Body Types

Welcome to 5.14 Fitness,


I have been set the task of answering the question: Is a mesomorph body type the most suitable for long distance running?

There are 3 different body types, each body type is an own optimum weight for different sports, but most people do not fit into the 3 categories perfectly and are more of a match for a mixture of body types.

An extreme endomorph is a person with: a lot of body fat, has wide hips and narrow shoulders, they also have significant amounts of fat stored in the upper arms and thighs.  This sort of body type would be useful for sports such as American Football, Rugby or Sumo Wrestling.

Extreme ectomorph body type characteristics include: long, thin arms; very little body fat or muscle; narrow hips and shoulders. Ectomorphs are the ideal body types for activities like high jump, long distance running and badminton.

Mesomorph body characteristics are: very little body fat; strong, developed muscles; broad shoulders and narrow hips. These types of people will be best suited for sports such like sprinting, boxing and swimming.

Endurance activities such as long distance running would not be ideal for someone with a mesomorph body type. This is because their bodies are largely made up of muscle, which is also very heavy therefore slowing them down as they attempt to repeatedly use their heavily built muscles over a long period of time. It is due to this reason that a person with a mesomorph body will become tired far too quickly and will either not be able to finish the run or finish at a much slower pace than other runners; they are more suitable to power activities as they have strong muscles, so they would not train for endurance as it would not be as necessary for their activities.

However, someone with an mesomorph body is more likely to be better at long distance running than someone with an endomorph body, as they are more likely to be lighter and more mobile so they can move easier and more freely which is crucial to this type of activity. In addition a person with a mesomorph body is likely to have some muscular endurance as they have heavily developed and strong muscles which will be strong enough to keep the body moving at speed for a reasonable amount of time.

The body type most suited to long distance running is an ectomorph as they are long, thin and have little fat or muscle to weigh them down which means they will be likely to be very light, so that they can continue to move at a constant speed with little resistance. People with this body type are also quite tall or mobile which means they will have longer strides as they have either longer or more mobile legs which can stretch further, this means they can cover the distance without using as much energy to take more steps.

In conclusion people with mesomorph body types are more suited to sports that depend more on power like sprinting to endurance tasks like long distance as they are too heavy due to their muscle mass to run long distances as there is too much resistance to move quickly for a long time. The ectomorph body type is most suited to this task as they are far lighter so there will be less resistance on their muscles to stop them from running.    

Thanks for reading, if your new or old please check out the older posts to see if there is anything you have missed or if something catches your eye. If you like what I am doing please drop a comment, plus one this post or the blog, add the blog to your reading this and follow me on google plus, if you have any suggestions or ideas do not hesitate to contact me or leave a comment.  More posts coming soon so please read again - work hard and peace!

Jason

 

 

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30 day workout program- Thursday workout

Welcome to 5.14 fitness,

Hi, today I am posting about the Thursday workout of the bodybuilding.com workout that I am currently doing. If you have no clue what I am talking about, then go check out my earlier posts explaining about it all.

Today's workout, on the website, trained the abs and the legs. Overall, the workout included mostly leg workout. However, all the workouts required machines, which I do not have. Because of this, I made my own workout up including previous exercises and some new leg ones.
I have been really, really busy lately, and so I did this in not much time at all, and only did three of the four exercises. Anyhow, remember to follow the instructions carefully, and make sure you check out each exercise so that  you are doing it correctly.
Just type the exercise into Google and click on a link to body-building.com- as they have great videos on every exercise.

Here is the workout:

Abdominals:
Long arm crunch
3 sets, 12 reps

Reverse crunch
3 sets, 12 reps

Janda sit up
3 sets, 12 reps

Jackknife
3 sets, 12 reps

Extended plank
3 sets 45 seconds

Rest of workout:

Bench press
3 sets, 20 reps, 1 minute rest

Dumbbell squats
3 sets , 15 reps,  60 second rest

Flat bench lying leg raise
3 sets, 15 reps, 60 second rest

Incline dumbbell press
3 sets, 20 reps, 60 second rest

Once again, for the abdominal workout, I perform one set of all the exercises in a row, then have 1 minute rest. I repeat this 3 times. I recommend doing this as it adds intensity to the workout, and makes you sweat a little bit more.

