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The physical state of every person is crucial. If you have problems with your health, you cannot live a normal life as they cause multiple complications. For example, schoolers cannot focus on their education as their physical state doesn’t let them study well and follow the pace. Thus, physical education steps up. One is supposed to be healthy physically. It’s necessary to take care of physical activity to remain healthy all the time. When youngsters suffer from various ailments, the best grades will never come regularly.

As a result, many students ask – What writing agency can write an essay for me? They commonly use https://domyessays.com/ because they know how skilled and effective its writers are. Yet, you can simply improve your physical state and thus use its help rarely. This informative guest post explains how physical activity can boost school performance and how an ordinary student can sustain his or her physical condition regularly.

The Positive Effects of Physical Activity

If you undertake physical fitness on a regular basis, you surely sustain your own health. There are more than physical benefits for us. Not all people understand that being in shape also improves our mood and develops our brain. The importance of certified physical education in schools and colleges is huge. We will highlight the main benefits that can help students become more effective learners.

Improvement of Cognition

Not all people know that physical education classes are implemented to develop various kinds of cognitive functions. Multiple studies proved that regular physical exercise can develop our brains in many positive ways. Here are the common cognitive functions one can develop if one is physically active:

• Thinking
• Speaking
• Movements
• Creativity
• Concentration, etc.

You should agree that all these and some other functions are crucial for learning aims. When you devote your physical fitness to cognitive and brain health, you become a more effective learner. You can think clearer and more creatively. You gain a better focus on your tasks and thus rarely make mistakes.

Enhanced Mood

Your health and academic life are tightly related to one another. When you work out physically, and you like that, your brain starts to produce additional levels of such natural hormones as endorphin, dopamine, and serotonin. These are the most famous mood regulators that can improve our mood a lot. When you are in a good mood, you surely study better, get a better focus, desire, etc.

We need to underline one crucial fact. You get those hormones only if you really like what you’re doing. If you go to the gym and you hate that, you will never be in a good mood. It will lower and lead to problems with learning. Select the sport that can bring you pleasure.

Increased Memory Capacity

One of the main benefits of physical activity for learners is the chance to sufficiently expand their memory capacities. Regular workouts help your mind hold more information and remember it for a long time. Thus, the process of learning will be more effective.

Physical Activity Linked to Higher Grades

Undertaking physical fitness on the brain is helpful for academic success. We have already mentioned vital benefits you can enjoy if you work out physically and enjoy that process. These benefits help to focus on what you must do, increase your memory capacity, and make you more energetic and productive. As a result, it helps to perform your duties better and thus earn higher grades when you complete your academic projects.

Tips on How to Boost Your Physical Conditions

Physical activity and physical education are crucial for schoolers. When a youngster is physically active and not exhausted, he/she enjoys vital benefits to earn higher grades. It is necessary to figure out how to boost your physical condition. Here are our recommendations:

• Select the sport you like. First of all, select the kind of sport that suits your talents, preferences, and physical abilities. You are supposed to like it.
• Spend enough time on it. Secondly, schedule your time to work out at least thrice per week.
• Do not overwork. You should not exhaust your body. Even 15 minutes of intensive running or gymnastics may be sufficient for you.
• Consume healthy food. Refuse junk food and consume only natural products.
• Sleep well. A person is supposed to sleep 8-10 hours per day to restore the body.
• Drink enough water. An adult person should drink about 5-8 full glasses of water every day to stay hydrated.

The Bottom Line

Physical activity in the classroom is of enormous importance. Teachers should sustain the physical conditions of their students if they want to keep them healthy and involved in the educational process. There are many benefits that help to improve school performance when you are physically active. Parents are expected to encourage their children, too.

The post How Physical Activity Affects School Performance appeared first on GymGuider.com.

Go into nearly any commercial gym, and you’re likely to find a Smith machine or two in a corner somewhere. More often than not, you might find it deserted in favor of lifting platforms and highly-muscled folks deadlifting 500 pounds. Indeed, the popularity of barbell exercises from the back squat to the clean & jerk has made the humble Smith machine seem obsolete.

