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Most trainers recommend ab workouts to strengthen your core, and do so with nothing but crunches and other core workout staples. The problem is, to effectively train the core you actually don't want to do just crunches. You need to work the stability of the lower back, obliques, hips, glutes and abs in order to completely train the core. Then and only then can you expect to have a foundation of core stability in place that you can work on developing a solid six pack on. Make sense?
Well, in order to do that...to develop a set of impressive six pack abs you need to know the difference between ab strength and ab stability. We have already discussed the need for ab stability through plank type exercises, however in order to build ab strength you need to incorporate exercises that require you to overcome the inertia or sticking point of the muscle.
Examples of these type of core exercises are:
Hanging leg raises (for the abs and obliques)
Hanging knee raises (slightly easier but still for the abs and obliques)
Reverse Crunches on a decline bench (lower abs exercise)
Pairing these up with an effective oblique and core stability program allows you to get the best of both worlds. A strong core and a set of six pack abs. All of course providing you're watching what you're eating and keeping your nutrition in check. But that goes without saying at this point.
For a complete program that already spells out for you exactly what core exercises you should be doing to develop the strength and stability of your abs to combine to produce a sick 6 pack stomach, then head over to http://athleanx.com/ and grab the fastest growing workout program in the world ATHLEAN-X, created by celebrity trainer and six pack abs expert Jeff Cavaliere. If you want to look like an athlete you've got to train like an athlete.
Form is very important in crunches, many people do them incorrectly and end up working out their neck or hips more than their abs. Use slow movements and only use the abs. Concentrate on trying to raise your shoulders straight up towards the ceiling. Don't worry about how many reps you do but focus on using perfect form. No whipping the head around or flapping your arms! This is not a sit-up either, the hips are stationary. Also important is to minimize any tension in the neck, I do this by very lightly supporting my head with my hands or the weight plate
The main reason to workout abs is because strong abs stabilize your lower back and shield you from injury but as a side benefit a 6-pack looks great!
Got questions? Ask me on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/GetFitForFree
or on the free AskScooby Forum:
http://www.askscooby.com/
Form is very important in crunches, many people do them incorrectly and end up working out their neck or hips more than their abs. Use slow movements and only use the abs. Concentrate on trying to raise your shoulders straight up towards the ceiling. Don't worry about how many reps you do but focus on using perfect form. No whipping the head around or flapping your arms! This is not a sit-up either, the hips are stationary. Also important is to minimize any tension in the neck, I do this by very lightly supporting my head with my hands or the weight plate
The main reason to workout abs is because strong abs stabilize your lower back and shield you from injury but as a side benefit a 6-pack looks great!
You can ask me questions on my facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/scoobysworkshop
For more ab exercises:
http://scoobysworkshop.com/abs.htm
Nutrition is key to getting abs! I cover the nutrition basics on my website, if thats not detailed enough for you I have reviewed and recommended some excellent books:
http://scoobysworkshop.com/goodfitnessbooks.htm
Anyone can be healthier, have more energy, sleep better, and feel better about themselves through bodybuilding. Bodybuilding doesn't have to be expensive or take a lot of time, gyms are great but home workouts can save you time and money. A cheap dumbbell set from a garage sale or walmart is all it takes to get started with your home workouts.
Please check out my blog at
http://scooby1961.blogspot.com/
For more information on home workouts, please see my free website (no advertising either):
http://www.scoobysworkshop.com
Limitation of Liability: Consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program! I am not a medical professional. It is your responsibility to critically evaluate this information and with the help of your physician decide if it is appropriate for you.
Form is very important in crunches, many people do them incorrectly and end up working out their neck or hips more than their abs. Use slow movements and only use the abs. Concentrate on trying to raise your shoulders straight up towards the ceiling. Don't worry about how many reps you do but focus on using perfect form. No whipping the head around or flapping your arms! This is not a sit-up either, the hips are stationary. Also important is to minimize any tension in the neck, I do this by very lightly supporting my head with my hands or the weight plate
The main reason to workout abs is because strong abs stabilize your lower back and shield you from injury but as a side benefit a 6-pack looks great!
