Best Home Exercises Ever

You're about to find out the best home exercises ever. I've been exercising for what seems like an eternity and have learned a few things that I would like to pass on to you. Did you know you don't have to go to a fitness center to get great results? You can exercise right at home which will save you gas, time and money. Furthermore, with gas prices getting higher by the day, those are some pretty good incentives, don't you think?




There's also the weather factor, extreme heat, cold, snow, storms and hazardous driving conditions to name a few. Who wants to deal with this? When you can stay safe and be in the comfort of home. These thoughts would come to me as I looked out my window on many occasions and pondered risking the drive. Do I or don't I? Since my health is very important to me many times I took a chance and went anyway, against my better judgment. Thankfully, I've never had an accident.





Then one day I was online and saw an exercise video that got me to thinking about exercise at home. So I began to look for the best home exercises and what I needed to purchase to make it a reality. While searching I had a light bulb moment. Why not do what I already know? After all, why make it difficult?




As a result I went out and bought Power Block (adjustable dumbbells), a weight bench, a stationary bike, an exercise mat, and one of those big exercise balls. I didn't buy them all at once, but a little at a time. These are the things I use most at the gym. Now, when I don't have time or weather is bad or whatever comes up, I can do home exercises.




You can't beat the combination; you have weights (Power Block) and a weight bench for toning muscle. Then you have the bike for your cardio and an exercise mat or your big ball for abs. You can also use your big ball for many other types of exercise, it's great. These are the best home exercises you can do for a complete workout. Now that you know what to do you can save gas, time and money, just like I do.




by Sonni Carr
If you want to find out more about getting in shape at home go to http://www.squidoo.com/getinshapetips

How to Stretch For More Muscle Building and Less Injuries

Some things are just important. I like to stress how important it is to warm-up before any kind of workout (whether it's a weight training session or a game of tennis) you need to be prepared. Even better, stretching has a lot of other benefits; not just as a warmup, but as a worthwhile addition to your fitness regimen in its own right.



I'll try in this article to convince all of you of the merits of stretching each and every day, whether or not you'll even be working out that day because flexibility is important to every aspect of your life, not just as a bodybuilder or athlete of any stripe. And it gets even more important the older you get!



Stretching will give you a greater range of movement which is handy in just about every situation you'll ever face in your daily life. Remember the last time you had to contort yourself to get something into or out of your crawlspace-style attic, for instance? Imagine how much easier that would have been if you were a bit more flexible. Or perhaps you have kids it's easier keeping up with children after following a regular routine of daily stretches. And as you get older, you'll find range of movement is one of the first things to deteriorate so it's VITALLY important to start keeping yourself flexible now to slow down the aging process.



You'll be more relaxed. Stretching causes heart rate to slow and stress levels to lower somewhat. With regular stretching, this effect lasts far beyond when you are actually doing your stretches.



Did you know stretching helps pain relief? It's true: Sore muscles can actually be soothed by stretching. This may seem counterintuitive, but it really works! Next time you have some sore muscles, try a gentle stretch to get the blood moving into that area as you slowly lengthen and contract the muscle through stretching while breathing deep into the area you want to relax and soothe.



Another benefit is better posture. This is REALLY important, especially for bodybuilders because bad posture creates muscle imbalances that lead to injuries.



A great many strength training exercises require you to keep your back and head straight, which can be difficult if you have poor posture. Not only that, but if you have poor posture you'll end up over strengthening certain muscles and weakening others (which is a major cause of back pain!) Stretching can help with this and help you both avoid straining yourself during exercises like squats as well as let you make the most of your workout!



Now, here's the last thing you should keep in mind You should warm up before stretching! Yeah I know, it seems like you don't need to, but you do need a little blood to get flowing. Just a quick walk with your arms moving freely as you do so is sufficient for this; but you don't want to go from a dead stop to a stretch. Because you need to make sure your muscles aren't totally "cold". And you certainly don't want to get an injury during your warm up! So now you know what to do -- so get stretching! I'll see you in the weight room!

Finding Endurance in the Water

For beginning swimmers, what can often be frustrating is the idea that perhaps one is out of shape. Maybe you learned to swim when you were younger, and you remember the strokes, but you get in the water and find that you are completely winded only after 25 meters. Yet, on weekends you eat marathons for breakfast. If you investigate further, you will find that you're not out of shape after all, and that you are you employing bad swimming technique. This bad technique is affecting your efficiency and wearing you out much faster than a regular swim normally would.




