26 Apr
Blog

The Four Cs of Metabolic Conditioning

How To Take A Metabolic Conditioning Insane Method With Opex Coach Georgia Smith That Lays Down Four Key Principles And Advances For Designing An Exercise Program.

When it comes to strength training, most coaches and even clients understand the concept of moving forward in a structured and systematic manner, using percentages to slowly build strength over time.

But for some reason, when it comes to metabolic conditioning, fitness turns into a free flowing ocean of random, intense exertion, filled with multiple modalities that are all the rage this week:

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26 Apr
Blog

Triceps Extension : Different Variations & Benefits

Triceps extension is an isolation exercise that trains the triceps, the muscle on the back of the upper arm. It is known as an isolation exercise because only one joint and a limited number of muscle categories are affected. The three heads of the triceps – long head, side head, and medial head – work together to extend the forearm at the elbow joint. The triceps extension helps stabilize your shoulder and maintain fitness in your body.

Below is a guide on how to perform different variations of Triceps extension in a brilliant way!

The different variations of triceps extensions promote strength and fitness in your body.

1. Standing triceps extension

Directions

1. First, stand with your feet in a slightly split position with your left foot directly behind your right foot and your legs hip-width apart. The weight of your body should be evenly distributed across both legs. You should take some pressure off your knees and remember that your core is very careful to maintain good position and posture throughout the exercise.

2. Now take a dumbbell in each hand and raise it directly above your head. Make sure your head is in the same area as your chest, your shoulders are relaxed and relaxed, and your core is fully engaged.

3. At the beginning, both arms should be fully extended. Exhale slowly and lower the dumbbell down. Bring them to the back of your head by bending at your elbows. Make sure your back doesn't bend.

4. When you bend 90 degrees at your elbow, return to the starting position, making sure the weight does not touch the back of your head.

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Performing this exercise improves the flexibility of the body and brings stability to your arms and shoulders. It also helps avoid the risk of injury from upper body activities.

2. Lying triceps extension

Directions

1. First lie down on a straight and smooth surface, e.g. B. a weight bench or a standard mat that lies on the floor.

2. Hold the dumbbells just above your chest with both hands and hold them tight.

3. Now bend your elbows to lower the weight so it comes behind your head. It would be helpful if you always remembered to keep your upper arms motionless and at right angles to your body.

4. Continue to decrease the weight behind your head to keep the head of the bar level with the weight bench or mat.

5. Return to the starting position and repeat the steps.

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Practicing triceps extension while lying down helps strengthen the triceps and stabilize the shoulder joint. It also helps in changing your upper body and improving the flexibility of your arms.

3. Sitting triceps extension

Directions

1. Take a dumbbell in one hand, sit in a chair or flat bench while placing the dumbbell on its side on one knee.

2. Take the base of the dumbbell with both hands and place one hand over the other.

3. While keeping your upper arms erect and your elbows close to your head, exhale as you lift the barbell by straightening your elbows.

4. Inhale as you return the barbell to its starting position.

5. Repeat the above steps.

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Performing a seated triceps extension goes a long way towards strengthening the triceps. They're also perfect for building the shape and posture of your upper body muscles.

frequently asked Questions

1. How many triceps extensions should I do?

You should do at least two to three sets of 10-12 repetitions each.

2. What are the main benefits of triceps extension?

Triceps extensions are a great way to stabilize your shoulders and arms. It's also helpful for flexibility. Together, they help increase your body's strength and range of motion. They also help prevent the risk of injury and make it easier to carry out your daily activities and sporting activities.

3. Pushing or pulling the triceps extension?

Triceps extensions are considered push exercises, along with overhead presses and pushups.

26 Apr
Blog

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Review: It’s Not Quite Ultra Enough

xiaomi mi 11 ultra review top back camera

"The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra does everything you'd expect from a top smartphone in 2021, but introduces a few things you don't want and that gives the competition the edge."

  • 50MP camera takes great photos

  • Nice screen

  • Good battery life and fast charging

  • Focus problems frustrate you

  • The back screen isn't very useful

Xiaomi knows there is a battle for flagship phones this year. Samsung has knocked down competition so far with the Galaxy S21 Ultra, and while the Galaxy S21 + and Galaxy S21 don't quite meet the same standards, they're still desirable phones. We've already looked at Xiaomi's S21 challenger, the Mi 11. Now is the time to check whether the Mi 11 Ultra can compete against the S21 Ultra or whether it doesn't quite live up to its name.

design

So you think the S21 Ultra is big and heavy? Get to know the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra. It's a 234-gram plate made of Gorilla Glass Victus and ceramic with a huge camera module that takes up the top third of the back of the device. The total footprint is a bit smaller than the Galaxy phone, but the added weight and camera module mean it's still a serious handful.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The tapered edges, curved corners, and flat ends make it comfortable to hold, but the balance is easily disturbed, not that it's a surprise when you look into the camera. The module is almost weirdly large, protrudes several millimeters and is packed full of cameras and associated sensors as well as a second screen. Really. The Mi 11 Ultra has a screen in the camera module. I'll come back to that.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It's good that the camera module is, how should I put it, noticeable. Otherwise, the Mi 11 Ultra isn't a very exciting phone. It is similar to the Mi 11, OnePlus 8 Pro, and various other phones with curved screens and shiny bodies. It doesn't attract a lot of fingerprints, but it's very slippery. Xiaomi comes with a basic case in the box and it is probably advisable to use it.

Screens

The Mi 11 Ultra's screen is one of the best I've used on a phone. It is 6.81 inches tall, has a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels, a refresh rate of 120 Hz, HDR10 +, Dolby Vision support and a lot of brightness. There was never a time when I wished it looked different or had an additional function. There are always-on screens on the front and back of the phone for notifications and the time of day.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Although the Mi 11 Ultra has a curved edge, the screen doesn't extend that far down, but it suffers from accidental touches. Suddenly adding blank lines to a piece of text, moving it to the notification shade when you don't want to, and opening the camera or dialer app is all done. It's not all the time, but it's enough to be annoying. If you're not a fan of curved screens, the Mi 11 Ultra won't change your mind.

