Tips For A More Effective Workout

Everyone wants to be in better shape and enjoy great health and fitness, but too many people are not sure how to get started. Even if you are working out regularly, it may be that you are not doing so in the most effective way. If so, you may be frustrated by your lack of progress. To get the most from your workouts so that you can reach your fitness goals more quickly, the following advice can help.

One effective way to increase the effectiveness of your workouts is to keep a written record of your progress. This record can be as detailed as you want, but it is important to keep track of what you do. This way, you can figure out exactly how much progress you are making so that you know whether or not you need to make changes to your routine. These notes can also help keep you motivated by making it easy to see how far you have already come.

Without a well-defined goal, you may end up just treading water and never making much progress. Knowing where you are going is half the battle. So, before you start on your fitness journey, make sure that you clearly define the goal you want to reach. Do you want to run a marathon or just be able to walk up the stairs without getting short of breath? Write down your goals and refer to them regularly during your workouts.

Do not forget to warm up before you start working out. If you just jump right into a hard workout without taking the time to get your body warmed up and your muscles ready, you increase the risk of injuring yourself. You will also not get the best results from your workouts. By taking the time to get yourself ready for exercise, you will see improved results and reduce the risk of injury.

A good workout routine should combine several different types of exercise. You need to do aerobic exercises to boost your cardiovascular health and increase your endurance, but it is also important to incorporate strength training into your routine. Strong, healthy muscles have many general health benefits that you can enjoy in all aspects of your life, not just when you are exercising or playing sports. A balanced exercise routine will give you the best overall results.

There is more to being fit and healthy than just working out. You need to make sure that you are giving your body the highest-quality fuel, so that your diet does not end up sabotaging your exercising. If you are stuffing yourself full of junk food, you are only holding yourself back. Eating a healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy protein will give you the energy you need to work out without damaging your health.

After reading this article, you should realize that an effective exercise routine does not have to be complicated or difficult. With just a few tweaks to your daily routine, you can get in shape and stay healthy without too much effort. With the advice from this article, you can easily be fit and healthy.

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Age-Appropriate Goals Are A Big Part Of Effective Exercise Routines

When planning exercise routines, age plays a big role in effectively designing workouts. What many don't realize though is that age doesn't affect the actual exercises to be included as much as it does the goals that should be set. While age will affect the poundage used or distances covered, of and by itself age does not include or preclude specific exercises.

What does change with age is the reasons why people are working out, and what they should expect from their continuing fitness efforts. Exercise routines for pre-teens and early teen years should be aimed at general fitness and some muscle mass gains, with less emphasis on strength training. At that tender an age the bones are still growing, so best not to make the muscles sufficiently strong to possibly inhibit that growth.

By their mid-teens and throughout their twenties, people have the optimum physiology for strength gains and building lean muscle mass. Their body's ability to produce testosterone and human growth hormone will never be greater, and those are two of the most powerful muscle-building hormones available. During these years bodies recover faster from workouts too, allowing the athletes to train that much more intensely and more frequently. That being said, it's important to counter their ego to stop them from going overboard - they need to focus on learning proper exercise form to prevent injuries that can plague them for life or injuries they might never recover from.

For those exercising in their 30's, 40's and beyond, the first issue is whether they're still exercising and have been all along, are in reasonably good shape and looking to better it or are simply out of shape and looking to get back some of the fitness they've foregone over the years. While the top bodybuilders in the world currently are in their late 30's and early forties, it's important to realize that they have, for the most part, been building their bodies non-stop since their teenage years with few or no breaks along the way. Already gifted with amazing genetics, the Phil Heaths and Jay Cutlers of bodybuilding fame are extreme cases and the bulk of the population can never, and could never have, achieved their level of lean muscle mass.

By your thirties your body has started slowing down its production and release of the hormones you want, meaning you'll need longer to recover from intense workouts and may need to try different exercise routines than those you may have used when you were younger, varying the sets, reps and weights being performed at each workout. Proper nutrition and rest become more important as you age as well, so these too need to be factored into your exercise programs. Obesity and Type 2 diabetes have both become plagues in today's society and if either affliction has caught you in its net then you'll need to watch your nutrition even more closely.

