Posted by admin | Posted in Fitness | Posted on 23-05-2011
Millions begin to think about throwing out the old body and come into the new year with the intent to become healthier and more fit. Due to the state of the economy, spending hundreds of dollars on fancy equipment or gym memberships may not fit within the budget.
Unfortunately, many cannot and should not wait until the health of the economy improves before they can afford to work on their personal health strategy. It just may take a bit more creativity and focus on the basics to get started and be able to afford getting fit.
It does not matter whether you are focused on weight loss or endurance training, having the right tools to support your training program can help you stay focused and on track to meet your goals and objectives. Cheap exercise is simple, effective and easy to accomplish as long as you stay on track and not make excuses because you can no longer afford the personal trainer screaming in your ear.
Some items you can start with that are relatively cheap are:
1. Resistance bands – Bands can be purchase for less than 20 bucks and can provide different levels of resistance for flexible stretching and strength conditioning. A resistance band can be packed in your suitcase for easy access while traveling and can provide low impact benefits to the body.
2. The ol’ jump rope is another great tool that is easily less than 10 dollars with the ability to increase aerobic workouts and stamina.
3. The inflatable ball can be purchased in various sizes and can help with balance and fluid motion type of movements. Great for the Yoga enthusiast or the guy who wants to sculpt his abs.
4. The basic pedometer can cost as little as 10 bucks for those neighborhood walks with the dog or spouse. It keeps track of your distance and can provide a few more bells and whistles along the way.
In summary, basic Chin-Up Bars, free weights and a simple foam mat can all be incorporated into an exercise program with very little expense. The basic idea behind a good exercise program is around physical activity and range of motion, which do not need advanced technology to get results.
Posted by admin | Posted in Men's Health | Posted on 23-03-2011
First, it is important to understand that to burn a single, solitary pound of fat requires you expend 3,500 calories of energy. Initially I thought that the best way to do this was through running and other cardio exercises like the Stairmaster. So I ran countless miles and spent countless hours on the Stairmaster. I also lifted weights using all the fancy machines at the gym. This worked moderately well. Over the course of a couple of years I lost about 40 pounds.
But, something happened along the way. I decided that I wanted to be in the best shape of my life as good as when I was in high school and running a hundred miles a week. The way I was working out just wasn’t cutting it anymore. I had plateaued, stalled like everyone else around me. I felt like I was stuck in hamster on a wheel syndrome.
Then I discovered some interesting things about working out. Did you know that lifting weights will actually allow you to burn more calories than running? Sure, in a half hour of running you are going to burn more calories than in a half hour of lifting weights. However, the more muscle you have the more fat you will burn throughout the day because muscle weighs more than fat and the body has to work harder.
But, here’s the really interesting things by using free weights and doing compound or multi joint exercises that work the entire body you can force your body into a state of metabolic shock that causes you to burn calories at a higher rate for days after the work out.
Now I am doing exercises like the clean and jerk, dumb bell snatches, dead lifts, squats, lunges, renegade rows and others. In just a few weeks I am noticing a real difference and you will to if you start doing these exercises.
Posted by admin | Posted in Fitness | Posted on 12-01-2011
Aqua fitness is used quite often by people looking to get in shape in this day and age dominated by the fitness craze. There are many reasons why aqua fitness is so popular, and there are many redeeming qualities for the body when it comes to aqua fitness, but the best feature about aqua fitness is the fact that for most people, it is fun. There is little in the universe that is more fun than swimming, and quite frankly, swimming is one of the best forms of exercise for the muscles in the human body, but there’s much more to an aqua fitness workout than JUST SWIMMING.
Of course swimming laps isn’t all that there is to aqua fitness routines, though swimming laps in a concentrated effort with varied strokes is certainly a part of any routine. Many muscles can be strengthened, toned, and stretched by swimming a number of laps, depending on your level of fitness, with different strokes. The butterfly, for instance, as an excellent way to workout your upper body torso, including your pecs and your lats. Even the doggie paddle strengthens your neck, back, arms, and legs. The biggest benefit of aqua fitness can come from simple static exercise. Herschel Walker, the famed Heisman Trophy winner, used aqua fitness techniques to build the endurance and strength in his legs by simply running under water. The resistance from the water itself helped build those oak trees that Herschel called legs. There are plenty of resistance and isometric exercises that can be used to build strength and muscles, from simple flexing and movement to more advanced routines involving light weights under water.