Now we come to the rear window. It's a tiny 1.1-inch OLED that sits next to the cameras and makes it easy to take selfies when using the rear camera. This allows you to check your pose instead of just guessing. It also works as a constantly on screen that shows the time, battery level, and some notifications when the phone is face down. It is not displayed permanently on the screen and can be set to only stay on for up to 30 seconds. You can tap on it to wake it up.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Is it helpful? Not really. I usually have my phone open anyway, but when I haven't, I'll still have to tap the screen to see the time and negate any cunning advantage of watching the clock. For selfies, it's too small and too low resolution to do anything other than simple framing. You can see where you are in the shot but don't expect a lot of details. Yes, it allows you to use the rear cameras for selfies, so it's successful there, but not much beyond that.

When you return to the main screen, there is little to separate it from the Galaxy S21 Ultra. It's bright, vibrant, and detailed, and has a variety of custom settings for you to play around with. These include a Super Resolution mode for upscaling low-resolution content and several Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) modes that apply HDR effects to still images and videos. You can adjust the DCI-P3 color gamut for accurate colors, change the refresh rate, enable flicker, and also change the resolution.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

However, it is difficult to determine what makes a difference and where. I have the 4K Mitsubishi Evo X video from Woyshnis Media with the settings DCI-P3 color profile, 120 Hz, WQHD + resolution and super resolution and again with automatic color and 60 Hz, but without super resolution, and apart from the refresh rate, viewed the video looked very similar. Ultimately, with these settings, you can make the screen look and work the way you prefer, whatever it may be. Regardless of what I did, the Mi 11 Ultra's screen always looked great.

One final thing to note is that the Mi 11 Ultra comes with a factory-installed screen protector, but it quickly lifts up at the corners and even breaks off to the side after getting caught on something. I had to take it off for the photos here, which I almost never do with a test device, which suggests it may not be the best protection.

camera

The Mi 11 Ultra is the first phone to use the jointly developed 50-megapixel GN2 camera from Samsung and Xiaomi, which has a massive 1 / 1.12-inch sensor. This means that it creates the most eye-catching natural bokeh you've seen from a smartphone without the need for a portrait mode. It's really impressive and allows you to take photos that other smartphones, even the Galaxy S21 Ultra, can't.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

However, this massive sensor appears to be causing a few issues, including the frustrating inability to focus on something too close to the camera. From pets to food, I have more blurry shots than actually focused shots of all of these things due to the problematic focus of the Mi 11 Ultra. This is difficult because there is no indication on the screen of whether or not the camera is in focus, and tapping your subject will not help either as there is no visual cue that it is working as advertised.

If you stop taking photos of objects within about 30 centimeters of the camera, it will do much better. The main camera has a nice natural tone with just the right amount of color to accurately capture the atmosphere of a scene. I enjoyed it very much and seldom took a picture that I didn't like. Xiaomi has kept the appearance of the photos constant across the 48-megapixel wide-angle camera with very few differences in color and dynamic range, unless the lighting is particularly demanding.

Another 48-megapixel camera offers 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom, and a ridiculous 120x zoom. The 5x zoom is excellent and I've used it a lot to better frame photos of flowers from a distance, even though it gets very close to the subject. As a result, it is unlikely to be as versatile and usable as a 3x optical zoom. The 120x zoom creates pixelated photos that you just want to delete.

I was impressed with the video capability. Optical image stabilization is very effective and keeps the camera steady when I'm walking or when it's mounted in a car. She records vivid, bright and very pretty videos. There are many different video modes that use Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) to create unusual effects, just like the Mi 11, but they are a bit tricky and really only work in certain situations.

The small screen on the back of the phone next to the massive main cameras is undoubtedly an interesting addition, but it hasn't proven very useful. I may not take enough selfies, but even if I used it, the size is just right to frame your shot and nothing else. It's not as practical or innovative as the Asus Zenfone 7 Pro's flip camera system. It's also awkward because you have to activate it yourself in one of the Mi 11 Ultra's many camera menus. I'm not sure why Xiaomi didn't set it to automatically activate with a new, easier-to-access mode.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Mi 11 Ultra's camera is exciting and takes great photos most of the time. It is the first time the GN2 sensor has been used in a phone. Therefore, some problems are to be expected. Since it cannot be directly compared to others, it is not clear whether the focus problems are a Xiaomi software problem or not a camera problem. Put that aside – it is possible to bypass it once you know – and the Mi 11 Ultra's camera will capture great photos and videos that you'll want to share.

Performance and software

Equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 and 12 GB of RAM as well as 256 GB of internal storage space, the Mi 11 Ultra is an extremely powerful, top-class smartphone. I didn't experience any speed or smoothness issues. The Android 11 operating system is covered by Xiaomi's MIUI 12 user interface. It's the same as the Mi 11, and there are many of the same problems.

It's the best version of MIUI I've used, but it's still frustrating at times. Dark mode doesn't always work with other apps – for example, my black and white profile picture on Twitter looked negative – and the Settings menu is different from most other Android phones. It's not bad, just different, and you will have to spend some time learning its weaknesses before you feel comfortable.

I find that MIUI is a little buggy at times too, and those bugs seem to differ from phone to phone. I have noticed several times that the Mi 11 Ultra has dropped calls, which I have never experienced with the Mi 11. It didn't always happen and was mostly on lengthy calls. Xiaomi updates its software fairly regularly, which may mean that such issues will be fixed in the future.

The Mi 11 Ultra is an extremely powerful, top-class smartphone.

