Buyer’s Guide

mushrooms nutritional benefits to fitness

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Mushrooms and mushroom based products: benefits in exercise and bodybuilding

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Page Description: Feeling tired of consuming the same protein sources in your diet? Why not add mushrooms and mushroom-based products to the mix? Not only delicious but packed with nutrition, there’s a range of potential health benefits from mushrooms that can be useful for exercise and bodybuilding goals. Read on to learn more about the advantages of mushrooms and related products during workouts and how they can help with endurance, muscle recovery, reducing inflammation and supporting your immune system – it might be just the secret ingredient you need for that fitness journey!

types of mushrooms

Definition of mushrooms and mushroom-based products

Mushrooms are a type of fungus that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. They’re well-known for their delicious flavor and texture, as well as for their health advantages. Mushroom-based products can be obtained from the fungus in types like powders, extracts, supplements and even in processed foods such as meat-substitutes. Various mushroom-based products possess large amounts of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals – making them a perfect addition to any diet!

Importance of exercise and bodybuilding

Exercise and bodybuilding have a major influence on leading a healthy lifestyle. Research has confirmed that physical activity offers great rewards for both mental and physical wellbeing – minimizing the likelihood of serious illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease; as well as enhancing cognitive strength, lowering tension and developing mood.

Regarding bodybuilding, this form of exercise incorporates resistance training which is vital for developing muscle mass. Benefits include increasing general strength and endurance, decreasing the opportunity of injury, and elevating overall physique composition.

mushrooms

Benefits of mushrooms and mushroom-based products in exercise and bodybuilding

Mushrooms and mushroom-based products boast a host of advantageous qualities for those involved in exercise and bodybuilding. The following are some of the ways in which consuming these products can help you hit your fitness goals.

A. Improved endurance and stamina

Consuming mushrooms has been found to be helpful for improving endurance and stamina due to their high amount of beta-glucans, which are complex sugars known as immune modulators and anti-fatigue agents that can enhance physical performance. One such beneficial mushroom is cordyceps, a fungus typically found in the Himalayan mountains and traditionally used in Chinese medicine to increase oxygen uptake and utilization, thereby leading to elevated overall endurance and resilience.

B. Increased muscle strength and recovery

Mushrooms and mushroom-based products offer a range of vitamins and minerals to increase muscle strength and aid recovery. These are packed with vitamin D, for instance, vital for strong bones and muscles. Plus, selenium helps reduce muscle damage and allows rapid recovery. As for mushroom-based supplements, they provide high quality protein crucial for muscle growth and repair yet are low in fat and calories.

C. Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress

Engaging in physical activity and bodybuilding can lead to increased inflammatory and oxidative stress, which can harm cells and tissues and potentially cause a range of health issues. Fortunately, mushrooms and their-derived products offer powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. For example, reishi mushrooms have been found to contain triterpenes and polysaccharides that join forces to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Similarly, shiitake and maitake mushrooms house compounds that can help stave off inflammation.

D. Enhanced immune system function

Regular exercise has the potential to not only enhance your immune system function but it can also lead to a weakened state and make you more susceptible to illnesses and infections. However, mushrooms and mushroom-based products can help in strengthening your immunity and reducing the likelihood of getting sick. Beta-glucans found in mushrooms activate immune cells and improve your body’s overall defense mechanisms. Plus, they’re rich in antioxidants like ergothioneine which protect against oxidative stress and aid in warding off infection.

mushroom research

Research studies on the benefits of mushrooms in exercise and bodybuilding

Research examining the advantages of mushrooms in physical fitness and bodybuilding has generated increased interest in recent times. Several studies have been conducted to unveil the effects of mushroom supplementation on diverse facets of exercise and sports performance. Here are 2 such assessments:

Study 1

 Effect of mushroom supplementation on muscle recovery and fatigue

A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2015 delved into the effects of mushroom supplementation on muscle recovery and fatigue. 24 male volunteers were subsequently divided into two groups; one group which took a daily dose of mushroom extract for 10 days and the other which consumed a placebo. The results showed that those who had daily doses of mushroom extract experienced faster muscle recovery and had less fatigue compared to the placebo group.

Study 2

Mushroom supplementation and endurance exercise performance

A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2013 sought to investigate the impact of mushroom supplementation on endurance exercise performance. 12 male athletes were split into two groups, one receiving a daily dose of mushroom extract for 28 days, and the other a placebo. The results revealed that those receiving mushroom extract had far superior endurance exercise performance, with improved VO2 max and decreased time-to-exhaustion.

mushrooms nutritional infographic

Types of mushrooms and mushroom-based products suitable for exercise and bodybuilding

Here are some of the types of mushrooms and mushroom-based products suitable for exercise and bodybuilding:

A. Whole mushrooms (e.g., button, shiitake, portobello)

Whole mushrooms, including button, shiitake and portobello, make excellent additions to many recipes. They’re low in calories yet provide an array of essential vitamins and minerals for a healthy diet. Button mushrooms (otherwise known as white mushrooms) can be consumed raw or cooked and add fantastic flavour and texture to meals. Shiitake mushrooms are commonly used in stir-fries and soups for added texture. And portobello mushrooms are a great meat alternative for burgers and sandwiches, offering some extra nutrition.

B. Mushroom extracts (e.g., cordyceps, reishi)

Mushroom extracts, like cordyceps and reishi, are concentrated forms of edible fungi that can deliver greater effects than the mushrooms themselves. You can find them in different forms, including capsules, extracts, and tinctures. In particular, cordyceps and reishi extracts are widely used for their ability to boost exercise and bodybuilding performance. Adenosine in cordyceps improves oxygen uptake and utilization to heighten endurance and stamina whereas reishi extract contains compounds such as triterpenes and polysaccharides that aid muscle recovery and reduce inflammation.

C. Mushroom-based supplements (e.g., beta-glucan, ergothioneine)

Mushroom-based supplementation ( e.g. beta glucan and ergothioneine) offers a simple way to boost your diet with the goodness of mushrooms! Whether powder, capsules or tablets, these two prominent ones will help with your exercise and bodybuilding regimens. Beta glucan is a complex sugar from mushrooms which increases immunity, energy, stamina and decreases inflammation – all while aiding in recovery! Ergothioneine is a potent antioxidant from mushrooms which shields the body from oxidative stress, promotes muscle recuperation and reduces the risk of catching infections.

mushroom powder supplement

How to incorporate mushrooms and mushroom-based products into a diet for exercise and bodybuilding

If you’re looking to reap the benefits of nutrition for exercise and bodybuilding, adding mushrooms and mushroom-based products to your diet can be a great way to go. Here are some tasty ideas for incorporating these nutritious foods:

A. Meal ideas and recipes

Mushrooms are a great way to boost the nutritional content of your meals. Why not try them as a topping on your pizza, added to various pasta dishes, stir-fries and omelets? Not only are they incredibly beneficial, but mushroom-based recipes like mushroom soup, risotto, or stir-fry can make for truly delicious delights.

B. Pre- and post-workout snacks

Mushroom-based snacks can provide a quick energy boost before or after a workout. For instance, mushroom-based trail mix or mushroom jerky can be a nutritious snack that provides energy and aids in muscle recovery.

C. Mushroom-based supplements and powders

Mushroom-based supplements and powders can be included in smoothies, shakes or other beverages for an easy way to access the advantages of fungi.

Precautions and potential side effects

A. Allergies and sensitivities

It’s essential to consult a healthcare professional before consuming mushrooms if you have any kind of allergies or sensitivities. Allergic reactions may include hives, swelling and difficulty breathing, so it’s important to consider potential side effects and safety precautions before integrating mushrooms and mushroom-based products into an exercise and bodybuilding routine.

B. Interactions with medications

Certain types of mushrooms and mushroom-based supplements possess the ability to interact with a variety of medicines, from blood thinners to diabetes medications. For this reason, it is essential to consult a healthcare professional prior to integrating mushrooms into your diet if you are taking any form of medication.

C. Proper dosage and usage

Ensuring the proper dosage and usage of mushrooms and their related products is essential for your well-being. Taking an excessive amount of particular types of mushrooms or supplements may result in adverse effects, like digestive concerns or headaches. So, it’s advised to begin with a reduced dose and incrementally progress as you feel comfortable.

mushrooms creativity

Conclusion

Mushroom-based products can provide a multitude of benefits for physical activity and bodybuilding, such as improved endurance, augmented muscular strength and recovery, reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, plus enhanced immune functioning. Incorporating mushrooms into one’s diet can be done via whole mushrooms, mushroom extracts or mushroom-based supplements; however, caution should be taken and potential risks assessed prior to integrating mushrooms into a meal plan. Consulting with a healthcare expert is an excellent way to guarantee safe and effective use of mushrooms for exercise and bodybuilding.

References

Mushrooms and Health: A Comprehensive Review of Their Nutritional Value, Medicinal Properties, and Potential Role in Human Health

Mushroom Extracts: A Comprehensive Review of Their Use in Human Health and Disease

Mushrooms, Health Benefits, and Potential Applications: A Review

Portobello Mushroom: Nutrition, Benefits, and Uses

Shiitake Mushroom: Nutrition, Benefits, and Uses

budget gym

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Creating Your Gym on a Budget

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Page Description: Not everyone is comfortable working out in public gyms because of the crowd. Hence, they choose to do indoor workouts. Buoyant people in this category set up home gyms for their workouts. They buy all the sophisticated equipment available in the gym for their home use. However, other people don’t like to work out in public places but don’t have all the funds to build sophisticated gyms. If you are among the latter group, then this article is for you. It highlights the essential equipment needed in a gym, and how you can set up a standard gym while on a budget.

buying weights on a budget

How to create a gym on a budget

A gym is simply an indoor space, building, or room with workout equipment where people go to exercise. That means, if you can set up a room where you can exercise, it automatically becomes a gym. You don’t have to break the bank to set up a home gym. With a space such as a garage or a spare room and a budget that can buy basic exercise equipment, you can own a standard right in your home.

Home gym essentials

Working with a budget means that your spending is limited; you have to buy only what you need at the moment. Here’s a list of ten basic pieces of equipment you need to start your gym:

  1. A mat

A mat is one of the most essential pieces of equipment needed in a gym. Experts recommend two different mats: a jump mat and a yoga mat. A jumping mat is light, while a Yoga mat is thick. For someone on a budget, it’s advisable to buy a yoga mat since it can double as a jump mat. Yoga mats are used for intense workouts like core exercise and plyometrics. 

