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The problem of obesity is increasing rapidly all over the world. Many types of diseases arise due to weight gain. People follow regular exercises along with healthy and clean diet to reduce obesity. But despite this many times, weight is not reduced.

Weight usually increases for several reasons. Poor lifestyle and unhealthy diet are one of the main reasons. Apart from this, obesity also increases due to various diseases. Everyone tries different ways to lose weight and keep the body healthy. Lets know what people do to lose weight in different countries of the world.Thailand: Spicy Foods

Thai food is one of the most spicy foods in the world. Spicy food increases metabolism and does not allow hunger for long. There is no desire to eat again and again. This is why people of Thailand eat very spicy food for weight loss.Also read: Do these 5 tasks daily in the morning to reduce weight, will reduce more than 2 kg weight in a monthPoland: Homemade Food

United Kingdom: eating less

British people eat small amounts of food at home and even in restaurants. According to nutritionists, eating small amounts of food a few times does not accumulate excess fat on the body. Also, weight is also controlled.

Also read: Eat as much as you want without stopping, these foods will not increase weight

France: eat slowly

According to the study, 92 percent of French families eat very slowly. This makes food better absorbed in the body. At the same time, the stomach also fills quickly. This does not increase obesity.

India: Ayurvedic Mixture

People in India resort to Ayurveda for good physical and mental health. There are many ways to lose weight in Ayurveda. They have no side effects and health is also good.

All these methods are very effective for weight loss. Regardless of the country you are in, you can try these to keep yourself fit and reduce obesity.

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Weight loss hack: People of these 6 countries do these 1 work to reduce obesity, you must also try - Pledge Times

When it comes to burning fat and getting ripped, most lifters go-to training method is cardio. They hop on a bike or treadmill and do hour after hour of low-intensity exercise. Some do interval training, which may be more time-efficient, but is still a form of cardio.

And while cardio DOES burn calories and fat, it may not be the best way to get ripped, especially if you are a bodybuilder.

Cardio means spending even more time in the gym, and thats not an attractive proposition for a lot of lifters. Also, while cardio does burn fat, it can have a negative effect on muscle mass, leading to atrophy. In short, while you will lose fat with cardio, you could lose muscle mass too.

Finally, cardio isnt exactly the most exciting workout you can do. After all, youre a lifter, not a hamster!

The good news is there is an alternative training method that is designed to shred fat while maintaining or even increasing muscle mass strength training complexes.

A complex is a series of exercises done back to back without any rest between each one. Before you say it, a complex is NOT the same as a circuit because, for complexes, you use the same training tool/weight for every exercise, and each move is designed to flow into the next to create a logical, seamless sequence.

The best complexes use compound exercises, low to moderate weights, and work your entire body. This makes them super-effective for burning calories and melting fat. Better still, a complex doesnt take long, so you wont have to commit hours to extra training. You can use a complex as a finisher after your regular workout or, if you prefer, as a short standalone training session between your regular workouts.

While there are bodyweight complexes, for lifters, complexes that use barbells, dumbbells, or kettlebells are usually the most effective. That way, you can use weights that are challenging enough to preserve or build muscle mass. You can also modify the load to reflect your current strength and fitness levels.

So, if you are bored with the bike or ticked-off with the treadmill, try strength training complexes instead. The only thing youve got to lose is the fat!

Remember, start your complex workout with an appropriate warm-up. A few minutes of light cardio and some dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises are an excellent place to start. Finish up with a few easy reps of each exercise in your complex using a light load.

If youve never tried strength training complexes before, one using a barbell is a good place to start. They require the least amount of skill and coordination, making them ideal for novices. Dont mistake this simplicity for ease barbell complexes can be brutal!

For this complex, perform 4-8 reps of each of the following exercises. Ideally, and to make keeping track of your workout easier, do the same number of reps for each move. Do 4-6 sets in total or, alternatively, see how many sets you can do in 10, 15, or even 20 minutes.

As the push-press will probably be your weakest exercise, use that move to determine your training weight for the rest of the complex. For example, if you know you can push-press 60kg/135 lbs. for six reps, thats the weight you should use for the entire sequence.

Dumbbells are harder to control than barbells. After all, there are two of them! That said, this will increase muscle activation, core recruitment, and also improve your coordination too.

As before, perform 4-8 reps of each of the following exercises. Ideally, and to make keeping track of your workout easier, do the same number of reps for each move. Do 4-6 sets in total or, alternatively, see how many sets you can do in 10, 15, or even 20 minutes.

As the curl and press will probably be your weakest exercise, use that move to determine your training weight for the rest of the complex. For example, if you know you can curl and press 20kg/45 lbs. for six reps, thats the weight you should use for the entire sequence.

Kettlebells can be even more ungainly and harder to control than dumbbells. For that reason, this complex uses just one kettlebell. This will increase core activation but also leave you free to focus on working hard, rather than trying to avoid braining yourself with two cannonballs with handles!

Because kettlebells are irregularly shaped, youll need to change your grip moving from one exercise to the next. Do this as quickly as possible, and do not use these transitions as an opportunity for a sneaky rest.

You know the drill; perform 4-8 reps of each of the following exercises. Ideally, and to make keeping track of your workout easier, do the same number of reps for each move. Do 4-6 sets in total or, alternatively, see how many sets you can do in 10, 15, or even 20 minutes.

As the halos will probably be your weakest exercise, use that move to determine your training weight for the rest of the complex. For example, if you know you can use 16kg/35 lbs. for six reps, thats the weight you should use for the entire sequence.

Complexes are an excellent alternative to spirit-sapping, lengthy, drawn-out cardio workouts! Theyre perfect for bodybuilders because they involve the thing most of us enjoy most lifting weights.

The majority of complexes work most, if not all, of your major muscle groups, and that means they use a lot of energy too. They should also trigger significant post-exercise oxygen consumption, firing up your metabolism for even faster fat burning.

Were not saying cardio is bad for you. Its just that its good to have an alternative, especially one thats as time-efficient and effective as strength training complexes.

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Barbell, Dumbbell, and Kettlebell Complexes to Get Ripped Fast - FitnessVolt.com

Your BMR is

calculated Your Basal Metabolic Rate is the number of calories required to keep your body functioning at rest, also known as your metabolism.

calculated Your TDEE is the amount of calories you need to consume a day in-order to maintain your current weight while performing your daily and exercise activities.

calculated Note: You have entered % as your Custom Surplus Calories.

calculated

calculated

Determine your daily macronutrient requirements

Carbohydrates20%89 grams

Protein20%178 grams

Fat20%79 grams

Despite people focusing on how challenging it is to lose weight, gaining lean muscle mass could be equally difficult, if not more.

Some of the causes that may interrupt this process include fast basal metabolic rate (BMR), small appetite, and not knowing the amount of food you should be eating.

This post will focus on the factors that inhibit bulking and how our weight calculator might be the solution youve been looking for.

As mentioned above, there are several factors that could prevent weight gain, including:

The basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is used to estimate the number of calories your body needs for 24 hours. This number reflects the energy used by your organs to keep on functioning.

BMR is subject to numerous factors that either accelerate or slow it down. For instance, being a male means having a relatively faster BMR, which is due to testosterone and the bigger lean muscle mass.

Other factors that influence BMR are body type, weight, dietary choices, degree of physical activity, and genetics.

