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How can we do bicep exercises at home without dumbbells and barbells

bicep exercises at home without dumbbells and barbells

No equipment, no worries – we can do bicep exercises at home without dumbbells and barbells. If you want to have a nice physique, remember that your biceps are those arm muscles. Luckily, you don’t need equipment to exercise them. We just need to be creative on how we exercise these muscles. Here are a few simple ideas for ways to exercise these muscles without having weights on hand. 

Resistance Bands – The Best Bicep Exercises at Home Without Dumbbells and Barbells!

If you are willing to invest a little bit of money into equipment, Resistance Bands are able to simulate weights. They can be incorporated into a whole body workout! Most likely, you haven’t bought any exercise equipment yet because you’re worried about space constraints. If you have concerns about storage, then resistance bands are perfect! Resistance bands are also super easy to use, meaning that you can do a few bicep stretches with regular arm movements.

Push-Ups

Push-ups are great for your bicep muscles as these exercises are able to target this muscle group! This exercise requires a lot of back-and-forth motion, and they also allow you to exercise other parts of your body including your back and scapula. These are easy – just have your hands flat and feet straight, and use your arms to push your body up!

Lifting Heavy Things!

There’s a good chance that you have something heavy around your home that’s fairly easy to pick up! You don’t always need dumbbells and barbells to get the benefit of lifting weights. When you lift heavy things, you’re still doing the same work! A full milk jug can weigh 8 or 9 pounds – not a ton of weight that you are accustomed to. Heavy books can also be a great substitute for dumbbells and barbells!

Pull-Ups

This is something which you probably won’t be able to do at home. If there is a park nearby, use a sturdy metal bar at the park in order to do pull-ups. These can be challenging to do at first, but these are great exercises for your biceps. They also help to work other muscle groups in your body as well in addition to your biceps. 

Remember that resistance bands are great exercises! Add resistance bands to your exercise routine for maximum impact

December 19, 2022 by Health Tips 0

Best at home exercise equipment when you’re on the third floor

Best at home exercise equipment when you’re on the third floor

Looking for your choices for the best home exercise equipment when you’re on the third floor? We completely understand how challenging this can be. Being on the third floor of an apartment complex presents a wide range of challenges when you’re exercising at home! The most important thing to keep in mind is that you’ll want to be respectful of your neighbors below you. 

But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t exercise at home – it just means that you’ll have to do your exercise routine a little bit differently. Here are some great choices for home exercise equipment that don’t make any noise, and are great whether you’re on the first floor, the third floor or even live in a home by yourself with no neighbors for miles. 

Resistance bands are the Best at home exercise equipment when you’re on the third floor

These make practically no noise, are portable, and can be used for a wide range of exercises. These are perfect for whole-body exercises. People have used resistance band exercises for shoulder rehab as well as general day-to-day stretching. If you don’t have weights, then resistance bands are perfect for you to use. Resistance bands are able to simulate various weights – meaning that you’re able to get the same benefit of weights even if you are on the go! These are also fairly safely noise-free.

Kettlebells

You’ll have to be careful with these handheld weights to ensure you’re holding on to them with enough strength. However, kettlebells are perfect for a core exercise. They are fantastic choice even for a beginner. Portability may be a challenge, but kettlebells are definitely a must-have piece of equipment. Just don’t slam them down on the floor too loudly or lose your grip. Kettlebell exercises are able to work the whole body from the arms to the core and even the leg muscles. Kettlebell swings are easy to do for beginners!

Exercise ball

An exercise ball can be a lot of fun to use.  They require a little bit of storage space, but they are also fun to use and are lightweight! They’re great core exercises that allow you to stretch your back, leg, and abdominal muscles. Because they are lightweight, they are also able to travel with you anywhere! This is a definite must-have if you’re looking to add a bit of fun to your exercise.

Exercise/yoga mat

A yoga mat is a great choice for ensuring that your exercise routine is as comfortable as possible. There’s plenty of great floor exercises that you can do, but the challenge is that doing these exercises on the floor are often uncomfortable. Planks, stretches, and other floor-based exercises are some of the most powerful for your upper and lower body. An exercise mat is a great way to add a little bit of padding to those uncomfortable floors! The great thing about an exercise mat is it can also travel with you wherever you might go.

