May 5, 2024

Better Balance

Get Fit Quick Tip:

One Leg Hold

Practice standing on one leg to improve balance and proprioception. Safety is most important when working on balance. All exercisers should begin holding on to a stable object for the entire set until confidence increases. Slowly decrease contact with stable object to build balance load. Once you’ve achieved a 10 second hold on each leg without holding on, you may be ready for progressions. Maintain proper posture, with your chin up and chest lifted. Here are a few progressions to get started:

Stand on one leg for 10 seconds. Increase time to 30 seconds.

Stand on one leg and place both arms across your chest.

Stand on one leg and swing both arms forward and back.

Stand on one leg and look side to side.

 

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

 

Build Fitness Momentum

Build momentum toward your fitness goals by taking one step at a time. One healthy step fuels the next healthy step, promotes the next healthy step, and so on…

Take a healthy step with #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat every Monday at 5pm(Pacific)/8pm(Eastern) on Twitter! Pick up tips, ideas, solutions, find accountability, get motivated and have fun chatting with others also on their fitness journey.

Here’s how to join:

1. Log into your Twitter account.

2. Enter hashtag #HealthyWayMag.

3. See questions posted for discussion noted as “Q1″ for question 1. “Q2″ designates question 2.

4. Chat with other participants and have fun!

 

Monday April 25, 2016 #HealthyWayMag Fitness Chat Sponsored by RunnerBox:

Looking for an economical and effective method to learn what running, cycling, triathlon, racing and fitness gear is available, and more importantly what’s best for you and your training? Consider RunnerBox! A bimonthly subscription service or one time box (makes a great gift) allows you to sample the best top gear on the market. Offering a Runner Box, Tri Box, Cycle Box, you will find a box for you. Their boxes include everything from gels, bars, healthy snacks to skincare and accessories. They’ve done the research and only include the best gear for you to sample… all delivered right to your door! It doesn’t get easier! Check out their new race-specific kits. These “race survival kits” insure you are prepared and arrive at the starting line ready to race hard! Quantities are limited, so order yours NOW!

 

Group Motivation Solution

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Join a Group!

Is your exercise motivation lacking? Join an exercise group! The energy of a group is contagious:

A group will challenge you to try new exercises.

A group will feed your enthusiasm and drive to log a maximum-effort workout.

A group will renew your commitment to exercise because you’ll hear of others reaching goals.

A group will energize your dedication if you engage in friendly competition with other participants.

 

 

 

Desk Posture Stretch

Get Fit Quick Tip:

At your desk posture stretch!

Sit forward in your chair with both feet flat. Inhale and reach both arms straight up overhead. Lace your fingers with your palms facing down. Exhale, lean to your right. Inhale, return to the center. Exhale, lean to your left. Inhale, return to the center. Exhale, lower your arms. Repeat 2-3 times.

Stretching reduces muscle tension, and the deep breathing reduces stress. Perform this stretch a few times each day for physical and mental benefits!

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

Racing? Here are your race prep basics.

Get Fit Quick Tip:

4 Racing Basics

There are a few racing basics important to keep in mind heading into your race day. Here are 4 to commit to memory:

 

Embrace your nerves. Many athletes experience pre-race nerves. Nerves mean the event is important to you and you want to do your best. Nerves happen with uncertainty or with the unknown. Accept your anxiety simply as part of the process. Instead of allowing nerves to paralyze you, enable them to empower you.

Master the art of letting-it-go. You’re distracted by someone along the race course? Let it go. Your pre-race ritual was interrupted? Let it go. Another athlete cut you off at the hydration station? Let it go. Focus on your race, your miles.

Stick to your race plan. Never try anything new on race day. Only do what you’ve practiced in training. Stick to your pre-race meal plan. Your clothing. Your hydration schedule. Your pace.

Visualize your finish daily. Every night before going to sleep, visualize in full detail finishing your race strong. During your race when miles become tough, play back the well rehearsed mental picture of your strong finish. You’ll be able to change your emotional/mental state mid-race and reset your resolve to keep moving forward.

 

Celebrate YOUR Fitness!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Celebrate YOUR fitness!

All the early morning workouts, the lunch time exercise, the weekend classes, packing your gym bag, planning healthy meals, filling your water bottles, and so on. You’ve worked hard for your fitness, celebrate your efforts! Recognize your progress no matter how far you’ve come OR how far you still plan to go. Your commitment is important, and you never know who you are inspiring. Celebrate your fitness by:

Pay it forward. Know a fellow exerciser who is struggling with exercise motivation? Reach out an offer a few encouraging words, a text, an email, a phone call or simply a smile.

Say Thank You. Say thank you to those who have helped your fitness journey.

Acknowledge your progress. Pull out your old workout logs for visual reinforcement of your progress. Pull out old race photos and relive your most fun fitness day.

Ease-Tension Stretch

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Corner Stretch!

Stand facing a corner. Step forward with one foot and place your forearms on the wall, with your elbows slightly lower than shoulder level. Gently lean forward, feeling a stretch across your chest and front shoulders. Hold for ten to thirty seconds.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.

SLOW DOWN your strength training!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

SLOW DOWN your strength training!

To get the most out of your strength training workout, slow down your pace! Complete the exercise at a pace where you’re able to stop the exercise at any point. Controlling the weight is key to overloading your muscles. A slow pace extends the time your muscle is under tension. Try lifting the weight for 2 seconds and lowering the weight for 4 seconds for starters.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning workout.

 

 

Perfect your PushUp

Get Fit Quick Tip:

PushUps!

Do traditional exercises like pushups still have value in your exercise plan? The answer is a resounding yes! Here’s why. Pushups incorporate all muscles of the body. Pushups use the core muscles how they are required to work during your daily activities, in a stabilizing capacity. Pushups build upper body strength.

Find a form of pushups that works for you. For example:

Wall Pushups. Stand facing the wall. Place your hands flat on the wall in front of you, about chest-level high and shoulder-width apart. Bend both elbows and lean into the wall. Keep your feet flat on the floor and keep your torso straight. Extend both arms and return to your starting position.

Bench Pushups. Place your hands in the center of a stable bench, with your body straight and toes on the floor. Bending both elbows, lower your chest toward the bench. Extend your arms and return to your starting position.

Floor Full Pushups. Place both hands flat on the floor with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Tuck your toes under and lift your body up off the floor.  Bend both arms and lower your chest toward the floor. Extend both arms to return to your starting position.

Floor Modified Pushups. Kneel on the floor. Place both hands flat on the floor in front of you about shoulder-width apart. Move your knees back slightly until your body is straight, with only your knees and hands on the floor. Bend both arms and lower your chest to the floor. Extend both arms to return to your starting position.

*Always consult your physician before beginning exercise.

 

 

Weight Training Works!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Weight Training Works!

You lift weights every week in the form of groceries, your children, your dining room chair, the bag of dog food, various items in and out of your car. Want to make your daily tasks easier? Start a weight training program. Lifting and carrying are required daily actions that can be completed with less effort by logging a strength workout as little as 2 days each week. Consult a Fitness Professional to outline a program specifically for you, as well as learn proper form and technique. Here are few other benefits of a weight training program you may not have thought of:

Shape your muscles. Muscles give your body shape and contour. You’ll look fit.

Builds independence and confidence. You’ll easily be able to lift and carry what you need, when you need without having to wait for assistance.

Decrease stress. If you’ve had a long stressful day, you’ll leave the muscle and mind tension in every repetitions and set. The result is a relaxed and total-body tension free you.

Improves body awareness. General awareness of posture and alignment will improve, especially if you’re working with free-weights, as you have to stabilize your body on every set.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.