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January 11, 2021 By Aruna Bhatia Leave a Comment

5 Biggest Workout Mistakes You Need To Avoid

The importance of good exercise is known to us all. Some of the benefits of regular exercise include improved heart health, bone and muscle strength, improved immunity, better digestion and sleep among others. But let’s also throw some light on five basic and common workout mistakes that most of us usually make while beginning on an exercise regime.

5 Workout Mistakes To Avoid

1. Ignoring Warm Up and Skipping Cool Down
A warm up routine increases blood flow to our muscles. It’s purpose is to prevent injuries by increasing core and muscle temperature. A good warm up also increases the range of motion. In its absence, we may place unnecessary strain on our heart and lungs, risking injury. It’s the same when we skip a post workout cool down. Cool down allows body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate to return to normal, reducing the chances of fainting and dizziness. Also, cool down stretches allow the muscles to stretch and relax.

2. Being Inconsistent
People are very enthusiastic at the beginning of a new workout regime and with this enthusiasm, they tend to go too fast and burn out. Instead, one should progress slowly and gradually, starting with exercises that are suitable and aligned to their current fitness level. It’s important to maintain consistency.

3. Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep is majorly underestimated. A good six to eight hours of sleep doesn’t just energize your body but also helps muscle growth, recovery, strengthening the immune system and virtually all aspects of health. It definitely is worth adjusting your schedule for.

4. Not Analysing Progress The Right Way
Not monitoring and listening to your body cues is probably the biggest workout mistake you can make. Always keep a tab on checking body part measurements as muscle growth may not be visible on a scale. Paying attention to how you feel throughout your workouts and checking results will make your workout more effective and meaningful.

5. Improper Hydration
In an hour of exercises, the body loses almost one fourth of its water content. This may lead to muscle fatigue due to lactic acid build up as well as cramps. One should be careful not to drop hydration levels and take small sips of water between workouts as well as pre and post workout. Drinking enough water (2.5-3 liters a day) helps in better absorption of protein, vitamins and minerals from food.

We hope this article helps you avoid these common workout mistakes. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on fitness and workouts, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

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November 9, 2020 By Jigna Sheth Leave a Comment

Effective Stretches For Muscle Recovery After A Workout

Every athlete, no matter how good, always follows a workout pattern to avoid injury, pain or stress to muscles. This usually begins with a warm up and ends with a cool down. Both are necessary as they improve performance, reduce the risk of injury and decrease muscle tension. They also improve flexibility, keep the blood flowing and help one attain better posture while reducing any aches and pains. If you have been skipping stretching due to a lack of time, we can try some of these quick, simple and effective stretches for muscle recovery after every workout.

Stretches for Muscle Recovery Post Workout

To get started, we must focus more on the muscles used during the workout.

1. Gentle Walk or Jog

A very light jog or walk is the simplest and the most perfect way to cool down naturally. You can do spot jogging or move around the room at a normal walking pace.

2. Hip Flexor Stretch in Lunge Position

Get into the lunge position starting with both hands on the left knee
The right knee and calf should be on the ground
Now use your right hand to slowly pull up your right foot until you feel a stretch in your hip area
Hold the position for 20-40 seconds
Slowly release and repeat for the left leg

3. Toe Touch

Stand with the feet together or shoulder-width apart
Keep the knees straight, do not lock it
Bending at the hips, slowly lower the head down toward the knees, keeping the back as straight as possible
Reach towards the toes, and let the neck relax
Hold for up to 20-40 seconds
Rise slowly back up to standing position.

4. Standing Calf Stretch

Stand near a wall with feet shoulder width apart
Place one foot in front of the other, front knee slightly bent.
Keep your back knee straight, your heel on the ground, and lean toward the wall.
Feel the stretch all along the calf of your back leg.
Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds.

5. Standing Quad Stretch

Stand upright with your feet together
Raise the heel of one leg up behind you and pull that leg up towards your butt with your hand
Keep pulling your leg up until you feel it stretching your quad, but not to the point of pain
Hold the stretch for a few counts and then switch sides

6. Seated Hamstring Stretch

Sit down with both legs straightened out in front of you, knees and heels together. Then reach both arms forward towards your toes to feel a stretch through the back of the legs.
If possible, try and hold your toes in this position for a minimum of 60 seconds while taking deep, slow breaths
Keep your legs straight, without letting the knees buckle. If you’re unable to reach your toes while keeping your legs straight, you can hold the end of a towel looped around your foot
As you hold this stretch and feel your muscles start to adjust and relax, you can start going deeper on your exhale and hold, which will slowly increase your hamstring flexibility

7. Seated Twist

Sit on a mat and stretch the legs out in front of the body
Bring the left leg over the right leg and place the left foot on the floor, bending the left knee
Twist to the left and use the right arm to press the left knee gently inward
Hold for 30 seconds
Untwist and repeat on the other side

8. Overhead Tricep Stretch

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and roll your shoulders back and down to release any tension
Reach your right arm up to the ceiling, then bend your elbow to bring your right palm down toward the center of your back
Bring your left hand up to gently pull your right elbow downward
Hold this stretch for 20 to 30 seconds before switching arms
Repeat on both sides 2 or 3 times, attempting to get a deeper stretch with each repetition.