Dumbbells

Dumbbells don’t take up much room, and are often very portable.These are the classic weights which allow you to build your arm muscles up! They’re great for building up the chest, back and other muscle groups in the upper body. They come in a wide range of weights, and they don’t take up much room at all. You’re also able to do these dumbbell exercises while you’re sitting on the couch!

As you can see, exercising at home doesn’t mean that you have to disturb your neighbors or those around you. It also means that you don’t have to make significant alterations to your day-to-day life. It just means that you’ll have to be a bit more creative with your routine and the types of equipment that you buy to do your exercise routine!

December 5, 2022 by Health Tips 0

Why does my belly hang when I do planking exercise?

Why does my belly hang when I do planking exercise

Planking is a great exercise that can help to tighten your belly. These exercises aren’t fun when you first get started doing them. But, they are powerful whole-body exercises that can tone and tighten your core. They’re great for your whole body and your mind. 

What is planking

Planking is a simple exercise where you’re supporting your body weight with your arms. Most often, it’s essentially holding a pushup position. It’s a whole-body exercise that builds up strength in your arms, back, legs, and core. However, this exercise is especially targeted at your core as the Navy plans to replace sit-ups with planking exercises.

Why does my belly hang when you do planking exercises?

You have organs in your stomach. The reason is because of gravity (of course!) Everything in your stomach tends to go downward when your body is elevated off the ground. Fortunately, this does not pose any risk to your safety. However, it is advisable that you keep your back straight while performing this exercise to prevent injury. 

Why are planks great exercises?

Planks are great exercises for a number of reasons! The most important reason why people do planking exercises is that they are great for your core. Planking was used as part of a physical therapy routine in one case for a distance runner who was suffering from severe hip pain. After a 8-day exercise routine which included planking, she was able to return to her normal running routine pain free.

Consider making planking exercises a part of your regular exercise routine. This is a great way to build your core strength up, and a simple exercise to do. It has a low-risk of injury and is great for your whole body.

October 31, 2022 by Core Exercise Tips Health Tips 0

What muscles the fire hydrant exercise can work

What muscles the fire hydrant exercise can work

If you’re looking to get the most out of your workouts, you’ll definitely want to consider what muscles the fire hydrant exercise can work. The fire hydrant is a name for a very intense hip exercise. Not only does this type of exercise (in combination with other forms of exercise) help to strengthen your hips, this form of exercise also has several benefits for many other parts of your body, including through improvements to your weight and overall BMI. So, fire hydrants are not just for the muscles, but for your body as a whole. 

What are fire hydrants?

This is a leg exercise which is commonly a part of a Pilates routine. It’s also fairly simple. All you’ll need to do is kneel down on your hands and knees. With both knees on the floor, you’ll move your legs to either the right or the left in a kicking motion. As you can see, these are fairly simple and easy to do. 

How Do You Do These Safely?

The most important thing to remember is that you won’t want to create unnecessary pressure on your spine. Be sure to keep your spinal column and back straight, as the unnecessary pressure over a long period of time can eventually lead to back pain. Research is well-documented that improper spinal column movements can cause spinal cord injuries.

What muscles the fire hydrant exercise can work

The fire hydrant exercise specifically targets the gluteus maximus muscles. A study worked with individuals suffering from joint dysfunctions as well as pain. Over 10 sessions, a study working with individuals suffering from a joint dysfunction demonstrated improvements in muscle strength and a decrease in pain. 

Wrap Up

Fire hydrant exercises, if done safely, can be a great way to build your lower muscle strength. They don’t require any additional equipment, and can certainly be done at home. Just remember to keep your back aligned straight.

October 14, 2022 by Health Tips 0

What is the best home gym equipment for losing belly fat

What is the best home gym equipment for losing belly fat

Exercising at home, and want to know what is the best home gym equipment for losing belly fat for you to buy? The good news for you is that you’re able to burn belly fat – even if you’re exercising at home. Not all exercise equipment is created equally for burning fat; but each type of equipment has its advantages and disadvantages. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started with building your home gym.

1. Kettlebells are the best home gym equipment for losing belly fat

Kettlebell swings are powerful exercises. This is ultimately a full-body exercise, as these weights can help you build your core strength up. The benefits extend all the way down from your arms, core, and your legs. Furthermore, kettlebells don’t take up too much room. They’re not very portable, but kettlebell exercises are great exercises that you can do at home.

2. Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are a great piece of equipment to have because they can travel with you wherever you go. They create additional “resistance” on your muscles, and can be used for a full-body workout without having to have a lot of big, heavy weights on hand. They’re super light, and great for your workout. Resistance bands come in varying levels of tension, meaning you’re able to buy ones which are able to require more strength.

3. High Quality Shoes

Running / biking / jogging is a great way to burn extra calories. These activities can take you out of your home environment, boosting your mental and emotional health. Therefore, you’ll want to have a great set of running shoes on hand. Look for a sturdy, comfortable pair that are reasonably-priced. 

4. Yoga Mat

Yoga is a powerful exercise that is relaxing and allows you to use many different muscles in your body. A yoga mat is a great thing to have on hand as it makes for more comfortable stretching as opposed to a hard floor. Yoga mats are easily rolled up, and are also very portable. 

5. Jump Rope

This exercise isn’t just for schoolchildren. If you’re looking for a quick exercise that’s fun and burns a lot of calories, jumping rope can be another great choice. A jump rope is very portable, and can be stored nearly anywhere. It’s able to help build leg muscles and burn calories at the same time, plus exercise will feel a lot less like work and a lot more like play.

As you can see, home exercise equipment doesn’t need to be expensive or take up a lot of room. With a few simple pieces of equipment, you’re able to have access to some very powerful home workouts that you can do virtually at any time. Furthermore, if you travel a lot, you can also take many of these pieces of equipment with you wherever you go.

September 28, 2022 by Health Tips 0

Would a treadmill give more benefits regarding weight loss over an exercise bike

Would a treadmill give more benefits regarding weight loss over an exercise bike

The formula to weight loss is simple one, which is to burn more calories than you consume. On the other hand, sometimes a treadmill can give more benefits regarding weight loss over an exercise bike. When you’re considering what types of exercises to do if you have a goal of weight loss, you’ll want to choose ones that help you burn more calories. You may want to build muscle or improve your cardiovascular system, but if you’re aiming to lose weight then you’ll want to ensure that the exercises you’re doing are able to burn more calories. 

It’s important to remember that exercise bikes and treadmills have different functions that can result in one allowing you to burn more calories over the other. 

Benefits of Exercise Bikes

Exercise bikes are stationary devices, they typically are focused on burning calories and cardiovascular health. A study worked with middle-aged adults suffering from Peripheral Artery Disease who were also vascular rehab patients. This particular study demonstrated that these patients were able to improve their blood pressure, reduce BMI and improve their motivation for exercise when working with exercise bikes. Exercise bikes are a less-strenuous form of exercise, so these patients are able to see some benefit to stationary bike exercise. 

Treadmill Benefits

Research indicates that an average treadmill and a cycle burns about 10 calories per minute of use. Calorie burn is roughly equal for both forms of exercise on average settings. However, where the treadmill clearly outshines the exercise bike is in actual fat burning. Treadmills burn an average of 0.3 grams of fat per minute, while exercise bikes burn just over 0.15 grams of fat per minute. A treadmill can burn twice as much fat as an exercise bike. 

Additional Benefits to Treadmill Exercise

The Peripheral Artery Disease study also compared the two groups in terms of their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and observed another major difference.  Between the vascular rehab patients doing treadmill exercises vs stationary bike users, the treadmill exercise group showed the most improvements in their LDL levels. Therefore, it’s clear that treadmill exercises have very well-known benefits to people looking to improve their overall health.

Helpful Tips

These calorie burn studies compare both forms of exercise in relatively simple terms. Remember that not all forms of bike and/or treadmill exercise are created equally. If you set the treadmill to a higher speed or the exercise bike to a more difficult level, then you’ll be able to burn more calories. You’ll want to consider setting an exercise bike to a more strenuous level if you choose to use one of these.

Bottom Line

A stationary exercise bike cannot fully replace a treadmill. However, exercise on a stationary bike can have many of the same benefits of a treadmill for your overall health. Consider using a stationary bike to supplement your exercise routine – perhaps you might want to divide your time between the treadmill and stationary bike. If you’re struggling to find motivation to exercise, then perhaps you might want to consider starting with a stationary bike.

September 18, 2022 by Health Tips 0

Why is it important to keep your back and neck straight while performing a hamstring stretch?

why it's important to keep your back and neck straight during hamstring exercises

Your hamstrings are leg muscles, and specifically they are the “upper leg” muscles that are right above the knee. We place a lot of tension on our hamstring muscles on a daily basis when we walk, run, or lift heavy objects. Hamstrings are often a part of our exercise routine, so stretching these muscles can be helpful to avoid soreness or injury. 

