Medicine balls aren’t just for tossing around like a pro athlete, although that’s undeniably fun. They offer a range of benefits that can align with virtually any fitness goal. Want to improve your rotational power for that killer golf swing or tennis serve? Medicine balls have got you covered. Looking to increase your mobility, strengthen your core, or even torch calories in a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session? Grab a med ball. Whether aiming to boost your explosive power, enhance your strength, or ramp up your cardio game, incorporating medicine balls into your routine can bring a whole new dimension to your workouts.

In this article, I’ll dish out the ins and outs of medicine ball training. I’ve covered all bases, from seamlessly integrating them into your routine to a deep dive into their many benefits and even sample workouts to get you started. Whether you’re a seasoned gym-goer or just beginning your fitness journey, discover why medicine balls should be your new go-to workout buddy.

Benefits of Medicine Ball Training for Functional Fitness and Performance

Incorporating medicine balls into your fitness routine can offer a wealth of benefits catering to various training goals. Whether you want to enhance your athletic performance, improve your mobility, or simply spice up your workouts, medicine ball exercises can help you achieve these objectives.

Enhance Functional Fitness with Multi-Plane Movements

Think of your body as a 3D machine—it moves in all directions. Medicine balls are perfect for training in rotational, sagittal, and frontal planes. This variety is crucial for enhancing functional fitness and performance in daily activities and sports. Rotational exercises, such as Russian twists, target your obliques and core muscles, enhancing your rotational strength and stability. Sagittal plane movements like chest passes focus on improving your power and upper body strength, which is essential for sports that require throwing or pushing. Frontal plane exercises, such as lateral throws, help develop your agility and coordination, making you more adept at side-to-side movements.

Boost Mobility and Prevent Injuries

Enhancing mobility is a key aspect of maintaining overall fitness and preventing injuries. Medicine balls can seriously ramp up your mobility game. Dynamic stretches with a med ball can improve the range of motion in your joints. This means better shoulder and hip flexibility, which helps you perform exercises with better form and reduces the risk of injuries. Increased mobility makes everyday movements more effortless, so you can bend, twist, and reach without feeling like the Tin Man. Regularly performing these exercises can improve joint mobility, reduce stiffness, and enhance performance in various physical activities.

Optimize Muscle Activation and Potentiation

Using a medicine ball for activation and potentiation exercises can effectively prepare your muscles for more intense workouts. Activation exercises, like medicine ball glute bridges, squats, or planks, engage and prime your muscles for action. Potentiation exercises, which involve explosive movements such as med ball pogos, squat jumps, or split squat jumps, help to stimulate your nervous system and increase muscle responsiveness. Incorporating these exercises into your warm-up routine can enhance your muscle readiness, improve your lifting performance, and reduce the risk of injuries.

Amplify Power Training for Explosive Strength

Medicine balls are potent tools for power training. They allow you to perform explosive, high-intensity movements that develop your fast-twitch muscle fibers. Exercises such as overhead throws, chest passes, and rotational slams require rapid force generation, which translates to improved speed and power. These exercises are particularly beneficial for athletes who need to enhance their explosive strength, such as sprinters, jumpers, and martial artists. Regular power training with medicine balls can significantly improve your athletic performance and overall strength.

Diversify Strength Training Routines

Are you bored with the same old strength training routine? Medicine balls can spice things up. Moves like medicine ball push-ups and weighted lunges challenge your muscles in new ways. The added resistance and instability force your muscles to work harder, leading to greater strength gains. Plus, these exercises enhance your core stability and functional strength, strengthening you for everyday tasks and gym feats.

Intensify Cardio & HIIT Workouts

Medicine balls are the way to go if you’re looking to supercharge your cardio and HIIT sessions. They can transform standard exercises into high-intensity, full-body workouts. Exercises like med ball slams, thrusters, and burpees elevate your heart rate and improve cardiovascular fitness. These potent exercises are practical for burning calories, building endurance, and enhancing overall metabolic conditioning. Medicine balls make your cardio sessions more dynamic and compelling, turning every workout into a calorie-torching, heart-pumping adventure.

How to Use a Medicine Ball for Maximum Fitness Gains

The versatility of the medicine ball makes it a valuable addition to any workout regimen. It can be thrown, slammed, or used as added resistance in traditional strength exercises like squats, push-ups, and deadlifts. Understanding how to use a medicine ball effectively can enhance your workouts and help you achieve your fitness goals.

Power Training with a Medicine Ball: Boost Explosive Strength

The primary objective of using a medicine ball for throwing or slamming exercises is to develop power. To maximize this, choose a ball that is light enough not to hinder your speed and effectiveness. A good starting point is between 4 and 15 pounds, with the optimal range being 6 to 10 pounds. Incorporate these exercises at the beginning of your workout when your energy levels are highest, ensuring you can perform with maximum intensity and speed.

Medicine Ball Training: Strength, Core, and Cardio Workouts

For strength, core, or cardio training, the weight of the medicine ball should be chosen based on your ability to maintain proper form. Exercises like lunges, Russian twists, and med ball thrusters require you to hold the ball securely, which is different from holding a dumbbell or barbell. If you find your form slipping or the ball challenging to hold, reducing the weight is advisable. Proper form is crucial to prevent injury and effectively target the intended muscles.

Do’s and Don’ts of Medicine Ball Training: Expert Tips for Safe and Effective Workouts

Valid Methods Of Medicine Ball Training

Start Light: Begin with a lighter ball to master form and technique before progressing to heavier weights.

Mix It Up: Incorporate various exercises to target different muscle groups and prevent workout monotony.

Focus on Form: Proper form is crucial to avoid injuries and maximize the effectiveness of each exercise.

Use Full Range of Motion: To gain the most benefit, ensure you’re performing each movement through its full range of motion.

Be Aware: Word to the wise, don’t allow that med ball you’re slamming to bounce back and smack you in the face. Be aware and opt for sand-filled slam balls for specific exercises that warrant added safety.

Common Mistakes Of Medicine Ball Training

Don’t Overdo It: Avoid using a ball that is too heavy, which can hinder your form and lead to injuries.

Don’t Rush: Perform each exercise in a controlled manner; rushing can increase the risk of injury.

Don’t Neglect Recovery: Allow adequate rest and recovery between workouts to let your muscles heal and grow.

Don’t Stick to One Routine: Continuously challenge your body by varying your exercises and routines.

How to Program Medicine Ball Workouts for Optimal Results

Warming up is essential to prepare your body for the workout ahead, and using a light medicine ball can make it more dynamic and effective. The goal is to increase blood flow to your muscles, enhance your range of motion, and activate the muscle groups you’ll work with.

Dynamic Warmups with a Medicine Ball for Improved Performance

Incorporate these exercises to ensure a comprehensive warm-up. Complete 1 to 3 rounds:

Med Ball Around-the-World: x10 reps in each direction

Med Ball Squat to Press: x10 reps

Med Ball Lateral Lunge: x10 reps per side

Med Ball Trunk Rotations: x10 reps in each direction

Med Ball Halos: x10 reps in each direction

Explosive Power Training with Medicine Ball Exercises

Power, speed, and ballistic training are all about explosive movements that can improve your athletic performance. These exercises should be done with maximum intensity to engage fast-twitch muscle fibers and enhance neuromuscular coordination. Ensure you’re using a weight-allowing explosive action without compromising form.

Here’s a quick multi-plane power workout guaranteed to increase athletic qualities:

Overhead Slams: 3 sets of 3-5 reps.

Chest Passes: 3 sets of 3-5 reps.

Rotational Throws: 3 sets of 3-5 reps per side.

Feel free to switch up the stances and positions for these movements. Experiment with half-kneeling, tall kneeling, staggered stances, and shuffle starts to keep things dynamic and engaging.

Enhance Strength Training with Medicine Balls

Using a medicine ball in your strength training routine adds an element of instability and resistance, which can help to recruit more muscle fibers and enhance your overall strength. These exercises target major muscle groups and improve functional strength.

Med Ball Goblet Squat: 4 sets of 8-15 reps

Med Ball Pushup: 4 sets of 8-15 reps

Med Ball Single-Leg RDL: 3 sets of 6-8 reps per side

Med Ball Mountain Climber: 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps per side

High-Intensity Cardio and HIIT with a Medicine Ball

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) with a medicine ball can quickly elevate your heart rate and burn calories. These fast-paced exercises blend strength and cardio, offering an efficient full-body workout.

Perform a 3 to 5-round EMOM (Every Minute on The Minute) workout—complete 10 reps, or 10 reps per side, for each movement below. Once you wrap up your reps, rest for the remainder of the minute.

Med Ball Front Slams

Med Ball Thrusters

Med Ball Russian Twist

Med Ball Alternating Lunge with Rotation

Med Ball Burpee

It’s a good form of chaos.

Chaos training adds instability to traditional exercises to engage the body with unfamiliar movements and strengthens smaller, stabilizing muscles like the shoulder and hip stabilizers. Some examples of chaos exercises include the Chaos bench press and the featured exercise, the Chaos pallof press.

Here, we’ll dive into everything Chaos Pallof Press so you can master the chaos and improve your core strength.

What is the Chaos Pallof Press

The chaos Pallof press is a challenging variation of the traditional Pallof press, designed to challenge core stability and strength through added instability. Instead of just using a resistance band, you attach a weight plate to it. This addition transforms the exercise into a chaos core strengthener. The weight plate causes the band to shift and sway unpredictably, forcing your core muscles to work harder. This chaos set-up demands that your stabilizing muscles work overtime to keep you upright.

How to Do the Chaos Pallof Press

Here is how to perform the chaos Pallof press with good form.

1. Securely attach a resistance band around sternum height and slide on a five or 10-pound weight plate.
2. Grip the band with both hands by your sternum.
3. Stand perpendicular to the anchor point and step away until you feel the band’s pull.
4. Step into a split stance with the leg closest to the anchor point going back.
5. Press out and back with control, keeping your shoulders down and chest up.
6. Repeat for desired reps and switch sides.

Benefits of the Chaos Pallof Press

Chaos training trains the body’s smaller stabilizers while improving your awareness of your body in space. Due to its unstable nature, any deviation in form will be felt. Think of it like your personal trainer without the discerning stare.

Here are three benefits unique to the chaos pallof press for your training enjoyment.

Unpredictable Challenge

The chaos Pallof press and its unpredictability pushes your core muscles to work harder to maintain stability and posture. Unlike the predictable pull from a static cable machine or a securely anchored band, the Chaos Pallof press setup generates random, shifting forces.

