Swear More To Boost Muscle Power In The Gym

Taipei Gym, If you eff and blind in the gym, you might actually be doing your body some favours.

That’s according to new research, which suggests that muscle strength and stamina can be boosted by swearing.

Psychologists conducted tests in which volunteers had to swear before intense sessions on an exercise bike, or squeezing a device that measures hand grip strength.

In both experiments swearing led to significant improvements in performance compared with uttering “neutral” words.

The study followed up earlier work that showed how swearing increases pain tolerance, helping explain the common reaction to hitting one’s thumb with a hammer.

Lead author of the study, Dr Richard Stephens, from the University of Keele, said: “We know from our earlier research that swearing makes people more able to tolerate pain. A possible reason for this is that it stimulates the body’s sympathetic nervous system - that’s the system that makes your heart pound when you are in danger.

“If that is the reason, we would expect swearing to make people stronger too, and that is just what we found in these experiments.”

Surprisingly, increases in heart rate and other expected changes linked to the “fight or flight” response were not seen in the latest tests.


“Why it is that swearing has these effects on strength and pain tolerance remains to be discovered,” Dr Stephens added.

“We have yet to understand the power of swearing fully.”

The findings were presented at the British Psychological Society’s annual meeting taking place in Brighton.

References: Taipei Gym, Taipei Fitness, Core Space

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How to Build Muscle and Strength Without Lifting Weights

Taipei Gym, There are tons of at-home workouts you can do with no equipment with positive effects, but it’s tough to make those workouts add bulk and muscle mass to your physique. The key, according to trainer Brian Nguyen, is not only doing the right exercises, but also doing them in quick progressions that force your muscles to be explosive.

Nguyen trains Mark Wahlberg and has worked with several other celebrities and star athletes, such as Will Ferrell and Kobe Bryant. He is also the co-founder of Brik Fitness, which plans workout programs for a number of stars, Olympic athletes and collegiate teams.

This training routine, encouraged by Nguyen, is a great way to work out at home when you can’t make it to the gym, unless you already do most of your workouts outside that setting. Regardless, the exercises and movements utilized here maximize results by constantly testing your strength against gravity while also working on stamina in various muscle groups.

The basic bodyweight exercises to build muscle

This workout includes four categories of familiar exercises: squats, pushups, lunges, and planks. The benefits come from utilizing different variations of each of these, and the great results you’re looking for will come from taking an intense approach to each exercise until the routine is finished.

INSTRUCTIONS: Perform this workout as a circuit. Do each exercise from the first "category" for 30 seconds, then move on to each of the exercises from the next category for 30 seconds, until you get through all 12 of the exercises. Rest for 3 minutes after each circuit. Do the circuit for a total of three to five times.

1. Squats: Bodyweight ("Air") Squats, Squat Jumps, Isometric Squats

2: Pushups — Standard pushups, Plyometric pushups, "Pause" pushups (hold for 1 second in the middle of the rep)

3. Lunges: Bodyweight Alternating Lunges, Split-Squat Jumps, Isometric Lunge Holds

4. Planks: Side Planks, Front Planks, Hip Bridges

It’s all about pushing your muscles constantly over a brief period of time—getting a lot done quickly, in other words.

For example, do the body weight squats at a good strong pace, setting your legs up to be explosive for the squat jumps. Fatigue should set in during these jumps, which is, of course, great for muscle building as you move forward with the workout. “Then finally, the iso hold is like the icing on the cake,” Nguyen says. “Because the muscle has nothing left already and I’m still asking it for more. So ultimately, it breaks more muscle cross fibers so that you get growth, and that’s the bulk part of it.”

Nguyen stresses the importance of the explosive exercises in this routine, saying the squat jumps, plyometric pushups and split squat jumps will really work to reshape your body and build muscle. “If you’re doing the body weight movement of these exercises but not the explosive component, then you’re going to have more of the muscle you might find on cross country runners,” he says. “If you’re looking to bulk up, it doesn’t really make sense to just do repetitive motions like jogging for a long period of time.”

