Sometimes, minerals are lost during exercise, and hydration alone is not enough. Weekend sports warriors often grab a sports drink after a moderate workout. But these drinks may cause more problems than they solve.

Many store-bought 32-ounce sports drinks can contain as much as 52.5 grams of sugar. That means athletes may be taking in more calories than they’re burning. To avoid the sugars and other chemicals in these drinks, such as fruity flavors and artificial colors, it’s also easy to make drinks at home that may help replenish electrolytes and minerals.

Coconut water is probably the best base for a sports drink. It has only 46 calories per cup and contains magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium, and calcium. This water contains electrolytes and antioxidants. Researchers believe coconut water can help naturally balance blood sugar levels, prevent kidney stones, and lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

People can make their own sports drinks at home. See the ingredients below:

Homemade sports drink
Ingredients:

1-quart coconut Water, favorite brewed herbal tea or purified water
¼ cup Natural 100% juice
⅛ TSP salt
1 TSP calcium magnesium powder
1 TSP sweetener (e.g., honey, stevia, etc.)
Explanation:

Combine all ingredients.
Refrigerate until ready to drink.
The shelf life is up to 4 days.

Our skeletal muscles are stressed when we exercise, which can cause slight tears in muscle fibers. The torn muscle will be repaired later in the workout, depending on how much pressure it is subjected to. It’s a sign that our body is rebuilding and our muscles are getting stronger. So how could it backfire?

The topic discussed below is delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This phenomenon happens after we exercise, but not always right after. Sometimes DOMS can appear a few days after a workout and cause considerable muscle pain or discomfort. That’s what backfiring muscle soreness is all about. DOMS can cause a reduction in strength, range of motion, and willingness to exercise.

There are a variety of foods and supplements that can help relieve and treat sore muscles. Let’s talk about what foods or supplements they are and their properties.

Vitamin B and C
Some vitamins can help muscle recovery, including vitamins B and C. These water-soluble vitamins play an essential role in reducing muscle soreness. After exercise, vitamin C is thought to promote muscle recovery due to its tissue repair properties and the reduction of oxidative stress in the body. B vitamins have many different effects, but vitamin B6 improves our body’s ability to synthesize nutrients and amino acids. This is very helpful when our bodies need to break down compounds like protein and other foods to fuel our bodies.

turmeric
Turmeric is a natural spice from the ginger family, native to Southeast Asia. Many people take turmeric in supplement form because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and joint and muscle protective properties. Curcumin in turmeric is one of the main components of turmeric and plays a vital role in its antioxidant capacity.

Studies have shown that turmeric and curcumin effectively reduce delayed onset muscle soreness and joint inflammation. In a 2015 study of 17 men, the effects of curcumin supplementation on muscle soreness and athletic performance were analyzed. The researchers asked participants to take curcumin supplements two days before the intense leg workouts and three days after.

At 24 and 48 hours after the exercise, the men were tested for their ability to jump on one leg and given questionnaires to assess their pain levels. They found that those who took curcumin supplements performed better on jumping tests and had less muscle soreness.

caffeine
As a stimulant, caffeine can be used to enhance athletic performance. The supplement stimulates the body’s nervous system, which in turn causes the body to react in multiple ways. Caffeine has a variety of effects on the body, including reducing DOMS. A 2013 study showed that consuming caffeine before a workout improves athletic performance and relieves muscle and post-workout soreness associated with DOMS.

Disclaimer: Caffeine should be consumed in moderation, and you should consult a medical professional before consuming it.

cinnamon
Cinnamon is another natural spice commonly used for its distinctive flavor, insulin sensitivity, and antioxidant activity. Cinnamon has various benefits due to its antioxidant activity in the body, including helping to reduce muscle soreness. For example, a 2013 study examined the effect of consuming 3 grams (less than a teaspoon) of ginger, cinnamon, and placebo on muscle soreness in six healthy women. The researchers found that cinnamon relieved muscle soreness better than ginger and placebo groups.

Cherry juice
Cherry juice is another natural remedy for reducing muscle soreness and pain. Tart cherries help curb muscle inflammation caused by stress workouts due to their high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.

A 2010 study of 54 healthy runners (36 men and 18 women) who ran about 24 kilometers in 24 hours examined the effect of cherry juice intake on post-run muscle pain. The subjects were asked to drink 355mL (about 1.5 cups) of cherry juice twice a day for seven days and then run. They then asked the subjects to rate muscle pain before, during, and after the game. In their study, the researchers found that those who took the tart cherry juice had less muscle pain than those who took a placebo.

Sore muscles can be a product of fitness and a healthy lifestyle, but too much soreness can be counterproductive to your overall health. If you find yourself in excessive pain, try the nutritional supplements mentioned above, as they may effectively reduce DOMS and improve your recovery efficiency.

This will increase your overall flexibility and do wonders for your mood, energy level, and overall health. The body is more flexible, which can make daily tasks easier. Stretching improves balance, range of motion, and circulation. Stretching relaxes your joints and muscles. Being flexible also helps prevent injuries. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of stretching is reducing stress.

