What and When to Eat for Building Muscle

You may not realise this, but your body is a machine which constantly reinvents itself. Throughout the day, your body breaks down its own tissue and replaces it with new tissue created from the foods we eat and the recycled material foraged from other tissues.

Every person’s body does this, but the process takes place much faster in the bodies of people who work out. As such, if you’re looking to bulk up, nutrition has to become an essential part of your routine.

How Much You Should Eat

A recent study found that muscle mass increased 0.2% per day during the first 20 days of a strength-training program, besides the high rate of muscle-protein breakdown already occurring. This easily explains why someone who’s just starting out on muscle building requires more protein that someone already deep into a strength training regime.

As such, a good amount to aim for when starting out is 0.73 grams of protein per 450g of body weight per day.

How Often You Should Eat

The process by which the body takes protein from food and turns it into muscle tissue is known as protein synthesis. As nutritional advisor Mike Roussell, Ph.D. explains it, protein synthesis is like a light switch – it’s either on or off.

By ingesting 20-25 grams of high-quality protein, the process of protein synthetisation is turned on. It has been proven that those who eat at least 20 grams of protein 6 times a day – best ingested while playing pokies online – will lose body fat and increase lean mass, but if 6 meals seems excessive try 3 protein-rich meals per day instead.

Pre- and Post-Workout Foods

A recent study found that those who took protein supplements gained almost a full kilogram of muscle over 12 weeks compared to those who did not.

With this in mind, studies have also shown that your muscles are most receptive to protein every 4-6 hours and you should ideally eat a protein-rich meal 2-3 hours before training and another within 1-2 hours of finishing your workout.

The Best Sources of Protein

Your body needs amino acids in order to build muscle as they are the building blocks of protein and certain foods contain different combinations of amino acids. Of all the amino acids, leucine is by far the most important when it comes to building muscle and it takes approximately 2-3 grams of leucine to get the maximum effect from a meal.

The good news is that any average-sized portion of protein contains at least 2 grams of leucine.

Carbohydrates and Fat

Most us who work desk jobs don’t need to ingest pre-workout carbohydrates as you have plenty in reserve and your regularly scheduled meals should be enough energy for a solid workout.

However, there is evidence that combining protein with carbs in a post-workout meal will result in higher protein synthesis and you should ingest a good amount of healthy fats in the form of olive oil and nuts.

Australian Football League Basics

The AFL is the professional Australian Rules football competition, it is all held in Australia with Australian teams only (it really is in the name!) The AFL is also the governing body for the sport, originally being founded as the Victorian Football League and was responsible for the rules of the sport.

AFL inaugural season was in 1897, with teams only from the state of Victoria in Australian; it expanded in the 1980s to include more states and changed its name in the 1990 season to reflect this inclusion of more states.

The AFL now consists of 18 teams across all Australian states except Tasmania, with matched played across those states as well as exhibition matches in China. Since it first began the sport has become Australia’s favourite and AFL betting odds and placing bets on these matches are huge in Australia.

AFL rules

Aussie rules as the sport is commonly known, are played on an oval shaped field between two team of 18 a side. Additionally there are 4 interchange players in this extremely physical contact sport.

The aim of each team is to score as many points as possible by kicking goals across the opposing team’s tall goal posts, while preventing their opponents from scoring on their own goal posts. The defence of your goal is usually done with tackles or obstructing the opponents.

Each game is held in quarters, of 20 minutes a quarter with play rotating and each team getting a chance to attack from the opposite side.

The match is started by an umpire, who oversees the game to ensure fairness; each match has three field umpires, 2 boundary umpires and 2 goal umpires to keep official score. One umpire is kept on hand to replace any of these umpires in the instance of an emergency (it can be a contact sport even for umpires!)

Each year the rules of the sport are updated to ensure that best practice is adhered to, making sure that enhancing drugs are banned and that injury management is included. As Australian Football continues to grow, and other contact sports like Rugby or American Football, the understanding of what trauma injuries (especially brain trauma) can mean to individuals is used to ensure the sport is kept as safe as possible for players.

Rules

– A player may use any part of their body to move the ball (including hands)

– a player holding the ball must perform a running bounce every 15 metres, if they fail to do this a free kick will be called by for the opposing side

– The ball must be punched from one had to the other when it is being handballed, but not like a volleyball serve. Team mates cannot simply pass the ball between each other.

– The ball must never be thrown

– Players on either team can be on any part of the oval at anytime in the match, as the offside rule is not applied in the AFL

– Kicking the ball is the most common way to move the ball up the field (as the ball cannot be thrown)

– Types of kicks

Drop punt – drop the ball directly down and kick it before it lands

Grubber – this unpredictable kick is hard to control or accurately predict were it will end up, so it is rarely used

Torpedo punt – used to send the ball further but is hard to catch due to its spinning on its axis

Fitness Tech From CES 2018

For those not aware, the CES is the Consumer Electronics Show, which is acclaimed for showcasing some of the most impressive new electronics. Each year is more impressive than the last, and the perfect place for electronics enthusiasts to see what the future has to offer.

