average estimates were pretty good, but individual-level estimates revealed considerable error. While BodPod performed surprisingly well, some DXA values underestimated body-fat by up to 5 percentage points or overestimated body-fat by up to 10 percentage points. For someone who is adamant to determine if they’re 10% body-fat or 12% body-fat, that’s not particularly helpful. If a body-fat estimation method is merely going to get you within a plausible range (plus or minus a few percentage points), you can probably guess what that range is before you even get tested.
Whenever these limitations of body-fat estimation are discussed, a natural follow-up question comes to mind: baseline body-fat estimates may be a bit off-base, but can’t we use these methods and devices to track body-fat changes over time? When tracking group-level averages, common body-fat estimation methods tend to do quite well. However, the magnitude of error remains a bit too large to lean heavily on these methods for longitudinal tracking of individual-level body-fat changes. In the previously mentioned study by van Marken Lichtenbelt et al, 15 of the 29 bodybuilders participated in a longitudinal intervention where changes in body composition were assessed over time. The group-level differences among estimation methods are presented in Figure 3. In our previously mentioned study, we have 15 pairs of pre-test and post-test values following periods of substantial (≥4.5kg) weight loss. The individual-level differences among estimation methods are presented in Figure 4. In these figures we see wide error bars, wide limits of agreement, and considerable individual-level error when comparing various estimation methods to the four-compartment model.
So, even if you truly do care about your body-fat percentage and have access to research-grade estimation methods, you won’t actually know where you started, where you ended, or how much body-fat you lost along the way. From my perspective, setting a goal with a very specific quantitative endpoint that can’t be confidently confirmed or verified is hard to justify.
It’s Difficult to Predict Changes in Fat-Free Mass
Let’s ignore the technicalities of measurement for a while and focus on a practical problem. One of the more common questions I get on Instagram goes something like this: “I’m currently 15% body-fat and I want to cut down to 10% body-fat. How much weight will I need to lose to get there, and how long will that take?”
Even with a perfectly accurate estimate of your baseline body-fat percentage (which we never have), I have no satisfying answer to this question. Broadly speaking, your likelihood of losing, maintaining, or even gaining lean mass during a cut could be dependent upon your training status, your genetic predisposition to muscularity, your non-lifting physical activity habits, the effectiveness of your training program, and dietary factors including protein intake and caloric intake. We have enough information to set general expectations for changes in lean mass during weight loss. For example, beginners are far more likely to gain muscle while losing weight. We also have enough information to guide best practices with regards to maintaining (or gaining) lean mass during weight loss. For example, you definitely don’t want to skimp on protein (3), and you don’t want to implement a massive caloric deficit (4). As shown in Figure 5, large deficits are far more likely to drive the loss of lean mass in comparison to more modest caloric deficits (4). You’d also want to avoid extremely high volumes and frequencies of cardio; while the interference effect is often overstated with regards to hypertrophy or muscle retention, extremely high doses of cardio can certainly interfere with the accretion or retention of lean mass (5).
If we want to take a more granular approach to forecasting changes in lean mass, we should probably evaluate training status and specific training variables on a muscle-by-muscle basis. For example, it’s quite common for lifters to focus exclusively on upper-body muscularity early in their lifting career before eventually getting serious about lower-body training. There are plenty of well-trained lifters with exceptional upper-body development who are primed to make “beginner gains” when they start allocating equal attention to their lower-body musculature. Along similar lines, injuries are almost inevitable if you stick with lifting for long enough, whether those injuries occur in the gym or elsewhere. Almost every lifter will experience periods of detraining in response to injuries, and they’re likely to experience rapid gains when they’re able to resume normal training for the affected muscle group(s). When it comes to training status, we often like to broadly categorize people as being a beginner, intermediate, or advanced. However, this overly simplistic approach fails to account for the fact that your various muscle groups may have varying degrees of hypertrophy potential over the next several weeks due to the structure of your future training program and the training program you’ve been following for the last few months.
You can only assess the suitability of a goal to reach a specific body-fat percentage by a deadline if you can accurately predict how lean mass will change during the goal-striving process. That prediction can be very difficult to make with a high level of accuracy, as longitudinal lean mass changes for each individual muscle group will be dictated by a wide range of factors and genetic predisposition will vary from person to person. For very ambitious weight loss goals, it’s also likely that the fraction of weight lost as lean mass will vary over time (generally increasing as you get leaner). The amount of lean mass you gain or lose will impact the amount of weight you need to lose in order to reach your target body-fat percentage, and the amount of weight you need to lose will impact the timeline of your fat loss plan. If you want to know how long it will (or should) take to reach a specific body-fat percentage, I need to predict exactly how much lean mass you might gain or lose during the process. If I’ve been coaching you for a while, I’ll have a pretty good idea; if you’re just DMing me on instagram out of the blue, I can’t make that prediction with high confidence. I’d need to ask you a very long list of questions, make several semi-informed assumptions, then make an uninformed guess about your genetic predisposition for muscle growth and retention.
