Category: Fitness

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7 Tips for Becoming a Successful Amateur Boxer in America: From Building Endurance to Entering Competitions

As an amateur boxer in America, there are several key steps that you can take in order to improve your skills and succeed in the sport. Here are some tips that you should keep in mind:

1. Find a good gym: The first step in your journey to become an amateur boxer is to find a good gym where you can train regularly. Look for a facility that is clean, well-equipped, and run by experienced coaches who can help you improve your technique.

2. Learn the basics: Before you can start sparring or competing, you need to learn the basics of boxing. This includes footwork, punching technique, defensive maneuvers, and conditioning exercises. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and practice until you feel comfortable with these fundamentals.

3. Spar with other boxers: Once you have a basic understanding of boxing, it’s time to start sparring with other boxers. This will help you develop your timing, reflexes, and strategy in real-life situations. Be sure to spar with boxers who are at a similar skill level as you, and always wear proper protective gear. If you spar with someone who is more experienced, make sure that they are even tempered and that there are trainers present in the corners. 

4. Build your endurance: Boxing requires a lot of physical endurance, so it’s crucial that you build up your stamina over time. This can include running, cycling, or doing other cardio exercises on a regular basis.

5. Watch and learn from others: One of the best ways to improve your skills is to watch top-level boxers in action. Study their techniques, footwork, and fighting style in order to gain inspiration and ideas for your own training.

6. Enter amateur competitions: As you gain more experience and confidence, you may want to enter amateur boxing competitions. This can be a great way to test your skills against other boxers and gain valuable experience in the ring.

7. Stay motivated: Finally, it’s important to stay motivated and focused on your goals as an amateur boxer. Set realistic targets for yourself, and work hard to achieve them through consistent training and dedication.

With these tips in mind, you can become a successful amateur boxer in America and achieve your goals in the sport. Good luck!

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10 Benefits of Having a Home Gym

Mike Lee

10 Benefits of Having a Home Gym

Whether you’re a experienced gym-goer or just starting your fitness journey, the benefits of a home gym fast outweigh most pricey gym memberships. Thanks to tech, home gym workouts are quickly becoming a firm favorite, and the best fitness brands provide fitness apps you can access from home, so why not build a home gym to support and maximize your workout gains?

We decided to sift through the science and gather nine benefits of having a home gym. If you’re on the fence about investing in the best home gym equipment, this could be make or break in your decision-making. Read on for the pros of investing and why your workout needs it. 

Benefits of a home gym 

Whether you’re moving for a mood boost, training for a goal, or building your strength and cardio, exercise is brilliant for physical and mental health. According to WHO, we should be hitting around 150 minutes of moderate-vigorous intensity exercise per week. But with work, family, and other commitments, it might feel impossible to hit that number. 

Short on time? Here’s why a home gym could help.

  1. AFFORDABLE

According to research conducted by City A.M., one in five Brits can no longer afford fitness services due to the cost of living crisis. Another study revealed that the average American household with gym memberships have an average income above $75,000. 

Gym memberships can be expensive. While building a home gym may initially feel costly, it’s yours for life and easy to build on. No monthly fees mean you can concentrate on adding to your home gym over time. Moreover, many fitness apps are free or at least offer an initial trial period. 

2. SAVES TIME

Travel can be time-consuming, especially when people have work and childcare to consider. Home gyms eliminate the need for transit time; you can simply switch rooms to catch a quick sweat — no fuss!

3. IT’S PRIVATE

According to research by Nuffield Health, a third (33%) of 18-35-year-olds feel too intimidated to join a gym. Training from the comfort of your home allows you the privacy to try new things and become comfortable with different equipment and training. 

The gym can make people self-conscious; home gyms allow you to discover what you enjoy without the crowds, meaning you’re more likely to stick to it and get fitter.

Weights and exercise machines in gym

4. VERSATILITY

If you’re limited on space or not sure where to start, making small additions to your home gym can make a big difference. Whether you enjoy yoga, Pilates, or strength training — you can bring the gym experience to you with affordable, lightweight equipment.

Try investing in a durable exercise mat, one set of adjustable dumbbells, and a resistance band. Trust us, you can still kick up a savage burn and deliver a full-body workout. Then consider conditioning equipment like kettlebells, a skipping rope, and an ab wheel, or build to bigger things like a treadmill to hit cardio and strength goals. 

5. VR FITNESS IS GROWING

The metaverse is rapidly evolving, and virtual reality fitness could be the future of workouts. Although VR — like Meta Quest — is still pretty costly, more and more options are coming. VR can transport you to any gym or boxing ring just by slipping on a headset. So why would you need a gym?

6. IT’S FUNCTIONAL

Functional training uses compound movement — an exercise that uses multiple muscle groups at once— like squats, push-ups, and pull-ups. Research shows the approach can boost your metabolism, build muscle, and blitz calories just by using a bodyweight workout at home.

