Body Sensing for Maximum Results

By Kevin Gianni

(Part 4 of a 5 Part Series on Body Awareness)

I'm a runner. I've been a happy one for about 6 years now. I spend a good chunk of my week out on the trails, exploring and finding my inner peace. But it wasn't always like this.

There was a time that I would have spit at your feet if you asked me to go out for a jog. I hated to run. And now I know why.

As we all know, our bodies are pretty complex. Organs, cells, nerves, bones, muscles and everything else communicate to each other 24 hours a day. If something needs to get done, like digestion or healing a cut, your body is on the case. You don't even have to lift a finger most of the time.

For a healthy person, your body moves through these processes smoothly and efficiently. For someone who is unhealthy or out of shape, things get a little sluggish.

So this is what happened to me 7 or so years ago when I started to run again and re-live my high school fitness glory. As you can imagine, there was a slight discrepancy between what my head wanted to do and what my body was capable of at the time! My body was not processing at the same optimal level it did when I was captain of the football team. So on the days I made it out to hit the pavement, I would run fast for 3 miles, be out of breath, hurt for 5 days and then try again the next week.

My mind was still in high school... my body was still in bed.

I'm sure you've been in this cycle before. You decide it's time to change your shape, so you burst into the most difficult spinning class, hoping you'll lose all 20 pounds of excess weight in 60 minutes and then never have to strain yourself again. Instead it leaves you tired, hurt and cursing the next time you have to sweat.

It sounds funny when you read it, but this is exactly what we do.

Just recently, I was speaking to a client about running and she said she was running 2 miles a day. Unfortunately, she told me she hated it and the minute she starts she wants it to be over. Which is certainly not any fun, right?! If I hadn't intervened she would have joined all the other ranks of disappointed and dejected, should-have-been runners.

I told her that there is a disconnect between her mind and her body. She wants to run like she did in high school. Fast and efficiently. But her body, now, is only a walker or maybe a slow jogger. The best advice for her was to start off super-slow and then build up if she feels like taking her running any further.

A few days later she thanked me for allowing her to enjoy her run the morning after our class. She felt good, realized how fast she was trying to run before and didn't think about when it was going to end until she was finished.

Wouldn't that sound good to you?

It is simple to do. The most important thing to remember is that your mind may not be in tune with your body's abilities. You may want to run a marathon, but your body is only ready for a 10K. You may want to run 4 laps around the track, but your body is only ready to run 1 1/2 and walk the other 2 1/2.

So slow down. There is no race unless you're at the starting line with a numbered bib on your shirt! And even then, don't kill yourself.

This applies to more than just running. It is important to connect to your mind. Find out what it is thinking and then make sure your body is in alignment. If it is not, then don't let your ego push you too hard. You'll get injured, physically or mentally. If you haven't done any stretching in 20 years, don't jump into power yoga. If you haven't lifted weights since college, don't try to bench 225lbs.

We all have a built in sensor that tells us what is enough. Listen to it.

A few things needed to happen to me before I started to enjoy running. First, I needed to slow down. Second, I needed to stop thinking about how far and for how long I was going to run. And third, I needed to get out there and just start running... not worry about time commitments and appointments or anything else.

This is what we'll talk about in the final article of this series on body awareness: starting. You have to start before you have any fitness success!

When I ran my first marathon, I had never run more than 10 miles. As you can imagine, I got hurt, let my ego push me too far and it took me over 3 years to recover. Don't let this happen to you!

*****************************

Kevin Gianni is the holistic fitness expert. He is a certified personal trainer and co-author of "Lifestyle Fitness", a home workout program for the time and energy strapped!

Be sure to sign up for our free email newsletter that has the fitness and health tips other "gurus" are charging big bucks for.

http://www.yourlifestylefitness.com

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Cardio Fitness

By Tyler D King

Cardio is important for both weight loss and good cardiovascular health. Some body builders forget the importance of cardio, because they don't want to lose muscle mass as a result. Unless you are an ectomorph, part of your exercise regime should focus on aerobics. Contrary to what some people believe, cardio will not reduce you're muscle mass, and it will help you build up endurance and gain more definition.

Below is a list of reasons why you should keep up to date with your cardio workouts.

Prevention of disease, such as obesity and heart attack

Good mental health (studies show that people who exercise more are less likely to be depressed)

Shed off that layer of unwanted fat to show off the body you worked so hard for

Lowers blood pressure and resting heart rate

Increases blood flow to your muscles, which results in more nutrients being delivered to them

Increases endurance, which might help you lift heavier for longer time periods

When you are doing cardio, there are a few things that you should remember, they are duration, intensity and frequency.

Duration

Duration is how long you do a continuous aerobic activity in one session. Ideally, you should be training between 20 and 60 minutes per session. However, if you are a beginner, you may start by doing shorter workouts, of about 10 minutes at a time. Once you become stronger and more comfortable, you should start to increase how long you are exercising for. You should NEVER strain yourself, especially if you are a beginner. If you feel weak or dizzy, slow down or stop, and of course, consult a physician if you have any health problems before you begin. Note that although cardio will not promote muscle loss, if you're goal is to add mass you should be doing only about 20-30 minutes a time or else you will burn too many calories.

Sample workout for a beginner

2 minutes warm up (ex. light walking)

6 minutes higher intensity activity (ex. brisk walking, light jog etc)

2 minutes cool down (ex. light walking or stretching)

Sample workout for intermediate

5 minutes warm up

20-35 minutes high intensity cardio

5 minutes cool down

Sample workout for advanced

10 mins warm up

40 mins high intensity cardio

10 mins cool down

Cardio Fitness Continued

Intensity means how hard you are working during your activities. This is a key component for optimal health and fat loss. Beginners should aim for a target heart rate of lower that 55% of their maximum heart rates, while intermediate and advanced people should aim for about 65-90%. Your maximum heart rate level is approximately 220 minus your age, but of course this may vary depending on your fitness level. Gym equipment usually has hand censors that will tell you what your heart rate is at, so that you can maintain a good level of intensity throughout your workout. If you find these censors annoying to hold or you are outside, and easy way to see how hard you are working is to see how well you can talk.

If you can sing without difficulty, you aren’t working hard enough

If you can talk without much difficulty, you aren’t working very hard

If you can talk with a little difficulty, you are working at an average

If you can't talk at all, you might be working too hard

Take a look at these guidelines, and judge for yourself what a good pace is for you.

Frequency

Unless you are an ectomorph, you should be generally performing cardio 3-5 times per week, unless you have a lot of fat to loose you can go for 5-7 times per week. You should never space you're cardio fitness sessions out for more than 48 hours because your body start to loose the positive effects of the previous workout.

Interval Training

Interval training is a cardio workout that will take less time than a regular cardio workout and burn more calories. This type of workout is very effective and you will only need to do it for 15 - 20 minutes at a time. An example of interval training is to run for 3 minutes and walk briskly for 2 minutes. You continue this cycle until your workout is complete (don't forget to warm up!). This type of workout is great for preventing the boredom that can come with steady state cardio and boosts fat lose. Interval training is also good for improving you're cardiovascular abilities and preventing the muscle loss that can come with regular cardio. Remember that you should always be changing the duration of how long you are running and walking to keep your body guessing. This type of cardio can be done on virtually any cardio machine, and also outdoors.

Interval training vs. steady state cardio

Interval training - Pro's

burns a lot of fat

takes less time

burns less muscle tissue

Steady state cardio - Pro's

Improves endurance

Little impact on joints

It is not as easy to "burn out" - so you will end up burning more calories

An ideal workout routine will consist of both of these types of cardio, as they both have their own benefits. I would recommend doing interval training one day and steady state the next.

Sample week of cardio workouts

Monday

Steady state cardio 40 minutes stationary bike

Tuesday

Interval training 20 minutes treadmill

Wednesday

Rest

Thursday

Steady state cardio 30 minutes swimming

Friday

Interval training 20 minutes ecliptical trainer

Saturday

Rest

Sunday

Steady state cardio 60 minutes rollerblading

This is just an example to show you how you can vary your workouts. Remember to keep them fun and change them up weekly so that your body never gets used to a certain workout, and you don't get bored!