  1. Cardio

Whether your fitness goal is to build your body, improve endurance, lose weight, burn fats, or do any other thing, cardio is a must-exercise for you. Hence, having cardio equipment is a must. For someone working on a budget, a treadmill, stepper machine, or stationary bike is recommended. Cardio equipment helps to improve heart rate, burn fat, burn calories, speed up metabolic processes, prevent the development of diseases, manage chronic diseases, and enhance mood.

  1. Resistance bands

Resistance bands are elastic bands used for exercising different parts of the body. It strengthens the muscles and helps to build endurance. Resistance bands are multi-tasking tools you can use for stretching, deadlifts, squats, weight lifts, and bicep curls, amongst others. They provide low-impact training for your muscles and help you save money and space. Hence you can use it on days that you are not strong for full-body exercise.

  1. Dumbbells

Dumbbells are body-building tools that also serve as cardio exercises. They are portable, cost-effective, and versatile. With dumbbells, you can improve your heart health, strengthen your bones and muscles, and burn fats. If you are on a very low budget, then dumbbells are a must-have as it allows you to do several types of exercise.

  1. Kettlebells

Kettlebells are used for cardio exercise. You can use it in place of a treadmill or spin bike. They also help to improve mobility, flexibility, balance, and coordination.  Since they are versatile, a person on a budget can consider getting them as an alternative for exercise tools that focus on just improving heart health and conditioning.

  1. Pull up bar

Pull-up bars are majorly for building upper body strength such as arms, back muscles, and shoulders. However, they can be used for whole-body workouts. They don’t occupy space. You can hang them on the door, allowing you to exercise your body several times a day.

  1. Jump ropes

A jump rope is another essential exercising tool you should have as it is versatile and cost-effective. With Jumping ropes, you can improve your cardio health, build endurance, strengthen your muscles and bones, and improve balance, coordination, and agility. They are also portable, which saves you space.

  1. Flat bench

A flat bench is a must-have for any person with bodybuilding goals. Besides bodybuilding, they are used to build endurance and strengthen the pectoral muscles, deltoids, triceps, and ribs.

 Benches are affordable; you can buy a bench or construct one yourself.  

  1. Bumper plates

Bumper plates are rubber weight lifters. They are used for bodybuilding, enhancing endurance, and building strength.  Bumper plates are pricier than iron plates, but they are recommended because they protect you, your floor, and your walls from scratches.

  1. Rack

Racks are used in strength-building exercises to ensure safety. There are two types of racks: power racks and squat racks. Squat racks are recommended for people working with a budget because they are versatile. Racks are generally versatile, they can be used to weight lifts, deadlifts, front squats, back squats, heavy rows, bench presses, and shoulder presses.

Racks are great for weight lifting because they help you carry weights that you would not normally carry. Exercising with racks helps to work on the whole body, especially muscles such as the lats, hamstrings, glutes, posterior chain, traps, and other muscles of the upper body.

create gym on budget

Tips on creating a home gym

  • Write out your fitness goals: People have different fitness goals such as bodybuilding, weight loss, burning fat, improving endurance, and cardio, amongst others. Setting goals will give you direction on the type of exercise to do, and the equipment to buy.
  • Do a market survey on the prices of equipment: Carry out online and physical surveys to know the market price of what you want. You can go to marts or browse online stores for prices. This survey will enable you to know the tools you can afford at the moment.
  • Set a budget:  After you must have surveyed the prices of the equipment you need, you can set aside a budget for buying the equipment. The budget will enable you to buy the basic tools you need first.
  • Buy equipment that is tailored to your goals: Don’t just buy everything on the list of equipment. That they are essentials doesn’t mean that you need them. You have your fitness goals, buy equipment that serves those purposes. For example, if your goal is bodybuilding, you can buy tools like thread mills instead of dumbbells, barbells, and weights.
how to gym on budget

How to create a gym on a budget

  1. Turn a spare room or garage into a gym

You don’t have to build or construct a new structure, your garage or a spare room is enough. You can clear a room or make space in your garage where you can place your equipment, and carry out your exercise freely. If you don’t have a free room to convert, you can make space for exercising in your parlor. Some experts recommend using your parlor instead of your room. The room is a place to rest. So, let a room remain a room.

  1. Buy multi-tasking equipment

When buying equipment, buy tools that can be used for a variety of exercises such as a dumbbell. Dumbbells can serve for building strength and cardio exercises. Buying multi-tasking equipment saves you money and space until you are balanced or buoyant enough to buy more equipment.

  1. Buy used equipment

Most times, used equipment is cheaper than brand-new equipment. Used equipment is not bad or spoiled. When gyms or people are moving, they usually sell off their equipment. So, you are sure of getting something good at a fair price. You can buy used equipment from stores

  1. Build your gym equipment

Constructing your exercise tools is another great way to go. You can create them by watching Do It Yourself (DIY) videos on how to improvise materials and create your gym tools. Making your equipment saves you money, and allows you to tailor the equipment to your needs. Examples of gym tools you can make yourself include plate holders, power racks, and reverse hypers.

  1. Buy new equipment from low-price providers

Not everyone is comfortable buying used products. If you are one of them you can opt to buy new equipment from stores or companies that sell new tools at very affordable rates.

build budget gym

Conclusion

Setting up a home gym is also a form of investment. Creating your own gym space would save you the cost of a standard gym membership as most standard gyms can be costly. When you set up your home gym, you’d be able to recover the money invested into the gym in a year if you save the membership money for a year. After the first year, you can continue to save and budget the membership money for other things.

If you have been wanting to set up your home gym but have been holding back because of funds, nothing is holding you back any longer. Now that you know the basic equipment you need and how to go about setting up your home gym, you can set up your gym and embark on your fitness journey from the comfort of your home.

References

How to Build a Home Gym on the Cheap

Set Up A Small Home Gym On A Budget 

How To Create A Home Gym On A Budget 

How to build a home gym for every type of budget 

The Ultimate Guide to Building a Budget Home Gym

The Ultimate Guide To Building A Home Gym (For Every Budget) 

The 9 Budget-Friendly Essentials You’ll Need to Create a Great Home Gym 

yoga equipment

Yoga Equipment: What you need and what to get

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If you’re like me, you take your health and physical and mental fitness seriously. Consequently, you must have taken steps to get in shape. These steps involve signing up for a gym class, getting a personal trainer for your physical health, or signing up for a yoga class for the mental and holistic benefits.

Like any yoga newbie, you must wonder, “what do I really even need for this activity.” Well, that is what I’m here to answer. In this piece, we’ll be looking at all the most important equipment for yoga and why they’re so important to yoga practices

yoga stretch pose

What is Yoga?

Yoga is an ancient art form that combines physical postures, meditation, and deep breathing to foster harmony in the body, mind, and environment. Yoga can also be described as an internal science that includes a range of techniques for helping people realize this unity and take control of their lives.

Regular yoga sessions can help build stamina, power, serenity, flexibility, and wellbeing. The exercise regimen includes asanas, breathing exercises, relaxation, meditation, and low-impact physical activities. Most people are familiar with yoga’s physical postures or stances, but most are unaware of its extensive additional benefits.

Benefits of Practicing Yoga

Yoga offers several benefits to the mind and the body as a whole. These benefits include:

  • Help improve overall wellness by reducing stress, fostering healthy lifestyle choices, and enhancing mental/emotional health and sleep.
  • Helps to improve strength, balance, and flexibility
  • Relieve low-back pain and neck pain, and possibly pain from tension-type headaches and knee osteoarthritis.
  • Promote weight loss in those who are overweight or obese.
  • Encourage people to stop smoking.
  • Helps to improve the mood and stay energized
  • Helping people in controlling anxiety or depression symptoms caused by challenging circumstances.
  • Promote better self-care
  • Helps to reduce arthritis symptoms.
  • Helps to improve heart health
  • Relieve menopause symptoms.
  • Connects you with a supportive community
  • Assist those with chronic illnesses in controlling their symptoms and enhancing their quality of life.

Although much research has been done on the benefits of yoga for health, most studies have been of low quality and only involved a few participants. As a result, in most cases, we can only state that yoga has demonstrated potential for a given health benefit rather than that it has been demonstrated to be effective.

yoga equipment

Equipment Needed to Practice Yoga

One of the best things about yoga is that you don’t need a ton of gear to succeed. Yoga equipment increases your skill level and provides your body with more support as needed.

There are lots of equipment that may be used to practice yoga. However, not all of these are necessary. All you need to note are the most essential piece of equipment that are crucial to your success. Some of the most essential yoga pieces include:

  • Yoga Mat
  • Yoga Mat Bag
  • Comfortable Exercise Clothes
  • Water Bottle
  • Yoga Block
  • Yoga Strap

Other types of yoga equipment include resistance bands, yoga wheel, wall ropes, yoga chairs, etc., which are meant for yoga experts. While other pieces of yoga fitness gear are not necessary for your practice, they will enable you to drive yourself in particular directions, like aerial yoga.

1.      Yoga Mat

You need a yoga mat to start your home yoga studio. The yoga mat is, without a doubt, the most important piece of yoga exercise equipment. Regarding yoga equipment, the mats are advantageous because they provide greater grip than any type of flooring.

It is important to buy yoga equipment to keep you safe and avoid injury during work out. Yoga mats provide your hands and feet with extra traction as you enter yoga poses and soften your fall in the worst-case circumstances of sliding or falling. The availability of this piece of equipment is now more widespread than ever, which is an additional benefit. Yoga mats are also quite easy to clean, so if this is your first visit to the yoga class after a long time, you can relax about all health and safety concerns.

2.      Yoga Mat Bag

The yoga mat bag is one of the most frequently disregarded items when considering beginner yoga equipment. This may not seem “essential” if you only practice restorative yoga at home, but if you want to take classes, you’ll need to transport your equipment as effectively as possible. The unusual shape and size of yoga mats simply don’t fit most gym bags, backpacks, or handbags. You shouldn’t be stuffing your mat into a bag because doing so could harm it.

Therefore, buying a yoga mat bag is better than attempting to squeeze all of your essentials into a gym bag, which could damage your equipment. In the long term, it is a wise investment that will save you money by preventing the need to repair damaged equipment. If you are having trouble figuring out which mat features you want, try asking other yoga students or your yoga teacher what they prefer, or check for reviews and compare products online.

