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Postpartum exercise can help new mothers feel their best during a massive life transition. Read more to learn about the benefits of trying a postpartum workout!

Calling all new moms! Are you hoping to hit the gym soon?

Having a baby, whether your first child or fifth, is a massive lifestyle change for anybody. Not only are you (and your family) working hard to care for your newborn, but your mind and body are adjusting to life after pregnancy and childbirth. 

While this is a wonderful and special time, it can also be complex to navigate and adjust—and that can make returning to the gym feel intimidating. That’s where your friends at Jack City Fitness come in—we’ve assisted new moms with postpartum exercise since we opened our doors! In this article, we will discuss postpartum exercise, its many benefits, and how to get started in a way that works for your unique needs. 

And don’t forget, we are always available to answer your specific questions in person—simply call (208) 999-1111 for a (free!) consultation at our fitness center. 

The Postpartum Workout Plan: What Is It?

The term “postpartum exercise” refers to workouts performed by women who have recently given birth. However, this term does not mean that new moms must choose from specific “postpartum-only” workouts. Instead, this phrase simply refers to the act of exercising in the early days following childbirth. All sorts of workout styles and exercises count as a postpartum workout plan; some moms go to their local gym, while others prefer hiking or other outdoor exercises. 

While we believe that postpartum exercise is a great decision for new moms, there are certain considerations to be made. For instance, women who are breastfeeding might find certain types of exercise uncomfortable if they don’t wear a supportive bra—they may also have to pump or breastfeed before hitting the gym. In addition, women who experienced more complicated pregnancies or gave birth via cesarean may still be recovering physically and will need to modify their workouts to match their needs. 

Are There Benefits to a Postpartum Exercise Plan?

Yes, absolutely! We highly recommend that new moms aim for even a small amount of exercise when they feel ready. Here are some of the biggest reasons we give postpartum exercise two thumbs up:

1) It Can Combat Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression can turn people’s lives upside down. While exercise won’t simply make it go away—we wish it could— it is known for creating endorphins and boosting mental health. Indeed ,studies have shown that exercise can reduce some symptoms of postpartum depression and help prevent remission. 

2) It Can Help Your Sleep

A new baby brings lots of wonderful things into your life. In general, loads of sleep isn’t one of them. The sleep deprivation that comes alongside life with a newborn can be very challenging. Since exercise promotes better sleep, maintaining a postpartum workout plan can help make the sleep you do get count. 

3) It’s a Great Act of Self-Care

Most of your life currently revolves around your baby’s needs…but that doesn’t mean you can’t carve out some time for yourself as well. If you love to move, working out is an ideal way to incorporate healthy “me time” into your routine. This is also a great way to socialize—we see lots of new parents in our fitness classes!

4) It Can Help You Regain Muscle Strength 

If you lost some of your muscle strength or tone during your pregnancy, postpartum core exercise might be for you. Regaining strength and power in your abdominal muscles will help you enjoy a better sense of physical balance. This can be helpful as you adjust to having your hands full with new routines and responsibilities as a parent! 

What Are the Most Popular Types of Postpartum Exercise?

When it comes to choosing your ideal postpartum exercise plan, much comes down to your personal preference. Some go for walks while others perform gentle yoga—and still others jump back into their pre-pregnancy routine as soon as they get the go-ahead from their doctor. 

However, as we mentioned above, many new moms choose to engage in postpartum core exercises to regain strength and overall function. 

Postpartum core exercises are often used to strengthen parts of your body that underwent strain during your pregnancy and delivery, like your pelvic floor. In fact, kegels—or pelvic floor workouts—are considered essential postpartum exercises. They are performed by contracting the muscles that comprise your pelvic floor and then relaxing them. These workouts can be a game-changer for postpartum women experiencing bladder or bowel issues.

Postpartum workout

Postpartum Exercise: Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re considering postpartum exercise for the first time, it’s natural to have lots of questions about it. We’ve listed some of the questions that postnatal athletes ask our coaches most often below. If you don’t see your question listed here, give us a shout—most likely, someone from our team will have the answers you need. It’s also a good idea to chat with your OB/GYN or doctor about what types of workout will be best for you and when you will be ready to start.

When Can You Start Working Out After Having a Baby?

So, when can you exercise after giving birth?

The truth is there is not just one answer to this question. Every pregnancy and delivery comes with different circumstances, and every woman’s body will respond to these conditions differently. 

In general, women with uncomplicated births can begin performing very low-impact workouts (like stretching) soon after delivery. For more intensive workouts, we would recommend waiting 6-8 weeks and getting cleared by your doctor before hitting the gym. 

Recovery time will vary if you had a complicated labor or a cesarean. It’s best to work with your doctor on choosing an appropriate time to do any intensive or strenuous exercise. 

How Do I Prepare for Postpartum Exercise?

We believe that the best way to prepare for postpartum exercise is to know your limits, ask for support, and buy a high-quality sports bra that fits you properly. This is not the time to wing it! 

We recommend working with a dedicated fitness coach as well as consulting a medical professional before starting your postpartum workout plan. They will be able to help you set goals and create a routine that is safe, effective, and appropriate for your needs.

Remember, your body has been through a lot in the last year, and your muscles likely aren’t as strong as they were before pregnancy. This is especially true for your abdominals and your lower back. Don’t push yourself.

How Long Do I Continue Postpartum Exercise?

As your body recovers from childbirth, you will be able to safely engage in more intensive workouts and get back to your pre-pregnancy gym routine. As we mentioned before, the best way to do this safely is to check in with your doctor and fitness coach. 

Where Can New Moms in Boise Find a Supportive Place to Work Out?

At Jack City Fitness, we always work at your pace and on your terms. That’s why so many athletes come to us for their postpartum exercise plan. We offer supportive, knowledgeable, and customizable fitness coaching on your schedule. We even offer remote training options (which can be very handy in the early days of parenthood!) and all-women workout classes. (Our ladies-only HIIT class is extremely popular…and comes with loads of benefits!)