Endurance in the water is actually a multi-faceted issue. More importantly though being in the water is as much about technique as it is about the state of mind while in the aquatic environment. Here are a few things to remember, especially if you are new to swimming:




1. Relax


If you are afraid of the water, you will never conquer it. You must assure yourself that you are not going to drown and act this way while you are in the water. You must be confident. The fear of being in the water will shoot your heart rate through to roof. This increase of oxygen consumption will stress the body over time forcing you to become winded easier.




2. Slow Down


Slowing down directly relates to being relaxed in the water. If you start slow, you can work up to swimming at faster pace with a much better technique. When you take a slow and steady approach, you can get the blood moving. In order to be quick in the water, you need to smooth, and if you move slowly, you will be smooth.




3. Breath


Your body needs oxygen to operate properly, especially while performing an aerobic exercise like swimming. For swimming, you have to rotate your hips enough to allow sufficient time to take a full breath. Practice exhaling in the water completely, so that you don't end up breathing shallowly. Without getting enough air as you move through the water, your body instinctively wants to fight to get air. This leads to panic, more oxygen consumption and which means less oxygen is used to get to your muscles.




These three tips are, of course, the first step to becoming truly graceful in the water. You must master the stroke and build strength over time in order to become a strong swimmer.

Exercise to Boost Your Metabolism and Increase Weight Loss

Exercising as we all know has many benefits. It truly is the one entity that can slow down the aging process. We also know that implementing a regular exercise routine also contributes to weight loss. Your metabolism plays a key roll in to just how quickly your body can burn that excess fat and in turn lose that weight.




Studies have shown us that a proper exercise routine helps increase your metabolism, which is very important if you want to shed those unnecessary pounds and increase your weight loss or at least get closer to your goal. Your metabolism is measured by your metabolic rate, or the rate at which your body uses energy. I won't go into detail as to how to calculate your metabolic rate, but for now just knowing that a higher metabolic rate is very important to a successful weight loss campaign.




Here are some suggestions that you can implement today to help increase your metabolism and lose some weight in no time.




Start out by implementing an exercise routine that utilizes weights no less than three days per week. Studies have shown that a regular weight training regimen increases a person's metabolic rate on average by eight percent.




During your weight routine take a shorter break in between exercises and sets. Twenty-five to Thirty seconds is ample time before you are ready to move on to the next movement.




Upon completion of your weight training routine ingest a healthy shake made up of a protein powder supplement mixed water. There is a variety on the market and the best ones out there have Whey protein in them. A visit to your local GNC or Vitamin Shoppe can help you find one that is right for you.




Add in twenty minutes of vigorous cardiovascular activity three days per week, preferably not on weight training days, and for better results, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Your body is prime first thing in the morning as it is ready to use those fat storage areas as energy. So help your body out and get going first thing in the morning.




Finally split your meals up throughout the day. Eat six smaller meals every two and a half to three hours daily. Each meal should have an equal portion size of protein, carbohydrates and leafy green vegetables with a portion size being the same size as your clenched fist.




By following these tips and keeping it as simple as possible you will be on your way to increasing your metabolism, building your muscle volume and losing weight. Even more important beyond those benefits you will become healthier and stronger.




Just remember as with all or any exercise routine or nutrition program, you should consult with your physician and get a complete physical prior to starting. They will let you know where you stand as far as your weight, metabolism and so on. Also while you are there get your blood work done and get your cholesterol measured. This is another good measuring stick you can use to make sure you are headed in a healthier direction.

Lose Your Gut With This Quick Six Pack Abs Workout

You want some abs, right?


You want to lose stomach fat and get a firm, flat stomach...maybe even with a little definition...maybe even a six-pack.


Who doesn't? I know I do. That's why I work so hard to get and maintain my physique.


It was tough, but it's not impossible. I'm sick of hearing people say they don't have the genetics to lose stomach fat and get a firm, flat stomach, let alone get six-pack abs.


That's a bunch of crap! If you're reading this, you can lose stomach fat. As a matter of fact, you can lose as much stomach fat as you want and even get that six-pack.


You just need to do things differently than you are right now.