3.      Yoga Towels

You will undoubtedly sweat more if you practice hot yoga. The sweat, however, can potentially make the mat hazardous for you to use and more prone to slipping or moving around on the floor. The mat can be covered with a yoga towel to stop it from getting sweaty and slippery. The towel will soak the sweat and generate resistance against the mat and floor, which is a benefit of utilizing the mat because the more you sweat, the more grip it will have.

Furthermore, if you sweat a lot and are concerned that the towel will get slick and lose its hold, we advise shopping for towels with non-slip backings, such as those that include silicone nubs. This is not just an excellent piece of Bikram yoga equipment but can also be used during regular yoga classes if you want to avoid using soiled or previously used mats.

4.      Water Bottles

When working out, staying hydrated is crucial, yet many beginners overlook that yoga is a strenuous activity. You wouldn’t practice without a mat, so do the same when bringing a water bottle to yoga class. We need to drink extra water to compensate for the water we lose via perspiration/sweating. Whatever method you use, you must always remember to stay hydrated.

yoga pants and leggings

5.      Yoga Pants and Leggings

Yoga positions demand us to stretch and twist our bodies; thus, we need to feel comfortable doing them. While you might want to wear your existing workout attire, if you want the best yoga gear and apparel, you should opt for items that are made especially for yoga practice. High-waisted pants or leggings with the ability to wick moisture are what you’ll need. This may be true for most exercise clothing, but yoga clothing has the added benefit of typically being softer and thinner.

By wearing clothing with these yoga-specific patterns, you may exercise comfortably while allowing your clothes to move and stretch. Ensure that the size you choose fits you properly. Avoid wearing an excessively tight waistline as it will hinder your movement rather than support it. For men to receive the same level of support as women, comfortable pants are essential yoga equipment.

6.      Yoga Blocks

The yoga block is another type of yoga fitness equipment commonly used by beginners and is made of foam, bamboo, or cork. When you can’t reach the full extent of some postures, you can use the block to attain positions by using it as an extension of your arms. If you are not as flexible as you want, the yoga block can help bring the floor closer to flexibility.

For instance, using a block will give your arm the extra length it needs to perform a half-moon pose, making the entire exercise less scary for beginners. Every beginner yogi should get a yoga block, especially if they haven’t done any flexibility exercises.

The yoga block has other uses as well because it is versatile. Beginners can use it to bring the floor closer to them, but there are also additional uses for the device, such as using it as a balance block while standing and practicing poses. It can also be used as a support to loosen up stiff muscles.

7.      Yoga Straps

Yoga straps are tools that are used in the practice of yoga to help in the improvement of flexibility. Yoga straps are a good investment if you’re a newbie with no prior flexibility training because they’ll reduce the risk of muscle strain. The strap is a flexible piece of yoga gear that may also support the buttocks, feet, back, chest, knees, and hips.

Using the strap in certain positions and stretches can help to reduce tension and improve flexibility. Use a yoga strap upright to improve your flexibility and balance. The strap can also strengthen your arms, which will help you balance better by putting pressure on those muscles.

naked women yoga

Conclusion

The primary focus of yoga is to promote both inner calm and physical vitality. Practicing yoga can encourage an active and healthy way of life. The fun part about yoga is that it does not require a ton of equipment, although there are some that are considered inevitable. Most yoga studios and some gyms have straps, blocks, and other props for you to use as a beginner. Other yoga equipment may be reserved for more specialized styles or yoga practices.

As a beginner in yoga, never forget that what is most important is not the number of equipment you have. Rather, how well you are able to utilize your gear and how consistent you stay with your practice will determine how far you can go in becoming an expert.

References

21 Best Yoga Equipment To Start Practising Yoga

9 benefits of Yoga

Starting workout equipment

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Starting Your Workout: What Equipment to Focus on?

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If you’re like me then you have made a decision to stay fit and be in the best shape ever. While that’s a life-changing decision, there is still a lot of work to be done. These include watching your diet and of course, hitting the gym.

Now, you’re not alone in wondering “how do I even start working out?” Many people struggle with this question. There is a plethora of routines and equipment to use that everything gets so confusing. Some can readily afford a personal instructor to guide their progress, but for many, this is not the case. Well, you’re in luck because here, we go through some of the best equipment and routines to focus on when starting your workout.

Workout Equipment Beginners

Workout Equipment

Workout equipment are tools/devices used during physical activity. These equipment aid workouts, providing more resistance and ease to help the body stay fit, enhance athletic performance, and build strength and endurance. They help to improve the outcome of an exercise routine.

For many beginners, choosing the right equipment can be a daunting task. An inability to choose equipment properly inadvertently messes with routines, slowing or even derailing progress. Once a beginner can sort out which tools to use, then a big part of the journey is sorted.

There are different classes of gym equipment and each one have thor pros and cons. As a beginner, you will typically need to switch between types to get a good feel and progress better with your workouts. This requirement adds further challenges to an already arduous journey. But not to worry, you’re about to have the hack to sail through these murky waters.

Types of Workout Equipment

First off, you need to know your workout equipment. And to that end, there are hundreds of them. There are standard equipment and make-shift equipment. For example, you could use your TV stand as make-shift workout equipment.

Here is an inexhaustive list of some standard equipment you will find in the gym

1.    Free-Weight Training Equipment

  • Preloaded dumbbells and conventional dumbbells
  • Collars
  • Weight plates; bumper plates, steel plates, and micro-plates
  • Kettlebells
  • Preloaded barbells and conventional barbells.

2.    Weight Machines

  • Rowers
  • Variable resistance training- chain accommodation training like chains and elastic bands like floss bands, mini bands, hip circles, and monster bands
  • Cables
  • Head/neck harness
  • Lifting accessories like knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, lifting wrist straps, knee wraps, etc.
  • kBox flywheel training devices
  • Grip: gym chalk, gloves, belts, shoes, and slingshots.

3.    Strongman (Strength Athlete) Equipment

  • Yokes
  • Axles
  • Training sleds like pull sleds, push sleds, and sleds,
  • Logs
  • Farmer’s walk handles
  • Power pins and loading pins
  • Stones like atlas stones and stones of steel
  • Kegs
  • Sandbags
  • General grip strength like wrist rollers, Fat Gripz, pull-up spheres, etc.
  • Hammers, slammers, clubs, and maces
  • Bulgarian bags

4.    Bodyweight Training, Calisthenics, and Gymnastic Equipment

  • Parallel bars
  • Suspension trainers like flying, AirFit Trainer Pro, Gymnastic rings, Jungle Gym XT, etc.
  • Weighted vests
  • Medicine balls
  • Resistance bands
  • Ropes
  • Limb weight
  • Push up handles
  • Gym rings
  • Parallels

If you have not used any of these above workout equipment before, there are chances that you can misuse them. However, this should not discourage you from staying fit.

Types of Workout Equipment

Workout Equipment for Beginners

As a beginner, there are workout equipment that are specifically made for you. They help in increasing stability and endurance and increase strength during workouts. These workout equipment are:

1.    Dumbbell Sets

If you are new to weightlifting and intend to start your journey into weightlifting, a dumbbell is the best equipment, to begin with. Dumbbell sets are the perfect entry point to weightlifting. Asides from weightlifting, they can be used for other exercises. They do not take up too much space; you can essentially store them in your house. For beginners, you can start by lifting the smallest weight of dumbbells, and over time, you can lift heavier ones.

2.    Stability Balls

Stability balls help strengthen your core and improve body balance, posture and alignment. If you find it challenging to do sit-ups or other exercises, stability balls can help you do those exercises without pain or difficulties. You can also use stability balls if you want to level up your workout and strengthen your muscle groups in new ways.

3.    Resistance Tubes

Resistance tubes are popular and versatile workout equipment. They help in toning your major muscle groups. You can attach resistance tubes to any type of surface; for instance, you can attach them to a door frame. Since they have no weight and are easy to use, you can travel with them and use them in different places without considering their weight.

4.    Medicine Balls

A Medicine ball is another simple workout tool that a beginner can use. They are easy and versatile to use. Medicine balls are easy to handle, hold in hand, throw and toss. They come in different weights, depending on how well you want to challenge your muscles. Medicine ball flexibility gives you a greater range of motion, allowing you to build endurance, balance, and strength.

5.    Foam Rollers

For beginners, the workout should be fun and not a stressful activity. Another way to stretch and release tight muscles is using a foam roller. The function of foam rollers is to help you release tension and massage sore muscles, which in turn help in improving your range of motion and treat minor back pain. Foam rollers are versatile; they can be used for core exercises like heel taps and planks.

Health and Safety of Workout Equipment

Health and Safety of Using Workout Equipment for Beginners

For beginners, there are safety measures you need to follow to avoid misuse of gym equipment and injury during exercise. They are:

1.    Start Slow if you are a Beginner or Have Certain Health Conditions

You should avoid overdoing the exercise if you are a beginner or have a medical condition. If you have health conditions, you must consult your doctor before starting an exercise program to know the best exercise program for you. If you are just beginning your exercise program, start exercising for 30 minutes at a time 2-3 times per week. It is also important that you listen to your body whenever you are tired and stop when you start feeling uneasy.

2.    Observe an Experienced Person Before Trying New Equipment

When starting your workout program, avoid handling equipment you have never used. If you exercise with your friend or trainer, you should observe how they use the machine before trying it yourself. You should watch how they position their body and adjust the equipment, pace, and techniques. You can also ask questions and get tips on how you can use the equipment.

3.    Inspect the Gym Equipment to Check for Damage or Wear

Broken equipment is dangerous and can cause harm to people. It is important that you check for signs of damage and wear before using any equipment to avoid injury. You should call the attention of your trainer or staff member to the signs you noticed.

4.    Disinfect Each Piece of Equipment Before and After Use.

Before using any gym equipment, you must use a disinfectant cleaner and a clean cloth to wipe down each piece of equipment, and after you are done using the equipment, you should also wipe with disinfectant. This is to protect you and other members from germs and infections in the gym.

5.    Adjust the Equipment to Suit you and According to the Instructions Given by your Trainer

There are certain equipment with instructions written on them. You must check out the instructions before using or adjusting the equipment. Ensure that you read and follow the instructions on adjusting the equipment, using knobs, dials, levers, etc. Once you know how to do these, you can use the equipment to suit your fitness level, goals, and body type. Most importantly, avoid making guesses on the use of gym equipment.

