Workouts

We all remember back in physical education class when the teacher made us role our shoulders back, touch our toes, and even do a few jumping jacks in place. These warm up and stretching exercises allowed us to participate in various physical activities with a reduced chance of injury.

Today, we as adults often overlook the important role of stretching and warm up in our exercise routine. Our lives are so jammed packed with things to do and places we need to get to that actually taking the time to do some stretching exercises seem like an inefficient waste of time. However, for your exercise routine to be the most effective that it can be, stretching needs to be an integral part of the program. Here are a few reasons why.

Reason # 1: Your Circulation Will Improve

Your exercise routine can only be effective if the muscles being used are adequately fed with nutrients found in the blood stream, and if waste products are quickly removed. To accomplish this, your blood circulation needs to be functioning at optimum levels. Proper stretching can help to increase the overall blood flow by relaxing the muscles, warming them up and prevent restriction of the blood flow through the circulation system. The trick is to take your time and do the stretching exercises properly.

Reason # 2: Increase of Flexibility

This is perhaps one of the most cited reasons why stretching should be a part of your daily routine. Perhaps you have watched professional athletes leap through the air to catch a football, or perform a double handspring into a split on the floor exercises at a gymnastic composition. In reality, the only way that those players have the flexibility to accomplish those feats is through regular stretching exercises.

Stretching increases flexibility in two basic ways. First, it promotes a wider range of motion in your joints, such as wrists, ankles, hips and shoulders. Second, proper stretching allows your muscle fibers to actually lengthen over time, which will extend their reach. This combination of overall muscle extension and increased range of motion will increase your overall flexibility.

Reason # 3: Stretching Can Help With Pain

Sooner or later if you live an active life, injury will happen. If it is serious enough to warrant medical care, often your physical therapist will assign you certain stretching exercises to help with the healing process. When they are done correctly, and I can’t stress that enough, stretching exercises can be a fantastic way to both help heal an injury and alleviate some of the pain involved.

Stretching may be able to alleviate pain by increasing the circulation to the muscles, and thereby removing toxins and other waste products that contribute to muscle soreness. Of course, when you have an injury, it is best to only do stretching under close supervision by a medical professional. There are some instances, such as a dislocated joint, or torn muscles where stretching too soon can be detrimental.

Reason # 4: Stretching Can Change Your Mood

Think back to the last time you did a really satisfying exercise session. At the end of the exercises you felt energized, confident, and ready to take on the world. But do you remember how you felt at the beginning? Unless you were looking forward to doing the exercise routine that day, there is a chance that you weren’t very enthusiastic. Perhaps you were a little sore, and your mental state needed a little pick me up. Then you started to stretch and exercise, and you found your overall mood lifting.

Why? In all honesty, the stress was still there in your life. Deadlines still had to be met, and crisis after crisis still had to be diverted. The reason why stretching and the subsequent exercise routine helped your mood is because together they increase the production of certain brain chemicals, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and endorphins in your brain, which in turn are utilized to help regulate your overall mood.

Reason # 5: It’s good for Your Heart

According to a study conducted by the American Physiological Society earlier this year, the ability for men and women over the age of forty to touch their toes could be considered an indication of how much their arteries had hardened over time. The easier time they had reaching out to their toes, the less likely that they were suffering from stiffening of their arteries. Exercise in general has long been viewed as a way to help keep the blood flowing smoothly, and the heart pumping regularly. The added benefit of stretching can only help matters.

These are just a few of the reasons why stretching correctly can be a beneficial and necessary part of your exercise routine. So please consider taking the time to add some proper warm-up, stretching and cool down exercises to your overall system for good health.

January 1st marks the first day for most to begin committing to their fitness resolutions. Hopefully you’ve made an attainable goal. And while it’s easier said than done, here are a few ways to make sure you deliver what you promised to do.

1 – Put it on paper:

You verbalized it, but everything is legit once it’s been written down and can be referenced back to. Figure out a game plan, write out a mock fitness schedule or begin recording your current weight and remind yourself of your weight goal. It all begins with an action plan.

2 – Take steps:

Break down the final picture into small steps, by week, by month or however works best for you. It’s less intimidating and realistic. Along the way, reward yourself with each milestone. It’ll keep you motivated and will make the long term goal seem more attainable.

3 – Let friends in on your resolution:

Good friends will want to help you succeed. Letting your friends know about your goal and the steps you are taking to reach them will make someone, not something, accountable for you following through. Your fitness successes and challenges will be a good topic of conversation and will be a constant reminder of the final resolution.