But if you’re training alone and aiming to push yourself through failure on the bench press, you might want to reconsider the next time you ignore the oft-neglected apparatus. The Smith machine bench press is an outstanding exercise that offers significant yet untapped upper body gains.

Credit: lunamarina / Shutterstock

Countless lifters from years past have made the Smith machine bench press a staple in their routines. Here’s how to do it, why you should try it, some alternatives, and common mistakes to avoid.

• How to Do the Smith Machine Bench Press
• Smith Machine Bench Press Variations
• Smith Machine Bench Press Alternatives
• Benefits of the Smith Machine Bench Press
• Muscles Worked by the Smith Machine Bench Press
• Who Should Do the Smith Machine Bench Press
• Common Smith Machine Bench Press Mistakes
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Smith Machine Bench Press

The Smith machine bench press is performed similarly to your standard bench press, but there are some unique differences. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1 — Setting Your Base Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

Place an adjustable bench in the Smith machine rack. Lie down flat on your back with the bar lined up approximately midway between your collarbone and your belly button. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor and that you’re able to unrack the bar.

Coach’s Tip: Remember to take advantage of the safety bumpers. Line them up at approximately chest height when you’re lying on your back.

Step 2 — Setting Your Grip

Tuck your shoulder blades back and down, engaging your lats with your arms fully extended in front of your body. Grip the bar evenly between each hand, taking care to stay dead center on the bench and the machine. Maintain this grip width with your shoulders back and down for the duration of the set.

Coach’s Tip: If your Smith machine bar doesn’t have any markings, create your own. Try draping a lifting strap in the middle of the bar before you set up.

Step 3 — Arch Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

Keep your hands on the bar and create a tight natural arch through your thoracic spine. Pull your upper back toward the bar, keeping your lats engaged. Plant your feet flat on the floor where your body has moved to create the arch to maintain this new position.

Coach’s Tip: The bar should now be directly above the highest part of your chest due to your arch. 

Step 4 — The Descent Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

Maintain five points of contact — both feet on the floor, your butt, upper back, and head on the bench. Begin a slow and controlled descent through the first repetition, making micro-adjustments to your grip to accommodate your body type and mobility. Stop once the bar reaches your chest or you feel your hands, wrists, elbows, or shoulders starting to lose position.

Coach’s Tip: The Smith machine bench press may not reach your chest on each repetition, and that’s okay! The full range of motion (ROM) is going to be unique to your body.

Step 5 — Press Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

With your feet flat on the floor, create huge leg tension by pushing into the ground. Maintain your arch and use this leg drive to stay as tight as possible. Push the bar back to the starting position, making sure to stop before you untuck your shoulders.

Coach’s Tip: Think of performing a quad extension to engage your leg drive.

Smith Machine Bench Press Variations

The Smith machine bench press is a great asset for building your upper body strength. There are also a handful of useful variations to complement your chest workouts further — here they are.

Close-Grip Smith Machine Bench Press

[Read More: 5 Bench Press Programs to Build a Bigger, Stronger Chest]

1. Set up your close-grip Smith machine bench press in the same way as your standard setup.
2. Adjust your grip an inch or two closer than normal on either side.
3. Perform repetitions, emphasizing your triceps by keeping your arms tucked closer to your body.

Paused Smith Machine Bench Press

[Read More: The Best Online Workout Programs For Coaching, Cardio, Value, And More]

1. Set up on the Smith machine as you normally would, getting tight before you unrack.
2. Lower the bar under control, reaching your chest or the point where you feel you would begin to lose position any lower.
3. Pause the bar for one to two seconds before driving it back to the starting position.

Incline Smith Machine Bench Press

[Read More: The Best Back Workout for Men, Women, Strength, and More]

1. Set up on the Smith machine and adjust your bench to the first or second inclined position.
2. Sit down on the bench. Set your grip by placing your shoulder blades back and down and grabbing the bar.
3. Drive your body into the bench by pushing with your legs.
4. Descend the bar until it touches your chest or where you feel like you’d lose position. Drive the bar back to the starting position and perform for repetitions.

