It's All About Exercise and Health » exercise

Pilates: Exercise Made Easy

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:36:26 +0000

Do you want to exercise but are scared of getting stuck doing the same old boring routine over and over but don’t want to go extremes either? Perhaps you’re apprehensive about putting on too much muscle after spending so much of your time and effort getting your size down to what’s healthy and perfect for you? And are you too busy to go to the gym? These are all very valid concerns and fortunately, there is a way to address them.
Pilates is an exercise that has gained quite a devoted following in the recent years. First developed by a nurse named Joseph H. Pilates for immobilized and injured patients to help them regain mobility and train their muscles to support them once again it is now being utilized in gyms and health spas all over the globe by fitness buffs and celebrities alike. The benefits are numerous, as with any aerobic exercise, and include: an improvement of physical and mental well-being; increased flexibility, stamina and endurance; and improved muscle strength.
Since many gyms and fitness centers offer Pilates as one of the classes in their programs, it will be quite easy for people to take time out of their busy schedules and arrange to attend classes. For those who prefer exercising in the comfort of their own home or those do not have time to go to gyms, there are qualified trainers who have undergone rigorous training with certified Pilates training groups or centers. Or there are instructional video cds that you can follow in the comfort of your own home. Whatever works for you and your lifestyle, grab the chance to try out this amazing new exercise.
Pilates is based on seven principles: breathing, centering, concentration, control, precision, efficiency of movement and flexibility.
Joseph Pilates believed that of all these principles, proper breathing should be the most prominent and focused upon principle. It is true that good breathing practices affect posture in a positive manner. It also improves blood circulation and the ox focused upon principle. It is true that good breathing practices affect posture in a positive manner. It also improves blood circulation and increases the amount of oxygen being supplied to the various parts of the body.
Pilates is an exercise that focuses on doing several routines with fewer repetitions. This means that for those of us with self-diagnosed chronic ADD things, will be interesting and varied enough to keep our attention focused for more than 2 seconds. No more fear of monotony because you’ll be too focused on thinking about how your body is reacting to notice the time that goes by.
Pilates also increases muscle strength without putting on too much of a muscle bulk. It tones rather than builds a body and this is one reason why it has gained so many followers throughout its decades of being practiced, and promotes overall wellbeing that’s perfect enough to keep you fit and strong for the busy life you live.

How do you fit exercise into your schedule?

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:02:42 +0000

Okay, so you’ve committed to exercising at least thirty minutes per day. You’ve figured out how to make it so your boss won’t think of it as slacking and you’ve even got some of your co-workers getting into the idea of exercising together on a regular basis. You’re excited about finally losing some weight and fitting into that shirt you wanted to wear to the last office party but couldn’t fit into.
Come Monday morning, you wake up and feel so refreshed and hopeful that you go into work all smiles and a whistle on your lips. It is then that you see the pile of work on your desk and the whistling abruptly stops. You end up working all day and even lunch is spent trying to negotiate with other people who are just as loaded as you are and have no time for exercise nonsense. One day goes by like this… and then the next day is just as bad.
How do you fit exercise into your routine?
How do you juggle the mounds of paperwork that need to get done with the need to stretch your arms and let out a rebel yell declaring your need to exercise or all hell will break loose?
The thing is, you don’t have to, not if you’re creative enough to see what office tasks will help you achieve your exercise goals without sacrificing your time and precious company resources (i.e. yourself and your coworkers).
• You managed to get to the building twenty minutes before schedule. You’re waiting in line for the elevator. What do you do? Go find the stairs. Chances are, unless the occupants of the elevator are all working on the same floor, you’ll end up getting there faster because of all the floor layovers. Although a word of advice, it is highly recommended that you start slow. Unless you are on the second to fourth floors, it would be better to pace yourself. Climb to fourth for example and take the elevator from there. Increase your stamina and endurance over time. Don’t expect miracles on the first day.
• The watering hole rush. Instead of slowly making your way to the water dispenser or pantry like the sloth you used to be, try doing stepping exercises designed to strengthen your leg and lower back muscles. Sure you might look like a funny military parade fan, but at the next company outing your glutes will be buns of steel.
• Instead of using an online messaging service to send messages to your office mates, try getting up and walking to them. this not only promotes social interaction, something that helps keep workers from feeling isolated in the workplace, but it also creates an opportunity for you to exercise your legs and improve your posture.
Try to think of the different ways that you can plug in a few minutes of exercise into a hectic work day. Maybe you are already doing something that you would have never thought of as exercise before but could actually be tweaked to fit your varying exercise needs.
Be creative and don’t be afraid to explore new things. The perfect exercise plan for you is out there.

