Get Fit Quick with These Easy Exercises and Workout Tips

Strength Training: How do I start?

August 22, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Many put off joining a gym because they don’t know where to begin in regards to a strength training program. There are three questions to ask yourself when choosing your exercise program:

What is my goal? This determines your priority exercises. There are many types and modes of strength training exercise.

Is there an event/specific task for which I need to prepare? If you are focused on achieving a particular outcome by a specific date, it is in your best interest to seek professional assistance. Upon a fitness evaluation a Professional Fitness Trainer will be able to recommend the appropriate course

What time commitment am I willing to make? Any time is better than no time.

Upon answering the questions above you will be set to take action. There are three keys to building strength:

Stimulating the muscle, done through intensity and variety. To stay in your anaerobic pathway muscle fatigue must be reached within a 30-90 second time period/per set. This ensures you’ve recruited the muscle fibers and overloaded them sufficiently. For variety, change a component of your program every four to six weeks. This will create a new neurological pathway so your body will have a stimulus to adapt to and continue to become stronger.

Proper weight lifting mechanics. Firstly, every movement should begin with neutral posture: Line your ears up over your shoulders, and line your shoulders up over your hips. Secondly, draw your belly button in tight. Now you are ready to begin the movement.

Controlling the movement. Control the weight throughout your range of motion to reduce risk of injury.

Every strength exercise you perform in the gym should serve a specific purpose. If you’re not sure which to choose, consult a Fitness Professional to assist you.

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: getting fit, healthy living, joining a gym, strength training exercises, weight training

Cardio Basics for Beginners by Mary Miriani

August 23, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

“Cardio” is an accepted nickname for cardiovascular or aerobic exercise. This type of exercise works the lungs and heart muscle to increase its efficiency obtaining and pumping oxygen and nutrient carrying blood around the body. Obviously, the better the heart and lungs work, the more healthy you will be, so it is very worthwhile to start a cardio exercise program even if you are not trying to lose weight.

Many people are not patient enough to go about starting aerobic (cardio) exercise correctly and often quit soon due to injury or exhaustion without achieving any real results. My first word of advice is to be patient, and proceed slowly. There are 4 things to consider when starting cardio known to fitness professionals as the FITT principle (Frequency, Intensity, Type, and Time). Simply put, that means choose something you like to do (Type) several times a week (Frequency) for a particular amount of minutes (Time) at a certain effort (Intensity.) It is important to increase only one of these things at a time as you continue your cardio program to keep you safe.

Type:
The type of exercise you choose is entirely up to you, but to be considered cardio, it must keep your heart rate elevated for a minimum of 10 minutes. Do not choose an activity you don’t enjoy simply just because it burns more calories. You will end up quitting. There are many appropriate exercises such as walking, biking, hiking, dancing, running, rowing, and kickboxing. At first choose one thing, but as you get going, feel free to add as many as you like. Variety will keep you exercising for life. The types of exercises you choose should also be based on your ablility. Just as a baby doesn’t start walking before crawling, do not start running before you can walk. Also, it is important to consult your doctor before embarking on an exercise program to rule out any possible medical issues, especially if you are over 40 and have health risks such as smoking or family history of heart disease.

Frequency and Time:
Beginning exercisers should start with no more than 20 minutes of cardio 3 times a week at a moderate pace. Build slowly and appropriately toward the standard recommendation of 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week (30 minutes, 5 times a week.) If you have done nothing for a long time, it’s important to allow your body sufficient time to adapt to exercise. When what you are doing feels easy, that is the time to add more times per week or more minutes per session. Add frequency and time slowly. It will keep you injury free.

