Exercise articles
The benefits of exercise are enormous. Those who work out regularly look better, feel better, and enjoy better health. They also tend to be more relaxed, and often perform better - whether it is on the sports field, at work, or even in bed. What more incentive do you need
Body & bodybuilding workouts
For all around fitness, a body workout should be one of those. There are various ways of getting a full body workout that works on all-around fitness, including :- Yoga
There are various types of yoga, with different intensities, but whichever you choose, yoga will work your muscles from head to toe. It does little for your cardio conditioning, however.
- Pilates
Like yoga, a great way to get a complete body workout. Particularly good for core muscles and improving posture.
- Fitness classes
These days, exercise classes are much better designed, combining resistance work and cardio work into an all round package that will offer total conditioning.
- Weight training
Long under-rated, weight training works as many or as few muscles as you choose to work. Most people either work a combination of muscles in separate splits once or twice a week, or else works everything two to three times per week. Depending on how you work, you can make these workouts intense cardio workouts, or good interval workouts, although many people do them in a much more low key way.
- Cardio training
Cardio training has traditionally tended to work leg muscles more than anything else - for example running and biking - but there are more and more options available that will work everything. These include swimming, and machines such as rowing ergometers and cross trainers.
Change workouts and vary exercises
While some people stick to the same workouts year in and year out, others are regularly changing what they do - are there any benefits to regularly changing your exercise routine?
The basics:
Getting in shape is actually quite simple - you find ways to challenge your body, putting it under a controlled degree of stress that allows it to adapt and improve. Do it right and you will lose fat and gain muscle - in short, get in shape.
But after a while, guess what happens? If you stick with the same old routine, you stop challenging your body, and in response, your body stops adapting.
A quick glance around most gyms shows that this is actually very common - many people get given a workout when they first join a gym, and 3, 6, 12 months later, are still doing it.
Avoiding this is easy, however - you just have to mix it up a bit. There are numerous ways you can spice up your workouts. Let's look at some of the possibilities:
The basics:
Getting in shape is actually quite simple - you find ways to challenge your body, putting it under a controlled degree of stress that allows it to adapt and improve. Do it right and you will lose fat and gain muscle - in short, get in shape.
But after a while, guess what happens? If you stick with the same old routine, you stop challenging your body, and in response, your body stops adapting.
A quick glance around most gyms shows that this is actually very common - many people get given a workout when they first join a gym, and 3, 6, 12 months later, are still doing it.
Avoiding this is easy, however - you just have to mix it up a bit. There are numerous ways you can spice up your workouts. Let's look at some of the possibilities:
Adding Variety to your workouts
No matter what type of workouts you do, what sport or activity you are training for, what your goals are, there are a multitude of ways of varying your workouts.
Cardio workouts - Cardio workouts refer to steady state exercise designed to work your heart and lungs (the cardiovascular system). This can include running, walking, biking, swimming, and any of the various cardio machines you'll find in your local gym or health club.
Options for introducing change to your cardio workouts include:
Cardio workouts - Cardio workouts refer to steady state exercise designed to work your heart and lungs (the cardiovascular system). This can include running, walking, biking, swimming, and any of the various cardio machines you'll find in your local gym or health club.
Options for introducing change to your cardio workouts include:
- Try interval training - The most effective way of getting in shape, and proven to help burn fat. Simply alternate short intense bursts of speed (30 seconds) with longer easy recovery periods (90 seconds).
- Use a new piece of cardio equipment - most gyms have 3 or 4 (or more!) different pieces of cardio equipment - try something new for a change
- Do a mixed cardio workout (e.g. 10 minutes each on the stepper, the bike, the treadmill, the rower, etc) - this is great fun and will quickly up your fitness levels
- Sign up for a new class - always fancied combat cardio or circuit training? Give it a go!
Resistance workouts for variety
Resistance workouts refer to any kind of strength training - from free weights (barbells, dumbbells) to machines to resistance bands. There are loads of ways to change these workouts on a regular basis:
- Change the intensity - for example, one day per week do a workout with minimal rest between sets.
