Tag: exercise

Things to Try in 2015

Jan 07, 2015

Kick start the New Year by getting on the right track to keeping your resolutions. Most people choose to get healthier and a great way to start out right is to try something new for 2015. Stay motivated by doing different exercises to reach your goals, or to stay focused on your fitness. Doing the same thing day after day can lead to boredom and even giving up on your routine all together.

Try some of these fitness trends for 2015.

  1. Body weight training. With tight budgets, body weight training can be the way to go. Because it does not require a lot of equipment, body weight training can be an inexpensive way to whip yourself into shape.
  2. High-intensity interval training. A workout that calls for short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by a short recovery time. It is very efficient in burning calories and building muscles.
  3. Strength training. Strength training includes body weight, resistance tubing, free weights and weight machines. Everyone can benefit from building stronger muscles and bones while controlling their weight and increasing their energy levels.
  4. Personal training. A personal trainer will help design a custom fit plan tailored to your wants and needs as well as being your personal cheering section when you achieve your steps and goals.
  5. Exercise and weight loss. Joining programs that combine exercise and weight loss might be a good option for you if you are trying to lose inches off your waist as well as tone your body. Look for programs that emphasize the important balance between healthy eating and exercise.
  6. Yoga. Yoga continues to be a favorite in the fitness community. There are so many different options to try with all the different versions available.
  7. Group Personal Training. Training two or three people at the same time in a small group is becoming a more popular solution when looking for more individualized attention then you get in a class, but without the higher cost of one on one session with a personal trainer.
  8. Outdoor activities. Getting outside for some exercise will bring more benefits. Get outside for hiking, skiing, running, skating, the possibilities are endless.
  9. Circuit training. A group of 6 to 10 exercises that are completed in a sequence is circuit training. It is similar to high-intensity training, but is performed at a lower level of intensity.
  10. Core training. This type of training focuses on strengthening the muscles of the abdomen, thorax, and back by exercising the hips, lower back, and abdomen. You can use equipment such as exercise balls, BOSU balls, wobble boards, and foam rollers.
  11. Boot camp. More and more men and women are favoring this military style training that will include cardiovascular, strength, endurance and flexibility drills. This is great if you like intense, highly-structured workouts.

Try all or some of these 2015 fitness trends to get you on your exercise goals for the New Year. You can even refer back to this list as the year goes on to try something new when you feel you need to change things up to keep you motivated. Happy New Year!

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Rock and Roller

Dec 04, 2014

The Foam Roller can be a life saver when it comes to stretching and helping with minor injuries. Rolling your body over foam cylinders can improve flexibility, reduce post-workout soreness, prevent sports injuries and even alleviate chronic pain.The foam roller is a great tool for lengthening and elongating muscles and is especially helpful for runners who often suffer from tight and fatigued muscles. The foam roller will also massage the muscles intensely, similar to what a massage therapist will do without the cost to visit one.

Foam roller therapy is also often called self-myofascial release. It has been shown to improve range of motion in the knee and hip, and to ease muscle soreness after exercise. Myofascial release comes from a theory that pressure from the rollers breaks up tight spots in muscles and the connective tissue that surrounds them, the fascia. In combination with regular stretching, using a foam roller can be more effective in improving flexibility.

The foam roller should not replace proper stretching, warming up and cooling down, but it can be used as a tool to limit soreness and tightness through increased blood flow and flexibility. By using the roller, you can help to also avoid injuries. The iliotibial band (IT band), the band that runs on the outside of the leg from the hip to just below the knee is one of the areas in the body that can be prone to injury. By rolling the foam roller on the side of the leg (slowly back and forth) towards the top of the leg, specifically where the quad where it meets the IT band it will help to increase blood flow and circulation, aiding in healing and preventing injury.

