Ahh, the treadmill. Some people love it, some people hate it. Some people have a love/hate relationship with it.

However you feel about the treadmill, irrespective of whether its the best treadmill money can buy, it just doesn’t matter; cardio is an important part of any fitness enthusiast’s routine. This makes the treadmill an integral part of anybody’s workout. However, there are a few mistakes you can make while using a treadmill. These mistakes could leave you with a workout that just hasn’t challenged you, or worse, one that’s injured you! Using the treadmill properly is key if you want to see some amazing results. To help you out, here are the top mistakes people make while using a treadmill…

p.s at this point the assumption is you already have a treadmill but just in case you could always read our treadmill buying guide.

1. Making Strides Too Long

If you make strides that are too long, you could end up hitting the front frame of the treadmill, causing you to fall or stumble. You’ll burn up more energy too, which will stop you from getting the best from your workout. You could even stand more of a chance of becoming injured. You shouldn’t be lifting your foot off the ground too much as you stride. If you are, you’re expending too much energy. You might look as if you’re jumping, rather than running! Making sure your strides are just right and that you have proper form is key to seeing awesome results.

2. Holding on to the Sides

Holding on to the sides of the treadmill or the bars helps you to support your body weight, but it also means the workout isn’t as good. You won’t burn as many calories or work as hard. If you’re walking on an incline and feel the need to grab onto the treadmill, just slow the treadmill down until you can walk without holding on. You’ll still get a better workout, even though you’re not going as fast. You don’t want to hold on to the sides leaning forwards or backwards, as you’re throwing yourself off balance. There’s almost no point in doing a workout if you’re going to hold on!

3. Wearing Improper Shoes

Wearing improper shoes on the treadmill is a fatal mistake that could leave you injured if you’re not careful. You should definitely go for function over style when selecting your trainers. Choosing a pair with a high sole can be more comfortable, especially if you do hill walking or hill sprints. Just make sure you only wear your shoes for using the treadmill, not for other cardio classes. High soled shoes could cause injury during fast paced classes, like dance classes. It’s a good idea to have a couple of different pairs for the different types of exercise you like to take part in. There are even shoe shops that will assess your individual foot type to find the right training shoe for you.

4. Looking Down

Looking down at your feet can throw your posture all out of whack. You can hunch over, misaligning your body. This can cause longterm damage if you do it too often. Instead, make sure you keep your head up and look straight ahead of you. Aside from affecting your posture in a negative way, you might even throw your balance off and end up falling and hurting yourself. You want to make sure your body is in a fairly straight line from your head to your toes.

5. Overdoing it

It is possible to overdo your workouts on the treadmill. If you’re doing more than 3 high intensity workouts per week, you could end up injuring yourself as you’re not giving the body time to recover. When it comes to moderate intensity workouts, you can do up to 5 per week. However, it’s important you listen to your body. If you have aches, pains, soreness and feel worn out, then you’re likely overdoing it. Give yourself sufficient rest or you’ll run the risk of burning out.

6. Not Warming Up or Cooling Down

You can’t just hop on the treadmill and start running full speed ahead, nor should you get off the treadmill as soon as you’re finished. You need an adequate warm up and cool down to reduce the risk of injury and get a better work out in. Make sure you start off your workouts fairly slow. Then, begin increasing the speed until you’re at a speed you feel comfortable enough with to complete your workout. It can be tempting to get off the treadmill as soon as you’ve finished, but having a few minutes to allow your heart rate to slow is the best thing to do. Otherwise, you might end up feeling dizzy and lightheaded!

7. Focusing on the Numbers on the Screen

Treadmills come with features that can tell you how many calories you’ve burned, and even how much fat you’ve burned. However, if you focus too much on the numbers on the screen, you could be jeopardizing your workout. These numbers are only an estimate anyway, so you shouldn’t focus on them. If it helps, you could cover the screen up with a towel and instead focus on challenging yourself. You’ll always get better results this way, than relying on the numbers on your treadmill screen!

8. Failing to Save Your Workout History

If your treadmill can save your workout history, then you should do it! No matter how unfit you think you are at the start, saving your workout history will allow you to look back and see how far you’ve come. This can help to keep you motivated, even if you feel like your progress might be slowing down.

