Getting Fit Tips - how to get the most from exercise

Author: Rupert Trubshaw

There are some getting fit tips that can apply on a universal level, no matter what you are trying to achieve from a workout, whether you want good abs, you are getting ready for sport, or just trying to feel better if you lead a sedentary lifestyle.

The one secret which is not spoken enough often about is overtraining. Just don't do it! If you take one of these getting fit tips with you, it's not to overtrain. When you are trying to build muscle, the muscle you have broken down needs recovery time to rebuild and grow back stronger. It will not get the chance if you keep pushing, pushing, pushing - even though you think you might be doing yourself good.

The other problem part of overtraining is spending too long on one exercise session. After 45 minutes or so, the body starts producing cortisol. It's a hormone which does muscle growth no favours. So beware the length of that workout.

The second of my getting fit tips is also very simple. You have to sleep well. The body isn't really building up that lovely new muscle when you exercise - the biggest recovery time is during sleep - and sleep is when that growth process principally takes place. Good, regular, sleep will ensure you get the most from any exercise that you do.

These are just a couple of very general getting fit tips. When it comes to using exercise machines, treadmills and many other devices, there are plenty of things to ensure that you get the most out of them, but if you over-train and don't sleep well, you will be missing out on maximum benefit.

For the best inside track on effective exercise check out getting fit tips for some great secrets, while it is well worth finding out how the two for two rule can transform your strength and conditioning for the better!

About the Author:

Rupert Trubshaw is a freelance journalist, writer and fitness enthusiast

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Getting Fit Tips - how to get the most from exercise

How to Exercise Your Stomach - 2 Great Exercises For Six-Pack Abs

Author: Susan Roberts

Everybody wants a flat, toned stomach. Problem is, too many people go about stomach exercises the wrong way. Getting a flat stomach involves two processes: building your abdominal muscles and burning the fat off those muscles.

The first part is easy: building the muscles by exercising your stomach. A combination of these exercises will ensure that you have tight abs.

Crunches are the staple of stomach exercises. Lie with your back and feet flat on the floor, and your knees bent at a right angle. Making sure that you don't move your legs at all, lift the shoulder blades off the ground, making sure to use your stomach muscles only. Shoot for 20-30 reps per set, and 3-5 sets at a time (with a couple of minutes rest between sets).

Regular crunches work out the top of your abs the best. For a balanced stomach work out, you should do sets of reverse crunches as well. Start by lying on your back with your feet a few inches from the ground. Move your legs towards your chest while lifting your butt off of the ground. Again concentrate on using your ab muscles for this, you should feel the burn quickly if you're doing it right.

As with all exercises, it's important to move slowly to develop range in your muscles instead of swinging your body around, which can develop flat spots in your muscles' strength.

Remember how stomach exercises aren't the sole part of building a tight, flat stomach? You also need cardio exercise to burn the fat off the stomach muscles. All the crunches in the world won't burn fat as fast as a few good cardio exercises. Go out and jog for a few minutes each day and get your heart rate up to burn those calories and work the fat off your stomach muscles.

About the Author:

Cardio exercises benefit you both by burning fat as well as generally bettering your health. Everybody should start on a fitness program for better health, in addition to building muscle.


How to exercise your stomach

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - How to Exercise Your Stomach - 2 Great Exercises For Six-Pack Abs

Often times middle-age people avoid riding a bicycle because they claim that it hurts to ride. While this may be the case for some people because of health issues, for healthy individuals, riding a bike should not be painful. If you find cycling painful, it's quite likely that you are riding a bicycle that is the wrong size for you.
The most common types of pain that are often associated with cycling include back pain and knee pain. For those suffering from back pain, improving posture is one of the best things that you can do to alleviate the pain. Your back should be properly arched in order to make pedaling easier and allow for some flexibility when going over bumps. Some people feel that modifying their bike in order to make the handlebars higher is the solution, but this does not actually work well. It may allow you to sit upright, but bumps in the road will cause the vertebrae to hit one another, causing back pain. High handlebars also make it hard to ride any faster than a fast walking speed. Study proper posture and consult a professional if it becomes a problem for you and you should be able to ride without back pain.


Often rider complains about knee pain as well, but there are things that can be done to alleviate knee pain. One of the best ways to stop knee pain is by using the correct gear for the terrain and slope or the road. Also, the saddle height can make a large impact on a rider's comfort level and will help to eliminate knee pain. If the saddle is too low, the knees are bent most of the time, causing pain. Often riders feel that they need to put the seat quite low, simply because they do not know how to properly mount the bike. If you want to enjoy painless bike riding the buying the right bike is important for your enjoyment and health. Visit Discount Bikes where you find a whole range of bikes and advice.