Tyler King writes about various health topics and helps run http://www.online-health-source.info

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No More Heart Disease - How Nitric Oxide can Change Your Life

By Lyn Dollard

How NITRIC OXIDE can prevent – even REVERSE HEART DISEASE AND STROKE.

One out of EVERY TWO Americans will die from Cardiovascular Disease – which in almost every case could have been prevented. DON’T let you be one of them!

What is Nitric Oxide (NO)?

Though you may never have heard of NO, scientific research around the world has demonstrated that NO may influence the functioning of your lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, and heart. Our vascular system uses NO to control blood flow to every part of the body. Not only can NO relax and dilate the blood vessels, thus ensuring that the blood can efficiently nourish the heart and tissues of the entire body, NO can also support healthy blood pressure when combined with a healthy diet and exercise.

The Cardiovascular system plays a powerful regulatory role in every major bodily function and organs, more specifically, every cell in the body. If the system is compromised, if vessels become constricted and hardening plaque builds up in them, you become a prime candidate for a heart attack and stroke, often without notable symptoms.

Most Cardiovascular Disease doesn’t have to happen. When you hear the words “CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE” most people automatically think of heart attacks. Cardiovascular Disease actually covers a much wider scope of serious health problems – heart attacks are just one type of Cardiovascular disease. Fortunately NITRIC OXIDE can positively affect virtually all of them.

Some of the most common forms of Cardiovascular Disease are:

High Blood Pressure

NITRIC OXIDE can help dilate the smooth muscle of the blood vessels. With this dilation, the vessels can relax and allow blood to flow easily through them and quite possibly lower the blood pressure.

ATHEROSCLEROSIS

When you are young, the vessels around your heart are flexible. As most people age, the smooth inner walls of the arteries gradually thicken and lose some of their elasticity, at the same time, fatty deposits – or plaque are accumulated on the arterial walls. This is called atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries and when that occurs it can reduce the diameter of the arteries and impair normal blood flow. When the body is manufacturing adequate and even excess NITRIC OXIDE, plaque formation and atherosclerosis are much less likely to occur and may be reversible.

HEART ATTACK

A blood clot in your coronary arteries may be only a fraction of an inch thick, but if it even slightly or completely deprives your heart of oxygen, it chokes off nourishment that the heart cells need and can cause a heart attack. Heart attacks can be triggered by more than blood clots. Excessive plaque in the arteries or a temporary but sudden contraction or spasm of the artery called a vasospasm that impedes blood flow can also cause heart attacks. Deprived of oxygen, a section of the heart tissue will “starve” and start to die. Serious damage can happen very quickly. NITRIC OXIDE can offer protection by acting to lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol and improve Circulation.

STROKE

Although heart attacks strike the heart, and strokes attack the brain, they have more in common than you might think. Both can be triggered by blood clots, although with strokes, these clots settle in the vessels leading to the brain rather than the heart. When that happens, the clots can interfere with normal blood flow and deprive the brain cells of oxygen. The outcome can be brain damage, disability and even death. The most common sites for these blood clots are the carotoid arteries, which are located on either side of the neck. When normal production of NITRIC OXIDE is impaired within the vessel walls, you are much more susceptible to clotting and strokes.

Two of NITRIC OXIDES critical functions – preventing the formation of blood clots and keeping the arteries free of plaque – work specifically against the occurrence of stroke.

LIFESTYLE CHOICES YOU MUST MAKE

Though some risk factors are beyond your control, such as family history or Cardiovascular disease, age and gender, you can influence many others with the lifestyle choices you make, because preventing Cardiovascular Disease always goes back to the choices YOU make.

• Stop smoking

• Lower your blood cholesterol level

• Control your blood pressure

• Keep your blood sugar under control

• Drink alcohol in moderation

• Maintain your weight at normal levels

• Exercise regularly

• Reduce stress, anxiety, loneliness and depression

If Cardiovascular health is your goal, NITRIC OXIDE needs to be on the front lines of your heart healthy program. Many heart attacks and strokes are preventable. You can put a stop to the progression of Cardiovascular Disease even if you already have it.

This article began with the sobering statistics that one out of two Americans will die of Cardiovascular disease – which in most cases could have been prevented. You can beat those odds, even if you currently have high blood pressure, have suffered a heart attack or at a high risk. The power to lead and entirely new and healthier lifestyle is in your hands.

Lynette Dollard works from home in the Health & Wellness Industry. She is supported by a network of renowned Doctors, a team of dedicated Scientists with all the latest information on health and wellness issues.

If you would like to find out more on how to change your heart health and diet whilst assisting your energy, circulatory and immune system functions please email me at lynetted@aapt.net.au or visit my website: http://trimtheweight.org/?refid=niwor-37446

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Best Cardio Exercises

By Gary Gresham

The best cardio exercises are something you enjoy so you'll stick to it to get the maximum benefits. You may be surprised at how quickly this form of physical activity becomes a habit you enjoy.

Exercise and cardiovascular fitness exercises are great for your health but the best cardio exercises get you to your ideal target heart rate as you exercise.

To test your heart rate while exercising place your thumb on the underside of your wrist to locate your pulse. Count the heart beats for fifteen seconds and multiply that number times four.

That number is your heart rate. To calculate your ideal target heart rate, subtract your age from two hundred and twenty.

Everyone has their own preference of exercise, but these exercises below will get you to your ideal target heart rate and are some of the best cardio exercises.

Walking As Exercise

Walking as exercise fits well into most lifestyles and is something anyone can do at any age. Start out walking at a medium pace and end up walking briskly so you can get to your ideal target heart rate.

Walk where you climb slight grades to increase resistance which will increase your heart rate. Not only will walking as exercise make you feel good it's one of the best cardio exercises to do with a friend.

Bicycling Exercise

Bicycling exercise also offers no age barriers and people at almost any fitness level can enjoy it. The benefit of bicycling exercise is it builds your strength and agility.

Like walking, to get to your ideal target heart rate, find slight grades to ride on to increase resistance. Bicycling exercise is not only one of the best cardio exercises it's not likely that you'll ever get bored.

Swimming Pool Workout

A swimming pool workout is ideal for a full body exercise and cardiovascular fitness. Exercise in water is easy on the joints because the water supports you and water also provides a natural resistance.

To keep your workout balanced, swim laps using different strokes to vary the muscles you work. A swimming pool workout is one of the best cardio exercises because it gets you to your ideal target heart rate quickly.

Elliptical Exercise

Working out on an elliptical exerciser is one of the best cardio exercises available. Like a swimming pool workout, elliptical exercise is ideal for a full body exercise and cardiovascular fitness.

The motion of elliptical exercise feels very natural and compliments normal body movements making it feel like the workout is easier. Elliptical exercise creates a safe workout because it reduces the harmful stress and impact on your muscles and joints.

The duration of any cardiovascular fitness exercise should be a minimum of twenty minutes and up to sixty minutes. Test your heart rate while exercising and calculate your ideal target heart rate.

To get to your ideal target heart rate just adjust your speed or resistance. That way you get the highest possible benefit and the best cardio exercise possible.

Copyright © 2005 Treadmill Info.com All Rights Reserved.

This article is supplied by http://www.treadmill-info.com where you will find valuable information, ratings, reviews, articles and buying tips before you make the investment in quality fitness equipment. For more fitness related articles go to:
http://www.treadmill-info.com/articles_1.html

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Rebounding To Better Health

By TK Healey

Ever heard of rebounding? Rebounding is a fun way to get great exercise using small controlled movements on a mini trampoline. By using a small trampoline and following a rebounding video, people of all ages can exercise on a rebounder. Rebounding is safe because your feet barely leave the surface and a stabilizing bar can be added which will help if you feel unsteady.

There are different types of rebounders on the market and some even fold for easy storage. Because of the size of these mini trampolines they can be used in your home or even easily transported to your office. Rebounding has been taking up in some of your most popular commercial gyms.

There a vast selection of videos to keep your rebounding workout exciting and new. There are special routines for people of all ages to make it more enjoyable. Some examples of rebounding workouts include first timers, basic, seniors, sports specific, dance, ballet, hip hop, Latin, core, yoga, abdominal, stretch and many other routines. You will never get bored with so many videos to choose from.