I've played both Genshin Impact and Asphalt 9: Legends, and while both were fluid and fast, Asphalt randomly paused until I tapped the screen to continue. It didn't work all the time and may have been a gaming bug, but given MIUI's other issues, it's worth pointing out. A lot of energy is consumed in gaming and an hour of Genshin Impact will quickly discharge 25% of the battery. You'll also have to get used to grabbing the massive camera module that is always under your hand and wiping the inevitable fingerprints off the lens.

Battery and security

The battery life of the 5,000 mAh cell is much better than that of the Mi 11. It is not enough for two days (mostly connected to Wi-Fi), but with light use it lasts well into the second day. Most of the time my days ended with around 40%. Use it frequently when you are out and about and it won't extend into a second day. This is what I would expect from a phone with similar specs to the Mi 11 Ultra.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra review feeAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

xiaomi mi 11 ultra review back handsAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

xiaomi mi 11 ultra review topAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

A 67 watt charging brick is supplied along with a special USB Type-C cable. If you connect the phone at 3%, it will reach 94% in 30 minutes and the battery will be fully charged in 40 minutes. That's really fast given the 5,000mAh capacity and should mean you don't have to plug the phone in all night. The Mi 11 Ultra also has a 67W wireless charger if you use a compatible charger.

A built-in fingerprint sensor and a face release keep the Mi 11 Ultra secure. The fingerprint sensor can be a little slow, often taking around a second before the phone unlocks, while unlocking the face is very quick. So if you've enabled both of them, face unlock will have done its job before your finger touches the screen.

Price and availability

Xiaomi does not officially sell its smartphones in the US. So you have to import a Mi 11 Ultra if you want one. The phone is currently available in China, has been confirmed for India and is expected in the UK and Europe. The price has not yet been announced for the UK or Europe, but we know it costs the equivalent of $ 925 in China. We think a price of € 1,000 is likely, based on the € 750 price tag on the Mi 11.

Our opinion

The Mi 11 Ultra is a familiar Xiaomi story: Really very impressive hardware that has been disappointed by a few annoyances that should have been worked out. The main 50-megapixel camera takes great photos, and I really like the video performance, but focusing up close is random. The screen looks amazing, but there are still problems with the touch sensitivity of the curved sides. MIUI 12 is attractive and fast, but I found annoying bugs.

All of this spoils the Mi 11 Ultra and it's a shame. I can live with the size of the phone and the huge camera module and appreciate the high specs, but I don't accept fundamental issues that can make it annoying to use. When the hardware is this good on paper and you're dealing with a company as large as Xiaomi, those irritations just shouldn't be there.

The bigger problem with this is that the competition has largely resolved these issues, especially with the 2021 lineup. Apple, Samsung, and OnePlus have great high-end smartphones at roughly the same price as the Mi 11 Ultra. While not perfect, they don't have the same basic problems as the Xiaomi phone. It's frustrating as the Mi 11 Ultra is otherwise a very capable and extremely desirable phone and should match or even better what these brands have to offer.

Is there a better alternative?

It is difficult to recommend the Mi 11 Ultra directly due to its availability. Assuming you're paying $ 1,000 for the phone, we'd recommend spending it on a OnePlus 9 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro, or for a good deal, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. All three phones have great cameras, top-notch performance, and very attractive screens. In other words, everything the Mi 11 Ultra offers, just with the convenience of ordering on the spot.

How long it will take?

The glass and ceramic case should be durable in general use, and a case is included to protect the phone in case of serious problems. The Mi 11 Ultra also has an IP68 waterproof rating. Google Android updates may not arrive very quickly, but Xiaomi regularly keeps its own software up to date. There is 5G on board so you can connect to the fastest network. The phone's specs are the best you can get right now. It takes at least two years.

Should you buy one?

No. Buying the Mi 11 Ultra is still quite complicated at the moment, and there are more equivalent and better phones that are more readily available.

Editor's recommendations




25 Apr
Blog

15 Best Workouts & Benefits

Shoulder muscles require almost no weight to keep them strong and in shape. Body weight shoulder exercises are enough to build those dream shoulders.

Benefits of body weight shoulder training

Shoulder muscles are one of the most active muscles of the day. Training for the shoulder improves the power of pushing, pulling, lifting, punching, and almost anything your manual labor requires.

The shoulder muscle is the most flexible joint and therefore remains very susceptible to shoulder joint and muscle injuries. That single fact is sufficient reason to add shoulder exercises to your routine.

It gives the shoulder a perfect shape and who doesn't want to look fit. Even so, it ultimately develops self-confidence.

Bodyweight exercises for shoulders don't require weights or other equipment. It's easy for you, your will and a perfect guide to training the shoulder muscles at body weight.

Now you must be wondering about the guide. Don't worry and we got it sorted.

Here are the 15 most effective bodyweight shoulder exercises to help any beginner or active muscle freak achieve perfect shoulder muscles at home too.

PARTS OF THE SHOULDER MUSCLES

The shoulder muscle is mainly divided into three categories.

  1. The anterior deltoid muscles
  2. The medial deltoids
  3. The posterior deltoid muscles

And all of these three together form the one shoulder that pops out to keep the shape of the shoulder.

The bodyweight shoulder muscles exercises listed below target all three parts of the shoulder.

15 best body weight shoulder exercises

Here is a perfect guide for you to get perfect shoulders at home.

1. TEND TO PUSHUP

Attitude: Use a small height, e.g. B. a sofa or a bench. Put both hands on the height. With your hands shoulder-width apart, take a plank position.

The movement: Lower your chest towards the height. Use your triceps and chest to get back into the pose.

Tip: Do not bend your body throughout the movement and while you are in and attaining the posture. Avoid getting too close to the platform. Compliance with these rules prevents spinal injuries. It also improves the focus on the shoulder muscle.