How To Get Huge Muscular Arms? Build Big Triceps Exercises

Author: Chris Chew

So you want to get big huge muscular arms. Do not ignore your triceps exercises.



In gyms everywhere, you will see people doing bicep curls after bicep curls. If someone were to ask them to show their muscles, they will most likely flex their biceps. How about you? Well, since you are reading this article, then you must have known that to own huge muscular arms, you must build huge triceps.



Do you know why? It is because your tricep is 2/3 the size of your arm. Just imagine, your bicep is only 30% while your tricep takes up 60%. So if you are neglecting your triceps, you are neglecting 60% of your arms while working on the miniscule 30% called the biceps. Of course you still need to work on your biceps for that well rounded balanced muscular look.



Furthermore, since your triceps are involved in many other body building exercises such as military presses, bench presses and many other exercises, having strong triceps will help you to lift heavier in those other exercises and thus will be encouraging further muscular growth in other body parts.



Your triceps consist of three main muscle whereas your biceps has only 2, the their respective names begins with "tri" and "bi". That is another reason why your triceps should be bigger.



Tricep Excercise Form



So you have been training your triceps but do not see good results. It could possibly be due to your movement during your reps where the exercises are not performed to its full range of motion. You see, the mass concentration of tricep muscles is at the top of the arm and therefore you have to stretch your arms beyond what you feel that is natural in order to reach the deep fibers of your tricep muscles.



On top of that your form must be strict with minimum elbow movements when performing tricep exercises like skull crushes and tricep extensions. These exercises reach deep into your triceps muscles when you do it with full range of movement.



Tricep exercises like close grip bench press, diamond pushups and cable pushdowns do not give you that range of movement as the range of these exercises are limited. This is not to say that you don't do these exercises, just concentrate on them less.



So in order to build big huge triceps, you must feel the pull of your tricep muscles when the weight is at its lowest position before pulling them back.



Want those big muscular arms? Then do not forget to work on your triceps hard and do it in good form.

About the Author:

Chris Chew is a personal trainer of actors, fashion models, and international male pageant winners. See his interesting websites How fashion models lose weight and gain muscles and Fitness" target="_blank">www.sgfitnessonline.com">Fitness trainers and courses

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-to-get-huge-muscular-arms-build-big-triceps-exercises-16909.html

Stomach Exercise To Lose Belly Fat

Author: Chung Leong Yu

There is no magical gizmos or high tech gadgets to help you get your abdominal muscle. You have to exercise to flatten stomach and get a lean, defined six-pack. Your dream of getting a sexy body with flat and trim abs is within your reach! Sculpt up with lower abdomen exercise and get rid of those love handles with exercise. Here is how!



Stomach Muscle Exercise



A good abdominal workout program requires high intensity muscular overload and an increase in intensity progressively. Stomach exercise must be performed carefully so that the lower back is supported properly.



Stomach exercise can help build the entire abdomen region because the upper and lower abdominals are not separated and are connected. Of course, there are some stomach exercises that can help build and strengthen specifically the lower and upper abdominal muscles.

Abdominal exercises can help you also gain strong stomach muscles and back muscles. This can reduce the likelihood of back pains and provide protection against injury by efficient response to stress.



Lets have a deeper look into the muscles in the abdominal area. The Rectus abdominals is the muscle that stretches down the stomach from your ribs to the hips. The external and internal oblique run down the sides of the waist and their job is to rotate the torso and assist the abdominals during curling and twisting movements.



Stomach exercises are needed to tone or harden the muscles in that area. Not only that, the layer of body fat that is covering the abs must be burn off and this could be only done with proper eating plan. Try to increase your protein intake and limit your carbohydrates, eating a low carbohydrate diet is said to be one way of tackling flabby abs along with a sensible abs exercise routine, strength training and cardio exercise.



Stomach exercise



Stomach exercise must be followed religiously and is all about frequency rather than intensity. No exercise must be continued if it leads to pain or extreme discomfort. The best stomach exercise program can also help you achieve a flat and tight stomach. Many an abs exercise can be performed on the floor. Like any other muscles, the abdominal muscles will react to resistance training like bicep curls and crunches.



A simple pelvic tilt performed while sitting in a chair can strengthen your abdominal muscles and help support the back.