There are plenty of enjoyable water sports as well that can be used to help build the body. Sports such as water polo, water soccer, and water volleyball, while competitive and fun, are very good for building muscle. The great thing about aqua fitness is that it tends to use the whole body as you train and exercise. Bodybuilding in typical fashion generally requires exercises involving free weights and machines that focus on a primary and secondary muscle structure. For instance when you do curls with either a dumbbell or a barbell, you are using the resistance of the weight to strengthen the bicep as you curl the weight up, and you are stressing the triceps as you lower the weight back down. Two muscles are exercised, and unhealthy strain is placed on the back which supports the exercise as there is little to no support behind it. The same exact exercise done under water with far less weight is more effective and is safer as well. First of all, the back is reinforced by the water itself. Secondly you can use far less weight, putting less pressure on the back, because of the resistance of the water, which exercises the muscle. In the water, all of the back muscles and abdominal muscles are utilized as well, due to the resistance of the water, so it is a far more effective work out.
Posted by admin | Posted in General | Posted on 02-03-2010
It is possible to start home workouts to build muscle but you must have the right discipline, a strong determination and some initial capital for the investment of basic bodybuilding equipment.
The greatest challenge of building rock hard muscles right in your own home is going to be the discipline you will need to meet your goals. In this article I want to help you with home workouts to build muscle by providing you with all the right information and equipment you will need to get started.
Let’s Get Started:
First, off there are just too many temptations at home that will pull you out of your workout routines; such as lying down on the couch watching television, computer games, internet surfing, and so on.
This is why if you plan home workouts to build muscle you must make sure that you are well determined to pursue your plans; and you must also possess the right discipline and mindset to realize your goals.
The next thing that you need to deal with is to allocate some space in your home where you can do all the workout sessions. Make sure that it is free from distractions so that you can fully concentrate on your workouts; and you can also finish every session by adhering to the required minimum workout time per session.
Once everything is set, the next aspect is get some equipment to aid you in your home workouts to build muscle. Although you can start without weights, like push ups and sit-ups, it will be best to perform your workouts with weights in order to make your workouts effective and to fastrack your improvement.
In this case, there are several options for you to do;
1) Buy an all-in-one body building machine that allows you to perform several exercises and build numerous muscle groups.
2) Buy some free weights to start with and gradually purchase more equipment in the future.
3) Buy and set up some bars for your pull ups and other bar exercises; and get a inexpensive bench for your bench press exercises.
Either way, you just need to be innovative and creative when it comes to creating your own gym for home workouts to build muscle. This allows you to do some body building workouts within your house.
You do not need to have huge capital investment in order to build muscle at home; a little investment is enough from the start and then gradually increase the equipment when you have extra cash in the future as you advance in your training.
In Closing:
Once, you’ve chosen that home workouts to build muscle is the way you want to go you must remember that you have to have the right discipline and determination to follow through with your workouts each and every day. This means that you have to have a solid program to follow that helps guide you.
For that reason I would like to provide you with a video that will help you with home workouts to build muscle that teaches you a solid plan of attack. To view this FREE short video visit >>> www.FreeMuscleBuildingTipsVideo.info
Posted by admin | Posted in Fitness | Posted on 12-01-2010
Ever wonder how Jackie Chan and other martial artists develop such awesome core strength, flexibility, and stamina? What about Olympic gymnasts? Who hasn’t marveled at their incredible feats of natural strength? You won’t find these specimens of fitness at your local gym, but you can perform their training programs right at home through bodyweight exercises. Forget spending hours plodding away on the elliptical and wiping down one sweaty machine after another. How about some exercises you can do from the comfort of your own home and on your own schedule?