9. Doing the Same Routine Day in, Day Out

Doing the same routine on the treadmill day in, day out will eventually lead to your body hitting a plateau. You won’t make the results you made in the beginning. You won’t even burn the same amount of calories that you burned at the start, as your body becomes more efficient at this particular workout. Every 4 weeks you should consider changing your workout, or even using a different piece of elliptical equipment.

10. Your Arms are Everywhere

Your arms should be fairly loose, rather than tight or tense. However, you shouldn’t swing them about all over the place as you’ll burn up too much energy. Keep your arms down by your sides while you walk, up until you get to a jog. Once you’re at a jog, you can bend your arms to a 90 degree angle to help rotation of the torso.

11. Going Over Your Optimal Heart Rate

You can work out your optimal heart rate by taking your age away from 220. When working out on a treadmill, experts recommend that you only work up to 85% of your optimal heart rate.  If maths is not your thing, you could buy top fitness trackers that provide heart rate readings. Anymore than that and you’ll exhaust yourself, putting your heart under strain. You won’t burn more calories, so you should keep your heart rate at a reasonable level. You might even get sore feet and other injuries if you push yourself more than you should.

12. Not Taking the Right Equipment With You

There’s nothing worse than getting on the treadmill for a good workout, only to realise you don’t have a bottle of water or a towel to wipe your face. It’s important to stay hydrated, especially if you’re sweating on the treadmill. Getting off to get a drink won’t do you any good! Sweating all over the treadmill isn’t nice either, so making sure you have your own towel is a good idea. Make sure you give the treadmill a wipedown once you’re finished too – it’s common courtesy!

Avoid making these mistakes on the treadmill, and you will always get the best from your workouts!

A large number of people want rock-solid abs. Several workouts, such as crunches, bicycle crunches, leg raises, cable rotations, etc., can help you achieve great abs. How many people really know how to do these exercises properly?

For a huge number of people, working out every day for several hours does not yield any results. Unlike the muscles of the other parts of your body, the muscle of your abs is visible only after reducing the extra fat around your stomach; many people do not know this. In this article are eight top myths in the realm of abdominal workout.

Myth 1: You have to do hundreds of crunches

Many people believe that the abs is a collection of muscles with a corrugated pattern. This is not true.

“Rectus abdominis,” the abs muscle, is a two-part muscle with a vertical, central line known as the “linea alba.” The muscle starts at the pubic area and runs up to the base of the ribcage. It is closely associated with a pair of muscles known as “obliques.” Single muscles always develop with more resistance than the number of reps. Hence, hundreds of crunches a day will not give you any more benefit than doing twenty to thirty reps with an appropriate amount of resistance.

You also do not need to exercise your abs every day.

The abs muscle is not quite different from any other muscle, such as biceps or pecs. Overworking is not good for it. However, you should increase the resistance on a regular basis by adding weights during crunches. This will tone the muscle and make it stronger. For any abdominal exercise, it is recommended that you do about twenty reps.

Myth 2: Exercising abs will reduce body fat

You may come across many overweight people exercising their abs for hours every day without seeing any change in their physique.

Why are those people unable to reduce fat and build six-packs? People tend to accumulate a large amount of fat around their stomachs. Due to this reason, many people believe that exercising the stomach will help reduce the fat around it. This is not true.

When you work out, the amount of fat burned is even all over your body. There are specific fat-burning exercises that target all parts of the body that store fat. In order to show your abs muscle, you must first reduce the fat layer on top of it.

Reducing fat is not possible without following a proper diet and aerobic workout routines. Jogging, cycling, rowing, etc., are some of the aerobic activities that you can do. A good mix of aerobic and more intense anaerobic activities will help in reducing fat.

The importance of dieting should not be discounted either. In order to find the perfect diet plan for your fitness, you should consult with a dietitian. After you reduce the overall weight and the fat level of your body, your abs muscle along with all other muscles on your body will become noticeable.

Myth 3: You have to exercise very slowly to build strong abs

You may come across people who take several seconds to complete one crunch.

They seem to feel the contractions of their abs muscle. Slow workout is not going to help you build any muscle, let alone the abs muscle. When you do household chores, like moving things or fixing machine parts, you do not work slowly. In the same way, when you do anaerobic workouts like sprinting, you have to be as fast as you can.

In the same way, be fast while working out abs too.

As mentioned, slow workout is not advantageous for other muscles too. The University of Alabama conducted a recent study in this regard. In this study, which was conducted for bicep curls, two groups were there; the first group took almost fifteen seconds to finish a rep while the second group finished a rep in two seconds. It was found that the second group of individuals lifted about 250 percent more weight and burnt about 71 percent more calories than the first group.