6.    Start with Lighter Weights and Focus on Perfecting your Technique

You should start with little moves and lighter weights as a beginner. Do not rush yourself into carrying heavier weights because other people are doing the same. Carrying lighter weights can help you easily maintain a good technique, and once you have mastered your technique, you can then move to the next stage. To learn your technique well, you should be able to do 10 reps without breaking it. However, if you can do more than 10 reps (repetition) of the technique easily, you can increase the weight a little.

7.    Use Steady Movements and Keep your Body Under Control

There is no competition in the gym. One of the most important things in using gym equipment is controlling your body. The key determinant of good technique is body control, which helps in an effective workout. When working out, focus on your body control with steady movements.

8.    Listen to your Body Before, During, and After Workouts

Your body speaks to you when something is wrong with it. Stop the exercise and take a break immediately whenever you feel pain or discomfort. However, if the pain continues for a few minutes, you should reduce or take a break from exercise and give your body time to rest until you feel better. You should allow your body to rest for at least 48 hours before working out a particular muscle group again. But if it continues for a long time or you develop chest pain, you should contact your physician immediately.

workout equipment

Conclusion

Consistency is the secret to any good exercise regimen. You should avoid overdoing your exercises to prevent injury. Remember that you should always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program, especially if you have certain medical conditions. Read any accompanying instructions on your equipment and observe your trainer or friend when using gym equipment to prevent injuries.

References

Top 5 pieces of fitness equipment for beginners | Academy

4 ways to use gym equipment- WikiHow

Massage Guns

Massage Guns

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If you’re asked to describe a massage session, you’d likely talk about the typical session in which a masseuse runs their hands against the muscles to relieve muscle tension and improve blood flow. While you won’t be wrong, muscle massages have now evolved beyond the use of hands, and now, there are equipment that allow you to self-administer massages. One such tool is the massage gun.

What are Massage Guns?

Massage guns, also known as percussive massage or vibration therapy, are handheld and portable tools placed on the muscles to help recover quickly from workouts stress and also help athletes improve their overall performance. This device has the shape of a gun and sometimes sounds like a power drill. Most massage guns are wireless, but they work with a rechargeable battery and interchangeable attachments for proper functioning.

A massage gun works by vibrating at a high-frequency level with low movement amplitude on the part of the body, helping that part of the muscle recover quickly from pain. Massage gun helps the body reduce recovery time and increase mobility after injury. They are also effective in increasing blood flow to a specific area in the body, thus, helping to reduce muscle tension and inflammation. Athletes mostly use them to help reduce muscle tightness and soreness after rehearsals or training. Massage guns are a viable alternative to regular hand-delivered massages and aid the self-delivery of massages. These tools deliver a similar sensation to that produced during massages and have been shown to be effective.

How Do Massage Guns Work?

A massage gun is a percussive therapy that helps loosen muscle stiffness and increase blood flow. When a muscle is stiff, it affects mobility and movement, limiting your range of motion within that area. However, this stiffness affects other muscle parts, putting such individuals at risk of more severe injury.

Massage guns, when turned on, vibrate at high frequencies, up to 2500 vibrations per minute. While it is not exactly clear how this high-frequency vibration affects the muscles, several theories exist. One such theory is that the vibration of the guns stimulates the Golgi tendon organ. The Golgi tendon organ is a structure that inhibits muscle contraction. Thus, by stimulating this structure, massage guns will cause the muscles within an area to relax. Massage guns may also stimulate the nerves in the area where it is applied, thereby reducing pain.

A massage gun helps to loosen up muscle tightness, reduce recovery time and improve range of motion. They penetrate the soft tissues, stimulate the release of hormones like serotonin, melatonin, and dopamine, and wake up inactive muscles. Like any other massage technique, massage guns primarily act neurally, forcing the brain to focus on an area with muscle tightness and then let go of the site.

benefits of a massage gun

Benefits of Using Massage Guns

1. They help improve overall physical and mental well-being

Massage guns are efficient in helping the body relax and improve the state of mind and the body. These tools achieve this effect in numerous ways, including:

  • Relieve the body of stress: massage guns help the body to release dopamine and serotonin, which are responsible for happiness, hence, relieving you from stress and promoting relaxation.
  • Helps to improve sleep: when a massage gun is used correctly, it helps the body relax, promoting a good sleeping pattern. Massage guns help the body release serotonin, which keeps the body relaxed, and melatonin which aids sleep. Sleep deprivation is linked to extensive neurological and physiological damage. Thus, massage guns by helping to improve sleep allow the body to stay relaxed and alert. Better sleep quality also increases libido, focus, and attention span and improves cognitive function and cardiovascular health.
  • Helps boost the immune system: massage guns help improve blood circulation, resulting in improved distribution of lymph, white blood cells, and other immune components. Thus, they enhance immune response, keeping the body free of diseases.

2.  Massage guns help to reduce recovery time and pain.

Using a deep tissue massage gun can help reduce recovery time. For someone looking to increase muscle mass and engage in a high-impact workout like heavy weightlifting, the massage gun is essential to minimize the time spent recovering between workouts. Thus, massage guns help athletes stay consistent and achieve their goals faster. A massage gun also helps in reducing muscle soreness and reducing pain by helping to loosen tightness in the muscles and around the joints. This allows your tissue to relax and improve movement in the joint.

3. It also helps to improve sports performance.

A massage gun is commonly used among endurance athletes. They help athletes feel relaxed before the event and help relieve stress, pain, and muscle soreness they might feel before the competition. Hence, massage guns help athletes to improve their overall performance. The circulation of blood when a massage gun is used helps reduce tension, improve tissue metabolism, prevent injuries, increase muscle and joint flexibility, and accelerate recovery.

4.  Post-injury care

Massage guns are used as post-injury care therapy. They are used as rehabilitation therapy to help accelerate recuperation time and prevent re-injury. They are used to treat muscle damage caused by medical illnesses or trauma. A massage gun effectively treats sciatica, shin splints, TMJ syndrome, muscle spasms, cramps, carpal tunnel syndrome, nonspecific low backpack, etc.

How to use a massage gun

Massage guns must be used accurately for a positive result to be recorded. Here are a few tips on accurately using a massage gun to get the best result.:

  • Massage guns can be used before, between, and after workouts. However,  you should use your massage gun within 48 hours after workouts to ensure rapid post-workout recovery.
  • Use a massage gun on the specific area where you are feeling pain or where you are feeling muscle stiffness.
  • Add little pressure to the area, but avoid being too aggressive on your body.
  • Stay on that spot for at least 15 seconds before switching or removing the massage gun.
  • Avoid using the massage guns on the bony areas of your body.
  • Avoid using your massage gun on an area where you feel excruciating pain or where you have an open injury, as the massage gun can worsen it.
  • Consult your doctor before using a massage gun if you are pregnant or have nerve sensitivity or deep vein thrombosis.
  • You should also be careful with the speed and the attachment if your body bruises easily.
  • When using a massage gun on your neck, be very gentle and avoid blood vessel and nerve areas on your neck.
  • Use your massage gun in sessions, preferably short sessions, then keep the power settings of your massage gun on low.
  • It is essential that you note how your body responds to the vibration. The massage gun should be on a tolerance level that your body can take.

Are Massage Guns Harmful?

Massage guns are considered safe, but when handled incorrectly, they can be harmful. Hence, there are precautions to avoid damage or injury to the arteries, muscles, internal organs, and nerves. If you feel unusual pain when using a massage gun, it is advisable to stop using it. When massage guns are handled in the wrong way, they can cause certain conditions like:

  • Muscle sprain: when the muscle is stretched beyond the limit, it can cause painful muscle strains. Extensive or improper use of massage guns, especially with excessive force, may cause the muscle in the area to overstretch, thus causing sprains.
  • Damaged blood vessels and formation of blood clots: Some studies suggest that using massage guns increases the risk of thrombosis (formation of blood clots). The exact reason for this is not known. However, it is known that applying too much pressure on muscles can cause damage to the blood vessel, which eventually leads to blood clot formation and other thrombolytic complications. Thus, it is advisable to apply massage guns with light pressure.
  • Inflammation: using a massage gun on an area with inflammation or swelling can reduce your recovery time and cause more pain and inflammation to the affected part.
  • Fractures: avoid using massage guns if you have fractures or are recovering from a fracture. Massage guns worsen the fractures and cause further damage to the bone.
  • Putting too much pressure can cause excessive muscular contraction increasing the flight-for-fight symptoms.
  • When a massage gun is used aggressively, it can cause increased nerve sensitivity, which increases heart rate and blood pressure.
  • Mishandling massage guns can cause damage to the muscle fiber. When too much pressure is placed on the muscles, it can cause damage to the muscle fibers and connective tissues, resulting in increased muscle tension and decreased body strength.
shoulder massage

Conclusion

Massage gun is becoming a popular and widely used device among athletes. They are efficient in helping to reduce pain, relieve stress, accelerate recovery, increase circulation and loosen muscle stiffness. Using massage guns is safe and helpful, provided you properly use them.

Avoid the “no pain, no gain” mentality when using massage guns. These devices should relieve pain, not cause more. If a massage gun is causing more pain for you, then you are using it the wrong way. Ensure to apply light pressure when using a massage gun and ensure that you do not use them in certain conditions like fractures and blood clotting defects. Importantly, ensure to consult a doctor before picking up a massage gun. Happy workouts!

References

5 Things You Should Know About Massage Guns

hydration supplements

Best Hydration Supplements

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If you’re feeling extremely weak, nauseous and sluggish, you may be down with something, like the flu or an infection. However, there’s also the chance that you’re just thirsty.

More than 75% of Americans suffer some form of dehydration resulting in fatigue, bowel problems, reduced immunity etc. Dehydration may also increase the risk of heatstrokes and hangovers. If you live in very hot places or engage in activities that cause you to sweat a lot, such as exercising and bodybuilding, you may be at increased risk of dehydration. Luckily, dehydration is easily solved by taking in enough water and electrolytes packed in dehydration supplements. Here, we look at what these supplements are and which you should have at the back of your mind to get. 

symptoms of dehydration

Dehydration and electrolytes imbalance

When you lose water through excessive sweating, urinating, vomiting or diarrhea, you also lose important electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium. These electrolytes are electrically-charged minerals that carry energy in the body and maintain the proper functioning of organs. Therefore, a proper balance between water and the different electrolytes is necessary to maintain homeostasis, keeping the body hydrated and energized.

