Fitness Mastery: Hypertrophy, HIIT & Running Optimization

Comprehensive fitness involves a mix of strength training for hypertrophy, HIIT for metabolic health, and corrective exercises for postural alignment.

Woman performing leg stretch in garden, man standing in foreground

What Is a Dead Muscle?

A doctor, personal trainer or physical therapist may use the term "dead muscle." It's a way of describing a muscle that's been deprived of nutrients and is no longer usable, that's injured or that's simply inactive due to underuse.

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How to Get Rid of Knots in Biceps

Knots in a muscle are the result of an injury that causes muscle spasms. If the spasm is not treated, it goes on to form knots in the muscle. As you move around during the day, muscles cycle on and off with different movements. An untreated spasm makes the muscle stay contracted all the time.

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Can I Lift Weights & Do Insanity?

If you hear someone at the gym talking about "insanity," it's likely that your treadmill neighbor isn't referring to mental unraveling, but to a particularly rigorous exercise regime that promises dramatic improvements in fitness.

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Heel-Toe vs. Toe-Heel Walking

Humans adapted to a pattern of walking that differs from that of most mammals. Instead of walking on their toes without putting much weight on the heel, they tend to walk by striking their heels first – in a strike known as heel-toe walking.

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Alternatives for Reverse-Grip Pull Downs

The reverse-grip pull down, more often called the reverse-grip β€œlat” pull down, is an exercise that targets the back and biceps. It’s performed on a pull-down machine, which you'll find in gyms or health clubs.

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What Causes False Stress Test Results on a Treadmill?

A stress test can be used to identify heart problems and other health issues. One type of stress test is performed on a treadmill while technicians gradually increase speeds and inclines and monitor your heart's response.

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Swimming After a Perianal Abscess

Unlike other aerobic exercises such as jogging, swimming puts little stress on your joints, making it an ideal exercise for people with arthritis.

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What Helps Strengthen Your Center of Gravity?

When people talk about having a strong center of gravity, they usually mean good balance, although your center of gravity is only one part of the equation for balance and stability.

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How to Tone the Upper Arms After 70

Aging generally results in physical deterioration, including a loss of muscle tone. Even seniors who stay in shape may experience increased muscle weakness and flabbiness over age 70. The percentage of people who lose muscle mass rises to over 50 percent at age 80 from 13 to 24 percent at age 70, according to Dr.

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Barbell and discs in a weightlifting gym

Partial Deadlifts Vs. Deadlifts

Bodybuilders, powerlifters and regular exercisers often work deadlifts into their routines. Whether to perform partial or full deadlifts depends on your lifting experience and abilities, as well as your goals -- whether you want to work the entire body or isolate the upper body musculature.

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How to Increase Knee Flexibility

Your knees are complex machines that contain many tendons, ligaments and cartilage. They work to connect the bones and muscles in your lower and upper legs. Your knees may get sore and sustain injuries if you use them a lot but don’t take steps to maintain them.

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Unrecognizable person taking dumbbells in a gym

How to Build Your Wrists

The size of your wrists is determined largely by genetics, as the area is composed mostly of bone rather than muscle. Wrist circumference often is used to gauge your body's frame and bone size. For a man over 5 feet 5 inches, wrist circumference of 5.5 to 6.5 inches is small, 6.5 to 7.5 inches is medium and over 7.

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Blonde sexy bodybuilder pulldown practice in gym

Double Vs. Single Pulley Lat Pulldowns

The single pulley and the double pulley lat pulldown are exercises performed on special cable weight machines. The technique you choose to perform the exercises is different depending on how the machine is set up; however, both techniques target and work the same muscles.

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Woman holding dumbbell

Can You Lift Weights After Your Wrist Heals?

Wrist injuries are common in athletes. Sprains are the most typical, while fractures and breaks occur less often. After your wrist heals, your ability to lift weights will depend on various factors, including the type of injury that you've sustained and the type of weight lifting you plan on doing.

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Man doing push-ups

What Is a Disadvantage of Performing Calisthenics for Muscular Fitness?

Calisthenics is a combination of resistance exercises that involves the use of your body weight. These exercises can be done anywhere with no equipment needed. Common calisthenics include pushups, crunches and jumping jacks. There are numerous benefits reaped from using calisthenics to improve muscular fitness.

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Woman practicing yoga on deck

Difference Between Pelvic Tilt & Pelvic Lift

The pelvic tilt and the pelvic lift are two yoga movements commonly performed to alleviate lower back stress and help improve posture. In addition, both movements strengthen muscles that provide support for your abdominals, lower back and pelvic area.

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Girls doing cartwheel in field

How to Do an Easy Cartwheel for Kids & Beginners

A cartwheel gets its name from the motion that your body undergoes when you perform one. You make a full rotation from a standing position to an inverted one and back again as if you were affixed to a wheel.

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Men doing squats with dumbbells in gymnasium

Air Squat Vs. Squat

Air squats, also known as body weight squats are a staple beginner move for working the lower body. When you want to ramp up the intensity however, air squats can be a little too basic, meaning you need to switch things up and start performing regular squats with weight.

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Bent Over Row Workout For Back

High Power Pull Vs. Upright Row

The high power pull and the upright row are two techniques in weight lifting that work various muscles throughout the body. Although both moves are similar, the upright row targets a specific muscle whereas the high power pull works many muscles throughout the legs, shoulders and arms.

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