- Target one body part per workout to work to exhaustion
- Vary your reps and weights - do some heavier low rep sessions, then another day try lighter high rep sessions
- Look for new exercises to add to your workout - adding just one per week will make a huge difference over time
- Do your workout in a different order - if you always do chest, then shoulders, then arms etc, change around - it's amazing what a difference it can make to your workout
- If you use machines, consider gradually changing to free weights - they provide a much better workout, and offer almost endless possibilities in terms of exercise choice.
- Find a training partner - there's nothing like a training partner to get you working hard
- Work with a personal trainer for a while - a professional will look at what you do, pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses, and devise a workout that targets those areas
- Train for a race or an event - when you have a deadline, a goal, it provides the motivation you need to go the extra mile or crank out the extra set
Stretches
There are lots of different stretches you can do, so choosing the right ones will be important. The deciding factors will be what activities you do, and what your goals are.
How much time you spend on your stretches will have a big effect on what you achieve - many people spend just a few minutes before or after a workout working their flexibility, yet like all aspects of exercising, consistency will be rewarded.
The other issue is also when you do your stretches - although many trainers are still recommending flexibility work as part of a warm-up, the research has shown that the best time to work on your flexibility is after a workout, when your muscles are warm.
Recommendations for the exercises you should do to improve your flexibility cover most of the major muscle groups of the body. Read on to find out more :
Morning sessions should therefore be limited to gentle movements designed to work out the kinks and get you moving more comfortable.
Developmental flexibility work, i.e. that designed to increase your range of motion, should be reserved for post workout, or in the afternoon/evening.
How much time you spend on your stretches will have a big effect on what you achieve - many people spend just a few minutes before or after a workout working their flexibility, yet like all aspects of exercising, consistency will be rewarded.
The other issue is also when you do your stretches - although many trainers are still recommending flexibility work as part of a warm-up, the research has shown that the best time to work on your flexibility is after a workout, when your muscles are warm.
Recommendations for the exercises you should do to improve your flexibility cover most of the major muscle groups of the body. Read on to find out more :
- Shoulders and neck :
These areas are important for almost everyone - our lifestyle (driving, sitting at a computer) puts lots of stress on the upper body, and regular stretching can help to relieve this
- Low back :
Part of the core, many low back injuries could be avoided by regularly stretching this area
- Upper legs :
The hamstrings are another area that respond well to regular stretching
- Lower legs :
If you regularly engage in any exercise that puts strain on the lower legs (running, skipping, aerobics classes, etc), then regular stretching of this area is essential.
Stretching exercises
Are there best stretching exercises for the gym? Do you want to find out how to stretch properly in order to ensure there is no damage to your muscles during working out?
There's continuous press coverage of the subject of stretching exercises - but they all agree that to prevent injuries to muscles from not warming up properly, you need to know how to stretch!
Flexibility is one of the three keys areas of fitness (the others being strength and cardio fitness), so it's important to get it right. For years trainers have been telling us that the best time to stretch is before a workout, but recent research has proven that this is actually the worst option! Your muscles are not warmed up, and trying to increase your flexibility prior to exercise can actually reduce your performance.
It turns out that the best times to stretch are either at the end of your workout, as a part of your cool down, or else later in the day, when you are warmed up simply from moving around.
Increasing your flexibility has many benefits including:
There's continuous press coverage of the subject of stretching exercises - but they all agree that to prevent injuries to muscles from not warming up properly, you need to know how to stretch!
Flexibility is one of the three keys areas of fitness (the others being strength and cardio fitness), so it's important to get it right. For years trainers have been telling us that the best time to stretch is before a workout, but recent research has proven that this is actually the worst option! Your muscles are not warmed up, and trying to increase your flexibility prior to exercise can actually reduce your performance.
It turns out that the best times to stretch are either at the end of your workout, as a part of your cool down, or else later in the day, when you are warmed up simply from moving around.
Increasing your flexibility has many benefits including:
- Improved performance - the increased range of
motion increases your ability to perform any given motion - Reduced risk of injury
- Enhanced recovery from hard workouts
Morning sessions should therefore be limited to gentle movements designed to work out the kinks and get you moving more comfortable.
Developmental flexibility work, i.e. that designed to increase your range of motion, should be reserved for post workout, or in the afternoon/evening.
