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How To Properly Perform Pilates

October 30th, 2011 No comments

Pilates is a physical fitness method developed early in the last century as a rehabilitation plan for soldiers returning home from World War I. Joseph Pilates was a gymnast raised in Germany who assumed that mental and physical health are connected. Pilates tried to aid the wounded soldiers to regain their well being by strengthening, stabilizing and stretching essential muscle groups. He proposed a few particular motions which focused on form and control, and integrated them into the present rehabilitation programs. Pilates proceeded to generate “The Pilates Principles” to help restore the entire body; alignment, centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flowing movement. Another good alternative is the Sole F80 Treadmill.

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Alignment is the term for the ideal position of the pelvis, chest cavity, shoulder yoke and head with regards to each other. The right alignment must be preserved during the Pilates workout program, and that requires the practitioner to be aware of his posture while he is doing the actions.

A specific form of breathing is necessary throughout every element of a Pilates workout, principally to circulate the blood and oxygen in the body. Strong breaths and pressured exhalation are recommended to produce the expected amount of circulation, and every single Pilates exercise features breathing guidelines.

Centering, when referring to Pilates theories, indicates the idea that someone’s energy is located in the “powerhouse” of the human form, what we now refer to as our core muscles. Pilates suspected that energy flowed outward from the core to our extremities, and as a result that building a solid “powerhouse” was essential as a primary step toward developing strength in an individual’s arms and legs.

Concentration is the term for the rigorous focus necessary for Pilates workouts. Throughout these exercises, practitioners are typically called on to limit movement to an individual muscle group. To be able to do this, the Pilates student must pay very careful attention to every area of their bodies during the session. Another good product to consider is the Sole F80 Treadmill.

Control refers to the control required over our muscles and movements. Pilates exercises are especially specific motions, and slapdash, uncontrolled actions are not useful throughout the exercise period. The principle of Precision is closely associated; it is the capacity to give attention to doing one accurate and optimal movement rather than a sequence of half-hearted ones. Each movement in the Pilates system has a certain purpose and it needs to be performed correctly so as to realize that purpose.

A Pilates regimen necessitates ongoing movement, in which one motion streams seamlessly into the next by means of effective transitions. The continual movement will assist the breathing procedure as well as create endurance in the practitioners.

It is a fair bet to presume that Joseph Pilates nowadays has a group of adherents beyond wounded veterans.  As of 2005, we have 11 million adherents and 14,000 Pilates instructors in the United States. It is possible that a health club in your town is presenting a schedule for Pilates exercises, which might be appealing to you. Another nice option is the Sole F80 Treadmill.

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Three Techniques For Losing Fat Fast

September 30th, 2011 No comments

If you are trying to get rid of some weight quickly, you are not the only one because many others have this goal. While losing weight fast is achievable, it is something that requires quite a bit of effort and determination. You also want to remain healthy while you are doing it. The following suggestions on losing weight fast will guide you in reaching your perfect weight as fast as possible. By the way, are you looking for an effective weight loss workout that doesn’t take up a lot of time to do? Check out Beachbody’s Ten Minute Trainer workout. It is really good.

Remember, it’s never a good idea to starve yourself when you’re trying to lose weight fast. This is simply the other side of the coin from overeating, and it won’t help you to lose weight in the long run. Low calorie diets may help you drop a couple of pounds, but it’s surely to come back after a few months. This is a fact of life because the body needs certain nutrients to function properly and when you starve you deprive your body, which will do anything to get those nutrients at any cost. If you take such a diet too far, you can even damage your health. Sure, you are supposed to eat less to lose weight, but taking it too far will only hurt you in the long run.

One thing you have to realize is that losing weight quickly, or even slowly is not possible without regular exercise. The best way to burn calories is by doing aerobic exercises, which can be running, jogging, biking, swimming or any type of sports you like such as tennis or other racket sports. Also, you can take either dance or aerobic classes at the gym. The bottom line is that losing weight quickly means you must eliminate calories and exercise more to burn up calories.

