Monthly Archives: November 2021

HATHA YOGA: STRETCH YOURSELF!

How important is it for you to make your body efficient, energetic, and healthy, not only externally, but also internally? And the main thing is to learn how to maintain it in this state? Yoga is the only lesson in which all structures of the body are trained, from physiological to complex subtle structures of higher mental activity!

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30 Nov 2021

Benefits of taping for the fitness trainer

About taping.

Kinesio tape is a thin elastic cotton tape similar in properties to human skin.
The technique works like this: in the event of injury or excessive stress on the muscles, the excess fluid that has formed as a result of edema begins to press on the tissues, which causes pain.
If applied to the skin, kinesio tape will irritate the mechanoreceptors in the injured area and block the pain impulse.
Since the 1980s, the technique has entered the arsenal of many Olympic champions, and now it is available to every fitness specialist to work both with clients and with their own body.

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29 Nov 2021

How to choose a step platform for aerobics?

The step platform was invented in the late 1980s, serving as the beginning of a real “step revolution”.
Since then, group trainings on steps (from the English step – “step”) have become a real classics of aerobics, and the range of step platforms has grown so much that it is often rather difficult to choose a suitable step.

Step Platform Options

Construction
The most common configurations are with feet (square like The Step or round like LesMills) or steps

The type of structure is important for the rate of change in step height, as well as for safety. Perhaps more intuitively, the height changes for steps with legs. This is important for high-intensity classes when it is necessary to quickly change the height of the stupa. Some steps have latches (LesMills, Reebok) for a firm hold. This increases their stability. Also, such steps are easy to transfer as a whole. It is necessary to focus on this parameter with an eye to the types of group classes that you plan to enter into the schedule.
Dimensions of the working surface
For maximum comfort and freedom of action, it is necessary to choose a step with a length of 80 cm. In this case, all participants in group exercises, regardless of their height, will be able to put their feet shoulder-width apart. It should also be borne in mind that in some exercises, clients lie down on the step. Therefore, the longer the step, the better. The leader here is The Step (108 cm).

Comfortable step widths start at 35 cm (Reebok) and go up to 42 cm (LesMills). The wider the step, the more comfortable it is for people with large feet to step on it. For example, for size 40, you need a minimum width of 26 cm (foot length). However, when training, a margin of several centimeters is required in front and behind the foot.

Levels and Height
The step has three height adjustments. LesMills and The Step can be adjusted to 10 cm, 15 cm and 20 cm. Each level (5 cm) increases the load during exercise by approximately 12%. Reebok strips are adjustable to 15 cm, 20 cm, 25 cm, making the exercise harder.
Maximum user weight
Be sure to read this parameter before purchasing a step. Keep in mind that walking calmly on the steppe is only a small part of the workout. Clients will weigh themselves down with dumbbells or barbells, jump on a step, etc. Therefore, the maximum user weight should be as high as possible. The leader in this indicator is The Step with a maximum user weight of 218 kg, in second place is LesMills SmartStep (136 kg), in third place is Reebok Step (about 110 kg).

The advantage of The Step in this indicator is achieved due to the engineering solution, which was patented back in 1989. On the upper side of the step, you can see two gutters, which are an integral part of the structure. These grooves distribute the force exerted on the step over the entire surface, preventing possible breakage of the step in the center of the working surface. An important factor here is the place of production. The Step is the only step brand that is produced in the United States.

Depreciation
on a step you will not find any of the springs, however absorption effect is mandatory characteristic steppe. It is provided with special materials and design features. In the production of platforms, plastic is used to “damp” the impact of the heels on the surface. Therefore, the joints and the spine are not subjected to such a load when jumping on a step, as during the same exercises on a solid monolithic floor. This is why it is not advisable to buy used platforms. Even the slightest crack, which may not be visible under the rubber coating, can lead to a decrease in the shock-absorbing qualities of the step and, as a result, provoke injury. Also, don’t expect good amortization from cheap copies.
Covering the platform
The more rubberized places on the step, the better – it is difficult to overdo it. Both the work surface on which you stand with your feet and the lower part of the “legs” should have a rubber coating or inserts. These models are more expensive, but customer safety is invaluable. It is important that the foot cannot slip off the step (including if sweat gets on the surface of the step), and that the step itself does not slide on the floor. If you decide to purchase a budget option, then pay attention that the plastic surface is corrugated, and not completely smooth.

It is worth noting that the rubber coating of expensive steps will undoubtedly last longer, and you will not need to change them regularly. However, the rubber cover and feet should be checked periodically. If they are frayed, it can lead to injury.

In this regard, LesMill’s steps have one significant advantage. Usually, the steps are made of plastic, on top of which a rubber coating is glued. Over time, this rubber coating may begin to peel off. In this case, the client can catch his foot on the unstuck corner, or the rubber coating can completely come off. All this is fraught with injury. In contrast, the LesMills step is completely made of rubberized plastic, which eliminates the possibility of peeling off.

Additional options
Advanced steps may have additional options that expand functionality or convenience. For example, LesMills steps are sloped and have slots for shock absorbers.
Advanced Versions
We recommend having several TerraCore platforms in your group class as well . Exercising on these platforms will add additional complexity and variety to your workouts. Advanced tap users will definitely thank you.
 

24 Nov 2021

Diets vs balanced nutrition: the fight for harmony!

Diets vs balanced nutrition

As a rule, we are very inattentive to what we eat every day. Neglect of the norms and culture of nutrition leads to the problem of excess weight, and only then there is a need to regulate our diet. In this case, a dilemma often arises: choose an ultra-modern diet or resort to a balanced diet?

The effect of different types of diets on the body

People choose different ways to lose weight: daily exercise, taking weight-loss drugs, fasting, dieting. Statistics show that the last option is the most popular because it gives hope for a quick result. But how effective and beneficial are diets for our bodies?

There are many diets, and they are all based on certain restrictions. For example, many people choose one nutritious food and prepare all meals from it. Others prefer to consume only protein foods, excluding carbohydrates from their own diet. If you show perseverance and follow all the rules of the chosen diet, it often turns out to be very effective – extra pounds hide before our eyes. Meanwhile, the emerging prospects of rapid weight loss do not convince specialists of the advisability of restrictive measures. Numerous medical studies show that they are harmful to health. For example, consuming only one product over a long period of time can severely compromise the immune system, sleep disturbances, and allergies. A high protein diet can lead to digestive problems, poor mood, and an increased risk of infertility.

The influence of a balanced diet on the state of the body

A balanced diet is a worthy alternative to diets. It is based on the inclusion in the menu of products of the quantity and quality that the body needs for normal functioning. In particular, every day we need to consume more than 50 components: amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals, various vitamins, and others. In this case, a certain ratio of elements must be observed. A lack or an excess of certain ingredients is dangerous to health: metabolic disturbances, the development of pathologies are possible.

Compliance with the formula for a balanced diet increases the body’s resistance to aggressive factors, improves physical well-being, mental performance, and health in general.

Why is this method of losing weight less popular than dieting? The reason lies in our impatience because we strive to get rid of the hated extra pounds as quickly as possible. If you eat a balanced diet, weight loss is gradual, and diets promise to achieve your goal quickly. However, in the first case, we are provided with good health and a stable result, and in the second there is a real threat of the development of pathologies and the return of the previous weight.

 

22 Nov 2021