2. PIKE PUSHUP

Attitude: Put your hands on the floor parallel to your feet and do an inverted ""

The movement: Bend your elbow until your head lightly touches the floor and pushes the body back into the posture, focusing on the shoulder muscle.

Tip: Avoid overstretching the leg muscles while in an inverted posture by lifting your feet on toes until you are comfortable with the position. Be sure to keep the core tight to increase overall efficiency.

3. INCREASED PIKE PUSH UP

Attitude: Put your feet up. Place your hands on the floor parallel to your feet and do an inverted "". Keeping hands wider than shoulder width to increase pressure on the shoulder and holding hands shoulder width apart, increasing pressure on the triceps rather than the shoulders.

The movement: Bend your elbow until your head lightly touches the floor and pushes the body back into the posture, focusing on the shoulder muscle.

Tip: Avoid overstretching the leg muscles while in an inverted posture by lifting your feet on toes until you are comfortable with the position. Be sure to keep the core tight to increase overall efficiency.

4. PLANK UP

Attitude: Get into the plank position on your elbow.

The movement: Place the palm of one hand on the floor and use the other arm to push it up until you are in a push-up position. Now lay one elbow at a time on the floor until you reach the plank position. This completes one repetition.

Tip: Do not bend your spine throughout the exercise. Keep the core busy increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the exercise.

5. PLANK TO DOWN DOG

Attitude: Get into the plank position on your hands instead of your elbows.

The movement: Lift your hips and go into the Reverse V Posture, not moving your hands from their position on the floor.

Tip:

  1. Lift your hips up and keep your spine as straight as possible.
  2. Keep the core busy to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the exercise.
  3. Avoid overstretching the muscle in the leg while in an inverted posture by lifting your feet on toes until you are comfortable with the position.

6. WALL WALK

Attitude: Get into the push-up position with your feet against the wall.

The movement: Slowly start climbing the wall with your feet, gradually shifting the position of your hands backwards as you continue climbing.

Tip: Be patient with the move to avoid serious injury.

7. PRESS THE BRIDGE

Attitude: Do an upside-down "" with your fingers on the legs. Try to make a perfect arch by lifting your hips up.

The Movement: Do a push-up by bending your elbows and lowering your head towards the floor

Tip: This exercise requires back flexibility. So make sure your body is flexible before adding this exercise to the routine to avoid spinal injuries.

8. PRONE T.

Attitude: Lie completely on the floor with your chest touching the floor. Keep your arms outstretched at your sides and do a "" with your body.

The movement: With your chest in the air, raise your arms and hold them for a few seconds until you feel the burning sensation in your shoulders.

Tip: Take a break when you feel the strain on your neck.

9. PRONE Y.

Attitude: Lie completely on the floor with your chest touching the floor. Keep your arms outstretched at your sides, but just a little in front, and do a "" with your body.

The movement: With your chest in the air, raise your arms and hold them for a few seconds until you feel the burning sensation in your shoulders.

Tip: Take a break when you feel the strain on your neck.

10. PLANK TO ALTERNATE PIKE

Attitude: Grasp the plank position with your hands, not your elbows.

The movement:

  1. Raise your hips and go into the reverse V position.
  2. As you raise your hips, touch the other feet with your hand and return to the starting position.
  3. Repeat the same thing with another hand.

This makes it a complete repeat.

Tip:

  1. Lift your hips up and keep your spine as straight as possible.
  2. Keep the core busy increasing your exercise efficiency and effectiveness.
  3. Avoid overstretching the leg muscles while in an inverted posture by lifting your feet on toes until you are comfortable with the position.

11. DIVING PUSH UP

Attitude: Get into the "inverted" posture with your hands on the floor. Keep your feet and hands comfortable.

The movement: Bend your elbows and bring your head toward the floor as you come forward slightly until you reach the plank position. Now press up with your hands and raise your hips back up slightly as you step back to assume the reverse position.

Tip:

  1. Lift your hips up and keep your spine as straight as possible.
  2. Avoid overstretching the muscle in the leg while in an inverted posture by lifting your feet on toes until you are comfortable with the position.
  3. Do not touch any parts of your body on the floor other than your hands and feet during the entire exercise.

12. PRESS THE HANDSTAND

Attitude: Stand on your hands with the wall prop. Keep your hands wider than shoulder width.

The movement: Bend your elbows to come down and push up before touching the floor. This makes it a complete repeat.

Tip: Do not do the exercise as a beginner. This exercise requires poorly developed shoulders so as not to fall to the floor and injure the neck. Perform with a focus on body balance to avoid falls.

13. SHOULDER TAPS

Attitude: Get into the plank position with your hands, not your elbows.

The movement: Raise one hand and touch the other's shoulder. Repeat with another hand. This counts as one full rep.

Tip: Hold the core and glutes tight.

14. BEAR CRAWLS

Attitude: Bring yourself into the position with your hands 90 degrees straight, like your thighs.

The movement:

  1. Raise one hand and move it forward.
  2. At the same time, move the alternate leg forward at the same distance while staying low on the floor.
  3. Repeat with another hand and leg.

This makes a repetition.

Tip: It's safe practice, but remember to stop if your knees hurt because we're not babies and we're not used to walking like this.

15. HANDSTAND HOLD

Attitude: Stand on your hands with the wall as a support. Keep your hands wider than shoulder width.

The movement: Hold the pose until you feel the burning sensation in your shoulders.

Tip: Do not do the exercise as a beginner. Perform with a focus on body balance to avoid falls. Watch your neck in case you fall.

25 Apr
Blog

Dyson Omni-Glide Review: You May Want to Ditch Your Swiffer

Dyson Omni-Glide cordless vacuum test articulation brush

"The most fun you will have since the Swiffer was invented scooping up debris on hard floors."

