Jun 09

Choose between isolation and compound exercises based on your fitness goals

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Exercise types: Does your training reflect your goals? Your approach to exercise selection baries based on whether you want to get stronger, build a symmetrical physique, or improve performance in a specific sport. A smart routine blends both isolation and compound movements for the best results. Here’s how. With strength training gaining momentum, gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts often find themselves torn between two major types of exercises: isolation and compound movements. While both are essential in their own right, understanding their individual strengths and knowing when to use which can help boost your fitness journey. But which one should you really focus on to get stronger, fitter, and more efficient in your workouts? According to Health Coach and Fitness Influencer Shivam Dubey, Founder of Yourfitnesstories, isolation exercises target a single muscle group, like bicep curls or leg extensions, making them ideal for strengthening or correcting specific muscles. In contrast, he explains that compound exercises like push-ups or squats engage multiple muscles at once, helping you train more efficiently in less time. Isolation exercises are great for identifying and strengthening weaker muscle groups, he says, adding, “But compound exercises save time and are extremely effective for those juggling a busy schedule. […]
Jun 06

6 Simple Exercises That May Boost Longevity (No Gym Needed)

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You don’t need fancy equipment to boost your lifespan. It’s no secret that physical activity is crucial for aging well. “One of the best ways to ensure a long healthspan—the time spent living free of major disease and disability—is to exercise regularly,” says geriatrician Dr. Wendolyn Gozansky, MD. However, this doesn’t mean you need to join a gym to enjoy the longevity-boosting effects of exercise. In fact, you don’t even need to leave the house. These are certain types of exercise that can help you live longer, so long as you do them consistently. Read on to learn about these moves, as explained by experts.   The Link Between Exercise and Longevity While all exercise is beneficial for overall health and longevity, Dr. Gozansky says there are three types that are important for healthy aging: strength training, aerobics, and balance. More specifically, these types of exercise address aspects of health that determine longevity and lifespan. “As we age, we must prioritize movements that preserve muscle mass, support cardiovascular function, [help] cognitive performance, and enhance neuromuscular coordination,” explains human performance scientist Dr. Mark Kovacs, PhD, FACSM. The good news? It’s possible to practice such movements at home with little to no […]
Jun 05

Build Muscle After 40 With This Full Body Workout Plan

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This 3-week program can help you get the gains you want as an older guy. AS YOU GET older, the way you approach life changes. You have more wisdom than you did when you were a young man from all your years of experience—but in some settings, like the gym, you’ll need to adjust your behavior to keep up with the changes that happen to your body when you age. That’s why men over 40 should take a slightly different approach to fitness than their younger peers, with an emphasis on careful, calculated programming. TheMen’s Health Muscle After 40book gives you that smart, measured plan you need for your workout as an older man. The 12-week fitness guide doesn’t give you handicapped workouts with instructions to play it safe—the plan is designed to bring out the best in you while allowing you to rest and recover within your body’s capacity. Muscle After 40 is split into 3 distinct phases, each of which consist of 3 weeks where you’ll train 3 times. This is Phase 1, Week 1.   Warm Ups IF YOU KNOW what works best for you, keep doing it. That said, if what you do is walk into […]
Jun 02

Fitness Experts Share the 3 Best Exercises for Building Muscle and Boosting Longevity

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Strength training and longevity-focused fitness are having a moment—and for good reason, said Kelyssa Hall, ACSM-EP, CSCS, exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery. “Strength training preserves function, mobility, resilience and recovery, mental wellbeing, and overall independence,” she told Health. But with so many exercises to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones actually build muscle and support long-term health. That’s why we asked fitness experts to share their top recommendations.   1. Lunges Leg strength is an important area to focus on when it comes to longevity, according to Grayson Wickham, DPT, CSCS, personal trainer and founder of Stretch Mode. Lunges target your quads and glutes, which are some of the biggest muscle groups. “Of all the leg exercises to choose from, lunges are a top choice as they work on single-leg strength, which can help improve balance, joint mobility, and stability,” he told Health.   How to do a lunge:  Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands clasped in front of your chest or on your hips. Keeping your torso upright, step your right foot forward 1 to 2 feet. Bend your right knee to a 90-degree angle with your right thigh […]
May 30

How Fast Do You Lose Fitness?

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Haven’t been to the gym in a while? Here’s how long it takes for your progress to decline. One of the most important parts of any fitness program is consistency. Sticking with a regular routine helps you build on each workout and really make some progress. But, sometimes routines fall by the wayside. It’s something I’m guilty of right now. Whether you’re busy at work, feeling under the weather, navigating an injury, or simply not feeling motivated, it’s completely normal for your once-regimented workout routine to hit a lull. While there’s nothing wrong with taking some downtime, waiting too long can mean all of that hard work you put in at the gym, on the track, or wherever else you like to sweat can start to decline. As I sit here, blowing off yet another workout this morning, I’m wondering how much leeway I really have. So, I chatted with experts about how long it takes fitness to decrease. Some reassurance, right up top: “Short breaks of one to two weeks are going to have very minimal impact,” says Elizabeth Matzkin, MD, a sports medicine Orthopaedic Surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Here’s when your time off really starts to […]
May 27