You can lose weight quickly by always drinking plenty of water throughout the day. If you want to be healthy and you want a healthy metabolism, make sure you hydrate yourself. An extra benefit to drinking a lot of water is that you will find that you’re hungry less often. Consider this: the next time you feel hungry, you could just be thirsty. When you want to remain hydrated, water is always the best substance. Most of the energy drinks you see advertised all the time as being good for you are loaded with sugar and so they actually hurt weight loss efforts. Even healthy beverages such as fruit juices, which are high in natural sugars, should not be consumed excessively, but you can drink as much water as you want. So if you want to lose weight quickly, it would be wise to adopt this habit.

In closing, you can lose weight quickly but you are going to have to give it all your attention as it’s likely going to require a complete overhaul of your life. You can lose weight fast and keep it off, but you must be determined and driven if you ever hope to reach the finish line. Lastly, be sure to look at our 10 Minute Trainer reviews!

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Muscle Fiction

August 21st, 2011 No comments

If you’ve been training, here’s a short list of bodybuilding fiction.
1. 12 Rep rule

Most weight training programs include this much repetitions for gaining muscle. The truth is this approach places the muscles with not enough tension for effective muscle gain. High tension e.g. heavy weights provides muscle growth in which the muscle grows much larger, leading to the maximum gains in strength. Having longer tension time boosts the muscle size by generating the structures around the muscle fibers, improving endurance.

The standard prescription of eight to 12 repetitions provides a balance but by just using that program all of the time, you do not generate the greater tension levels that is provided by the heavier weights and lesser reps, and the longer tension achieved with lighter weights and more repetitions. Change the number of reps and adjust the weights to stimulate all types of muscle growth.

2. Three Set rule

The truth is there’s nothing wrong with three sets but then again there is nothing amazing about it either. The number of sets you perform should be based on your goals and not on a half-century old rule. The more repetitions you do on an exercise, the fewer sets you should do, and vice versa.

3. My knees, my toes

It is a gym folklore that you “should not let your knees go past your toes.” Truth is that leaning forward a little too much is more likely to a cause of injury. In 2003, Memphis University researchers confirmed that knee stress was almost thirty percent higher when the knees are allowed to move beyond the toes during a squat.

But hip stress increased nearly 10 times or (1000 percent) when the forward movement of the knee was restricted. Because the squatters needed to lean their body forward, and that forces the strain to transfer to the lower back.

Focus on your upper body position and less on the knee. Keep the torso in an upright position as much as possible when doing squats and lunges. This reduces the stress generated on the hips and back. To stay upright, before squatting, squeeze the shoulder blades together and hold them in that position; and then as you squat, keep the forearms 90 degree to the floor. You can also try looking up towards the ceiling.

4. Lift weights, draw abs

The truth is the muscles work in groups to stabilize the spine, and the most important muscle group change depending on the type of exercise. The transverse abdominis is not always the most important muscle group. Actually, for most exercise, the body automatically activates the muscle group that are needed most for support of the spine. So if you focus only on the transverse abdominis, it can recruit wrong muscles and limit the right muscles. This increases the chance of injury, and reduces the weight that can be lifted.

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A Closer Look At Recumbent Bikes

There is a reason recumbent bikes are now more popular for residential use than upright exercise bikes. While upright bikes offer more of a challenge to muscles throughout the body, recumbent bikes are much gentler on the joints. These bikes are more like sitting in a chair and pedaling, though you can incorporate your arms to achieve a whole body workout without worrying about injury.

Recumbent bikes were originally designed to be used in physical therapy for patients who would benefit from working their muscles on a bike but could not stabilize themselves on the seat of a regular bike or who had difficult lifting a leg and climbing up onto upright bikes. Over time the technology evolved and the market for recumbent exercise bikes for the use of weight loss and fitness at home boomed.

It isn’t difficult to find a great recumbent bike today, since all fitness manufacturers are making them. The Schwinn 240 Recumbent Exercise Bike is a great reference for features found on a typical low to mid range recumbent bike.