  • Compact design

  • The swivel head ensures effortless sweeping

  • Can get under most furniture

  • Good suction for its size

  • Shorter battery life

  • Comes with few accessories

Dyson is back with another new cordless vacuum cleaner. While it may seem like a never-ending cycle, this latest one is actually something else. Yes, it's an upright cordless vacuum, but it's specially designed for hard floors. That makes it more of a specialty cleaner than the all-purpose models the company is known for.

The Dyson Omni-Glide is one of three new models the company is introducing this year. As it stands, the Omni-Glide is positioned as a permanent replacement for the tried and tested Swiffer. At a whopping $ 400, however, it takes really serious substance to convince people to let go of their beloved sweeper.

Iconic Dyson design

Dyson's designs are iconic and as instantly recognizable as Apple and its iPhones. The Omni-Glide does not differ from other newer offerings like the mighty Dyson V11 series by the turbine-like shape, which makes Dyson's vacuum cleaner so naturally distinguishable. It also helps that it has the same bright purple and red accents that give its look a more approachable look.

Most notable here is how light and compact it is over previous Dysons. When you tip the scales to 4.18 pounds, the 6.68 pound weight of the V11 Torque Drive feels heavy in the hand – trust me, it'll catch your eye! This makes pushing the Omni-Glide around a breeze, while vacuuming up dirt from high spots with the splitting tool is also an almost effortless process.

Dyson Omni-Glide Cordless Vacuum Review at high tideJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

If there is one persistent complaint I have about Dyson's cordless vacuum cleaners, it must be that you have to wall mount all of the included chargers. Again, with the Omni-Glide, it is no exception, and it is only a pain that it takes to do so. I'd rather have a standalone, free-standing base, similar to the LG CordZero A9 or Samsung Jet 90, both of which come with charging stations in the box that house some of the included accessories. Unfortunately, the splitting tool with the Omni-Glide requires a home of its own because there is no built-in storage space when it is not in use.

A swiffer with a permanent pad

With its omnidirectional Soft Roller Cleaner head, the Omni-Glide acts effectively like your traditional Swiffer sweeper without the need to purchase replacement pads. Instead, the soft roller gently combs hard floors while the vacuum is used. And since it sits on a poseable neck, there is no wrong way to move it around floors, furniture, edges and corners. The Omni-Glide is actually a lot of fun vacuuming because the articulation is so smooth – you can even move it back and forth without affecting the speed of the soft brush.

Dyson Omni-Glide cordless vacuum test articulation brushJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

The advantage over a traditional Swiffer is, of course, that you don't have to constantly buy replacement pads. The soft roller cleaner head neatly collects small bits of dirt and debris, but I've found that large clumps of material or pet hair can be a challenge to pick up. Although there are few tangles visible on the rollers, I have found that hair can still collect on the ends. Fortunately, there is a latch on the roller head that makes it easy to remove the rollers, making it easier to access the ends where hair is piling up. I also appreciate how it can get into tight spaces, including under furniture.

The suction power of the eight radial cone system is not quite as high as that of the V11 torque driveThat's what I expected, as nothing has yet to outperform this model, but the Omni-Glide is still a sufficient cleaner for quick on-site mess.

Only for light daily cleaning

Because of its size and lightweight feel, the Omni-Glide doesn't have nearly as long battery life as some of the more complete, all-purpose cordless vacuums. In fact, the battery is designed to last up to 20 minutes before discharging and must be returned to the charging station. You can swap out the lithium-ion battery for another for continuous use, but a replacement costs a staggering $ 150.

The Omni-Glide is actually a lot of fun vacuuming.

Another reason it's not intended for heavy-duty cleaning is because of the 0.05 gallon dust bin, which is far smaller than other cordless vacuums. This small volume requires frequent emptying. Speaking of which, I'm happy to say that you don't have to worry too much about blowing dust back when emptying the container, as pressing the latch will safely eject the container's contents.

For the cost, it would have been really nice to get more specialized accessories with the Omni-Glide. The included splitting tool is cleverly designed – the brush attachment can be easily attached over the splitting tool – but you don't get anything else. I would have liked additional attachments that could help mop floors, or even some other type of roller to clean furniture, but you only get the combined splitting tool in the box.

Dyson Omni-Glide Battery Vacuum ReviewJohn Velasco / Digital Trends

Considering the short battery life, small dust bin, and few accessories that are most effective for daily cleaning. It's the kind of thing best for everyday after-dinner use just because it's not intended for heavy, once-a-month chores.

Our opinion

In true Dyson fashion, the cost of the Omni-Glide will probably be the most challenging quality. The $ 400 price tag will surely make anyone hesitate to buy it, especially given the fact that you can get a Swiffer road sweeper kit for less than $ 20. That's a big gap, but the Omni-Glide's advantage is that it can collect larger and heavier debris than a Swiffer. It also functions as a handy handheld due to its compact design.

How long it will take?

Like all Dysons, the Omni-Glide is characterized by a robust build quality, although it is mainly made of robust plastic. I dropped it a couple of times and there is no indication of a performance compromise. It comes with a two year limited warranty that covers defects.

Is there a better alternative?

Absolutely! The Dyson V11 series performs much better and comes with more accessories. This makes them a far more versatile package – if you're willing to spend a few hundred more. If cost is a primary concern, that is Samsung Jet 90 and LG CordZero A9 are both wonderful solutions.

Should you buy it?

Yes, only if you live in a place that's mostly filled with hard floors and don't want the hassle of buying disposable pads.

Editor's recommendations




24 Apr
Blog

Why Gyms Are Coming Back More Essential Than Ever

I've heard people rave about their home exercise routine and predict the death of traditional gyms. Then why should they return?

It was the year of home training – Peloton, Nordic Track and Beach Body. Or maybe you just got on the Craigslist and outfitted the garage. Over and over again, I've heard people rave about how much they love their home exercise routine and predict the death of traditional gyms. Why should anyone go back?