All-Around Core Strengthener

You’re not just hitting the usual suspects like the obliques and rectus abdominis; you’re engaging deep core muscles crucial to your overall strength and stability. The chaos setup is the core training that prepares you for real-world activities where balance and quick adjustments are essential.

Full Body Core Move

While it zeroes in on your abs, it also trains your shoulders, arms, and hips. It’s a full-body exercise that demands coordination and control, perfect for enhancing overall performance.

Common Chaos Pallof Press Mistakes and Fixes

You press a band in and out; how hard can it be? That’s true, but to get the most out of this unique exercise, there are a few things to watch for.

You’re Rotating Your Body

The Chaos Pallof press is a dynamic anti-rotation exercise that challenges you always to maintain a front-facing upper body. Control is vital: starting with too much resistance can tempt your torso into rotating, negating the exercise’s core-stabilizing benefits. Begin with lighter resistance to nail good form, then gradually increase the intensity as your strength improves.

You Have Bad Posture

Maintaining good form is crucial to reaping the benefits explained above. This means keeping your shoulders down and your chest up as you press the band in and out. This posture ensures that the right muscles are engaged and working effectively because pressing with elevated shoulders can lead to strain and discomfort. If you’re having trouble recognizing this, perform near a mirror or get a buddy to observe your form.

You’re Over Arching Your Back

Overarching your lower back is a common mistake that can disadvantage your core muscles, reducing the benefits of the Pallof press. Instead, focus on maintaining a tall posture with engaged glutes. This alignment helps preserve the integrity and maximize the core-strengthening benefits of this exercise.

Programming

The Chaos Pallof press is an ideal warm-up exercise or can be included in a core triset before hitting the iron. I like two to three sets of 12 controlled reps per side so you can feel the core magic.

“Want to see your abs? Change your diet,” explained The Terminator star, is his usual no-nonsense way. “What your abs to look impressive? Target them with a few abs exercise that give you a full range of motion. The cable rope crunch is a back-friendly way to target your six-pack muscles.” Just remember to round your back since keeping a flat back will focus the weight on your hip flexors.

“On the way down, curl your elbows in and arch towards your knees while you flex in your spine and hips (don’t worry, your upper back will round but that’s because it’s in a safe and comfortable position),” explains the multi-time Mr Olympia. “Exhale as you lower the weight and squeeze your abs at the bottom of the exercise (try to visualize each individual muscle in your 6-pack contracting). All of the movement is happening in your upper body. Do not sit back in your heels to create momentum. Control the weight down, and then get a full stretching in your abs on the way up.”

An additional benefit of these crunches over core exercises that rely on bodyweight is that you can increase the load and resistance as you become stronger. But Arnie has a word of warning. “Don’t go so heavy that you need momentum,” he says, “And, don’t go so light that you could do 100 reps.”

How to Perform the Kneeling Cable Crunch

1. Kneel facing the cable station and use the rope attachment
2. Grip the rope attachment at head height. Your hands can touch your forehead for placing
3. Focus on your core as you bend forward at the waist and crunch down
4. Your hip position should stay still as your elbows are lowered towards the ground
5. Hold the lowered position for time under tension, then return and repeat

“Aim for two to three sets of 6 to 15 reps,” says the ultimate gym partner. Kneeling cable crunches train all the muscle’s in your abs including the rectus abdominis and the obliques. Try it for yourself.

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How was the study carried out?

A recent study observed 12 female endurance athletes between the ages of 18 and 40. During the trial, the women were first given their optimal number of calories before exercise, with performance levels measured a cycling machine. The same athletes then went on a diet delivering about 50% of their energy requirements and were tested again.

What were the results?

Scientists explained that the practice of going into a competition while on an energy deficit, to cut weight for example, leads to LEA, or “Low Energy Availability.” “Fourteen days of LEA in female athletes increased cortisol levels and had a pronounced effect on the immune system..” said the study authors. “Furthermore, LEA resulted in a sustained impairment in exercise performance.”

Of those who lost weight before being active, athletes lost approximately 4% of their bodyweight, half of which was muscle. “Power output during the 20-min (cycle) time trial was 7.8% lower after LEA,” noted the study. Even after refueling, those were had previously been cutting calories were still 6.7% lower in output, meaning that energy levels take time to return.

What does it all mean?

Athletes who undertake dramatic bulking and cutting phases may consider these results in determining how close they should execute a calorie deficit in relation to their competition date. One example is that of dropping weight before a fight weigh-in. While fighters may qualify for the bout by significantly dropping calories, often by more than 50% (as examined in the study), once the bell rings, they are probably not working to their full potential. Whether flexing on the stage, swimming in a pool, or running track, a marginal performance difference is all it takes to win at an elite level, and so a more deliberate approach to cutting weight further out from a competition and then slowly building back energy levels for the crucial day might be a solid approach worth exploring.

“Among other things, we saw that insufficient energy intake was associated with increased systemic stress,” said the study’s lead author, Jan Sommer Jeppesen, in an interview with sciencedaily.com. “The athletes had a large increase in cortisol, a stress hormone, and a dramatically increased stress level in immune cells. This suggests that there is a quite severe impact on several aspects of the immune system if one doesn’t eat enough. This may potentially contribute to athletes being more exposed to illness.”

The BODYROK WRKOUT is an experience designed to improve your energy levels and fuel your metabolism, while sculpting and defining your body. With a three-stage lighting system, filled with planks, lunges, pikes, twists, jumps and more, the class is designed to push your body to places it doesn’t usually go with strength training. With attention, encouragement and modifications, instructors like New York City’s Megan Roth guide students through a class that increases energy levels, and fuels the metabolism even when you leave the classroom and go about your day.

Pilates is so effective that country star Megan Maroney swears by it, hitting the Tennessee studio several times a week when not on tour. While touring she credits Pilates for “kicking her a**” and keeping her in top concert shape. According to the BodyRok instructor, it makes sense.

“It’s the most effective and efficient workout experience in 45 minutes,” Roth tells Muscle & Fitness. “It leaves you feeling energized. The workout is on custom Bodyrok reformers. The workout lifts your glutes, cinches your waistline, and helps you build long, lean muscle.”

The specialty machine, which really is what separates the class from your typical reformer Pilates studio, is the new standard in hybrid Pilates and is exclusive to the company’s studios. It features a jumpboard, endless spring adjustments, removable shoulder rests, 3 sets of ropes and a bungee. It’s also 100% made of aluminum foil and the company swears it will last forever, never rusting or chipping.

“The machines are custom made for every body type: Men and women!” Roth adds. “The classes are designed to lift the glutes, define the waistline, and build long lean muscle. The classes and curated playlists are new and innovative each class.”

While most strength training classes last for around 60 minutes, Bodyrok gets the job done in a faster turnaround time, which is perfect for busy lives like Maroney’s.

“This is possible because each class keeps your heart rate in the fat burning & muscle building zone,” Roth shares.

Bodyrok is designed for all walks of life at all levels of fitness, but women especially are finding great success with it as it targets tiny muscles while also adding in a proper cardio element.

“The classes are designed to build long lean muscle,” Roth says. “Lift your glutes and define the waistline. Your body improves with every class. Classes are curated to increase your heart rate and burn fat with moves that help build muscle [and] improving metabolism while sculpting and defining your body.”

How long till you see results? With consistent work, you should see gains pretty soon, Roth says.

“You can start to see results after just a few classes, but the more classes you take the more you will see definition, strength, and flexibility improve,” Roth says. “It varies for everyone, but three to four times a week is ideal to see and feel the results quickly and maintain them over time. It’s a full body workout for every class.”

Cervical Spinal Pain

The cervical spine consists of the head and neck, to keep things simple. It’s an area most people neglect to train, but the truth is that poor cervical spine health can lead to neck pain, shoulder discomfort, carrying tension in the traps, and even headaches. The truth is, it’s not all about the postural muscles on the back of the neck to straighten you up. Both sides of the body need to be trained evenly to maintain head posture.

Neck Raises

Attack the deep neck flexors by performing this drill for 3-4 sets of 30 second holds. Lie flat on your back with the hands by the head in a double biceps pose. The arms should be flexed at 90 degrees, and make the palms face up. Next, press the arms and hands into the floor and raise the head and neck as far away from the floor as possible; don’t tuck your chin into your chest – keep it as far away as you can. After 15 seconds of this movement you should feel t he fatigue. It’s a great way to start off a workout.

Chin Tucks

Stand tall with your back to a wall, and make sure your shoulders and butt are in contact with it. There’s a good chance your head won’t be touching the wall when you do this. Gently tuck your chin into your neck, and push the back of your head into the wall (you can use a thin pad or towel if it’s too hard on the skull). Drive hard for 6 sets of 10-15 seconds.

A neutral spine goes without saying when performing exercise, but many neglect to include the neck and head in that directive. When squatting, deadlifting, rowing, or doing any other compound movement, remember to ensure that the head follows the torso in every movement it makes. You should never be looking up while performing an exercise – even if it’s been recommended for your “target”. Always use a packed neck when lifting.

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Thoracic Spinal Pain

The thoracic region of the back refers to the 12 vertabrae from the mid back to the top of the lower back. This section of the spine is most called upon for one major function: Rotation. The truth of the matter is, in many lifters, plenty of dysfunction is evident in this very capacity. Insufficient thoracic rotation is usually compensated for by extra rotation in the lumbar region—which shouldn’t really happen (the thoracic region has more than five times the rotary capacity of the lumbar). Passively training the twist component can be instrumental in correcting this pattern:

Kettlebell Passive Rotation

Find a light medicine ball (6-10 pounds is perfect), and place it between your knees as you lie on your back. In one hand, hold a kettlebell at full extension—knuckles to the ceiling. The other hand should be out to the side, as far from the torso as you can make it, planted down for support. Raise the feet off the ground, and allow the knees to move slowly toward the floor on the side of the unloaded arm. Gently touch the ground with the legs and return to the start position. The tricky part is this: you must keep the loaded arm straight and both shoulders in contact with the floor the entire time. Focus on sets of 10 reps per side, and allow the obliques to work hard to create the rotation through the thoracic region.

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Lumbar Spinal Pain

We all know that spinal flexion is lesser desirable compared to neutral, but it’s less appreciated that spinal extension can be damaging to your lumbar health also. Whereas setting up for a squat or deadlift with a rounded low back can be quite dangerous, the answer doesn’t come in the form of arching your back to infinity either. This can cause compression on your vertebral discs, and also tilts the pelvis forward quite aggressively, shutting off the involvement of the glutes and lower abs – both key movements to be involved in major compound movements. Stretch your hip flexors and remember to seek a neutral spine – not an extended one.

