One of the most honest assessments for most of us is that we're procrastinators. We'll delay and wait for as long as possible especially if what needs done are lifestyle changes. Take for example the need for more exercise.
We're a nation of people that sign up at the local health clubs, buy all the expensive equipment then proceed to go round and round the parking lot looking for a close spot so we don't have to walk so far. Come on, you know that's true! Who hasn't seen people at all stores traveling the equivalent of several miles looking for that just right close parking spot.
One thing that seems to work however is to obtain the services of a personal fitness trainer. Fitness trainers typically will be found in almost every gym but can be located by simply calling a cardiologist. Many highly qualified and skilled lifestyle people are associated with cardiologist. Cardiology by the way is the heart doctor, which is what we'll all be needing if the snack foods aren't replaced with healthier foods. LOL
A fitness trainer will create a health and exercise plan that will then be monitored for progress. By having someone holding us accountable, the potential for success is greatly increased.
While we're on the subject of success, we should also practice what we preach and enforce the same type of healthy choice lifestyle on the rest of the family. After all, didn't someone once say that misery lover company. :o)
Seriously, here are a few ideas that can help get all of us and our families back into some shape other than "round"
1 Explain the difference between healthy and not so healthy food choices but DO NOT NAG. The idea is to make better choices most of the time not be perfect!
2 Prepare healthy meals. Quit the burger and taco runs and calling that dinner. One of the biggest problems with our diets isn't that we eat to much but that it's the wrong kind of foods. And those wrong kind of foods are in most cases sold by corporate conglomerates looking for profits not a healthy customer.
3. Never use food as a reward. If food is a big part of some outing, (popcorn at the theater) start to change that behavior by having other, more healthy snacks available. Our family would buy candy and oil laden popcorn at the movies and still do but in much smaller quantities. We lower the amount of the bad foods by bringing in bags of those small baby carrots to munch on. It's now preferred by many of the kids and are considered a movie snack!
4. When you can walk to do something, do it. Don't just get into the car to go a couple of blocks.
A personal fitness trainer can go a long way to helping with ideas like these. Interview trainers and look for one that's not interested in changing your world overnight. The best personal trainer is one who sees the progress and works to see those little successes turn into major lifestyles changes.
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fitness. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Do You Visualize Whilst You Are Doing Breathing Exercises?
Q. I find breathing exercises very boring is there anything I can do to make less boring?
Have you ever used visualization when you are doing your breathing exercises, a lot of people think that breathing exercises are only a manner of sitting down and concentrating as they inhale exhale, which to the outsider can seem as being very boring and monotonous but here's a few things you can try out the next time, try…
• concentrating on a particular colour on inhalation and another colour on exhalation (for example some colour you link with calmness or purity, and another colour for stress or impurity)
• having a picture in your mind of your body and as you breathe in, think of all the extra parts of your lungs that have been under used because of bad breathing habits.
• Taking a breath and picturing the air coming into your body from different areas (such as the soles of the feet for example.)
It can especially seem complicated for beginners when starting out to do breathing exercises as you can’t see the muscles that they are working on but by visualizing their lungs in action in their mind it makes it all the easier to do…and remember when you’re doing your breathing exercises you're not really learning anything new but undoing all the bad habits you've picked up over the years.
Have you ever used visualization when you are doing your breathing exercises, a lot of people think that breathing exercises are only a manner of sitting down and concentrating as they inhale exhale, which to the outsider can seem as being very boring and monotonous but here's a few things you can try out the next time, try…
• concentrating on a particular colour on inhalation and another colour on exhalation (for example some colour you link with calmness or purity, and another colour for stress or impurity)
• having a picture in your mind of your body and as you breathe in, think of all the extra parts of your lungs that have been under used because of bad breathing habits.
• Taking a breath and picturing the air coming into your body from different areas (such as the soles of the feet for example.)
It can especially seem complicated for beginners when starting out to do breathing exercises as you can’t see the muscles that they are working on but by visualizing their lungs in action in their mind it makes it all the easier to do…and remember when you’re doing your breathing exercises you're not really learning anything new but undoing all the bad habits you've picked up over the years.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Breathing – an Important Factor in Fitness
With the exception – probably the only one – of pearl gatherers, who dive without any autonomous equipment, breathing counts in all sports – as well as in fitness. Each sport branch has imposed its own breathing style – according to efficiency, effort timing, meteorological conditions etc.
If we take breathing as a taxonomic criterion, sports can be divided in two big groups:
1. The first one includes all the sports that use the technique of respiratory stop or blocking. The most typical among these are force sports such as athletic weight throwing, weightlifting, body building, gymnastics etc. In short, we might say that here the anaerobic extreme is concerned – the one which imposes apnea (blocking the thorax and respiration). The main advantage of diaphragm blocking is the rising, for the moment, of the explosive force of the sportsman. A rise in execution speed for maximum force efforts has also been observed. The classic example is the snatch of weightlifting in which force and speed are simultaneously implied on the basis of respiratory blocking.
