34 votes

Why is exercise good for you?

You hit on some common misconceptions, but you also hit on some truths. For instance, you compare the human body to inanimate objects with respect to damage, but you also accurately point out that ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 18k
27 votes
Accepted

How long would it take for a skinny man to get fit and 6 pack?

What does it mean to be fit? From the starting point of a 50kg man, I consider fit to include gaining quite a lot of weight, mostly muscle correcting most, if not all, posture imperfections and ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 18k
22 votes

Can you be good both at cycling and running?

Can one be good at both? There is a reasonable correlation between run and bike speed for athletes who do both, so if you are good at one there's a reasonable chance you could be good at the other. ...
R. Chung's user avatar
  • 558
13 votes

Can you be good both at cycling and running?

I have been running for more than a decade. In 2018, I accepted a challenged to complete a sprint triathlon. I borrowed a CX bike and started training. My only previous bike experience was riding ...
DSway's user avatar
  • 291
13 votes

Can you be good both at cycling and running?

As @thosphor pointed out in comments, the very existence of the sport of triathlon proves that it's possible to be good in up to three endurance sports simultaneously. Thus, with respect to the OP, ...
Weiwen Ng's user avatar
  • 231
11 votes

No gain after 4 months of continuous excercise

First of all, you're not working out the other half of your body...your legs. When you're a natural lifter (no anabolic supplements like 90% of the instagram and gym rat population), the most ...
0xMert's user avatar
  • 1,996
11 votes

Why does my belly stick out so much when I am relaxed but have a six pack when I am flexing?

When you relax, all the fat is falling down to your lower belly, and stretching the skin out and away from abdominal muscles. When you flex, the fat gets spread out over a larger surface area, ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 18k
10 votes
Accepted

Do double-chin reduction exercises work?

A double-chin is a collection of fat, so in order to get rid of it, you need to reduce the amount of fat. Now, there is no way to target where you want to burn fat. You burn it all over your body, or ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 18k
10 votes

Does massaging the muscle help relieve delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)?

You hit on an important distinction between pain and recovery. Massage may very well make you feel less pain, but that does not mean it will improve your recovery. Many immediately jump to "At least ...
b-reddy's user avatar
  • 1,667
9 votes

Should seated leg press be avoided?

No, it should not be avoided. Like any machine, it's a tool, and it has a purpose. The article seems to refer to the fact that during a seated leg press, the weight presses down on your feet, and ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 18k
9 votes

Walking to lose weight - what should I expect?

Diet. Don't fall for the BS low-carb, only eat watermelon on a full moon, except when dark chocolate has been conjured by a sorcerer diet. Those diet systems might work, but they're hard to sustain ...
Frank's user avatar
  • 1,297
9 votes
Accepted

How to reduce body fat?

You reduce body fat by being in a caloric deficit (burning more calories than you eat/drink). You build muscle by having a positive nitrogen balance (usually by having enough protein in your system). ...
JustSnilloc's user avatar
  • 4,412
9 votes
Accepted

10,000 Steps a day rule, what science is it based on?

There is nothing scientific why one would walk 10.000 steps over let's say, 8.000 steps or 12.000 steps. It dates back to somewhere in the 1960s, by a company in Japan. They created a product which ...
MJB's user avatar
  • 4,161
9 votes

Reliable way to know what muscles are hit during each exercise?

You're probably finding conflicting information because assessing whether an exercise works a specific muscle is not a binary question, as muscles can be involved to different degrees, and so it comes ...
David Scarlett's user avatar
9 votes

Why is exercise good for you?

This is an interesting question that had me thinking for a while. It's difficult to answer "why" exactly, other than saying "it is that way", so I'll try to describe the need for ...
Eddie Summers's user avatar
9 votes
Accepted

What are the correct names of these deadlift exercises?

The first is a dumbbell deadlift. This should be considered to be analogous to a trap bar deadlift, since the absence of a bar in front of the shins means that forward knee travel is unrestricted, as ...
David Scarlett's user avatar
8 votes

What is the healthiest sets/reps?

There is no set/rep scheme for overall health. That's like asking which computer mouse best prevents cancer. If you want functional strength, do functional exercises. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Alec's user avatar
  • 18k
8 votes

Is circuit training superior to conventional weight training?

I found these two studies: (1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21659889 finds that circuit training (given the same volume, but less time), is indeed superior: same strength gains, more fat loss,...
MWB's user avatar
  • 307
8 votes
Accepted

Does over-exercising reduce muscle gain?

Does over-exercising reduce muscle gain? Will over-exercising affect results when exercising for muscle gain? Will over-exercising deplete your energy levels and render you unable to exercise to your ...
C. Lange's user avatar
  • 4,588
7 votes
Accepted

Are squats a bad idea if you are overweight?

Well, on the scary side, squats can lead to lower-back problems, spinal compression, torn ligaments in several parts of the body, burst capillaries, blown knees, or compound fractures of the leg. On ...
Sean Duggan's user avatar
  • 9,126
7 votes
Accepted

Is there a way you can you improve your reflexes and reactions generally?

Reflexes can be improved for SPECIFIC actions. The rules of thumb are: When you react to stimuli, you strengthen neural pathways responsible for that action. In addition to that, you take out the ...
VSO's user avatar
  • 204
7 votes
Accepted

Is cardio really effective in fat-burning?

Not only that, but to burn the extra calories from cardio you have to subtract the amount of calories you would burn otherwise not doing anything. So really that 30 minutes of cardio only burns an ...
DeeV's user avatar
  • 8,449
7 votes
Accepted

How to know if I am warmed up?

Your heart rate will be elevated by about 20bpm or more. You will feel warmer. You will have mobilised your joints and feel limber. With weightlifting, warm up sets are usually sufficient after ...
John's user avatar
  • 6,972
7 votes

Can you aggressively lose fat and maintain muscle?

To answer your question directly the answer is NO. Now let me detail why and how you can lose fat and maintain muscle in 4 points: I Rate of body fat loss 1 gram of fat is approximately 9 calories. To ...
Idri K's user avatar
  • 315
7 votes
Accepted

How to build a bigger and stronger upper body?

You should definitely do the big compound movements. Deadlifts, Bench press, Shoulder press (standing). Doing shoulder press while standing will add that you'll be contracting your core to stabalize, ...
MJB's user avatar
  • 4,161
7 votes
Accepted

Exercise for standing from position sitting on the ground?

This is a very common question - so know you are definitely not alone. There are some easy exercises that you can do to get better at it. A lot of people actually just don’t get onto the ground for ...
Mike-DHSc's user avatar
  • 2,817
7 votes
Accepted

How to maximize the benefits of a long time at the gym?

With the best will in the world, having 10 days to work on yourself isn't going to make that much of an impact. Body recomposition, which is what you're after (losing fat, gaining muscle) is a much ...
Dark Hippo's user avatar
  • 4,733
7 votes

How long would it take for a skinny man to get fit and 6 pack?

Probably about 2 years. That said, enjoy the journey. You get benefits along the way. Training can be fun. Some of the biggest gains come at the beginning. A few extra thoughts: Train safe. ...
guest's user avatar
  • 71
7 votes

What to do after joining the gym?

In short, following a competent fitness program is the single best thing that you can do. But let's explore your question more and extrapolate on why that is. First and foremost I want to point out ...
JustSnilloc's user avatar
  • 4,412
7 votes

Is wearing Langot necessary to do Push ups at home?

Getting one's testicles in the way during pushups sounds like a problem that is exclusive to those who are particularly blessed with tremendous balls. Or cursed with extremely sensitive ones. No, ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 18k

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