You can ask me questions on my facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/scoobysworkshop
For more ab exercises:
http://scoobysworkshop.com/abs.htm
Nutrition is key to getting abs! I cover the nutrition basics on my website, if thats not detailed enough for you I have reviewed and recommended some excellent books:
http://scoobysworkshop.com/goodfitnessbooks.htm
Anyone can be healthier, have more energy, sleep better, and feel better about themselves through bodybuilding. Bodybuilding doesn't have to be expensive or take a lot of time, gyms are great but home workouts can save you time and money. A cheap dumbbell set from a garage sale or walmart is all it takes to get started with your home workouts.
Please check out my blog at
http://scooby1961.blogspot.com/
For more information on home workouts, please see my free website (no advertising either):
http://www.scoobysworkshop.com
Limitation of Liability: Consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program! I am not a medical professional. It is your responsibility to critically evaluate this information and with the help of your physician decide if it is appropriate for you.
The 'Rule Of 3' Meets Pareto's '80/20' And You Get Fit Faster As A Result!
Everybody likes simple lists.
Everybody likes Rules Of Thumb.
And as far as I can tell, everyone wants tighter abs and more energy.
So, naturally, we all look for the "best" diets and the "best" training routines to bring us closer to that six-pack...ideally, in the least amount of time possible.
...Oh yeah--and we don't want to think too hard either!
The Old Way:
Counting calories? Fuh-ged-a-bow-dit!
Getting a bodyfat measurement each week? No way!
Calculating our new "estimated 1-rep max" for 27 different exercises? Puh-leeze.
So what's the solution?
Well, if you don't mind limiting our example to exercise for the moment, I think I have a few things that can help you in your endless search for the most efficient use of your fitness time.
(which is like, what? about 45 minutes a day 3-4 times a week if you're lucky?) ...It's OK--you're human! I do this stuff for a living, and I don't spend much more time than that myself.
Introducing: "The Rule Of 3-80/20 (Principle)"
Any activity of importance (like exercise) can be broken down into three, and only three Critical Success Factors. Furthermore, one of these critical success factors should account for 80% of your efforts. And the other two, on average, just 10% of your time, energy, and effort (that is, of course, if you actually want to get anything done).
Thus sayeth The Fitness Sage (that's me).
And you should listen to me when it comes to getting things done, because I have a Masters Degree *and* ADD (attention deficit disorder). Without principles like the above, I would be hocking blackmarket Pi-Tae-Boga-Lates tapes to out-of-work actors in LA.
Yeah, so I'm ripping off the Pareto Principle and the Rule Of 3, but you'll forgive me real quick when you see how this applies to your exercise routine.
Now that I've circumnavigated my point a few times, here it is real simple, in 3 (surprise, surprise) easy steps:
The Three Critical Exercise Routine Success Factors
1. Consistent Progression: Needs 80% of your time and attention.
2. Sufficient Intensity: Needs 15% of your time and attention.
3. Intelligent Evolution: Needs 5% of your time and attention.
Simple huh?
But maybe you need some clarification, so here goes.
Consistent Progression Explained:
There are really just 3-4 workout parameters that even matter to the average Jane or Joe who wants a good body and excellent health: Rest Period, Load, Reps-Per-Set, and Total Number Of Sets.
So your job is to simply pick one of these, hold all the rest constant, and improve your chosen workout parameter from week-to-week, workout-to-workout until you can no longer do so (just remember to hold everything else constant! especially total workout duration).
When you can't improve on your chosen parameter, pick a different one and repeat.
That's it. It really is that simple. Tools needed: 1 pocket-sized notebook and a stopwatch.
Of course, you might want some proven, superior methods to "improve on your chosen parameter." At the bottom of this article, you'll get your wish! But first...
Sufficient Intensity Explained:
Make sure you're doing resistance training folks. Not aerobics. Not LSD (long slow distance cardio). Or any other fitness fad that makes your lungs burn more than your muscles. If you're consistently getting 20+ reps on all your exercises, then you need to choose more difficult exercises. Period.
Cardio and aerobics have health benefits no doubt, but if you're really looking for "bang-for-your-fitness-buck", and you're short on time, then stick with resistance training. It's the only kind of exercise that builds muscle and boosts your metabolism permanently--not just during your workout.
Shoot for exercises that are so difficult, you can only perform between 1 and 15 reps. This could be weightlifting (if you lack the creativity and sophistication of a "Tao Of Functional Fitness" devotee who relies solely on portable exercise equipment--like Fitness Bands--and their own bodyweight), but it doesn't have to be. If you know how to manipulate leverage, even bodyweight only exercises can be made difficult enough.