This respiratory blocking, inevitable in the above-mentioned sports, has also some disadvantages. Among these we could mention high pressure values in the thorax, abdomen and skull, high pressure on blood vessels with low feed-back through the veins etc. Thus, due to the rising of pressure inside the eyes the aggravation of previous short-sightedness is possible. Also, in the inferior limbs, varicose veins can either appear or worsen. Effort in exclusively anaerobic conditions increases rigidity both in the blood vessels and in the muscles.
2. The second big group is the one of sports that do not use respiratory stop. Here we enter the realm of purely aerobic effort. The typical examples are running races, swimming, cycling etc. - generally efforts on long and very long distances. In these events the muscular force implied is little - medium at most - the stress affecting the cardiovascular component and leading to increased cardiac frequency and pulmonary ventilation.
There is also a third category - mixed sports, both aerobic and anaerobic, in which the two techniques alternate. This is the case of sports games, contact sports, rhythm breaking in medium distance running races, etc. In the case of fitness, as both types of effort - aerobic and anaerobic - are present, apnea, as well as effort without respiratory blockage, is used. As far as correct respiration is concerned, there is a general rule stating that one should breath out during the most difficult part of the movement (the positive or concentric course) and breath in during come-back (the negative or eccentric course). Within these courses, we can have or not have a respiratory stop/ blockage. If we have it, it will occur at the critical point of the course.
Another breathing rule is the one that takes into consideration the dilatation of the thorax. In this case, breathing in is done on the course which allows thorax expansion, and breathing out on the movement that contracts it. In both cases, breathing in is done through the nose - in order to filter and warm up the air flow and breathing out is done through the mouth in order to be faster and more efficient.
It is interesting to know that the 'shouting' that we hear in many weightlifting training sessions or contests, is actually the sound of forced breathing out.
If we take breathing as a taxonomic criterion, sports can be divided in two big groups:
1. The first one includes all the sports that use the technique of respiratory stop or blocking. The most typical among these are force sports such as athletic weight throwing, weightlifting, body building, gymnastics etc. In short, we might say that here the anaerobic extreme is concerned – the one which imposes apnea (blocking the thorax and respiration). The main advantage of diaphragm blocking is the rising, for the moment, of the explosive force of the sportsman. A rise in execution speed for maximum force efforts has also been observed. The classic example is the snatch of weightlifting in which force and speed are simultaneously implied on the basis of respiratory blocking.
This respiratory blocking, inevitable in the above-mentioned sports, has also some disadvantages. Among these we could mention high pressure values in the thorax, abdomen and skull, high pressure on blood vessels with low feed-back through the veins etc. Thus, due to the rising of pressure inside the eyes the aggravation of previous short-sightedness is possible. Also, in the inferior limbs, varicose veins can either appear or worsen. Effort in exclusively anaerobic conditions increases rigidity both in the blood vessels and in the muscles.
2. The second big group is the one of sports that do not use respiratory stop. Here we enter the realm of purely aerobic effort. The typical examples are running races, swimming, cycling etc. - generally efforts on long and very long distances. In these events the muscular force implied is little - medium at most - the stress affecting the cardiovascular component and leading to increased cardiac frequency and pulmonary ventilation.
There is also a third category - mixed sports, both aerobic and anaerobic, in which the two techniques alternate. This is the case of sports games, contact sports, rhythm breaking in medium distance running races, etc. In the case of fitness, as both types of effort - aerobic and anaerobic - are present, apnea, as well as effort without respiratory blockage, is used. As far as correct respiration is concerned, there is a general rule stating that one should breath out during the most difficult part of the movement (the positive or concentric course) and breath in during come-back (the negative or eccentric course). Within these courses, we can have or not have a respiratory stop/ blockage. If we have it, it will occur at the critical point of the course.
Another breathing rule is the one that takes into consideration the dilatation of the thorax. In this case, breathing in is done on the course which allows thorax expansion, and breathing out on the movement that contracts it. In both cases, breathing in is done through the nose - in order to filter and warm up the air flow and breathing out is done through the mouth in order to be faster and more efficient.
It is interesting to know that the 'shouting' that we hear in many weightlifting training sessions or contests, is actually the sound of forced breathing out.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A Home Gym and Walking = a Great Exercise Program
With the busy lifestyles today few adults with families can afford to take the time necessary to go the health club or neighborhood gym on a regular basis. Heck, even if it's within a short distance, we're talking about several hours commitment per session. Who has time for that!?