In some cases, however, a fast BMR could be an obstacle in the way of gaining muscle mass or fat.

For instance, If you are a mixed martial artist, your body is used to fast caloric expenditure due to the high level of activity and metabolic modifications. So, if you decide to bulk one day, you may face trouble doing that.

This is perhaps the most important factor that determines weight fluctuations.

To understand how your appetite works, we need to tackle the physiology of the digestive tract.

After ingesting food, it will get broken down throughout several steps that start at the mouth thanks to oral enzymes (e.g., amylases) and ends at the level of the colon.

The primary physiological processes that control body weight are:

These two factors are the main driver of your appetite. For instance, if you dont eat frequently and/or consume small meals, the stomach is bound to shrink, which reduces the volume of food it can handle at once. Consequently, you are more likely to feel satiated very quickly.

Moreover, full gastric capacity will stimulate several metabolic cascades that lead to the production of hunger-suppressing hormones, which further reduces caloric intake.

To get an idea about the number of calories you need to consume in order to gain weight, you need to determine your goal and learn some basic conversions (one pound=3500 calories).

To gain one pound, you must consume an additional 500 calories per day for an entire week. However, these calculations could get complicated since the degree of physical activity and exercise routine are difficult to account for.

For this reason, we developed our weight gain calculator, which takes into consideration all factors (e.g., age, gender, degree of physical activity, current weight, ultimate goal) to generate the most accurate results.

Keep in mind that the one pound=3500 calorie rule is somewhat controversial, as some researchers believe its an overestimation.

Nevertheless, this number could be used as an appropriate approximation.

If you want to gain weight, it is crucial to do it the right way.

For example, binging on soda and patisseries may seem like an appealing option; however, it could lead to serious consequences for your overall health.

Here are a few practical tips to help you with this journey:

As simple as this tip might sound, it is the best approach to gaining more muscle and fat.

This means focusing on nutrient-dense foods that contain a high number of calories, such as pasta, meats, fish, beans, etc.

The estimated number of calories you need to consume can be obtained by using our weight gain calculator, which will help you plan your meals accordingly.

Protein is a crucial macronutrient for people who want to gain weight in a healthy fashion.

You see, protein will rarely get transformed into stored energy forms, which reduces the chances of increased adipose tissue.

According to studies, individuals who are trying to gain weight can achieve their goals faster if they adopt a protein-rich diet.

However, protein is also a potent stimulator of satiety, which may decrease your appetite, and consequently, the number of calories you consume.

A good place to start is by aiming for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.

High-protein foods include meats, fatty fish, eggs, dairy products, and nuts. If you find it difficult to get the recommended amounts of protein from your diet, you can get supplements such as whey protein.

Carbohydrates are your best friend if youre trying to gain weight.

Most modern foods are smaller in size and loaded with carbs, which is exactly what you want to build muscle and fat.

Note that not all carbs are created equally, hence the need to focus on complex carbohydrates that carry some benefits.

Our weight gain calculator is very intuitive and easy to use, even for beginners.

All you need to do is insert the following information to get an estimated number of calories you need to consume:

The key to muscle building is consistent strength training that pushes your limits and causes your muscles to undergo microscopic tears.

Generally speaking, you should aim for 3 sessions of weight lifting per week, with each session lasting around 45-60 minutes.

Another important aspect is to keep challenging your muscles by lifting a heavier weight whenever you feel comfortable with the previous one.

This way, your muscles will undergo enough stress to cause the necessary microscopic tears for hypertrophy.

In other words, dont stick to a constant number of repetitions since training until youre no longer capable of doing another repetition is what causes the microscopic tears.

As we mentioned above, a protein-rich diet is crucial to gain muscle mass, and in most cases, it is more important than exercise!

For instance, if you consider that strength training contributes to 25% of your muscle mass, nutrition is responsible for the other 75%

The market is loaded with weight gain supplements that claim to be effective in increasing body weight.

However, you should be careful with these advertisements since many of their products are ineffective or even harmful.

When choosing a supplement, focus on high-quality products that contain a rich diversity of amino acids necessary for muscle growth and lipolysis.

One golden rule to follow is:

If it sounds too good to be true, chances are, it is.

The answer to this question is complicated. While some people may find it relatively easy to gain weight, others can face difficulties due to the factors we mentioned above.

However, the most common mistake people make when trying to gain weight is not gathering all the necessary information, such as the appropriate caloric intake and duration required to witness any results.

For this reason, our weight gain calculator was designed to take into account all the other factors to accelerate this process.

Our calculator uses all the information your input (e.g., gender, age, weight, height, degree of physical activity, surplus percentage) to come up with the most accurate number of calories to consume per day.

The amount of weight you should gain is highly dependent on your baseline.

For instance, if you are severely underweight, it might be reasonable to opt for an aggressive approach.

Keep in mind that gradual weight gain is always recommended, as it lasts longer. Researchers found that rapid weight fluctuations will often get reversed, leading back to the starting point.

According to study, 3500 calories is typically equal to one pound, whereas 7,000 calories is equal to one kilogram.

However, nutritionists and fitness experts are still debating about the accuracy of these numbers, but for our sake, an approximation is sufficient.

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Weight Gain Calculator Learn Best Way to Gain Weight - MiddleEasy

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is an automotive classic beloved by many. And one of them recently got a 21st-century update thats good enough to make any Tesla tremble.

U.K.-based Lunaz is no stranger to transforming rarefied vehicles, and it specializes in doing so by lending them electric powertrains they can be enjoyed far into the future. In this particular instance, the subject of experimentation is a Phantom V, marking the first time an electric Rolls-Royce has ever been created. It is the start of a very limited-edition series of thirty vehicles from the premier automaker that will be hand-built at Lunazs headquarters in Silverstone, England.

More from Robb Report

The time is right for an electric Rolls-Royce, Lunaz founder David Lorenz told Forbes. We are answering the need to marry beautiful classic design with the usability, reliability and sustainability of an electric powertrain.

The lineup of Rolls-Royces is set to include both Phantoms and Silver Clouds. Though Rolls-Royces can never be had for what anyone would consider a bargain, the price has been ramped up even more with electrified Phantoms expected to start around $657,000 and Silver Clouds for a slightly lower $450,000.

Founded just two years ago, Lunaz has quickly set itself apart by taking the best of the best in classic cars that are no longer operational and implementing uncompromising refurbishments to give them new life. The first completed Rolls in this set underwent a soup-to-nuts renovation, including a luxurious interior that features sustainably sourced pale gray leather upholstery. Of course, thats to say nothing of its 120 kWh battery with a 300-mile rangethe largest electric battery in the world. But the quality of execution should come as no surprise when considering the minds behind each of Lunazs jobs has a top-notch pedigree; its founders logged time in senior roles at the likes of Aston Martin, Ferrari and McLaren.

Story continues

But the high-end touches dont stop with just the largest components. Even the tiniest bits and bobs are thought through, such as the rose gold inlay in the restored wood paneling and the alpaca wool rear floor mats.

Demand for Lunazs vehicles has been so high that the company has been forced to double its staff. Accordingly, wed recommend acting quickly if you want to secure one of the cars from this batch before they run out. Head over to the companys website to learn more and see additional photos of the car below:

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From Alpaca Floor Mats to Gold Inlay, the Worlds First Electric Rolls-Royce Is a Luxe, Sustainable Ride - Yahoo Lifestyle

HAVE you ever tried the same diet as a friend, but ended up with completely different results?