What makes REBOUNDING effective?

Rebounding provides many benefits to your body. It has been known to improve your circulation reduces stress, increase muscle tone, improve co-ordination and balance, increases energy. There is no strain on your joints. It simultaneously works all the major muscle groups, provides a calorie burning, cardiovascular, strength conditioning workout, incorporates simple, martial arts based movements in a coordinated way and builds stamina, strength and balance. If you do the techniques of rebounding regularly you will get results and have fun doing it.

REBOUNDING has been on national television shows such as The View with Barbara Walters, The Today Show and has been featured in such magazines as Fitness, Ace Fitness Magazine, and Fit.

Kids love it, adults and seniors love it too! Rebounding has become one of the most beneficial forms of exercise ever developed.

Bounce your way to feeling healthy. A fun workout that builds strength, cardiovascular capacity, and balance without jarring the body like other exercises.

TK Healey is the chief editor for SurfTilYouDrop® a consumer based based website focusing on infomercial products. For more information regarding products you have seen advertised on television, product reviews, personalized searches, video clips and more visit http://www.surftilyoudrop.com today!

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Mapping Your Runs

By Dave Stevenson

Many people love to run. Some simply roll out of bed, put on some shoes, and start running. Some run for fun, others are trying to get fit and lose weight, while others are training for a specific event. Whatever the reason for your desire to run, it helps to know how far you are running.

You can map your runs a variety of ways. The most widely used way is to jump in your car, reset your odometer, and drive around. This works well, but tends to be time consuming and costly in terms of gas usage. It is also difficult to find routes that are specific distances, without a lot of a u-turns and trying different roads.

A more modern approach is to use a GPS receiver. While this is potential more accurate, you still have to drive around with it to find the distances.

Good news is in sight. The internet today has provided a fast and easy way to map your runs. Most sites let you browse a map to find your starting point. You then plot points along roads or trails and a running distance is kept track. You can back up and try different routes easily. The only downside of the electronic mappings is that you do not see the surrounds of your run beforehand, so you might not know about the monster hill at mile 7!

A benefit of using electronic mapping tools is that they allow you to log your runs. This helps you keep track of your training schedule, shoe wear-and-tear, and your performance. Another benefit is that many sites let you share you favorite runs with other people, as well as search for runs in another area. If you travel a lot, electronic run mapping websites will help you find and plan your away runs much easier.

Whatever your preferred method of tracking your runs, the most important thing is to keep running!

Dave Stevenson recently completed his first of many marathons to come. Having spent the summer driving around planning his training runs, he developed a free website called Favorite Run that lets you map your runs, log your runs, and share them with others. You can visit his website at http://www.favoriterun.com

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How To Perform Cardio-Boxing For Super Fitness

By Gary Matthews

Ever wondered why most sports scientists agree that cardio-boxing is one of the best forms of exercise, well it is because it conditions the total body and provides a complete workout for your cardiovascular and endurance systems. Lets have a look at the benefits:

The major benefits of cardio-boxing include:

· Increased Stamina
· Increased Strength
· Increased Speed
· Increased Coordination

Cardio-boxing also promotes a person’s well being by strengthening their self-discipline and combined with strength training it’s well and truly the total package for self-defence and fitness and usually consists of:

· Adjusted heart rate work
· Actual boxing techniques

The usual workout consists of the age-adjusted heart rate work starting with 10 minutes for beginners and leading up to 20 minutes for the more advanced. For the second part of the workout, you’ll need to perform and practice 20 minutes of actual boxing techniques.

Cardio

The best way to measure the effects of an exercise program on your body is to check your pulse.

The easiest way to check the pulse is to place your index and middle fingers on your carotid artery or the wrist. Immediately after the exercise, count your pulse for 15 seconds and multiply by 4.

You can also check your pulse during the exercise but with safety as a first priority. To get a more precise reading of your pulse rate, purchase an electronic device from any sports store.

Now you have your exercising pulse rate or heartbeats per minute. We’ll be concentrating at the upper end of your pulse region: the 50% - 70% ranges.

To figure this out, deduct your age from 220. Suppose your age is 40, deduct this from 220 and you get 180.

50% of 180 is 90 beats a minute,
60% of 180 is 108 beats a minute,
70% of 180 is 126 beats a minute and so on.

Don’t jump into 70% work straight away. Start with 50% and slowly work your way up to the 70% upper limit.

Start with no more than 10 minutes, and work up to 20 minutes. Once you’re comfortable with working out for 20 minutes at 70% then try to increase the heart rate up to 80%.

Mix up your cardiovascular activities in the gym. Use the treadmill, skipping, rower, climber, and bike and other equipment that might be available to you.

Boxing

The boxing stance is the posture a boxer takes before and after every action depending on whether you are left or right handed. We’ll be dealing with the most common; right-handed. For left-handed people, just reverse the instructions.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, with your left foot in front of your right foot. Your right heel should be slightly raised with your left foot flat on the floor and toes pointing ahead.

Bend your knees a little and balance your weight comfortably and evenly.
Place your elbows close to your body with your left fist held at head height and in a position that corresponds to your left foot.

The right fist should be at head height also and guarding the chin, with both elbows protecting your body and both fists protecting your chin.

This is your defensive and offensive position after throwing punches, so please practice this before going any further. When moving forward in this boxing stance the left foot moves forward first and then the right follows.

When moving back, the right moves back and then the left follows. When moving sideward to the right, the right foot moves first followed by the left. When moving sideward to the left, the left foot moves first followed by the right.

Practice this moving forward, back and sideward in the boxer’s stance until it is done smoothly and quickly. Remember to keep your guard up and elbows tucked in to your sides.

Keep your head at eye level with your upper body leaning forward slightly. In boxing it is important that punches are thrown quickly and then bought back quickly to assume a defensive posture.

Punching

A left jab has many uses, it can be used for both offensive and
Defensive actions. From the set stance the left arm is pushed quickly and forcefully forward, the weight is shifted to the front foot. The fist moves in a straight line and straight back again for defence.

At the moment of impact the back of the hand and the lower arm are in a straight line. Keep the right fist in the defensive position and elbow tucked into the body during the movement.

The straight right is also known as the punching hand and can be thrown with considerable force. The arm moves straightforward from the chin, the body weight is shifted to the front foot with the ball of the foot of the back leg pushing into the floor for more power.

The back of the hand is straight and pointing up at the moment of impact. The arm is then immediately pulled back for protection after the hit.

The left hook to the head and body is an effective punch for closer range work. From the set stance turn your left shoulder quickly and move your elbow up to shoulder height. The fist moves in a circular motion to the target, with the elbow bent.

Rotate your hip and body whilst pressing your front left down keeping the back of your fist pointing up and in a straight line with the lower arm. The left hook to the body is similar to the above but increases the rotation of the body

The right uppercut is also carried out at close range. Drop the lower part of your punching arm until the lower and upper arm is at right angles to each other. The back of your hand should be pointing away from you, now thrust your arm forward and upward to your target.

Shift your body weight to your front leg and rotate your hip and shoulder on the same side. Remember to keep your left fist guarding your chin during the entire movement. Now practice all your punches until they are done quickly and smoothly.

To develop speed and endurance, try punching straight left and right combinations into the heavy bag. The duration of the exercise period is the same as the rest period i.e. 10 seconds exercise, 10 seconds rest, 20 seconds exercise, 20 seconds rest, and so on. Move up higher as your condition improves.

Believe me after you start applying Cardio–Boxing to your regular fitness workouts your cardiovascular and endurance systems will thank you for it.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your 'free' weight loss or muscle building e-courses.

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Why Women's Walking Shoes are the Best Shoes You can Ever Own

By Shelley Costello

Women's walking shoes have to be one of the best pairs of shoes to own.

This has nothing to do with the colour, how they look or even how they fit; this has to do with you, your health and more importantly your life span.

An 8 year study of 13,000 people showed that those who walked for 30 minutes every day had a lower risk of premature death than those who rarely exercised.