Still, we all recognize that exercise is just downright good for you. If you name any random 10 medical conditions and diseases, I'm willing to bet money that some form of frequent exercise is a good treatment or preventative measure for at least 9 of them. Diet and exercise pop up as treatments and preventative measures in so many of the diseases that ail us today, and both of these areas are a good place to focus on if your concerned about your health. Even just some simple walking for exercise can go a long way to improving your health. Walking for exercise is fun, easy, and is a great stress reducer but more on that in a minute.
Another idea is that of home gym equipment. now we're not talking about enough equipment to fill up the basement or several bedrooms. What you want is something that you enjoy that can be done in the privacy of your home whenever you desire. My son, who's working on his muscle tone has a resistance weight training program with 1 piece of equipment. The wife likes the aerobic action of a small trampoline and treadmill. The idea of home gym equipment need not be a daunting enterprise, just something that will save hours and allow the exercise program that your desire right from your own home. Another great workout however is simply walking!
The great thing about walking for exercise is that you can do it anywhere. You have absolutely no excuse for not getting up and walking around for at least 30 minutes a day. So it’s raining out? Take an umbrella! Seriously, just get out for a short walk around the block a couple times and you'll thank yourself for it later. If its absolutely miserable out, just walking around your house or apartment a while is better than nothing.
Walking for exercise is extremely low impact, and so anyone of any age can do it safely and frequently without worrying about damaging themselves. Running and other more strenuous forms of exercise can cause all kinds of joint pain and soreness, and isn't recommended unless you are in otherwise good shape.
A lot of recent studies into different forms of exercise are showing that walking is every bit as good for you as running or other more vigorous exercises, you just need to do it longer. If you are walking for exercise, go for at least 30 minutes or even an hour. The more the better, as you can't hurt yourself by walking too much.
There are a lot of exercise programs that are beginning to realize the benefits of walking for exercise. As it is something virtually anyone that can walk can do, there is a huge target market for walking programs. I'd recommend any program that motivates you to walk frequently. Even without one, there are hiking and walking clubs all over the place to join. Not only can walking for exercise be a way to maintain good health, but it can be a good way to meet new people and form new networks.
With so many benefits and virtually no cons, you can't go wrong with walking for exercise. Its only drawback is that it takes time to do, but it is time well spent. What is the value of good health and longevity? Add on a favorite piece of gym equipment and you have everything needed to develop a healthy workout and exercise program without the inconvenience of going to the gym all the time.
Still, we all recognize that exercise is just downright good for you. If you name any random 10 medical conditions and diseases, I'm willing to bet money that some form of frequent exercise is a good treatment or preventative measure for at least 9 of them. Diet and exercise pop up as treatments and preventative measures in so many of the diseases that ail us today, and both of these areas are a good place to focus on if your concerned about your health. Even just some simple walking for exercise can go a long way to improving your health. Walking for exercise is fun, easy, and is a great stress reducer but more on that in a minute.
Another idea is that of home gym equipment. now we're not talking about enough equipment to fill up the basement or several bedrooms. What you want is something that you enjoy that can be done in the privacy of your home whenever you desire. My son, who's working on his muscle tone has a resistance weight training program with 1 piece of equipment. The wife likes the aerobic action of a small trampoline and treadmill. The idea of home gym equipment need not be a daunting enterprise, just something that will save hours and allow the exercise program that your desire right from your own home. Another great workout however is simply walking!
The great thing about walking for exercise is that you can do it anywhere. You have absolutely no excuse for not getting up and walking around for at least 30 minutes a day. So it’s raining out? Take an umbrella! Seriously, just get out for a short walk around the block a couple times and you'll thank yourself for it later. If its absolutely miserable out, just walking around your house or apartment a while is better than nothing.
Walking for exercise is extremely low impact, and so anyone of any age can do it safely and frequently without worrying about damaging themselves. Running and other more strenuous forms of exercise can cause all kinds of joint pain and soreness, and isn't recommended unless you are in otherwise good shape.
A lot of recent studies into different forms of exercise are showing that walking is every bit as good for you as running or other more vigorous exercises, you just need to do it longer. If you are walking for exercise, go for at least 30 minutes or even an hour. The more the better, as you can't hurt yourself by walking too much.
There are a lot of exercise programs that are beginning to realize the benefits of walking for exercise. As it is something virtually anyone that can walk can do, there is a huge target market for walking programs. I'd recommend any program that motivates you to walk frequently. Even without one, there are hiking and walking clubs all over the place to join. Not only can walking for exercise be a way to maintain good health, but it can be a good way to meet new people and form new networks.
With so many benefits and virtually no cons, you can't go wrong with walking for exercise. Its only drawback is that it takes time to do, but it is time well spent. What is the value of good health and longevity? Add on a favorite piece of gym equipment and you have everything needed to develop a healthy workout and exercise program without the inconvenience of going to the gym all the time.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Benefits of Pilates
Pilates is one of the most rewarding types of exercise because it encompasses stretch, strength and improves flexibility in the safest way while avoiding injury.
