Training to failure

Should you train to failure ? Training to failure means performing a given exercise again and again to the point of momentary muscle failure. When you take a set to failure it gives you a greater stimulus in your training session on your muscle(s) which is necessary to enhance muscle growth. Training to failure should be used on small exercises; 

How to do a pull up

One of the toughest yet most rewarding upper body exercises anyone can do is the pull up. Not only does this exercise make you look like a hardened professional, it works several muscles at a time which is great for releasing growth hormones to build more muscle. Only 15-20% of adults aged between 18-45 years can successfully do a pull up (Includes both non gym-goers and gym- goers). Even with gym-goers included this statistic is very low and it is for a reason.

Perfect posture

You've always been told or heard someone say "Sit up straight !" or "Don't hunch you shoulders/arch your back" but why is this so important ? Adopting good posture will allow you to be more efficient in your day to day activities with less stress on your body's muscles and ligaments. This provides you with more energy as the muscles are correctly aligned and being used how they are meant to. There are so many positives through keeping good posture so you should not neglect exercise and weight training which helps to develop muscle areas to make them tight and strong which will give you great posture.

Muscle composition

We all have muscles and many people want to increase their muscle mass but do we know exactly what muscles consist of ? It is important to know the make up of a muscle so that we can progress and maintain it. The basic overview of what consists inside a muscle are as follows :

• 75% : water
• 18% : protein
• 6% : fat, carbs, minerals and vitamins

Cheat days good or bad

In order to reach your fitness goals you must have a great diet plan. Even with sticking to your diet plan it is normal to get cravings for sugary food or to feel the urge to take a trip to your local fast food place or simply just up your calories. But should you act on these cravings ? You are not cheating on yourself by rewarding your body with a break every so often. If you are very lean or thin, you can have 2 cheat days in a week with no ill affects and if you are less lean/ thin, a cheat day every 2 weeks will not do any harm but in fact good. Cheat days give you a psychological break from eating strictly clean which can be tough and indulging in treating yourself every once in a while will boost your mood and not let you divert or be put off with being too precise with everything because that will get boring.

Fat burners and weight loss pills

You have probably seen a product advertised in many places in the form of a pill, powder or supplement that promises to lose you fat in 2 weeks if you invest your money into it. Their catchy slogans and marketing nearly allow you to fall for the nonsense that they want to sell you. They sell you dreams and play on your emotions and health all in turn for profit. Fat burners and diet pills can be damaging to your health with the ingredients that make them and they can have unexpected side effects. There will never be a safe substitute for fat loss. Nothing can substitute the right diet and exercise plan. There is no short fix to months and years worth of not eating and working out correctly. The truth is that it will take time to see results and when you do start to see them you will have accomplished your goals in a healthy and positive way.