The fad of two legged walking began around 4 million years BC. Womens walking shoes were probably not as readily available then as they are now!

1860-1903 saw The Pedestrian Age when walking became the leading sport across Europe and the United States.

In 1877 Mary Marshall walked 50 miles in 12 hours and in 1908 the first women’s 6 day race, covering 372 miles was won by Bertha Von Berg.

You and I will probably be more familiar with craze of the nineties when a staggering 65 million people made walking the most popular form of exercise.

Walking regularly means you will be less likely to lose your mobility [American Journal of Public Health]

It gets even better.

Across the many forms of exercise today, physicians recommend walking over any other physical fitness activity.

If you don’t already have any kind of walking program, here’s a few amazing facts to convince you why taking up walking is the best decision you could make today:-


Maintains a healthy bodyweight
Burns fat and speeds up the metabolism
Increases levels of self esteem and self confidence
Maintains lean muscle
Reduces blood cholesterol
Boosts bone strength and prevents osteoporosis
Controls high blood pressure
Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer
Reduces the symptoms of depression and anxiety
Reduces stress
Reduces pain and joint swelling caused by arthritis
Achieves cardiovascular fitness
Presents an overall feeling of wellbeing and good health

Of course your health is the most important part of your life but walking is completely free, no gym membership required!

One of the most important ‘bits of kit’ you will need, other than yourself of course is walking shoes. Aim to look for the following:-


Great fit!
low heel
flexible sole
breathable, lightweight fabric

If you walk regularly you should aim to have a new pair of womens walking shoes every 3-6 months, depending on the distance you usually walk.

By implementing a regular walking program of just 30 minutes a day you are essentially reducing the possibilities of all the points listed above.

You don’t even have to do one 30 minute walk; you could walk for 10 minutes at lunch time and maybe 20 minutes after dinner.

Try not to walk yourself into a frenzy.

Swing your arms as you walk and at a pace that will increase your heart rate slightly.

If you are losing weight you should aim to lose no more than about 1-2 lbs a week.

If you walk a mile, depending on you as an individual, your speed and the terrain you are walking on you can look to burn around 100 calories every mile.

For more information and how to start a walking program visit the Womens Shoes Guru
http://www.womens-shoes-guru.com/womens-walking-shoes.html

The Women's Shoes Guru website provides a comprehensive guide to choosing womens shoes online.
Visitors are given information on the benefits of womens shoes, the history of shoes and a clear understanding of shoe designs.
For more information visit the Womens Shoes Guru
http://www.womens-shoes-guru.com

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Aerobic Exercise and the FITT Principle

By Daniel Remon

Cardiorespiratory fitness best describes the health and function of the heart, lungs and circulatory system. Cardiorespiratory fitness also describes the capacity of the lungs to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the blood, and the transportation of nutrients and waste products to and from the body's active tissues. Other terms used and applied to the exercise environment are cardiovascular fitness, aerobic endurance and aerobic capacity. These terms are synonymous.

Cardiorespiratory exercise has proved to have many benefits, such as reducing cardiovascular disease by increasing fat utilization and therefore reducing obesity, and the reduction and management of hypertension and cholesterol. Other reported benefits include improved heart function and oxygen consumption, the ability to perform every day tasks more easily, decreased resting heart rate, body fat stores, anxiety and stress and management of diabetes.

A cardiorespiratory program needs to follow general guidelines to ensure maximum safety and effectiveness. These characteristics are essential for measurable improvements. We call this the FITT principle.

Frequency 3-5 times per week

Intensity 60-90% of predicted MHR

Time Duration 15-60 minutes of aerobic exercise

Type Activities; walking, cycling, jogging, swimming, roller blading, cross training, rowing etc.


Exercise FREQUENCY refers to the number of exercise sessions per week that are performed. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) recommends 3-5 sessions per week to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and to achieve or maintain optimal body fat levels.

Exercise INTENSITY refers to the amount of effort you put into your training session. There are many methods for monitoring exercise intensity, some have been standardized, and are suitable for application to the general population and for those of different fitness levels.

Heart rate (MHR)
Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
The 'talk test' method
Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) is determined by:
Men 220 - age
Women 226 - age

A 34 year old male, would therefore have a MHR of 186 beats per minute (bpm). Your exercise intensity is then put into the equation to give an exercise intensity that is specific to experience, fitness level, capabilities and relative to your fitness goals. Those just starting an exercise regime, or having a low level of fitness can benefit from intensities as low as 50-60% of MHR. Higher intensities as much as 90% of MHR are better suited to the more physically fit. As a general guideline, 60-80% of MHR is sufficient for the average population with no contra-indications to exercise.

RPE The 'Rate of Perceived Exertion' scale considers all factors that influence exercise intensity and how we perceive that exercise including fatigue and environmental conditions. A twenty-point scale has been devised that corresponds with Heart Rate intensities and allows the participant to determine their perceived effort. This method teaches us to listen to our bodies instead of 'zoning out' and can be used in conjunction with Heart Rate.

The 'talk test': This is an easy method that anyone can use. The talk test is based on the principle that if you cannot hold a regular conversation while exercising, your exercise intensity is too high. The intensity should however, be enough to increase core body temperature and promote perspiration.

Exercise TIME is the duration of the exercise and is dependent on the intensity of the session. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) suggests a minimum of 15 minutes of continuous exercise to elicit any improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness. More deconditioned individuals may require multiple shorter sessions until they develop a base from which improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness can be made.

Your capabilities, interests, available time, equipment, facilities and personal goals determine exercise TYPE. The options are endless and can include any movement that uses large muscle groups, is continuous in nature (for a minimum of 15 minutes) and utilizes the aerobic energy system.

When beginning an exercise program, it is best to take a conservative approach and start at suggested minimums i.e. 3 times per week for 15-20 minutes at no more than 55-65% of MHR.

This intensity should be gradually increased over the forthcoming weeks and months to elicit changes and improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and endurance.

The health professionals at Fitcorp Asia can design a program specific to your needs and goals, and help you reach your potential in health, mind and body.

Contact us at www.fitcorpasia.com or www.personaltrainingbangkok.com for more information.

As a health and fitness professional for over 10 years, Daniel has personally trained more than 4000 people, on 4 continents towards the achievement of their fitness and lifestyle objectives using his unique holistic and functional approach to lifestyle enhancement. Daniel is a true leader and innovator in the industry. Daniel draws from an academic background in Human Movement, Exercise Science and Sports Management in Australia & also holds a Diploma in Massage Therapy, & Certificates in Workplace Health Promotion, Personal Training (ACSM) and Australian Training for Fitness Professionals (ATP), Golf Fitness & Conditioning, Postural Analysis, Weight Management & Fat Loss.

Daniel is the founder and CEO of Fitcorp Asia, Thailand’s only Corporate Health & Fitness Solutions Company. “We don’t just conduct personal training, we take pride in our ability to ‘coach’ our clients in all exercise science principles including nutrition and total lifestyle transformation to ensure our clients achieve a holistic goal orientated approach to their personal health and fitness endeavours.”

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Hill Training: Why All Runners Should Do It

By Waldo Pienaar

I used to hate running hills. They just mess up your pace statistics, and can be a real source of agony when showing up unexpected in a race. But through experience I soon learned that proper hill training can make the hills much easier to deal with on race day. Hill training has many other benefits too. Even if you live in a completely flat area, I give some alternatives too.

WHY SHOULD I DO HILL WORKOUTS?

* It is a very good cardiovascular workout. Just check your pulse right after running up a hill.

* Hill training is a very effective form of strength training for runners, because it gives the runners a strength workout while they are actually in the motion of running.

* Hill training strengthens the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves, which enables you to run better on any surface.

* The increase strength & flexibility in the calve muscles is very beneficial to speed training. In fact, hill training should form part of your base period training that precedes any speed training program.

HOW SHOULD I DO A HILL WORKOUT?

* How steep should the hill be?
Moderate, not more than 15% incline.

* How hard should I run my repetitions?
Run it at approximately your 10km race pace, maybe slightly faster as you start getting stronger.

* How many repetitions should I do?
If you are starting out, start with 4 repetitions. Add one more every week, and work your way up to 8. You can even push it up to between 10-12 if you really get into it.