Smith Machine Bench Press Alternatives

If you’re looking to swap out the Smith machine bench press for some helpful alternatives, look no further than the Smith machine push-up, chest press machine, and Smith machine JM press.

Smith Machine Push-Up

[Read More: Build a Titanic Torso with These Bodybuilding Chest & Back Workouts]

1. Set the height of the Smith machine bar to accommodate your strength or repetition goals. The higher the bar, the less load you press.
2. Set your shoulders back and down to find your grip, place your hands evenly on the bar, and lean your body weight into the machine.
3. Control your descent by slowly bending your elbows. Use the ball of your foot to create a pivot point on the ground. Press yourself back to the starting position once your chest has reached the bar.

Chest Press Machine

[Read More: Get Freakishly Strong With the 5×5 Workout Program]

1. Choose the chest press machine of choice: either flat, incline, or decline. Converging machine orientations work best here.
2. Adjust the seat so the hand grips align roughly with your armpit height.
3. Push yourself into the bench using your feet, grip the handles tightly, and drive out until your elbows are fully extended. Control the descent back to the starting position, and perform for repetitions.

Smith Machine JM Press

[Read More: How to Do the Lat Pulldown for a Wider Back and Better Pull-Ups]

1. Set up on the Smith machine similar to how you would do your close-grip bench press.
2. Initiate your descent by bending your elbows, but keep your arms tucked close to your body. 
3. Each repetition will be a combination of a skull crusher and a close-grip bench press. The bar path should be roughly over the top of your nose.
4. Lower the bar as you would with a skull crusher, keeping your upper arms in place but bringing your forearms down with the bar toward your face. Maintaining that same position, press the bar up as you would with a close-grip bench press.
5. Reset and repeat for reps.

Benefits of the Smith Machine Bench Press

Although the Smith machine bench press gets a lot of negative attention from those would would prefer a barbell, it is extremely beneficial. This lift allows you to perform one of the best upper body exercises using an extremely stable machine. This makes building muscle extremely straightforward — and less risky when you’re training alone.

High Stability

Free weights are a huge asset in the gym. They are easy to use for progressive overload as you increase strength and build muscle over time. However, before a free weight is as effective as it should be, you first need to groove the pattern. Learning to stabilize an exercise is a prerequisite to safely and effectively executing it for your goal.

With the Smith machine, the bench press pattern itself is maintained in a very specific position. The restricted range of motion makes the exercise extremely easy to execute without running into stability plateaus. This higher level of stability makes it a lot easier for you to simply hop in and sprint towards gains.

[Read More: The Ultimate 10-Week Powerbuilding Workout Routine for Mass and Strength]

It should be noted that if you’re a powerlifter, you might want to avoid using this as a training tool since you’ll want to train as specifically as possible for the barbell bench press. That said, if you’re in the offseason and want to train without a spotter — or concern for stability — you’re in luck here.

Upper Body Strength With Less Fear

The Smith machine bench press is a subtle twist on your standard bench press. Both recruit a ton of muscle mass and are some of the most highly loadable upper body exercises in the gym. 

The higher you’re able to load an exercise the more top-end strength you’ll unlock. Add in the high stability benefit of the Smith machine and your upper body strength can skyrocket.

Credit: Image Source Trading Ltd / Shutterstock

If you’re training alone, this is a tremendous asset. When you don’t know anyone who can spot you in the gym, the Smith machine comes with built-in safeties. A quick twist of your wrist, if you start failing a rep, can save you from a disaster. This way, you can load up feeling confident that you can safely miss your lift.

Muscle Gain

Similar to building strength, the Smith machine bench press makes it easy to chase major muscle gain. Squeezing out those last few repetitions — the ones that are the hardest and really challenge your progress — is a bit more intimidating on a free bench. 

You’re going to need to push yourself, preferably with an experienced spotter, to accomplish progressive overload. The Smith machine helps reinforce your technique, safety, and confidence in training hard enough for muscle gain.

