CHOOSING THE RIGHT FITNESS STRATEGY FOR YOU TO BULK OR SHRED?
THE BATTLE TO BULK
If you make gym time a habit, then you’ve probably already heard the words “bulk” and “shred” tossed around over the racks of free weights, sweaty benches, and squat machines. Those terms might sound like
Bulking is the “go big or go home” fitness strategy because it focuses on consuming a lot of calories and lifting heavy weights. BodyBuilding.com advises bulkers to eat 6–8 meals per
meaningless jargon to the uninitiated, but they represent two different, equally valid approaches to fitness that anyone — not just bodybuilders — can use to their advantage.
day and to aim for a calorie surplus along with lots of protein. While bulking, you should also minimize cardio and focus on compound movement exercises (like squats, deadlifts, barbell presses, and military presses) with heavy weights to rapidly build muscle.
To put it simply, bulking is the process of building up muscle, and shredding (or “cutting,” as it’s sometimes called) is the practice of dropping body fat. When training for a competition, bodybuilders often “bulk” and “shred” in phases, changing their workout style and diet to match their current goal. As PureGym.com puts it, “At any given time on your journey to jackedness, you’ll either be aiming to cut body fat or to build muscle … it’s impossible to do both at the same time.”
THE STRUGGLE TO SHRED
Shredding is everything that bulking isn’t. During a shred, MaxiMuscle recommends focusing on cardio exercises like running, cycling, and swimming and eating at a calorie deficit. Perhaps the most important aspect of this phase is diet because the point is to reveal your muscle, producing a “chiseled” effect. If you’d like to try cutting like a bodybuilder, websites like BodyBuilding.com and LiveStrong.com offer meal guides and tips on staying motivated. Whichever path you choose, remember to maintain a healthy balance as you pursue your goals. As tempting as it is to focus on the gym in exclusion of all else, there’s more to life than pumping iron!
So, if you’re not a bodybuilder, what does this have to do with you? Well, one of these approaches could be the framework you’ve been looking for to guide your quest for peak fitness. Here’s the rundown on each style.
The Power of the Redcord Suspension System HOLISTIC HEALING
If you have ever been to Regenerative Physical Therapy’s clinic, you may have seen a peculiar set of red cords and straps hanging from the ceilings and walls. For most people, this looks like nothing more than a unique training system with many complex levers and pulleys. But for our patients who have been treated with the Redcord suspension system, it’s a powerful tool for healing and pain-free living. The Redcord suspension system, medically known as neuromuscular activation, can be used by patients of all abilities and provides a weightless and painless fluidity of motion. The slings and bungee cords attached to the system are designed to aid patients through a series of exercises and motions to strengthen muscle and joint integrity. The movements are prescribed and guided by the physical therapist, who coaches the patient through the moves in the Redcord system. The power of neuromuscular activation is the philosophy behind the treatment. The goal is for provider and patient to consider the healing process from a whole-body perspective rather than targeting one specific area of pain. For example, instead of creating a hip-friendly regimen designed to target only hip pain, the Redcord suspension system targets relief and healing to components of your body influenced by the hips, such as the knees and feet. Neuromuscular
activation is intended to be a whole-body
healing system that targets the superhighway connections that comprise your entire body. At Regenerative Physical Therapy, we’re proud to be
the home of the only Redcord suspension system in central Florida. Our therapists are readily trained
on the activation effects of this treatment program, and we have seen the tremendous impact it can have on a patient’s well-being and health.
Don’t live with the pain any longer. Regardless of your situation, relief is possible. Discover how the Redcord suspension system can help you find the pain relief you need by scheduling an appointment today.
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