*What distance should each repetition be?
Approximately 100m should be enough.

* Should I walk or jog the downhill?
Easy jogging is best, because there are specific muscles and tendons that work when you run downhill, and they need to be exercised too. Take a few seconds to rest at the bottom before you start your next uphill, should you feel that you need it.

* Should I lean forward on uphill running for more efficient running?
No, line your body up perpendicularly to an imaginary horizontal. It's the most effective running form, and keeps your chest and stomach straight for the faster breathing that comes with hill running.

ALTERNATIVE TRAINING METHODS IF THERE ARE NO HILLS AROUND

If you live or train in a very flat area and can't get to a hill, try one of these:

* Treadmills – not my personal favorite, but sometimes they just have to do. The advantage here is that treadmills have built in hill simulating programs, but unfortunately it can't simulate downhill running.

* Stadium steps – a great workout, just be careful not to fall as your legs get more tired later on in your workout

* Running up a flight of stairs – maybe you live in an apartment building or work in a big office building (this can lead to some confused looks from your colleagues)

* Beach running – running on beach sand will work out the same muscles as hill running, but always run with your running shoes, not barefoot. Pick a stretch where the sand is not hard, but also not completely loose.

* Aqua jogging – Like treading water in a swimming pool, but simulating running motion. Usually recommended for injured runners (because there is no impact), this can be done with or without the use of a flotation device.

CONCLUSION

If you hate hills in a race, the only way to beat them is to prepare for them. In addition to that, hill training is an excellent form of strength training, and provides important preparation for speed training, which decreases your chances of injury.

Waldo Pienaar is a former competitive runner, who competed in middle distance track racing at high school, and converted to road racing and cross-country while studying at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. A combination of injuries and his career as an accountant has limited his running to a social level, but he still enjoys researching information on health and training.
http://training.cbmallhub.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Exercising While Travelling

By Daniel Remon

One of the greatest motivators and inspirations for me is the motivation of my clients themselves. The majority of clients training with Fitcorp Asia are professionals and therefore dedicated, ambitious and focused. They also have very high expectations of themselves to perform both in and out of the office. That same dedication is applied to their training also. Unfortunately, one of the greatest ways to disrupt their routine is travel. It’s a fact of business and it’s a fact of life. Travel doesn't have to result in an interruption of your healthy habits. You can still fit in exercise time while travelling.

Not all travel destinations have the most appropriate facilities; hence we adopt a functional approach to training. Fitcorp Asia has developed a unique and effective form of training called FITS - Functional Integrated Training System. FITS allows us to train the body as a system, mimicking movements that we perform in every day life. FITS removes the external support provided by the machine to work multiple muscle groups in “integration” - as the body is intended to move.

FITS uses minimal equipment - you can train anywhere, anytime, with an amazing degree of intensity. This equals to higher energy expenditure, greater body fat loss. Results are guaranteed. FITS enhances coordination, balance, speed, muscular strength and endurance, speed and core stability. Here is an example of the perfect travelling workout: Repeat the routine twice over. This should take a total of 18-20 minutes.

Jump Rope for 5 minutes

Stretch

Squat and Press (Tubes)

Functional Push Ups with Rotation

Lunges

Seated Row (Tubes)

Abdominal crunches

Jump Rope for 5 minutes


Here are a few tips we offer our clients to ensure our clients don’t lose any of their hard earned achievements while on the road, arrive fresh and are as productive while they are away as they are when they are training with us.

•Be realistic. Aim to complete 15-20 minutes of exercise per day with a variety of CV and strength training. This will guarantee you maintain your levels of fitness while away.

•Pack your jump rope for cardiovascular training. Skipping increases the heart rate, burn a lot of calories and is great for improving endurance, core stability, coordination, balance and foot speed.

•Pack your resistance tubes. Tubes are a fantastic option for strength training. Exercises are for the entire body, they allow you to train anywhere, anytime with results.


Some other tips:

•Exercise before you leave. This will keep your metabolism high during your flight.

•Stay well hydrated. Drink one glass for every hour while on the plane and avoid alcohol and coffee.

•Never travel hungry.

•Walk and stretch every hour while on the plane to increase blood circulation and reduce muscle stiffness, fatigue and jet lag.

•When you arrive try to get outside. The sun will automatically help to reset your body clock.


As a health and fitness professional for over 10 years, Daniel has personally trained more than 4000 people, on 4 continents towards the achievement of their fitness and lifestyle objectives using his unique holistic and functional approach to lifestyle enhancement. Daniel is a true leader and innovator in the industry. Daniel draws from an academic background in Human Movement, Exercise Science and Sports Management in Australia & also holds a Diploma in Massage Therapy, & Certificates in Workplace Health Promotion, Personal Training (ACSM) and Australian Training for Fitness Professionals (ATP), Golf Fitness & Conditioning, Postural Analysis, Weight Management & Fat Loss.

Daniel is the founder and CEO of Fitcorp Asia, Thailand’s only Corporate Health & Fitness Solutions Company. “We don’t just conduct personal training, we take pride in our ability to ‘coach’ our clients in all exercise science principles including nutrition and total lifestyle transformation to ensure our clients achieve a holistic goal orientated approach to their personal health and fitness endeavours.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Functional Fitness Training with Fit Balls

By Daniel Remon

Fit Balls, Swiss Balls, Physio Balls and Exercise Balls! Call them what you will, we all know what you’re talking about - those big blow up balls of different sizes and colours you have always wanted to try but never had the chance. They are becoming a favoured tool of the personal trainer, the ‘must have’ piece of equipment for the home studio, and an essential item for complete programming for the development of core strength and reduction and termination of lower back pain.

Because of a sedentary lifestyle, most people have poor posture. The muscles of the trunk are no longer able to support the body in the most efficient way possible. Because of external support from a chair, couch, car seat, etc., the neuromuscular system has "forgotten" how to maintain posture easily and efficiently. This usually leads to breakdown, pain and dysfunction.

I have found that using a Fit ball is a very effective way to correct postural alignment. Exercises on the ball can be very mild or extremely challenging depending on the needs of the client. By balancing on the ball, the client now has no other support to rely on except his or her own body. The body will automatically call on the righting and equilibrium responses, facilitating a coordinated effort of the postural muscles. The client unconsciously finds a way to balance on the ball with the least amount of muscle use possible, therefore reinforcing positive movement patterns.

Fit Balls are one of the most effective exercise tools to improve and develop spinal, pelvic and shoulder girdle stability. Total core stability is achieved along with improved posture and an increased awareness of your own body – the way it moves and the way it is designed to move. An enhanced kinesthetic sense is discovered and refined, allowing you to ‘feel’ your own actions and be able to adjust incorrect positions and movements performed throughout the exercises.

Fit Balls add variety to create new and challenging demands on the body in a number of different planes. Just about any exercise done in the gym can be performed using the Fit Ball. We all know how important variety is to every program. Not just from the point of view of changing the stimuli to allow for continued adaptation but to enhance motivation. Without it, the likelihood of adhering to our current exercise program and achieving our goals is somewhat slim.

Available in a number of sizes, from 45cm to 75cm in diametre, the right size Fit Ball is determined by your height and more importantly your leg length. While sitting on top of the ball, with calves perpendicular to the ground, your thighs should be parallel and at 90-100° with your knees and your body weight evenly distributed over both feet. This is your correct postural position. Imagine a straight line starting from your ear, travelling through your shoulder and stopping at the centre point of your pelvis. This visual connection will help you adjust and maintain correct postural alignment in the initial stages of learning with the Fit Ball.

Implementing the use of a Fit Ball recruits your ‘stabilizer’ muscles to establish and maintain a solid platform from which you develop strength, endurance and correct postural adaptations. They encourage the contraction and stimulation of deep muscle fibres within the trunk including external and internal obliques, rectus and transverse abdominals and the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum. I’m sure those of you who have sought professional advice for lower back pain and postural correction have heard of these muscles before. The relationship between the abdominal and lower back muscles is crucial to core stability, yet neither should be the sole focus of any particular training session.

