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Free Weight vs. Machine Exercises (Which Produce the Best Results)

free weights vs machines

Many weight-training athletes prefer free weights over machine type exercises. But, then again, there are also certainly those athletes who would prefer the extra comfort and convenience of the machine exercises. This preference has led to an age-old controversy about whether free weights or machines are better in terms of the results they produce. While this question is not likely to be settled definitively any time soon, it is possible to examine the evidence more closely and then we can draw our own opinion.

Why Some People Prefer One Exercise over Another:

As a weight lifter myself, the phenomenon of watching some people walk halfway around the gym to find their favorite machine instead of doing the same exercise with a free weight…and vice versa…has baffled me at times. Yet, this situation is nothing new. Many weight lifters have their favorites.

A number of informal studies conducted years ago suggested that the choice of such a preference is much more individualistic in nature than whether one actually works better than the other. It turns out that the more aggressive types of people tend to gravitate more towards free weights. Conversely, people who are slightly more passive seem to focus more on the machine exercises. Ultimately, though, the most intelligent athletes focus on both free weights and machines to provide themselves with the best workout results possible.

Machines—Pros and Cons:

Since machines are usually the first thing one sees when walking into a gym, they seem to be the best place to start. They do have several benefits including faster workouts, reduced risk of injury (much harder to drop a machine than it is to drop a dumbbell or have a plate fly off a barbell…seriously, I have seen it happen too many times!), ease of use, and the ability to help rehabilitate an injury.

There are also downsides to machines. These downsides include the fact that you are basically locking yourself into a small or single range of motion. This small range of motion could lead to a higher risk for pattern overload injuries. As an example, try using a simple curl machine for weeks, then switch to a free weight curl. You will likely not be nearly as strong because now your stabilizer muscles have to work as well. Plus, if you actually tried using the same amount of weight, you might pull a bicep. This possible injury also illustrates the false sense of strength produced by machines.

Free Weights—Pros and Cons:

As was already hinted in the last section, free weights allow for the use of more stabilizer muscles. This type of lifting is also more of a “real” world type of lifting, where you find a more natural and authentic range of motion and you can even change up your pattern; there is no being locked into a set range or type of exercise. You also will develop an improved sense of balance (also related to the stabilizer muscles). You are required to actually use brain power with free weights. Yes, there is a chemical secreted that helps the body tell the brain (or vice versa) where it is in space. This secretion is also quite good for concentration and focus overall. Additionally, free weights are convenient and inexpensive.

There are also some disadvantages to free weights. These include an increased risk of injury if not using the proper form and decreased efficiency since you might need to wait for others to finish with those 50 pound dumbbells, since there might only be one or two pairs in the whole gym.

Conclusion:

If you can only use one or the other, it would seem that free weights are a slightly better choice. Then again, it also might really depend on the reason why you are training. The most intelligent course of action is to constructively think about what you are trying to accomplish and then pick and choose the best option for each exercise. Switch back and forth until you discover which combination works best for your situation.

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N.O. Xplode: How Does Nitric Oxide Work?

Simply training hard may not be enough to help a person reach the highest levels of physicality. Along with an intense daily workout routine you also need the right combination of supplements to nutritionally support all of your most strenuous training efforts. This is why many athletes including body builders and weight lifters consider the nitric oxide supplement N.O. Xplode to be an essential part of their training routines. In fact, N.O. Xplode has quickly become a fixture in the body building community since its introduction due to the incredible effects that it brings to the table.

What is N.O. Xplode?

pwb-deadlift

The main purpose of N.O. Xplode is to help increase nitric oxide levels in the body. This increase helps to pump up sagging muscles and muscle groups. N.O. Xplode includes L-Arginine-Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG), Citrulline Malate, and Rutaecarpine as the most active ingredients.

L-Arginine is an important amino acid that acts as a precursor to nitric oxide synthesis, and main ingredient in N.O. Xplode. Put simply, l-arginine is the key to the body producing more nitric oxide and at a faster rate.

