Winston Salem Fitness

building muscles and losing weight does not come fast and without hard work. Most people get frustrated and stop after a week or so because they aren’t seeing results. You have to give yourself at least a month to see if a certain routine is showing results. Building the body you always wanted is not as difficult and as daunting of a task as you might think. You just need to follow a few basic rules.

Rule #1: Set your goals and work accordingly: This is the golden rule in building any type of structured workout routine. Do not aim too high at the start or be in any sort of hurry. This could lead to you becoming disappointed and out of morale really fast. Remember the key here is patience. Set your goals monthly or quarterly and strive hard to achieve it. It is alright if you fall short of your goals; the key is not to get frustrated and know you WILL reach your goal.

Rule #2: Track your results: The mirror and comments from your friends and family are great ways to track your results but it is important to keep a record of your progress. This will help keep you going after you have been doing it for a long period of time. It is great to see where you have come from and will help you set more accurate goals. This does not mean weigh yourself everyday because that will lead to bad things. Make sure you weight at least a week before you weigh yourself.

Rule #3: Develop a plan: Make sure you sit down and design a plan pertaining to your goals and body. Remember one workout routine or fitness plan will not work the same for everyone. So imitation of a person with your vision of a perfect body in the gym is not the correct way of developing your body. Start out slow and simple and see what works for you and work/grow from there.

Rule #4: Be confident: It’s sad to know that people in gym under estimate themselves. This is one major reason in their under achievement, do not compare yourself to the biggest person in there. You should have confidence in yourself that you will able to build up your desired figure, it WILL happen.

Rule #5: More is not always better: A lot of people who are new to weight lifting or a fitness routine try to jump head first into there new program. Do not kill yourself the first couple of weeks because it will take its toll on you down the road. Ease into it and slowly increase the activity.

By following these 5 simple rules you can achieve the physical fitness you always wanted. As always nutrition is the backbone to a fitness routine so make sure your diet in check to get the results you want.

Now in my 50’s, I learned the hard way that you cannot train the same as you did in your twenties. For one thing, you have more responsibilities and less time. The other thing is that you probably do not recover as quickly as you might have in your late teens and early twenties. So, the practice of training the same way, day in and day out is a sure way to become stale and frustrated. While training, like running, the same time and distance every day is admirable, you can get better results by varying your training.

One of my training buddies, who used to compete in cycling on an international level, showed me how to use interval training to improve my running. Instead of plugging with distance running, I would run for one minute and walk for one minute over the same distance. I trained less, but got better results. It was a bit uncomfortable the first few times, but I quickly improved and got more done in less time.

When you cross the big 4-0, you might find that you have to give your joints and tendons more time to recover. This is not a ticket to slack off. Again, you just have to be smarter when you train. If you are going to run, stay on sand, grass or gravel. One of my clients, who had recovered from a broken pelvis, could run on sand without much discomfort. After a month, she could run several hundred meters on the sand while carrying her 6 year old son on her back.

Cross-training is another way to keep training fresh and spare your joints. An article in Runner’s World once mentioned how several runners improved their time by cross training with cycling rather than just running alone. I found that my own running improved by alternating my running with cycling.

Another area that the over 40 person should practise is strength training. Strength training or “resistance-training” is highly under-rated for conditioning. Often thought of only for “showy muscles” and “body beautifuls,” strength training has several benefits that endurance training does not. Strength training builds bone density and increases the body’s anabolism, which is the ability to repair and rebuild itself.

Another aspect of strength training that is almost always over-looked is the balance and posture muscles. These can be trained through methods such as martial arts, pilates and power yoga. Now before anyone starts writing off pilates and power yoga as “too Hollywood,” keep in mind that these systems work. Pilates inventor, Joseph H. Pilates was an accomplished athlete who trained such celebrities as world class boxer, Max Schmeling. As for power (Ashtanga) yoga, I can vouch for it for removing back pain. One of my trainees, a former RCR soldier told me that he went from 3 chiropractor visits per week to only one per month just from our twice weekly power yoga sessions.