Continue reading

24 Apr
Blog

Simple Ways To Reduce Belly Fat

In order to reduce belly fat, we need to understand a few things about fat first, so two main types of fat play a role in our scenario: 1] white fat, 2] brown fat.

White fat is the one that builds up in your stomach and even other parts like your arms and legs. It turns out to be the cause of obesity and other health complications like heart disease, blood pressure, asthma, etc. This makes it possible for us to find ways to reduce it.

While brown fat is commonly known as good fat, which is abundant in mitochondria, which internally creates heat by burning fats and calories.

In short, to reduce belly fat, you need to aim to convert white fat into brown fat.

White fat can be turned into brown fat by changing your routine and eating habits. And here's some good news for you: belly fat is very easy to remove.

Here is a reliable guide with 10 effective tips to help reduce belly fat with simple changes in routine.

1. Avoid foods that contain trans fats

Trans fats are a form of unsaturated fat. They are notoriously unhealthy. Artificial trans fats can increase your risk of heart disease because they raise bad cholesterol without increasing good cholesterol levels. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are the greatest source of trans fats in your diet because they are cheap to make and have a long shelf life.

In order to reduce belly fat, you need to avoid such vegetable oils and those foods that contain trans fat. Even if you are not planning on reducing belly fat, controlling and reducing the amount of trans fat remains a healthy idea.

Foods that contain trans fats – baked goods such as cakes, cookies and pies, frozen pizzas, chilled dough, fried foods.

2. Eat a lot of soluble fiber

Soluble fibers break down in water and frame a gel-like material called viscous. It slows down how quickly the stomach releases digested food into the intestines and helps reduce appetite. It can also help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels.

Foods that contain soluble fiber: oats, beans, apples, carrots, barley

3rd Avoid too much alcohol

Alcohol within limits has its advantages. However, consuming alcohol above a limit has many disadvantages as alcohol affects metabolism, which in turn stores carbohydrates and fats in the body during the process.

Reduce alcohol consumption to a limit or avoid it completely to reduce belly fat faster.

4th Eat a high protein diet

This plays an important role in reducing fat or weight. Protein is the most important nutrient of all. It increases metabolism which helps in burning calories in the body.

In addition to this, it also helps reduce appetite and make you feel full, so ultimately you are consuming fewer calories than you were before.

Foods that contain protein meat, dairy products, nuts, legumes, eggs

5. Avoid sugary foods

Sugary foods were a major cause of fat build-up in the body. They provide the body with a high amount of sugar and minimal or no nutrients. Consumption of sugar can cause blood sugar levels to rise and hyperglycemia, which in turn can cause harm to your body, including an increase in fat. It also leaves less wiggle room for your healthy diet in your routine.

You should avoid consuming a lot of sugar and include protein and fiber in your diet to reduce belly fat or other fat.

6th Sleep well

Lack of sleep increases levels of a hunger hormone called ghrelin and lowers levels of the fullness hormone leptin, which leads to overeating, and thus you can gain more weight and fat.

To keep these hormones at a level, one should sleep at least 7 hours a day. With sleep, we recommend a healthy and healthy sleep.

7th Include apple cider vinegar in your diet

Apple cider vinegar helps in lowering blood sugar levels and promotes satiety. Take 15-30 ml of apple cider vinegar and dilute it in a little water.

8th. Consume fewer carbohydrates

Consuming fewer carbohydrates will reduce appetite. A low-carbohydrate diet is designed to induce the body to burn stored fat for energy, which leads to weight loss.

9. Practice, practice and practice

Add some cardio to your routine to make the process of burning fat faster. All you need is consistency for better, faster results.

Effective exercises include walking, running, jogging, and swimming.

10. Control over stress

During stress, the body produces a hormone called cortisol. This increases your appetite. This can cause cravings for both sweet and salty foods.

Excess cortisol can also lower testosterone levels, which in turn decreases muscle mass and slows the body's ability to burn calories.

23 Apr
Blog

Lack Of Sleep Kills Your Libido

Getting a good night's sleep is very important. Whether you're looking for the best hybrid mattresses around or developing an evening routine for relaxing, you need to do whatever you can to get a good night's sleep.

Lack of sleep can make you irritable, damage your memory, and take your productivity and energy into a nosedive. However, lack of sleep can affect not only your performance at work or school, but also your performance in the bedroom. Having trouble falling and / or falling asleep can affect your libido.

But why does lack of sleep harm your libido? What aspects of this withdrawal lead to a lower sex drive?

It lowers your testosterone

Perhaps the biggest reason lack of sleep is affecting your libido is because poor sleep lowers your testosterone. Lack of sleep can throw your hormones, including testosterone, out of whack. Testosterone plays a huge role in men's sex drives, and when it is lowered, their libido will follow suit.

While experts are still not 100% sure how testosterone increases libido, a decrease will most likely lead to a decrease in sex drive. In addition to harming your libido, low testosterone levels have also been linked to erectile dysfunction in some cases, especially those where sleep apnea is present.

There are ways to artificially boost testosterone, but simply setting your sleep schedule should be enough. Many may think that only men have testosterone, but women also have the hormone and it affects their sex drive as well.

Makes you very tired

Of course, a lack of sleep also makes you incredibly tired. And the last thing most people want to do when they're tired is to be intimate with their partner. They just don't have the energy or the cravings and would rather sleep.

Even if you are able to feel tired, it certainly won't be as comfortable as it could be in many cases. So, not only does fatigue damage your drive, it can also affect its performance.

Being tired can also make you more irritable, angry, and moody, which are not the best feelings for getting aroused and intimate. If you are constantly tired, there are fewer opportunities for intimacy with your partner, which in some cases can put a strain on the relationship.