When these ingredients work together, this supplement is actually capable of profoundly increasing nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide (the N.O. part of N.O. Xplode) is a short-lived gas that is produced by the cells to signal the performance of several different functions.

Some of these include vasodilation, or opening up blood vessels in order to increase circulation and deliver more blood, which in turn can carry much more oxygen and other critical nutrients to the brain and throughout the body as they are needed.

N.O. Xplode Benefits:

Like many pre-workout supplements, N.O. Xplode is formulated to help increase energy levels. It can be used as a pre-workout supplement to really get your engine revved up for an intense workout or training session.

In addition to the added energy, this supplement also helps to supply the user with increased bursts of strength. This increase is due to the specific blend and combination of vitamins, caffeine, and creatine (among others). The goal here is to help the user push through those few extra reps which can make all the difference between a good workout or training session and a great one.

preworkout supplements for dead lifts
N.O. Xplode can provide the burst of strength needed during dead lifts.

With that extra push and strength comes an extra muscle pump. This pump helps to make you feel more “full” after a lifting session. This is also a great indicator of a successful session as it means the creatine and other ingredients are already working on helping to improve recovery.

Blood flow is also improved which should increase vasodilation. Due to this, many users will purportedly experience more effective workouts as their muscle fiber will repair quicker and through improved endurance can accomplish more per session.

Unfortunately, most muscle repair happens while you sleep, a time when NO levels are in decline. It also should be noted that by taking a does before bed could cause the body to produce less arginine on its own, which is of course counter productive to supplementing.

Luckily, this supplement contains citrulline malate, another amino acid that is often found in the liver and used to treat fatigue. More importantly, it can increase the levels of arginine in plasma causing more to linger in the bloodstream for a longer time, which can work into the night when muscle repair is prioritized.

How Does Nitric Oxide Work?

Nitric oxide actually works by increasing circulation and blood flow. When athletes are training or involved in competition, the various body parts become fatigued and compete with each other to demand scarce resources which need to be delivered through the blood.

Lactic acid will also begin to build up over the course of a workout, causing muscle pain and poor performance. Improved nitric oxide metabolism will increase blood flow which in turn brings more oxygen into the body and helps clear this lactic acid faster. The more lactic acid that your body can clear out, the more endurance you will have.

Nitric oxide is also like a master control switch that can help to improve a number of different bodily systems and functions. Enhanced lung function, better cardiovascular system performance, and even superior athletic results can occur due to enhanced production of nitric oxide. The effects are varied and numerous with all of this and more reported by users of nitric oxide supplements.

Dosage Info

The standard dosage for N.O. Xplode is a single scoop about a half an hour before a workout or physical activity. Make sure to only take one scoop per day due to the above mentioned fact that using too much will cause your body to produce less arginine on its own.

Sources

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L-Citrulline vs L-Arginine For Pre-Workout Supplementation

L-Citrulline and L-Arginine are good pre-workout and provide for muscular gains.

Introduction to Pre-Workout Supplementation:

Athletes everywhere have used supplements to enhance and improve their workouts ever since the nutritional industry was in its infancy. There are a number of things that should be considered when choosing such a product. The first of these considerations is energy. Obviously, in order to power through an intense workout you need a lot of energy. Of course, you also want this energy to come from a natural source since having to deal with side effects like an energy crash an hour or so later is just not worth it.

Another benefit sought from pre-workout supplementation is an ability to support muscular gains. This way, you will also put yourself in the best position to recover faster from your workouts and to translate the hard effort into real benefits. Some of the best supplements to be used before a workout are L-Arginine and L-Citrulline.

L-Arginine Benefits:

L-Arginine is an amino acid that has a number of positive benefits associated with its supplementation. These benefits include the ability to help the body produce and synthesize proteins. Proteins are essential in the process of muscular repair and growth. It is also thought to stimulate the production of growth hormone like natural sterols. These are also quite effective in helping the muscles rebuild and grow larger after an intense workout.