Dehydration may result from infections that cause stooling and vomiting, cancer treatment, burns, kidney problems etc. When you lose water, you either lose electrolytes, causing reduced amounts of these electrolytes in your body or maintain the same amount of electrolytes, causing an increased concentration of electrolytes. You may also be getting enough water but not enough electrolytes through your diet, or maybe exposed to medications or conditions that cause you to lose electrolytes. Either way, the outcome is that your electrolyte levels become imbalanced, which is pretty bad. Your electrolyte concentrations must be balanced and your water volume optimal to maintain optimal functioning within the body. Thus, the key is to drink adequate water and eat right to replenish lost water and electrolytes.

What are Hydration Supplements?

Individual water and electrolyte needs depend on many factors, including environment, diet, health status and activity level. A typical healthy adult should get about 2 liters of water per day while also getting the recommended daily intake for the different electrolytes through a balanced diet.

Unfortunately, many individuals fail to get the required amount of water or electrolytes daily. Dehydration is also very common in athletes/bodybuilders due to rapid water and electrolyte loss from high-intensity training. In addition, based on their health status, some individuals need extra electrolyte boosts. This electrolyte boost can be provided through hydration supplements in all of these individuals.

Hydration supplements are mostly powders, capsules or tablets that contain a mix of different electrolytes, including sodium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, potassium etc. These supplements replenish electrolyte stores in the body and restore hydration (thus their name). Hydration supplements work faster and more effectively than water alone in preventing dehydration and restoring homeostasis. These supplements also contain more electrolytes, fewer calories and less sugar than traditional sports drinks.

human body made of water

Who needs hydration supplements?

The following categories of people need hydration supplements

  • High-endurance athletes, losing water excessively through sweating
  • Persons on diuretics that cause water and electrolyte loss.
  • Persons on cancer chemotherapy that causes loss of many electrolytes
  • Persons on a keto diet. Keto dieting is associated with rapid sodium depletion resulting in “keto flu.”

Healthy individuals may also use hydration supplements as a taste quencher and homeostasis booster. In addition, they improve mental alertness, aid recovery from stress and help with faster muscle healing after workouts.

Benefits of Hydration Supplements

Hydration supplements/powders rapidly replace depleted electrolyte stores and restore homeostasis. These supplements are beneficial in every part of the body. Some of the benefits of hydration supplements in particular and electrolytes in general include;

  • Promote quality sleep.
  • Strengthen immunity
  • Improve cognition
  • Reduce anxiety
  • Stabilizes blood sugar levels
  • Stabilize cortisol levels
  • Improves digestion
  • Improve cardiovascular health
  • Relieves migraines and headaches
  • Improves kidney health and prevents kidney stones
  • Improve athletic performance

Getting adequate electrolytes and staying hydrated through supplements or proper dieting ensures that your entire body functions like a well-oiled machine.

Ranking the Best Hydration Supplements

There are many different brands of hydration supplements available, with each having numerous benefits. Here is a list of the best available hydration supplements based on quality and expert reviews.

 

 

9. ZICO Coconut Water

Coconut water is a well-studied natural electrolyte, providing tons of potassium and small amounts of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and phosphorus. Zico takes advantage of coconut’s natural property in this formula, in which the only ingredient is coconut.

This formula contains 70 calories and 13 grams of sugar, providing added energy source pre-workout. The flavor is that of natural coconut, and the major electrolyte it provides is potassium (490 milligrams)

8. Key Nutrients Electrolyte Powder

This is a sugar and calorie-free hydration supplement perfect for after-workout recovery. In addition, this supplement uses plant-based ingredients, making it ideal for vegans.

The Key Nutrient formula contains potassium and magnesium and 12 additional vitamins and minerals. It has a lemonade flavor, so it’s not so great-tasting when warm. You could use this supplement to boost the recovery of sore muscles after workouts or before workouts to boost performance.

7. Cure Hydration Mix

Cure Hydration Mix is made with organic coconut powder, pink Himalayan salt, and organic fruit flavors and sweetened with organic stevia leaf extract and monk fruit extract. Thus, it boasts a great taste and efficient electrolyte replenishing capability.

However, this formula contains up to 4 grams of sugar and 25 calories, making it not ideal for weight-watchers. This formula comes in six flavors, including, Endless Summer (watermelon), Wild Thing (mixed berry), Main Squeeze (lemon), Ruby Riot (grapefruit), Golden Hour (turmeric), and Laser Focus (matcha vanilla). In addition, some flavors incorporate other ingredients (like caffeine in Laser Focus), helping to boost mental sharpness.

6. Pedialyte Electrolyte Powder

Pedialyte’s selling point is its relative affordability. It comes in flavorless and flavored variants, and each effectively replenishes electrolyte stores and gets you going through your workout.

However, Pedialyte contains 9 grams of sugar in the form of dextrose and 35 calories, making it unsuitable if you’re trying to cut your sugar intake. The formula mixes sodium, chloride, and potassium. It also contains zinc, which supports intestinal absorption and transport of water and electrolytes.

5. Huma Plus Chia Energy Gel

While most hydration supplements come as powders mixed with water, Huma Energy gel comes as a snackable gel. This formula is made with pureed fruit, coconut water, chia seeds, brown rice syrup, and sea salt. Thus, it contains 13 grams of sugar and 100 calories, making it unideal if you’re trying to cut down sugar intake.

Sodium, potassium and magnesium are the major electrolytes in this formula. It comes in various flavors, including Chocolate Raspberry and Strawberry Lemonade. This supplement is perfect pre and during workouts.

4. Trace Minerals 40,000 Volts Electrolyte Concentrate

This electrolyte formula combines sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride to help replenish lost electrolytes during and after workouts. Added boron helps offset calcium loss through sweat, thus maintaining bone health. This formula is also vegan and has high scores for purity and quality.

3. Perfect Keto Electrolytes Hydration Powder Capsules

Keto diets significantly deplete sodium and water, resulting in the keto flu. This formula provides electrolyte replacement without any added carbs or sugar, allowing you to maintain your keto routine.

This formula comes in capsules containing calcium, magnesium, sodium, and chloride. It also contains the amino acid L-leucine, which supports muscle recovery and development.

2. Nuun Sport Electrolyte Drink Tablets

Nuun tablets are convenient and perfect for post-workout recovery. In addition, they are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and flavored with natural fruit extracts.

This formula contains sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, with 40 grams of caffeine boosting mental alertness and enhancing workout performance. It comes in 13 different flavors.

1. Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Hydration Powder

The Ultima Replenisher Powder contains all the six electrolytes required for homeostasis, i.e., sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, calcium and bicarbonate. In addition, this formula is gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and caffeine-free, making it suitable regardless of your dietary requirements. It includes organic stevia leaf as a sweetener and is flavored with organic fruit extracts.

Besides containing all six essential electrolytes, this formula contains more than the RDI of vitamin C. It comes in five flavors: raspberry, lemonade, grape, cherry pomegranate, and orange.

hydration supplements electrolytes

What Makes a Hydration Supplement Great?

A combination of factors goes into rating electrolyte supplements and defining what a great supplement is. One of these factors is the number and types of electrolytes included. Sodium and potassium are the most important electrolytes. Therefore, any great supplement must contain both of these in proportion. However, chloride, calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate are also very important, and the more electrolytes you have, the better the formula. However, your underlying health conditions and overall health state would determine what supplements you actually need. Always make it a duty to speak to your doctor about your electrolyte needs.

The presence of sugar and additives also determines how good a supplement is. Added sugar provides an additional energy source to burn during workouts. However, too much sugar may be detrimental to your diet plan. Additives like caffeine also enhance workout performance but may have harmful side effects. Supplements also have to come in enjoyable flavors. Even adults have a desire for good-tasting things.

Supplements that use organic sweeteners and flavors and include extra vitamins like vitamin C provide added benefits and are highly rated.

Hydration supplements and workouts

As already noted, water and electrolytes play vital roles in maintaining several vital functions in the body. Every cell in the body is bathed in a water environment. The body is 70% water, and electrolytes are needed to keep this water balance.

The electrolytes themselves are important in transmitting nerve signals, muscle contraction, heart functioning, kidney functioning etc. Without these activities running optimally, exercise performance will be diminished. For example, if the sodium/potassium/calcium balance is not maintained, the risk of cardiac infarctions increases, especially during strenuous activity. Therefore, hydration supplements that keep all electrolytes functioning optimally allow you to do your workouts without fear and more efficiently.

Losing water and electrolytes during workouts results in fatigue, significantly affecting concentration. Replenishing these lost stores during workouts helps you stay alert and continue your workouts for longer, achieving optimal results. Simply put, it is impossible to have an efficient workout without proper hydration. Hydration supplements thus provide said hydration.

hydration supplements

Take-Home

Whether you’re a bodybuilder, endurance trainer or just a regular person, your body needs electrolytes and water to function optimally. Hydration supplements help the body replace lost electrolytes and stay hydrated throughout the day.

Here, we have ranked some of the best hydration supplements. Regardless, ensure you speak with your doctor before commencing any supplements to avoid worsening health conditions and get optimal benefits.

References

Best Supplements to Keep You Hydrated, According to Dietitians

healthy hair and skin products

Creams, Lotions, Hair and Skin Products to Keep You Looking and Feeling Great

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There’s an old saying that goes, “You are what you eat.” There’s a lot of truth to that, but we should also pay attention to what products we use on our bodies.

We all want to look and feel our best, and there’s so much out there in the world of creams, lotions, hair and skin products to help us with that. There are also plenty of gimmick products that want to waste our money but seem like they’re helping.

What are the keys to the great hair and skin kingdom?

collagen for healthy skin

This conversation should start off with collagen. Collagen is a protein that supports healthy skin, hair, nails, and connective tissues in the body.

Collagen doesn’t only make for stronger joints by super charging tendons and ligaments, but also gives us shiny and younger looking skin. There are dozens of different kinds of collagen, but only a handful of them are the kind we want to actively hunt down for body benefits. There are five that we really want, and they’re represented by Roman numerals, and are most of the collagen types present in our bodies.