9. Child’s Pose

Kneel on the floor with your toes together and your knees hip-width apart. Rest your palms on top of your thighs
Lower your torso between your knees. Extend your arms alongside your torso with your palms facing down. Relax your shoulders toward the ground
Hold for 30-40 seconds
Bring the arms back in and slowly sit up

Few Tips To Prevent Injuries

Do not over stretch yourself, listen to your body and stop if you feel pain
Maintain correct posture, or else you might end up stretching the wrong way which will cause more harm than good
Inhale and exhale through your stretches
Always start at a slow pace to last longer.

If you have any injury or medical condition, perform the stretches under supervision and talk to your healthcare provider before starting any program. If you’re unsure on how to perform stretches correctly, do it under a certified trainer’s guidance. Alternatively, you can also check out our LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play for muscle recovery stretches.

We hope this article on effective stretches for muscle recovery helps you. For more articles on fitness, check out Healthy Reads now!

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September 7, 2020 By Binita Dhara Leave a Comment

Do You Really Need Protein Supplements Before and After Your Workout?

The current pandemic situation demands a good immune system. Along with working out and staying active, it is important to take good care of what we eat before and after a workout for energy and tissue repair respectively. Primarily, the go-to in this case is protein but do you get your protein from protein supplements or from natural sources? Which works better? Let’s find out!

What’s The Difference Between Natural Protein and Protein Supplements?

You can get energy from natural sources as well as protein supplements. Normally, natural foods like fruits, nuts, eggs, chicken, pulses and cereals contain carbohydrates, proteins and good fats which help us get energy for a workout. They also repair tissues. Supplements on the other hand contain amino acids, B vitamins, caffeine, creatine and artificial sweeteners – quality differs from brand to brand.

Who Needs Supplements?

Normally, protein supplements are required for those who perform heavy workouts like athletes, wrestlers and bodybuilders. When the protein requirement is not fulfilled by natural sources, then supplementation is required. Even the amount of protein requirement depends on the person and whether they want to lose or gain weight.

On the other hand, the amount of protein consumed should also be monitored because if it is not used up during the workout, it gets stored in the body as extra calories as 1g protein contains 4 kcal. The ideal protein consumption should be 1.2 to 1.7g per kilogram of body weight or 0.5 – 0.8g per pound of body weight.

There are 3 forms of protein:

Protein Isolates: This consists of only protein (90-95%) and has carbs and fat removed from it through processing. This is mainly made up of whey protein.
Protein Concentrate: is the combination of carbohydrate and fat (20-40%) and protein (20-40%). This is mainly made up of plant sources.
Protein Hydrolysates: This is further processed and breaks the protein into amino acids which makes it more easily absorbed in the body. But it has a big disadvantage – it increases the insulin level of blood mainly which is made from whey protein.

There are many forms of protein supplements available in the market which are derived from various other sources. Comparing the above, try avoiding plant sources as they don’t provide sufficient protein for muscle growth. Whey is easily absorbed and digested whereas casein takes time to get digested but it’s good to consume before sleep as it helps in recovery of muscles and egg protein is another good option as it is easily absorbed by the body.

Taking all of this into consideration, I would like to say that though it has several benefits, protein supplements also have major demerits such as the caffeine and creatine contents which affects blood pressure, creating cardiac issues by increasing heart rate, causing diarrhoea, a disturbed sleep cycle and gut intolerances, etc.

Do note that most of these “health drinks” aren’t regulated by the FDA for safety purposes. So, before you pick a protein supplement, read the ingredients on the label and pick one that fits your requirement. Honestly, what I feel is that it is best to fulfil the protein requirement through natural foods!

We hope this article helps you make a choice! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on protein, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

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July 13, 2020 By Swati Savla Leave a Comment

Easy Home Workouts To Keep You Active!

While India is slowly unlocking from a close to 4 months of lockdown, it brings with it a little scare and susceptibility to contract the virus. In my case, I’ve made a point to stay physically active within the 4 walls of my apartment. Initially, it was difficult to balance it along with household chores but gradually, the importance of exercise to keep this COVID anxiety and depression at bay, dawned on me. I’ve managed to chalk out some easy home workouts to ensure that getting fit never gets boring.

Easy Home Workouts To Get Active Indoors

Virtual Workouts: We’re social animals and right about now, that’s what we miss the most. Here, you can kill two birds with one stone. Create virtual workout groups with friends or distant family members via Zoom or Meet. It will not only help you connect with your family and friends but will also keep you fit and active.
Dance Fitness: You don’t have to be a great dancer or know all the moves. All you need is music and your feet! Along with family members, this dance party can keep you healthy! It’s an excellent workout which helps burn extra calories.
Barre: This form is quite a different routine from the regular bodyweight exercises. It’s a form of workout inspired by movements from Ballet. Don’t worry, you don’t need Ballet classes to attempt Barre. You can do this at home without any special equipment. A simple dining chair for support and water bottles for weights will suffice. It’s a great blend of cardio, strength training, flexibility, balance and core conditioning.
Stair Circuit: In my society, as people were barred from going out, our staircase was unused for days. So I took it up as my next workout. As the name suggests, walking up and down the stairs as a warm up, followed by a circuit routine of stair pushups, squats to step, steps up, tricep dips with variations in each for the next set.

I hope these easy home workouts help you add some flavor to your routine. Before you begin, ensure that you’re doing some of these easy home workouts with the correct form and posture. If you’re stuck, you can tune in to GOQii Play and look for sessions on Dance Fitness, Barre Workouts and Stair Workouts as well as LIVE classes daily on a number of topics. To read more on fitness, lifestyle and nutrition, you can check out Healthy Reads.

How are you keeping fit at home? Let us know in the comments below!

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