The bench press is one of the star exercises when it comes to working the pecs, and it is also one of the three basic exercises in powerlifting.

Whatever the reason, if you want to improve your bench press, it is convenient that you start applying these seven tips in your training to break your stagnations and continue to progress.

Prioritize the bench press

If you want to improve in a specific exercise, the best thing you can do is carry it out at the beginning of the training session. At this time you will be fresh, you will not be in a hurry and you will have enough energy that you can use in the lift.

Warm-up thoroughly before you start

Remember that the warm-up is mandatory, and it will largely determine your subsequent performance. Including a few minutes of light cardio, a few mobility sets for the shoulders, wrists, and arms, and a couple of close-set sets will help you do your best on the bench press.

Avoid overtraining at all costs

Overtraining is one of the worst things that can happen to you, and yet it can be relatively common if you are going overboard with training volume per session, or if you are routinely hitting failure.

If you feel that you are beginning to perform worse, or if you are beginning to suffer joint aches and pains, it may be time to reduce the intensity or volume.

Put aside the machines

Although machines can be effective to gain size in the pectoral, the most specific thing to improve in the bench press is precisely to perform that bench press repeatedly.

In the long run, it is much better to get used to the movement pattern of a bench press because this will bring your stabilizers into play and will certainly help you improve much faster than machines.

Protect your shoulders

Injuring yourself is the best way to stop progressing. If you take care of your shoulders during the movement, in addition to being able to lift more weight, you will progressively reduce your chances of suffering an injury.

To do this, perform a scapular retraction and practice the lifts with an external rotation of the shoulder in between.

Lift explosively

If you want to gain the greatest amount of strength and muscle mass, the idea is that you lift as fast as possible, because this is how many motor units you will be able to recruit.

Respect the eccentric phase and resist the fall of the bar so that it progressively descends to your chest, but when you have to push it up, try to lift it as energetically as possible, but always respecting the technique.

Get active in every series

There are psychological techniques like visualization that can help you a lot to get active before lifting, and this process can make a lot of difference as it will allow you to lift much more and better.

The consumption of caffeine, the use of music, and the presence of a partner are other factors that can also help you to become more active and improve your concentration in a specific series.

You may also like to read: Nail fungus: How they occur and treatments for ringworm

The ears are a very sensitive part of our body, so they tend to turn red in some situations. This is explained by the fact that our ears have many small blood vessels, and when our body undergoes a sudden temperature change, they dilate, making our skin color red.

But why do the face and ears get hot more specifically? Can this be avoided in any way? In the following article, we share with you everything you should know about why are my earshot. Also, if you want some trick to remedy this reaction, we will discover it for you.

Why is my earshot?

The explanation of why the face and ears heat up is very simple since this reaction is due to the increase in blood flow that occurs when the vessels in that area dilate.

One of the main reasons this occurs is climatic factors such as extreme cold or heat since prolonged exposure to these agents can cause redness and, consequently, a burning sensation in the ears and other parts of the face cheeks. Fortunately, these symptoms are temporary and usually do not pose serious problems.

Allergies

Another cause that explains why the ears heat up and turn red is related to an allergic reaction to some product, food or object. To warn us that “something is wrong,” our body responds in this way to the attack of external agents, which is why our body tends to swell and redden when faced with an allergic reaction.

Suppose you suspect that this redness is due to an allergic reaction or other body parts (especially the face) become swollen. In that case, we recommend that you seek medical advice immediately.

Emotional reactions

Are you one of those who quickly blush when feeling embarrassed or angry? This is very common and is not a problem. In certain situations and reactions, our nervous system is altered, causing the blood vessels in different parts of the body to dilate and the area to redden.

Reaction to alcohol

Have you ever noticed hot ears when drinking alcohol? This is a fairly common reaction, although it should last a few minutes. Why do my ears get hot and red when drinking alcohol? This is due to acetaldehyde, a toxic substance produced by alcoholic beverages that causes our blood vessels to dilate. As a result, our entire face turns red, especially the ears and cheeks.

Otitis

Red ears in children? In this case, it is worth talking about otitis, as it is an ear infection especially common among children. This problem is quite painful, as it occurs due to an accumulation of fluid in the middle ear and causes it to end up inflaming.

Red ears in children with otitis are very common, but there are also other symptoms: fever, irritability, burning in the ear, pain, etc. If you think that your little one may be suffering from otitis, we recommend you go to the doctor as soon as possible to stop the infection.

This can also happen with other ear infections (both in adults and children), so you will have to go to the doctor for antibiotic treatment in the event of any persistent pain in the ear.

Hit or injury

Although it is one of the most obvious causes for our ears to get hot and/or red, it is worth mentioning that an injury to the outer ear could cause inflammation, redness of the skin, burning other discomforts. This can happen in the following cases:

• Piercing of an ear
• Blow
• Scratch
• Burn
• Insect bite

In this case, we can only recommend protecting your ears from possible injuries and visiting a specialist if the wound bleeds or does not heal in a few days.