If you've answered yes, the chances are you both have totally different body types too.

Well, guess what? People come in a variety of shapes and sizes - and it's uniqueness that makes us special.

But it also means that things like diets or fitness regimes might work for one person and not for the other.

Personal trainer and nutritionist Rachael Attard says successful weight loss comes down to knowing our own body shapes.

Generally, we fall in to one of three different types:ectomorph, mesomorph andendomorph.

Rachael says that identifying what shape you are will help you get results, whether it's becoming stronger or shedding the pounds.

She explained: "In a nutshell, endomorph body types are generally shorter and curvier, ectomorph body types are usually tall and slim and mesomorph body types are typically characterised as naturally muscular, with a medium size bone structure, broad shoulders and narrow waists.

"But, unlike body shapes, your body type focuses on how you gain weight and muscle."

Rachael, who has created a quiz to find out what body type you are, said that an ectomorphs generally find it quite difficult to gain weight or muscle but are naturally low in body fat.

Ectomorphs usually look lean and athletic and are usually the envy of their friends as they can eat large amounts of food seemingly without gaining weight.

4

What exercises should an ectomorph do?

Rachael said that ectomorphs should take part in resistance training around three times a week.

"Since ectomorphs find it quite hard to gain muscle and they lose weight easily they should focus on heavy lifting, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and other resistance training workouts."

She said that cardio isn't needed unless you are trying to lose weight - and added that endomorphs should have one rest day a week.

What should ectomorphs eat?

According to Rachael, ectomorphs do better on a high carb diet, she also highlighted that ectomorphs should try and add proteins to every meal.

"Not all carbs are created equal. A few treats here and there are OK.

"But try to avoid sugar and focus on healthy carbs such as fruit, brown rice, whole grain pasta, quinoa and veggies", she added.

Mesomorphs tend to gain muscle easier than others and usually have large bone structures and muscles.

Rachael said people with this body type can often lose and gain weight quickly and often see results from exercise quickly too.

What exercises should a mesomorph do?

Rachael said that mesomorphs should stick to a regular cardio schedule and said weights should be monitored.

"If your goal is to lose weight, stick to body weight or lighter weight (higher rep) workouts.

"High-intensity cardio, such as running on a flat surface and at a steady pace, works best for fat loss. To challenge yourself, make one of your cardio days high intensity", she added.

What should mesomorphs eat?

When it comes to your food, Rachael said mesomorphs should aim for a balance between carbs, proteins, and fats - she said you should try and add these to all of your meals and snacks.

She added that you should watch the calories and focus on whole foods.

"If your body fat is being stubborn or you just need a little kick start, try a low carb and high protein diet for 4 weeks.

"Then switch it back".

According to Rachael, endomorphs can gain muscle very quickly, have great strength and endurance but may find weight loss a little more challenging.

She also said they may have a higher level of body fat.

What exercises should an endomorph do?

Rachael said that endomorphs should run more and should also power walk.

She said you should aim to power walk at least five times a week.

She added that you should also focus on lighter weights.

What should endomorphs eat?

When it comes to what an endomorph should be munching on, Rachael said a low carb diet it best.

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She added that you should also have a diet that is high in fat and proteins.

"Both of them will keep you feeling fuller for longer and will help you burn more calories.

"Think lean meats, oily fish, nuts, seeds and avocado", she added.

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Knowing your body type could help you hit your weight loss goals so what shape are you? - The Sun

Do you have excess belly fat? Are you struggling to shed the visceral fat around your mid-section? If yes, this piece of writing is for you. Getting rid of belly fat is not easy and takes time. You need to be vigilant about what to eat and what not to when you are trying to shed those extra kilos. Also Read - Truth vs. Falsehood: Role of Baking Soda in Weight Loss

Did you know that onion, a food item which is used in almost every household on a daily basis can help you lose weight? Yes, you read it right. You must be eating onions daily but not experiencing any change in your overall weight. It is because you are not having them the right way. Also Read - Best Weight Loss Food For Vegetarians: Eat These Homemade Lentils And Bid Adieu to Excess Body Fat

Onions are rich in soluble fibre and that helps in keeping your gut healthy, which is important for effective weight loss. Onions are strong probiotic food that can aid in losing fat quickly if eaten raw. You can also have them by squeezing out its juice. Here we tell you the ideal way to consume onion if you are looking to lose weight. Also Read - Here is How Raw Paneer Helps in Weight Loss

You need 1 bulb of onion and 3 cups of water to prepare onion juice. All you need to do is to boil the water and put onions. Then grind it in a mixer. And, drink the juice.

To make onion soup, you need to chop 6 large onions. Then, heat olive oil in a soup pot and add ginger and garlic to it. Saute them for 2 minutes. Next, add onions and chopped tomatoes, some other vegetables, black pepper, and salt. Stir and cook for 15 minutes. Transfer the prepared soup to a serving bowl and have it.

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Onions For Weight Loss: Most Effective Ways to Have This Food to Get Body of Your Dreams - India.com

Sugar is also very present in foods that we dont consider to be sweet such as soups, sauces and ready meals.

A third of an average-sized jar of pasta sauce (roughly 150g) can contain more than 13g of sugar, including added sugar.

This is the equivalent of around three teaspoons of sugar.

It is well known that eating sugary foods significantly raises your blood sugar levels which can cause serious harm to your body, including weight gain.

Prolonged elevated blood sugar leads to weight gain because it promotes insulin resistance.

Healthline says: Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that moves sugar from your blood into cells, where it can be used for energy.

Insulin resistance is when your cells stop responded properly to insulin, which leads to elevated sugar and insulin levels.

Foods and beverages that are packed with added sugar, such as cakes, ice cream and fizzy drinks tend to be low in or completely lacking in protein, a nutrient essential for blood sugar control that promotes feelings of fullness.

This means that you will often feel hungry after consuming junk food which will lead to overeating and weight gain.

It isnt advised to completely cut this food group out of your diet if youre looking for long-term weight loss but cutting down gradually will be beneficial.

The NHS recommends opting for healthier snack options without added sugar including fruit, unsalted nuts, unsalted rice cakes and plain popcorn.

The website says: If you're not ready to give up your favourite flavours, you could start by having less. Instead of 2 biscuits in 1 sitting, try having 1. If your snack has 2 bars, have 1 and share the other, or save it for another day.

Dried fruit like raisins, dates and apricots are high in sugar and although this is natural it is recommended to keep these types of snacks to a minimum.

One of the worst types of beverages you can drink when on a weight loss journey is fizzy drinks.

A 500ml bottle of cola contains the equivalent of 17 cubes of sugar.

There are now sugar free alternatives on the market or try swapping this for squash which has less sugar in it.

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Weight loss: Cutting this one food out of your diet could be the key to losing weight - Express

Of all the many ways there are to lose weight and maintain health, some are ancient and some are brand

Of all the many ways there are to lose weight and maintain health, some are ancient and some are brand new. Take for example the difference between the Mediterranean diet, a well-established healthy-eating lifestyle rooted in the traditions of people living near the Mediterranean Sea, and Noom, a new app-driven program that combines healthy eating and psychology to help you lose weight without being on a diet per se.