When using the Fit Ball it is possible to reach muscular exhaustion without showing any normal signs of physiological fatigue due to the high involvement of stabilizing muscles and joint structures. Rotate exercises between the upper and lower regions and the trunk. This guarantees complete recovery of all muscle groups to allow each muscle to be utilized with maximum efficiency and productivity.

As with all exercise, the quality of the movement is more important than the quantity of exercise, repetitions or sets performed on the Fit ball.

The Fit ball is a great tool for the personal trainer to use. Clients enjoy using the ball, and it also promotes body awareness, improves balance and coordination, and reinforces proper spinal alignment along with a great new and challenging stimulus for your brain, as well as your body!

As a health and fitness professional for over 10 years, Daniel has personally trained more than 4000 people, on 4 continents towards the achievement of their fitness and lifestyle objectives using his unique holistic and functional approach to lifestyle enhancement. Daniel is a true leader and innovator in the industry. Daniel draws from an academic background in Human Movement, Exercise Science and Sports Management in Australia & also holds a Diploma in Massage Therapy, & Certificates in Workplace Health Promotion, Personal Training (ACSM) and Australian Training for Fitness Professionals (ATP), Golf Fitness & Conditioning, Postural Analysis, Weight Management & Fat Loss.

Daniel is the founder and CEO of Fitcorp Asia, Thailand’s only Corporate Health & Fitness Solutions Company. “We don’t just conduct personal training, we take pride in our ability to ‘coach’ our clients in all exercise science principles including nutrition and total lifestyle transformation to ensure our clients achieve a holistic goal orientated approach to their personal health and fitness endeavours.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Exercise - Are You Getting Enough?

By Sharon Kirby

Physical activity is essential for general good health. It reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, obesity and certain types of cancer. It is also beneficial for psychological health.

We hear this all the time, via the media, our doctors, even friends and relatives, yet so many of us still seem to find it hard to dig up the enthusiasm to do any exercise at all.

How much exercise should you be doing?

The Chief Medical Officer recommends adults do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, on five days of the week. Every week. Unfortunately this news is often greeted by moans and groans the length and breadth of the country along with the synchronised whistling of kettles, rather than people jumping up out of their armchairs and getting their running shoes on.

In fact, the Health Survey for England shows that just 35 percent of men and 24 percent of women met the physical activity targets in 2003.

Moderate intensity physical activity means at a level where you experience an increase in heart rate and your breathing becomes faster, which is somewhere between 50 and 75 percent of your maximum heart rate. This is known as the 'target heart rate zone' (see note below to work this out).

You should feel warm, possibly breaking out in a sweat depending on the temperature and your level of fitness, but you should be able to keep it up for many minutes without becoming fatigued and still be able to hold a conversation. Good examples of moderate intensity activities include brisk walking, cycling, swimming, gardening, housework and even mowing the lawn.

Get motivated

So how can you motivate yourself to make a commitment to regular exercise for the rest of your life, without perceiving it as a chore?

Think about the advantages of being physically active. Aside from greatly reducing your risk of certain chronic diseases there are other more obvious benefits that will quickly become apparent.

You will notice both psychological and physical changes, such as improved mood and self-esteem, reduced anxiety, improved muscle strength, tone and flexibility and you will have more energy. Let's not forget the fact that exercise aids weight loss.

Your overall physical condition will improve as your heart and lungs become more efficient -- you will be able to climb stairs without gasping for breath. If you can be bothered to make the effort to become more active, it will give you so much more in return.

Structured exercise

Many people enjoy and are able to stick to a structured fitness program at a gym or health club; however, it's not for everyone. Drop out rates from such programs are high, with about half the people who join them quitting within a year of doing so.

Most of us know someone with a gym membership who hardly ever goes. Structured fitness programs can be hard to fit in to a busy routine and health club memberships can be expensive. If you sign up and don't go you will just end up feeling even worse than before you started!

Find something you enjoy doing

Contrary to popular belief, exercise does not have to involve trekking to the gym, and it does not have to be boring. There is an abundance of activities to choose from, in a variety of different settings.

To name a few: running, walking, hiking, bicycling, aerobics, bowling, lifting weights, golf, tennis, table tennis, badminton, swimming, dancing, ice skating, roller skating, karate, boxing, rowing, football, netball, hockey, skiing, rock climbing.

These activities can be done recreationally or competitively, and some may even be done in the comfort of your own home, depending on your personal preference.

Not everyone enjoys the same activities. Just because your neighbour goes to the gym every night after work come rain or shine doesn't mean you should follow suit. If you feel uncomfortable working out with complete strangers, this probably isn't the right thing for you.

Take the time to find something that fits your personality. There are plenty of options; if you try something and don't like it, try something else. If you try something for a few weeks and it gets boring, try something else. If you find something you enjoy doing, bingo! You'll be more likely to stick at it.

Incidental exercise

There are plenty of everyday activities that are not necessarily perceived as exercise, yet they are still of moderate physical intensity. Things you do regularly, or even every day, such as walking, gardening, housework, decorating, washing the car and climbing stairs are all types of incidental exercise. Exercise happens as a result of doing these things, rather than being the sole reason for doing them.

If you really can't bring yourself to exercise for the sake of it, incorporating more incidental exercise into your daily routine is a good idea. An hour of vigorous housework will help get your house clean and give you a work out. Always use stairs instead of the escalator or lift. Walk instead of taking the car. You get the general idea.

Break it up

There is more good news. You don't have to meet your daily target for physical activity all in one go. It can be intermittent.

Breaking up exercise sessions into smaller chunks of 10 to 15 minutes can have significant health benefits, as long they accumulate to at least 30 minutes per day. This is an excellent way to ease yourself in gently if you have been a couch potato all your life or lack of time is an issue.

Ten minutes here, 15 minutes there, it all adds up. You don't have to launch yourself into an intense one hour a day aerobic and strength-training regime. The total time you spend being physically active each day is more important than the actual length of each exercise session.

Do it for you

Like all our achievements in life, it's great if we can get family and friends to support our efforts. However, making a commitment to exercise requires self-motivation; you can't rely on someone else to do it for you.

If you can find someone to 'get fit with' it can be very encouraging, but you never know when he or she will become unavailable and you will be left on your own.

The key to long-term physical fitness is to embrace exercise as a significant aspect of your life, rather than something that you just fit in as a matter of necessity. Think of it as something you enjoy, not something you have to put up with, and you won't go far wrong.

How to work out your target heart rate zone:

Depending on which source you consult, the upper and lower limits for target heart rate vary. According to the American College of Sports Medicine the target heart rate zone is 50 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate.

To estimate your maximum heart rate, take your age from 220.

For example, a 30-year-old person's maximum heart rate would be 190 beats per minute (bpm): 220 - 30 years = 190 bpm.

The upper and lower limits while exercising would be:

95 bpm: 190 x 0.50 = 95 (lower limit at 50%)

143 bpm: 190 x 0.75 = 143 (upper limit at 75%)

So for someone aged 30 their heart rate should be somewhere between 95 and 143 beats per minute when they are performing physical exercise of moderate intensity.

How to work out if your heart rate is within your target heart rate zone:

Take your pulse at the wrist or neck by counting the number of beats for 15 seconds and multiplying by four. This will give you the number of beats per minute. Or use a heart rate monitor if you find this difficult. The number of beats per minute should be within your target heart rate zone. If this number is too high, you are working too hard. If it is too low you need to step up the intensity.

It may help you to start by aiming for the 50 percent level of your target heart rate zone and building up the intensity gradually. Stop if you feel uncomfortable. Remember, whatever level you are at every little bit counts!

If you are very overweight, or in any doubt about your health consult your doctor.

Sharon Kirby is a freelance writer from West Sussex, England and specialises in writing about fitness and health. For more details of her articles, news and features visit her website http://www.healthwriter.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Walking for Health

By Sharon Kirby

When you think of exercise and how you should be doing more of it do you automatically imagine things like running, aerobics, going for a swim or to the gym? Not to mention the latest fitness gadgets and gimmicks. There is however, another, simpler, perhaps underrated way of getting huge health benefits from exercise, and all you need is your own two legs.