Exercise Myths - Part 1
The field of fitness is replete with exercise myths - bits of mis-information and half truths that people cling to like life vests after a shipwreck.
Understanding the truth behind these myths will go a long way towards helping you to figure out what really works. Here are the most commonly held exercise myths:
No. 1: I need special exercises to reduce my pot belly.
Spot reduction simply doesn't work. To get rid of a pot belly you have to lose body fat and strengthen the underlying muscles. This is true for big butts, wobbly thighs, indeed any part of the body.
No. 2: If I'm not sore the next day, I didn't workout hard enough.
Pain means either injury or micro tears to the muscle. Unless you are training really hard (for an event such as a marathon) you shouldn't experience pain following a workout.
No. 3: Strength training will make me "bulk up" (women especially).
Strength, or resistance training, is the best way to burn fat. Bulking up is unlikely unless you take steroids, train for ten or 12 hours per week, and have the right genetics! However, adding five pounds of muscle will make you look better and help you burn more calories, 24/7, 365.
No. 4: Running is the best way to get fit.
Running is an excellent way to get fit, and burns more calories per hour than most other forms of exercise, but it is not the only, or necessarily the best way to get fit. The best way to get fit is the one you enjoy, that motivates you, and ultimately, that you stick at.
No. 5: Warming up before working out isn't necessary if you're careful.
Warming up is essential. It prepares your muscles and your heart for the exercise to come, reduces your chances of injury, and helps you perform better. An appropriate warm up is 5 to 10 minutes of easy cardio. Stretching is not recommended before a workout, but should be saved for the end of the workout, as part of your cool down (you do cool down, don't you?)
Understanding the truth behind these myths will go a long way towards helping you to figure out what really works. Here are the most commonly held exercise myths:
No. 1: I need special exercises to reduce my pot belly.
Spot reduction simply doesn't work. To get rid of a pot belly you have to lose body fat and strengthen the underlying muscles. This is true for big butts, wobbly thighs, indeed any part of the body.
No. 2: If I'm not sore the next day, I didn't workout hard enough.
Pain means either injury or micro tears to the muscle. Unless you are training really hard (for an event such as a marathon) you shouldn't experience pain following a workout.
No. 3: Strength training will make me "bulk up" (women especially).
Strength, or resistance training, is the best way to burn fat. Bulking up is unlikely unless you take steroids, train for ten or 12 hours per week, and have the right genetics! However, adding five pounds of muscle will make you look better and help you burn more calories, 24/7, 365.
No. 4: Running is the best way to get fit.
Running is an excellent way to get fit, and burns more calories per hour than most other forms of exercise, but it is not the only, or necessarily the best way to get fit. The best way to get fit is the one you enjoy, that motivates you, and ultimately, that you stick at.
No. 5: Warming up before working out isn't necessary if you're careful.
Warming up is essential. It prepares your muscles and your heart for the exercise to come, reduces your chances of injury, and helps you perform better. An appropriate warm up is 5 to 10 minutes of easy cardio. Stretching is not recommended before a workout, but should be saved for the end of the workout, as part of your cool down (you do cool down, don't you?)
Exercise Myths - Part 2
The field of fitness is replete with exercise myths - bits of mis-information and half truths that people cling to like life vests after a shipwreck.Understanding the truth behind these myths will go a long way towards helping you to figure out what really works. Here are some more of the most commonly held exercise myths:
No. 6: You can lose weight by dieting.
This sounds like a trick question, but it's actually not. Researchers have found that one of the most accurate predictors of future weight gain is dieting - those who diet end up putting on weight over 85% of the time. Rather than dieting, aim to eat a healthy mix of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean
No. 7: Heat makes injuries feel better, heal faster.
The first response to any injury should be to stop the activity and apply ice. Ice will dramatically speed up your recovery time, and the sooner you apply it the better. If you have a muscle injury, after 48 hours of regular icing (20 minutes 4 to 5 times per day), you can start to alternate heat and ice.
No. 8: The best time to exercise is early in the morning.
While it's true that morning workouts give your metabolism a boost at the start of the day, some people hate early morning workouts. Ultimately, the best time to exercise is the time you enjoy - you're much more likely to stick at it if you enjoy your workouts.
