Hand Gripping Exercises in Occupational Therapy

Hand Gripping Exercises in Occupational Therapy. Just as it can help prevent diseases, hand gripping exercises are also vital in the recovery of people stroke patients. The motor skills are what is usually affected when a person experiences a stroke. In order for them to regain control, hand exercises are implemented in their therapy.
Hand therapy is a mix of occupational and physical therapy that is used to help rehabilitate the hands, fingers, and wrist. An injury or a stroke attack using grippers, balls, bands, and weight bars, can also be used to help children develop their fine motor skills. The therapist may be able to help you with these activities in order to improve your hand strength.
Here are some hand strengthening exercises your occupational therapist may employ:

• Stretching exercises

These exercises are designed for warm up and to help the muscles in your hand prevent stiffening and improve your hand’s ability to move effectively without any problems.

• Flexion and Extension on the Wrist

With your affected hand rested on top of a flat surface (i.e. on top of an armchair or table) with palms down, bend your wrist by slowly moving your hands up and down. Repeat the same thing with the palm of your hands facing up.

• Flexion and Extension of the Thumb

Start this stretch with your palms open such that the fingers on your hands will be far apart. Slowly bring your thumb to the base of your pinky finger as if you’re making the number 4 gesture with your hand then bring your thumb back to the original position.

• Hand Gripping Exercises

When the muscles in your hands have warmed up, your therapist might decide to move the therapy to the exercise proper. Here are the hand gripping exercises that are usually employed:

• Therapy Balls

Usually used when the patient is still on the early stages of developing or regaining hand strength. These are also the cheapest hand rehabilitation method after a stroke. The balls come in different firmness and sizes so that your hands will constantly be kept on being challenged thereby speeding up your recovery.
There are different ways to exercise using therapy balls. Your therapist may require you to perform a power grip where you squeeze a ball as tightly as you can and focusing on pressing your fingers on the ball. Another way is by squeezing the ball between any two fingers on your hands.

• Hand Grippers

The best way to increase hand strength is through hand grippers. This compact, lever-type devise is designed to increase the patient’s endurance, strength, and even dexterity. This is especially important for a recovering stroke patient. Performing normal tasks such as carrying groceries, opening the door, or carrying a bag.
Using this equipment is easy. You simply have to grab both sides and start squeezing it as hard as you can. Its strength level is adjustable which makes it a perfect tool for stroke patients to slowly develop their hand grip strength.
Your hands are simply one of the most used parts in your body. Bouncing back to your normal daily life after a stroke attack is vital. While this list of exercise methods can help, checking in with your occupational or physical therapist. It is still important to make sure that you’re on the right track.

Grip Strength as an Indicator of Heart Health

Grip Strength as an Indicator of Heart Health. Did you know that a strong grip doesn’t just mean a firm handshake. But it could also be a good indicator of a person’s heart health?

Aside from that, it has also been reported that the strength of one’s grip could predict a person’s chance of experiencing or dying from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. In fact, various researches have proven this fact to be true.

Two separate but related types of research have reported.  That a person’s grip could be a great indicator of current cardiovascular condition. One study reported that a significant increase in grip strength. Could lower the chances of a person dying from a heart attack. Another research has also claimed that stronger grips could contribute to the heart’s ability to pump more blood into the body.

Let’s dig in deeper into these two types of research.

The Connection Between Hand Strength and Cardiovascular Health

A research published by The Lancet looked at the relationship between grip strength and heart health. Among adults from 17 countries aged 35-70 as a part of Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study. They used a device called dynamometer to measure a person’s grip strength. It recorded any changes in the person’s health within a span of 4 years.

Their results showed that a 5-kilogram decrease in a person’s hand strength was associated with the following:

• An increased 16% chance of dying from any diseases;
• A 17% chance of dying from a heart disease;
• 7% increase in their chances of experiencing heart attack; and
• 9% increased the risk of experiencing a stroke.

Even when the researchers considered risk factors such as age, lifestyle, and other contributing factors, they still found hand grip strength to be a strong indicator of heart health.

They also found out that grip strength was actually a better indicator of cardiovascular functioning than blood pressure. However, the researchers suggested looking more into the relationship between the two brings us to the next research.