First, if you're not doing anything...do something. Sounds stupid, but you'd be surprised how often I need to tell people that.


Second, you need to stop doing crunches, sit-ups, twists, leg lifts, etc. Doing hundreds and thousands of those exercises every week will not help you lose stomach fat, let alone get a flat, firm stomach and they especially won't help you get a six-pack. Not when you have a layer of flabby goo sitting on your waist line.


You need to burn the fat off your stomach and to do that you need to eat right and you need to do fat burning full body workouts.


Here's an example of a fat loss workout I just gave to a client that was specifically designed to help him lose stomach fat and get six-pack abs.


Perform this workout as a circuit and do as many circuits as you can in 15 minutes. Do this circuit before your regular workout when you're still fresh 2-3 times per week for the next 4 weeks.


1A) Dumbbell Split Squat - 10 reps per side

1B) "T" Push-up - 10 reps

1C) Overhead Squat - 10 reps

1D) Cross Body Mountain Climber - 30 seconds

1E) Push-up w/Dumbbell Row - 8 per arm


That workout will work your entire body, and each exercise is designed to put extra emphasis on your abs. If you do it right, you will feel it in your abs and you will lose stomach fat.


As far as fat loss nutrition and fat loss cardio go, here's the easiest things I can tell you. When it comes to nutrition, you've got to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, no juices sorry, limit any food that comes in a bag or box and cut your dinner portions by about 25%.


For cardio, stick with interval training rather than boring steady state cardio that lasts for hours upon hours on end. Interval training is proven to burn more stomach fat than steady state cardio and has helped virtually everyone I've ever trained lose stomach fat fast.


Now that you are armed with that fast six-pack abs workout designed to help you lose stomach fat, plus you've got a little more advice when it comes to fat loss nutrition and fat loss cardio...get to it!


Do the workout and eat more fruits and veggies and you will see dramatic results in terms of stomach fat. You will have a firm, flat stomach and who knows you may even get that six-pack.

Exercises For Tennis Elbow

Has tennis elbow been preventing you from participating in your favorite recreational sport or hobby, and is now impacting your job performance or career? Looking for the right exercises to help your tennis elbow?


Sports participants, especially racquet sport players, are prone to developing tennis elbow. About a third of regular tennis players experience tennis elbow at some point in their careers. In addition to racquet sports, tennis elbow is seen in golfers, fencers, and other sports participants.


However Tennis Elbow can afflict people from all walks of life & profession. In the early stages, you may not even realise that you are being affected.


Exercises For Tennis Elbow:


Use Powerball Gyroscope also called Hand Gyroscope, Hand Gyro, Wrist Gyro,...) for gently Exercises of your Tennis Elbow.


It is fully dynamic training - rehabilitation product that takes your wrist through the actual ranges of its motion while simultaneously adding resistance.


Benefits:


- Recommended by Chiropractors


- Gently stress damaged areas in a perfectly smooth and balanced manner which cannot be replicated by traditional exercise routines


- You can use it at your own pace and without further risk of damage to existing inflamed areas.


- Suitable for both male and female, young or old


- Use for 5-7 minutes each day


- It is fun


Recommended exercises and stretches for Tennis Elbow


There are several recommendations regarding prevention, treatment, and avoidance of recurrence that are largely speculative including:


1. Stretches and progressive strengthening exercises to prevent re-irritation of the tendon.


2. Progressive strengthening involving use of weights or elastic theraband to increase pain free grip strength and forearm strength.


3. Racquet sport players also are commonly advised to strengthen their shoulder rotator cuff, scapulothoracic and abdominal muscles by Physiotherapists to help reduce any overcompensation in the wrist extensors during gross shoulder and arm movements.


4. Soft Tissue Release or simply Massage can help reduce the muscular tightness and reduce the tension on the tendons.


5. Strapping of the forearm can help realign the muscle fibers and redistribute the load.


Exercises Tennis Elbow - Using Powerball Gyroscope for short periods each day will endow the cuff joints with a far greater range of movement while simultaneously 'beefing-up' the wrist and forearm areas to such a degree that can be absolutely guaranteed you will never succumb to either ailment or will see such conditions diminish almost entirely should you actually be suffering right now.

Excercise, Dance and Pregnancy

Medical attitudes to exercise, dance and pregnancy have altered radically in the past twenty years. Before then doctors were likely todvise the mother-to-be to avoid strenuous activity and just take gentle walks.