Why just 15% of your time worrying about this? Because all you have to do is make sure most of your exercise (excluding a proper warmup of course) falls within this rep range. Not exactly rocket-science. Nuff said.
Intelligent Evolution:
This is just another term for "periodization" or "cyclic training." Basically it means that you need a strategy for changing your exercise routine over the long haul as you get stronger and closer to realizing your goals. Most of the time the Consistent Progression rule takes care of this, hence the paltry 5% of your noggin that's required to intelligently evolve.
But over the long haul, you sometimes need to dramatically change your workout protocol. There's not space here to explore all the ins-and-outs of doing this, but a simplified recommendation would be to cycle between phases where you focus on increasing the Average Load you handle during your workouts, and phases where you're more concerned with the Amount Of Work Per Unit Time you perform (i.e. "Strength" vs. "Density").
Conclusion
Consistent Progression (80%) + Sufficient Intensity (15%) + Intelligent Evolution (5%).
Find an exercise routine that gives you that, and you're on to something!
Author Bio
Jeremy Markum (The Fitness Sage) is an author and fitness consultant based in San Diego, California. He can help you incinerate fat, & sculpt lean, sexy muscle... *without* going to the gym, and *without* calorie counting or endless cardio! Get your FREE tips about this profound new approach to fitness right now at: www.JeremyMarkum.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Related Fitness Articles
©2006 ArticleGeek.com: Free Website Content - All Rights Reserved
Note: This is Part 3 of a 4-part article series. You can find Parts 1 and 2 at optimumlife.co.nz/Fitness_Articles.htm
THE NEXT STAGE: ACTION
The next stage of Prochaska's Transtheoretical model - 'Action' - kicks in once you've started taking (you guessed it) action.
If you're in this stage, you're ready to make changes - and now. In the Action stage, you know where you want to be, how you'll get there, and you've started (or are about to start) doing something get you moving. You've made it past the first major sticking point -overcoming inertia, but that doesn't mean it'll be an easy ride from here. No matter how good your intentions, starting a routine isn't the same as maintaining it. Obstacles - whether small (like an invitation to do something at a time you'd planned on working out) or large (like falling ill or injuring yourself) - are going to come up.
DEALING WITH OBSTACLES
When you encounter an obstacle, take a little time out to reconnect with your main goal and your reasons for wanting to achieve it. Remember why you're exercising in the first place. How could you still achieve your goal, and find ways around this new obstacle? Your journal can be your friend here - use it to reflect back over why something may have ended up being more difficult than expected, and to brainstorm ideas for different ways to move forward. You can also use it to proactively motivate yourself before obstacles appear - to track your progress in whatever area you'd like to see yourself improving.
GET OTHERS INVOLVED
If you haven't already, create an exercise routine that gets friends or family involved. Studies have shown that people whose friends or family support their goals are far more likely to achieve them, and it's hard not to feel supported when people you care about are working out alongside you. Not only that, but if you've agreed to meet your 'workout buddy' for an exercise session, you make it that much harder to let them down by deciding at the last minute you just can't be bothered today.
MAKE DEALS WITH YOURSELF
If you're having trouble summoning the motivation to get out the door, promise yourself you don't have to finish your workout if you don't want to. Decide that you only have to complete the first ten minutes, and then, if you really don't feel like keeping at it, give yourself permission to pack up and go home again. Most of the time, just getting out the door and starting will be enough.
For a short term motivational quick-fix, don't underestimate the power of bribery! Identify three or four different little things that bring you pleasure, and promise yourself you'll take time out and indulge in at least one of them if you complete your workout as scheduled.
GET HELP!
Finally, if you're noticing increasing difficulty motivating yourself despite trying all of the above suggestions, consider talking to a personal trainer near you. A big part of qualifying as a trainer involves not just learning specific exercises, but learning how to keep clients motivated. If cost is an issue for you, think seriously about hiring an online trainer.
Generally, online training is far more reasonably priced than face-to-face training - and if all you're wanting is someone to keep you enthusiastic and accountable, it means you're not paying for services you don't need.
In next issue's conclusion to our Exercise & Motivation series, we look at the final stage of Prochaska's model - and what to do if you find yourself in the dreaded 'Relapse' stage. Until then, may every day bring you closer to your optimum life!
