Latest news with #AndyGalpin
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Performance Scientist Reveals Top Legal Performance Hack
At some point, every athlete hits that shift from newbie to intermediate. Your muscles aren't growing like they used to, but you're stronger than ever. You've found your rhythm, and a few miles in, your breathing's smooth and steady. Still, we live in a world obsessed with the next big fitness breakthrough. Whether it's a new protein powder for gains or pre-workout for that mental edge, there's always something promising better performance. But according to a top longevity expert, there's one supplement you're probably overlooking—beetroot juice—and it could seriously level up the way you is rich in dietary nitrates, naturally occurring compounds found in various foods that convert into nitric oxide in the body. Once in the body, it relaxes and widens blood vessels, which can improve blood flow, deliver more oxygen to your blood, and improve efficiency. "We've used a ton of different forms over the years," Andy Galpin, Ph.D., CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT*D, the executive director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University, said in an interview with Dr. Rhonda Patrick. "It's great because it's not a stimulant, so you can take it in the evenings and it doesn't compromise sleep. We will use it a lot for our individuals who are either exercising at night or training multiple times per day, and their stimulants come in the morning, but they still have high fatigue." Because beetroot juice boosts nitric oxide levels and improves blood flow and oxygen efficiency, it can give you more stamina, better endurance, and potentially faster recovery. There's some debate on how to take beetroot—powder or juice? According to Galpin, it doesn't really matter. What does matter is when you take it. And fair warning: It may not be as intense as caffeine, but you'll definitely feel it within minutes. 'Like caffeine, you're going to have a pretty acute effect,' he says. 'Some people are going to metabolize it faster, some people slower. So it's not a short-lasting thing—it'll be there for quite some time. If you're going to use it for performance benefits, whether it's in the podcast room, in the weight room, or dealing with the assembly at your kid's school…right before would be the time to go about it.' Performance Scientist Reveals Top Legal Performance Hack first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 24, 2025
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
BC Strength review: Finding the best glute machine for 2025
Looking for the best glute machine for home workouts? You're not alone! Strong, sculpted glutes have become the fitness world's holy grail — and their appeal extends far beyond the gym. A round, chiseled backside is a must-have accessory, thanks to celebrity influence and glute-focused social media reels. With #glutegains and #gluteworkout trending on TikTok and Instagram, it's clear these backside-building workouts are here to stay. And that's a good thing. Strong glutes are vital for everyday function (think posture, balance and stability), injury prevention and athletic performance. Whether you're climbing stairs or sprinting a 100-meter race, your glutes play a starring role. "Your glutes are the biggest muscles in your body," says Andy Galpin, PhD, a human performance expert and executive director of Parker University's Human Performance Center in Dallas. Without them, you'd basically fall over. Glutes not only keep our bodies upright, they help us move forward, backward and side to side. And if your glutes are weak, well, you're going to have problems. "When glutes are underdeveloped, they can't produce enough force or control and they fatigue quickly, putting pressure on other areas — your lower back, knees or hips," says Galpin. Since these muscles are crucial for stabilizing your pelvis, when they're weak, surrounding muscles compensate, often leading to imbalances, pain and potential injuries. In fact, research shows that weak butt muscles are connected to everything from knee and back pain to hamstring pulls and ankle sprains. Why are our collective rears so weak? Essentially, it's because we're sitting on them too much. In fact, a full 25 percent of Americans are classified as physically inactive, meaning folks simply aren't getting enough exercise to protect their health, let alone strengthen their glutes. So in a quest to find the best tools to help target and develop these important muscle groups, we tested a range of glute-focused equipment from BC Strength to help determine what's worth using and what's worth skipping. To be clear, you can target your glutes with standard exercise equipment by doing squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts and lunges with barbells or dumbbells. You can also use basic resistance bands to do side steps and hip abductions. That said, if you're serious about getting the most from your glute day, you may want to invest in equipment that makes hitting these powerhouses a little easier. To find the best glute machine, we test-drove glute-building equipment from BC Strength — the brand built by Bret Contreras, PhD. This exercise science professor turned entrepreneur built his career studying the biomechanical and performance benefits of training the glutes, earning himself the monikers "Glute Guy" and "Godfather of Glute Training." After years in the lab and classroom, he began developing tools and programs to help people level up their booty-sculpting game based on his own research. We tested a range of the glute machines from BC Strength. The types of equipment we tested included variations of: Hip thrust machines/benches: Designed for optimal glute isolation, these home-use machines help perfect the hip thrust movement. Resistance band systems: These versatile bands work for multiple exercises, including lunges, bridges and squats, making them an accessible option for any fitness level. Glute ham sliders: While primarily targeting the hamstrings, these sliders activate the glutes during hip rotation movements. Strong hamstrings can also enhance the appearance of your glutes, making them look more "lifted." Based on three months of hands-on training, these are the best glute machines from BC Strength. There's no such thing as the "best" glute exercise, says Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, a