Today the considerable benefits of aerobic exercise are generally understood and acknowledged. Scientific research shows no correlation between moderate to vigorous levels of aerobic exercise and miscarriage or other pregnancy complications. The impression is that pregnant women who take regular aerobic exercise suffer less back pain, gestational diabetes, depression, medical interventions while in labor, ceasarian sections and other problems arising from pregnancy.

Exercising during this period brings numerous benefits. Fit women give birth to leaner babies thus reducing the likelihood of their offspring becoming overweight or diabetic as adults.Aerobic activity increases the size of the placenta which in turn increases its efficiency in exchanging oxygen, CO2, nutrients and waste products.

Blood and oxygen are delivered to the brain and heart more effectively which helps to raise both concentration and energy levels. Furthermore,babies born to fit mothers have greater cardiovascular capacity right from their arrival in the world.

Another very important point is that cardiovascular exercise prevents excessive weight gain during the pregnancy which in turn reduces the risk of diabetes for both mother and child long term.

An expectant mother who exercises will get her figure back much sooner than one who has lazed about and taken little physical activity.

The maternal immune system is boosted by exercise and this also has positive benefits for the unborn child. Regular exercise reduces stress, anxiety and insomnia while lowering the risk of depression.

Other benefits of exercise during pregnancy are that come D-Day women who exercise have higher pain thresholds and greater stamina for labor and delivery. Good pelvic muscle tone leads to fewer episiotomies or tearing.

A mother-to-be's concern for her baby strengthens her motivation to improve her health in general which can lead to her taking up a fitness program, or stopping smoking and/or drinking.

I came across the following list of what are described as the best aerobic activities during pregnancy:- power walking, hiking at low altitude, low impact aerobics, step aerobics (low step level), Nia ( a personal growth mind-body-spirit fitness program),or other improvisational movement classes, treadmill, elliptical trainer, recumbent bicycle, swimming, aqua aerobics, dancing (low impact).

Personally I would always advocate a holistic dance based exercise program at this beautiful time in a woman's life.

Whether you are used to regular exercise or not it is very important to seek advice from a health professional especially if you want to start dancing for the first time.

Generally speaking the American College of Obsstetricians and Gynecologists no longer uphold restrictions on heart rate during aerobic workouts. So the previous advice of keeping the heart rate below 140 beats per minute no longer applies. Early in pregnancy the quantity of blood circulated by an expectant woman's heart increases, until in the final three months, it is between 30-50% higher than normal. The heart has to work harder to circulate this blood. The result will be that the mother-to-be tires more easily, and any exercise becomes more of a struggle, not matter how intense or gentle the exercise program is.

Heart rate is rising during this period too so a pregnant woman may need as long as 15 minutes before her heart beat returns to its resting rate. The needs of the heart and muscles can lead to the placenta having to compete for the extra blood which is circulating. Extreme aerobic activity can in fact divert too much blood away from the growing baby in the later stages of pregnancy. For this reason in the later stages pregnant women should not exercise to more than about 70% of maximum heart rate.

During pregnancy the hormone "relaxin" is released. It softens the ligaments and helps the uterus to expand. As the breasts get larger this may lead to the breakdown of their fibrous tissue. This effect is irreversible. So if you have never worn a bra now is the time to do so, especially when exercising. Here are a few points which must be kept in mind:-

Do make sure that you have an experienced and competent instructor.

It is as important as ever to warm-up and cool-down at the start and finish of a session.

If you feel even slightly unwell stop. Listen to what your body is telling you. Clearly if you are feeling nauseous do not exercise.

A light snack an hour beforehand is a good idea.

Avoid activities where there is a risk of falling or violent body contact.

Only do strenuous routines for 15-20 minutes and restrict strenuous sessions to four times weekly.

It is very important to drink plenty of fluids, so drink before, during and after sessions.

Avoid exercising in hot and humid surroundings.

There should be no holding of breath.

Dance as exercise can be a great alternative to the more commonplace suggestions of yoga and walking. Certain movements and positions in dance should be avoided.

Expectant mothers should avoid exercising lying on their backs after the first three months.

Nor should they stand still for long periods of time as this could reduce the flow of blood to the uterus.

Keep one foot on the floor at all times.