Another good body maintainer is the sauna. While often mistaken for a method for losing weight, regular saunas will clean out the excess toxins, increase your immune system T-cells and help calm you. It is great on a Sunday evening a few hours before bed time.

More tips to get more mileage out of the over 40 frame:

• Eat good natural food. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain massive amounts of anti-oxidants to slow down the aging process.

• If necessary, employ the services of physical therapists: massage, physiotherapist, chiropractic and even acupuncture.

• Supplements such as: fish oils, glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate assist some people with joint pain.

• Keep the alcohol, tobacco and caffeine to a minimum. This stuff overworks your adrenalin glands which are suppose to help carry you into old age.

• Avoid refined foods like white sugar and white flour. It just plugs up your intestines.

• Avoid extended periods of sitting. Too much sitting is hard on the spine and can contribute to DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis).

• Stay active. In an era where everything seems to have a warning label, there should be one on the human butt: Warning: Keep moving or equipment will fail.

For more information visit Stomach Flattening

Are you one of those people who wants to tone up your body but the thought of the gym causes you to cringe? Don’t feel badly because you are not alone. The idea of hard core exercise to get into better shape is for some totally taboo. Most weight loss experts, including myself, will tell you that in order to lose weight you need to make a change in lifestyle. These words are true, however, there are some simple actions that you can make in your daily routine that will help you lose those unwanted pounds without too much extra effort.

Most people start their day with a hot shower. This is a great opportunity to not only get squeaky clean but also start a morning mini exercise program. While you are rinsing off place your feet against the sides of the shower stall and lean forward until your arms reach the shower walls. With your fingers pointing upwards do a few standing push ups. Don’t over do it the day has just begun but do enough to feel the muscles in your arms, chest, and shoulders. Repeat this procedure daily and you will be amazed by how such a simple action can help your body and at the same time you are getting a good stretch to start your day.

Everybody knows that walking is great aerobic exercise and you do see more and more people taking a good stroll in the park. The next time you are out walking unless you are tied down to holding your children’s hand . Open up your gait just a little bit and count to thirty. You can repeat this as much as you like and the next time maybe you can get to a fourty five count. This action can be done anyplace at any time. Walking from your car to the grocery store, walking to your children’s sporting events, walking from the mall parking lot, to name a few suggestions. On the subject of the mall another great idea is to park further away from the main entrance . You actually aren’t saving much time by parking close to the entrance because by the time it takes to find a parking space you could already be parked and getting that good stroll in.

One of my favorite suggestions that I give to my clients involves passive modes of transportation in public places. Unless you are running late and have no other choice try using the stairs instead of the elevator. The action of stair walking is superb for building your leg muscles. I do not suggest this if you have bad knees because you are carrying seven times your body weight and the pressure on your knees would be too much. If you live or work in a high rise simply use the stairs for one or two stories and take the elevator the rest of the way. The same holds true for escalators at airports. There are a few exceptions such as Chicago O’Hare. I do know for a fact that it is a long haul from the tarmac to the main airport and even I take the escalator.

These are just a few suggestions on how to get a little exercise on a daily basis. It would not surprise me if you could think of a dozen other ways without breaking your daily routine. Stop and think about what do and how you get there? I’m sure that you could think of several other ways that you can tone up your body with no pain and all gain.

A group of muscles that often gets neglected in stomach exercise routines are the transverse abdominals, the core muscles that lie below the rectus abdominus. Most abdominal exercises target the rectus abdominus and the vertical abdominals, ignoring the transverse abdominals. Even crunches, the staple of most abdominal workouts, do nothing for the transverse abdominals. These muscles are actually the most important to target, however, as they connect to both the lower back muscles and the rectus abdominus and for a girdle for the entire abdomen. Any routine aimed at flattening the stomach should include the transverse abdominals as a focus. Using the following exercises, you can work out your transverse abdominals and really make progress on that flat tummy. As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before beginning and always warm up properly to avoid injury.