This supplement is also thought to help remove cortisol and other waste products in the body. Cortisol is chiefly responsible for stress levels throughout the body. Therefore, its removal can lead to a more focused and intense workout, potentially even helping one to remain more energetic throughout.

L-Citrulline Benefits:

One of the most popular benefits associated with L-Citrulline is its ability to help reduce body fat levels. It is also incredibly helpful in maintaining your natural energy production, which can often drop off considerably during a hard workout. Another excellent benefit is that it acts as a vasodilator. This has the effect of helping to open and expand blood vessels. This may be also why it can lead to a reduction in blood pressure levels.

For weight and strength training athletes, this supplement also helps in the release of nitric acid. This chemical helps to build proteins and re-form muscles that have been torn down from intense training. Citrulline acts in the urea cycle to remove lactic acid from the body which is produced as working muscles become fatigued. Couple this together with the ability of the supplement to enhance ATP (energy) production and it easy to see how this can lead to a much improved workout.

Citrulline vs Arginine Pre Workout

Overall in the question of L-Citrulline vs L-Arginine, both of these supplements can certainly be helpful as a before workout addition. Instead of being forced to choose one or the other, why not stack them together and take both?

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Is Vitamin C an Effective Addition to a Pre-Workout Supplement Routine?

vitamin-c is an effective preworkout supplement

Introduction to Vitamin C:

Many weight training athletes seem to think that Vitamin C is simply something that comes in their daily multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. However, this lowly vitamin is probably the most important and popular nutritional ingredient of all time. After all, it has so many benefits and helps to work on a number of different levels that even if it did nothing to help a workout directly it would still be worth taking.

Nevertheless, there are a number of benefits that actually relate to how Vitamin C will help your workout. It is a powerful anti-oxidant, which means that it can help to improve the use of oxygen. Certainly this will benefit aerobic training like running, jogging, and bicycling. However, it may even help weight trainers to recover more quickly between intense sets under heavy loads. Also, this vitamin has recently accumulated a lot of evidence that it can help to reduce cortisol levels. This can be huge in helping to improve a workout as well.

The Cortisol Problem:

One of the major problems with cortisol is that it is the ultimate stress hormone. This actually signals the body to store fat and fight your best efforts to build muscle. Not to mention the fact that it also helps to keep you feeling tired, run down, and of course, stressed out.

Of course, we also need to remember that the whole point of a workout is to place more stress on your body. The idea is that by shocking the body with an intense load, the body needs to take drastic efforts in order to adapt (i.e. produce bigger muscles and lower fat levels, etc…). More intensity can mean more stress and more cortisol.

Vitamin C and Cortisol:

When taken before a workout, Vitamin C is able to help block the effects of cortisol. This blockage leads to the body being able to more readily adapt to the stress which your workout places upon it. Many researchers even think that Vitamin C may have properties that resemble hormones and is a powerful enemy of cortisol.

Taking around 500mg of this vital nutrient as a pre-workout supplement is certainly an excellent insurance policy. At the very least, you will see your energy levels increase and should also have an improved workout. You may even want to try taking some more immediately upon finishing a workout to help aid in the recovery process.

Extra Benefits:

Another excellent benefit of using Vitamin C on a regular basis is that it helps to clear any excess caffeine and other stimulants from your system. Not to mention that regular usage over a period of time can even help to increase testosterone levels. And this is certainly good for helping muscular recovery and rebuilding!

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Protein Timing and Its Effect on Weight Training

protein for weightlifting

Introduction:

One of the topics that is discussed on a regular basis by weight lifters, body builders, and other athletes is protein. This discussion usually involves the typical “how much to take” and “which form is the best.” However, an interesting idea is protein timing. There has been some new research that delves into the idea of how important it is to take your protein at specific times. Combined with the answers to those typical questions along with the actual effects can lead to a much improved understanding of how to improve muscular gains and development.

