Back muscle training is generally never skipped. We all want to have a nicely sculpted back when it comes time for swimsuits and for hours, hours in the sun by the pool. You may want a V-shaped torso or a thinner waist. In addition to defining the body line, the back muscles have several very important functions.

What are the benefits of maintaining back muscle?

The group “back muscles” actually consists of several different muscles. There are five major, larger muscles in the back; the latissimus dorsi (1), rhomboids (2), trapezius (3), and erector spinae (4).

(1) A large muscle located under the armpit and extending to the end of the ribs. This muscle is responsible for the movement of the shoulders.

(2) A muscle that is located just above the middle of the back, and is responsible for the movements of your scapula, or shoulder blades

(3) A muscle that extends from the neck to the middle of the back. Its function is to move the shoulder blades

(4) Muscles that extend along the spine and they control extension and lateral movement

Back exercises will improve your posture, reduce the risk of injury and increase the range of your endurance. In addition, it will help build a V-shape physique and will reduce lower body pain.

Also, if you normally lift weights, ie do weight training, they could become a little lighter for you. You will definitely need to increase the number of weights after you have worked out your back muscles.

Book your gym appointment if you are currently sitting and reading this. To set up an appointment you only need few moments. No excuses!

What exercises to do to build back muscles?

1. Kettlebell Swings

Put the kettlebell in front of you. Straighten your back and prepare for the exercise. Reach for the kettlebell handle with both hands. Keep your back straight at all times. Pull the barbell between your legs, then quickly pull the kettlebell to shoulder height with your arms straight in front of You. Watch how hard you swing the kettlebell. Return to starting position and repeat again. Repetitions are without a break.

2. Barbell deadlift

Squat and grab a barbell. Keep your chest raised, your shoulders tucked in back, and your gaze forward. Focus on shifting your weight to your heels and keeping the bar as close to your body as possible. Lift until the bangs are at thigh level and lower. Repeat after moving to the starting position.

3. Dumbbell Single-arm Row

Find a flat bench and place your right hand on it. Place your right knee on the bench and your left knee to keep your balance on the ground. Grab the barbell with your free hand and lift it so that your elbow is stretched and bent (as if you were rowing).

This is just a small part of the exercises that are practiced for better and firmer muscles, and these 3 are the most common. You can arrange a set of exercises with a coach of your choice. In few clicks set up your appointment. 

Be sure to warm up before each workout to avoid muscle injury. Remember, as you progress in your workout, don’t forget to challenge yourself. If you stay on the same weight of exercises longer, your body will not need the energy to go through the exercises so there will be no effect.

The post Best back exercise appeared first on Smoothbook.

Benefits of working out

A lot of people think it’s already too late to start working out. That is absolutely never the case, it is never too late to start. You don’t need to start off by running a 5K and then heading to the gym afterward, nor should you. Recommended length and intensity of exercises vary depending on a lot of stuff. One of the most obvious benefits is losing or adding weight, depending on the situation. Exercising also helps reduce the risks of heart diseases by strengthening your heart and improving your circulation while lowering your blood pressure levels. It also helps manage our blood sugar levels. Of course, working out strengthens our muscles and bones. As our skins are affected by the level of oxidative stress, exercise helps increase the antioxidants that protect the cells. This, in turn, results in healthier skin aging. 

Another thing that working out does is improve our mental health. During exercise, our bodies release chemicals that improve our mood. That helps to deal with stress and reduces the risk of having depression. It can also help if you’re already battling depression. If you’re feeling physically and mentally down, working out can boost your energy levels to a new high. Whether it comes naturally through your body, or through a sense of accomplishment, once you start working out, it all around makes us happier. Working out improves sleep by quite a lot. You will be able to fall asleep faster, and you will wake up feeling more refreshed and ready to take on the day’s challenges. 