Noom Overview

Noom is a behavior change program that helps people learn about and engage in healthier and sustainable eating and exercise habits, says Andreas Michaelides, a clinical psychologist and chief of psychology at Noom.

Eshani Ewing, a registered dietitian with Orlando Health in Florida, notes that the key interface for Noom is a mobile weight-loss app centered around behavior change. Users can track food, physical activity and body weight using an app that uses push notifications and other digital reminders to keep users engaged.

In addition to the app, Michaelides says users also gain access to:

Nooms curriculum of classes.

A one-to-one human coach.

A recipe database.

A virtual support group with other Noom users.

[READ: Low-Calorie Snacks.]

How Noom Works

Noom uses psychology to help our users identify and understand the why behind the what when it comes to their personal health journey, Michaelides says. This understanding helps people build healthy habits that stick.

The program focuses on more than just tracking calorie intake, he adds, and includes topics such as:

Mindfulness.

Goal-setting.

The impact of sleep, stress, exercise and food choices on ones overall health.

Noom helps users expand their view of health and learn about themselves, their behaviors and triggers and how to overcome obstacles specific to their lifestyle, Michaelides explains. This psychological approach is one of the key components to achieving and maintaining sustainable weight loss.

Using cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, Nooms program discusses how thoughts, behaviors and emotions directly relate to food and exercise choices, Michaelides says. This makes the approach completely individualized and customizable, tailored to the users unique needs and goals. Noom meets users where they are in their journey to help each person achieve long-term success, he adds.

The app encourages small, sustainable behavioral changes surrounding food choices, exercise and tracking weight through the use of daily reminders, such as logging more steps or adding what you ate at your last meal to the food diary. The program also includes support from real-life coaches that help build accountability, Michaelides says. Ewing cautions that these coaches may not be registered dietitians.

In addition to the behavioral change component, the system also helps users choose healthier, lower-calorie food options that can result in weight loss or weight management. The system features a color system that places foods into three different categories green, yellow and red based on caloric density, Ewing says. The goal is to consume:

30% green foods, which are the least calorie-dense foods. This includes vegetables and whole grains.

45% yellow foods, including lean meats and starches.

25% red foods, such as red meat and desserts.

To get started with the program, youll download the app to your smartphone, then answer several questions about your weight goals, eating habits, exercise habits and how quickly you want to achieve your goal. The app then crunches this data and spits out a recommended daily calorie allowance so you know how much you can eat each day and still stay on track for meeting your goal.

[Read: We Surveyed People on the Mediterranean Diet. Heres What They Say.]

Mediterranean Diet Overview

Whereas the Noom program has been hailed as a Millennial approach to weight management that relies on digital technology and individualized coaching, the Mediterranean diet is a reliable, old-school approach thats been a favorite of dietitians the world over for many years.

Developed in the 1960s as a means of reducing incidence of heart disease, the Mediterranean diet borrows many principals of eating and living in a sustainable way from several southern European counties that border the Mediterranean including Greece, Spain and Italy.

The Mediterranean diet encourages consumption of whole grains and legumes, which are important sources of fiber in our diet, says Lindsay Collier, clinical dietitian specialist of Westchester Medical Center. The Mediterranean diet focuses on plant-based proteins with fish, poultry and meats consumed weekly, not daily. It also includes lots of heart-healthy and omega-3 fatty acidrich olive oil.

A pattern of eating that fits into an overall lifestyle rather than a restrictive, short-term diet, the Mediterranean approach is all about moderation. No food is off limits, but dairy, red meat, sweets and processed foods should be limited, Collier says. The Mediterranean diet encourages moderation of dairy but does not encourage restriction and also promotes mindful eating behaviors.

[WATCH: Which Olive Oil Is Best?]

Health Benefits

Noom

Ewing says that Noom has been recognized as a lifestyle exchange program by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which are evidence-based solutions that can reduce a persons risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

The program is relatively new, so theres not a lot of independent research into whether it works and if so, how sustainable that weight loss is. But one 2016 study published in the journal Scientific Reports found that about 78% of 35,921 participants who used Noom lost weight while using the app over an 18-month period. And interestingly, the users who most faithfully recorded what they ate for dinner lost more weight than those who didnt.

Another 2016 study looked at Noom in relationship to diabetes prevention. In that small study, (36 overweight or obese participants completed a 24-week virtual Diabetes Prevention Program delivered via Nooms platform), 64% lost more than 5% of their body weight. The study also found that participants were highly engaged with the program, and that added up to the app being effective for prediabetes intervention.

The key with Noom is that focus on behavioral change, which is intended to help users make lasting changes resulting in weight loss. Moderate weight loss has been shown to reduce risks for several chronic adverse health conditions including diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet has the benefit of being a well-established and widely recommended way of eating. The Mediterranean diet has been researched for over 50 years and is recommended by the American Heart Association, Ewing adds. And a vast number of studies have linked the Mediterranean lifestyle with a range of health benefits including:

Weight loss.

Heart health.

Diabetes prevention and management.

Brain health.

Multiple studies and reviews have been published showing benefits for diabetes, cardiovascular health including stroke prevention, and limited data linking the Mediterranean diet to the prevention of Alzheimers and depression, Collier says. Reduced risk and better management of Type 2 diabetes has also been associated with the Mediterranean diet. Because its high in fiber and limits intake of processed and red meats, the Mediterranean diet has also been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.

Health Risks

Noom

Overall, the Noom approach can be done in a healthy way, but Ewing notes that with any weight loss program, its important to consider the individuals needs. Speak with your doctor or registered dietitian before starting any new diets to determine what is best for you.

Michaelides adds, in general, we dont recommend our program for women who are pregnant, and anyone whos underweight or has a history of eating disorders should also steer clear.

Another potential criticism of the Noom app is that it only allows users to record calories. No other nutritional information is captured when users log their meals.

Ewing cautions that the sustainability of the weight loss is up to the individual. The accountability and support from coaches and peers can certainly help you achieve weight loss goals. However, once youve met your goal, its important to ask yourself if this is something you can maintain long-term without the app.

Mediterranean diet

Similarly, the Mediterranean diet is considered a healthy approach that has few, if any, specific health risks. That said, if portions arent controlled, you may not lose weight or could even gain weight while following this lifestyle. Collier also notes that because red wine may be included in some iterations of this diet, that could be an issue for folks who shouldnt be consuming alcohol.

Cost

Noom

Nooms flagship program, the Healthy Weight Program, costs $59 per month, or $99 every two months. Theres also a free 14-day trial where you can try out the program for free to see if the approach works for you. In addition to the program, youll be buying all the food youll consume while following it.

Mediterranean diet

Its entirely possible to follow a Mediterranean diet while on a budget, and working with a registered dietitian may help you find more economical ways of staying in the guidelines for the plan.

Beans, bulk whole grains and lentils are some of the least expensive items in the grocery store, and because the Mediterranean diet features lots of these plus plenty of fresh, green leafy vegetables and limits intake of expensive cuts of red meat, it may be more economical than some other diets. Still, seafood, which is often a feature of the diet, may be more expensive, so youll need to assess your budget and plan if youre trying to stick to a budget.

Which Is Better?

In terms of which is best, this entirely depends on your goals and needs, Ewing says. There are no food groups that are off limits with either, which is key for compliance and sustainability.

