Its great to be back and able to do a review for the MP45 Workout and Meal Plan Program.

This incredible exercise and nutrition program is one of the best available online today, the program is also huge with gym users around the world. The brain behind MP45 is the popular fitness brand Muscle Prodigy.

What I really like about this programme is that all your gym workouts and meal plans are listed in a step-by-step guide and schedule. All the hard work has been done and all we need to do is follow the plan! Due to it’s design this program is suitable for both males and females of any age or fitness level. For total convenience you can downloaded this programme on your phone, tablet or computer and get creating your dream body!

Workout Plan

MP45 is a 45 day plan that will completely transform your body over the four phrases that are broken down into the following:

• Week One – Laying the foundation
• Weeks 2 & 3 – Building the base
• Weeks 4 & 5 – Lean Muscle Activation
• Weeks 6 & 7 – The final phase

Recently we have seen a surge in cycling insurance policies who claim that your cycling gear won’t be covered by your home insurance policy.

But, is this really true?

For those that picked the cheapest home insurance when using a comparison site, this may be correct, as your cover may not be very broad. But, as you can imagine, home insurance policies are not all the same. If you have picked your home insurance policy based on quality rather than price you may have a lot more cover for your cycling gear than you think.

To help you decide if  home insurance is enough, Bought By Many have outlined the key differences between home insurance and cycling insurance policies for us.

Accidents – specific cycling policies will often pay out if you have an accident that results in a severe injury. But, this benefit is only paid out to severe injuries like losing a limb. Less extreme injuries will not be covered.

Racing – if you take part in official race events or time trials, you will not be covered by your home insurance policy. You would need cycling insurance in this instance. This is because accidental damage, collisions and injuries are much more common whilst participating in these events.

Accessories – from GPS to lighting, cycling accessories can be incredibly expensive to replace if they are damaged or stolen. Many home insurance policies will reimburse you if the items are stolen with the bike, but not if the items are stolen without the bike. On the other hand, specific cycling insurance will provide a certain amount of cover for accessories.

Breakdown cover – unsurprisingly, home insurance policies do not provide breakdown cover, but some cycling policies do. In the event of an irreparable breakdown, some policies offer help to get you and your bike to a railway station or back home via a taxi.

Multibike discounts – if you have multiple bikes that need insurance, many cycling related policies will offer a multi bike discount. This is not something that is typically seen on a home insurance policy.

Ultimately the choice of whether to use your existing home insurance policy or go for a cycling specific policy is down to your own needs and specifics. In general, you can get good cycling cover with the right home insurance policy if you are a recreational cyclist. But, if you are a more serious cyclist you may benefit from a cycling specific policy.

It’s important to keep your fitness levels up despite the season we are in and here are some top tips to do this in winter.

Keeping fit in winter

If your favourite way to keep fit is by walking or hiking winter can be a bit of a washout. It’s usually wet, cold and grey, so not the most inviting weather to lace up your boots and get out in the fresh air. However, you can keep doing what you love this winter if you follow our top tips:

Dress for the weather

Just because it’s raining it doesn’t mean walking or hiking is off the menu. As long as you dress appropriately for the weather you can still have an enjoyable hike. Layering up with insulating clothing is essential. Although it’s cold you’ll still work up a sweat – having several layers is much more beneficial than one big outer layer. A reliable waterproof coat is crucial for keeping dry, try M and M Direct for good quality waterproofs at low prices.

Wear the right shoes

Investing in a pair of winter walking boots is essential so that you’re ready for all weathers. Winter boots need to be tougher than your summer alternative and be sturdy enough to maintain grip in snow, ice and mud. Several layers of socks underneath is also really important, cold toes do not make for a good hike.

Be prepared

Remember that the days are much shorter in winter. If you’re going on a long hike be prepared to get up early and catch the maximum amount of daylight. Remember to make sure that you have a head torch, often hikers get caught out and end up in the moors unable to see where they are going. Pocket warmers are also worth bringing along for if you get really cold and need a boost.

Go in a group

If you’re going on a brisk winter walk then of course its fine to go alone but if you’re planning a long hike its always best to go in a group. In a group you’ll be much safer should you end up in any danger from treacherous conditions or get caught in a sudden heavy snowfall. A group hike also has its advantages as often at times where you have little motivation someone can be there to push you on to keep going, ensuring you get the most out of your walk.

So don’t be put off; walking and hiking in winter can be really enjoyable. Sometimes the cold, crisp days are often the most beautiful and not to mention, testing. Your body has to work much harder to keep warm in sub-zero temperatures meaning that your winter walk is much more beneficial for your wellbeing.