Call 208-999-1111 today to get in touch with our team about beginning your postpartum workout plan at Jack City Fitness. We have all the equipment, space, and experience you need. We are so excited to meet you and help you navigate your postnatal exercise journey! 

Wondering what tempo training is and how you can use it to improve your workouts? This guide has everything you need to know.

Tempo exercise is an exciting method of strength training where athletes alter the speed of their workout. Whether you slow your reps down, speed them up, play with a combination of the two, or incorporate pauses into your routine, we recommend you try a tempo workout.

Tempo training can enhance your overall athletic performance and further your fitness goals in many ways. Though it can be challenging, it’s well worth its rewards. If you’re ready to learn more about this popular fitness method, read our guide below and get in touch with any questions!

How Tempo Exercise Works

When you engage in tempo training, you’ll work out at a set pace. This pace will depend on your goals, but usually it is a slower tempo than your typical rep. This can range anywhere between 30-75 seconds, depending on your goals and training routine. Many athletes also alternate their tempos during reps.

Types of Tempo Training

Tempo workout principles can be applied to all sorts of strength and weight training routines. Some runners also use it for speed and cardio training.

The key to mastering tempo training is knowing how to read tempo workout sequences. These sequences are four digits, with each number representing a different stage of the tempo sequence. So, “4040” would mean four seconds, zero seconds, four seconds, zero seconds. Each of these set tempos would then correlate with the following sequences: 

1) Eccentric

This is the phase of a workout where the athlete lengthens their muscles. This could be when they lower a weight away from themselves or move into a stretched position. 

2) Pause

This is the pause taken after the initial movement. 

3) Concentric

This stage refers to the “lift,” where the athlete pushes against physical force, and their muscles shorten.  

4) Pause/Finish

This refers to the optional pause between reps. If your tempo routine says “0,” you’ll be expected to move into your next rep from here. 

What Is the “Time Under Tension” Workout Theory?

Time under tension (or TUT) is an exercise term that refers to the period your muscles spend under strain. Many athletes use tempo training to lengthen their TUT during workouts, as it has many benefits. 

Benefits of a Tempo Workout

There are so many compelling reasons to try tempo training! It offers:

1) Better Form

Tempo training is a fantastic way for athletes of all levels to hone their workout form. By slowing down your movements, you’ll be able to focus on every millisecond of your rep. This will ensure that your movements and balance are all perfect.

If you practice tempo with a fitness coach, they’ll be able to spot any tiny mistakes in your form and help you correct them at a pace that’ll make the right form feel like second nature. 

2) Safer Workouts

Having better form doesn’t only make you a better athlete—it makes you a safer one. By engaging in tempo training, you will enjoy less chances of injury during exercise, allowing you to go harder and further without concern. 

3) Stronger Muscles

Looking to build power? Some studies have indicated that certain TUT workouts can contribute to muscle gains. 

4) Versatile, Accessible Training

While tempo training is a challenging workout, it’s not exclusive. This type of workout can be incorporated into anyone’s routine. It also doesn’t require any fancy equipment, so you can practice it at home and the gym.

How Long Does it Take for Tempo to Work?

There are so many ways to practice tempo exercise, all of which depend on your workout of choice, individual fitness goals, and personal health and physique. These factors will all contribute to when you hit certain milestones. 

Our best advice? Don’t worry about how long it takes for tempo to work. Instead, focus on this training as an investment into perfecting your form and becoming a better overall athlete. The results will come..trust us.

Try Tempo Training at Jack City Fitness!

Whether you want to try one-on-one tempo workout sessions with the best personal trainers in Boise, learn the basics of functional training, or join a heart-pumping exercise class, there’s only one place in town with everything an athlete needs to succeed: Jack City Fitness. 

Our Partners get customized training, 24/7 access, and all the latest workout equipment! To join us, call (208) 999-1111 today and book your FREE fitness consultation. We can’t wait to meet you and help you smash your goals!

If you’re looking to boost testosterone, the answer may be as simple as heading to the gym. Here’s what you need to know about the connection between testosterone and exercise. 

Does Exercise Increase Testosterone?

Yes!

Everything from hormone therapy to dietary changes are on the table for athletes hoping to optimize their muscle mass and fat storage, but one of the most straightforward and accessible ways to boost testosterone levels is through exercise. In this article, we will discuss the link between testosterone and exercise and share some of our favorite ways to boost your T levels through movement. 

Please note that for transgender athletes engaging in hormone therapy, targeted workouts might not have the same effect on your T-levels. We recommend chatting with your doctor before trying alternative therapies alongside your treatment.

What Is Testosterone and How Is It Produced?

Testosterone is a hormone naturally produced in the body. It’s often associated with only biological males, being produced in large amounts in the testicles—but ovaries also produce this hormone, though generally to a much lesser degree. Testosterone is also produced by the adrenal glands.

For biological males, testosterone typically begins increasing naturally during puberty. This increase leads to major changes: the voice deepening, body and facial hair increasing, and the body bulking into a more muscular adult. However, having sufficient T levels is important throughout life, not just in the teen years. This is why so many athletes work to keep their testosterone pumping through exercise. 

There have been many studies over the last few decades surrounding testosterone and exercise. In general, it has been found that working out is more effective in producing lasting testosterone in biological males than females. However, it has also been shown that resistance training can be effective in temporarily boosting T levels in biological females. 

Exercise That Increases Testosterone

Ready to hit the ground running and pump up that T? Have a look at our most frequently asked questions about exercises that increase testosterone! 

Do Squats Increase Testosterone?

They sure do. These compound exercises are T-boosting champs! In fact, a 2014 study at the University of Texas even proved this, saying that squats produced much more T (as well as growth hormones) in participants than using a weighted leg press. 

Does Weightlifting Increase Testosterone?

Absolutely! As it turns out, all types of resistance training can help boost your testosterone levels. Seeing as weightlifting is essentially resistance training royalty, it stands to reason that hitting the barbell rack will help your body produce plenty of T. 

As we mentioned previously, resistance training is a particularly good option for biologically female athletes. Although studies indicate that the results may not last long, resistance workouts are one of the only workouts that produce more T in biological females. 

