Pilates For Beginners - Get Started With Pilates

The Pilates method has become increasingly popular these days. Maybe you're thinking of trying to incorporate Pilates into your personal exercise routine. Pilates has been widely touted today as a way to strengthen the muscles and increase flexibility. Millions have been using Pilates as a way to accomplish these goals. If you have been wanting to explore Pilates as an option, read on to find out exactly what you are getting yourself into.

Pilates was founded around 70 years ago as a series of 500 movements designed to build up the core muscle groups of the abdominals, shoulders, back, and pelvis, while improving flexibility in the practitioner at the same time. The Pilates method usually produces longer, leaner muscles rather than the shorter, bulky muscles that traditional weight training produces. Pilates also use the method of holding certain positions for a number of breaths rather than the repetitions of other exercise methods. Because you are holding poses, you are required to balance, which also brings smaller muscle groups into play, making the workout very effective in overall toning.

So, if you are interested... How do you get started? One likely place to look for help might be the public library, which should contain books or DVDs on Pilates. You need to see for yourself what Pilates looks like when its being practiced. You can learn a lot about the technique by seeing it in a DVD, book, or visiting a Pilates class. If you think that this method might appeal to you, then you are ready to move to the next step, which would be to visit your doctor for a checkup to see if you are physically fit enough to add Pilates into your exercise routine.

If your doctor agrees that you can add Pilates to your exercise routine, then join a beginning class and begin to build a relationship with a qualified Pilates instructor. This person will tailor a Pilates program especially for you, only adding exercises when you need them, with your particular exercise needs in mind. If you enjoy the beginning classes, you might want to visit an advanced class, with the ultimate goal being to eventually work your way to the class.

But, what if your schedule does not allow for outside classes? The beauty of the Pilates method is that, once learned, most of the exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home and in a matter of minutes a day. People nowadays need an exercise program that is flexible enough to move into a tight schedule and Pilates can fit into such schedule.

Eventually, if you become adept at the floor Pilates exercises, you may want to add exercises to your routine using some of the available Pilates equipment, such as a Pilates exercise ball, mat, circles, and resistance bands or others. But for right now, learning to perfect the floor Pilates exercises is enough of a challenge.

Later on, if you become a Pilates enthusiast, you can research the most strenuous Pilates workout, which is called Windsor Pilates, which will burn the most calories and cause the most weight loss. This method, however, uses more complicated machinery, so it's best to save it for later.

For great information about the basic of Pilates, check out this book: "PILATES: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE".

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The Benefits of Stationary Exercises

As we grow older, exercise and diet become more important to our health. There are two stationary exercises which can help to not only reduce weight, but increase flexibility as well.

The first exercise is the use of a stationary bike. Pedaling for 20 minutes three times a week decreases weight and increases leg and muscle strength. Moreover, combined with a healthy diet, you will lose inches and pounds within a year’s time.

Now some may think this is a boring exercise. But you can be assured there are plenty of things you can do while pedaling that will distract you from this routine. For example, use this exercise routine in front of the TV. If you are watching a great drama, the time will fly by and you’ll discover you were pedaling more than 20 minutes. If you prefer music, turn on your CD player and tune in to your favorite music and ride like the wind.

While most gyms have stationary exercise bikes, nothing can compare to having one in your home to be used whenever you wish. It’s convenient, doesn’t take up much room, and within no time you’ll feel the weight dissipate along with the size of your clothing as well.

The second stationary exercise utilizes a chair. Here’s how it works: Sit in a chair using good posture and extend both arms over your head.

Hold them up for 10 seconds then bring your right arm down to a relaxed state. Now, take your left arm and slowly place it over your head towards the right. Hold it there for 10 seconds. Return to the normal position and relax. Next, repeat the first move by putting both hands over your head, hold for 10 seconds; and with your right arm, reach across to the left side of your head and hold for 10 seconds. Try to complete five sets.

These stationary exercises are wonderful in that they concentrate on the oblique area, improves circulation, especially if you have been sitting in front of a computer all day. Any exercise you can do with a minimal amount of effort will benefit you and your health in the long run.

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Resistance Band Exercises for Older Adults

Resistance band exercises are important for older adults for several reasons: cardiovascular fitness is improved, there is an increase in flexibility, energy level rises, it reduces stress, it helps with sleep, and it helps lower the risk of injuries.

