I cannot imagine that there is anyone past the age of about 10, that has never had calf cramps. Let's face it, they are horrible. From having no pain and full movement to excruciating agony in a matter of seconds. I think that you can relate to that. If you are into sports though, calf cramps are far more common, and can stop you in your tracks. So what are calf cramps exactly? Anyone competing in sports know that they usually occur after strenuous exercise. But what about those poor folk who wake up with cramps for no discernible reason. So, how do they occur?
How Calf Cramps Can Occur
Although not an exhaustive list by any means, here are some common causes of calf cramps
Dehydration: If you are involved in any sports, especially if you are serious about it, you should always ensure that you maintain your fluid levels. As you get hot, your body sweats, and you lose fluid. If these fluids are not replaced, there is a danger of dehydration, and dehydration can accelerate the onset of calf cramps.
Over tiredness: If you exercise longer or harder than you are used to, there is a danger of calf cramps. Sometimes, in competitive situations, this can be difficult to avoid, but in training, you should increase demands on your body slowly, so that it can get used to it. That is the purpose of training after all. If you train to peak fitness in competition, the likelihood of calf cramps or any injury for that matter, is reduced.
Vitamin deficiencies: There is speculation that that athletes who get calf cramps could suffer from low levels of potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Poor warm up: It is vital that you warm your body up carefully before any exercise. If you don't stretch your calves properly for example, they continually stay contracted and are thus more susceptible to cramps.
Poor circulation: I can attest to this myself. When I was young, I played a lot of soccer, and used shin guards to protect the front of my legs. To keep the shin guards in place, I used ties to hold my socks up. More than once, during a strenuous game, my calves tightened up and cramped. The cause, I am sure, was poor circulation as a result of tight sock ties.
Some of these causes will have obvious remedies for example. I shouldn't have tied up my socks so tight for example! If cramps occur during exercise, then stretching the calf whilst massaging can alleviate the pain, and stop the muscle from tightening. However, there are other things that you can do which might stop the problem occurring.
Stretch your muscles before exercise as part of a regular warm up routine. Try and warm down after exercise as well.
Ensure that you stay properly hydrated during exercise and drink plenty of water.
2012年8月15日星期三
2012年8月14日星期二
Using Calories For Weight Loss
Ever wondered what a calorie is? The definition of a calorie is "the amount of energy, or heat it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water to 1 degree Celsius".
A calorie is a unit of energy that is associated with food and drink and is a measure of the energy, or heat, that food produces as your body uses it as fuel.
The first step in counting calories for your personal weight loss is to calculate how many calories you burn in a day (your total daily energy expenditure). This is the total number of calories that your body expends in 24 hours, including all activities.
This is known as your maintenance level and will be the reference point (number of calories) from which to start your dieting.
The average calorie maintenance level for women in the United States is approx 2000 per day and the average for men is approx 2500 per day. These are only basic averages and are usually much higher for athletes or active individuals.
A quick and easy method to find out how many calories you require per day for weight loss and maintenance is to calculate a calorie value with a multiplier as set out below.
Fat loss = multiply your body weight in pounds with 12 calories (12 x lb).
Maintenance = multiply your body weight in pounds with 15 calories (15 x lb).
This is a very easy method to estimate your daily caloric requirements, but it has its drawbacks as it doesn't take into account your particular activity levels or body fat levels. Despite this it will give you a good estimated figure that you can work with.
The maintenance figure that you get is the amount of calories that you need to consume to stay at your current weight. To lose weight your calorie intake must be lower than the calories you burn.
In order to lose one pound of fat per week, you must reduce your weekly calorie intake by 3,500 calories, which works out at five hundred calories per day. This can be done by reducing your calories by 500 or combining a diet with physical activity.
The bottom line is to balance your caloric intake with the amount of calories that you are burning, is the secret to successful dieting and weight maintenance.
Becoming more conscious of counting calories in your everyday eating regime is imperative if you are trying to lose weight. Studies have shown that men and women "underestimate" their daily calorie consumption by 500 to almost 1000 calories.
You can get a truer picture by keeping a seven-day eating plan of what you typically eat and drink during the day.
At the end of each day of eating, add up the total amount of calories consumed and write them down on to the eating plan. At the end of the seven days, add the total calories for the whole week and then divide by seven. You now have your daily calorie intake.
Using a calorie calculator can make counting calories easier - you can total how many calories you will need for your daily activities to give you more control over how many calories you should include in your daily diet.
Another technique for low calorie eating is to watch your fat intake as this has the most calories.
Moderation is always important when you are counting calories. Severely restricting calories, causes the body to lower its metabolic rate, which reduces its ability to burn fat.
At the same time, hunger signals increase and you quickly start to crave high-energy foods loaded with fats and sugar, the same foods you are trying to do without.
This is because when you return to normal eating habits, the drop in metabolic rate caused by the restriction in calories means that your old eating habits actually represent excess in calories.
Not only do you regain the fat stores just lost, but also you may even gain a bit extra.
"Dieting by counting calories means that all foods are allowed, nothing is forbidden as long as the calories consumed don't go over your daily calorie allowance".
Counting calories can also be flexible enough to accommodate most busy lifestyles.
Health professionals agree that healthy eating which includes counting calories and a low fat diet are essential for long-term healthy weight loss.
The way to lose body fat and maintain muscle is to have a food program for life. Quality food and more energy output are the basics you'll need to go for.
A calorie is a unit of energy that is associated with food and drink and is a measure of the energy, or heat, that food produces as your body uses it as fuel.
The first step in counting calories for your personal weight loss is to calculate how many calories you burn in a day (your total daily energy expenditure). This is the total number of calories that your body expends in 24 hours, including all activities.
This is known as your maintenance level and will be the reference point (number of calories) from which to start your dieting.
The average calorie maintenance level for women in the United States is approx 2000 per day and the average for men is approx 2500 per day. These are only basic averages and are usually much higher for athletes or active individuals.
A quick and easy method to find out how many calories you require per day for weight loss and maintenance is to calculate a calorie value with a multiplier as set out below.
Fat loss = multiply your body weight in pounds with 12 calories (12 x lb).
Maintenance = multiply your body weight in pounds with 15 calories (15 x lb).
This is a very easy method to estimate your daily caloric requirements, but it has its drawbacks as it doesn't take into account your particular activity levels or body fat levels. Despite this it will give you a good estimated figure that you can work with.
The maintenance figure that you get is the amount of calories that you need to consume to stay at your current weight. To lose weight your calorie intake must be lower than the calories you burn.
In order to lose one pound of fat per week, you must reduce your weekly calorie intake by 3,500 calories, which works out at five hundred calories per day. This can be done by reducing your calories by 500 or combining a diet with physical activity.
The bottom line is to balance your caloric intake with the amount of calories that you are burning, is the secret to successful dieting and weight maintenance.
Becoming more conscious of counting calories in your everyday eating regime is imperative if you are trying to lose weight. Studies have shown that men and women "underestimate" their daily calorie consumption by 500 to almost 1000 calories.
You can get a truer picture by keeping a seven-day eating plan of what you typically eat and drink during the day.
At the end of each day of eating, add up the total amount of calories consumed and write them down on to the eating plan. At the end of the seven days, add the total calories for the whole week and then divide by seven. You now have your daily calorie intake.
Using a calorie calculator can make counting calories easier - you can total how many calories you will need for your daily activities to give you more control over how many calories you should include in your daily diet.
Another technique for low calorie eating is to watch your fat intake as this has the most calories.
Moderation is always important when you are counting calories. Severely restricting calories, causes the body to lower its metabolic rate, which reduces its ability to burn fat.
At the same time, hunger signals increase and you quickly start to crave high-energy foods loaded with fats and sugar, the same foods you are trying to do without.
This is because when you return to normal eating habits, the drop in metabolic rate caused by the restriction in calories means that your old eating habits actually represent excess in calories.
Not only do you regain the fat stores just lost, but also you may even gain a bit extra.
"Dieting by counting calories means that all foods are allowed, nothing is forbidden as long as the calories consumed don't go over your daily calorie allowance".
Counting calories can also be flexible enough to accommodate most busy lifestyles.
Health professionals agree that healthy eating which includes counting calories and a low fat diet are essential for long-term healthy weight loss.
The way to lose body fat and maintain muscle is to have a food program for life. Quality food and more energy output are the basics you'll need to go for.
