Fitness has a different definition for people, while for someone it may mean being an ideal weight, for others it may be gaining muscle. And all of these have different types of exercises, diets and other lifestyle changes which will help them reach their goal in a reasonable amount of time. One thing that everyone must understand is that you cannot rush fitness, but you can maximize your ability to reach your goal quicker. Maximizing means making the most of the opportunity, for example, you have an hour to exercise every day and you wish to lose weight, to maximize your opportunity you must fit in cardio that allows you to burn calories easily like Stairmaster, running on an inclination, as well as weightlifting. And on the other hand, if you wish to gain muscle, you will focus more on weights and lifting the most you can. Muscle gain is said to be a difficult task as you are practically depending on the wear and tear of your muscles to build them bigger.

While there are many ways to gain muscle periodization has shown to have better results in the long run.

What Is Periodization?

Think of periodization as planning your workouts like a coach plans a game. Instead of just showing up and doing the same thing every time, you break your training into different stages, each with a specific goal. It's like building a house, you don't start by putting on the roof! You lay the foundation first. Periodization helps you do the same with your fitness. You might spend some time focusing on building a base level of fitness, then move on to building strength, and then maybe work on power or speed. By changing things up regularly, you keep your body guessing and avoid hitting plateaus. It's all about working smarter, not just harder.

Periodization isn't just some random idea, it's based on how our bodies work. When you exercise, your body experiences stress. It reacts to this stress in a predictable way, going through different stages. Periodization uses this knowledge to its advantage. It pushes your body just enough to make it adapt and get stronger, but not so much that it gets worn out and injured. Think of it in food terms, not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Some of the benefits of periodization include getting stronger or faster, avoiding overtraining which can actually make you weaker! preventing injuries, staying motivated because you have a plan, and seeing consistent progress over time.

Can Periodization Be Used For Other Sports?

Periodization is a discipline that can be applied in many places. Periodization isn't just for bodybuilders or athletes; it can help anyone who exercises.

It can be used for strength training, if your goal is to build muscle, periodization helps you cycle through different phases to maximize growth. It is also useful for people who are into endurance training like runners, swimmers, and cyclists use it to prepare for long events by focusing on different energy systems. For athletes in all sports use periodization to peak at the right time and avoid getting injured during training. Even in bodybuilding, where the focus is on aesthetics, periodization plays a key role in maximizing muscle growth and achieving that competition-ready physique.

Putting periodization into practice takes some planning. First, you need to know your goals. What do you want to achieve? Then, choose a periodization model that fits your goals and how much experience you have. Next, divide your training year into phases, each with a specific purpose. This might be a few weeks or a few months long. Then, adjust your training volume which depends on how much you do, intensity which is how hard you work), and exercises to match each phase.

Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit in 20 years after crashing out in the first round of the US Open with a five-set defeat to Argentina’s Mariano Navone.

Djokovic was left in tears after bouts of vomiting, cramping and pain. He also relied on multiple medical timeouts, an inhaler and pills to stay on the court.

“I despised every moment I was on the court,” Djokovic told the media after the match, adding that he had been dealing with similar issues throughout the season.

“I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year,” he said.

Djokovic described how his body broke down during the match.

“Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain. The back just gave up in the end and my shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out,” he added.

The defeat ended Djokovic’s hopes of winning a 25th Grand Slam title at this year’s US Open.

Also read: 47-Year-Old Assam Doctor Dies After Collapsing In The Gym: When Can Exercise Trigger A Cardiac Emergency?

Similar Struggles In Cincinnati

Earlier this month at the Cincinnati Open, Djokovic, who holds the all-time men’s record of 428 weeks as world No. 1 in singles, also struggled physically throughout his second-round match.

The 39-year-old was seen crouching on all fours between points, required a medical timeout and appeared to vomit into towels as extreme heat and humidity took a toll.

He then suffered a surprising second-round defeat, losing to Argentina’s Thiago Agustín Tirante 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Following the defeat, Djokovic revealed that he had been dealing with a longstanding health condition that becomes particularly difficult to manage in hot and humid conditions.

“It’s because of a health issue I have,” Djokovic told reporters after the match. “I’ve been dealing with it for many years now. It causes me a lot of problems, especially when there’s a lot of humidity and heat.”