Best Stomach Exercises



Crunch



Lay on your back and knees bent, lift your shoulders off the floor. The emphasis is on moving the ribs towards the hips.



Reverse Curl



Lay on your back, bend your knees towards the chest. Keep the hips on the floor. Contract your abdominal muscles at the same time. Your lower abdominal exercise program must include reverse curls.



Leg raise



Single leg raise involves raising one leg from the floor. The double leg raise involves raising both legs from the floor at the same time and this works as an abdominal muscle exercise. Lying leg raises are ideal lower abdominal exercise



Abs exercise with the ball



The stability ball is an effective training device for the abs and lower back. Due to the curve of the exercise ball, the lower abdominal muscles get trained better on account of the greater range of motion.



Bicycle



It was ranked the best abdominal exercise by the American Council on Exercise. When performed with the abs muscles pulled, this exercise does great things for you.



Plank



For this exercise program, you need to position yourself for a pushup and hold the pose. Ensure that your body is in one long, straight line from head to toes.



Captains chair



This abs exercise involves standing on a gym chair and gripping the handholds. Press your back against the head pad and slowly lift your knees towards your chest. The back must remain straight.



Postnatal stomach exercise



A lot of women just cannot wait to get back in shape after childbirth. But before they can participate in any postnatal weight loss exercise program, they have to consult their doctor first.



Pelvic tilts and simple abs contractions are an ideal way to start on a postnatal lower abdomen exercise program. Combined with Kegels exercise, you can get your pelvic floor muscles back in shape. Isometric contractions can even be practiced with the baby on your stomach. Stick to a steady lower abs exercise program and watch the flabby skin harden.



Stomach exercise to flatten stomach



Getting a lean defined six-pack abs is a dream for most of us. Millions of dollars are spent yearly in the process of achieving a flat stomach and trim waistline. There are many gadgets that are sold to those seeking an exercise program getting the stomach fat down.



The first step towards a lean waist and flat stomach is to remove the fat that sits on the abs. A combination of cardiovascular exercise program coupled with a low fat diet aimed at preventing fat can do wonders. Stomach exercise program would include the following:



Forward flexion exercises such as sit-ups and crunches.



Rotational exercises such as trunk rotations and standing twists



Stomach Exercise for love handle



Love handles are a misnomer, as all women would love to shun them. Love handles are the ugly fat belts around the waist. This lump of flesh starts at the side of the bra-line and extends all the way down the back. Aerobic exercise aimed at this region can help you shed those love handles. Exercise for love handles involve exercising the oblique muscles to tighten up the sides of the waist. Abs crunches could also do the same.



Here is an easy stomach exercise for the oblique that you can do at home.



Sit upright with a stick across the back of your shoulders. Twist from side to side. Side bends also work wonders on love handles. Keep at it and watch these muscles firm into place.

About the Author:

Yu Chung Leong is an experienced and motivated personal trainer for many years. He is passionate about health and fitness and enjoys helping people achieve their fitness goals. He writes many free weight loss tips at http://www.Lose-Fat-Tips.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/stomach-exercise-to-lose-belly-fat-84797.html

Exercises for Sciatica – What Causes Back Pain?

Author: Ricky Lim

A lot of people don’t understand what sciatica means. You can’t really call it an ailment or disease, not even a diagnosis could tell you the cause of the pain. It’s more like a set of symptoms.

In most cases, the name sciatica is used when you have nuisances in the nerves area of the lower spinal chord or in cases of irregular compression. There are a number of conditions that can cause this.


href="http://www.reliefbackpain.net/exercises-for-sciatica.html">Exercises for Sciatica

While most patients would rather rest in bed, sciatica exercises are the best solution to start the healing process for sciatica pain. After the patient has a sciatica access, doctors will usually recommend a small period of rest (one or two days), but not more, since being inactive will make the pain worse.

That’s because the spinal structure deteriorates further if there is a lack of movement. The result is a weaker support for the back and that can bring a back injury or a spine/muscle strain.

When you exercise the discs, the fluids between them are well lubricated and healthy, and they also help strengthen the abdomen muscles and the back.

There are a lot of types of exercises for sciatica that can bring relief to patients, and they’re different, based on what causes the pain. Most of them will target certain muscles with the help of stretching exercises.

The fact that they are regularly involved in exercises makes the muscles more powerful and mobile, which insures that the recuperation process speeds up. A good side effect is that these type of incidents are prevented in the future with the help of exercises.

