Exercise | Life Health Fitness

Exercise On The Bed While You Watch TV

A lot of us struggle with getting out of bed in the morning. This is especially true when our first activity of the day is to exercise. So, if you refuse to get out of bed but you need to workout. Don’t worry this routine is perfect for you. You can workout in your pajamas. Do you have morning breath? Not a problem. You won’t be talking anyone any so who cares.

This routine can be a problem if someone else is in the bed with you. But I am sure you can find away to make it happen. The best part is you can do the workout anytime. Mornings are best because it gives you an energy boost. If you like to watch you favorite shows while in bed, this will also be a good time to bust a move while you watch TV.

First, we will go over some ab exercises and stretches that will definitely wake you up. Then, we will go on to a bit more challenging exercises that all can be done in the comfort of your own room, using only your bed. You don’t need a king-sized bed either; these can be done on even a twin mattress. It may take only a few of these exercises to motivate you to get up and go to the gym, or you may decide to do the entire routine. Either way, no excuses. Let’s get your morning started right.

Full Body Crunch

First you want to lie flat on your back on the bed and extend your arms all the way back. Then you want to crunch up. As you do bring your legs up to a right angle and hug them with your arms. After that, extend back out, and you have one rep. I would recommend doing this exercise in either sets of 10 or for 45 seconds. Whichever you feel more comfortable with starting off. This workout will do wonders for your abs.

Criss Cross

For this exercise, continue to lie flat on your back. However, this time keep your arms rested at your side. This will help you keep your balance. Now, raise your legs up straight to about a 45 degree angle off of the bed. Finally, you want to crisscross your legs. Move your right leg over your left and then left over right. I would recommend doing this exercise for about 30 seconds per set. This is also a great exercise for improving your core.

Bicycles

For this exercise start off by sitting at the edge of your bed.Place your palms on the edge of the mattress and then slowly raise up your feet. Get your legs to a 90-degree angle and then keep it there. Then simply kick your feet out as if you were riding a bicycle. I recommend starting off with 30 seconds a set and working your way up. If you want to increase the intensity of this workout, then put your palms on the back of your head and touch your left elbow with your right knee when it comes towards you; and vice versa. This exercise is great for working out your abs, legs and thighs.

Wide Leg Cross Sit-Ups

For this exercise, start off with your legs stretched out to each side and your arms extended straight back. Now, crunch up and reach out to touch your left toes. After that, go back down to your starting position and then crunch back up to touch your right toes. Do this for about 45 seconds. This exercise will benefit not only your abs, but your hamstrings as well.

Leg Raises

To do this exercise, lie on the bed with your legs stretched straight out. To make it a bit easier, you can position yourself to where you can grab the corner of your mattress behind you with your arms. Then you want to simply raise your legs up and down. However, when you come down, do not touch the bed with your legs. If you want to make this more challenging, then have somebody push your legs down as they come up. This will make it much more difficult for you not to touch the bed. You can do this exercise with repetitions or timed, but beware that this is a difficult one.

Leg Extensions

For this exercise, start off seated upright on the edge of your bed with your legs bent in front of you. Now lean back a bit and lift your legs up off of the ground. Keep your arms by your side holding the mattress for balance. Then pump your legs in and out, while keeping your legs together. Exhale when your knees come towards your chest and inhale when your legs go down. I recommend doing this exercise for either 30 second intervals or 20 reps. This exercise is beneficial to your abs, lower back, hip flexors and quads.

Wide U

Start this exercise by sitting in and upright position, with your legs extended out. Then you want to lift your legs off of the bed and hold them there. Now, crunch your abs in order to lift your legs into the air on one side. Then come back down and swing them to the other side as This is another exercise that is fairly difficult, but equally beneficial. This workout is great for exercising your abs and obliques.

Hand & Toes Touch

For this exercise, lie flat on your back with your legs extended out and your arms extended out behind you. Then crunch your abs as you lift your left leg straight up into the air. As you lift your left leg, raise your right arm up to where your fingers touch your toes. Then come back to the original position and do the same with your right leg and left arm. Alternate between legs for 45 seconds to get the best results.