General fitness and weight loss

Regular brisk walking is a good way to improve your general physical health, as it reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity, stroke, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer. Walking increases joint flexibility, muscle strength and the efficiency of the heart and lungs.

The Department of Health recommends we all do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity five times per week. Even if these episodes are broken up into brisk, ten-minute walks it can still help improve cardio respiratory fitness.

Walking has an aerobic effect on the body so it burns calories, helps reduce body fat and aids weight loss. "Walking one mile can burn up at least 100 kcal of energy and walking two miles a day, three times a week, can help reduce weight by one pound every three weeks," says the Ramblers Association.

The higher the intensity of the walk the more energy is required, so brisk walks will give maximum benefit. Brisk walking means not overexerting yourself, but keeping things at a moderate intensity, being slightly out of breath while still being able to hold a conversation. But even if you feel like taking it slow, this is far better than doing none at all.

Build up your bones

Approximately 3 million people suffer from osteoporosis in the UK, a condition where the bones become porous. A loss of bone density increases the risk of fractures particularly to the hip, wrist and spinal areas. In addition to eating a balanced diet including adequate amounts of calcium, it is important to ensure we take regular weight bearing exercise, which encourages the bones to stay strong.

The National Osteoporosis Society recommends performing weight bearing exercise such as running, aerobics, tennis or brisk walking for 20 minutes three times a week. Research has shown walking to be beneficial in warding off the onset of osteoporosis and reducing the risk of fractures.

The sunshine vitamin

Food is not the only place we get vital nutrients. While vitamin D is present in foods such as cod liver oil, some fish and fortified breakfast cereals, an important source of it is sunlight. UV rays activate vitamin D synthesis in the skin, and this is the method by which most of us meet our vitamin D requirements.

Vitamin D is important for calcium absorption, which in turn is important for strong bones. It is also thought to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. We need sun exposure if we are not getting adequate amounts of vitamin D from our diets, and walking provides a way to regularly spend time outdoors.

Stress busting

Calories are not the only thing walking burns off -- an energetic walk is a great way to burn up the stress chemicals our bodies produce (such as adrenaline) when we are anxious or under pressure.

A sustained build up of stress chemicals over long periods of time is linked to ailments such as heart disease, skin problems, lowered immunity and high blood pressure. Going for a walk also provides a diversion from the stressors and tensions in your life, and gives you a chance to clear your mind, calm down and relax.

Ease depression

There is much research to suggest that regular exercise helps ease symptoms of depression and is a viable alternative to antidepressants. The Mental Health Foundation says that exercise lifts your mood, boosts self-esteem and reduces anxiety, as well as helping to prevent the onset of depression in the first place. Unlike antidepressants walking has no side effects.

A joint initiative of the British Heart Foundation and the Countryside Agency, 'Walking the way to health' (WHI) offers organised walks designed specifically to have a positive impact on people's physical and mental health. To find a health walk near you, see their website (www.whi.org.uk).

A means of transportation

We were given legs for a reason, namely to get us from one place to another. Legs are the cheapest form of transport we will ever have. Unfortunately, many of us seem to have forgotten this and don't walk anywhere of any distance.

Walking is a good example of incidental exercise -- it has a purpose other than helping us to get fit and is a good way to incorporate exercise into our lives without really trying.

Sitting in the car in traffic is not the most enjoyable activity in the world and there isn't an awful lot you can do to amuse yourself while you are at it. Petrol prices, road congestion, pollution, parking nightmares; walking is a far better alternative.

See the world differently

As toddlers, we make a great effort to learn how to put one foot in front of the other so we can embark on our exploration of the world around us; taking our first steps is such a milestone in our development. This should serve to remind us of why we should walk more -- we get to see things.

When we use the car or public transport we miss out on so much -- sights, sounds and smells. When walking we see and notice things we never even knew were there. One thing's for sure, whether you choose to walk in the town or in the countryside, you'll get to see things you'll never see inside a gym or sitting on your exercise bike in front of the television in your living room.

There's nothing to it

Walking is not difficult; it is especially good for people who are afraid of being 'sporty'. You don't need to invest in any special equipment or clothing (except perhaps a good pair of walking shoes). You won't feel self-conscious doing it and you don't have to be super fit to do it either.

You can build up your distance and intensity at entirely your own pace, taking it one step at a time (pun intended), however you feel most comfortable. You are in total control. You can walk alone or make it more social by taking family, friends or pets with you. Walking can be many things: functional, enjoyable, relaxing, invigorating; you truly can make it your own.

It does not matter if you choose a quick ten-minute walk in your lunch hour or a longer stroll in the evening. Walking can become a sustained habit that continues throughout life and the health benefits can be enormous at any age.

For more information on getting started in walking, where you can walk and how to get the most out of it see http://www.ramblers.org.uk/

Sharon Kirby is a freelance writer from West Sussex, England and specialises in writing about fitness and health. For more details of her articles, news and features visit her website http://www.healthwriter.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Train To Get Into 'The Zone'

By Roy Palmer

Many studies have researched athlete's experiences in The Zone. Regardless of their sport they have found many similarities in the words they use to describe their experience. Can we use their findings to give us some idea of how we can open the door a little wider to enter into it?

A review of these studies to date identifies seven common characteristics of a Zone experience. Athletes reported they ...

were totally absorbed in the activity

experienced an inner clarity

had a sense of ecstasy and being outside everyday reality

were in the moment, focused on the present

felt a deep passion for the activity

had a sense of serenity, no anxiety about their performance

had no sense of effort - it just happened

For many sports people a peak performance comes as a surprise. One minute they a performing, the next, suddenly they are in The Zone and life just got a whole lot easier. I believe these episodes happen when you can get out of the way and temporarily perform outside of your usual habitual boundaries, the old rules don’t apply and suddenly your movement, decision-making and sporting skills escalate way beyond your expectations.

Training for The Zone

I believe The Zone is a natural ability, perhaps a primitive survival skill heightening our state of alertness in challenging situtations. Participation in sport may trigger this capacity but only if we allow it to happen. If it is a primitive skill would it be an automatic function? Could it switch on when certain criteria are met? If so it would mean we could not enter The Zone by deliberately trying any more than we can get to sleep by shutting our eyes tighter.

We all have the ability to switch on and perform - we just have to learn to allow the process to work. Training with a different attitude can bring about the state where we are better placed to let it just happen. If there is any anxiety about our performance it is not going to happen.

Obviously you need to have the necessary skills to perform in The Zone for your sport, but it is important to detach yourself from the ego and concerns you may have in order to get out of the way and allow your mind and body to work together and let it happen. In my view, the most important attribute for any sports person is the ability to be in the moment. All else follows from there. Perhaps our ancestors, without the distractions and pressures of the modern world, spend more time in The Zone because like children they live in the present. This is the skill we need to practise and once mastered, The Zone could become more of a reality.

Roy Palmer is a Teacher of The Alexander Technique and author of The Performance Paradox: Train Smarter to enhance performance and reduce injury. He is currently writing his second book on the subject of The Zone.

More information can be found at his website http://www.fitness-programs-for-life.com He works with sports people of all abilities to recognise and overcome performance-limiting habits.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Is "Anaerobic Exercise" a Myth?

By David Petersen

For many years and even to the present day, the exercise science and textbooks classify exercise as being one of two types: aerobic or anaerobic. This classification refers to the metabolic energy systems required to perform either extended duration/low intensity exercise (aerobic) or short duration/high intensity exercise (anaerobic). Aerobic literally means “with oxygen” and anaerobic means “without oxygen”. This article provides some very basic information on anaerobic exercise and argues the very real possibility that this form of exercise according to the given definition, simply does not exist.

Different Energy Requirements – Different Energy Systems

During low intensity exercise such as walking, a large majority of the required energy comes from the use of fat as a fuel. Oxygen is required to convert fat into energy and is therefore called aerobic metabolism and the exercise it supports, aerobic exercise. This process of generating energy however is very slow and cannot generate energy quickly enough for higher intensity exercise such as running and sprinting. A different type of energy system is required for high intensity exercise – one that relies more heavily on the use of carbohydrate. This energy system is able to generate energy much quicker and does not require the need for oxygen. Thus exercise scientists have named this energy system the anaerobic energy system and the exercise it fuels, anaerobic exercise. It is important for the reader to note that energy systems work on an intensity continuum, that is at any given exercise intensity, a certain percentage of the energy yield will come from fat metabolism and a certain percent will come from carbohydrates. For anaerobic metabolism system to work at a high speed however requires the formation of a substance called lactate or lactic acid.