The amount of collagen we intake is important. Collagen isn’t something we can take dose after dose of a day like a skin miracle cure. Too much collagen can cause health issues like several skin diseases. Collagen used in the right amounts can help fight skin aging and reduce wrinkles.

There are a bunch of collagen supplements on the market. Collagen supplements are user friendly, and are often tasteless or sweetened with Stevia, a natural sweetener that comes from the stevia leaf. Being tasteless or semi-sweetened makes collagen powder a great addition to your morning cup of coffee or an untasted but useful ally in a homemade smoothie or protein shake.

One of the best collagen supplements on the market comes from actor and fitness enthusiast Zachary Levi’s company, FloSupps.

FloSupps’ Collagen Plus is a clinically dosed, Stevia-sweetened product that goes well in morning tea or coffee or mixed into a nutrition shake. Collagen Plus contains Collagen Peptides I and III, which are in the big five we’re looking for. One order of Collagen Plus contains 30 servings, each packing 11 grams of protein, 5000 mcg of Biotin, and 11,000 mgs of hydrolyzed bovine collagen peptides. It also comes with a convenient scoop which holds one serving.

FloSupps prides itself on ethically sourced ingredients and giving the customer the best possible products with no filler ingredients and no gimmicks. Coming in at $39.99, Collagen Plus is on the expensive side, but it follows the motto of “you get what you pay for.

A cheaper but still a great option comes from Orgain, founded by Dr. Andrew Abraham, an integrative medicine specialist, and cancer survivor.

Orgain’s website has a surprisingly large variety of collagen products. A notable product is their Peptides and Superfoods blend, which mixes 10g of grass-fed bovine collagen peptides with 50 powdered superfoods for a powerful morning boost. Orgain boosts the use of amla fruit in their superfoods mix to give it a powerful Vitamin C punch.

Collagen isn’t the only way we can boost our skin and hair care game, and ingesting supplements isn’t the only way we can take care of our hides.

Our choice of bath and body products we use daily has a major effect on the quality of our skin and hair.

It’s best to avoid heavy chemical body cleaners, and search instead for natural ingredients that are not just easier on our skin but help to replenish it.

Taking a nice long soak in the tub isn’t just relaxing at the end of a hard day of work or a nice part of a day off, but can do wonders for skin and muscle repair.

Bath bombs are a fun way to make baths work a little harder for your relaxation and skin health. This bath bomb from Pottery Barn is made with milk and oatmeal, which is great for reducing skin redness, irritation, and rehydrating. And who doesn’t like taking baths that fizz? Pottery Barn carries a milk and oatmeal soap and lotion set that goes perfectly with the bath bomb.

If you’re more of a butter, lotion, or cream guy or girl, there’s endless varieties of that, too.

body lotions and creams

Trulybeauty.com has a jaw dropping selection of bath and body products for those important self-care days, like Unicorn Fruit Whipped Body Butter.  This colorful and fragrant butter conditions and hydrates and moisturizes your skin with acai, matcha, and vegetable collagen.

Truly Beauty also carries a Moon Rocks Whipped Body Scrub made with whipped sugar, coconut oil, lavender, and Vitamin E. Vitamin E is packed with antioxidants that nourish skin and supports healthy cell function. Truly Beauty chose to use sugar as a natural biodegradable exfoliant instead of microplastics, so it’s a win for you and the environment, while being suitable for sensitive skin.

Body oils are another skin care option to keep your eyes our for. They don’t hydrate so much as keep skin moisture in.

A particular body oil that can be helpful for acne, dark spots, reducing wrinkles, and increasing collagen synthesis in the body is retinol oil. Retinol oil can be found in several beauty products, and is also in essential oils such as basil, oregano, clove, eucalyptus, and the little known but powerful Artemisia. Retinol is also in foods such as tuna, butter, and Swiss cheese. Retinol does make your skin more receptive to UV, so if it’s sunny out, make sure to use sun block or stick to the shade.

It should come as little surprise that Neutrogena is a good place to start looking for retinol oil products. A lot of Neutrogena’s skin care products contain retinol, Vitamin C, SPF, and hyaluronic acid to help fight aging.  

healthy skin food sources

It’s never too early to start a healthy skin care regiment, and Neutrogena argues that starting the fight early can help you out in the long run.

We’ve talked a lot about skin care, but what about taking care of your scalp and hair? A lot of the same rules still apply to hair as apply to skin; avoid harsh chemicals, and the lighter and more natural the ingredients, the better.

Unfortunately, those of us who suffer from dandruff and dry scalp may have a hard time avoiding the chemical-heavy shampoos. The ingredients we want to look for in a scalp-healthy shampoo is aloe, zinc, and green tea. We want to stay away from sulfates, artificial scented products, parabens, formaldehyde, and surprisingly, citrus.

Luckily, we don’t have to spend a fortune on good hair care.

Kamedis Dandruff Therapy Shampoo has none of the products we want to avoid, is soft enough for kids and powerful enough for adults and uses botanical ingredients.

L’Oreal Paris has what you need if you’re looking to add some shine to your hair game with the EverPure hair care line. The EverPure trio works to give you, shiny, glossy, healthy hair without using parabens, sulfates, and artificial colors and dyes, and is naturally scented with sandalwood and rose. EverPure’s 4.5-6 pH range can also help repair any damage done to your hair from any coloring or chemical process damage. The EverPure package contains shampoo, conditioner, and a spray that gives hair a salon glossy look.

Having a hygienic lifestyle is great, but healthy scalp, skin, and hair really start with diet.

It sounds like a broken record fix-all, but drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated by drinking water hydrates the entire body, inside and out. Greasy and salty foods can leave us with extra oily or dried out skin and hair.

What are some good food habits that can help us protect and enhance our hair and skin?

Bell pepper, egg, garlic, avocado oil, and tomatoes are all foods that are very commonplace or can effortlessly be added to our diets to give us an extra edge. Fatty fish like salmon are a tasty delicacy packed with Omega 3 that feeds the hair and skin.

A combo of the right products, staying hydrated, and eating clean is the best way to keep up with healthy and happy skin and hair.

Trying to keep our skin and hair happy and healthy can seem like a daunting task, and it can be, but there’s plenty of food, water, and solid products out there to help us in our fight to have radiant skin and hair.

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All about DHEA
Best Workout Shoes

BEST WORKOUT SHOES

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Do you feel like your New Year fitness resolution is a mess? Don’t worry; it is for most people. Sometimes it’s the stress of the day. The world is too fast-paced, and everyone’s got a million and one things on their mind. As a result, working out is never really on the calendar. Sometimes, however, you really want to work out, but when you check through your workout gear, you realize that there’s nothing of value.

Having the right workout shoes is beneficial in many ways. Not only does it make your workout seamless, it mentally spurs you to go for that run or power lift. The right shoe is a big part of the workout process. When you have beautiful, durable shoes, you’re more motivated to meet your workout goals and keep your New Year’s resolution. Today, we’ll be aiding you in your workout journey by providing you with some of the best shoes to aid various types of workouts.

What Are Workout Shoes?

Also called cross-trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, sports shoes, runners, gym shoes or trainers, workout shoes are footwear worn primarily for sports and exercise activities. These shoes are built to accommodate pressure and high impact and provide maximum comfort for the feet during these activities.

Workout shoes provide support for movements like jumping, cutting, changing directions quickly and breaking. It ensures that the feet stay stable during these motions and protects the ankles from dislocation when making sudden movements. In addition, these shoes cushion the legs during landing or fall, limiting how much impact it receives and protecting against nerve pains.

Workout shoes became more popular in the mid-20th century by companies like Converse, Nike, and Spalding. Today, over 30 brands make these athletic shoes, including giants like Addidas, Puma, Jordan, Shaq, reebok and new balance.

Types of workout shoes

Types of Workout Shoes

Workout shoes have differing qualities and provide different degrees of protection based on the kind of activities they’re used for. In light of that, there are eight major categories of

1. Running shoes: running shoes are high-impact shoes that can withstand excessive force and pressure and provide the best possible protection for the feet and ankles. These shoes have great shock absorption properties and have a spring-like feel that enhances forward propulsion. These shoes are widely used by track athletes and provide more protection when running than generic sneakers.

2. Walking shoes: Walking shoes are designed to provide maximum support and shock-absorption for the portions of the feet most engaged during walking, i.e., the toes and ball of the feet. These shoes are designed with a rounded sole that allows easy rolling from the toes to the balls. Unlike most other walking shoes, walking shoes are incredibly lightweight but durable. They are mostly used by those engaging in walking marathons or brisk walks for weight loss.

3. Tennis shoes: Although most workout shoes can be used for tennis, proper tennis shoes are designed to support athletes’ various movements during tennis games. Tennis involves a lot of forward movement but a mostly sideways movement to meet serves. Thus, tennis shoes are reinforced on the sides, providing maximum ankle and feet protection during these sideways motions.

4.    Cross-trainers: Cross-trainers are versatile workout shoes that can be used for various activities. They provide less protection for forward and sideways movements than running or tennis shoes but more protection than regular sneakers. These shoes are mostly employed in indoor aerobic exercises. They are great for people that find themselves playing engaged in different workouts.

5.    Basketball shoes: They are designed for fast movement. They have dense and stiff soles to help provide stability and balance. In addition, they have high-top designs and extra ankle support to protect the ankles from injury.

6. Weightlifting or powerlifting shoes: Weightlifting shoes help athletes generate more power by providing an extremely stable base to maintain balance. The soles have minimal padding, allowing the weightlifter closer to the ground for more power. However, they are reinforced to prevent slips and ankle injuries. The heels are also elevated to provide support when squatting.

7.   Rock climbing shoes: These shoes are designed for traction. The sole of the shoes has a curved design that plants the toes and heels firmly to the ground and allows for more grip during rock climbing.

8.   Cycling shoes: Cycling shoes are designed with stiff soles that allow cyclists to pedal hard and fast.

Best Workout Shoes

Men and women have anatomical differences in the shape of their feet. For example, while men tend to have wider heels and slimmer toes, women have wider forefoot and slimmer heels. Thus, men’s and women’s shoes are designed differently to reflect these anatomical differences.

Here, we look at some of the best workout shoes for men and women.

