Fitness

3 great fitness hacks for a quick and effective workout | Mint

Published

2 years ago

August 31, 2024

3 great fitness hacks for a quick and effective workout | Mint

It has been a long month with five Saturdays and an extended weekend bang in the middle of it all. Workouts may have taken a back seat with plans to spend time with family and friends, and to go out. Every minute of a vacation counts as much as every minute in the gym and this is where the best gym hacks come into play.

Over the course of this longer-than-usual month, I have used three tricks to make my workouts better to squeeze something meaningful out of every rep. The muscle groups involved are the entire lower body, the biceps, and the back and shoulders, focusing more on growth and strength over cardio.

The leg-press formula that works everything: Having had the access to a leg press machine for an extended period has made me realise how its usefulness extends far beyond that of the conventional press. Just by changing the placement of your feet, you could do an entire workout comprising different exercises, using just one machine.

Consider the leg press platform as a tool of change and curiosity. Try these four foot placements with a comfortable load and see how the lower body reacts. The first would be to target the glutes by placing the heels central but the toes touching the upper lips of the pressing platform. Without getting off the machine, change the placement to the heels touching the bottom edge of the platform to target the quads.

The third exercise would be to angle the toes away like you would in a sumo squat with a slightly wider stance, and in the centre of the platform, to target the adductors. The last one, and the most exciting, would be to place the toes on the bottom edge with the heel—unsupported—to push the weight away using only your calves. These are called leg press calf raises as shown in the video below.

I tend to do five reps on each of these placements for three sets. In just a few minutes, you have now worked your entire lower body with an option to scale and overload according to your strength.

Run-the-rack biceps workout: In case you haven’t heard the term run-the-rack, it basically means going through as many weights of dumbbells as you can with a single exercise. You could choose to go from light-to-heavy or vice versa, depending on the exercise and your level of fitness. In the case of bicep curls, my preference is to always do sitting one-armed concentration curls with a suggestion on the positioning of the arm.

“The way to alter the exercise to get this to work in your favor is to reposition the arm directly in your groin. You can see how the forearm now becomes much more perpendicular to the force of gravity and you can feel the impact this has on your biceps on every rep,” says Athlean-X founder Jeff Cavaliere in a video titled Concentration Curls Aren’t Working for You (here’s why).

You could choose any other biceps exercise as well. Once the choice is made, decide the formula—doing a particular number of reps (I do ten) works better when working your way up the weights. Doing as many reps as possible on each weight works better when you are working your way down the weights. The former works better for me because biceps have always been a weakness and having a set goal makes sure that form is not sacrificed.

My last workout was done with dumbbells of 3kg, 5kg, 7.5kg and 10kg, with ten reps on each arm with no breaks. Then switch arms, and repeat. One set is enough, but if you are feeling adventurous, feel free to do another one.

Derick Ansah’s shoulders-and-back dumbbell workout: The Ghanaian fitness trainer’s 1.8 million followers on Instagram are never disappointed and that is because of his smart routines. And out of many of those, my favourite is his shoulders-and-back dumbbell workout. It consists of four exercises which you can do for a set amount of time or reps, with the caveat that they need to be done one after the other.

I used just 5kg dumbbells and was absolutely torched. The workout starts with circular raises, and ends with a rowing motion, so make sure to start with very light weights before you work your way up. His third exercise is especially brutal, as it forces you to do a sitting high pull and a front chest press. This is a follow along, so enjoy the burn.

Pulasta Dhar is a football commentator, podcaster and writer.

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Fitness

Stay on Top of Your Workouts and Health With the Best Fitness Trackers of 2026

Published

8 hours ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Stay on Top of Your Workouts and Health With the Best Fitness Trackers of 2026

Format: Would you prefer wearing a ring or a wrist-based device? If you want something understated that you can wear all the time and don’t mind not having a screen to glance at, then a ring would be ideal. If having a watch on your wrist is comfortable, then a smartwatch or wrist-based tracker may be the right choice.