Ab wheel Rollouts

This may seem unrelated to the subject matter at hand, but the truth is, if there’s any move that will train your core to counter excessive spinal extension, it’s the ab wheel rollout. With an ab wheel, assume a kneeling starting position, and ensure that your back isn’t arched to start the lift. As you roll the wheel away from you, remember to tuck your hips in and let them “follow” the wheel. Don’t let your back arch. If you do, you’ll feel the added pressure in it right away. If this is something you can’t seem to avoid using full range of motion, set a target at the halfway or 3 quarter point, and work within that range until you get stronger. In your other movements, think of replicating this abdominal feeling in your setup.

Tips To Keep Spinal Pain Away

Choose the Right Supersets

It makes sense for anyone in the habit of lifting heavy to pay attention to what force angles are created on the spine on a regular basis. Moving heavy things will create a lot of compression on the spine whether we like it or not, so paring movements that don’t compound one heavy spinal load upon another can be the saving grace for your spine’s health. Do your best to pair a movement that takes pressure off the spine with movements that load it: Below are a few examples of both:

Pairing any of the above movements on the left with any of the movements on the right will be something your spine thanks you for in the long run.

Plan Your Workouts in the Morning

You may have heard people say humans are “taller in the morning”. It may sound like an empty adage but there’s actually plenty of truth to it. Laying horizontally for eight hours at night allows the spine to decompress, but also allows excess intervertebral fluid to enter the discs. Once you wake up, your spine needs some time to drain some of this fluid while walking and moving vertically—and it’s one reason people have stiff backs in the morning compared to later in the day once they’ve given it time. This can be a handy tip for someone who’s in the habit of lifting heavy early in the mornings, often before work. Loading up on heavy squats and deadlifts at 6AM may give you more energy, but it may be adding to your spinal pain. If at all possible, plan your workouts to be a few hours after you wake up. If you can’t make that happen ever y day, focus on lower compression movements on your early days to stay out of harm’s way.

Incorporate Isometrics Training

Isometric training (the kind that involves creating forces against immovable objects) can be a big help in the quest for a healthy spine, with very reduced risk for injury. Asking your trunk muscles to resist unwated forces by holding form and technique is healthier for the spine than asking them to create forces and make the spine move which can lead to worsening spinal pain. With that said, in addition to basic front and side planks, try an isometric deadlift pull. Set up a bar under low safety pins in the squat cage, and make sure they’re locked in. Step up to the bar and setup the way you normally would, and then pull with good form for a full 10-15 seconds. The bar should not move. Focus on six sets of 10-15 seconds, and then apply the same setup from a higher position by adjusting the pin height. Repeat the drill for six sets of 10-15 seconds. Finally, the pins to the mid thigh level, and repeat once again.

The science behind this is beautiful: When we deadlift normally, the bar starts on the floor and putting it in motion is the hardest instant. Once kinetic energy enters the scene, we’re being helped by momentum and are only passing through any given segment of the lift for a brief moment. Applying maximal force at each segment can only be made possible by stopping the bar, loading it, making it immovable, and pulling strong. That’s where this comes in handy. The benefits to back strength and resilience when using this method in conjunction with traditional weight training will be far reaching.

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“It’s my least favorite part of working out—ever,” she says, “but I can definitely tell onstage if I haven’t worked out. These stages are so big, so if I’m running around and singing, I can tell if we took a week off—I’m winded. So it’s best not to let that happen.”

It could be said that her intense training is needed to keep up with the multitude of awards and accolades she’s piled up in such a short period of time. The 2023 ACM New Female Artist of the Year’s debut hit, “Tennessee Orange,” has gone double platinum. Her first album, Lucky, now has over a billion streams globally. (Her tour in support of that album sold out in just five minutes!) Another hit, the post-breakup ballad “No Caller ID,” set a record for biggest-streaming country female song debut in the U.S.

And now with her second album—Am I Okay?—just recently released, the Georgia native has  solidified herself as a country music superstar.

The self-described “emo cowgirl” (“It means emotional cowgirl, not to be confused with goth cowgirl,” she explains) has already attracted a massive following. Her popularity based on what’s been called her music’s signature balance of raw honesty and sensitivity topped with a bit of down to earth Georgia charm. And with her new hit “Indifferent” moving up the charts, Moroney is supporting the album as she opens for country music legend Kenny Chesney on their current U.S. tour—which travels from Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium to Phoenix’s Talking Stick Amphitheater to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Musically, she’s already drawn comparisons to Taylor Swift, but when it comes to maintaining  country muscle, Moroney continues her daily training grind by emulating another icon, Carrie Underwood.

“Her legs are amazing— that’s a known thing,” she says. “She has a very strict diet and workout routine—everyone wants Carrie Underwood‘s legs! She looks great, and it’s because of her hard work.”

While she’s on the road, and with a bit of help from her bandmates, the singer will make the time to get in a solid pre-concert workout—utilizing whatever equipment was packed onto the tour bus or body-weight movements. When she’s home in Tennessee, Moroney’s training varies, sometimes utilizing a combination of weights and cardio.  However, recently, the singer’s focus has shifted to a regular routine of Pilates, a challenging low-impact workout that focuses on breathwork designed to help strengthen the core.

“I love it,” she says. “There’s a place I go called Bodyrok. I used to lift weights and do the proper gym thing, but a Pilates workout kicks my butt for some reason. When I’m home I’ll try and get in a workout at least three times a week.”

First Pilates, then ‘Protein’

It takes effort to outshine Megan Moroney onstage. Audience eyes are normally laser-focused on the guitar-strumming singer belting out hits “I’m Not Pretty” and “28th of June” dazzled up in any one of her signature bright-colored sequined outfits.

However, it’s sometime hard for the singer not to be outangled onstage by her massively jacked guitarist, John Barker. In addition to being her bandmate, Barker doubles as both on-the-road big brother and training partner.

“I nicknamed him ‘Protein,’ and the name stuck,” Megan Moroney says. “Everyone now knows him as Protein. He for sure stays in the gym a lot.”

As a team, along with her other bandmates, they’ve formed a bond that extends from the stage to the weightroom. “We pretty much do everything together,” she says. “And working out is just another thing we all do together. It’s very sibling-like.”

While she relies on Pilates, the unpredictability of her fluctuating schedule usually presents a unique training scenario. Like, finding a space to train as a team. Nevertheless, the band finds a way to make any space a gym space.  The band is always prepared with weights and bands and other equipment for the long bus ride. Oftentimes they’ll opt for a workout outside the bus. Sometimes they’ll even gather outside the stadium to get a swat in.

“Someone always has some sort of workout on their phone, and it’s usually a full body, circuit-type workout,” she says. “[Sometimes] then we’ll do a little bit of cardio. And if there’s no time to do a proper workout, we’ll do something to get our bodies moving.”

When the workout’s done, one more fitness challenge presents itself. This time fast-food or a catered pre-concert menu saturates their dining options. Buto far this tour, Megan Moroney believes that premade meals are the answer to this culinary conundrum. That’s why she says the freezers of both tour buses are stocked with food for the band.

“My bus is always stocked with MegaFit Meals,” she says. “We just keep those because they have enough protein and not too many calories, and they’re good for you. They fill you up.  Everyone on my bus eats those, and we kind of stick to them. There’s only so much fast-food you can eat on the road before you start to feel like s**t.”

Singing Your Way Through a Workout

Keeping a top-level physique and conditioning has become a part of the chart-topping singer’s everyday routine. But when showtime approaches, working to keep a clear head is another pre-show non-negotiable. So while friends and family may fill the backstage area at any concert, Moroney tries to clear the area to get some last-minute motivation with the band.

“Usually I need 30 minutes before the show to be not overstimulated,” she says. “I like to get into my routine with my band. We have this hands-in [ritual]. It’s nothing crazy, but I would say that even if I have my best friends there or my family, everyone gets out of the room 30 minutes before, so we can keep it within the team.”

As Megan Moroney has demonstrated, her journey to the top of country music has become a matter of establishing sets of routines. It’s been quite an impressive journey for a once-aspiring artist who nearly passed on a music career to become an accountant while studying at the University of Georgia—the alma mater of another young country singer, Logan Crosby. However, a chance to showcase her talents proved to be the spark that helped ignite her career.

“My freshman year, I had an opportunity to open for Chase Rice at the Georgia Theater,” she says. I wrote my first song to do that. Since then, [music] became what I was going to do. It’s worked out pretty well so far.”

Making it this far, requires one more workout she says has helped her establish a scintillating stage presence so soon in her career. With no longer a need to crunch numbers as an accountant, one of her music drills rquires memorizing lyrics while doing crunches, burpees, or any type of cardio. Doing this, she says, helps improve memory and focus and helps prevent any embarrassing onstage slipups.

“I think every singer should be doing cardio while singing their songs,” she says. “I’ve done that before. It builds up your endurance to make sure you’re able to sprint across the stage and still be able to breathe.”

In a video capturing Walker chatting with an unknown individual, he explains that he used to just throw around the weights while working out, but in recent years ‘The Mutant’s’ ethos has changed and so too has his progress. While Walker feels that his previous aggressive approach to weightlifting built him a “decent frame,” he later realized that it wasn’t good for his body. Now he says that; “Form is key, slow negative reps, slight pause in the stretch, explode up, slight squeeze, and repeat.”

Nick Walker says that focusing on form has eliminated joint pain

Walker understands that the ego takes a hit when you become more of a technical lifter, however. “Yeah, doing it this way, you can’t go as heavy, so the ego, you’re like ah f*** , but then when you’re in the grand scheme of things, and you just take a step back, you’re like; my back’s sore so…” Walker further explained that since he began focussing on technique, he doesn’t feel joint pain any more. “And yeah, my strength is really starting to progress, but I don’t get joint pain, it’s just all in the muscle.” Of course, there is a way to concentrate on the finer details and still chase the numbers says the Mr Olympia hopeful. “…the thing about it, whatever weight you were slinging, imagine doing that with the controlled form, now that’s really impressive.”

The bodybuilding community was quick to discuss Walker’s ethos, and Instagram user @troy_mustachio asked this follow-up question: “Great description between bodybuilding or weightlifting. When did you really make the change and did you notice mind/muscle connection immediately or did it take time?” Walker duly responded: “I’d say around 3 years ago, I learned it pretty quick; when you slow the movement down, you automatically feel more tension in my opinion.” Interestingly, it was around 3 years ago that Walker claimed first place in the 2021 Arnold Classic. His Olympia record has improved in recent years. In 2021 ‘The Mutant’ placed fifth, and in 2022 he placed third. Having missed the 2023 event, the big man hopes to make 2024 his crowning year.