2012年8月13日星期一
Fitness Myths – The dirty truths
It is easy for an exercise tip to be created and spread throughout the workout world, but while most people believe the words coming from that guy at the gym, the majority of these myths end up being false. Some can even jeopardize or inhibit results of your natural workout. So, to learn what the most common myths are and their truths, here is a list of the most common myths found at the gym.
Myth #1: Doing crunches or working on an ab machine will help you lose belly fat.
This one is absolutely not true. A lot of this myth also stems from those late night commercials featuring 8 pack abdominals, and advertising that perfect ab machine. The only thing an ab machine might help improve is your posture and strengthening the muscles around your mid section. They will not allow you to burn off the belly fat.
In order to see the abdominal muscles on your stomach you must lose the excess belly fat which comes from a combination of cardiovascular and strength training. This type of training will decrease your body fat content, making it easier to accent your stomach muscles.
Myth #2: A cardiovascular or aerobic workout will boost your metabolism for hours afterwards.
This myth is actually true, but it may not be true to the extent that you want it to be. Although your metabolism will burn at a slightly higher rate after an aerobic workout, experts say that the amount of calories burnt is not all that significant. In reality you only burn on average an extra 20 calories a day. Overall it is not even considered as a part of your daily caloric burn.
Myth #3: Running on a treadmill puts less strain on your knees than running on pavement.
This is not true. Running on a treadmill puts the same amount of strain on your knees as running on pavement. This is because the force of your body weight on your joints causes the stress, not where or what you are running on. The best way to hinder knee problems is to vary your workout. Mix running with other cardio activities; a stationary bike, elliptical machine, or a rowing machine. This balance of cardio will relieve the stress from your knees.
Myth #4: Yoga can help with the strains of back pain.
This is true, however it depends what kind of back problems you are facing. If your back pain is muscle related then yes, yoga might be the answer for you. Some of the stretches and positions can help you to build a stronger core. However, if your back problems are related to injury (such as a ruptured disc for example), yoga is not your solution. What is worse is that doing yoga could actually make your injury worse. The best thing to do for back pain is to consult your doctor for the best solution before trying any type of exercise.
Myth #5: If you don’t sweat during a workout you are not benefiting from it.
This is not true. Sweat is a simple way of cooling the body down, it is not an indicator of exertion. There are a number of ways one can burn excess amounts of calories without even breaking a sweat. Try walking or light weight training. Both are great ways to burn off calories in which the majority of people hardly break a sweat at all.
Myth #6: Swimming is a great and easy way to lose weight.
This is true, but you have to swim for hours and hours of the day. Swimming is great for toning the muscles, increasing lung capacity, and relieving tension of the body. However, it is not the best thing to do if your intension is to lose weight. Since the buoyancy of the water supports your body quite significantly while you swim, you don’t get quite the same effect as if you were running. Swimming is also known to cause you to eat more than you normally would, so it is harder to stay on a healthy diet plan.
Myth #7: If you feel ok when working out, you aren’t overdoing it.
This is not true, and is a huge mistake for a lot of people. Most tend to over work themselves when starting a new work out program, or even when they are starting to get back into one where they first left off. This happens so often because we feel OK when we are working out. The overdoing it is not apparent until a day or two after your initial workout. Never try to duplicate a workout from where you left off. Your body will not be able to handle it, and you may not even start again. This goes for anyone starting a new workout program as well. Start slow, and work your way up or your body may face some real damage.
Myth #8: Machines are a safer way to exercise.
This is only true when taking your height and weight into perspective. Unless you have a coach that knows how to adjust the machine correctly for your height and weight, it is easy to misuse any form of exercise equipment. Your risk for injury is just as high as using any free weights or other exercise equipment if the machine you are using is not adjusted correctly.
Myth #9: No pain equals no gain.
This slogan is probably the biggest misconception of any workout myth. The truth is you should never feel pain while working out. Even though you may feel sore a few days after a workout, it should never initially be painful while doing any exercise. If you do feel pain you most likely already have an injury, or you are doing the exercise wrong. You should never work through the pain either. It is better to rest and wait until the pain is gone, or go consult with your doctor.
Myth #1: Doing crunches or working on an ab machine will help you lose belly fat.
This one is absolutely not true. A lot of this myth also stems from those late night commercials featuring 8 pack abdominals, and advertising that perfect ab machine. The only thing an ab machine might help improve is your posture and strengthening the muscles around your mid section. They will not allow you to burn off the belly fat.
In order to see the abdominal muscles on your stomach you must lose the excess belly fat which comes from a combination of cardiovascular and strength training. This type of training will decrease your body fat content, making it easier to accent your stomach muscles.
Myth #2: A cardiovascular or aerobic workout will boost your metabolism for hours afterwards.
This myth is actually true, but it may not be true to the extent that you want it to be. Although your metabolism will burn at a slightly higher rate after an aerobic workout, experts say that the amount of calories burnt is not all that significant. In reality you only burn on average an extra 20 calories a day. Overall it is not even considered as a part of your daily caloric burn.
Myth #3: Running on a treadmill puts less strain on your knees than running on pavement.
This is not true. Running on a treadmill puts the same amount of strain on your knees as running on pavement. This is because the force of your body weight on your joints causes the stress, not where or what you are running on. The best way to hinder knee problems is to vary your workout. Mix running with other cardio activities; a stationary bike, elliptical machine, or a rowing machine. This balance of cardio will relieve the stress from your knees.
Myth #4: Yoga can help with the strains of back pain.
This is true, however it depends what kind of back problems you are facing. If your back pain is muscle related then yes, yoga might be the answer for you. Some of the stretches and positions can help you to build a stronger core. However, if your back problems are related to injury (such as a ruptured disc for example), yoga is not your solution. What is worse is that doing yoga could actually make your injury worse. The best thing to do for back pain is to consult your doctor for the best solution before trying any type of exercise.
Myth #5: If you don’t sweat during a workout you are not benefiting from it.
This is not true. Sweat is a simple way of cooling the body down, it is not an indicator of exertion. There are a number of ways one can burn excess amounts of calories without even breaking a sweat. Try walking or light weight training. Both are great ways to burn off calories in which the majority of people hardly break a sweat at all.
Myth #6: Swimming is a great and easy way to lose weight.
This is true, but you have to swim for hours and hours of the day. Swimming is great for toning the muscles, increasing lung capacity, and relieving tension of the body. However, it is not the best thing to do if your intension is to lose weight. Since the buoyancy of the water supports your body quite significantly while you swim, you don’t get quite the same effect as if you were running. Swimming is also known to cause you to eat more than you normally would, so it is harder to stay on a healthy diet plan.
Myth #7: If you feel ok when working out, you aren’t overdoing it.
This is not true, and is a huge mistake for a lot of people. Most tend to over work themselves when starting a new work out program, or even when they are starting to get back into one where they first left off. This happens so often because we feel OK when we are working out. The overdoing it is not apparent until a day or two after your initial workout. Never try to duplicate a workout from where you left off. Your body will not be able to handle it, and you may not even start again. This goes for anyone starting a new workout program as well. Start slow, and work your way up or your body may face some real damage.
Myth #8: Machines are a safer way to exercise.
This is only true when taking your height and weight into perspective. Unless you have a coach that knows how to adjust the machine correctly for your height and weight, it is easy to misuse any form of exercise equipment. Your risk for injury is just as high as using any free weights or other exercise equipment if the machine you are using is not adjusted correctly.
Myth #9: No pain equals no gain.
This slogan is probably the biggest misconception of any workout myth. The truth is you should never feel pain while working out. Even though you may feel sore a few days after a workout, it should never initially be painful while doing any exercise. If you do feel pain you most likely already have an injury, or you are doing the exercise wrong. You should never work through the pain either. It is better to rest and wait until the pain is gone, or go consult with your doctor.
2012年8月12日星期日
Wii Fit for Nintendo - An alternative method to staying fit
The Entertainment Group offers an innovative extension for its console the Nintendo "Wii". The Nintendo game "Wii Fit" is consistently continuing its strategies to create an upgraded image of video games: In addition to families, young men and women are the target and instead of bloody battles, sports and fun are the main content.
"Wii Fit" consists of a Balance Board, high-tech scales, wireless internet with the "Wii" connected, and training software. The concept is ambitious: Wii Fit acts as a personal coach. The user has a guide for regular training and support to aid in the improvement of physical conditioning which can be monitored through the console. At the start of the game, there is a personal assistant that works alongside the user with an animated Balance Board. To start, increase the board and wait for a few seconds, and the software will tell the current weight, body mass index and the shift of the body. It will then calculate your fitness age based on all these factors.