Even though stretching is designed to prevent injuries, there’s still a potential for injuring yourself if you stretch improperly. You’re potentially placing additional stress on other parts of your body such as your neck or spinal cord. Here is a quick overview of why you should keep your neck and back straight while doing a hamstring stretch, along with a few ideas for hamstring stretches that you can do.

Remember that your body operates like a machine. While hamstring stretches are useful, they also come with a slight risk of an injury to your spinal  cord. By keeping your back and neck straight, you’re able to reduce these injury risks when stretching.  Stretching does place pressure on your spinal cord, and over time this repeated stress to your spinal cord makes injury very likely.

Flat-Back

One common hamstring stretch (Also one of the easiest ways to keep your spinal column straight) is to lie down on your back and lift your leg in the air. You can interlock your hands in order to support your leg.

Using Rollers

Rolling your hamstrings with a foam roller is an easy way to increase the blood flow to these muscles. Foam rolling is like a massage for your legs. It’s not exactly a stretch, but foam rolling has many of the same benefits without putting pressure on your spinal cord.

Standing Stretch

While being careful to keep your neck and back straight, stand on one leg and elevate the other one slightly. This is a fairly easy one to do as you’re able to stand upright while doing it. A standing stretch is a simple and easy one to do.

Stretching is a great way to relieve tension in your muscles. It’s also able to prevent soreness before you exercise. If you stretch before exercise or in your day-to-day life, stretching is a great part of exercise if you do it right!

September 2, 2022 by Health Tips 0

What are some good at-home exercises to build muscle fast as a skinny guy

some at-home exercises to build muscle fast as a skinny guy

Are you looking for some good at-home exercises to build muscle fast as a skinny guy, because you feel like you’ve run out of options and can’t make any progress? Want to be able to build your strength up faster? 

As a skinny guy, you’re going to have a bit of an uphill battle to climb when building muscle. On the other hand, that does not mean it’s not impossible. It just means that you’ll need to put in a little bit of hard work in order to achieve your goals more quickly. Here are some exercise ideas that allow you to build muscle faster.

1. Planking

This is a very simple exercise which requires no equipment. Planking is similar to doing a pushup, except you hold this position for an extended period of time. This is something which you’ll have to build up a tolerance to over time, gradually increasing the amount of time that you are able to hold a plank for on a daily basis. However, the benefit of these planking exercises is that it’s able to exercise all muscle groups. It’s a great exercise for your arms, abdominal muscles, as well as legs. Research indicates that planks are safer than sit-ups for building abdominal muscle.

2. Squats

Squats are great for building your leg muscles. This is another great home exercise that you can do without equipment, but it’s something with a learning curve as you’ll have to perfect your form over time. Start in a level standing position, and move your hips and lower back in a downward motion while bending your knees. The most important part of doing squats effectively is that you’re also using good form. This form of exercise does come with a high risk of injury, which is why practice is highly important. It’s a good idea to ease into this as your comfort level builds.

3. Dumbbells

This is a very traditional exercise, but using dumbbells can be very effective for building muscle especially in the arms and upper body. These are muscle activators, as the pressure from these weights trigger your muscles to grow. Dumbbells can also be combined with squats if you’re looking for a little bit more of a challenge during your exercise routine. Most commonly, these are used in a sitting position with an underhanded lifting motion.

Final Thoughts

Remember that nutrition is a huge component of building muscle. In addition to doing exercises, you’ll also want to increase your protein intake. Protein from the foods that you eat form the building blocks of the muscles that you will build. However, your exercise routine is what is designed to help you build these muscles.

August 25, 2022 by Health Tips 0

How Can We Calculate BMI (body mass index) with Height and Weight

how can we measure bmi (body mass index) with height and weight

Curious on how we can calculate BMI (body mass index) with height and weight, as well as what it’s useful for? Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement which uses a person’s height and weight in order to determine the amount of body fat the person has. The idea is that a taller person that is heavier will have less body fat than a shorter person who is heavier.

Limitations of Using BMI – and How Can We Calculate BMI (body mass index) with Height and Weight

One of the most widely-known limitations of body mass index is that it does not take body composition into account. Suppose you have two people, one of them is named Jake and the other person is Ryan. Jake and Ryan are both 5 Feet, 8 Inches tall. However, Jake is heavier (at 190 pounds) than Ryan (at 170 pounds) although both have the same 30 inch waist size and height.  