Muscles Worked by the Smith Machine Bench Press

Like any horizontal upper body pressing exercise, the Smith machine bench press primarily targets your chest, triceps, and shoulders. 

Chest

The chest is the clear motivator behind nearly every horizontal pressing exercise. Your chest (or pectoralis major) is a fan-shaped muscle that attaches between your collar bone, sternum, and upper ribs to a..

When it comes to flat abs, endless crunches don’t work!

Regardless of your age, the key to a flatter stomach is training your entire core, including exercises that target different areas of your abdominals.

So, if you can’t stand crunches or simply want to mix up your core workout routine, try these 14 effective ab exercises that target all of your abdominal muscles, including your obliques, lower abs, and upper abs.

1. V-Ups Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

V-ups are one of the best ab workouts because they also develop incredible balance.

1. Lie flat on the floor and extend your arms behind your head. Keep your feet together and your toes pointed.
2. Keep your legs straight and lift them up as you simultaneously raise your upper body off the floor. Keep your core tight as you reach for your toes with your hands. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.

Targets: transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus

2. Side Plank Dips

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Side plank dips are oblique exercises for anyone looking to develop core strength and enviable side abs.

1. Start by laying on your right side with forearm below shoulder, body lifted and legs long, and feet stacked. Keep body straight, abs tight, and place left hand on hip.
2. Dip your hips down towards the mat and lift back up using your obliques and core muscles.

Targets: internal obliques, external obliques

3. Side Plank Reach Through

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

The side plank reach-through is one of the best ab oblique combination movements. You must keep your core engaged the entire time – you’ll be feeling this move!

1. Begin in a full side plank position with the right hand below shoulder, left arm reaching high above left shoulder, and legs long. (Modify by placing bottom knee onto mat if needed)
2. Tighten the abdominals and slowly scoop the left arm under the body, following with your eyes until you see behind you.
3. Slowly reach the left hand back to start position.
4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and switch sides.

Targets: transverse abdominus, internal obliques, external obliques, rectus abdominus

4. Toe Reach

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

The toe reach is different than the classic crunch you see in most ab workouts. This move focuses more on total core engagement.

1. Start on the back with legs long-reaching towards the ceiling.
2. Bring the head, neck, and shoulders off the mat and reach arms up towards the feet. Return to the tips of the shoulders and repeat.

Targets: rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus

5. Forearm Plank

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

The plank is a staple of most ab workouts because it recruits the entire core.

1. Begin lying on the floor with your forearms flat on the floor, making sure that your elbows are aligned directly under your shoulders.
2. Engage your core and raise your body up off the floor, keeping your forearms on the floor and your body in a straight line from head to feet. Keep your abdominals engaged, and try not to let your hips rise or drop.

Targets: transverse abdominus

6. Bicycle Crunches

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

The bicycle crunch builds coordination and a strong core, and is one of the best ab movements out there!

1. Start lying on your back with feet off the floor and legs in a tabletop position. Hands are behind the head, and the head, neck, and shoulders are flexed off the mat.
2. Bring one knee in and reach the opposite elbow towards it. Repeat on the other side in a crisscross motion working the obliques.

Targets: transverse abdominus, internal obliques, external obliques, rectus abdominus

7. Boat Pose

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

The boat pose is deceptively simple. This move takes incredible core strength and builds core strength. A win-win.

1. From a seated position, draw your navel in toward your spine, bracing the abdominals.
2. With your hands on the floor behind you, bring your legs up off the floor with your knees bent in front of the chest.
3. Keeping abdominals tight, slowly lift hands off the floor and reach them forward and up while lengthening legs upward. Your body will look like a “V” shape. Lengthen your spine as you hold. (If your hamstrings are too tight, you can bend your knees.)
4. Keep abdominals tight and breathe. Stay for 30-60 seconds or as long as you can.

Targets: transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus

8. Sweeping Scissors

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Ready for a challenge?

