Marta Wojcik

Many people think muscle soreness is a prerequisite for muscle growth. The scheme is simple: muscle fibers get damaged, the body speeds up protein synthesis to repair them, and at the same time builds a little more to protect itself from the subsequent stress.

Repeated muscle contractions during exercise cause mechanical tension. It triggers the process of adaptation of the body to the load – it gives a signal to complete the fibers. The more tension is created, the more stimulus for growth the body will have.

After damage in humans, protein turnover is stimulated: both production and breakdown. It is believed that this helps to build muscle fibers. However, there is an opposite point of view: protein turnover is increased not to build up muscle fibers, but to repair the damage.

Pages: 1 2

1. Choose the right shoes
Not only according to the size. It is also necessary to consider the model of sneakers. Training versions differ from basic ones in many ways, but for joint health, the main thing is a firm foot lock and a flexible, shock-absorbing sole that makes sudden movements like jumping safer.

2. Remember to warm up and proper technique
Incorrect body positioning, such as putting your knees behind your feet or bringing them inwards during squats, leads to a redistribution of the load, and the joints have to strain more. Over time, their condition worsens. For example, improper jumping or running techniques can cause patellofemoral pain syndrome: the knee will whimper even when walking or sitting for long periods of time.

Pages: 1 2

Muscle failure is a condition in which a person cannot complete a repetition with a given weight and in full amplitude. It occurs as a result of central or peripheral fatigue.

Untrained beginner’s muscles get the necessary stimulus for growth somewhere around 3-5 reps before failure. After that there is a plateau and more stimulus does not increase hypertrophy.

Training to failure, you just waste energy, fatigue the nervous system and increase the risk of injury, which is especially true for beginners unfamiliar with the correct technique.

But it makes sense for trained athletes to perform approaches “at point-blank range of motion”. This technique forces trained muscles to activate more fibers and provides faster strength gains.

Pages: 1 2

By exercising, we get a flood of hormones that make us feel good. Physical activity increases dopamine levels, which makes us happier and relieves stress. Exercise alleviates symptoms of anxiety and depression and even gives us a sense of purpose and hope for the future.

If you haven’t yet found an activity that gives you joy, try anything that piques your interest: trampolining, hiking, yoga, powerlifting. The key is to stay curious and recognize that you may try many things before you find something you truly love. Many people often think like there’s something wrong with them since they don’t enjoy the sport. It’s all about the fact that certain workouts just aren’t right for them.

Pages: 1 2

Follow a few steps.

1. Sit on the floor. You can fold your legs in a Turkish style, simply crossing your ankles in front of you, or try a more complex pose, siddhasana. Bend one leg at the knee and press your heel against your groin. Then bend the other and place the foot on the shin of the first leg, turning the sole toward the ceiling. Tuck your toes into the space between your shin and thigh.

Straighten your back and place your hands palms down on your knees. If you have difficulty holding the position, try placing a rolled-up blanket under your pelvis.

Pages: 1 2