Muscle power output and oxygen demands

Recall from our article on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) we discussed the concept of intensity, power and power output. As exercise intensity and muscle power output increase, so proportionally does the oxygen demand of muscle. This oxygen demand is referred to as the volume of oxygen uptake or VO2. For the most part, as heart rate (an indicator of intensity) increases, so too in direct proportion does VO2. Traditional exercise physiology theorizes that as exercise intensity (running speed) progressively increases, the muscles become more and more anaerobic until a point occurs where oxygen uptake no longer increases, but reaches a maximum value and levels off. This leveling off has become known as maximal oxygen uptake or VO2 max. VO2 max is defined as the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use to produce work and is therefore a measure of the body’s maximum aerobic power. At the point where VO2max is noted, traditional exercise science proposes that the working muscles must be 100% anaerobic, leading to massive buildup of lactic acid which “acidifies” and shuts down the muscles, causing the individual to stop exercising.

Anaerobic exercise cannot exist since muscles never attain a truly anaerobic state

Professor Tim Noakes at the University of Cape Town prefers to call anaerobic activity “oxygen independent” activity since muscles never actually attain a truly anaerobic state. Noakes argues that if according to “traditional” exercise science theory the working muscles were to become anaerobic, then the heart, which is slave to the muscles for supplying oxygen (via blood flow), must become anaerobic first. Modern exercise science has failed to realize or consider that the heart, which is also a muscle, demands the same increased oxygen requirements with increasing exercise intensity as the working muscles do. Should the heart become anaerobic, then a heart attack would result and the exerciser would die. Clearly this does not happen on a regular basis in healthy exercising individuals. Noake’s documented research also points out that half of subjects tested in laboratory settings fail to demonstrate a leveling off of VO2 at exercise termination – in other words, their oxygen uptake was actually still going up when they stopped. Also, Noakes points to research that shows that lactate levels actually decrease as altitude increases. This so called “Lactate Paradox” is the exact opposite of what would be expected, since the traditional model of exercise physiology claims that as altitude increases and there is less “available oxygen”, there is therefore an increased potential for the development of anaerobic muscle. The previous explanations shoot holes in the concept of anaerobic exercise and also fail to explain what causes people to terminate exercise.

If lactate and anaerobic muscle do not limit maximal exercise then what does?

Prof. Noakes proposes that there exists a “central governor” somewhere in the body that informs the brain of the heart’s condition. Clearly, the heart must be protected from working so hard to supply the exercising muscle with oxygen as to jeopardize its own risk of becoming anaerobic and causing death to the body. Although it is unclear at this time the exact mechanism of its location or operation, Noakes proposes that the central governor somehow regulates the power output of the exercising muscles in order to protect the heart from overload. This regulation of power is suspected to occur via a decreased motor nerve activity to the working muscle via the motor cortex of the brain (part of the brain that regulates muscle activity). Recall that lactic acid generation is directly dependent on muscle power output – which would explain why muscle lactate decreases as altitude increases. A decrease in activation of the working muscle mass decreases the oxygen demand of the muscle, ensuring a sufficient blood flow (oxygen) to the heart.

It should be clear from this article that anaerobic exercise and anaerobic muscle in their defined form cannot exist during even extremely high intensity exercise. Some other regulating factor must be present in the human body to prevent it from “running itself to death.” While much research on the reasons for exercise termination needs to be done, for now it may be that “oxygen independent” exercise is a more accurate description of high intensity exercise instead of anaerobic exercise.

David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.com.

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I'm Ready to Lift Weights - How Do I Get Started?

By Phyllis Rogers

You’ve read over and over that strength training—lifting
weights—is a fountain of youth and helps keep your body
strong as you age. And you’ve decided you’d like to buy
some dumbbells and set up an exercise program in your
home.


The first thing to do is to make an appointment with your
health care provider. Since strength training is good for
almost any physical problem, you will probably be given the
green light. But if your doctor gives you any warning—listen
and do what he or she says. There are some physical
conditions that preclude strength training.


Now that you have approval, how many weights do you
need? Where can you purchase them? How much will they
cost? What else will you need?


You’ve probably heard that you can use soup cans or gallon
jugs filled with water, and it’s true that you can. However, I
believe that you’re better off purchasing dumbbells--cans
are hard to hold onto, and jugs of water slosh around so you
don’t get the same response as you do with a dumbbell.
The one exception to this is if you are very weak and cannot
lift a 3-pound weight. In that case, you may want to use
cans of food or bottles of water rather than purchase one or
two pound weights which you’ll soon abandon as you
become stronger.


You’ll need at least three different sizes of weights for
working different muscles. For instance, you’ll need a lighter
weight for working the triceps muscle (the one below your
upper arm that we call “bat wings”) than you will for other
exercises.


Weights (dumbbells) are available at discount stores and at
sporting goods stores where you’ll have several kinds from
which to choose. The least expensive are the plain gray
metal weights with hexagonal ends which work just as well
as more expensive ones. The gray weights cost
approximately fifty cents per pound—a pair of five pound
weights weighing a total of ten pounds will cost about five
dollars. The ones with round ends tend to roll when you put
them on a chair seat, which can result in injured toes,. If you
place one weight diagonally across the other one when you
put them down; this lessens the possibility of the dumbbells
rolling off the chair seat.


To begin with, you’ll need light weights, although you’ll soon
leave those behind and move to heavier ones as your
muscles get stronger. If you are a female over forty, I
recommend that you begin with: one pair each of 3, 5 and 8
pounds. A man should purchase one pair each of: 5, 8 and
10 pound weights. Men who pursue an aggressive
program, will soon need 12 and 15 pound weights.


You will need a chair without arms (a folding chair works
just fine) and a space large enough that you can lie on the
floor with arms and legs spread out for floor exercises and
stretching. If you really “get into” weight lifting, you may want
to invest in a pair of ankle weights, but you won’t need them
to begin your program. You can always add them later for
lower body exercises,


If you have arthritis in your hands, you may find that a pair of
weight lifting gloves will help make lifting the weights more
comfortable. Other equipment you’ll need includes a chair,
a towel, a bottle of water and a good pair of shoes. Please
don’t ever lift weights without shoes on—it isn’t worth taking
a chance on injuring your toes.


Finally find a place to store them where they’ll be out of the
way. and easily accessible—so you won’t be tempted to put
off exercising because they are difficult to get at.

Please don’t forget to drink water while you’re exercising.
Keep a bottle of water handy while you’re working out and
drink frequently.


I suggest that you find a workout partner—you’ll be able to
motivate each other on the days you just don’t feel like
exercising, but I promise that if you go ahead, you’ll be
energized afterward. Many people tell me that they have
more energy after they have finished a workout than they did
when they came to class.


You should also create a schedule of times and days for
your workout. Write down your schedule so you won’t forget.
You should not do resistance training on successive days
with the same parts of your body. For instance, you wouldn’t
want to do upper body exercises on consecutive days. If you
want to lift weights every day, alternate upper body and lower
body. For instance, do upper body and Monday, Wednesday
and Friday, and lower body on Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday.


You’ll get the best results by doing resistance training at
least twice a week--not more than three times.

Now, you’re all set to begin your program. My book “Over 40
& Gettin’ Stronger contains complete instructions for a
strength exercise workout. You can order a copy at my web
site www.StrongOver40.com or at Amazon.com.

Phyllis Rogers is a Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist
in Fitness for Older Adults. She is author of "Over 40 &
Gettin' Stronger" which contains an easy to learn strength
workout using only dumbbells and which can be done at
home. She has taught more than 1200 strength classes for
older adults Her web site is http://www.StrongOver40.com. She
can be reached at fitness9@mindspring.com and is
available for speeches and workshops.

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