Grip Strength and a Healthier Heart Functioning and Structure

To investigate the link between grip strength and heart functioning. The grip strength of 5,065 participants with no history or underlying heart problems was measured using a hydraulic machine. Where they were instructed to squeeze a handle as hard as they can. Researchers Sebastian Beyer and Steffen Peterson studied the MRI of the participants along with the data they obtained from the hydraulic machine.

The study revealed that people with stronger grips were associated with better heart functioning. Since their hearts were able to pump more blood into the body despite having a lower heart mass. This finding, in turn, indicated that the heart muscles are less likely to experience remodeling. Which happens during hypertension or heart attacks. This was a breakthrough for the study since it gave a better understanding of the connection between the hand grip and heart structure, which was not known previously.

In Conclusion

With the researches to prove it, there is no doubt that there is a strong correlation between grip strength and cardiovascular health. You don’t have to limit doing your hand strengthening exercises at the gym.  Even when you’re at home watching television, you can do some hand strengthening exercises by using hand grippers or by squeezing tennis or rubber balls.

But of course, developing stronger grips wouldn’t be as effective without giving your muscles proper nutrition. Make sure to eat healthier and avoid eating unhealthy foods as much as possible. And finally, remember that a healthy, strong grip means a healthy heart.

by Biel Fit
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Don’t Lose Your Grip: Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Neglect Hand Strengthening Exercises

Don’t Lose Your Grip: Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Neglect Hand Strengthening Exercises. Our body’s strength starts in our hands. Essentially when you have stronger hands, your entire body also becomes stronger. This is why grip strength is a critical aspect in sports, such as gymnastics, and even in our daily lives.

A lot of people focus on working their arms, legs, and back to get that perfect muscled look. What they often overlook is the importance of combining grip strength with their usual workout routine. Believe it or not, having a stronger grip could actually benefit boost your overall gain as well as help lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Our grip is basically what makes our body strong. It’s the one that allows our body to move, lift, and carry stuff from one place to another. Aside from that, these 5 reasons will tell you why you shouldn’t neglect hand strengthening exercises:

1. Injury Prevention

Having a weak grip can affect the way you live. When your grip and forearm muscles are not conditioned properly, you could suffer from certain types of injuries. These types of injuries are also common among athletes.

For instance, tennis players suffer from a tennis elbow which is characterized by extreme pain on the outside of the elbow. Climbers can have the same pain but on the opposite side of the elbow. Like the athletes, ordinary people with desk jobs can suffer from the same injuries.

Although these can be treated with injections or massage, these issues will keep on coming back if you won’t do anything about your forearm and grip conditioning.

2. Overall Health Indicator

The benefits of having a strong grip does not stop with injury prevention. Grip strength can also be a great overall health indicator. Sports scientist, Thomas Kurz, suggests using a dynamometer in measuring the strength of a person’s grip. If the results show that the grip strength falls below the previous measurement, it could be mean fatigue or lack of optimal recovery.

3. Grip Strength Affects the Core

In order for your core to achieve its maximum gain, the muscles in both your upper and lower body must also be placed under tension. In addition, one of the most effective ab exercises is the hanging leg raise. The problem is, many people can’t go through long periods of hanging leg raise because their weak grip is holding them back. However, with a stronger grip, leg raises become much easier and achieving rock-hard abs won’t be so hard anymore.

4. Increased Hand Strength

Hand strengthening exercises are also great for building a strength on your wrists and arms. It’s especially effective when done at the gym since you’re workout program will involve lifting heavy weights. Athletes, gymnasts, and climbers benefit from these exercises since their sport requires a good grip for them to be able to support their weight.

5. Builds Endurance

When you have a strong grip, it becomes easier for you to carry your groceries, open a jar, and carry out activities for an extended period of time. Developing endurance also helps you perform more reps at the gym before your target muscles give out.

The importance of incorporating grip strength into our daily workout routine can’t be stressed enough. Aside from these benefits, hand strengthening exercises can help improve dexterity as well as enables you to lift heavier weights for maximum gain. Start by doing hand gripper exercises or tennis ball squeeze and build up to a more challenging exercise when you’re ready. Starting slow is already a big step to take and it will make a huge difference in your overall health and power.

by Biel Fit
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Improve Your Grip with These 5 Hand Strengthening Exercises

Improve Your Grip with These 5 Hand Strengthening Exercises.While some people can open a jar of pickles without having much difficulty, not everybody is blessed with having a strong grip. According to Harvard physical therapist Maria Cole, we often rely on our hands to stay active and independent. She also added that having weak hands could hinder a person from enjoying life’s pleasures.
Having a strong grip is an important part of every person’s life. This is why it’s extremely important for us to be able to develop a strong grip we still can. With that said, here are 5 easy hand strengthening exercises you can do at home or at the gym to help you achieve a strong and firm grip.

