Injury or Fainting. Warm up and Cool Down. You Decide.

by admin Posted on December 10, 2011

Warm-up

You must prepare your body before taking part in physical training, sports competition, or vigorous physical activity. A warm-up may help prevent injuries and maximize performance.

The warm-up increases the body’s internal temperature and the heart rate so that more oxygen-rich blood can be pumped through the muscles. The chance of getting injured decreases when the heart, muscles, ligaments, and tendons are properly prepared for exertion and, vica versa the risk of injury increases unnecessarily when you do not go through a proper warm-up.

A warm-up should include some running-in-place or slow jogging, stretching, and calisthenics. Get all the major muscle groups involved in the warm-up and pay particular attention to warming-up the parts of the body that will become subject to the most stress during the conditioning activity. After stretching all his major muscle groups, a major-league pitcher warms-up by throwing baseballs at increasing velocity. The last couple pitches are at game speed. Warming-up from the general to the specific like the major league pitcher is a good model to adapt and follow.

A good warm-up should last five to seven minutes and should occur just before the sports activity or muscular endurance and strength part of the workout. The warm-up effect won’t last more than five minutes or so. If the delay before the intense physical activity begins exceeds five minutes then perform at least one or more mini-warm-ups before starting. After a proper warm-up, you have prepared your body for a more intense conditioning activity.

Cool-down

You should cool down properly after each exercise period, regardless of the type of workout. Even swimming needs a cool down. The cool down serves to gradually slow the heart rate and helps prevent pooling of the blood in the legs and feet.

During exercise, the muscles squeeze the blood through the veins. This helps return the blood to the heart. After exercise, however, the muscles relax and no longer do this, and the blood can accumulate in the legs and feet. This can cause a person to faint. A good cool-down will help avoid this possibility.

During the warm-up you specifically engaged the muscle groups that you would be using during the conditioning activity. You do not have to engage the same muscle groups again for the cool down. For a proper cool down you can walk and stretch until your heart rate returns to less than 100 beats per minute (BPM) and heavy sweating stops. This usually happens five to seven minutes after the end of the conditioning activity.

You can check your BPM on the radial artery on your wrist (just above the base of the thumb), a carotid artery on your neck (just beside the Adam’s apple), or by putting your hand over your heart. Count the beats for 10 seconds and multiple by 6 to get BPM.

Posted in Health News | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fabulous Fitness Secrets for Busy Moms 3 Ways to Exercise and Save Time

by admin Posted on December 9, 2011

Copyright 2006 Pat Brill

The great thing about Moms is that we are magnificent at multi-tasking. Here are some great ways to stay fit while spending time with the kids. In this article we will provide plans that will ensure great exercise for Mom, great activity for the kids, and a wonderful opportunity for bonding.

One of the biggest challenges for Busy Moms is figuring out how to fit exercise into their daily regime. Children, Chores, and Commitments are the 3 C’s that are often hurdles on the way to health & fitness. Creativity, Compromise, and Control are the 3 C’s you need to get you back on track to feeling vibrant and fit.

There are going to be days when you just can’t seem to find time to get out of the house and go to the gym. These are the days in which your Creativity needs to kick in full force. What do kids like? Kids enjoy activities where they usually burn their energy and yours. What more can you ask for? You have your own personal trainers at home! So, the next time your children feel restless, open the back door and participate in an exhilarating game of freeze tag to get your cardio in for the day. This will be fun, fast, and you are sure to work up a sweat and burn a few calories.

You may enjoy jogging daily, but bringing it up to kids is sure to be met with moans and groans. Here’s a great way to Compromise. Tell your young children to load their bicycles and scooters into the back of the truck and take the whole crew up to the nearest track or trail. Your kids will have the chance to do something they enjoy, and you will get to exercise and still spend time with the family. Another trick that’s sure to win in your favor is to tell your adolescents that instead of doing their chores, they are welcome to join you for a game of tennis. Toddlers and babies usually love outdoor activities, so compromise with them by taking them for a ride in their stroller. Just make sure in any outdoor situation to pack on the sunscreen.

Remember, although it may often appear otherwise, you are in Control of your daily schedule. Swimming is an invigorating activity that will give you that extra burst of energy to start your day off right. Your local YMCA or health club has swimming classes available for adults and children. Dive right in!

Posted in Health News | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Exercises You Can Do In Your Chair

by admin Posted on December 8, 2011

It is possible to exercise without moving from your chair, and these types of exercises can be ideal for seniors or people who are otherwise restricted in the methods they can use to keep in shape. Here are some ideas for exercise while you sit and watch TV or even if you just feel like sitting down and at the same time giving your muscles a workout.