Which is a shame, because they’re also the best lifts for boosting your testosterone, burning calories and most importantly of all, building strength and power. A ‘compound’ is any lift that incorporates multiple muscle groups in one movement. Here’s our run-down of the most important lifts that you should have in every routine.

Deadlift

The deadlift is the king of all exercises. It’s also the most simple as a concept. You put the weight at your feet, pick it up and then put it down. However, deadlifts require good form and commitment otherwise you injure yourself. Ensure your feet are positioned shoulder width apart and that you keep your back straight as you lift. It’s worth asking someone to watch your form. Start off light and work up.

Once you get the hang of them, deadlifts are fantastic muscle-builders that train your entire posterior chain and your grip. Perform 3 sets of 6-8 reps for optimum power gains.

Squat

The squat is another key movement that focuses on the lower body but also trains your back and core as you have to control a loaded weight when squatting down. The movement builds your quadriceps, hamstrings, calfs, glutes and even your abs. You can switch to front squats to build variety in to a squatting regime but you can’t afford to leave them out. Some famous strength buildings routines, like Stronglifts 5 x 5 – recommend squatting every workout. Opt for a similar rep and set range as deadlifts. 3 x 6 at around 80% of your max will build raw strength.

Bench Press

The bench press is arguably the lift most non-gym goers are familiar with. It’s instantly recognisable and a good wake-up call to test your strength when you’re first in the gym. The popularity is justified, as flat barbell benching is one of the best strength building exercises in the world. Stick to 3 x 6 or a low number and focus on keeping your chest tight, feet to the floor and controlling the arch in your back. If you’re going heavy, make sure you’ve got a spotter or safety bars.

Clean and Press

The clean and press is the most complicated lift on the list but also one of the best in terms of muscle-recruitment. It builds your strength and speed and also a huge variety of muscles. As you bend down and rip the bar like a deadlift, you’re engaging the muscles in your leg and lower back. Once you clear the bar and press it overhead in the ‘press’ stage, you’re building your shoulders and back. Ensure that you don’t round your back when performing these. Unlike the other lifts, C&P demands strict form over more weight. 3 x 6 of 60% of your max.

These lifts will stand you in good stead to build a great base of strength and also to pack mass on to your body. The ‘big four’ promote the endocrine system to produce hormones which are beneficial to mass and strength. However, you will also need to supplement your diet to help your muscles repair.

Creating a healthier lifestyle takes time, it’s a personal path where small steps should be taken in order for you to live a longer, happier life.

Here are some simple steps you can follow to help you get on the right track.

1. Drink at least 2 litres of water a day

Water contains no calories, contains no sugar, is cheap and quenches thirst, preventing dehydration. Plain teas and coffee, that’s without the milk and sugar are also healthy and will keep you hydrated. If you just aren’t a fan of the taste of water why not try sparkling water or flavoured water, but watch out for the sugar contents in some flavoured waters. You could try just adding a slice of lemon or a lime into your water to add a little flavour without the sugar.

2. Never forget to eat breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the entire day and should be your biggest, with meal sizes gradually reducing throughout the day.
Studies showed people who ate their largest meal at this time lost an average of 17.8 pounds over a period of three months compared to the 7.3 pounds lost by people eating their largest meal at dinner.

In fact studies have shown skipping breakfast has the possibility to increase a woman’s diabetes risk, and increase the risk of heart disease in men between the ages of 45 and 82, according to The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

3.Maintain a balanced diet

The key here is the word balanced. It’s not about cutting out chocolate and cake altogether and stuffing your face with fruit instead, it’s about eating each food type within moderation.

Eating foods in moderation can reduce the risk of obesity and malnutrition but also reduce the risk of diabetes and osteoporosis too. The eat well plate advises on plenty of starchy foods such as potatoes, pasta and rice, lots of fruit and vegetables, a little bit of meat, fish, eggs and dairy foods, and limited amount of food and drinks containing sugar and fat.

4. Quit bad habits

Giving up traditional smoking and turning to Electronic cigarettes is a great way to kick the habit, despite all the backlash over the use of the E-cig recently there have been significant findings to show its success such as the ASH report. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of deaths, not only from smoking yourself but from passive smoking too. Smoking typically causes lung cancers but also cancers of the mouth, throat and oesophagus too.

You’re much more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease, a heart attack or a stroke as the smoke damages your heart and your blood circulation.

5. Take up a sport or a hobby

Staying active can help you to live a longer healthier life and reduce many health conditions such as musculoskeletal conditions, strokes, obesity and mental health problems.
Physical activity can improve psychological health as when you exercise more serotonin is released, this is a chemical that is often found in antidepressants, effective for depression and anxiety.