1. Dumbbell Rotation

Aside from strengthening the muscles in your arm, dumbbell rotation is also perfect for improving your grip strength.

How to do it:

With a dumbbell on each hand, bend your arms and position it on a 90-degree angle in front of you. Keep your shoulders relaxed as you turn the dumbbells as far away from you as possible without putting so much strain on your wrists and then slowly bring your arms back to the original position. Do 12 to 15 reps before moving on to your next exercise.

2. Wrist Curls

This exercise is extremely beneficial for your wrist flexors which can improve the strength of your grip.

How to do it:

Grabbing a pair of light dumbbells, place your hands on top of a bench or a counter. Position your hand so that your palm would face downwards and flex your wrists toward you then down towards the floor making sure that your wrists are in contact with the bench or countertop the whole time. Do 2 sets of this exercise with 12 to 15 reps in each set.

3. Gripper Exercises (Speed Repetitions)

Hand grippers are the easiest and most convenient way to improve the strength in your hands. You can do it when you’re at your desk at work, or even when you’re just watching television at home.

How to do it:

With one hand, try to squeeze the hand grippers as many times as you can for a set amount of time. Repeat the same with the other hand with the same amount of time. You also have to make sure that you’re exerting the same pressure on each hand with every grip session.

4. Tennis Ball Squeeze

This is another simple exercise that everyone can do anytime. This is especially helpful when you’re having trouble with holding on to things. This exercise can also help you open that jar of pickles easily.

How to do it:

Hold a tennis ball or a rubber ball in one hand and start squeezing it as hard as you can for 3 to 5 seconds before releasing. Repeat 10 to 15 times before moving the ball to the other hand.

5. Towel Hangs

Towel hangs can actually help improve your grip by making your hands and forearms work harder to maintain its hold.

How to do it:

Start this exercise by hanging two towels shoulder-width apart over a pull-up bar. Grab the towels with each hand and lift your knees up so that your body will be hanging. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds per set.
Hand grip exercises are extremely important in every person’s workout. Aside from the fact that it improves your grip, these exercises could also improve dexterity as well as improve the quality of a person’s life as he/she ages. Start incorporating these routines to your workout weekly and work your way up from there and you’ll be sure to achieve that firm grip you’ve always wanted in no time.

by Biel Fit

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The Benefits of Hand Strengthening According to Research

The Benefits of Hand Strengthening Exercises According to Research. Being healthy is probably the topmost priority for most people. In this modern age, we all know how important it is for us to maintain a healthy body to prevent diseases such as heart attack or stroke. For some, it means going regularly to the gym and doing some resistance workout but to others, simple hand strengthening exercises will do the trick.

A lot of people may not know this, but having a good grip can actually have a lot of benefits. For instance, hand strengthening exercises are extremely important for rock climbers in order for them to develop their grip and maintain their hold. For stroke survivors, these types of exercises are essential for them to regain their fine motor skills.

Aside from these, developing a strong grip could have other wonderful benefits. Let’s explore some of them below:

 1. Lowers the Risk of Heart Attacks and Stroke

Growing old is inevitable. The older the person gets, the more likely it is for him/her to experience stroke or suffer from cardiovascular diseases. And as nature would have it, their muscle mass would slowly start to decline as well.

A study published in The Lancet in July 2015 assessed the hand strength of 140,000 adults from ages 35 to 70. The results showed that a 5-kg decline in grip strength was associated with 17% increased risk of dying from a heart attack. 7% risk of having a heart attack and a 9% risk of experiencing stroke. They then concluded that stronger grips were associated with more muscle mass. The more muscle mass a person has, the less likely it is for him/her to experience heart diseases or stroke.

