01 Feb
Blog

Here’s How To Revive Your Dull Skin

After spending so much time indoors lately, our dry, dull skin can also look like it's gone into hibernation. Where has the shine gone and why does my skin look sallow? Eminence Organics' Antioxidant-rich Mangosteen Collection featuring our own Lactic Acid Complex come to the rescue! The entire collection harnesses the power of antioxidants and lactic acid to bring back shine. Plus, the delicious at-home care products can be used between spa visits to revitalize dull skin.

In addition to the Mangosteen collection, our experts recommend a serum, eye cream, face mask, scrub and face oil for glowing skin, which we will detail below.

How to get rid of dull skin | Best Products For Dry, Dull Skin | Reviews for the Mangosteen collection

Eminence Organics Mangosteen Collection

How to get rid of dull skin

A skin-nourishing superfruit, mangosteen provides unique, biologically active antioxidants that help improve skin's appearance. Formulated with restorative antioxidants as well as restorative Lactic Acid, the Mangosteen Collection will double-energize your radiance.

The collection gently resurfaces your skin, rekindling its natural glow while minimizing the appearance of pores. Replenished and refined, your skin looks fresh, rejuvenated and ready for action.

Watch this In The Mix video where our Lead Skin Care Trainer, Natalie Pergar, shows the full range to renew your skincare from head to toe at home:

Best products for dry, dull skin

Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant

To revitalize dry, dull skin, make exfoliation a part of your daily or weekly routine. Deposits in the outer layers of the skin can cause the skin to appear dull, scaly, and congested. The Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant is formulated with rice powder, which absorbs oil and a blend of lactic and salicylic acids to help slough off dead skin cells. This scrub also contains strawberries and rhubarb to revitalize skin's appearance with a boost of antioxidants.

Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Cleanser

This milky gel cleanser gently lathers to gently rejuvenate skin and deep clean pores. Although it removes build-up, our Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Cleanser never coats the skin, instead leaving skin feeling soft and smooth.

Revitalizing Mangosteen Mist

The key to the best beauty regimens is the finish, and that's where the Mangosteen Revitalizing Mist comes in. It's like a wake-up call to your skin's hydration levels. Just a few spritzes are enough to unleash powerful antioxidants to restore smooth firmness, energy and youthfulness to your skin.

Energizing treatment with turmeric

Our Turmeric Energizing Treatment is a supercharged powder-to-mousse formula containing turmeric, citrine gemstones and zeolite. This treatment exfoliates and revitalizes the appearance of your skin, revealing a silky, radiant complexion. Working as a scrub, warming powder and mask, this triple action skincare product instantly revitalizes skin, removing impurities and illuminating your complexion.

Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Concentrate

The ultimate lightweight concentrate, this product continuously resurfaces and tightens pores to deliver a silky smooth, high definition finish. Refine and rejuvenate your skin for a flawless, radiant glow with our Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Concentrate.

Watch Natalie discuss tips if you want to learn how to get more radiant skin. .

Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum

Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum contains two forms of Vitamin C to help brighten the appearance of dull looking skin and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. These include L-ascorbic acid, a powerful antioxidant, and sodium ascorbyl phosphate, also known as the vitamin C salt.

Mangosteen Gel Moisturizer

Some moisturizers can be heavy-duty, but this gel formula is lightweight and effective for all skin types. The deeply moisturizing action of the Mangosteen Gel Moisturizer is the perfect partner for the Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Concentrate. Apply after the concentrate for flawless luminosity.

Wild Plum Eye Cream

Banish dark circles with iron-rich Wild Plum Eye Cream. Wild Prune Juice brightens the complexion and reduces the appearance of skin irritations. Shea butter, grape oil and calendula extract moisturize, hydrate and repair the skin's appearance.

Mangosteen Body Lotion

A new addition to your daily skincare routine – because your body deserves the same moisturizing attention as your face! The wonderfully absorbent Mangosteen body lotion refreshes silky and moisturizes your skin for an all-round healthy radiance.

Camellia Glow Firm Face Oil

Camellia Glow Solid Face Oil gives skin a healthy glow. This rich formula is blended with luxurious camellia oil, pink tourmaline gemstones and marula oil to soften and deeply hydrate skin.

Regenerating hand cream with mangosteen

Hands are often left out of the beauty equation, leaving them chapped and feeling a little unloved. Pamper your stressed hands with our Mangosteen Replenishing Hand Cream. This generous cream keeps your hands soft and hydrated with its gentle and continuous skin-renewing action.

Review of the Eminence Organics Mangosteen Collection

Reviews for the Mangosteen collection

All products revitalize your dull skin, but don't just take our word for it. Here are some rave reviews from lovers of the Mangosteen Collection:

"I devour absolutely everything with mangosteen… It's more than a superfruit and seems to work magic on everyone who tries it. Be sure to reach for these products!” – Cynthia H.

“My skin has never looked better since adding the Mangosteen line to my regimen! My pores have practically disappeared and my skin texture has improved.” – Justin L.

Find out more about the Mangosteen collection and leave a comment below or on social media telling us your favorite Eminence Organics product!

This article was originally written in March 2018.

31 Jan
Blog

All about the super deltoid muscle exercise for you to perform now

The deltoid, also known as the joint shoulder muscle, is the circular muscle in your body that outlines the human shoulder. An essential role of the deltoid is to prevent partial or complete dislocation of the humeral head, especially when carrying a heavy load.

In order for your deltoids to do their job effortlessly, there are a few exercises you should do that will prove beneficial to your body. Practicing deltoid exercises will help you build the power and strength needed to lift objects. Luckily, look no further because we have the perfect guide for you deltoid exercises to you.

Different types of deltoid exercises

1. Anterior Deltoid Raise

Steps:

First, stand with your legs slightly apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your hands at your sides.

Then, while keeping your arms straight, gradually raise the dumbbells directly in front of you to shoulder height.

Lower your hands back to the starting position and repeat the above steps.

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This exercise is considered one of the best deltoid exercises because it helps build the strength required to lift objects in front of you.

2. Standing Arnold Press

Steps:

First, stand with your legs slightly apart. Grab a dumbbell in each hand just below your chin with your palms facing you.

Raise the dumbbells and press them overhead while rotating your palms until they're facing away from you

Hold the position for a moment, then slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position with your palms facing you.

Repeat the steps above.

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This exercise engages your triceps during the pushing motion because it targets all three heads of the deltoid – anterior deltoid, lateral deltoid, and posterior deltoid.

3. Push press

Steps:

The starting position for this exercise is with your feet hip-width apart. Hold the dumbbells in front of your shoulders with your palms facing each other.

In one fiery and rapid motion, push the weights overhead while jumping forward with one foot and back with the other foot.

Finally, while bringing the dumbbells back up to your shoulder height, bring your foot back to the starting position.

Repeat the steps above.

4. Callahan Press

Steps:

First, stand hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Raise your arms to your sides with your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Your upper arms should line up with your shoulders.

Then bring your forearms in front of you with your palms facing your face. Then do the exact opposite to return to the starting position.

Squeeze the weights directly over your shoulders, then do the reverse to return to the starting position.

Repeat the steps above.

Services:

The Callahan Press exercise helps develop the entire shoulder because it hits all three heads of the deltoid.

5. Hammer curl for pressing

Steps:

Start by standing hip-width apart while holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other.

Keeping your elbows folded back, push the dumbbells up to your shoulders without moving your upper arms.

Keeping your palms facing each other, press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are straight.

First lower your arms back to your shoulders and then to your sides.