professor of exercise science at CUNY Lehman College in the Bronx. Instead of searching for one magical move, he recommends targeting all three gluteal muscles with a variety of exercises. Here's what you're working with: Gluteus maximus: This is your power player, making up most of your backside. It's crucial for basic movements like running, walking, jumping, stepping sideways and even standing up from a chair. It also stabilizes your pelvis and trunk when standing or balancing. Gluteus medius: Sitting at the upper outer part of your buttock, the glute medius works with the maximus for stability and helps move your leg away from your body's center. These are known as abduction movements, like side-stepping. Gluteus minimus: Though it's the smallest butt muscle, it plays a key supporting role under the glute medius, helping with stability and turning the thigh inward. These three muscles work together for hip stability, power and overall function. For the best results —both performance and aesthetic — you need to target them all. "While it's impossible to perfectly isolate different parts of the glute, you can bias different muscles," says personal trainer and researcher Daniel Plotkin. Standard glute exercises like hip hinges, squats, lunges, bridges and thrusts work your entire backside. Want that "booty shelf" look? Add exercises where you move your leg out to the side to target the glute medius and minimus using cables, bands or machines. These hit all three major muscles but with a focus on the smaller ones that are positioned higher on your backside. "Combining multi-joint exercises such as the squat and its variations along with an exercise like the hip thrust may provide additive benefits," says Schoenfeld. To get the most bang for your butt (har har), our experts recommend following these guidelines: Find what works for you. "Especially early on, find what's comfortable for you to do consistently. There will be time to make your training better if you so choose, but first build a love for, or at least a 'don't hate,' relationship with consistent exercise," says Plotkin. With so much conflicting information out there, remember that there are almost no must-do exercises — simply ignore all the noise about this or that exercise being "better" and focus on what works for you. Perfect your technique. "One of the most important considerations is to focus on acquiring the proper technique for each exercise," says Schoenfeld. For those new to strength training, a few sessions with a personal trainer can help ensure proper form and prevent injury Start small. "Don't bite off so much the very first time that you can't sit for four days," says Galpin. Instead, do just enough to challenge yourself — and then slowly increase the frequency, weight or volume of your training as you go. (This is known as progressive overload.) Remember, "results take time, but if you stay consistent, you'll see initial improvement over the course of several weeks," says Schoenfeld. Challenge yourself. Many beginners focus too much on light weights and high repetitions, but the best way to make progress is to continually challenge your muscles. "Sets should be highly challenging where the last few reps are difficult to complete," says Schoenfield. For best results, Plotkin recommends three sets of seven to 15 repetitions (for example, doing 10 hip thrusts, resting, then repeating twice more). In addition to the products called out as top picks, we also tested the BC Strength Thruster Lite, the Resistance Band Package and the BC Box. While we liked each piece of equipment, there were drawbacks that kept them from making the cut. For one, the Thruster Lite lacks the adjustable backrest and rotating back pad that make the Strength Thruster 3.0 such a stellar addition to a home gym. At a much more affordable price, it does the trick (particularly for those of average height who don't need or want a higher backrest), but it wasn't our favorite choice. Likewise, the resistance bands and BC Box were each high-quality, but there are other, similar products on the market that work just as well for a similar or more affordable price (like our favorite resistance band set). We're all for spending a little extra money for a high-quality product that offers superior functionality and durability, but in cases where products are essentially equal in function and design, we always say to grab the one that's easier on the wallet. To find the best glute machine, we assessed BC Strength's products on everything from cost and quality to ease of use and footprint. To ensure our recommendations were solid, we consulted three fitness experts who research muscle development, each sharing insights on effective glute training — not just for aesthetics, but for overall strength and function. To complete the picture, my own journey includes 20+ years of lifting weights, with seven focused on glute training. (Why the rear focus? Running-related back pain revealed that, you guessed it, I had weak glutes.) Throughout my strength-building journey, I've learned from top-tier bodybuilding coaches whose expertise proved invaluable during testing. Armed with this combined knowledge, we spent months using each product, drawing from my experience with both home and commercial glute-training equipment, to identify the best glute machine for your home gym. While there are many types of glute machines available, the most effective one is the one you can use properly and consistently. "You should feel your glutes working during the exercise, they should be slightly sore the next day, and you should be getting progressively stronger," says Galpin. If you're a beginner, start with bodyweight exercises. Once you have the form down, go ahead and add dumbbells, barbells or resistance bands to the mix. If you can easily do 12 to 15 reps of a specific movement, it's time to add more weight. Unsure what to do or how to implement progressive overload? Consult a personal trainer who can help you get started. Most gyms offer a free training session when you sign up for a membership. The three most common mistakes when using a glute machine are improper form, poor movement control and incorrect machine setup. Using improper form, like arching your back or not engaging your core, can easily lead to injury. Relying on momentum instead of making controlled movements reduces the exercise's effectiveness. And