While we know that exercise is important to maintain muscle mass, it is even more vital for older adults who tend to live a sedentary lifestyle, thus gaining weight and losing muscle mass.

In an effort to reduce the aforementioned conditions, older adults can utilize stretch bands in their daily routine. Implementing exercises using bands three times a week, an older adult can increase their overall strength.

As with any exercise program, it is important to check with a doctor to advise what type of exercise you will be engaging in so that he is aware in case of any future problem. Before you begin, here are some tips to follow to ensure your routine is enjoyable and safe.

Begin stretching before the actual exercise. This will warm up your limbs and prepare them for a workout. Keep your back erect and stomach muscles in. The proper technique is to control the stretch band while at the same time, resisting it. Keep your legs and arms taut, but do not lock them in any position. Remember to breathe with each exercise, and rest between each set. The approximate amount of recommended repetitions is 15 per exercise.

Finally, try to mix up your routine. Some of the resistance band exercises can include: strengthening the shoulder muscles, hamstring muscles, deltoid muscles, and biceps. These can easily be done in the privacy of your own home at a time suitable for you. After each day’s exercise, ensure you drink a lot of water and receive plenty of rest.

In addition, maintaining a healthy diet will afford you the opportunity to lose weight and able to exercise more efficiently while, at the same time, burn more calories.

For more information on how you can perform some simple yet effective exercises all from the comfort of your home, no need to spend time travelling down to a local gym, check out this great book: "BURN THE FAT, FEED THE MUSCLE".

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Safety Tips For Strength Training Workouts

Improper use of equipment and bad form can result in injuries during strength training workouts. Experts advise people who strength-train to employ the following techniques:

• When lifting weights, always use a spotter.
• Always have a good posture.
• Wear proper shoes.
• Use caution when picking up and returning weights to their original area.
• Ensure all equipment is up to standards.
• Always spend approximately 10 minutes warming up the body by stretching.
• Begin slowly in strength-training exercises, starting with the larger muscles first.
• Alternate training on different muscle groups three times a week.
• Cool down for 10 minutes by stretching.
• Ensure you know the proper way to handle weights to avoid injury.
• Discontinue training if you experience any pain.
• Learn breathing techniques.
• Use a belt when lifting weights to protect the back.
• Do not use equipment for the first time unless with a professional.
  

For effective results, experts recommend that strength training workouts should be done slowly, which will provide additional resistance. In addition, it is also advised not to hold on to weights too tightly as it may raise blood pressure. Avoid pressure by not locking joints when lifting weights.

Whether you are working out in a gym with a personal trainer or working out at home, it is important to become familiar with each piece of equipment used, and how to use it to allow for effective strength training workouts.

While all of these tips are designed to contribute to a safe training session, there are many professionals who will offer their unique perspective and advice on how to safely train at home or at the gym. This is particularly true for older men who are just beginning their strength training workouts. The most important advice anyone can offer is to listen to your body when engaging in any form of exercise.

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Tips For Effective Tummy Toning Exercises

If you want to tighten or flatten your stomach or abs, here are some effective tummy toning exercises that will help.

Here’s a routine you may be familiar with: First lie down on your back on a floor mat. Bend the knees and place your feet flat on the mat. Put your hands behind your head and rise up slowly. Wait a few seconds; then slowly lie back down. Repeat this 10 times. If you feel pain in your back or neck, stop.

Here is another effective tummy toning exercise to strengthen the ab muscles. Sit on a mat on the floor and bend your knees. Place your feet flat on the floor. Now take your left arm and place it on the right side of your chest, and visa versa with the right arm. Bend your head and shoulders towards your chest. Slowly lean back until you feel your muscles contract. Stay in this position for about five seconds; then return to the original position. Repeat this exercise at least 10 times. As noted earlier, if you feel any discomfort, stop.

The last routine is focused primarily on the stomach muscles. Here’s how to begin: hold in your stomach, while exhaling, for approximately 15 seconds. Now let it out and breathe. Do this exercise for as long as you can. This will strengthen the stomach muscles.

While there are a myriad of exercises to firm up the stomach and flatten the abs, these three simple routines are the most simple and effective tummy toning exercises for me because I have a very busy work schedule. They don't take much time, they are easy to perform and very effective. Just try it yourself.