When to work out

First off, let’s just say that any time to work out is a good time to work out. There are some benefits to different times of the day, but any form or time of exercise is much better than not working out at all. Also, many women wonder if it is okay to work out when on their periods, and the answer is, of course, yes. The number of days to exercise a week can vary depending on a lot of variables. Exercise should be done 3 to 6 times a week. There has to be at least one rest per week though. That results in about 18-22 workouts per month. 

Morning exercise

The advantage that morning exercises have is that, if you work out on an empty stomach, you’ll burn more stored fat, which is an ideal way to lose weight. That means you will draw your energy from your stored fat. Morning workouts also help prepare us for the rest of the day. Sweating in the morning produces better mental health and productivity while lowering stress. They also help to improve our sleep quality, once our bodies get used to morning workouts, they will automatically try and shut down in the evening to prepare for the next morning. It also boosts our deep night’s sleep which is extremely important.

Afternoon exercise

Since you are already warmed up and have eaten a meal or two, afternoon workouts may give you a performance boost. Most of us will also be able to work out quite harder compared to the morning, as we have accumulated much more energy. It is also important to note that afternoon workouts might be the best for stress relief. That is because you have just finished work and however you might feel after it, working out inevitably helps to leave work behind and let off some steam. It is also easy to fall into an afternoon slump where you feel tired and unproductive, just wanting to have a bite to eat and fall asleep in front of the TV. Working out changes all of that, quite easily, making you happier in the process. 

Night exercise

Working out at night can help boost our muscle strength. Surprisingly, you might have the most energy at that time. Some studies have shown that you can work out up to 20% longer in the evenings. Not to mention that it improves sleep quality as you will fall asleep like a baby, only to wake up feeling fully refreshed and energized to take on the day. There is another obvious benefit to working out in the evening, although it is not often thought of. Working out in the evening means that there is a chance that the gym will not be filled up to the brim with people. Although it is great to be surrounded by people when working out, it can be energizing and motivational, it is also great not having to wait in line to use machines.

The post When to work out? appeared first on Smoothbook.

Warming up is a necessary part of any workout. By warming up we prepare the body for physical activity. Gradually the heart rate rises which prepares the body for the activities you have planned. In addition, the muscles will be more flexible, which means your chance of injury is drastically reduced.

It would be best to warm up part by part, so muscle group by group. This will allow you to keep track of exactly what warm-up exercises you have done. We advise you to start from the head or feet.

As we all know, we warm up just before a workout or other physical activity, and it consists of stretching and light cardio exercises.

What do you achieve by warming up? Why is warming up important?

Warming up will activate your body. Often, exercisers do not warm up enough, which often results in injuries, from minor to severe. The most common injuries that occur due to absence or insufficient warming up are bone fractures and sprains.

In addition to mentally preparing you for the exercise you have planned, it also prepares you physically. It will help your body understand that physical exertion is coming, so it will expel blood to all important parts of the body. As the blood flows, the walls of your blood vessels will dilate and will supply all the organs with enough oxygen. As you warm up, your muscles begin to warm up, resulting in flexibility, and when you start exercising, your muscles will be able to perform movements that they would not be able to when cooled down.

In addition to preparing your body for exertion, warming up will reduce the possibility of muscle inflammation because your body has prepared in time. This will allow you to recover more easily from training, and also reduce the chance of stiffness and pain.

How to warm up?

Any warm-up should include cardiovascular exercise and stretch. All of these activities will help the body to get started. Also, your body will be able to send a message to the brain that physical activity is expected.

Set aside 15 to 30 minutes before each warm-up workout, and don’t skimp. Think about your body in time so that it is capable enough to defend you and react quickly enough to what is in front of you. In these 30 minutes, you will gradually increase your physical activity, which will gradually warm-up and prepare your muscles and joints.

Before we start exercising, make an appointment at the nearest gym. The gym will have a wide selection of tools and aids to help you throughout your workout. Tools will not be used in this warm-up, but you can definitely add them.