Pelvic Tilts
This stomach exercise requires lying on your back on a flat surface, such as the floor or a bench. Use a mat or towel to cushion your spine. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Raise your pelvis (and only your pelvis) off the floor, hold momentarily, and then lower it back down. Repeat for an entire set. Maintaining a controlled movement is crucial to this exercise. This will allow you to use your abdominal muscles, rather than your body’s momentum, to do the work on the exercise. Also, be sure to keep your upper body on the floor throughout.

Crunchless Crunch
This first exercise is fairly simple but can also be fairly difficult. Essentially, it involves trying to pull the belly button in towards the spine. This can be tricky, as it involves using muscles which you may not be used to activating. To start, either lie or on your stomach or kneel. You might want to try both ways and see which helps you feel the exercise better. Relax your body as much as possible, then try to use only the lower abdominals to move your belly button toward your spine. Hold for ten seconds. If holding for ten seconds feels easy, hold for a longer period. The goal is to hold the contraction until you either cannot feel it, or you feel other muscles working harder than the transverse abdominus. When you feel this, let the contraction out.

Scissor Kicks
This stomach exercise also requires lying on the floor. Position your hands under your butt, keeping your back pressed against the floor. Slowly raise one leg to a height of about ten inches, then slowly lower it back to the floor. As your lower one leg, raise the other. Repeat this motion for an entire set. Maintaining control throughout is important, not allowing momentum to get the better of you. Your upper body should remain on the floor through the entire move.

There are plenty of other exercises targeting the transverse abdominals, but these three ought to be enough to get you started. Stomach exercises like these are key to any tummy-flattening plan, and they are especially good for pregnant and post-partum women.

When the weather is warm, there is nothing quite like going for a refreshing swim at the local pool. To add to the benefits, you can use it as an opportunity to work on those stomach muscles. The water provides natural resistance, making the pool a great place to do stomach exercises to flatten out that tummy. Despite the greater resistance water has than air, aquasizing is low-impact, meaning less strain on joints. Try out these exercises next time you take a trip down to your pool. Remember, consult your doctor before beginning a new workout routine, and always warm up properly to prevent injury.

The first set of exercises to try is called the jump and dig. There are two moves in this set, one for the upper body and one for the lower body. The former is great for your obliques, and the latter works on your abdominals. To start, stand in water that is between your belly button and chest. To work the lower body (including your abdominals), put your feet a wide distance apart, then jump so your knees come up to the surface of the water and back down. Picture a frog as you do it; this will help you get the form right. Next, to work the upper body, begin by making a scoop with both hands at the surface of the water. Bring your hand scoop below the surface, then scoop up and to one side. Alternate sides to work the obliques on both sides. Start by doing the two moves separately for three minutes each. Once you have mastered the form, do them at the same time to exercise both sets of stomach muscles at once.

As you build strength and endurance, you can add water gloves to increase resistance. You can also do the exercises faster, packing more reps into each three minute period. Form is key, though. Do not sacrifice form for the sake of speed. It is better to do it properly than quickly. Also remember to set fitness goals and work toward them at a gradual pace. Do not push yourself too hard, too fast. You may want to see results fast, but an injury will seriously delay your workout goals. Start small, know your limits, and build gradually.

As long as you are working on your midsection, here are a few additional tips. First, proper diet is essential to any fitness routine. A great, hard workout can be completely negated by improper eating habits. Second, stay hydrated both while working out and in everyday life. A good rule of thumb is to take your body weight in pounds, divide it by 2, and drink that number of ounces of water each day. This helps to keep the body functioning at it’s highest level. Third, rest up. This means not only getting plenty of sleep, but also getting the right kind of sleep. Spend all night sleeping on your stomach, and you will wake up with a sore back, making it difficult to do your stomach exercises. Also be sure to schedule off days into your routine to give your muscles a chance to rest up and rebuild. Now you already have a great start on a toned, flat stomach!