There is a link between sleep and depression

(via: https://pixabay.com/photos/window-view-sitting-girl-indoors-1081788/)

Unfortunately, depression is a common part of life for many people. There are many types of depression that affect the lives of millions of Americans. Many things can cause or worsen depression, including lack of sleep. This is because insomnia is a common symptom of depression, which makes it incredibly difficult to fall asleep.

As you can imagine, depression doesn't exactly help your sex drive, and the last thing many people who experience it want to do is get intimate. While it's not entirely known whether a lack of sleep due to insomnia can cause depression or whether depression can cause insomnia, either way, a lack of sleep related to depression will almost certainly damage your libido.

As you can see, there are several reasons why a lack of sleep can affect your sex drive. If you want to increase your libido, make sure you get restful, quality sleep every night.

23 Apr
Blog

Why Gyms Are Coming Back More Essential Than Ever

I've heard people rave about their home exercise routine and predict the death of traditional gyms. Then why should they return?

It was the year of home training – Peloton, Nordic Track and Beach Body. Or maybe you just got on the Craigslist and outfitted the garage. Over and over again, I've heard people rave about how much they love their home exercise routine and predict the death of traditional gyms. Why should anyone go back?

Continue reading

23 Apr
Blog

Polk React Review: Affordable, Expandable, And Smart

Polk React soundbar

"With its excellent film and music quality, it is a valuable addition to any TV room."

  • Sleek, flat design

  • Easy adjustment

  • Very good sound quality

  • Affordable wireless accessories

  • Alexa built in

  • No HDMI inputs

  • Playback controls are missing on the remote control

  • Requires Alexa for Wi-Fi streaming

  • No Chromecast or AirPlay

By far the biggest advantage of buying a soundbar is its simplicity. One speaker, two cables and bam! Much better sound than your TV alone. As soundbars add functions such as subwoofers, surround speakers or voice functions, their price and complexity also increase.

Polk's $ 250 React soundbar is designed to help. On its own, it's a smart speaker with Alexa technology that delivers decent virtual surround sound. But you can also bring the system to a full 5.1 setup by adding Polks $ 200 wireless subwoofer and $ 200 surround speakers.

Does this $ 650 investment compete or beat the competition? Let's try it out.

What's in the box?

Polk provides the React soundbar with everything you need to get started, including an HDMI cable, an optical cable, a remote control with batteries, a wall-mount template, and wall-mount hardware. There are loads of styrofoam to throw away (or recycle if appropriate facilities are available in your area) and a number of multi-purpose bags.

It gets very little attention as to what exactly is what you want in a soundbar.

design

At just 34 inches wide, the Polk React should easily be placed in front of almost any television. Because of its height of 2.2 inches, it is short enough to avoid blocking the underside of the screen (and any infrared receivers there). .

Polk React soundbarRich Shibley / Digital Trends

The (almost) completely dark gray, cloth-wrapped exterior is completely neutral and hardly attracts any attention, which in my opinion is exactly what you expect from a soundbar. I think it's far more appealing than Polk's first attempt at a smart soundbar – the $ 299 Polk Command Bar.

On the top, it looks like someone punched a hole the size of an echo dot in the speaker and then put an echo dot in it. This isn't far from the truth – that circular set of buttons and microphones is indeed the tell-tale sign that the React is an Alexa smart speaker, too.

In contrast to Sonos Beam or Arc or Bose Soundbar 300, the use of Alexa plays a central role in setting up the React. However, we will explain this further below.

The fabric housing of the React conceals two mid-range speakers, two tweeters and two passive bass radiators. Two LED displays are also faded out (until they light up): A long, segmented horizontal bar that serves as a level indicator for settings such as volume and bass, as well as Alexa's colorful, animated response cues and a small LED point that lights up depending on the source signal different colors (blue for Bluetooth, green for Dolby Audio, etc.).

The wireless React subwoofer, like so many other subwoofers, is a simple black box. However, thanks to its rectangular shape, it may be easier to hide behind or next to a couch than some of the more cube-shaped designs we've seen.

But I love the optional Polk SR2 wireless rear speakers. They have a fabric grille to match the React soundbar and a trapezoidal shape that gives them a lot of flexibility in placement. Their rubber feet allow them to sit comfortably on any surface, while the standard threaded holes for speaker mounting allow you to use a variety of third-party brackets and stands. Or you can just use the supplied mounting hardware. Surround speakers are rarely distinguished by their design, which makes the SR2 a refreshing change of pace.

links

Polk React soundbar inputsRich Shibley / Digital Trends

The response is pretty barebones from the connectivity point of view. You get a single HDMI ARC port for audio only, an optical port in case your TV doesn't support HDMI ARC, and a USB port. There is no analog input. So you can't count on being able to connect an external wired sound source such as a portable media player.

Setting up the React using the Alexa app couldn't be easier.

There is also no way to use the optical and HDMI-ARC as separate inputs. They are mutually exclusive. Connecting one of them will lock the other.

Setup and configuration

Yes, it is possible to use the Polk React soundbar on its own without setting it up for use with Amazon Alexa. If this is what you intend to do, I recommend finding another soundbar. The Alexa app is required for Wi-Fi access, multi-room audio and intelligent speaker functions.

The good news is that setting up the React couldn't be easier using the Alexa app.

Just place the soundbar and connect it to your TV. If your TV has HDMI ARC and you don't mind sacrificing an HDMI port on your TV, use that connection. This allows the soundbar to control the volume / mute of the TV and vice versa. Otherwise an optical connection is fine and does not affect the sound quality at all.

Plug in the power cord and open the Amazon Alexa app. Within a few seconds, the app automatically detects that the reaction is available for setup and prompts you to do so.

Polk React soundbar with remote controlRich Shibley / Digital Trends

Pro tip: If you've never downloaded or used the Alexa app before, take a few minutes to download it and create a new account, or use your existing Amazon account. Doing this before turning on React for the first time will make the process a lot smoother.