Bodyweight exercises are designed to develop strength without the use of free weights or Nautilus equipment. The weight of your own body provides all the resistance, as it should naturally do! This type of strength training has been performed for centuries and by many cultures, it is natural and imparts some amazing benefits. A mistaken belief about bodyweight exercises is that they do not build strength and that they are only for increasing stamina and endurance.
The reason free weights are better, according to some, is that they allow for progressive resistance. When you are lifting your bodyweight, the weight lifted is always the same so it is hard to reach intensity. However, taking a lesson from gymnasts shows us that leverage is the key to increasing resistance with bodyweight exercises. Lie down right now on the floor and do ten leg raises with your knees tucked in. This feels pretty good, probably, and does not tire you out. Now, try the same exercise with your legs extended straight out. Wow! What a difference this makes, and you just learned an important lesson on how leverage can increase resistance in bodyweight exercises, making them equal to or superior than free weight and Nautilus exercises.
Still not convinced that you can tear up your gym membership and enjoy better health and fitness from your own home? Let’s go over some more benefits to bodyweight exercises:
You can perform your routine no matter where you are, even when traveling. No more excuses to “let yourself go” while on vacation! Save time and money by working out at home with no equipment. Bodyweight exercises develop coordination, balance, flexibility, and amazing core strength. Exercise outdoors for some fresh air and sunlight (absorb vitamin D from the sun and feel great). Build a functional physique, instead of a primarily decorative one. The static holds of bodyweight exercises strengthen tendons and ligaments, and this helps to prevent injury.
There are hundreds of bodyweight exercises you can perform, and using this vast reservoir of possibilities I’m going to list a routine which is specifically designed for all around strength and full body development. If you are just starting an exercise routine, be patient and look for consistent improvements week by week and month by month. It takes about six weeks to really start to notice impressive strength gains. Each exercise set should be performed until about 2 reps from failure. Meaning, you feel like you could possibly get 2 more reps in, but you stop.
Day Number One:
Three sets of standard push ups. Three sets of incline push ups – Put your feet on a chair and lower your chest down to the earth. Three sets of chair dips – Place your feet on one chair and your hands on another with your body facing upward. Slowly dip down and back up again.
Day Number Two:
Rest.
Day Number Three:
Three sets of box squats – Place a chair behind you and squat down until your buttocks just barely touches the chair. Then stand up again. Make sure your knees do not extend beyond your toes. Three sets of one-legged squats – Place your hand against the wall and squat down on one leg until your knee and shin make a 90 degree angle. Two sets of killer calf raises – Place the ball of your foot (near the toes) on a curb, or similar elevated platform. Let your heal stretch down but not touch the earth so that you feel an intense stretch. Hold this stretch for ten seconds and then raise up slowly on a count of five. Do this one foot at a time. This will be intensely painful in the calves. If your achilles heal feels too tender then do not stretch down quite so far.
Day Number Four:
Rest.
Day Number Five:
Five sets of pull ups – If you do not have a pull up bar or can’t find a good tree limb then find a sturdy door and put a towel over the top to protect your hands. Handstand Push Ups (ADVANCED) – Take two chairs and place them facing one another about shoulder’s distance apart. They should be placed approximately two feet away from a wall. You will place your hands on the chairs and invert your body, leaning back against the wall for support. This exercise looks like an inverted military press. Press yourself up and down.
Day Number Six:
Rest.
Day Number Seven (OPTIONAL): Here are a couple exercises that are not strictly bodyweight and are not necessary unless you feel you need to hit the biceps, shoulders, or traps harder. Go to a hardware store and purchase two five-gallon buckets. These are versatile and can be filled with sand, dirt, or water. Use them for curls to hit your biceps, for side lateral raises to hit your shoulders, or for shrugs to hit your traps.
Now you’re ready to start training like Jackie Chan, and you’ll never miss a workout again due to lack of equipment or gym membership. Use your newfound free time to improve your nutrition and create delicious meals for yourself and family. Pretty soon you will have an amazing physique which cost you less money and time than most people who carry around their dusty gym memberships.