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“WHO has been observing increased demand for these medicines as well as reports on falsification,” reads a new statement form the World Health Organisation in response to the criminal production and distribution of the diabetic aid. “These falsified products could have harmful effects to people’s health; if the products don’t have the necessary raw components, falsified medicines can lead to health complications resulting from unmanaged blood glucose levels or weight. In other cases, another undeclared active ingredient may be contained in the injection device, e.g. insulin, leading to an unpredictable range of health risks or complications.”

The WHO have joined healthcare authorities around the world in alerting individuals to the potential dangers of fake Ozempic. These phony iterations of the drug are being discovered all around the world, even finding its way into legitimate supply chains.

How to Identify Fake Ozempic Pens and Cartons

Ozempic manufacturers Novo Nordisk have provided the following guidance for spotting counterfeit Ozempic injections pens and cartons:

• Genuine pens do not extend or increase in length when setting the dose.
• Authentic Ozempic® pens are currently available in the following configurations:

0.25/0.5 mg pen, 1 mg pen, 2 mg pen

• Labels on a counterfeit pen could be of poor quality and not be adhere well to the pen.
• Counterfeit cartons may have spelling mistakes or type spacing issues
• A counterfeit carton may not include the tamper resistant/perforation.
• The batch number printed on a counterfeit box may not correspond to the product strength stated on the same box and pen.

In some cases, fake pens are even being inserted into authentic packaging, meaning that observing the pen closely is essential. If you have any doubts on the genuineness of your Ozempic, always seek assistance from a healthcare professional, and never purchase drugs from unregulated sources.

For more information visit Ozempic manufacturer, Novo Nordisk Website Here!

Nutrition is a major player in the process of recovery. The consumption of protein-rich foods, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory supplements help repair tissues and reduce inflammation. However, quality sleep is perhaps the most powerful recovery tool. Research highlights that sleep deprivation can impair muscle recovery, reduce cognitive function, and increase injury risk. This should prompt athletes to prioritize sleep hygiene and use tools like sleep trackers to optimize their rest.

Massage therapy has a proven track record. A study published in the Journal of Athletic Training found that it can significantly reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery in athletes by increasing blood flow and reducing muscle tightness. The study also highlighted how massage therapy helps reduce muscle tightness by targeting and alleviating specific areas of tension and muscle knots. This reduction in muscle tightness alleviates immediate discomfort and significantly improves overall flexibility and range of motion. Athletes who maintain greater flexibility and muscle suppleness are less likely to suffer from strains and sprains, reducing their risk of injuries.

Think the benefits stop there? Massage therapy also offers many physiological effects: it increases blood circulation, delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, and helps remove metabolic waste products, such as lactic acid, that accumulate during intense exercise. This form of therapy has been a crucial component of many professional athletes’ training and recovery regimens, such as LeBron James and Michael Phelps.

The former, LeBron James, is one of the most renowned basketball players and a heavy incorporator of massage therapy into his recovery routine. Known for his longevity and consistent performance, he credits massage therapy as a key factor in maintaining his physical health and preventing injuries. Similarly, Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, used massage therapy as a vital part of his training regimen. Phelps received regular deep tissue massages, on and off-season, to help recover from intense training sessions and competitions. This largely helped in reducing muscle soreness, improving flexibility, and preventing future injuries.

While traditional one-time massage sessions offer temporary relief, there is growing recognition of the benefits of program-based therapy for long-term recovery. Elite Healers Sports Massage utilizes this approach to address an individual’s specific recovery needs.

Unlike typical massage services, Elite Healers offers comprehensive therapy programs tailored to individual needs, addressing chronic issues and promoting sustained health improvements. Each program is designed based on the individual’s specific needs, ensuring that the therapy addresses the root causes of pain and discomfort.

The benefits of committing to a multi-week therapy plan at Elite Healers are manifold. Regular sessions over an extended period allow for a cumulative effect, where each session builds upon the previous one, leading to more profound and sustained results. Clients often report enhanced performance, reduced injury risk, and overall better health.

Therapists at Elite Healers use a variety of techniques tailored to the client’s evolving needs. These include deep tissue massage, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy, all aimed at reducing muscle tension, improving flexibility, and enhancing circulation. This comprehensive approach not only addresses immediate pain but also works to prevent future issues.

“We have really been focused on a treatment plan, a long-term game plan, to not only help with recovery from athletic training but also from aches and pains and injury recovery,” said Cardona. “So, instead of just one session to feel a little better, we make a plan to get someone out of back pain or running faster. We do this over a few weeks-long programs to get the individuals to reach a greater goal.”

Elite Healers caters not only to athletes but also everyday people looking to recover from the demands of life. Scheduling massages one or two times per week allows the Elite Healers team to make progress on tension, scar tissue, or other issues without letting too much additional tension or dysfunction build up between visits. “The key here is in those consistent sessions being really close with one another so that your tension and compensation patterns don’t have time to build back up,” said Cardona.

As the field of sports and exercise recovery continues to evolve, the emphasis on long-term and holistic approaches becomes increasingly important. Program-based therapy at establishments like Elite Healers Sports Massage provides a compelling alternative to one-time treatments, offering clients a pathway to sustained health and improved athletic performance.

M&F and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.

Chaos training introduces instability and unpredictability into exercises like the bench press. This novel approach keeps your routine fresh and challenging and effectively engages your stabilizer muscles. Despite using less weight, the constant unpredictability of the bouncing weight makes a light weight feel heavy, honing your technique and increasing your muscles’ time under tension.

With the help of three well-respected coaches, let’s break down the critical aspects of chaos training and explain how it can benefit your workouts.

Full-Body Exercises

Add Some 'Chaos' to Your Training with t...

Adding a resistance band can make training a bit less stable, but provide more strength gains.

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What is Chaos Trianing

To clear up any misconceptions about this training method, Tasha Whelan, coach, and world champion powerlifter, breaks down what chaos training is and isn’t:

Chaos Training is a method that introduces instability and unpredictability into traditional exercises. By adding unstable elements like hanging weights or balance boards, chaos training improves muscle activation, functional strength, and mental engagement. Chaos training is a

• A method to enhance stabilizer muscle strength and improve overall body control.
• A way to increase core activation and proprioception.
• It is helpful for rehabilitation and recovery, allowing controlled movement without overstraining injured areas.
• A means to diversify training and prevent plateaus.

What Chaos Training Isn’t

This training method isn’t a replacement for all traditional strength training. It’s unsuitable for maximal-effort lifts or beginners lacking foundational strength and stability. It should be used as accessory exercises within a balanced training program rather than the bulk of your workout program. So, chaos training isn’t

• A replacement for all traditional strength training.
• Suitable for all fitness levels without proper progression.
• A method to lift maximal weights.

The Benefits of Chaos Training

If you’re new to chaos training, it pays to know the pros and cons before you start. Here’s why you might want to consider or not adding it to your current routine:

More Muscle, Less Weight

One of chaos method standout advantages is improving muscle activation. Studies showed that adding instability to the bench press leads to higher engagement of stabilizing muscles. The studies suggest performing a bench press with unstable loads; muscles such as the latissimus dorsi and deltoids are more involved than in the regular bench press. Justin Farnsworth, DPT, and PT, adds this about Chaos training. “Chaos training is great for improving the firing patterns of local stabilizers and teaching stability in a pattern, especially around the shoulders, forearms, wrist, grip, and hips,” explains Farnsworth

Improved Functional Strength

Chaos training mimics real-world scenarios where balance and stability are crucial. By incorporating instability into your workouts, you’re training your body to handle unpredictable situations, which translates to improved functional strength.

Break Through Plateaus

Hitting a plateau is frustrating, but chaos training can help you push past these sticking points. The new challenges the unstable elements introduce force your body to adapt differently, breaking the monotony and encouraging progressive overload.

Disadvantages of Chaos Training

Increased Risk of Injury

The nature of this type of training, with its emphasis on instability and unpredictability, may increase the risk of injury. If exercises are not performed with proper form and control, the likelihood of strains, sprains, or other injuries goes up. This is especially true for beginners needing more foundational strength and coordination for chaos training.

Not Suitable for All

This training method is challenging and may not be suitable for everyone, especially beginners. Those new to fitness or recovering from an injury should approach this method cautiously. They may need to build strength and stability with more traditional exercises before incorporating Chaos training.

Not Ideal For Absolute Strength

Due to its instability and unpredictability, chaos training is not recommended for maximal-effort lifts. Stability and control are paramount when lifting heavy weights to prevent injury and ensure proper form. Chaos training is better suited for accessory lifts and conditioning work rather than attempting your one-rep max. Mike T Nelson, Ph.D., educator, and coach, agrees.

“Your lower body is rarely exposed to instability unless you are training in an earthquake and have other issues. The cons are that the overall load tends to be lighter, so I like it more for accessory work than a main lift,” explains Nelson.

How and When To Incorporate Chaos Training

Implementing chaos training into your routine requires thoughtful programming to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Chaos training can be programmed by modifying traditional exercises to include unstable elements. These modifications can be included in accessory work, warm-ups, or conditioning circuits. Here are some examples:

Accessory Work

Chaos Bench Press: Attach kettlebells with resistance bands to the barbell. As you press, the kettlebells move unpredictably, engaging your stabilizer muscles.

Chaos Overhead Press: To perform the press, use a pair of hanging kettlebells attached to a barbell, challenging your core and shoulder stability.

Warmup & Conditioning

Chaos Pushup: Hook a heavy looped resistance band around a squat rack and feel the Chaos magic.

Unstable Plank: To increase your core strength, perform planks with your feet or hands on a stability ball or a resistance band looped around a squat rack.

Chaos Farmer’s Carry: Hold kettlebells or dumbbells with resistance bands attached and walk a desired distance, maintaining balance and control.

Nelson explains that this type of  training is an excellent method to increase your core strength.

“I love doing it [chaos] for more “abdominal/core” as you have to reflexively stay stable when you are, say, doing a farmer walks in a Zercher position (where the barbell is in the crook of your elbows) with some lifts KBs bouncing along off bands on the end. Trust me, you will feel your core the next day, too.”

For Rehab

The Chaos method benefits prehab (preventiverehab) and rehabilitation (injury rehabilitation) training. Here are some examples.

Prehab Exercises: Incorporate single-leg deadlifts on a balance board or split squats with your foot on a resistance band to strengthen stabilizer muscles to improve balance and prevent injuries.

Rehabilitation Exercises: Use controlled chaos training exercises, such as light chaos bench presses or unstable rows, to aid rehabilitation and regain stability and strength post-injury, which Farnsworth uses in his practice.

“Chaos training is a great way to retrain the proprioceptors after an acute injury. As we know, swelling plus pain both limit muscle firing and proprioceptive feedback. So, in a rehab sense, it is really good to use early, mainly because the relative external load will be limited, and many people in pain aren’t very load-tolerant,” says Farnsworth

How To Progress With The Chaos Training Method

Start with straightforward variation and gradually increase the complexity and instability as you become stronger. This progression ensures you build the strength and stability to handle more challenging exercises safely.

Basic Instability

Beginner: Start with a simple instability exercise like the Chaos Pallof Press.

Moderate Instability

Intermediate: Progress to exercises that involve more movement and coordination, such as a Chaos Push Up.

Advanced Instability

Advanced: Adding hanging weights on a barbell and performing an overhead press.

Reps, Sets, and Rest Times

Now you know how and why, but what about sets and reps? Whelan explains the details.

Reps and Sets: Start with a moderate number of reps per set (around 8-12 reps) and perform 2-4 sets per exercise. Iron Wolf suggests individualizing the volume and intensity based on your goals, abilities, and overall workout structure.

Rest Time: As chaos training typically involves neuromuscular challenges and stability work, shorter rest intervals (30-60 seconds) between sets can help maintain the training stimulus and replicate real-world situations where quick reactions are needed.

Safety Tips When Using The Chaos Training Method

Safety is king when performing chaos training, and here is what you should watch out for.

Importance of Form and Control

Maintaining form and control is crucial to avoiding injury and getting on a workout blooper video. Focus on controlled movements and avoid rushing through any chaos exercise. It’s better to perform fewer reps with the correct form than to compromise the form for higher reps.

Safety First And Last

When using unstable elements like hanging kettlebells, ensure that the equipment is securely fastened and that you have a clear, unobstructed workout area. Use appropriate weights that you can handle with control, and don’t hesitate to reduce the load if it feels too unstable. Using heavy bands makes some chaos exercises easier as unpredictability is diminished.

Avoid Overuse

You should use chaos training sparingly and balance it with traditional methods to avoid overuse injuries. Incorporate it as an accessory exercise rather than the primary focus of your workouts, ensuring a well-rounded and safe training regimen. As a side note, performing a hanging band overhead press is excellent, but performing it on a balance board is overdoing it. Some instability is good, but too much is dangerous.

Headed into this season, Ogunbowale’s goals were to improve on the previous season and to be in the best condition possible. The Wings were looking to improve on last season’s 22-win  campaign. Unfortunately, injuries have hampered the team during the first half of the season. Ogunbowale has done her part, which includes being second in the league in scoring (23.6) and leading the league in steals (2.8) and minutes played.

M&F caught up with the four-time All-Star to discuss the offseason work that’s led to her on court performance this year, the benefit of having a sibling who is also a professional athlete and why great performance starts from the ground up.

Arike Ogunbowale’s Tips To Get In Shape

Arike Ogunbowale led the WNBA in minutes last season at 37.2 per game and knew coming into this season that she would be counted on the same again. She set out to get in the best condition she could to handle that load. Aside from lifting, training and pick up against male athletes, she also focused on yoga and Pilates to help make sure her base and core are solid.

Up until a couple of years ago, Ogunbowale spent her winters living in Russia while playing with WBC Dynamo Kursk. From that experience, she learned to shorten her workouts by focusing on specific areas rather than putting more stress on her body than she needed to. As someone who loves being in the gym and training, the move took some getting used to but she’s found it helpful.

“Even though the time was shorter, it was valuable, and I got everything done that I needed to,” she said. “I think now it’s just about being smarter, and more focused on the specific things I knew I needed to work on and I just do a lot more repetition other than a number of different exercises. I might focus on two or three for a month so that I can really get good at those before I move on to other stuff.”

Eating Healthy is a Lifestyle

To take some of the pressure off of trying the multitudes of diets that are out there, Ogunbowale chooses to eat healthy. Given how much pressure is placed on her to perform, along with her expectations of herself, the last thing she wants to do is fret over counting calories and make food consumption a chore. When she does have a cheat day, her go to is the African food she used to enjoy as a kid. Given all of the different spices used, she’s careful in the portions she does enjoy.

Having an NFL Running Back as a Brother Doesn’t Hurt

Ogunbowale’s brother, Dare, is a veteran running back and special-teams contributor for the Houston Texans. The siblings do get to train together during their respective offseasons and Ogunbowale has picked up several pointers and tips from her brother that she utilizes in her current routine.

Arike Ogunbowale’s Workout Mantra: Poor Feet Don’t Eat

No matter how gifted an athlete is, if their foot health is poor, they aren’t going to be able to perform at their best. Plantar fasciitis used to plague Ogunbowale and no matter the treatment used, she had become accustomed through playing through discomfort. By chance, she met a mutual friend of the brand Good Feet, who owns and operates over 270 Good Feet Store locations. The company specializes in premium, personally fitted arch supports for every foot and lifestyle and it wasn’t long before Ogunbowale was putting them to the test on the floor and off of it.

Just last year, she signed a multi-year endorsement deal as a brand ambassador and proudly attests to what a difference the arch supports have had on her.

“When you have aches or anything small, it can mentally affect you,” Ogunbowale said. “Being an athlete, your body is what you do, what you need, and how you can perform. Even if something small is out of whack, it can throw your entire game out of whack. Everything starts from the ground up and if your feet are messed up, then it’s hard to be out there on the floor. With getting my feet right, I’ve felt a big difference when I’m on the court and off.”

Playing Pickup Will Never Get Old

One of the tried and true ways to improve during the offseason for any basketball player is pick up basketball. It’s a way to test new skills and training against real competition, and it’s why Ogunbowale loves it so much. It also takes the Milwaukee native back to a simpler time when the game was just the game.

She also prefers playing against men to further sharpen her skills against different defenders and defenses that are predicated on making each field goal attempt of hers as hard as the next.

“I just love it,” Ogunbowale said. “Just me being from where I’m from, going to the park and always wanting to play basketball — the art of playing pickup and just hooping and having fun without any structure or restriction is definitely something that just comes from the love of the game.”

Arike Ogunbowale’s Warmup

Exercise Bike: 7 min

Arike Ogunbowale’s Workout For Muscle Activation

Perform 2 Sets of the following exercises:

Prone to runner stretch: 8 reps

T-Spine Rotations: 10 reps

Lateral Loaded Hip flexor:

Hip Circles (C.A.R.S.) “UMT”:  10 Reps

Arike Ogunbowale’s Workout For Explosive Power

Perform 5 Sets of the following exercises:

Super Band High Knee sprints: 3 sets, 10 sec.

Med Ball Loaded Box Jumps: 10 reps (24 to 30 inch height)

Depth Jumps to Hurdle Hop: 8 reps

Super Band Deadlifts: 10 reps

Super Band Barbell Glute Raises: 10 reps

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“I just got back off the set of Tulsa King, and I just want to address something that is kind of an absurd rumor about myself and Robert DeNiro never wanting to work together again, or having all sorts of angry comments about our stance on life and our philosophies, whatever,” said Sly in an Instagram video on July 10, 2024. The ‘Italian Stallion’ was perhaps in reflective mood, having turned 78 on July 6.

Where Did Rumors of a Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro Feud Begin?

While Stallone had recently joked that De Niro was his worst-ever boxing opponent on film, those comments were said in jest and the Rambo star has also been known to wish his pal a happy birthday on social media. It is fake news, however, that appears to be the source of the notion that Stallone had dissed De Niro. Apparently, Sly was said to have been unwilling to work with the Taxi Driver star because he was “Too woke.” This quote was proven to be fabricated though and originated from a ‘satirical’ Facebook account. “We’ve never had this discussion, probably never will, and I just want to say you can’t believe everything you read. So, anyway, keep punching,” said Stallone.

Sylvester Stallone provides an update on Tulsa King

“Everything else is going well, and I’m looking forward to Tulsa King,” continued the star, noting that series one will have a rerun on CBS starting July 14, 2024. As for the highly anticipated season two, fans will be excited to learn that Stallone expects to wrap filming, “probably in about 2 weeks, and it’s going to come out in September, so it’s all good.” Tulsa King season 2 is expected to land on Paramount+ on Sunday, September 15.

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In the ever-evolving world of health and wellness, mushroom coffee is taking center stage, offering a host of benefits that go beyond your typical caffeine fix. One company leading this trend is ALTR ROOT with their latest drop, Java Shroom. 

It’s a unique blend of functional mushrooms and a low dose of caffeine designed to enhance focus, energy, gut health and more. 

In this review, we’ll take a dive deep into what makes this mushroom coffee stand out and why it might just be the new staple in your morning routine.

What is Java Shroom by ALTR ROOT?

ALTR ROOT’s Java Shroom is an innovative coffee blend that combines the rich flavors of traditional coffee with the potent benefits of medicinal mushrooms. Unlike regular coffee which often leads to jitters and energy crashes, Java Shroom aims to support a sustained boost of energy, enhanced cognitive function and improved digestive health all minus that dreaded midday crash.

Key Ingredients

The Mushroom Line-up:

1. Lion’s Mane Mushroom: Known for its neuroprotective properties, Lion’s Mane is included in Java Shroom to support cognitive function and mental clarity all day long. This powerful mushroom has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to boost memory and focus.
2. Reishi Mushroom: Often referred to as the “mushroom of immortality,” Reishi is celebrated for its immune-boosting and stress-reducing benefits. It helps promote a sense of calm and overall wellness, making it a perfect addition to your daily coffee.
3. Turkey Tail Mushroom: Turkey Tail is renowned for its antioxidant properties. It supports the body’s immune system and helps fight inflammation, contributing to better overall health and longevity.
4. Cordyceps Mushroom: This mushroom is known for its ability to enhance physical performance and stamina. Cordyceps helps increase energy levels naturally without the crash often associated with high-caffeine beverages.
5. Shiitake Mushroom: Shiitake are a powerhouse when it comes to supporting heart health and boosting energy levels. They can help regulate circulation and cholesterol, keeping your heart in top shape. Additionally, they provide a natural lift in energy, helping you stay vibrant and active throughout the day.
6. King Trumpet Mushroom: The King Trumpet adds a unique touch to ALTR ROOT’s coffee blend. This mushroom supports healthy bones and joints and promotes a healthy inflammatory response, making it a valuable addition for daily wellness.

The Gut-Loving, Brain-Boosting Ingredient:

1. goMCT®: This ingredient is a natural ketone derived from quality coconuts to help support natural and sustained energy without the “crash” of traditional coffee or sweet beverages. GoMCT® boosts your cognitive function, harmonizes your digestion and fosters a flourishing gut ecosystem to nurture your inner wellness.