Repeat the steps above.

Services:

This exercise works your deltoids and numerous other muscles in your upper body, including your biceps and triceps.

frequently asked Questions

1. What are the three deltoids?

The three deltoids are the anterior deltoid, lateral deltoid, and posterior deltoid.

2. How can I build my deltoids without weights?

Deltoid exercises that don't require weights:

3. Which exercises work sideways?

  • Side plank with arm raises
  • Seated dumbbell military press
  • Seated Neck Press
31 Jan
Blog

Asus ROG Strix Flare II Animate review: My keyboard endgame

asus rog strix flare 2 animate review ii antimate 11

ROG Strix Flare II animation

RRP $220.00

"ROG Strix Flare II Animate is the gaming keyboard of choice for 2022."

benefits

  • Hot swappable keys

  • 8,000 Hz polling rate

  • USB passthrough

  • Comfortable leatherette palm rest

  • Beautiful anime matrix

disadvantage

  • Software could be more focused

  • Expensive for a wired keyboard

Year after year we see a ton of great gaming keyboards that are more or less identical to the competition. None of them are bad, but they are nothing to get excited about. The ROG Strix Flare II Animate is.

It's not just the anime matrix that makes the keyboard stand out. It's not even the 8,000Hz polling rate, the supremely comfortable palm rest, or the hot-swappable keybed. It's the combination of features that sets the ROG Strix Flare II Animate apart.

When Asus announced the keyboard earlier this month, I hoped it would be my gaming keyboard endgame. And after using it for a few weeks, I now know that it is.

draft

ROG logo on the anime matrix.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

ROG Strix Flare II Animate wastes no time impressing you. From the moment I opened the box it was clear where the $220 was going. This is a premium keyboard from top to bottom, and Asus is quick to make you feel like it's money well spent.

As with the budget-oriented Akko 3068B, it's the details that make the difference with the Strix Flare II Animate. The thick braided cable comes with a ROG-branded cable tie already attached, and the keycap pullers are custom-designed to match the look of the keyboard. They even snap together so you don't have to store them separately.

You'll soon forget all these details once the star of the show lights up: The 320 LED AniMe Matrix. By default, it shows a ROG logo that slowly pulsates, and no matter how you configure it, the matrix lights up when you use function and media keys on the keyboard.

I'll cover configuring the matrix below, but I had a custom animation up and running in a few minutes. The Matrix is ​​just a small bundle of gamer influence, but a company could still screw that up. Asus not. The AniMe Matrix is ​​useful when you need it, downright cool when you want it, and it finishes off the look of the keyboard.

Lauter logo on ROG Strix Flare II Animate.

ROG Strix Flare II Animate lock icon.

Opposite the matrix you will find some function and media keys. There's a metal volume wheel, a forward/back toggle, a play/pause button hidden on the side, and dedicated buttons for Windows lock and LED brightness.

On the front you'll find the RGB light diffuser, which is similar to the RGB strips on the sides of the Corsair K100 RGB. Without the palm rest, it offers an even glow that integrates the lighting of your keys. A rain effect, for example, is carried beyond the bottom row of keys into the diffuser.

Asus wanted to include all the features a gaming keyboard could have and they succeeded.

It looks fantastic. Even better, you can snap off the diffuser to attach the faux leather palm rest and let the lighting shine through. It seems that in 2022 Asus wanted to integrate all the functional and visual features of gaming keyboards and they succeeded across the board.

The palm rest plays a major role in this. It's plump and comfortable, and goes a long way in elevating the Strix Flare II Animate against rivals like the Razer Huntsman V2. It locks into place perfectly and refuses to budge, but it does require a bit of adjustment. When the back is raised, the palm rest is almost as high as the bottom row of keys.

Light diffuser of the ROG Strix Flare II Animate.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Luckily, it doesn't affect the typing experience. I ended up closing the rear kickstands with the palm rest attached and it typed Nirvana. In this configuration, the height peaks at the intersection of the keyboard and palm rest, with a subtle downward slope away from the keyboard. No customization here; I loved using the Strix Flare II Animate like this from the very first button press.

My only complaint about the Strix Flare II Animate's design is that there are no tenkeyless or 65% versions. That's just my preference, and if Asus ever decides to branch out, I'll be first in line.

counter

Keyswitch on ROG Strix Flare II Animate.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

The Strix Flare II Animate model I tested came with Asus NX Red switches, which aren't my favorite. Asus offers one of three of its NX switches: either red, brown, or blue, which closely match the feel of their Cherry MX counterparts. I don't like linear switches, but that's the beauty of the Strix Flare II Animate's hot-swappable switches.

The only other mainstream keyboard with this feature is the Logitech G Pro X, which didn't start a trend toward hot-swappable switches. More than two years later, I hope the ROG Strix Flare II Animate is the catalyst.

You can plug any 3-pin switch into ROG Strix Flare II Animate, including switches from Cherry, Gateron, and Kailh. I'm more excited about the smaller switch options – switches from Akko, Glorious PC, and TTC. There has been a boom in third-party switches in recent years, and the ROG Strix Flare II Animate is primed to take advantage of these benefits.

Empty key slot on ROG Strix Flare II Animate.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

All my complaints with the switches don't matter because you can just swap them out. I don't like red switches for typing, so I immediately replaced most of them with my set of Akko Jelly Blues. But I like linear switches for my spacebar where I need to jump fast in games like Destiny 2. The ROG Strix Flare II Animate didn't make me decide.

Given how cheap many third-party switches are, the ROG Strix Flare II Animate encourages experimentation and bridges the gap between mainstream gaming keyboards and boutique options like the Cyberboard R3. Hot-swappable switches are a great way to bring customizations found in gaming PCs to peripherals, and I'm glad Asus is taking the lead with them.

gaming performance

Finger on WASD on a gaming keyboard.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Given how much else the ROG Strix Flare II Animate has to offer, I assumed it would have the same cookie-cutter gaming capabilities as any branded board you could buy at Best Buy or Micro Center. You know what they say about assumptions.

The keyboard has a polling rate of 8,000 Hz, which is only available on a small number of keyboards (including the Corsair K70 RGB TKL). Most keyboards only have a 1,000 Hz polling rate. What's the difference? The higher the polling rate, the faster your keyboard can report keystrokes to your PC.

With mice like the Corsair Saber Pro RGB, however, it's more important than with keyboards. 1,000 Hz already reports keystrokes every millisecond, so increasing it only further divides that millisecond. At 8,000 Hz, for example, it is 0.125 ms. That's not particularly important for a keyboard where you probably won't feel the split-millisecond difference between keystrokes.

I used the 8,000 Hz polling rate for about a week, occasionally switching back to 1,000 Hz for reference. I couldn't tell the difference. It didn't matter if it was Destiny 2, Halo Infinite, or even Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy – the ROG Strix Flare II Animate felt the same regardless of the polling rate.

The gaming experience on the ROG Strix Flare II Animate is great.

It's technically better, but the 8,000Hz polling rate isn't this keyboard's selling point. It's just an advantage. Unfortunately, it is only an advantage for some players. You'll have to be a highly competitive gamer to notice a difference, and you'll need at least a 9th Gen Intel i7 or a 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen 7 to even take advantage of the higher polling rate.

Polling rate aside, the gaming experience on ROG Strix Flare II Animate is great. It's not the switches or keycaps that you can get on any gaming keyboard, it's the palm rest and construction. Angled with attached wrist rest is my new favorite way to play games. It's comfortable and moving between rows immediately felt natural.

software

Asus Armory Crate dashboard.