Insomnia, Stress and Exercise

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:56:29 +0000

Are you having trouble sleeping? Is the stress you experience each day starting to be a constant fixture in your dreams?
Before you reach for the prescription pills, stop a moment and think about what other options are available to you. Maybe the answer to your sleep troubles lies with exercise.
All that excess energy that people have can be channeled into a strenuous exercise routine and your body as well as your sleep patterns would be greatly benefited by this.
Of course, you don’t have to start doing it just before sleeping. The endorphin high would make sleeping even more difficult to attain… but if, for example, you could walk for a few minutes before getting ready for bed or play a round or two of Wii with the kids you could see and measure for yourself the value of a brief moment of activity versus a whole night spent tossing and turning in your bed.
Busy schedules during the day means that you spend a lot of your time thinking about the things that you need to accomplish for that particular day. All that constant brain activity could get you in trouble since instead of focusing on the task at hand your brain is jumping to the next thing that you need to accomplish. This is another thing that engaging in sports activities and exercise can help you with. When people engage in sports their bodies and minds are taught how to focus. You can’t exactly throw a ball at someone and expect it to hit the target when you aren’t paying full attention… except of course if you’re holding a really big ball.
What is the key to hand-eye coordination? Focus. What do you need in order to accomplish each task in front of you to the best of your ability? Focus. Get the picture?
Have you ever wondered why stretching exercises like relaxation exercises have gained in popularity over the past years? It’s because these exercises teach people how to find their center and the movements are designed to help a person focus their energy and channel their inner conflicts and feelings into positive output.
So instead of turning to sleeping pills and other sleep aids that could turn out badly for you in the end, as many high-profile celebrities have shown, why not take a crack at exercise and see whether your busy schedule can handle a few minutes of physical activity wedged in. Although ultimately we do hope you’ll be too busy sleeping soundly to notice. Just don’t forget to set that alarm!

Exercise At Work Tips for the Busy Professionals

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:07:49 +0000

Let’s see a few tips for busy professionals as well as housewives and even mothers: The most important thing is to make a commitment, mostly to yourself that you will start exercising and you will adhere to the schedule that you will set. Schedule is the magic word, especially for the beginning, before exercising becomes a habit and an inextricable part of your day. Try to mark down 3-4 days when you can find thirty minutes or even better an hour free for yourself and use it for some exercises. The best thing is to do something every day, however it can be really hard so starting with 4 days is good anyway; after some time your body and mind will ask for a little more and you will need to steal a few minutes to stretch or do some aerobic .

Make sure, though, that you have a backup plan because sometimes unexpected and urgent events can throw you off your plans completely ; it’s a good idea to know when you can squeeze in some exercises in case of plan changes.

Exercising doesn’t necessarily mean sweating on a treadmill; actually exercising includes even daily activities that we usually don’t think about, like walking, climbing stairs, housekeeping or even going for heavy shopping and walking back from the grocery store. Try to walk instead of taking the car in relatively short distances. Climbing stairs instead of using an elevator, or walking a couple of miles in fast pace, such as power walking, can be a very good exercise and is supposed to be extremely helpful for heart and respiratory system.