Benefits of Java Shroom

1. Enhanced Focus and Mental Clarity

Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps mushrooms are key players in boosting cognitive function. By making Java Shroom part of your daily morning routine you’ll overhaul your concentration, focus and memory retention.

2. Sustained Energy Levels

Unlike traditional coffee, which can cause jitters and energy crashes the combination of mushrooms in Java Shroom provides a steady, sustained release of energy. This makes it an excellent choice for those needing consistent performance throughout the day.

3. Improved Gut Health

The inclusion of Chaga and Reishi mushrooms supports a healthy digestive system. These mushrooms are known for their prebiotic properties to help maintain a balanced gut microbiome, leading to better digestion and overall health.

4. Immune Support

Reishi and Chaga mushrooms are powerful immune boosters. Regularly drinking Java Shroom can help strengthen your body’s defenses, making you more resilient in the winter time and beyond.

How to Enjoy ALTR ROOT Java Shroom

Java Shroom can be prepared just like your regular coffee:

1. Brew a Cup: Use 8 oz of hot or cold water and stir in the Java Shroom.
2. Add Extras: Enhance your cup with your favorite milk, sweetener, or additional supplements.
3. Sip and Savor: Enjoy the rich, delicious flavors and the array of benefits that come with every sip.

Final Thoughts

ALTR ROOT’s Java Shroom is more than just a coffee replacement; it’s an alternative path to wellness. By combining the robust flavors of coffee with the health-boosting properties of medicinal mushrooms, it offers a unique and beneficial way to start your day. Whether you’re looking to enhance focus, sustain energy levels or support improved gut health, Java Shroom provides the perfect solution in just one cup.

This is sponsored content. M&F is not endorsing the websites or products listed in this article.

With social media awash with posts of perfection, presenting shredded models that many people simply can’t relate to, Richard Simmons took the approach that exercise was something that could, and should, be accessed by all. He drew upon his own journey in order to show others that by taking a little more control of their lives, people really could improve their outlook.

Simmons was relatable to so many because he understood the struggle. As an overweight kid growing up in New Orleans, LA, he knew what it was like to crave food and overeat, and by the time he reached 15 had ballooned to 182 pounds. As a man, Simmons began to take an interest in exercise and nutrition but noticed that most fitness studios were geared up for people who already had a passion for the pump. By establishing his own studio; ‘The Anatomy Asylum,’ he made a conscious effort to welcome people of all fitness levels, and lost more than 123 pounds of his own fat in the process.

“People are still grasping for the miracle, and unfortunately, there are no miracles,” he told AskMen.com in 2007 “If you do not exercise for a year, and let your body remain dormant, then you will gain weight.

Richard Simmons Was the Opposite of Toxic Culture

Richard Simmons created a brand of camp charisma and a willingness to look silly on camera is a far reach from today’s Instagram culture where images are glossed and retouched to make the perfect body look ever more out of the realms of possibility.

His message wasn’t about sculpting the perfect physique, but rather acknowledging the fact that health is wealth, and feeling good about ourselves after getting a sweat on is one of the most rewarding moments of any day. Through his countless talk show appearances and cultural cameos, Simmons was often poked fun at, but perhaps the joke was on anyone that underestimated his contributions to the longevity of those that followed his advice.

In 2010, the motivator estimated that he’d helped his public torch a total of more than 12 million pounds of fat. When the internet began to take off, the fitness fanatic was a pioneer once again, helping to shape the subscription model that is now a must for most fitness trainers. He was at the forefront of the fitness movement yet again when Covid-19 hit in 2020, responding by uploading a free archive of his fitness videos, making them available to those who needed comfort while crushing a workout during those lazy lockdown days.

While social media often preys on our insecurities, Simmons was all about empowering us rather than making us feel inferior. “Number one, love yourself. Have a lot of self-worth. Number two, lower your calories and watch your portions. And number [three], move those buns!,” he told Ellen in is inimitable way in 2010.

Richard Simmons’ legacy will be that fitness must be inclusive and most of all, fun.

Workout Tips

What Are Heatstroke and Heat Exhaustion?

Recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses.

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What is an Exertion Headache?

“Exercise or workout headaches are part of what’s medically known as primary exercise (exertional) headache,” explains Dr Shah. “This is a rare type of headache that causes a throbbing head pain, during or after any form of sustained exertion. Slightly different from normal headaches, they’re usually a sign from your brain that you’ve overexerted or overworked yourself. These headaches can range from a subtle pain to a more severe throbbing and are usually worse the more you’ve pushed yourself. However, some people get exertion headaches without ever experiencing a migraine.”

Exertion Headaches Symptoms

• Fast onset
• Throbbing or pulsating head pain
• Lasting from 5 minutes to 48 hours
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light and sound

How to prevent exertion headaches

“Exertion headaches can be a response to any kind of overexertion and can sneak up during various physical activities that get your blood pumping,” says Dr Shah, who explains that the most popular forms of exercises, such as running, weightlifting, swimming, rowing, and racket sports have all been associated with exertion headaches. “We do not know what causes exertion headaches. Some research suggests that it might be related to blood vessels inside the skull becoming dilated during a strenuous activity,” he adds, also noting that hot weather, high altitudes, or a history of migraine in the family will all increase the changes of getting these troublesome headaches. Here, Dr Shah provides the following 6 tips for looking after your noggin.

6 Tips To Beat Exertion Headaches

Warm up properly

“Before jumping into intense physical activity, start with a gentle warm-up. This can help your body get ready for more strenuous exercise.”

Stay hydrated

“Keep yourself well-hydrated, before and during exercise. Dehydration can be a big contributing factor to headaches.”

Manage intensity

“Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts rather than pushing too hard, or too fast.”

Cool down

“After exercising, take time to cool down. this helps your body ease back to its resting state.”

Monitor your environment

“If you’re exercising outside, be mindful of the weather. Extreme heat or cold can bring on headaches.”

Exercise regularly

“Keeping a consistent exercise routine can also help, as sporadic bursts of activity might increase the risk of headaches.”

Dr Shah says that if all else fails, there are medical options. “Over-the-counter pain relief medications can be effective in treating regular headaches,” she says. “If you have been diagnosed with migraines your doctor might prescribe migraine relief medication. Most of the time exertion headaches aren’t dangerous. They’re more of a nuisance and usually resolve on their own, or by changing the way you exercise or go about your daily life. However, it is important to talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Some headaches can be caused by an underlying health condition such as an issue with the blood vessels in your brain. These are called secondary headaches, and can potentially pose a risk to your health. If you’re experiencing regular headaches, they’re getting more severe, or are happening at random, this could be a sign that you have another medical condition which needs to be treated. You should check in with your doctor to rule out a more serious condition.” For the majority of us, however, being smart about how we train will help to mitigate or prevent the effects of exertion headaches, meaning that summer shouldn’t spell the end of consistent workouts.

For more information you can also visit the Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor resource for exertion headaches here!

Workout Tips

How to Treat & Relieve Lower Back Pains

Educate yourself to deal with back pain and to prevent it from reoccurring

Read article

How was the study conducted?

The clinical trail, dubbed ‘WalkBack’ was conducted by the Spinal Pain Research Group at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. It noted that “Exercise is recommended to prevent recurrence, but the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an accessible and low-cost intervention, such as walking, is yet to be established.” So, in what is thought to be a world-first study, researchers aimed to answer that question by recruiting adults from across Australia who had recently recovered from an episode of any non-specific lower back pain that was not attributed to an official diagnosis. In total, 701 participants were then randomly assigned into 2 groups:

• Group 1: Intervention group, assigned to an individual walking program in addition to 6 physiotherapist guided sessions
• Group 2: Control group, no assigned walking program or guided sessions

The scientists then followed the progress of the subjects for up to three years.

What were the results?

“An individualised, progressive walking and education intervention significantly reduced low back pain recurrence,” found the experts. The amount of walking assigned to an intervention group subject was depended on their starting health, and was re-examined throughout the study with an aim to have them walking as regularly as possible. By the end of the report, researchers concluded that adults with a history of lower back pain were able to go almost twice as long without a repeated back pain episode than those in the control group. (An average of 208 days compared to 112 days).

“Findings from this trial have important implications,” read the report, explaining that this demonstration of how a small number of health coaching sessions and the adoption of a walking program can reduce occurrences of lower back pian, and could be a gamechanger in healthcare. With more than 600 million people around the world plagued by back pain, accessible and cost-effective solutions are always more than welcome as relates to getting us active.

“We believe it is likely the two components complement each other,” added the report. “with education helping to overcome avoidance and fear of movement, while the health coaching and walking programme resulted in behaviour change. Finally, although the current trial focused on walking, future trials can explore whether other forms of recreational exercise (e.g., swimming or cycling) can provide similar benefits.” Now, where did I put my walking shoes?

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A new report seems to have the recipe for executing more reps.

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FLEX’s Coverage of the IFBB Professional League Lenda Murray Atlanta Pro Supershow  is brought to you by Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals. Follow @hitechpharma for more information and all their latest updates and make sure to visit www.HiTechPharma.com NOW to shop the incredible lineup from the Hi-Tech family of brands!

For more up to date information on the IFBB Professional League Lenda Murray Atlanta Pro Supershow contest click here! and follow them on instagram here!

Figure Awards

1st place – 19 Cherish Richardson

2nd place- 18 Kristen Mcgregor

3rd place- 3 Zulfiya Bitiyeva

4th place – 15 Courtney Jacobs

5th place – 12 Stacey Steiner

Womens Physique

1st place – 29 Ana Harias

2nd place – 42 Amanda Machado

3rd place – 40 Lenka Ferencukova

4th place – 36 Autumn Swansen

5th place – 47 Romana Skotzen

Womens Bodybuilding

1st place – 74 Michaela Aycock

2nd place – 71 Selyka Givan

3rd place – 76 Sheena Ohlig

4th place – 75 Patti Hanson

5th place – 70 Victoria Dominguez

Bikini

1 – 64 Jasmine Gonzalez

2 – 65 Ashley Hampton

3 – 57 Mahsa Akbarimehr

4 – 59 Tamekia Carter

5 – 58 Rhoda Allie

Classic Physique

1 – 86 Bjay Carswell

2 – 87 Jarek Crew

3 – 90 Eddie Lusk

4 – 83 Anthony Barbera Iii

5 – 85 Terrence Bonds

Fitness

1 – 96 Michelle Fredua-Mensah

2 – 97 Amber Steffen

3 – 95 Annika Drescher

4 – 94 Anna Adams

212

1 – 135 Kerrith Bajjo

2 – 140 Bo Lewis

3 – 137 David Henry

4 – 136 Tristen Esco

5 – 132 Dougie Flexx

Wellness

1 – 104 Daniela Esquivel

2 – 109 Amanda Rezende

3 – 105 Melitza Guerrero

4 – 106 Briaunna Guthrie

5 – 99 Casey Goeckeritz Delong

Mens Physique

1 – 116 Sharif Reid

2 – 127 Chevy Phillips

3 – 124 Hossein Karimi

4 – 129 Puwanat Putoya

5 – 120 Charjo Grant

Visit the Wings of Strength website Here for More Coverage!