2. Improves Mobility

Did you know that your grip could also predict your mobility in your golden years? In fact, a study published by Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences established a connection between grip strength and mobility. The results showed that men who have weaker grips (less than 26 kg). Are more likely to face issues relating to mobility in the future compared to men who have normal strength grips.

3. Improved Quality of Life

Stronger grips are also associated with an improved quality of life especially at an older age. A study in 1999 concluded that among older people. Hand grips are a great indicator of functional limitations in later life. They also added that having good muscle strength is a great way to avoid any old age disabilities in the future.

Another study published by Oxford Academic in 2010 showed that people over 85 with weak hand grips. Are more likely to experience faster cognitive decline.

Hand strengthening exercises is usually the type of exercise most people often overlook. They think it’s a complete waste of time and effort. To perform an exercise that would only affect less than 5% of the body when in truth, it’s just as important as any other workouts.

The ones listed above are just some of the many advantages of having a strong grip. Although it’s just a small part of our body. Having a good grip could be actually be beneficial to a person – athlete or not – in a lot of ways. If it isn’t part of your exercise program yet, it might be a good idea to start incorporating it now.

by Biel Fit
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How To Lower Blood Pressure With Hand Gripping Exercises

How to lower the blood pressure with Hand Gripping Exercises? We know that high blood pressure, or hypertension, is a warning sign of heart attack, stroke, vision problems and other cardiovascular dysfunction. Blood pressure varies continuously throughout the day in accordance with our physical activities. Morning hypertension is quite common, which is, for some people, their blood pressure may be too high in the morning.

Exercise is one of the best things you can do to lower the blood pressure. Doing simple hand-grip exercises like squeezing the grippers with a resistance spring. Squeezing the egg-shaped ball along with your daily routine workout session, helps lower your blood pressure considerably. Regular exercise helps make your heart stronger and more efficient at pumping blood, which lowers the pressure in your arteries.

Our Biel Fit hand grip strengthener kits contain everything you need for your regular exercises - Adjustable Hand Strengtheners, Finger Exercisers, Finger Resistance Bands and Gel Balls.

Do you exercise regularly?

A normal blood pressure reading should be less than 135/85 mm Hg. Researchers found that gripping exercises can give you more impressive results in lowering the blood pressure in the short term. When compared to all other exercises like walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, dancing, climbing stairs etc., Monitor your progress by logging all your blood pressure readings with a home blood pressure monitor. With proper cuff size that matches the distance around your upper arm.

Unlike other exercises, the hand grip strengtheners are easy to carry, so you can do hand and finger exercises whenever possible. Since no one has to push themselves beyond their comfort zone, you can split your timings in a whole day interval and no need to do it at a stretch.

Who is in the high-risk zone?

As we age, we will become more vulnerable to high blood pressure. Two-thirds of people older than 60 years are in their risk zone.  Because of the food habits, emotional stress and health conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol level or obesity, some middle-aged people are also included in this risk zone.

What are the Symptoms?

Often, high blood pressure has no symptoms at all and even if they knew. Some may forget or don't consider it as a big deal.
Never fail to contact your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms such as severe headache, chest pain, and numbness or tingling in your face or arms.
So regular exercise with prescribed medications, proper diet and hydration of the body will do the best job. "Prevention is better than cure", so normal people also should follow an exercise routine every day. Use hand grip strengtheners in addition to their regular exercise.

by Biel Fit

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Lightweights or heavyweights, which is better for optimum muscle gain?

Lightweights or heavyweights, which is better for optimum muscle gain?

If you are aiming for muscle growth, you may want to incorporate weights in your training. But what will be the best lifting equipment for you?

Many conventional thinkers believe that big is better than small. This definitely applies to lift training, there are many who see high repetitions of light weights as muscle endurance training but only having minimal contribution to gaining muscle mass. Obviously, the opposite, which is the low to moderate reps of heavier weights, has been the traditional workout technique that is widely known for muscle gain.

There are even goal charts created wherein the time under tension and the load that you have to lift is listed and will depend on the goal that you are aiming for. The more complex the goal, the lesser the time and the heavier the load.

Such chart and conventional beliefs regarding muscle growth imply that heavy loads are better if you want to increase hypertrophy and strength. While lighter leads will lead to endurance but not hypertrophy.

Little did you know that there are studies already conducted to determine which approach is the best for muscle growth.

