Blog | Focus You Strength Academy

14Oct 2017 by BR Srinivasan

Can treadmill running alone increase running stamina?

Yes. Treadmill Running and Road Running have some differences, but in many instances, they are the same. Road Running, would provide more variations in terms of where you can run. Treadmill would be quite monotonous for obvious reasons. On the Treadmill, it would be easier to program for different running surfaces…such as plain running, hill running with differing slopes (difficulty levels) etc. For Running Outside, it would take effort to find different running surfaces and also then, need to get to these differing locations. During Extreme Weather Conditions, such as too much heat, too cold and such, it is advantageous to use the Treadmill. Other than these, it shouldn’t make a difference if you are running outside or are using the treadmill. In both cases, a good running (training) program,…

13Oct 2017 by BR Srinivasan

Is our daily routine exertion equivalent to workout?

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The answer is Definitely NOT. Well, for each of us, our Daily Routine Exertions are Different. Depends upon our Lifestyle, Depends upon our Work, Depends upon how Fit we are to begin with. However, no amount of Strenuous Daily Routines are a Replacement for Working out. Let me Clarify. If you are doing the Same Routines every day, your body is already Adjusted/Adapted to them. So, if you are in a labor job that needs you to lift 50 bags of cement every day…granted this is Strenuous. Still your body gets Adapted to this…so you do get Fit and Strong to a Certain Extent…and Remain that way. This is because, your body does Not Have a Reason to get Fitter/Stronger, than you already are. This is where the Advantages of…

10Oct 2017 by BR Srinivasan

I recently joined gym and I wanna gain some weight. What are the cheap and best foods to consume?

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Consider the following: Just “going to the gym” and eating “cheap food”, are not going to be healthy things to do, generally speaking. So, I’ll make my answer, a bit extensive. First and Foremost… HEALTHY Weight Gain means more contribution from Stronger and Bigger Muscles and Denser Bones, rather than from UnHealthy Fat. In order for this to happen, You’ll need to give your body a Reason to Get Stronger/Fitter/Bigger. Strength Training is the BEST possible way for this to happen, as it aids in Getting you Stronger and Bigger, due to More Contributions from Increases to Muscle Mass and Bone Density. In the process, you are bound to gain more Fat, which in itself, is NOT a bad thing. You can also Skew the Development, to happen more towards…

06Oct 2017 by BR Srinivasan

Does heavy lifting increase punching power?

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As with ALL Athletic Performance Improvements, YES, Punching Power will Definitely Increase with Increased Strength. And, the Best Way to Increase Strength is to Workout with Heavy Weights. Let me explain…(this could be lengthy). Your body adapts to Stress (for now, we are only talking Physical Stress). So, any Activity that is Difficult Enough for you (Stress) will cause your Body to Adapt. However, the Kind of Adaptation also Depends on the Kind of Stress. First off, ANY ACTIVITY is good for a Sedentary Person…meaning, a Sedentary Person’s body will have all kinds of Adaptation to any Activity…in the beginning. However, this lasts for a very short time. So, if a person trains by Running Long Distance, that’s what they get good at. Running Long Distance, will NOT result in…

03Oct 2017 by BR Srinivasan

How do you lose fat quickly without losing lean muscle when you are at 12% body fat?

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Some points to Ponder: When you need to build muscle, you’ll have to gain body weight. This means that you WILL also gain FAT. You can skew this towards MORE muscle, less FAT…with proper Exercise and proper Nutrition. But, you cannot make it like 100% Muscle Growth with NO FAT gains…Not possible. The Reverse holds true also. When you like to Lose Body Fat, you’ll need to lose body weight. Which means, you’ll lose Muscle too as you lose FAT. Again, you can Skew this in the direction you like. With proper Exercise and proper Nutrition. Establish your Health/Fitness Goals…this is the First and Important Step. Next, design a Training Program to achieve this. If you know what you are doing, can be done by yourself. If not, approach a…

30Sep 2017 by BR Srinivasan

Is it worth it for a man to do squats if he wants to lose weight from his hips?

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This question needs to be answered from MANY Different Angles. Weight only in the Hips If you have an Apple Shaped Body, that is, weight is mostly centered in your belly area, then, as a priority, please get yourself checked for Diabetes/Pre-Diabetes (in case you haven’t already done so). You Cannot Target Specific Body Parts to Lose Fat From. This is NOT Possible. You need to lose Excess Body Fat overall…your body then decides how/where to lose fat from. Overtime, as you continue to lose Excess Body Fat, your problem areas (such as your hips, belly etc) will lose Fat too. Nutrition is BY FAR the MOST IMPORTANT aspect that needs to be looked at, if you need to reduce Excess Body Fat, (from anywhere in your body). You might…

28Sep 2017 by BR Srinivasan

Why do I get extreme pain every time I work out?

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If it is NOT a physical irregularity/ailment/handicap, then, check out all the following: You are likely, Doing Too Much Too Soon. You’ll need to clarify, what your appropriate fitness goals are. Then, need to design a good Training Program (by yourself, if you know what you are doing…if not, approach a Qualified Professional). This will need to be validated Periodically and Updated as / when Required. Then, stick with the program. You are likely doing them (Exercises) Wrong. Do the Exercises, using proper form. Again, these Exercises and their Intensity need to be part of the Training Program discussed above. If you are not sure how to correctly do your Exercise/s with proper form, approach a Qualified Instructor to teach you that. You are likely Not Eating Properly/Adequately. You will…

24Sep 2017 by BR Srinivasan

Should I stop weight training?

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If you do not have any specific physical issue (such as Previous Injury from other Activities…Physical Deformities…), then, either your Training Program (the kind of Exercise, the Amount of Weights Used, Number of Reps per Set, Number of Sets, Number of times the Exercise is done every week…) and/or your Exercise Form Needs to be looked at. Generally speaking, you should have a Training Program which you need to draw up yourself (if you know what you are doing) or you should seek professional (qualified Professional help…who you respect and with whom you are comfortable) to get one designed. You should then stick to the program. Other than that, have another Qualified person check your Exercise Form. If it is just the one Exercise that is causing you these issues,…

22Sep 2017 by BR Srinivasan

Which is better — running on road or forest trails?

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Depends on what you are running for…if you are training for a Marathon, then, try to train on a similar terrain. For instance, it is Quite Different running the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington DC when compared with the Boston Marathon. If you are running to stay fit, then, running on trails will enable you to run on uneven surfaces too…as with any kind of training, you need to take it easy at first and Progressively Increase Difficulty and Workload. The elevation and slope play a factor too, of course. Generally speaking, the hardest surface to run on is Concrete. Try to avoid running on Concrete. Tar Roads are better than Concrete Surfaces to run on. Running on grass is perhaps one of the best. Trails will definitely be uneven…hardness…

16Sep 2017 by BR Srinivasan

Does weight lifting reduce or stunt height and stop growth?

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A couple of different aspects to consider. To lose weight, it is More Important that you look at your Nutrition Intake, both in Quantity and in Quality, before anything else. Some of my Recommendations are: Avoid Fast Food and Colas (Soft Drinks) of ANY KIND. Minimize Simple Carbohydrates (the ones that digest fairly quickly) such as White Rice, White Bread… Eat more Complex Carbohydrates (ones that do NOT digest quickly), such as Oats. Note that Vegetables are an EXCELLENT source of Carbohydrates and other Nutrients. Whole Milk is Pretty Good to drink too. Ensure that you eat Good Quality Protein in Adequate Quantities with each Meal. NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST. Make sure that you eat a Good Amount of Quality Protein with your Breakfast…very important. Dietary Fat is good to eat…