Fixed Deadlines May Encourage Unsustainable Methods, Rigid Cognitive Restraint, and Excessive Focus on Outcomes Over Processes
By setting a time-capped goal to attain a particular body-fat percentage by a given deadline, you’ve created a mission with two possible outcomes: pass or fail. You either reach the target body-fat percentage by the deadline or you don’t. This type of goal can feed into rigid cognitive restraint, which has been discussed many times before in MASS content (one, two). Rigid restraint is characterized by setting inflexible rules and boundaries, and someone employing rigid cognitive restraint will typically evaluate their progress in dichotomous terms (success or failure, with no gray area). For goals pertaining to dieting and fat loss, rigid dietary restraint is associated with a wide range of negative outcomes, including disordered eating behaviors and attitudes, body image concerns, psychological distress, and poorer well-being (6). Rigid restraint is contrasted by flexible cognitive restraint, which involves a much more flexible approach to striving toward goals and assessing one’s progress. Rather than getting upset about failing to reach a specific body-fat percentage by a given date, someone implementing flexible cognitive restraint would instead acknowledge the partial success they experienced by getting close to their goal and shift their sights toward continuing their trajectory of successful goal striving. Unsurprisingly, flexible cognitive restraint during goal striving is associated with better psychological outcomes, overall well-being, and long-term goal attainment when compared to rigid restraint (6).
Now, let’s say your goal was to reach 10% body-fat in the next eight weeks. Over that eight week period, you estimated that you’d need to lose 12 pounds of fat. It’s now been four weeks, and you’ve only lost 3 pounds of fat. What do you do now?
According to your goal, you should push way harder – you’re not on pace to hit your target body-fat percentage by the deadline, so you need to crank into a higher gear. That doesn’t make very much sense in my opinion. Your goal was to lose 6 pounds in the first four weeks, but despite your best efforts, you fell 3 pounds short. It’s hard to justify the quest to lose 9 pounds in the next four weeks, given the fact that you were unable to lose even 6 pounds in the previous four weeks. Time-capped goals suggest that you should paradoxically make your goal harder when you’re struggling the most, which doesn’t make sense – you are least equipped to increase your target rate of weight loss when you’re already falling short of it. This may lead to unsustainable crash-dieting tactics that involve extreme short-term sacrifices to reach the predetermined body-fat goal “on time,” which doesn’t bode well for long-term success and well-being.
This highlights yet another problem with setting body-fat percentage goals with fixed deadlines. They are, by definition, outcome-oriented (rather than process-oriented). Outcome-oriented goals have a time and a place, but they do have some noteworthy shortcomings. For example, outcome-oriented goals may tend to reinforce rigid restraint (i.e., you either achieve the outcome or you don’t), and may encourage unsustainable “sprints to the finish line” instead of sustainable goal-striving behaviors. In addition, research suggests that people pursuing outcome-oriented goals typically have lower success rates and lower subjective well-being during the goal-striving process (7). Process-oriented goals are particularly helpful for overcoming procrastination; they shift focus toward small steps you can take to support your success right now and away from the (potentially large) gap between your current status and your desired outcome.
I’ve now stated the entirety of my case, so hopefully I’ve talked you out of setting a goal that involves hitting a specific body-fat percentage by a specific date. But what should you do instead?
A Better Alternative for Settings Goals
If you’ve read any of my previous work related to goal setting, I might sound like a broken record here. Nonetheless, I’ll reiterate my stance that goals are best set within the context of a well-aligned goal hierarchy. You can find a more detailed explanation of goal hierarchies here, but the basic idea is to construct an interconnected network of superordinate, intermediate, and subordinate goals. Superordinate goals relate to key values and priorities that reflect your vision of your “best self,” intermediate goals provide some more concrete direction that bring you closer to your best self, and subordinate goals detail the specific actions you’ll take to achieve your intermediate goals (8). An example of a goal hierarchy is presented in Figure 6.
When someone tells me they want to hit a certain body-fat percentage by a given date, my first reaction is to ask them why. Not a superficial explanation of their goal, but a deeper description of why they value fitness and why their fitness goals are so important to them. This usually leads them to a superordinate goal that anchors their goal hierarchy. Next, we need an intermediate goal. As I noted near the beginning of this article, a body-fat percentage is almost never the “real” goal. In most cases, body-fat percentage is standing in as a proxy for a more specific performance goal, physique goal, or health goal. When formulating this into an intermediate goal, I prefer to make it process-oriented whenever possible. For someone with a physique-focused goal, a process-oriented goal might be to lose roughly one pound per week until achieving their desired level of muscular definition. Notably, this intermediate goal describes the path and the process (i.e., establishing and maintaining a deficit that facilitates one pound of weight loss per week) rather than the cumulative outcome of implementing the process for a given amount of time (i.e., losing a specific amount of total weight or fat). Finally, you’ll want to construct a series of subordinate goals to support your intermediate goal. This is where you apply the countless strategies discussed in previous MASS articles – specific strategies pertaining to resistance training, cardio, non-exercise physical activity, energy intake, protein intake, meal timing, and so on. In other words, you map out the strategies that are going to help you create the caloric deficit needed to lose about a pound per week.