Intensity:
One of the most misunderstood concepts of fitness is intensity. Somehow people think they either have to work so hard that they can hardly breathe, or be able to have a full-on conversations to exercise safely. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Many people use heart rate to guide their intensity. It is a good method, but can also be confusing. Subtract your age from 220, then multiply that number by .80 and .60 to give you a range. For example, if you are 40 years old, you would want to stay inside a heart rate range of 144 and 108 beats per minute (220-40=180;180x.80=144 and 180x.60=108.) Heart rate range is only an estimate and does not necessarily mean you are at the right intensity to achieve your goals. A simple way to gauge this, in addition to using appropriate heart rate guidelines, is called the “talk test.” Simply, can you say a phrase or two, but not have an easy conversation? If so, that is probably a good intensity. As it feels easier to talk, that is a sign that you can increase your intensity.

Now that you know the basics of beginner cardio, it is time to get off the couch and get started.

By Mary Miriani; BA Exercise Science; ACSM Health Fitness Specialist
Reality Fitness, Inc. Naperville, IL

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: beginning fitness, cardiovascular exercise recommendations, how to begin exercise, how to do cardio exercise

5 Stretches to Transition from Work-Time to Relaxation-Time

August 17, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Perform these easy stretches to relieve work-day stress and ease your body (and mind) into relaxation of evening-time. The following stretches are for those without injury. Please consult your physician before beginning this or any exercise program.

Single Knee to Chest Stretch. Lie on your back. Inhale; Extend both legs straight on the floor. Exhale; Pull your right knee in toward your chest. Inhale;Release your right leg. Exhale; Pull your left knee into your chest. Release your left knee back to the floor.

Hamstring Stretch. Lie on your back. Inhale; Extend your right leg straight up, perpendicular to the floor. Exhale; Hold ten to twenty seconds. Change leg position; extend your left leg straight up, perpendicular to the floor and hold.

Figure 4 Stretch. Lie on your back. Inhale; Cross your right ankle onto your left thigh, pull both legs off the floor and in toward your chest. Exhale; Hold ten to twenty seconds. Change leg position; place your left ankle on your right thigh, pull both legs in toward your chest.

Cat-back Stretch. Begin on your hands and knees on the floor. Inhale; Round your back up. Exhale; Arch your back.

Standing lunge stretch. Standing, inhale and step your right foot back about three feet. Keep both feet flat on the floor and pointing forward. Exhale; Bend your left knee and hold ten seconds. Change leg positions; step back with your left foot back about three feet, keeping both feet flat and pointing forward, bend your right knee and hold ten seconds.

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: end of day stretches, flexibility exercises, how to stretch, low back stretches, reduce stress, stress relief, stretching on the floor

Why Pilates Works by Chanda Fetter

August 15, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Pilates was created as a way to address injured soldiers in WWI. It was a means to keep the integrity and strength of the muscle while recovering from battle wounds. Yes, it was designed originally for men and as a sense of rehab and ultimately preventative care. Since in America, Pilates has taken on all different forms, but the foundation has always been a common thread; people function better as a result of training in the Pilates method.

Corrects Muscular Imbalances. Through conscious repetition and attention to detail, any function can be re-learned. When the body is traumatized by an injury or accident its protective mechanism is to “shut down” the injured area. The only problem is the body doesn’t naturally “turn on” that same area once it’s better. Whatever compensation the body has done to work around the injured area is now the new norm of that junction. Over time, this uneven recruitment of muscle tissue creates asymmetries (mismatched sides, imbalances). These asymmetries lead to improper wear and tear on the joints and spine, ultimately causing improper GAIT (how we transfer weight through the body), stress on hips, back and spine.

Repairs and improves Muscle Recruitment Patterns. Once you’ve worked to correct your muscular imbalances the body will naturally grab hold of these learned behaviors and the neurological relationship between brain and body will be repaired. After all your body wants to behave properly, we just need to be conscience in our movements while this process is taking place, then ultimately it will do it on it’s own.

Functional Adaptation. Pilates has many parallels to functional movement patterns. For instance, when working any weight over our heads we teach the clients to draw down into their middle back muscles (Lattisimus Dorsi) as opposed to taking that weight directly into the neck and shoulders. This is functional to life, all movements should translate as such to all activities of daily living.