This clearly shows how ineffective slow workout is.

Myth 4: Crunches are the most effective exercise for abs

Regular crunches are highly effective for building your abs muscle.

They are not, however, the most effective abs exercise. Your abs muscle gets the maximum workout only if you contract and stretch it as much as possible. A combination of different kinds of exercises is good for your abs. An example is the bicycle crunch, in which you incorporate other muscles such as hamstrings and quads. You can also use a specialized crunch machine for the workout, as such a machine provides you proper back support and allows you to do a full stretch of your abs muscle.

While the normal crunch only allows the contraction of your abs muscle, these crunch machines can be used to exercise your oblique muscle too.

Myth 5: Simply raising your legs is good for your lower abs

As mentioned earlier, your abs consists of a single muscle that has two longitudinal, parallel parts.

Exercises target the entire muscle rather than the upper or the lower part of it. Leg raises if done properly can be a good exercise for your abs. In the regular leg raise, you lie on your back on an exercise mat with your arms resting on both sides and raise both legs to an angle from the ground.

The exercise has other variations in which you sit down, hang from a bar, or use a machine.

The purpose of your abdominal muscle is to strengthen your core.

It works closely with your spinal cord. Many people do leg raises by simply raising their legs to a vertical position without actually contracting the abs muscle. This is more common in the case of hanging leg raises.

When people do this, they are not actually working out the abs muscle but a pair of skeletal muscles on the hip known as hip flexors. In order to do the ab workout properly, one has to arch the spine and make the ab muscle, not hip flexors, raise the legs.

Myth 6: There is no need to use weights when training abs

You use weights to train all kinds of muscles–biceps, triceps, pecs, quads, etc.

When it comes to the ab muscle, many people believe that crunches, leg raises, etc., should be done without weights; some people use stability balls though. This is not true.

Ab muscle, just as any other muscle, can be made stronger by increasing the resistance with weights. Before training your abs to make them stronger, you should reduce the fat around your stomach. When the fat goes away, the abs will stand out.

Hence, an overweight person should first concentrate on reducing the fat in his body before beginning abs training. If they train the abs using weights before reducing fat, the development of the abs muscle underneath the layer of fat may make the person look fatter. In order to get flat, strong abs, you should train two to three times a week with proper rest in between the days you work out.

Myth 7: Compound exercises are better for overall fat reduction and abs toning

Compound exercises target not just one muscle but a group of them.

Examples are squats, sit-ups, dumbbell lunges, pull-ups, push-ups, bench press, etc. These exercises can be helpful in building several muscle groups including the abs muscle. The fact though is these exercises do not cause any miracles for your abs.

They are less effective than following a diet and then doing specific exercises for the abs, such as crunches.

In any case, proper fitness is achieved only with a proper diet plan and regular exercise. In order to build a muscle such as the rectus abdominis, specific exercises are better than a compound workout. This does not mean that the compound workouts have no benefits. They are great for building the overall strength and fitness of your body.

Myth 8: Anybody can have six-pack abs

Many people know the truth behind general workout. Y

ou have to reduce your body fat before core muscles start showing up. Majority of people still believe that anybody can get six-pack abs.

However, several factors affect your ability to achieve the desirable flat stomach: gender, age, lifestyle, genetics, eating habits, sleeping pattern, exercise habits, etc. Hence, it is a fact that a majority of people cannot achieve six-pack abs.

For many people, the body fat is a major reason why they are unable to achieve the flat stomach they want.

For women, the fat tends to accumulate around their lower belly, thighs, and buttocks. In addition, women store almost five to ten percent more fat than men. According to a study by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), the hormone estrogen is responsible for storing more fat in a woman’s body for aid in childbearing.

Not everyone can work out to reduce the fat level in the right way. Some people reduce too much fat to be healthy; others have a hard time reducing enough fat to show off the muscles. Proper dieting; regular, properly supervised exercises; and good amount of sleep are essential for a flat stomach.

Conclusion

Finding the right kind of exercise for your body type is important. If you are a fat person, your primary goal should be in reducing the fat in order to make your abs visible. If you are a lean person, your focus should be in building more muscle. Training your abs excessively without focusing on your overall health will not yield any positive results.  If you are still committed to working those abs you might want to check out The Top 5 Best Home Ab Machines review.