There are four forms of exercise that help to improve body balance and where weight optimization can be achieved: yoga, muscle exercises, aerobics and balance games. The first two are quite serious training programs, in which a virtual coach - depending on the male or female version - with a soft voice aids you through the various exercises. The movements of the exercises are fully displayed on the screen, so that yoga exercises such as the "sunshine greeting" or "the tree" can be easily imitated. The Balance Board covers only the weight distribution on the feet of the user. The exercises are usually moderately strenuous, allowing most individuals to be able to perfect them.
The balance of the games and aerobics are clearly the fun part. This is where all Wii fans already know, "Mii" avatars which are used to master various tasks. You can Hula Hoop or do step aerobics in time with the board. The games are easy to learn, are extremely entertaining, motivational, and you can choose your level of difficulty to gain high score ranking. Unfortunately, by the low level of difficulty the highest level can be achieved quickly and the games get boring fairly fast, therefore experienced gamers will become easily frustrated.
The program strives to keep the user involved and as well to supply proper feedback on any progress. It calls for regular testing on the body for weight, balance, and age of fitness. Somewhat annoying is the well-intentioned health tips of the animated Helferleins, which recommends, among other things, to chew your food.
The Wii Fit "- system certainly cannot replace personal or professional training. Especially for an effective cardiovascular training, the intensity of the exercises is not enough.
Especially for people who might otherwise spend their time in front of the television, "Wii Fit" is the first step towards a better body awareness and a healthier body balance. This target group is certainly not too small, making the "Wii Fit" an economic success.
"Wii Fit" consists of a Balance Board, high-tech scales, wireless internet with the "Wii" connected, and training software. The concept is ambitious: Wii Fit acts as a personal coach. The user has a guide for regular training and support to aid in the improvement of physical conditioning which can be monitored through the console. At the start of the game, there is a personal assistant that works alongside the user with an animated Balance Board. To start, increase the board and wait for a few seconds, and the software will tell the current weight, body mass index and the shift of the body. It will then calculate your fitness age based on all these factors.
There are four forms of exercise that help to improve body balance and where weight optimization can be achieved: yoga, muscle exercises, aerobics and balance games. The first two are quite serious training programs, in which a virtual coach - depending on the male or female version - with a soft voice aids you through the various exercises. The movements of the exercises are fully displayed on the screen, so that yoga exercises such as the "sunshine greeting" or "the tree" can be easily imitated. The Balance Board covers only the weight distribution on the feet of the user. The exercises are usually moderately strenuous, allowing most individuals to be able to perfect them.
The balance of the games and aerobics are clearly the fun part. This is where all Wii fans already know, "Mii" avatars which are used to master various tasks. You can Hula Hoop or do step aerobics in time with the board. The games are easy to learn, are extremely entertaining, motivational, and you can choose your level of difficulty to gain high score ranking. Unfortunately, by the low level of difficulty the highest level can be achieved quickly and the games get boring fairly fast, therefore experienced gamers will become easily frustrated.
The program strives to keep the user involved and as well to supply proper feedback on any progress. It calls for regular testing on the body for weight, balance, and age of fitness. Somewhat annoying is the well-intentioned health tips of the animated Helferleins, which recommends, among other things, to chew your food.
The Wii Fit "- system certainly cannot replace personal or professional training. Especially for an effective cardiovascular training, the intensity of the exercises is not enough.
Especially for people who might otherwise spend their time in front of the television, "Wii Fit" is the first step towards a better body awareness and a healthier body balance. This target group is certainly not too small, making the "Wii Fit" an economic success.
2012年8月10日星期五
The Swiss Ball – Effective, Dynamic and Versatile
A Swiss Ball (also known as Thera Ball, Balance Ball and Stability Ball) is a very useful, dynamic and cost effective tool to utilize for many different types of exercises! It comes in a variety of sizes and can be inflated to your desired firmness. Here are a few great reasons people believe it to be so effective and we highly advise it to add versatility to your work out routines:
The Swiss ball recruits more muscle fibers for exercises:
Any time a Swiss ball is used for any type of exercise, the instability of the ball requires the use of many stabilizer muscles to support the action. This will definitely increase your balance, stability and strength around the core and joints. You will be building strength in muscles that you didn’t even know you are working!
The Swiss ball is very effective for crunches:
Any time you are doing crunches, you start in a pre-stretched position due to the contour of the ball and allow your abdominals to work through a full range of motion. Also, the instability of the ball works the oblique areas slightly and gives you an incredibly balanced 6 pack!
The Swiss ball is an amazing core development tool:
It forces your mid-section muscles to be constantly contracting when you are doing any exercise on the ball in order to maintain balance and stability even when you are focusing on other muscle groups.
The Swiss ball is great alternative to a bench:
When utilizing a Swiss ball instead of a traditional bench, it is usually a good idea to lighten up the weight to start. Try doing a chest press and/or a chest fly as well as a one arm dumbbell row. By using the ball, you will make strength gains in your core and stabilizers that will benefit you greatly when you return to the bench, allowing you to work with heavier weights confidently.
The Swiss ball helps develop the weaker side of your body:
Any time the ball is being used, it forces the weaker side of your body to work just as hard as the stronger side in order to keep balanced, therefore helping both sides of your body to be developed equally with better symmetry.
The Swiss ball can be utilized for advanced training techniques:
Feel free to get creative with the ball and try some of your own exercises to really give your body a shock and give it the variety it needs in order to effectively grow. One of my favorite Swiss ball exercises is to kneel on the ball with my feet right off the ground and do 12 Shoulder Lateral Raises, 12 Front Raises per side and 12 Shoulder Presses with 10-15lb dumbbells all in a row while balancing on the ball!!!
The Swiss ball recruits more muscle fibers for exercises:
Any time a Swiss ball is used for any type of exercise, the instability of the ball requires the use of many stabilizer muscles to support the action. This will definitely increase your balance, stability and strength around the core and joints. You will be building strength in muscles that you didn’t even know you are working!
The Swiss ball is very effective for crunches:
Any time you are doing crunches, you start in a pre-stretched position due to the contour of the ball and allow your abdominals to work through a full range of motion. Also, the instability of the ball works the oblique areas slightly and gives you an incredibly balanced 6 pack!
The Swiss ball is an amazing core development tool:
It forces your mid-section muscles to be constantly contracting when you are doing any exercise on the ball in order to maintain balance and stability even when you are focusing on other muscle groups.
The Swiss ball is great alternative to a bench:
When utilizing a Swiss ball instead of a traditional bench, it is usually a good idea to lighten up the weight to start. Try doing a chest press and/or a chest fly as well as a one arm dumbbell row. By using the ball, you will make strength gains in your core and stabilizers that will benefit you greatly when you return to the bench, allowing you to work with heavier weights confidently.
The Swiss ball helps develop the weaker side of your body:
Any time the ball is being used, it forces the weaker side of your body to work just as hard as the stronger side in order to keep balanced, therefore helping both sides of your body to be developed equally with better symmetry.
The Swiss ball can be utilized for advanced training techniques:
Feel free to get creative with the ball and try some of your own exercises to really give your body a shock and give it the variety it needs in order to effectively grow. One of my favorite Swiss ball exercises is to kneel on the ball with my feet right off the ground and do 12 Shoulder Lateral Raises, 12 Front Raises per side and 12 Shoulder Presses with 10-15lb dumbbells all in a row while balancing on the ball!!!
2012年8月9日星期四
The New Fitness Trend: Gyrotonic
Is the training equipment at your gym boring you? Do you have no desire to do repetitive gym exercises? Well, it’s time to try something new! The Gyrotonic is a new fitness trend from the United States. What it promises: with a small amount of training you can become more flexible and relaxed.
Admittedly, the training equipment is very strange and rather resemblant of medieval torture machines instead of modern fitness machines. But in reality, they are fairly easy to use and gentle on the body. This specially-made device’s motions are three-dimensional, circular and spiral. The result: your muscles are alternately stretched and relaxed.
This odd machine was invented by the movement system by Juliu Horvath. Horvath worked as a classical dancer in New York until a spinal injury forced him to resign. In following years he worked with a lot of Far Eastern medicine - including acupuncture and yoga. Combined with his experience as an athlete came the new training method: Gyrotonic. Initially it was used mainly for dancers, but later on it became popular for many performance and recreational athletes.
Gyrotonic combines elements of movements of various sports: sequences of swimming, dancing, yoga and ballet. Juliu Horvath developed special training for his device, so it could be fit for all ages. Anyone can increase their agility, stamina and strength, and more specifically help reduce back pain. A nice side effect: it reduces stress! The Gyrotonic movements can affect internal organs and prevent neurological and cardiovascular diseases.