Research # 1, Debunking conventions but not enough

Stuart Philips and his colleagues released numerous findings regarding the effects of light and heavy weights to muscle gain. In the year 2012, they subjected 18 male participants to leg training on the leg extension machine. The subjects performed the training three times a week continuously until the 10th week.

They were grouped into 3 and had different ranges of a routine program. One group had to do 3 sets at 30% of their 1RM for 30-40 repetitions, another group did 1 set at 80% of their 1RM for 10-12 repetitions, and the last group finished 3 sets at 80% of their 1RM for 10-12 repetitions.

The results showed that muscle growth in the participants’ quadriceps was almost the same in groups 1 to 3. This means that both the light and heavyweight teams increased equivalent muscle mass when the volume was considered.

Though quite an eye-opener to some, many still criticized the study since the participants are untrained trainers whose tendency for muscle gain is high when subjected to any training.

Research # 2, Breaking Barriers

To address the criticisms received, Philips and his team conducted another study. In 2016, they subjected 49 men to the same grouping and protocol. The difference from the first program is that the men in the 2016 study have an average of 4 years of lifting experience and they completed a whole-body resistance training program.

The results, once again, exhibited that the load of the weights did not directly impact hypertrophy. In other words, both light weights and heavy weights resulted in the same escalation of muscle growth.

Various studies, as well as meta-analyses, has been performed regarding the effects of these weights. 

Ultimately, they all arrived at the same conclusion, that is, lightweights and heavyweights can provide the equal amounts of muscle growth when the volume is paralleled and sets are taken close to failure.

Which is better?

From the numerous researches made, it is now clear that light weights can be as beneficial as heavy weights in terms of muscle gain.

Though it is important to note that 8 meta-analyses showed that heavyweight training can lead to better results when strength gain is considered.

Moreover, the researches involved the use of pushing to near failure irrespective of the weights being used. Increased metabolic stress is causing a way more uncomfortable training to failure in doing higher rep range than heavy weights with lower reps. Some of the participants in the studies conducted even threw up after doing the high rep sets.

 It is then essential for training newbies to know the two main mechanisms of muscle growth, mechanical tension, and metabolic stress. More mechanical tension is induced when you lift heavy weights while more metabolic stress can be caused by lifting light weights in high repetitions.

To maximize muscle growth, both mechanisms should be targeted and included in your training program.

Mistakes to Avoid in Getting Bigger Biceps

Mistakes to Avoid in Getting Bigger Biceps

Mistakes to Avoid in Getting Bigger Biceps. Dudes love to hear people say, ‘nice pair of guns’ when they flaunt their biceps but simply putting an Instagram caption, “sun’s out and guns out” will neither get you a lot of likes nor will it change peoples’ perception of your muscles and body. You may be working out hard, but if you’re making a few essential mistakes, getting these compliments will be quite difficult. Getting bigger biceps is not easy; you must lift heavy weights and work out hard to get those big guns. At the same time, you must avoid mistakes that can prevent you from achieving your goal. What are the mistakes that are affecting your workout and limiting you from getting bigger biceps? Let’s take a look.

1.     Momentum for Curls

In order to grow your muscles, you must force them to work. If you just bend forward and swing your arms so that you can lift heavier weight, there will be no tension in your biceps and your arms workout will give you no gain.

If you are swinging your arms in order to lift those dumbbells, there is no point of lifting heavier weights. You should switch with a lighter pair to make sure that your technique is right. You will only get bigger guns with the right technique.

2.     Leaning back

If you lean back during your curl, you will not only take off tension from your biceps but will also put yourself at risk of suffering from a lower spine injury. Tension leads to the growth of a muscle, so always stay upright during your bicep curl exercise. If you are not able to complete the lift and must lean backwards to lift the weight, use lighter weights.

3.     Lifting Shoulders/Elbows

Some lifters who start working out on their biceps without a trainer think that they can get more squeeze in their biceps by raising their elbows or shrugging their shoulders. When you lift your shoulders and arms, your anterior deltoids get involved in the movement, taking the tension off from your biceps and teaching the effect of your bicep curls. Never lift your elbows or shoulders during a bicep curl; stay disciplined if you want to get the best results from your bicep exercises.