Here are 4 Foam Roller Stretches to try:

Lower Back Pain
Looser hamstrings will help with back pain. Sit on a foam roller with your legs stretched out. Support yourself with your hands on the floor behind you. Position yourself so that the roller is directly under your hamstrings. Slowly roll forwards and back from the base of your glutes to the bend in your knee for approximately 30 seconds.

Runner’s Knee
Roll your iliotibial band (the muscle on the outside of your leg from your hip to your knee). Lie on your side and slip the roller under your thigh. Cross your other foot over and put it on the floor. Roll back and forth for 30 seconds from the bottom of your hip to just above your knee.

Tendonitis
Tight quads can tug on your patellar tendons, causing pain around your knees. Lie on your stomach with the roller placed under your thighs. Holding the body straight, roll yourself back and forth from hip to mid-thigh for 30 seconds.

Upper Back Pain
Lie on your back and place the foam roller beneath your neck, near your shoulder blades. Your feet and backside should be on the ground and your hands behind your head. Brace your abs and slowly work the roller for 30 seconds up and down from your shoulder blades to your middle back (not your lower back).

If you add the foam roller in combination with static stretching you will notice results. Massage your own muscles and boost your performance with a foam roller. Have your trainer work it into your warm up and post workout.

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Office Fitness

Dec 01, 2014

Sitting all day at a desk can ruin what you’ve worked so hard for at the gym. What can you do to keep fit and healthy at work? There are many ways to exercise while working at your desk in the office each day. Don’t let your hard work go down the drain.

Take the Stairs
If your building is equipped with an elevator, make the choice to take the stairs. Choose the stairs every time, and you’ll find it a good way to stay active and fit at work. You can even take it one step further and do a stair workout during your lunch or break. Do two stairs at a time, or increase your pace and burn off some extra calories from your lunch.

Legs and Bum Exercises
Exercises that you usually do in a gym setting can also be done at work. Take a break from sitting and typing and get off your chair and stretch. Do some squats beside your chair or lunge walk down the hall. You can even find an empty spot on the wall and do some wall sits. These are great ways to take a break from work and get the muscles working instead. There are many other leg exercises and stretches that can be done beside your desk such as leg lifts, leg curls, and leg kicks.

Arms
The arms are another muscle group that can easily get a good workout during a break from working at your desk. Tricep dips are a great example of a simple workout that you can do at your desk. Leave the keyboard behind for a bit and use a sturdy desk for support. Try doing some arm curls. Find something lying around that you can use as a weight and curl and work your biceps. Even doing some simple arm movements like pulsing the arms backwards while they are at your side or holding your arms out straight from your shoulder for as long as possible.

Neck and Shoulders
Rolling and stretching your shoulders is great for staying fit and helping with posture and relieving the stress and pressure from sitting at a computer all day. Press your shoulder blades back and hold that position for several seconds. Also try the shoulder shrug. Raise both shoulders up to the ears and hold for 5 seconds, then relax. These will also help get the kinks out and get you more comfortable to get back to work. Stretch your neck muscles by tilting your head (ear towards the shoulder) and holding. Do one each side. Don’t forget to put your chin to your chest and tilt your head up too. Hold each spot for a couple of seconds to feel the stretch.

Core
A fun way to keep your core fit while at work is using your swivel chair to work out your oblique’s. Keep your feet flat on the floor and grasp the edge of the desk with your hands, sitting upright, use your core to swivel the chair side to side. Just simply by keeping good posture, you can work your core muscles. Keep feet flat on the floor, back up straight and arms at 90-degree angles to the floor for the entire day you are at your desk, you are working those core muscles. Try the sitting crunch. With elbows on the thighs, try to curl the chest in towards the legs while resisting the movement with the arms. Hold for 10 seconds.

Not only are you maintaining a healthy work-fitness balance, you are helping with better posture and probably even your work productivity. You don’t need to stay sedentary while working all day at your desk. Add some desk exercises and you’ll feel a whole lot better.