Whether you belong to a gym, or are beginning to focus in on one area of your body, you can achieve a successful result if you stay with it and ensure you use every precaution to avoid injury. There are hundreds and hundreds of stomach exercises you can try.

Here is one great resource or guide I often refer to, if you want to have an effective tummy toning exercises, I highly recommend you to read this book. Just click the image below to get more information.

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Home Health And Fitness Gyms

Even there are many 24 hour commercial gyms available these days, people still find it difficult to work out. What stop most people’s motivation to go to gyms regularly is TIMING and INCONVENIENCE of having to travel. In many big cities, traveling is a nuisance due to congested roads and traffic jams.

That’s why the terms home health and fitness gyms become well-known and fashionable. The selling point here is that you can keep in shape and be healthy from the comfort of your home without having to travel to the local gym.

The Flexibility of Home Health And Fitness Gyms:

The main benefit of home health and fitness gyms is the flexible workout schedule you can control, whether it is 5 AM in the morning or 9 PM at night. There are really no restrictions or limits placed on an individual who wishes to work out at home.

Moreover, there are added flexibility that allows for a split training routine to accommodate a schedule that is in flux. In other words, if the person wants to do 4 workouts with a duration of ten minutes each throughout the day, then so be it! One could do arms, abs, chest and shoulder workouts periodically. This would be impossible if one had to travel to the gym as the trip may need hours worth of time.

Equipment for Home Health And Fitness Gyms:

Of course, unless one wishes to perform bodyweight exercises exclusively, you don’t need many fancy equipments to keep in shape. Home health fitness gyms are adequate for providing great workout and reduce any excuses a person could come up with to avoid working out. Then again, some may cite cost as a prohibitive factor, but this is not an excuse as there are many equipments on the market that can fit any price range. For example, the Bodylastics Home Gym can give you a complete workout package with a price as low as $50. So, once again, there are no excuses!

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Fitness Equipment Treadmill Home Gyms

If you’re a busy professional and you have a fitness goal and are determined to stick to your exercise routine so that you can keep in shape and healthy, home gym fitness equipment such as treadmills will do the job. As long as you have some extra room in your house, you don’t need many fancy equipments to keep in shape, fitness equipment treadmill home gym is good enough.

Shopping Online:
Buying home gym fitness equipment such as treadmills is much easier and less expensive than joining a gym, and you’re more likely to use it. Unlike a gym membership, you can set your own schedule and get fit from the comfort of your own home.

You can find great fitness equipment treadmill home gyms online. Just visit sites like Ebay and Craig’s List, have all kinds of listings for great fitness equipment at affordable prices.

Where To Put It:
If you have a basement, this is the best place to put your home gym fitness equipment such as treadmill as it’s usually the cooler location of your house and there’s more room for it. Different people have different preferences, some people like to watch television while they are working out so they put their home gym fitness equipment in the living room or bed room. It’s up to you really as long as it doesn’t obstruct the ways you move around in your house.

The main benefit of a home gym is that you don’t need to go through the hassle of joining a gym and worry about membership dues or having to get up and travel, you can work out whenever you want to in the privacy of home. You have the leisure of working out when the mood hits you. Just make sure you keep up your motivation and stick to your routine. If you do that you will reach your fitness goals.

If you have a busy schedule and your house doesn’t have an extra room to accommodate your home gym fitness equipment such as treadmill, check out the following books. They will teach you all the secrets about working out and keeping healthy without using any fancy equipment.

1. Turbulence Training.


2. Burn Fat Feed Muscle.

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Bodylastics Review: Home Fitness For The Rest Of Us

Home gym is becoming very popular simply because it provides convenience for people to keep in shape and achieve their fitness goal all from the comfort of their home. But there are two common obstacles in setting up a home gym. The first obstacle is cost. Home gym equipments can cost up to thousands of dollars. The second obstacle is the extra space or room needed in the house.

Enter Bodylastics home gym. With Bodylastics, you can have both the quality and complete set of home gym system for as low as $50. Bodylastics is recommended and used by personal trainers, the U.S. Military, Pro Athletes, and even S.W.A.T. teams. It has also been featured on QVC, HSN and in publications like Mens Fitness, Self Magazine, Exercise For Men, Delta Sky, Justine Magazine, Muscle and Fitness Hers and Flex.