March or step side-to-side instead of jumping.

Use fewer arm movements.

Avoid fast turns that might cause jarring. Instead always face in one direction.

Be careful with movements that result in a pronounced lumbar curve.

Avoid back bends.

Keep your bottom tucked under your pelvis.

Be aware of your bodies softened ligaments to avoid strains and sprains.

Learn how to contract your deep abdominals and pelvic floor muscles at the same time for stability and support.

The question, of course, arises as to how long a pregnant woman can and should continue dancing.

Tap dancing requires a great deal of hopping and jumping. This form of dance should be decreased if not stopped altogether after 16-20 weeks of pregnancy. The high impact jarring can be risky for both mother and baby. After three months low impact tap is advisable. A step can replace a jump and a heel a hop.

The first four months are said to be fine for Pole Dancing. After which it might become uncomfortable. There is also the danger of falling to be borne in mind.

Contemporary dance and yoga can generally be continued into the seventh month with a few moderations. Let your body and your medical professionals be your guides.

Each woman is a unique individual and there are reports of women dancing until a few hours before delivery. One woman proudly reported that with her third pregnancy she did dance aerobics, weights, and elliptical. She discontinued step after 34 weeks. She even worked out the day she went into labor and feels that this explains why there were only three hours from labor to delivery. I know of a young Spanish mother-to-be who at seven and a half months pregnant is still taking regular flamenco dance classes.

To sum up. As a rule a pregnant woman can keep on doing the type of exercise she did before - but with modifications. But there should be nothing about her physical condition that puts her and her pregnancy at high risk.

If you want your children to have a sense of rhythm and an appreciation of movement, exercise during your pregnancy!

Strength Training Helps Combat Lifestyle Diseases

Heart disease and cancer are the primary cause of death in older people. These diseases along with others such as diabetes, degenerative diseases and joint problems are sometimes called "lifestyle diseases". This is because how we choose to live increases our risk of contracting them and therefore affects our health. These diseases are becoming more widespread as countries become more industrialized and are different from other diseases because they are potentially preventable.



The signs of aging, declining energy, gray hair, wrinkles and poor eyesight are changes that come on gradually but noticeably. The most profound change however creeps up on most of us in stealth like fashion totally unnoticed. It is the slow, progressive and unrelenting loss of muscle tissue, called sarcopenia (which means vanishing flesh).



From at around age 30 this loss of muscle tissue amounts to 300-500 grams per year accelerating as one gets older. Although sarcopenia is not an actual disease, it sets the stage and is the backdrop against which most other diseases are played out. The loss of muscular strength is associated with a downward spiral of declining health and physical function. Sarcopenia is both a fundamental cause and a contributor to disability and disease progression. The severity of this loss of muscle tissue is determined by how we take care of ourselves in the years and decades before we get old.



Inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle is more of a sinister enemy that we realize. Many people just sit around, endless hours of watching TV, work at jobs that require them to spend long hours sitting at a desk so they engage in virtually no physical movement at all on a daily basis. As a result, chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other life threatening diseases are being diagnosed - all related to lack of regular physical activity and premature death.



The human body was designed to be used and vigorous activity is critical for its health. In fact, the more you do the stronger and healthier your body gets. Activity gets everything moving, the blood, the oxygen, the nutrients delivered to the cells which need them to carry on the process of life. Movement is the root of health and without enough of it we head towards ill health and disease.



The risk of contracting these diseases can be lowered with changes in lifestyle, changes in diet and activity levels as we get older to help escape the spiral of inactivity. A proper exercise program that includes strength training exercise can prevent and even reverse muscle tissue loss throughout ones life. By subjecting our muscles and bones to adequate loads they will keep their strength and help protect us from killer "lifestyle diseases".



Strength training is the fastest way to improve muscle strength and endurance which allows a person to perform everyday tasks with less effort. Simply forcing the muscles to work on a regular basis significantly improves their capacity to work as well as someone 20 years younger and will bring life back into your body and keep it there.



Physical activity keeps us vibrant, youthful and alive and ensures we are strong enough to live our lives to the fullest. Everyone needs to make adjustments throughout their lives to ensure they give priority to an exercise program as a protective measure to lower risk of disease. An added bonus is many other benefits including greatly improved functional capacity, a more independent lifestyle and a higher quality of life.