References: Taipei Gym, Taipei Fitness, Core Space

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Top 10 To Prevent Lactic Acid Build Up

Taipei Gym, Lactic Acid Formation-what is it? While performing an intense exercise workout, the circulatory system cannot keep up with your muscles’ demand for oxygen. To maintain a steady supply of energy, muscles shift from aerobic metabolism, which requires oxygen, to anaerobic metabolism, which does not. Muscles can break down carbohydrates anaerobically to provide energy, resulting in a compound called pyruvate. When oxygen is available, pyruvate can be further broken down aerobically to provide more energy. But in absence of sufficient oxygen, pyruvate is converted into lactic acid.

Lactic acid is rapidly broken down into a compound called lactate. Further when lactate production exceeds the clearance rate, it accumulates in the muscles and bloodstream causing increased acidity in the tissues, due to the buildup of hydrogen ions, that contribute to the sensation of fatigue.

In order to prevent lactic acid formation, check out the following tips,

1. Take A Hot Bath: Soak yourself for about 15-30 minutes in a hot bath after a workout session. Heat works to improve blood circulation, reduce stiffness and temporarily reduce the ache of overworked muscles. Even, you can try alternating cold and hot baths because the cooler temperature may help you relieve inflammation and work as a painkiller. Keep in mind that baths are a better home remedy for muscle soreness than showers as the heat can penetrate the muscles once you are submerged.

2. Deep Breathing:  The cause of the burning sensation that you feel within your muscles while your workout is twofold, partly caused by the buildup of lactic acid and lack of oxygen.  To deal with this condition pay greater attention to your way of breathing while you perform exercises. Be sure that you are breathing deeply both in and out. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. With that way, you will be able to deliver enough oxygen to your muscles and block the lactic acid buildup.

3. Slow Down When You Feel A Hit: Whenever you feel a hit of lactic acid burning whilst exercising, reduce the intensity of your workout right away. The burning sensation you feel in your intense workout may be the defense mechanism of the body to protect yourself from overexertion. In case you are performing these aerobic activities , including running, walking fast, biking or using a stair or elliptical stepper, slow down your speed. If you are lifting weights, you should lower the quantity of repetitions or reduce the size of the weights you are using.

4. Stay Hydrated: The best tip on how to reduce lactic acid is that you need to stay hydrated. You can keep the body hydrated in order to help you reduce the buildup of lactic acid.
In fact, lactic acid is water soluble, so drink enough water in order to reduce the effect of lactic acid on your overall health. By consuming plenty of water, you will not get a burn during your workout. Do not wait until you feel this.

5. Always Warm Up: Warming up before any exertion can help minimize the lactic acid. Before your workout, stretching will limber up the joints and muscles and this will help reduce the risks of injury. So, it is the good time for you to perform some low-intensity exercises so that your body can be ready for a workout. Some people like riding a bicycle or going for a walk for a few minutes. The important thing here is that you start out in a slow way and gradually work up to a higher exertion level. Basing on your coming physical activity, you can turn from a warming up routine into a faster run or heading into the weight room.

6. Stretch! Stretch & Stretch: When it comes to knowing how to reduce lactic acid, stretching before any workout is a great idea as it will help the body be ready for the lactic acid. Try to spend a few minutes on stretching out some of the leading muscle groups. Include both sitting and standing stretches.When you do stretching, it should stretch the calves, groin, ankles, quads, shoulders, back, neck and arms. It is best to do it in a way that you do not take a risk of damaging your muscles.

7. Always allow Your Body to Cool Down: Never leave the body hanging after doing exercise or weighting lift rather, let the body reduce the buildup of lactic acid and one of the effective ways to do it is to make it cool down. So, you should try to cool down the body in many forms in order to help reduce lactic acid faster.

8. Workout Frequently: As you know that the more physically shaped we are, the less glucose that our body would require to burn, and this may lead to less lactic acid buildup. So, try to work out several times a week with  1-2 rest days to allow your muscle to recover. Gradually, increase the intensity of your workout and also slowly add a few minutes to your workout routine. With that way, you will increase the level at which your body can begin to create lactic acid.