Equipment such as pull-up bars and resistance bands are great compliments to bodyweight strength exercises- making it feel just like a gym session without setting up barbells or changing weights.

7. IT’S SOCIAL

For many people, social interaction helps improve motivation and accountability and counteract boredom. Working out alone takes discipline and can feel lonely for those who use exercise to build community.Unless you and your friends have a membership to the same gym, you might be gymming solo. At home? Invite whoever you like for a social workout. 

8. YOU CAN BE CREATIVE

A home gym can help you to take back power. If you like to get creative, it’s a chance to program your own workouts, but most fitness apps provide Live and on-demand instructor-led classes alongside personalized training plans, so you’ve got some inspiration if you need it. 

9. SPACE

Although home gyms can be creative, space can remain an issue. If you don’t have a spare room, garage, or outdoor space, it can be hard to find a place to set up shop. If this sounds familiar, pick equipment you can stash away post-workout. One of our top recommendations is a foldable walking treadmill. You can get your steps in, then roll the tread away afterward. Easy! 

10. SAFETY 

Since the pandemic began in 2020 there has been more concern of having a safe space to workout while still maintaining an appropriate social distance to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Having your own gym at home means you have more control over the environment. 

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Jump Rope 101: How To Go From Beginner To Advanced Levels Fast

Jumping rope is one of the best forms of physical activity that will strengthen your cardiovascular system. It is also good for your mental health as it requires a certain level of focus and coordination. Jumping rope is a good way to start a workout and warm up quickly. This is because it’s a full body activity.

If you’re a boxing fan, you will know that jumping rope has been a traditional part of training for a fight. All of the great boxers like Muhammad Ali, “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather have all mastered jumping rope. Boxing skills are complimented by the skill of jumping rope.

Here are some of my recommended jump ropes:

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How To Gain Muscle Mass Fast

If you want to gain muscle mass fast you need to be in a positive energy balance. This means that you need to consume more calories than you burn. In other words… YOU NEED TO EAT!!

In general, there are 700 calories worth of energy in one pound of muscle. You need roughly 2800 calories to actually build a pound of muscle. This is largely to support protein turnover,  which can be elevated with training. 

You need protein!

Protein is a macronutrient that is essential to building muscle mass. It is commonly found in animal products, but it is also present in other sources such as nuts and legumes.

The amount of protein that you need depends on a few factors including your weight, age, sex, and health status. 

Why is protein important?

It helps you build muscle mass and repair muscle tissue. 

Amino acids are organic compounds that form protein which produces muscle mass. Amino acids are classified into three groups. 

  1. Essential
  2. Nonessential 
  3. Conditional

Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body and must be supplied by food. 

Nonessential amino acids are made from the body from essential amino acids or in the normal breakdown of proteins.

Conditional amino acids are needed in times of illness and stress.

Proteins are the “Building blocks” of muscle mass. Proteins are made of amino acid molecules. Imagine amino acids as Lego pieces that connect to each other to form protein.

Where do I get protein?

Protein mostly comes from the food that we eat. It’s mainly from animal products, but also in plants, nuts, and legumes. Protein can also be supplemented from protein powders. 

Foods that contain protein are:

  • Lean Beef– 22 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving of 93% lean ground beef.
  • Chicken– 27 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving of skinless chicken breast.
  • Salmon– 19 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving. 
  • Eggs– 6 grams of protein per 1 large egg.
  • Peanut Butter– 7 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons.
  • Pasta– 6 grams of protein per 1 cup cooked penne.
  • Cottage Cheese– 12 grams of protein per ½ cup seving.
  • Lentils– 18 grams protein per 1 cup cooked lentils. 

Conclusion

If you want to gain muscle mass fast, you need to add more protein to your diet. There are plenty of organic food sources that you can get protein from. If you need to supplement there are also plenty of options of supplements like vegan protein shakes or whey protein. The bottom line is that…  You need to feed your muscles if you want them to grow!

References

https://www.livescience.com/53044-protein.html

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-to-eat-more-protein#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002467.htm

https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7938628/high-protein-foods-list-according-to-a-dietitian/

https://thestrongkitchen.com/blog/post/how-many-calories-does-it-take-to-build-a-pound-of-muscle#:~:text=Calories%20in%20a%20Pound%20of,as%20opposed%20to%20body%20fat.

“All About Muscle Growth.” Precision Nutrition, 11 Feb. 2013, www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-muscle-growth.

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Top Fitness Essentials In 2022

In this article I want to share some of the best essentials that I believe you can have if you are serious about your training.  

  1. Water bottle 
  2. Foam roller
  3. Yoga mat
  4. Jump rope
  5. Footwear

Water Bottle

Having a water bottle is essential every time you work out. The body needs to stay hydrated properly to function at its best. Having your own water bottle is also beneficial for not mistaking a generic water bottle for someone else’s. With Covid constantly being a problem in our society, it’s very important to not drink after others whether it be intentionally or accidental. 