How Much Protein to Consume:

A 2012 study released in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) comes to some interesting conclusions about how much protein we should ideally be consuming. The bottom line is that we should take between 1.2 and 2.0 grams of high quality protein per kilogram of body weight.

This should be consumed on a daily basis, whether or not we workout that day. This is critical since most muscle growth actually occurs during our “off” days. In the past, many athletes simply did not take any extra (or at the very least, significantly less) protein during their non-workout days.

Effects of Protein Consumption:

The study has also shown that protein will have tremendously beneficial effects. This is certainly not a surprise, but it is nice to see in print again. Better still, these finding also indicate that there are significant benefits whether the protein is consumed before or after your workout. It will increase performance, recovery, lean body mass, hypertrophy (i.e. muscle growth), and strength.

Pre and Post Workout Supplementation:

The best types of supplements to use with a pre-workout meal or energy hit are branched chain amino acids. It is also interesting to note that most of the serious and professional level bodybuilders and strength athletes tend to also use handfulls of these BCAA’s during their routines as well.

The post-workout meal should be squarely focused on recovery. The study shows that 3 to 4 grams of leucine will help to promote the maximum amount of protein synthesis. You would also want to use a fast-acting carbohydrate source like glucose or maltodextrin in order to help provide the needed insulin to allow for protein production.

Which Supplements to Use:

According to this study, the best type of protein supplement to use during the pre-workout is the aforementioned BCAAs. They can also be used during the workout itself to help supply vital ATP energy to the working muscles. After the workout is finished, a high quality whey protein powder is recommended. Of course, you could also take other forms of protein powder (although whey is still best) and add in some leucine supplements along with a carbohydrate drink that includes either glucose or maltodextrin.

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What is the Best Time of the Day to Exercise?

time of the day to workout

Is There a Best Time to Exercise?

Exercising is certainly one of those things that we all should be doing on a regular basis. Yet the studies show that most of us are not, or at least not as regularly as we should. There are those who say that whatever time you actually workout and feel good about doing so is the best. Others say that basing your exercising times around your circadian rhythms is the best option. Let’s take a look at some of the research.

Exercise and Circadian Rhythms:

The circadian cycles within the human body regulate our temperature, blood pressure, alertness, metabolism, and a whole host of other factors. But research also suggests that we can train and even reset these rhythms. So, if we decide to exercise in the morning (or whenever), the body and the circadian cycles will reset and adjust. This resetting is actually what we do every day when using an alarm clock. After all, not everyone has a body that is ready to wake up when it is still basically dark outside in order to get to work on time.

The Research:

Current research does indeed suggest a “best” time for working out. This is normally the late afternoon. The main reasoning behind this is that the body temperature is at the highest. Other factors include strength and endurance being greater at this time than any other in the day. Also, we are most alert and since the muscles are already warm and flexible it is easier to warm up and injuries are much less likely.

Despite these findings, research also shows that people who exercise in the morning are more consistent in their efforts. There is also some evidence to show that exercise improves sleep quality, which is a nice extra benefit.

Some Pre-Workout Supplements to Consider:

One of the best ways to make sure that you are ready for your workout and get all you can out of them is to use a pre-workout supplement.

Whey protein can be very effective. It contains branched chain amino acids that are responsible for increased energy and quicker muscular recover. It is also great to take immediately after finishing your workout to further speed up the recovery process.

Citrulline Malate is another very effective pre-workout supplement. This is an amino acid and also a key intermediary in the production of cellular ATP (which is basically energy that is delivered directly to the muscles). This can also lead to better muscular pumps and being able to exercise at a stronger and higher level.

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Is L-Theanine Better as an Anxiolytic or Brain Booster?

Overview:

L-Theanine is a supplement found naturally in tea leaves. It is also an amino acid that has been shown to reduce stress, promote health, increase focus, and even reduce anxiety. In fact, the two main reasons that people tend to use a Theanine supplement are for boosting their overall brain and cognitive function or as a potent anxiolytic (this word means being able to reduce anxiety levels). Naturally, this has led to a debate about which of these effects is more pronounced: should it be used primarily as a memory supplement or as a supplement for anxiety?

