Podium Talk

Almost everyone involved in physical exercise has experienced muscle cramps at some point in time. It can be explained as a painful and involuntary muscle contraction that locks the joint in place. They occur mostly in longer muscles that span two or more joints. Once experienced, athletes may continue to cramp unless adequate rest is provided. There are many theories as to how muscle cramps occur and what can be the possible solutions to relieving them. They are sometimes inaccurately termed as heat cramps. Exercise-associated muscle cramps do not have a relation with body temperature and do not recover with an external cooling modality, like an ice pack. If the theories of muscle cramps do not interest you, skip to the last part where you can learn how to deal with muscle cramps. One of the oldest theories is based on dehydration and electrolyte imbalance that occurs during exercise. It states that sweating alters the chemical balance of the fluids present in the body, which affects...

Caffeine as a naturally occurring drug has a very rich history. It has travelled around the world in mysterious ways through coffee beans. It originally required specified equipment to brew, but with the invention and popularisation of instant coffee, it has truly reached the masses. While many drink coffee and derived beverages for enjoyment, it has physical benefits too. Athletes and any other population can reap the performance boost that caffeine provides. The way in which it works is fascinating. Caffeine moves through the blood into the brain (only a few molecules are able to cross this barrier). Once in the brain, it attaches to receptor sites of the molecule called adenosine. Adenosine is responsible for the perception of tiredness and fatigue. Since caffeine molecules have blocked the sites, adenosine is not able to attach there and thus the feeling of fatigue is alleviated. This is exactly why people drink coffee to pull an all nighter before an exam. Caffeine has been found...

Not to be mistaken as a booty workout guide, this article aims to solve a physiologically important question. What we will be looking at is the amount of motor unit recruitment of the gluteus maximus that occurs with the particular exercise. Along with a few practical considerations, this should help us to pick the perfect exercises for the upcoming leg day. Gluteus maximus is supposed to be the primary hip extensor muscle group, which is found to be very important for strength and athletic movements like sprinting, cycling, jumping, and olympic lifting. Hip extensor strength is sought after by coaches to help improve the movements and sports mentioned earlier and also as a means to increase strength for performing compound lifts. The most popular exercises known by the masses for lower body resistance training specifically to target this muscle group are the barbell back squat, the barbell hip thrust and the Romanian deadlift. But as we shall see, it is not that obvious. Barbell Back ...

Workout accessories have evolved to include very niche products, the likes of which are probably never purchased or used by the majority. However, the weightlifting belt is one of the oldest and most popularly recommended and used worldwide. It’s not just the elites, but many recreational lifters swear by its efficiency. Some of the more common claims are its stability benefits, back injury prevention uses, and many claim that it helps them lift heavier. Today we will put these claims to the test by reviewing some research on this very subject. Firstly we need to understand the possible reasoning for the above claims. The stability aspect could be explained by the abdominal compression that the belt provides. It is often applied in a way that would squeeze the torso and this is thought to add to the natural intra-abdominal pressure that is generated by the core muscles. Next, the claim of reducing the risk of back pain comes from the physical support that it may provide to the lower ba...

Soreness, micro-tears, and the burn! We hear these terms a lot in the weight room, though a lot of people aren’t sure exactly what these things indicate. Yet the same individuals advise about the desired intensity of exercise and casually throw the words around. We must have all felt sore at least once in our lives and are probably not excited about the sensation. How many times have you been told to aim for soreness while you’re at the gym? Have you felt proud to experience soreness, like it is proof of your efforts in the weight room? Is soreness the target if you want to achieve muscle growth? These questions are not thought about enough and seem almost obvious to many people. Speaking of soreness, it is the sensation of muscle discomfort felt as a result of muscle damage and can be induced by exercise. It is more prevalent after performing eccentric (negative) focused exercises, or when one is unaccustomed to that particular exercise form. It is an indicator of incomplete recovery ...