If the exercises on the devices do not suit you, you can easily change your Gyrokinesis. Behind these exercises are wave-like movements, that train the body gently. Just as important as using the device, is your breathing pattern while using it. The most common method is a simple breathing exercise where you breathe in until your spine reaches the center and then back out. This helps to re-mobilize the body.
Gyrotonic is offered in special studios. Coaches, and physiotherapists usually have special training using these devices. A unit can cost about 30 to 80 euros, but it may benefit you in many ways.
Admittedly, the training equipment is very strange and rather resemblant of medieval torture machines instead of modern fitness machines. But in reality, they are fairly easy to use and gentle on the body. This specially-made device’s motions are three-dimensional, circular and spiral. The result: your muscles are alternately stretched and relaxed.
This odd machine was invented by the movement system by Juliu Horvath. Horvath worked as a classical dancer in New York until a spinal injury forced him to resign. In following years he worked with a lot of Far Eastern medicine - including acupuncture and yoga. Combined with his experience as an athlete came the new training method: Gyrotonic. Initially it was used mainly for dancers, but later on it became popular for many performance and recreational athletes.
Gyrotonic combines elements of movements of various sports: sequences of swimming, dancing, yoga and ballet. Juliu Horvath developed special training for his device, so it could be fit for all ages. Anyone can increase their agility, stamina and strength, and more specifically help reduce back pain. A nice side effect: it reduces stress! The Gyrotonic movements can affect internal organs and prevent neurological and cardiovascular diseases.
If the exercises on the devices do not suit you, you can easily change your Gyrokinesis. Behind these exercises are wave-like movements, that train the body gently. Just as important as using the device, is your breathing pattern while using it. The most common method is a simple breathing exercise where you breathe in until your spine reaches the center and then back out. This helps to re-mobilize the body.
Gyrotonic is offered in special studios. Coaches, and physiotherapists usually have special training using these devices. A unit can cost about 30 to 80 euros, but it may benefit you in many ways.
2012年8月8日星期三
4 Muscle Hammering Biceps Exercises
Biceps have always been one of the most popularized body parts of a bodybuilder and it’s no wonder, they are fun to train and for most men it’s where they will notice gains early. In addition to this the pump you get from a good bicep workout is amazing.
This article is going to cover 4 great bicep building exercises. As with any exercise it’s very important to do them correctly and to focus your mind on the muscle.
1.The Barbell Curl
The king of the bicep builders, and the archetypal exercise we see bodybuilders training arms.
There is a reason barbell curls are so popular, because they work.
Barbell Curls are nice because you can vary your grip widths, which allows you to target different parts of the biceps. By reversing your grip you can train the brachiallias and forearms.
The EZ Curl Bar is a nice tool for those just starting out to help them get the spacing on the bar correctly, and the angled grips will take some of the stress off the elbow joints and wrists if you have problems with these at all.
As for performing the barbell curl there are a couple schools of thought on this, those that are super strict, those that cheat the weight and those that fall somewhere in between. I think its important to practice strict form for lighter weights and then to use a slight bit of momentum for heavier weights to assist getting the weight past the first portion of the movement where the biceps aren’t being used as much.
Performing the barbell curl (With a slight cheat)
To start, make sure you are standing shoulder width apart, gripping the bar with hands equidistant. Have your arms slightly bent, and then with a small amount of hip movement bring the weight up in an arc towards your chin. Your elbows should stay locked in position (imagine a broomstick running through them). When the weight reaches the apex, bring it back down in the same arc in a controlled fashion, and do not straighten your arms at the bottom.
2. Dumbbell Curls
Dumbbell curls are another important exercise because of the isolation factor (the weaker arm cannot be assisted by the stronger) and they hit your biceps in a unique way. Because the dumbbell curls allow you to supinate your wrist through the exercise arc you will be hitting the brachiallis extra hard. Different grips like hammer curls also add a different dimension to the movement.
Dumbbell curls require you to supinate your wrists when performing them. This hits the brachiallis hard too.
Performing the dumbbell curl
Dumbbell curls are pretty easy to do, but the potential for bad form is pretty high. It’s easy to start swinging to much or looking down at the bicep as each arm comes up.
Dumbbell curls start much the same way as barbell curls, except with your feet about shoulder width apart, and your back straight and core stable. You should alternate hands – so start with one arm by bringing it up with the elbow locked in position, and begin supinating (turning) the wrist as soon as you are able (generally starts when it clears the thigh). Continue to supinate until you can supinate no further. If you timed this correctly, full wrist supination should occur at the top of the motion. For extra fiber contraction squeeze the bicep at the top.
As with all exercises remember to breath throughout the motions, and especially with dumbbell curls as the alternating motion means the set lasts longer and as a result there is more lactic acid build up.
3. Incline Curls
The incline curl is an exercise that is really going to stretch those biceps, and is good to do after you have completed compound exercise or two. Be warned though, you should definitely be warmed up before attempting this exercise as the stretch and stress on the biceps can lead to muscle pulls or even tears if you aren’t careful.
One of the nice things about this exercise aside from its unique effect on the biceps, is that you can easily adjust the angle of the incline you perform them at, which is recommended.
Performing the incline curl
Start by setting up an incline bench to about 60-70 degrees, you can vary this later.
Sitting on the bench, hold the dumbbells in both hands with wrists fully supinated, and arms hanging. Curl both dumbbells up keeping your elbows in the same position and then with control lower the weights again. At the bottom of the repetition make sure not to lock out completely, stop the weight short of completely straightened arms.
4. Concentration Curls
Of the four exercises in this article, this exercise is the only isolation exercise, but can be extremely effective if done properly. Concentration curls are what I call a finishing exercise, and by this I mean they are always done at the end of a workout to “finish” off whatever muscle fibers you have left.
Because these are an isolation exercise your weights will be considerably less, but the impact that these have on muscle activation is well worth it.
Stand with your feet at just outside shoulder width apart. Bend your upper body over to roughly 90 degrees, holding one arm out in front of you to hold the weight and the other to hold on to something and stabilize yourself.
Performing the concentration curl
Sitting at the end of a flat bench place the weight in one hand and your elbow against the inside of your knee for stability (you can also do these free standing without the stability of the knee). Curl the weight upwards using only the biceps, keep the motion controlled and deliberate.
Conclusion
So with these four exercises in your arsenal you can start on your road to massive biceps! Remember that you can’t build muscle without adequate nutrition and rest!
This article is going to cover 4 great bicep building exercises. As with any exercise it’s very important to do them correctly and to focus your mind on the muscle.
1.The Barbell Curl
The king of the bicep builders, and the archetypal exercise we see bodybuilders training arms.
There is a reason barbell curls are so popular, because they work.
Barbell Curls are nice because you can vary your grip widths, which allows you to target different parts of the biceps. By reversing your grip you can train the brachiallias and forearms.
The EZ Curl Bar is a nice tool for those just starting out to help them get the spacing on the bar correctly, and the angled grips will take some of the stress off the elbow joints and wrists if you have problems with these at all.
As for performing the barbell curl there are a couple schools of thought on this, those that are super strict, those that cheat the weight and those that fall somewhere in between. I think its important to practice strict form for lighter weights and then to use a slight bit of momentum for heavier weights to assist getting the weight past the first portion of the movement where the biceps aren’t being used as much.
Performing the barbell curl (With a slight cheat)
To start, make sure you are standing shoulder width apart, gripping the bar with hands equidistant. Have your arms slightly bent, and then with a small amount of hip movement bring the weight up in an arc towards your chin. Your elbows should stay locked in position (imagine a broomstick running through them). When the weight reaches the apex, bring it back down in the same arc in a controlled fashion, and do not straighten your arms at the bottom.
2. Dumbbell Curls
Dumbbell curls are another important exercise because of the isolation factor (the weaker arm cannot be assisted by the stronger) and they hit your biceps in a unique way. Because the dumbbell curls allow you to supinate your wrist through the exercise arc you will be hitting the brachiallis extra hard. Different grips like hammer curls also add a different dimension to the movement.
Dumbbell curls require you to supinate your wrists when performing them. This hits the brachiallis hard too.
Performing the dumbbell curl
Dumbbell curls are pretty easy to do, but the potential for bad form is pretty high. It’s easy to start swinging to much or looking down at the bicep as each arm comes up.