L-Theanine as an Anxiolytic:

As an anxiety and stress reducer, L-Theanine is a wonderfully effective supplement. It works by changing our alpha brain waves, which leads from a state of higher stress and anxiety to one of calm and relaxation. Best of all, this change is done completely naturally. You will not notice any type of jitters or extra nervousness associated with this change. This is one of the reasons that tea helps people to relax, despite the fact that it contains caffeine. The stimulant effects are moderated by the Theanine. Overall, this is a very smooth and effective anti-anxiety supplement.

Many users take this supplement solely as a method of reducing their levels of stress and anxiety. Naturally, as these levels are reduced, overall mood and feelings of general well-being are improved.

L-Theanine Benefits as a Brain Booster:

This supplement is also quite capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier. It then enters the brain, where it exerts modulating effects on several key neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters include GABA, Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine, among others. These neurotransmitters have an overall effect of reducing excitement throughout the brain. Also, many of these neurotransmitters are known to have significant effects upon memory, learning, attention span, mental energy, focus, concentration, and overall cognition.

As a cognitive enhancer, this supplement may also be stacked together with caffeine. Since the natural anxiety and nervousness side effects are blocked, it serves to synergistically improve the cognitive and clarity of thinking benefits already produced by the caffeine.

Conclusion:

There is no doubt that L-Theanine is both an effective anti-anxiety and brain-boosting supplement. Just bear in mind that specific effects and results may vary depending on the user and a number of other factors. Better is really a question of which benefits and effects are more important in your specific situation. From a long term standpoint, it probably has more chance of long-lasting anxiolytic effects, but why not give it a try and see if you can obtain both categories of benefits?

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Garcinia Cambogia for Weight Loss

Garcinia Cambogia

Weight loss is a difficult to achieve. Sometimes even with frequent exercise and the correct diet the pounds don’t seem to go away. And with the hectic schedules most of us have nowadays, finding the time to do even that is seriously hard.

For either situation, luckily, there’s Garcinia Cambogia extract. The plant, native to India and Asia, is now more often known as Gambooge. Supplements are made from the skin of the fruit. Its active element is hydroxycitric acid, a derivative of citric acid which has been recently studied for its potential modulation of lipid metabolism, reduction of carbohydrate metabolism, and suppression of epididymal fat accumulation.

The Benefits of Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia Cambogia does not allow new fat cells to be generated within the body, thus causing your system to get rid of the fat. It is also an appetite suppressant. It should be taken an hour before eating and it will help you feel more satisfied with lower amounts of food; it has been used in India as an ingredient of soup to prevent people from eating too much meat. These elements make it particularly effective in eliminating belly fat, thus helping you reduce sizes even if the loss in weight is not so noticeable.

Another interesting fact about Garcinia Cambogia is that it increases serotonin levels, balancing mood and liming cortisol, a stress generated substance. Many people who eat a lot do so due to anxiety or depression, and boosting the mood is a great way to prevent eating your feelings.

Reports about the substance say that it is most helpful to lose large amounts of weight, whereas for slimmer people, the effects come more slowly. The recommended dosage goes from 500mg to 1500mg per day, but remember to start from the lowest dosage.

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Post-Workout Nutrition is as Important as Pre-Workout Nutrition

post-workout and pre-workout nutrition

Overview:

Every athlete recognizes the need for pre-workout nutritional support. This recognition is clearly evidenced by the incredible array of such supplements. Anything from energy drinks to the newest protein formulation is currently being marketed for the purpose of pre-workout nutrition. What many people seem to forget or not realize in the first place is that post-workout nutrition is just as important. In fact, there are even indications that it might be MORE important. Lack of post-workout nutrition can severely hamper performance in the gym, performance in your chosen sport or activity, and reduce the chance of reaching your full potential.