As you get into your 50's, 60's and the so-called 'golden years' there's both good news and bad news... The good news is that your body will, in the absence of most serious conditions, respond much the same way to a proper exercise routine as it did when you were much younger. Your workouts will break down the muscles causing 'micro tears' in the cells and their attached stem cells will repair the damage making them stronger and eventually larger, and your energy levels should begin to rise again. The bad news is that these changes will happen much more slowly and you'll need longer to work your way up to the level of exercise you may think you're already capable of performing. Use the wisdom and patience of age to set reasonable age-related timeframes when planning your exercise routines.

There are even very good reasons for people in their 70's, 80's and 90's to exercise with weights - progressive-resistance exercise can increase bone density, while increased flexibility and strength can go a long way towards avoiding falls and injuries and help you recover faster and more fully when they do occur. And at any age being more fit can aid your digestion and other internal bodily functions. Yes, you'll have to start off with very light weights and be very gradual in working your way to heavier poundage, but most people will find the extra energy, strength and better health will make their life much more enjoyable.

One thing is constant when creating exercise routines for people of any age - never even design the workout for yourself or a client without the person having a full medical checkup with a doctor. Many of the underlying causes of heart attacks and strokes have no outward signs, and any form of exercise routine can exacerbate those conditions and hasten injury, disability or even death if allowances aren't made when designing their workouts. Don't take anything for granted - insist on the checkup first before designing exercise routines for people of ANY age.

Keeping the above in mind, from pre-teens to centurial athletes, everyone deserves to live the best, healthiest and happiest life they can - aid them by creating age-appropriate exercise routines designed to further those lofty goals!

D. Champigny is a certified personal trainer and publisher of the Flirting With Fitness website and online magazine. You can get more health, fitness, exercise and nutrition tips from him on his Flirting With Fitness website and by following FlirtingWithFitness.com on Twitter.

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Interval Training Tips for Effective Weight Loss

ByMarcus J Michael

Today, there is one proven form of exercise that is highly recommended for anybody who is really serious about losing weight and getting into his or her desired body shape in the shortest possible time and that is through the use of high intensity interval training - also known as HIIT.

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a proven, time-efficient and safe interval training technique that by far outperforms any type of conventional low intensity aerobic exercise technique.

HIIT is an exercise technique that incorporates the alternating of short high-intensity exercise intervals with longer low-intensity recovery intervals during an exercise session. To put it more succinctly, HIIT is the mixing of short burst of intense exercise with longer recovery breaks - doing some short energy burst, then slowing down to recover and repeating the same procedure throughout the exercise session. You can make use of interval training during your exercise sessions such as sprinting, skating, jump rope, treadmill or swimming.

By way of illustration, let's assume you are going on your normal morning jogs. First, you might want to decide on the number of energy bursts (high intensity intervals) you want to add to your jogging this morning. It is equally important to remember that during this energy burst you'll have to push your heart rate above your normal training zone to about 80-90 per cent of your present capability.

You can begin jogging by warming up for about 5 minutes, then suddenly do a sprint burst for about 1 minute and thereafter slow down to your normal pace to recover for another 4 minutes. Repeating this procedure twice and giving yourself about 5 minutes to recover will add up to about 20 minutes of workout for a start. As you go on, you can start increasing the high intensity burst interval to increase the impact.

Generally, high intensity interval trainings last for just about 20 minutes excluding the warm-up and recovery periods. The idea behind HIIT is to develop the ability of holding onto the anaerobic state - high intensity interval - for a longer cumulative time during the workout session. However, the resting or recovery interval cycle of the workout is normally longer than the burst interval with an average of about two to four times.

