Isn’t it time we make fitness for kids fun? The average American kid is spending three hours a day in front of the TV and a combined 5 1/2 hours a day on all media including video games. And we wonder why there is an epidemic of childhood obesity in this country. They’re not moving! Exercise for kids is fun, not tedious. Running and playing is the best kind of exercise around. But adding in a few “toys” for them to use can’t hurt. Agility dots are fun and challenging and a mini trampoline is a great way to get them moving. And a Vew-do board is not only an awesome workout, but they’ll be the coolest kid on the block. Whatever it is, make it fun and active and try some new things. Make fitness for kids fun and your kids will love it and get fit at the same time.
What is functional training? Why is this the big buzz word in fitness? Because doing a hundred bicep curls may give you big strong biceps, but your back still goes out when you pick up a heavy load of laundry. Bicep curls do help you to be strong, and I am a big proponent of traditional strength training, but functional training is just that; functional. We use lot’s of muscle groups every day to go about our business. Housework, climbing stairs, picking up a child or working in a factory, all require many different muscles to get the work done. To really, truly strength train for all these everyday movements, choose workouts that use multi-muscle groups and that train the body for our every day use. That’s functional training.
The importance of breakfast is a fact. Fuel the engine before it goes. Skipping breakfast can make you feel tired, listless, and even cranky. Why risk it! Eat breakfast for energy and a clear mind. It can really be anything healthy. (No cookies please) Think outside the box for a change. You can have chicken with your eggs, leftover salmon, or minestrone soup. Try to have a little of each food group for a balanced breakfast with lean protein being a top priority and carbohydrates coming from fruits or vegetables and not white bread. It’s easy to get into the habit of eating a healthy breakfast and you’ll only feel better for it.
My morning time is the most important time of the day. It’s the time that I have to myself without children, husband, or clients demanding something from me. I happen to be a morning person, so getting up between 5 and 5:30 is not a big deal. Since my kids wake around 6:30, this time is golden.
On most days, this is the perfect time for a workout. Treadmill for 30 minutes and 20 minutes of strength training or maybe some yoga or Pilates. Stretching always figures into it as I can never get enough these days.
Life is busy and unless there is some great legislation that is being passed that orders more time added to a day, this is the only time I get to do what I need to do and after a productive hour or a great workout, I am ready to face the days challenges with energy and a clear mind.
After eight weeks of participating in a very specific strength training program, I am seeing results in certain areas and not in others. My arms and upper body are more tone and certainly stronger, but my cardiovascular strength is faltering. I took a long walk pushing 30 pounds of baby stroller, and I felt out of shape. In fitness training, it’s become so clear to me that doing only one thing, one way, leaves you imbalanced and something will suffer for it. I am going to continue to strength train, and having a set program works for me, but I am going to tweak it a bit. I’ll add in more cardio and get back into my regular Pilates routines. Finding just the right combination is all about balance.
The fitness industry steals from all walks of life when they are looking for the next big trend. Physical therapists practically invented foam rollers and stability balls, but leave it to the fitness industry to take it and run with it. For years the fitness industry looked to Baby Boomers to dictate the latest fitness trends. Think Jane Fonda and her disciples. They were pioneers in the world of fitness, but are now in their 50’s and 60’s and in need of gentle forms of exercise. Pilates, Yoga and functional training are the buzz words because need dictates it. So what’s next? You’ll find the answer in Hollywood or on the covers of your favorite fitness magazines.
How do you get your kids interested in exercise? Learning the importance of good health and fitness starts early and is learned by example. That’s not to say that you’re child won’t be interested in sports and exercise if you are a blatant couch potato, but the chances are better for your budding fitness enthusiast if they see mom and dad exercising and eating right. So get out there and exercise! And bring the kids. They’ll be healthy grown-ups if they are healthy kids.
Muffin tops. Saddle bags. Love handles. Cottage cheese. These are all lovely ways to describe the same thing: FAT. We all need a certain amount of fat on our bodies, but too much can lead us down paths we don’t want to go. There is still no magic surrounding weight loss, Eat less, exercise more. Burn more calories than you take in. We’ve heard this a million times, but it’s truth bears repeating. Create a calorie deficit, and you’ll lose actual fat. There are hoards of excuses not to exercise and eat healthy. What are yours?
Are you frustrated that you can’t do a Pilates session because you need to get on a plane and travel for business? Are you worried that you might miss more than one session? Well fret no longer. Introducing The PilatesStick. The PilatesStick is a portable Pilates system created especially to simulate Pilates exercises usually performed on equipment in Pilates studios. It’s smartly packaged with your own travel bag and it can easily be set up in your hotel room. Finally working out with the PilatesStick will make those business meetings a little more tolerable.
Not enough can be said for a balanced approach when it comes to exercise. Workouts, whether done at the gym or at home, should be diverse. When a muscle group is worked repeatedly over and over, it not only becomes stronger than it’s opposing muscle group, but it becomes bored.
Yes, muscles can, in a way, get bored doing the same exercises every day. It’s important to shock your muscles into performing and responding in different ways so they won’t become accustomed to any particular movement patterns. This way of working out resembles our every day movements more closely and becomes much more functional for you.
A basic example of this is when strength training with free weights, try doing opposing muscles groups one day and a different set of muscles the next day. Diversify your strength training with exercise bands, rubber tubing or Pilates. When doing cardio, try a different route every time. Hike up a mountain or swim laps in a pool. Whatever you do, keep it fun, interesting and diverse and all your muscle groups will get stronger and more balanced.
Gym membership is down nationally, but more and more people haven’t been down on fitness. With the economy slowed, fitness enthusiasts are finding creative new ways to make up the time lost at the gym. One is working out at home. There are lots of home exercise equipment on the market to satisfy any individual’s taste. Home gyms can be equipped ranging from a single mat to a more elaborate weight training system. So just because you give up membership at the gym, don’t fret. There are plenty of sport specific fitness gear available online to get your workout pumping.
Exercise tips from health and fitness magazines jump at you off the rack for one reason - to get your attention. These short sound bites promise a lot, but are they telling the truth? Sometimes. Buy a copy, bring it home and give the articles a test run. Where to start? Fabulous Thighs in 2 Weeks, Firm Your Butt In One Day, Fit At 50 And Beyond, Burn Fat While You Sleep, or Gorgeous Sculpted Arms. Too much information to really process? Can you really get something out if this?
Decide what your goals are and read the articles that inspire you. The workouts in fitness magazines tend to be incomplete, meaning they give you tidbits of great ideas but rarely a well-rounded workout. If you’re pressed for time, try to choose exercise that works more body parts at once. Pilates is an exercise method that works the whole body. For strength, flexibility and balance training, find a certified trainer and take Pilates for a test run. Home Pilates equipment, like a magic circle, a burst-resistant stability ball, or an exercise band, are simple to use and if you have limited space, won’t crowd your home.
So go ahead and try any of the fitness routines you find in a magazine, but supplement with well-rounded instruction.
Get up in the morning and have a plan, an exercise plan! Stretch a bit before you get out of bed. See how your body feels. Is it tired? Stiff? Or ready for exercise?
Today, why not get on your exercise bike? The bike is an incredible way to get in your cardiovascular workout. An upright and recumbent bicycle will not only work cardio, but legs and butt. Start off slow and give your body a chance to warm up. As you rev up the intensity, think about this grand plan for your body. Getting up early and make a commitment to exercise. Get on that bicycle and pedal until you just can’t pedal anymore, or until the baby starts to cry, whichever comes first.
Either way, you have done it. Your exercise for the day is now over and you can move on with your day with a feeling of accomplishment and vigor.
Balance training is something to be enjoyed by all ages and abilities. It’s never too young or too old to start. Just take a few minutes each day and soon you’ll have more energy and stamina to face the day. Good balance training can help in the prevention of injuries. Kinesthetic awareness is important in our daily activities because it allows us to understand how our body communicates with itself.
Pilates improves strength and balance and some of the tools Pilates instructors use are stability balls. They help strengthen the core. The Airex Balance Pad Plus, the Balance Disc, Reebok Core Board are just some of the products designed to help your balance training program.
TheRotational Flexor is a wonderful balance training product that will help your sports conditioning. It isolates specific muscle groups similar to an athlete’s technique found in a golfer’s swing, or a tennis player’s stroke or baseball player’s ability to hit a baseball. As a rehabilitation tool, the Rotational Flexor helps patient’s hips and knees to function in their natural bio-mechanical patterns.
Other flexors to consider are the Stability Flexor, Ankle Flexor, Sports Flexor, Step Flexor and the Feet Flexor. All these flexors have tremendous rehab possibilities for men and women of all ages and abilities.