failing to adjust the machine settings to your specific body size means you won't target your glutes properly. Absolutely! Depending on the specific machine you're using, you can hit different glute muscles by adjusting your body position and the direction of the movement. Training your glutes twice weekly is the sweet spot for most people, says Plotkin. However, if glute training is your major focus, three to four times a week is fairly standard. Just be sure to allow yourself at least a day of rest between strength training sessions that target your glutes to allow sufficient time for muscle recovery. Andy Galpin, PhD, executive director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University in Dallas and host of the podcast Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin Daniel Plotkin, PhD candidate in molecular and applied muscle physiology at Auburn University in Alabama and certified personal trainer Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, fitness expert and professor in exercise science at CUNY Lehman College in the Bronx Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
Straits Times
06-05-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
The lowdown on cooling down after a workout
For some, ramping down can be useful. But most people can skip straight to the shower. ILLUSTRATION: JACKSON GIBBS/NYTIMES NEW YORK – The standard workout arc, whether it is a yoga class or Peloton session, is usually bookended by two easier parts – the warm-up and the cooldown. Personal trainers insist on them, physiology textbooks tout them and most video workouts include them. But for many people, just fitting in a 30-minute run or 25-minute strength session can feel impossible. Do you really need another five minutes to cool down? The answer is, not really. A cooldown is typically some form of easier movement that acts like an off-ramp from a workout, allowing the heart rate and blood pressure to slowly recover to pre-exercise levels. For most people, that means jogging slowly after a hard run or stretching after weightlifting. But it could be as simple as a few slow breathing exercises. While research has shown that as little as nine minutes of dynamic movement before exercise can reduce injury and make a workout more effective, there has been far less data supporting the cooldown, said Dr Andy Galpin, director of the Human Performance Centre at Parker University in Dallas. If you rush from your spin bike to your morning commute, you likely will not sabotage your workout gains or recovery. But you could be missing out on other benefits. What constitutes a cooldown? 'As a general rule,' said Dr Erica Spatz, a cardiologist at Yale School of Medicine, a cooled-down state is 'when the heart rate comes down below 100 beats per minute and breathing returns to normal.' But there is no specific protocol or definition of how to get there after exercise. Any activity that brings the body to a resting state could count, said Dr Monika Fleshner, a professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. A cooldown can be passive, like foam-rolling or breathing exercises in the shower. But more often, it is active, such as continuing an exercise at an easier pace or going to a lower resistance on a spin bike. If you were lifting weights, you might perform a few mobility exercises after. For the average person, a cooldown should take about five to 10 minutes, depending on the intensity of the workout, Dr Spatz said. Do cooldowns work? When it comes to performance or injury prevention, the short answer is no. But that does not mean they have no value. For decades, experts prescribed an active cooldown to help alleviate muscle soreness by allowing built-up lactic acid to dissipate. But the lactic acid theory was debunked as early as the 1980s, and people now know the chemical has nothing to do with muscle soreness, though many still buy into the concept, Dr Galpin said. A 2018 review found that active cooldowns are largely ineffective at improving same- or next-day performance and do not significantly reduce muscle soreness or damage. But that does not mean you should skip cooldowns if you enjoy them, said the review's co-author Bas Van Hooren, a sports scientist and assistant professor at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. 'Our review didn't find any downsides to doing a cooldown,' he said. Some people reported that it felt good or that they used it as a time to socialise, he added. However, exercise can trigger a stress response and activate a fight-or-flight reaction in the body, Dr Fleshner sai d. And while the body will return to a resting state on its own, a passive cooldown that focuses on slow, controlled breathing can activate a rest-and-digest response in some people, facilitating a quicker return to normal breathing levels, heart rate and blood pressure, she said. When do you need a cooldown? There are three scenarios where cooldowns are useful, if you enjoy them. First, ramping down can be helpful for especially intense exercise. If you suddenly stop after a hard workout, your blood pressure may drop while your blood vessels are still dilated, causing you to feel dizzy, even faint, Dr Spatz said. This is especially true among people aged 60 or older or those with heart disease. Second, people experiencing chronic stress may also have a more sluggish return to a resting state, Dr Fleshner said . 'A cooldown that includes controlled breathing, like yoga or meditative stretching, might help them activate their parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body,' she said. Lastly, if you exercise vigorously in the evening, especially at high intensity, a cooldown may lead to a better night's sleep, Dr Galpin said. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol naturally increase in the morning and decrease at night, and moderate to intense exercise can elevate them, causing increased heart rates. 'Exercise is essentially a form of arousal, just like watching a thriller or playing a video game,' he said. In addition to helping the body shift to a resting state, a cooldown can also be a time when you reflect on the work you have done, Dr Fleshner said. The last thing it should be is an added stress. 'Is it essential? No,' she said. 'Can it be nice? Yes.' NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
03-05-2025
- Health
- CNA
Do you really need to cool down after a workout?
