FREE GUIDE
Quads and Hamstrings
Quads:
The quadriceps muscles, commonly called the "quads," are powerful muscles involved in lower body movement and propulsion. The quadriceps muscles consist of four large muscles at the front of the thigh. These muscles are primarily responsible for hip flexion and extension at the knee joint.
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Hamstrings:
The muscles in the posterior compartment of the thigh are collectively known as the hamstrings. They consist of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus, which form prominent tendons medially and laterally at the back of the knee. As group, these muscles act to extend at the hip, and flex at the knee.
Benefits of Stretching
Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way.
Benefits of Stretching:
1. Stretching can improve posture.
Tight muscles can cause poor posture. Specifically, the muscles of the chest, back (both lower and upper), and hips can cause poor posture if they are tight.
2. Stretching can improve range of motion and prevents loss of range of motion.
3. Stretching can decrease back pain.
This somewhat goes hand in hand with posture.
4. Stretching can help prevent injury.
If you stretch a muscle too far, it will become strained or torn.
5. Stretching can decrease muscle soreness.
If you have soreness in a muscle or muscle group from a recent workout or from a muscle strain, stretching can help relieve some of this discomfort
BCAA
BCAA is a general term for the essential amino acids* valine, leucine, and isoleucine that are metabolized by the body and used as sources of muscle energy. They are referred to as Branched Chain Amino Acids because the molecular structure of these three amino acids includes branches.
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How BCAA supplements may help your fitness regimen
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Research suggests that BCAA supplements may support your exercise regimen in at least five ways:
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Reduce fatigue during exercise.Higher levels of BCAAs help limit the entry of tryptophan into your brain. Your body uses tryptophan to make serotonin, which may contribute to exercise fatigue
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Reduce muscle damage and soreness.BCAAs may relieve soreness resulting from the strain and inflammation caused by exercises
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Promote muscle building after exercise. Dietary protein containing BCAAs stimulates the synthesis of protein in your muscles and suppress the breakdown of muscle protein.
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Provide a source of energy during prolonged exercise. When glucose — your muscles’ main energy source — becomes low, BCAAs can serve as a source of energy
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Support immunity. Strenuous exercise can result in reduced immunity, which may be due to a decrease in the amino acid glutamine, a fuel for immune cells. BCAAs can be converted into glutamine in muscles
Cardio
Cardio exercise uses the large muscles of your body in movement over a sustained period of time, keeping your heart rate to at least 50-percent of its maximum level.
Benefits of Cardio
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Great for weight loss, Strengthens your heart, Reduces the risk of several disease, Improves lung capacity, Naturally boosts energy, Great for mental health, Helps the immune system
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Are you doing too much cardio?
This may result in as follows
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Reduced metabolism that hampers weight loss:
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Your body remains soft no matter how much weight you lose:
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Weakened immune system
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Your body desperately holds onto fat:
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Recommended amount of cardio
An average adult requires 150 minutes of cardio in a week. Your heart rate should be between 50 to 80 per cent of your maximum heart rate to get the full benefits of cardio exercise.
Back Anatomy Muscles
The back anatomy includes some of the most massive and functionally important muscles in the human body.Still, many individuals pay far too little attention to them.
The back muscles enable you to stand up straight; support and protect your spine; and reach, pull and extend your arms and torso.
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The back anatomy includes
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Latissimus Dorsi (Lats)
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Trapezius (Traps)
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Erector Spinae
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Rhomboid
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Teres Major
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Lats
The Latissimus Dorsi also known as the “lats” or “wings,” are the largest and most well-known of all the back muscles.
Once large enough, the lats are responsible for your body’s “V-taper” because of their protruding appearance under your armpit area and on the back of your ribs.
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To target your lats, you can use a variety of popular exercises
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Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
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Seated Banded Row
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Straight Arm Pulldown.
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Underhanded Bent Over Row.
Trapezius Muscle
The trapezius is a muscle that starts at the base of your neck, goes across your shoulders and extends to the middle of your back. The trapezius (traps muscle) helps you move your head, neck, arms, shoulders and torso.
It also stabilizes your spine and helps with posture. Muscle strains can affect the traps and cause pain and decreased mobility.
The trapezius is responsible for posture and movement. It allows you to tilt your head up and down and turn your head all around. It also helps you stand up straight, twist your torso and shrug your shoulders or pull them back.
Trapezius muscle strain is a common injury that happens when you stretch the muscle too far. In severe injuries, the muscle can tear. To avoid injury and keep your traps strong, you should warm up before exercise and focus on staying healthy overall.
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Exercises for Traps
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Face pull
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Dumbbell Military press
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Barbell shrug
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Rack pull
Rhomboid muscle
Erector Spinae
The erector spinae muscles are a group of long muscles that originate near the sacrum and extend vertically up the length of the back. The erector spinae muscles lie on each side of the vertebral column and extend alongside the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical sections of the spine.
Free weight erector spinae exercises
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Stiff-legged Deadlifts
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Good Mornings
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Bent Over Rows
The rhomboid muscle is located in the upper back. It helps connect the shoulder blades to the rib cage and spine. It also helps you maintain good posture. Rhomboid pain is felt under the neck between the shoulder blades and spine.
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Exercises for Rhomboid Muscle
• Prone lateral raise
• Rear delt flys
• Scapular wall slides
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Protein