For the bench press, I used a 9kg dumbbell in each hand, so by the third set you can really feel the pressure and fatigue in your triceps and chest.  People say to tense your chest at the height of each rep, however I can't yet do this. This is probably because I do not have a strong enough mind to muscle connection. I am sure with more work, I will develop this, and I will definitely let everybody know, Remember, this bench press has no incline or decline. 

For the squats, I place a 9kg dumbbell in each hand and press them to my sides - I then do a regular squat. These are really quite painful, and it is by far the most painful exercise in the workout. 

The leg raise should be done on a flat bench, and I included it as it trains your abdominals as well as your legs. This add a little extra exercise for the abs, as on other days they are not used at all in th second half of the workout. 

The incline dumbbell press is just the same as the regular one, however is a little trickier, 

The workout  went well, and I am starting to see some results I think. I will let you know when I see clear ones. 

Thank for reading, please subscribe and like (we will like and subscribe back) . Thanks again and peace! 

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Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise

Welcome to 5.14 Fitness,






This post will be again another from the Back To Basics series, in which I describe and explain basic ( as you could have guessed) must know factors on health and fitness. The foundation blocks of what fitness and health is, this post in particular will be based on aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

Aerobic

Aerobic essentially means exercising with oxygen




The scientific equation for this is :




Oxygen + Glucose --> (Energy) + Water + Carbon Dioxide




When you exercise over a long period of time and are constantly breathing you are exercising aerobically. Your muscles are performing an activity that requires stamina, therefore testing the targeted areas muscular endurance so they will require oxygen all the time to be able to respire in order to produce the energy they need to keep moving and to stop lactic acid from building.

Anaerobic

Anaerobic means the opposite of aerobic; exercising without oxygen


The scientific equation for this is :


Glucose --> (|Energy) + Lactic acid


It is only possible to perform exercises that last a short periods of time. If your body does not have enough oxygen to respire efficiently, the lactic acid formed begins to poison muscles causing them to become fatigued resulting in you having to slow down or stop exercising. Consequently anaerobic techniques are far more common in sports relying on power or muscular strength, as breathing is said to slow down the body and break up fluid motions.


Oxygen debt


Oxygen debt is the amount of extra oxygen that is owed to the body after you have finished exercising anaerobically. Restoring oxygen debts back to a normal amount after a shortage due to the high heart rate is completed by taking in heavy or deep breathes to ensure as much oxygen is inhaled as possible. By getting oxygen back into fatigued muscles will remove the poison in the muscles ( lactic acid) helping to stop them from aching whilst the body recovers.

Overview 

The vast majority of sports are a mixture of both types of exercise. You may use maximum effort in a sprint in a sport like football, to receive the ball (anaerobic) but then slow down again when you are tracking back or getting back into position (aerobic). It is necessary to study your sport to see what method of exercise is needed, so you can then adjust your training accordingly.

Thanks for reading, if your new or old please check out the older posts to see if there is anything you have missed or if something catches your eye. If you like what I am doing please drop a comment, plus one this post or the blog, add the blog to your reading this and follow me on google plus, if you have any suggestions or ideas do not hesitate to contact me or leave a comment.  More posts coming soon so please read again - work hard and peace!

Jason



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Abs 25 Challenge

Welcome to 5.14 Fitness,






This post is going out on as slightly different wave to previous posts, it is part of a new series that I am beginning full of challenges and workouts. This one is a workout challenge designed to improve ab power, six pack definition and muscular endurance.  It is essentially a test to see how many reps of standard sit-ups in multiples of 25; hence the name. 


So lets jump right into the work out.




1 set (25 seconds rest between each set of reps- each bullet point-)

• 100 sit ups
• 75 sit ups
• 50 sit ups
• 25 sit ups

According to how many full sets of each workout depends the participants level of ability:

• 1 set = novice
• 2 sets = beginner
• 3 sets = intermediate
• 5 sets = expert
• 5+ sets= bodybuilder

This workout is a great way to really work your abdominals generally in one big workout, I have been doing this for about 2 weeks now and I am already loving the results. My upper/middle abs in particular are where I have been feeling the most work happening, and I can physically feel a loss of belly fat in that region therefore an improvement in definition.