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Train Your Brain

Nov 07, 2014

Exercise is not only important for a healthy body, but also for a healthy mind.The incidence of getting Alzheimer’s Disease is about 4% at the age of 65 and increases to 50% at the age of 85. Some believe that everyone has Alzheimer’s Disease and it’s just a question of the degree. We have a blood-brain barrier that is intact when we are healthy. Its purpose is to contain things in our blood. When those vessels travel through the brain, they make sure that nothing leaks out into the brain that shouldn’t. As we get older, we experience aging associated changes in our blood vessels, including the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. You begin to spring leaks in your brain, and they wreak havoc on the ability of the brain to function. It is found that those with Alzheimer’s Disease have a material called amyloid that characteristically accumulates in their brains. Amyloid is found all over your body but not in your brain. When your brain-blood barrier breaks down, amyloid now begins to flood out in the brain. The accumulation of amyloid is one of the hallmark characteristics of the disease.

Exercise seems to be a helpful tool to reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s. It is found by researchers that exercise alone can decrease the risk by 50% and 40% risk can be cut down by following proper diet. Blood flow is reduced and our cardiovascular system becomes weak when there is little or no exercise. When blood flow reduces, tissues can get damaged and the cells will begin to die. Both the heart and the brain is kept healthy by doing regular exercise as blood flows more strongly through exercise. Certain neuroprotective substances in the body are created and boosted by exercising regularly. When there is more physical activity, the brain automatically becomes active as both are interrelated.

It is also important to keep up mental stimulation. Individuals that continue to stimulate themselves mentally are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s Disease. There are many ways to keep your brain sharp and working hard. Try learning something new (foreign language, musical instrument, tweek an existing habit like using the opposite hand to brush your teeth), play some strategy games (Sudoku, scrabble or online Brain Builder, Luminosity).

Try some of these ideas to keep your brain stimulated and sharp:

  • Read a book
  • Play an instrument
  • Play challenging games
  • Memorize famous passages
  • Learn poetry
  • Do the crossword puzzle
  • Do Sudoku puzzles
  • Solve word or math problems

With a healthy diet and including exercise for your body and your brain, you can help reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer’s Disease in the future.

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Add a Little Yoga

Sep 04, 2014

You may already have a well developed training schedule that includes weight training, cardio/aerobic exercise and resistance training, but have you thought of adding some yoga. Because of its perceived gentle nature, yoga is often overlooked as an extremely effective complement to a regular exercise routine. Adding a little bit of yoga to your training/workout routine will offer many benefits. Ultimately, it will help you strengthen and tone your muscles evenly as you work out. The poses and meditation also enhance your flexibility, balance, and contribute to a happier training routine.

The postures of yoga target all the joints of your body even though you rarely use some. The exercises also strengthen joints you regularly work out such as hips, knees and ankles. It straightens and strengthens the spinal cord as well as tightens the core. These will in turn lower chronic pain on your lower back. It also lubricates your joints, which means they will hurt less while you are working out.

Adding some Yoga to your workouts can have several benefits:

  1. Core Strength – Yoga’s slow, focused movements demand a strong midsection, which creates a perfect foundation for strength training and bodybuilding. The isometric contractions that are part of many of the yoga positions tap into a new level of resistance training that cannot be accomplished with exercise equipment alone.
  2. Range of Motion and Flexibility – Yoga training will help improve performance and prevent injuries during workouts and athletics by gently increasing your range of motion and flexibility.
  3. Balance – Athletic training and weight training effectively develop certain specified muscle groups while some other may get ignored causing an imbalance in the mechanics and muscular system. Yoga training can help improve your body’s balance by addressing some of these underdeveloped areas.
  4. Effective Breathing – Breathing supplies your body and muscles with essential oxygen. During athletic events and workout routines, it is easy to forget to take in full breaths and deliver the proper oxygen levels to all required areas. Yoga helps to train your body how to effectively take deep full breaths.
  5. Downtime Exercise – Too much of something is not a good thing. It is important to take downtime when working out. Use your downtime days to stay active and by doing yoga. There are many yoga styles that are relaxed and less intense to offer the ability to exercise during off days (or even injured, with physicians approval).