Pilates started as a way of rehabilitating athletes and dancers but is now used by millions of people across the globe because it is one of the safest forms of exercise.
Forget going for a run, pounding on pavement with the potential risk of getting shin splints, a knee injury or worse, falling and getting an even more severe injury. Pilates is one of the safest exercise systems in existence. The only equipment used is a floor mat. But for more advanced pilates exercise enthusiasts, other equipment can be added to simple routines. Nevertheless, once you begin this solid workout regimen, you will begin to notice healthy improvements in your body.
Regardless of whether you are 20 or 60 years of age, Pilates can work for anyone – male or female, old or young. No matter what condition you’re in, the health and fitness benefits are endless. Pilates improves flexibility, core strength and range of motion. It is also known to help alleviate chronic health ailments as well as fight back pain.
But the best part about Pilates is it’s fun!
It’s an exercise that bonds the mind and body allowing them to work together to establish balance. But the biggest benefit is Pilates improves overall body alignment, making it less prone to injury.
Here are some more benefits of Pilates:
• Improves breathing
• Corrects spinal and pelvic alignment through the concentration of slow, flowing, smooth movements with maximum power.
• Builds long, lean muscles that are less prone to injury, while building strength - without the bulk.
• Improves flexibility and range of motion.
• Improves back and abdominal strength.
• Creates balance between muscles - as weak muscles become stronger and the strong muscles also gain more strength never over training or under training any particular muscle group. This balance makes it easier to enjoy daily activities with less risk of injury. Pilates allows you to retrain your body to move in smoother safer, more efficient patterns of motion, which is essential in optimal performance and overall health.
• There is no pounding or bouncing in Pilates. It is the safest form of exercise. This is why it began as a rehabilitation exercise system for sports athletes and dancers. It is an intense exercise system working all muscle groups but still sustaining and improving overall balance.
If you are looking for a fitness routine that’s safe and easy to do - and that doesn’t involve a lot of heavy equipment, Pilates is an excellent choice. But best of all, with the popularity of this system, it can be performed in the comfort of your own home! Many videos and DVD’s are available for rent at your local video store as well as for sale at your local supermarket.
Need the right exercise system? Pilates may be just the right thing for you. Fun, easy and relaxing exercise that strengthens and restores flexibility… Doesn’t get much better than this!
Pilates started as a way of rehabilitating athletes and dancers but is now used by millions of people across the globe because it is one of the safest forms of exercise.
Forget going for a run, pounding on pavement with the potential risk of getting shin splints, a knee injury or worse, falling and getting an even more severe injury. Pilates is one of the safest exercise systems in existence. The only equipment used is a floor mat. But for more advanced pilates exercise enthusiasts, other equipment can be added to simple routines. Nevertheless, once you begin this solid workout regimen, you will begin to notice healthy improvements in your body.
Regardless of whether you are 20 or 60 years of age, Pilates can work for anyone – male or female, old or young. No matter what condition you’re in, the health and fitness benefits are endless. Pilates improves flexibility, core strength and range of motion. It is also known to help alleviate chronic health ailments as well as fight back pain.
But the best part about Pilates is it’s fun!
It’s an exercise that bonds the mind and body allowing them to work together to establish balance. But the biggest benefit is Pilates improves overall body alignment, making it less prone to injury.
Here are some more benefits of Pilates:
• Improves breathing
• Corrects spinal and pelvic alignment through the concentration of slow, flowing, smooth movements with maximum power.
• Builds long, lean muscles that are less prone to injury, while building strength - without the bulk.
• Improves flexibility and range of motion.
• Improves back and abdominal strength.
• Creates balance between muscles - as weak muscles become stronger and the strong muscles also gain more strength never over training or under training any particular muscle group. This balance makes it easier to enjoy daily activities with less risk of injury. Pilates allows you to retrain your body to move in smoother safer, more efficient patterns of motion, which is essential in optimal performance and overall health.
• There is no pounding or bouncing in Pilates. It is the safest form of exercise. This is why it began as a rehabilitation exercise system for sports athletes and dancers. It is an intense exercise system working all muscle groups but still sustaining and improving overall balance.
If you are looking for a fitness routine that’s safe and easy to do - and that doesn’t involve a lot of heavy equipment, Pilates is an excellent choice. But best of all, with the popularity of this system, it can be performed in the comfort of your own home! Many videos and DVD’s are available for rent at your local video store as well as for sale at your local supermarket.
Need the right exercise system? Pilates may be just the right thing for you. Fun, easy and relaxing exercise that strengthens and restores flexibility… Doesn’t get much better than this!
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