Everybody can do it. Pilates is based out of a rehabilitative principle and has adapted to the general population over the years to be one of the most safe and effective forms of exercise. It allows you to maximize the potential of each muscle group without compromising the spine or joints. It promotes core strength, balance, flexibility in a way that helps you understand the limits and potential of your body.

By Chanda Fetter
IM=X Pilates Studio, Owner

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: at home exercise, at home fitness, beginner exercise, core strength, exercise, fitness, full body exercise, Pilates

Know-how’s of Kinesiology Tape by Dr. Casey Ferguson DC

August 6, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Kinesiology Tape: How a Simple Piece of Tape Can Take Your Training and Performance to the Next Level

Many of you have seen the strange strips of tape on the shoulders and legs of Olympic athletes, especially the highly visible shoulders of the women’s beach volleyball team.

How does athletic taping work and what can it do?

Not all kinesiology tape is created equal, and you get what you pay for. Tape with the most stretch, better adhesive qualities and without skin reactions are the qualities that are the most desirable.

Kinesiology tape can be applied for decompressing, rather than compressing and restricting blood flow to an injured area, which when properly applied will promote blood flow, thus aiding in reducing swelling and pain. It does this is when the proper tension is placed on the tape which will stretch up to 180% of its relaxed length. The gentle retraction of the elastic qualities of the tape lifts the skin, relieves pressure of the underlying capillary beds and thus promotes blood and lymph flow. This can be used to reduce swelling in an injured tissue, or conversely, help prevent injury by reducing fatigue and cramping. Following an injury it can be applied to compress and restrict motion, thus reducing the range of motion of the areas it is applied to and aid in injury recovery.

The skin is full of stretch receptors (nerves) which give information about the body’s position to the brain. This information can be manipulated with proper application of the tape to relieve joint, ligament, and tendon tension ultimately reducing pain and correcting improper motion at the affected joints/tissues.

Kinesiology tape is made for competition, and is engineered to meet the high demands of endurance athletes like runners, swimmers, cyclists, as well as the weekend warriors. Quality brands are waterproof and will remain on the skin for up to 5 days even if after swimming, showering or sweating.

Dr. Casey Ferguson DC, at Conservative Pain Solutions in Eugene Oregon http://www.conservativepainsolutions.com, is skilled in the application and usage of kinesiology tape. Dr. Ferguson is a certified Rocktape Roc Doc www.rocktape.com, and provides care at racing and sporting events.

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: athlete performance, benefits of kinesiology tape, improve athlete competition, kinesiology tape, why use athletic tape

Golden Days of Summer Smoothie by Jessica Matthews

July 31, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Let the Olympic athletes inspire your fitness, and your food! Enjoy this golden-shake to fuel your body and your mind. What better way to enjoy basking in the warm summer sun than with a cool smoothie in hand that’s both nutritious and delicious! Inspired by beautiful golden sunsets and incredible athletes striving for the gold, this simple smoothie is the perfect sweet treat. Fuel your body with nutrition to reach your own personal best. Enjoy before any outdoor activity or adventure this summer or use as a post-workout snack.

What you’ll need-

6oz non-fat honey greek yogurt
1/2 banana
1 ripe mango
1/2 cup pineapple
1/8 cup coconut water
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Simply combine all ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth and enjoy!

Jessica Matthews, MS, E-RYT, is an exercise physiologist, yoga teacher, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, adjunct professor, blogger and fitness personality. Jessica strives to open minds, ignite passion and inspire the world to health and fitness through purposeful movement, quality nutrition and kind words. She has been featured as a fitness expert on CNN and has been quoted in numerous publications including Shape, Self, Oxygen and Oprah.com. For more health and fitness information, follow Jessica at www.twitter.com/fitexpertjess.