Compatibility: If you’re an Apple user, ensure your fitness tracker is compatible with iOS. The same goes if you’re an Android user.

Storage capacity: For those who don’t want their fitness tracker to be dependent on their phone, look at a device with its own storage capacity.

Special features: Before purchasing a fitness tracker, consider the health metrics that are important to you for your favorite workouts. If you’d like your tracker to do more than monitor your fitness, you’ll be better off with a smartwatch like the Pixel Watch 4 or Apple Watch SE 3.

Wi-Fi or Bluetooth: If you’re the type of person who likes to leave their phone behind when working out but still needs internet access, ensure your fitness tracker has Wi-Fi.

GPS? For those who run, hike or walk and want to keep track of metrics like distance and pace without their phone, choose a fitness tracker that has built-in GPS.

Screen size: Once you decide you want a fitness tracker with a screen, make sure it fits your personal preferences. A smaller screen may be better if you prefer for it to be less obvious that you’re wearing a fitness tracker on your wrist.

Battery life: How often do you want to be charging your fitness tracker? If frequently charging your devices is a pet peeve, ensure your fitness tracker of choice has a long battery life, especially for your preferred workouts.

Water resistance: Individuals who work out by swimming or those who enjoy taking a dip in the pool after exercising will want a fitness tracker that is water-resistant. Confirm your device is rated for the depth you plan to swim at.

Subscription cost: It’s common for fitness trackers to come with the added cost of a subscription, particularly if you want to access all available features or require extra features for your workout or fitness goals. To guarantee that a fitness tracker is in your budget, check not only the price of the device, but also how much your subscription of choice will run you over the course of a year.

Fitness

Exercise First Thing in the Morning for Better Heart Health, Study Suggests

Published

20 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

Exercise First Thing in the Morning for Better Heart Health, Study Suggests

If you typically work out in the morning, a new study suggests you may have a lower risk for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other contributors to heart disease compared with people who exercise later in the day.

“This study suggests that when you exercise may matter, not just how much you exercise,” says senior study author Prashant Rao, MBBS, a sports cardiologist and physician-scientist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston.

The research, which will be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session later this month, relied on minute-level heart rate data from nearly 15,000 adults. Dr. Rao says this allowed his team to capture long-term, real-world exercise data with much more detail and accuracy.

Early Morning Workouts Are Linked to Better Cardiometabolic Health

The study analyzed health records and Fitbit heart rate data collected over a year. Researchers identified periods when participants had an elevated heart rate for 15 minutes or more to track physical activity. Then they grouped participants into categories based on the time of day exercise occurred.

Researchers compared these timing groups with health data including rates of high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, and other cardiovascular health problems. They adjusted the findings to account for differences in age, sex, income level, total activity level, sleep, alcohol use, and smoking status.

The results showed that compared with adults who exercised later in the day, those who worked out in the morning were:

These risk reductions were independent of how much exercise people actually got. Adults who exercised between 7 and 8 a.m. had the lowest odds of coronary artery disease.

Aubrey Grant, MD, a sports cardiologist at MedStar Health in Washington, D.C., who wasn’t involved with the research, says the results suggest that “timing may be a previously underappreciated lever in cardiometabolic risk reduction.”

He adds that wearable technology is giving scientists more granular exercise data, which “opens a more nuanced conversation about how physical activity interacts with the body’s daily rhythms.”

Exercise Timing Is a ‘New Frontier’

A main limitation of the research is that it’s an observational study, “so we can’t establish causality,” Rao says. Because participants weren’t randomized to exercise at different times, the results only show a link, not that earlier exercise directly leads to the observed health benefits.

“While we did our best to adjust for confounders [factors that could muddy the results], timing may still reflect differences in work schedules, socioeconomic factors, or lifestyle patterns that aren’t potentially fully captured in our analyses,” he says.

The link between exercise timing and health is a “new frontier in exercise science,” says Dr. Grant. For decades, research has focused on “how much and how hard” people worked out — variables that still matter, he says.