Same with bike; try to avoid car and use your bike especially in nice weather. Not only you will do some exercise but you will also enjoy the nice day and you will feel better and more confident. These are little tips that we usually don’t think of, but can have a great effect on our daily lives and plus are time savers; you don’t need to schedule anything; you just do regular things but exercise at the same time.

The key element in your effort will be the level of dedication and your determination to follow a healthier lifestyle starting with some small exercising plans. Making them a part of your everyday life will make you feel stronger, fresh and new, as exercising can be a rejuvenating factor in your hectic and busy life. It is important to find some time for yourself because you deserve it.

Exercises and Workouts for Busy Schedules

admin — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 04:24:08 +0000

After coming back from a long and draining day in the office, having dealt with many complex issues the only thing you really want is to come back home, sit in the couch, relax and unwind with your family, watching some –indifferent most of the times – TV programs, or listening to the music. Exercising is not something that you will possibly think, since you combine it with extra fatigue and more lost time from your personal life. This is not true though if you know how to do it.
Keeping yourself fit doesn’t mean endless hours of running or working out; it can be both useful and fun. Doing some stretches and aerobic exercises in short sessions that you can do either at home or even at work, during lunch break or just a regular ten minutes unwinding break. Do some stretches for legs, arms and neck, using the method that suits your style best: relaxation exercises or Pilates are the most recommended since they both aim at the muscle invigoration using natural moves and can prove extremely relaxing and rejuvenating even at work.

Sitting all day anyway is something that makes the body get easily tired and stiff, so that can help a lot. Stretching is a form of exercise that you can do after you return home, with your family, or listening to some music; it is very pleasant and will leave a sentiment of wellness, as it will turf out fatigue and enhance concentration. Aerobic on the other hand is a more power and brisk form of exercise but you can turn that into a big advantage for yourself, since you can perform some aerobic exercises while walking fast or climbing stairs.
Even when being at work you can take advantage of the time that you don’t need to be sited in front of the computer all the time; walk around the office, hold some heavy books and do some raises. If you do that for some time your muscles will feel more toned. Keep in mind that when it comes to aerobic, a 30 minutes straight work out is great and 60 is ideal, however you can always do smaller sessions of 10mins each time throughout the day. That will keep you more energized and zappy all day, breaking the hours of stiffness and standstill that usually make us feel more dull ,sleepy and lethargic.
A very good idea for those who want to exercise but don’t want to lose time from their interaction with family and kids, is to try to do some sports in the house – especially if you have a yard – with your kids. Play 30mins of racquetball or basketball, toss a ball or do something that can be both entertaining and exercising at the same time. You can turn some regular work out into fun this way and plus share some moments with family and kids.
The most vital and important thing is that you need to find what works better for you and when, since you know your body and schedule better than anyone else. Combine some daily or regular exercise with healthy diet and you will get amazing results even after a month; your entire mood and overall feeling will be better, feeling more alert and lively.

