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There’s a never-ending debate among gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts: Is cardio better than weightlifting, or is weightlifting better than cardio? In reality, neither is better than the other — the whole cardio versus strength training debate isn’t really a debate at all. Instead of the black-and-white question, “Which is best?” the question should be: “Which will best support my goals?” In truth, it all depends on what exactly you’re trying to achieve. Here’s a look at which training method is best for particular goals. If you want to: Get stronger or build muscle You should: Lift weights There’s no arguing this. Strength training is the best way to build muscle and strength, and the most effective method of strength training is lifting weights. Sure, bodyweight exercises and resistance bands can help, but there’s no stimulus quite like a barbell, kettlebell, or pair of dumbbells. Your muscles respond most dramatically to strength training, as compared to steady-state cardio and even high-intensity interval training. So, if you’re aiming to get strong, head to the weight room. If you want to: Run a marathon You should: Prioritize cardio With running, there’s nothing to it but to do it. You simply must run to get better at running. However, notice the phrase is “prioritize cardio,” not “cardio only.” Runners need to perform strength training exercises, too, lest they risk overuse or repetitive stress injuries. A successful marathon training plan will dedicate the majority of training hours to running but still allocate ample time to strength training (and recovery). If you want to: Improve body composition You should: Prioritize weight training Once upon a time, tabloids heralded cardio as the ultimate way to burn fat. Cardio gets you in the “fat burning zone,” they said. Years later, strength training is finally getting the praise and attention it deserves. Resistance training is one of the most efficient methods for the ultimate goal of losing fat and gaining muscle. Still, cardio plays an important role in body composition. A balance of aerobic workouts, such as a 30-minute walk or bike ride, and anaerobic workouts, such as a 10-minute HIIT session, can help keep you in the calorie deficit needed to lose body fat. If you want to: Lose weight You should: Do both A healthy balance of cardio and strength training workouts can help you lose weight in a safe and efficient way. You can do cardio and strength training in the same session or split them into separate workouts. One effective way to combine cardio and strength training is with high-intensity resistance training, the cooler cousin to HIIT. Coined “HIRT,” this type of workout is essentially HIIT with weights: You’ll lift light-to-moderate weights for a high number of reps with short rest intervals, effectively challenging your heart, your lungs, and your muscles. If you want to: Improve overall fitness and athleticism You should: Do both To be a jack of all trades in (and out of) the gym and to best support your health, it’s best to include both weights and cardio in your workout routine. For overall fitness and athleticism, fitness professionals generally recommend dedicating an entire session to either cardio or weight training to make the most of your training hours. For example, if you work out four days per week, do two strength days and two cardio days. The exact ratio of cardio to weight training will depend on your specific goals. It can be tough to include both cardio and weightlifting into your workout routine, but it’s certainly doable. A qualified World Gym personal trainer can help you establish a routine that works for yo

You lose out on fitness gains if you don’t prioritize recovery. Photo by Gabe Pierce on Unsplash  Foam roller, massage gun, compression boots, cryo membership — you have it all. You’re royalty when it comes to workout recovery. Have you ever wondered how well those things actually work, though? Even the fanciest tools may not have the profound effect you think they do. Here’s a look at what does and doesn’t help you recover from workouts.  What might work  Massage and percussive therapy  Massage therapy is backed by a rather impressive body of evidence, but studies on massage as it relates specifically to workout recovery is limited. Percussive therapy is a newcomer to the muscle recovery arena, but the available science shows promising results. Both massage and percussive therapy work by manipulating your fascia and, if deep enough, your muscle tissue, which can work out kinks that cause soreness.  Percussive therapy devices, such as the HyperVolt, may help with sore, knotty muscles.   Cryotherapy   Cryotherapy is nothing new (hello, ice baths after practice), but whole-body cryotherapy — the trendy kind where you sit in a below-freezing chamber of nitrogen — is relatively novel. The concept behind cryotherapy makes sense: Muscles become inflamed after exercise, and cold reduces inflammation. However, some research shows that the age-old ice bath is at least as effective as that cryotherapy chamber session…   Compression therapy   Health professionals have long used compression to treat pain and speed up healing of inflammatory injuries. When it comes to muscle recovery, compression therapy (a la NormaTec) might help because it can increase blood flow to specific parts of your body, thereby increasing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to taxed muscle fibers.   Compression boots like the popular NormaTec ones may facilitate better recovery.   Far-infrared therapy   Surprisingly, this one actually has some solid science to back it up. Far-infrared therapy, which works by transferring energy as heat into deep layers of body tissue, may stimulate your body’s healing processes and help speed up muscle recovery. Who’d’ve thought? (Besides scientists).  Stretching  Surprise! While most people are aware that stretching can have immediate effects on the way you feel, science doesn’t necessarily support stretching as a bona fide workout recovery tactic. Evidence is conflicting at best, but that doesn’t mean you should swear off stretching. Your own anecdotal evidence is worth following in this case — if stretching makes you feel better and improves your recovery, then stretch.   Stretching may not support muscle recovery specifically, but that doesn’t mean it won’t help in other ways, like mobility.   Foam rolling  Surprise again. Foam rolling may not be the fitness cure-all you thought it was. Like stretching studies, foam rolling studies present conflicting evidence: Some studies say rolling relieves soreness, while others say it doesn’t. Some research even suggests foam rolling is better for warming up than for cooling down. But, again, don’t discount your own experience. If you think foam rolling helps you recover, definitely keep it in your routine.   What we know works  Post-workout nutrition  Protein: Ya need it. Carbs will help, too. Your body is equipped with everything it needs to do its job -- repair your muscles. Studies show that post-workout nutrition is a significant controllable variable in the muscle recovery process, so don’t neglect your post-lift protein shake.   Balanced meals go a long way. Photo by Logan Jeffrey on Unsplash  Sleep  Those six hours you get each night won’t cut it if you want to maximize muscle recovery. Research points to a clear link between sleep and whole-body regeneration, from hormone and metabolism regulation to — yep, you guessed it — muscle recovery. So, don’t feel bad about hitting snooze tomorrow.  Water  As always, water comes in clutch. Your body must maintain fluid balance to function optimally, and dehydration can impair the recovery process.  The bottom line  Workout recovery is about the fundamentals: mobility, hydration, nutrition, and sleep!  If you’d like to learn more about post-workout recovery, talk to a personal trainer at your nearest World Gym.      

