Fitness Tips & Motivation
Fitness. Exercise. Sport. Training. Working Out. Lifting. Running. Our bodies were made to Move! Times have changed and jobs and daily life activities require so much less physical movement and activity. That is why we must take our Health and Fitness into our own hands. We Must make the time for it. We must incorporate some sort of physical activity into our daily routines. Because our lives depend on it.
Regular Exercise and Physical Activity is such a vital part of the path to true health and well-being. Physical exercise boosts the immune system, burns fat, builds muscle, lowers cholesterol, speeds up the metabolism, eases stress and anxiety, and helps us sleep restfully. It also improves mental health, can help prevent depression and helps to promote self-esteem. Since I began exercising regularly last fall, I have noticed and experienced so many positive changes in my life in many different aspects. Exercise and Physical activity have helped me with my Energy Levels, my Sleeping Patterns, my Mood and general outlook on Life. Sure I have days where I don't feel motivated, I'm unusually tired, and working out is the last thing I want to do. But when I push past those feelings and make it to the gym or go for a run, I feel 10x better afterwards! - However, truly being sick is another story! If you are not feeling well, are sick, dizzy, faint, short of breath or feeling nauseous, You Should Not Workout! You should contact your doctor or stay at home and rest. I get sick also, I am human. But I do find that if I am eating a balanced diet of vegetables, fruits, proteins and grains and exercising regularly that I rarely get sick. Take care of your body, give it the proper fuel and recovery it deserves and it will take care of you. #HealthyLivingDreams |
Aerobic exercise is any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and causes your body to use more oxygen than it would while resting. The goal is to increase overall cardiovascular endurance ( cardio)
Examples: Running, brisk walking, swimming, jumping rope, hiking, cycling, etc. Anaerobic Exercise (Strength or Resistance Training) This type of training targets specific muscles, and can tone, firm and strengthen your muscles. It also can help improve balance and coordination and bone strength. Examples: Weight training, lunges, pushups, interval training, sprinting, high-intensity interval training, etc. Flexibility Exercises Flexibility exercises can help to stretch and lengthen your muscles. (See below for more information) |
Take Care of Your Body. It's the Only Place You Have to Live. ~ Jim Rohn
Each Persons BOdy Is So Different, Take the time to discover what Your Body Requires in terms of Recovery |
The Importance of Stretching.Flexibility. Stretching. Movement. Balance.
Stretching is a vital part of fitness. Stretching has the ability to reduce stress, help increase overall flexibility and lengthen muscles, ease lower back pain, increase circulation and increase range of motion in joints, therefor improving balance. There is a constant debate as to whether stretching can prevent injuries, and the opinion will vary from one trainer or doctor to the next. In my personal experience, I have found that when I properly properly stretch/warm-up before and then stretch after a workout it helps my body in general. I suffer from chronic lower back back pain after injuring my lower back in two separate Snowboarding accidents in the past 10 years. Stretching helps strengthen the lower back muscles which helps reduce and relieve some of this pain. To be truly healthy requires a balance between mental and physical well being. Stretching and yoga requires a few minutes of calm movements and slower breathing, and can be a great time for self-reflection or to reflect on your day or the workout you've just finished. I have always loved stretching and working on flexibility but have only recently begun practicing yoga and am teaching myself. I find it to be calming and a form of therapy for my body and mental wellbeing, and a challenge as well. My personal recommendation is to make basic stretching or yoga a regular part of your exercise routine. |
Hiit - High Intensity Interval TrainingHIIT//High-intensity interval training is one of my favorites. Hiit is an enhanced form of interval training and form of cardiovascular exercise. It is an exercise strategy with alternating periods of short intense anaerobic exercise (see above for definition) and less-intense recovery periods. It can be a vairety of workouts, so long that it alternates between intense bursts of activity and fixed periods of less-intense activity or even complete rest.
HIIT is known for improving health, boosting weight and fat loss, promoting HGH (human growth hormone) production, and improving strength and stamina. From my personal experience, I saw a greater fat loss when I started incorporating HIIT style training into my routine. It is a great way to get in a solid cardiovascular workout in a short amount of time. My favorite form of hiit is the 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off method. Meaning for 30 seconds you are either sprinting, biking or completing a fast paced activity (such as jump squats) at a high intensity level, then you either slow down to walking past or completely stop for 30 seconds. It is best to start at a comfortable speed and gradually work your way up. There are many different forms of HIIT exercises and on/off ratios and they all have so many benefits! My personal favorite form of HIIT is Sprinting on the Treadmill. This allows me to see how fast I'm going and gives me a timer. This is what works best for Me, but I encourage you to do some reseach and find what works best for you. ~ Here is one of my favorite articles that really lays it out for you and gives example workouts as well. Top 8 reasons why HIIT is great. http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/8-benefits-high-intensity-interval-training-hiit |
Squat Jumps and Jump Lunges, are great plyometric exercises that could be used for HIIT training.
Plyometric TrainingPlyometric exercise helps build strength and explosive power, therefor enhancing your overall athletic performance. Plyometrics raise the force and speed of your muscle contractions, leading to higher explosive power. Plyos can also help with coordination. Many exercises can be done with just your own body weight.
Exercises: Squat Jumps, Lateral Jumps (side to side), Power Skipping, Tuck Jumps, Box Jumps, Plyometric Push-up, and more. More tips to come... |