Red ear syndrome

This problem is associated with a very rare disorder that produces a burning sensation on the outside of the ear (both at the tip and in the lobe) and which, in turn, makes it red and can become swollen. The causes of this problem are related to severe and short-lived headaches.

Hormonal changes

Hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, menstruation or menopause can sometimes lead to redness in our ears, just like in other parts of our body. This is a side effect of the action of hormones and can also occur due to a hormonal imbalance associated with the thyroid, although it is less common.

How to get rid of hot red ears?

Suppose you are looking for a solution for red ears in children or adults, in addition to following the advice that we have indicated in each section. In that case, we recommend other home remedies that can be an effective solution. However, if you feel pain and think you may be suffering from an ear infection, it is best to see a doctor immediately so that he can recommend the best treatment. Is the pain external and you just want to relieve the redness and burning sensation? So take note:

Ice: the perfect ally to reduce inflammation is ice. If you have discomfort in the outer ear and swollen, we recommend using ice packs or wrapping ice with plastic and applying it to the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes each hour.

Saltwater: if your ear becomes red and hot after a piercing, clean the affected area with mild soap and water, and then wash with a mixture of water and salt to disinfect well. Remember not to use alcohol, as it could burn you a lot.

Ginger: Did you know that ginger has excellent anti-inflammatory properties for the skin? If your ear is red and hot and feels itchy or swollen, apply some ginger juice to the outside of your ear to ease the discomfort.

Jojoba oil: it is one of the best essential oils for sensitive skin and soothes discomfort, irritation, and redness of all kinds. If you think this is the case for you, apply a couple of drops of jojoba oil to the irritated outer part of your ear and let the oil absorb into the skin.

Nail fungus is a problem that can appear very easily. Many people do not even know that these living things live on their nails and cause so-called ringworm.

In short, the fungus in the nail appears when the person wears many closed shoes, socks, tends to bite the nails a lot, and other habits that cushion the nails leaving them wet and hot.

What Causes Nail Fungus?

The fungi that occur in the nails of the hands and feet survive in these places because they begin to devour the keratin of the nails, their main composition.

So, there are many frequent habits or bad luck that make these small living beings, fungi, grow on our nails, causing the famous ringworm. In general, they appear easily and tend to remain for a long time if not treated properly.

Therefore, some groups of people tend to have a problem with nail fungus, in addition to other habits. Are they:

• Biting your nails;
• Wear closed, tight-fitting shoes constantly;
• Synthetic stockings;
• Shared files, nail polish, and manicure or pedicure items;
• People with poor vascularization/blood circulation in the hands and feet;
• Diabetes;
• Advanced age.

How to identify

The signs of ringworm on the nail are very clear to identify. First, it is possible to notice small changes, such as white or yellowish spots on the nail – depending on the type of fungus, the spots can be brown or blackish – even going through a detachment.

Also, over time, the nail can become rough, with certain ripples and deformations. However, symptoms vary depending on the fungus. For example, Candida can even cause the skin around the nail to become inflamed.

How to prevent and treat nail fungus

There are several treatments for those with nail fungus. In short, the remedies are in the form of creams, ointments, enamels, and oral medications. However, the treatment is not quick and can last 6 to 12 months, as the fungi create a natural protective layer.

Prevention

Certain precautions prevent ringworm from attacking our hands and feet. These are some of them that are essential in the day to day to avoid having ringworm on the nail:

With these habits, ringworm may not pass near the nails. However, if you do develop ringworm, there are the right treatments for it.

Deals

First of all, it is important to consult a dermatologist so that the best treatment is indicated in your case and that your health is not compromised.

Therefore, the treatments for nail fungus are:

• Local remedies: generally they are varnishes (enamels and specific bases for ringworm), creams, and ointments to apply in the region where the fungus is, directly on the nail.
• Oral remedies: Oral pills to treat ringworm, in general, are more recommended for cases where ointment and nail polish treatments do not work. In short, ingestion remedies do not have a very strong effect, since they take time to be absorbed by the body and act against the fungus that is found in the regions where the blood takes time to arrive, which are the hands and feet.
• Laser: when the case is more serious, the laser treatment is carried out with a methylene blue dye applied to the affected nail, then the red laser is passed to heat the region with nail fungus; It can be done from one to three sessions a week, up to three months.
• Home treatment: Copaiba oil is ideal for treating mycoses. Then simply order it, in cream or oil form, through a handling pharmacy, and apply it on the nail fungus.

In addition, it also helps to immerse your hands or feet affected by fungus in 3% hydrogen peroxide in a container of water for 30 minutes. Thus, home treatments reinforce treatments carried out with medications.

Signs that nail fungus has improved

In short, when the ringworm begins to improve, the signs are of improvement in the yellowish or whitish color, in addition to the disappearance of the ripples and peeling. Therefore, it is important to maintain the corrective treatment for as long as your doctor stipulates.