Doing a few yoga moves before your workout will minimize or prevent injuries during the workout. Doing yoga after a workout will help your muscles recover and get ready for the next day. Yoga is also beneficial for your internal organs since it stimulates them and prevents various diseases. Get your trainer to help you out by adding some moves into your regular routine or in addition to your workout sessions, add some yoga on the off days. Adding yoga to your workout routine will add a whole new dimension to your total fitness that will serve you well for a lifetime. There are many styles and intensities that you can find one that is perfect for you and your fitness goals.

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Hiking for Fitness

Sep 01, 2014

Hiking is a great way to get outside, get some fresh air, enjoy your environment and get in some excellent exercise. It’s an easy, inexpensive addition to your workout at the gym. Find a local Conservation Area, National/State Park, or just a trail in your neighborhood.

It is wise to be prepared for your hike. Be sure to check your physical condition and limitations with the condition of the trails. Consider factors such as weather, terrain and altitude before you go. Preparation for the trip is very important, the more tough the terrain is; the more training may be required ahead of time with your trainer. Work with your trainer and let them know your plans. They can maybe even suggest some exercises to help warm you up before your hike. Hiking involves a lot of up and down hill and other terrains, each of these can put different strains to your body. Start small then slowly build yourself up to something more challenging.

It is important to prepare for your hike so you don’t end up with sore, blistered, tired feet. To start, pick a trail that best suits your own fitness level. Don’t be afraid to start on more level terrain and a short hike. Any type of hike is a benefit to health. If you plan on hiking over hilly or difficult terrain, make sure you take the right gear with you. Maybe a walking stick, hiking boots, a backpack with snacks will all be required. Whichever distance and terrain you choice, it is important to warm up and stretch before heading out.

Eating right is very essential if you want your hike to be a success. Make sure you have a diet that is rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and all the good stuff your body needs to keep it fit and healthy and to keep you going throughout your hike. Bring some yummy, healthy treats along with you.

Here are 3 great reasons to start hiking:

  1. Experience Nature: The only way to truly experience the outdoors is by walking. It puts you in a hands-on situation and allows you to absorb every nuance of natures’ beauty. You will get to enjoy the sounds, smell and feel of the seasons.
  2. Get Great Exercise: Hiking provides the steady exercise that doctors recommend for weight loss and heart issues. Walking or hiking, unlike jogging, will not jar your joints or cause undue stress on your legs and back.
  3. Hike to Relax: Hiking allows you to let go of your stresses. Take a deep breath and get away from it all for just a little while.

Plan your hiking route, get some friends and family together and go out and enjoy what nature has to offer all while getting a great workout.

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Crunch Time

Aug 04, 2014

There are many exercises for developing your abs muscle. Crunches are probably one of the most common exercises done to tone up your middle. An effective way to tighten and strengthen your abdominal muscles is to do the traditional abdominal crunch exercises. They are very versatile and convenient because they can be performed basically anywhere whether it is lying flat on the floor, using a weight lifting bench, a Swiss ball or an abdominal exercise machine. It is important you work with your trainer to make sure you have the right balance of exercises to get the best workout, and to make sure you are doing it properly to avoid injury and get the best results.

The basic crunch is a vital part of any crunches workout. If done correctly, this exercise will help flatten and tone both your lower and upper abdominal muscles and you will be able to get hard rock abs. The key to getting the flat abs you want is to do the crunch correctly, making sure that you are really working those abdominals.

  1. Lie your back flat on the ground with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle, then place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
  2. Pull your belly button towards your spine, and flatten your lower back against the floor.
  3. Slowly contract your abs while bringing your shoulder blades just an inch or 2 above the ground.
  4. Exhale as you rise up. Your neck should be straight, chin up.
  5. Hold that position for a few seconds while breathing continuously.
  6. Slowly lower your back down to the floor but don’t fully relax.
  7. Repeat for 20 to 25 times with perfect form.
  8. For more variety, bring your knees and upper body towards the torso to perform a full body crunch.
  9. To make it more challenging, try the crunch while balancing on an exercise ball.