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash   People need fitness now more than ever. With the threat of a global pandemic persisting, our attention should turn to all the ways we can keep our immune systems strong and fend off disease. Physical fitness is known to improve health in every way imaginable, yet gyms and fitness studios around the world have been forced to close during the global pandemic.    So, World Gym stepped in.   We saw that our members and others in areas impacted by COVID-19 needed something to keep them going; to keep forging toward their fitness goals despite the topsy-turvy climate of 2020.   That’s why we expedited the launch of our at-home workout programming, World Gym Anywhere.    What is World Gym Anywhere?   World Gym Anywhere is your gym at your fingertips. It’s all of the instructors and workouts you love wrapped up into one easy-to-access, easy-to-navigate portal. It’s fitness at home — it’s fitness anywhere.   World Gym Anywhere features a variety of workout categories with more to come. This is the first digital fitness platform by a gym to offer Les Mills programming on-demand. It’s dance, strength training, HIIT, stretching, yoga, and Pilates in your living room (or anywhere else you need it to be).    At launch, World Gym Anywhere features strength, cardio, HIIT, recovery, skills and express (20 minutes or less) workouts, but our library will continuously grow to ensure we bring you all of the legendary workouts you’ve come to know and love.   You can filter workouts by body part, target stimulus, instructor, duration, and equipment, making this platform one of the most customizable in the digital fitness industry. You’ll never find yourself bored, out of options, or in need of a bigger challenge. We’ve got you covered.   Who is World Gym Anywhere for?   World Gym Anywhere is for anyone. We believe in the everyday athlete — a person who prioritizes a physically active lifestyle in order to live life to the fullest. This means World Gym Anywhere is for you if:   You work out just because you like to  You work out to keep up with your kids   You work out to enjoy recreational activities  You work out to succeed at your job  You work out to keep your body healthy   You work out to maintain your body composition  You work out for literally any other reason   Led by the best trainers in the business, our at-home workouts will propel you to your fitness goals no matter where you are in the world.  Questions about World Gym Anywhere? Head to the new website for pricing, support, and more details.     

You just finished a set of bicep curls and your muscles feel like they’re about to explode out of your arms. You look in the mirror and admire your suddenly huge biceps. Congrats — you’ve achieved the coveted muscle pump.   The science behind the pump  What you know as the “muscle pump” is actually called “transient hypertrophy.” Don’t let that super-sciency-sounding word scare you. Hypertrophy is the term for building muscle, and transient means it only lasts a short time — if you’ve ever gotten a muscle pump, you know just how fleeting it is.   Muscle pumps occur largely because of fluid buildup that accumulates in your muscles when you work out. When you lift weights, blood rushes to your working muscles, and lactic acid begins to build up and draw water into your muscle fibers. Together, these two triggers — increased blood flow and lactic acid buildup — cause individual muscle cells to swell, ultimately making your muscles look bigger while you’re working out.   If you’ve had a muscle pump before, you’re probably familiar with the feeling of fullness or heaviness you get in your muscles after an intense set. That’s all the fluid building up in your hard-working muscles.     Does a muscle pump help you build muscle?   Getting a muscle pump certainly makes you feel fitter, stronger, and bigger — but those results aren’t necessarily long-lasting. It’s called “transient” hypertrophy for a reason. Muscle pumps disappear about as fast as they come on, because once you finish working out, your body has no reason to hold onto all that blood in non-working muscles. As for the lactic acid, your body wants to flush that out as fast as possible.   Getting a muscle pump is a good sign you got in a good workout, but don’t count on your muscles looking pumped when you wake up the next morning. It is worth noting that getting a pump typically means you worked your muscles hard enough to induce adaptation (growth), although evidence is inconclusive.     How to get a muscle pump   The most efficient way to get a muscle pump is to lift weights, specifically at high volumes (more reps at moderate loads). The repeated contractions and extensions of your muscle fibers during weightlifting makes it easy for fluids to enter your muscle cells.   To maximize your muscle pump, try these tips:   Do high-volume weightlifting instead of high-load weightlifting. More muscle contraction means more reason for your body to send blood to those muscles. Plus, science says high-volume weightlifting is the best way to build muscle overall.   Hydrate before and during lifting weights. Getting a pump is all about fluids, and if you’re dehydrated, your body has less water to pump your muscles with.   Eat carbs before you work out. Carbohydrates hold onto water in your body, which might contribute to a better pump.  Utilize supersets and tri-sets. Like mentioned before, getting a pump is all about volume. Implementing supersets (two exercises back-to-back) and tri-sets (three exercises) is a simple way to increase your overall volume and decrease overall rest time, which should increase your chances of getting a muscle pump.  Want to learn more about getting a mad muscle pump? Talk to a World Gym personal trainer about individual training plans to maximize muscle growth.       

How to not be “that guy” at the gym in 2021.  A new year means lots of newbies flooding the gym. For long-time gym-goers this season often comes with frustration — the gym floor gets packed; machines are perpetually taken; and the dumbbell rack goes bare. Not to mention, some new members will do things like leave weights lying all around, play music with no headphones and waste time taking selfies in the squat rack.   Many newcomers simply don’t know the rules of their gym, which can make the gym feel intimidating. While every fitness facility has its own code of conduct (spoken and unspoken), a few do-nots remain constant across them all.   At the gym, treat people how you want to be treated, especially when it comes to these four gym etiquette rules.   Don’t leave your weights on the bar or floor  Just… don’t. It’s important to rerack your weights all year long, but especially during the first few months of the year. Gyms get extremely crowded in January and remain crowded through February and March (before most people give up on their resolutions. Failure to rerack your weights means other people must walk around looking for them and spend extra time moving them around. For example, if a guy leaves 225 pounds on the squat bar and the next person to walk up is new to fitness, they likely won’t even be able to take those 45-pound plates down. Be considerate and put your weights away.    Put your stuff away when you’re done.   Don’t walk away without wiping down your equipment  A few things: One, this is gross. Two, it spreads germs. Three, this is gross. It probably wouldn’t feel great if you went to lie down for a bench press max only to have your shirt soaked from the outside in — by someone else’s sweat. Most gyms provide antimicrobial wipes or spray to use on equipment; some even provide towels. If you aren’t sure if your gym provides these items, confirm with the front desk or bring your own towel.   Wipe things down when you’re done. Christine Sandu on Unsplash.  Don’t hover over people using a machine you want Don’t be a helicopter. There’s a better way to secure your spot next in line for a coveted piece of equipment. Let’s say you want to work your triceps, and someone is on the cable machine. Instead of hovering and invading the person’s personal space, simply walk up to them and ask how many sets they have left. If they say one or two, great! Tell them you’d like to use the cables next and back off to a nearby area where you can (subtly) keep an eye on the machine. Chances are that the person will look around for you when they finish their sets and wave you over. If they don’t, walk up to the machine as the person leaves. Hovering over people is never welcome: It makes people feel uncomfortable and crowded.    Let people finish in peace when they’re using a machine. 2C7A6671.jpg  Don’t hog equipment during busy hours All gyms have a rush hour during which everyone wants the most popular equipment. We all learned in preschool that sharing is caring, right? Take only what you need and don’t waste time in between sets. If the gym is totally empty, feel free to pull out everything you need for a circuit workout. But, if the fitness floor is packed, don’t strip others of equipment by hoarding three different pairs of dumbbells.   Oh, and one last thing…   Don’t do barbell curls in the squat rack.  