If you had set a goal to reach a specific body-fat percentage by a certain date, you’d run into a number of challenges. First, your goal is most likely a proxy for something else that is more meaningful to you. Second, you won’t truly know your starting body-fat percentage, nor will you be able to confidently confirm that you actually reached your intended body-fat percentage in the end. Third, it will be difficult to determine how much weight you should lose along the way, as it will be immensely difficult to predict how much lean mass you will gain or lose along the way. Fourth, if you start falling short of your planned pace of weight loss, you’ll have to start losing weight faster than your original place to make up for lost time. Fifth, you’ll probably have a pretty bad time, which is often the case for outcome-oriented goals that are approached with rigid cognitive restraint. Instead, I hope you’ll consider the alternative – a process-oriented goal with a flexible timeline that is anchored by a well-aligned goal hierarchy that adds meaning to your pursuit.
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This article was the cover story for the January 2024 issue of MASS Research Review. If you’d like to read the full, 92-page January issue (and dive into the MASS archives), you can subscribe to MASS here.
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References
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Trexler ET, Hirsch KR, Blue MNM, Mock MG, Smith-Ryan AE. Estimating body composition at baseline and tracking changes during weight loss: Validity of common methods in comparison to a criterion four-compartment model. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017 Sep 12;14(2):31.
Helms ER, Zinn C, Rowlands DS, Brown SR. A systematic review of dietary protein during caloric restriction in resistance trained lean athletes: a case for higher intakes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014 Apr;24(2):127–38.
Murphy C, Koehler K. Energy deficiency impairs resistance training gains in lean mass but not strength: A meta-analysis and meta-regression. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2022 Jan;32(1):125–37.
Hickson RC. Interference of strength development by simultaneously training for strength and endurance. Eur J Appl Physiol. 1980;45(2–3):255–63.
Helms ER, Prnjak K, Linardon J. Towards a Sustainable Nutrition Paradigm in Physique Sport: A Narrative Review. Sports. 2019 Jul 16;7(7):172.
Kaftan OJ, Freund AM. The Way is the Goal: The Role of Goal Focus for Successful Goal Pursuit and Subjective Well-Being. In: Diener, E; Oishi, S; Tay, L. Handbook of Well-Being. Salt Lake City, UT: DEF Publishers.
Höchli B, Brügger A, Messner C. How Focusing on Superordinate Goals Motivates Broad, Long-Term Goal Pursuit: A Theoretical Perspective. Front Psychol. 2018;9:1879.
Ready in just 10 minutes, this nutrient-rich creamy salad is the perfect meal for busy weekday lunches or dinners. Savoury-sweet and packed with tender chicken bites and a crunchy blend of cos lettuce, celery, cucumber and corn kernels, this salad is a texture sensation. Drizzle over the creamy Dijon-infused dressing plus a burst of citrus to bind all the fresh flavours together.
Time to cook: 10, Serves: 2-3
Ingredients:
1 head cos lettuce, shredded
2 stalk celery, finely diced
1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
1 cup corn kernels
2 tbsp red onion, finely diced
2 pickles, diced
½ bunch chives, finely chopped
¼ bunch dill, finely chopped
300g (10.5oz) cooked chicken, finely chopped
For the dressing:
⅓ cup Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
½ lemon, juiced
Method:
To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
Add all of the salad ingredients to a bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to combine.
Updated 2023 to add the Bells of Steel rack and make several updates.
The Problem
Many of us are short on space in our garage, back room, or basement. A traditional power rack, or even an open-ended squat rack, takes up a painful amount of space.
In the past, your best option for space efficiency was to get a pair of portable squat stands.
Portable squat stands
3 problems with even decent portable squat stands like the above:
You have to carefully set them the right 48″ distance apart each time, and aligned properly.
They’re so light weight that you have to be more gentle when re-racking.
The feet stick out partially in your way, causing a trip hazard.
So it’s clear that we needed a totally different solution to save on space.
The Solution
Behold! A folding squat rack that installs securely against the wall, folds out with the feet touching the floor for support, and folds back up against the wall for storage. Awesome stuff.
It can be installed either in a garage or in a room of your home. If you’ll be putting in rubber flooring, be sure to get that in before you install this. The height you install the rack at relative to the floor is critical. As a garage or basement squat rack, bare concrete can be just fine, depending on what else you have going on with your gym. Another advantage of these is you can get a really stable squat rack in a garage gym without drilling into your garage floor’s concrete to anchor it.
Note that some makers call these wall mounted power racks. Not so fast. A power rack encloses the bar on both sides and has safety bars. Technically these are just squat racks / half racks. It’s a marketing issue, I imagine.
The shared features among most of these racks are:
Quick fold-back design
Pull up bar
~48″ wide, ie: olympic width
Adjustable height J-hooks
This basic idea was pioneered by PRx Performance in 2014, and backed by “Shark Tank” businessman and investor Kevin O’Leary in 2016. We sometimes make the mistake of thinking Rogue comes up with all this new stuff, but often they just popularize an existing idea by putting their huge market share behind it.