9. Increase Intake of Antioxidant – Rich Foods: Foods those are high in antioxidants; such as leafy green veggies, berries, and nuts, have been proven to stave off lactic acid. Consuming more of foods that contain antioxidants is an effective tip on how to reduce lactic acid buildup in legs and in muscles.

10. Massage Gently: Press on tender muscles and joints in order to work out tension. Massage can work in the same way that stretching can do to speed up the recovery process by increasing the mobility in your muscle fibers.

These are some tips to reduce & manage lactic acid buildup in muscles.

References: Taipei Gym, Taipei Fitness, Core Space

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One in 10 Men in Gyms Believed to Have 'Bigorexia'

Taipei Gym, It's feared one in 10 men training in UK gyms could have a condition which can lead to depression, steroid abuse and even suicide.
Muscle dysmorphia, which is also known as bigorexia, is an anxiety disorder which causes someone to see themselves as small, despite being big and muscular.
The condition can affect men and women, but one expert suggested many cases go unreported.
It is sometimes described as a kind of "reverse anorexia".
Get information, help and advice on body image.
'Increasing pressure on men to look muscular'

Rob Willson, chair of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation, said: "We know about 10% of men in the gym may have muscle dysmorphia."

Signs of bigorexia may include
-Overexertion at the gym
-Working out compulsively
-Use of anabolic steroids
-Excessively looking at your body in the mirror
-Abuse of supplements and constant drinking of protein shakes
-Irritability and angry outbursts
-Depression and mania
-Panic if you miss your gym session
-Training while injured
-Prioritising working out over family and social life

He believes the condition is a growing problem, but that many cases may be going undiagnosed because there is little awareness of the disorder.
"Muscle dysmorphia is a preoccupation with the idea that one isn't big enough, isn't muscular enough," he explains.
"There are thousands upon thousands with it, who are going to be excessively concerned about their appearance, having very poor self-esteem, and also feeling very anxious and very worried.
"Sometimes individuals can become very depressed and hopeless and that can even lead to suicide," he said.
Listen to Asian Network Reports at 5pm on Bigorexia: Addicted to Muscle

What can cause bigorexia?

Mr Willson said men are increasingly conditioned to think that they need to look a certain way if they want to feel successful, powerful and attractive.
"We're seeing an increased pressure on men to look muscular, create a 'V' shape and have a six pack," he added.
The cause of bigorexia is not clear. The NHS states it may be genetic or caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain.
Life experiences may also be a factor, with bigorexia possibly more common in people who were bullied or abused as a child.

Adam's story

Adam Trice, 31, from Shipley, West Yorkshire, was an amateur bodybuilder and said he was obsessed with getting bigger.
He had muscle dysmorphia and his quest for the "perfect" body meant he was constantly in the gym and using steroids.
"I started off at 12 stone, my goal was 15, I got to 15, then it was 17, then it was 19, and you're always striving for something else, the goalpost is constantly moving," he said.
Adam ended up losing his job, his girlfriend and his home.
He said he became so depressed that he tried to take his own life.
"I was unhappy; I didn't have peace in my life. I was not dealing with my problem and I tried to take my own life. I was in a really dark place," he said.
Adam ended up in hospital and had to seek professional help.
"I had a lot of therapy, did a lot of work on myself and found out a lot about myself. I learnt to like myself."
Steroid use can be a sign of bigorexia. These drugs can boost muscle growth but there is a long list of side-effects.
This includes hair loss, testicle shrinkage and increased risk of heart and liver problems.

'There was no getting through to him'

Oli Loyne was 18 when he started taking steroids to get bigger.
His mother, Sarah, said his muscle dysmorphia may have been trigged by insecurities over his height.
"It was a lot to do with the fact he was so short," she said.
"He was about 5'2". He didn't have the height and he wanted to make up for that by being as wide as he could."
Oli's excessive training and steroid use led to two heart attacks and a stroke when he was 19.
He died after having a third heart attack when he was 20.
"There was just no getting through to him. No getting through about what he was doing to his body," said Sarah.
"He was like 'I need to look like the image in my head. I need to look big.'"