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: nutritious snack, recipe using greek yogurt, smoothie recipes

Why Group Exercise? By Mollie Millington

July 24, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Most gyms offer group exercise classes such as yoga, Pilates, indoor cycling, Body Pump, Boxercise, and CrossFit. Most group classes will be included in your membership fee and are offered at all times of the day.

Why should you give group exercise a try?

Group exercise adds variety to your workout. If you hit the treadmill every day after work for 30 minutes, a group exercise class can help you get over a plateau by challenging your body in a new way. Muscles can be accustomed to always working in the same way. So if you always go for a run, try a yoga class to switch it up a bit. If you regularly lift weights, try Zumba for a fun heart pumping workout.

Having a class at a set time automatically fits it into your schedule. It is easy to say, “I will go to the gym after work” and somehow never make it there because you prepared dinner for the family, helped the kids with homework, and then needed to run errands. But when you know your favorite class is at 6:30pm you can’t put it off until later. You also know when you will be done which helps you plan the rest of your day.

Someone knowledgeable will guide you. You might not always feel confident doing exercises on your own in the weight room. A group exercise instructor will know how to maximize your time in the studio and give your body a fantastic workout. Every class is designed to work muscle groups in a certain way and order after an appropriate warm up. Cooling down and stretching out at the end of a workout is important too and you might overlook that on your own.

Fun! Finally, group fitness classes can be fun. You can try different types until you find one that you love (and doesn’t seem like work.) You can make new friend who enjoy the same things you do too.

If you haven’t yet, give group exercise classes a try. Men are joining in too as they realize cross-training is an effective way to develop fitness faster. Just be sure to arrive early and let your instructor know if it is your first time trying out the class.

Mollie Millington is a London-based personal trainer who offers in-person and virtual training. You can find her on Twitter (@PTMollie) and online at www.ptmollie.com. She posts free workouts, product reviews and recipes every week.

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: benefits of group exercisem team workouts, exercise class, fitness classes, group exercise, group workouts

Travel Exercise Tips by Mollie Millington

June 28, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Here’s how to incorporate exercise while traveling:

Walk around town. True, a cab or the subway can be faster, but by walking around you’ll get a better and authentic feel for the area via the shops and local businesses. You will also see more of the city, as well as discover interesting side streets to explore.

Plan ahead. Book a hotel that has a gym or pool you can use. Look for a YMCA or other fitness club that allows guest visitors or has a reciprocal program with your home gym. Cities such as Los Angeles, CA even have running tours that offer guided runs (so you know the neighborhood is safe.) Investigate the local area for a state park or natural wonder that needs to be explored with camera in hand.

Pack a jump rope. Yes, a simple little jump rope can get your heart rate soaring quickly while putting a smile on your face. Most of us haven’t skipped rope since we were children, but it is still fun even as an adult. Jump ropes are light, portable and don’t take up much room in your bag. You can also share the fun with your travel companions by setting a competition of who can jump the most times in a row without stopping.

Put together a quickie workout. Look around your hotel room for items that may be used to add resistance as in strength training (for example, bottles of water, a backpack with a few books in it, a door frame, set of stairs). The creativity involved can almost be as rewarding as the workout itself.

Traveling is fun, but don’t forget to take your fitness with you. Make an effort to find down time when on the road during which you can sneak in a workout. Remember that the government recommends accumulating 30 minutes of activity a day. With the above tips, it shouldn’t be too hard.

Mollie Millington is a London-based personal trainer, available for in-person and virtual training. www.ptmollie.com. Mollie may also be contacted via @PTMollie on Twitter.

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: exercising while traveling, on the road fitness, travel fitness

Summer Fitness Opportunities By Derek Peruo

June 20, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Summer is officially here and after a long winter stuck inside, it’s time to get out there and grab some sun! Here are three outdoor locations to visit, along with activities you can do while there, to stay fit and healthy this season.