You can consult a number of specialists to help you deal with sciatica pain, including physiatrists, chiropractors, athletic trainers, physiotherapists or others that deal with lower body and back problems.

You should always exercise under the supervision of a professional, to make sure you’re doing it right. The exercises depend on the cause of the pain, so a good diagnosis is a must.

In rare cases, sciatica can be provoked by tumours or infections.

1. Sciatica provoked by a herniated disc
2. Spinal stenosis sciatica
3. Sciatica caused by a degenerative disc disease
4. Sciatica from isthmic spondylolisthesis
5. Piriformis syndrome can also cause sciatic pain
6. Sciatic pain caused by a sacroiliac joint dysfunction
7. Hamstring stretching exercises for sciatica

Each condition comes with a different type of exercise for it, which must be done the right way and regularly, usually two times each day.

About the Author:

Discover the best exercises for sciatica at my site. Learn which are the best lower back pain exercises that you can try at home.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/exercises-for-sciatica-what-causes-back-pain-764201.html

Stretching For Back Pain

The main difference between Pilates and individual stretches is that the whole body is taken into consideration when doing Pilates and not just individual body parts. The Pilates instructor usually first meets with his or her client so that the both of them can assess what is going on either in terms of postural instability and/or muscle imbalance. Stretching simply concentrates on the different parts of the body or muscle groups and stretches them out for a certain number of repetitions.
By both strengthening and strengthening the muscles of you stomach, back, thighs and core you can help to reduce or alleviate problems that you may be having with back pain.

Below are some helpful exercises that are specifically directed toward strengthening your aching back. Remember that it is very important that you discuss any exercise program with your doctor before beginning a stretching program. Soon your aching back will feel better again.

Wall Slides

• Stand up straight and tall with your back against a hard surface such as a wall and your feet a shoulder’s width apart
• Slowly bend at the knees and slide your back down the wall. Keep sliding for a count of 5 or until your knees are bent at an angle of 45 degrees.
• Stay in this position for 5 seconds
• Begin to straighten your knees for a count of 5 and slide up the wall until your knees are in a straight position
• Repeat the above steps for 5 repetitions
• Do this stretching exercise three times a day

Prone Leg Raises

• Begin by lying flat on your stomach
• First lift one leg off the floor and raise it 2 feet in the air
• Hold this position for 10 seconds
• Relax
• Then repeat this process with the opposite leg
• Repeat these steps for five more repetitions
• Do this exercise three times a day

Supine Leg Raises

• Begin by lying flat on your back
• Lift one leg off the floor and raise it 2 feet in the air
• Hold this position for 10 seconds
• Relax
• Then repeat this process with the opposite leg
• Repeat these steps for five more repetitions
• Do this exercise three times a day

Semi Sit Ups

• Assume the normal sit-up position, that is, lying flat on your back and have your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
• Only raise your head and shoulders off the floor
• Hold this position for 10 seconds
• Relax and return your head and shoulders to floor
• Repeat these steps for five more repetitions
• Do this exercise three times a day

Standing Back Stretch

• Stand in an upright position with your feet a shoulder’s length apart
• Put your hands in that hollow spot in your back called the small of your back
• Bend back slowly as far as you can tolerate it while keeping your knees straight
• Keep holding this position for 5 seconds
• Relax
• Repeat these steps five more times
• Do this stretching exercise three times a day


There are a range of DVD's on sale at www.pilatesorstretchforbackpain.com which have been recommended by a leading British Osteopath/Physiotherapist.
Please visit my blog at www.stretchorpilatesforbackpain.com

How to Accomplish Fitness Goals for the Whole Year

Author: Benedict Yossarian

It’s not true that people have an innate dislike for accomplishing fitness goals. The problem perhaps is the goals themselves. According to Gregory D. McCollum, co-owner of the Training Loft, a private personal training studio in Chicago:

"Start slowly, but do it with zeal. Ninety percent of all fitness programs work if you simply apply yourself. You will see a positive change in yourself by improving your cardiovascular health, increasing your flexibility and building up your strength."

Starting out right

The first thing to do is to acquire a fitness evaluation. This can be gotten from your local gym or from your doctor. After getting the results, get a good trainer to tailor a fitness program that would match your needs.

If your cardiovascular health needs improving, you can readily engage in power walking. Power walking with constant and rhythmic pumping of the arms and legs can raise the heart rate and burn calories. Get a pedometer so you can see your “progress” immediately.