You are not only getting fit, looking good, preventing illnesses but becoming more positive too!

6. Distance yourself from social media

Statistics show that 66% of people struggle to relax and sleep after spending time on social media. This is not only because of the blaring light from a phone or computer screen is blue light, much like the light emitted from the sun that wakes you up in the morning but also causes eye strain.

You are also becoming so wrapped up in other people’s lives and problems that you aren’t taking the time to relax and de-stress from your own.

7.Get more sleep

Sleep helps our body and mind to restore and also plays a critical role in immune function. A study of 150 people who got their sleeping habits monitored for two weeks were exposed to the cold virus, the findings were that the people who got seven hours or less hours sleep a night were more likely to develop a cold than those who got eight hours or more.

8. Maintain positive relationships

Human connections and positive relationships are essential for both emotional and physical health. The connections help people to thrive throughout their life, positive relationships can help people to feel they have a sense of purpose which enhances their wellbeing.

Relationships encourage people to grow and learn and these friendships can provide you with emotional support when needed most.

9. Create time for yourself

Having a little you time is essential to maintain productivity and have much more energy. Not only have you benefited from this, thanks to all of your relaxation, others are going to benefit from your happy relaxed positive attitude too.

Take a break at least once a week where you can either book yourself into a spa or just have a few hours to yourself doing whatever you like.

10. Think positively

Recent studies have found that positive thinking is not just about trying to display happiness but can actually make a positive impact on your life. It will impact your work, life and health- positive thoughts such as “I can do this” are much more likely to get you through something compared to negative ones which will only cause you more stress.

Creating a healthy lifestyle will take time with lots of small steps, remember not to overwhelm yourself and change your lifestyle choices one by one, It will not be easy but it will be worth it!

Whether it’s a case of pushing yourself too hard too soon, lack of experience, or simply underestimating how difficult that uphill climb would be, burning out when cycling is a common problem. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, and even the most seasoned of riders can over face themselves every now and again. If you’re new to road bikes, it’s even more likely that you’ll experience exhaustion. It can take a while to get used to the feel of cycling, and knowing when the right time to stop is.

However, it doesn’t have to be this way. A large part of becoming an adept road cyclist involves training both on and off the bike, and building up core strength. Like any endurance sport, you need to train the right muscles to handle the specific exercise you’ll be doing.

Whether you’re a beginner in the saddle, or a long time rider just wanting to build up a little more strength, take a look at the 5 exercises for cyclists below.

1. Plank

One of the best exercises for cyclists is also one of the simplest. Planks can be carried out pretty much anywhere with absolutely zero equipment, and are ideal for strengthening your shoulders, back, and abdomen. Working on these areas keeps your core strength in check, improving both posture and endurance when on your bike.

To perform a plank, place your forearms on the floor with your elbows located adjacent to your shoulders, and arms parallel to your body. Then, ground your toes into the floor, and raise your body up to rest on your forearms and toes. When doing this, it’s important to keep your neck and back straight; it helps to focus on a spot about a foot in front of your hands.

When in a plank position, it’s good to work up in increments. For example, start by holding for 10 seconds, then 20 seconds, then 30 seconds. Then hold for longer amounts when you feel confident.

2. Lateral Lunges

Lateral lunges are one of the most beneficial exercises for cycling, as the focus on one leg at a time mimics the cyclical motion of pedalling. This exercise works the hips, hamstrings, and inner thighs, and works some of the muscles that receive the most strain when cycling.

To perform a lateral lunge, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Then, while keeping your left foot flat and your left leg straight, move your right leg wide to the right. Next, drop your hips, sit back into a squat, and keep your head and chest high. Your right thigh should be parallel to the ground, and you should feel resistance on your thighs and hamstrings. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly move back to the starting positions. Now, repeat with your left leg. You should alternate between legs around 15-20 times in one workout.

Lateral lunges can be performed with or without weights, but if you’re a beginner it’s a good idea to start without. This exercise is also good to perform right before heading out on your bike, as it makes sure that your muscles are limber and prepared.

3. Push Ups

An army favourite, push ups are also an underrated exercise for cyclists. This is because push ups largely focus on upper body strength, something that many cyclists seem to neglect. In fact, the upper body is just as important when you’re riding as your legs. Strong arms, back, and abdomen can help you to keep balance, and in turn reduce early fatigue.

If you’re one of the few people on earth who don’t know how to do a push up, here’s how. Lie down facing the floor, and support your body with your hands flat to the floor. Your arms should be apart at a distance just wider than your shoulders, and your toes should be against the floor in a way that feels comfortable. Then, push your body away from the floor, hold, and bring it back down again. Wasn’t that easy?