Leg Lifts

To do this exercise, start off flat on your back with your arms at your side. If you want to make it more challenging, put your hands under your butt, so that you cannot depend on them for support. Now, lift your legs slightly off of the bed. After that, lift on leg straight up, followed by the opposite leg. Then when they are both in the up position, lower one leg down to the beginning position and then follow it with the other leg. Be sure not to touch the bed when lowering your legs. Then raise up again, one leg at a time. I recommend doing this exercise for about 30 seconds per set to start off. This is another excellent ab workout.

Scissor Kicks

To do this exercise start by sitting on the edge of your bed. Then place your palms on the corner of your mattress to help you balance. Then lift your legs up and lean back, but don’t let your back touch the bed. Now just flutter kick in the air up and down, but not too wide. Do this for about 30 seconds and you’re off to a good start. If you want to make it more challenging, then lift your arms straight into the air during the set. This exercise is very beneficial to your core.

V-Kicks

To do this exercise, begin on you back with your arms at your side. Then raise your legs up with your knees pointing towards you. Now, simply kick your legs up one at a time with as much force as you can. The harder you kick, the better the results. Alternate between legs for about 45 seconds. This exercise is primarily beneficial for your thighs.

Fire Hydrants

For this exercise, you will need to begin by getting on all fours on top of your bed. Then, you want to start with one leg and raise it to your side, while maintaining the right angle. You want to continue until your leg is parallel to the bed. Continue going up and down with that leg for 30 seconds and then switch over to the opposite side. This technique is beneficial to your gluts and thighs.

Donkey Kicks

To do this exercise you will need to stay in your position on all four. Then you want to kick back as far as possible towards the ceiling with your left leg. As you come back down to the bed, do not touch it with your leg or knee. Then you want to kick back out with the same leg. Do this for 30 seconds of each side. This technique is beneficial to your legs and gluts.

Ballet Kicks

To do this workout begin on your right side with both of your legs extended out. Use your right arm for balance and place against the bed. Now, raise your left leg up and down, while keeping it perfectly straight. Each time you come down you should touch your right leg slightly, but don’t rest it there. Do this exercise for 20 seconds and then flip over and do it on the opposite side. This is exercise is primarily beneficial to your thighs.

Glute Bridges

To do this exercise, start off with your back flat on the bed and your knees pointed towards the ceiling. Your legs should be hip width apart and feet facing forward. Now lift your butt up off of the bed until your body is straightly aligned. Your arms should be flat to the side of your body. Hold this position for 30 seconds. This workout is great for your thighs and butt primarily, but is also beneficial to the rest of your legs as well as your abs.

Frog Pumps

Start off on your back, with your knees facing the ceiling, just like the previous exercise. Put your feet about hip-width apart and place your extended arms to your side with your palms turned to the bed. Gently press your hips upward by squeezing your gluts. Continue to push upwards until your legs and hips are straight; and torso and legs are aligned. Now, slowly lower back down to your starting position and you have one rep. I would recommend doing these in sets of 15 to start out. This exercise is great for developing your hip, leg and thigh muscles.

Split Pulses

To do this exercise, stay on your back and raise your legs straight up towards the ceiling. Your arms should be flat against the bed, with your hands under your butt. Now split your legs out to the side at the same time as far as you can go, and then back to the middle. Don’t worry if at first you cannot kick them out very far, it depends solely on your level of flexibility. The quicker you move them out the better the results. Do this for 30 seconds. This exercise is great for your thigh muscles.

Bed Squats

For this exercise, you actually need to get out of the bed, but don’t worry you will not be going far. To start, you will stand with your bed behind you and your legs about hip-width apart. Now, simply sit down and get back up. Make sure that you are squeezing your gluts and your core in order to get the best results. I would recommend doing this exercise for about 1 minute a set. These are almost like beginner squats, but if you want to make them a little more challenging; try sitting down and standing up on one leg at a time. This exercise benefit your abs, butt, legs, hips, calves, shins and thighs.

Leg Circles

To begin this exercise, you will need to get back onto your right side. However, this time your right leg will be bent back at a right angle. Use your right arm as support and then raise your left leg straight up. Then you want to move your left leg around in mini circles, making sure not to touch the bed. Do this for 30 seconds and then turn over and switch sides. This exercise benefits your thigh muscles.