However, I would not advise to complete this workout more than twice a week, as it offers you little in variation, but it could accompany the general ab workout or the belly fat buster due to a deeper variety in exercises that tone and work different areas in a similar region or area. I would do it  simply for something different to ensure your abs stay worked and do not get used to or familiar with a certain routine that they do not adjust to find that workout easy or to stop them from getting weaker as they are not being challenged.



So guys thanks for a fantastic week, please share this with your friends, following is returned, if you have not already add it to your blogger reading list, any plus ones or comments are also welcomed, thanks for reading more posts coming soon, so please come again-work hard and peace!


Jason

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30 day workout plan- Wednesday workout

Welcome to 5.14 fitness,

Today I am posting about the Wednesday workout of the program I am currently doing almost everyday.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, then go check out the other posts about the 30 day workout.

Today's workout trains the abs, chest and arms. I found this workout to feel the same as yesterday, and once again I felt as though I didn't push myself enough. This was probably due to me getting distracted with certain things. Anyhow, remember to follow the instructions carefully, and make sure you check out each exercise so that  you are doing it correctly.
Just type the exercise into Google and click on a link to body-building.com- as they have great videos on every exercise.

Here is the workout:

Abdominals:
Long arm crunch
3 sets, 12 reps

Reverse crunch
3 sets, 12 reps

Janda sit up
3 sets, 12 reps

Jackknife
3 sets, 12 reps

Extended plank
3 sets 45 seconds

Rest of workout:

Bench press
3 sets, 20 reps, 1 minute rest

Bench dips
4 sets to failure, 60 second rest

Hammer curls
3 sets, 12 reps, 60 second rest

Preacher curls
3 sets, 12 reps, 60 second rest

Once again, for the abdominal workout, I perform one set of all the exercises in a row, then have 1 minute rest. I repeat this 3 times. I recommend doing this as it adds intensity to the workout, and makes you sweat a little bit more.

For the bench press, I used a 9kg dumbbell in each hand, so by the third set you can really feel the pressure and fatigue in your triceps and chest.  People say to tense your chest at the height of each rep, however I can't yet do this. This is probably because I do not have a strong enough mind to muscle connection. I am sure with more work, I will develop this, and I will definitely let everybody know, Remember, this bench press has no incline or decline. 
I'm finding the bench press is getting a little easier, and I have yet to see any visible result in the chest- that I know off. 

The bench dips, I rest my feet on a stall in front of me, yet I feel a little awkward performing the exercise, like I am doing it wrong. Plus my neck still hurts a little from the exercise, but not as much as on Monday. 

The hammer curls are just simple Hammer curls, no problems with them.

For the preacher curls I use my bench at an incline to support my arms like you are supposed to.

Overall, the workout was pretty successful, especially in the arms. Tomorrow, I will have the time to really push for my goals and feel good about it. 

Thank for reading, please subscribe and like (we will like and subscribe back) . Thanks again and peace! 

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30 day workout program- Tuesday workout

Welcome to 5.14 fitness,

Today I am posting about the Tuesday workout  of the 30 day workout program, and if you have not already seen the two other posts about the program, you should go check them out before you view this. Today's workout mainly trains the abs, chest, back and traps. I found it to be quite easy compared to Mondays workout, however this one lasted a bit longer. Remember to follow the instructions carefully, and make sure you check out each exercise so that  you are doing it correctly.
Just type the exercise into Google and click on a link to body-building.com- as they have great videos on every exercise.

Here is the workout-

Abdominals:
Long arm crunch
3 sets, 12 reps

Reverse crunch
3 sets, 12 reps

Janda sit up
3 sets, 12 reps

Jackknife
3 sets, 12 reps

Extended plank
3 sets 45 seconds

Rest of workout:

Dumbbell bent over row
4 sets, 12 reps, 1 minute rest

Bench press
3 sets, 20 reps, 1 minute rest

Straight arm dumbbell pullover
3 sets, 12 reps, 45 second rest

Dumbbell shrug
4 sets, 12 reps, 30 second rest

For the abdominal workout, I perform one set of all the exercises in a row, then have 1 minute rest. I repeat this 3 times. I recommend doing this as it adds intensity to the workout, and makes you sweat a little bit more.

The dumbbell bent over row I found to be quite strenuous on the fourth set, and you can really feel  the force on your biceps. Make sure to hold for a second at the top of each rep to really add strength to your back and biceps.