8 Essentials to Equip Your Ultimate Home or Garage Gym for Under $1500

You can get a monthly membership at a local globo gym for around $20-30, which makes it a bargain even if you only go twice or three times a month. Spread out over a year, it still only amounts to a little over $200, which is fine.

If you’re not finding the time to get to the gym, however, or if your $20 a month membership isn’t getting you anything other than entry — i.e. the equipment isn’t great and there’s not a lot in the way of coaching — then you could be wasting a lot of precious time.

You Dream Home Gym or Garage Gym Setup for Under $1500?

Then there’s CrossFit, where a two-month membership can cost as much as your annual membership might cost at the globo gym. You’ll get more personalized coaching and the chance to socialize, but if you’re someone who prefers to workout alone, don’t want to go out into the cold, or you’re looking for a way to supplement your gym membership with home workouts, then investing in a home gym setup can be done for under $1,500. You don’t need to renovate your home to do so (as wonderful an idea as that might be), and this can be a test for greater things.

Seems like a hefty pay-out, and it’s not cheap, we’ll grant you, but since you’re the only one who will be using your kit, then it’s going to last a long time, and when it comes to serious fitness equipment, quality really does matter.

Groom+Style have put together the key components of an awesome garage gym, covering everything you’ll need so that you’re always just minutes away from whatever workout you’re looking for — full body, or isolated.

The Basics of the Ultimate Garage Gym

A well thought-out garage gym should be more than a dusty set of dumbbells and a chest expander. You want to make sure that you have certain key areas covered, so that you’re not only motivated to get started, but so that you have everything you need to stay safe and train effectively.

1. Start with a Yoga Mat

It’s easy to skip the warm-up when you’re training at home. Why, we don’t know, but you shouldn’t, and these simple pieces of kit will help to make sure you’re training safely and effectively.

Taking the time to prepare your body for exercise should be a priority. If it’s not, then you’re not training effectively. Yoga is exercise in its own right, but you don’t need to spend too long using it to get ready. All we’re talking about is 10-15 minutes of dynamic stretching to both lengthen your muscles, prepare your joints and bring some awareness into your body and mind.

2. Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are great for firing up muscles before lifting and exercising. They come in varying strengths, and are especially useful for activating muscles in the back, shoulders and glutes. Work these into the beginning of your routine, before you start the heavy stuff.

3. Squat Rack with Pull-Up Bar

Two of the basics covered right here in squats and pull-ups. Investing in a solid squat rack with a built-on pull-up bar is essential for getting the most out of the space you have at home. We’ve linked to a very reasonably priced setup, but if you’re planning on using a lot more weight, or you’re going to be doing kipping pull-ups and other CrossFit related movements, then you might want to consider something with a little more weight.

4. Olympic Style Barbell

If you’re serious about weight training, then investing in an Olympic style barbell is going to give you the best opportunity to train efficiently and in a way that’s challenging. If you’re going to be doing squats, deadlift, cleans, bench press and so on, it’s with an Olympic barbell that you’ll get the best center of gravity and weight distribution. The handling is better than on standard, cheaper barbells, too, and because they’re heavy (45 lbs men’s bar / 33 lbs women’s bar), using one is a workout in itself.

5. Bumper Weight Plates

Your biggest investment by far in your home or garage gym is going to be the weight plates. For now, even though you’re still spending a lot of money on these, bear in mind that you’re not going to get a huge amount of weight for the money we’re talking. Best to start off with our suggestion below, then add to your weights as you go.

This selection of plates has a combined weight of 260 lbs, which is fine for most workouts, and for working small sets on your squats. Set contains 10, 15, 25, 35 and 45 lb plates.

6. A Pair of Dumbbells

Once again, realistically, you’re only going to be able to afford one set of decent dumbbells at first, if your budget is around the $1,500 mark. Start out with a medium weight that’s going to serve you well for most workouts, and build on that as your gym grows.

7. Speed Jump Rope

Weightlifting equipment is going to take up most of your budget, since the push-ups, running, burpees and what have you are totally free. A good jump rope, however, opens up a lot of other possibilities, and can improve not only your cardiovascular fitness, but also muscular endurance and coordination.

8. Chalk for Your Hands

That’s about all you need to get started with an awesome home or garage gym of your own, but if you have any money left over, then we highly recommend buying some chalk. It’ll make lifting during hot weather (and when you’re sweaty) easier and safer. The chalk balls and blocks are better and cleaner than the loose chalk, and if you need to keep things clean, then liquid chalk is another great option.