You can configure the ROG Strix Flare II Animate via Asus Armory Crate. The app comes with all the settings you want, including macro recording, custom RGB effects, and per-key remapping. But it doesn't reach the same heights as Corsair iCue or Logitech G Hub.

Part of the problem is focus. Armory Crate is a hub that includes additional features such as machine-wide profiles, game offerings, and system updates. The extras are great, but they drown out the settings for the ROG Strix Flare II. Razer has this problem with Synapse. There's too much going on, and making fundamental changes harder than it needs to be.

That doesn't mean it's difficult overall. Armory Crate doesn't look as good as iCue or G Hub, but it's just as fast. I managed to update my firmware, adjust my polling rate, choose one of the 10 pre-made lighting effects, and create a custom anime animation in about five minutes after finding the right location.

Keyboard settings in Asus Armory Crate.

Outside of lighting, Armory Crate lets you remap any key with an application shortcut, text input, macro, or anything in between. This also spreads to the media keys. And if you don't want to mess around with the software, you can record your macros on the fly. I was hoping for a more robust macro recorder – Armory Crate sits at 100 commands – but it's still more than enough for most people.

Once you've set everything up, you can save your macros, button assignments, and lighting to one of five built-in profiles.

After learning Armory Crate's quirks, you'll be able to get around without too many problems.

Again, Armory Crate doesn't reach the heights of iCue or G Hub, especially when it comes to custom lighting effects (which are delivered via a separate app, Aura Creator). But it doesn't do anything too outrageous, and after you learn its quirks you'll be able to get around without too many problems.

The anime settings are a bit more complicated. Use one of the presets or a simple image and you'll be fine. Everything else falls apart. The animation timeline is imprecise and lacks settings, and adding your own images or GIFs is an exercise in patience.

Anime settings in Asus Armory Crate.

The problem is that the anime matrix only has 320 LEDs. It becomes harder to tell what you're seeing as the image gets smaller, limiting you to basic shapes and patterns. The built-in clock doesn't show itself well either. You can view your system clock, including a notification for alarms, but numbers don't always play well with the matrix.

It's just an expectation versus reality situation. The anime matrix is ​​limited. Within those limits, however, it's great. It's a fantastic way to get quick status updates about your PC or to check the time, and if you can find an image that goes well with this format, the Matrix will add a lot of personality to a setup.

Our opinion

ROG Strix Flare II Animate is a keyboard that refuses to say no. Plump and comfortable wrist rest? Check. Excellent lighting and customization options? You are here. hot-swappable switch? Asus has them. It's the ultimate gaming keyboard for early 2022, combining distinct elements from both mainstream and boutique gaming keyboards to create something that feels truly special.

It's still a $220 wired gaming keyboard that's hard to swallow. However, if you're like me and are willing to pay a premium price for premium products, it's money well spent.

Are there better alternatives?

Nothing combines all the features of the ROG Strix Flare II Animate, but a few keyboards come close:

  • $200 Razer Huntsman V2 — The closest competitor to the ROG Strix Flare II Animate, with a leatherette palm rest and 8,000 Hz polling rate, but no hot-swappable key switches.
  • $150 Logitech G Pro X keyboard — Comes with hot-swappable keyswitches but is limited to a tenkeyless design and no media or function keys.
  • $230 Corsair K100RGB — Packed with extra macro keys and better software, and designed to match the ROG Strix Flare II Animate with leatherette wrist rest. However, it still lacks hot-swappable key switches.

How long it will take?

Until the LEDs fail. With hot-swappable switches, you can breathe new life into ROG Strix Flare II Animate as long as you can buy button switches.

should you buy it

Yes. ROG Strix Flare II is the gaming keyboard endgame. In early 2022 there is no other keyboard that can do everything this one does. It's expensive, but even similarly priced competitors can't top what Asus offers.

Editor's Recommendations



31 Jan
Blog

The Definitive Guide on How to Build Big Arms

If you're lifting then you probably want to look like you're lifting. And for many gym-goers, looking good includes owning a pair of arms that will put the seams on your sleeves to the test. Aesthetically, big arms are imposing and signal to others that you're actually hoisting iron. Functionally, bigger and stronger arms help you bench press, overhead press, and row with heavier weights; they are not just the end; they are a means to another end (much power).

Muscular man curling a loaded barbell with both hands at the gymPaul Aiken/Shutterstock

And while most people think that close-grip bench presses and standing curls are enough to target the smaller arm muscles, there's a science to building your arms. But there are four basics you need to take care of in order to fully understand how to build bigger arms.

Arm training tenants

  • muscle mechanics: That is, how your muscles move your joints. To fully develop your biceps and triceps, you need to know how they move so you can choose the right exercises for the job.
  • training volume: Volume – that is, how many total reps you do – has a dose-response relationship with hypertrophy. More training volume equals more muscle (provided you don't exceed your recovery capacity).
  • progression: The best progression model to use if you've never used one before is double progression. Simply put, double progression means that you only increase the weight within your lifts when you hit the top of a certain rep range across all your target sets.
  • training frequency: A comprehensive meta-analysis concluded that twice a week is better than once a week for maximizing growth, while frequencies of three or more may or may not be better. (1) Because biceps and triceps are two of the smaller muscle groups you can train, they recover faster. Training your arms three times a week is not uncommon. And when you get to the point in volume terms where you're pumping out 15-20 sets per session, it may make more sense to break those sets into 2-3 separate 8-set sessions.

muscle mechanics

It's important to understand arm biomechanics before understanding how best to train. So we need to quickly cover their basic anatomy first.

Anatomy diagram of the biceps musclestihii/Shutterstock

The biceps

The upper arm consists of three muscles in the anterior compartment. However, we only need to focus on two of these muscles:

  • biceps
  • brachialis
  • Coracobrachialis

biceps

The bicep consists of two heads: a long head commonly referred to as the "outer" and a short head known as the "inner." Both muscle heads originate from the shoulder blade and attach to the radius bone of the forearm. The biceps cross both the elbow and shoulder and can flex both the elbow (also called a curl) and shoulder (also called a front raise).

brachialis

The stronger of the elbow flexors is the brachialis. It originates from the humerus bone of the upper arm and attaches to the ulna bone of the forearm. The brachialis is not involved in shoulder movement; it just bends the elbow.

The triceps

Anatomy diagram of the triceps muscleBy CFCF – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

In the posterior compartment of the upper arm is a major muscle: the triceps brachii. The triceps muscle has three heads:

  • long head
  • medial head
  • lateral head

The long head is the thicker or denser muscle seen in poses like double front biceps. The lateral head or "horseshoe" muscle is what you see most visibly in the lateral triceps pose, and the medial head is a deeper muscle that isn't as prominent on the surface as the other two.

The primary function of the triceps is elbow flexion. All three heads cross the elbow joint and attach to the ulnar bone of the forearm. The lateral and medial heads both originate at the humeral bone of the upper arm, with the long head crossing the shoulder joint and arising at the scapula.

More considerations

Both the biceps and triceps are involved in pulling and pushing movements. As such, it's not uncommon to hear that back and chest exercises are enough to stimulate the bis and tris. And there are several studies that have shown that pull-ups and rows induce high levels of bicep activation and that horizontal pressing engages the triceps (2)(3)(4). However, Pull and push exercises alone may not be enough maximize Development of biceps and triceps.