Push ups can be worked as an incremental exercise. Start off with 10, then do 20, then 30 – whatever you feel comfortable with. However, don’t over face yourself, and only do an amount you feel comfortable with.

4. Catapult sit ups

This next exercise is a true all-rounder, working on your entire core strength. When performed correctly, catapult sit ups work your back, abdomen, and leg muscles, giving your whole body a workout.

To start out, lie on your back on the floor with a slight bend in your knees. Then, press your feet flat on the floor, with your heels firmly pressed down, and extend your arms so they’re behind your head. Then, keeping your feet flat on the floor, “catapult” your body forwards into a seated position. Hold for a moment, then gently lie back down. Repeat in whatever increments you feel comfortable with.

Not only is this exercise great for whole body core, it also prepares you for the explosive motions common in cycling; for example, needing to push harder to get up a hill, or overtake a competitor.

5. Burpees

The burpee is another simple exercise that works the whole body, and also throws in a little light cardio for good measure.

To do a burpee, begin in a standing position with your feet shoulder width apart. Then, quickly lower your body into a squat, placing your hands palm down on the floor in front of you. Next, kick your feet back so you’re in a push up position, lower your chest, and perform a push up. Then, move your feet back to their original position, stand up quickly and smoothly, and jump in the air, clapping your hands above your head. Then, start all over again. A typical set is around 15 full burpees, but you can amend this to suit your own fitness and comfort levels.

Remember that road cycling isn’t a sport that relies on huge muscles, so don’t expect a 6 pack or bulging biceps. Rather, these exercises are designed to build the general strength and fitness needed in an endurance sport like road cycling, in order to keep up balance, strength, and to prevent fatigue.

It’s also important to remember that you’re likely to find riding difficult if your bike isn’t properly set up. If you’re unsure how to do this, a visit to a bike shop like Halfordsis a good idea. You should be able to get some info on how to best set up your road bike for your build, height and posture, so you can avoid burning out and damaging yourself. With the right preparation, the right bike, and the right frame of mind, you should be riding like a pro in no time.

1. Mix it up

A treadmill and even an elliptical offer you tremendous control over both your speed as well as your effort.  Thus it is possible to mix several things up on these stationary machines. You can mix it up by increasing your incline for the first few minutes, activate your calves and quads, and decrease the decline for hamstrings and so on.  By doing so, you will be targeted several different body parts and making the most of what the machine has to offer.

2. Get into the flow

If you just keep going and going hard on the treadmill or elliptical without really paying attention to what is happening to your body, then you might feel fatigue and tiredness soon enough. Thus it is rather important to break up the high intensity workouts and create a flow from easy to hard. This will prevent you from hitting rock bottom and fatigue early on.

3. Don’t hang on

Another step that can help you make the most cardiovascular fitness equipments like treadmills and elliptical are to avoid hanging on in the middle of the session. If you are feeling tired, then rather than holding onto the rails or falling off balance, it is better to switch the machine off and get down for a few minutes. This is important as far as safety reasons are concerned.

4. Mimic a race

Often we tend to go lazy and slow when we are on these machines but in order to max it out and feel the energy, you must try to mimic a race. Tempo runs, track repeats as well as long runs can all be done on a treadmill. You can make use of the treadmill’s automatic elevation options irrespective of whether you are seeking a change of pace or trying to run in a new challenging condition.

5. Avoid adding weights

Adding weights onto the machine may help you build muscle but it always poses the risk of putting you off balance. Weights can dry up your energy fast and may even lead to injury

6. Avoid the fat burn setting

Most elliptical and treadmills have the fat burn setting but this setting must be avoided because you are always going to burn more fat by running faster as compared to running slower.  So run faster and your fat burning will double.

Cycling requires a high level of endurance and stamina and while anyone can ride a bike, it takes a lot of time and dedication to become a hardy cyclist. While it’s true that you get out what you put in, dismounting and training could benefit you just as much.

If you’re new to cycling, coming back after a break, or find yourself lagging too quickly, track your progress with the Superbody app and try these 5 workouts.

Circuit Training

One of the key aspects to becoming a better cyclist is cardiovascular endurance – improving the health and performance of your heart. To strengthen this muscle, exercise until your heart rate is up, then sustain while doing 10-15 minutes of circuit training. This is one of the best forms of exercise for cardiovascular health, as it’s high impact and works a variety of muscles.

