Fitness Academy
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Top Benefits of Using A Massage Ball
If you work out regularly or play sports you know what sore muscles are. You probably also experience muscle knots once in a while, which is such a pain and limits you in your work-out. Even if you don't work out more than the average, a job can make your back cause you a lot of pain. Most of us have jobs that either make us sit in uncomfortable positions that give us back- and neck pain. If you don't have this still-sitting office job, you work with your body, and this is another cause of muscle and back pain.
Experts say that this era we are in is the reason behind the occurrence of a new epidemic: back issues. This is not natural, because it is caused by our lifestyles. Some people go to spas, pay for hour-long massages, which are never very cheap. Your back is probably the most important part of your body because if you have a problem there, it limits all of your movement. Back issues that are not treated early on, can cause irreversible problems later on in life. So, if you feel this is coming on or you already have it, you better act fast and listen to your body.
The Solution
Thankfully, some smart brains out there have invented the massage ball for those of us who neither have the time nor the money to go to massage parlors. The thing is, all the muscles in your body need regular care, so going to a once-a-week massage session doesn't cut it. It is much better to do ten minutes every day. Also, why would you pay someone to do it when you can do it a little while before bedtime, or while watching your favorite show in the comfort of your own home?
It is not only work-out addicts and fitness enthusiasts who benefit from therapy massage ball sessions at home. Like mentioned earlier, office workers and manual workers need to ease the strain of everyday life on their back muscles. Actually, they are very soothing for the feet too, if you are one of those that have a job where a lot of walking and standing is required.
Key Benefits
If muscle pain is not an issue for you, well, you are lucky! There is another issue a massage ball can help you out with, and that is cellulite. Few women can avoid them, and what can prevent them is good blood circulation. The therapy massage ball gives a very deep tension relief in the muscles and the blood flow improves even further down in the layers of the skin and muscle.
The benefits of obtaining a massage ball are primarily that you yourself can be sure that you will get frequent treatment for your sore muscles or cellulitis. No matter how full your schedule is, there is hardly a day where you won't have time to use it for even as little as five minutes. It goes without saying that fifteen minutes is better than five, but five minutes every day is better than one hour once a week.
The massage ball for back pain can help on more than just that. The benefits are many. The massage ball for back pain does more. Here are some of the other ways it helps:
● painful feet
● general muscle tension
● myosis
● strengthening of the muscles
● increases blood circulation
● it can come with you everywhere you go
● it can help you while you are working at your office computer
● rub and move under cold feet to get warmth back
● minimizes fat accumulation under the skin
● through increasing blood circulation, prevents aging of the skin
If you are a frequent gym-goer, you can bring the massage ball for your back in your gym bag, and after every hourly session you can lie down on a yoga mat and put it under your back. Lift your core muscle up, just a little bit, so your butt and back are aligned. Roll a little up and down. Move your back up and down and to the sides. If you do it for a minimum of ten minutes, it will prevent your muscles from being sore the next day.
Tips for the Workplace
As was mentioned earlier, the jobs of this era are creating an epidemic of back and neck problems. Our shoulders, arms, and wrists suffer too. Sadly, the term "mouse arm syndrome" has become a famous term. The reason is that we use our right arm, unless you are left-handed, in constant monotone movements. Fluids gather in the lower arm, and your wrist and lower arm swell up. It is not terribly serious, but it is painful and affects your work. If it is not treated, the inflammation can grow and move upwards to your shoulder.
The advice against always to move your arm and wrists in movements that are different from that of moving your computer mouse around and pressing keys on the keyboard. Why? because it will make fluids move around, and increase the blood circulation.
We are not able to take breaks every thirty minutes in our busy jobs to start doing stretching exercises in our offices. We barely have time to finish work in time before the day is over. So what can we do? We can heal our muscle pain while we are working. Imagine the comfort of putting the massage ball under your lower arm as you scroll around with the mouse on your work computer. You are preventing and healing sore muscles, tension and wrist inflammation without having to take a five-minute break.
Fight Cellulite
So, back to preventing aging of the skin. Men, lucky as they are, do not need to worry too much about this. Women are more worried about signs of aging, and the fact is, a lot of it becomes visible because the skin loses elasticity. Movement and blood circulation is crucial here because it is the blood that brings all the good minerals and nutrition around the entire body.
Cellulite appears very early, however, but this is individual. Like with most conditions of the body, prevention is a hundred times more effective than treatment. What you want to do, is to make sure that your blood circulation is overall efficient, and that your body is in motion.