Bread is not evil. Rebecca Matthews on Unsplash.   Every January, many people will resolve to lose weight, get fitter, or improve themselves in some other way. With those resolutions often come dietary restrictions or fad diets (which people often implement blindly because they saw someone else following the same plan). Low-carb and keto diets become especially popular around the New Year because like fats, carbs have a bad rap. However, you shouldn’t give up carbs as part of your 2021 resolutions — here’s why.  Carbs provide quick fuel While fats technically provide more energy per gram (nine calories per gram versus the four calories per gram from carbs), carbohydrates provide the quickest energy. Your body can break down carbs faster than it can break down fat or protein, which is how carbs get their reputation of being a great pre-workout food.   Carbs replenish fuel reserves   It’s time to end the fear of carbs. Wilfred Wong on Unsplash.   Your muscles contain a substance called glycogen, a stored form of carbohydrates. Your muscles release glycogen when your body requires more fuel than what’s available in your bloodstream as glucose, and eating carbohydrates replenishes glycogen stores lost through exercise. If you don’t eat carbs, your glycogen stores will deplete, but your body will eventually learn how to burn fat instead (the interim is often called the “keto flu”). Keeping your glycogen stores full is the most efficient way to fuel your body for exercise, especially high-volume or endurance-based exercise.  Carbs provide essential nutrients If you completely cut out carbs, you can put yourself at risk for nutrient deficiencies if you don’t get certain nutrients from other foods. For example, carbohydrate-rich foods including sweet potatoes, rice, quinoa, and starchy vegetables contain a range of nutrients, such as vitamins A and B and minerals like magnesium.   Complex carbs keep you full  Carbs like these provide energy and nutrients, and they keep you full. Markus Spiske on Unsplash.  Complex carbohydrates are those that contain fiber and starch, versus simple carbohydrates which just contain sugar. Generally, the more complex the carb, the longer it will keep you full. If you’re trying to lose weight, eating a diet rich in complex carbs can help with appetite control. Complex carbs include foods like whole-grain bread and rice, ancient grains like amaranth, most vegetables, fiber-rich fruits such as apples and berries, and beans. Nuts and seeds also contain complex carbs, although they’re more of a fat source than a carb source.   Carbs support healthy digestion A low-fat diet might leave you looking like the fittest person on earth, but is it worth it if you’re dealing with chronic digestion issues? Many people fare just fine on a low-carb diet, but others find themselves with constipation, cramping, and other unpleasant symptoms. Complex carbohydrates support your digestive tract and your microbiome by providing fiber and prebiotics.  Choosing the right carbs for your goals    All carbs can fit into a healthy diet. Christopher Ott on Unsplash.  Nix the idea that there are “good” and “bad” carbs. All types of carbohydrates serve a purpose. Some types are more nutrient-dense than other types — that’s all. All types of carbs can fit into a healthy diet when eaten for the right purposes.   Your body breaks down sugar from candy and sugar from a banana just the same. Your body turns pasta and brown rice into the same thing. It all ends up as sugar. What matters is how, when, and in what quantities you eat these foods. For instance, your body can utilize the carbs in candy if you eat the candy shortly before you work out. Your body can’t utilize that energy as efficiently if you eat the candy and then plop on the couch for three hours.   On the flip side, your body can’t break down complex carbs like those found in whole grains as easily as it can break down simple carbs. So, if you need a very quick source of fuel (such as in the middle of a workout), candy can benefit you more than fibrous carbs.   If you feel overwhelmed about nutrition for fitness, ask your local World Gym what nutrition and training services they offer.     

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash  So, you’ve made some New Year’s resolution and they include getting fit. Welcome to the club! Prioritizing your fitness is one of the best decisions you will ever make. Setting goals is the first step to enjoying an active, healthy life and there’s no better time to do so than the turn of a new year. To set you off on the right path, World Gym created this simple guide to the top three things you need to do — and the three things you don’t — to get fit in 2021.  3 things you need to do to get fit in 2021    Make 2021 the year you run toward your goals — the right way.     Make a plan or hire a personal trainer Following a periodized workout program is the best thing you can do for your fitness. Without one, you’ll be spinning your wheels all year long, not knowing what’s working and what isn’t. Not to mention, working out with no plan sets you up for overtraining, which can put you on the bench and derail your progress. If you’re not sure where to start, a World Gym personal trainer can create a custom, periodized training plan based on your fitness goals.    Get disciplined and stay that way You might feel motivated to work out in 2021, but motivation doesn’t last. Always practice discipline over motivation. Discipline is what gets you through the hard days — the fittest people exhibit a level of discipline that gets them to the gym when they’re tired, stressed, or otherwise down. That same quality tells them when it’s best to press the brakes and rest, even if all they want to do is throw down in the weight room.     Focus on the basics Lift often with good technique. Do cardio a few times per week. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. Limit sugar, alcohol, and highly processed foods. Get plenty of sleep. Drink tons of water. It really is this simple — don’t overcomplicate things! The basics will get you farther than you think.   3 things you don’t need to do    You don’t need much to get fit or healthy: the basics and some pro help will go a long way.    Don’t spend hundreds on fancy workout devices You don’t need a Theragun, NormaTec or an at-home infrared sauna. You don’t need a MIRROR or a Tonal setup. You can get results just as good, if not better, by going to the gym and recovering with mobility work. Save your money and focus on the tried-and-true tactics known to build muscle and improve health: lift weights, hydrate, eat well, sleep enough, and stretch often.     Don’t deprive yourself of food For many, the New Year means it’s time to lose weight. Remember that calorie deprivation won’t support your fitness goals. If you don’t eat enough, you won’t build muscle and you’ll lack energy for workouts. If your main goal is to lose weight, keep your calorie deficit small to encourage sustained results and avoid yo-yo weight cycling.     Don’t take a whole stack of supplements Again, don’t overcomplicate. Supplements have their place, but you should fulfill most of your nutrient needs through real food. Besides, only a few supplements are actually proven to provide significant and consistent benefits — if you take any supplements, make them whey protein and creatine, two of the most studied supplements with proven benefits.   Need help with your New Year’s resolutions? Stop by a World Gym near you and see how we can help.    Links for more information  2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines  Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods   Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review   Improving muscle mass: response of muscle metabolism to exercise, nutrition and anabolic agents   Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation   An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis   Recovery from Exercise: Skeletal muscle and resistance exercise training; the role of protein synthesis in recovery and remodeling   Water, Hydration and Health   Interrelationship between Sleep and Exercise: A Systematic Review   The bidirectional relationship between exercise and sleep: Implications for exercise adherence and sleep improvement   Efficacy and Safety of Whey Protein Supplements on Vital Sign and Physical Performance Among Athletes: A Network Meta-Analysis   Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis  