There are basically four parameters which can be adjusted when planning a high intensity interval training workout taking into consideration your current overall fitness level as well as weight loss goals. These include:

Intensity / Speed of High-Intensity Interval
Duration / Distance / Time of High-Intensity Interval
Recovery Interval / Duration of rest
Number of repetitions of each interval

According to the American Council on Exercise, everybody can benefit from some type of high intensity interval training. While beginners can start by using interval training to gradually increase their level of endurance to a point where they become able of incorporating more strenuous higher intensity exercises, those already in good shape or even athletes can employ HIIT to boost their speed, endurance and overall performance.

The following interval training tips and guidelines can help you reduce any risk of injury and also help to maximize your high intensity interval training benefits.

1. Avoid performing exercises on an empty stomach

It is generally recommended to eat at least thirty minutes before workouts as this increases your ability to exercise harder and for much longer. Also eating before exercising helps you to eat fewer calories during the day compared to when you exercise on an empty stomach.

2. Maintain a healthy eating habit

It is still very important to ensure that you maintain a healthy eating lifestyle to provide the energy you need to cope with high intensity interval training and also to support your general weight loss initiative. Incorporate proteins, vegetables and low glycemic index carbohydrates into your diet to provide the necessary energy as well as minerals and vitamins.

3. Always warm up and cool down

Take about five minutes to warm up before exercising and another five minutes or thereabout to cool down after completing your exercise session. Warming up at slow rates prepares your joints, muscles and heart for the exercise. The cooling down period allows the body to return to its resting state and also help to prevent injury and muscle soreness.

4. Increase intensity gradually

Although the secret to HIIT is the intensity applied during the workout session, it is however generally physically demanding and therefore always recommended to start according to your current fitness level and not to push yourself too hard when just starting HIIT.

5. Push yourself as hard as you can

When your endurance level increases, you can now attempt to sustain your high intensity intervals for about three to five minutes before slowing down to recover. The body generally adapts under intensity, therefore it is advised to always push yourself a bit harder every now and then for the body to keep trying to adapt to functioning at these higher intensities which helps to increase your overall weight loss ability.

Re-take CONTROL of your life today to get that trimmer and healthier figure of your dreams by checking us out right now to get some topnotch best weight loss tips in addition to some of the best weight loss programs that will help you lose that excess body fat permanently!

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Three Effective And Fun Ways To Lose Weight Exercising

Figuring out the best ways to lose weight by exercising can at times seem like a challenge, but as long as you take a bit of time to do some research, you can be well on your way to success.

The biggest problem that many people make in their quest to lose weight exercising is not gaining the background knowledge of what it takes to succeed. Instead, they just hop on the first plan that they come across, even if they aren't even sure that plan is properly structured to help with fat loss success.

By learning what the best ways to lose weight by exercising are, you can put your best foot forward to win the battle of the bulge.

Let's take a quick peek at what you need to know to see maximum success.

Circuit Training

The very first of the main ways to lose weight by exercising is by performing circuit training. Circuit training is an excellent technique as its going to help to provide a cardiovascular workout as well as a strength and conditioning workout, bringing you the fastest results possible.

By doing circuit training, you can cut back on any cardio training that you might be doing, leaving more time to get done everything else you want to do during the week.

If you run a busy schedule, this is an excellent way to lose weight exercising.

Boot Camp Classes

The second best way to see results from your workout program is with boot camp classes. Boot camp classes are going to have you performing a number of different exercises, both bodyweight as well as weight based.

These classes are great for those who enjoy a group atmosphere with their approach, and will also help to challenge you from both a cardiovascular and a strength training angle.

If you're tired of going at your sessions alone, make sure that you give these some careful consideration. The more like-minded individuals you can bring into your life, the better your chances are of sticking with the fitness lifestyle.

Crossfit

Finally, the third and last way that you should use to help you lose weight exercising is Crossfit sessions. More and more people are looking into the benefits that Crossfit training has to offer and they are numerous.

Crossfit combines a variety of different exercise types into one solid workout program that will boost your strength, enhance your cardio conditioning, and help to improve your balance and agility as well.

Many Crossfit classes incorporate gymnastics based movements into the workout, so you'll really get a wide variety of different exercises by using this approach.