This feared condition happens when fat deposits that accumulated instead of spreading out evenly throughout the upper layers of the skin. It means that the fat deposits go above the connecting tissue beneath the upper layer of the skin, thus making it quite visible. There is no use in losing weight to prevent this because of women of a healthy and average weight experience this problem. Movement of muscle tissue, fluids and blood is the only way to prevent this.
Empower Yourself
When you are using the therapy massage ball, remember to listen to your body and your back. When it comes to your back, you can never take a risk. An essential rule of thumb when it comes to the spine and back is that when it hurts, you need to stop. Not everyone thinks about this because we are told when we are doing exercise and it hurts it is working. This is not applicable to our backs! If your back feels uncomfortable or worse, hurts, the position needs to be changed. The massage ball can be used in all positions and movements, so you need to make sure you have found a position that is comfortable for you, and just go ahead and ease your muscle pain, and help your body heal.
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Top Uses and Health Benefits For Massage Balls
Just like massage therapy, massage balls are an effective way to reduce sore muscles, tension, and tightness and also increase blood flow and help relieve pain and stiffness. Whether you’re looking for self-massage or trigger point therapy pain relief, myofascial release or simple relaxation, there are many ways a massage ball can help.
Introducing the Muscle Max Massage Ball. The trigger point grid provides a perfect deep tissue massage.
Here are just some of the areas of the body you can target with a massage ball:
● Neck
● Thoraic spine (upper/mid back)
● Low back
● Shoulders
● Hip flexors
● IT band
● Glutes
● Hamstrings
● Calves
● Feet
MUSCLE MAX MASSAGE BALL
RESPONSIVE SURFACE TARGETING... with our revolutionary trigger point massager grid. This ergonomically formed deep tissue massager surface fluctuates for various Angles of Attack on tense muscles.
DEEP TISSUE TREATMENT... therapy ball for immediate and long-term results. The deep knobs reach far into inner muscles & joints to iron out knots, relieve tightness, & and improve circulation.
Top 5 Reasons Athletes Should Use Massage Balls
If you’re an athlete, you spend a lot of time strength training, conditioning, and practicing. That’s what athletes are supposed to do!
But this intense workout regimen can put a lot of strain on your body which can lead to sore muscles, tension and a lack of flexibility which can in turn hurt your performance.
Here are five reasons massage balls are the perfect remedy:
1. Reduce Muscle Soreness
Sore muscles can slow you down and cause discomfort. Self-massage is a great way to work through that soreness so you can find relief and get back to feeling normal. Massage balls relieve your sore muscles quickly and effectively.
2. Eliminate Tension and Tightness
Tension and tightness in the body can be detrimental to your performance and also your motivation to practice, workout, and stay active. Massage balls work deep into knots to remove tension, relieve tightness, and create more space in the body.
3. Increase Flexibility
Tight tendons, ligaments, and fascia all contribute to a lack of flexibility. Yet flexibility is key to athletes and living an active lifestyle because it helps prevent injury and increase performance overall. Massage balls help alleviate this tightness so you can gain flexibility.
4. Improve Blood Circulation
Any form of massage helps stimulate blood flow, and increased blood circulation is healing. If you’re dealing with an injury or soreness and tension, increasing your blood flow to that area will help heal and relieve.
5. Cultivate Relaxation
If you have tight muscles, soreness, or a lack of flexibility, your body is tense! But when you find relief by using massage balls, your body (and mind!) is able to relax. Self-massage is not only effective but also enjoyable, with the added benefit of relaxation.
Health Benefits of Using a Massage Ball
You can use massage balls from head to toe for a deep tissue massage on your neck, back, shoulders, hips, hamstrings, glutes, and feet.
Massage balls can be used for trigger point therapy and acupressure which can help relax tense muscles, relieve tightness, create more space in the body, work out knots, and increase your blood circulation.
The added benefit of using massage balls on a regular basis is to prevent injury and pain. Regular use of massage balls can also increase your flexibility, decrease muscle fatigue, and enhance your overall physical performance.
Why Massage Balls Are So Beneficial For Athletes
Massage balls can reduce tension, tightness, and soreness in your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia - all areas that are key for athletic performance. In addition, using massage balls can increase your blood circulation, which is an important contributing factor for healing and nourishing the entire body.
Massage is also an effective way to speed up the recovery process. If you’re an athlete, a yogi, or spend a lot of time being active, self-massage is an effective way to keep your body in optimal condition.
Massage balls can help counteract the adverse effects of a sedentary lifestyle. If you’re someone who spends a lot of time sitting at a desk, self-massage can help you reduce the impact and keep your body feeling energized and healthy.