  Want to smile big? Get in a workout  Every gym-goer knows and loves that post-workout feeling: You feel strong, confident, and energetic. You feel accomplished and ready to tackle your other responsibilities. You feel happy.   That post-workout feeling is a big reason why so many people can’t quit exercise. They first chase the physical health benefits, such as boosted immunity and stronger muscles, and wind up staying for the mental health benefits. (We all know someone who gets cranky when they miss too many workouts).   Turns out, the connection between exercise and happiness has been well studied by scientists. Here are six ways a workout can make you happier.   Exercise actually changes your brain    Your mind gets a workout while your body does.   While you’re working out your body, you’re working out your brain, too. Exercise increases something called “brain plasticity,” which is your brain’s ability to make new connections or rewire old ones.  In animals, exercise even creates new brain cells. While more research is needed to confirm those effects in humans, it wouldn’t be surprising to see future studies replicate these results in people, since exercise creates the perfect environment for your brain to grow: During exercise, your heart pumps more oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to your brain and promotes the production of important hormones.   Exercise boosts endorphins  The storied and coveted runner’s high is real. Exercise seems to have an effect on your “happy hormones” serotonin and dopamine, as well as the opioid receptors in your brain. In other words, exercise acts like a drug. Just one workout may boost something called endocannabinoids, chemical compounds (yes, like those found in CBD) that can improve your mood.    Exercise relieves stress, anxiety, and depression    Working out can bring a smile to your face.  If you’re feeling stressed or sad, try hitting the gym. Exercise is considered an effective therapy for mild depression, stress, and anxiety, likely because of all the mood-boosting properties described above. Just a little exercise can help a lot if you’re experiencing low moods.  Exercise can help you sleep  We all know tonight’s sleep is critical for tomorrow’s happiness. Working out may improve your sleep quality and duration (read: better sleep for more hours), which is reason enough for any restless sleeper to jump on the exercise train. Even patients with insomnia have reported better sleep after exercising.   Exercise improves focus and productivity    Exercise helps you focus.  Who isn’t happier when they feel accomplished? Studies show that exercise can improve your attention span and improve “cognitive flexibility,” or your ability to switch from task to task while retaining strong focus. High-intensity exercise in particular has been linked to quicker information processing times—get in your workout and then fly through that to-do list.  Exercise can boost your energy levels  Everyone’s happier when they’re energetic. Here’s some good news: Exercise may reduce feelings of fatigue by up to 65 percent.   To wrap up, exercise can make you happier by enhancing your sleep, relieving stress and anxiety, increasing your energy and productivity levels, giving you an endorphin high, and literally changing your brain for the better. Not convinced? Try it for yourself at a World Gym near you. 

Good squat form: Feet flat, chest high, back straight. Despite the fact that squats are one of the most functional and primal movements, many people can’t squat with proper form. Poor squat form can be (and usually is) a combination of factors, such as immobile joints and weak core muscles. This article pinpoints common squat mistakes and common causes behind those mistakes, but knowing that all parts of the body are interconnected, improving whole-body mobility should be a priority for everyone who works out. World Gym Athletics: Back Squats  If: Your torso falls forward Torso falling forward in the squat. Then: Your T-spine might be tight Thanks to the largely sedentary lifestyle of modern humans, many people live with tight thoracic spines (AKA T-spine). This part of your spine extends from the top of your rib cage to the bottom and exhibits a kyphotic curve. If that curve becomes too rounded or tight, you may struggle with mobility for squats. Fix it: Practicing thoracic extension and rotation is the best way to relieve T-spine tightness. Foam rollers are great tools for improving T-spine mobility, and any rotational stretches, such as a forward fold spinal rotations, can help, too. If: You can't reach parallel Hips above parallel in the squat. Then: Your hips and ankles need some work Limited hip mobility is perhaps the most common culprit behind faulty squat form, with ankle mobility a close runner-up. For people who sit all day (a significant chunk of the population), hip mobility and ankle mobility are hard to come by. Poor posture combined with sedentarism often leads to tight hips and ankles that can’t squat. Fix it: There’s no shortage of hip and ankle mobility drills to try. Start with the basics, such as hip flexor stretches, hip internal and external rotation, and ankle dorsiflexion, before moving onto advanced stretches like pigeon pose and frog stretch. If: Your lower back hurts In a good squat, your spine should remain in a neutral position without arching or rounding. Then: You need to strengthen your core Squats should not induce back pain of any sort, period. Proper squat form recruits your glutes, legs, and core more than your back—if your back is fronting the load instead, we have a problem. Back pain during squats usually indicates weak core musculature, which can put you at risk for back injuries (during all exercises, not just squats). Fix it: Strengthen your core. Isometric core work, such as hollow body holds and planks, help tremendously. For dynamic core strength, focus on loaded rotational strength exercises (think: Turkish get-ups and windmills) to dramatically improve your squat form. Also, practice actively engaging your core during squats. If you have a strong core but don’t know how to use it, it won’t help you much. Take a deep breath, draw your navel up and toward your spine, and create tension in your midsection. If: Your knees cave in Knees caving in at the bottom of a squat. Then: You may have weak glutes If you find yourself battling duck legs on the way up from a squat, there’s a good chance you need to strengthen your hip abductors. Your hip abductors include the muscles responsible for moving your legs away from the midline of your body. This group includes your gluteus medius and minimus. Weak abductors result in poor squat form at best and knee or hip injuries at worst, so it’s a good idea to work on this problem area. Fix it: To stop your knees from caving in during squats, strengthen your hip abductors with glute-focused exercises and single-leg compound movements. Try adding banded lateral walks, banded air squats, walking lunges, and cable kick-backs to your routine. Links for More Information How to squat? Effects of various stance widths, foot placement angles and level of experience on knee, hip and trunk motion and loading The back squat: A proposed assessment of functional deficits and technical factors that limit performance The Back Squat Part 2: Targeted Training Techniques to Correct Functional Deficits and Technical Factors that Limit Performance Knee Joint Kinetics in Relation to Commonly Prescribed Squat Loads and Depths Muscle Activation Patterns During Different Squat Techniques Quantifying the movement and the influence of load in the back squat exercise Muscle Activity Pattern with A Shifted Center of Pressure during the Squat Exercise Optimizing Squat Technique : Strength & Conditioning Journal