It is only natural, most people want to look their best, and exercising their stomach muscles is usually a huge part of most fitness programs. If so much time and energy is going to be focused on this muscle group, it is a good idea to know what the best stomach exercises are. There are many resources available for finding the best stomach exercises, and plenty of people to say what they consider the best, so how can a person decide for themselves which truly are the best exercises for working their stomach muscles?

First of all it is important to note that the best stomach exercises are those that a person is willing to do. No matter how effective the exercise is, if a person isn’t going to do them consistently the exercise will not benefit that particular individual. It is also important to note that the best stomach exercises do not necessarily require equipment to perform them, although some machines and equipment may work quite well for some people.

When a person decides on a fitness program that includes stomach exercises, it is best to include stomach exercises that work the different parts of the stomach. If a person simply concentrates on one area of their stomach, there workout will not be as effective. The best stomach exercises, combine working the oblique, which are the side muscles, the lower abdominals, the mid section and also the upper section.

Some of the most popular stomach exercises are crunches. These are a very effective exercise and very convenient since they can be performed anywhere without any equipment. The next stomach exercise that is also very popular and goes along with the basic crunch is the side crunch, which works out the oblique.

Some people consider the best stomach exercises to be included in a Pilate’s workout. The reason for this is because in Pilates, the whole focus is on the core of the body which is the abdominal, or stomach muscles. Every movement in a Pilate’s workout will work the stomach muscles either directly or indirectly. These exercises can be found on the internet, either the exercise itself or video’s that can be purchased.

Another good exercise that some fitness experts considers to be one of the best stomach exercises involves laying flat on your stomach, leg straight and then raising your body up using your arms as your hands are clasped together and keeping your body straight as if doing a pushup. Hold this position as long as you can stand. This is an excellent movement to strengthen the whole stomach.

Remember again though that just because one person may consider a specific exercise to be the best stomach exercise that does not necessarily mean it is the best for everyone. Each person’s body is different and will respond differently to certain movements. Any one serious about working on the abdominal muscles will find it most helpful to try several different stomach exercises and then determine which one they can both feel and see results with. If one exercise is simply too hard to do correctly, or does not feel like it has done anything for the muscle group worked, that exercise is clearly not the best and the person should find what works best for them.

If you’re anything like me, you won’t consider exercising your favorite pastime. In fact, some people hate exercising downright.

Unfortunately, exercising plays a crucial role in a healthy lifestyle, and without it you’ll definitely won’t be able to lose weight. There are certain tips to help you learn to love exercise, even if you truly hate it.

For a start, try to find some exercises that you like to do. Of course, you should work out all of your body, but if you absolutely hate doing one kind of exercise, then look for another to take its place. You don’t have to do crunches to strengthen your core muscles. You don’t have to do lunges to work out your lower body. You don’t even have to run — replace them with cycling or swimming. Find the exercise you like to do and your workout session will be more enjoyable.

Alternatively, find other activities that you like to do and make them work for your body. For example, if you like gardening, try doing some exercise around the surrounding like raking or mowing your yard using hand. If you enjoy the winter weather, you can try ice skating or sledding with friends. No matter whatever you like to do, you can find ways to get some exercise for your body. Thanks to the introduction of the game like Dance Dance Revolution, you can even combine video games with exercise.

Another great tip to increase your liking to exercise is to find a training partner. When you work out together, you can help one another stay motivated, even if you don’t exactly love exercising. With a partner, you can have fun as well as try things like tennis or challenging one another to meet certain goals. Trainers can also help to provide you with the support that you need as well as show you new and fun ways to exercise to prevent you from getting bored or feeling overwhelmed at the gym.

Lastly, try attending some exercise lessons. Exercise classes is a one a great way to meet new people, learn new exercises, stay motivated, and above all, have fun. Most gyms offer low-cost for free exercise classes with their membership or you can check out options at your local community center.

To stay motivated when you hate exercising can be extremely hard. Set goals and don’t quit. You need to exercise as well as eat proper diet if you really want to lose weight. Makes exercise fun so that it won’t seem like a chore.