All photos provided by Chris Nicoll

Although the Turkish Get-Up (TGU) is a convoluted way to get up and down, it is a full-body exercise that combines mobility, strength, stability, and coordination. If you’re looking to add a versatile and challenging move to your workouts, it’s the complete package.

Here, I’ll explain the steps, benefits, common mistakes, and ways to incorporate this powerhouse bodyweight exercise into your workouts.

What is the Turkish Get-Up

The Turkish Get-Up is a centuries-old exercise involving movements that work multiple muscle groups while getting up and down from the ground. From a lying position, you transition through various stages to stand up and reverse the process back to the ground. Each step of the TGU demands strength, control, and concentration.

Performing the Turkish Get-Up

Here are step-by-step instructions on performing the bodyweight Turkish Get Up with good form. Please remember to take your time and not hurry throughout this movement.

1. Laying supine with your back on the floor, put your right foot on the ground, slide your left leg out at 45 degrees, and do the same for your left arm.
2. Raise your right arm directly above the shoulder and open your palm. Placing a shoe to balance is an excellent form fixer if you are game.
3. Push your left shoulder into the ground and roll to your left side, raising your right hip and pushing your left elbow down to get up.
4. Straighten your left arm and sweep the left leg underneath you until you’re in a half-kneeling position.
5. Push your right foot through the floor to stand up with your feet together.
6. Do the reverse to return to the starting position.

Turkish Get-Up Targeted Muscles

The TGU is a full-body movement that requires your lower and upper body to work together. Here are the muscles trained and their role in the TGU.

Shoulders: Stabilize and support your body weight throughout the movement, improving your shoulder strength.

Chest: Assist when moving from the ground to standing.

Triceps: During the get-up phase, the triceps extend the arms and maintain elbow stability when extended.

Glutes: Hip extension powers the TGU from the hip lift to getting up from the half-kneeling position and supports your body weight during the transitions.

Rectus Abdominis and Obliques: These muscles ensure a neutral spine and maintain balance throughout the get-up.

Quads and Hamstrings: These muscles kick in during the standing and lowering phases and assist with hip flexion and extension, depending on your stage.

Serratus Anterior: This muscle supports your shoulders and helps in the upward rotation of the shoulder blade, which is crucial for shoulder health and overhead mobility.

Lower Back: Helps to stabilize and support the spine during the entire exercise

Benefits of the Turkish Get-Up

It’s a complex move with many moving parts but also an exercise with many benefits. Here are four of them.

Improved Full-Body Strength

The Turkish Get-Up is a full-body exercise that trains almost every muscle from head to toe. Each part of your body performs the get-up from your shoulders and chest to your legs and core. The full-body nature of the TGU builds overall strength and muscular coordination, making you stronger and more efficient in other exercises and daily activities.

Increased Joint Stability and Mobility

The TGU is a masterclass in improving joint stability and mobility. The various stages of the get-up require stabilizing your joints, mainly your shoulders and hips, and improving their strength and flexibility. Improved stability helps prevent injuries, while increased mobility makes most movements easier and fluid.

Improved Quality Of Life

The Turkish Get-Up mimics everyday movements and makes them easier because you’re getting stronger by doing them regularly. The TGU enhances your coordination, balance, and strength in a way that translates directly to daily tasks, from lifting heavy stuff to getting up from the floor.

Better Coordination

The multiple steps and transitions in the Turkish Get-Up require a high level of coordination and control. Performing this regularly enhances your neuromuscular efficiency, meaning your brain and muscles communicate better. This improvement can benefit other complex lifts and athletic movements, making you more of a lean, mean working machine.

Turkish Get-Up Common Mistakes and Fixes

The TGU is a complex movement with many moving parts. That means lots can go wrong. So, to reap the benefits of this exercise, let’s correct three common mistakes.

It’s All In The Hips

Letting your hips sag compromises your form and can put undue strain on your lower back. Drooping your hips impacts stability and puts undue stress on the spine, increasing the risk of lower back injuries.

Fix It: Actively squeeze your glutes throughout the movement. Consider driving your hips upwards and maintaining tension in your glutes and core, ensuring your body moves as one unit.

Elbow Position

Flaring your elbows out more than 45 degrees reduces efficiency and can stress your shoulder joint. It also reduces the TGU effectiveness by shifting the emphasis away from your triceps and chest.

Fix it: To protect your shoulder joint, keep your elbows at 45 degrees during set-up, underneath your shoulder, and close to your body during transitions. Focus on maintaining a vertical forearm during transitions, which helps keep your elbows in a better position.

Moving to Quickly

Doing it too quickly can lead to poor form and loss of control. Speeding through each part often results in missing positions and losing control, which can cause poor alignment and compromised stability.

Fix it: Perform each phase with control and focus, and take your time to ensure good form. Break the movement into smaller segments and practice each segment slowly if necessary.

PROGRAMMING SUGGESTIONS

Here are two ways to incorporate the bodyweight TGU into your workouts.

Warmup: Incorporate the Turkish Get-Up into your warm-up routine with one set of 3-5 reps per side to get your body rocking.

Circuit Training: Add TGUs to a full-body circuit to elevate your heart rate. Aim for 6-8 reps per side.

With an array of pre-workout cocktails on the market containing an often-baffling list of ingredients, scientists have long sought to prove that simply adding carbohydrates to water could be all you need in order to make that extra rep possible. “From these data, it appears that mouth rinsing with carbohydrates prior to performing resistance exercise is a viable way to enhance strength during resistance exercise,” concluded the new study.

How was the experiment carried out?

Individuals, all men, were given either a carbohydrate solution or a placebo. The carb drink was prepared with 6.4 grams of colorless and odorless maltodextrin in around 100ml of water and given to subjects so that they could rinse their mouth with it. The placebo group rinsed their mouths with drinking water instead. For the purposes of the experiment, mouth rinsing was defined as distributing the carbohydrate solution around the mouth for 20 seconds before spitting it out into a designated container, providing individuals with a potential ergogenic aid. The theory is that even when not consumed, the act of rinsing carbs is enough to activate areas of the brain associated with performance. After 10 minutes, the participants then engaged in 5 sets x 6 repetitions of Romanian deadlifts using a kBox Exxentric flywheel device linked to Bluetooth in order to record the results. Each set was separated by 3 minutes of rest and participants also wore wrist-based heart monitors.

What were the results?

“The results indicate that mouth rinsing with the carbohydrate solution before RDL resistance exercise significantly improved in exercise performance in terms of eccentric peak power, concentric peak power, average power, and total work with a moderate effect size compared with the placebo treatment,” said the report. In other words, the subjects obtained a statistically better set of results in the lifting phase, lowering phase, and total workload completed. And all without feeling like they had worked harder than usual. “The average power of the (carb) trial was significantly higher than that of the placebo trial,” continued the report, discussing average force displayed by those in the carb trial. “These results suggest that simple mouth rinsing with carbohydrates before short-term, high-intensity exercise improves exercise performance.” Scientists are excited about what this type of instant contact with carbs can mean for applications in the future. “This study provides objective, scientific evidence demonstrating that mouth rinsing with a CHO solution before inertial or resistance exercise improves training quality,” wrote the study authors. “This finding can provide athletes or coaches of explosive power sports with reference to improve training interventions and preparation regimens for competitions.” Rest assured however, that in practise, there’s probably no need to spit out your carbs, meaning that you won’t become an anti social member of your local gym

Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom declared June 27 th as
“Olympia Day” on the Las Vegas Strip during a special ceremony held at
Resorts World Las Vegas. Some of the fitness industry’s most influential
leaders and biggest stars came together at an invitation-only gathering of
Vegas insiders and media.

Olympia owner Jake Wood was joined by Olympia President Dan Solomon
for the presentation. After the ceremony, Solomon commented “This year
marks the 24 th time the Olympia has been held in Las Vegas. Our
relationship with this city is powerful, and the partnership with Resorts
World is fueling major growth opportunities and a heightened fan
experience. Receiving this honor from the Entertainment Capital of the
World is beyond our wildest dreams.”

Created in 1965 by bodybuilding pioneer Joe Weider, Olympia Weekend
has grown into a true global fitness showcase, a celebration of health,
strength, nutrition, physique and combat sports, bringing together fitness
enthusiasts and top brands from around the world. Olympia Weekend is
also home to the definitive World Championships in the world of competitive
bodybuilding. The event has become a popular attraction for many of the
biggest celebrities in the world.

Ronn Nicolli, Chief Marketing Officer of Resorts World Las Vegas, shared
his excitement for the relationship. “I hope this is something we can do for
many many years.” The day long celebration culminated with a “Road to
the Olympia” launch party at the popular Zouk Nightclub.

The 60th edition of Olympia Weekend heads to Resorts World Las Vegas
this October. The 2-day Olympia Expo takes place at the nearby Las Vegas
Convention Center on Oct 11-12. Visit MrOlympia.com for all the details.
This year’s event is also the subject of a major documentary movie scheduled for release in 2025.

Who is Elizabeth Cambage?

6’ 9” tall Elizabeth Cambage is of Australian and Nigerian heritage but was born in England before she and her mother settled in Australia. The 32-year-old currently takes up center position in the Women’s Chinese Basketball League (WCBA) where she is a member of the Zheijang Goldenbulls team. Cambage has also played for the WNBA with the Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, and LA Sparks. During her time with the Wings, she hit a shared WNBA record of 53 points.

On the international sporting stage, Cambage won gold in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Queensland, but she is also known for her letting her emotions get the better of her. Despite earning a bronze in the London 2012 Olympics, she pulled out of the Tokyo 2021 Olympics amid allegations of misconduct against other players and suffering from her own mental health issues.

Elizabeth Cambage Glows Up On Instagram

Cambage’s 1.2 million followers on Instagram were recently treated to some new racy shots thanks to a collaboration with the Mowaloloa fashion brand. “In @mawolola we trust,” read her caption, accompanying a series of images showing the female powerhouse wearing a dress inspired by a racing suit and another, plunging feather bower style dress.