Photo by Amirali Mirhashemian on Unsplash.  Saturated fat has been demonized for decades. In the 1950s, scientists sounded the alarm, the public became scared of dietary fat and food manufacturers responded with low-fat versions of everything.    The low-fat craze didn’t seem to do much for collective health, though — the continuous climb in heart disease, obesity, and diabetes rates should make us wonder if perhaps saturated fat is not the problem.   But, science said saturated fat is bad for you    Foods high in saturated fat, like bacon, have a bad rap for no real reason. Photo by Casey Diviese on Unsplash.  Yes, “said” being the key word. Science did show — in the past — that saturated fat consumption might be bad for your health. What really happened is that a couple of observational studies on the relationship between saturated fat and heart disease got blown out of proportion.   That saturated fat is outright bad for you is a big, fat myth. Pun 100 percent intended.    Over the last few years, scientists have debunked the myth again and again, but most people still think saturated fat is bad for you. The truth is, saturated fat intake may not be linked to heart disease at all — says this study and this one. Oh, and this study, this one, and this one.  So, saturated fat is good for you, then?  Lots of healthy foods, including avocados, have saturated fat. Photo by Gil Ndjouwou on Unsplash.  It’s really not so simple, but yes, some saturated fat is good for you. In fact, saturated fat is critical to many elements of your health — without any saturated fat at all, your body won’t function like it should. You need fats in your diet as much as you need carbs and proteins.  Dietary fats protect your cells and nerves, help your body clot blood, aid in nutrient absorption, fight inflammation, and help with hormone production. Foods high in saturated fat can certainly be part of a well-rounded, nutritious diet.   Too much of a good thing may be a bad thing  Too much of anything could be a bad thing, but that doesn’t mean you have to entirely cut out saturated fats. Photo by Alan Hardman on Unsplash.  The harmful effects of overconsumption of saturated fats aren’t out of the question. Although recent research has called the heart disease claim into question, we can’t disregard decades of science that link saturated fat to other health conditions. Limited research links excess saturated fat to increased inflammation, cognitive decline, and disease risk factors like obesity and high LDL cholesterol.   However, the real culprit seems to be the origin of saturated fats, not the amount.  Fast food, for example, is high in saturated fat and has been linked to an increased risk disease. But coconut oil, also high in saturated fat, may reduce disease risk factors.  Please, help me figure out what fats to eat  We hear you. The world of dietary fats is complex, confusing, and downright confounding. Following a few simple rules of thumb can help you add the best fats to your diet and avoid the fats that become problematic with too much consumption.   You should know about four types of dietary fat:   Polyunsaturated: These are essential fats you must get from food, because your body doesn’t make them on its own. Eat plenty of these fats.  Monounsaturated: These fats boost your health in several ways. Eat generous portions.  Saturated: Nutritious when part of a balanced diet. Eat in moderation, and consume mostly from whole-food sources.  Trans: If you’re to avoid any type of fat, this is the one. Trans fats form during food processing, and they’re known to harm your health in many ways. Avoid trans fats whenever you can.   Generally, unpackaged and minimally processed fatty foods (think olives, avocados, fish, and nuts) contain lots of healthy unsaturated fats. Some contain small amounts of saturated fat.  Animal meat, dairy products (butter, cheese, ghee), and tropical oils (coconut, palm, cocoa) contain saturated fat.   Processed foods — packaged snacks like crackers and sweet treats — generally contain saturated fat and many contain trans fat.   Now that you know saturated fat isn’t the demon it’s made out to be, go ahead and dip into that guacamole guilt-free!    Photo by Maskim Shutov on Unsplash    Photo by Ashley Green on Unsplash 

Not only can exercise boost your strength, endurance, and mood, but it can help you fight off diseases like COVID-19.It really is true: Exercise is medicine. You may have heard that before and brushed it off, but exercise is medicine as much as good nutrition and restful sleep are. Exercise prevents disease, and in many cases, exercise interventions can reverse diseases and get people off of prescription medications. Exercise also reduces your risk of contracting acute illnesses, like the common cold or flu — and if you do catch a virus, a history of exercise will help your body fight it off. Now, as we face a persistent pandemic, prioritizing immune health is more critical than ever. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledges that obesity may increase the risk of severe complications from COVID-19, and several scientific studies support this warning. In one study, even after adjusting for weight-related comorbidities, researchers found obesity to be a huge risk for death from COVID-19. Another study suggests that excess body fat suppresses the immune system, while yet another questions whether obesity might negatively affect a person’s response to a COVID-19 vaccine when that time comes. But, how exactly does this all work, and where does exercise come into play? It’s all about how exercise improves your immune health — and that happens in several ways. Exercise prepares your body to fight Exercise makes your body stronger inside and out. Turns out, a physical activity habit may actually improve the function of your immune cells. Exercise also strengthens your organs (particularly the heart and lungs) and increases blood circulation, which may contribute to quicker responses from white blood cells and antibodies that fight off infections. Exercise reduces your risk of diseases It is (or should be) common knowledge at this point that exercise is an antidote to disease. Physical activity is a first line of defense against chronic illnesses like heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. When people show early signs of these conditions, doctors often prescribe lifestyle changes, including a regular exercise program. Exercise keeps your weight down One of the best things you can do for your health — immune or otherwise — is maintain a healthy weight. Decades of research prove body weight is related to almost every health outcome imaginable, including your risk of complications from infectious diseases like COVID-19. Exercise reduces inflammation Finally, scientists have proven regular physical activity can decrease inflammation in your body. Research suggests chronic inflammation plays a major role in the development of chronic diseases, because it can dampen your immune system’s ability to function. In fact, some research even links lower inflammatory markers to people with better fitness.