4.     Using Forearms to Curl

Some guys complain that they get more burn in their forearms instead of their biceps when performing curls. For some people, this happens because of an imbalance of strength between forearms and biceps. This strength imbalance can be corrected by training the forearms through tools like Adjustable Hand Grip Strengthener.

However, most of the times, feeling more forearm burn is because of a wrong technique. When starting your curls, make sure that you don’t contract your forearms first. Your wrists should be lined with your forearms at all times.

5.     Combining Biceps with Lats

Normally, you can train biceps and lats on the same day, but if your top priority is biceps growth, then it is better to do these two different muscle groups on separate days. Pulling is involved in tax movements, which taxes your biceps and affects the intensity with which you can complete your curls, thus affecting your biceps workout.

These mistakes may seem minute, but they have a major impact on your biceps workout. If you want to get bigger biceps, never make these mistakes and always focus on the right technique.

by Biel Fit

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Did you notice that your fingers become numb at night? Or Did you wake up with numbness and tingling in your hands that may run all the way to your shoulder? If the symptoms continue, it may be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and if it is not treated in the early stage, you may lose the hand grip totally, because your hand muscles will get shrunk and the worst part is, it induces deep muscle pain and eventually you may have to undergo surgery.

What are the Causes?

CTS is painful and disruptive to your daily life. Repetitive motions of the wrist that you do over and over, especially when your wrist is above your fingers, you will become vulnerable to CTS. Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hypothyroidism, Obesity and Diabetes have more chance of getting CTS.

Hand Grip Strengthener For CTS Cure

Early diagnosis plays a key role because it can be treated easily and prevent permanent nerve damage.

Hand Grip Strengthening exercises are most effective when combined with other treatments, such as change of work routine and simple medications, for mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome. You need to have a break from your daily routine of work, that involves a repetitive movement of hands.

Because mild wrist exercising with a grip strengthener will help the median nerve movement around the carpal tunnel. This exercise may be particularly effective if your CTS is caused by inflammatory conditions, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis to relieve pressure from the nerve. With our portable, easy to carry strengthener kit that fits in your handbag, work bag or even pocket, you can do quick wrist exercises while you’re standing in line at the grocery store, driving or sitting at your desk at work.

Wrist exercises increase flexibility and help lower the risk of injury. Stretches using mild hand stretcher are recommended as a preventive measure or to ease the slight pain. You can minimize or even avoid pain by doing these simple workouts.

In addition to the workouts, applying cold packs, taking frequent breaks, splinting your wrist at night can give you relief from the symptoms and muscle pain and will ease the hand and wrist movements.

For Nerve Relaxation After Surgery

If an early prediction is not done, then exercise with a hand grip strengthener after surgery for carpal tunnel to prevent nerve scarring. The range-of-motion produced during the exercises like nerve-gliding exercises might help heal significant trauma to the wrist. 

Before attempting any exercise, consult your doctor to take which kind of exercise that suits you best for the improvement in hand grip strength. No need to wait until you get affected from CTS, if your work involves hours of repeated movement of the wrists and fingers, get our Hand Grip Strengthener kit and work out on the daily basis. After all, we know that "Prevention is better than cure".

by Biel Fit

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How to Have Stronger Forearms

How to Have Stronger Forearms

Forearms can be overpowered by strong triceps and biceps, and if that’s the case for you, you need to blow up those stubborn forearms with intense exercises.
If you’re a baseball player, carpenter, mechanic or a laborer who is engaged in a lot of physical exercises with his hands then you probably already have monster forearms. But if your job does not involve much physical exercise, you probably need to pay attention to your weak forearms.
Here are some ways you can make your forearms impressive in both functionality and looks.

1. Hand Grippers

You must be familiar with the hand grippers and they really work well for forearms. To get the most out of hand grippers, you must increase the resistance as you progress. Buy multiple grippers with different coil thicknesses. As you exercise and become comfortable with one gripper, move on to the next one with greater coil thickness. Grippers are great because they can be used anywhere and are inexpensive.

2. Loaded Carriers

Forearms training can be made more effective by maximizing the muscular endurance. Exercises like fireman’s carriers, farmers walk and another kind of dynamic movements where an isometric grip is required are the key. As you progress through these exercises, you’ll see how your grip strength improves and forearms start to blow up.

