Building Muscle with Resistance Bands You don't need heavy weights or an expensive gym membership to build muscle. Resistance bands offer a cheap, convenient way to strength train at home. With a set of bands, handles, and a door anchor, you can perform almost any cable exercise and sculpt an impressive physique.  The key to building muscle is performing sets of 6-12 reps. Less than 6 builds strength, over 12 builds endurance, but 8-10 is the sweet spot for growth. You can also increase difficulty by slowing the tempo - try 4 seconds up, 4 seconds down.  Follow this full-body workout 3 times a week, doing 5 sets of 10 reps for each exercise with 60-90 seconds rest between sets. Adjust band resistance so the last 2 reps of each set are challenging. Chest Exercises  - Banded Push-Ups: Hold bands under hands with bands over upper back. Perform push ups. Hits chest. - Banded Floor Press: Lie on floor holding band ends. Push arms up. Can stand for more range.   - Banded C...

  Our bodies are not meant to sit all day. But way too many people spend the majority of their day in a sedentary way. Moving your body through a healthy range of motion with light exercise keeps it working smoothly. It can even help prevent future health issues. Luckily, there is a simple solution: a walking pad. Whether you’re working, watching TV, or cooking, a walking pad can help change any sedentary activity into an active one. Their compact size and affordable, lightweight design make them more approachable than traditional treadmills. Here, we’ll take a closer look at why it’s important to boost your daily steps, everything you need to know about walking pads, and how they can help you lose weight.   Why Daily Movement Is So Crucial  We typically think of movement and calorie expenditure in terms of minutes of exercise. But, a lot of our daily activity ultimately comes from non-exercise activity thermogenesis (or NEAT). So, what is NEAT? In short, NEAT includes al...

Protein is essential for building and maintaining your body's tissues, including your muscles, blood vessels, tendons, and skin. So it's no wonder that many people are worried they may not get enough of it. Luckily, according to Dr. Stefan Pasiakos, director of the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, most Americans don't need to reach for the protein powder. Most people in the US "consume close to about twice what's recommended as the minimal amount," Pasiakos said. That being said, if you are in the military, are an athlete, or frequently work out, you may need to consume more than the average person. During extreme exercise, added protein can help repair muscles Pasiakos spent nearly a decade leading an interdisciplinary research program at the United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine to examine protein requirements for soldiers. He found that for service people, "if they're training heavily in the fie...

  The size of your biceps reflects muscular health and function beyond just aesthetic appeal. Your biceps, formally known as the biceps brachii, are an upper arm muscle group with two heads originating from different parts of the shoulder blade and joining at one tendon attaching to the radius.  Men Age Average biceps size in inches 20–29 13.3 30–39 13.8 40–49 13.9 50–59 13.5 60–69 13.4 70–79 12.9 80+ 12.1 The biceps play key roles in flexing the elbow and rotating the forearm. Their size indicates the health and strength of these functions. Resistance training can increase biceps muscle mass. Average biceps size changes with age and varies between men and women. For men, size peaks in the 20s-30s when testosterone levels maximize muscle growth potential. Gradual declines begin in the 40s-50s unless offset by training and activity. More noticeable reductions occur after age 60 as muscle fibers decline.   Women Age Average biceps size in inches 20–29 12.4 30–39 12.9 40–49 ...

When it comes to popular cardio machines, treadmills and ellipticals top the list. Both are staples in gyms and offer an effective way to get your heart pumping. But is one better than the other when it comes to your health and fitness goals? There are pros and cons to consider with each. Treadmills provide a versatile workout. You can easily adjust speed and incline to create different levels of intensity, from walking to running. Many treadmills also have built-in programs and interval options to keep your workout feeling fresh. A major benefit is being able to get in your cardio even if bad weather prevents you from exercising outdoors. However, the repetitive motion of running can strain joints over time and primarily uses your leg muscles, which may lead to imbalances. Safety is also a concern, as improper use can result in falls.  Ellipticals offer a joint-friendly alternative. Keeping your feet grounded as you move targets your major joints while minimizing impact. This make...

  Lifting Chalk - Why and How to Use It Stop letting PRs slip away by using the wrong chalk. As with any athlete, there might be a preference for what equipment you use during training. That includes lifting chalks. Lifting chalk is used to protect hands during training, improve grip security, and also prevent injuries from uncontrolled weights. Do not get lifting chalk confused with regular chalk that you used to play outside with. This chalk is easier to clean up, often cheaper, and often has minimal ingredients to reduce skin irritation. Yes…there are different options and forms of lifting chalk. So what are the options? Aside from traditional blocks of chalks, you’ll find new ways to dry out hands for activity such as lifting, throwing, or climbing. The two other ways that you can get better grips with chalk include liquid chalk and chalk balls. We’ll dive deeper into the benefits and compromises of each one, but it’s important to understand your options right off the bat. Thro...

  The Only 8 Bodyweight Exercises You Need to Build Muscle Fast Below are the only 8 bodyweight exercises you need to build muscle fast. Push-ups Pull-ups Inverted Row Dips Step-ups Bulgarian split squats Classic squats Hip thrusts Bodyweight exercises are also referred to as Calisthenics and there are many fit-looking people who do only calisthenics for their physique and health. So, of course, you can build muscle by doing only bodyweight exercises. If you don’t know how to perform one or more of the movements mentioned, see the video below where Posternak explains each one of them and why they are great for hypertrophy. Pros of Doing Bodyweight Exercises There are also many other reasons to start doing calisthenics besides a leaner, but strong physique: Do it anywhere – as it usually utilises bodyweight, you can do most of the movements anywhere, even while on vacation. Joint strength – when you start progressing to other movement standards, you will require your joints to do ex...