Does HIIT Increase Testosterone?

The answer to this one is a bit tricky. HIIT has shown to be great for increasing T levels in biologically male athletes. It has the opposite effect on biologically female athletes. In fact, some women purposely use HIIT to bring their T levels down. 

Exercises That Won’t Increase Testosterone

Does Cardio Increase Testosterone?

Cardio is one of our favorite types of exercise; it’s great for blood flow, fat burning, and breath…but one thing it can’t do is increase testosterone. In fact, these types of workouts can actually decrease T levels.

That being said, body fat can impact the ability to produce T. Some athletes might find that shedding fat through cardio can enable them to eventually utilize other techniques and workouts to better boost testosterone.

Does Running Increase Testosterone?

Nope. Sorry. 

Running counts as cardio, and as we already mentioned, this type of workout has actually been shown to reduce T levels in athletes. While it’s a great way to stay fit, we’d leave this one behind when it comes to boosting testosterone. 

Does Walking Increase Testosterone?

This is also a “no.” Walking also counts as a form of cardio, so it may be a fantastic way to stay fit, but it’s no T-booster. 

Train for T at Jack City Fitness!

At Jack City Fitness, we have everything athletes need to succeed. If that includes increased testosterone, come and see us. We have the best coaches, equipment, group fitness classes, and facility accessibility in all of Boise, and we’re ready to help you to meet your goals. Call (208) 999-1111 today to learn more!

Wondering if creatine is right for you? Here’s what you need to know about creatine pros and cons before trying this supplement.

On the fence about taking creatine supplements? We understand—over the years, it has earned a bad reputation. Despite its proven health and fitness benefits, the media has long made unfounded claims about the dangers of creatine powders and supplements. The truth is, there are tons of creatine pros that you might not have heard about.

If you want to separate fact from fiction, read on. Today, we’re covering the benefits of creatine and any potential drawbacks it may have. At Jack City, we’re fitness experts—and we love to share our knowledge with you! 

What Is Creatine?

Fun fact: Even if you’ve never touched the powder in your life, creatine is coursing through your bloodstream right now. That’s because creatine itself is naturally occurring and produced right in your own body. Some people, however, have more levels of this compound in their bodies than others due to diet. Most animal-based proteins (particularly beef) are big sources of creatine, so carnivores tend to have higher levels than vegetarians and vegans. 

Why Do People Take Creatine Supplements?

Lots of people want to increase their creatine levels; one of the primary reasons why is because creatine has many known health benefits. Plus, increasing creatinine is a proven way to safely and naturally enhance athletic performance. Supplements are an affordable, low-volume, well-researched way to increase your creatine levels. 

How To Incorporate Creatine Into Your Routine

Everybody is different, and the creatine routine we are about to describe is a general suggestion, not a hard and fast rule. If you’ve never taken creatine supplements before, speak with a healthcare professional before starting. They will take your health and physical history into account to determine that supplements are right for you and tailor any recommendations to your own stats.

When you begin taking creatine supplements, you have two options. Some people, particularly athletes, begin with a phase called “loading,” which involves taking large amounts every day for around a week before settling into a smaller daily dose. The second camp of people don’t load and simply begin taking the smaller daily dose straight away. 

Creatine loading is done to create larger stores of the compound in muscles. As we mentioned, it takes about a week, though some folks only load for five days. In general, a loading dose is 20 grams per day, but we certainly don’t recommend taking everything at once. Instead, spread it out over the day in four servings of five grams each. After a week, you will only need three to five grams a day for maintenance—and you can continue with that dose for as long as you take creatine. You will not need to load again.

A regular creatine dose is the same as a post-loading one: three to five grams daily. While a regular creatine dose won’t see such dramatic results immediately, you’ll get there after about a month.

Creatine pros and cons

Pros and Cons: Creatine

What are the pros and cons of creatine? We’ve broken some of the most important ones down. 

Pros of Creatine

Here are some of the biggest benefits of taking creatine supplements:

This is perhaps the biggest reason why people love creatine—it’s amazing for athletic performance! The extra energy that creatine provides your muscles allows for longer, more intensive workouts. This results in bigger, stronger muscles that don’t tire as easily. In fact, some studies have even shown that creatine can help with muscle recovery after a heavy gym sesh.

Big muscles aren’t the only way creatine helps athletic performance. All sorts of high-intensity workouts and competitive sports are more successful when athletes have high creatine levels. 

While creatine is mainly stored in muscles, other parts of your body have some, too. This includes the brain! Because of this, many people believe that creatine supplements can be used to help manage neurological conditions and improve brain function and memory. While the few studies surrounding these theories have indicated that these benefits are indeed valid, not much research has occurred.

While young bodybuilders and sportspeople love creatine supplements, they aren’t the only ones taking them. In fact, creatine powders and supplements are actually a fantastic way to combat some of the difficulties associated with aging, including sarcopenia—the muscle loss and function decrease that many experience as they get older. Studies have shown that older adults who take creatine and participate in resistance training gain more muscle than those who only work out. 

It has been suggested that creatine supplements can help manage blood sugar levels and the symptoms of fatty liver disease unrelated to alcohol. However, not a lot of research has been conducted on these subjects. 

Cons of Creatine

So, are there any creatine cons? It depends on the individual. Below, we’ve listed a few potentials. 

If you’re a newcomer to supplements, the rumors following creatine can feel scary. We’ve heard all types of unfounded claims about creatine supplements; some say it even in safe doses, it harms the livers or kidneys. Others swear it causes cramps and dehydration. Studies have not backed these claims up. However, we do 100% recommend that anybody who has preexisting liver or kidney issues speak to their doctor about an appropriate dose before trying creatine supplements. 

While we have plenty of research to prove the safety and effectiveness of creatine supplements, there are still miles to go on the topic. Currently, many potential benefits of creatine have been suggested, but until more applied research and studies are carried out, they remain unproven. 

