Archive | Health and Wellness

One of the most important aspects of cardiovascular activity is getting your heart rate to be in its target zone. Getting your heart rate into your target zone is the key to not under-exercising and not overworking yourself. Although you should push yourself to improve, working your heart too hard can actually slow down your metabolism and cause you to burn fat more slowly! Besides that, over-exercising will also increase your risk of injury and temporarily weaken your immune system. Hitting your target heart rate not only nullifies these issues, but it also gets you into your maximum calorie burning zone. Remember that this is different for everyone. Here are the steps on how to find and enter your target heart rate zone when exercising.

1. Find your resting heart rate

There are various devices that can measure your heart rate, including many built-in to fitness equipment, but if you don’t have access to these here’s how to measure your resting heart rate the old fashioned way. There are two spots to take your pulse. First is on your wrist. Take your index and middle finger and place your fingertips on the outer edge of your wrist until you feel a strong pulse. Count how many times your heart beats for 15 seconds and then multiply it by four to determine your beats per minute, or BPM. Alternatively you can also take your pulse on your neck using the same two fingertip technique. Be careful not to use your thumb because you can also feel your heart beat in it, which may confound your count. The average heart rate for an adult is between 50 to 90 BPM, with athletes having a lower rate on average.

2. Finding your target heart rate

As a rule of thumb, your maximum heart rate is usually double your resting heart rate. This is not the target heart rate though, reaching your maximum heart rate would be straining far too much. The target heart rate you should be aiming for is a 50% to 85% increase of your resting heart rate. For example, say your heart rate is 70, a 50% increase would make your low target range to be 105 BPM. When you’re just starting out, you want to stick around the low end of your target heart rate and slowly increase to the higher range. Slowly work up to a 70% increase and be wary that only seasoned fitness fanatics should attempt to go above a 75% increase of their resting heart rate.

Now that you know how to calculate your target heart rate, it’s time for you to reach that zone. Buy some of our commercial grade fitness equipment that can keep track of your heart rate and help you enter the optimal fat burning zone!

If your nose is running, should you be too? It can be devastating to be doing so well on a routine, never missing a day, seeing results, then being hit with the flu or a common cold. Many work out warriors will go through their routine whether it’s rain or shine, but there are certain times when working out can be detrimental to your health. We help break down when and when you shouldn’t workout depending on what kind of sickness you have.

When You Should Work Out

There’s a general rule regarding working out while sick. If your symptoms are above the neck (ie. a runny/stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, watery eyes, other common cold symptoms) then feel free to lightly exercise. Do not follow your typical routine but rather just move the body around. This can clear up congestion and the nasal passage. This does not mean that you should go work out if you feel like you’ve been hit by a train though. If you feel well enough for a walk or some light cardio, feel free to do so.

Even if you feel well enough to work out, avoid prolonged strenuous exercises when you are sick at all costs. This is the same principle that causes so many endurance athletes to become ill. The body is working so hard to repair the muscles and recover, that it does not have sufficient resources to bolster up the immune system.

The important fact to remember is that your body is still in recovering stages so you should not push it at all. Also be mindful that if you’re going to the gym, people may not appreciate you coughing and sneezing on the machines. This can be remedied by having gym equipment at home.

When You Should Not Work Out

While it’s fully possible to exercise with a cold, it is highly recommended that you do not do so when you have a flu. Flus are generally associated with fevers and a dangerous rise in body temperature. Exercise is a sure way to raise your body temperature so exercising with a fever is extremely dangerous and can cause serious health risks.

You should not exercise when symptoms are below the neck, which includes chest congestion, coughing or stomach issues. These problems can be further aggravated by excessive movement.

Also not recommended is exercising when you can barely get up. It is dangerous because you can collapse at any moment since your energy levels are already low. You probably won’t even make it to the elliptical if you have trouble getting out of bed.