Single Leg Hip Raises

To begin, lie on your back with your knees pointed towards the ceiling. Then raise one of your legs up into a 90-degree angle. Then you want to push with your foot that is on the bed, while raising your butt up and down. Do this for 30 seconds on each side. This workout is great for your butt and thighs.

Bed Planks

To do this exercise technique, lie flat on your stomach on top of the bed. Now, extend your arms by pushing down on the bed. After that, get on your toes and make sure your entire body is straight. Hold this position for about 30 seconds. This exercise will benefit your abs, back and arms.

Push Ups

To do this exercise, place your palms on top of the bed and enter the bed plank position. Extend your legs out behind you or kneel if you are a beginner. Then simply do a push-up. This exercise is best done in reps. There is also another kind of push-up that you can do with the bed. For this one, place your feet on top of the mattress and get into a plank position with your hands on the ground. This is version is much more difficult than the previous kind. If you still want to step it up a bit, raise one of your legs in the air while doing the reps. This exercise will benefit your arms, chest and shoulders.

Triceps Dips

To do this exercise sit on the edge of the bed and place your palms at the corner of the mattress, with your fingers pointing down. Start off with bent knees if you are just beginning and then advance to keeping your legs straight out. Lift your butt off of the bed and then dip your body towards the ground, but don’t quite touch it. You want your elbows to be at about a 90-degree angle. After that extend your arms back to their normal position and then you have one rep. I recommend doing this exercise in sets of about 10 to start off. This exercise is primarily beneficial to your triceps.

So, there you have it; a variety of exercises that can done on the bed. Of course, most of these exercises can be done pretty much any surface that you prefer. It will prove a bit more challenging on the bed, due to its soft surface. Nonetheless, I am glad that you didn’t lie in the bed lazily and do nothing. Now go hop in the shower and then hop back in bed.

Lunchtime Workout In Your Office Chair

Who has time to get in shape these days? Between kids, work and all the other more fun things to do; why would you spend unnecessary time to work out. Well you definitely want to get some exercise in, otherwise your entire quality of life will slowly go down the drain. With this said, we have developed some exercises that can be done in your office chair at your desk. This way you can get a decent workout in without committing any additional free time. You can do these exercises during down time at work or in between scrolling down your social media timelines. Either way these office chair workouts are sure to get you off of some undesired weight. Now let us get started.

Downward Reach

For this exercise, make sure you are in a straight up position in the back of your chair. Now, simply reach down towards the ground, and hold for about 10 seconds. Come back up and then switch to the other side for another 10 seconds. This exercise is great for stretching your muscles and warming them up.

Shoulder Curls

For this exercise, shrug your shoulders up and down. You want to be sure that your arms are extended straight down to the side of your chair as you do this. I recommend doing this exercise for about 15 seconds and then switch to shrugging your shoulders backward for another 15 seconds. This exercise is great for stretching your shoulder muscles and warming them up.

The Running Man

To start this exercise, put your elbows in a right angle and then go to the edge of your chair. After that start with a nice jog, while still in sitting position. Add your legs and move them up and down as well, as if you were running. Do this for about 20 seconds. This is mainly a cardio exercise to get your heart rate going.

Arm Circles

To do this exercise, begin by reaching down with your right arm. Then just move it around in a circle, while leaning to your right side. Then stop and begin doing circles again, but this time counterclockwise. Do this for about 10 seconds on each side. This another great exercise for warming up.

Legs & Arms Cross

To start this exercise, begin at the edge of the chair with your knees in a right angle. Put your elbows in a right as well. Now stretch your right arm out diagonally upward and your left leg diagonally downward. Then you bring both the leg and arm back in the middle to meet your elbows and knees. Now you have achieved one set. Do about 10 of those and then switch over to the opposite sides. This exercise is really great for improving your core.

Forward Reach

For this exercise, stretch out your right arm as if you were reaching for something. Reach out as far as you can, then quickly switch to your left. Now, you want to go back and forth between arms at a fairly quick pace. Do this exercise for about 10 seconds.

Arm Crosses

For this exercise, grab your right elbow with your left hand, and push your elbow to where your right arm is stretched across your chest. Hold this position for about 5 seconds and do some deep breathing, while you are there. Then you want to switch sides and do the same thing with your left arm. This exercise is great for stretching out your arms.