Interval Training

Similarly to circuit training, interval offers an intense physical workout. However, there’s one key difference – rest periods. This form of training works by performing short bursts of high-impact exercise, interspersed with shorter resting intervals. Used by athletes, interval training can burn fat as well as increase endurance, strength and speed. Great exercises include sprinting, stair climbing and rowing.

Cross Training

This may seem a little odd, as cross training involves exercising and becoming better at sports other than cycling. You’re saying “but I want to become better at cycling!” However, there are benefits to training in other areas, as you will train muscle groups not normally used by cyclists, increasing your strength and overall fitness. Choose from a range of activities such as running and rock climbing.

Strength Training

Using resistance to strengthen muscles, this form of training covers a wide range of exercises from pole dancing and Pilates to weightlifting and javelin. This type of workout has a number of health and functional benefits, such as healthier joints and increased muscle strength. Strength training can also help to lower your chance of injury, so it’s great to help you become a better cyclist.

Recover and Recuperation

When you’ve been cycling and pushed yourself a little too far, you know about it the next day. While you can take salt baths or eat foods that help muscles recover, there are also active recovery exercises to speed up the process. Try swimming, yoga or taking a slow and steady jog to increase blood flow to muscles, reduce pain and help you get back on your bike.

I hope this helps

Although an investigation is still underway into the player safety and neck protection, it is not only cricket officials alone who seriously reconsidering the safety of all those involved in the sport, with sales of cricket helmets soaring in Australia, with some stores reporting a 70% increase since the tragedy occurred.  This fatality has been somewhat of a reality check and has affected both amateurs and professionals alike, many of whom are upping their game immensely in terms of protective gear and looking after their own safety, even in sports you may not have considered to be a danger. Whether you’re crazy about cricket or serious about swimming, here are just a few ways in which to ensure you’re as safe as you can be when partaking in your favourite hobby.

Cricket

Despite already having a large amount of protection in place already, understandably the cricket world have stepped up and increased the way in which they keep their players safe. More now than ever it is essential that you kit up correctly and ensure you’re sufficiently protected whether you’re simply training or taking part in a match. It’s evident that something as simple as a stray ball can cause unimaginable damage, and so from helmets to pads to gloves, stocking up on high quality cricket protection from a company such as Talent Cricket is the best way in which to prevent further tragedies.

Running

Jogging is becoming increasingly popular with the young and old alike, allowing you to truly unwind and clear your mind after even the most stressful of days. Unfortunately, due to current time of year both the mornings and evenings are fairly dark, yet these are the times of day we are often restricted to such activities, and many of us choose to run on poorly lit roads and roadsides. Dressing appropriately is a huge part of safety when jogging, and wearing high-vis clothing will ensure any approaching motorists can see you clearly and in sufficient time to slow down safely is a must.

Cycling

Whether you’re cycling indoors on a track or outside on a road, a good quality helmet should be your number one priority when you set off on two wheels. Similarly to those who jog, if you’re choosing to use the main roads for your cycling ventures, then high-vis clothing as well as sufficient lighting and reflectors are highly recommended – especially when doing so at night.

Thanks for reading,

Wearable technology is that sweet piece of invention which can be worn on body parts and help to monitor various parameters of our health such as our pulse rate, heartbeat, walking speed, distance covered, time taken, cycling speed etc. By the use of these gadgets, any person can know how his/her health is at the moment and what all needs to be done to improve it.Gadgets like fitness trackers etc. that can be used or managed with the help of mobile apps and do not let us hinder from our path to fitness. These apps act like our personal trainers that set goals for us and provide us with customised ways to reach those goals.

Wearable technology also includes other gadgets like Smart glasses etc. which too are highly useful and beneficial not just for your personal use but also at the workplace. Such gadgets increase work productivity and are capable of fulfilling many functions like taking pictures, recording videos, solving issues etc. Due to these hosts of uses, wearable technology items are changing the way we work, live and perform in this competitive world. Infact, this has become so popular and widespread these days that many Tech Gurus predict that they are the next Smartphones or communication devices. Besides helping to track fitness and monitor our health, these devices are also capable of receiving and making calls, sending texts and even clicking pictures. When all these basic functions can be performed from these little products, the need for carrying around Smartphones would eventually be eliminated.

When staying fit and monitoring our progress can be made this easy and convenient, why even think of hiring a personal trainer or a gym instructor? All you need to do is to simply buy a cool Smartwatch or get a fitness band with all the savvy features that technology has to offer. Ofcourse, there is a lot still to be done in this particular field as this technological product is still new and open to a lot of improvements. But there is no better time than this to experience the wonderful invention that wearable technology is!

Thanks for reading,