Is Elite Tennis Becoming Too Demanding?

Read More: What Keeps Messi and Ronaldo Biologically Younger Than Their Age? Experts Explain

Djokovic is not alone in facing physical challenges. His exit comes after world No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from the tournament due to injury, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz entered the event after a long break.

Other names include Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti and France’s Arthur Fils who missed earlier Grand Slams in 2026 with injuries, and No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina managing a heel injury ahead of her opener.

Together, these developments raise a broader question: Are the demands of elite tennis becoming too much for even the world’s best players?

While Djokovic has not revealed the nature of his illness, he told reporters that he is “trying” to address the ailment.

Age, Recovery And The Demands Of Tennis

In 2023, Djokovic acknowledged that his body was beginning to feel the effects of a long career, although he still felt he had fuel left in the tank.

“The desire is still there, but things can change quickly – I am 36, I’ve been a pro for 20 years.”

He said he did not view age as a decisive factor, instead focusing on his overall physical condition and whether he continued to enjoy playing.

Age can affect tennis performance through changes such as reduced muscle mass, slower recovery and lower aerobic capacity, which can also increase injury risk.

Year-round Tours, Extreme Heat

In addition to performance pressures, the grueling schedules of the ATP and WTA Tours that span nearly 11 months of the year, give athletes limited time to rest and recover from injuries.

At the same time, rising global temperatures and intense matches lasting up to five hours have added further physical challenges.

“We’re losing the battle overall despite the advances in sports medicine,” Neeru Jayanthi, who leads the tennis medicine programme at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, told The Straits Times.

Along with creating new avenues for managing type 2 diabetes and metabolic health, GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound are also transforming the weight loss game.

Despite its striking benefits in tackling obesity, it poses the risk of significant muscle loss as it works by reducing appetite rather than burning energy.

To address this issue, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have identified an experimental compound. It could offer a very different approach to weight loss that may not result in excessive muscle loss.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The compound, called 5-tetradecyloxy-2-furoic acid, or TOFA, is not approved as a weight-loss treatment and has so far only been tested in animals. Weight loss is the result of mainly two bodily mechanisms: Taking in fewer calories than the amount burned during a specific period.

Since GLP-1 drugs only focus on the first part, the resultant weight loss also includes loss of lean muscle mass. TOFA is developed to increase the amount of energy burned rather than just supressing appetite.

Anders Näär, professor of metabolic biology and nutrition at UC Berkeley and senior author of the study, explained, "Body weight responds to two levers: taking in fewer calories or spending more energy. GLP-1s work almost entirely on the first, so we went after the second."

When tested on mice, it increased energy use by as much as 18% without making the animals more physically active or raising their body temperature. The mice lost body fat without a significant reduction in lean muscle mass.

Also read: US FDA Approves Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro To Reduce Cardiovascular Risk In Diabetics

How Does TOFA Compound Work?

TOFA belongs to a group of compounds known as ACC inhibitors. It interferes with the production of lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides while also activating cells involved in utilising fat as fuel.

Researchers found that TOFA activated PPARα and PPARδ, receptors that switch on genes involved in fat uptake and energy expenditure. Justin Y. Lee, the study's first author, said, “TOFA appears to engage a coordinated metabolic response.”

He added, “It is not simply blocking lipid synthesis. It is also activating energy expenditure pathways that may help the body handle excess lipid and glucose more effectively.”

The mice also showed improvements in insulin sensitivity, blood glucose, triglycerides, and signs of fatty liver disease.

Also read: Unapproved Weight-Loss Drug Caused Hospitalisations In Ireland: What Is Retatrutide & Why Is It Risky?

Could TOFA Be Combined With Ozempic Or Mounjaro?

The researchers tested TOFA alongside GLP-1 drugs including semaglutide and tirzepatide. In mice, the combinations produced greater improvements in body weight, glucose control, insulin levels, and triglycerides than either treatment alone.

Näär said, “TOFA worked additively or synergistically with the GLP-1 appetite-suppressing drugs, so we view it as complementary rather than as a replacement.”

In other words, researchers are looking to maximise the benefits of the two-pronged approach: One drug could dial your appetite down while another could turn up energy expenditure.

Despite promising results, we have to take a pause as TOFA is not yet an approved human weight-loss drug, meaning researchers do not yet know whether the compound will produce the same effects, or whether it will be safe, in humans.