Things You Might Want to Consider Later On:

If you are well on your way to building or setting up your ultimate home gym then you can also consider adding a few other items to your arsenal.

How about:

A top of the line rowing machine

An ab machine to further shred that six pack

A simple balance ball to vary your work?

A high quality mini trampoline is also a great way to vary your workouts.

A weighted vest which can very easily be used to add intensity to your favourite cardio or strength training workout!

Until then, happy sweating.

Running Your First Marathon – Motivation and Training Tips

Listen ladies and gentlemen, you need to run a marathon.

Even if you do not see yourself as a runner, or consider running to be a tool in your bag of exercises, you simply must run a marathon.

The truth is, we are all runners. Yes, even you|! We evolved to be runners.

It is as the original anti-establishment, carve-your-own-path hipster, Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “First be a good animal.” To be a good animal, you must run, just like all of the two-and four-other legged animals do. For millions of years, our ancestors ran to eat, to not be eaten, and to have fun. You cannot get around the fact that running is in your DNA. Let’s not deny science.

Let’s run and live as we were meant to.

The Marathon Is THE Gold Standard Running Achievement

The 26.2 miles of the marathon are a challenge.

The marathon distance was set 2500 years ago when Pheidippides ran approximately 26 miles to get to Athens to share the great news that the invading Persians had been defeated.

Ever since, this race length has become the touchstone that connects everyone who completes a marathon with that original running Greek Major Boss MoFo.

When you do a marathon, you are plugging into that historical power!

Running Is the Ultimate Human Sport

The act of running is simple.

This is something we understand even as children. Watch a group of children outside, and you will see that they love to run. Most adults have forgotten just how natural and fun running can be. When you challenge yourself to prepare for your marathon, you will rediscover your inner child along with the primal joy of running.

Running a Marathon Will Kick You Out of Your Comfort Zone

Preparing for a marathon will boot you right out of your comfort zone.

Imagine how powerful of a kick you will get from completing a marathon? When is the last time you truly challenged yourself? Do you really want to be living the exact same life six months from now?

No, you do not. Start running now!

Benefits Reaped from Running a Marathon Will Touch Every Aspect of Your Life

The Groom+Style Team first heard our favorite mantra, “discipline is freedom,” on US Navy Seal Jocko Willink’s podcast.

It means that as you are better able to control your energy, thoughts, and actions, the better your life will be and the more freedom you will have to live your life YOUR WAY.

Preparing for a marathon is one of the best ways to build self-discipline.

The shortest training program for a marathon typically lasts between 18 to 20 weeks. This means that for four or five months, you will be putting on your running shoes four to six times a week and heading out the door for a run. That is discipline.

As you strengthen your will in one area (running races in this case), you will soon learn that this newly acquired strength will improve your life in other areas. For example, once you get into the routine of going for long runs on Saturdays, your habit of going out drinking with the lads and lasses from the office on Friday evenings will lose its charm.

Moreover, your newly found self-discipline will thread its roots into parts of your life that have no connections to running whatsoever.

For example, if you have earned a bad reputation at work for continuously arriving late, you may find you can build a new reputation as being the person who arrives 10 minutes early each day simply by deciding to do so – just as you decided to run a marathon.

The great Scotsman William Barclay wrote, “Endurance is not just the ability to bare a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.”

We will not lie and say that training and running a half or full marathon is easy. It will SUCK at times, but it is that suckiness of the running race experience that is one of the primary reasons you must become a marathon runner. Once you are an “official marathon runner” every other challenge in your life will seem more manageable.

The confidence you will obtain from finishing that 26.2 miles will flow through to all areas of your life!

Get Fit

We forgot to mention that training to run 26.2 miles will make you fit!

Fat will melt off your body with each running step you take, while you strengthen your central nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Being fit is wonderful, but for many runners it is all of the other positives that are realized by setting and reaching goals again and again that really draws them to running day after day.

How to Complete Your First Marathon Even if You Have Not Run a Single Step in Years

In 2015, according to Running USA, 509,000 runners completed marathons in the United States.

If all these people ran a marathon, surely, with a bit of training and the right running program, you too can complete a running race.

One of the keys is to find the right marathon running program and marathon for you!