There are several exercise you can do that involve using the rotational abilities of your body parts only. To strengthen your back, try pelvic tilts. These can be achieved by pressing backwards, towards the back of your chair, with your pelvic area. When your lower back is pressed against the back of the chair, release the pressure and return to the normal sitting position. Do this continuously for about ten or twenty repetitions.

There are some very simple exercises you can do while sitting down for the upper parts of your body. Try doing shoulder shrugs (raising your shoulders up towards your neck and back down) and circles (moving your shoulders in a circular motion several times). These exercises should also be repeated in sets, combined with some head rolls (moving your head in a circular motion) to strengthen your neck. You can also tilt your head from side to side to stretch out the neck muscles.

The hands can also be exercised through stretching, both of the fingers and by moving your wrists in circles to stretch them out. Finger flexing is also a useful exercise, and fingers can be stretched by putting one hand over the fingers of the other, and pressing back slightly until pressure is felt. Do not crack your knuckles. To exercise chest muscles, try interlocking your hands behind your back and pushing slightly upwards.

When it comes to your lower body, you can exercise your legs by stretching them out in front of you as well as raising them out one at a time. Ankle pumps, raising your feet up to the tiptoes and then back down, are also useful exercises.

There are also exercises you can do in your chair by using light weights and other devices designed for smaller workouts. This equipment is designed to enhance your strength, so make sure to use some of the stretching exercises first in order to get your muscles warmed up to the task.

Small weights or weighted balls can be raised gently in the hands in a variety of ways. You can try curls that are good for your biceps, and even flies to strengthen your shoulder muscles. Just holding the weight out in front of you is a good exercise to strengthen both your muscles and your stamina.

Weights with straps can be purchased for exercises that will strengthen your leg muscles- just strap the weights onto your ankles and do any of the stretching exercises mentioned above.

Other exercise equipment can be used, such as the much favored Bow Flex and other elastic materials that are designed to put some stress on muscle groups. You can use your chair both to maintain your current condition and to strengthen your body!

Posted in Health News | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Home Exercise Programs Designed For Weight Loss

by admin Posted on December 7, 2011

Home exercise programs are a great way to keep fit and lose weight. Along with proper diet and nutrition, an exercise program can help speed your metabolism and burn calories faster. There are a number of home exercise videos that will give you the direction and motivation you need to burn fat and lose weight quickly. But, why are exercise videos a great option in your home exercise program?

The Convenience Factor:

Exercise at your convenience. By performing regular exercises you will place a greater demand on your body’s stores of fat and you will cause your metabolism to increase dramatically. Your body will burn fat as a source of energy at an accelerated rate and the end result will be a slimmer, more toned you. Your level of fitness will improve with each workout routine you perform. Exercise videos are a great way to learn the best exercises to burn fat and build lean muscle and you will be able to exercise in your very own home at your convenience.

Inexpensive:

There is no need for expensive gym memberships or extravagant exercise equipment. Fun, fast-paced exercise videos featuring well-know fitness experts and celebrities will give you the inspiration and direction you need to create your very own, highly effective home workout routine. How much would you have to pay to have Denise Austin as your personal trainer? With home exercise videos, she’ll be available to you 24 hours a day for pennies a day.

All levels:

Home exercise videos are available for any fitness level from beginner to advanced. As your level of fitness increases you can move on to more advanced exercise routines to keep your body healthy and make weight loss much easier than with dieting alone.

Variety:

It is a good idea to change your exercise routine on a regular basis to keep your body challenged and make continued weight loss possible. After performing the same exercises over and over your body will require more advanced workouts to continue to burn excess fat and calories. Exercise videos will allow you to make progress at your own pace and give your metabolism the boost it needs to burn fat for energy. From Ballet to Hip Hop, there are exercise videos for every interest. Different types of exercises will cause your body to respond in different ways. You will be able to find a variety of exercise videos that will give you the types of workouts you need to gain muscle tone and lose weight fast.

Regular exercise is critical to your health and well being. Find the exercise videos that suit your lifestyle and your goals and you can begin exercising in your very own home immediately. Your body will thank you for your efforts and you will look and feel better than you have in years. Weight loss is drastically easier when dieting is combined with exercise. Home exercise programs and fun videos you can do in your home are a great way to get in shape and experience fast weight loss.

Posted in Health News | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment