In the Fitness FAQs section you will find simple and straightforward answers to common questions about fitness and diet.
General Fitness
The abdominal crunch is a fundamental exercise to strengthen your midsection and gain muscle in the entire abdominal area. There are countless variations of the exercise – we could easily count 50 – ranging from beginner to advanced levels and targeting different parts of the abdominals (rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques).
If your goal is to strengthen your abs, build muscle – or tone up if you prefer to say it this way; crunches are a great exercise. Muscle definition is a matter of muscle size and low body fat percentage. Follow an exercise and diet plan aimed at strength and muscle growth, keep your body-fat low and be patient.
If it is only a matter of mood, the short answer is to do your workout. Use less or no weights, try some new exercises, try a fitness class, do stretching, make it more fun. It is likely that once you start your workout, your mood will change and you will have an amazing workout. If it ends up being a relaxed workout, you lost nothing at all. A light workout is enough to condition your muscles, and you are ready for your next one without feelings of guilt.
You may also be interested in this brief article When You Are Not In the Mood to Workout…
Workout Terminology
A superset is a combination of two exercises targeting opposing muscle groups or different body parts. Perform the sets for each exercise back to back, with no rest in between.
A compound set is a combination of two exercises that work the same muscle group. Perform the sets for each exercise back to back, with no rest in between.
A triset is a combination of three exercises targeting the same muscle group. Perform three consecutive sets of three different exercises back to back, with no rest in between.
A circuit workout consists of at least one sequence of different exercises targeting various body parts. Each sequence of exercises is a circuit.
Nutrition
There are no exact numbers for how much protein is needed to build or maintain muscle mass. Research recommends for active individuals who do resistance training amounts from 1.2 – 2.0 gr of protein per kg of body weight. Bodybuilders who are trying to maintain muscle mass while losing weight and body fat for a competition consume protein amounts closer to the higher end of the range.