Remember that sitting still all day can be problematic and may increase the risk of many different diseases, including cancer. In fact, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research, it only takes one to two minutes throughout the day to help reduce cancer risk. Stretching is a great way to break the day down into sections and add more combination movement to your workout routine. Stretching costs nothing and is one of the best forms of exercise that is easy to do.

Here are some tips to look for when stretching:

Stretching shouldn’t be painful, so don’t push yourself when pulling. It would be best if you only were moderately nervous.
Stretching should be smooth and soothing. Don’t bounce or force your body to try.
Don’t hold your breath while stretching. Use this as an opportunity to breathe freely.
Stretch regularly. In addition to exercise-related stretching, you should stretch periodically throughout the day and at night before you go to bed. Stretch during exercise, gently stretch your muscles, and then work your body.
Drink plenty of fresh water before, during, and after stretching. Water keeps all body systems hydrated and can help you make the most of your daily stretching.
Athletes have long used stretching to improve performance; However, research has shown that extension can provide a wide range of health benefits. For additional support, check out joint supplements such as collagen or glucosamine. Please consult your doctor for more information. So stretch in your daily life!

This homemade product will penetrate deeply into the muscles, bringing a soothing and relaxing feeling.

To make, place 1/2 cup coconut oil and 1/4 cup crushed wax in a mason jar. Fill a saucepan with water to 2 inches and place the mason jar in the pot over low to medium heat.

Let the oil and wax melt and stir; add two teaspoons of cayenne pepper and two teaspoons of ground ginger or turmeric, then go.

Let cool. Add 15 drops of peppermint essential oil and 15 drops of lavender essential oil, then pour into a metal or glass container and let it set for sore or tired muscles.

Benefits of Compound Exercises

Burn more calories

Compound exercises use more significant amounts of muscle mass, and for these big muscle groups to keep working, they require more energy. Compare a deadlift with a hamstring curl; both exercises target your hamstrings. However, a deadlift also uses the glutes, back, shoulders, forearms and core.
During your session, all of these muscles require increased blood flow to deliver glucose, oxygen and other nutrients to the muscles, so your heart rate will increase to match these demands. During recovery, forces that have undergone exercise-induced muscle damage will demand more energy to support the healing process, which your body can get from food and fat stores.

Improve Muscular Balance

Isolation exercises are ideal for addressing weaknesses, although they can result in parts becoming overdeveloped about their antagonistic pairs. This can result in strength imbalances and potentially produce injuries if left unmanaged. Compound exercises are typically bilateral and thus will not result in these same imbalances. However, isolation exercises can still be used for extra stimulation to address any other weaknesses.

Improve Core Strength

There is much dispute around the true definition of the core. Still, in this section, we refer to the muscles that directly connect to the spine to support your posture and those that contribute to core rigidity when bracing. During compound lifts, you are likely to be stronger as multiple muscle groups work together. Proper core bracing must be used to maintain a neutral spine position (i.e. during the barbell back squat) to protect the spine from injury. Ultimately, this leads to a significant stimulation of the core muscles, thus helping to improve strength that can contribute to improved athletic performance.

Stimulate Increased Hormone Release

As these movements recruit more muscle fibres than isolation exercises, your body consequently releases more significant levels of hormones, particularly growth hormones such as testosterone. These hormones are responsible for repairing your body to help you improve how you can deal with similar stimuli next time they occur.
In this case, these hormones can help you increase muscle mass and get more potent than if you were training with isolation exercises alone. This is one of the reasons that leg training (e.g. squats, deadlifts etc.) is so essential, as they use large muscle groups.

When to Use Compound Movements

Generally, when programming compound exercises into your program, they should be performed after the warm-up but before the isolation exercises and other accessory lifts. For instance, if you want to increase the load lifted in the barbell back squat, you need to put the most energy from your session into this exercise. Suppose you perform this exercise at the end of the session, after 3 or 4 other activities. In that case, you will be too tired to achieve this lift effectively, and you will also increase the risk of getting injured as you will be too tired to maintain the optimal positions throughout the ride.
You can, however, use an isolation exercise before a compound lift, known as the pre-exhaust method. This method involves performing an isolation exercise for the same muscle group as the compound to increase muscle activation during the ‘main lift,’ also ensuring that all muscle fibers have been maximally fatigued (this is especially important when hypertrophy is the goal). Even in this case, it is still advisable to perform the rest of your accessory lifts afterward so that you can maximize the training adaptations made from the compound lifts.

Examples of Compound Movements

There are plenty of compound movements, however, just 10 to focus on, including the well-known Squat, Deadlift & Bench Press.

These lifts should be stapled exercises, regardless of your lifting goals. Prioritizing technique overload will help minimize the risk of injury while maximizing the effectiveness of the activities in terms of training adaptations made.