So there you have the main ways that you can get in shape quickly and lose weight exercising. You definitely don't need to use all three of these exercise variations in your program, but if you can incorporate at least one into the mix of the usual workout sessions that you're doing, you'll be well on the road to success.

The author of this article is Kevin and he loves an active living and healthy lifestyle. He believes that all of us should devote at least a portion of our day to some sort of fitness activity.
To learn about more options to lose weight exercising you can check out his website here:

http://www.loseweightbyexercising.com

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What Are Some Effective Home Workouts for Men?

Building muscle and working out is usually a fundamental aspect that all men do. No matter what needs to be improved in the male body, it is only normal for guys to have the need to workout and get a better looking body.

Working out in a gym is an important part of a man's exercise,but times can be tough for some guys, causing them to only workout at home. If you are like many of them who cannot make it to the gym always, consider doing the home workouts for men below. Each of them are surely going to help you develop a much stronger looking body.

- Push Ups

Push ups may not seem to be all that powerful, but the truth is that push ups can be more than just ordinary warm ups. Push ups can actually become very good for the upper body, and they could add a lot of extra muscles to your arms, chest, and
definitely your abs.

Many people make sure that push ups are a part of their entire workout regimen, and once they realize that it is just too easy for them to handle, they either add more reps or they use different variations of a push up.

There are all kinds of these variations, from going on one hand to putting your arms into a diamond shape on the floor. The truth is that push ups are powerful body weight workouts, and when done properly in different variations, a wide variety of changes can take place in the body.

- Squats

Squats are extremely powerful types of exercises. Squats are definitely one of the most powerful home workouts for men. It is nice to do because it adds more strength to your legs and thighs, giving the entire lower body the strength that it needs right after the push ups.

Squats simply require that you stand shoulder width apart with your arms stretched out or, on your chest. Make sure that when you squat that your legs are in a 90 degree angle for every time that you squat.

I suggest that you add extra things like books or anything heavy to hold onto during a nice set of squats. Just like the push ups, you can always add things to them to help make the squats more effective and powerful.

- Lunges

Lunges are where you place one foot forward around a few feet away. As you stay in this position, you bend both knees down to get into a lunge position. Lunges are extremely powerful to do during each of your workouts, and when you do them often, it will help strengthen your hamstrings and overall leg muscles.

Lunges can add a lot of extra strength to your entire body. Try putting the knee in the back touching the floor. This the perfect way to help get those lunges to be the most powerful. Lunges can do a lot for the legs, and you can be sure that your legs will get stronger little by little.

- Different crunches

Crunches may not seem to be powerful, but they can help add more strength to the core. Simply do the normal crunch like you used to, but try out different variations. For example, try using a medicine ball to do different types of crunches.

This is a very powerful way to do crunches but more in a different type of way. While so many people are able to get their core stronger with the ordinary crunches, some people aren't able to, so try out different variations to see what gives you the most confidence.

There are many home workouts for men, but the above ideas are definitely very powerful. They can help you develop your entire body within a short time frame. All you need is the right experience and training, and you can be sure to succeed when you do them extremely often.

Many people forget about doing home workouts because weights are the only workout that they focus on. While weights are extremely important, you really need to work your core and develop natural strength to help you get an even better looking body. Be bold try different things and do not fall into the comfort trap of doing things that are easy.

I have created a seven part eCourse that will give you all the detailed information you need to create a "home workout program" to help you get fit.

So take action now and find out how you can begin by signing- up now at my website http://www.MensFitnessExercise.com

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The Top 5 Most Effective Plank Exercise Positions

Ranked as one of the top exercises that target the core, particularly the oblique abdominal muscles, the plank exercise rises above the rest in simplicity, efficiency and practicality. Planks are mentioned in almost every top 10 article discussing core muscle workouts. It does not require equipment or any other special contraptions to perform. If you have a body, you can do the plank exercise.