— Beware the details!! There’s plenty to compare between the brands I’ve selected, and in this case they can’t be explained in a comparison chart. Read on or skip to my final recommendation at the bottom of this post.
Quick Comparison Chart
Detailed Look at Each
Here’s what makes each rack stand out among the others. I’ll sum up the pros and cons of each one.
PRx Performance Profile ONE
Here’s what happened. In 2014 PRx Performance invented and patented a wall-mounted rack design that lifts upwards easily via gas shocks to fold against the wall. In 2016 they aired on ABC’s “Shark Tank”, where investor Kevin O’Leary bought into 20% of the company.
However, before the Shark Tank episode even aired, Rogue and other companies caught wind of the innovation and began making their own but with an design where the left and right frame folds inward instead of the whole thing folding upwards, avoiding PRx’s patent.
Folding Mechanism Unique gas shock system that makes it effortless to pull out and fold back, with locking pins to make it child-proof. All the fold-in designs below require you to remove the pull up bar and fold the rack parts sideways instead.
Pull Up Bar 3 options – None, regular, or extruded 36″ from the wall for kipping pullups. Get at least the regular. Everyone needs a pull up bar. Keep in mind the kipping bar does not fold back itself, so it’s going to be sticking out 12″ from the wall as you fold the rack in. For most of us that’s not really an issue, as we don’t need to save space that high.
Depth: 24″ from the wall, folds to 4″ from wall.
Design and Construction: 2″x3″ 11-gauge steel. The folding design forces a tad bit of play in some joints, making it not feel as solid as a comparable 2″x3″ rack. That goes for all similar wall mounted squat racks. They can wobble a little under loads.
505 lb was dropped on an earlier 3×3 version of this rack in the video below, ripping a screw out of the stringer. The issue I think is mainly how well you stringer is mounted into the wall studs with the chosen screws, but I also notice that the metal of the stringer appears to bend away from the wall a little bit, suggesting that it’s not the thickest steel. You see a lot of wobble in slow motion in the video, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, the way flexing does help absorb the shock of the weight and keep the rack intact, not to mention reduce the risk of damage to your bar.
The above 3×3 rack is now sold as the Profile PRO. Besides the larger tubing, the Pro has several color options and another height option. But the Pro starts at $849, putting it even further outside the price range of competing racks featured here, so I’m mainly just featuring the less expensive (but still expensive) Profile ONE here.
You might notice that some of the Profile ONE pics show a lack of holes near the bottom of the uprights. Those are old pics. The latest version has holes going all the way to the floor.
PROS
CONS
– easy installation – quickest setup – made in the USA
– highest priced – no depth choices
PRx has also come out with a fold-in design like the competitors below, but I have chosen not to feature it here because it uses 14-gauge steel and is therefore significantly weaker than competitors. If you are curious, it’s the PRx Fold-In ONE Rack.
Rogue RML-3W
The folding racks are surprisingly hard to navigate to on Rogue’s site menu. You have to look in the Power Racks category, not in Squat Stands or Wallmounts where you would expect them.
The RML-3W has 3×3 tubing. They also have the 2×3 R-3W still. Rogue is moving away from their 2×3 racks, and I recommend their 3×3 racks at this point.
If you want a choice of (currently) 11 colors, the RML-3WC is the color-option version of the RML-3W, at a $100 premium.
Rogue’s 3×3 racks are 49″ wide, which makes it a tighter fit for your bar than 48″ or 47″ wide racks. Consider sandwich J-cups that stick out from the rack and gives you bar more side-to-side room for better safety when re-racking.
Rogue put Westside hole spacing on the uprights. What this means is 1″ on center between the holes in the height range you would use for bench pressing, to help you set the J-cups and safety bars in the perfect spot. Higher than that they are spaced 2″, which is fine for squats or overhead presses. This pattern of spacing was popularized by Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell, hence the name.
They have other marks on the uprights to help you put the two bar catches at the same height and not have to eyeball it too hard.
Folding Mechanism To fold it away, you first remove the 2 pins above and pull off the pull up bar. Then pull 4 pins from the rack hinges and fold both arms against the wall. The hinges go both ways, so you can fold them both in, both out, or one in and one out, whatever works for your space, standing out only 5″ from your wall. If you have the wall space available where you can fold at least one side outwards, you won’t have to remove the J cups. Otherwise, not a big deal.
Accommodating Floor Slope As Johnny Wild pointed out in the comments, the Rogue bracket design has some play to it, which is not sloppy design but is actually helpful for allowing you to lift the sides of the rack clear of the floor as you fold it in or out. In addition, if it didn’t have the play, the feet would be dangling 1/4″ off the floor if you fold it out towards your garage door, with the typical garage slope.
Pull Up Bar Max height 87″, adjustable down via pop pins. Like the Titan and Fringe models, be conscious of what height you’re installing the top horizontal tubing against the uprights, because it will get in the way of your desired pull up bar height if you aren’t careful.