Take home message

Compound exercises use a more significant amount of muscle groups and thus a more considerable amount of muscle mass. Ultimately, this contributes to an increased demand for energy from calories during exercise and recovery, thus making compound lifts ideal during periods of weight loss. Finally, due to the capacity to load compound lifts heavily, they are ideal for training adaptations such as strength and thus should form a large part of your training program.

The only caveat with using gaining phases is that they can sometimes be counterproductive when a strategy is missing from one’s plan. This entails the lifters that say they’re “bulking” and use that as a blanket for eating whatever they want and neglecting dietary habits that they had established before their gaining phase.

Despite being in a gaining phase, we should still make a conscious effort to utilize strategy and to track metrics along the way. This can ensure we’re efficient with our plan and mitigate excessive fat gain that doesn’t necessarily need to occur at a rapid rate. If we track metrics as we go, we can shift our plan up or down based on the goals and trends we’re noticing.

‌‌‌‌What Is Bulking?

Before diving into tracking progress when bulking, let’s first discuss what bulking is. Bulking or gaining is the process of increasing caloric intake past one’s Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) to maximize muscle growth. Bulking diets will often be accompanied by a training plan designed to maximize growth potential with the surplus of calories.

Bulking or gaining phases will generally be determined by a set amount of time or weight gain goals one wants to accomplish. These are important to acknowledge as they can play into the strategy used to determine how large one’s surplus will be and if it’s a realistic and feasible plan that coincides with a lifter’s lifestyle and habits. Weight gainers can help you reach your daily caloric intake if you struggle through diet alone. 

‌‌‌‌Bulking Progress Variables

As we dive into tracking bulking progress, it’s essential to recognize that we’ll need a few variables established before haphazardly diving into a gaining phase. These variables include:

• Current TDEE: We need to know our current intake to then create a daily surplus amount that aligns with our goals and starting point.
• Body starting points: On top of knowing our TDEE, we also should acknowledge our current body fat levels and body composition, as this can help us select a strategic surplus amount and also help us more fluidly track body composition progress.
• Gaining goals: What are you trying to accomplish with your gaining phase? Is it weight-centric? Or are you gaining for performance?

Once you’ve established these basic tenants, you can then begin selecting how you want to track bulking progress. Do note, in this article, we’re explicitly talking about monitoring progress, and you’ll have to set up your bulking structure based on the context of your life, goals, and needs!

‌‌‌‌How to Track Bulking Progress

While tracking progress is essential, we also need to establish starting points because this can highlight how far we’ve gone on multiple fronts when gaining. It’s a good idea to have the following logged when starting a gaining phase. 

1. Bodyweight
2. Body fat (an average will suffice)
3. Performance metrics, like 1-RMs, activity-focused times, etc.

Once you have these logged, there are multiple ways to track progress when bulking.

My advice is to use bodyweight and then another metric provided below. Using two metrics, we can stay a bit more objective with our progress and gain better insights into the bigger picture of our goals and gaining phase.

1. Track Bodyweight

The first and easiest metric to track is your body weight. With body weight, it’s normal to see daily fluctuations, especially when consuming more, so it’s wise to log your body weight a minimum of three days a week as this can provide you with an average. Trends and standards will always be preferred over special days — remember, we want to make small, educated shifts, not glorious reactive ones, and trends help us do so.

When tracking your body weight, try to do so first thing in the morning when you wake up before consuming food or fluids. This will provide you with a better idea of where your weight is likely consistently sitting.

Try to use weekly bodyweight trends to dictate shifts about body weight and shifting bulking parameters. For example, if you notice from week 3 to week four you’ve gained much more than you wanted and your weight is consistently higher through week 4, then scale back intake slightly. Vice versa for situations where gaining is going slower than desired.

2. Progress Photos

Another helpful tool is taking progress photos. These require little effort and can be used for additional motivation during a gaining phase. Ideally, you’ll want to take progress photos in the morning when you’re weighing yourself so before you eat or drink anything. 

You can take progress photos during the day, too, and after workouts (I encourage you to do so!), but for progress tracking purposes, try to streamline images reserved for morning shots to gauge where potential muscle and fat gain is occurring accurately.

With morning progress photos specifically, try to take them a minimum of 1-3 times a week. Remember, we’re going off of trends, and one shot may not be able to paint the whole picture for our progress!

3. Third-Party Body Fat Testing

If you want to get more accurate with your progress, then using third-party body fat testing tools can be an excellent way to dial in your accuracy. One can use multiple devices to track their body fat levels and the amount gained during a bulking phase.

Some popular options can be seen below. I’m listing them from more accurate to less!

• DEXA Scan
• Bod Pod/Hydrostatic Weighing
• Skin Calipers
• Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis

All of these options are fantastic to use in addition to bodyweight metrics. If you’re going to use some of the more accurate and expensive options, then using them once every three or four weeks is usually a good bet. You can also use them before and after your gaining phase if you have limited resources for utilizing them (they can be expensive!).