When you rely on indirect motion exercises to activate the arms, the biceps and triceps only get some of the tension. However, your arms will get hit when you train your chest and back, and it's important to keep that in mind when training. If you train your back hard twice a week, you probably don't need 2-3 dedicated bicep workouts.

Instead, it's probably wise to focus more sets on medium (8-12) and high (12-20) rep ranges for recovery purposes and to avoid redundancies. Since the triceps are also engaged during heavy vertical or horizontal pressing movements, it may be advisable to focus more of your sets on moderate (8-12) and high (12-20) rep ranges for recovery purposes.

Ok, now that you have a better understanding of these arm training basics, let's get back to a big topic in arm training: exercise variance. You might think that simple curls and stretches are enough to stimulate the muscles, but arm training has more nuance. Your arm muscles move through different areas throughout the range of motion.

In order to stimulate our muscles throughout their contractile range, we need to challenge them at these three points:

  • middle class: Barbell curls, close-grip bench press
  • Stretched (stretched position): Incline curls, French press
  • Shortened (contracted position): High Cable Curl, Cable Pushdown

"Well then, I'll just make sure I'm lifting with full range of motion (ROM) with every movement," you say. Now, hold on. Lifting with only full range of motion is a great movement (so kudos), but you still need to choose movements that engage the muscle the most in each of the three areas listed above. The goal is meaningful arm training not completing a move with a full ROM, instead being challenged throughout the ROM.

Put everything together

Ok, so where do you go from here? You have probably already looked at the charts below and realized that there is still a lot to do. Don't freak out yet. If you take a closer look, you'll see that most of the following moves are only done for two sets of high reps. The goal of the program below isn't to decimate your biceps; it's dividing a moderate amount of work (10 sets for each muscle group) into all three ranges of motion.

training explained

There is nothing complicated about this routine. First you choose a primary movement for your biceps and one for your triceps. These exercises preferably target the lengthening or shortening area, as these are the areas that most people ignore. You'll perform the main exercise for four sets of six to eight heavy reps at a 3-0-1-0 tempo (lowering phase-pause below, raising phase-pause above).

After that, you'll blast your arms with a circuit of three moves known as a triset, each of which targets the middle, lengthen, and shortened areas. The trisets are marked with the same letters ("A" and "B"). Think of this as a template for your sets, reps, and exercise choices. If you want to lock out the following moves for others, that's fine, but make sure you hit every ROM.

exercise sequence Sets & Reps tempo Relax target area
A1) EZ-Bar French Press 4×6-8 3010 60 seconds Extended
A2) Incline DB Curl 4×6-8 3010 60-90 seconds Extended
B1) Tricep Pushdown 2 x 10-12 2011 15 seconds Shortened
B2) DB Skull Crusher 2 x 12-14 2010 15 seconds middle class
B3) Cable overhead cable extension 2 x 15 2110 60 seconds Extended
C1) DB Spider Curl 2 x 10-12 2011 15 seconds Shortened
C2) Standing EZ Bar Curl 2 x 12-14 2010 15 seconds middle class
C3) DB Preacher Curl 2 x 15 2110 60 seconds Extended

Be mindful of the tempo of each exercise, especially the triset sequence, as you'll notice a pause in the shortened position exercises (hard contraction) and a pause in the extended position (full stretch). Taking these into account will get your arms pumped like you've never seen them before.

While you could certainly do this thrice a week, focus on quality over quantity first. In doing so, you focus on the quality of work done as part of the training twice a week for six weeks before taking it to the next level by completing it three times a week.

Another aspect of moving forward with this plan is to change the primary exercises from an extended to a contracted focus and do the same with the triset exercises. After at least 2-3 rotations of that, you can then begin to reintroduce the middle exercises as the primary focus while the others take a back seat. It should look like this:

exercise sequence Sets & Reps tempo Relax target area
A1) Push triceps down 4×6-8 3010 60 seconds Shortened
A2) Ez Bar Spider Curl 4×6-8 3010 60-90 seconds Shortened
B1) Extension of the triceps overhead on the cable pulley 2 x 10-12 2110 15 seconds Extended
B2) DB Skull Crusher 2 x 12-14 2010 15 seconds middle class
B3) Triceps extension on the one-arm rope 2 x 15 2011 60 seconds Shortened
C1) DB Incline Curl 2 x 10-12 2110 15 seconds Extended
C2) Standing EZ Bar Curl 2 x 12-14 2010 15 seconds middle class
C3) High cable curvature 2 x 15 2011 60 seconds Shortened

Nutritional Considerations

To maximize your muscle growth you must eat within a calorie surplus then you cannot expect to gain any significant amount of muscle mass. Against this background, some recommendations regarding your food intake:

  • Eat 5-10% above your maintenance needs (calorie excess).
  • Eat four to five times a day. That can be three meals plus two shakes or four meals plus one shake. Make sure it fits your lifestyle and daily routine, but keep your protein feeding times regular.
  • For your macros, aim to eat 35% protein/35% carbs/and 30% fat. Let's say you eat 3,000 calories a day, that's 262.5 grams of protein, 262.5 grams of carbohydrates, and 100 grams of fat.
  • Excessive supplementation is not necessary to grow. Your standard multivitamin, fish oil, and probiotics provide a great base of support.

references

  1. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sport Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8.
  2. Youdas JW, Amundson CL, Cicero KS, Hahn JJ, Harezlak DT, Hollman JH. Surface electromyographic patterns of activation and movement of the elbow joint during a pull-up, pull-up, or perfect rotation pull-up exercise. J-Starke Cond Res. 2010;24(12):3404-3414. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181f1598c.
  3. Snarr RL, Esco MR. Comparison of electromyographic activity when performing an inverted row with and without a suspension device. J Exercise Physiol. 2013;16(6):12-22. http://faculty.css.edu/tboone2/asep/Russell.pdf.
  4. Barnett C, Kippers V, Turner P. Effects of bench press exercise variations on EMG activity of 5 deltoid muscles. 1995:222-227.

Featured image: Paul Aiken/Shutterstock

29 Jan
Blog

Neato D10 Review: Putting the D in deep clean

The Neato D10 is Neato's latest flagship robot vacuum.

Neato D10 Review: Deep cleaning the D

RRP $800.00

"The Neato D10 has a unique shape and three cleaning modes that keep your floors nearly spotless."

benefits

  • 300 minutes of battery life

  • Multiple powerful cleaning modes

  • The unique shape ensures better cleaning on walls

  • Easy to use app

disadvantage

  • No self-draining base

  • Expensive

Robot vacuums are one of the most popular types of smart home products. After all, what's not to love? You get a sleek, smart device that does all the vacuuming for you, without you having to do anything. The Neato D10 embraces this ideal to a large extent.

The Neato D10 is the company's flagship – the big brother of the Neato D9 and Neato D8. Perhaps it's better to say that the D10 combines the best aspects of the D9 and the D8 into the ultimate robot vacuum cleaner.

The Neato D10 is Neato's latest flagship robot vacuum.

So does it deliver on its promise of amazing cleanliness? Absolutely.

A shapely cleaner

Let's get straight to the point: the Neato D10 looks great. That might seem odd when saying it about a robot vacuum, but it's true – the distinctive D-shape stands out from the dozens of flying saucer-shaped robot vacuums on the market, but it's more than just that an aesthetic choice.

The shape allows the Neato D10 to clean right on walls, bookshelves and more.

The shape allows the Neato D10 to clean right on walls, bookshelves and more. The cleaning brush also goes right up to the edge of the vacuum robot; it's not just focused in the center of the device. This actually allows it to clean against edges more effectively, rather than relying on a rotating brush. The end result is a deeper, more thorough clean.