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Intensify Your Ab Workout and Build Core Strength with Core Sliders
Do you know why your ab workout is so important? It’s because core strength is about so much more than a six-pack. Strong core muscles give you a better sense of balance, increase your coordination, and decrease your risk of injury. A strong core supports the health of your entire body, and supports and protects your spine.
Essentially every movement you make, from sweeping to jogging, originates in your core. Developing more core strength will help you go about your daily life with more ease, strength, and confidence.
Let’s Define Your Core
Your core consists of more than just your abdominal muscles. It also includes your:
● Obliques
● Back muscles
● Glutes
Top 5 Benefits of Strengthening Your Core
And no, it isn’t just a six-pack...
1. Increase Stability
When you develop more core strength with a routine ab workout, you’re strengthening the muscles all around your spine and teaching them to work in harmony with one another. In turn, this strength helps your stability and balance in your daily activities.
2. Decrease Risk of Injury
Whether you’re playing your favorite sport or doing your laundry, your spine will be better protected with a strong core. By strengthening your core you’ll reduce the risk of injuring yourself in daily activities - like bending over to pick up a package or having to move suddenly.
3. Move With Ease
All movement begins in your core. If your core is weaker, you might find that moving your limbs can become difficult. Practicing an ab workout routine that builds core strength will help you move more powerfully.
4. Avoid Back Pain
This is a big one! Weak muscles around your spine can cause severe back pain and one way to decrease this pain is to strengthen your core. Core exercises often couple strength work with flexibility, which will help you remedy and prevent lower back pain.
5. Improve Your Posture
Your ab workout routine strengthens your core muscles, which helps your skeletal structure shift the weight of your body. The combination of your skeletal and strong muscular structure will help you stand taller and improve your posture.Intensify Your Ab Workout and Build Core Strength with Core Sliders
So what’s the best way to amp up your ab workout and build more core strength? You guessed it - core sliders! Core sliders can be used under your hands or feet to add more intense variations to your ab workout. They add a whole new layer of possibility to core exercises and will quickly increase your core strength. They’re lightweight and can easily fit just about anywhere, which makes them easy to store or bring with you on the road.
All you’ll need for an intense ab workout anywhere is yourself, your determination, and your core sliders.
Want to experience the amazing benefits of a strong core? Watch these videos to learn about core sliders and how to use them to target your entire core.
Watch this video to learn about core sliders
Core sliders are a pair of discs designed to strengthen the core through a series of exercises where the discs are used beneath the hands or feet. This exercise prop is user-friendly and great for all fitness levels.
Core sliders are a simple, convenient, and effective way to build core strength. This exercise prop is user-friendly and great for all-levels. Core sliders strengthen all parts of the abdominal region and can also increase the intensity of your workout.
Watch this video tutorial to learn how to use core sliders
The exercise tutorial will guide you through a series of exercises that focus on strengthening the core but also strengthen and tone arms, chest, glutes, and legs using core sliders.
Here are the core slider exercises included in the video tutorial:
● Tricep Push-Ups
● Mountain Climbers
● Side Oblique Slides
● Climber/Slide Combo Drill
● Side Cross Lunges
● Bear Pose Circles
● Bridge Slides
Here Are 5 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Core Slider Workout
When you develop more core strength with a routine ab workout, you’re strengthening the muscles all around your spine and teaching them to work in harmony with one another. In turn, this strength helps your stability and balance in your daily activities.
As with any workout, you want to make sure you’re using your core sliders in a way that won’t cause injury or harm. These 5 tips will help make sure you get the most out of your workout!
1. Keep your core engaged so you don’t arch your back. If you feel your spine start to dip or round, take the intensity down a bit so you can find your strength again.
2. You can practice with or without shoes! Whatever you find most comfortable.
3. Whether your hands are on the core sliders, a mat, or the ground, spread your fingers wide so you have a wide base for balance.
4. In Plank or any Plank Variation, keep your feet about hip-width distance apart, and the heel of your foot over the ball of your foot. This will help your muscles stay strong and engage.
5. Know your edge, and when you need to back off. Your edge is the place where you’re working hard, but you’re still in alignment and strength to avoid injury.
Build Core Strength and Intensify Your Ab Workout with Core Sliders Today!
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10 Reasons to Upgrade to a Vibrating Foam Roller
If you ask gym-enthusiasts how they like to warm up or cool down before and after a workout, you’ll notice a common response: foam rolling.
This easy and efficient massage-like routine has become even more effective with the implementing of vibration. The vibrating foam roller, for example, has vibration settings that can be adjusted depending on whether you are trying to prepare your muscles for an intense weight-lifting session, or perhaps cool down after an inspiring power yoga class.