There are three main mistakes people make when trying to perform the crunch. The first is that they pull on their neck to get them up, rather than lift with the abdominals. In this instance, the best you can get is a sore neck instead of strong abs. Another big mistake people make is not breathing through the exercise. When performing the crunch, always exhale up and inhale down. Finally, many people attempt to just lift themselves straight up rather than perform the crunching motion. In a proper crunch the torso should be rolled up to the top of the movement, using your abdominals to do the lifting.

Other ab exercises to add to your workout routine include:

  • Planks – laying on your stomach raise the body up supporting on your feet and forearms. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute, rest and repeat. Planks are an excellent core exercise and will strengthen your stomach muscles and your back.
  • V-sits – while laying on your back with your arms above your head, lift your torso up keeping your back straight. At the same time bring your legs up until your hands are almost touching your feet. Lower your legs and upper body back to the mat and repeat.
  • Knees to Elbows – hang from a chin up bar, keeping your stomach tight bring your legs up and lean your body back until your knees touch your elbows. Stay controlled while performing the exercise to prevent swinging.

There are many other great core exercises including moves and poses from Pilates and Yoga. Many machines in the gym can be used to strengthen your abdomen. To achieve that six pack abs or a flatter stomach, work with your trainer to work all the angles of the abdominal area. You must work different muscles with different exercises by using various resistance levels.

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Say Goodbye to Flabby Arms

Aug 01, 2014

Are you embarrassed by the way your arms look? Do you have that extra piece of skin under your arm that flaps when you wave? The female body is highly vulnerable to sagging because fat is deposited in the female body in three areas; the tummy, buttocks and the back of the arms. It’s time to get a great arm workout to remove that annoying double wave.

Tricep workouts will focus on that problem area. The triceps are the muscles that are on the back of the arm and this is the area that most women (and men) want to tighten. There are many different exercises to work the triceps, including anything that causes you to straighten your arm or push to extend your arm. Push ups, dips, tricep extensions, and tricep pushdowns are all great exercises to work the triceps. Here are some great exercises to help tone the troublesome spot.

Close Grip Push Ups
A great way to train your triceps at home or even on vacation is with close grip push ups. They are similar to regular push ups, except your hands are close together. If you have trouble performing these or standard push ups, try them with your knees touching the floor, or even standing while pushing on a wall. The further away that you are from the wall, the more resistance there will be. Don’t be afraid to do these wall type of push ups at first until your strength increases. Once you do them consistently for a while, you will soon be able to do them from your knees, and then eventually full close grip push ups.

Resistance Band Tricep Extensions
Tricep extensions are another great exercise and they work the triceps in a different way than what push ups do. Get a band that has an amount of tension that you can comfortably do around ten reps with. You can stand on the center of the band and have one of the handles in each hand. Extend your arms up alongside your head with the elbows pointing up and your arms bent. Keep your elbows up and do not move your arms at the shoulder joint. Extend your arms by straightening them at the elbows and keeping the shoulder joint locked. You should be able to feel the tension in your triceps or the back of the arm. Do your reps slowly and controlled at all times, pausing slightly at the top or lockout position.

Triceps Kickbacks
Stand straight next to a bench or a paddled chair. Place one arm and one leg folded on the bench. Your upper body will be bent over so it is parallel with the ground. Hold a dumbbell (or weighted object). Raise your elbow so your upper arm is also straight (parallel) to the ground while the other arm is supporting the weight of your body. The elbow must be at a right angle. Repeat for several repetitions. Switch over to the other arm.