The Neato D10 uses a simple charging station.

The functional design is a big selling point, but I'll be honest: I love the looks of the device. It's slim and good looking, which is more than I can say about many robot vacuums. Many have a functional appearance at best. The Neato D10 looks like what I've come to expect from a vacuum cleaning robot in 2022.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have an auto-drain base. The Neato D10 sticks its charge points against the base, but you'll have to drain them yourself. In my testing, the D10 was able to clean for just over an hour before needing to be emptied. However, this depends on how clean or dirty your floor is.

Versatile cleaning modes

The new My Neato app simplifies and streamlines the operation of the Neato D10. It shows your cleaning history (which shows what day and time you cleaned, as well as what ​​mode), allows you to set up routines, shows all recorded maps and provides easy access to your robot vacuum cleaner.

There are also a few interesting features. The location feature pings your Neato D10 and makes it emit a tone just in case you lose track of where it is. After all, nobody wants to play hide and seek with their smart home devices. The other feature is multiple modes.

The Neato D10 has several powerful cleaning modes.

The Neato D10 has three modes: Eco, Turbo and Max. Eco mode gives you the longest battery life (an impressive 300 minutes) but is by far the weakest of the three modes. It's ideal for everyday cleaning and can handle up to 2,700 square feet on a single charge. Turbo mode gives you more cleaning power at the expense of battery life.

Max mode throws caution to the wind. It's noticeably louder than the other two modes, and Neato claims it "deep cleans out the dirt and debris you can see and can't see." Having tested this, I cannot dispute the result.

I ran Max mode and worried if my carpet would stay attached.

I had already cleaned the floor twice – once in Eco mode and once in Turbo mode – and everything seemed very clean. Even the carpet felt softer. Then I ran Max mode and worried if my carpet would stay attached. It really brings tremendous suction power and fills the dust bin with even more dirt. Of course, Max mode has the shortest battery life, but that's not necessarily a bad thing considering how clean it is.

The Neato D10 will finish cleaning whether it runs out of power or not. As? Very simple: it just returns to its base and charges up until it's ready to continue cleaning. With the Quick Boost feature, it can be charged just enough to finish work before returning for a longer, fuller charge.

The Neato D10 talks to you during operation. If it gets stuck, it will warn you and ask for help. Sometimes it might say that it needs to orientate itself by its surroundings. If you want to change the voice, there are plenty of language options – a fact I appreciate as it means non-English speakers can use this device with ease.

zones and no-go zones

One of the coolest features of the Neato D10 is the ability to create zones. After it creates a map of your home, you can mark specific areas and give them names. After that, you can ask it to only clean those zones – perfect for quick cleaning around the dining table.

You can also set up no-go zones that the vacuum robot avoids. If you notice it getting stuck in a certain spot, e.g. B. on a hump in the floor, or tangled in cables, simply mark this area as a no-go zone and the vacuum will avoid it.

Our opinion

The Neato D10 doesn't really revolutionize anything or have different features than other robot vacuums on the market, but it does everything you expect it to do really well. It's like the classic advice in sports: focus on the essentials. The Neato D10 does this exceptionally well, with versatile cleaning modes, incredible battery life, and most importantly, its iconic shape. While lacking in bells and whistles, you get a satisfyingly deep clean.

Is there a better alternative?

At $800, the Neato D10 doesn't come cheap. Its shape is unique among robot vacuums, but you could also spend $600 and get the iRobot Roomba i3 Plus, which comes with a self-draining base, though at the cost of virtual zoning.

How long it will take?

The Neato D10 is built tough. Every aspect of the machine feels premium, so I suspect it will last for many years to come. If anything goes wrong, Neato Robotics offers a one-year limited warranty.

should you buy it

Yes. The shape of the Neato D10 means it cleans more thoroughly than other models, and its array of features makes it useful in just about any household.

Editor's Recommendations



29 Jan
Blog

This Kettlebell Grip Cue May Change Your Training for the Better

#kettlbell has garnered over three million posts on Instagram. Your favorite fitpo is probably (definitely) overhead swinging and lifting kettlebells, and you've been officially convinced to swing and lift kettlebells. If this sounds like you, you've probably encountered an annoying and unexpected problem: your grip is bad.

Man grabbing a kettlebell in a turkish stand up position

Kettlebells aren't the easiest tool to grab, and the ballistic nature of many kettlebell moves makes them even more difficult to hold on to. what's more Your ability to grab and hold tight actually makes it easier stronger and more powerful elevators. And it all starts with your muscle fascia.

The importance of the handle

The fascial lines of the body are diverse. This article is not meant to be an introduction to fascia, but rather a better understanding to improve our training. The arm lines are particularly relevant to our grip needs. There are four of these lines and they all play some role in grip and its impact on increasing our performance.

This experiment uses the principles of irradiating muscle tension to demonstrate the importance of grip:

  1. Let your arms hang loosely at your side and be aware of any tension. Now make a fist. Notice that it's not just the hand muscles that are tight. The tension travels up your forearms.
  2. Get your grip even tighter now. Notice that the abdominal muscles are tight. Notice how the tension is now not only in your shoulders but also in the muscles within your shoulders. How You Grip The grip has the potential to activate every muscle in your body.

Let's try our experiment again, this time to demonstrate the importance of the arm lines:

  1. grab as tight as you can However, focus on squeezing your thumb and forefinger the hardest. You should feel the pectorals and deltoids tighten powerfully.
  2. Now focus on gripping hardest with your pinky and ring finger. This time, you should feel the muscles in your back—the lats, rhomboids, and rotator cuffs—tense.

Applying this knowledge to exercises is common sense, but few people do it. The conclusion from these tests is that when the body is ready to push (via the pecs and shoulder muscles), your grip needs to involve the index finger. The opposite is true for pulling movements, where we want to make sure the pinky and ring finger are in direct contact with the bar or bell.

Hand position for smarter grip

The most common hand position when using kettlebells is a grip, sliding the wrist into the corner of the bell where the handle and body of the bell meet. This allows the handle of the bell to run diagonally across the hand and minimizes discomfort on the back of the wrist.

Then most people wrap their index finger and thumb around the handle. You might mistakenly believe that this grip is acceptable. It's not acceptable. This grip will actually decrease performance while increasing the risk of injury.

Man squeezing a single kettlebell over his head outdoorsMDV Edwards/Shutterstock

Here's why: When you press, you need to address not only shoulder flexion but also shoulder stability. If the pinky doesn't grab the bell, the rotator cuff will not fully engage. And when it comes to swinging or squeezing a heavy object overhead, you definitely want all of your shoulder muscles engaged.

A better way to To squeeze (or stand up or snatch) a kettlebell, hold it so that the handle of the bell goes directly over your hand, in line with the calluses. This handle enables both the use of the prime movers and the optimal functioning of the stabilizers.

Stronger grip for better movement

If we extrapolate this to other kettlebell exercises like squats or swings, we can see that these fascia lines connect the fingers to the muscles around the shoulder and also become muscles of the core on either side. The front and back feature lines form two large Xs, one on the front of the body and one on the back.

Proper use of the grip will engage our postural control muscles and enhance all of our larger lifts. Again, for kettlebell squats, the flat grip (as opposed to the diagonal grip) is a better option because it activates most of the supporting muscles.

Once you get used to gripping this way, you'll find that your performance improves while your risk of injury decreases. Changing your hand placement might make a difference in how much weight you can lift, but that shouldn't be a problem unless you're a powerlifter. Focus on how well your body can move and function as a unit.