The standard workout arc, whether it's a yoga class or Peloton session, is usually book-ended by two easier parts: The warm-up and the cool-down. Personal trainers insist on them, physiology textbooks tout them and most video workouts include them. But for many people, just fitting in a 30-minute run or 25-minute strength session can feel impossible. Do you really need another five minutes to cool down? The answer is, not really. A cool-down is typically some form of easier movement that acts like an offramp from a workout, allowing the heart rate and blood pressure to slowly recover to pre-exercise levels. For most people, that means jogging slowly after a hard run or stretching after weight lifting. But it could be as simple as a few slow breathing exercises. While research has shown that as little as nine minutes of dynamic movement before exercise can reduce injury and make a workout more effective, there has been far less data supporting the cool-down, said Andy Galpin, the director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University in Dallas. If you rush from your spin bike to your morning commute, you likely won't sabotage your workout gains or recovery. But you could be missing out on other benefits. WHAT CONSTITUTES A COOL-DOWN? 'As a general rule,' said Dr Erica Spatz, a cardiologist at Yale School of Medicine, a cooled-down state is 'when the heart rate comes down below 100 beats per minute and breathing returns to normal.' But there isn't a specific protocol or definition of how to get there after exercise. Any activity that brings the body to a resting state could count, said Monika Fleshner, a professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. A cool-down can be passive, like foam rolling or breathing exercises in the shower. But more often it's active, such as continuing an exercise at an easier pace or going to a lower resistance on a spin bike. If you were lifting weights, you might perform a few mobility exercises after. For the average person, a cool-down should take about five to 10 minutes, depending on the intensity of the workout, said DrSpatz. DO COOL-DOWNS WORK? When it comes to performance or injury prevention, the short answer is no. But that doesn't mean they have no value. For decades, experts prescribed an active cool-down to help alleviate muscle soreness by allowing built-up lactic acid to dissipate. But the lactic acid theory was debunked as early as the 1980s, and we now know the chemical has nothing to do with muscle soreness, though many people still buy into the concept, Dr Galpin said. A 2018 review found that active cool-downs are largely ineffective at improving same- or next-day performance and do not significantly reduce muscle soreness or damage. But that doesn't mean you should skip cool-downs if you enjoy them, said the review's co-author Bas Van Hooren, a sports scientist and assistant professor at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. 'Our review didn't find any downsides to doing a cool-down,' he said. Some people reported that it felt good, or that they used it as a time to socialise, he added. However, exercise can trigger a stress response and activate a fight-or-flight reaction in the body, Dr Fleshner said. And while the body will return to a resting state on its own, a passive cool-down that focuses on slow, controlled breathing can activate a rest-and-digest response in some people, facilitating a quicker return to normal breathing levels, heart rate and blood pressure, she said. WHEN DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED A COOL-DOWN? There are three scenarios where cool-downs are useful, if you enjoy them. First, ramping down can be helpful for especially intense exercise. If you suddenly stop after a hard workout, your blood pressure may drop while your blood vessels are still dilated, causing you to feel dizzy, even faint, Dr Spatz said. This is especially true among people 60 or older or those with heart disease. Second, people experiencing chronic stress may also have a more sluggish return to a resting state, Dr Fleshner said. 'A cool-down that includes controlled breathing, like yoga or meditative stretching, might help them activate their parasympathetic nervous system' to calm the body, she said. Lastly, if you exercise vigorously in the evening, especially at a high intensity, a cool-down may lead to a better night's sleep, Dr Galpin said. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol naturally increase in the morning and decrease at night, and moderate to intense exercise can elevate them, causing increased heart rates. 'Exercise is essentially a form of arousal, just like watching a thriller or playing a video game,' he said. In addition to helping the body shift to a resting state, a cool-down can also be a time when you reflect on the work you've done, Dr Fleshner said. The last thing it should be is an added stress. 'Is it essential? No,' she said. 'Can it be nice? Yes.'