Of course the major difference between a regular foam roller and one that vibrates can be simply stated as a difference in intensity and recovery time, but to break it down even further, we have listed 10 reasons to take your foam rolling to the next level.
1. Faster recovery
When you’re done exercising, your muscle tissue is thirsty for air. Until it gets this “air,” your muscles are basically in recovery mode. A top foam roller benefit is the increased blood flow and oxygen to these muscles, allowing your body to get back to business as soon as possible.
2. Injury prevention
Going hard doesn’t mean you have to go home and nurse an injury (or the opposite, taking it easy out of fear of an injury). Regardless of what activity you favor (keep in mind “activity” is subjective and can be any movement, especially as you age), high-frequency vibration helps speed up the “myofascial release.” What is that fancy-sounding, hard to pronounce term mean? Muscles and tissue have the tendency to contract. This so-called release, is a way to send blood and nutrients to those areas pronto, helping them relax, thus, not so injury-prone. Of course, this takes time, so consistency is key!
3. Ease back pain
A foam roller for back pain is great for those who are prone to pesky aches in the lower back. It isn’t just a trained masseuse who can reach the deep tissues of your body, but some vibrating foam rollers are actually designed to mimic the hands of a professional. Foam rolling the back is the easiest exercise to begin with if you’re new to the movement. Lie on your back and start with the roller under your shoulder blades. Keep your glutes off the floor at let your hands rest on your chest. Roll toward the head. If you notice a sticky spot, spend some extra time there. Make sure to always support your neck. Repeat as needed.
4. Gain flexibility
Like any massage, getting the kinks out is like a giant sigh for the muscles. You feel free and able to move with more flexibility. Starting or ending a workout with foam roller exercises can help your range of motion, allowing you to achieve the goals you have for your body.
Toxins like to hold tight to your muscles, ligaments, tendons etc. Can you blame them? The vibrations from foam roller exercises give you back, neck, shoulders and other sore body parts a quick release of these toxins. Talk about an efficient full-body detox!
Choose your color:
Carbon Black
Red Blaze
6. Age-approved
Because of the gentle power provided with various intensity settings, the young and the young at heart can easily adapt to a foam roller routine that is safe and effective. But let’s talk about the elderly population. When our bodies change, which is bound to happen with age, muscles aren’t as elastic as they once were. Thus, cramping and tension are pretty much inevitable. But no one, at any age, should have day-in, day-out pain. This is where we want to shout: vibrating foam rollers aren’t just for gym-lovers.
7. Move properly
Sitting at a desk, staring down at a phone and putting strain on your body at work not only create tension and kinks in the body, but over time, your body doesn’t quite move the way it did. Or should. Reworking your routine to include a vibrating foam roller can help save your body from the stiffness its prone to, ultimately, keeping strain to a minimum and moving the way it did all those years ago!
8. Safe during pregnancy
While every pregnant woman should consult her doctor before use (especially if foam rolling is new for you), there is much relief to be had by implementing a foam roller while pregnant. Activating your muscles with a vibrating foam roller will help release built-up tension, while also increasing blood flow. The increased blood fill will (hopefully) help take away some of that common mom-to-be fatigue.
9. Save money
We think physical therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors and the like offer incredible benefits to our bodies. There’s no denying this. But, they aren’t always accessible to all. Vibrating foam rollers allow an affordable way to provide your body the consistent care it needs.
10. General aesthetics
We saved this one for last, because, this is really just a bonus of a vibrating foam roller. But, consistent use has shown to have great benefits to the skin’s appearance, including the reduction of cellulite, increased hydration and an overall exfoliation.
We saved this one for last, because, this is really just a bonus of a vibrating foam roller. But, consistent use has shown to have great benefits to the skin’s appearance, including the reduction of cellulite, increased hydration and an overall exfoliation.
A few general safety tips to consider:
● Avoid anything above the shoulders, particularly bony areas, organs, wounds etc.
● Foam rolling should not be painful. If it does not feel good, ask for help (or see one of the videos we incorporated below)
● Start slow. Just 10 minutes is beneficial when you first begin. Increase when you feel ready.
● Remember your body weight helps control the intensity. Work up to a harder roll.
Interested in seeing how a foam roller works? We get it, some of us are visual learners.
Knowing this, we’ve gathered some videos so you can get a sense of how to incorporate a vibrating foam roller into your routine.
Epitomie Fitness Instructor Amanda Russell coaches you through a 6-Pack Core Workout!