Back Twist

For this exercise, take your right palm and place it on your left knee. Now, push down with your right hand and look behind you to the left. Hold this position for about 5 seconds and then do the same on your right side.

Shoulder Press

To do this exercise, start off by having your arms out to the side at about a 90-degree angle. Now, raise your arms up over your head towards each other. After that you simply want to pump your arms up and down; each time you come down coming back to the 90-degree angle. If you are able, then you can add dumbbells or resistance bands to this exercise. I recommend starting off with reps of 10 in this work out technique.

Bicep Curls

To begin this exercise, put your arms in front of you in a 90-degree angle and then lift them up towards your chest. You can do this one arm at a time or with both. You can also add dumbbells to this exercise as well to raise its intensity. You should do this exercise in sets of 10. This exercise is great for your bicep strength.

Triceps Dips

To start this exercise, you want to hold your elbows up high to your side. Then push down with your arms, extending them towards the floor. After that, lift them back up to the original position. Do this for about 15 seconds and you should feel it in your triceps.

Bicycles

For this exercise start off sitting on the chair. Place your palms on the edge of the chair and then slowly raise up your feet. Get your legs to a 90-degree angle and then keep it there. Then simply kick your feet out as if you were riding a bicycle. I recommend starting off with 30 seconds a set and working your way up. If you want to increase the intensity, then put your palms on the back of your head and touch your left elbow with your right knee when it comes towards you; and vice versa. This exercise is great for working on your core.

Chest Stretch

To do this exercise, lean back and open up your chest. Raise your arms up and out to the side, fully extended. Hold this position for about 10 seconds. This exercise is great for stretching out your arm and chest muscles.

Touch the Sky

For this exercise, you are going to raise your arms up on both sides as if you were trying to touch the sky. You want to inhale as you are going up and exhale as you are coming down. Continue to do this for about 15 seconds.

Lateral Raises

To start this exercise, hold your arms down at your side. Then lift them up and out to the side of your body with your forearms pointing forward and your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Make sure that you are at about shoulder level. After that lift your arms up and down at your side. This exercise is great for deltoids, which are at the top of your shoulder. I would do this exercise in 10 second intervals.

The Heisman

To do this exercise, begin by extending your right arm straight out to your side. Now, lift your left arm and extend it across towards your right side as far as you can. After that you want to swiftly move your arms from the right to the left; back and forth. Do this as quickly and smoothly as you can for about 10 seconds.

Row Boats

To do this exercise, start by having your arms extended out in front of you. Then, you want to pull back, bending at the elbow and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Your elbows should be at about shoulder height. You are also able to add a resistant band to this exercise to make it more difficult. This exercise is very beneficial to your upper back, shoulders and biceps. I recommend doing these in sets of 10.

Chair Squats

To start this exercise, you will stand with your chair behind you and your legs about hip-width apart. Now, simply sit down and get back up. Make sure that you are squeezing your gluts and your core in order to get the best results. I would recommend doing this exercise for about 1 minute a set. These are almost like beginner squats, but if you want to make them a little more challenging; try adding weights of some sort. This exercise benefit your abs, butt, legs, hips, calves, shins and thighs.

Chair Jumping Jacks

To begin this exercise, get to the edge of the chair and then push your legs out to the side. Once you get a good rhythm then add your arms, rising them up. Then simply coordinate your jumping jacks. As well as elevating your heart rate, there is a variation that is great for your obliques. Just be sure to touch your elbows to your knees as you do each rep.

Cross Punches

To begin this exercise, stay seated and get your arms up. Keep your elbows bent and your hands right under your chin. Then use your left hand to do a jab right in front of you at about shoulder height. After that, immediately do a right punch across to your left side. Then use your left hand to do the same thing and punch towards your right side. Continue doing this for about 30 seconds and you will be good to go. This exercise benefits your heart rate as well as your abs and obliques.

Flutter Kicks

To do this exercise continue sitting on the edge of the chair. Then place your palms on the front corner of the chair to help you balance. Then lift your legs up and lean back. Now just scissor kick in the air up and down, but not too wide. Do this for about 30 seconds and that should do the trick. If you want to make it a bit more challenging, then lift your arms straight into the air during the set. This exercise is very beneficial to your core.