Some people who do a week of loading before beginning their regular creatine dosage experience gastrointestinal issues like bloating or diarrhea. While this is certainly uncomfortable, it can be easily dealt with: you can either reduce your dosage (around 10 grams is still plenty for loading) or spread your intake out a bit more over the day. 

If you are predisposed to alopecia or other hair-loss conditions, you might want to give creatine supplements a miss. One study conducted back in 2009 found that creatine can increase DHT, a hormone linked to hair loss. While this does not directly mean that creatine causes hair loss, many individuals with hair loss conditions avoid it just in case. 

Get Fitness Advice From Pros

Whether you want to talk creatine pros and cons, gains, nutrition, or anything else, Jack City Fitness is the place to go. We offer everything the Boise athlete needs to succeed: excellent personal training, engaging classes, and 24/7 access to all of our Partners. 

Get in touch with our team today by calling (208) 999-1111. We’ll invite you over for a FREE InBody fitness consultation and a chance to meet our coaches and nutritional counselors. If you like what you see, you can get started right away.

We can’t wait to help you smash your goals! 

Want to know how to increase calorie intake? Here are tips to help you get the most from your food while ensuring you’re getting enough calories each day.

How To Increase Your Calorie Intake

Trying to bulk up? We’ve got you. While increasing calorie intake might seem simple enough, there’s more to it than you may think. After all, not all foods high in calories have the same nutritional impact. Plenty of fried and sweet foods are loaded with calories and low on fiber or protein. Though they make for delicious treats, they aren’t the best choice when you’re trying to increase caloric intake. That’s why we believe it’s better to focus on nourishing foods with many nutritious elements to see the best results. 

(Yes, there’s still room for treats!) 

In this article, our team will share how to increase your calorie intake in healthy ways, as well as share some of our favorite ways to eat foods high in calories. If you have more questions about this topic, get in touch with us!

What’s So Important About Calorie Intake?

Everything that your body does, whether it’s play a sport, walk through your house, or digest food, requires energy. That energy comes in the form of calories—and when your body uses that energy, the calories you consume get burned away. Because of this, everybody’s ideal caloric intake is different. 

For folks hoping to lose weight or fat, they must maintain a daily calorie intake lower than the energy required to move through the day. When their daily caloric intake reserves run out, their body starts burning stored fat instead, leading to weight loss. If you want to gain weight, the opposite must happen—when you consume more calories than you burn in a day, those extra calories will be stored in your body as fat. 

How To Increase Calories: Our Tips

If you want to increase calorie intake, we’re here to help. Check out our list of caloric intake recommendations below, and be sure to reach out to our team if you would prefer personalized professional nutritional counseling. 

1) Look for Balanced, Nutritious Choices

As we mentioned, lots of foods have a high calorie count. That doesn’t mean that they’re all great choices for increasing your calorie intake. Look for foods with plenty of vitamins, fiber, protein, and complex carbs. We also tend to avoid regularly consuming lots of foods high in added sugar, sodium, or hydrogenated oils.

2) Have a Food Adventure

Life’s too short for boring food! If you are feeling unimpressed with your high-calorie meal options, it’s time for a refresh. We recommend doing some research on high-calorie, healthy foods and ingredients. Once you select a few that appeal to you, it can be fun to use social media or a library to look into recipes and preparation styles from other countries or cultures.

For instance, beans are a beautiful high-calorie ingredient that offer plenty of fiber and protein—and they are prepared hundreds of ways around the globe. Most food accounts or cookbooks will have several bean recipes for you to try. This makes your calorie increase a lot more fun!

3) Look for High-Protein Choices

Protein is a key food group when you’re bulking and can lead to improved lean mass overall. It’s also a crucial element to muscle recovery after intense physical activity. In fact, if you are engaging in intensive strength training, we recommend that you wait no longer than an hour after your sesh before consuming a hefty portion of protein (around 15-20 grams). This post-workout meal will help your muscles heal from your session and grow larger and stronger. 

4) Have a Drink

When you’re busy, increasing your caloric intake can feel exhausting. This is doubly true if you don’t particularly like cooking or food preparation, or find yourself getting too full too fast. This is where “drinkable calories” come in. They don’t require much preparation or cleanup at all, they’re tasty, they provide all the calories you need, and don’t leave you feeling overly full. 

However, when we say “have a drink,” we are referring to specific items. While drinks like fruit punch or cola have plenty of calories, they mostly come from added sugars and aren’t very nutritious otherwise. Instead, reach for a homemade smoothie, a tall glass of milk, or a protein shake—we like Huel!

5) Break It Up

Who says we need to eat three huge meals a day? If you find yourself exhausted by trying to cram down calories in breakfast, lunch, and dinner, try something else. We are huge fans of consuming multiple, smaller meals throughout the day, so you eat every one to three hours. This way, your body is always receiving energy, but never more than you can handle at once.

6) Work With a Pro

Eating habits are complex. 

Everybody has a different diet, and it’s likely been shaped over time by many factors. Everything from your family’s culture to the socioeconomic circumstances of your hometown will affect the way you look at food and how you eat. That’s why increasing your calorie intake can be harder than it seems—these changes take time and real effort. 

We recommend making these types of big lifestyle changes with the help of a professional nutritional counselor. They will both support you and offer tips and suggestions to increase your caloric intake in a way that feels healthy and realistic for you. 

High calorie healthy foods

Our Favorite High-Calorie Healthy Foods

If you need some help getting started on your caloric intake journey, our team is here to help. Here are just a few of our favorite nutritious foods high in calories—and some tasty ways to try them yourself. 

Beans are the best! As we mentioned earlier, this superfood is packed with fiber and protein and can be prepared in countless dishes. Some of our favorite ways to eat beans include refried beans, seven-layer dip, rice and beans, stir-fry with fermented black bean sauce, or in a soup, stew, or chili.

We’re nuts for nuts! These tasty morsels can be consumed whole as a snack, blended into a butter, pulverized into a flour, baked into a loaf, or simmered into a curry or stew. We love using nut butters as the base for a tasty dressing or sauce, like satay. Plus, when you need calories but can’t be bothered to cook, a quick spoonful is a great solution. 