The reason behind Jake’s heavier body weight is that he has a different body composition from Ryan with more lean muscle mass. Ryan’s BMI would be 24.9, while Jake’s BMI would be at nearly 29. BMI measurements would classify Ryan as being of a normal body weight, while Jake would be considered Overweight. However, the reality is that Jake has more muscle mass than Ryan which is not accounted for in BMI.

Furthermore, BMI does not adjust for other factors that create explainable differences between body weight and height. Age and Gender are often common contributing factors as to why two people of the same height and even similar body composition would have different BMI indexes based on weight.

How To Calculate BMI (body mass index) with height and weight

BMI Is relatively easy to calculate with a simple formula. If you’re in the US and you are measuring in inches and pounds, do the following:

  1. Multiply your weight in pounds by 703. If you weigh 170 pounds, 170 x 703 = 119510
  2. Using your height in inches (remember, 1 foot is 12 inches), find the square of this number by multiplying it by itself. If you are 5 feet, 8 inches tall, you would use the number 68 and multiply it by itself = 68 x 68 = 4624
  3. Divide the first number by the second, and you will get the number 25.84

Here’s how to interpret your BMI:

  • Less than 18.5 is considered underweight
  • 18.5 to 24.9 is normal weight
  • Overweight is 25 to 29.9
  • Obese is anything over 29.9

What Can It Be Used For?

BMI can be a great measurement which allows you to more accurately determine whether or not you’re overweight or obese. It’s not an entirely accurate measurement of your level of health and overall fitness, but it’s a great starting point. You may want to assess your BMI in combination with your body fat level to make a more accurate determination as to whether or not you’re at a healthy body weight.

Conclusion

Don’t rely on BMI by itself to determine whether or not you’re overweight. Use it in combination with self-assessments of your own health.

August 18, 2022 by Health Tips obesity Resources 0

What is a good yoga routine for beginners?

good yoga routine for beginners

Finding a good yoga routine for beginners is very difficult, especially if you are not naturally flexible. The great thing about Yoga is that it’s an exercise that can be done without any equipment. To get started in yoga, all you need is a mat. Much of what’s important to yoga is knowledge of what to do. The challenge to yoga is that if you’re not careful, you can easily injure yourself in the process. It’s better to start off simple and gradually advance your level of difficulty over time as you grow in your skillset.

What Is Yoga?

Yoga is based on a series of poses. The idea is that you’re holding your body in a stretch position for a specific period of time. Many people do yoga because they find it to be beneficial for their flexibility. Others enjoy yoga because they like the relaxation that yoga provides. The idea is to live in union with nature.

How Long Should My Sessions Last?

Generally speaking, you should practice it for as long as you feel comfortable with doing it. Some people may only feel comfortable doing it for 20 minutes, others may be able to do yoga for an hour or more. If you begin to feel uncomfortable during your yoga session, then if you try to push yourself too hard you risk an injury. A busy schedule can also make it very difficult for you to do any form of exercise. Remember that any amount of physical exercise can have a significant benefit to your overall health and wellbeing. 

Good Yoga Routine For Beginners – #1 – Tadasana

The Tadasana pose is a great pose because it is simply focused on stretching your body in a standing position. It’s relaxing, and a great way to gain additional focus and relax various muscles in your body. The objective is keeping your body in alignment, and it’s relatively painless.



Good Yoga Routine For Beginners – #2 – Vrikshasana

This pose is great for improving balance, although it’s slightly more difficult than the Tadasana pose. Through the Vrikshasana pose, you’re balancing your body weight on a single foot. 



Good Yoga Routine For Beginners – #3 – Hasta Padasana

Hasta Padasana is a great pose because it’s a simple stretching exercise. All you need to do is to bend forward and place your hands in front of you. This one is great for improving flexibility.



Over time, you’ll find that you will be able to do more complex yoga poses. However, it’s best to start off with simpler poses and give yourself a chance to improve your skills. Yoga is a great way to relax, and is a positive stress relief tool. It’s a great outlet for your creativity, and is also an opportunity to connect with other like-minded people if you choose to join in a group setting.

August 11, 2022 by Health Tips Motivation Resources Stretching Yoga 0