Best Workout Shoes for Men

Running shoes: HOKA ONE ONE men’s Clifton 8 running shoes

This shoe is renowned for its comfort and cushion and how smooth it makes running. The shoe is singed to fit perfectly for the fit, giving great lockdown. Interestingly, it is incredibly lightweight but still very durable and offers great value for money. Its numerous qualities make it the best running shoes available. 

Walking Shoes: Merrell Men’s Moab 2 Prime Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot

This shoe is lightweight, strong and comfortable to wear. They are made with hard-wearing and waterproof material to help protect against damage. They also come with Vibram soles for grip on any surface, be it terrain, ice, snow etc., while also giving you the necessary stability and support for your feet.

Cycling: Nike SuperRep Cycle Men’s Indoor Cycling Shoes

This type of shoe is comfortable with a nice look. It allows you to control the pedal with your leg without struggles, giving you power over your pedal. It allows you to use your hamstrings, core and glutes easily while also enjoying the workout. It gives extra body stability and prevents foot and ankle injury.

Training: Adidas Ultraboost 5.0 DNA Shoes

This shoe is best for training; it prevents pain in your feet even after long hours of training. It is durable, has high-quality features, is comfortable and versatile. You can find it in different colors and styles.

workout shoes for women

Best Workout Shoes for Women

Running: Brooks Women’s Ghost 13 Running Shoe

This type of running shoe is best for women. It has an extra cushion that helps to prevent injury. It is durable, and you can get them in different sizes and colors.

Cycling: SoulCycle x Pearl Izumi Legend 2.0 Cycling Shoes

These shoes are breathable, comfortable to wear and provide stability in handling pedals while cycling. In addition, they protect the ankle during the sprint and push resistance.

Weightlifting Workout Shoes

Weightlifting workout shoes are workout shoes worn for lifting barbells and dumbbells. Weightlifting is a strength training exercise that helps to build muscle, enhance stability and promote weight loss. Weightlifting shoes, also called powerlifting shoes, are specifically designed for this purpose.

Weightlifting shoes allow you to push through the floor easily, producing more force during lifting. In addition, these shoes provide you with safety when lifting, allowing you to weightlift without fear. Good weightlifting shoes allow for better distribution and transfer of weight when lifting. They are characterized by thick soles and solid high heels that help maintain balance for squatting.

Benefits of Weightlifting Shoes

1.      It Helps To Increase Your Lifting Power

Weightlifting shoes help to improve performance. This is because they are specifically designed to provide you with support and balance during weightlifting. This support, in turn, helps to improve your performance.

2.      Deeper Squats

The elevated heels of weightlifting shoes allow you to use your musculature more efficiently. In addition, the elevated heels provide a broader range of motion for the ankle joints. This allows the lifter to settle more comfortably into a deeper squatting position that helps to build the torso.

3.      Increased Hypertrophy

Weightlifting shoes allow lifters to lift heavier loads, promoting muscle bulking and hypertrophy.

Best Weightlifting Shoes for Men and Women

There are different weightlifting shoes, some are specifically designed for men, and some are specifically designed for women. These weightlifting shoes mentioned below are for both men and women.

1.      Reebok Legacy Lifter II for Women

Reebok’s signature weightlifting shoes are designed and known for their stability and performance. Reebok legacy lifter II weightlifting shoes have ETC anti-microbial lining, Achilles padding, and a high-grip rubber outsole that helps for grip and prevent injury. If you love higher heel height for weightlifting, this is the best choice with durability features.

2.       Under Armor TriBase Reign 4

Under armor TriBase Reign 4 weightlifting shoes are specifically designed for serious weightlifting or other complex training like cross-training and CrossFit. They have Micro G Foam midsole and TriBase outsole features that provide good stability. In addition, it has a rubber outsole that helps with cushioning and increasing performance for weightlifting. Whether it is lunges or splint movement, it works best for both.

3.      Adidas AdiPower II

Adidas Adipower Weightlifting II has powerlifting features. It is breathable, has reinforced inner forefoot and heel with a 20.1mm lift, padding in the rear, and uses TPU material to ensure stability. In addition, it has a wide sole, stiff heel, woven upper and flexible midsole with no metal support for comfortability.

4.      Adidas Powerlift 4

It has almost the same features as Adidas AdipowerII. Adidas Powerlift 4 is known for providing stability and lockdown. They have good grip, solid heels, rubber outsoles, and are lightweight; these features help with squat and deadlifts.

Best workout shoes

Take-Home

It is important to note that there are different workout shoes, and each of them has its unique attributes. For example, running shoes are different from cycling workout shoes. Each shoe is designed for its specific purpose and may limit you when you try to use it for something else.

Always check the features of the workout shoes you get. Although men’s and women’s workout shoes are different, you may be able to interchange them, provided they’re the right size. If you’re planning to build muscle through powerlifting, ensure to get the powerlifting shoes that provide enough balance and power distribution for such activities and ensure you’re taking the right supplements. Remember, the right shoes can spur you to meet your goals.

Kinesiology Tapes

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KINESIOLOGY TAPES AND THEIR PLACE IN WORKOUTS

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You’ve seen it many times on TV… Well, if you do watch TV. You’ve seen these tapes on professional volleyball players, cyclists, gymnasts, and just about any athlete that performed at the Olympics. You’ve seen these brightly colored tapes worn around the arms, knees, backs, abs, shoulders, or anywhere that receives an impact.

You’ve seen these tapes and often wondered, “what are they? Some kind of decorative fashion for athletes?” These beautiful tapes indeed add to the allure of the sport, but they also do so much more. This article delves into what kinesiology tapes are and how they can benefit your routine.

What is Kinesiology?

Kinesiology is simply the study of motion. Kinesiology involves the study of the musculoskeletal system as movement occurs. It studies the relationship between the bones, joints and muscles when these movements occur and how this relationship can be maneuvered to enhance movement.

Kinesiology does not just study the mechanics of human movement. It also studies how this movement impacts health and wellbeing. It employs anatomical, biomechanical, physiological, and neuropsychological principles to understand movement’s mechanisms and source solutions or enhancements to movement.

The study and application of kinesiology have been useful in sectors like biomechanics, orthopedics, sport psychology, motor control, skill acquisition and motor learning, physical and occupational therapy, exercise physiology, and rehabilitation methods. Kinesiology is used as a non-invasive therapy that combines the traditional principles of Chinese medicine with modern muscle monitoring techniques to understand a person’s health status.

Kinesiology uses several non-invasive tools to study and treat movement mechanics. However, one of its most essential tools is the kinesiology tapes which we will explore further.

Different applications of Kinesiology Tapes

What are Kinesiology Tapes?

Kinesiology tape, also called elastic therapeutic tape, Kinesio tape, k tape or KT, is a therapeutic tape used on specific body parts. They are used to provide support to the body, reduce pain and swelling and allow athletes to improve performance. It is made of an elastic cotton strip with an acrylic adhesive to relieve pain.

Developed by a Japanese-American chiropractor in the 1970s, kinesiology tapes became popular during the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. The tapes were made to replace standard athletic tapes that provided support but a limited movement. To achieve this, kinesiology tapes are made with a proprietary blend of cotton and nylon, with a  stretch capacity of 140% of their original length. As a result, these tapes stretch greater than their normal length then slink afterward, creating a pulling force on the skin. 

Although majorly used by athletes, kinesiology tapes have varying use cases beyond sporting activities. These tapes are also used by:

  • People who engage in hard physical labor like construction workers, factory workers, gardeners, mechanics, miners, etc.
  • Those who sit and work for long periods every day on a desk.
  • Those who suffer from the effects of bad posture.
  •  People that suffer from back pain.
  • Those who suffer from joint, muscle, or tendon injuries of any kind.
  • Pregnant women.

  

How Does Kinesiology Tape Work?

Kinesiology tapes are made from a mix of cotton and nylon, which is very stretchy, and mimic’s the skin’s elasticity. When applied correctly, Kinesiology tape works by lifting the skin from the tissues below it. There are nerve receptors in their skin and the deep layers of the fascia, muscles, and other connective tissues. When the tape is applied, it causes compression or decompression of these areas, causing an alteration of pain signals to the brain.

Another way these tapes work is to affect the spaces between joints. When the bones in joints are very close to each other, there is resulting friction, causing inflammation. Small studies have shown that k tapes cause a slight increase in the space between the joint bones, which causes a reduction in friction and inflammation that takes place there.

Another study found that kinesiology tapes help improve blood and lymph circulation, which reduces inflammation and swelling after an injury. When applied, kinesiology tapes may create extra subcutaneous space, causing a change in pressure underneath the skin. This pressure change causes improved blood and lymph flow leading to faster healing of bruises and skin injuries.

What can kinesiology tapes do for you

Benefits of Kinesiology Taping

Kinesiology tapes reduce pain and swelling, improve circulation and support the muscle. These tapes have lots of benefits and purposes for which they are used, including;

  1. It helps to increase circulation and reduce inflammation

Kinesiology tapes produce a massaging effect on the kin, which helps relieve muscle congestion and stimulate blood vessels for the effective flow of blood and lymphatic fluids. Improved circulation effectively flushes the system off irritants. Thus, KT helps reduce inflammation and spark a rapid recovery by improving circulation.

2. It helps to improve posture and muscle support.

Kinesiology tapes are used to support the body and correct bad posture. It can also help the weak muscles function efficiently and reduce pain around joint areas. K tapes help protect your muscles and bones against over-contraction, cramping, and over-extension and are used as extra support to muscles and joints in people with patellofemoral stress syndrome, Achilles tendonitis or IT band friction syndrome, restoring the body to normal. It is also used to improve movement in stroke patients.

3. It Helps to Improve Athletic Performance

Kinesiology tapes put pressure on resting muscles and stimulate them to wake up. These tapes also support joints and have been noted to increase the spaces between joints, thereby enhancing motion. These actions help improve performance in athletes who require the added push to achieve peak performance. Indeed, kinesiology tapes have been used by marathoners, volleyballers and gymnasts to achieve peak performance and faster recovery. 

4. Treating injuries

Muscle injuries typically occur due to over congestion of muscles. Kinesiology tapes help massage the muscles, reduce congestion, and relieve injuries. These tapes also increase recovery time in athletes.

Kinesiology tapes are typically used with other treatment options for more effective injury healing. These tapes should not be used on open wounds as they may inhibit healing and cause infections. However, some studies suggest that Kinesio tapes may help improve the appearance of long-term scars. 