Author Bio
Optimum Life Ltd optimumlife.co.nz provides balanced fitness and stress management services to clients worldwide. For details of how we can help you achieve your optimum fitness on a budget, visit trainerforce.com/optimumlife For a copy of our free 'What is Optimum Fitness?' Report and Checklist, please send an e-mail to mailto:optimumlife@xtra.co.nz with 'Please send Fitness Checklist & Report' in the subject header
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Related Fitness Articles
©2006 ArticleGeek.com: Free Website Content - All Rights Reserved
An asthma patient generally has sensitive air passages, or airways, resulting in difficult breathing for the patient when these air passages are irritated from an atmospheric change.
As mentioned earlier, it is crucial to note that some sports will have a higher probability of inducing attacks in an asthmatic. However this does not mean that an asthmatic cannot exercise safely.
If an asthmatic is looking for a safe sport, researchers point to swimming as the best possible sport for asthmatics as the breathing required rarely if ever causes chest tightness among swimmers. Although, participating in another form of exercise that would require exactly the same about of oxygen to circulate might not cause the same reaction in the participant.
Of course, some asthmatics will experience acute attacks when they enter the swimming pool. Researchers needed to find an explanation, and it did not prove difficult to explain the reason. Some asthmatics are very sensitive to chlorine, as an irritant. Thus, it is not possible to state that swimmers who are asthmatic do not have attacks.
Running of any type is often a terrible idea for asthmatic patients as it will, in some people, trigger an almost immediate attack. However, recent treatment advances have enabled some athletes who were previously unable to run for more than a few seconds to adapt their exercise routines to include running.
If an asthma patient is in a situation where they are breathing heavily, it may trigger the start of an asthma attack. Common instances of heavy breathing include not only exercising, but also the breathing tests required for the diagnosis of asthma.
Yes, if you are an asthmatic you should exercise. There remain many choices for type of exercises and sports. Asthma-afflicted athletes should get an appointment with a sports medicine specialist who will be able to address athletic medical issues with the patient. The specialist may also be able to provide useful tips and innovative treatment methods to the asthmatic that other physicians might not have considered trying.
Sports which involve short bursts of activity interspersed with short periods of rest make great activities for the asthmatic. Some examples include; swimming, team sports like football or softball, volleyball and yoga or Pilates. Generally, the time required for exercise induced acute attacks to occur is six minutes of constant heavy breathing.
As inspiration to continue exercising and participating in sports, it is key to notice that many past Olympians have also been asthma sufferers who managed their condition carefully, with the input and treatment plan of their physician.
These steps, if followed in combination with a personalized asthma treatment plan, will help the patient to have a successful and healthy exercise routine: Warm up properly, and do not forget to cool down.Avoid exercising in dry, cold air. If it cannot be avoided, be sure to cover both mouth and nose.Stay in good physical shape - Staying healthy will increase an athlete's ability to successfully avoid asthma attacks during exercise periods.Many patients will require not just a preventative or reactive medication, but a tailored combination of both types of medications in order to provide them with maximum relief from their illness. Most physicians agree that the desired outcome it to get the maximum relief from the minimum amount of medication.
Author Bio
Diana for www.health-care-information.org Complete guide to asthma and asthma treatment.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
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©2006 ArticleGeek.com: Free Website Content - All Rights Reserved
Reducing your saturated fat intake is only part of the healthy body formula. You need to burn more calories than you consume in order to avoid having that excess food stored as body fat. That's where exercise comes into play.
These exercise tips can get you started on the road to losing weight and keeping it off:
Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. This is especially true if you have, or are at risk of having, heart disease, diabetes, or you are seriously overweight. Practice moderation by beginning with light and low impact exercises like walking, and gradually increase your intensity as your body begins to become conditioned to increased activity. Aim for at least 30 per day of light cardiovascular activity each day. You don't have to do all 30 minutes at once. You can spread it out over the day if you want to. Easy to do exercises include walking instead of taking the car on nearby errands. Take the stairs instead of the escalator when you're going to the office or shopping at the mall. Take a walk during lunch time. Start doing things that are both fun and provide exercise. Gardening, bike riding, window shopping downtown. You can make exercise more enjoyable by wearing headphones and listening to music, or doing your exercises with a friend. Here are some dietary tips that can change, or save, your life:
These foods have been linked to various health conditions including cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Not all of these foods have been linked with all of these conditions, but each of them are worth avoiding when possible. High in saturated fats, these foods should be avoided at all costs: All saturated fats and oils found in butter, lard, palm and coconut oil, bacon grease.