In either case, Ewing says both diets compare favorably to the standard American diet. The standard American diet is highly processed, containing a lot of added sugar and sodium. The Mediterranean diet and Noom both promote inclusion of minimally processed foods, and the two approaches can be combined.

According to U.S. News & World Reports 2020 Best Diet Rankings, the Mediterranean diet ranks no. 1 overall and is tied for no. 15 on the Best Diets for Weight Loss ranking list. Noom is not ranked in the survey.

Lastly, Ewing notes that health and eating choices are very individualized; what works for one person wont always work well for another. Therefore, its important to address all the components that affect your eating habits and opt for something thats realistic and sustainable.

If youre having trouble or feel confused about what approach might work best for you, seek guidance from a registered dietitian, she recommends.

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Noom vs. Mediterranean Diet: Whats the Difference? originally appeared on usnews.com

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Noom vs. Mediterranean Diet: What's the Difference? - WTOP

Countries around the world are focusing on controlling the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected nearly 22 million people globally. In the race for a cure or treatment for the deadly virus, routine health campaigns and vaccinations to protect against other diseases take a back seat. With influenza (flu) season approaching, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stressed the importance of getting flu shot this year amid COVID-19 pandemic. Also Read - Two indigenous COVID-19 vaccines almost complete Phase 2 trials: Will India go for emergency authorization?

During a news briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, WHO senior adviser Bruce Aylward urged the world to administer widespread anti-flu vaccinations, which may also help prevent the risk of coronavirus complications, reported Reuters. Also Read - Obesity increases risk of death from COVID-19 in men: 5 sure shot ways to lose weight

Further stressing the need for getting the flu vaccine this year, WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove added that less than 10 per cent of the population has evidence of antibodies against the novel coronavirus. The experts believe that getting vaccinated against flu will help avert hospital crisis and also offer some protection against severe COVID-19 infection. Also Read - More infectious coronavirus strain found in Malaysia: Will it make people sicker?

Influenza is a serious viral infection that attacks your respiratory system your nose, throat and lungs. In most cases, it resolves on its own in a week or two or can be treated at home. But sometimes it can lead to hospitalisation and even death.

In high-risk people, flu may lead to severe complications like pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma flare-ups, heart problems, ear infections. Pneumonia can be deadly for older adults and people with a chronic illness. According to the WHO, seasonal influenza kills up to 650,000 people every year. Therefore, it is important to get vaccinated against flu every year, especially to protect young children, older people, pregnant women, or those with weakened immune systems.

The annual influenza vaccine isnt a completely foolproof protection, but its still your best defense against the flu. Getting vaccinated against flu may also help your body to develop antibodies against several strains of the influenza virus. As per experts, influenza viruses are constantly changing, with new strains appearing regularly.

Several studies have also indicated that flu vaccines can help reduce the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and reduce the burden on healthcare system. In a study, Italian researchers suggested that flu vaccine may train a persons immune system to quickly recognise and avoid any harmful organisms invading the lungs.

Certain groups of people are at higher risk of developing flu complications. These include:

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccination for everyone age 6 months or older. It is best to get vaccinated early in fall, before flu season begins. CDC recommends that getting a flu shot by the end of October. However, getting vaccinated later can still be beneficial.

Published : August 20, 2020 2:11 pm | Updated:August 20, 2020 2:32 pm

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Everyone should get flu vaccine this year amid COVID-19 pandemic: WHO - TheHealthSite

Balance is the key in life, says Novak Djokovic and he definitely applies the philosophical approach to his physical attributes and style of play helping him win 17 Grand Slams.

Footwork is the means to perfect weight control and balance. Bill Tilden, in his 1924 classic, Match Play and the Spin of the Ball.

One of the single biggest causes of errors in tennis is poor balance. Nick Saviano, in his 2003 book, Maximum Tennis.

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Strokes and tactics usually dominate the conversation among coaches and teaching pros about what makes elite tennis players. Body balance seldom gets the attention or credit it deserves.

A notable coaching exception was legendary Welby Van Horn, who famously taught only footwork and balance in many a students first lesson. Nowadays, teaching pro Marty Smith, a protege of Van Horn, carries the banner for balance. It sets a foundation from which a swing can be powerful, consistent and done with less effort. It also plays a crucial role in agility and movement, says Smith, a two-time NCAA Southern Conference champion and, for the past 26 years, Director of Tennis at the prestigious New York Athletic Club.

Smiths mission makes eminent sense. Proof of the powerful impact balance has on stroke production is evident in Roger Federers masterful game. His unrivalled body stability and perfect equilibrium contribute greatly to beautifully timed, powerful and precise shots that are effortlessly produced. As tennis shots on every level have become more powerful this century, moving faster has become more important than ever. Indeed, the fleet-footed Bjorn Borg once said, A tennis match is like a thousand little sprints. A typical tournament match also requires hundreds of quick directional changes. It is no coincidence that all-time greats Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Steffi Graf and Justine Henin also have featured blazing speed, uncanny agility and exceptional balance.

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The secrets of these and other stars are analysed in Smiths brilliant 2017 instruction book, Absolute Tennis: The best and next way to play the game (New Chapter Press). No stone is left unturned in this oversized, 319-page tome. Perhaps the most valuable gem is his incisive treatment of balance.

In this comprehensive interview, the 52-year-old, Australian-born Smith summons his vast expertise so players, teaching pros and coaches can learn why and how excellent balance is critical for success in tennis.

Why did you devote an entire chapter of your book, Absolute Tennis, to balance and then emphasise its importance even more by making it your first chapter?

I wanted my book to have a logical progression. Tennis is a very athletic sport, so I felt it made sense to begin the book with chapters on balance, the kinetic chain and movement. I subscribe to the European philosophy of how to develop top tennis players juniors should cross train and play various sports as young kids first to learn balance and movement before spending many hours hitting balls on the practice court later as teenagers. I applied that viewpoint to the structure of the book by starting with the athletic principles, then moving on to the strokes, strategy and finishing with psychology. Without understanding how the body moves, students cannot maximise their potential on their strokes. Poor strokes are going to limit strategic options and without fluent movement, confidence in your strokes and strategic knowledge, your mind will likely be frustrated instead of inspired. My goal was to teach the reader that tennis should be learned sequentially to help them improve their skills quickly and enjoy the game even more.

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Additionally, I wanted to make the first chapter balance, because it is such an important foundation from which successful stroke production and other aspects of the game flow. To use a painting analogy that Welby Van Horn used to tell me; if the stroke is the painting, balance is the paintings frame that enhances the strokes stability and structure. Poor balance inevitably diminishes the strokes power, accuracy and consistency. Balance is also an important factor in movement. Tennis is a game where the ability to change direction quickly has a big influence on a players success and braking fast and then accelerating powerfully is dependent on balancing the body.

Its always been perplexing to me why many other sports especially moving-ball and moving-athlete sports like basketball and soccer emphasise balance, while a multi-skill, highly athletic, fast-paced sport like tennis often does not. If you swing at a moderate speed and you are two degrees off with the racquet face, you will probably lose the point. Tennis is a precise game and balance has a huge impact on your level of precision. Furthermore, better balance can make you a step faster covering the court. So I wanted a logical progression to my book, but primarily I thought by making balance the first chapter, I could highlight an aspect of the game I felt deserved more recognition and appreciation.