At the Beach

The beach is perfect for soaking up some vitamin D, which we get from exposure to direct sunlight and is an essential hormone for a healthy body. Just be sure to monitor your exposure time, and occasionally apply high-quality sunblock if you plan on being outside all day. While you’re at the beach, try doing some sprints in the sand. Sand sprints are incredibly challenging at any fitness level, and all you need is a 20-yard stretch of clear beach. Run as fast as you can 6-10 times, recovering 3-5 minutes between sprints.

At the Park

Parks are great for quick bodyweight circuits. Pick 5-6 of your favorite exercises and perform 8-10 reps of each without resting in between. The circuit could look like this:

1) Squat
2) Pushup
3) Forward Lunge
4) Rotating Pushup
5) Side Lunge
6) Mountain Climber

Rest 1-2 minutes after your last exercise, and repeat the circuit 4-5 times.

Parks are also a great place to play frisbee, which will improve hand-eye coordination, agility, flexibility, and cardiovascular health.

In the Woods

Start with a quick hike to your favorite spot. Hiking is an effective form of low-intensity cardio, and the uneven surfaces found in the woods will activate muscles in your feet and calves, improving balance. Consider bouldering, which is a form of rock climbing, that requires much less equipment.

No matter what you do this summer, be sure to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Now go out there and have some fun!

Derek Peruo, CSCS, is the owner of Renaissance Fitness, a personal training service based in New York City. He also writes and consults for magazines such as Men’s Fitness and Men’s Health. http://RenaissanceFitnessInc.com

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: exercising at the park, fitness at the beach, outdoor exercises

5 Best Gym Exercises to Improve Posture by Julie Mulcahy

June 4, 2012 By hywo Leave a Comment

Maintaining proper posture during daily activities is very important for reducing muscle fatigue, increasing energy and preventing back pain. Having strong postural muscles to support your spine can reduce the strain on your back from long durations of sitting at a desk.

Try the following 5 exercises to strengthen the middle and lower back muscles as well as neck and arms.

T and Y arm raises on Exercise Ball
Lay on your stomach over a large exercise ball. Your head and neck are off the ball in a neutral position. Toes should be touching the floor. For Y position, arms are overhead with thumbs up, like superman. For T position, arms are out to side like wings of an airplane. Hold a weight in each hand. Raise arms to the horizontal. Keep your spine level. Do 3 sets 10 repetitions of each T and Y position. Use 0-5 pounds in each hand.

Standing Upright Rows
Stand in squat position facing cable column pulley system. Hold one pulley in each hand with palms facing each other. Pulleys should be adjusted to chest level. Contract abdominal muscles and squeeze shoulder blades together as you draw the pulleys toward you. Try 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Planks
Lie on your stomach and turn your toes under. Bend your elbows and support body weight on feet and forearms. Raise the middle section of your body to a level plank position. Your belly should be off the floor and not sagging so your spine stays straight. Your bottom should not be higher than your head. Hold this position as long as possible while maintaining proper form, up to a minute. Don’t forget to breathe! An alternative position is to extend elbows and weight-bear through your hands. Do 2-3 sets.

Lat Pull Machine
Adjust bench so that your feet are touching the floor and knees are under the pad and lean back slightly. Draw belly button in towards spine to tighten abdominal muscles. Pull lat bar toward your upper chest. Repeat 3 sets of 10 reps.

Overhead Medicine Ball Raise
Lay on floor on your back with knees bent. Keep abdominal muscles contracted as your raise an 8-10 pound medicine ball or dumbbell over head with straight elbows. Keep belly button pulled in tightly so your spine doesn’t lift off floor. Try 3 sets of 10.

Tip: If your muscles fatigue and you can’t maintain proper positioning do not continue that exercise. For postural exercises, quality is always better than quantity.

Julie Mulcahy M.P.T is a licensed Physical Therapist with over 19 years experience in sports medicine and orthopedics. Julie is also busy mom of 4 children and a marathon runner. She may be reached by email jam82296@hotmail.com or @PTrunningmomof4 on Twitter.

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: best gym exercises, decreasing fatigue, improving energy, improving posture, strengthening back muscles