4 – Keep a journal:

Just like putting the initial goal and action plan on paper, track your progress. Having something to reference back to will make your progress visually real. Keep your ultimate goal written big and bold as a continual reminder and self motivator.

Keeping a resolution take dedication and discipline, but it begins with a strong first step. If you take your resolution lightly it will easily fall through the cracks. Know that there will be set-backs and challenges but that everything can be overcome. Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be able to close out the next year toasting to a good promise kept.

No time to exercise? That excuse doesn’t fly anymore! Your daily schedule includes a long list of chores, make them count!

What if all of those chores could count as exercise? Well that is my theory. Exercising to tone muscle and lose weight is basically burning the calories you take in through movement and tightening muscles right? If you were to exaggerate all of your daily movements, then you would be doing just this.

The very obvious way to use this technique is while cleaning. When you sweep, use your upper arms, feel the muscles tightening and encourage it. Hold the flex when you feel a certain muscle being used. Your abs will be used while sweeping. If you really want to you can do lunges as you sweep. Mopping is the same movement, so on those days you get a double workout!

Laundry is a great way to use your abs and upper thighs. I hate folding clothes and separating, blah blah blah, but I hate my thighs more! I squat as I get the clothes from the dryer and instead of bending at the waist to lift baskets i squat. Be sure to tighten and hold your abs in as you lift the baskets. Hold it as you carry them too.

Vacuuming is for your arms and legs. Lunge as you push the vacuum forward. When you pull the vacuum back, do it slow and use your upper arms to pull.

Put some music on while you dust and also while you cook. This will help you remember to dance. Dance as you do either of these chores and make it a habit. The kids enjoy this too. They get to join in or if they are like my oldest, laugh at you while you try out your best moves!

Picking up toys just comes with having a toddler. I squat as I get each toy off the floor. In fact a basic rule in this routine is to always squat, not bend, when you get the chance.

Another basic rule is to stand when you have a choice. When you are outside with the kids, stand. Put chairs out of sight if it helps you to remember. Stand at your desk or computer if you can. When ever you catch yourself sitting ask, could I stand for a little while longer?

Mowing the lawn (with a push mower) will typically burn 450 calories. This chore needs no help in becoming a part of any weight loss routine!

Your kids can be a great source of exercise. Make family time a game of chase or badminton outside. Go for a daily walk together. Your kids will appreciate the time together and often remind you, in case you cop out…I mean forget.

If you have a toddler, use them! Lay on your back on the floor and play airplane. Put the child on your feet and hold their hands. Use your legs to push them in circles and up and down. Instant workout! Put the child on your shoulders and do a round of squats. You could just hold them as you dance around to some music.

All of these ideas have been used by me for years. They work great and help to sneak exercise into my daily routine. You should always check with your doctor before starting a new routine to be sure you are fit enough to handle the new strain.

It’s always easier to find good Christmas presents for people who have a hobby or a passion in their life. If you have someone on your Christmas list who is a fitness fanatic then here are a few ideas. Your fitness friend will love to find these under the tree or stuffed in their stockings and they won’t break the bank either.

If they don’t already have one, a fitness ball is a great tool for those days that they just can’t get to the gym. You can perform lots of exercises on the fitness ball and it’s also a great way to develop stability, balance and a stronger core. Another great addition to this gift is resistance bands and a set of hand weights. They’re not expensive and supplement the fitness ball nicely.

A Pilates/yoga mat is a thoughtful present. The mats in most gyms are not very well, if at all, disinfected. It’s essential for a health minded person to have their own mat to use in yoga and Pilates classes and it’s also good to have on hand at home. They come in a variety of colors and you can also purchase a special carrying bag for the mat.

If you know someone who loves to work out but has a hard time getting to classes at the gym, buy them some fitness DVD’s. They make great stocking stuffers and there are all different kinds these days. You can find anything on DVD from Tae-bo to aerobics to Pilates and Yoga. It’s also a great gift to supplement any of the ones above as well.

A great gift for somebody starting out on their quest for fitness is to purchase one or more sessions with a personal trainer. There are many of them who have reasonable rates and sometimes some of them offer special packages during the holidays. Or if you are well-versed in weight training and cardio due to your own experience offer to help them develop a custom workout.

Another well-appreciated gift is a gift certificate for a massage. People who work out a lot can suffer from sore or strained muscles, tendonitis, stiff necks, etc.

 

A massage is the perfect way to soothe those tired muscles and make someone feel well and healthy again. Although some masseuses are very expensive there are a lot of them with reasonable rates, especially during the holidays.

People who are passionate about fitness will love to receive any of these gifts. If they’re new to working out these gifts will also show your support of their efforts to get healthy and fit. Give them the gift of fitness this year.