Limb warm-up exercises

1. Leg warm-up exercises

By all means, don’t forget to do these exercises. You are aware that your legs are most affected when exercising, so you need to warm them up very well. You can try a classic squat to warm up your legs and buttocks.

To begin, stand up straight and squat slightly. Keep your feet flat on the ground, facing slightly outwards. Keep your feet level with your shoulders. From the starting position, lower yourself towards the ground, making sure your back stays straight. Keep your head in a natural position so that your head follows the spine straight. When lowering, you raise your arms in a controlled manner, and you consciously activate the muscles in your legs.

2. Exercises to warm up the arms

Warming your hands reduces the possibility of a stiff neck, pain in the arms and elbows. Performing this exercise is quite simple.

Stand in an upright, standing position. Extend your arms to the right of you so that they are flush with your chest. The goal of this exercise is to circle the elbows, but with conscious activation of the muscles in the arms. Also, don’t forget both directions.

3. Shoulder warm-up exercises

We often warm up our shoulders, but these exercises are still performed incorrectly, or incompletely. The most common mistake when performing shoulder warm-up exercises is an underutilized range of motion.

Stand in a classic position, stand and stretch your arms along your body. Keep your head straight, look in front of you, shoulders relaxed. From the starting position, circle your arms and strain to use the maximum range of motion. Circle your arms in both directions.

Exercises to warm up the rest of the body

1. Exercise to warm up the chest muscles

Be sure to warm up your chest muscles, especially if you focus your physical activity on your chest, arms or back.

To begin, stand in an upright, standing position. Stretch your arms out in front of you, to chest height. When you start, first point your palms facing each other and move your hands away from each other. The goal of this exercise is to open the chest. Focus on controlled arm movement and chest muscle activation.

2. Back warm-up exercise

We often forget this exercise, and we shouldn’t.

Stand in a classic standing position. Raise your arms in front of you, with your torso at a 90-degree angle. Straighten your head, look ahead. From the starting position, push your elbows back as far as they will go. The goal of this exercise is to move the shoulder blades. Make sure your shoulders are not raised when practicing this exercise.

3. Exercise to warm up the abdominal muscles

Activating your abdominal muscles is a fairly simple job, keeping in mind that we activate our abdominal muscles several times a day unconsciously. 

Stand in the starting, standing position. Keep your head straight and look forward. Keep your feet level with your shoulders. Cross your arms behind your head and start exercising. Touch the left knee with the elbow of your right hand. Be careful not to bend your other arm too far forward, as this will unknowingly tire your head muscles. Then repeat the same with the other side of the body.

Be careful with your body. If you are new to the world of exercise, make an appointment for free with a private trainer in the gym of your choice.

The post How to warm up and stretch to prevent injuries appeared first on Smoothbook.

Exporting splits can be demanding and painful especially if you haven’t been too active so far. Below we bring you exercises that will prepare your body to perform splits. With these exercises, you will develop enough flexibility for such an endeavor. If you continue to engage in physical activity, you could be fit in a few months.

Flexibility will be most easily achieved in childhood, so it is best from an early age to work with a child to reach their full potential in that part. But no worries, with proper training anyone, can be as flexible as ever. Women will be luckier here because studies show that women are more flexible than men.

But let’s get started with tips and exercises to help you be flexible and finally make splits.

What needs to be done for more flexibility? 

First thing, this is not going to happen overnight. Accept that it will take some time for your body to fully get used to the new situation and for you to start believing in yourself. It also depends on what predispositions you have; how open your hips are, did you develop flexibility as a child, do you stretch regularly, how disciplined are you … So, don’t despair if you fail to do splits the next day.

The preparatory exercises for performing splits below are just that, preparatory. So, you can perform these exercises just before performing splits. Your muscles will warm-up and will be ready for action.

Breathing while performing dynamic exercises – inhale through the nose in the first part of the exercise, and exhale through the mouth at the end of the exercise. In all static exercises, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, or breathe continuously.