Dumbbell curls start much the same way as barbell curls, except with your feet about shoulder width apart, and your back straight and core stable. You should alternate hands – so start with one arm by bringing it up with the elbow locked in position, and begin supinating (turning) the wrist as soon as you are able (generally starts when it clears the thigh). Continue to supinate until you can supinate no further. If you timed this correctly, full wrist supination should occur at the top of the motion. For extra fiber contraction squeeze the bicep at the top.
As with all exercises remember to breath throughout the motions, and especially with dumbbell curls as the alternating motion means the set lasts longer and as a result there is more lactic acid build up.
3. Incline Curls
The incline curl is an exercise that is really going to stretch those biceps, and is good to do after you have completed compound exercise or two. Be warned though, you should definitely be warmed up before attempting this exercise as the stretch and stress on the biceps can lead to muscle pulls or even tears if you aren’t careful.
One of the nice things about this exercise aside from its unique effect on the biceps, is that you can easily adjust the angle of the incline you perform them at, which is recommended.
Performing the incline curl
Start by setting up an incline bench to about 60-70 degrees, you can vary this later.
Sitting on the bench, hold the dumbbells in both hands with wrists fully supinated, and arms hanging. Curl both dumbbells up keeping your elbows in the same position and then with control lower the weights again. At the bottom of the repetition make sure not to lock out completely, stop the weight short of completely straightened arms.
4. Concentration Curls
Of the four exercises in this article, this exercise is the only isolation exercise, but can be extremely effective if done properly. Concentration curls are what I call a finishing exercise, and by this I mean they are always done at the end of a workout to “finish” off whatever muscle fibers you have left.
Because these are an isolation exercise your weights will be considerably less, but the impact that these have on muscle activation is well worth it.
Stand with your feet at just outside shoulder width apart. Bend your upper body over to roughly 90 degrees, holding one arm out in front of you to hold the weight and the other to hold on to something and stabilize yourself.
Performing the concentration curl
Sitting at the end of a flat bench place the weight in one hand and your elbow against the inside of your knee for stability (you can also do these free standing without the stability of the knee). Curl the weight upwards using only the biceps, keep the motion controlled and deliberate.
Conclusion
So with these four exercises in your arsenal you can start on your road to massive biceps! Remember that you can’t build muscle without adequate nutrition and rest!
2012年8月7日星期二
Regress to Progress - Scapular Stability & Hip Mobility
In this essay I want to cover two important joints that are heavily affected by a sedentary lifestyle, the shoulder blades (scapular) and hip joint. Please note, it’s important to consult with a doctor if you are having recurring pain. It is best to have a thorough evaluation by a professional before proceeding with a fitness program.
Train smarter not harder. Some can intellectually understand but do not know how to apply this thought to their own fitness program.
For those who are hitting plateaus (a.k.a hitting the wall), coming back from an injury, training with joint pain, working the same routine for over 3 months, frustrated or just not seeing results- I have one thing to say “Regress to Progress”.
Nothing will change, specifically your results, if nothing changes. This is the time to step back from your routine and ask “Am I choosing quantity over quality of form?” For example, it’s counterproductive to keep increasing your jogging time knowing your knee knocks while running. Then, after the run you wonder why your knee hurts.
Another example is the aspiring weekend power lifter. This person will continue to increase the weight in their barbell bench press despite pain in their shoulders (rotator cuff) and neck strain.
Then comes the inevitable, despite using every pain medication on the market, he or she is unable to do their routine due to an injury and unbearable pain. What happened?
You chose quantity over quality of form. Granted, you are not an fitness professional, however pain/discomfort is a red flag from the brain signaling something is WRONG (and please stop).
You are limiting your potential by not taking the time to improve your weakest link. Our society is primarily sedentary at work, home and leisure. It is well documented that a sedentary lifestyle, especially one that has you in front of a computer for long periods of time, will affect your posture, joint mobility/stability due to overactive tight muscle.
I call this P.M.S, praying mantis syndrome. Basically visualize a praying mantis in a cubicle and place a keyboard underneath its claws and it looks very similar to someone in front of a PC ( add a wig if it helps with the visual). In this position we have the following; tight hip flexors, tight hamstrings, tight calf, overextending back and hip extensors, rounded shoulder, tight biceps and forward leaning head.
The only difference is that nature designed the praying mantis to be in that position; it is unnatural for human to be in a sedentary position for long periods of time!
Over time a muscle imbalance will develop in the calves, hips, legs, shoulder blades, shoulders’ and arms to name a few. The extent of the muscle imbalance will be contingent on past injuries, repetitive movement and other physical activities. Many injuries occur due to overactive muscles affecting reciprocal inhibition of the antagonist muscle.
To make matters worse, without knowing any better, you repeatedly strengthen these overactive muscles at the gym via machines or group classes. Overactive muscles will affect the joint range of motion, mobility or stability depending on the joint.
Let’s use the knee joint as an example, tight hamstrings and calf muscles plus zero glute activation will affect this joint stability (not to mention your low back health).The analogy is driving a Porsche with 1 out of 4 shocker absorbers working properly. This car was designed for performance and speed, just like you. However, its system is compromised because you did not take the time to check/replace the shocks, and anyway the car looks good so why stop cruising? It’s just a matter of time until the car will slow down and come to a halt.
Our bodies have a primal survival mechanism for self preservation. Its first line of defense is to signal our consciousness with pain. If our ego or ignorance overrides the pain then the body will compensate, e.g. development of a muscle imbalance. If you continue to train without reprieve then you are more likely to get injured, e.g. ACL tear, herniated disc, rotator cuff strain.
There is no silver bullet when it comes to correcting muscle imbalances. There are always a number of variables contributing to the problem and some we cannot change, e.g. working with a PC. What we can do is integrate some exercises that will promote balance.
First scenario, for years you noticed that your knees knock when you run (aka valgus knee) and recently you have been getting pain below and above the knee cap. It is worth mentioning females are more likely to have valgus knees due to the female anatomy. Nature designed women to have wider hips than men. This creates a greater “Q” angle which is a measurement along the tibia, femur and ASIS of the hip. Research shows that the greater the angle, the more likely you are to have an injury IF you do not address the muscle imbalances. One more note, regardless of the gender, if you are sitting most of the day, your running mechanics may be compromised.
Usually the biggest contributor to knee pain is the hips. Ankle mobility, flat feet (over pronation) can also be a factor but for this essay I will focus on the hips.
Train smarter not harder. Some can intellectually understand but do not know how to apply this thought to their own fitness program.
For those who are hitting plateaus (a.k.a hitting the wall), coming back from an injury, training with joint pain, working the same routine for over 3 months, frustrated or just not seeing results- I have one thing to say “Regress to Progress”.
Nothing will change, specifically your results, if nothing changes. This is the time to step back from your routine and ask “Am I choosing quantity over quality of form?” For example, it’s counterproductive to keep increasing your jogging time knowing your knee knocks while running. Then, after the run you wonder why your knee hurts.
Another example is the aspiring weekend power lifter. This person will continue to increase the weight in their barbell bench press despite pain in their shoulders (rotator cuff) and neck strain.
Then comes the inevitable, despite using every pain medication on the market, he or she is unable to do their routine due to an injury and unbearable pain. What happened?
You chose quantity over quality of form. Granted, you are not an fitness professional, however pain/discomfort is a red flag from the brain signaling something is WRONG (and please stop).
You are limiting your potential by not taking the time to improve your weakest link. Our society is primarily sedentary at work, home and leisure. It is well documented that a sedentary lifestyle, especially one that has you in front of a computer for long periods of time, will affect your posture, joint mobility/stability due to overactive tight muscle.
I call this P.M.S, praying mantis syndrome. Basically visualize a praying mantis in a cubicle and place a keyboard underneath its claws and it looks very similar to someone in front of a PC ( add a wig if it helps with the visual). In this position we have the following; tight hip flexors, tight hamstrings, tight calf, overextending back and hip extensors, rounded shoulder, tight biceps and forward leaning head.
The only difference is that nature designed the praying mantis to be in that position; it is unnatural for human to be in a sedentary position for long periods of time!
Over time a muscle imbalance will develop in the calves, hips, legs, shoulder blades, shoulders’ and arms to name a few. The extent of the muscle imbalance will be contingent on past injuries, repetitive movement and other physical activities. Many injuries occur due to overactive muscles affecting reciprocal inhibition of the antagonist muscle.
To make matters worse, without knowing any better, you repeatedly strengthen these overactive muscles at the gym via machines or group classes. Overactive muscles will affect the joint range of motion, mobility or stability depending on the joint.