Bodylastics uses the elastic resistance technology found in many of today’s state-of-the-art home gym equipments. It uses the smoothest source of resistance called elastic tubing and eliminates the need for a bulky piece of machinery to anchor the elastic. It is easy to store - no extra room needed! The Bodylastics home gym system is simple yet effective, it gives users the ability to generate 15 levels of tension (Basic Tension Set) or even 31 levels of tension (Max Tension set). This would enable users of all strength levels to get the best results possible.

Every set of Bodylastics comes complete with extra heavy duty components (handles, ankle straps and door anchor). These components used in conjunction with the elastic tubes can recreate all of the exercises from the health club, and some others that even the best machines can't duplicate.

If you’re looking for a home gym that has the quality and affordable price, Bodylastics is definitely worth checking out. Without a doubt Bodylastics is the best value for money home gym system.

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Gym Power Golds Home Gyms – High Quality Home Gym Equipment That Fits Your Budget

If you are looking for affordable and high quality home gym equipment, check out gym power Golds home gyms. You can get a quality home gym for as little as $200. A quick and fun workout with gym power Golds home gyms can help you get a stunning body.

The Gold Standard:

Golds Gyms are well-known for providing the best equipment for members to use. You can have the same quality equipment in your home. These complete home gyms allow users to work out their whole body. With a technology called ARC (automatic resistance control), exercise has become customized again. Easily transfer over 300 pounds to any exercise, so a user could do 240 pound knee raises while lowering the weight to 100 pound pull ups. The possibilities for exercising are endless with gym power Golds home gyms.

The Cost Benefit:

As mentioned earlier you can get a home gym from gym power Golds home gyms for as little as $200. This will certainly save you money if you compare the cost of your local gym membership and the price of gas and parking for your vehicle.

Besides saving you money, what else makes a home gym better than a membership? Time is certainly a major worry for many people who believe that they don't have time to exercise. With a local gym, members would have to drive out of their way, which could add almost an hour just by itself, and if the gym is busy, some of the equipment might not be available. With a Golds home gym, users don’t need to travel and the equipment is always available, this can save you many hours every week.

If you have a tight budget, a home gym from gym power Golds home gyms is perfect for you. Even if you have money to spare, why spend more on the same quality of equipment elsewhere? So make sure you check out gym power Golds home gyms if you’re shopping for home gym equipment.

If you have a busy schedule like me, check out the following guide. It will teach you the secrets of keeping your body in shape without long, slow boring Cardio exercises and fancy equipments.

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Fitness Accessories For Home Gyms Can Keep Things Interesting

People are normally very excited when they buy their first piece of home gym equipment. But the excitement wanes after a period of time when the newness of the equipment wears down. To keep yourself motivated and your exercise routine interesting, you can try to enhance your home gym equipment with fitness accessories. These include dumbbells, dumbbell racks, a chin up bar, add-on for current machines, and more.

You can check out some great fitness accessories for home gyms online at “Home-Gym Warehouse”.

What type of fitness accessories for home gyms suit you will depend on your fitness goal. For instance, if your goal is to burn fat, you’ll want your fitness accessories for home gyms to focus more on cardio than strength training. However, if your goal is to build strength and become stronger, you’ll want more weight equipment. You can also have both cardio and strength training fitness accessories, it’s all up to you and what goals you’ve set for yourself. Remember the idea of the fitness accessories for home gyms is to spice up your motivation and exercise routine.

You Need To Consider Space In Your House:

Make sure you have enough space in your house before you invest in a lot of fitness accessories for home gyms. If you have a treadmill in the corner of your bedroom, there’s not a lot of space for additional machines, dumbbells and more. Working out requires a certain amount of space so you should measure your workout area to ensure that you have enough room for all the fitness accessories you want.

Check out some great fitness accessories for home gyms online at “Home-Gym Warehouse”.

One of the main benefits of having the fitness accessories for home gyms is that you can use them whenever you want to. You don’t have to get up and travel to a gym, you don’t need to pay expensive membership dues, and you never have to wait for other people to get off the machines or equipment you intend to use. With fitness accessories for home gyms, you’re the only one using them and you can use them whenever you get the urge to work out.

If you’re a busy professional and don’t have the time to go to gyms, check out the following credible resources that will teach you how to keep in shape in the comfort of your home without the need for any fancy equipment.

1. Turbulence Training.


2. Burn Fat Feed Muscle.

Read More