Replace these foods with: Soft margarine (no fat kind), olive, safflower, soy, corn, canola, and peanut oil.
These foods contain trans fatty acids and/or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and should be eaten only in very limited quantities: Hard margarines, most snack crackers, most cookies, corn and potato chips, shortening. These meats contain high levels of fat and can cause serious arterial blockage and heart conditions. They should be eaten very sparingly: corned beef, pastrami, pork and beef ribs, beef steak, ground meat, most frankfurters, pork sausage, bacon, liver, kidney, and processed deli meats.Replace with these foods with skinless chicken or turkey, turkey or chicken frankfurters, ground turkey, occasional lean beef, veal, pork, lamb, fish, and vegetable dishes including beans, peas, pasta, or rice.
Try not to eat more than 2 oz of meat, fish, or poultry per day. Replace the rest of your meal with healthy vegetables, pasta and rice. Be careful of fat that's hidden in dairy products. Drink either fat-free or 1% milk. Replace other dairy products like cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and snack cheeses with their no-fat or low-fat versions. Avoid eating high fat snack crackers, cake, cup cakes or muffins, and replace them with low-fat baked versions.Author Bio
Christopher Ayu is the webmaster and content provider of www.swim-wear-in-style.com. He does research on the subject and this is one of the many articles posted on his site on health-and-fitness.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Related Diet and Weight Loss Articles
©2006 ArticleGeek.com: Free Website Content - All Rights Reserved
Note: This is Part 3 of a 4-part article series. You can find Parts 1 and 2 at optimumlife.co.nz/Fitness_Articles.htm
THE NEXT STAGE: ACTION
The next stage of Prochaska's Transtheoretical model - 'Action' - kicks in once you've started taking (you guessed it) action.
If you're in this stage, you're ready to make changes - and now. In the Action stage, you know where you want to be, how you'll get there, and you've started (or are about to start) doing something get you moving. You've made it past the first major sticking point -overcoming inertia, but that doesn't mean it'll be an easy ride from here. No matter how good your intentions, starting a routine isn't the same as maintaining it. Obstacles - whether small (like an invitation to do something at a time you'd planned on working out) or large (like falling ill or injuring yourself) - are going to come up.
DEALING WITH OBSTACLES
When you encounter an obstacle, take a little time out to reconnect with your main goal and your reasons for wanting to achieve it. Remember why you're exercising in the first place. How could you still achieve your goal, and find ways around this new obstacle? Your journal can be your friend here - use it to reflect back over why something may have ended up being more difficult than expected, and to brainstorm ideas for different ways to move forward. You can also use it to proactively motivate yourself before obstacles appear - to track your progress in whatever area you'd like to see yourself improving.
GET OTHERS INVOLVED
If you haven't already, create an exercise routine that gets friends or family involved. Studies have shown that people whose friends or family support their goals are far more likely to achieve them, and it's hard not to feel supported when people you care about are working out alongside you. Not only that, but if you've agreed to meet your 'workout buddy' for an exercise session, you make it that much harder to let them down by deciding at the last minute you just can't be bothered today.
MAKE DEALS WITH YOURSELF
If you're having trouble summoning the motivation to get out the door, promise yourself you don't have to finish your workout if you don't want to. Decide that you only have to complete the first ten minutes, and then, if you really don't feel like keeping at it, give yourself permission to pack up and go home again. Most of the time, just getting out the door and starting will be enough.
For a short term motivational quick-fix, don't underestimate the power of bribery! Identify three or four different little things that bring you pleasure, and promise yourself you'll take time out and indulge in at least one of them if you complete your workout as scheduled.
GET HELP!
Finally, if you're noticing increasing difficulty motivating yourself despite trying all of the above suggestions, consider talking to a personal trainer near you. A big part of qualifying as a trainer involves not just learning specific exercises, but learning how to keep clients motivated. If cost is an issue for you, think seriously about hiring an online trainer.
Generally, online training is far more reasonably priced than face-to-face training - and if all you're wanting is someone to keep you enthusiastic and accountable, it means you're not paying for services you don't need.