Preparatory exercises for performing splits 

Standing stretching

Stand on the mat, keep your hands close to your body. Start stretching from that standing position. First, spread your legs and lean your chest forward. Make sure your back is straight. Repeat several times, with your arms parallel to the ground. Then return to the starting position (after 5 repetitions). Then, with your legs spread, put your hands on the mat. Pulse your body lightly and try to be in that position for as long as possible. Combine these two exercises.

Sitting stretching

In sitting stretching the biggest focus is on the inner thighs. We want to train the inner side of the thighs to be flexible because it is these muscles that prevent us from performing splits. Gather your feet and place your palms on the feet in front of you. Gently pull your body towards your feet and try to stay in position for as long as possible. After that, sit up straight and flex your muscles by pulling your knees up and down. Combine these two exercises. You can also spread your legs and try to extend your arms as far in front of you as possible.

Lying stretching

In the supine position, the most important thing is to perform a combination of exercises that will stretch your thigh muscles.

Lie on the mat and lift one knee and wrap your arms around it. Hold in that position for a few seconds, then extend your leg in the air, tilting it as much as possible toward your face. Grasp the heel and push the heel towards the floor with your hand. Hold for a few seconds, then return your leg back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise on both legs. Then repeat the same at the same time with both legs, or if you are a beginner and find it a little harder, start by pulling your knees towards you, and then raise and lower your legs, straight out, one at a time.

Stretching and exercising are the only way and path to a twisted and sculpted body. Keep track of your progress, and if you would like a trainer to help you, book an appointment at the gym.

The post How to do the splits and be more flexible appeared first on Smoothbook.

It’s not even a problem to go to the gym. The first two or three times, while still cool. You will then find every possible excuse to skip the appointment. This is also okay, but then you have to come to terms with the fact that you won’t have the body you expect.

In today’s world, we all sit. We sit at home in front of the television, we sit at work, or at college, or in a cafe/restaurant. We look to rest and sit as much as possible, and that will drive us to ruin. You will lose your fitness and the little will you had. The man was not created to sit. The man was created to run, jump, hunt, fight. The man was, ultimately, created to live. To love and have motivation. For the sake of losing motivation, don’t forget everything you’ve achieved so far.

Below you will read a few useful tips on the topic of motivation when going to the gym. Stay tuned and get into the routine!

How to motivate yourself to go to the gym? 

1. Training clothes

Maybe you just bought new pants or a training shirt the other day. Why let it stand in your closet, unused? Put on a new outfit and win a gym!

2. Make a gym company

If you are bored of training on your own, call your gym buddies. Sometimes only society will persuade us to do something we can’t. And if you have arranged with 5 friends for training, you will be sorry to cancel to the friend.

3. Make a plan

Instead of going to the gym unplanned, make a plan. Choose one planner and plan 1 month in advance. You can arrange a trip to the gym via the Smoothbook platform too, in just a few clicks.

4. Visualize success

The advice above this says “Make a plan”. In the same planner, enter the goal after the first month. Is that -1kg? Or maybe a better-looking tummy? Write down your goals, visualize them and start conquering!

5. Talk to your coach

The trainers are there to answer all your questions, to help you perform the exercises, but are also there for your motivation. The coach will be the first one to know how to overcome a lack of motivation. Also, when your trainer puts together an exercise plan for you and tells you how many pounds you could lose, it all looks achievable. Through the Smoothbook platform, you can arrange an appointment at the gym of your choice,  and with a trainer of your choice.

6. Give yourself time to recover

Lack of motivation is often present because we are tired and because we are in pain. Rather take care of the pain and recover.

How to get into the routine and how to maintain it? 

1. Length of training

Once upon a time you probably had a routine of going to the gym. Ask yourself how long have you been in one workout? The vast majority will respond in over an hour. And what happened then? Suddenly you no longer had time because you had other responsibilities. So set a real training time this time, and don’t force yourself to stay longer than that.

