Archive for category: Featured

The benefits of weight training are seemingly endless… quicker results, fat loss, confidence, reduced risk of disease, and the list goes on and on. Let’s talk about testosterone for a moment. Testosterone is responsible for regulating our body’s important processes. As we continue to age, our testosterone levels decrease. 

Testosterone is crucial for your health and helps with:

• Bone density
• Maintaining a healthy body composition
• Increasing lean muscle

Men and women who have low testosterone are at higher risk for:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Depression

Here are a few examples of different exercises that will help increase your testosterone naturally: 

Squats

These are the ultimate testosterone boosters! Squats are a testosterone-boosting workout you can do without any equipment. Squats are a compound move that works most of your body’s muscles. In addition to stimulating the release of testosterone, squats are an essential exercise that leads to burning fat, building muscles, and boosting your overall strength.

HIIT Workouts 

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is short but intense bursts of exercise followed by a short recovery period. HIIT workouts are great because you can do these exercises virtually anywhere, so long as you’re giving it all you’ve got for each short burst of your workout. Working at your maximum potential during your HIIT workout and maintaining the high intensity is the key to increasing your testosterone levels. Whether you’re sprinting, boxing, doing kettlebell swings, or even jumping rope — HIIT workouts are an incredible way to improve testosterone levels naturally. 

Weight Lifting 

Weight lifting has long been associated with increasing t-levels. Working with lighter weights and machines is fine, but for the sole purpose of stimulating testosterone, you’ll need to focus mainly on heavy weight lifting. Squats, as previously mentioned, are one type of movement you can incorporate into your workout, but don’t feel limited to only those movements. Rows and chest presses are other exercises that work out many muscle groups and stimulate testosterone release.

These workouts are a few ways to jumpstart your testosterone naturally from weight training. If untreated, low t-levels can impact your health. Be sure to look out for all the signs — If you experience low libido, notice a decrease in sports performance, or have trouble sleeping, it’s always a good idea to get your testosterone levels checked by a physician. Be sure to consult your doctor if you’ve noticed any of these symptoms that suggest low testosterone. 

You might be familiar with acupuncture, but have you heard of dry needling? Poking needles into your body might not sound like it’s your cup of tea, but don’t knock it until you try it. Dry needling, a treatment that involves inserting thin needles into tight muscles and/or trigger points, does wonders! 

First and foremost, acupuncture and dry needling are not the same. Dry needling is a technique that involves placing very thin needles into the muscle at the trigger point which is typically an area where the muscle tends to be stiff and/or tender.

Preliminary research supports that dry needling provides a number of benefits including reducing muscle tension, managing pain, alleviating headaches and anxiety, and providing relief for injuries.

While dry needling may sound intimidating, it is safe and effective. If your physical therapist has suggested you try dry needling or you’re interested in understanding the many benefits, here are a few reasons you should try dry needling for pain relief. 

Improve Overall Physical Function

Did you know dry needling can enhance your mobility and help you enjoy improved range of motion?

Active trigger points are typically very tender and can cause pain on a daily basis. Dry needling addresses your body’s trigger points which ultimately leads to increased blood flow and oxygen circulation to the area. What this means is that dry needling essentially removes any blocks that your trigger points may cause in your muscle. 

Pain Relief 

Pain is tricky. We can all pop an Advil and it’ll take the edge off and provide some temporary relief, but when it comes to your body, don’t settle for a band-aid — work on finding a real solution! 

If you’re looking for a wonderful way to ensure pain reduction, look no further. Tension relief and reduced pain levels can typically be noticed after one session. The beauty of dry needling is that it’s customized to your body to treat either acute or chronic pain!

Dry needling commonly treats conditions such as:

• • Muscle and joint pain
  • Sciatic and lower back issues
  • Neck pain
  • Headaches
  • Athletic injuries

Relax Your Tight Muscles 

Dry needling is truly the best way to recharge your muscles. Besides reduced pain and achieving a better range of motion, dry needling promotes muscle relaxation. The needles target and treat almost instantly to ensure your body is relaxed and you can return back to doing the things you love to do! 

Are you interested in talking to a physical therapist trained in dry needling to see if you are a candidate? Relieve your painful symptoms and start to feel like yourself again by booking a dry needling appointment today!

2021 is among us and if you’re anything like us, your health is at the top of your list of resolutions. It is no surprise that in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, health is of utmost importance, now more than ever before. The new year is a great time to change up your routine and break unhealthy habits — it’s also the perfect opportunity to establish realistic goals that you can stick to!

All of us have our own personal goals, but commitment is what often gets in the way of making them a reality. The good news is that we have a few tips to set you up for success and help you commit to your 2021 fitness goals. 

Tackle One Thing Each Day 

Don’t be afraid to start small. Making the commitment to begin your healthy lifestyle won’t happen overnight. Think of fitness as a journey, not a destination. Don’t underestimate the small changes that you can make daily to get you to your fitness goals. Keep in mind that small accomplishments are what ultimately push you closer to your long-term goals. 

Setting up micro-goals is useful because they can be used as checkpoints in your health and wellness journey. Tackling one small thing each day that aligns with your ultimate goal can help keep you motivated and committed.

Work on Wellness Goals Outside of The Gym 

There are plenty of habits you can incorporate into your lifestyle that can contribute to your overall health and the best part is that they don’t even require you stepping foot in a gym. Whether it’s staying hydrated, avoiding junk food and soda, or getting a good night’s sleep — there are numerous goals you can set for yourself outside of the gym that can improve your health and supplement your workouts.

Holistic wellness goals are important to have so that you can cultivate a lifestyle that makes you look and feel your best. 

Don’t Aim For Perfection 

Start your fitness journey by taking the word “perfection” out of your vocabulary forever. Rather than chasing a number on a scale or a smaller pant size, chase consistency.

 If your goal is to get into shape this year, know that although your fitness goals are absolutely attainable, perfection is not. Consistency beats perfection every time with regards to fitness. Rather than obsessing over perfection, make progress your goal! The reality is, setting unrealistic expectations for yourself can be paralyzing. 

The new year is the perfect time to propel your fitness goals forward, but you don’t have to have the problematic “all or nothing” mindset. Approach your fitness and wellness resolutions holistically by taking inventory of the habits you’re looking to change.

Ready to start your fitness journey? Old Bull Athletics has got you covered! There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to health. Be kind to yourself. Altering your lifestyle is not an easy feat — so give yourself the grace to make as much or as little progress as you want.