Advanced Exercises For The Fitness Foam Roller
How To Foam Roll Your Glutes
How To Foam Roll To Soften Your Shoulders
How To Foam Roll Your IT Bands
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Must-Have Exercise Equipment for a Home Gym
Whether you have a busy schedule, find it a hassle to get to the gym regularly, or you simply want a more affordable option, putting together a home gym isn’t difficult, and the good news is you can have plenty of home gym must-haves on a budget.
When people think of home gym equipment, they often envision big, expensive options like treadmills, weight sets, and weight racks. But fitness equipment for home can be portable enough to fit in a gym bag, while still being powerful enough to give you a great workout. Consider these choices:
CARDIO OPTIONS
The purpose of cardiovascular work is to get your heart rate up and get your body used to higher-intensity exercise. While you can achieve that on a treadmill or elliptical, these must-have fitness products also give you a full-body cardio workout:
Jump Rope
Often used for warmups, a simple jump rope can be used as its own amazing portable fitness equipment option. You can integrate it into HIIT sessions and play around with intervals that keep your muscle guessing. Consider the PowerSkip Jump Rope with a quick cable length adjuster inside each handle, as well as ball bearing system in the handles and polymer-coated speed cable for smooth, speedy rotation with zero tangles. Another great choice is the Ballistyx Jump Rope with a 360-degree rotating, weighted cable that can increase the amount of toning in your arms, shoulders, and chest.
Sonic Boom Speed Rope
To take your jumping to another level, increasing the amount of speed is a popular strategy, and a choice like the Sonic Boom M2 Speed Jump Rope can provide some serious advantages when it comes to getting you moving.
Active Fit Compression Socks
Whether you’re doing a rope-based workout or you’re going for a run, Active Fit Compression Socks provide ankle support and keep legs feeling fresh for longer, which means you may be able to extend your workouts and also recover faster. They also make a great portable fitness equipment option because you can throw them in your bag for travel and feel motivated to exercise when you travel.
STRENGTH TRAINING
Dumb bells, barbells, and kettle bells — as well as weight-based machines — all have their place, but they’re not mandatory for getting some strength gains. Using your own body weight, plus resistance that can be progressed, can often give you just as much in terms of results. Plus, this kind of fitness equipment is perfect for small spaces so you can do your workout anywhere:
Pull Up Bands
Looping a product like Bionic Flex Pull Up Assistance Bands on any stable location that can support your weight turns your space instantly into a pull-up wonderland. These bands provide resistance throughout the entire movement, offering much more dynamic strength and flexibility than unassisted pull-ups.
Ab Roller
Core work is fundamental for every type of exercise, functional fitness, and sport, and the BIO Core Ab Roller can give you an anywhere-anytime abs-focused exercise. Not only can you easily work your core, but the ab roller also targets the shoulders, lats, pecs, and arms, making it an ideal piece of fitness equipment for home. Plus, the BIO Core has two wheels for more stability as well as rubber treads for perfect traction, so you can use it anywhere in your home.
Active Balance Fitness Ball
When it comes to a versatile, powerful fitness option that can work every muscle, go for the Active Balance Fitness Ball, which not only has 13 of the most poplar fitness-ball exercises printed right on it, but also comes with a free eBook on building a strong core. You can even use it as a “chair” when working at home or watching TV as a way to keep your core firing even when you’re not actively working out.
Resistance Bands
When it comes to an incredibly portable home gym, this set of four bands is a top choice, especially because they offer different amounts of resistance, so you can progress toward “heavier weight” over time.
COOL DOWN AND RECOVERY
For better results, you need to have a cool-down strategy that involves more than a few stretches, because recovery is a crucial aspect of fitness. That’s what prevents injury, improves performance, and speeds results. Here are two home gym must-have fitness products:
Muscle Max Massage Ball
After an intense workout, improve recovery with the Muscle Max Massage Ball, which has a grooved surface that relieves tightness and offers ultra-deep tissue work. It’s small enough to fit in your pocket, making it a great option for bringing along when you do go to gym.
Vibra Vibrating Foam Roller
Rolling out tight muscles can alleviate next-day soreness and help prevent injury — and the VIBRA Vibrating Foam Roller takes recovery to a whole new level. Powerful pulses work out the tension that comes from an intense workout or long run, helping improve mobility and flexibility overall.
One of the best parts of having incredibly portable fitness equipment is that not only can you make any space in your home into a gym, but you also have the option to throw them in a gym bag and take them anywhere, even the office or on vacation. With home gym equipment like this, you can get a workout in anytime.