More on muscle loss:

29 Jan
Blog

List of Top Vegan Bodybuilders in 2022

The term "vegan bodybuilder" is amazing in itself, as most people believe that a perfect athletic physique requires regular and adequate consumption of meat and eggs. But in reality there are bodybuilders who strictly follow a vegan diet! These vegan bodybuilders hold valuable positions in the list of the world's top bodybuilders!

Below are the names and descriptions of some of the best vegan bodybuilders You don't want to miss an opportunity!

List of the best vegan bodybuilders

1. Zack Belknap

Zack Belknap is a NASM-certified personal trainer and a pro-card-holding vegan bodybuilder. A native of Eugene, Oregon, he was awarded a WNBF Pro Card after his spectacular performance at the regional level.

Despite being an outstanding bodybuilder, Zack still lives in an environment where people are still amazed that he's vegan!

2. Nimai Delgado

Nimai Delgado was raised by Argentine immigrants – Hare Krishna parents. Since his parents are converted Hindus, he has been a vegetarian since birth and has never eaten meat to date.

In 2015, Nimai had eliminated dairy, eggs, and all sources of milk. He had gone completely vegan. By becoming a bodybuilder, Nimai managed to end the belief that all vegan bodybuilders are protein deficient.

3. Jehina Malik

Jehan was a formidable bodybuilder competitor and began competing at the age of 19. She placed first in women's physique and overall champion at the 2013 N.P.C. Eastern United States Bodybuilding Championship. In 2014, Jehina was awarded a pro card by the IFBB at her first international show, Team Universe. This was considered a historic achievement as she became the first female bodybuilder who was vegan by birth to receive this prestigious award.

4. Majan Elias

Maayan Elias is an Israeli female bodybuilder who won first place in Israel National NABBA Bikini Division Over 30 in 2018. She also won the WNBF Israel in the appropriate body category and was awarded the WNBF Pro Athlete Card.

5. Susanne Llano

Suzanne Llano was ranked in three federations – N.G.A., ANBF and N.F.F. – awarded a Pro-Card. In her early years, Suzanne was athletic and enjoyed playing soccer. During her student days she danced ballet professionally. After her divorce in 2009, bodybuilding became her main focus and she became known for her physique.

6. Anastasia Zinchenko

Anastasia has been participating in powerlifting competitions for several years and has achieved spectacular overall results. In 2014, she secured first place at the BDFPA All Midlands Championship in the 72 kg category and placed second at the 2014 British Universities Powerlifting Championship in the 63 kg category.

In 2015, Anastasia won the Anglian Open Powerlifting Championship in the 72 kg category.

7. Charles brother

Karl Bruder is a vegan bodybuilder who won the 2016 WABBA Grand Prix and placed sixth at the Mr. Universe. He finished fourth at the P.C.A. physical culture.

Animals play an integral part in Karl's life and he lives in his home with four rescued horses.

8. Derek Tri-size

Derek Trisize is a professional bodybuilder and American Council through Exercise personal trainer. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University. Derek has placed first in three bodybuilding competitions, earning a WNBF Men's Physique Pro Card in one of them.

9. Ivan Blazquez

Ivan Blazquez is a pro-vegan physique competitor who holds a master's degree in exercise physiology. He has held a coveted pro card in natural bodybuilding since 2009. Ivan is there

100% vegan diet since 2013. He is a medalist in pro class bodybuilding shows and winner of individual and team relay triathlons.

frequently asked Questions

1. Who is the most famous vegan bodybuilder?

Kenneth G. Williams is the world's greatest vegan bodybuilder.

2. Is it harder to build muscle as a vegan?

The answer to this question will be no. While it's a common misconception that it's difficult to build muscle on a vegetarian diet, it's entirely possible to build strength as a vegetarian.

3. How do vegans build muscle?

If you're vegan, eating high-protein vegan foods like tofu, legumes, and quinoa can help meet your protein needs that otherwise could have been met through meat consumption.

28 Jan
Blog

An Efficient Way To Build Body Strength

Hoop workouts are heavy bodybuilding exercises that use hoops, valuable lifting equipment. This series of muscle toning exercises primarily targets your glutes, hamstrings, deltoids, and trapezius muscles. They are primarily considered an efficient workout for shoulders, biceps, upper body and lower body muscles. These heavy workouts should be added to your workout routine for their vital benefits. They are largely responsible for building your physical strength and endurance. They are also beneficial for burning your body's calories, which leads to weight loss.

Below is a list of really effective hoop workouts not to be missed!

Some effective hoop workouts to build physical strength:

1. Side jumps

directions:

1. First, stand upright with your feet parallel to the hoop. This is your starting position.

2. Then squat a little by bending your knees so that your body weight is evenly distributed.

3. Now jump sideways (sideways) onto the hoop and reach back to the floor in a semi-bent position.

4. Lastly, jump off the hoop and return to the starting position.

Repeat.

Note- 1. Remember to maintain an upright posture throughout the exercise. Avoid bending at the hips.

2. Land softly and with less impact when landing on the hoop.

2. Tire jumps

directions:

1. The first step is to lay the tire flat on its side. Stand in front of the hoop with your feet shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.

2. Then bend down slightly while swinging your arms back and forward again. Jump on the hoop.

3. Return to the starting position.

Repeat.

Note- 1. Always remember to land softly when landing on the hoop, as a hard landing can seriously injure your knees.

3. Decline push-ups

directions:

1. First, stand away from the tire and place your hand on the ground with your shoulders apart.

2. Now raise yourself into a plank position by placing your feet on the hoop.

3. Now lower your body to the floor like a push-up while bending your arms at a 90 degree angle.

4. Finally, with your arms fully extended, push back up.

Repeat.

Note- 1. Remember to keep your body upright throughout the exercise.

3. This exercise is the advanced version of the classic push-up and primarily targets your core, upper and lower pecs.

4. Increases

directions:

1. First place your left foot on the hoop while facing it. This is your starting position.

2. Now push through your heel to explode vertically.

3. While you are in the air both legs will automatically meet next to each other and switch your feet so that you come back down.

Repeat.

Note- 1. Remember to land softly as you switch feet and land them on the hoop.

2. It's an athletic exercise that works your hips, quads, legs, and glutes.

5. Tire flips

directions:

1. First, stand with your fingers under the hoop, which should be flat on the ground, and your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Now, while bending your knees, squat down fully.

3. Then, while standing, also lift the tire and slide it forward.

4. Try to lift the tire up as much as possible and then hold it down again so the tire is flat.

Repeat.

Note- 1. Use your whole body when attempting to lift the hoop for maximum benefit.

3. Never bend your hips as this may cause serious injury.

Frequently asked Questions:

1. What types of tire training are there?

Some very efficient tire workouts include tire flips, pop squats, tire pulleys, one-leg box jumps, push-ups, toe touches, and more.

2. How does tire training affect the muscles?

Tire training is responsible for working your glutes, hamstrings, deltoids, and trapezius muscles.

3. What are some benefits of hoop training?

Hoop exercises are known to be beneficial for training your core, back, hamstrings and glutes. They are responsible for promoting better physical strength and endurance. These workouts also help with weight loss by burning your body fat.