References: Taipei Gym, Taipei Fitness, Core Space

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Muscle Madness by Ulisses Jr

Taipei Gym,  Are you think like a monster ? to train your body and get a body like Ulisses can not be done by yourself, we must have a coach to accompany us, especially if you train muscle. 

Core Space is a gym that best understands what you want to get in a gym or fitness, with an excellent coach and an international certificate in the gym.  #taipeifitness #corespace.

References: Taipei Gym, Taipei Fitness

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The Best Way to Gain Lean Muscle

Taipei Gym, Not all women are looking to lose weight—some actually want to add a few pounds. But not just any pounds, they typically mean they want to gain lean muscle. And just as with weight loss, weight gain comes down to caloric intake versus caloric output. There are other factors that can help, however, so that you put on muscle in the healthiest and most efficient way.

When you're in the gym working out, you are breaking down your muscles (i.e. putting stress on them); out of the gym they recover and grow via diet, sleep, and hydration. Here's your two-part plan to maximize muscle growth.

Inside the Gym
1. Do strength exercises that are compound muscle movements

In other words, do moves that utilize multiple muscles and multiple joints at the same time. These recruit and break down more muscle fibers so that in recovery phase, more are building and growing than if you were to do just isolated muscle moves. Exercises include squats, lunges, deadlifts, cleans, burpees, walking lunges, and plyometric moves like jump squats and box jumps, and can be performed with our without weights, as appropriate.

2. Lift heavier weights
 I've said it before: Train like a man, look like a lady. Do not be afraid of bigger weights! If you lift like the boys, your body produces testosterone in order to adapt to the big stress that you place on it, and this helps build muscle. If you're doing a back squat comfortably with just a bar, add 5 to 10 pounds to each side. If you are doing eight to 10 reps of any move comfortably, that's a good sign you should increase your weight. For bodyweight moves, do more reps (if you can—some bodyweight exercises are challenging enough).

3. Up your rep speed
 Another way to place more stress on your body is just to complete your reps faster (without sacrificing form). A good pace is one repetition every two seconds. You should still be able to maintain your form.

4. Stick to low-impact, light cardio
 And not very much of it. Cardio gets your blood flowing so that your muscles are receiving more oxygen, which promotes muscle growth. But don't do much of it: You should always be lifting more often than doing cardio if you want to increase your muscle mass. A good plan to stick to is strength training three times a week, and one day of light, low-impact cardio—no six-mile runs. Think about a long-distance runner's body (very lean, low body fat) compared to a sprinter's body (more muscular). Also don't do cardio before your strength training session if you do choose to do them on the same day. This will fatigue your muscles, and you'll sacrifice form and increase risk of injury.

Outside the Gym
1. Time your carbs
 Eat more carbohydrates at breakfast and immediately after your workout in that half-hour anabolic window to maximize muscle recovery. Your body has that short window post-workout to restore, so get a liquid carbohydrate and protein drink into your body to help replenish your glycogen stores as fast as possible. This has proven to restore muscle recovery, increase lean muscle gains, and increase growth hormone levels. During your cardio session, sip on a carb-rich or calorie-rich drink to make sure you keep your calorie intake up. And common sense here: The rest of the day eat good-for-you foods, i.e. lots of color and protein. For more advice, follow this eating plan to gain weight in a healthy way.

Core Space Best Gym

RELATED: The Best  Gym or Fitness, Taipei gym #taipeigym #taipeifitness

2. Hydrate
  Drink half of your bodyweight in ounces of water daily so your muscles stay full and saturated.

3. Sleep
 This is where the magic really happens. After a workout, your muscles use the nutrients and water you've ingested during the day, and will work during your sleep to build and grow your muscles. So don't skimp!

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