2. Mindset

Many people eat properly and exercise enough, but sometimes even that is not enough for a good result. It is very important that you are organized in your head. Develop relaxation techniques that suit you. Eg. one of the better relaxation techniques is the breathing technique.

3. Honesty

Imagine the following situation. You did a really good workout and you got hungry. Precisely because you had a great workout, you decide to eat pizza. With that kind of thinking, you just wasted 1 hour on training. Remember, respect yourself and be honest with yourself. Sometimes the truth hurts, but it needs to be done for the reward you want to have.

4. Simplicity

Be simple and grateful. Don’t burden yourself and compare yourself to others. Get up positive in the morning and you will easily solve the problems set before you.

Maintaining motivation is often a demanding job. Habits are a miracle thing, but not every habit is necessarily useful. Try to motivate yourself with each new day. With such motivation, you develop a new habit – to be happy and in a good mood. And in good shape!

The post Get into the routine! appeared first on Smoothbook.

Benefits of building muscles 

Building muscles is a great activity for your health and overall well-being. By building muscles, your metabolic rate increases, which causes your body to burn more fat. It also improves our strength and stamina, making us ready for any upcoming task, no matter the difficulty. Muscles also support our joints, so lifting weights actually reduces joint pain, if done correctly. One of the great benefits of working out and building muscles is an overall improvement in our cardiovascular systems, making our hearts healthier in the process. By lowering visceral fat, we also lower the chances of getting cancer. Not to mention, of course, that our body is more durable and less injury-prone, which gets progressively more important as time goes on. 

Physical benefits are endless, but we have to weigh in with the mental ones as well. Strength training can literally decrease anxiety and depression all the while making you happier in general. Even if there were no scientific reasons behind it, some people just need to overcome that one obstacle that seems impossible. Lo and behold, after putting time into it, it becomes everything but impossible. You instantly become happier because you have achieved something hard, something that you were not able to do before. It’s also one of the greatest stress releases, which is extremely important nowadays. Not only that, but it also boosts our brain health and power. For instance, high-intensity weight training improves the flow of oxygen, blood, and other nutrients in our brains. This all leads to a longer lifespan with improved quality, also known as healthy aging! 

Make an appointment right away, with a few clicks!

What exercises to do to increase muscle?

1. Push-ups on the loom

This exercise is great for building triceps muscles. Beginners can perform this exercise by placing their hands on a bench and their feet on the floor. When you gain more experience you can switch to a loom and add the appropriate weight. If you are still on the more experienced side, feel free to add extra weight.

2. Joints

This is one of those exercises that we can say are classic. This is one of the more complex exercises for building back muscles; and all the muscles of the back. There are a lot of variations of the joints – there are a lot of devices with which you can work the joints, you can add weights, and the like.

3. Squat

King of all exercises! The squat will activate several types of muscles in the body, especially the middle of the body and the large muscles in the lower body. Do a squat so that it seems natural to you. Feel free to use weights that will make the process more difficult for you!

4. Bench press

This exercise is primarily for exercising the pectoral muscles, deltoid muscles, and triceps. It can be performed in different ways to activate each muscle. If you use a flat bench, the muscles of the middle part of the chest will be activated. And if you use a hair bench, the upper chest muscles will be activated. If you opt for a hair bench but with your head down, the lower chest muscles will be activated.

5. Deadlift

This exercise will activate the muscles of the whole body, especially the back, thighs, abdomen, legs, and buttocks. There are several hand positions you can try, e.g., an alternating grip. Feel free to use straps as well.

The post How can I build some muscle and stay lean? appeared first on Smoothbook.

It is well known that weight training allows you to grow muscle mass. Weight training is often done in groups, or by body zones, which is great. Focusing the workout on one part of the body will result in effective and rapid muscle growth.

Exercising with weights will also slow down aging. Weight training stimulates the recovery of smooth muscle mass and rejuvenates them. Young muscles = young spirit!

What are the reasons for introducing weights into training?