3. Hammer Grip

Use a hammer grip when performing chin-ups and biceps in the neutral position of the palm will allow the brachioradialis to be targeted more effectively. This is simple: just ditch the normal curls and pull-ups and use a hammer grip wherever you can.

4. Strongman Stuff

Loaded carriers are a good way to start working on forearms, but to spice things up a little, strongman stuff is recommended. You may be able to get access to big rocks to carry, ropes to pull or climb or tires to flip, and if you can, incorporate them into forearms training as a secondary exercise. Regular strongman workout can guarantee you bigger and stronger forearms.

5. Challenge Yourself

When you perform basic movements, don’t just limit yourself to standard dumbbells and barbells – change it! Give your forearms and grip a challenge by making them grasp something tight. There are some tools that can be used for increasing bar thickness to improve the grip strength of the lifter. To hold a fatter bar, you’ll need to squeeze tighter which means you’ll be doing a workout within a workout.

The Final Word

Most people think that to make the forearms muscle stronger, specific training is required that involves typical sets and reps. However, that is not the case. Loaded carriers, hand grips, and strongman workout are all important to make your forearms monstrous. Try these methods and soon you’ll need to wear sleeveless shirts just because your arms won’t fit into your sleeves.

by Biel Fit
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How To Lose Belly Fat

How To Lose Belly Fat

We’ve all been there: staring at the cake and knowing we should eat the vegetable mother has cooked. No matter how much we try to convince ourselves for making the healthy choice, we find ourselves reaching for the cake.

Why does the food we eat even matter?

Diet plays a crucial role especially when you’re hoping to shed that extra fat around your belly. While there may not be any magic bullet for losing belly fat, eating the right food definitely helps. So, what are the foods that you should be eating for a slimmer waist? We’ll jump right into that.

Oats

Oats are rich in fiber that’s why when you eat it, your stomach remains full longer which reduces appetite and helps to lower intake of calories. Moreover, oats can easily be digested which helps to reduce bloating. Cinnamon can be added with oats for a better effect. A study shows that when cinnamon is sprinkled over cereal, it helps to lower insulin production after food is consumed. Excess sugar is turned into fat by insulin so when insulin will decrease, you’ll be able to lose belly fat.

Nuts

Peanuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts- just go nuts about nuts. Those who consume nuts instead of carb-based diet have low abdominal fat. Nuts are loaded with monosaturated fat and Vitamin E which help to combat belly fat.   However, be advised that you should never overeat nuts as although they are rich in nutrients, but overeating will always increase fat instead of lowering it.

Green Tea

There are studies that suggest green tea helps with weight loss and a few studies also show that belly fat is the first area that is targeted by green tea. In other words, if you wish to reduce belly fat, green tea is sure to hit the spot. Scientists believe that the rate by which fat breaks down in the human body is increased by green tea. Green tea also improves the sensitivity of blood sugar which helps in reducing cravings for sugar and refined carbohydrates.

Dairy Products (Low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, yogurt)

Several studies show that improved body composition and high take of calcium is strongly linked. When calcium level is low, the secret hormones of the body allow it better use the calcium that’s already present. However, the problem is that at the same, the body also signals the fat cells to hold onto the fat. Dairy products like low fat or fat-free milk, cheese, and yogurt are preferred to fulfill calcium requirements.

Olive Oil

Olive oil and other plant-based oils have hormones that create that full feeling to help you eat less. However, avoid battered foods that are fried in oil. Fried snacks lead to weight gain so you are better off eating them once in a while.

It will require commitment and persistence to achieve weight loss, especially around your belly. But, if you don’t give up and stay focused on eating the right food, you’ll soon have a slimmer waist that you desire.

by Biel Fit
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Reasons to Increase Your Grip Strength

Reasons to Increase Your Grip Strength

Almost everyone today is aware of the importance of maintaining a healthy physical fitness level to live a quality life. For most of us, this usually means hitting the gym to perform a variety of exercises. For those who regularly go to the gym to maximize their strength, vigor, and health, one important thing they must take into consideration is grip strength.

Why does grip strength matter? You might ask this question like many others who are unaware of the importance of grip strength. You might think that it is unreasonable to take some time out from your hardcore exercises to train the lower arms and hands for increasing the grip strength. However, the truth is, a strong grip provides substantial benefits in training as well as other things. Let’s take a look at what those benefits are.