Travel Exercise Workout–Sure shot tips to stay fit for travelers

admin — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:36:34 +0000

Are you planning on traveling soon? If yes, this can disturb your whole workout schedule and even a healthy diet regime. Most people tend to put a lot of weight when they travel. This is because one doesn’t focus on their workout and diet when they travel.
It very essential to focus on following a schedule while traveling in order to make sure that you don’t gain the amount of pounds you lost after a hard workout at gym. Here are some tips to follow in order to make sure that you don’t miss out on precious workout even while traveling.
a) Plan ahead of time:
Before going out on a trip most of us tend to know exactly where we will be going ahead and for what time period. Hence, you must do some research ahead of time in order to know what kind of exercise and activities opportunities are available. You can get some more information from the hotel if they have a gym or not. They are many fitness friendly hotels around which can help with that workout.
b) Walk:
One of the easiest exercises you can indulge in while traveling is walking. Walking for a mile can help your lose some of those calories. The best thing to do is to go for a morning walk prior to having breakfast. You can also take stairs instead of elevators when staying in a hotel.
c) An excursion:
If the hotel you staying in does not have a gym, going for an excursion is a great opportunity to keep yourself fit. When sightseeing you can opt for cycling, jogging, horse riding, punting, rowing or even take a pedalo. All these are amazing cardiovascular activities.
d) Portable gym:
It would be a superb idea to pack a portable gym. Pack a stability ball, a stability ball pump, a skipping rope and two empty bottles of water (44 oz) to fill with water or sand. These can act as great dumbbells.
e) Stretch:
Stretching is important to your body. If your hotel has a pool you can use it for flexibility training. Stretching is essential because it helps with alignment, circulation, relieve stress, prevent injuries and also helps to keep your body from developing random aches and pains.
f) Water water and water!
It is very important to keep yourself hydrated while on a vacation. Water is essential to our body and it also helps lose weight. Drink lots of water when traveling.
g) Watch your calories:
While traveling it can be very difficult to follow normal eating schedule. It is very easy to get into temptation of eating a lot of junk food. It is therefore essential to watch what you eat. Tell yourself that you will not eat junk fatty foods. When you do eat a health meal you can also avoid eating desserts as most of them contain large amount of calories.
h) Rest:
It is also important to give yourself some time to recover after travel. Let your body and mind relax for some time. Taking some rest always ensure an opportunity for the body to recuperate which is necessary after traveling.
Staying in shape is not difficult while on a trip. All you require to do is to follow all the tips mentioned above and enjoy your vacation. You also need to put some restriction on what you eat.
Enjoy your travel and stay in shape!

No time for gym? Home or Everywhere Exercise Workouts as effective as hitting to the gym

admin — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:25:53 +0000

If you are enthusiastic about getting a perfect figure or build a great physique but don’t have time or the money to take a gym membership, don’t lose heart. There are ways out to lose a lot of weight and gain a perfect figure even if you don’t hit the gym.
All you require to do is to learn some simple exercises, get hold of things that can easily found at home and start off with your exercise regime. There is a famous saying that goes as said below:
“A man can succeed at anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.”
So, if you have the enthusiasm in you to obtain the figure type you desire, all you require to do is to work towards it.
Some effective tricep home workouts:
a) Tricep dip:
You require strong and unmovable surfaces for this exercise. This will be helpful for depending on a surface that can hold your bodyweight. You can either use two chairs or tables. Make sure they are of the same height. Utilize the exercise technique that you would for a regular tricep dip.
b) Tricep extension:
This is a lying tricep extension. This ensures maximum muscle growth and stimulation. The exercise is quite easy to do on the floor. Use water bottles or books to use as weight. Now, do lying tricep extensions via using these weights. You need to be very strict about this regime to put maximum impact on your triceps.
Some easy home workouts:
a) Weightless concentration curl:
This is a great home workout. Start by standing straight. Now with your right hand catch hold of your left wrist. Try to apply pressure towards down using your right hand and simultaneously curl your left arm forcefully but at a slow pace. Once your elbow is curled, squeeze your biceps again and hold the position for one second prior to lowering it. Make sure you finish all reps prior to switching arms. Focus on working out your biceps all the time for each rep. you also need to ensure that you are applying strong pressure with the idle hand.
b) SQUATS:
This is an exercise for legs. Start with a standing position and spread your feet at shoulder width. Now, squat down till both your legs reach 90 degree angle. When you lower yourself, you need to keep your back a little arched. Your head should be up and your glutes should be sticked out. Imagine as if you are sitting on top of a chair. As soon as you are at the bottom, start flexing your hamstrings, glutes and quads to bring yourself back to the position where you started.
c) Push up:
This is an essential and effective type of home workouts. This exercise will let you build up your shoulders, triceps and chest. Place your hands on ground at shoulder width. Now, keep your toes on the floor and feet together. At a slow pace lower your body and get your arms reach to a 90 degree angle. Now, it’s time to bring yourself back and flex to back up. Make sure you don’t spring back up in order to finish your rep.
Hope all the above mentioned tips provided you a clear idea on how to exercise at home effectively.