Use This Science-Backed 7-Step Method to Grow Broad, Muscular Shoulders

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Bodybuilder Jeff Nippard shares seven evidence-based tweaks that helped him pack on shoulder size Ready to build a stronger, thicker set of shoulders? Canadian bodybuilder and YouTuber Jeff Nippard recently published a video in which he took his subscribers through an exact seven-step plan to build a 3D pair of delts. The video, which examines seven ‘evidence-based tips’ for building shoulder muscle, runs the gamut from the most common training strategies to the most overlooked (the final technique is one which Nippard claims less than 1% of people have tried). The plan aims to hit each of the three ‘heads’ of the deltoid muscle: the anterior, lateral and posterior heads. Each is responsible for lifting your arms, creating shoulder stability and providing a rounded contour.   Take Your Traps Out of the Lift Nippard’s first tip, inspired by something he sees a lot of guys doing during lateral raises, is to make sure that you’re working the right muscle group during the lift and not accidentally recruiting others. ‘If your traps are taking over on your shoulder movements, your delts could be getting robbed of precious tension,’ he says. ‘For some trainees, their delts go nearly silent when their traps […]
May 24

5 steps to the perfect workout: Reasons your routine may be damaging your joints

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From skipping warm-ups to chasing viral workouts online,here’s why gym-goers today are prioritising aesthetics over proper movement.   Fitness coach Ajay Sangwan recently shared his idea of the “perfect workout” during an appearance on Pankaj Sharma’s podcast. Speaking about the importance of workout structure, Sangwan said, “5 steps to the perfect workout…Warm-up: Protect your joints before you push them. Compound Lifts: Focus on movements that engage multiple joints. Core Training: A strong core—not just visible abs—is the key to a healthy lower back. Cardio: Keep the heart healthy. Stretching: Never leave the gym with tight, unrelaxed muscles. If your trainer isn’t teaching you these five things, it might be time to find someone who actually understands the science of training.” Orthopaedic specialists say the advice is far more important than many gym-goers realise, especially at a time when fitness routines are increasingly shaped by social media trends and fast muscle-building goals. According to Dr Gazanfar Patel, Orthopaedic – Minimal Invasive / Robotic Joint Replacement and Sports Medicine Specialist, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central, gym-related injuries are becoming increasingly common among young adults. “As orthopaedic specialists, we are seeing a rise in gym-related injuries, especially among people who jump straight into heavy […]
May 20

The exercise at least four times more efficient than walking

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Cycling represents one of the most energy-efficient forms of transport ever invented You’re standing at your front door, facing a five-kilometre commute to work. But you don’t have your car, and there’s no bus route. You can walk for an hour, or jump on your bicycle and arrive in 15 minutes, barely breaking a sweat. You choose the latter. Many people would make the same choice. It’s estimated that there are more than a billion bikes in the world. Cycling represents one of the most energy-efficient forms of transport ever invented, allowing humans to travel faster and farther while using less energy than walking or running. But why exactly does pedalling feel so much easier than pounding the pavement? The answer lies in the elegant biomechanics of how our bodies interact with this two-wheeled machine.   A wonderfully simple machine At its heart, a bicycle is wonderfully simple: two wheels (hence “bi-cycle”), pedals that transfer power through a chain to the rear wheel, and gears that let us fine-tune our effort. But this simplicity masks an engineering that perfectly complements human physiology. When we walk or run, we essentially fall forward in a controlled manner, catching ourselves with each step. […]
May 17

How to build better abs (and no, it’s not just crunches)

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Keen to sculpt your strongest core ever? This holistic plan can help make it happen. From simple food and fitness tweaks to the power of sleep, we asked doctors, dietitians and trainers for their best science-backed hacks.      There were many secrets we would like to have known about Kate Hudson’s look at the Vanity Fair Oscar’s party. How did the 47-year-old look so flawless? Where is her dress from? And how did she get those abs? According to Megan Roup, founder of The Sculpt Society, double pulse scissors, alternating toe taps and cross-body crunches were just some of the moves used to get the star ready for the glamorous A-list event. Working up a sweat just thinking about it? Same. Well, you can breathe easy. As experts tell Body+Soul, building strong abdominals needn’t require hours spent working out in the gym or forking out for an expensive regime. Because, at its core, the steeliest results when it comes to your midsection are achieved out of the gym as much as in it. The even better news? There are many holistic tweaks you can make, which, when done consistently, can nudge your middle closer to your goals. While most of […]
May 13

5 Best Exercises That Can Help Reduce Lower Leg Pain

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Regular exercise not only helps reduce lower leg pain but also strengthens the muscles that support the legs and ankles. Lower leg pain is a common issue that affects people of all ages. It can happen due to long hours of standing, excessive walking, running, muscle strain, poor posture, or even lack of physical activity. The pain may happen in the calves, shins, ankles, or surrounding muscles and can be a mild discomfort or a sore pain. In many cases, tight or weak muscles are one of the main reasons behind this problem. Ignoring the pain can make daily activities more difficult and may even affect balance and movement over time. Fortunately, simple exercises and stretches can help relax the muscles, improve flexibility, and help in leg movement. Regular exercise not only helps reduce lower leg pain but also strengthens the muscles that support the legs and ankles. Gentle stretching and strengthening exercises improve blood circulation, reduce stiffness, and lower the risk of future discomfort. Here are some of the best exercises that can help reduce lower leg pain.   Exercises For Lower Leg Pain 1. Calf Stretch This is one of the easiest and most effective exercises for reducing […]
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