Let’s use the knee joint as an example, tight hamstrings and calf muscles plus zero glute activation will affect this joint stability (not to mention your low back health).The analogy is driving a Porsche with 1 out of 4 shocker absorbers working properly. This car was designed for performance and speed, just like you. However, its system is compromised because you did not take the time to check/replace the shocks, and anyway the car looks good so why stop cruising? It’s just a matter of time until the car will slow down and come to a halt.
Our bodies have a primal survival mechanism for self preservation. Its first line of defense is to signal our consciousness with pain. If our ego or ignorance overrides the pain then the body will compensate, e.g. development of a muscle imbalance. If you continue to train without reprieve then you are more likely to get injured, e.g. ACL tear, herniated disc, rotator cuff strain.
There is no silver bullet when it comes to correcting muscle imbalances. There are always a number of variables contributing to the problem and some we cannot change, e.g. working with a PC. What we can do is integrate some exercises that will promote balance.
First scenario, for years you noticed that your knees knock when you run (aka valgus knee) and recently you have been getting pain below and above the knee cap. It is worth mentioning females are more likely to have valgus knees due to the female anatomy. Nature designed women to have wider hips than men. This creates a greater “Q” angle which is a measurement along the tibia, femur and ASIS of the hip. Research shows that the greater the angle, the more likely you are to have an injury IF you do not address the muscle imbalances. One more note, regardless of the gender, if you are sitting most of the day, your running mechanics may be compromised.
Usually the biggest contributor to knee pain is the hips. Ankle mobility, flat feet (over pronation) can also be a factor but for this essay I will focus on the hips.
2012年8月6日星期一
Lose That Fat Wisely
Never attempt to by pass any meals, because this merely will make your body retain fats for energy vs. losing the fat. Many people believe it is bad to eat after 6 p.m., but it's not really horrible if you’re smart about it.
An acceptable supper with additional protein for that great weight training session you had is going to assist the delivery of nutrients to the body to prepare it for the next day. Furthermore, should you discover yourself really starving just before bed a fabulous modest bowl of high fiber cereal and low fat milk will really assist with preserving your metabolism while you’re sleeping. The smart part is by realizing that you shouldn't be overeating in the evenings. At the very least, follow a well-rounded, healthy and balanced diet regime filled with fruit and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.
Another trick to lose that fat is to decrease your caloric intake by eating slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for your mind to realize that you’re not hungry any longer. Try to get yourself in the habit of drinking a glass of water before your meal and you will find that this helps to fill you up sooner allowing your mind to catch up. Eating slowly will get you satisfied with a smaller amount of food without the need of feeling hungry or even deprived. Also, you get two meals out of one if you incorporate this tactic when eating out.
Don't make an effort to starve yourself. In the short term, lowering the amount you eat to unhealthily 'abnormal' amounts will slow metabolic process and in fact result in you losing weight far more slowly. In the longer run, starving yourself (anorexia or bulimia) can kill you. It's far better to consume reasonable levels of healthy food choices instead of not eating at all.
In general, people starting diets or on diets tend to miss out on some essential nutrients and nutritional vitamins that can help fulfill your daily requirements. Nutritional supplements perform a crucial part in keeping your body's chemical makeup well balanced as well as your levels of energy healthy.
In Summary: An excellent fat loss technique to help you lose that fat is always to eat healthily as well as do physical exercise regularly. Muscle mass weighs a lot more compared to fat, therefore don't be surprised in the event that you gain weight, you look slimmer. That can be attributed to all the hard work you've been doing during your exercise sessions. A well-balanced workout also strengthens all the joints as well as more compact tie-in muscles, those most likely to get injured if bigger muscles over power the smaller ones. Exercise frequently and eat healthy to Lose That Fat Wisely!
An acceptable supper with additional protein for that great weight training session you had is going to assist the delivery of nutrients to the body to prepare it for the next day. Furthermore, should you discover yourself really starving just before bed a fabulous modest bowl of high fiber cereal and low fat milk will really assist with preserving your metabolism while you’re sleeping. The smart part is by realizing that you shouldn't be overeating in the evenings. At the very least, follow a well-rounded, healthy and balanced diet regime filled with fruit and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.
Another trick to lose that fat is to decrease your caloric intake by eating slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for your mind to realize that you’re not hungry any longer. Try to get yourself in the habit of drinking a glass of water before your meal and you will find that this helps to fill you up sooner allowing your mind to catch up. Eating slowly will get you satisfied with a smaller amount of food without the need of feeling hungry or even deprived. Also, you get two meals out of one if you incorporate this tactic when eating out.
Don't make an effort to starve yourself. In the short term, lowering the amount you eat to unhealthily 'abnormal' amounts will slow metabolic process and in fact result in you losing weight far more slowly. In the longer run, starving yourself (anorexia or bulimia) can kill you. It's far better to consume reasonable levels of healthy food choices instead of not eating at all.
In general, people starting diets or on diets tend to miss out on some essential nutrients and nutritional vitamins that can help fulfill your daily requirements. Nutritional supplements perform a crucial part in keeping your body's chemical makeup well balanced as well as your levels of energy healthy.
In Summary: An excellent fat loss technique to help you lose that fat is always to eat healthily as well as do physical exercise regularly. Muscle mass weighs a lot more compared to fat, therefore don't be surprised in the event that you gain weight, you look slimmer. That can be attributed to all the hard work you've been doing during your exercise sessions. A well-balanced workout also strengthens all the joints as well as more compact tie-in muscles, those most likely to get injured if bigger muscles over power the smaller ones. Exercise frequently and eat healthy to Lose That Fat Wisely!
2012年8月5日星期日
Things a Health/Fitness Club Should Consider Telling Its New Members
1. Patience is a virtue. Supposedly, ‘‘Rome wasn’t built in a day,’’ and whatever harm your sedentary habits may have done to your health won’t be undone in a workout or two. Although the benefits of exercise are innumerable, engaging in physical activity on a regular basis does not offer a quick, short-term fix to the ravages imposed by a chronic case of ‘‘spuditis’’ (difficulty getting off the couch).
2. There is no free lunch. To a great extent, you’re going to get as much out of your exercise regimen as you put into it. As with everything in life, the harder you work, the more you’ll accomplish.
3. One size does not fit all. Everyone has his or her unique set of interests, needs, and capabilities. As such, when designing your exercise regimen, you need to identify the program parameters that best satisfy your circumstances. In this instance, the process is part science, part art - scientific with regard to adhering to certain well-documented principles of exercise prescription; art as it pertains to the subjective aspects of being physically active (e.g., exercise modality, place to exercise, etc.).
4. Success is a choice. You should decide what you want to achieve from your exercise program, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it. As such, you should set appropriate, realistic goals for yourself, and then expend the effort to make them come true.
5. No substitute exists for self-discipline. Arguably, the single most underlying cause of the fact that more than 75% of Americans do not exercise on a regular basis is a lack of willpower. Accordingly, you must control your own actions and behaviors. Focus on what’s important (results not numbers), commit to change, and persevere in your efforts.
6. Exercise is not a contest. The term ‘‘contest’’ connotes a situation where there are winners and losers. When individuals engage in a sound exercise regimen, there are no losers - only winners. Don’t compare how much you can do in the exercise arena with the accomplishments of someone else. Keep your focus on where it belongs - enhancing your own level of fitness and health.
7. Weakness is an opportunity waiting to be addressed. One of the things that many individuals find extremely difficult in the exercise arena is to work on improving their weaknesses, rather than unduly focusing on their strengths. In reality, if you truly are committed to becoming as fit as you can be, you must systematically expend the necessary time and energy targeting all of the basic components of physical fitness (not just the ones you’ve already mastered).
8. ‘‘No pain equals no gain’’ makes no sense. Pain is your body’s way of letting you know that you’re either doing too much or doing something in a way that exposes your body to an undue risk of being injured. The key point is that pain should not be viewed as a natural by-product of the exercise process. As such, you should listen to your body. If you experience pain, stop doing whatever is causing the pain. On the other hand, you should expect to feel a certain degree of discomfort when initiating an exercise regimen until your body adjusts to your new active lifestyle.
9. You can’t outrun your genetics. Truth be known, although the health-related benefits of exercising are almost boundless, limits exist to what can be achieved by being physically active on a regular basis. Not every person can have a reed-thin body of a model or the sculpted musculature of a bodybuilder. If you’re short or stocky or flat-footed, no matter how hard you work out, you’re going to be whatever your DNA mandates you will be.