‌‌‌‌Bulking Progress Takeaways

A great bulk should be composed of strategy and multiple metrics for tracking progress. It’s usually good to use two methods from the above list for monitoring progress to ensure excessive fat gain is mitigated during a bulk.

Some fat gain is inevitable when bulking, and that’s okay; however, we want to be mindful of how much we’re putting on regarding our starting points and what will make us feel and perform our best.

When in surplus phases, remember to optimize things like:

• Protein Intake: If you’re struggling to get enough protein or calories, then consider weight gainer supplements!
• Pre and Post-Workout Nutrition: Since you’re in a surplus phase, double down on your pre-workout and post-workout nutrition to perform your best and optimize gains.
• Recovery Is King: We build the most when we’re recovering, so consider supplementing things like magnesium for sleep, vitamin D for the colder months, and even some zinc for additional immune support.

These are only a few aspects to consider when bulking. If you’re in a surplus phase, use the additional calories for growth and get after it. Happy bulking!

• Close Grip Bench Press Benefits
• Preparation
• Technique
• Recovery
• Common Mistakes
• Variations

In the gym, triceps training is often associated with pushdowns and other isolation movements, while muscle-building compound movements are forgotten. Compound movements are essential to muscle growth in size and strength, calorie expenditure and hormonal response. There are many more benefits, but those three alone should be enough to persuade anyone to include them in their training program.

The triceps’ three most renowned compound exercises are the close grip bench press, tricep dips, and tight grip press up. The grip positioning can instantly turn a general upper body exercise into a tricep movement by narrowing the grip. The close grip bench press is a standard flat bench: the focus is shifted from the chest and shoulders onto the triceps instead. While still incorporating the shoulders, inner chest and scapula, the majority of the muscle stimulus is placed onto the triceps. The close grip bench press is an exercise that should undoubtedly be considered for anyone looking to develop their triceps in terms of aesthetic appearance, strength, power and even athletic performance.

Close Grip Bench Press Benefits

Contribution to other compound exercises

The triceps will assist almost any upper-body exercise incorporating a push movement. For example, while the primary working muscle during the military press is the shoulder, the triceps is the secondary. Another example is during the shoulder press; the triceps causes the arm to extend and drive upwards by generating a flexion-extension at the elbow joint. Stronger triceps will make this phase of the exercise much more significant and more efficient. The close grip bench is one way to make the triceps stronger.

Less tension on the shoulders

The most common injuries drawn from the regular barbell bench press are shoulder strain and rotator cuff tear. This is due to the weak muscles in the shoulder being put under severe resistance and tension at a compromising angle. To prevent this, there should be exacting rotator cuff work to act as injury prevention and to stop this from occurring. However, the close grip bench press’s differentiated grip has a far lesser chance of shoulder injury. That said, there is considerably more tension placed on the elbow and wrist joints during the close-grip variation, so for those with previous injury history in that region, time and careful consideration should be remembered when performing this exercise.

Bigger arms

The following statement may surprise most— training biceps won’t lead to bigger arms. While biceps training has benefits, training your triceps efficiently will lead to a more rounded, aesthetic arm appearance overall. The triceps are a larger muscle group with larger muscle fibres than the biceps.

To put it simply, the biceps make up about one-third of your upper arm, while the triceps make up the remainder. If you were to walk into the gym and perform bicep curls throughout your arm session, you’d essentially be ignoring two-thirds of your arm. Find a balance but certainly never forget the triceps. Incorporating exercises such as the close grip bench press is one good way to achieve this.

Testosterone release

Including compound movements such as the close grip bench press into your training plan can have various benefits. One of these is the release of growth hormone and testosterone which can help your training and improve muscle growth and stimulation.

Target both the lateral and medial heads

While tricep pushdown and dips will target specifically the lateral head (outer) of the tricep, the close grip bench press targets both the medial (inner) and the lateral head, so it works more muscles.

The clear benefits of the close grip bench press may seem attractive, so it’s essential to ensure good technique and form. The regular bench press is the most common upper body exercise, and many people are accustomed to it, so that the close grip bench press can take some getting used to. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to perform the exercise correctly.

Preparation

• Position yourself lying down on the flat bench press. You could even perform an incline or decline method if you prefer.
• Grip the barbell applying a close grip.
• While it’s generally down to preference, a grip about shoulder-width apart is generally advised.
• Carefully un-rack the barbell and position it just above your chest.
• Ensure that your back and head are kept flat on the bench throughout the exercise.

Technique

1. While inhaling your breath and keeping your close grip, gradually lower the barbell until it has come down to about chest level.
2. The key to maximising tricep stimulation is by preventing elbows flaring at all times. Keep your elbows close to your torso and make the mind-muscle connection by squeezing the triceps from start to finish.
3. Once you’re in this position, pause for a second before explosively pushing upwards.
4. As you push the barbell back to the starting position, exhale and again, keep your elbows tucked in at all times.
5. As with all exercise, form and tempo should always be considered and applied to training. For tempo on the close grip bench press, lower the weight down slowly for roughly two or three seconds, pause at the bottom for two seconds before pushing up powerfully as quickly as possible while squeezing the triceps at the same time.
6. Essentially, perform slowly for the eccentric, pause and perform powerfully for the concentric.