As a strong female athlete, Cambage may be a work in progress, but her body positivity is very inspiring for those who are tall, or short, or may not fit the traditional supermodel stereotype. She is super fit too, as her brazen gym shots also show. “My one and only,” commented the Mowalola brand account on seeing the baller share her shoot. “Unreal,” wrote an excited fan. “Wooow,” said another. “Probably the most beautiful woman in the world!” concluded yet another viewer, no doubt speaking for many of the people who rushed to ‘like’ the photos.

Follow Elizabeth Cambage’s on Instagram Here. 

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Typically, you may find Bosu balls in a gym’s deep, dark corners collecting dust, but it may be time to polish it up to help crank up your workouts.

You’re probably asking, “How will it help me?” I’ll admit that I’m a Bosu ball expert (does anyone even offer a Bosu ball certification course?). However, I am a certified strength & conditioning specialist who understands how and when equipment is appropriate for ramping up training.

For most, it may not be a question of “What is a Bosu ball?” but more of a hesitation in how to use one effectively. If this sounds like you, I’ve got you covered.

Let’s take a walk down Bosu ball lane and explore the benefits of incorporating Bosu ball training into your routine. I’ll cook up a few tips on how and when to use it effectively, caution you on when NOT to use it (so put down the barbell NOW!), and give you a rundown of the best Bosu ball exercises to incorporate into your training.

Top Benefits of Bosu Ball Training for Strength and Balance

Be prepared to answer the question “Why?” by fellow gym-goers if you’re using the Bosu ball regularly. If you’re unsure why, check out these top benefits of Bosu ball training to help you understand why it is more than just a trendy fitness activity.

Presents a Unique Muscular Challenge

The Bosu ball introduces an element of instability to your exercises, which means your muscles have to work harder to maintain balance. This unique challenge strengthens your core and improves your overall stability and functional fitness.

Improves Core Strength

The unstable surface of the Bosu ball forces your core muscles to engage more intensely compared to stable ground exercises. Whether doing a simple plank or a more complex move, your core constantly keeps you balanced, significantly improving your core strength over time.

Enhances Proprioception

Proprioception is your body’s ability to sense its position in space, and it’s crucial for coordination and balance. Training on a Bosu ball enhances this sense by challenging your body to stay balanced on an unstable surface. This improvement in proprioception translates to better performance in sports and daily activities.

Boosts Functional Fitness

Bosu ball workouts mimic real-life movements, significantly enhancing your functional fitness. Functional fitness refers to the ability to perform everyday activities with ease and without injury. This training prepares your body for the physical demands of everyday activities and sports, promoting efficient and safe movement patterns. You’ll notice a difference in how smoothly and effectively you can perform lifting, bending, and reaching tasks.

Full-Body Engagement

One of the great things about the Bosu ball is its versatility. You can use it for various exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Full-body engagement leads to better overall conditioning and a higher calorie burn, making your workouts more efficient and effective. You get a full-body workout, whether you’re doing squats, lunges, or pushups.

Increases Stability

Regular use of the Bosu ball helps stabilize muscles, which is particularly beneficial for improving posture and reducing the risk of falls. As your stabilizer muscles get stronger, your overall balance and posture will improve, contributing to better movement quality and decreased injury risk in your daily life.

Effective Ways to Incorporate a Bosu Ball into Your Workout Routine

Incorporating a Bosu ball into your workouts can elevate your fitness regimen by adding an element of instability, which challenges your muscles in new ways. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced athlete, you can integrate the Bosu ball into various parts of your workout for maximum benefit. Here are some practical ways to include it:

Start with Basic Balance Exercises

Simply stand on the Bosu ball’s dome to feel its instability. Performing basic movements will engage your core and improve your balance. Once comfortable, perform simple movements like split squats, lateral lunges, or planks. This foundational practice helps you adapt to the instability and builds a solid base for more advanced movements.

Integrate into Warmups

Use the Bosu ball during your warmups to activate your core and stabilizer muscles. For instance, try a few minutes of balance drills or light dynamic stretches on the ball. A few movements on the Bosu ball will prime your body for more intense exercise, ensuring your muscles are engaged and ready for the workout.

Enhance Traditional Exercises

Incorporate the Bosu ball to take traditional exercises to the next level. Doing pushups, lunges, or planks on the Bosu ball increases the difficulty and engages more muscle groups. For example, push-ups with your hands on the dome will challenge your upper body and core stability more than on a flat surface.

Use for Cooldowns

Incorporate the Bosu ball into your cool-down routine to help with stretching and flexibility. Exercises like seated stretches or gentle yoga poses on the Bosu ball can aid muscle recovery and enhance flexibility. The ball’s instability encourages a deeper, more effective stretch.

Common Mistakes: When NOT to Use a Bosu Ball in Your Workouts

It’s easy to fall in love with sexy exercises that garner clicks and likes on your social media. Still, while the Bosu ball is a versatile and effective tool for enhancing your workouts, it’s important to recognize when it might not be appropriate. Understanding these common mistakes can help you avoid injuries and ensure you get the most out of your training.

Avoid Heavy Lifting

Using the Bosu ball for heavy lifting exercises like squats or deadlifts can compromise your stability and form, increasing the risk of injury. My advice is to skip these exercises altogether. You’ll reap more benefits from traditionally performing them.

Not Suitable for Everyone

You may see the likes of elite athletes performing exercises with Bosu balls on Instagram or SportsCenter, but don’t be fooled. Keep it simple and conquer the basic bodyweight exercises like planks, pushups, and split squats before adding weight. And honestly, to echo my point above, you’ll get more out of most exercises performed traditionally.

Prioritize Safety Over Complexity

Don’t rush into advanced exercises without mastering basic moves first; improper form on the Bosu ball can be harmful. Master the basics!

Improper Form

Ensure you maintain proper form during all exercises. The Bosu ball’s instability can make it easy to lose alignment and strain your body unnecessarily.

Overuse

While beneficial, avoid overusing the Bosu ball in every workout session to prevent muscle fatigue and ensure a balanced fitness routine. Begin by introducing the Bosu ball into your warm-ups, then look to add a twist of instability to your accessory exercises.

Best Bosu Ball Exercises for Full-Body Fitness

Incorporating a Bosu ball into your routine can add a fun and challenging twist to standard exercises, enhancing your balance, strength, and coordination. Here are some of the best Bosu ball exercises I use with clients and athletes to help you get the most out of this versatile tool.

Problem solved.

One piece of equipment often overlooked by lifters is the Smith Machine. The Smith machine was invented in the early 1950s by the Godfather of fitness, Jack LaLanne, and later refined by Rudy Smith, a gym owner who gave it its name. Jack came up with the idea to perform squats without needing a spotter. Rudy refined Jack’s idea by adding safety catches and a better barbell guide system, making the machine more user-friendly and safer.

The Smith Machine is often made from a steel frame with a barbell that moves vertically along the steel rails. The barbell’s fixed range of motion prevents it from drifting forward or backward, and it comes with adjustable safety catches, reducing the need for a spotter.

It’s a solid choice when you’re looking at getting a full-body workout when time and equipment access are issues. Here, we’ll dive into the advantages and disadvantages of performing exercises on a Smith Machine and a workout that will make your muscles bigger and happier.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Smith Machine

Some lifters discount certain equipment pieces because they have shortcomings and don’t fit their goals. I feel the Smith Machine is another tool in the toolbox for crushing fat loss and muscle goals. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of performing exercises on the Smith Machine.

Advantages

Stability and Control: The barbell’s fixed path helps you maintain good form and control throughout your exercises. This fixed range of motion also allows you to isolate better the muscle you’re working on for juicy muscle-building gains.

Safety: The Smith machine’s design reduces the risk of injury, making it a solid choice for lifting heavy weights or working out solo. Plus, if you are new to the gym, the Smith Machine is a solid choice for gaining confidence before moving to more advanced exercises.

Versatility: The Smith machine is a multi-functional tool that allows you to perform various exercises that target different muscle groups.

Disadvantages

Fixed Range of Motion: The fixed vertical path can limit the natural movement of specific exercises, which might lead to improper form or discomfort.

Lack of Stabilizer Muscle Involvement: If you want to improve your balance and unilateral strength, the Smith Machine isn’t your best choice. It can cause muscle imbalances because stabilizer muscles aren’t as engaged as free weights.

Encourages Ego Lifting: While the Smith machine offers safety, it might give you a false sense of confidence, tempting you to attempt heavier weights than you can handle with free weights.

Knowing both sides of the Smith Machine story allows you to better understand whether it is for you.

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The Ultimate Smith Machine Workout

Okay, enough talk, let’s dive into what you came for After a warm-up, you’ll perform two trisets, three rounds each. You’ll rest a little between exercises and 90-120 seconds after each triset. Depending on the load and your goals, you’ll perform six to fifteen reps of each exercise.

1A. RDL

1B. Floor Press

1C. Bent Over Row (Underhand grip)

2A. Front Foot Elevated Split Squat (do both sides)

2B. Bodyweight Inverted Row ( Overhand grip 12-15 reps)

2C. Tall Kneeling Shoulder Press

How was the study carried out?

Data for the study was taken from the 2018-19 National Sports and Society Survey (NSASS), a resource that provides detailed sports and societal information from a large sample of U.S. adults. Within that NSASS data are the accounts of each subjects’ sports participation experiences while growing up. A such, the respondents were broken down into three groups:

• Played organised youth sports continually until the age of 18 (24.02%)
• Played organised youth sports for a time and then dropped out completely (41.25%)
• Never played organised youth sports (35.03%)

How does organised youth sport participation predict mental health in adults?

The group that played youth sports continually until the age of 18 reported fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety than either of the other groups. Interestingly, those who dropped out went on to develop poorer mental health outcomes than those that had never played at all. Experts believe that an explanation for this may be due to a bad experience in sports leading to self-confidence issues.

The ability for mental health issues to develop out of a sporting environment are certainly well documented and a shocking 7.8% of survey participants reported that they had been abused by a coach. Still, of those that dropped out of youth sports, the individuals that fared best were the ones that quit sports primarily to focus on their grades.

“Our results revealed a number of key findings,” explained the study authors. “First, we found that playing organized sport continually up until age 18 (i.e., not dropping out) was associated with the most favorable mental health outcomes, relative to both not playing organized sports at all as well as to playing but then dropping out.”

Scientists feel that while many youth sports setups are structurally or politically flawed, there are often important rewards to be had from sticking it out.

“It seems that the longer an individual is exposed to a typical sporting environment, the more likely they are to experience repeatedly encouraging environments, and are urged to develop habits, that are conducive to long-term mental well-being such as commitments to regular exercise and opportunities and abilities to collaborate with others,” continued the experts. “When sporting environments offer positive experiences, longer durations of exposure to sport appear to work in a cumulative fashion and can lead to mental health benefits that occur even decades down the road.”