For the bench press, I used a 9kg dumbbell in each hand, so by the third set you can really feel the pressure and fatigue in your triceps and chest.  People say to tense your chest at the height of each rep, however I can't yet do this. This is probably because I do not have a strong enough mind to muscle connection. I am sure with more work, I will develop this, and I will definitely let everybody know, Remember, this bench press has no incline or decline.  

The dumbbell pullover hurt my right shoulder little bit, however I think this is because my bench is quite small, so could not support my neck fully. Make sure you can feel this exercise in the chest, as this s the part of the body it works on most.

The Dumbbell shrug is for your shoulders, so make sure you do not use your arms for this exercise. You can really feel it in your shoulders after a while. 

Overall, the workout was pretty successful, although I felt I did not push myself enough. I will make sure I do so next time. 

Thank for reading, please subscribe and like. Thanks again and peace. 

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Daily Diary: Gym Buddies and getting back what you lost

Welcome to 5.14 Fitness,




Sorry about the lack of posts recently and again for this one just being another catch up session, which I am aware is not as attractive as some of the workout or review posts. However I still do view it to be important to post this type of content to show my progress- what works, what does not and all that jazz.


Goals for the week


I normally set myself the challenge of trying to get bigger, stronger: arms, chest, legs etc; however, this last week as well as my normal gym routine to get all that stuff I mentioned about a line ago, I was also worried about my abs. See if you had asked me what my best feature was 5 months ago, I would had been straight in there with abs and core. They were my only really desirable or well formed part of my body and they are also probably one of the most popular and wanted areas to tone and define. Although I was dead proud of my core a few months ago, I was not the same about my arms- I had tried various workouts and pushed my self very hard towards a goal, but I did not seem to be getting anywhere- then I spoke to a few of my friends, did a bit of research before totally reconstructing my routine and diet in order to get bigger arms. The problem then occurred, that I was eating and doing what was needed for my arms, but this did not suit my core, resulting in an increase of fat and loss of definition in that area. Then all of a sudden my piece de la resistance had become an area that required much improvement. So my fresh goal for this week was to work back my abs (on top of all the usual stuff)!


What actually happened and results


Well as I intended I did not make any alterations to my diet as I was reaping the results in my arms, but I wanted to be able to get the abs I once had on the same body as these bigger arms. Surprisingly I think I might have achieved this! I worked abs everyday or more with a basic core work out and they belly buster workout, and I cannot fault the results. I mean progress if always slow in this business, so remember to keep what I say in moderation, but I am beginning to see some great results. I can physically feel less body fat, a V line has some how reappeared and I am starting to see them bottom to abs once more. I am more than satisfied with how my revamped ab routine is fitting together- a few more weeks and I cannot wait to see how they are going to look.


I am going to move back on to my arms now and I have to say, I have been really impressed with the speed of my progress. The new gym workout I have devised has been working a treat and I am absolutely loving it. I have been told many a time over the course of last week that people are impressed with my arms. I managed to hit the gym 3 times each to be a heavy session devoted entirely to arms and legs. Another technique that works well for me if having a gym buddy. I know it sounds a little primary school, but having someone hold your weights whilst you get in position, count your reps and gets you motivated to work really makes a difference, it also adds an element of competition which does nothing but helps your work harder. As a result my arms are feeling bigger and stronger than ever and I plan to continue this new plan over the weeks that follow.


Next week


As I may have mentioned earlier, I plan to continue from where I left off last week, I will keep working hard at the gym and developing my biceps, triceps and legs, as well as my ab workouts at home to keep my core toned and as fat free as possible. On top of this I will still participate in as much sport as I can, to test out my performance and to stay healthy (in all aspects of the word). MY diet will hopefully stay balanced and nutritious.


Lessons Learnt


There have been a couple this week, the first being not to give any muscle group too much time of as progress deteriorates much faster than you make it. You are then stuck with the tedious task of trying to get back to where you were, mean while other muscle groups are loosing out. Not fun believe me!
The second being: GET YOURSELF A GYM BUDDY! It makes going to the gym that much easier, more productive and far more enjoyable as you have some one to share your journey with. A potential post topic maybe?


So guys thanks for a fantastic week, please share this with your friends, following is returned, if you have not already add it to your blogger reading list, any plus ones or comments are also welcomed, thanks for reading more posts coming soon, so please come again-work hard and peace!


Jason

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