But more data on timing is starting to appear. Just this January, for instance, another published study found that older adults who identified as “night people” had worse cardiovascular health compared with adults who said they were “morning people.”

Why Exercise Timing May Lower Cardiometabolic Risk

“The honest answer is that we do not fully know yet” why this link is appearing, Grant says.

“Morning exercise may align better with circadian physiology,” or how bodily functions naturally correspond to the time of day, he says. “Cortisol peaks early in the day and can prime the body for physical exertion, potentially enhancing metabolic efficiency,” Grant adds.

Exercise is also a natural stimulant. When you work out early, it revs up your bodily systems and energizes you for the day, says Andrew Freeman, MD, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver. Dr. Freeman was not involved with the new study.

People who work out earlier may also have healthier lifestyle habits, overall, says Alex Rothstein, EdD, an assistant professor of exercise science at the New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury.

“If you work out earlier in the day, you tend to have fewer excuses to not work out,” and you may exercise more consistently, says Dr. Rothstein, who was not involved with the new research.

Should You Start Exercising in the Morning?

Freeman recommends getting 30 minutes a day of “breathless physical activity,” including a combination of cardio and strength training. But if you prefer to work out in the afternoons or have responsibilities preventing you from exercising in the morning, don’t worry.

“It does not mean people should feel guilty about evening workouts,” Grant says. “It means that when we counsel patients on optimizing their health, exercise timing is now a legitimate part of that conversation, alongside sleep, nutrition, and stress management.”

If you have flexibility, though, Rothstein suggests exercising in the morning, as it’s less likely that something will interfere with your workout later on, and it may offer extra heart health benefits.

“The most important message is still: Exercise consistently, regardless of timing,” Rao says. However, “Timing may represent a simple, low-cost way to potentially optimize health.”

Fitness

The HFA Show 2026 Demonstrates the Power of Community With Strong Turnout and Programming – Health & Fitness Association

Published

1 day ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

The HFA Show 2026 Demonstrates the Power of Community With Strong Turnout and Programming – Health & Fitness Association

From the HFA Hall of Fame to Innovation Alley to the launch of new products from more than 60 companies, The HFA Show 2026 delivers a standout week.

The 2026 HFA Hall of Fame inductees pose together (left to right): Cirulli, Eschbach, Landers, Mills, Runyon, and Elaine LaLanne. Missing are Dave Mortensen, who could not attend, and Jack LaLanne, who received the award posthumously. In the second photo, Keith Morrison, a correspondent for Dateline NBC, presents Elaine LaLanne as an inductee.

The HFA Show 2026 recorded 10,300 registrants, 380 exhibitors, 52 sponsors, and 150 speakers for the March 16-18 event in San Diego, according to the Health & Fitness Association (HFA). It was also the launching pad for new products and services from more than 60 companies.

“What an incredible week full of high energy, dynamic networking, insightful learning, and new product discoveries,” said HFA President and CEO Liz Clark. “It was gratifying to support such an extraordinary group of industry leaders and innovators from around the world with this year’s show. Our team has poured more than a year of work into this event, and we’re already energized to make next year’s gathering in Las Vegas on March 10–12, 2027, even more spectacular.”

Clark went on to thank additional groups beyond HFA team members.

“We’d like to thank all our sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, and board members for making this year’s event such a strong and inspiring showcase for the industry,” Clark said. “Your commitment and partnership helped create a world-class experience that truly moved our industry forward.”

The unofficial launch of the event occurred on the evening of March 15, with 240 people gathering for the HFA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, sponsored by The Bay Club Company, to honor the organization’s second class of inductees: Gainesville Health & Fitness CEO Joe Cirulli, Exhale and ResetOne Founder Annbeth Eschbach, Fitness Formula Founder Gale Landers, Les Mills Founder and Managing Director Phillip Mills, Purpose Brands Co-founders Dave Mortensen and Chuck Runyon, and fitness icons Jack and Elaine LaLanne. Ticket sales and sponsorships for the HFA Hall of Fame ceremony raised more than $200,000 for the HFA Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity that works to support health through exercise.