Depth Options Choose from a 9″ deep, 21.5″ deep or 41.5″ deep option that you select on the product page. The 9″ is, in my opinion, too tight. The 21.5″ gives you enough room for squats, bench presses, and most any other racks exercises, giving enough room for your feet, head, and bench, as appropriate. For more space for dynamic pull up movements, you will want the 41.5″ deep. You could also fit Rogue’s 24″ spotter arms on the inside of 41.5″ deep version, if you have limited space when working out. The 41.5″ deep doesn’t fold in neatly to the wall and will overlap unless you fold them one in and one out, which takes up more wall space. Either way works, depending where you want to save the most room when folding it.
Color Options While the RML-3W is the classic Rogue matte black, the RML-3WC version has powder coating in a bunch of color choices, even a satin clear coat that I’d love to see close up. Color choices are not available for the 2×3 R-3W rack. Rogue is getting away from its 2×3 racks and will likely discontinue them at some point.
Ryan (That Tech Teacher on youtube) has a great video going over the parts and installation in his gym:
Recommended stringer to ensure good mounting, which is an added option on the product page
A huge plus to Rogue’s folding rack is the $55 stringer option on the product page. You get those two steel backplates. They aren’t there to look cool. The stringers help you in two ways:
Perfectly spaced mounting holes for the rack so that installation is way easier. No guessing about where to drill holes, and then having a disaster when you drilled a hole 1/4″ off.
No need to go to the lumber store and pick up and cut some 2×6 boards to use as backplates. Easily worth the cost and time.
PROS
CONS
– made in the USA – 2 depth options – 2×3 and 3×3 tubing options – stringer option (and a very nice one) – lots of attachments – color choices
– installation takes skill unless you get the stringer – folding procedure takes a minute – expensive
Titan Fitness T-3 and X-3 Folding Rack
Titan T-3 and X-3 folding racks are their 2×3 and 3×3 racks. There were a few iterations in design, and at this point the only difference between them is the tubing size. The T-3 is actually 50mm x 75mm, and the X-3 is 75mm square. This makes them a little smaller than 2×3 and 3×3, respectively. The Rogue Infinity and Monster Lite attachments will mostly fit well enough.
Titan’s racks are all 48″ outside width, meaning the 2×3 rack gives you 2″ of extra space inside than the 3×3. Some specs given on their site say 50″ width, but that includes things like brackets or feet.
The X-3 comes with two pairs of J-cups rather than one, and they are UHMW-lined unlike the bare steel J-cups included with the T-3.
PROS
CONS
– Good price – 2 depth and height choices – Somewhat compatible with Rogue Infinity or Monster Lite attachments
– installation takes skill – No stringer available – Folding procedure takes a minute – Fat 1.5″ pull up bar only – Made in China – Typically a lack of attention to detail in the alignment and welds – Metric sized tubes are a little undersized for true 2×3 or 3×3 attachments
Rep Fitness PR-4100
Rep is the only manufacturer to offer a folding rack in a 3×3 only model. Why even bother making a 2×3 model when they’re beating Rogue on price?
The overall design is very much like the Rogue RML-3WC. It has a 48″ width, which is conveniently a little narrower than Rogue’s 49″ to allow for more barbell movement. 1.25″ pull up bar. UHMW lined J-cups and feet.
Laser-Cut Numbers Here’s a good addition. Laser-cut numbers, starting from the bottom of the bench press area and going all the way up. These are valuable for getting your J-cups or safety arms set at the right height. Otherwise you have to start making your spots with tape.
The lack of a stringer option hurts a bit. You need to buy some boards at the lumber store. The stringer makes it so much easier to install, with no careful work required on screw hole placement.
Metric Sizing Like Titan’s rack, Rep’s is not strictly a 3×3 rack. It’s 75mm, which is 2.95″, and metric hole spacing as well, ruling out any Rogue ML attachments that require a hitch pin in a second hole. The hole spacing is therefore similar to Westside but not Westside compatible.
PROS
CONS
– Good price – Westside-like hole spacing – Somewhat compatible with Rogue Monster Lite
– Installation takes some skill – Made in China – Metric sized tubing and hole spacing
FringeSport Retractable Power Rack
Fringe has a 365-day return policy, which I think is the most generous in the whole industry right now. You get free shipping to begin with, and then you can send it back within a year, on a whim, and get all your money back. Or within 30 days and they’ll even pay return shipping. Evidently they don’t get many returns, or they wouldn’t be able to do this.
Fringe split the difference and did 2.5″ square tubing instead of 3″ square or 2″x3″.
They kind of priced themselves out of the market. For the price, you would be better off getting a Rogue rack that has more attachments available, a stringer option, and better resale value.
Pull Up Bar: The pull up bar can adjust from 70″-88″ from the floor (5’10” – 7’4″). It’s 25″ from the wall.
Width: 49″ wide, the same as Rogue, the maximum width you want for a rack.
Depth: 25″ from the wall.
Folding Mechanism: Just like Rogue. Fold either side in or out. It takes the same amount of work, pulling out 4 pins for the pull up bar and 4 for the rack hinges. Like Rogue, you can leave the J cups in place if you’re folding at least one side outward.
