VA Worker, Author at Fit at Midlife

Study Finds Best Time to Exercise is the Evening

May 29, 2021 VA Worker 0

A new research study[1] shows that performing exercise in the afternoon or early evening may confer the greatest metabolic health benefits. What was the Goal of the Research Study? Everyone knows exercise and doing a range of activities have several health benefits, but the time to exercise for optimal health benefits is currently unknown. Timing is crucial in increasing the profitable result of exercise on metabolic pathways within muscle and systemic energy homeostasis. The outcomes of past studies have been inconsistent. [2] Some suggest morning workouts burn more fat than evening exercise. Others find the reverse. And some recent experiments show that intense early exercise reduces blood-sugar control, while the same activities, executed later, smooth blood-sugar spikes and enhance metabolic [Read more …]

What is the Murph Challenge?

May 22, 2021 VA Worker 0

What is the Murph Challenge? On Memorial Day 2021 thousands of people around the globe – including Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, and more will be taking on the Murph Challenge. What is it? The Murph Challenge is a workout (in CrossFit terms a “Hero WOD”) honoring LT. Michael P. Murphy who was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions in Afghanistan in 2005. The workout includes a one-mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats and another one-mile run. Murph perfomed this workout regularly, which he nicknamed “body armor” – because he did the grueling workout wearing his plate carrier fully loaded with ISAPI plates. It was his way to ensure he was ready for the grueling [Read more …]

Rogue Horizontal Plate Rack 2.0 full view

Rogue Plate Storage

March 17, 2021 VA Worker 0

Let’s review the Olympic Plate Storage from Rogue. You probably have weight plates if you own a commercial gym or a home gym. Whatever kinds of weight plates you have, they, too, along with other pieces of equipment, have to be stored in proper storage to keep them from unwanted damages and keep your surroundings clean and orderly. Here are some of the styles we are going to look at: Olympic Plate Storage – Overview There are different ways to store your weight plates. The classic and the most popular way to keep them is by using the weight plate tree. It may come in different measurements and forms, but they have a similar build – a center post. There’s [Read more …]

Rogue Bear Hug Challenge

February 12, 2021 VA Worker 0

Rogue has just announced their first challenge for 2021 – the Bear Hug Challenge. What is it? It’s an online contest to see who can hold a strongman sandbag the longest. It’s already the second month of 2021, but it is not yet late to start giving yourself some physical challenges. Rogue’s Bear Hug Challenge is finally here to test your endurance! This challenge aims to hold your Sandbag for longer than any other competitor in the world. Anyone with access to a strongman-style sandbag can take part in this challenge, which will run from February 12-15, 2021. A $10 entry fee gets you into the competition; $30 gets you entry plus an official Rogue Challenge t-shirt. Once you’ve completed [Read more …]

Best Time to Exercise? Study Determines Afternoons are Better

February 4, 2021 VA Worker 0

A new research study[1] shows that it is better for our bodies to work out at specific times of the day. Exercise training brings out higher metabolic effects in the afternoon instead of in the morning in metabolically compromised humans. It is because the circadian clock and metabolism are tightly associated. Therefore, the exact timing of interventions that target metabolic changes may influence their efficiency. What was the Goal of the Research Study? Previous experiments imply that every tissue in our bodies holds a kind of cellular clock that signals in response to biological messages related to our daily exposure to light, food, and sleep. Adjusted by our lifestyles, these clocks generate multiple circadian rhythms inside of us that induce [Read more …]

Best Barbell Storage

February 5, 2021 VA Worker 0

Let’s review the best barbell storage racks and hangers. Barbells are some of the essential strength training equipment, and if you are into strength training, you probably have one or two in your garage or gym. Barbells are too precious just to be left on the floor/ground or only be stored anywhere. There are ways to store your barbells properly to avoid damage and keep your garage or gym clean and tidy. Here’s some of the styles we are going to look at: Barbell Storage – Overview Whether you want to store your barbells horizontally, vertically, or on the rack, we got you covered. We will show you different racks and storage and how you can keep your barbells out [Read more …]

Rep Fitness AB3000 FID Adjustable Bench used with weights

Rep AB-3000 FID Bench

February 4, 2021 VA Worker 0

Let’s review the new Rep AB-3000 FID Bench from Rep Fitness. A superior weight bench can assist you in getting an excellent strength training workout at home. It promotes exercises that improve muscle strength, size, and stamina. There are different kinds of weight benches that you will see in a commercial gym or at home, but in this article, we will show you the adjustable bench that has all the details and components you need in a flat to incline/decline bench. Here’s some of the styles we are going to look at: Let’s take a look Rep AB-3000 FID Bench – Overview Rep AB-3000 FID Bench gives supreme comfort and support at every angle with its solid steel frame and [Read more …]

Drop Pads for Oly Lifting

February 2, 2021 VA Worker 0

Let’s review Drop Pads for Oly Lifting. If you are into Oly weightlifting or weightlifting in general and are considerate enough to think of your family and neighborhood, you probably are using drop pads. Drop pads should be used by those who are thinking of venturing into weightlifting or new to weightlifting so as not to disturb or annoy your family and neighbors as you throw barbells and free weights. Here are some of the styles we are going to look at: Let’s look at these options. Drop Pads for Oly Lifting – Overview Drop pads are made of dense, high-density foam to absorb and disperse the sound and shake linked with heavy barbell drops and preserve the floor from [Read more …]

Rep Fitness Sports Plates Product Highlight

January 22, 2021 VA Worker 0

Let’s review the new Rep Sports Plates from Rep Fitness. Sports plates, also known as bumper plates, are dense rubber plates with an iron hub in the center to shape and safeguard the center hole. They are primarily built for the Olympic Games, weightlifting, powerlifting, and CrossFit-style workouts to harmlessly release a loaded Olympic bar from an overhead position without any danger of breaking the platform, the bar, or the plates themselves. They can also be used as a part of your fitness routine in the convenience of your home. Here’s some of the styles we are going to look at: Rep Sports Plates – Video Review on our YouTube Channel Why read when you can watch? Check out this [Read more …]

Body-weight exercises include lunges, and more

Research Study: 11 Minutes of Bodyweight Exercise Can Improve Cardio Fitness

January 21, 2021 VA Worker 0

A new research study[1] shows that as little as eleven minutes of burpees, jump squats, and other exercises can improve aerobic fitness, according to one of the first randomized, controlled trials to test the effects of brief body-weight workouts. What was the Goal of the Research Study? Few experiments studied the effects of short body-weight workouts on endurance and strength, and those few had shortcomings. They concentrated on people who were already fit, and none met the scientific gold standard of being randomized and being an inactive control group. Therefore, researchers’ confidence in short body-weight training benefits may have been expected, but there was no proof. What were the Research Methods of the Study? Researchers from the McMaster University community [Read more …]