Muscle contraction is simply muscles doing work. So what’s with all these complicated terms? Isometric contraction is what happens when you lift and hold a heavyweight steady. Your muscles bulge, but nothing’s moving. Concentric contractions are movements where you exert muscle force, such as pushing a weight away from you. Eccentric contractions are the opposite; it is when …

Isometric, eccentric and concentric muscle contractions: What’s the difference? Read More »

Every dedicated athlete is at risk of overtraining. This happens when you’re not giving your body a chance to recover fully in between end-to-end tough training cycles. It usually results when you try to break personal best back-to-back or to improve your performance all at once. How do you know you’re overtraining? Researchers have detected …

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Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a scientific term for the temporary muscle pain that occurs within 24 to 72 hours after a vigorous workout. You know that feeling pain in muscles you never knew you had after starting to exercise? Most exercise scientists feel that this is a natural response to exercise stress. A …

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Exercise is just exercise, right? You move around, burn some calories, lose some weight (hopefully) and get fitter. What’s to know about it? You either like jumping around (high-impact exercise), or you don’t – in which case, low-impact is just your cup of tea. Both are included in the term “cardio,” which means you develop …

Low-impact or high-impact exercise.. Which is best for you? Read More »

Walking strengthens your heart Reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by walking regularly. It’s great cardio exercise, lowering levels of bad cholesterol while increasing levels of good cholesterol. A brisk 30-minute walk every day helps to prevent and control the high blood pressure that causes strokes. Walking lowers disease risk A regular walking …

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You must have seen athletes warming up before their competitions. Why do they do it? Well, it has multiple benefits. If you have ever struggled with muscle soreness after exercise, maybe it was because you skipped the warm-up. The warm-up depends on the sport, your ages and level of activity. However, at a minimum you …

Is warming up and cooling down a waste of time? Read More »

A workout is a workout, right? Well, it isn’t that simple. You work out to keep yourself fit, build up strength and endurance for a healthier and more enjoyable life. So here are some things you need to optimise your workout every time. 1. Eat before you work out Working out with a light healthy meal in your …

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After reading all of the research that has been done concerning the part that exercise plays in keeping the body healthy, it is hard to dispute the overwhelming evidence that it will keep you supple, increase your energy, and help you ward off the effects of ageing. Recognising that you need to exercise and finding …

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It is hard to say whether or not morning workouts are better. There is some consensus that working out in the morning gets your metabolism moving better for the rest of the day, others say that it does not matter what time of day you work out, just so it is a time of day …

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Strong core muscles can certainly improve one’s appearance in addition to enhancing your performance on the sports field and in the workplace. Someone with well-developed core muscles breathes easier, walks, bends, and runs better and is less prone to injury; the body is in proper alignment and does not fatigue as quickly. Strong core muscles …

Core strength development for performance Read More »