Marathon Running Programs

Jeff Galloway, a former member of the USA Olympic running team, has had great success training people from all walks of life to complete half and full distance marathons. For true beginners, he suggests a walk/run method that focuses on time-on-feet instead of distance.

His website is loaded with great information on training for your first half or full marathon.

The walk/run method is especially effective for runners who are starting out.

Depending upon your current abilities, you may start out with a ratio as easy as 10 seconds of running followed by 30 seconds of walking for a prescribed period. If you are fairly fit, your starting run/walk ratio may be something around four minutes of running followed by 30 seconds of walking.

The key to this method is starting the walking intervals before you begin feeling tired.

Marathon Training Programs on your Phone

There are some very effective and user-friendly apps for both iPhone and Android phones that you can use to train for your first half or full distance marathon.

One of the best is the Marathon Trainer app, while the incredible training website MapMyRun has a wide variety of run training apps for races of different lengths. Another product that might assist you on your path to becoming a marathon runner is a gps running watch.

Going Farther – Staying Healthy, Injury Free and Avoiding Burnout

As the weeks roll by, you will want to run further and further.

Be careful when adding distance to your weekly totals. The rule of thumb is to increase your weekly mileage by no more than 10% a week for three straight weeks, then take an easy week during which you decrease your weekly total by 10-20%. An example would be:

● Week 1: 10 miles
● Week 2: 11 miles (a 10% increase)
● Week 3: 12 miles (a 10% increase)
● Week 4: 10 miles (a 20% decrease)
● Week 5: 13.5 miles (a 10% increase from week 3)
● Week 6: 15 miles (a 10% increase)
● Week 7: 16.5 miles (a 10% increase)
● Week 8: 13 miles (a 20% decrease)

By increasing your mileage at this pace, then backing off every four weeks, your body has time to adjust to the new workload and stay injury free.

The other key to avoiding injuries is ensuring that you take care of yourself while you are not running. This means you need to stretch two or three times a week, and perhaps get a sports massage every couple of weeks or once a month.

Doing a Yoga class every now and then is a great complement to the stresses running can place on your body. Listen to your body, and take care of budding issues before they bloom into problems that keep you off your feet for weeks or even months.

It is beyond the scope of this article, but you will also need to pay close attention to your dietary requirements and protein intake, to help you reach your goal of running a marathon.

Long Slow Distance

Hang around distance runners long enough and you will hear about the magic of LSD-Long Slow Distance runs. Weekly or biweekly LSD runs are the most important runs you can do while training for your first marathon.

By the end of your training program you should have run at least one LSD run of 20 miles or more.

Finding the Right Marathon for You

There are thousands of marathons on the marathon calendar each year.

To find the right event for you, look for marathons that are within your budget; easy to enter as some running events fill within minutes once registration opens; have achievable cut-off times; are on similar terrain and elevation on which you train; in mild or cool climates; and have aid stations every few miles.

Finding Additional Motivation

Following a documented running program will keep you motivated, as once plans are written down, they seem much more real than if we just kept them in our heads. Make sure your running program is laid out in full in your phone, posted on your fridge, or written in your training diary.

Make it real!

In addition, there are running groups and clubs in just about every city and town in the world. Running with friends or groups is a great way to get yourself out on those days you just don’t feel like it.

It’s also a great way to meet people after getting out of college.

Newcomers to the sport have had success motivating themselves by raising money for a cause they believe in. Do you have any causes you are passionate about? If so, this can make the run about more than yourself, which is one of the most powerful ways to stay on track.

Bottom Line to Completing Your First Marathon Distance Race

You do need to run a marathon. Completing a marathon is an accomplishment that will impact all areas of your life, and a feat that will stay with you forever.

If it turns out that you genuinely enjoy running, this bucket list accomplishment will have given you an enjoyable activity that you can continue to share with your friends, partner, and children.

If you really get the long distance running bug, just keep in mind that an ultra marathon is just five miles longer than a marathon (31 miles). How would you like to be an ultra marathoner? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Let’s get running.

Before Starting

As always, you must remember to review your plans and your current health status with your doctor before starting any new workout program.

Protein is one of the main nutrients you will hear about as a newcomer to bodybuilding. You may know the basics of why your body needs it — for energy and to help your body to recover from training. But did you know that when you are undertaking a regimen of weight training, you need more of it on a daily basis, or that there are different types of protein that your body needs at different times?

It can be confusing, and if you don’t know enough about it, you won’t see the best results you possibly can from your time in the gym.