1. Weight training will increase metabolism. Stronger muscles require more energy, which means your body will put in extra effort and burn more calories, even when nothing is working. Fast metabolism = burning more calories.
2. Better posture is one of the consequences of weight training. Tight muscles will hold your body easier. That is, it will keep you in balance and give strength and support to your bones and spine.
3. Of course, you will be stronger. You will have a lot more power for everyday activities, whether it is small things or larger activities.
4. Motivation for training will increase so much! Why? Weights will speed up the muscle growth process and they will grow faster than ever! When you see that, there’s no way you’re going to give up on your next workout.
5. Working with weights will strengthen your tendons and ligaments, which reduces the possibility of injury while exercising. Tendons and ligaments connect muscles and bones, which directly confirms the theory of injury reduction.
6. Your health picture could improve a lot because of weight. In addition to reducing the possibility of injury during training, weights will also reduce the possibility of performing daily activities.
7. You finally know what your body can really do! Weights test limits and you move them.

You can start training with weights today, and all you need is a gym! Make an appointment at the gym for free from the comfort of your own home. Finish the episode on Netflix and run to the gym!

How to introduce weight in daily training?

Now that you know what all the positive reasons are for introducing weights, it’s time to find out how to do it.

1. The definition of weight training is the use of the weight with which you will challenge your muscles. It can be just your body, to begin with. Use the devices on which you lift your weight, test if that weight suits you, and if not, reduce it.
2. What is very important before the introduction of training – proper performance of exercises. It would be best to consult with a trainer when learning new exercises. The trainer will see if you are doing the exercise correctly and guide you if not.
3. Before you start exercising with weights, it is very important to warm up your muscles. Don’t forget this step, otherwise, there could be more serious bone or muscle injuries.
4. Be consistent. Make a workout schedule and stick to it. The amount of your training would be best agreed with the coach, so as not to lead to exhaustion and excessive fatigue.
5. Choose the 2 or 3 exercises that work best for you. When you are just starting out, it would be best to repeat these exercises to build strength. Later you slowly move on to other exercises, more repetitions, etc.
6. Be sure to stretch after your workout! Stretching is important for muscle relaxation. This will help alleviate any muscle inflammation.
7. Rest when your body needs it. Don’t push, big things don’t come overnight.

The post How to start weight training appeared first on Smoothbook.

One of the reasons that people don’t like working on their legs is that it makes day-to-day life very difficult for the next few days. But, there is another famous expression – No pain, no gain. Every time you get a sore muscle means you did the workout right. And with these best legs exercises, we guarantee pain but also progress and satisfaction. 

Legs are a large muscle group. When you train legs, your body sends a lot of water into those muscles. This process can trigger nausea, and in rare cases – vomiting. Don’t worry, that is all normal. Depending on your experience and form, we made a list of the best legs exercise to avoid this. 

On the day that you are training legs, it is very important to have carbs. Your body will use those carbs to get you through the workout. Two hours before the workout, including one of three things: 

• 200 grams of rice 
• 300 grams of boiled potatoes 
• 150 grams of pasta. 

Now let’s get onto the exercises!

Exercise 1

Barbell Back Squats

We start with the toughest exercise. The reason is, at the start of the workout, the energy and stamina level is at the highest. 

Barbell needs to be placed on your traps. We recommend having a towel around the barbell in the place where it touches your traps. This way the barbell won’t hurt your neck and spine. Get yourself in position with your chest up, squat down until the bottoms of your thighs are parallel to the floor. Now, drive back up by pushing your feet through the floor. 

Make sure you inhale while going down and exhale moving up. 

Beginner:

• 4 sets
• 8 to 10 reps

Advanced:

• 6 sets
• 10 to 12 reps

Exercise 2

Bulgarian Split Squats

Stand roughly two feet in front of a sturdy bench or chair, your feet hip-distance apart, your core engaged, your shoulders back, and your chest and eyes pointing straight ahead. Place one of your feet on a bench or a chair behind you. You can place it facing down on the bench or on your toes. The lower leg needs to be placed in such a position that your knee does not go over your toes when you squat down. Depending on your experience and form, you can also grab a couple of dumbbells or you can do it with your body weight. 