No. 9: If you drink water when you exercise, you'll get cramps.
Drinking water before, during and after exercise is essential. Cramps are usually the result of not enough water. Aim to drink 8 ozs before your workout, and a further 8 ozs for each 20 mins you workout. Leave the sports drinks alone unless you are working out for more than 90 minutes - your body has plenty of calories to get you through your workout.
No. 10: You can get a six-pack if you do a thousand crunches a day.
Getting a six pack depends mostly on two factors - lack of body fat and good genetics! Doing lots of core exercises (crunches, etc) will certainly make your abs stronger, which is great, but no one will see them unless you strip away the fat that covers them
Exercise Myths - Part 3
The field of fitness is replete with exercise myths - bits of mis-information and half truths that people cling to like life vests after a shipwreck.
Understanding the truth behind these myths will go a long way towards helping you to figure out what really works. Here are some more of the most commonly held exercise myths:
No. 11: Stretching is not really necessary.
Stretching is one of the three main types of exercise you should be performing - the three are cardio (including intervals), resistance training, and flexibility training. However, stretching should not be part of your warm-up, whatever the instructor at your gym says. It should be done either at the end of the workout, as part of your cool down, or later in the day, maybe while watching TV in the evening.
No. 12: Food eaten after 8 p.m. will turn into body fat.
The basic equation of weight loss is simple - take in more calories than you burn, and you gain weight; take in less calories than you burn and you'll lose weight. When you eat them is not a part of that equation. Having said that, it's better to eat small regular meals throughout the day than fast all day and gorge in the evening.
No. 13: Your metabolism slows down once you hit 30.
This is both true and false. Your metabolism (the rate at which you burn calories) does begin to slow down once you pass 30, but you don't have to let it. Vigorous exercise, in particular resistance training and intervals, will speed up your metabolism, and more than make up for any effects of the aging process. Aging is mostly about what you do and don't do in regards to exercise and nutrition, not about how old you are.
No. 14: Swimming works your whole body and is therefore a great way to lose weight.
Swimming is a great workout, and it does indeed work the whole body. However, very few people actually lose weight from swimming. There seem to be two reasons. The first is that many people just swim too slowly - you know the ones I mean, the folks who swim a graceful and gentle breast stroke, chatting away to each other and never getting their hair wet. The second is that the cool water seems to stimulate appetite, encouraging you to eat more. Indeed, even competitive swimmers often do 'land based' exercise such as running or stationary biking in order to shed some weight.
Understanding the truth behind these myths will go a long way towards helping you to figure out what really works. Here are some more of the most commonly held exercise myths:
No. 11: Stretching is not really necessary.
Stretching is one of the three main types of exercise you should be performing - the three are cardio (including intervals), resistance training, and flexibility training. However, stretching should not be part of your warm-up, whatever the instructor at your gym says. It should be done either at the end of the workout, as part of your cool down, or later in the day, maybe while watching TV in the evening.
No. 12: Food eaten after 8 p.m. will turn into body fat.
The basic equation of weight loss is simple - take in more calories than you burn, and you gain weight; take in less calories than you burn and you'll lose weight. When you eat them is not a part of that equation. Having said that, it's better to eat small regular meals throughout the day than fast all day and gorge in the evening.
No. 13: Your metabolism slows down once you hit 30.
This is both true and false. Your metabolism (the rate at which you burn calories) does begin to slow down once you pass 30, but you don't have to let it. Vigorous exercise, in particular resistance training and intervals, will speed up your metabolism, and more than make up for any effects of the aging process. Aging is mostly about what you do and don't do in regards to exercise and nutrition, not about how old you are.
No. 14: Swimming works your whole body and is therefore a great way to lose weight.
Swimming is a great workout, and it does indeed work the whole body. However, very few people actually lose weight from swimming. There seem to be two reasons. The first is that many people just swim too slowly - you know the ones I mean, the folks who swim a graceful and gentle breast stroke, chatting away to each other and never getting their hair wet. The second is that the cool water seems to stimulate appetite, encouraging you to eat more. Indeed, even competitive swimmers often do 'land based' exercise such as running or stationary biking in order to shed some weight.