The 2018 show was yet another spectacular affair, with many electronics devices showcased that astounded and astonished guests, impressing with innovation, impressive design, and overall creativity.

One of the more impressively demonstrated genres was in the electronic fitness department, where guests got to see what the future has in store for new fitness equipment. Let’s take a look.

Peloton Tread

Hitting the cardio is fun, but let’s be honest, everyone has a better experience with a bit of guidance, and something to focus on. Well, Peloton knows this, and has already been dominating the electronics fitness world with it cycles, which include high quality screens that stream workout guides.

This year Peloton again wowed onlookers, but this time with a treadmill. The Peloton Tread is similar to the Peloton cycle, complete with a screen that can display high quality digital content. So, while an exercise fanatic gets into the zone, they can focus on a digital display that guides them to a perfect run.

Spire Swim Tracker

Something that swimming enthusiasts have always complained about is how tricky it can be to track swimming pool based exercise. There are watches, but few swimmers want an electronic device on their wrist when swimming. Well, the solution is here; the Spire Swim Tracker.

This small device can easily be embedded in swimsuits, and will relay information to a paired smartphone. Incredibly convenient and helpful.

Soul Electronics Run Free Pro Bio Headphones

Sweat proof headphones that help you with your workout seem like an obvious idea, but it is only now that the real deal has arrived. These headphones, working with an app, monitor exercise, track body movement, and provide a constant stream of advice and support to the runner.

A truly excellent idea, and the perfect companion for those who are serious about getting the best run, or other workout, possible.

Under Armour HOVR Record-Equipped Shoes

Another idea that seems very obvious when you think about, The Under Armour workout shoes are not only perfectly designed for comfort and support, but also have a built in GPS and monitoring chip. The chip will sync with a smartphone, and relay essential information.

They aren’t cheap, but combining a great running shoe with a GPS and monitoring system wouldn’t be. Essential for those serious about exercise.

Black Box VR

Everyone knew it was coming, and finally it’s here. Combining VR and working out is the Black Box VR system. This new VR marvel promises to offer the most immersive, full body workout you’ve ever experienced, with the benefit of transporting you to an immersive VR world.

Much like the immersive games of online Blackjack Canada has to offer, anything to do with VR is hot right now.

It really does feel like the future with such amazing new technology available to the general public.

Get Fit With Basketball

I know, I really do know, that I am not going to be the next LeBron or Kobe (mainly because I am 5ft5 and my hand eye coordination has always been terrible) but basketball can be an amazing way to get in shape.

Asides from the fact that the rules for playing a pickup game in the park or at the gym are very simple; it’s a fun and fast game.  It’s easy to pick up an opponent or two and nearly everyone knows the rules.

The Unofficial Rules (in case you need to know)

  • No cherry picking players on your team
  • No bogus fouls
  • And if someone calls foul – respect them
  • Game point scorer gets to make free throw after
  • Do not try and be a constant scorer – team playing guys
  • bucket counts as ones only
  • Do not wear a full superstar basketball kit – people are not placing their best NBA bets on you – don’t be weird
  • Watch others play and learn the rules of your local court – and agree before hand on the rules

Here are the top seven fitness reasons to take up basketball as your go to for fitness:

One: Cardio

So yes, you are not LeBron, but you too will be running up and down the court, passing, dribbling, jumping and shooting. This all equals a great cardio workout, without the monotony of a treadmill or the high kicks of an aerobic step class.

Two: calories

While participating in a game, you are doing a large amount of aerobics, so you can expect to burn a significant amount of calories – from 600 calories and up!

And participating in this kind of exercise is an “easy” way to get so involved in a sport, that you do not notice the actual length of time spent exercising!

Three: motor skills

Spending time practicing you jump shots and free throws is incredible helpful in building your motor skills and coordination. For example, when you focus intently on dribbling the amount of concentration and fine motor skills required are exceptional.

And once you practice enough, your hand eye coordination becomes second nature – score!

Four: Strength training

Basketball is such a intensive physical sport, players often use the whole bodies defensively. So full body strength training is included (for free) when playing basketball.

For example, when on the defence, players could be pushing back against opponents using loads of muscles from their core to deltoids to talking smack.

Think of the leg muscles you will gain, as you basically do a squat each time you jump shoot. And your entire arms are used constantly to dribble or throw.

Five: Mental agility

The speed and agility required in the game of basketball, greatly helps players focus their attention, judge situations and make snap decisions when under pressure in a match. These are all great tools to apply in the “real world” as well.

Six: Stress reduction

Sport has been proven to be a great stress reliever for people, and basketball is no different. Not only will you get stress relief when playing a sport, being less stressed is great for boosting your immune system too.

And since it is such a social sport, the friendly competition and chance to talk with peers is an additional stress reliever.

Seven: Confidence

You too can be a legend…in your own gym. Great shots and epic team work skills is a great way to boost your self esteem. And the more you boost your confidence on court, the more that confidence is translated to off court.