In next issue's conclusion to our Exercise & Motivation series, we look at the final stage of Prochaska's model - and what to do if you find yourself in the dreaded 'Relapse' stage. Until then, may every day bring you closer to your optimum life!
Author Bio
Optimum Life Ltd optimumlife.co.nz provides balanced fitness and stress management services to clients worldwide. For details of how we can help you achieve your optimum fitness on a budget, visit trainerforce.com/optimumlife For a copy of our free 'What is Optimum Fitness?' Report and Checklist, please send an e-mail to mailto:optimumlife@xtra.co.nz with 'Please send Fitness Checklist & Report' in the subject header
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Related Fitness Articles
©2006 ArticleGeek.com: Free Website Content - All Rights Reserved
The 'Rule Of 3' Meets Pareto's '80/20' And You Get Fit Faster As A Result!
Everybody likes simple lists.
Everybody likes Rules Of Thumb.
And as far as I can tell, everyone wants tighter abs and more energy.
So, naturally, we all look for the "best" diets and the "best" training routines to bring us closer to that six-pack...ideally, in the least amount of time possible.
...Oh yeah--and we don't want to think too hard either!
The Old Way:
Counting calories? Fuh-ged-a-bow-dit!
Getting a bodyfat measurement each week? No way!
Calculating our new "estimated 1-rep max" for 27 different exercises? Puh-leeze.
So what's the solution?
Well, if you don't mind limiting our example to exercise for the moment, I think I have a few things that can help you in your endless search for the most efficient use of your fitness time.
(which is like, what? about 45 minutes a day 3-4 times a week if you're lucky?) ...It's OK--you're human! I do this stuff for a living, and I don't spend much more time than that myself.
Introducing: "The Rule Of 3-80/20 (Principle)"
Any activity of importance (like exercise) can be broken down into three, and only three Critical Success Factors. Furthermore, one of these critical success factors should account for 80% of your efforts. And the other two, on average, just 10% of your time, energy, and effort (that is, of course, if you actually want to get anything done).
Thus sayeth The Fitness Sage (that's me).
And you should listen to me when it comes to getting things done, because I have a Masters Degree *and* ADD (attention deficit disorder). Without principles like the above, I would be hocking blackmarket Pi-Tae-Boga-Lates tapes to out-of-work actors in LA.
Yeah, so I'm ripping off the Pareto Principle and the Rule Of 3, but you'll forgive me real quick when you see how this applies to your exercise routine.
Now that I've circumnavigated my point a few times, here it is real simple, in 3 (surprise, surprise) easy steps:
The Three Critical Exercise Routine Success Factors
1. Consistent Progression: Needs 80% of your time and attention.
2. Sufficient Intensity: Needs 15% of your time and attention.
3. Intelligent Evolution: Needs 5% of your time and attention.
Simple huh?
But maybe you need some clarification, so here goes.
Consistent Progression Explained:
There are really just 3-4 workout parameters that even matter to the average Jane or Joe who wants a good body and excellent health: Rest Period, Load, Reps-Per-Set, and Total Number Of Sets.
So your job is to simply pick one of these, hold all the rest constant, and improve your chosen workout parameter from week-to-week, workout-to-workout until you can no longer do so (just remember to hold everything else constant! especially total workout duration).
When you can't improve on your chosen parameter, pick a different one and repeat.
That's it. It really is that simple. Tools needed: 1 pocket-sized notebook and a stopwatch.
Of course, you might want some proven, superior methods to "improve on your chosen parameter." At the bottom of this article, you'll get your wish! But first...
Sufficient Intensity Explained:
Make sure you're doing resistance training folks. Not aerobics. Not LSD (long slow distance cardio). Or any other fitness fad that makes your lungs burn more than your muscles. If you're consistently getting 20+ reps on all your exercises, then you need to choose more difficult exercises. Period.
Cardio and aerobics have health benefits no doubt, but if you're really looking for "bang-for-your-fitness-buck", and you're short on time, then stick with resistance training. It's the only kind of exercise that builds muscle and boosts your metabolism permanently--not just during your workout.