A good warmup always precedes a good workout. Whether you like it or not, getting warm is a key part of improving your strength, mobility, and overall fitness. This complete warm-up routine only takes five minutes — that’s all you need to drastically improve your workout. Related: How many reps will build muscle? Warmup Format Flow through 10 reps of each of the following warm-up movements. Complete two to four rounds, or until you feel ready to attack the weights. Cat-Cow Pose Also known as: spinal flexion/extension Cat-cow pose is a great starting place for any warmup, as it helps to loosen up your neck, back, chest, and shoulders. How to do cat-cow pose: Start on all fours on the ground. Stack your shoulders, elbows, and wrists so your arms make a straight line perpendicular to the ground. Stack your hips over your knees to make your thighs perpendicular to the ground. Engage your core and find your neutral spine position. Inhale and round your spine, tucking your chin and pressing your palms into the ground. Once you reach your end range of motion in cat pose, exhale and begin to arch your back. Lift your chest and chin high, keeping your palms pressed into the ground. When you reach your end range of motion, return to your neutral position and reset for another rep. Bootstrappers Also known as: squat-to-stand mobility Bootstrappers should be a go-to warm-up movement for anyone who struggles with hip or spinal mobility in the squat. In addition to priming the squat position, bootstrappers prepare you to engage your core for weighted movements. How to do bootstrappers: Start by standing with your feet about hip-width apart. Bend down to touch your toes. Keep your spine as neutral as possible (don’t round) and clasp your fingers around the toe box of your shoe. Hang out in this position for a second. Still holding onto your toes, slowly lower yourself into a squat. Bring the crown of your head to the sky and look forward. Hold this bottom position for a few seconds. Maintain the hold on your toes and send your hips upward so you return to a forward fold. Downward Dog to Cobra Also known as: divers Downward dog to cobra combines two classic yoga movements that prime and prep your shoulders, as well as mobilize your upper spine and ankles. How to do downward dog to cobra: Start in the downward dog position. Your body should make a triangular shape with the ground. Bend your elbows to slowly lower your head to the ground. Just before your head touches the ground, extend your arms and push your torso up. Finish with your back arched, arms fully extended, and chest high. To get back into downward dog, straighten your spine, send your hips upward, and press your head through the window of your arms. Cossack Squats Also known as: deep side lunges For those looking to maximize hip and ankle mobility, cossack squats are a must-have in any warm-up routine. cossack squats also build your single-leg strength and prepare your knees for the stress of a loaded movement. How to do cossack squats: Start by standing with a wide stance, as if you were preparing to perform a sumo deadlift. Keep your toes forward or pointed out just slightly. Lower to one side, dropping into the squat as deeply as you can, breaking the parallel plane if possible. As you descend, keep the foot of your working leg planted firmly, but raise onto the heel of your non-working foot. The toes of your non-working foot should point to the sky. Pause and then push back to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite leg. Forward Fold With Spinal Rotation Also known as: folded windmill Forward folds alone are great for improving flexibility but adding a spinal rotation into the mix is better for improving mobility (yes, there’s a difference). How to do forward folds with spinal rotations: Stand with your feet together. Hinge at the hips and reach down to touch your toes, or as far down your leg as you can. It’s fine to grab your calves or ankles. Anchor your hands beneath your toes or around your legs. Take a deep breath. Exhale as you lift your right hand to the sky, following it with your gaze. Twist until you feel slight tension in your spine, keeping your left hand anchored to your body. Inhale when you reach your end range of motion. Then, exhale and bring your right hand back to center. Repeat on the opposite side.

1. Eat more calories and protein More protein is always a good thing when you’re trying to build muscle. Photo by Sarah Boudreau on Unsplash. Bodybuilders know the phrase “mass builds mass.” Muscle growth is an output, and all outputs require inputs. If you’re trying to build muscle, you need to eat more calories than you burn each day — ideally, many of those calories would come from high-quality sources of protein. Many people who say they can’t build muscle are really just afraid to eat more, fearing the “bulking” phase of muscle growth during which you gain weight. While it is somewhat possible to maintain a lean body composition while building muscle, you’ll have to come to terms with the fact that building muscle temporarily means gaining a little bit of body fat. Instead of focusing on weight gain, use your muscle-building phase to enjoy the strength and energy that come with extra calories. 2. Follow a structured training program A periodized training program developed by a personal trainer helps you build muscle faster. [this image came from the ShareFile). Do you walk into the gym with a plan, or do you blindly throw down weights each time? To build muscle (or to meet any fitness goal), you need to put intention behind all of your workouts. Without intention, there is no plan, and without a plan, you won’t build muscle — at least not as quickly or efficiently as you could with a plan. A periodized training program accounts for your fitness goals, training history, and current fitness level. Over the course of 6 to 12 weeks, a structured workout plan takes your physique from “clearly works out occasionally” to “wow, I want to look like that person.” Muscle comes quicker on a periodized plan because your trainer can carefully manipulate variables like intensity, volume, and frequency to keep you progressing. 3. Do less cardio Too much cardio can stall your muscle growth progress. [this image came from the ShareFile] Before getting into the details about cardio and muscle growth, let’s clear one thing up: Cardiovascular exercise has its place. It’s essential for your overall health and can help you lose body fat, among other benefits. However, too much cardio does have a negative effect on muscle growth. Muscle grows in response to activities that require strength and power, while on the flip side, muscle growth stalls when endurance is the necessary outcome. To visualize this, picture an Olympic sprinter and an Olympic marathoner — two phenomenal athletes with insane fitness. However, the sprinter typically has thicker, more defined muscles, while the marathoner typically has less definition. Both athletes run, so what’s the deal? Sprinting requires maximal output for a very short time (i.e., explosive strength) and a sprinter’s body reflects that. Running marathons requires submaximal output for a very long time (i.e., endurance), and because muscle takes up a lot of energy, a professional marathoner’s body will utilize as little muscle as possible to get them across the finish line. Moral of the story: If you’re hitting the treadmill every day, tone it down a notch if you want to build muscle. To learn more about building muscle, ask a World Gym personal trainer about workout plans and muscle growth strategies.

Most people think personal trainers are just for fixing form and writing workouts, but they really do so much more than that. A good personal trainer becomes a consultant for all things fitness and nutrition, yes, but they also become a go-to source of healthy living advice, a confidant, and a teacher of many lessons.   Hiring a personal trainer can feel like a big commitment, but a good trainer is well worth your time, money, and effort. Whether you’re looking to push past a plateau, recover from an injury, or learn new ways to work out, a professional World Gym trainer has your back. 1. You don’t know where to start Personal trainers help you get started by providing safe and effective fitness plans. This might be the number one reason people seek personal trainers. Starting a fitness journey can feel daunting, to say the least, and much of the information online is overwhelming and hurts more than it helps. This is where a personal trainer can help. As a certified professional, your trainer can answer all of your initial questions about fitness and nutrition. They will get you started on a safe, effective program that matches your fitness level, lifestyle, and goals. 2. You need extra accountability External accountability helps us reach our fitness goals. Everyone can use an accountability partner at times — no one has unlimited stores of motivation and willpower. Hiring a personal trainer is perhaps the best way to ensure accountability. Your personal trainer is counting on you to show up for your sessions and do your “homework” in between sessions. You’ll get the best results by following your program to a T, and that alone is often enough motivation to stick to it. 3. You aren’t seeing results with your current routine Get better results with a personal trainer. If you’ve been working out for a while and seem to have hit a plateau, hiring a personal trainer could be the ticket to busting through your roadblocks. After asking questions about your current fitness routine, past routines, lifestyle, and other factors, a personal trainer can design an individualized, structured training program to get you back on the fast track to fitness. 4. You’re recovering from an injury (or want to avoid one) A trainer ensures you lift weights with good form. Professional personal trainers specialize in designing safe exercise programs for all populations; some trainers even pursue additional education in injury prevention and recovery. If you’re currently recovering from an injury or want to avoid getting injured in the first place, a personal trainer can help. Trainers design fitness programs specific to the individual with a constant emphasis on good exercise technique, which is essential to preventing injuries and avoiding aggravation of pre-existing injuries. 5. You’re bored with your workouts A personal trainer can help you discover new, fun exercises you didn’t even know existed. Without a goal in mind, you probably don’t have a plan to follow. And without a plan, working out can quickly become monotonous and boring. Squash boredom by hiring a personal trainer, who can provide exciting, detailed programs that inch you closer to your fitness goals with each workout. World Gym is home to hundreds of professional personal trainers. If any of those these reasons sound like you, stop by a World Gym and ask about personal training packages.