What is balance?

In scientific terms, balance is achieved when the centre of gravity is aligned with the middle of the base of support. In the human body, the centre of gravity is located near the navel and the base of support is our legs. Therefore, balance happens for us when our navel is positioned above the middle of our stance. Now, because the head is easier to see than the navel and the head usually follows the direction of the core, coaches often use the head not the navel as a reference point. A common coaching mantra for balance is, Keep your head upright and above the middle of your stance.

Keep in mind, this textbook definition of balance sometimes doesnt align well with tennis players because they frequently load their weight on one leg to hit the ball and push off mostly from one leg to change direction. Tennis involves extreme types of movement and therefore, requires players to shift their centre of gravity far outside their base of support and still maintain body control.

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When I teach, I also pay close attention to the shoulders and back. Your shoulders need to be fairly level to maintain balance. Once your shoulders tilt, your centre of gravity shifts outside your base of support and your equilibrium is lost. And while your back will lean forward slightly into many shots in tennis, you want to swing with good posture to gain the benefits that stem from sturdy balance. Observe the way Novak Djokovic keeps beautiful posture when he swings the racquet. His superb flexibility, strength throughout the core and incredible movement lead him to appear to play with a rod running through the upper half of his body. This posture helps him maximise the benefits derived from superior balance. Djokovic has said, Balance is the key in life and he definitely applies the philosophical approach to his physical attributes and style of play helping him win 17 Grand Slams.

Of course, tennis is a game of near constant movement, so you must learn dynamic balance and acquire skill in establishing balance on the move. Not only are you moving in different directions, speeds and lengths, but you are also receiving balls at different heights and hitting shots with one or two feet on the ground further complicating the very quick computations the brain has to make to maintain balance. It really is amazing how the top tennis players move and sustain body control in the frenzy of an intense point. It is no wonder they are sometimes lauded as the worlds greatest athletes.

Roger Federers unrivalled body stability and perfect equilibrium contribute greatly to beautifully timed, powerful and precise shots that are effortlessly produced.

How do you move your body to maintain balance?

Players who have good balance have a malleable body. They are loose, agile and fluid in their movement. They glide low to the ground in a relaxed manner like a panther, not high above the ground and stiff like a giraffe. And they know how to adjust their torso and move their limbs effectively. For example, after running to hit a difficult wide ball, they tilt their torso against the direction they were moving, widen their stance and spread their arms to quickly get balanced. This allows them to stop and recover fast for their opponents next shot.

They also know how to adjust their legs and arms during the swing to maintain equilibrium. The best leg positioning for balance depends in large part on the height of the ball. The lower the ball, the wider your stroke stance should be. As you widen your stance, you lower your centre of gravity and your base of support becomes larger and stronger. On high balls hit above your head, the opposite should occur and your stroke stance should narrow. Bending your knees is also important for balance on low balls. If you dont bend your knees and instead bend at the waist, your centre of gravity will move in front of your legs causing you to tilt forward and stumble.

Keep in mind, your right and left leg will take on different roles during the swing to improve equilibrium. Many shots in tennis require one leg to anchor the stroke while the other leg pivots for balance. For example, on most right-handed backhand groundstrokes, the right leg will anchor the body while the left leg moves around to the left during the forward swing to balance the body and allow the weight transfer to happen fluently.

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Just as tightrope walkers use their arms for balance, so too should tennis players. On the one-handed backhand, as you swing forward with the right arm, the left arm moves backward to equalise the bodys weight distribution and improve posture. Watch Stan Wawrinka crush his one-handed backhand. Even as hard as Wawrinka swings, his left arms dual purpose of assisting balance and stabilising the hips helps him hit his powerful backhand in a controlled and consistent manner. During the forehand backswing, the left arm separates from the right arm and straightens to equalise weight distribution and provide anchoring counterpoint strength. On the serve, the left arm goes up straight and the right arm bends in the trophy position and then the right arm goes up straight and the left arm bends as you reach up to hit the ball. Again, the arms work as a team to balance the body and support each other.

Therefore, you have four levers two legs and two arms to keep the less mobile and heavy torso upright. Agile players know how to manipulate these levers to establish good posture.

Now what are these four levers joined to? Your core. Being a good athlete demands a strong and stable core all the muscles of your torso and pelvis that support your spine. Like a trunk of a tree supporting its branches, these muscles provide a powerful foundation for your legs and arms to help stabilise your body as it moves and assists your balance.

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In Absolute Tennis, you point out that balance impacts your game in five critical ways. Would you please explain each of them.

The biggest impact balance has on tennis is the way it affects racquet control. The dimensions of the court, the height of the net, the design of the tennis racquet and the size and weight of the ball make the game one of exactness especially at the higher levels. If players lack of balance causes them to tilt the racquet slightly up or down more than intended, there is a good chance they will miss the shot. When you lean, the angle of your hand in the grip stays consistent, but the angle of the racquet relation to the ground changes. Therefore, if you lean backwards the racquet face will tend to open, often causing the ball to sail long. Or, if you lean forward the racquet face will close, often sending the ball into the net.

Similarly, tilting your shoulders to the right or left can make the ball veer in that direction. For example, a right-handed player positioned too close to the ball on a forehand will pull that shot to the left, while being too far away from the ball will drift the shot to the right. Last, when you are off-balance, your body weight shifts in unintended directions, a change that must be taken into account and adjusted for during the swing in order to salvage the shot. Lurching forward suddenly adds power to the swing and often pushes the shot past the baseline, while falling back usually results in a short ball that your opponent can pounce on.

Second, balance has a large impact on racquet speed. You need to be balanced to use the whole body effectively and maximise kinetic chain power. On the two most important shots of tennis the serve and the forehand a significant amount of the power in those shots is derived from the legs pushing from the ground and the hips rotating. If you were to serve or hit a forehand by just moving your arm, you would hit a mediocre shot. The power in these shots starts with the legs bending, straightening to different degrees and then pushing up from the ground, creating a ground force reaction. If you are off balance, you cant set your feet and dig into the court to produce this ground force reaction. Also, your hips wont rotate well if you are swinging with poor posture.

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Ash Bartys power on her serve and forehand is a great example of how a champion player connects balance with efficient use of the legs and hips and therefore, produce tremendous racquet speed. Barty is a fantastic athlete. She moves low to the ground with excellent body control, widens and narrows her stance appropriately and uses her arms well to balance the body. She plays her serve and forehand with a deep knee bend and aggressive hip rotation resulting in her body often lifting high above the ground during the follow through of these shots. Her athleticism and balance allow her to increase racquet speed in this vigorous way while not sacrificing control on her strokes.

Third, good balance speeds up the recovery process. Tennis is a game centered on movement and time management. The more balanced you are during the follow through, the better you will be at resisting the forces of momentum created from moving to the ball and swinging the racquet. This allows you to change direction and recover more quickly for the next shot. For example, leaning to the right while finishing a wide forehand, instead of being balanced and having your body weight neutral, will slow down your movement to the left back toward the middle of the court.

Fourth, good balance makes your head steady and upright, which improves visual tracking. If your head tilts from being off balance, it can cause a miscalculation of the speed and distance of the incoming ball and hurt your ability to position yourself well and time your swing. Watch how top players keep their head steady and upright when preparing for shots. This head position assists their vision and judgment, helping them establish correct positioning to the ball and good timing on their swing.