Why Pre-Workout Nutrition is Important:

The main reason why nutrition is important immediately before a workout is to provide your body with the support that it needs to power through the increased demands you are about to place upon it. There are so many energy drinks, pills, and powders on the market that it can make your head spin. Another reason why pre-workout nutrition is important is to help place your body in a good position for future muscle repair and growth. This means giving your body things like amino acids in order to supply more building and growth materials for later.

Why Post-Workout Nutrition is Important:

Very often the need for post-workout nutrition is overlooked. Workouts are intense and damaging events. You are actually destroying muscles. Of course, the hope is that this will force them to adapt and grow stronger, bigger, and more conditioned (depending on the type of routine and goal).

The rebuilding process is what will ultimately determine the results and effects of your training. After a workout, your body is in a severely catabolic state. To reverse this process you need to eat something soon after the workout is over. The 30-45 minutes immediately following training has often been called the ‘golden’ hour for nutrition.

What to Use after Your Workout:

In order to reverse the catabolic (the body feeding off of glycogen and protein stores) state, consume a high quality supplement. This supplement should contain some high quality protein and high-glycemic index (turns to glycogen very quickly) carbohydrates. When consumed in a ration of 2-to-1 or even 1-to-1 in favor of the carbohydrates, this supplement is able to help restore insulin levels and begin the process of recovery. Another thing that can help is to immediately consume some branched-chain amino acids. This will help to supply some of the best types of protein building blocks to the muscles very quickly.

Following these guidelines will help to make your workouts much more effective. You will see added gains and results after as little as a few weeks. Just be sure to always nutritionally support your efforts in the gym or on the field.

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Review of Sleep Aid RX Capsules

Sleep RX capsules aid in helping you sleep. They contain ingredients that are known to be very effective for sleep but without the unwanted side effects of prescription sleeping pills. The supplement contains melatonin, GABA (gamma-amniobutyric acid), lemon balm, valerian root, and passion flower. These ingredients have been researched thoroughly to prove their effectiveness in various applications including aiding in natural sleep. Many people experience sleeping problems and most of the time these problems are related to poor diet, stress, or lack of exercise. For people who do not want to risk their health and prefer a natural sleep aid to help them overcome their sleeping problems, sleep aid RX capsules show promise.

Sleep Aid RX Ingredients

Melatonin and GABA are two of the most powerful ingredients in the sleep aid RX capsules. Melatonin is a natural hormone that is produced by the pineal gland, a small pea size gland located in the middle of the brain. Melatonin helps to regulate sleep cycles and is stimulated by darkness. This stimulation is why we want to sleep at night and wake during the day. Melatonin has low toxicity and is available to anyone who wants to get back on a normal sleeping schedule. Abnormal sleep patterns are associated with a lot of health problems including premature aging. So getting enough sleep is essential if you want to maintain a healthy brain and healthy skin. Melatonin can be purchased alone but is more powerful and effective when combined with the many other ingredients in sleep aid RX capsules.

Melatonin Benefits

Melatonin benefits include being an antioxidant that helps combat inflammation, potentially slowing aging of the brain, helping you fall asleep, enhancing cognition, and helping to control blood sugar. There have been certain studies that show that melatonin can help improve mood in people who experience sadness as well. There are many benefits melatonin provides which is why it is one of the ingredients in the sleep aid RX capsules.

GABA Benefits

GABA is an amino acid that occurs in the brain and has a calming effect on excited nerve impulses. It can give a person a sense of well being and relaxation. Without this inhibitory neurotransmitter a person would continuously remain anxious and would not be able to relax. GABA benefits include fast relief of tension and anxiety, encouragement of sleep, improving mood, and a better sense of well being. This ingredient combined with melatonin makes for a very powerful combination and these are only two out of the many other natural ingredients in the sleep aid RX capsules that have such good health benefits. So if you are in the market for a sleep aid then you cannot go wrong with sleep aid RX capsules, especially if you want a natural sleep aid and want to avoid prescription drugs.