Archive for December, 2009

BOSU Balance Trainer

Dec 8

Posted by in Ab Fitness Equipment | Comments off

bosu balance trainerOne of the most exciting exercise equipments today is the BOSU balance trainer. You can use this equipment for several activities such as strength, endurance, stability and balance. This equipment is like a balance ball that is cut in half with a flat bottom.

Here are the different physical activities that you can do with BOSU Balance Trainer:

Cardio:Use this for performing step-ups, hops, leaps, jumps, lunges and many others. It can also be used for choreographed workouts.

Strength training:Use this when performing deadlifts, squats, and push-ups. It can even serves as a weight bench that can add balance challenge to the traditional weight exercise.

Flexibility:While performing traditional stretches, you can kneel or stand on the dome to add more range of motion.

Sports Conditioning :P erform sports drill with it such as plyometric moves or jumping that can increase agility and performance.

Core training:Perform lower back and abdominal exercise with it that targets the core muscles.

The BOSU balance trainer helps you improve your balance because this equipment is not stable and works out your lower muscles to maintain balance. You should also be aware how you position yourself in this equipment so you won't fall down every time you move. When you use this equipment, your muscles are forced to contract that will keep your joints in the right position.

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    Hot Weather Exercise

    Dec 4

    Posted by in Fitness Tips | Comments off

    hot weather exerciseWorking out during hot weather can cause harm to your body, it can cause stress to the lungs and the heart. With the hot weather and hard workout, it increases the body temperature. Due to this, more blood circulates through the skin to dissipate heat. This then leaves less blood for the muscles to use, which increases the heart rate. If humidity is high, the body is faced with more stress due to sweat that does not immediately evaporate from the skin that increases the body temperature higher. So if you perform hot weather exercise, it can cause to heat stroke and other ailments.

    Here are some ways to keep cool while doing exercising under hot weather:

    • If you are used to working out in a cool environment then take it slow. Your body will need to adapt to the hot weather and eventually increase the intensity of your workout when already feel comfortable. If you are under any medication, ask your doctor first if you need to take additional precautionary measures.
    • Always drink plenty of water. The ability of your body to sweat and cool down depends on how hydrated you are. Even if you do not feel thirsty you should still drink water. If you plan to work out longer than hour, then drink sports drink instead of water. This will help replace chloride, potassium and sodium that is lost due to sweating.
    • Wear comfortable clothes. Loose and lightweight clothing is great to promote sweat evaporation and it lets more air pass over the body. Do not wear dark-colored clothes as this will absorb the heat of the sun.
    • Do not exercise during mid-day where the sun's heat is stronger. Work out in the morning or at night where the temperature is cooler. Also, were sunblock or sunscreen that will protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

    Hot weather exercise must be done carefully to avoid any serious illness. You must also know when to stop when are already feeling dizzy, headache, muscle cramps and the like.

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    Laxatives to Lose Weight?

    Dec 4

    Posted by in Fitness Tips | Comments off

    laxatives to lose weightLaxatives are use when someone is constipated for a long period of time and needs to move their bowel immediately before anything else goes wrong. But in today's world where almost everyone, men or women, is conscious about their weight abuse these kinds of pills so that they can lose weight. To be able to understand if laxatives are really a good idea to lose weight, one must know first how it works.

    Laxatives to lose weight is the common belief but is this true? NO. Laxatives work in the colon and not in the stomach, so you ask what's the big deal. The deal is that, even before the food reaches the colon, the calories are already absorbed in the body. You might feel that you have lost some weight after spending several hours in the toilet but truth is that you only lost water weight which by the way bounces back easily. The body retains water within 48 hours of using laxative to make up for all that it lost.

    Now that you know that laxatives does not get rid of calories, you must also know the health risks that laxatives poses to an individual.

    • Severe abdominal pain
    • Chronic Diarrhea: After a long term use of laxatives, you lose control of your rectum and one day you might find with yourself with you know what in your bed.
    • Bloating
    • Dehydration
    • Gas
    • Nausea, even vomiting
    • Electrolyte Disturbances: This can lead to heart arrythmias and heart attacks
    • Chronic Constipation: Some people say that after stopping the use of laxative, they are not able to move bowel for as long as a month.

    When people try to stop the use of laxative, they usually experience gas, constipation and nausea. Fiber supplement help relieve the stress in the colon and stomach during withdrawal from laxatives. But before you try anything else, you should seek help from your doctor. Laxatives to lose weight are undoubtedly dangerous for anyone and there is no easy way to lose weight but to do hard work, patience and determination. The easy way out can cut your life short.

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    Proper Weight Training

    Dec 1

    Posted by in Weights | Comments off

    proper weight trainingProper weight training is one of the popular ways of building muscle most especially in the arms. Your arms needs to adapt to the stress of the weights which will then form muscle. Here are the things that must be taken into consideration to be able to perform proper weight training:

    • Know proper technique. For best results, proper weight training technique is important. If you are not sure that you are doing it right then ask a personal trainer or fitness specialist.
    • Perform a single set of repetitions. Most people believe that when you spend hours at the gym, you will be able to achieve better results. But according to researches, a single set of 12 repetitions done properly is as good as doing 3 sets. When it comes to the proper weight, it should be heavy enough that will tire the muscles after 12-15 repetitions.
    • Start slowly. If you are just beginning weight training, then start by lifting a few pounds. This is just fine, as you go along the training, you will be surprised at how far you will be able to go. Once you are able to do 12 repetitions easily, then that is that time to increase the weight.
    • Take a break. Give your muscles a break, take one whole day before performing weight training again. You can start to workout the major muscle groups in every session twice or thrice a week or you can plan to workout a certain muscle group for each session.

    For most people, proper weight training sessions several times in a week are more suitable than extended daily workouts. You can immediately see results by just doing 2  or 3, 20-30 minute weight training sessions every week.

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