Fitness Workouts

Ashwagandha - The Wonder Root

7/22/2021

Indian Ginseng, also known as “ashwagandha” has long been known for being a potent, non-toxic plant.

In ayurvedic medicine, ashwagandha is used to treat and alleviate a variety of conditions, but can also be used to improve overall health and longevity in generally healthy people.

In this article, we’ll give you insights on this herb, its contents and how to supplement with it.

Let’s get to it!

What Does Ashwagandha contain? The thing about ashwagandha is that it contains a flurry of potent, active ingredients, such as:

Alkaloids
Steroid lactones
Vitaminoids

All of these have active effects on the central nervous system, immune system, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as the lymphatic system.

What Is It Used For? In Ayurveda (healthy lifestyle Indian system), ashwagandha is classified as a “rejuvenating” ingredient.

It is expected to improve health on both a physical and mental level, but also help the body renew cells and fight over diseases and conditions.

Due to its wide variety of active compounds, ashwagandha is used in the treatment of many diseases that affect health.

A fun fact is that the Latin name of the root is “Withania Somnifera” and that basically means “sleep-inducing” when literally translated.

That is to say that Ashwagandha can have a positive effect on your stress levels, helping you lower them.

How Is Ashwagandha Used? In traditional Indian medicine, all parts of the plant are used as a part of the home-made remedy.

There are a variety of ways to prepare the brew and you can even do so by brewing it in milk, to get rid of the unpleasant smell.

The studies and research done for ashwagandha, make it one of the best-known, proven to work herbs.

All these studies point us to the conclusion that ashwagandha is potent for:

Anti-Inflammation
Immune Modulation
Anti-Stress

Besides all of that, ashwagandha is known for having anticancer substances in the root extract.

In Ayurveda, the ashwagandha brew is expected to improve overall health, longevity and quality of life.

Are There Side Effects? This plant is generally considered safe when supplemented with in proper amounts.

There is only one single documented case of intoxication, where a young woman developed thyroid intoxication symptoms, after increasing her intake.

Needless to say, everything in excessive amounts may be harmful, so consider your intake and current state.

Who Shouldn’t Take It? Due to the nature of its active ingredients, there are certain instances when supplementing with ashwagandha is not recommended.

Make sure to advise with your doctor if you fall into any of the categories below

Pregnant/lactating women
People with thyroid disease
People that already use prescribed medicine

What’s The Recommended Dose? Ashwagandha is a plant, used in many formulations of supplements, so odds are you will stumble upon some of those products.

Your best bet is to use the recommended dosage on the product label.

Nevertheless, if you are only using the plant’s extract, you can use 250-600 mg a day.

This is a dose that has been proven to alleviate cortisol levels by up to 30%.

It is a fact that your protein, fats and carbs play a major role in your health, but the truth is that there is much more than just calories and macronutrients.

Finding certain plants and learning how to use them for their active substances, may be one of the most nourishing things you can do for the body.

Ashwagandha is a perfect example for such a plant, as it is viable for stress management, recovery, inflammation and a variety of conditions and diseases.

Try this root and see the benefits for yourself!

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Are Pre-Workout Supplements Good For You?

7/15/2021

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In the past decade, pre-workout booster supplements have gained more and more traction in the fitness world, becoming one of the most potent pump products.

Though some pre-workout formulations help you recover in-between sets and after a workout, the most potent and sought-after effect of those products is the increased strength, pump, endurance and focus.

In this article, we’re going to give you our take on pre-workout supplements and whether or not they are worth using.
What Are Pre-Workout Supplements? Pre-workout supplements, also known as “nitric oxide boosters” are products, formulated for the specific purpose of increasing nitric oxide production.

Nitric oxide is essentially a naturally produced compound in the body that serves a variety of functions, such as regulating blood pressure and relaxing smooth muscle tissues.

Generally, most pre-workout formulations contain a flurry of potent stimulants that increase pump, focus, strength and endurance.

What Do Pre-Workouts Contain? For the most part, many of the famous pre-workout boosters have a similar ingredient content so let’s have a look at the most common contents of a nitric oxide booster and what they provide.

#1 Caffeine - Because caffeine is the single most potent, proven to work as an energy booster, it is used in the formulation of all stimulant-based pre-workout supplements.

A stimulant-based product without caffeine is kind of like a salad without, well, the salad.

Caffeine is proven to improve energy levels, exercise performance, mental alertness, memory and focus.

For this reason, most pre-workout formulas contain anywhere from 150 to 350 mg of caffeine in each dose.

Without a doubt, this is one of the ingredients that provide the bigger portion of the boost you feel from a pre-workout supplement.

#2 Creatine - If you know a thing or two about the body, you probably know that creatine isn’t just a supplement.

As a matter of fact, creatine is the body’s secondary energy resource, used during high-intensity training, such as resistance training.

As a compound, creatine is stored in skeletal muscle and plays a big role in your performance.

For this reason, besides being offered as a standalone product, it is included in many pre-workout formulations.

Though creatine is not a stimulant, it is a viable part of any pre-workout formulation, due to its proven benefits for intense performance.