28 Jan
Blog

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G review: The sequel is never as good

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is Samsung's latest budget flagship.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

RRP $699.00

"The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the able successor to the S20 FE, but comes at a bad time with the S22 around the corner, making it harder to justify its value."

benefits

  • Powerful Specs

  • Solid cameras

  • Stunning 120Hz display

  • Well priced for a flagship

disadvantage

  • Touch screen issues

  • Battery just ok

  • Too much competition at its price

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G has a lot to offer. Last year, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE was among the best Android smartphones of the year. The combination of specs and value made it an easy recommendation for people who might want to play in the Samsung space, and even the Samsung flagship space, but don't want to spend a four-digit number on it. Fast forward to today, and Samsung is trying to do the same, but something doesn't seem right. Actually, many things seem to be wrong. Let's start with the time measurement.

A long-awaited phone

The camera hump on the back of the Galaxy S21 FE (right) is less pronounced than the S21.Adam Doud/Digital Trends

The Galaxy S20 FE debuted in September 2020, approximately seven months after the Galaxy S20 series and four months before the Galaxy S21 series. Yes, there was a Note release, which is noteworthy (no pun intended) but not significant. This time, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G comes out almost a year after the launch of the S21 series and just a few weeks before the launch of the S22 series. Not ideal, but consider the competition.

In the past, in the budget flagship space you typically had the OnePlus line of phones, an LG version or two, maybe a Moto "flagship" and the Pixel. OnePlus has achieved full flagship status, LG is out of the game, and Motorola, to put it politely, is targeting a different kind of demographic. But the Google Pixel 6 changed the game in late 2021 and remains one of our favorite phones of 2021. It's also $100 less than the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G.

Suffice it to say that there are many question marks surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G.

In 2020, the Galaxy S20 series was launched for $999 and up. The Galaxy S20 FE launched for $699, a whopping $300 cheaper than its closest flagship sibling. In 2021, the Galaxy S21 series launched at $799, making the S21 FE just $100 less and, as mentioned, $100 more than the Google Pixel 6.

Suffice it to say that there are many question marks surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G. I've spent the last 10 days on T-Mobile's 5G network, putting it through its paces. In short, I wanted to find out if, despite the imminent launch of the S22, the phone cuts the right rough edges to bring it up to the same value as its predecessor.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is Samsung's latest budget flagship.Adam Doud/Digital Trends

design and hardware

In terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G doesn't really break the mold compared to its siblings. The camera bump on the back feels less intrusive, but that might be because my comparison device is the Galaxy S21 Ultra. As with the other flagships, the camera hump blends naturally into the back and side of the phone, but it lacks the S21's dual-tone approach and instead opts for a single body. It's prettier because there are no seams, but more boring when it's just a single color.

On the sides are a power button and volume rocker on the right, a single speaker port, a USB-C port, and a SIM tray. On the front, you get a gorgeous 120Hz AMOLED panel, which I'll detail below. There's a single punch at the top for the 32-megapixel selfie camera, and at the bottom is the same reliable under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.

Inside the phone is a Snapdragon 888 processor. My review unit has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but you can opt for 8GB/256GB if you prefer. There's a 4,500mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging or 15W wireless charging. All in all, these are all respectable specs for a 2021 flagship. The only (barely) outdated hardware is the processor now that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip is available. I don't blame Samsung for sticking with the Snapdragon 888, but I give it less of a pass since the S20 FE came out with the top-of-the-line processor back then.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is Samsung's latest budget flagship.Adam Doud/Digital Trends

display

One area Samsung hasn't skimped on is the display. This is a 6.4-inch 2400 x 1800 Dynamic AMOLED panel that's just a touch smaller than the previous generation but retains the same 20:9 aspect ratio. The phone is comfortable to hold and use with one hand, but I wouldn't mind if Samsung shaved off another third of an inch or so.

The display itself is beautiful, with amazing viewing angles and color reproduction. It's a 1080p panel, so not the highest resolution out there. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as a lower resolution will significantly increase battery life, especially when the phone is running at a 120Hz refresh rate. Personally, I can rarely tell the difference between a 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rate; it just doesn't impress me when it's there, nor does its absence bother me. You can (and probably will) have a different preference and more power for yourself.

I usually turn up the brightness so I can capture the rich detail of the games I'm playing or the movies I'm watching, but with the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G that just wasn't necessary.

In a surprising twist, I hadn't noticed how bright the display was until I was on day five or six of my review and realized I hadn't turned the brightness up at all, for nothing. This is unusual for me. While I typically use around 70% brightness on a phone, it's not uncommon to crank it up to 100% when watching videos or gaming. I usually turn up the brightness so I can take full advantage of HDR10+ and capture the rich detail of the games I play or the movies I watch, but with the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G that just wasn't necessary.

One aspect that Samsung continues to struggle mightily with is touch rejection around the edges of the screen. This is a flat screen, but accidental touches on the edges are annoying and render games like Call of Duty Mobile virtually unplayable. Only after adding a case does the situation improve, but it doesn't go away completely. Granted, my chubby sausage fingers are probably to blame, so your mileage may vary, but I'm sure I'm not the only one having the issue.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is Samsung's latest budget flagship.Adam Doud/Digital Trends

While I complain about the over-sensitivity of touch on the phone, allow me to also complain about the lack of touch sensitivity on this phone. This mainly occurred in gaming, but I found small touch targets extremely difficult to press, like buttons in Call of Duty Mobile or even small squares in games like Sudoku. Again, I know I have big fingers, but the Sudoku game in particular surprised me because I don't have this problem with any other phone.

Performance, battery life and connectivity

Overall battery life was below average considering the size. This is a 4,500mAh power cell, and I'd regularly go to sleep when the phone was hovering in the teens or single digits as a percentage. That's after a day of bouncing between four email addresses, Twitter, Discord, Reddit, Kindle, and the entire suite of Microsoft apps (Teams, Outlook, and more). This usually includes a lot of games on Call of Duty Mobile, Sudoku and other games here or there. This phone will get you through a full day's activities, but it can struggle in those final hours.

  • PC Mark Work 3.0 Performance: 13711
  • Geekbench (single/multi-core): 873/2284
  • GFXBench Aztec Ruins OpenGL: 27fps
  • 3DMark: 5062

In terms of performance, the phone packs a Snapdragon 888 with 6GB of RAM, which is enough to handle just about anything. I do notice very occasional stuttering during gaming sessions when I'm really picky, but overall I have no complaints. Connectivity seems really solid, or at least as solid as my phones in the T-Mobile signal dead zone where I live. I had no issues with dropped calls or spotty internet, neither of which manifested itself on my iPhone 13 Pro.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is Samsung's latest budget flagship.Adam Doud/Digital Trends

cameras and video

On the camera side, there's little difference between the S21 FE and the S20 FE. Both phones have three camera sensors for ultra wide, wide and telephoto lenses. The main and ultrawide cameras both have 12MP sensors, while the telephoto sits at 8MP. There are some subtle differences in what the newer cameras can capture, e.g. 1080p at 240 frames per second (fps), but overall you'll see little difference between the S20 FE and S21 FE on the rear.

Portrait mode is one of the best I've seen as it easily selects the edges of your subject while blurring the background.

In broad daylight, all cameras work quite well. One subtle difference I noticed was how the main camera seems to pick up brighter colors than the other two sensors at a warmer temperature. This is especially true for red wines, which tend to get oversaturated.

Portrait mode is one of the best I've seen as it easily selects the edges of your subject while blurring the background. If you look at pixels up close, you'll see that it's not perfect, but it's very good. This applies to both the 32-megapixel front camera and the back.