When you walk into the gym, do you enter with a plan? Workouts that reflect your goal will propel you to success. Whether you want to build muscle, get stronger, or improve your endurance, knowing how many reps to lift is key to getting there — consider this your one-stop guide. How many reps to lift to build muscle If your main goal is to build muscle, you’ll want to lift in the 8 to 12 rep range. This is the proven “hypertrophy rep range” according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), and several scientific studies support this. To build muscle, you need to hit that sweet spot between volume and weight — volume is the number-one variable for increasing muscle mass, and load comes in a close second. The absolute best way to put on size is to take a hybrid approach known as “powerbuilding.” A powerbuilding plan includes high-volume days and lower-volume, heavier days to build strength (since more strength usually correlates to more muscle). How many reps to lift for strength Heavy lifters get strong. Photo by Sven Mieke on Unsplash. Speaking of strength, lower your rep count and increase your weight if you want to get stronger. Studies show that lifting heavy weights to fatigue (meaning on the brink of failure) is the most effective way to build strength. The ACE recommends lifting one to six reps, while the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) recommends up to five. How many reps to lift for power To get good at Olympic lifts, train for power. Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash. Mastering the power clean, snatch, and overhead jerk (AKA the Olympic lifts) requires extreme power in the posterior chain. To develop such power, lifters need to focus on explosive lifts at high loads. The ACE suggests limiting sets to just one or two reps in order to maximize your power output, while NASM recommends up to five reps for power. The other key to developing power is implementing high sets. For example, five or six sets of one to two reps (rather than just two or three sets) gives you more overall volume but still allows you to focus on explosivity at heavy loads. How many reps to lift for endurance Training for endurance means high-volume sets at low weights. Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash.  If you’re training for endurance, lifting 15 or more reps per set is your best bet. Improving your endurance requires improving your aerobic capacity, or how long your body can sustain a rhythmic, repeated motion under duress. Lifting weights for endurance can help runners, hikers, cyclists, and other distance-based athletes get better at their sport. It’s also a phenomenal training modality for general health and translates well to everyday activities, such as walking up long flights of stairs. Knowing exactly how many reps to lift when you work out is key to meeting your fitness goals. If you want help developing the right goals and training program for you, talk to a World Gym personal trainer.

Get stronger without getting bulky. Weight and strength training are often the best way for women to achieve their fitness goals. Some people believe they will get too bulky if they lift weights and that’s just not true!  Here are five great benefits to weight training for women and 3 reasons why you won’t “get bulky.” When you lift weights, you’ll get stronger, more mobile, have more energy, and feel more confident.  1. Stronger bones: For women, a primary benefit of weightlifting is bone strength and maintenance. As you get older, your bones stop remodeling and can become brittle and weak. Resistance training can increase or maintain your bone mineral density, a key factor in preventing osteoporosis. 2. Reduced risk of disease: Studies show that resistance training can reduce your risk of certain chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Other research shows that strength training can decrease “mobility disability” and even your risk of some cancers. 3. Improved body composition: An enhanced physique isn’t the only benefit of a healthy body composition. Achieving and maintaining a healthy body fat percentage is one of the best things you could ever do for your health. 4. Strength and endurance: If you want to feel strong, fast, and fit, start lifting weights. Weight training makes you stronger for everyday activities, such as carrying groceries, and recreational ones, such as hiking other outdoor adventures. 5. Confidence and empowerment: Women can become empowered and confident through weightlifting. Every woman who lifts weights can tell you it feels phenomenal to experience yourself getting stronger and set personal records. Some women worry they will get too “bulky” if they lift weights. It’s time we ended this myth.  First of all, who cares if women put on muscle, anyway? It’s outdated and silly that people think women shouldn't have muscular physiques. Women can and should look the way they want.   Second, it’s not as common as people think for women to “bulk up.” I’ve been lifting weights in some way or form for eight years, and I wouldn’t call myself bulky. Here are just a few reasons why women won’t automatically bulk up if they lift weights. 1. Calorie and protein intake: To build muscle, you must eat more calories than you burn, and many of those calories must come from protein. If you don’t eat above your maintenance calorie intake, don’t worry about packing on more muscle than you want. 2. Testosterone production: Women who lift weights don’t look like men who lift weights because of genetic and hormonal differences. Testosterone largely contributes to your muscle-building potential, so naturally, because women have less testosterone, they won’t build as much muscle as men. 3. Workout routine: Lifting weights for health isn’t the same as lifting weights for muscle. You’ll build some muscle by lifting light to moderate weights, but unless you hit the gym with the express intent of becoming extremely muscular, you won’t get bulky. If you’re unsure where to start in the weight room, a World Gym personal trainer can help you find a fitness plan that works for you.  