Beginner:

• 2 sets each leg
• 10 reps

Advanced:

• 4 sets each leg
• 10 reps

Exercise 3

Standing Calves Raise

This exercise can be performed with the machine or with dumbbells. If you are using dumbbells, grab them and position them on the side of your body. The movement is simple. From a normal standing position, you need to stand up on your toes. While contacting your calves as much as you can. At the highest point, pause your 3 to 5 seconds and control your movement going down.

Beginner:

• 3 sets
• 12 to 15 reps

Advanced:

• 5 sets
• 15 to 20 reps

Legs are a big muscle group, but calves are small muscles, so we need to have more reps with less weight. 

Exercise 4

Barbell Hip Thrust

Place your upper back on a bench and bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor. Roll the barbell to your hips. This is your start position. Squeeze your glutes and drive your hips up. Hold the bar with both hands to make sure you have full control. Pause for 3 to 5 seconds on the top and control the movement going down. 

Beginner:

• 3 sets
• 10 to 12 reps

Advanced:

• 5 sets
• 15 reps

Exercise 5

Kettlebell Swing 

We are going to finish off with some swings. The reason for it is, this exercise activates all the muscles that we already worked. Chose the weight of the kettlebell depending on how much stamina and energy you have left. 

This exercise is performed from the hips. Stand tall and straight. Keep your arms loose. Think of your arms as hooks, you don’t activate them, just use them for the movement.

Explode through your hips to send the weight swinging upward from your quads. The height should be as high as you can without using arms. Activating glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps is your goal here.

Beginner:

• 3 sets
• 10 to 12 reps

Advanced:

• 5 sets
• 15 reps

These best legs exercises are supposed to be done once a week. If your legs are not shaking after a leg day, you haven’t trained your legs. We will finish this blog with the most famous expression when it comes to training: Go hard, or go home.

The post Best Legs Exercises appeared first on Smoothbook.

The medical name for menstrual cramps is Dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea is therefore intense menstrual pain. There are several types of dysmenorrhea, but they all have the same risk factors. It is definitely smoking, irregular and heavy menstrual bleeding, early puberty, and if you are under 30 years old.

Such cramps usually last up to 72 hours. They can hurt to the point of being compared to the birth of a baby, and spread from the lower abdomen to the thighs and back. If you experience such pain after a few years, be prepared for pain during intercourse, a weak reaction to the medication, vaginal discharge …

Medication-Free Pain Reduction Tips For Period Cramps

1. Heat

Somehow everyone already knows that. At least women. The heat that warms your belly will calm the uterus and help the cramps disappear instantly. Buy a large bottle of water and fill it with warm water. Lean it against your lower abdomen and relax. The downside to this is definitely where you have to lie still in the same position for this to work. But for the days when you’re not planning on getting out of bed … Perfect.

2. Exercise

Exercise has also been shown to be one of the effective ways to reduce menstrual pain. That’s why we’ll write a couple of exercises below that have proven effective.

3. Transacute electrical nerve stimulation

These machines will send small impulses to the nerves in your skin and thus successfully block the pain. This advice is not very conventional, that is, it is almost useless because you have to go to specialized hospitals. But if you have such strong cramps –  go see a doctor, definitely.

4. Massage

The massage will act similarly to a warm bottle of water. Massage the lower abdomen in light circular motions. If you want to relax to the maximum, ask your partner to do it for you. Lie down, play music and try to relax as much as possible. 

Best 3 exercises to reduce period cramps 

What helps women get rid of menstrual pain is exercise. A few exercises in the right intensity will work wonders for your painful days.

We know that during cramps no woman has exercises in mind, but it helps. These aren’t heavy-weight exercises.