Fifth, the degree of balance you and your opponent have while hitting the ball will largely determine who is winning the rally. Your main strategy in tennis is to move your opponents around the court and force them to hit rushed and off-balance, while you hit in a poised position and control the point. Thats tennis tactics in a nutshell. It primarily revolves around time, but balance is intertwined with it.

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Would you please describe the best ready position for balance.

The ready position places each foot several inches outside the shoulders with the legs slightly bent so you stand about six to eight inches lower than your natural height. In this crouched position, you lean slightly forward with your upper body, but with hips back and back fairly straight. The ready position lowers your centre of gravity and moves some of your body weight from the legs up towards the hips. This lightens the body and assists you in reacting quickly to your opponents shot.

The arms are extended forward with the elbows slightly bent. The left arm and hand are largely responsible for holding the racquet to assist quick grip changes and allow the right arm to relax. The strings of the racquet should be around chest high and tilt slightly to the left if you are right-handed.

On the pro tour, you will see a variety of ready positions on the return of serve, but when the ball is struck, all the players are in a traditional split step position. For example, Kei Nishikori sets up with his feet at a 45-degree angle as his opponent starts his serve and then as his opponent tosses the ball, he takes a step forward. After the step forward, as the server hits the ball, he split steps with his chest facing his opponent in the same position as his peers.

What is the connection the split step has with balance?

The split step is done by hopping with both feet above the ground and opening the legs wider an instant before your opponent hits the ball. The split step lifts the heels off the ground, activates the quad muscles and lowers your centre of gravity. A helpful car analogy in regards to the split step involves the design of Formula 1 racing cars. These cars have a wide wheel base and a low centre of gravity, allowing them to move and change directions quickly.

The purpose of the split step is to help you get a quick reaction to your opponents shot. The faster your reaction is to your opponents shot, the more time you will have to execute the footwork needed to get balanced for your swing. A quarter of a second is a lot of time in tennis and losing that amount of time due to a weak split step will have a big impact on your balance.

The touring pros all split step, but some do it better than others. Steffi Graf had the best split step Ive ever seen. What made it so good was not just the timing of her split step, but how high she would lift above the ground. The higher off the ground you split step, the greater force you can apply to the court surface when you land and the more explosive the first step will be. Only superior athletes like Graf can do the split step this way because it requires more complicated timing and greater spring in the legs. In todays game, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Simona Halep have outstanding split steps and this feature in their game plays an important role in their exceptional court coverage.

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Why is it important to keep your head still when you run and stroke the ball?

It is important to keep your head still when you run for the ball so you can correctly read the speed, depth, direction and trajectory of the incoming ball. If your head is bouncing, your vision is compromised and you wont read the flight of ball well. This leads to a mistimed stroke and incorrect spacing from the ball.

It is also important to keep your head still as you stroke the ball. First, keeping the head still and looking at the back of the strings at contact, which indicates a high level of concentration, improves the chances of a well-timed shot. Federer is the gold standard in freezing the head at contact. His impeccable timing can partly be attributed to his tremendous ball focus and quiet body during the strike zone.

Second, when you lift your head, you move your shoulders and change the swing path and that decreases the likelihood of hitting the sweet spot of the racquet. For example, if you are right-handed and lift your head on the forehand, the racquet moves to the left and youll often hit the ball in the top part of the string bed, or worse. Keep in mind, missing the sweet spot by three inches results in more than 30 percent less power.

The shot where I find recreational players lift their head the most is the volley. No shot in tennis is more target-oriented and that makes it a prime candidate for volleyers to take their eye off the ball to peek at the balls intended destination. Plus, playing the net is an adrenalised situation and that extra level of excitement can cause players to look anxiously ahead.

Rafael Nadal is the master at improvising quickly and successfully before and after the swing to regain balance.

Third, jerking the head can cause a loss of balance. The inner ear is the headquarters for balance. When the head moves suddenly, our brain instructs some muscles in the body to focus on attaining balance instead of performing the swing. This leads to sub-optimal stroke execution.

Positioning yourself too far from or too close to the oncoming ball can ruin your balance. How do you avoid or overcome these two problems?

You can often avoid these two problems with good footwork. Stay light on your feet as the ball approaches, so if you misjudge the incoming ball, or the wind moves the ball, you can adjust and get correctly positioned for the swing.

You also have to take steps in the right direction. A common mistake I see recreational players make on the volley is that their front foot steps in the same direction despite the ball being hit to them in different locations. For example, the classic footwork on the right-handed backhand volley is done with the right leg stepping forward toward an 11 oclock direction. However, if ball comes at your stomach, the right leg should step in a 1 oclock direction. In this case, if you do the 11 oclock step, you will be too close to the ball and lose your balance. Or if the ball is wide, the right leg should move in a 9 oclock direction. Here, if you do the 11 oclock step, you will be too far away from the ball and lurch awkwardly as you volley. Tennis is dynamic game and the direction of your forward step must change with the circumstances.

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Your arm positioning also plays a role in establishing correct spacing to the ball. During the forehand backswing, your left arm straightens and moves parallel to the baseline. The left arm works as a spatial reference to help determine the correct distance from the ball to hit a balanced stroke. Sometimes Ive adjusted a students arm positioning on the follow through to improve spacing. A student who crowds the ball at contact on the forehand and finishes by wrapping the racquet close to the body can improve spacing by simply catching the racquet with the left hand away from the body on the follow through. Our brain likes our hands to work as a team the right hand will follow where the left hand leads it. Therefore, when the left hand creates space on the follow through, it often leads to more space created for the right hand at contact.

Additionally, the alignment of your arm can hinder or help your positioning to the ball. For example, if players hit their forehand with wrist bent forward too much, they will swing forward in an incorrect outside-inside swing path (not inside-outside) and crowd the ball. Improved footwork isnt going to remedy the players spacing problem. However, once players with a hook wrist issue learn to lay their wrist back, they immediately hit the ball farther in front and away from the body and the problem of being too close to ball is fixed.

How can you quickly regain your balance if you find yourself off-balance either just before hitting a shot or just after hitting a shot?

Regaining your balance just before the swing can be done by taking a small adjustment step away from, or closer to, the ball. Regaining your balance after the swing can be done largely through the legs, too. On most shots in tennis, you have one leg anchor the swing to establish a base while the other leg pivots to balance the body, rotate the hips and transfer body weight. After hitting the shot, you can move your pivot foot to regain your balance. Shifting your arms to equalise weight distribution and moving the torso to straighten the back will also help you balance the body during the strokes follow through.

Nadal is the master at improvising quickly and successfully before and after the swing to regain balance. If he finds himself too close to the ball before the swing, he often uses a quick backward cha-cha move to create space and stabilise the body. While after the ball is struck, the Spaniard is renowned for his assortment of unique follow-throughs, often with his racquet high above his head and slightly backwards posture. These racquet and body positions help him balance the body and enable him to hit a powerful shot even when under pressure during a difficult rally.

Is it possible to be balanced for a groundstroke if you hit a ball outside of your strike zone either above the chest or below the knees? If so, please explain how.