Here is an explanation of why you need protein and how you should be eating for maximum effect, as well as the different types of supplements available and when you should be taking them to ensure that you never go into a deficiency and waste your hard work.

What is protein and why is it vital?

Protein is one of the three essential macronutrients your bodies needs, along with fats and carbohydrates. When your body digests protein, it is broken down into amino acids, which are vital for muscle and tissue repair, and also play an essential role in many other functions:

.   An energy source, especially when your body has no carbohydrates available

.   Boosts your metabolism, as it takes more energy for your body to digest it

.   Maintains normal growth hormone levels

.   Maintains nitrogen balance, essential for muscle repair and growth

.   Provides fuel for chemical reactions in your body to take place

.   Supports your immune system

.   Regulates insulin levels in your blood

.   Regulates your bodies fluid levels

The role of protein in your body’s recovery

There are two main ways in which protein helps your body to recover from strenuous training:

1)      Ensures glycogen levels are topped up as quickly as possible

2)      Repairs the microscopic tears in your muscles caused by lifting weights

Your body needs nitrogen to be able to start repairing itself immediately after your workout. Protein ensures that enough nitrogen is transported to your damaged muscles for them to instantly go into recovery mode after your workout.

Complete vs. Incomplete Protein

Adults require 22 types of amino acids to function; 13 of these are synthesized naturally within the body, and are known as non-essential. The other nine must be derived from food and are known as essential amino acids.

Complete Animal and Dairy Protein Sources

These contain all of the amino acids you need in sufficient quantities; most are animal based, although there are a few examples of complete plant sources:

.   Seafood

.   Meat

.   Milk

.   Eggs

.   Yogurt

Complete Plant Protein Sources

.   Peas

.   Quinoa

.   Hemp seeds

.   Buckwheat

Incomplete Protein Sources

These foods are examples of incomplete protein sources and don’t contain all the essential amino acids you need. Incomplete protein sources should not be considered inferior in any way — both have a place in your diet:

.   Vegetables

.   Grains

.   Seeds and nuts

Combining Protein Sources

Combining both types of protein in a meal is ideal for giving your body all the amino acids it needs. Below are some great examples of combined “complementary” proteins:

.   Peanut butter on whole wheat bread

.   Whole grain pita bread with hummus

.   Almond and spinach salad

.   Black beans and rice

How much protein do you need?

In the US, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein is approximately 0.36 grams per pound of body weight (or 0.8 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight). However, anyone undertaking a heavy program of training requires double that amount. Therefore, for an individual weighing 200 pounds the RDA would be:

.   72 gram of protein per day if sedentary

.   144 grams per day on a weight-training program

Supplements

If you are on a high-protein diet, it can mean you spend a lot of time prepping nutritious meals. Today’s busy lifestyles may mean that you simply may not have the time to do all this extra work in addition to your schedule at the gym. You also need to be ingesting certain types of protein at certain times and this is where supplements can be convenient and much more cost-effective than buying chicken, beef and seafood every day. There are hundreds of supplements available, so use the guide below to choose the right types for you.

Whey vs. Casein

Whey is the most popular form of protein supplement. It is a by-product of the cheese-making process and available as a convenient powder. It’s a fast-acting source of protein, ideal pre- and post-workout when your muscles need to be fed quickly, and to stimulate as much growth as possible. When choosing a whey powder supplement, look out for isolate which is the purest form. As with all supplements, in terms of quality you get what you pay for. Protein is far too vital to skimp on, so choose the best quality that you can afford. Casein digests slowly, so use this throughout the day to ensure your body has a continual supply. You will start losing your hard work as soon as you go into a deficiency.

Groom+Style has prepared a review of the top 5 best whey proteins on the market.

Milk Protein

This is the protein from milk with the fat and carbohydrates removed. It’s approximately 20 percent casein and 80 percent whey, so digests slowly. A mixed powder containing mostly whey is fine just before you hit the gym. Have a look on the label; ingredients are listed in the order of how much is in it, from most to least.

Plant Protein

Protein can be found in many plants and is especially beneficial to vegan and vegetarian weightlifters. Brown rice is an excellent source of protein, as are peas, quinoa and buckwheat.

Egg White Protein

This is a high-quality protein source, suitable for those who are intolerant to lactose, and it was popular before whey was discovered. In terms of absorption speed, it is faster than casein but slower than whey. A mixed powder containing egg white, whey and casein is a great choice for keeping you going throughout the day.