Conclusion:

Rule of thumb is you can exercise when you have above the neck symptoms; Don’t exercise with below the neck symptoms. Definitely do not exercise with a fever. In the end, just listen to your body. If you would struggle with a workout, don’t work out. Rest up and get better. Overall you can get back into the groove of things much quicker if you let your body heal and slowly work your way back.

Finding time to exercise can be hard to come by, so if your time is limited, working out whenever you can find time is recommended. If you do have the luxury of picking and choosing when you work out, then you might be wondering what time is best? Unfortunately, there is no definite answer on an optimal time to exercise, but there are different merits and benefits associated with working out at different times of the day.

Working out in the morning can make you more active throughout the day and help you sleep better

For the early birds out there, a morning workout can be an extremely beneficial way to start off the day. If you’re the type of person who hits the alarm before it goes off and springs out of bed, working out in the morning would be optimal. Exercise in the morning can boost metabolism for the rest of the day and also encourages more activity.

One of the keys to getting fit is routine and habit. Studies have shown that people who exercise in the morning are more likely to adhere to a regular workout schedule. If you don’t have a set time for exercise, other life events might overwhelm you and you might never get that workout in. It’s always much simpler to just wake up a little earlier to make time for fitness.

Another great benefit of working out in the morning is that you’ll have better and deeper sleep. This is a cycle of benefits as deeper, more restful sleep allows you to wake up more easily in the morning to work out again! Another way a morning workout contributes to sleep is that it prevents you from working out too close at night. Exercise raises your body temperature and gives you energy, which are two things that prevent quality sleep.

Evening workouts are usually more intense

Workouts later in the day are a definite must for fans of the snooze button. If you struggle to even get up in the morning, it is highly unlikely that you will stick to a consistent morning routine for working out.

It is also much more likely that you will exercise harder later in the day because due to the rise in temperature and your activity throughout the day, your body temperature will be higher. A higher body temperature means that you perform better athletically and a chance of injury is also greatly reduced.

Conclusion: The bottom line is, it all depends on the person. The key factors that you should consider when working out are when you feel best and at a time that you can consistently make. There are merits to working out both in the day and evening so ultimately, whatever fits your schedule is optimal. You can also try working out at different times a few weeks at a time and see what feels right. Once you find a good time, you can stop by our site to shop for some used fitness equipment!

Should you drink coffee before a workout?#

A majority of people start off their day with their routine cup of joe or a workout, but could the combination of both actually be beneficial? Coffee, or more accurately, caffeine in general is perceived to give high amounts of energy initially followed by a crash. Contrary to this belief, there are actually benefits to drink coffee before a workout.

1. It skews your perception of exertion 

Caffeine increases energy and output which creates the perception that your workout is actually easier than normal. With this increased feeling of ease, you are much more likely to work out longer and harder than usual. The caffeine aids in increasing output and duration of a workout.

2. It improves circulation

Coffee or caffeine in general, if used in moderation, can increase circulation and blood flow. Quality circulation is absolutely vital in a workout because blood carries the oxygen to the muscles which are being pushed to their limits during strenuous exercise. With a more efficient flow of blood and oxygen, your workout effectiveness will drastically increase.

3. It can increase fat burning

An interesting fact about coffee is that if it is consumed before a workout, it can actually encourage the body to use fat cells as energy instead of glycogen during a workout. This is obviously a huge plus because almost everyone exercises with the goal of fat burning in mind. A short term effect is that it also temporarily increases metabolism which will burn more calories during your workout.

4. You feel less tired after exercise

In addition to increasing performance, the after effects are also drastically reduced if coffee is consumed prior to the workout. Researchers also noticed that athletes that took caffeine before their workouts also had much less potassium in the fluid between their muscles. Potassium is associated with the fatigued feelings of muscles after an intense workout.

5. It makes you sharper

In addition to the physical benefits, coffee can improve mental sharpness and cognitive functions. It improves alertness and fine motor skills in addition to improving mood. With sharper skills, you will drastically reduce the chance of injuries and increase effectiveness.