Stop Ignoring Mobility Work: The Importance of Mobility for Fitness I have a confession to make: For years, I discredited mobility work as an important part of a fitness routine. Whether you like HIIT, weightlifting, running, or literally anything else, you will be stronger and hit your goals faster with regular mobility work. My own coaches continually told me mobility was important and I refused to believe them...until I found myself unable to squat because of severe back pain. My squat form sucked, and I was paying the price. One morning during a 5:30 a.m. session, underneath a barbell and in searing pain, I thought to myself: I am not squatting with weight ever again until I perfect the technique. I kept my promise and got to work improving my range of motion. Meanwhile, I stuck to lower body moves that didn’t require quite as much mobility as the squat. Fast-forward about a year, and I’m proud to say I now squat more weight than I ever could before because I have far better form.  If you’re like I was and think mobility training isn’t important, here are three reasons why you need to start doing mobility work — now! Better Mobility, Better Lifts Form first, load second. Most weightlifters have heard this. Many have dismissed it. However, the moment you begin prioritizing your mobility is the moment you begin getting stronger. The deeper your range of motion in a given lift, the more you challenge your muscles during that lift. An example: Tom does half squats and Bill does full squats. Who’s stronger? Tom or Bill? Thought so. Plus, when you have good mobility, you won’t have to spend as much time warming up for your workouts. Your body will already be halfway primed — no more, “Ah, I just have to ease into it first.” And boom, you automatically have more minutes allocated to building strength. Better Mobility, Better Life While many people start working out for aesthetic reasons, most are quick to learn that hitting the gym not only makes them look better, but it makes them feel better, too. Adding mobility work to your workout routine can enhance those feel-good effects even more. When you have good mobility, you’ll encounter fewer aches and pains and wake up feeling more limber.  And when you feel good, everything — from daily chores to recreational activities to hanging with your kids — is more enjoyable. Better Mobility, Better Body I don’t mean better in an aesthetic sense, although that’s a possibility thanks to the strengthening aspect of mobility. What I mean by “better body” is a body with a low risk for injuries. When you stay mobile, you’re less likely to hurt yourself in the gym, while engaging in recreational activities, and during everyday activities. We all know someone who’s blown out their back while trying to move furniture or otherwise lift a heavy odd object. You can skirt that scenario by improving your mobility, which would allow you to lift the couch with your legs and spare your lower back. If you want help improving your mobility, contact a personal trainer at your local World Gym.

This One Fitness Rule Will Change Your Life (and Your Body) Progressive overload: It’s the technical term for continuously challenging your body and how our muscles get stronger. Most people immediately think about adding weight, but that’s not the only way to get stronger — here are six ways to make your workouts more effective, no heavy loads needed.  Technique You can’t progressively overload without faultless form. If you already lift heavy and you’re trying to get stronger without packing more pounds on the barbell, analyze your technique before doing anything else. If you have faulty movement patterns, fixing them allows you to overcome compensations (like recruiting too much of your lower back during squats) and make every exercise more targeted. Range of motion Ever notice how changing an exercise just slightly — like a narrow-grip versus a standard-grip bench press — can make you sore for days? The same premise applies to range of motion. If you aren’t reaching the full range of motion on compound lifts, you aren’t getting the most out of them. For example: A full-depth squat will increase your strength significantly more than a half-depth squat (and you’ll definitely get sore if you’re not used to hitting full depth).  Tempo After perfecting form and increasing range of motion, try utilizing tempos. Adding tempos to weightlifting workouts is a proven tactic to increase results. To implement tempos, intentionally slow down your lifts. Tempos can also include pauses and explosiveness, such as in the example above.  Volume This one should be obvious: The more you do something, the better you get at doing it. You can increase volume by manipulating three variables: weight, reps, and sets. Let’s say you can squat 150 pounds for three sets of 10 reps. Instead of attempting 160 pounds for three sets of 10 reps, stay at 150 pounds and do four sets of 10 reps, or three sets of 12 reps. Either way, your total volume increases without adding weight. Even when adding volume, make sure to get a full range of motion on each rep. Frequency People often confuse frequency with volume, but they aren’t the same: Volume is the total load you move for a specific exercise within a workout. Frequency is how often you perform a specific exercise or train a particular body part. For example, if you currently do push-ups once a week, increasing that two two times per week can improve your push-up strength with no other alterations to your routine.  Rest intervals Finally, you can manipulate rest intervals to gain strength and muscular endurance. If you typically rest for two to three minutes between sets, try cutting your rest period down to 90 seconds — guarantee your usual weight for a given lift will feel much heavier. Consult a Trainer at Your World Gym Looking for ways to make your workouts more effective? A World Gym personal trainer can help you implement progressive overload to get stronger, even if you don’t want to add more weight to your lifts.  

Understanding Macronutrients is the Key to Unlocking Your Fitness Potential Understanding macros can help you get stronger and leaner. Tracking macronutrients is the most basic way to manage and monitor your nutrition: It simply means counting the number of calories you eat each day from different sources of food. The reason so many gym junkies track their macros? Put simply, it works: Tracking macros can be the key to unlocking fitness potential you didn’t even know you had. What are macronutrients? Macronutrients are essential nutrients your body needs in large quantities (micronutrients, in contrast, are those that you need in small amounts). There are three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. All three are equally important and, yes, you can eat all three and be healthy and fit. Carbs 101 Carbs from foods like rice, bread, and starchy vegetables provide you with mental and physical energy. While some people can thrive on a low-carb diet, going keto isn’t the right route for most people, because let’s face it: Carb-heavy foods are delicious, and your body is designed to process carbs for energy. Aside from physical and mental energy, carbs help with post-workout recovery and muscle preservation. Just remember that not all carbs are created equal. Sure, you can fit an ounce of jellybeans into your diet, but an ounce of sweet potato sure will make you feel a lot better (and you won’t come crashing down in an hour). Protein 101 Protein is critical for muscle recovery and growth. Most people get the majority of their protein from animal sources, such as chicken, pork, and beef, although many plant-based foods contain ample protein (but not complete proteins). Protein is important for muscle repair, growth and maintenance, as well as satiety, which can help you reach your body composition goals. Fats 101 Avocados are good for more than just pretty toast: Healthy fats set you up for fitness success. Fat supports several body functions, and keeping your focus on fats can improve your overall health, which contributes, in turn, to your fitness. Dietary fat is important for nutrient absorption and sustained energy, both of which can help you power through workouts. Try to get most of your dietary fat from healthy sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. It’s best to keep saturated fats to a minimum (not because saturated fat alone is bad, but because most foods with saturated fat are highly processed). Stick to whole-food fats like avocados, olives, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and fish. Calories in macronutrients Each macronutrient has its own calorie value per gram. Carbohydrates and protein both contain four calories per gram, while fat contains nine calories per gram. While alcohol isn’t technically considered a macronutrient (because it’s not essential for survival), you should know that every gram of alcohol contains seven calories. Tracking macronutrients for fitness People generally track macros to either build muscle or lose fat. With the right macronutrient ratio, you can better manage your lean mass, strength, energy, performance, and even your sleep.  Every athlete is different but here are some general guidelines for using macros to lose fat and gain muscle. Do you really need to track macros? The hard truth is that there’s no “best” macronutrient ratio. For people who exercise regularly (especially people who lift weights), it’s beneficial to shift the ratio to something more protein-heavy: Your muscles can’t recover from your workouts without adequate protein. In reality, the principles of a healthy diet are pretty simple: Eat mostly whole foods and balance your calorie intake (or eat in a surplus or deficit depending on your goals). Macro-tracking is just one tool of many that you can use to improve your fitness. For help with your own personalized training and nutrition program, contact a personal trainer at your local World Gym.