These are a few exercises designed to help pass the time at work, while getting you into shape at the same time. Feel free to up the intensity on any of the techniques with weights or resistance bands. So now let’s get to work, but don’t get yourself in trouble at the office.

Seniors Can Improve Balance and Coordination With Cone Exericses

Working out does not have to be expensive. There are many affordable items you can add to your home gym. It is not necessary to have an entire room for working out. Small or portable items are available. With a little education and creativity, you can turn any room or outdoor area into a gym. Cones work with a variety of workout programs. If you have kids in sports, you may already own a few. Head to your local sporting goods store or dig your cones out of the garage for a new workout adventure.

I Wanna Have Some Fun

It is easy to get into a serious mindset when you are trying to get stronger or lose weight. We often forget that working out should also be fun. Kids usually get this part right, as they run and play games together. A few traditional cones can make you feel like a kid again as you set up your exercise course. Cone exercises can be fun for the entire family. Get out in the backyard or go to the park with your kids. Set up a mini-course for you kids and sneak in your workout while they are having fun too!

Benefits

Cone drills are popular with sports teams because they help with coordination and speed. You don’t have to rely on a coach, however, to benefit from a cone workout. When you learn to move in different ways and move quickly, you can be more successful with other parts of your workout.

Strong Mind

Exercising is not only for your body. It can immensely help your mood. Your body releases endorphins, often improving the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Cone workouts take this a step further by improving the way your mind and body work together. You must respond quickly to do intense drills. You can acquire better response times as you practice with cones.

Coordination

Cone drills often consist of repetitive moves. This helps you work on muscle memory. When you do the same drills over and over, you can eventually do them without thinking as much. You also build strength that helps you be more coordinated when doing other tasks. Cone workouts may help individuals that are naturally clumsy.

Decreased Risk of Injury

As you get older you are at risk for injuries related to fall. You are not as agile as you used to be. But have no fear. You can improve you agility with cone drillings. A lot of injuries happen due to improper form and weakness. Cone exercises helps with agility so can quickly hop over or dodge an object that suddenly appears out of nowhere.

Increased Muscle Involvement

Cone routines count for both cardio and strength training. Try a couple of different routines to keep things interesting and to use different muscles. Cone workouts give you a thorough workout in less time. For example, if you go for a run in a straight line, you limit the number of areas that build strength. When you run in your cone routine, you run in many different directions and put your body in several different positions.

Helps with Motivation

Doing the same routine over and over again become boring. Adding cones to your routine can change it up. You can create games with the cones and involve your family for healthy and fun competition.

Equipment

You can choose any type of cone to set up your course. Most cones come in bright colors so you can see them easily from a distance; this allows you to hit each mark on time. Cones are one of the most affordable pieces of a home gym, and you may have some classic orange cones around your house that you can use. While all cones are stacked together, some are more like raised disks. These take up minimal space, and you can easily throw them into your backpack for a trip to the park. There are even some weighted versions in different shapes. These work without anchors, even on a windy day. Do a little research online to find drills that you like before you go shopping. This way, you know how many sets of cones to purchase.

Beginner Tips

It is important to build up your strength and resistance with simple moves. You can also do easier versions of detailed courses. One drill involves weaving in and out of cones that are set in a straight line. You can set the cones far apart until you build up better strength, coordination, and speed. When cones are close together, you must make more intricate and quick movements. Gradually decrease the distance between the cones. You can also focus on forward movements until you feel comfortable. Later, you can go backward, sideways, and diagonal. Modify your workouts so you can move slowly while learning new moves. Work with a trainer or experienced individual to learn proper body positions.

Popular Moves

Cone drills are interesting because they involve so many different positions. You are not just running back and forth. You must lean from side to side and even lunge, at times. How you move depends on the formation of your course and what you want to accomplish.

•Sprinting– Sprinting is the best way to fit cardio into your cone routine. You can go to several cones and back to the first one each time. The distance of the sprint increases throughout the routine. Set your cones further apart to keep going in one direction longer.

•Side and Diagonal Movement– You can step sideways or diagonal between certain cones and sprint forward between others. Set up the cones so you can go in many different directions. Look at some videos for inspiration on different patterns.

•Backward – For a bigger challenge, you can also run backward from one cone to the other. Once you reach your destination, go forward again.