Even though caffeine can benefit a workout, like everything in life, moderation is key. A single cup of black coffee will be more than adequate in order to get results. Make sure your coffee isn’t filled with sugar and creamer because those may cause you to become jittery or experience a crash midway through your workout. So brew up a roast and go work out!

Finding information on fitness can be quite the task because new information is coming out every single day. There are always new studies, new experiments or new diets that will make all other fitness information irrelevant. With such contradictory information consistently being released, it is difficult to know what is real and what isn’t. Luckily, we have compiled five fitness “facts” that science and studies have easily shown to be wrong.

1. Certain exercises can burn fat in certain spots

There are some websites out there that lead people to believe that there are certain exercises that can target certain areas and burn fat there only. For example, doing tons of crunches or sit-ups can “spot burn” fat at the stomach area and give you a flat stomach or six pack abs. The reality is there is no way to just burn fat at a certain body part. The keys to having a toned or ripped body are by having a low body fat percentage. Fat is burned evenly throughout the body with exercise. A balanced routine that incorporates both cardio and strength training is what will truly help you burn away the calories and lose the fat.

2. You have to stretch before you exercise

We first must clarify that stretching is absolutely vital to a successful workout routine, but stretching before you do any other activities can do more harm than good. This is because before working out, your muscles are not warmed up and therefore less limber. Stretching these cold muscles can actually decrease your range of motion and lead to injury. If you feel that you absolutely must stretch before your routine, do so after a warm up. A short jog, some jumping jacks or fast feet will be adequate to warm up your muscles so you do not injure yourself.

3. Lifting weights will make women bulky and manly

Many women fear picking up weights and lifting because there’s a notion that they will bulk up and get big. No matter how many weights or how intense women lift, it is much much more difficult for them to become “bulky” because the primary hormone which creates those large muscles is testosterone, which women produce very little of. Gaining muscle can help women significantly slim down because muscle is much more efficient at burning fat.

4. More sweat means you’re working out harder

Dripping buckets of sweat is commonly associated with working out hard, which is mostly true but not absolutely essential. Sweating does not necessarily mean that you are working out hard, it just means that your body is hot. You sweat in order to keep your body cool. It is completely possible to burn a ton of calories with minimal sweating.

5. Take a hot shower after you workout

As we’ve detailed before, showering after working out is great for your skin. What we didn’t go over is the water temperature. Icing down after  you workout is a great way to keep from becoming too sore and an ice bath is great for your body’s recovery. Kobe Bryant swears by it and he is one of the most elite athletes of our time. The reasoning behind this is that when you workout your blood vessels widen in order to carry oxygen to the parts you’re working out. These widened veins are susceptible to waste products like lactic acid. A cold shower will constrict these veins and prevent soreness.

There are so many more fitness “facts” out there that are untrue. It is important to do your research before believing anything you read or hear that is fitness related.

Cardio is essential to anyone trying to get or stay in shape. Without cardio, even lifting becomes difficult because you will not have the necessary endurance to lift long enough to get quality gains. Cardio is a little more simple than lifting because it does not require as much precision in form. There are also a wide array of different way to get cardio, whether it’s from running  outside or using a cardio machine such as an elliptical, treadmill, exercise bike or stepper. Everyone knows cardio is important, but when you do it is essential in determining how much benefit you will reap from it. This issue has been widely debate and there are thousands of pages written on it, but we’ll try to give you the quick rundown.

Do not do cardio on an empty stomach

Before we can determine the optimal time to do cardio, we have to understand the optimal situation. One of the most common mistakes that people make is that they start their day off with cardio, before eating anything. Cardio on an empty stomach is not only ineffective, it is even harmful to the body. Without any carbohydrates or anything else to fuel the workout, your body will start looking at your muscles to gain some energy. Also the fact of the matter is that you won’t have the energy to perform anything substantial. This is not to say that you cannot do cardio in the morning, but make sure to eat a balanced breakfast at least 45 minutes to an hour before.