PROS
CONS
– 1 year return policy and 30 day free return shipping
– installation takes some skill – no stringer option – folding procedure takes a minute to do – no depth choices – made in China – expensive compared to others – incompatible with other brands of attachments
Bells of Steel Folding Wall Mount Power Rack
The latest addition to this list! Somehow I overlooked it until 2023. They came out with it in 2019 and have gathered plenty of excellent reviews.
Compatible with Rogue Stringers As with other racks, they recommend you install a 2″x10″ wood stringer on the wall to bolt this rack into. The crazy thing is the Rogue stringers fit this rack, no mods needed, if buying them is easier for you or you like the look. If you find another rack also fits the Rogue stringers, please leave a comment!
Smaller Style This rack sits 20″ away from the wall. Functionally the 20″ vs 21.5″ on some other racks here should make no difference for you, except for the possibility of not getting a particular bench in incline position into place. This 20″ depth makes it possible for the rack to have a 47″ overall outside width, which gives you plenty of wiggle room for safety when re-racking. Because the tubing is only 2.4″ square, you also should have plenty of hand room even for extra-wide grips. These dimensions in my opinion were an excellent design choice by BoS to make them stand out.
Like the Titan and FringeSport rack, Bells of Steel sizes this in metric. In this case it’s 2.3″/60mm square tubing, with 14mm hole spacing. making it incompatible with attachments from any other racks except a few others by Bells of Steel. The tighter hole spacing in the bench press area, like some other metric racks, is similar to Westside style.
PROS
CONS
– Good price – Westside-like hole spacing – Fits the Rogue Folding Rack stringer – 47″ outside width
– Installation takes some skill – Made in China – Metric sized tubing and hole spacing
Spotter Arms Warning
Like certain other designs of racks, wall mounted squat racks are not made to fully handle loads that can be placed on spotter arms hanging off the front.
Dropping a barbell on the end of spotter arms can rip the rack out of the wall
The above shows why. A barbell this far out from the support leg of the rack will cause what would ordinarily be a “tipping” force to the rack. Because this type of rack is attached to the wall, it can cause the screws in the top bracket to rip right out of the wall.
A stringer across the wall studs helps, whether it’s wood or steel, the way it has several screws securing it to multiple studs in the wall. Even then, no guarantee the screws won’t still rip out.
Realistically, I have heard from someone who does rack pulls on the spotter arms on such a rack. The closer you have the barbell to the uprights, and not far out like I have in the diagram, the more the support leg takes the force and the less the wall attachment point does. But as discussed already, even up against the upright you’re away from the center of gravity of the rack and you’re putting some force on the wall attachments.
A Non-Folding Alternative, and Space Considerations
The main issue with the ~21″ deep racks is they might restrict the exercises you can do. Some adjustable benches have feet or wheels that will stick out too far back in the incline position, putting the wall in the way of getting it into place. However, it looks like many benches, and the Vulcan adjustable bench for sure (Thanks Robert for the comment on this), will work in a moderate incline with the 21″ deep racks.
RML-90SLIM, a non-folding space-saving rack
The tight fit is even more the case with another rack I want to bring to your attention, the Rogue Monster Lite Slim Rack pictured above. The front face of the uprights are a mere 14″ from the wall. I’ve determined that the 14″ gives you enough head room from the wall to allow for back squats, with a few inches of head clearance from the wall. Assuming that your bench’s feet don’t stick out past the bench pad too far (most modern benches are pretty good about this), you can do flat bench presses. Unlikely you can do incline bench presses with this unless you have something like the BodyCraft F704 bench (or discontinued BodyCraft F320 bench) that slides back for incline.
Anyway, the Slim Rack might work even better than a folding rack for you, if you don’t mind being close to the wall and you don’t need a rack that folds tighter against the wall to be out of the way. It will feel more solid than a folding rack because it has no moving parts.
The Winner
ROGUE RML-3WC
Rogue wins! Here’s why…
Quality Rogue’s quality is the highest and most consistent. Titan for example does ok with some things, but this rack needs to be all perfectly aligned so that you can install it with nothing weird going on in its stability, connections, and fold-up procedure. Titan cuts corners with design to lower the price. I trust Rogue the most with having everything made right. Rogue sells more of these types of units than anybody else, and in their own factory in Columbus, OH, while other companies outsource to China and aren’t able to unpackage and inspect most of the units.
Stringer Option If I were in the market for a rack like this, the lack of a stringer on the other models is the dealbreaker. It assists in a big way with installation and stability. Granted it costs $105 for the stringer pair.
Price Great price, especially for what you get. PRx is ridiculously priced.
Distance from Wall The minimal distance from the wall, 21″ or so, makes sense for any folding rack. The whole point is to save on space by folding it in as tightly as possible, and the 41″ folds up poorly, eating up tons of wall space or sticking out a couple feet if you fold both sides inward.
Attachment Options Being as this is an Monster Lite rack, Rogue’s Monster Lite attachments will fit this rack. Some attachments are made for full power racks. Some appropriate ones would be the landmine base, rope anchor, and many more. That opens up a options for more exercises and even more efficient use of space. Unlike the 2×3 Infinity racks, Rogue won’t be moving away from the Monster Lite racks for the foreseeable future, so you’ll have good compatibility moving forward.