•Lunges and Touches– When you reach each cone on your course, you can go into a lunge position and touch the cone. Pay attention to your body formation when doing these to avoid injury. Do them slowly until you learn the proper posture.

•Weaving– Weaving in and out of cones works different parts of your legs and buttocks. It is important to build up strength in your ankles and lower legs before you move the cones too close together. Weaving movements build great coordination over time.

Cones work great for both beginner and advanced workouts. If you play sports, you may already be familiar with popular drills. They are incredibly affordable and store easily in small spaces. You can use them in your own backyard with your family or take them to the park. You can easily accomplish your cardio and strength workout with cones. Consider a set of cones for a convenient workout without going to the gym.

Are You Wheelchair Bound ? Easy Wheelchair Exercises You can Do While Sitting

Being in a wheelchair does not mean you have to active. Even if you are in a wheelchair, if you have the will to stay in shape, then we’ve got the routine for you. Not all of these techniques are suitable for everyone. So, pick and choose or adjust them a little depending on your personal functional ability. This article is not to be used as a replacement for any medical advice from a physician. These are just some tools to ensure that you maintain your strength, endurance and overall functionality. Everybody has a unique situation and you never want to over exert yourself; it can result in further injury. However, there is a little something for everybody in this routine, so don’t fret. If you incorporate these exercises into your routine 3 to 5 times a week, you will get the hang of it in no time. Be sure to pump your brakes, stay seated and stay tuned.

Stretches

First, we will be going over a few stretches. These are perfect for warming up for a work out or just casually throughout the day to stretch your muscles.

1. Downward Reach

For this stretch, make sure you’re are in a straight up position in your chair. Now, simply reach down towards the ground, with one arm after the other. Do this for about 10 seconds to start off.

2. Shoulder Shrugs

For this stretch, shrug your shoulders up and down. You want to be sure that your arms are extended straight down to the side of your chair as you do this. I recommend doing this stretch for about 15 seconds.

3. Arm Crosses

For this stretch, grab your right elbow with your left hand, and push your elbow to where your right arm is stretched across your chest. Hold this position for about 5 seconds and do some deep breathing, while you are there. Then you want to switch sides and do the same thing with your left arm.

4. Twist Side Stretch

For this stretch, take your right palm and place it on your left knee. Now, push down with your right hand and look behind you to the left. Hold this position for about 5 seconds and then do the same on your right side.

5. Chest Stretch

To do this stretch, lean back and open up your chest. Raise your arms up and out to the side, fully extended. Hold this position for about 10 seconds.

6. Touch the Sky

For this stretch, you are going to raise your arms up on both sides as if you were trying to touch the sky. You want to inhale as you are going up and exhale as you are coming down. Continue to do this for about 15 seconds.

Depending on how you feel, you may want to do a bit more stretching. That isn’t a problem. Just go through the list another time or as long as it takes. Next, we will give you some exercises that you can do, while remaining in your wheelchair.

Arm Circles

To do this exercise, begin by reaching down with your right arm. Then just move it around in a circle, while leaning to your right side. Then stop and begin doing circles again, but this time counterclockwise. Do not overdue it, lean as far as you can. Do this for about 10 seconds on each side.

Forward Reach

Shoulder Press

To do this exercise, start off by having your arms out to the side at about a 90-degree angle. Now, raise you arms up over your head towards each other (when they are up it should look like you are a super hero). After that you simply want to pump your arms up and down; each time you come down coming back to the 90-degree angle. If you are able, then you can add dumbbells to this exercise, but be careful. I recommend starting off with reps of 10 in this work out technique.

Bicep Curls

To begin this exercise, put your arms in front of you in a 90-degree angle and then lift them up towards your chest. You can do this one arm at a time or with both. You can also add dumbbells to this exercise as well to raise its intensity. If so, I recommend doing it one arm at a time, so that you can use one arm to stabilize yourself. You should this exercise in sets of 10.

Triceps Dip

Lateral Raises

Sit Jogging

To start this exercise, put your elbows in a right angle. After that start with a nice jog, while still in sitting position. If you can move your legs at all do so, but if not just move your arms. Do this for about 20 seconds. This is mainly a cardio exercise to get your heart rate going.