#3 Nitric Oxide Boosters - As we mentioned, nitric oxide is a naturally-produced compound in the body that has a variety of functions, one of which is the improvement of the blood flow.

Some of the compounds that the body uses to make nitric oxide are the following:

L-Arginine
L-Citrulline Malate

Because these two compounds have main roles in the production of nitric oxide, you will more than likely see them in most pre-workout formulations.

Do Boosters Have Side Effects, Though? Though it seems like pre-workout supplements can only take your performance to the moon, there are a couple of possible side effects, which you should consider before buying a product.

#1 Energy Crash - Some of the most famous pre-workout boosters can easily lead to an energy crash, following the energy spike during the workout.

This is mainly induced because of the sudden energy spike you get from all the stimulants.

For this reason, it is possible that you will experience a significant decrease in physical and mental energy after the workout.

#2 Too Much Caffeine As we mentioned, one of the core ingredients of all stimulant-based products is caffeine.

Because pre-workout supplements contain 3-4 cups of coffee worth of caffeine, this can easily lead to unwanted side effects, such as:

Increased blood pressure
Anxiety
Restlessness
Disrupted sleep patterns

The important considerations here, are to determine your caffeine tolerance and take into account any other caffeinated drinks that you’re having throughout the day.

#3 Supplement Origin - Because most supplements are not tightly regulated, you may stumble upon a product that has banned, strong substances that may be dangerous for you in the long run.

For this reason, your best bet is to rely on already well-established supplement brands, that offer supplements approved by a third party.

Always research your pre-workouts (and your own stimulant tolerance) before starting to use them!

Stim-based pre-workout supplements can do wonders when it comes to optimizing performance.

Nevertheless, to avoid any side effects, you have to make sure that you do the following:

Do your research, purchase a legit, approved products
Test your tolerance - How much caffeine can you intake without getting jittery?
Take your pre-workout 30 minutes before a workout in order for it to kick in on time
Avoid taking your pre-workout less than 6 hours before sleep (caffeine stays in your blood for quite some time)
Avoid supplementing with this DAILY - Use it only on your toughest workouts or days when you don’t have much energy and need a boost.
If you can’t handle stimulants, shoot for a stim-free pre-workout
ONLY take stim-based pre-workouts if you don’t have past/present cardiovascular issues

Ultimately, if you follow these guidelines, you will be able to find a good product that will increase your output, without putting you at risk of any possible side effects.

Do YOU have a favorite pre-workout supplement? Tell us which one it is in the comments below or on my private coaching forum!

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Anaerobic VS Aerobic Training - Which One Is Better?

7/8/2021

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When it comes to training, whether it is professional sports or general training, there are two main types of activity one can do.

Those two types are namely “anaerobic” and “aerobic” training, each of which provides a different stimulus for the body and thus, a different end result.

In this article, you’re going to learn more about these two types, which one is better for specific goals, and how to combine them.

Without further ado, let’s get to it!

Anaerobic & Aerobic Processes
Though these two terms may sound a bit complex, their meaning is quite simple

The word “Anaerobic” comes from the following Greek words:

An - Meaning “without”
Aer - Meaning “air”
Bios - Meaning “life”

In simple words, all anaerobic processes in the body do not require oxygen to run.

Oppositely, all aerobic processes in the body DO require oxygen to function.

Examples Of Anaerobic Activities
Anaerobic training activities are basically any type of training which requires you to do a short, power-burst bout.

Here are some examples of anaerobic training activities:

Sprinting
Weightlifting
Climbing
Broad jumping

Because of the nature of anaerobic activities (short, power-burst movements), this type of training mainly develops muscle strength, size, strength endurance and explosiveness.

Examples Of Aerobic Activities
Contrary to anaerobic activities, we have aerobic activities, which are basically any low-intensity exercises that are long in duration.

Here are examples of aerobic activities:

Jogging
Skipping rope
Swimming
Cycling

With this type of training, your body becomes more efficient at releasing energy with the help of oxygen.

Which Type Of Training Is Better?
As we already established, anaerobic training will stimulate the development of your musculature and its main properties - Strength, strength endurance & explosiveness.

On the other hand, with aerobic training you will improve the work of your heart and lungs.

And so, the answer to the question “which type of training is better?” is quite simple… It depends on the context!

Are you someone who wants to look better? Focus your training around anaerobic activities and throw in some aerobic activities here and there.

Or, if you’re someone who just looks to improve their endurance in the long run, focus on aerobic activities that are low in intensity and long in duration.

Ultimately, if you’re not a professional athlete, you would be best off combining both types of training and tipping the scales in favor of the one that matches your goals the most.

Though most people just LOVE to compare different types of training and dub some “better than others”, one thing remains true…

That is namely the fact that the body is a complex machine, capable of a MULTITUDE of movements.

The more movements you do and the more you engage in different types of activities, the more you develop the systems and components (muscles) that make those activities possible.

Therefore, this approach will lead to a functionally and visually better physique.

What is YOUR approach to training? Comment down below or on my private fitness coaching forum.

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Ashwagandha - The Wonder Root

Are Pre-Workout Supplements Good For You?

Anaerobic VS Aerobic Training - Which One Is Better?

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