Rogue basically offers so many of the best features of these racks that it’s an easy choice.
Runner-Up Choice
Rep’s folding rack is nearly an exact copy of Rogue’s. UHMW lined cups and feet, quick attach pins, 1.25″ pull up bar, etc.
Rep is known for making good equipment, nearly on par with Rogue’s quality and attention to detail, not cutting corners, and at a lower price. They can’t quite meet Rogue’s quality, because their equipment is made in China and subject to spot inspections when they get them instead of constant inspection of each piece by their own employees. Rep makes sense as a second choice behind Rogue. You save about $300 over the RML-3WC.
Rep’s rack is somewhat compatible with Monster Lite attachments. Their 75x75mm tubing is a hair smaller than 3×3″, making all Rogue attachments fit with a little play. The hole spacing Rep uses is also metric, ruling out attachments that have to be secured with a safety pin. These issues force me to have the opinion that Rep is not the best choice here.
Laser-Cut Numbers One significant addition over Rogue is their laser-cut numbers, starting from the bottom of the bench press area and going all the way up.
Too bad they missed a stringer option. If you like working with wood, this might be a non-issue for you. You will certainly save money by putting in your own wood stringers, as shown below.
If you are thinking of injecting anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass, think long and hard before reaching for the needle. That’s because a recent study published in Scientific Reports suggests men who use anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are more likely to have ADHD than guys who have never used them.
MV spoke to Chicago-based certified personal trainer Cameron Mitchell about the study’s findings. Here’s what he told us:
“This is just one more reason guys need to stay clear of steroids like ‘roids’, like nandrolone and testosterone cypionate. Not only is this stuff bad for your heart, but it’s also bad for your brain. There are so many natural alternatives,” he said.
As part of this investigation, researchers assessed 134 bodybuilders who were over the age of 18 from Oslo University Hospital. One group reported current or previous use of AAS and the other reported no use (past or present.
The participants were asked to complete various cognitive assessments and neurological tests. Some of the areas explored included working memory, verbal learning, problem-solving, and general executive functioning.
A self-report assessment of ADHD symptoms was also administered to examine emotional and behavioral problems. Investigators discovered the guys who used AAS had higher incidences of ADHD than those who never touched the stuff. Additionally, the longer a person had been using steroids, the more likely they were to exhibit ADHD symptoms.
Here are some comments made by the investigators of this study:
“Our findings suggest that ADHD symptoms are more common among weightlifters who use AAS. Correspondence between ADHD symptoms and cognitive test performance substantiated this finding. Recognizing a relationship between ADHD symptoms and AAS use may guide prevention strategies against AAS use in sports.”
But here’s the thing guys. Do you really need more reasons to stay away from the juice? We already know from years of scientific research that steroids can seriously mess up your cardiovascular system, cause premature hair-loss, cause extreme mood swings and shorten your lifespan.
If you want to get big naturally, focus on your diet. Here are 5 high protein, low-calorie meals to consider. ADHD is nothing to mess around with and is a serious mental health issue.
This study was authored by Emilie Kildal, Bjørnar Hassel, and Astrid Bjørnebekk. Have you ever used anabolic steroids? If so, do you experience any adverse health effects?
Are you looking for a balanced body and mind? Discover the transformative power of yoga.
Yoga, an ancient practice rooted in the quest for peace and physical well-being, has become a cornerstone of modern fitness routines. Beyond its spiritual origins, yoga is celebrated today for its ability to enhance strength, flexibility, posture, and balance while also helping to manage stress. It’s a practice that not only nurtures the body but also the mind.
Yoga has been embraced by millions across the United States. From 2012 to 2016, the number of American practitioners skyrocketed by 50%, with 36 million people incorporating yoga into their lives by 2016. This surge in popularity has led gyms and health clubs nationwide to establish dedicated yoga studios. But the yoga wave isn’t limited to general fitness enthusiasts; it’s also gaining traction among bodybuilders, weightlifters, and athletes who are turning to it to boost performance and aid in injury recovery. Recent research indicates that the yoga and yoga accessories market could grow by $830 million from 2020 to 2024—a testament to its widespread appeal.
So, what makes yoga so irresistible to such a diverse group of people, including top athletes and bodybuilders? Let’s explore the various benefits of yoga, the different types, and a balanced view of its potential downsides.
Yoga is a fantastic way for bodybuilders to stay in peak condition. It offers a low-impact approach to building muscle strength, all while preserving joint health. Moreover, yoga poses can be easily modified to suit different fitness levels, making it an adaptable practice for everyone.
Here are some key benefits:
Enhanced Flexibility
Yoga stretches and strengthens muscles and tendons in areas that can become tight from regular lifting, such as the hamstrings, quadriceps, chest, and shoulders. This improved flexibility helps prevent injuries during heavy lifting and other demanding physical activities.
Effective Weight Management
Yoga not only builds muscle mass but also helps reduce fat. The breathing techniques in yoga can increase your metabolism, helping you burn more calories and manage weight effectively.