Flabby arms are a curse restricted mainly to women. Men gather fat in their biceps, but for women it’s all in the triceps, and after a certain age, no matter how thin a woman may be, they inevitably get saggy arms. Ladies, don’t be afraid to build up your arms. Women lack the testosterone that causes triceps and biceps to bulk up. Instead women get fine toning and light definition in their arms. The list above are just some of the simpler arm toning exercises you can do. There are many more, both cardio and resistance that will help tone your upper arms. Talk to your trainer to set up the right workout for you to get the desired outcome you are looking for. Combined with a healthy diet and workout routine, you’ll get rid of that embarrassing excess wave and get the sexy arms you have always wanted.

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Cardio for Fun

Jul 04, 2014

We already know how great aerobic activities are for your heart, body and mind. After all, regular cardio exercise has been shown to reduce body fat, decrease total cholesterol, boost mood, lower resting heart rate, and improve heart and lung function but how can we add to traditional cardio fitness to keep your workouts interesting.Try something fun, something that you wouldn’t really think is a cardio workout. Get your trainer involved too. They will keep your cardio routines fresh so you don’t start dreading it. You may not realize that a lot of the activities you may do around the house, or do with your kids are great cardio workouts.

There are hundreds of cardio options out there. The trick is picking a few that you like and then doing them at an intensity that is high enough to count as cardiovascular exercise. To be considered a cardiovascular workout, you need to meet two principles. 1) Intensity has to be high enough to elevate your heart rate into an aerobic zone which is 55% to 85% of your maximum heart rate. 2) For any activity to count as cardio, it has to last at least 10 minutes per session. And for best results, you need to do at least 3 days of cardio (with no more than 2 days off between sessions) per week.

There are fun activities that we did as kids and may do now while playing with our kids. Try some out to get your heart rate pumping and those lungs working.

  • Walking the dog
  • Playing Dodge Ball
  • Tag
  • Hula Hooping
  • Obstacle Courses
  • Jump Rope
  • Water games
  • Skipping
  • Hop Scotch
  • Jumping Jacks
  • Trampoline Jumping

There are many other forms of cardio activities that you can add to your regular fitness routine including classes or group training so speak with your trainer to discuss what’s available.

Have fun finding some new favourite cardio exercises. There are so many choices now, there’s no excuse to get bored or dread cardio ever again.

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Exercise Addict

Jul 01, 2014

Remember the old adage, too much of anything in life can be a bad thing? Even something as simple as drinking water can be dangerous if you consume excessive levels. Exercise is a really important part of a healthy lifestyle – but make sure you build a healthy addiction to exercise. Exercising regularly is a major component in leading a healthy lifestyle. To get into the habit of exercising on a regular basis, you may need to set aside time in your schedule to visit the gym and find a type of exercise you can genuinely enjoy. At other times, you may have difficulty becoming addicted to exercising if you feel as if you aren’t reaching your goals in terms of fitness or weight loss. This is where a personal trainer can really keep you motivated and keep your enthusiasm and interest in your workout while changing things up and staying on track of your goals. Take a positive approach to exercise and making specific changes to your lifestyle, you can become addicted to exercising and improve your health in the process.

Here are some tips to become a Healthy Exercise Addict.

  1. Select a type of exercise best aligned with your interests.
  2. Recruit a friend or family member to exercise with you.
  3. Set aside time in your day for exercise.
  4. Exercise at your pace.
  5. Set fitness and training goals.
  6. Keep yourself entertained while you exercise.
  7. Reward yourself (clothing, jewelry, shoes).

Recovery time is an important aspect of physical training and without it you are likely to eventually experience physical symptoms, such as muscle or joint damage, prolonged fatigue, and be more prone to infections. Again, working with a trainer will make sure you aren’t over doing it and prevent you from doing more damage than good.

Don’t let exercise start to take over your life. Have it be an important part of your week, but ensure that you take some recovery time and don’t forget about spending time with those that are important in your life. Liking what you do, will make you want to continue to do it. Make exercise your healthy addiction.

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