When it comes right down to it, every one wants to be healthy. You might not know it, but aerobics are going to be one of the best things you can do so that you can truly get healthier. Just think of the time that you spend worrying about how you look, or even the time that you end up sad and depressed about something in your life! If you can fill this time with aerobics, not only is it going to be beneficial for you, it is going to help you in more ways than simply your health.

However, sometimes you want to work on one part of your body in a way that makes it stronger. Many times the workouts that we create for ourselves simply focus on our whole body. This can be great, because aerobics are something that can work well for the whole body. But many people have an area of their body that they would like to target, and so it is sometimes good to target just a piece of you.

Our lower body can be something that we want to work on. Your legs and the rear end are parts have to be developed to make it strong because they are what get you through each and every day. You need endurance when it comes to walking and running, and a lot of people don’t like the way that their legs or the rear end look and want to change this by working out.

There are many things that we can do to strengthen our lower body while we are working out. Everyone should know that while you are doing aerobics you should be moving your legs constantly. The repetitions of whatever you are doing for your aerobic workout, such as walking or running, should be done in such a way so that your leg muscles are moved to their maximum potential. It is important to get your heart pumping!

One great way to increase the amount of work that your legs are doing, and therefore make them stronger, is to get leg weights to attach to yourself as you work out. This means that you can make your to be stronger because you’ll have to exert more force to move your legs and your ankles. This makes sure that your aerobic workouts target your legs and your lower body. Don’t forget to target all areas of your body when working out as well working out.

Challenge yourself One of the best ways to keep it interesting is to present yourself with new challenges. Make each activity session a contest. Can you do it a bit longer, farther, faster, higher?

Pushing yourself is a good way to measure how far you’ve progressed. Staying with the status quo is the quickest way to boredom.

Try to add on something periodically. You can do it each session, or once a week, or after a particular move, exercise, or effort has become easy. Keep track of any incremental improvements you make by writing them in your notebook.

After you’ve been exercising for a while, you may feel comfortable enough to join a team or other group. Competition with others is a way to challenge yourself, but it may not be for everybody. Give it a try, though. If you find it adds interest and motivation, keep it up. If not, return to solo or noncompetitive pursuits without being critical of yourself.

Keep it safe

If you are very overweight or have been inactive for a long time beginning to be more active should be a gradual process. Don’t start without talking to your doctor about your current state of health and fitness and your plans for improving both. Even if you are not seriously out of shape, taking it slowly is the safe way to go.

Don’t overdo it. I’m hoping all this talk about exercise will make you gung-ho, but I don’t want you to give up in the early days because you are a mass of aches and pains.

The right equipment Many of the activities you have to choose from require little or nothing in the way of special equipment. Still, there are some basics. You should have some workout and exercise clothes that keep you warm and dry in wet and cold weather, but are breathable so your sweat will “wick” away. A pair of well-fitting and supportive shoes is a must. They should have no-slip soles and should not be so worn out that they won’t absorb shocks or will put you off balance. If you use other equipment – whether it’s a stationary or moving bicycle, skates, weights, treadmills and stair climbers, racquets, bat, balls, whatever – they should be sturdy and in good repair. If you’re just starting out and want to give an activity a try, borrow the equipment or use it in a public or commercial facility.

Warm up/cool downThe two most important parts of any exercise come at the beginning and the end. I’m sorry to say that they are also two things most often omitted. Warming up and cooling down help your body adjust to the change of pace that activity entails. Your muscles and your heart and lungs have to gradually get up to speed. And when they are speeding, they shouldn’t stop cold. Immediate pain and morning-after soreness will result if you don’t take the time to warm up and cool down.

Warming up literally increases the temperature of your muscles by directing more blood to them. “Warm muscles” extend and contract more quickly than muscles that are cold preventing strain and cramping. Warming up also increases the flow of blood to your coronary arteries and lungs, which will be working hard during your exercise. The cool -down allows your breathing to return to normal and your heart rate to come down gradually from at or near your THR to close to your RHR. It also gently redirects from your muscles to a more even distribution around your body.

