Working out with a new fitness product can be fun. It challenges your muscles to try something new and keeps your workouts interesting. The Mini Body Bar is just such a product. It’s approximately 2 feet long… read more.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It used to be that the month of June was the month for weddings. Not anymore. Popular bridal fitness programs that give you that buff bride look are now year round. The main objective is always the same. Brides want to look good and feel confident in their gowns. So find a qualified fitness trainer and begin a program. Along with a sensible diet, an exercise program will include cardio exercise and strength training. Depending on what type of dress you’ll be wearing your trainer will design a bridal fitness program that will surely make your special day memorable.
This time of year you can find many so called expert instructors preaching the virtues of their golf exercise programs. From how to hit a golf ball farther to how to hit the perfect putt. Pilates is becoming very popular since more and more touring pros are discovering Pilates benefits in their exercise program and a good start is checking out the many Pilates DVDS in the marketplace.
Beware those Pilates mat classes that are taught by instructors who took a weekend course and call themselves “certified”. A mat class is only as good as it’s instructor and you cannot learn to teach Pilates technique in a weekend. A mat class might use fitness circles, resistance bands, weighted balls, or Xertubes, but that doesn’t make it a gym class. It’s still Pilates and it could take years to perfect a teaching technique. So look for a mat class that offers a certified Pilates trainer.
If you have sustained an injury, you might look into a rehab exercise program that incorporates Pilates as physical therapists are now using to help clients recover more quickly from their ailments. Pilates helps strengthen the weaker injured muscles and joints because the exercises are gentle. Pilates rehabilitation is preventive medicine.
The Balance Wedge can be used for functional training and improves stamina. The cast iron dumbbells helps build stronger muscles with a weighted resistive workout. Another great resistive training is working with the Xerdisc Plus Tubing System, a versatile rehab tool.
Stay healthy and strong today. Keep your body in balance and it will go a long way to prevent future injuries.
One sure fire way to maximize your ab workout is with stability ball exercises. Ball fitness can be a challenge for anyone at any stage of fitness because it helps strengthen the core, improve balance, and aids in developing better posture. Stability balls or fitness balls have become a mainstay in gyms. Try it alone or take a group class. Anyone can benefit.
There are different exercise balls each allowing for variations in your ball training, but the large (usually 65 cm) stability balls work balance and core because of their unstable surfaces. The stability ball is a great conditioning tool that will give you noticeable improvements and results.
Fitness Tip:
Not sure how much to inflate your ball? Inflate it enough to sit down on it, then make sure your knees are at a 90 degree angle or more when your knees are bent and your feet are placed on the floor. You never want your hips and pelvis lower than your knees. Start to get comfortable sitting on the ball, then try lifting one foot off the ground and balancing. Repeat on the other leg. Make sure to engage your abs!
Taking the stairs whenever possible instead of an elevator has its rewards. You will tone and strengthen your buttocks for one, and your heart will like it as well. But what do you do if there are no stairs to be found? The resistance loop Xercuffs may be the answer. It works the muscles of your lower body. Another effective resistive tool, the portable Ultra Toner is most effective for overall body toning along with some ring exercises with a fitness ring, will target your total body conditioning including the buttocks. All three of these fitness tools are great alternatives to taking the stairs.
Summer is here and so is the heat. Exercising indoors is a must when the heat index is too high to safely exercise outside. Get some new Pilates DVDs or try a new one like the BOSU or foam balls or roller DVDs. Free weights and kettle balls are a must when going for strength and tone as are exercise bands and stability balls. Jump rope, jump on a trampoline or jump up and wobble on a balance board. Whatever it is, make it fun, different and easy to do indoors.
More and more women are riding the fitness wave. Maybe its because more women of the baby boomer generation are now finding the time to do something for themselves for a change. What ever the reason, it is becoming more noticeable in health clubs. There are more group Pilates and Yoga mat workout classes, organized weight training classes and balance and stability classes popping up all over. So if you are thinking about getting into shape, look at joining a class where real women and men workout together.