Use Cases for Kinesiology Tapes

Kinesiology tapes may be used for specific conditions or on specific body parts to serve specific purposes.

Kinesiology for pregnancy

Pregnant women use kinesiology tapes to relieve pregnancy-related pain. Kinesiology tape is safe and effective in relieving musculoskeletal pains in the low back, round ligament and pelvic girdle regions most common during pregnancy.

Since k tapes are drug-free, they do not affect the baby’s health, meaning that pregnant women may use them in any trimester. These tapes are effective for various pregnancy-associated pains and symptoms like carpal tunnel, swollen feet, lower backaches, tummy aches and waist pain. Kinesio tapes provide support and stability to muscles and joints during movement. Because they’re very stretchy, they do not limit movement in pregnancy. They are effective in controlling pregnancy-associated inflammations and fluid accumulation. They also lift the skin around the belly, relieving lower body pressure.

Pregnant women may use kinesiology tapes in several different ways. For example, they may place it around the downside of their belly to reduce ligament pain or place it vertically in front of the belly to give abdominal support. Kinesio tapes may also be used for palates activities to improve motion and flexibility throughout pregnancy.

Kinesiology for Shoulder

Pain or cramps in the shoulder joints or muscles are very uncomfortable and often limiting. The shoulder is an important part of the body and is important for upper body motion and some types of lower body motion. Instability or injury in the shoulder typically extends to other body regions, including the neck, spine and chest.

Kinesiology tapes are effective in relieving shoulder pains. Applying k tapes to the shoulder creates spaces between the shoulder joints, resulting in pain reduction and stress relief. These tapes also help set the shoulder to its original state, lengthen the muscles and remove pressure from the upper back. Kinesiology taping may be used in conjunction with other therapies like massages, muscle relief therapy, muscle balancing training etc., to provide more stability to the shoulders.

Kinesiology for Ankles

Kinesiology tapes are beneficial for different ankle injuries, ranging from inflamed tendons, sprains, stretched ligaments to weakness in the ankle area. They help provide motion support during injury and relieve ankle pain and swelling. In addition, using kinesiology tape in the ankle helps reduce pressure, provide stability and give compression to the ankle joint.

Cutting Kinesiology Tape

Side effects of kinesiology tapes

As much as kinesiology tapes are beneficial in reducing inflammation and healing injuries, they may also be a cause of injury and cause instability if used incorrectly. Kinesiology tapes should never be taped too tight around an area as that may worsen the injury in the area by causing further inflammation. In using kinesiology tapes, you want them just to fit. Not too tight and not loose. Therefore, always lookout for a tape that’s the right size for that area and get a professional to help you apply it.

The KT tape original cotton elastic kinesiology tape for athletes comes in a range of sizes and provides optimal support for athletes, while there are also different categories of kinesiology tape to suit many other purposes as required.

Take-Home

Kinesiology tapes have been around for a while, and their benefits are beyond doubt. These tapes are essential for athletes, pregnant women, people with back pain, and various conditions. K tapes should be used with care and be applied in conjunction with other therapies like massages. Please consult with your doctor or physiotherapists to work out the areas of your body most in need of taping and how to optimize its use. 

Alternative Milks for the BodyBuilder

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Alternative Milks and the Body Builder

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Does it feel like there are a lot of different kinds of milk these days? It used to be that milk was just milk. Now there are soy milks, oat milks, nut milks. What’s a bodybuilder to do when faced with all of these choices in alternative milks?

Pull off the nutrition labels and lay them on the table in a side-by-side tournament of champs based on their protein, calcium, and calorie content, that’s what.

Raising a Glass to Milk

Before we talk about alternative milks, let’s talk about good old cow’s milk. It’s what we know, it’s what we love, and the easiest way to talk about alternative milks is going to be by holding them up to the classic standard.

One cup of 2% moo juice contains about 124 calories. That’s from 12g of carbs (from natural sugars) and 4.9g of fat. However, that also comes along with 8g of calcium and almost a third of your daily recommended calcium.

Milk nutrition can vary a little, but for the most part it comes as God made it. Alternative milks, however, are a little different. Next, we’re going to take a tour through the alternative milks section, checking out nut milks, soy milk, and oat milk. 

Further, we won’t just look at how many calories each option brings along, we’ll look at where those calories come from. Spoiler alert, most alternative milks have more added sugar than we might like.

How Nut Milks Stack Up

Nut milks are made, essentially, from ground nuts and water. However, you just know that as long as someone is making milk in the nut factory, they’re going to do some stuff to it. Every brand of nut milk is going to have slightly different nutritional stats. Different nuts also come with slightly different nutritional portfolios.

We could’ve looked at different nuts and the nutritions of their varying milks, but right now the dominant nut milk on the market is almond milk. So, that’s what we looked at.

For the purposes of this article, we decided to look at Almond Breeze unsweetened “original” almond milk. If you want to give it a try, and can find it near you, that’s great. However, they aren’t sponsoring this post and we at HTBM don’t necessarily prefer this brand over other brands – we just chose a brand for educational purposes. 

The first two ingredients are almonds and water, although there are some additional ingredients, mainly natural flavors, and some vitamins and minerals. But, remember: not all almond milks are created equal.

The stats: thirty calories coming from one gram of dietary fiber and 2.5g of fat. Also along for the ride is 35 percent of your recommended daily calcium and a single gram of protein. Remember though, this is “original” and “unsweetened” almond milk. If you don’t buy unsweetened and opt for vanilla or chocolate almond milk, you’ll likely find more carbs and calories therein.

Now, using these stats as the representatives for nut milks everywhere, how does this stack up to mammal milk?

The Nutritional Side-by-Side

All of the sugar in cow’s milk is natural but it still has way more fat and sugar than almond milk. Further, much of the calcium in almond milk is an artificial addition, but it’s still calcium. So far, on the energy and minerals front, nut milks are crushing it.

However, you’re here to bulk muscle and you want to know about protein, right? Well, if you’re keeping score at home, you probably noticed that cows milk has WAY more protein than nut milks.

We see this scenario play out in the solids game too: sure, nuts have a lot of protein as far as plants are concerned. But, as far as foods are concerned, they pale in comparison to animal products. This is the same situation.

soy milk for bodybuilding

In Soy Milk’s Corner

Now, let’s take a look at another frequent favorite in the alternative milks: soy milk. Much like nut milks, soy milk is made from grinding soy beans and adding water. Also much like nut milks, soy milks often come with added flavors and sweeteners.

As was the case for nut milks, we picked a “brand representative” – this time Silk brand “original” soy milk. The rule is the same: we picked this brand for illustrational and educational purposes but other brands should be comparable, provided that you go with unflavored soy milk. Once again, flavored varieties are likely to have more added sweeteners as well.

Again, the first two ingredients are soy beans and water as we would like to expect. However, vitamins, minerals, and (at least generally) a bunch of sugar are added.

The Nutrient Question

Unflavored soy milk comes in at 110 calories per serving, with those calories coming from 4.9g of fat, 2g of dietary fiber, and an unfortunate 5g of added sugars. Also in that mix: 8g of protein and another 30% of the day’s calcium. 

Compared to the Cows?

From a numerical perspective, given the inputs we’re looking at, Soy milk has all of the same stats as cow’s milk but a few fewer calories. We don’t like that those calories come from added sweeteners, but hey, it’s still fewer calories.

Got Oat Milk?

Ready for a zany mixup? Oat milk isn’t made by grinding up oats and adding water. Instead it’s made by adding water to oats, and then grinding it up. Common ingredients include some of the same vitamins and minerals that we saw in soy milk and nut milks, but this alternative milk is less likely to have added sweeteners.

We chose “original” oat milk from Planet Oat as the category representative. You know the disclaimer: other products from Planet Oat or a similar product from another company could have very different nutritional numbers than those that we look at here.

By the Numbers

Oat milk comes in at 90 calories. That’s below cow’s milk or soy milk, but still well over nut milks. And where do those calories come from?  1.5g of fat 2g of dietary fiber, and 4g of added sugars. 

The good news? 2g of protein, but only a quarter of the day’s recommended calcium. 

Compared to Cows:

Oat milk has quite a few fewer calories, and quite a bit less calcium and a quarter of the protein. We’ll crunch all of the numbers in a minute, but oat milk may not be the dietary hero we need. It might be the dietary hero we deserve.

The Final Tally

So, to tally the scores, Nut milk has one eighth the protein of cows milk for a quarter of the calories, with calcium content being essentially comparable. 

Even with all of the added sugar, soy milk comes in just under cow’s milk in terms of calories, landing way above nut milk, but with about the same calcium and protein representation as cows milk.

Meanwhile, oat milk has the least calcium, almost as many calories as cows milk, and a quarter of the protein.

The Alternative Milk Champion?

So, who gets the HTBM “Best Alternative Milk Award”? We’ve got to say soy milk. Nut milk is a strong contender considering its low calorie presentation – and if all you’re looking for is low calories, you’re welcome to reach for the nut milk – but its low protein offering failed to impress.

At the bottom of the ranking is oat milk. It has a weak showing for both calcium and protein, even if it did shave off a few calories along the way.

One thing that we didn’t consider in this article is flavor – largely because it’s so subjective. But, as we’ve said before on this site, it doesn’t matter how nutritional something is if you won’t eat it. If you’re really curious about alternative milks, try them all. Maybe you like oat milk so much you’re prepared to overlook some of its other … deficiencies. 

Must We Fight?

We set this article up as a little tournament for fun. But, the fact is, you don’t need to choose one alternative milk for the rest of your life. Considering none of these options “outperformed” milk, you don’t need to choose an alternative milk at all – unless you’re lactose intolerant.

What we recommend instead is considering how you use milk in your daily life, and how you want to use it in your diet. Then think about where or whether you can swap out alternative milks in some occasions.

For example, if you make a protein blendy, consider using nut milk instead of cow’s milk – you’ll cut calories and your blendy powder will bring along all of the protein that nut milks lack. If you are looking for something new to put in your morning coffee, soy milk brings the sweet while still shaving calories and bringing along all of the protein and calcium that you expect from cow milk.

The Alternative Lifestyle

We don’t have stock in cows. But, it’s hard to beat mother nature. All things considered, soy milk gives her a run for her money. Does it shave enough calories for you to perpetually replace cow milk with soy milk in your diet? That’s up to you.

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