Yes, balance is improved on high balls by narrowing your stance and on low balls by widening your stance and bending your knees. However, there is an important additional point to be made here in regard to balance and stances that is under-appreciated and under-taught by coaches. If you receive a high ball during a baseline rally, you should use an open stance on the forehand and sometimes on the two-handed backhand. If you receive a low ball, you should use a neutral or closed stance on your groundstrokes. Using these stances on the high and low balls will help your balance and improve stroke power and control.

Watch the touring pros play. They hit the ball fast so they use the quicker open stances most of the time. However, when they receive a slice shot that moves slower and bounces lower, they often use a neutral or closed stance.

At the recreational level, I find players are often too one-dimensional in their footwork. On the forehand, its either all open stance or all neutral or closed stances. There are many stances and some are hit off one leg. An important fundamental in establishing balance on all the different ball heights is being flexible with your footwork and understanding which stance is the best one for the different situations.

Think of the ball as your dance partner and because tennis is such a random, dynamic game, its a dance partner that has had some fun at the bar. You must be adept at many different and unpredictable moves that can occur during a rally. Players who have footwork adaptability, or, in dancing terms, the dancers that change with the beat, are the ones who attain the best positioning and balance for their swings.

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How do you remedy the common balance problem of hitting groundstrokes off the back foot?

Welby showed me a valuable teaching tool that highlights and helps correct poor balance the freeze technique. The freeze technique asks students to end the swing and hold, or freeze, for three seconds. In this motionless position, I can analyse balance and explain what needs to be rectified to improve it. If students are wobbly during the freeze, I will pay close attention to the feet, back and shoulders and provide a remedy for their instability.

When players hit groundstrokes off the back foot and freeze, the heel of their back foot will be flat on the ground instead of being correctly off the ground. I like to ask players with this issue to freeze and then tap the toes of the back foot on the ground. This checkpoint will guarantee they transferred their body weight forward during the swing and ended it with their weight over on their front foot.

Of course, hitting off the back foot could stem from other things like late racquet preparation or incorrect wrist alignment. But I usually start with the freeze technique and work my way forward from there to find a solution.

What are the main reasons players lose their balance when they hit overheads? And what are the corrective techniques for this problem?

Players lose their balance on their overhead usually because they dont go back far enough so they can push forward into the swing. This often occurs because their footwork is wrong. From the ready position, the correct overhead footwork begins with the feet moving into the neutral stance. Then its generally one or two crossover steps backwards, followed by skipping steps before the feet plant and body pushes forward into the shot. Many recreational players face the net and run backward with little steps and thus, they cover little ground and fail to establish the solid base needed to hit a strong overhead.

Another reason players hit the overhead off the back foot is because they mistakenly think the contact point on the overhead is the same as the serve. However, unless the overhead is hit from deep in the court, the overhead contact point is farther in front of the body than the serve and therefore, requires a deeper court positioning than many players anticipate.

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A good drill to help players improve their balance on the overhead is to have them catch a lobbed ball after one bounce with their left hand as they prepare to hit a mock overhead. This will help the student understand the footwork and positioning needed to hit a balanced overhead as well as highlight the left arms important role as a spatial guide. After several catches, I will have the students hit the bounce overhead and then freeze after the follow through to critique their balance. The next progression is to have them catch the lobbed ball in the air and then hit the overhead in the air followed by a freeze and critique.

In my coaching, I often use Nadal as a role model on the overhead. Ive seen him play many matches and I dont remember him missing one. His early racquet preparation, footwork and timing make it a very reliable and powerful shot. I especially enjoy watching the way he moves his feet on the bounce overhead. There is nothing casual about the way he prepares to play, what is for him, a relatively easy shot. He treats every ball with respect, regardless of its degree of difficulty.

On a high lob that he allows to bounce, Nadal can take as many as 15 steps tracking the ball backwards, stop and then take several steps forward, using a longer run up than most to add speed to his overhead. He is exemplary in his determination to establish deep court positioning, so the ball is well in front of him when he hits his overhead.

In todays game, Simona Halep has outstanding split steps and this feature in her game plays an important role in her exceptional court coverage.

What are key elements and patterns of confusing and disrupting the balance of your opponent?

The element of surprise plays an important role in disrupting the balance of your opponent. For example, disguising a drop shot by first setting up like you are going to unload on a power forehand will have your opponent leaning back in the ready position anticipating a defensive situation is about to unfurl. Then, when the drop shot happens, because your opponents were leaning back, they will lose their balance and stumble when they realise they need to run forward quickly to reach the drop shot.

Federers superb disguise on his forehand often causes his opponents to be flat-footed when reacting to his drop shot. First, he pauses the racquet in forehand unit turn, allowing him a split second of extra time to determine if the next ball is the right time to play the drop shot or unleash a big forehand. Second, his mild forehand grip means he has only a tiny grip change to perform to execute the drop shot further adding to the disguise of the shot.

Federers backhand drop shot is even better-concealed. Unlike most players, he often plays his backhand drop shot with a full wind-up, setting up for the drop shot in the same way as he does to play his regular slice backhand groundstroke. Federers ability to camouflage his drop shot intentions upsets his opponents balance out of the split step and has won him countless points over his brilliant career.

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Also, surprising your opponent by mixing up the placement, speed, spin and height of your shots can disrupt balance. Mixing up your shot selection in these ways increases the chances your opponents will end up too close or too far away from the ball, or mistime their swing, leading them to jolt forward or fall back during their stroke.

This is why Bianca Andreescus dizzying variety of shots makes her such a very dangerous and frustrating competitor. Ive watched her hit the rarely seen side-spin, slice forehand short in the court, followed by an 85-mile-an-hour backhand deep in the corner and then a drop shot. This variety wreaks havoc with her opponents balance and timing and was a major factor in her winning last years Canadian Open and US Open as a 19-year-old.

You can also disrupt the balance of your opponents by surprising them with infrequently used shot patterns. If you have consistently hit your backhand return of serve on the deuce side down the line and then, unexpectedly, hit that same return cross court, you will likely catch your opponents leaning in the wrong direction. Leaning in the wrong direction, instead of having their body weight neutral, will result in a weak first step and a much greater likelihood your opponents hit their shot stretching and off kilter.

Are there certain kinds of injuries that diminish a players balance?

Yes, injuries are going to diminish a players balance especially injuries to the legs, hips and back. For example, if you have an injured knee, you are going to move slower and have less time to set your feet and get balanced for the swing. You are also going to be reluctant to bend your knees or widen your stance on low balls and detrimentally shift your centre of gravity outside your base of support.

If your hips are sore, you are going to hesitate to put weight on your side when playing a wide ball, causing your shoulders to tilt. That imbalance hurts your stroke and slows down your recovery back toward the middle of the court.

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Hip injuries are brutal for tennis players, just ask Andy Murray. After doing his hip surgery, he said his chances of competing in the top 10 were unlikely, so he set his goals to return to the top 100, or possibly top 50 players, in the world. He understood that he would return to the ATP Tour with slightly slower foot speed and at the elite level of the game, that reduced court coverage will result in him losing to players he used to defeat.

Finally, attaining balance comes from having a malleable body and flexible back. Obviously, playing with a stiff back will hamper your ability to balance the body during stroke production and accelerate and decelerate around the court.

Does excellent balance help prevent injuries? And, if so, how?

The rest is here:
Everything you need to know about balance in tennis - Sportstar

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