The basic concept of the plank exercise is to assume a well-balanced (or isometric) stationary position while contracting certain muscles or muscle groups and holding it for a particular length of time. While the concept may seem simple, it has been proven to be very effective in exercising and strengthening your core muscles. The Transverse Abdominis, the muscles the lie deep beneath the obliques that wrap around your spine to protect it and give you stability; the Rectus Abdominis - extending along the front of your abdomen and is more commonly known as the "six-pack" muscles; the Erector Spinae or the muscles that run along your lower back up to your neck; the External Obliques or the "love handle" muscles around your waist; and the Internal Obliques which is located under the external obliques. These muscle groups are all involved in performing plank exercises properly.

But the benefits don't end with these core muscles, as variations of the plank exercise are n fact total body workouts as they strengthen not only your midsection as described above but also your upper-body muscles (including the pectoral and serratus muscles) and lower-body muscles (such as the quadriceps, tensor fasciae latae and sartorius).

And as the plank exercise helps stabilize your hips and spine, it also improves your posture and helps prevent and even correct postural defects.

It is also a very efficient exercise for reducing stress. When muscles tighten and tension develops, exercise can stretch and relax them; and in the process, improving your mood and mental well-being. Finally, if you feel like you eventually will be want to get into a more physically rigorous workout regimen, this exercise will strengthen your core and provide a stable platform to workout from. Which is always a good idea from a back safety and workout efficiency standpoint.

Convinced that you'd like to give it a try? Here are the top five basic yet very effective plank exercises people use every day to help get you started:

1. BASIC PLANK - Lie face down on the floor (use a mat or do this on a carpet or rug) as in a push-up position. Then bend your elbows and place your forearms closely on the sides of your chest down on the mat pointing forward. Using your forearms and toes, slowly raise your self while keeping your whole body perfectly straight with no part of your body sagging or bending leaving only your toes and forearms touching the floor. Maintain this position initially for about 10 seconds, then increase the length of time in 10-second increments until you're eventually able to do this for as long as two minutes. Remember to keep your head relaxed and facing the floor and to focus the tension around your midsection while doing this.

2. BASIC PLANK Variation - if you find it too hard to do the above basic plank exercise, start with this simple modified version: Instead of lifting yourself up with your forearms and toes, lift yourself using your forearms and knees instead. But as in the original version, remember to keep a straight line from your shoulders down to your feet to make this exercise work.

3. LEG LIFTS - Using the same position, this time slowly lift one leg up about 7-8 inches off the floor, keep it up for two seconds then slowly put it down and do the same with the other leg. Do three sets with about 10 reps per set.

4. ARM LIFTS - Again, from the original basic plank exercise position, slowly shift your weight on one arm and carefully lift the other arm, extending it in front of you for 2-3 seconds before slowly going back to the original position. Then repeat the same sequence with the other arm. If you're feeling really adventurous, try the arm & leg lift.

5. SIDE PLANK - Lay down on your side this time, with your elbow resting right beneath your shoulder and your forearm extended in front of you. Slowly and carefully lift your body on your elbow, still remembering to keep your whole body straight. Keep this position for about 10 seconds before slowly lowering yourself back to the floor starting at your hip. Repeat this sequence three times before switching to the other side of your body.

Mind your breathing when doing the above plank exercises. They work best with deep diaphragmatic breathing - inhaling deeply through your nose filling your stomach with air and slowly exhaling through your mouth.

These five basic plank exercises are a great way to introduce your body to this highly effective yet very simple exercise routine and are the foundation of any personal trainer's core workout pyramid.

George is an avid fitness buff and writer. You can read more about his downright obsession with plank exercises at his blog.

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Effective Workout Tips: Get Your Dream Body in 30 Minutes a Day

Disclaimer: Before following this or any exercise program, check with your doctor.

Did you know that you don't have to workout for hours in order to get your dream body? It's true. In fact, only 30-45 minutes a day is enough to firm you up and trim you down-if your exercise routines are the correct type. Follow these effective workout tips and get your dream body in just 30 minutes a day.