Certain oils are fantastic ingredients for healthily increasing calorie intake. Plus, they taste great! Use them to make salad dressings, or to finish dishes that need a little something “extra.” 

If you’re looking for a tasty way to consume plenty of oil without too much cooking fuss, we have an idea for you: toum. This delicious dip comes from Lebanon and consists of only two ingredients—oil and garlic. When blended together, it emulsifies into a fluffy, creamy garlic sauce that can be served with grilled meat, as a dip, or however else you want to eat it—it’s absolutely delightful. 

…and this is only where the list begins! All sorts of ingredients, from yogurt to coconuts, are marvelous items to eat when you want to increase your calorie intake. With the help of your nutritional counselor, you’ll be able to find which ones best suit your taste and lifestyle. 

Looking for More Support?

At Jack City, we have everything you need to reach all of your fitness goals. Whether you want to increase your caloric intake for bulking, are seeking help developing your ultimate workout routine, or need a supportive space to exercise and meet like-minded people, you’ll find what you need at our Boise fitness center. 

Call (208) 999-1111 today to learn more! We’ll invite you for a FREE fitness consultation at our gym, plus a chance to tour our facility and meet our team of nutritional counselors and personal trainers. Once you sign up to become a partner, you’ll have immediate 24/7 access to our entire facility, plus the ability to join some of our amazing workout classes.

We are here to support your goals, and we can’t wait to be a part of that journey. 

Can you build muscle in a calorie deficit? Here’s everything you need to know about body recomposition—your friends at Jack City are experts on this topic! 

Can You Gain Muscle on a Calorie Deficit?

Think everyone has the same goal when restricting their caloric intake? Think again. While many people approach creating a calorie deficit as a means of weight loss, that doesn’t always translate to “slimming down.” Many athletes want to lose fat or weight without forgoing their hard-earned bulk; others want to lose weight while gaining new muscles. 

These scenarios can become a kind of catch-22; you need a surplus of calories to gain muscle, but you need a deficit to lose fat. 

Can the two goals exist at once? The short answer to this is yes. With the right workout and nutrition plans in place, calorie deficit muscle gain is a possibility—but realistically, it won’t be the same level of power you would be building in a surplus. Instead, you will be able to shed weight and fat without losing muscle. This will help you achieve bigger gains when you increase your caloric intake again.

What Is a Calorie Deficit?

To understand what a deficit is and how it works, it’s helpful to know more about calories themselves. A calorie is a tangible form of energy that fuels the body. It’s found in all types of food and drink; some things are more calorie-rich than others. Your body needs calories to do anything, including building muscle. 

When you exert energy, whether it’s from cycling or twiddling your thumbs, you “burn” away some of the calories you’ve consumed. Even things you don’t consciously do, like breathing and metabolizing food, burns calories. 

When you purposefully consume fewer calories than you require to expend, that’s called a calorie deficit. When you’re in a deficit, your body needs to get energy from elsewhere—so it burns your fat reserves instead. This leads to weight loss and fat burning!

Can you build muscle in a calorie deficit

How Does Muscle Building Work?

Want to gain muscles? You will need the following three elements:

1) Muscle Hypertrophy Stimulus

Muscle hypertrophy is a fancy way of saying bodybuilding or muscle bulking—and it can be stimulated in several ways. According to the American Council on Exercise, the primary means of stimulating hypertrophy are “1) mechanical tension, 2) muscle damage, and 3) metabolic stress.”

If the term “damage” raises alarms, don’t worry. While muscle tissues can be damaged by certain workouts, that damage actually causes the exact response you want: gains and growth!

2) Proper Recovery Periods

If you want to really see results, it’s important to give your muscles the right time and tools to recover properly between workouts. After a heavy lifting sesh, don’t start counting down the hours until the next one. Instead, knock back a delicious protein shake and relax; your muscles need this to get bigger.

3) Calorie Surplus

In order to see the best results and most impressive gains, you need to give your body some of the energy it needs. That means consuming nutritious meals and providing your body with a few extra calories to properly bulk up. 

Finding the Balance

There are several ways to balance gaining muscle with a calorie deficit.

As we discussed earlier, doing bodybuilding workouts while on a deficit is a great way to maintain muscle while losing weight. And while building muscle on a calorie deficit is typically more about maintenance and less about massive gains, that isn’t always the case. This is where fitness theories like body recomposition come in; many athletes work closely with nutritional counselors and personal coaches to create a lifestyle that supports a specific fat-to-muscle ratio. 

Many athletes don’t worry about building muscle on a calorie deficit at all. Instead of combining the two, they break up their goals into specific time frames. Generally, this means alternating between bulking and shredding periods.

Learn More About Building Muscle on Calorie Deficit 

If you want to learn more about building muscle on a calorie deficit, creating the right kind of calorie surplus for gains, or losing weight in a healthy and sustainable way, you’re in the right place. At Jack City Fitness, we have everything you need to smash your goals, whether they are muscle gains, weight loss, or simply moving more. 

Call (208) 999-1111 today to learn more! We’ll invite you to our Boise health center for a FREE fitness consultation and tour of the facilities. If you become a Partner, you’ll have immediate 24/7 gym access, plus the ability to join our rotating schedule of heart-pumping classes. We are fitness experts and can’t wait to share our knowledge with you!

If you want to get the most out of your workouts, you want to master compound exercises. Find out everything you need to know about compound movements here!

What Are Compound Exercises?

Want to train multiple muscle groups in less time? Compound workouts might be your answer! 

The term “compound workouts” refers to any exercise that works more than one muscle group. A classic example would be squats, where athletes can train their cores, hip flexors, glutes, quads, lower back, and hamstrings in one simple move! 

If you want to learn more about compound workouts and how they can benefit you, have a look at our guide, where we’ve shared our favorite compound exercises list and explained their benefits. At Jack City Fitness, we’re experts on compound exercises, and we’re thrilled to share our passion and knowledge with you. 