Boosted Oxygen Circulation
By enhancing blood flow, yoga improves oxygen circulation throughout the body. This supports cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. A stronger heart means more efficient workouts, allowing you to train harder with less strain.
Improved Physical Fitness
Yoga enhances strength and flexibility across your entire body. It also improves posture, balance, and breathing, all of which contribute to better blood pressure regulation and overall cardiovascular health. For bodybuilders, these benefits translate into greater control over muscle movements and a stronger, fitter physique.
Mental Clarity and Focus
Weightlifting and other strength training exercises require intense focus—something that yoga cultivates through mindful breathing and meditation. By concentrating on your breath in each pose, you can quiet your mind and achieve better focus, helping you push through tough workouts.
Better Balance
Yoga poses like the downward-facing dog, plank, and warrior II strengthen the ankles and calves, improving balance and posture. These benefits can counteract muscle imbalances and the effects of long hours spent sitting at a desk or lifting weights.
Posture Perfection
Regular yoga practice helps correct posture by lengthening and strengthening muscles that may become tight from lifting or poor sitting habits. Better posture alleviates tension in the neck, shoulders, and back, and also improves lung function, which is crucial for breathing exercises like pranayama.
Muscle Stretching
Yoga provides an excellent opportunity to stretch muscles that might otherwise remain tight. Increased blood flow and flexibility reduce soreness after workouts, aiding in quicker recovery.
Improved Digestion
By stimulating blood flow to the digestive organs, yoga enhances their ability to process food efficiently. This leads to better digestion and improved elimination of waste, helping to relieve issues like bloating, constipation, or diarrhea.
Beyond its physical perks, yoga offers a wealth of mental health benefits:
Stress Relief
Yoga engages both mind and body, making it an effective tool for stress reduction. It can alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, irritability, and fatigue by promoting relaxation and calming the nervous system.
Increased Focus
The focus on breath control in yoga slows down your mind and body, helping to reduce stress. It also provides an outlet for releasing pent-up emotions, reducing feelings of anxiety and depression associated with chronic stress.
Pain Relief
Regular yoga practice helps relieve physical tension caused by stress or intense workouts, making it a great complement to a fitness routine.
Reduced Anxiety
Yoga has been shown to reduce anxiety in those with anxiety disorders or depression. Through meditation and breathing exercises, it helps create a state of calmness that can lower anxiety levels.
Better Mood and Sleep
Struggling with sleep? A 15-minute yoga session before bedtime can help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality. Deep breathing exercises calm the nervous system and lower cortisol levels, promoting relaxation and better sleep.
Hot Yoga (Bikram)
Practiced in a room heated to 105°F with 40% humidity, hot yoga increases flexibility and range of motion while aiding in detoxification. The heat helps loosen muscles, allowing for deeper stretches with less effort.
Hatha Yoga
One of the most popular forms of yoga, Hatha focuses on core strength and stretching through poses like the Downward-Facing Dog and Triangle Pose, combined with breathing techniques to stimulate energy flow.
Iyengar Yoga
Developed by B.K.S. Iyengar, this style emphasizes alignment in poses, often using props like blocks, straps, and blankets to achieve proper form.
Kundalini Yoga
Incorporating elements of Tantra and meditation, Kundalini yoga aims to awaken the dormant energy at the base of the spine through breathwork, meditation, and chanting.
Ashtanga Yoga
Known for its vigorous sequences, Ashtanga yoga is a powerful workout that improves flexibility and strength.
Restorative Yoga
This relaxing style uses props to support the body in restful poses, helping to relieve stress on muscles and joints.
Hot Yoga (Bikram)
Normal Yoga (Hatha)
Poses, breathing, and meditation in a room heated to around 105°F.
Focuses on stretching and breathing at room temperatures of 80°F to 100°F.
Emphasizes flexibility, detoxification, and circulation.
Centers on flexibility and core strength.
Sessions can last 90 minutes.
Classes are typically 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Requires conditioning due to the heat and duration.
Suitable for most fitness levels.
Incorporate these essential yoga poses into your daily routine to keep your body in peak condition:
Forward Bend
Extended Side Angle
Tree Pose
Plank Pose
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Child’s Pose
Cobra Pose
Warrior II Pose
Triangle Pose
Seated Spinal Twist
Advantages
Disadvantages
Improves blood circulation.
May be risky for individuals with heart disease or high blood pressure.
Enhances muscle tone.
Requires consistency to see results.
Boosts balance and flexibility.
Can be intense for beginners.
Reduces pain levels.
Overstretching can lead to injuries if not careful.
Lowers stress levels.
Not suitable for those with certain injuries or during pregnancy.
Improves overall physical fitness.
Injuries can occur without proper precautions.
Yoga offers a holistic approach to health and well-being, blending physical and mental benefits. Whether you’re looking to increase flexibility, build strength, or find peace of mind, yoga can be a powerful addition to your routine.
With its affordability and accessibility, there’s no reason not to give it a try. Join a class or start with the poses mentioned above and experience the many benefits of yoga today!