Recovery

• Once you’ve performed this movement for the designated number of repetitions, carefully re-rack the barbell.
• It’s suggested you have a spotter or an assistant to watch you throughout the exercise.

Common Mistakes

Gripping the barbell too close

Because of the name, many people performing this exercise assume you must have your hands positioned and gripping the bar as close as possible. This is incorrect: gripping the barbell closer than roughly shoulder-width apart doesn’t recruit any more tricep fibres and increases strain on your wrist and elbow joints. For a sufficient, safe and effective grip, aim to position each hand around 7-8 inches apart or position them approximately shoulder-width apart if you don’t have your measuring stick on you at the time!

Lifting yourself off the bench

This advice applies to bench generally pressing, not just the close grip alternative. The main reason why people tend to do this is that it shortens the range of motion and makes it easier to do the repetitions. But not only is this technically performing half of the work for potentially half the results, but it also increases the risk of lower back injury. To prevent this, constantly remind yourself to keep your backside on the bench. To make the most of your workout, always prioritise good form…

Flaring the elbows

Not only will flaring your elbows to the side minimise triceps activation, but it will also maximise the potential for a shoulder injury. Prevent this by keeping your elbows tucked into your side at all times. While the angle you tuck your elbows in will depend mainly on your arm/shoulder-length, constantly focus on bringing them into your torso as much as possible. It may also help to record a video of yourself lifting, so you can see your technique or show a training partner for some advice…

Excessive warm-up sets

With any compound movement, it’s suggested we perform warm-up sets to prepare the working muscles for exercise, practise proper form, and get blood to the active muscles. But how many warm-up sets is too much? Sometimes we find ourselves taking ourselves past the point of fatigue! This is highly relevant with the bench press and its variations (close grip). Ensure you properly structure your warm-up sets and don’t fail each group — leave that to the working locations!

Grip method

Thumb positioning can significantly influence how equipment is gripped while bench pressing and for many other upper body movements, whether dumbbells, barbells, machines, etc.

However, this can be a rather dangerous technique to use when performing a risky free-weight exercise, with the weight placed over your head.

One grip that many people like to use is the thumbless grip. Not using the thumb allows some people to have a more comfortable grip and less stress on the wrist.

However, when applying serious free weight, there is potential for the barbell to slip from grasp as the thumb isn’t there to stabilise grip. Only apply the thumbless grip for weights you are comfortable with to prevent this from happening. Otherwise, use a full grip for heavyweights, and have a spotter to assist you from start to end.

Variations

You may not always get on to the correct equipment to do this exercise, so take a look at the following variations to fulfil your workout.

Close grip dumbbell press

• Very similar to the close grip bench press exercises.
• Replace the barbell with two dumbbells.
• At first it may feel more difficult that you have to control each hand through the movement.
• If it is difficult to control, rest the dumbbells against each other in the movement for more stability.

Dips

Training

How To Do Tricep Dips

Dips are simple. But they’re effective.

a year ago • By Scott Whitney

• Adjust the bars to an appropriate height (you must be able to mount/dismount safely) with the space between them around shoulder-width apart.
• Place the heel of your hand on each of the bars, with your palms facing towards your body.
• Start at the top, with your elbows locked out (shoulders over elbows, over wrists).
• Lower yourself in a controlled manner until your upper arm is parallel (or slightly further than parallel if you’re mobile enough) to the ground.
• Without swinging or kicking your legs, press yourself back up to the starting position, locking your elbows out at the top again before initiating the following reps.

Close grip push up

• Get down into a press-up position with your hands placed just under or slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
• Lower your body until your chest is an inch from the ground then explosively drive up by fully extending your arms.

In this article:

Benefits
Technique
Common Mistakes
Other hamstring exercises
Romanian Deadlift Benefits
Like the conventional deadlift, the Romanian Deadlift (RDL) recruits a lot of muscle mass and is one of the best exercises when loading a hip hinge movement. In this section, we’ll break down some of the main reasons why you should include the RDL in your workouts.

Posterior chain strength
The RDL loads all muscles in the posterior chain — the glutes and hamstrings are the prime movers, while the upper and lower back must maintain tension throughout the lift to keep a neutral spine. As the movement works so many muscles, some serious posterior chain strength gains can be achieved through progressive overload if performed correctly and consistently.

Some variations that can provide similar benefits:

Five Best Deadlift Variations | Myprotein Masterclass
Training

Five Best Deadlift Variations | Myprotein Masterclass
They’re sure to target your glutes.

Athletic development
Hip extension is the primary movement involved in the correct execution of the RDL. This movement is fundamental in many sports since powerful hip extension will lead to a more powerful jump and faster running. The RDL also significantly loads the hamstrings, responsible for knee flexion, another critical movement involved in athletic performance. Essentially, it can help make you faster and stronger in your sport.