The evening also included a celebration recognizing Elaine LaLanne’s 100th birthday, which was March 19. Keith Morrison, a Dateline NBC correspondent and friend of Elaine, presented Elaine and her husband Jack, who passed away in 2011, for induction. Celebrities such as Billy Crystal, Mark Wahlberg, and Tony Danza sent videos congratulating her on her 100th birthday.

HFA handed out three other awards at the event. The Jim Worthington Advocate of the Year Award went to Chris Craytor, CEO of ACAC Fitness & Wellness Centers, for his service to the fitness industry and HFA. The John Holsinger Global Leader Award was given to LifeFit Group CEO Martin Seibold. Bodytech Colombia Co-founder and Executive Vice President Gigliola Aycardi received the Woman Leader Award in Honor of Julie Main.

This year’s keynoters (left to right): Dhawan, Itzler, and Ohno.

The HFA Show included annual President’s Address by Clark as well as three keynote addresses:

March 16 – Clark recapped the highlights of the past year for HFA and urged even further engagement by industry leaders as global influence and expectations grow for the industry.
March 16 – Author and teamwork expert Erica Dhawan shared strategies for building trust, fostering agility, and strengthening collaboration in the age of AI. Her keynote was sponsored by Zenoti.
March 17 – Author and entrepreneur Jesse Itzler shared lessons about creating opportunity, cultivating resilience, and building a life that achieves big goals without sacrificing what matters most. His keynote was sponsored by Matrix.
March 18 – Olympic speed-skating champion Apolo Ohno shared lessons on reinvention, adaptability, and performance in a rapidly changing environment in his keynote, sponsored by ROR.

Other highlights of the conference program were:

The 29th Annual Financial Panel, which was renamed the Rick Caro Financial Panel in honor of Rick Caro, president of Management Vision, who created the panel 28 years ago and had moderated it each year until his death in August 2025. This year’s panel was sponsored by AltaDX.
The Women’s Leadership Summit and Reception, sponsored by Daxko.
The Brazilian Forum and the Latin American Forum, both sponsored by ABC Fitness.
The Canadian Forum, EMEA Forum, and APAC Forum

Highlights of the trade show floor were:

Innovation Alley (sponsored by Sweatworks) featurinh the following companies: Alchemy Innovations LLC, AI Advertising by Mixo Ads, BELLIX, Bolt Recovery, Buzz Bomb Caffeine Company, DetecFit, Fit – M.O., Fit-X, HipDoc, InSquare, MatFresher, Milton AI, Nervō Labs, ObliQ Fitness, OmniFit, OnSight, Silient, Superset App, and xplate.
Innovation Alley Pitchfest, which featured many of the Innovation Alley companies offering a three-minute pitch of their product. The winners of the Pitchfest will be announced soon. They will receive a complimentary booth at The HFA Show 2027 and will be recognized in a future issue of Health & Fitness Business.
The New Product Zone featuring nine companies: Body Energy Technology, Buzz Bomb Caffeine, Core Champion, Echelon Fit, Escape Fitness, Linear Bar, Martoni Bikes, The Abs Company, and WeGym
The Pickleball Experience
The Demonstration Stage
The Recovery Lounge (outside the trade show floor) with products from Am-Finn Sauna Company, CryoBuilt, Silent, WellFit, and WellnessSpace Brands.

“What stood out this year wasn’t just the scale of the event, but the strength of the conversations happening across every part of the show,” Clark said. “From the keynote stage and education sessions to the trade show floor, industry leaders came together to share ideas, explore innovation, and build the relationships that will help shape the future of health and fitness.”

HFA would like to acknowledge Alloy Personal Training Solutions, LLC for authorizing the use of its registered trademark “Stronger Together” as the theme for The HFA Show 2026. The HFA Show 2027 will take place March 10-12, 2027, at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.