10. Sticking to your exercise regimen can sometimes be difficult. Going forward, you may reach a point where you find it somewhat difficult to adhere to the exercise program you’ve laid out for yourself. Encountering this situation doesn’t mean you’re weak or faint-hearted; rather, it reflects the fact that you’re human. On occasion, you may encounter troublesome circumstances, where such factors as time pressures, conflicting priorities, and so on, cause you to second guess your decision to exercise. Keep in mind that the difficulties and struggles of today are the price you must pay for the achievements of tomorrow.
2. There is no free lunch. To a great extent, you’re going to get as much out of your exercise regimen as you put into it. As with everything in life, the harder you work, the more you’ll accomplish.
3. One size does not fit all. Everyone has his or her unique set of interests, needs, and capabilities. As such, when designing your exercise regimen, you need to identify the program parameters that best satisfy your circumstances. In this instance, the process is part science, part art - scientific with regard to adhering to certain well-documented principles of exercise prescription; art as it pertains to the subjective aspects of being physically active (e.g., exercise modality, place to exercise, etc.).
4. Success is a choice. You should decide what you want to achieve from your exercise program, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it. As such, you should set appropriate, realistic goals for yourself, and then expend the effort to make them come true.
5. No substitute exists for self-discipline. Arguably, the single most underlying cause of the fact that more than 75% of Americans do not exercise on a regular basis is a lack of willpower. Accordingly, you must control your own actions and behaviors. Focus on what’s important (results not numbers), commit to change, and persevere in your efforts.
6. Exercise is not a contest. The term ‘‘contest’’ connotes a situation where there are winners and losers. When individuals engage in a sound exercise regimen, there are no losers - only winners. Don’t compare how much you can do in the exercise arena with the accomplishments of someone else. Keep your focus on where it belongs - enhancing your own level of fitness and health.
7. Weakness is an opportunity waiting to be addressed. One of the things that many individuals find extremely difficult in the exercise arena is to work on improving their weaknesses, rather than unduly focusing on their strengths. In reality, if you truly are committed to becoming as fit as you can be, you must systematically expend the necessary time and energy targeting all of the basic components of physical fitness (not just the ones you’ve already mastered).
8. ‘‘No pain equals no gain’’ makes no sense. Pain is your body’s way of letting you know that you’re either doing too much or doing something in a way that exposes your body to an undue risk of being injured. The key point is that pain should not be viewed as a natural by-product of the exercise process. As such, you should listen to your body. If you experience pain, stop doing whatever is causing the pain. On the other hand, you should expect to feel a certain degree of discomfort when initiating an exercise regimen until your body adjusts to your new active lifestyle.
9. You can’t outrun your genetics. Truth be known, although the health-related benefits of exercising are almost boundless, limits exist to what can be achieved by being physically active on a regular basis. Not every person can have a reed-thin body of a model or the sculpted musculature of a bodybuilder. If you’re short or stocky or flat-footed, no matter how hard you work out, you’re going to be whatever your DNA mandates you will be.
10. Sticking to your exercise regimen can sometimes be difficult. Going forward, you may reach a point where you find it somewhat difficult to adhere to the exercise program you’ve laid out for yourself. Encountering this situation doesn’t mean you’re weak or faint-hearted; rather, it reflects the fact that you’re human. On occasion, you may encounter troublesome circumstances, where such factors as time pressures, conflicting priorities, and so on, cause you to second guess your decision to exercise. Keep in mind that the difficulties and struggles of today are the price you must pay for the achievements of tomorrow.
2012年8月3日星期五
Tips for Fitness Professionals for Selecting the 'Best' Resistance-Training Exercises
1. Conquer lightweight thoughts and interests. Far too often, individuals who undertake a resistance-training regimen unwisely focus their workout efforts on the unattainable over-development of a particular muscle or muscle group. As such, health/ fitness professionals need to serve as an informational counterweight to their client’s fixation on bulging muscles.
2. Penetrate the sometimes not so thin veneer of ignorance. A key step in determining what exercises should be included in a person’s strength training program is to determine the individual’s reasons for working out. In other words, health/fitness professionals need to identify their client’s perceived personal training goals.
3. Judge for yourself. The next step in the process of selecting resistance-training exercises for a client is to assess the individual’s actual musculoskeletal needs. In reality, a substantial disparity can exist between what a person wants to achieve and what that same individual needs to accomplish in the weight room.
4. Carefully study the situation. Health/fitness professionals should perform an anatomical, biomechanical, and orthopedic analysis of their client’s limitations and capabilities. To a point, the more that is known about a given subject, the more informed a decision that can be made involving that particular matter.
5. Balance analytical findings with key program factors. Health/fitness professionals need to match the information gained from analyzing their client’s needs, limitations, and capabilities with the various factors and parameters that can significantly impact a person’s workout regimen (e.g., accessible equipment, time available to exercise, fitness level, training experience level of the client). Giving due consideration to each key element and the potential impact of one factor or another can help guide the exercise selection process.
6. Identify the choices. Once health/fitness professionals have performed their due diligence with regard to the needs, limitations, capabilities, and circumstances attendant to their clients, their next step is to determine the resistance-training exercise options for those individuals with whom they are working. Not all exercises will be suitable for every individual. The key is to ascertain which exercises are appropriate for a particular person.
7. Find the ‘‘perfect’’ fit. Once the list of possible exercises has been refined for a particular individual, the next step in the process is to decide which exercise choices offer the ‘‘most favorable’’ option (all factors considered) for that person. Unfortunately, no easy-to-apply procedure for making such a decision exists. Rather, on the part of the health/fitness professional, the task requires a judicious mix of professional judgment and a thoughtful dose of subjective insight.
8. Place the emphasis where it belongs. Health/fitness professionals need to ensure that their clients are properly performing each exercise while they are working out. The exerciser’s emphasis should be on adhering to sound form and purposeful function, rather than on racking up relatively meaningless statistics.
9. Observe the outcome. To achieve maximum results from their clients’ efforts, health/fitness professionals should monitor their training results and make whatever adjustments are deemed appropriate in the exercise selection in their workout regimen.
10. Keep an open mind. To paraphrase a common street saying, stuff happens. As such, individuals must be able to respond to their circumstances as they exist - not as they would like them to be. In that regard, health/fitness professionals should approach every situation with an open mind and a ‘‘do whatever has to be done to get it done’’ attitude. If change is necessary, so be it.
2. Penetrate the sometimes not so thin veneer of ignorance. A key step in determining what exercises should be included in a person’s strength training program is to determine the individual’s reasons for working out. In other words, health/fitness professionals need to identify their client’s perceived personal training goals.
3. Judge for yourself. The next step in the process of selecting resistance-training exercises for a client is to assess the individual’s actual musculoskeletal needs. In reality, a substantial disparity can exist between what a person wants to achieve and what that same individual needs to accomplish in the weight room.
4. Carefully study the situation. Health/fitness professionals should perform an anatomical, biomechanical, and orthopedic analysis of their client’s limitations and capabilities. To a point, the more that is known about a given subject, the more informed a decision that can be made involving that particular matter.
5. Balance analytical findings with key program factors. Health/fitness professionals need to match the information gained from analyzing their client’s needs, limitations, and capabilities with the various factors and parameters that can significantly impact a person’s workout regimen (e.g., accessible equipment, time available to exercise, fitness level, training experience level of the client). Giving due consideration to each key element and the potential impact of one factor or another can help guide the exercise selection process.
6. Identify the choices. Once health/fitness professionals have performed their due diligence with regard to the needs, limitations, capabilities, and circumstances attendant to their clients, their next step is to determine the resistance-training exercise options for those individuals with whom they are working. Not all exercises will be suitable for every individual. The key is to ascertain which exercises are appropriate for a particular person.
7. Find the ‘‘perfect’’ fit. Once the list of possible exercises has been refined for a particular individual, the next step in the process is to decide which exercise choices offer the ‘‘most favorable’’ option (all factors considered) for that person. Unfortunately, no easy-to-apply procedure for making such a decision exists. Rather, on the part of the health/fitness professional, the task requires a judicious mix of professional judgment and a thoughtful dose of subjective insight.
8. Place the emphasis where it belongs. Health/fitness professionals need to ensure that their clients are properly performing each exercise while they are working out. The exerciser’s emphasis should be on adhering to sound form and purposeful function, rather than on racking up relatively meaningless statistics.
9. Observe the outcome. To achieve maximum results from their clients’ efforts, health/fitness professionals should monitor their training results and make whatever adjustments are deemed appropriate in the exercise selection in their workout regimen.