New York Times
21-04-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Do You Really Need to Cool Down After a Workout?
The standard workout arc, whether it's a yoga class or Peloton session, is usually book-ended by two easier parts: the warm-up and the cool-down. Personal trainers insist on them, physiology textbooks tout them and most video workouts include them. But for many people, just fitting in a 30-minute run or 25-minute strength session can feel impossible. Do you really need another five minutes to cool down? The answer is, not really. A cool-down is typically some form of easier movement that acts like an offramp from a workout, allowing the heart rate and blood pressure to slowly recover to pre-exercise levels. For most people, that means jogging slowly after a hard run or stretching after weight lifting. But it could be as simple as a few slow breathing exercises. While research has shown that as little as nine minutes of dynamic movement before exercise can reduce injury and make a workout more effective, there has been far less data supporting the cool-down, said Andy Galpin, the director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University in Dallas. If you rush from your spin bike to your morning commute, you likely won't sabotage your workout gains or recovery. But you could be missing out on other benefits. What constitutes a cool-down? 'As a general rule,' said Dr. Erica Spatz, a cardiologist at Yale School of Medicine, a cooled-down state is 'when the heart rate comes down below 100 beats per minute and breathing returns to normal.' But there isn't a specific protocol or definition of how to get there after exercise. Any activity that brings the body to a resting state could count, said Monika Fleshner, a professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. A cool-down can be passive, like foam rolling or breathing exercises in the shower. But more often it's active, such as continuing an exercise at an easier pace or going to a lower resistance on a spin bike. If you were lifting weights, you might perform a few mobility exercises after. For the average person, a cool-down should take about five to 10 minutes, depending on the intensity of the workout, said Dr. Spatz. Do cool-downs work? When it comes to performance or injury prevention, the short answer is no. But that doesn't mean they have no value. For decades, experts prescribed an active cool-down to help alleviate muscle soreness by allowing built-up lactic acid to dissipate. But the lactic acid theory was debunked as early as the 1980s, and we now know the chemical has nothing to do with muscle soreness, though many people still buy into the concept, Dr. Galpin said. A 2018 review found that active cool-downs are largely ineffective at improving same- or next-day performance and do not significantly reduce muscle soreness or damage. But that doesn't mean you should skip cool-downs if you enjoy them, said the review's co-author Bas Van Hooren, a sports scientist and assistant professor at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. 'Our review didn't find any downsides to doing a cool-down,' he said. Some people reported that it felt good, or that they used it as a time to socialize, he added. However, exercise can trigger a stress response and activate a fight-or-flight reaction in the body, Dr. Fleshner said. And while the body will return to a resting state on its own, a passive cool-down that focuses on slow, controlled breathing can activate a rest-and-digest response in some people, facilitating a quicker return to normal breathing levels, heart rate and blood pressure, she said. When do you actually need a cool-down? There are three scenarios where cool-downs are useful, if you enjoy them. First, ramping down can be helpful for especially intense exercise. If you suddenly stop after a hard workout, your blood pressure may drop while your blood vessels are still dilated, causing you to feel dizzy, even faint, Dr. Spatz said. This is especially true among people 60 or older or those with heart disease. Second, people experiencing chronic stress may also have a more sluggish return to a resting state, Dr. Fleshner said. 'A cool-down that includes controlled breathing, like yoga or meditative stretching, might help them activate their parasympathetic nervous system' to calm the body, she said. Lastly, if you exercise vigorously in the evening, especially at a high intensity, a cool-down may lead to a better night's sleep, Dr. Galpin said. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol naturally increase in the morning and decrease at night, and moderate to intense exercise can elevate them, causing increased heart rates. 'Exercise is essentially a form of arousal, just like watching a thriller or playing a video game,' he said. In addition to helping the body shift to a resting state, a cool-down can also be a time when you reflect on the work you've done, Dr. Fleshner said. The last thing it should be is an added stress. 'Is it essential? No,' she said. 'Can it be nice? Yes.'