Beef Protein

Available in bars and powder form, this protein is fast-acting and ideal when it’s time for your workout. It makes an ideal substitute for whey if you have an allergy to milk.

Soy Protein

There is a great deal of misinformation surrounding this protein. A popular theory at one time was that soy protein increased estrogen and decreased testosterone in males; this has been proved to be untrue. It is an excellent protein for helping muscle recovery after a heavy workout, and it also increases the release of natural growth hormone in your body, as well as nitric oxide levels.

Protein in Other Forms

There are many convenient forms of protein available, meaning you can always make sure you have the nutrients you need.

Protein Bars

These are good to include in moderation, although you shouldn’t rely on them pre- or post-workout. The protein in them digests slowly, so won’t benefit you at those times. Low-carb protein bars are popular for anyone on a restricted diet. There are also protein bars that include fats and carbohydrates, turning them into healthy equivalents a small meal when you need one on the move.

Ready-to-Drink Shakes

These are in a can like a soft drink, and usually taste better straight out of the fridge. Again they are meant for convenience and usually contain milk protein, so don’t make them your first choice when it’s time for the gym. Some protein shakes contain simple carbohydrates, making them an ideal choice both before and after your workout.

Meal Replacement Supplements

As the name suggests, these contain all the nutrients you require from a meal in a single drink. These are not intended to replace your meals on a regular basis. They are ideal to ensure you don’t go into a nutrient deficiency on the odd occasion, such as if you have to work late one night.

Weight gainers

This is a protein supplement powder with added fats and carbohydrates for those who find it difficult to bulk up or for anyone that needs to add weight quickly. They can either be used between meals to increase your calorie intake, or as a meal replacement.

Timing of supplements

For maximum benefit, your body needs different forms of protein at different times of the day. Supplements, alongside whole foods, are an incredibly useful way of ensuring your body has a steady supply at the right time and doesn’t go into a deficiency.

When you wake up:

At this point, as you haven’t eaten for eight hours, you need to feed your body quickly and ensure your body has a positive nitrogen balance. You also need to feed your body until your next mealtime, so choose a powder blend of both whey and casein, with the addition of a natural food source such as cheese or eggs.

Between regular meals:

All protein sources between your meals should be a slowly digested type to ensure your nitrogen levels remain steady. Again, casein is an excellent choice; egg white protein will work as well.

Before your workout:

Pre-workout, your body needs a slow digesting form of protein to ensure it doesn’t run low. If you go into a deficiency at this point your body is going to take longer to start repairing itself after your workout. A powder containing casein and carbohydrates is ideal to ensure your glycogen stores are replenished as quickly as possible and to promote a faster recovery.

Post-workout

Your body now needs a mixture of slow- and fast-acting proteins to ensure your glycogen stores are replenished. A casein and whey bend is ideal at this point.

At bedtime

You need to give your body a supply of nitrogen for the next seven to eight hours. Casein and egg white protein is ideal at this point to keep your muscles fed throughout the night.

Understanding the extra ingredients in your supplements

You will notice that some protein powders have added ingredients. These are some common ones:

Carbohydrates

Fast-acting carbohydrates ensure that protein is shuttled to your muscles quickly when they need it the most. Maltodextrin and dextrose are both ideal for this.

Enzymes

These are essential to assist your body when digesting extra protein. Enzymes such as proteases not only aid your digestion, they also make sure protein uptake is maximized and none is wasted.

Amino Acids

In addition to normal amino acids, you may also hear about “BCCA’s” or Branched Chain Amino Acids. These may be an added ingredient, along with glutamine, to promote faster muscle recovery.

Creatine

Creatine is a much debated supplement and has been the subject of many studies. There is strong evidence to suggest it increases muscle growth when taken before and after a workout. If you are taking creatine as a separate supplement, take note of how much is added into your protein powder and reduce the dose accordingly.

Protein as part of a balanced diet

Knowing about the many different types of protein will help you make informed choices about supplements and how they can aid you. It is important to remember when following a high-protein diet that you do not neglect your intake of other vital macronutrients as well. Remember, protein also needs fast-acting carbohydrates to maximize uptake in your body. You also need to ensure that you eat plenty of fiber too, also a vital part of any balanced diet. Finally, if you have any health problems, especially kidney problems, talk to your physician before undertaking a high-protein diet.