Any decent exercise class will include warming up and cooling down. If you find yourself in one that does not, talk to the instructor and if there is no improvement, change classes. As an alternative, start early and do your own warm-up and stay on to cool down.

When you are working out on your own, it’s up to you. Warm up for at least 10 minutes, keeping it at low to moderate intensity. The best warm-up uses the same muscles your activity will. So if you will be running, start by running lightly in place, or walking and gradually increasing your pace before you break into a run. Swing your arms, flex your feet and knees.

Don’t forget to breathe when warming up and cooling down. Your body needs extra oxygen, and it needs to rid itself of carbon dioxide and other toxins. So keep the air going in and out. Your cool-down can be shorter than your warm up, but it should be no less than 5 minutes. Gradually decrease the intensity of whatever you are doing. Let your breathing and heart beat return to normal.

Core exercises are vital in protecting your spine. Whether it’s from everyday activities (e.g. lifting, twisting, bending) or sports performance, and crucially for you everything in-between.

Forget about linking core workouts with 6-pack abs. For those you need fat burning exercises. Get used to associating core exercises with your spine. That’s how you’ll get the best out of them.

Your core consists of your abs, back and pelvis. Why should you evenly strengthen all parts of your core?

Here are the 2 main reasons:

1) Avoid injury and back pain.. There are loads of reasons why we get back pain (see your doctor before any exercise for back pain). But most back pain is caused by muscle imbalances.

Weak lower back muscles and strong abdominals commonly lead to injuries. Combined with weak upper back muscles, you’re prone to poor posture. Even worse if you’re heavily overweight.

2) Improve your performance in ANY activity.. Your every movement is stabilised by the core muscles. No matter what sport or exercise you do, a strong core will give you that extra edge.

The stronger your core is, the better control you will have, meaning a higher quality and efficiency of that movement. Simply put, it’ll be safer and easier to move your arms and legs faster and with more power. That equals better performance.

Core Exercises:

There are loads of exercises that work each part of your core separately. But to get started, do core exercises that work a combination of your abs, back and pelvis.

Your focus is on finding those deep core muscles, with subtle movements. Move on to more specific (and challenging) back and ab exercises, once you have control of these:

Deep Muscle Contraction..

Lie flat on your front and relax.
Keeping your back and hips still, lift your stomach up towards your back.
Focus your mind on the deep muscles.
When done correctly, this is a very small movement.
Hold for 5 seconds and relax.
Repeat 5 times.
Progress by holding it for longer each time, aim for 2 minutes or even longer.

Once you’re used to this movement, practice it wherever you are (lying, sitting or standing). During everyday activities (e.g. standing in a queue), or even during other exercise (e.g. riding your bike).

That small movement is the basis of all your core exercises. Always focus on first contracting your deep core muscles, then initiating other exercise movements.

Plank..

Place your forearms flat on the floor and clasp your hands (create an upside down V-shape).
Lift your body so that your forearms and feet take the weight.
Focus your mind on the deep core muscles.
Aim for a straight line between your neck and ankles.
Hold for 5 seconds and relax.
Repeat 5 times.
Progress by holding it for longer each time, aim for 1 minute or even longer.

Bridge..

Lie on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor, arms by your side.
Lift up your hips, let your shoulders and feet take the weight.
Aim to keep your feet below your knees, and a straight line from shoulders to knees.
Hold for 5 seconds and relax.
Repeat 5 times.
Progress by holding for longer each time, aim for 1 minute or even longer.

You’ll feel the pressure in your lower back and bottom. Focus on working your whole core to keep your hips up. Never take the weight on your neck.

Core exercises are essential for everyone, of any age and any fitness level. There’s no better prevention for back pain. Do a variation of general core exercises, and specific back and ab exercises, and you’ll really FEEL the difference.