Injury prevention
The hamstrings commonly suffer from strains that occur due to overloading during the eccentric phase of exercise. A good example is strained during sprinting when the hamstrings are too weak to withstand the load imposed upon them. Activities such as the RDL, which preferentially load the hamstrings through a broad range of movement, can significantly reduce this risk of injury by strengthening tissue so it can withstand higher loads.

Romanian Deadlift Technique

Position your feet slightly narrower than hip-width apart, keep your back straight, look forward and grip the barbell with your hands around shoulder-width apart. You can grab the bar using an overhand, mixed grip, hook grip or use straps — this depends on personal preference and what works best for you.

Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart, maintaining balance over the middle of your foot. You will need to either deadlift the load to the starting position (i.e., standing upright) or unrack the bar into the starting position.

Bend your knee slightly at the =joint and pinch your shoulder blades together. Maintaining a neutral spine, slowly lower the barbell, flexing only at the hip.

Keep the barbell over your mid-foot throughout the lift, keeping the bar in close contact with the legs. Keeping the bar close and minimizing any knee flexion will result in the hips being pushed back as the barbell is lowered – this should result in the sensation of tension/loading on your hamstrings.

Once you are at the bottom of the movement and you feel a deep stretch on the hamstrings, concentrically contract the hamstrings, maintaining a neutral spine until you reach the starting position before initiating the following rep.

Romanian Deadlift Exercise: Common Mistakes
As with any exercise, poor form will limit your progress while increasing the risk of injury. We’ve outlined some of the most common faults when performing RDLs, along with some simple guidance on how to fix them.

Rounding your back
Many physiotherapists argue that rounding your back when lifting is not inherently a cause for concern (e.g., this is one of the main elements involved in the correct execution of the Jefferson Curl) and believe it’s load tolerance that’s the issue. The problem is that many people cannot tolerate higher loads with a flexed spine without feeling some discomfort or pain. The solution to this is to maintain a ‘neutral’ spine when lifting, minimizing the risk of pain and helping to strengthen the posterior chain in the process.

The best way to achieve this is with proper bracing, load management (using loads you are capable of maintaining), and cues such as pulling your shoulder blades together.

I am not using the full range of motion.
Time under tension and a full range of motion are two key driving factors behind increased muscle mass. Limiting these will stunt training progress and waste your time with inadequate training. For optimal results, make sure to use a full range of motion — during the RDL, you should feel a significant stretch on your hamstrings when in the bottom position, but this depends on your flexibility.

I am not maintaining the correct positions.
Not maintaining the correct positions when performing a lift will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. When performing the RDL, these faults include:

They are allowing the knees to bend more when performing the lift. By allowing the knee joint to flex, you are effectively shortening the hamstrings, minimizing the stretch placed on them, and minimizing the amount of load managed. In combination, these factors make the exercise less effective.

The barbell (or whatever apparatus you use) must remain in close contact with the legs throughout the lift — this will result in the hips being pushed back, but you should feel a stretch on your hamstrings. Many people allow the load to drift away from their legs, meaning that the lower back is then forced to manage the load, reducing the loading experienced by the hamstrings.

More Hamstring Exercises
The hamstrings are pivotal in a well-rounded physique and during athletic performance. While the RDL is an excellent exercise for effectively training the hamstrings and the hip hinge movement, we’ve suggested some practical alternatives to achieve similar results below.

Barbell bridges

This exercise can be performed using a barbell, dumbbells, or even just as a bodyweight exercise. Since it’s a more hip-dominant exercise, it tends to load the glutes more, and while the range of motion for the hamstrings is not as extensive, it can still be effective for training the hamstrings.

Glute hamstring raise
This exercise requires a glute-ham developer (GHD) piece of equipment. You can load this exercise with weight plates, dumbbells or even perform it as a bodyweight exercise. Technical mastery is essential for this exercise since it can quickly become a lower back exercise if served with a different technique.

Hamstring curls
Hamstring Curls

While the RDL provides significant stimuli for the hamstrings, it’s also a hip-dominant movement, meaning the glutes are one of the prime movers. Hamstring curls can be performed in a seated, lying, or standing position, depending on the apparatus used, and they offer a great alternative as they solely load the hamstrings.

Conventional deadlifts

This exercise is most commonly performed using a barbell with plates but can also be executed effectively with dumbbells, resistance bands, or cables. Because a more significant number of muscle groups — and so a greater volume of muscle mass — are used during this exercise, you will tend to use more load. This is not solely a hamstring exercise but can be very effective when developing posterior chain strength.

Even in 2020, the traditional approach–a healthy diet and lifestyle which includes adequate exercise–remains the mainstay of an effective fat loss strategy. There is no “magic pill” to achieve your goal weight, but natural supplements can help speed the process.

Known as fat burners, these supplements can boost the effectiveness of your diet and exercise regimen by bumping up the number of calories you burn each day, steadily reducing your body weight over time.

