Category: Exercise

"As soon as the month is over." "At the start of the New Year." "Once my projects are done, and I have more free time." "After this weekend." The variety of excuses for postponing an exercise plan are endless. You have probably heard at least a hundred variations. You may be guilty of some of them yourself.If so, how many of those times can you say with confidence you stuck to your plan? Did you end up exercising after procrastinating for longer than you should have? To be fair, you may not be like the average person. But the chances this applies to many readers are high since this is a typical pattern.More often than not these plans remain plans or ideas. There is plenty of vision behind them. But the execution or most crucial part tends to be lacking.It is easy to procrastinate or postpo...

Kettlebells are amazing! Kettlebell workouts are the answer to maintaining and transforming your body into a fitness machine at home without the need for having an expensive club membership.Kettlebells develop superior fitness fast. So what benefits does kettlebell training have for the average woman or man and what size do you start with?I will answer both of these questions and get you started with your kettlebell workouts.The kettlebell trains the body to work as a complete unit and as a result creates true 'functional' strength and endurance. Kettlebell training is a great way to lose weight, tone up those soft areas of the body, and stay in shape. Kettlebells come in many shapes and sizes but that wasn't always the way.When kettlebells re-emerged from hiding in 2001 popularized by Pav

Physical activity is part of the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Physical activity doesn't just mean keeping to a regimented fitness routine. There are lots of ways you can add exercise to your day so you can reap the benefits without breaking a sweat. If you prefer a strenuous workout, that's great, too! Just know that even getting up from your work desk every hour and taking a lap around the parking lot has health benefits.1. Do a reality check: Be completely honest with yourself about how fit you are. Start off slowly. Many people bite off more than they can chew in the beginning, which leads to frustration, making it more likely that you'll stop before making real progress. Pick something you like so you'll be more likely to stick with it. Keep a record of your progress so you can s

When you gear up for back training, you are going to come to a crossroad where you need to choose between lateral pull-downs and pull-ups. Which of these is best? Both seem to work similar muscle groups - and they do, so then it just becomes a matter of selecting which exercise offers you the most benefits. Here is what you need to consider...1. Your Overall Back Strength Level. First, consider your overall back strength level. Take note: pull-ups are going to require a lot more back strength than pull-downs will, so you will need to be prepared to handle that. If you are a beginner, chances are regular pull-ups will be too challenging. You could do an assisted pull-up, but often it is easier to just start with a pull-down.2. Your Experience. Also, consider your lifting experience level. P

As you start out with your workout routine, one question you may ask is which exercises are best for you to focus on? Without a doubt, it is going to be important you perform compound exercises as often as possible. These are going to give you the best "bang for your buck" so to speak. They help you... burn calories quickly, strengthen the major muscle groups, and they maximize your cardiovascular fitness level as well. There are two fundamental exercises you may be wondering about... deadlifts, and squats. Which should you choose? Which exercise will give you the best results for your time invested? Let us take a look at this comparison...1. Quad Focus. If you are hoping to strengthen your quads first and foremost, you will want to opt for a squat focus as often as you can. Foc

One of the more popular workout programs you might want to consider adding to your workout routine is the push/pull/legs workout. This particular one is great because it allows you to divide the upper body, so you get to work each muscle group with a higher volume. Doing so will help you to see superior results. Once you are beyond the beginner stage, it can be trying to get enough total work for each muscle group by doing an upper/lower split, so this is the next route to go. Curious how this ends up looking?You will perform... all push exercises - chest, shoulders, triceps - on the push day, and all pulling exercises - back and biceps - on the pull day. Then you have legs, which gets its specific day. Let us take a look at a sample program you can use. You can either do this... o

Every so often, it is essential you take a break from your strength training program. Doing so... will allow your bones, tendons, and ligaments some extra time to recover, will help to renew your psychological enthusiasm for hitting the gym, and will help to make sure your muscles are fully recovered. One week off is recommended after every 12 to 16 weeks of training, so consider this some well deserved time off.Taking time off from your strength training program does not necessarily mean you should sit at home and do nothing. Here are a few exercises you can do during your week off to make the most of your time...1. Perform Some Light Cardio Training. Light cardio training can be helpful for taking your recovery to the next level. While you would not want to perform any intense exerci

Exercise is a topic that has been beaten to death. But it is also a very general subject, so it is easy to see it being pulled apart and taken in wild directions without delivering a useful message. You already know it is right for you and you should likely be more active than you currently are but we won't go there. What you may benefit from though is a general overview of how exercise works...The basics. You move, you sweat, you burn fat, and do good things for your body. That's it in a nutshell. Going a bit deeper, exercise is an activity that engages various complex units in your body. Think about the skeletal system; more than 200 bones providing structure to your body. Tied to these bones are muscles, and between them lie tendons. Ligaments link the bones together.To enable any physi

When you hit the gym, do you feel confident you are doing everything you can to see the best results? Do you feel like you are in there with the knowledge and know-how to create a workout you feel great about? If you have any doubts, these tips are for you. It is essential you are aware of some of the most prominent mistakes people make so you can side-step these yourself.Here are some of the main ones to consider...1. Supporting Your Body On the Hand Rails. The first big mistake many people make is choosing to hang off cardio machines. They are often leaning so far on the railing they are not supporting any of their body weight.Do this, and your arms may get a bit of a workout, but that is about all you are achieving. You want to stand upright during the cardio session. Will it be harder?