1. Start lying on the mat with arms over your head and legs long.
2. Sweep arms out to the sides and bring your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat.
3. Reach your arms long and lift one leg up and in towards the chest.  Reach your arms forward on the sides of the leg. Roll back to the mat, lowering your leg, and repeat on the other side.

Targets: transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus

9. Side To Side Obliques

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

The side-to-side oblique move is one of the best ab exercises for targeting the obliques.

1. Lie on the mat and bring your knees into the chest, forming a tabletop position. Bring the head, neck, and shoulder off the mat while coming into a crunch, reaching your arms long at the sides.
2. Exhale as you reach your right fingers to the right side in a forward motion, then return to center on the inhale. Exhale and reach left fingers to the left side in the same motion. Switch side to side without lowering onto the mat.

Targets: transverse abdominus, internal obliques, external obliques, rectus abdominus

10. Bend Extend Ab Tuck

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Ab workouts don’t have to be boring. There’s always a new variation to try, just like this bend extends ab tuck.

1. Start seated on the mat with arms behind you, hands on the mat, and fingers facing your backside. Sit back on your hands and lift up your feet off the mat keeping the knees bent.
2. Keep abs tight and press your legs out long while slightly lowering your back. You should feel your lower abdominals working, then push yourself back up and pull your knees in to return to your starting position.

Targets: transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus

11. Spiderman Abs

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Spiderman abs is a move that hurts so good! Give it a try, and your lower abs will be at attention.

1. Start in a plank position with hands on the mat slightly wider than shoulders, legs long behind you, and abdominals and glutes squeezed tight.
2. Pull the left knee toward the outside of your left elbow and hold for one count. Return to the starting and repeat on the right side.

Targets: transverse abdominus, external obliques, internal obliques

12. Forearm Star Plank

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

This forearm star plank is a variation on the plank that will help you strengthen your core and those elusive lower abs.

1. Begin lying on the right side, forearm on the floor, body lifted, and legs extended long on the mat with feet stacked.
2. Tighten the abdominals and lift the left leg and arm up in the air. Hold them straight and keep the body still for the desired amount of time. Switch sides.

Targets: external obliques, internal obliques, transverse abdominus

13. Hip Dips

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

Hip dips really build those oblique muscles!

1. Begin in a forearm plank position with your forearms flat on the mat, making sure that your elbows are aligned directly under your shoulders, your core is engaged, and your body is in a straight line from your head to your feet.
2. Lower your left hip toward the floor until it almost touches, and then immediately raise back to the center.
3. Repeat on the right side.

Target: transverse abdominus, external obliques, internal obliques

14. Double Leg Stretch

Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

You’ll definitely feel the burn with this one. (Which is a good thing!)

1. Start lying on your back with knees bent 90 degrees and arms lengthened alongside the calves. Your lower back should be pressed against the mat with your head, neck, and shoulders flexed up off the mat.
2. As you inhale, stretch your arms straight behind your head and legs straight to a diagonal position in front. As you exhale, circle your arms around and back to your legs while drawing your knees back into the 90-degree angle. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Targets: transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus

Strength Training for Women Over 50: 11 Best Moves Photo Credit: Get Healthy U

While aging is inevitable, aging well is not.

There are many factors involved in maintaining good physical and mental health as you age, but one of the most important things to consider as you grow older is weight training. Thesestrength training exercises are proven to get results for women over 50.

Strength Training for Women Over 50: 11 Best Moves

3 Walking Workouts For Weight Loss Photo Credit: Depositphotos

If you want to start working out or get back in shape after taking a break from exercise, there’s no better—or more convenient—form of exercise than walking. Walking is low-impact and doable for almost everyone, but if weight loss is your goal, we’re here to tell you that intensity is the key to success.

3 Walking Workouts For Weight Loss

The Best Love Handle Workout Photo Credit: Shutterstock

These five exercises specifically target the love handles and will have you feeling the burn!

Combine this workout with a healthy diet and cardio, and you’ll watch that belly fat “waist” away.

The Best Love Handle Workout