As for the video, it's pretty decent. There is no stabilization both during the day and at night. Especially at night you will see a little jerking when walking. The disappointing thing is that this feature is also present in the front camera. Previous Samsung phones I've reviewed two generations ago have always had rock-solid front-camera stabilization, making them ideal for vloggers who like to walk and talk to their camera. That's just not the case here and it's really disappointing.

You can definitely get some great snaps at night as long as there is ambient light. Both the ultrawide sensor and the telephoto sensor lose detail when you're looking at something that doesn't have sharp edges. This means that text is fine, but the texture of a statue is lost. That's not surprising given that low-light performance pushes most cameras to the limit, not just this phone. Video recording at night isn't great, but it's not terrible either. Useful footage will be the exception, not the rule, but you'll get lucky from time to time.

The zoom isn't great behind the 3x telephoto lens. The Galaxy S21 FE can zoom up to 30x hybrid, but you shouldn't use it unless you're looking for photos to use as models to practice your watercolor painting. The only exception to this rule is the moon. While the resolution isn't great for moon shots, Samsung's A.I. Scene detection can still give you a great handheld shot of the moon. It's a party trick, sure, but it's really impressive.

Overall, the Galaxy S21 FE's camera performance is slightly less capable than current competitors. Don't get me wrong, the cameras are still very good, but they fall short of the size found on the iPhone 13 or the Pixel 6.

software and features

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G comes with Samsung's One UI 4.0, which is based on Google's Android 12. For the most part, though, this is Samsung's show; Little here is recognizable as inherently Google. Yes, the software can make changes to the system UI based on your wallpaper, but most of the options available were muted blues and grays rather than the bright orange of the sunset in a photo I included in my wallpaper. It was a little unsettling.

It also lacks the animations that Google gives you when you turn your device on and off. In Android 12, when you press the power button to put the phone to sleep, the black swipe across the screen into the power button. When you wake up the phone, the opposite happens. It's just decorative, but I miss it when using phones other than my Pixel 6.

Much of the One UI is done right, however, with large labels for menus at the top of the screen and buttons accessible near the bottom; that's the default plan for One UI. One area that still needs improvement is the app drawer. It's a side-scrolling affair, which isn't bad in and of itself, but you can't scroll from the start of the menu to the end. Simply put, if you're on-screen with the ace and need to open Zillow, you've got a lot of side swipes in your future.

Of course, if you're like me and have all your apps organized in folders on the home screen, that's not a huge problem. One delightful feature Samsung is adding is the ability to add apps to folders in bulk, and everyone needs to copy that feature now! Some manufacturers do this; those who don't need to queue because it's a feature so incredibly useful it hurts to use phones that don't have it, including the Pixel 6.

Overall, I like One UI, but I prefer Google's approach over Android. From the animations to the theming to the app drawer, it just suits my style a bit more.

Our opinion

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is in such a strange place that I'm having a hard time grasping it. Above all. The question I ask myself is why? Why does this phone exist? The next generation of Galaxy smartphones will be unveiled in just over two weeks at the time of this writing. There are worse ways to spend $700 on a smartphone right now. But that's not really a confirmation. Depending on where the S22 series lands in terms of price and specs, this can be a good deal, or it can be a questionable buy where a little extra cash can get you a lot more phone.

To be honest, while this is a really good smartphone for its price, Samsung would probably have been better off not releasing it at all, or launching it right next to the S22 as a 'budget' alternative.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. Both Android and iOS have better alternatives to this phone depending on your tastes. Neither the Google Pixel 6 nor the iPhone 13 Cameras have the optical zoom feature, so that's a point for Samsung. But both phones outperform the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G in many ways, including software, camera processing and design. This phone is just too little, too late.

How long it will take?

Samsung covers its phones with a typical one-year warranty. The Snapdragon 888 processor and plastic construction help it last through a normal 24-month phone cycle. While the plastic back doesn't feel as premium, it handles drops and bumps better. The processor and main memory should also be future-proof for at least that long.

should you buy it

No. Simply put, the Google Pixel 6 is a better phone in almost every way, and it's $100 less. If you prefer the iPhone, the iPhone 13 is no problem either. Don't get me wrong, this is a very good phone, but it comes at an odd time. The only reason you should buy this phone is if you absolutely want a Samsung flagship but don't want to buy a nearly a year old phone in the Samsung Galaxy S21, yet another more expensive brand new phone in the S22. That's an oddly specific set of criteria, but that's also Samsung's bread and butter – a phone for all budgets.

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28 Jan
Blog

The Perfect Exercise For Obtaining Body Strength

Front raises are isolation exercises that primarily work your shoulder flexion. It also targets your anterior deltoids, biceps, lateral deltoids, clavicle portion of the pectoralis major, serratus anterior, upper and lower trapezius muscles. It is known to be a simple weightlifting workout that will help you build physical strength. It's also important for toning your upper body and improving your shoulder mobility. This exercise is primarily responsible for increasing the size of your shoulder muscles and requires movement around a single joint. Since this exercise works all areas of your shoulders, it is very beneficial for improving shoulder stability.

Below is the perfect guide to front raises and building a great upper body in no time.

How to Master the Art of the Front Raise:

The front raise is a straight-forward exercise with multiple benefits. Learn more below to transform your body into the ideal one.

directions:

1. First, stand with your back erect, feet shoulder-width apart and planted on the floor. Remember to keep both of your weight-carrying hands hanging at your sides. This is your starting position.

2. Hold the weights palms back toward your thighs and across your thighs. Remember to keep a tight grip on the episodes and support the abs.

3. Take a deep breath and raise the dumbbells up while keeping your arms forward. Hold for a few moments once your arms are almost parallel to the floor and you feel the contraction in your shoulders.

4. Now slowly and quickly return the weights to the starting position while exhaling.

Common mistakes:

1. Remember to keep your back straight and your abs tight.

2. Always avoid lifting your shoulder blades while performing this exercise.

3. Avoid using your trapezius muscles (traps) to lift the barbells.

4. Never use heavy weights unless you are comfortable with it. Because lifting heavy weights automatically leads to severe strains and injuries.

5. Always keep your wrists in a neutral position. Avoid bending them up and down. If you can't keep your wrists neutral, the weights you're lifting are too heavy for you.

6. Never use momentum while doing this exercise as it reduces its potency.

Services:

1. The front raise is a great isolation because it targets your shoulder joint only.

2. Since this exercise does not require heavy weights, its efficiency automatically increases.

3. This workout engages your core, neck muscles, and upper back. This allows you to maintain a correct, upright posture.

4. There are numerous variations of this exercise. Therefore it is versatile.

5. Since it works in all areas of your shoulders, this workout helps promote better shoulder stability.

6. They are an excellent exercise to improve your body's strength.

Variations:

If you are very familiar with the classic front raises, you are welcome to try the given variants:

Lateral raises with dumbbells This version of the exercise is just as accessible as the traditional front raise. The only difference between the two is that lateral raises lift the weights laterally. On the other hand, the entire movement of the front raise is in the forward direction.

Frequently asked Questions:

1. How many front raises should I make?

You should aim for 10-12 reps for 1-3 sets of front raises. Always remember to start with light weights, as heavy dumbbells carry a risk of injury.

2. Are front raises really worth it?

Yes, front raises are an effective exercise that allow for better body strength and work all areas of your shoulders. This workout is considered one of the best for promoting stability, strength, and endurance.

3. What muscles build front raises?

Front raises are primarily responsible for building the shoulders and upper chest muscles, also known as the pecs.

4. Are front raises a push or a pull?

Front raises are a "pull" exercise.

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