Foam Roller

Foam rolling is an essential tool for self myofascial release. Self myofascial release is just a fancy term for self massage. The purpose of this is to help warm up muscles, and to help your body recover from workouts by alleviating muscle soreness. You can also use a tennis ball or lacrosse ball as an alternative for pinpointing certain spots. 

Yoga Mat

Yoga mats are good to have while performing exercises on a hard surface like cement, asphalt, hard wood, tile, etc. Doing ab crunches on a yoga mat is important to avoid irritating the spine on hard surfaces. 

Jump Rope

Jump rope is one of the best ways to get a cardio blast. It’s a full body coordinated movement that helps develop rhythm and athleticism. Jump ropes are also very affordable, usually ranging between $2 and $10. It’s best to jump for a certain amount of time. Usually a couple of three minute rounds of jumping is a good way to start a workout and get the body warm.  

Footwear

Get yourself a good pair of running shoes or cross trainers. Having the correct shoes will make a great difference in your training program and overall fitness. Usually most lower body aches, pains, and dysfunction is rooted in the arches of a person’s feet. Sometimes it is even necessary to add an extra pair of insoles to your shoes to better support your feet. 

Conclusion

If you are serious about your health you must be willing to invest in your fitness. All of the items listed above are low cost and could easily be put into a budget. Remember good health is true wealth. Happy New Year!

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Kettlebell Workout For Legs And Glutes

Here is a quick lower body workout using a kettlebell. The focus of this workout is to strengthen the legs and glutes. I started the workout with a quick foam roll and jump rope warm up. After I was fully warmed up I grabbed a kettlebell and did overhead reverse lunges (2 sets of 10) and side lunges (2 sets of 10).

The overhead reverse lunge is a full body exercise that really works to build strength in the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Holding the kettlebell over your head with one arm will also cause the core muscles the stabilize and load the spine.

The second exercise in this workout was the side lunge which is a variation of the lunge that stabilizes and strengthens muscles in the legs while working side-to-side along the frontal plane. It is important to move the body in multiple planes of motion to reach maximal mobility.

Try to add these exercises to your next workout routine. Subscribe to my Youtube Channel for more fitness content. Leave me a comment and let me know how it goes for you!

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Lee’s Fitness Unlimited Podcast Episode 2: Dat Man Dooley Interview

Check out this interview with my friend Abdul Iscandari aka Dat Man Dooley. It is also available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and all other podcasting platforms.

Listen here

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Recovery Tips For Healing Muscle Strains

What Is A Muscle Strain?

Have you ever felt like you pulled a muscle and wondered what the heck just happened? Well, it was most likely a muscle strain. A muscle strain is the over stretching or tearing of muscle fibers. They are classified in three different grades of severity. A Grade I strain is a mild strain where only a few muscle fibers are damaged. Grade I strains most likely will feel tender and painful, but the muscle will still have normal strength.

A Grade II muscle strain is a little worse and there usually is a loss of strength. You would be able to tell if the injury was a Grade II strain if there was swelling or a bruise on the area that’s hurt.

A Grade III muscle strain is the absolute worse. This is when the muscles tears all the way through. When this happens you feel a “pop” sensation as the muscle rips away from the tendon. These type of injuries require immediate medical attention because there is usually a loss of muscle function. The Grade III muscle strain usually causes the muscle to look deformed where there is a “dent” in the muscle where the muscle fibers have detached from the tendon. 

How To Heal Muscle Strains

Grade I and Grade II muscle strains can be treated with the R.I.C.E. healing method. R.I.C.E. stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Rest is very important because most muscle strains are caused by over working or over stretching the muscle. Your body is telling you to “chill out!”. While resting you should be applying ice to the injured area frequently.

Ice will help the inflammation and swelling go down. I personally recommend icing for about 20 minutes every few hours. Compression is also necessary to reduce the swelling. Keep it wrapped up with compression clothing or sleeves (you could even use an ACE bandage). You want the compression to be tight but not too tight to the point where you aren’t getting blood circulation to the area.

Lastly, it is important to keep in mind that the injured area should be elevated above the heart. This will keep the swelling down. It is pretty evident that the overall goal for allowing the muscle to heal is by reducing inflammation and swelling. This can all be done at home, but keep in mind this is only for Grade I and Grade II muscle strains. As mentioned before, Grade III muscle strains require immediate medical attention. Depending on the severity of the injury surgery may be needed. The length of recovery depends on the individual and the grade of muscle strain.

Conclusion 

Muscle strains are caused by over stretching or over working a muscle. There are three different grades of muscle strains. Grade I and Grade II muscle strains can be healed at home with the R.I.C.E. method of healing. It is recommended that Grade III muscle strains receive immediate medical attention. 

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