The Benefits of Compound Workouts

There are loads of reasons why athletes of all kinds swear by compound workouts. Here are some of our favorite benefits:

Compound workouts are especially popular with busy athletes because they can save a lot of time! Because compound workouts train several muscle groups at once, athletes who engage in compound exercise can spend a shorter time at the gym and still see the results they crave. 

If efficient workouts are your priority, you don’t need to stop at compound exercises. There are several other exercise styles that can suit your needs, including full-body workouts and HIIT. 

If strong muscles are what you’re after, compound workouts are a great way to get there. When you engage in compound exercises, you won’t only be using one muscle group for workouts like deadlifts. This allows you to go for heavier weights than you might be able to lift otherwise, leading to stronger muscles overall.

Looking to shed some body fat? Compound exercises can help you healthily meet those goals; these workouts can lead to more calories burned. In fact, some compound workouts can elevate your heart rate just as much as cardiovascular exercise—and that type of training is famous for its fat-burning abilities!

To properly nail compound exercises, athletes must make sure every move is correct. This level of technical precision can help with overall coordination and mobility in both athletic and everyday movements. 

What are compound exercises

Our List of Compound Exercises That We Love

Ready to reap some benefits of compound exercises yourself? We’ve written a little list of compound exercises we swear by at Jack City Fitness. However, this list is only the beginning of the fun—there are dozens of compounds and variations for you to try. 

If you don’t see anything that appeals on our list of compound exercises, get in touch with our team; we’ll be able to help you find the right one!

1) Compound Lifting

Fun fact: if you like deadlifting, then you’ve already tried compound lifts! This classic form of strength training is also a prime example of compound exercise. When you beast a deadlift, you are training your entire back, plus your core, lats, forearms, hamstrings, and glutes. Aside from being compound workout royalty, deadlifts have plenty of other benefits, too, like lower back pain management. 

2) Lunge Variations

If lunges are your exercise of choice, you’re in luck—this move lends itself really well to compound workouts! A few examples of this? We swear by the front lunge with a twist; it targets your hips, hamstrings, glutes, and abdominal muscles. If you have a pair of dumbbells handy, we also recommend trying bicep curls with a reverse lunge; it will work your biceps, glutes, hamstrings, hips, and abdominal muscles. 

3) Squats

As we mentioned previously, squats are some of the best-regarded forms of compound exercise around. Not only are they beginner-friendly and require no equipment or special space, they efficiently train three muscle groups: your calves, quads, and glutes. 

4) Pull-Ups

Want to train your core, lats, biceps, and delts, all in one swift movement? Grab your pull-up bar and let’s get lifted! This form of bodyweight conditioning won’t only target muscle groups; it also improves your overall grip strength and functional fitness patterns. Whether you choose a classic chin-up or another similar workout, your body will surely benefit. 

Try Compound Exercises at Jack City Fitness!

Ready to get moving with one of our personal trainers? Give us a call at (208) 999-1111 today; we’ll invite you to our Boise facility for a FREE fitness consultation and tour of the gym! Once you sign up, you’ll have 24/7 access, a fleet of amazing coaches to work with, and an always-changing rotation of heart-pumping classes. Come and see for yourself—we can’t wait to help you smash your goals. 

Mace weight training is great for building your core strength, stability, and upper body power—and that’s just the beginning. Learn more about mace swing benefits from your friends at Jack City Fitness—we’re experts!

Plenty of workouts are inspired by a real-life object or physical activity. From climbing machines and walls to airbikes, the gym often imitates life. An excellent example of this is steel mace training. After all, a steel mace may be known as an incredible workout tool, but it has a longer history than any gym. Bludgeons of this type have been made and used by humans globally since prehistoric times—you can see ancient ones in museums! 

Historically, maces were used mainly as a weapon or form of warfare. That violent history is pretty far removed from how people use the mace these days. Now, its primary purpose is to provide athletes with a treasure trove of effective arm toning exercises.

At Jack City Fitness, we’re experts on all the latest workout trends—and today, we’re going to cover the basics of mace training, from benefits to how to try it yourself. If you’re ready to begin swinging, you can get in touch with the Jack City team. Our coaches would love to help you get started!

What Is Mace Training?

The mace workout is a type of functional strength training. While still a relatively new concept, it’s growing in popularity in gyms across the country, especially those focusing on functional fitness. 

As the name suggests, these workouts always involve a mace (or macebell). The macebell can be found in various sizes and weights and is physically fairly similar to its warlike predecessors: a long steel bar with a heavy metal ball on one end.

Due to its unique weight distribution and form, there are multiple ways to engage in mace training. If you’ve only heard of one mace workout, it’s likely mace swings—they’re a unique and powerful way to build muscle and increase functional fitness levels. Plus, they have countless varieties—once you get a grip on mace training, you can incorporate swings into all sorts of moves and workouts. 

As popular as mace swings might be, they are not the only way to use this equipment! We’ve seen athletes perform mace lateral shifts, curl their macebell during sumo squats, hold it overhead while doing crunches…the sky’s the limit with such a versatile piece of equipment. 

What Is Functional Fitness?

We’ve mentioned a couple of times that mace training is a form of functional fitness—but what exactly does that mean?

Functional fitness refers to workouts that improve your range of motion and help your body move properly in your daily life. By engaging in functional fitness training, you might find it takes less effort to do activities like pushing a grocery cart or carrying a baby. 

Is Steel Mace Training Effective?

Absolutely! The sheer versatility of the macebell alone makes it an effective tool. Not only does it come in a variety of weights and sizes, but it provides an enormous range of workouts for types of athletes—and you can actually adjust your grip to shift your workout to meet your fitness level. This flexibility and accessibility make it an easier tool to stick with, leading to more motivation and better results.

Mace workout

Steel Mace Workout Benefits

There are lots of mace workout benefits! Here are just a few:

1) It’s Unique

If you’ve never tried mace training, your first time will be unforgettable. After all, there aren’t many workouts that let you wield a medieval-style weapon like a character in an action movie, all while giving your body a strength conditioning workout that also offers functional fitness training! We promise you’ll leave your first session energized by the unique workout you just tried.