Do not do cardio before lifting

This is also not only not helpful, but harmful to your body. Intense cardio will drain you body of energy which makes your weightlifting session shorter and ineffective. Weightlifting properly is dependent on form, which tends to break down with fatigue. Lifting with incorrect form will not benefit you and can also damage your muscles. Your body benefits most from pushing through your last grueling reps, which you will be unable to do if you’re exhausted from cardio.

You can do cardio after lifting, but it may not be as effective

Lifting does not drain your energy nearly enough as cardio, so you most likely have some energy left to perform some cardio after your weightlifting session. For maximum benefit though, wait a couple of hours after to restore your energy.

Best time for cardio is separate from your weightlifting program

Before we elaborate more on the optimal time for cardio, we must first establish that it is perfectly fine to do cardio everyday. Try to separate the two sessions though if you plan to do both cardio and lifting in the same day. This may be difficult, but can be simplified if you have a home gym so you don’t have to drive to the gym twice.  Keeping your cardio and weight lifting separate will allow you to exert maximum effort.

In conclusion, do cardio when you have the most energy

If you’re a morning person, do some cardio in the morning, after you eat of course. If you’re more of a night owl, get some cardio in later in the day, but not too close to bedtime. The best time for cardio is when you can exert full effort without having to worry about saving energy. Also, schedule cardio far away from leg day as possible.

If you’re looking for that extra push when exercising, there is no better motivator than a workout partner. There are countless benefits to having a workout buddy that’ll not only encourage you to actually go and work out, but also to exercise harder when you are at the gym. Now comes the question of how to choose your partner. What if you are a fitness fanatic and all your friends are not really fans of the gym? This may be a slight challenge but it can also be a great opportunity to help guide your friend and bring him/her to your level of fitness so you can work out as equals. Or if they are fitter than you, that’s even better because they can bring you up to their level. There are a few key factors that you should be looking for when choosing a fitness partner. Make sure that your friend isn’t someone who consistently makes excuses, as accountability is one of the key perks of a workout buddy. Also make sure that your partner has similar fitness goals, whether it’s to lose weight, build muscle, or become better at a sport.

Now that you know what to look for when browsing for a fitness buddy, let’s see why getting one is beneficial.

1. Holds you accountable

A workout buddy will stop you from making lame excuses on why you can’t work out today. If you get a really motivated buddy, they’ll even go and drag you to go exercise even if you keep refusing. There is also a psychological basis behind this phenomena. If a person tells others that they’re going to accomplish a goal, they are more motivated to actually meet that goal because they fear that they will look like a liar in front of their peers. A workout partner will consistently remind you of your goals and not letting them down will keep you motivated to go work out.

2. Helps push you to the next level

Some people are motivated by the drill sergeant method while others prefer more encouraging positive motivation. No matter which way helps you exceed your limit, a workout partner can push you to new limits. That is also another important part of having a companion when working out. They can help you not only continue with your routine, but push yourself harder and implement new, more challenging exercises.

3. It creates competition

There is nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. When you’re working out with a partner, you can create challenges or competitions to up the ante a little. Competition can bring out the best in the two of you and make you work harder.

4. Makes working out more fun

A workout doesn’t have to be pure intensity with burning muscles and excessive sweating, it can also be fun. This is why it’s important to pick a fitness partner that you genuinely enjoy being around. When you have fun working out, you look forward to working out, when you look forward to it, you tend to do it more often. It is also vital to remember that  you shouldn’t be primarily goofing around while working out, as results are important also.

These are just a few of the great reasons that you shouldn’t be working out alone. There are benefits for both party and it’ll make reaching your goals that much easier. You can also team up and invest in some machines together to create a home gym. In a wonderful coincidence, Primo Fitness sells commercial grade used fitness equipment for your future home gym.