The Schwinn 240 sells far less than $1,000, so it is considered a low to mid priced recumbent bike. While it is very affordable, it still offers all the features that you would expect from a nicely designed, durable piece of home fitness equipment. It is a great example of what you will find at the lower and mid price points of the market.

Let’s start with the design. The Schwinn 240 Bike has a reasonable sized seat and allows the legs to stretch out in front for a safe ride. It has a big console and both the seat and console can be adjusted to fit users of different heights. The design also includes a heavy 20 pound flywheel which makes the ride smooth and adds stability to the overall bike.

The frame on this recumbent bike is open so users can step through and sit down without stepping over the center bar that upright bikes usually include. There are some recumbent bikes on the market that do not have the step through design, but they are by far less popular than this design.

If your goal is to lose weight or get in shape, you will enjoy the wide range of workouts that are possible with this one bike. The bike has 16 levels of resistance and a variety of preprogrammed workouts in the console. This is fairly standard for recumbent bikes selling in this price range. The console can be used with wireless heart rate monitoring devices as well, but you don’t get the wireless strap when you purchase the bike.

The Schwinn 240 Recumbent Exercise Bike is the perfect example of a high quality bike that is being sold for very affordable prices. It has a lot of valuable features but doesn’t go overboard with extras that would drive up the price.

If you want to pay more, you can purchase exercise bikes packed with amazing technology. What about a connection port or docking station for your iPod? How about a computer or television screen that flips up on your console? All of this and more is possible in the higher ends of the recumbent bike market today.

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Kundalini Yoga Brings Good Health to People

Kundalini Yoga is an ancient form of Yoga that promotes good health and overall radiance. This ancient form of Yoga has been widely practiced in India for years, but was only brought to the West in 1969 by Yogi Bhajan. This style of Yoga was kept a secret for thousands of years, with ancient yogis believing that something too precious a knowledge should be closely guarded and learned only by the high priest of the upper class. However, Yogi Bhajan believed otherwise – for him Yoga should be shared and should be encouraged so that others can benefit from it as well.

Through his teachings of Yoga, Yogi Bhajan improved the lives of thousands of people. However, Yogi Bhajan made it clear that he was not after a huge pack of disciples. Yogi Bhajan’s principles were a product of different teachings combined from great masters in India, and he brought them to the West to help others reach a higher level of consciousness.

Kundalini Yoga is a holistic system, which strengthens the physical body for it to integrate the psycho-spiritual Kundalini energy that broadens the consciousness. With regular practice of Kundalini Yoga, one will be able to identify the untapped source of the “prana” (inner energy) lying dormant at the base of the spine (called the Muladhara Chakra) and will learn how to use it by drawing the energy up, awakening each of the seven Chakras.

What sets Kundalini Yoga apart from the other forms of Yoga is that it emphasizes on doing the Kriyas – the different exercises and purification processes. Doing these exercise activities and purification practices allow a healthy flow of energy in the body, while clearing the blockages and balancing the Glandular system at the same time.

Because Kundalini Yoga is not about keeping the body strong, it can be practiced by all skill levels. Instructors use a gong to create a unique sound that helps elevate the spirit, clear the mind, and heal the body in the process. This form of Yoga is very easy to understand and is very doable for beginners and experienced Yoga practitioners alike.

Kundalini Yoga can a powerful and a positive transformational medium when learned with the proper guidance. It is not a religion, but is a direct and effective tuning-in to our subtle energies. Through its different movements and breathing techniques, you will be able aware of the connection that binds you with the Supreme Being. It will help you create a world of healing, bringing peace, radiance and prosperity to all people you know.

Find out more about Kundalini Yoga and join the KUNDALINI YOGA TRAINING PROGRAM starting in New York this October! Learn from the internationally renowned Yoga teacher Hari Kaur Khalsa, author of A Woman’s Book of Yoga (Penguin) for nine intensive months of Yoga practice and live your life like never before. This is a one of a kind opportunity that you shouldn’t miss! For details, email hari@reachhari.com

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Hans K Anderson

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