Other exercises

If you want to tone your thighs and your buttocks, consider doing lunges. Lunges can easily be carried out in hallways or in any long strip of space where you can go backward and forward easily. At work, consider using the stairs when going to upper floors. It might take longer, but it will be good exercise. Eventually, going up three floors would be as easy as one, two, and three.

If you have a pre-existing membership to a fitness club or a locally gym, take advantage of exercise equipment there. Forget “bulking up” during the first few weeks. Lose as much fat as you can first by engaging in aerobic exercises like treadmills and stationary bikes. If you can engage in exercise for 30 to 40 minutes in this equipment, you’re well on your way to improving your cardiovascular fitness.

Real health threats

According to Stephanie Kong, author of A Minute for Your Health: The ABC’s for Improved Health and Longevity:

"Two out of three people will die from cardiovascular disease or cancer. Eating too much fat contributes to both. Most Americans, even slim ones, eat too much fat. Why take the risk? It's time you discovered how delicious low-fat eating can be."

More fish, please!

One easy way to balance the good and bad cholesterol in one’s diet is by eating more fish. Once you fill up on good sources of protein like fish, high-fat red meats won’t be as satisfying. There are plenty of recipes floating around the Internet to make fish more interesting. Frying, filleting and roasting are only three of many ways to cook fish.

McCollum advises regarding brisk walking, the urge of bingeing and cooking at home:
"Take a brisk walk when you feel a binge is coming on. You'll find it refreshing, and you'll lose weight. Cook more at home. That way you can control the quality of your food and you can control portion sizes. You are the only person who can prevent you from meeting your goals.”
You’ve heard the experts; now it’s time to turn those fitness goals into reality.

About the Author:

The author of this article is Benedict Yossarian. Benedict recommends Supplement Centre Bodybuilding Supplements to supplement a balanced diet or Dream Swing to practice your golf swing and get a gentle workout.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/how-to-accomplish-fitness-goals-for-the-whole-year-751380.html

Are All Exercise Balls the Same?

We see all of the infomercials on TV talking about the different types of exercise equipment and how each one is so much better than the rest. It then provides you with a 1-800 number throughout the infomercial wanting you to buy the product and may even offer you a special deal for ordering during the broadcast. There is, however, a piece of exercise equipment that is rather affordable and can actually yield results. As simple as it may seem, it is in no way boring because of the many different exercises associated with it. It comes in different colors, brands, and even sizes. So what is it? Believe it or not, this piece of exercise equipment is the exercise ball.


The exercise ball works the body's core. By toning this area, the rest of your body receives additional support and stability. In other words, it improves your overall balance. The exercise ball has become a very important part of core workouts and has resulted in another one of those revolutionary ways to tone and strengthen your body.

Now you're probably wondering why there are so many companies selling expensive physical therapy products when something as simple as a ball can provide results. Well, that is more or less up to companies selling these units. As for you, the exercise ball gives you another possibility toward strengthening your body. This giant inflatable ball is strong enough for a person to sit on, lie on, and lean on. The idea is for you to be able to balance yourself upon it without rolling over. What this does is put your core muscles to work, which in turn strengthens them. As for what exercises you can do with an exercise ball, there are books and videos available and even gyms conduct exercise ball classes for core training. Some of the most basic exercises involve sitting on the ball and doing what resembles sit-ups or even doing pushups against the ball while keeping it stable.

However, as simple as it sounds to buy a large rubber "ball," There is a little bit of work involved because exercise balls certainly don't come in just one size. The most common sizes are:

30 cm for those under 4'6"

45 cm for those 4'7" to 5'3"

65 cm for those 5'4" to 6'0"

75 cm for those 6'1" to 6'7"

Many of these exercise balls are burst resistant and their firmness can vary. It is up to you what kind of firmness you need because everyone's comfort level varies. Also, your height is going to determine what size you need. That means your exercise ball preference is going to be different than the person next to you. They may be of a different height and require a different firmness, so you probably won't be able to borrow their exercise ball if you need to at any time.


There are so many different variations that it can actually be a tough decision. It is also possible to find an exercise ball with feet, so not only is the selection vast, but they are actually pretty fun. The exercise ball can make exercise anything but boring when working on those external and internal obliques and the abdominal muscles. Your core muscles are what transfers power between the upper and lower portions of your body and there are so many exercises that can be done to get your body in shape. That definitely eliminates the need to call that 1-800 number to buy that super expensive piece of therapy equipment when an affordable piece of equipment like the exercise ball is so easy to obtain.