The Heisman

Row Boats

Jumping Jacks

To begin this exercise, extend your arms out to the side. Then simply do arm jumping jacks, going up and down at a steady pace. I would do this for about 20 seconds per set to get the best results.

Cross Punches

To begin this exercise, get your arms up, keep your elbows bent and your hands right under your chin. Then use your left hand to do a jab right in front of you at about shoulder height. After that, immediately do a right punch across to your left side. Then use your left hand to do the same thing and punch towards your right side. Continue doing this for about 30 seconds and you will be good to go. This exercise benefits your heart rate as well as your abs and obliques.

Push Ups

To do this exercise, place your arms to the side and your hands on either your wheel or your arm rest. Double check that your wheels are locked by the way. Now, slowly push up, raising your butt off of the chair and sit there for a few seconds. Go back down to the sitting position and then do it again. I recommend doing this exercise 10 reps per set. You may need to start a little bit lower at first.

These are a range of great exercises that should be able to help anybody stay in shape. Whether you are in wheelchair permanently, or you need to keep your range of motion for when you are out of it. This routine gives a little something for everybody. If you feel too much pain during any of these exercises, then slow down or even stop if you need to. Just remember, it will get easier with time.

Home Workout Equipment for the Upper Body: Pull Up Bars

Home Workout Equipment for the Upper Body: Pull Up Bars and Dip Bars

Working out at home can save you a lot of time and money. It is difficult to commit to constant visits to the gym at times. Work, school, and parenting can all limit your exercise time. When you have equipment at home, you can easily sneak in a short workout between your daily activities. Pull up bars, and dip bars are great assets to add to your workout routine. Furthermore , they can be used in many living environments. They are small enough for use in an apartment, as well. You can build up strength in several upper body muscles making it easier to reach your workout goals. No gym membership necessary.

You can workout most of your major muscle groups at home without equipment and only your bodyweight. However, working out your back without any equipment can be challenging. This is where pull bars and dip bars come in handy. Although it is a piece of equipment, you will still be using only your bodyweight for resistance.

Convenience

When you have limited time or are on a budget, you must get creative with your workout routine. You can easily install most pull-up bars in a doorway. Others are portable and work in various outdoor areas, such as the park. If you travel for work, you can take your pull-up or dip bar with you for a workout on the go. Lastly, just in case your are shy, a pull-up bar lets you get your upper body strength training done in the privacy of your own home, as well.

Varieties

There are some excellent new versions of the pull-up and dip bar. You can opt for the traditional one to put in your doorway or try out the new portable styles. If you have the space for larger equipment, you can choose a pull-up and dip station. To use the doorway pull-up bar, you need a sturdy door frame. Check to make sure nothing is loose; otherwise the weight can cause you to fall. You can hurt yourself and damage the door frame. So check for

Freestanding pull-up and dip bars are large pieces of metal equipment that simply sit on the floor in your home. These work well if you are building a large home gym for daily workouts. These usually have adjustable bars, making it easy to get a targeted and comfortable workout.

Portable pull-up and dip bars are perfect for individuals on the go. You can attach them to trees or poles outside. You can work out at home or add strength training to your outings. Fit your strength training into a family day at the park or pack your bar for a business trip. This ensures that you never miss a chance to work on your goals.

Your Body is Your Weight

Dips and pull-ups help you use your own body weight to get in shape. This means you need less equipment to get the same results. If you are not ready to spend a lot of money on equipment, a pull-up and dip bar is a great starter piece. It also takes time to build up your strength, making these bars a long-lasting part of your workout routine.

Getting Started

Many people shy away from bringing home workout equipment because they are not sure how to use it. You do not have to depend on a gym to get healthy. It can help to join a gym short term or take a few sessions with a personal trainer, however. This gives you a chance to learn how to use your equipment safely and efficiently. There are many helpful guides online to help you learn about the use of a pull-up bar, as well. Pull-ups and dips fall into the category of weight training. Most beginners add this to their exercise schedule two or three days per week. It is important to learn how to position your body for a proper pull-up or dip. You may not be able to do full exercises at first. Focus on using your arms and upper body muscles, only. Refrain from jumping up to the bar. You can use these beginner moves as you learn and build strength.