Exercise for reducing period cramps No.1

Stand straight with your arms together in front of you and your legs joined. Breathe deeply and when inhaling, gently raise your arms upwards and stretch. When exhaling, gently lower your arms over your body and head towards the floor. The point is to touch the floor with your fingers on the last second of exhalation. If you can’t reach the floor, either bend your knees or spread your legs slightly to make it easier for you.

Repeat this exercise up to 5 times.

Exercise for reducing period cramps No.2

To perform this exercise, approach the wall. Lean against the wall with the left side of your body. Slowly lower yourself forward, at the same time lowering the fingers of your left hand to the floor and gently raising your right foot in the air. Your leg should be flush with your hips. Hold the position for about 30 seconds.

Repeat everything again, but this time turn to the right.

Exercise for reducing period cramps No.3

Sit on the floor and stretch your legs in front of you. Bend your right knee as well and your foot touches the inside of your left leg thigh. You begin the exercise by taking a deep breath and raising your arms above your head. When you exhale, lower your arms towards your outstretched leg. Lower yourself until your forehead touches your foot. Hold for 30 seconds.

Swap sides after 2 reps.

Ladies, sometimes it’s for the best if someone exercises with you. Grab your gym buddy and schedule your pain-free day in the gym.

The post Exercises to reduce period cramps appeared first on Smoothbook.

Why schedule your week ahead?

The reasons are honestly countless. Have you ever had that dreadful Sunday feeling in which you realize that you haven’t done what you were supposed to, or at least waited until the last second to do so? Yeah, well, let’s try and avoid that dreadful feeling, shall we? Without proper organization, we just stumble through our work and chores without ever stopping to smell the roses because we’re trying to accomplish everything at once. That’s a huge cliche, we know, but, it does make life a lot more interesting and satisfying. Because of proper organization, you’ll have more free time to indulge in whatever you wish and spend time however you like. It also makes us productive, which is universally one of the best feelings there are. Feeling productive can single-handedly make us instantly happier and even bring us out of depression. 

Planning ahead is extremely important as it will allow you to be the most efficient version of yourself that you can be. How it works is that you basically want to create an outliner of what you are going to do each day of the week. There are tons of accessories you can use, from writing boards, notebooks, calendars, apps, websites, journals, and more. All of this will also help bring out a sense of accomplishment by you setting your goals, working towards them, and in the end, overcoming them. You’ll feel an improvement in the quality of your life immediately, but once you fully embrace this path of scheduling and get used to it, the benefits are beyond imagination. Every single aspect of your life might improve because of it, and we’re not overstating that.

How to schedule your week ahead?

First of all, you have to figure out which goals do you want to pursue. We’re talking about both long-term and short-term goals. Both are equally important and complement each other. Once you’ve realized what your goals are, start making a detailed list of what you’re going to need or do this week. This will vary on the week ahead, sometimes it will be an easier week and the hardest thing you will have to do is grocery shopping. That’s all fine, but other weeks you might have huge projects that need tending to and will drain most of your time, hence scheduling. Of course, you have to set priorities, if you have big projects to finish and you want to go have coffee with friends, guess which one you should focus on first. 

By prioritizing and making the big project your main goal, you’ll have more time afterward to actually enjoy that coffee with friends instead of worrying about the big projects. Consistency and repetition are key here, as you’ll get more and more in control of the time and tasks at hand. This then turns into a routine over time, making it easy for you as you’ve already spent hours and weeks practicing this. What’s also an interesting way of dealing with this is, review the week you’ve just finished. Go through your checklist and see what and how have you done. If you weren’t able to accomplish most of your set goals, make some adjustments. On the other hand, if you’ve achieved everything and have too much time to spare, add more goals. 

If you want to learn more and are in need of a great scheduling app, we can definitely help you with that as we have an impressive range of interesting solutions to offer.

The post How to schedule your week to have time for everything appeared first on Smoothbook.