Working out is usually associated with a healthier heart, stronger muscles, and better overall fitness. But in rare cases, intense physical exertion can expose an underlying heart problem, devastatingly resulting into an unforeseen casualty.

That's what happened in the case of a 47-year-old doctor in Assam after he reportedly collapsed while working out and passed away. The incident has once again raised questions about sudden cardiac emergencies during intense workouts.

What Happened?

According to multiple reports, Dr Sahin Rahman, an associate professor at Nagaon Medical College and Hospital, collapsed at a gym in Nagaon.

He was taken to hospital but could not be revived. Reports have described the incident as a suspected cardiac arrest, although the exact cause is yet to be established.

The tragedy is particularly striking because being physically active does not completely eliminate the possibility of an underlying heart condition.

Also read: How Fit You Really Are? Your Grip Strength & Walking Speed Could Reveal Your Biological Age

Looking Fit Does Not Always Mean Heart Is Healthy

Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce cardiovascular risk. It can improve blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, body composition, and overall cardiovascular fitness. So why have there been so many cases of deaths due to cardiac emergencies in the gym?

In an X post, Dr Sudhir Kumar, Neurologist, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, explained why intense workouts can trigger a heart attack and how to prevent the next cardiac emergency in the gym:

He wrote that India reportedly recorded 35,715 heart-attack deaths in 2023. Around 40% of victims were under 45.

During intense exercise, the body sees an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and the body's demand for oxygen. If someone has an undiagnosed structural or electrical heart problem, that sudden increase in demand can, in rare circumstances, trigger a dangerous rhythm or other serious cardiac event.

Dr Kumar wrote, "Exercise does not “cause” the arrest. It unmasks a silent problem. Under 35–40: Cardiac arrest is usually caused by inherited conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, anomalous coronaries, Long QT, ARVC, and myocarditis. Over 35–40 (his age), atherosclerotic coronary disease becomes the leading cause."

One of the worst risks of sudden cardiac events is that they can happen in people who appear healthy. Someone who has a healthy lifestyle can still have conditions like high blood pressure, cholesterol, inherited heart disorder, or an electrical rhythm problem.

Risk can also build silently over years through factors like smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, chronic stress, inadequate sleep, and a family history of cardiovascular disease.

He added, "The heart can look and feel fine until the extra demand of heavy lifting or HIIT hits an abnormal muscle, a blocked artery, or an electrical fault. Then it fibrillates and stops pumping."

Doctors and other healthcare workers, who work stressful long shifts and have an uneven sleep pattern, face additional risk.

Also read: Sweetener In Sugar-Free Gum Linked To 57% Higher Heart Attack And Stroke Risk: What Is Xylitol?

Warning Signs You Should Not Ignore

During a workout, you are likely to experience a racing heart. But you must not simply push through events like:

• Chest pressure, pain or tightness
• Unexplained severe breathlessness
• Fainting or nearly fainting
• Sudden dizziness
• A new or unusual irregular heartbeat
• Extreme weakness that feels disproportionate to the workout
• Pain spreading to the arm, jaw, back or shoulder

If any of these symptoms occur, stop exercising and seek medical attention immediately.

How To Prevent A Cardiac Emergency In The Gym?

Dr Kumar suggests that getting tested regularly can help you understand how healthy your heart is. He suggests a list of tests that can catch underlying heart conditions.

He recommends, "Family history of sudden death under 50 + personal history of unexplained fainting or chest pain, resting ECG, 2D echo, lipids and blood sugar, stress test or CT coronary scan if you are 35+ and going intense."

The expert also explained what to do in case you witness a cardiac emergency unfolding in front of you.

He explains, "If it happens, immediate CPR doubles or triples survival. An automated external defibrillator (AED) used in the first few minutes can push neurologically intact survival above 80–90% in gyms that have one. Every minute without compression or shock drops the chance of survival by ~10%. Hands-only CPR is enough: hard, fast, centre of the chest, 100–120/min. Call ambulance first."

He concludes, "Do the tests if you have risk factors or are starting heavy training after being sedentary. Learn hands-only CPR this week. Ask your gym where the AED is. Regular exercise still saves far more lives than it takes. The goal is to stop preventable ones."