2) It Offers a Varied Workout

There’s not just one way to swing a mace! There are so, so many variations on steel mace training for athletes to try. The classic mace swing can be incorporated into all types of workouts: jumping jacks, squats, and burpees among them. Besides, there are plenty of ways to use the macebell without swinging. We’ve seen it utilized in all sorts of ways, from rows to bench presses. You’ll never be bored with a macebell!

3) It Grows With You

The macebell might seem like it’s only for top-tier athletes, but it’s an accessible piece of equipment. Its unique build allows for athletes to choose their difficulty “level” by grip. As a general rule, the closer your hands are to the weighted metal ball on your mace, the more beginner-friendly it will be. Moving your hands away from the ball will make your workout more challenging.

4) It Allows for Microtraining

The unique build and weight distribution of the steel mace allows athletes to target muscle groups in their training. By gripping your mace in certain ways, you can focus on creating more resistance to specific muscles.

5) It Helps Build a Stronger Core

Steel mace training can lead to a stronger core. That has a ton of benefits in itself; when you strengthen your core, you can enjoy a better sense of physical balance. That improved sense of stability will translate both to your athletic performance and daily movements. 

6) It Leads to Improved Functional Fitness

As we mentioned previously, steel mace training is a fine workout for folks interested in functional fitness. It can help you move through life with more ease and less pain—what’s not to love?

7) It Can Improve Your Grip Strength

Get a grip! 

Gripping a macebell is important—as we covered before, how you do so impacts your workout difficulty. It’s also crucial to have correct form and hold on tight. But that’s not the only way grip comes into your steel mace training. By participating in these workouts, you will be able to improve your overall grip strength. That’s thanks to the unique weight distribution of the mace itself.

8) It Offers a Full-Body Workout

Looking for a full-body workout? Mace training is a top option! It allows you to get in a full workout without logging hours at the gym, and it’s fun, unique, and feels powerful to perform. 

Can Anyone Try This Workout?

The mace workout can be a fantastic workout for beginners! However, if you’re trying this particular type of training for the first time, we highly recommend doing it alongside an experienced fitness coach. They’ll be able to ensure that you are safely using proper form. Plus, they’ll have plenty of dynamic mace workout ideas for you. Once you feel confident in the workout, you can do your own thing or continue with more advanced workouts alongside your coach. 

Try the Mace Workout at Jack City Fitness

At Jack City Fitness, we have everything that athletes need to succeed in crushing all their goals—and that includes first-class workout equipment, knowledgeable coaches, and heart-pumping fitness classes. We’re the first and best results-oriented gym in Boise—we know that your goals mean everything to you, and we love helping you reach them.

Get in touch with our team today by calling (208) 999-1111 for a FREE fitness consultation and a chance to see our facilities in person. Once you sign up to become a Jack City Partner, you’ll have immediate 24/7 access to our entire fitness center, plus the chance to work with our amazing coaches and counselors, experience customized training, and more. We can’t wait to meet you and help you reach your goals!

While dumbbells and kettlebells have many similarities, they are quite different in function. Learn more about kettlebell vs. dumbbell workouts from your friends at Jack City Fitness—we’re experts!

If you’re in the strength training game, you’ve probably heard the debate about kettlebells vs. dumbbells. But they’re not in competition! While the kettlebell and dumbbell are not the same tool, they both deserve a spot in your home gym. 

At Jack City Fitness, we could never choose between dumbbells vs. kettlebells—we love them both and think they are exercise superstars. However, some athletes might lean towards one over the other, and that’s okay, too; it’s a personal preference. 

Today, our team will cover the main differences and similarities between kettlebells and dumbbells to help you decide if you want to pick one and stick with it—or train with both! 

Dumbbell and Kettlebell Workout Similarities

Before we dive into the differences between dumbbells vs. kettlebells, let’s talk about their similarities and why they are often compared.

Both dumbbells and kettlebells are the descendants of ancient athletic tools called halteres, which were used by Olympians in ancient Greece. They were made of stone and typically shaped like a crescent moon. They came in pairs, and athletes swung them while performing still-popular workouts like the long jump. 

While the shape and construction of kettlebells and dumbbells are different, and both have changed over the last 2,500 years, the thread between them still feels very strong!

If you’re looking to build strong and powerful muscles, you don’t need to sweat too hard over the kettlebell vs. dumbbell dilemma. They are both fantastic training tools in this department. 

While dumbbells and kettlebells both are generally associated with strength training, that’s not their only skillset. Both of these tools make a great addition to your HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) cycle. 

You’d be hard-pressed to find a modern gym that doesn’t have a selection of kettlebells and dumbbells for their athletes to use. They are so popular and versatile, athletes of every fitness level can use them. They’re also a hugely popular choice with coaches.

Dumbbells: Pros and Cons

What makes a dumbbell unique? We’ve broken down the key benefits of dumbbells (plus a couple of drawbacks). 

Dumbbell Pros

Want to target specific muscles? With dumbbells, you can easily perform isolated training to condition exactly the muscle that needs it.

Dumbbells are fairly user-friendly, and we think that they make for a great entry-level piece of exercise equipment! A good fitness coach can help newcomers nail the form and technique so they can train their way to results.

If it’s ripped muscles you’re after, dumbbells are your best friend. Your upper body will look incredible after logging time with this piece of equipment; that’s why it’s been so popular for so many years.

Dumbbell Cons

When it comes to kitting out your home gum, dumbbells are on the pricier side. While that investment works for some athletes, many consider it a disadvantage. Our solution? Join a gym! 

Dumbbells don’t have an endless range of weights and can’t be adjusted. This can be frustrating, especially for home gyms, where increasing weights might be a necessary part of training. 

Kettlebells: Pros and Cons

What are the pros and cons of using a kettlebell? We’ve broken down the most important ones to know about. 

Kettlebell Pros

One of the biggest kettlebell benefits? Working out with this tool can make you an overall better athlete, thanks to its ability to increase skills like leaping and overall explosive strength. This is on top of the strength and cardio benefits offered by various classic kettlebell workouts, like the swing. 