Shoot for exercises that are so difficult, you can only perform between 1 and 15 reps. This could be weightlifting (if you lack the creativity and sophistication of a "Tao Of Functional Fitness" devotee who relies solely on portable exercise equipment--like Fitness Bands--and their own bodyweight), but it doesn't have to be. If you know how to manipulate leverage, even bodyweight only exercises can be made difficult enough.
Why just 15% of your time worrying about this? Because all you have to do is make sure most of your exercise (excluding a proper warmup of course) falls within this rep range. Not exactly rocket-science. Nuff said.
Intelligent Evolution:
This is just another term for "periodization" or "cyclic training." Basically it means that you need a strategy for changing your exercise routine over the long haul as you get stronger and closer to realizing your goals. Most of the time the Consistent Progression rule takes care of this, hence the paltry 5% of your noggin that's required to intelligently evolve.
But over the long haul, you sometimes need to dramatically change your workout protocol. There's not space here to explore all the ins-and-outs of doing this, but a simplified recommendation would be to cycle between phases where you focus on increasing the Average Load you handle during your workouts, and phases where you're more concerned with the Amount Of Work Per Unit Time you perform (i.e. "Strength" vs. "Density").
Conclusion
Consistent Progression (80%) + Sufficient Intensity (15%) + Intelligent Evolution (5%).
Find an exercise routine that gives you that, and you're on to something!
Author Bio
Jeremy Markum (The Fitness Sage) is an author and fitness consultant based in San Diego, California. He can help you incinerate fat, & sculpt lean, sexy muscle... *without* going to the gym, and *without* calorie counting or endless cardio! Get your FREE tips about this profound new approach to fitness right now at: www.JeremyMarkum.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Related Fitness Articles
©2006 ArticleGeek.com: Free Website Content - All Rights Reserved
An asthma patient generally has sensitive air passages, or airways, resulting in difficult breathing for the patient when these air passages are irritated from an atmospheric change.
As mentioned earlier, it is crucial to note that some sports will have a higher probability of inducing attacks in an asthmatic. However this does not mean that an asthmatic cannot exercise safely.
If an asthmatic is looking for a safe sport, researchers point to swimming as the best possible sport for asthmatics as the breathing required rarely if ever causes chest tightness among swimmers. Although, participating in another form of exercise that would require exactly the same about of oxygen to circulate might not cause the same reaction in the participant.
Of course, some asthmatics will experience acute attacks when they enter the swimming pool. Researchers needed to find an explanation, and it did not prove difficult to explain the reason. Some asthmatics are very sensitive to chlorine, as an irritant. Thus, it is not possible to state that swimmers who are asthmatic do not have attacks.
Running of any type is often a terrible idea for asthmatic patients as it will, in some people, trigger an almost immediate attack. However, recent treatment advances have enabled some athletes who were previously unable to run for more than a few seconds to adapt their exercise routines to include running.
If an asthma patient is in a situation where they are breathing heavily, it may trigger the start of an asthma attack. Common instances of heavy breathing include not only exercising, but also the breathing tests required for the diagnosis of asthma.
Yes, if you are an asthmatic you should exercise. There remain many choices for type of exercises and sports. Asthma-afflicted athletes should get an appointment with a sports medicine specialist who will be able to address athletic medical issues with the patient. The specialist may also be able to provide useful tips and innovative treatment methods to the asthmatic that other physicians might not have considered trying.
Sports which involve short bursts of activity interspersed with short periods of rest make great activities for the asthmatic. Some examples include; swimming, team sports like football or softball, volleyball and yoga or Pilates. Generally, the time required for exercise induced acute attacks to occur is six minutes of constant heavy breathing.
As inspiration to continue exercising and participating in sports, it is key to notice that many past Olympians have also been asthma sufferers who managed their condition carefully, with the input and treatment plan of their physician.
These steps, if followed in combination with a personalized asthma treatment plan, will help the patient to have a successful and healthy exercise routine: Warm up properly, and do not forget to cool down.Avoid exercising in dry, cold air. If it cannot be avoided, be sure to cover both mouth and nose.Stay in good physical shape - Staying healthy will increase an athlete's ability to successfully avoid asthma attacks during exercise periods.Many patients will require not just a preventative or reactive medication, but a tailored combination of both types of medications in order to provide them with maximum relief from their illness. Most physicians agree that the desired outcome it to get the maximum relief from the minimum amount of medication.
Author Bio
Diana for www.health-care-information.org Complete guide to asthma and asthma treatment.
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