How Do Fat Burners Work?

Supplements that are called fat burners help drive fat metabolism, which is the breakdown of dietary fat to create energy. Fat burners can also exert their effects by increasing weight loss, blocking fat absorption, enhancing the conversion of fat to energy during exercise, and producing long-term adaptations in your body that support fat metabolism.

The term “fat burner” is a misnomer because fat is oxidized, not burned. To break down fat effectively, the body needs oxygen. Oxidation is how the body uses oxygen to convert fat into energy.

What Are Some Common Natural Fat Burners?

Caffeine 

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can boost metabolism. It can increase the body’s metabolic rate by increasing the number of catecholamines in the blood. These chemicals transport fat from its storage in fat cells to the tissues where it’s oxidized (converted into energy). So, by increasing the basal metabolic rate–the body’s energy at rest–caffeine can accelerate fat loss.

Cautions: Possible side effects of caffeine use include jitters, anxiety, and shakiness. At a dose of 15 mg/kg, it may begin to have toxic effects like nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, seizures, and brain edema. When used with other stimulants, caffeine can make these adverse reactions even worse.

Capsaicin 

Capsaicin is the most common form in a class of compounds called capsaicinoids. These compounds are found in chili peppers (Capsicum annuum species), conferring the heat you experience when eating them. Capsaicin can be helpful in weight management because of its ability to depress appetite, increase the feeling of fullness, and reduce the insulin response after eating. It also increases energy expenditure and fat oxidation, thus boosting metabolism.

Cautions: Gastrointestinal distress, increased serum insulin, and reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels are among the undesirable effects of capsaicin use. Otherwise, capsaicin appears to be relatively safe as a supplement. 

Carnitine 

Carnitine compounds (including L-carnitine) are composed of lysine and methionine. The body can produce carnitine, so it’s not essential to get it from dietary intake. Most cells in the body contain carnitine, and it plays a role in fat transport and oxidation.

Cautions: Carnitine supplements are generally safe if you limit doses to no more than 4 grams/day. For the most part, carnitine is well-tolerated, although it can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and a “fishy” body odor. Rarely, muscle weakness may be a side effect in patients who have uremia. Another rare effect is seizures for those with seizure disorders.

Chromium

Chromium, in its trivalent form (chromium III), is an essential trace mineral that enhances the effect of insulin. Research has suggested that chromium can increase lean muscle mass and support fat loss. The recommended intake for chromium for non-pregnant, non-lactating adults is 20–35 mcg/day (according to the Academy of Medicine at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine).

Cautions: Research studies did reveal some possible side effects, including nausea, vomiting, weakness, headache, vertigo, constipation, watery stools, and urticaria (hives). But overall, the trivalent form of chromium appears to be tolerated reasonably well. On the other hand, Hexavalent chromium is toxic and is not found in food or dietary supplements.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid that can not be synthesized by the human body but can be consumed through beef, lamb, and dairy products. CLA supplementation is believed to improve the body’s muscle-to-fat ratio. CLA achieves this effect by enhancing insulin sensitivity. This allows glucose and fatty acids to move away from fat tissue and muscle cells.

Cautions: Most adverse reactions to CLA are minor and generally involve gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, loose stools, constipation, and abdominal discomfort.

Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia cambogia is a fruit tree that grows in Asia, Africa, and the Polynesian islands. High levels of hydroxy citric acid (HCA) are found in the pulp and rind of its fruit. HCA has been shown to inhibit the conversion of sugar to fat. It can also suppress appetite by releasing serotonin in the brain.

Cautions: Studies of Garcinia cambogia and HCA have revealed possible side effects that are mild, including nausea, headache, gastrointestinal complaints, and upper respiratory tract symptoms. A few cases of mania have also been noted, perhaps related to HCA’s action on serotonin release. Symptoms of mania include irritability, pressured speech, and reduced need for sleep.

Green Tea 

Green tea (and green tea extract) can boost metabolism and fat oxidation. The active components in green tea that can reduce body weight are caffeine (as discussed above) and catechins. One of the main catechins is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a flavonoid.

Catechins are polyphenols with antioxidant activity. Studies have shown that they can help reduce abdominal fat and improve triglyceride levels. By inhibiting an enzyme that breaks down adrenaline and noradrenaline, catechins allow these catecholamines to transport petroleum and increase basal metabolic rate.

Cautions: When consumed as a beverage, there have been no reported adverse effects of green tea. However, caffeine-sensitive patients should be cautious and may want to opt for naturally decaffeinated versions. For green tea extract, mild to moderate side effects have been noted in clinical trials, including nausea, constipation, abdominal discomfort, and elevated blood pressure.

There has been growing evidence that green tea extract may cause liver damage. A study of 1,021 postmenopausal women who consumed green tea extract daily for 12 months showed that their liver enzymes were significantly elevated compared to those taking a placebo. Some of the women even developed moderate or more severe liver function abnormalities.