1.The Stronger Your Grip is The Stronger You Are

How many times has it happened that you couldn’t do another rep because your grip fatigued or slipped? You must have experienced times when you couldn’t continue to work out because your grip gave out before all the other muscles of your body. Hands and forearms often fatigue quickly during deadlifts, biceps curls, and other exercises.

Many exercises in the gym require carrying heavy weight around. This involves controlling and holding onto that weight. A strong grip allows you to hold heavy weights in the gym without your hands tiring out too soon. Your grip won’t exhaust, therefore you won’t be limited by the amount of training you can carry out in the gym.

2.Stronger Grip Means Stronger Handshake

Society judges men by the level of their strength and how physically strong they look. A hearty, strong handshake is perfect for showing others how strong and manly you really are and it leaves a great impression on others. Have you ever shaken hands with a person whose grips felt like Thor? It was really impressive, right? By increasing your grip strength, you can have the same strong handshake.

3. Stronger Grip Leads to More Injury Resiliency

Strengthened muscles and tissues are more resistant to injury and even if you suffer from an injury; with stronger tissues, you’ll be able to recover faster and get back to training. This is especially important for players who play sports where hands are continuously used. For example, players of tennis and squash rely on their hands and forearms to play the game and if an injury occurs in these areas, they will be out of the game for a long time. With stronger tissues, these athletes can recover sooner and get back on top of their game.

Are you taken over by these remarkable benefits of increased grip strength? Do you want to increase your grip strength and become stronger? If yes, then get Adjustable Hand Grip Strengtheners. Adjustable Hand Grip Strengtheners includes tools that can help you get a stronger grip. These tools are portable, so you can work on increasing your grip strength anytime, anywhere.

by Biel Fit
www.bielfit.com
Check out our products and eBook

How To Manage Arthritis

How To Manage Arthritis

Life is beautiful, but no matter what you do, it will take its toll. Physically, mentally, or emotionally, it will take a part of you away. I have seen countless individuals live a great and fantastic life, but in the end, they all end up the same, either in a wheelchair or in a nursing home, and for me, this is probably one of the worst things that can happen to a person.
Not being able to take care of yourself is probably one of the most unwanted situations in the world. Picture this, even the smallest tasks will be a painful journey, something as simple as opening a can of soda or pulling the living room blinds open, ridiculous right? What must you do you ask? Simple. Take care of yourself by making yourself stronger. And when you do that, your worries will go out the window.
Like me for example. I have arthritis and it affects mostly my hands. It isn’t life-threatening, but it is life-consuming. At first, it was a real struggle, but when I realized the benefits of using hand strengtheners, all my pain just went away.
Arthritis is a degenerative disease that causes pain in the joints and weakens them. It affects a lot of people who are aging and does not choose who to affect. And the thing is, most people who are stricken by this disease complain a lot about their hands. This goes to show that the only way to prevent or manage this is by making your hand joints strong. And with the use of handgrip strengtheners, you will have the following benefits:

Increased Hand Endurance

Regular use of hand grip strengtheners increases the blood flow to your hands, making it more durable. Blood carries oxygen to the muscles and joints, and you need good old O2 to refuel. Think of it as a training for a marathon. You need to increase your stamina in order to run that extra mile, right? It is the same with your hands.

Noticeable improvement | Hand Strength

Hand grip strengtheners greatly improve the strength of your hands because it’s like lifting weights but focuses more on your grip. Now for elderly people with arthritis, this is definitely a game changer since the disease itself decreases the ability of the hands to grip things tightly and securely, well with hand strengtheners, this won’t be a problem anymore.

Improvement of Dexterity

This is definitely good for musicians or for those people who do a lot of work with their hands because it greatly increases the independence of each finger, making it more precise and useful.

Manages pain greatly

Lastly, hand grip strengtheners help in managing pain because it exercises the hands, causing more oxygen to flow and repair or refuel tired muscles, tissues, joints, and tendons. Medicines are still applicable, but with these tools, you can greatly expect a decrease in pain in no time.

We can only do what is best until our time comes. So, when we have to walk the talk, let us all remember that we are given the intelligence not only to take care of others but also of ourselves.

by Biel Fit
www.bielfit.com
Check out our products and eBook