1. Intersperse high intensity workouts with lower intensity ones. You can do this in two ways. Either you can pump up the intensity during your regular workout, or you can perform high intensity workouts every other day. For instance, your exercise routines could include:
Walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes at three miles per hour. But every five or 10 minutes of this workout, crank your speed up to four miles per hour for two minutes.Walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes at three miles per hour, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, pick up your pace to four miles an hour.

Remember always to increase your endurance before you increase the intensity of your workout.

2. Combine Cardio with Strength Training. The folks at Curves Fitness Centers have it right: combining cardio with strength training is one of the most effective workout tips. This is called circuit training, and science has even confirmed its efficacy at burning more calories than either cardio or strength training alone. Plus you can cut your workout time in half!

3. Mix it Up. If you enjoy your exercise routine, that's great. But if you enjoy it to the point that it becomes easy, you've got a problem. You see, your body becomes very efficient at performing exercises that you do all the time. At that point, your workout does not, well, work out very well anymore. To keep that from happening, mix your exercise routines up. Intersperse jogging with walking, tennis, or swimming, for instance.

4. Consume Protein. One of the best workout tips is to consume lots of protein. Your muscles need s it to rebuild muscle. This is true, by the way, for both cardio and strength training workouts. So make sure you include lots of protein in your diet.

5. Eat Carbs. Just like you need protein to repair muscle from your workout, you need carbs to give you energy. Eating a banana before your exercise routines are a great way of providing energy for your workout.

Although there are many effective workout tips, these are five of the most important. Just pace yourself, work up to your goal, and you could have your dream body in just 30 minutes a day.

Christine Mattice is well-verse on fitness and nutrition. Visit http://www.allfitnessweb.net for quick, easy, and PLENTIFUL fitness and exercise tips.

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Effective Home Ab Workouts

ByTyler Freeman

If there's any one body part that's getting unbridled attention in the fitness industry, it's the abs. Getting six-pack abs have become such an obsession that products, exercise regimens like the P90X workout from Beachbody, and all forms of scams have been devised to target those who are eager to get rid of their love handles and have lean killer abs to die for.

There's good news and bad news where getting sexy abs are concerned. The bad news is that it requires time and effort. Any advertisement that even remotely hints that lean abs can be formed with ease is a blatant lie. Since it is muscle, your abs are need to be "traumatized" through exercise and then be allowed to rest so that it can make the necessary repairs to get those six-pack abs to show. The good news, however, is that these exercises don't need any special equipment and can be done right at home. You don't need to spend money for gym memberships or trainers. For as long as you follow the correct form, you should be able to do these ab exercises with a minimum of fuss and achieve the best results.

The list given below is by no means conclusive, it's just to get you started. There are more ab exercises that are just as effective. You can add this to your routine as your body starts to get used to following a regular exercise regimen.

1. Basic crunches. Lie on your back with your knees bent and hands behind your head or across your chest. With your back flat against the floor, contract your abs and slowly lift your shoulders off the floor, exhaling as you do so. Hold this position for a few seconds while breathing normally. Lower your body and repeat for 20 more times.

2. Bicycle Exercise. Lie flat with your lower back pressed to the floor, with your hands placed beside your head. As you bring your knees up to about 45- degree angle, slowly move it as if you were pedaling a bicycle. While doing the motion, be sure to touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Breathe and relax through the whole exercise. Do the same with the other side.

3. Side Plank. Lie on your side with your bodyweight supported by your feet and elbow. Slowly raise your body in a straight line so that it hovers above the floor. While you're in this position, be sure to keep your back straight and your hips up. Your abs and entire core muscle groups must be contracted tightly. Keep breathing normally. Hold for about 10 seconds before switching sides.

As you do these exercises, keep in mind that good form is essential. Also you have to do each movement in a slow and deliberate manner. Be sure to add other exercises and modify your routine every 3 to 4 weeks so you get to exercise all your other muscle groups. Combined with proper food choices, your exercise routine should get you those lean six-pack abs in no time.

Lastly, be sure to look over our comprehensive P90X workout review and this post about Slim in 6.

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