The Alexa app will walk you through a few steps like choosing the React location in your home and choosing a default music service.

If you choose to go for the wireless subwoofer or the SR2 environment, the process of adding it should be painless as well. All I had to do was plug them in and the React would automatically recognize them and connect wirelessly. A voice prompt even told me that the SR2 speakers needed to be updated before they could work, and the React bar did that update automatically and restart itself. I've never seen a hands-off setup like this before.

If you've used your TV's built-in speakers, the React will feel like a serious upgrade.

I say it should be painless because it was like that for me. However, our senior editor Caleb Denison also set up a React soundbar and found that adding the surrounds wasn't quite as smooth (see our video review above).

Sound quality

The React soundbar alone sounds very good considering its size and price. In contrast to many inexpensive loudspeakers, it ensures an excellent frequency balance. Higher registers like speech are clear and precise, the midtones are well rendered, and the bass is far stronger than I expected because the soundbar is based on passive bass radiators – not active drivers – for its deep end.

Polk React soundbarRich Shibley / Digital Trends

If you've used your TV's built-in speakers, the React will feel like a serious upgrade. Polk promises "big, detailed, virtual surround sound," and I'd say React largely lives up to that – at least in the "large" and "detailed" categories.

As far as simulating a real surround sound setup is concerned, it is not quite as successful as, for example, the Bose Soundbar 300. The React certainly offers a nice, wide soundstage that easily fills even medium-sized rooms with sound, but is not entirely successful Wraparound effect that the best virtual surround systems can achieve. This may be because the React bar is actually a two-channel speaker with discrete left and right drivers. If you need to virtualize one center channel, there isn't much room left for virtualizing two surround channels.

Polk offers four EQ presets: Music, Movie, Sports, and Night. Music and film sounded very similar to me. The night cuts most of the lower frequencies, making you less likely to disturb other people in your home who are trying to sleep. Sport should actually be called "speech" as it enhances higher frequencies for better clarity of dialogue.

The surrounds are not used at all when streaming music, which seems like a big missed opportunity.

The soundbar is a really fluid player when it comes to music too, but that's where the Wi-Fi connection comes in, activated by the Alexa app. The React has Bluetooth so you can stream music from any smartphone, tablet or computer. However, you will get significantly better quality if you stream using the services available in the Alexa app or via Spotify Connect.

Polk React Soundbar Subwoofer

Polk React Soundbar SR2 Surround Speakers

My only complaint is that the Alexa app doesn't support some services. Tidal and YouTube music are particularly absent. And since the React doesn't have AirPlay or Chromecast, you'll need to use Bluetooth if your favorite service isn't listed.

The addition of the wireless subwoofer does exactly what you would expect. Low-end bass goes from something you hear to something you feel, an important component for action movie fans.

Finally, adding the SR2 wireless surround speakers makes up for the lack of depth. As Denison points out in his video review, to get the most out of them, you need to turn up the volume on these speakers. Annoyingly, the surrounds are only for 5.1 soundtracks. They are not used at all when streaming music, which seems like a big missed opportunity.

Control and ease of use

The React's remote control is nothing special, but that's a good thing. It's comfortable to use, has dedicated buttons for all important settings, and although it's not backlit, the white labels on the black, rubberized surface are easy to read even in a fairly dark room. If you don't want to say "Alexa" before issuing a voice command, you can press the appropriate Alexa button instead.

I especially like when you add the SR2 wireless speakers. The remote control offers you volume controls and balance controls only for these channels.

The only missing component is playback controls when streaming music, which is an odd omission. Given the React's generous music options (including MP3 storage on a USB device), you'd think there was at least one play / pause button.

Polk React Soundbar Remote ControlRich Shibley / Digital Trends

The remote also seemed to be having trouble relaying its infrared commands to the soundbar. I had to adjust the angle of the remote further as I pointed it at the bar – sometimes the button registered immediately, sometimes not at all.

In the instructions, Polk warns that a light source aimed directly at the soundbar's IR sensor can cause interference, but I'm pretty sure it won't.

When you include Alexa in the equation, control is taken to the next level. Not only can you use the React for the myriad of tasks we can assign to smart speakers, such as: B. to inform us of the weather forecast or set reminders, but you can also access music or podcasts from the available services.

Using Alexa or the Alexa app to control music playback is simple but limited. You can access songs, albums, and playlists, but there is no way to add new favorites or create playlists. All of this must be done in the app of the respective service. It certainly can't be compared to what Sonos has to offer, but then again, the Sonos Beam costs considerably more.

I wish you could use Alexa for TV based commands e.g. For example, turning the TV on and off, or changing inputs (something you can do with the Bose Smart Soundbar 300), but that's not included in the React at the moment.

Our opinion

While it doesn't offer the same versatility as other smart soundbars like the Sonos Beam or the Bose Smart Soundbar 300, the Polk React is great value for both movies and music and can be easily and cheaply converted to a true 5.1 Surround be expanded sound home theater system.

Is there a better alternative?

If you want a midrange soundbar that doubles as a smart speaker, there is simply nothing on the market that comes close Polk React for the price.

If you're willing to spend $ 150 more, you can do both Sonos Beam and Bose Smart Soundbar 300 Choose from a voice assistant, better music streaming options, and better multi-room audio. However, upgrading to full surround sound systems costs considerably more.

If all you want is a simple, no-frills soundbar, this is it Vizio V21 It's hard to beat at just $ 180 including a wireless subwoofer.

How long it will take?

Polk Audio has a reputation for making solidly built speakers, and the React seems to be following that trend. The amplifier is guaranteed for one year and the speakers for three years. I assume it will take many years to come.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Polk React is easy to use and sounds great for both movies and music. The ability to inexpensively expand it and use it as a smart speaker are practical extras.

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