In 2008, the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) reviewed the safety of green tea products in 34 case reports and animal studies. The USP determined that consuming green tea products “probably” caused 7 cases of liver damage and “possibly” caused 27 instances. The USP also recommends that green tea extract be taken with food to minimize the possible risk to the liver. It observed a greater likelihood of problems when green tea extract is taken on an empty stomach.

Guar Gum

Guar gum is a soluble dietary fiber that does not function as a typical “fat burner,” but it can be helpful for weight management. It is extracted from the seeds of the Indian cluster bean Cyamopsis tetragonolobus. Guar gum can support appetite control by increasing satiety and decreasing the frequency of snacking between meals. A study on type 2 diabetics revealed that taking 10 g of guar gum daily while following their usual diet significantly reduced waist circumference after 4 and 6 weeks.

Cautions: There are few reported safety concerns with formulations currently available (up to 30 g/day for up to 6 months). Gastrointestinal complaints are the most commonly encountered of the possible side effects. These include cramps, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, flatulence, and an increased number of bowel movements.

Protein 

Protein can be considered a natural fat burner because it may help boost your metabolism. A high-protein diet supports muscle-building, especially when combined with strength training. Since muscle “burns” more calories than fat, this can give your metabolic rate a bit of a lift. Protein can also increase metabolism because more calories are used to digest protein than those required to digest fat or carbohydrates.

Research has demonstrated that a daily intake of 0.5-1.0 grams of total protein per pound of bodyweight provides the most benefits to promote weight reduction. Athletes and others who train regularly may need more protein as their goals include building and maintaining more muscle.

Cautions: In the past, there were concerns that a high-protein diet might have adverse effects on kidney function and bone health. However, there is no evidence that high protein intake in healthy individuals causes kidney damage. However, those with existing kidney problems may benefit from adopting a lower-protein diet.

Yohimbine

Yohimbine is a plant compound found in the bark of Yohimbe, a West African evergreen tree. It’s been used primarily as a natural solution for sexual dysfunction in men. It has been proposed to be a fat loss aid because of its ability to increase catecholamines in the blood. However, clinical studies showing that yohimbine causes weight loss are negligible.

Cautions: There are significant safety concerns with yohimbine. 20 to 40 mg of yohimbine has been reported to cause slight increases in blood pressure. But doses of 200 mg or higher can cause anxiety, headaches, hypertension, elevated heart rate, heart attack, and even death. Due to the severe nature of the possible side effects, yohimbine should only be used with medical supervision.

How Should You Take Fat Burners?

If you like to enjoy a stroll outside as your regular exercise plan, then it’s best to take a natural fat burner in the morning. It will give you a bit of a metabolic boost to start the day. If you’re looking to enhance your workout and improve endurance, you should take it 30 minutes before exercise. However, be wary if your exercise session is at night because a stimulant fat burner may keep you awake when it comes time to go to bed.

Given the possible side effects reported for fat burners, it’s wise to consult with your health care provider before beginning supplementation, especially if you have a medical condition. Fat burner supplements can also interact with certain medications, which should be considered in a health consultation.

If we’re sore, then we can’t train to our best abilities, and in the case of building muscle, we won’t be able to recruit as many muscle fibers during reps. Pushing to the point of being super sore is counterproductive for strength, hypertrophy, and power.

To properly mitigate fatigue and soreness, we need to have a structured plan when returning to training. The days of “winging it” should be put aside while we strategically rebuild what we’ve potentially lost.

When either building your plan or working with a coach, here are a few things to keep in mind to help you train with more strategy:

Increase rest times if you need to!
Your 1-rep max has likely decreased, so consider scaling back your previous 1-rep max by 10-20% and working off that number.
Be mindful of your overall volume, and remember less can be more when returning to training.
Always keep the “half-the-time” rule in the back of your head.
‌‌‌‌Tip 3: Nutrition and Supplements Matter
It can be not easy maintaining nutrition and supplement habits when training, detraining, then retraining. Each of these timeframes has very different mindsets attached to them, so eating and fueling our body can sometimes get pushed aside. Still, we must remember to fuel ourselves, especially when returning to training properly.

When it comes to nutrition, the best approach is to keep it simple and consume a diet filled with nutritionally dense foods. Ideally, your diet shouldn’t shift too much when detraining and retraining; however, shifting more focus on consuming ample amounts of protein can be helpful too. This is where consuming complete protein like eggs, meats, yogurts, and protein powders can benefit.

In addition to consuming complete proteins, supplements like BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) can also have some benefits for those who want to make sure they’re drinking enough amino acids for muscle recovery, growth, and repair. Granted, they may not be as needed if you are consuming enough protein, but they can be a safety net for bumping up amino acid consumption if you’re worried about getting in enough protein each day.

Besides protein and BCAAs, consuming carbohydrates is also essential for recovery and energy purposes. In addition to carbs, using electrolytes can be helpful for lifters and athletes retraining with endurance goals. Electrolytes can be easy to consume with water and provide the body with critical elements needed for performance.