Never swung a kettlebell before? You’re in for a treat. It’s lots of fun! Lots of athletes are choosing kettlebells for how fun and dynamic it feels—and since they can be substituted in plenty of dumbbell-designed exercises, they can add some spice to tried-and-true routines. 

There’s a reason HIIT has become such a popular form of fitness…it delivers maximum results in minimum time. The kettlebell swing is currently one of the most famous HIIT workouts around.

While kettlebells are, of course, rather heavy, their handle makes them easier to transport than other types of weights. They are also small and compact, making them a great choice for home gyms, or to tuck away in the corner of your car for workouts on the go.

Kettlebell Cons

Kettlebells are fantastic, but they wouldn’t be our very first choice for beginners. If you are a gym newbie hoping to try some kettlebell swings, we definitely recommend doing so with a fitness coach. 

Can you do kettlebell swings with a dumbbell

Can You Do a Kettlebell Swing With a Dumbbell?

Yes! While it might require a bit of work to get the form and technique right, you can absolutely do a kettlebell swing with a dumbbell. However, if you plan to try this, we highly recommend that your first time is with a professional fitness coach by your side. They will be able to ensure that your form is correct and that you won’t risk injuring yourself and others. Once you nail the technique, the sky’s the limit! 

Can I Substitute Kettlebells for Dumbbells?

So, can kettlebells be used as dumbbells? Definitely! If you prefer kettlebells over dumbbells but like the traditional workouts associated with the latter, no sweat. You can use your kettlebells in any activity that usually uses dumbbells. This especially applies to workouts like curls, lunges, and lifts. 

While we wholeheartedly support using kettlebells for dumbbell exercises, it’s always best to triple-check in person with your coach that your chosen routine works with a kettlebell. Our coaches will be able to give you all the answers you need!

Explore Strength Training at Jack City Fitness

At Jack City Fitness, we have everything the Boise athlete needs to succeed. That means a range of fitness equipment, lots of exciting workout classes, and plenty of knowledgeable fitness coaches and nutritional counselors to offer support whenever needed. We also offer 24/7 gym access to all our Partners, so you can work out when it best suits your schedule and needs. 

Are you ready to get started? Contact the Jack City team by calling (208) 999-1111 today! Once we hear from you, you’ll be invited to our Boise gym for a FREE fitness consultation and a chance to tour our facilities and meet our coaches. Once you sign up, you can get moving right away.

We can’t wait to meet you and help you smash all your strength training goals!

“Functional training” refers to exercises that help you more easily perform activities in everyday life. It’s excellent for longtime athletes and gym newcomers alike—so come learn more about functional fitness from your friends at Jack City Fitness!

All workouts help your body move and function at its best level—but many were developed with athletic performance in mind. Functional exercise is a bit different. While many functional training exercises do enhance your performance on the field or at the gym, these workouts go beyond sports performance; they improve how you handle daily activities, like changing bedsheets or carrying a toddler. 

Whether you engage in daily exercise or haven’t seen a gym in years, we recommend trying some functional fitness workouts. We’ve written a simple guide to functional exercise to get you started. When you’re ready to give it a try, our fitness coaches are waiting to help.

What Are the Benefits of Functional Fitness Workouts?

Now that you know our functional training definition, you might have questions about what makes it so important.

Our biggest reason for trying functional fitness? It makes your life easier! It doesn’t matter if you’ve never played a sport in your life or dreaded PE in high school. Movement and motion are still essential parts of your daily life—even if you don’t pay them much mind. 

Whether you need to stay on your feet for your job, run around with your kids all afternoon, or carry your weekly groceries up a hill back home, you use your body in all sorts of ways—and sometimes, the wrong way can cause pain or injury. Functional fitness workouts can help you train your body to move more naturally and safely daily. This will make everything from errands to housework easier, giving you more energy and less grief overall. 

This isn’t the only reason we advise even the biggest gym-phobes to try their hand at functional fitness—we also think it might change the way you look at exercise and working out. By working with a helpful and supportive coach and maintaining goals of overall improved quality of life rather than sporting success, you might find the experience enriching rather than overwhelming. 

Finally, while functional fitness was designed to help improve daily movements, there are some natural benefits that will indeed help your sports performance, if that’s your desire! Engaging in functional training can help you become more flexible, boosts endurance levels, and has been shown to improve your overall balance. All of this leads to better athletic performance as well as daily motion. 

Functional fitness

What Are Some Examples of Functional Exercises? 

One of the best things about functional exercises? There are (quite literally) dozens to choose from. We’ve listed some of our favorites below, but that’s only where the fun begins.

If you haven’t nailed this move yet, check out our guide to pushup progressions—our coach Marshall is a pushup king! 

These lower-body workouts are a functional fitness mainstay. 

This workout requires a dumbbell—we have plenty of them at Jack City Fitness, plus dedicated coaches to ensure you’re using proper form.

Never stumble on a crowded bus again! This functional training exercise is a great way to strengthen your core and improve overall balance. 

Deadlifts can be a fantastic functional fitness move—but if you’re new to lifting, it’s crucial to start out safely. We recommend chatting with your doctor before lifting for the first time, especially if you have any health conditions. It’s also best to try lifting under the guidance of a dedicated fitness coach. 

Lateral lunges rely on bodyweight for resistance, so they’re a great functional training option when you’re away from the gym.

If none of these functional training exercises sound like your cup of protein shake, contact your fitness coach. They’ll be able to work with you to find functional exercises that are enjoyable for you and help you work towards your goals.

Try Functional Training Exercises at Jack City Fitness

At Jack City Fitness, our team is passionate about functional exercise. Some of our trainers specialize in it! If you want to try personal functional training with one of our coaches, contact our team today by calling (208) 999-1111. We’ll invite you to our Boise gym for a FREE fitness consultation and a chance to meet our coaches. Once you become a Partner, you’ll have 24/7 access to our facility, plus the ability to work with our nutritional counselor and coaches, take classes, and more.