10. Keep an open mind. To paraphrase a common street saying, stuff happens. As such, individuals must be able to respond to their circumstances as they exist - not as they would like them to be. In that regard, health/fitness professionals should approach every situation with an open mind and a ‘‘do whatever has to be done to get it done’’ attitude. If change is necessary, so be it.
2012年8月2日星期四
Ten Minute Coffee Break Workout
Some people sit down all day working at a computer; some people do manual labour all day - this post is for the desk jockeys.
If you are like me you come in to work a little late, you eagerly log in to see your desktop picture of a tropical island and then proceed to surf the internet until a few hours later. By mid morning you are feeling agitated; what better way to burn some steam than by running, jumping and or Spiderman crawling up a flight of stairs for 10 minutes? You might look ridiculous but you'll be the fittest man in the office. Watch out Cindy - the tidy looking intern from head office.
I have been a desk jockey for the past 3 years and trust me, I have learnt the best ways to "feel the burn" while getting paid. This is just one variation of my seemingly endless repertoire of working out at work routines.
What You'll Need
Stopwatch
Flight of stairs (secluded if you are easily embarrassed)
10 minutes spare time (lunch break, coffee break etc).
What to Do
Go to the bottom of the flight of stairs
Start your stopwatch
Run up and down the stairs touching every step: For 2 minutes
Run up and down the stairs only touching every second step: For 2 minutes
Jump up the stairs (walk down), jumping every second step: For 2 minutes
Jump up the stairs (walk down), jumping to every third step: For 2 minutes
Spiderman crawl up the stairs (walk down) in push up position crawling on your hands and feet: For 2 minutes
That's it! 10 minutes total and you have worked the major muscles in your legs, your shoulders, your chest and your heart. It is an excellent use of a coffee break and I recommend doing this 2-3 times per day. You will probably improve your productivity as well - if that is your goal.
Why it Works
The routine is short and tough. It is a sprint routine and the sprinting benefits are manyfold: efficient heart health improvements, muscle gain and time savings.
If you are like me you come in to work a little late, you eagerly log in to see your desktop picture of a tropical island and then proceed to surf the internet until a few hours later. By mid morning you are feeling agitated; what better way to burn some steam than by running, jumping and or Spiderman crawling up a flight of stairs for 10 minutes? You might look ridiculous but you'll be the fittest man in the office. Watch out Cindy - the tidy looking intern from head office.
I have been a desk jockey for the past 3 years and trust me, I have learnt the best ways to "feel the burn" while getting paid. This is just one variation of my seemingly endless repertoire of working out at work routines.
What You'll Need
Stopwatch
Flight of stairs (secluded if you are easily embarrassed)
10 minutes spare time (lunch break, coffee break etc).
What to Do
Go to the bottom of the flight of stairs
Start your stopwatch
Run up and down the stairs touching every step: For 2 minutes
Run up and down the stairs only touching every second step: For 2 minutes
Jump up the stairs (walk down), jumping every second step: For 2 minutes
Jump up the stairs (walk down), jumping to every third step: For 2 minutes
Spiderman crawl up the stairs (walk down) in push up position crawling on your hands and feet: For 2 minutes
That's it! 10 minutes total and you have worked the major muscles in your legs, your shoulders, your chest and your heart. It is an excellent use of a coffee break and I recommend doing this 2-3 times per day. You will probably improve your productivity as well - if that is your goal.
Why it Works
The routine is short and tough. It is a sprint routine and the sprinting benefits are manyfold: efficient heart health improvements, muscle gain and time savings.
2012年8月1日星期三
Combine Ab Fitness with Alarm System for Personal and Home Safety
Maintaining good health and remaining in total fitness is one of the best ways to ensure personal as well as home safety. When you are fit your mind too is alert to even the faintest of noises and you will be able to react faster in an emergency situation like a house break while you and your family is asleep. Fitness is the one thing you can trust, and pay nothing for availing it. Combine your fitness with a watch dog and an ADT Alarm System and will have ensured good security for your home. There is nothing that can beat this three-in-one combination. The first body part that you must target as you may have guessed is the abdomen and your back. Most exercise for these muscle groups come together and there are many of them.
Abdominal muscles do not really grow to big sizes just like the thigh, biceps or the shoulders. Instead they tighten and get well defined if you repeat the ab workouts several times at a stretch, every day. But that is not the final advice; you also need to maintain a proper diet and lifestyle to match. If your diet is high on fat and don't include aerobics as part of your exercise regimen, then chances are high that fat may accumulate over your ab muscles, and the 6-pack abdominal muscles you have always longed will never show up. Besides, exercising the abdominal muscles will hardly produce any results unless; your whole body loses the fatty tissues in sufficient quantity. It is therefore very important to include aerobic exercises, if you really want the chiseled 6-pack look for the ab.
Here are some good ab workouts that have been found to be very effective.
The Bicycle Exercise: It is a time tested exercise that targets the lower abdominal muscles, and a really tough one at that. Repeat as many times as you can, and you will have no reason to be disappointed.
Lay flat on a firm mat (not too soft) with your hands straight and resting on the sides. First lift either of you leg even as you begin to fold your knee and endeavor to touch the knee onto your belly and straighten the knee while you return back to the original position. Repeat this motion with the other leg and back again. You should soon be able to complete in rapid succession after some initial hiccups. This corresponds to the pedaling movement that you use in bicycles, hence this name.
The Captain's Chair Leg Raise: Like the bicycle exercise, this exercise is an excellent workout for the lower abdomen and the oblique muscles as well. It can be a little tough if you are doing it the first time or your abdomen muscle is too weak. Most gyms have a captain's chair, try it out.
Start by standing on the chair with your elbows folded at right angle and resting on the arm rest. All your weight will need to be supported by your arm at the elbow across the lower hand. Begin to fold your legs at the knee as you curl at the hips and endeavor to touch the chest with the knee. Hold your breath for a couple of seconds and return back to the original position. Repeat as many times as you can. It is really a tough exercise, but really worth the efforts.
The Arm Crunch: It is an excellent exercise to begin with and requires no equipment. However, you will need to be careful with your back. Do it slowly and maintain proper breathing.
Lay on your back with your legs folded and arms parallel and stretched. Curl your shoulders and endeavor to touch your head onto the belly, while you breathe out, and breathe in when you return back to the position you started. Repeat as many times as you can.
Abdominal muscles do not really grow to big sizes just like the thigh, biceps or the shoulders. Instead they tighten and get well defined if you repeat the ab workouts several times at a stretch, every day. But that is not the final advice; you also need to maintain a proper diet and lifestyle to match. If your diet is high on fat and don't include aerobics as part of your exercise regimen, then chances are high that fat may accumulate over your ab muscles, and the 6-pack abdominal muscles you have always longed will never show up. Besides, exercising the abdominal muscles will hardly produce any results unless; your whole body loses the fatty tissues in sufficient quantity. It is therefore very important to include aerobic exercises, if you really want the chiseled 6-pack look for the ab.
Here are some good ab workouts that have been found to be very effective.
The Bicycle Exercise: It is a time tested exercise that targets the lower abdominal muscles, and a really tough one at that. Repeat as many times as you can, and you will have no reason to be disappointed.
Lay flat on a firm mat (not too soft) with your hands straight and resting on the sides. First lift either of you leg even as you begin to fold your knee and endeavor to touch the knee onto your belly and straighten the knee while you return back to the original position. Repeat this motion with the other leg and back again. You should soon be able to complete in rapid succession after some initial hiccups. This corresponds to the pedaling movement that you use in bicycles, hence this name.
The Captain's Chair Leg Raise: Like the bicycle exercise, this exercise is an excellent workout for the lower abdomen and the oblique muscles as well. It can be a little tough if you are doing it the first time or your abdomen muscle is too weak. Most gyms have a captain's chair, try it out.
Start by standing on the chair with your elbows folded at right angle and resting on the arm rest. All your weight will need to be supported by your arm at the elbow across the lower hand. Begin to fold your legs at the knee as you curl at the hips and endeavor to touch the chest with the knee. Hold your breath for a couple of seconds and return back to the original position. Repeat as many times as you can. It is really a tough exercise, but really worth the efforts.
The Arm Crunch: It is an excellent exercise to begin with and requires no equipment. However, you will need to be careful with your back. Do it slowly and maintain proper breathing.
Lay on your back with your legs folded and arms parallel and stretched. Curl your shoulders and endeavor to touch your head onto the belly, while you breathe out, and breathe in when you return back to the position you started. Repeat as many times as you can.
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