•Lowering your Body- it can be easier to lower your body than to lift it. You need a stable object to stand on so you can get in the proper position to practice this move. Do not use chairs or stools that can fall out from under you, only proper workout equipment. It is also best to have an experienced person nearby to spot you. Get to a height where your chin is above the bar and make sure you can hold on well. Your spotter can then move the object away and you can slowly lower yourself down to the floor.

•Dead Hangs- Stand on a stable object for this one, as well. For dead hangs, you only need to raise yourself up where hands reach the bar. Face your palms away from your face and hold on to the pull-up bar. You can then pull your body up only an inch. Be sure that your elbows move out to the side when you do this. Bend your knees so you are no longer supported by your workout bench and hang there until you feel you can’t hold on anymore. This helps build strength to later do full pull-ups

•Bench Knee Dips- You can start dips on a workout bench to build up your strength before you use the dip bars. Stand in front of the bench and place your hands on the bench behind you. Get your posture correct before you begin. Bend your and shoulders are back. Dip down until your elbows reach a 90-degree angle and rise back up.

Safety

At the gym, you have many professionals around to help if you have problems. You may also learn many safety techniques while learning about your new gym. At home, it is important to learn how to stay safe with each new piece of equipment. There are things to keep in mind when you start using pull-up bars and dip bars.

•Never stand on chairs, boxes or other unstable items

•Make sure to install the equipment properly and check for stability

•Learn about proper techniques. Hiring a private trainer while you learn is the safest option. You can take a few lessons at the gym before using the equipment at home, as well.

•Read the instructions and safety warnings thoroughly.

•Do not overdo your workouts or try something you are not ready for.

Muscle Groups

You are sure to build an impressive upper body if you commit to a pull-up bar and dip routine. Pull-ups are one of the best ways to build up your latissimus dorsi. You can also expect to gain strength in your deltoid, trapezius, and pectoral muscles. Your triceps and biceps also show more definition when you work with a pull-up or dip bar. These exercises work some muscles in your upper body more than others. There are over 20 different muscle groups that benefit from this strength workout.

It is important to have a diversified workout schedule with proper equipment. A pull-up bar or dip bar is the best way to work out the entire upper body with minimal equipment. You can find different types of bars to fit your home and lifestyle. Like weights, pull-up and dip bars build up your strength over time. Instead of increasing the weight you are lifting, do more repetitions of the same exercises. Start out with beginner moves to build up enough strength to do full pull-ups or dips. Enjoy a workout at home or on the go with a quality pull-up bar.

Easy Bodyweight Chair Exercises

Home exercises can be the difference between a great summer bod and being a summer slob. Not everyone has access to a gym or an assortment of exercise equipment to work with. For this reason, home methods with everyday furniture is essential to staying in shape. This article will give you some simple exercise techniques, which you can use pretty much anywhere. All you will need is a normal chair. Of course, some of these exercises can be enhanced with additional equipment, but it is not a necessity. Now put on a good television show, some good tunes or even a podcast and let’s get started.

The Running Man

We are going to use this exercise as a warm up to get things started. Sit in you chair towards the edge with your knees in a right angle. Put your elbows in a right as well. After that start with a nice jog, while still in sitting position. Then start to speed up into a sitting sprint. Do this for about 20 seconds to start off your workout. This is mainly a cardio exercise to get your heart rate going.

Flutter Kicks

To do this exercise continue sitting on the edge of the chair. Then place your palms on the front corner of the chair to help you balance. Then lift your legs up and lean back. Now just flutter kick in the air up and down, but not too wide. Do this for about 30 seconds and that should do the trick. If you want to make it a bit more challenging, then lift your arms straight into the air during the set. This exercise is very beneficial to your core.

Chair Jumping Jacks

Cross Punches

Triceps Dips

To do this exercise sit on the chair and place your palms at the edge of it, with your fingers pointing down. Start off with bent knees if you are just beginning and then advance to keeping your legs straight out. Lift your hips off of the chair and then dip your body towards the ground, but don’t quite touch it. You want your elbows to be at about a 90-degree angle. After that extend your arms back to their normal position and then you have one rep. I recommend doing this exercise in sets of about 10 to start off. This exercise is primarily beneficial to your triceps.

Leg & Arms Cross

To start this exercise, begin at the edge of the chair with your knees in a right angle. Put your elbows in a right as well.Now stretch your right arm out diagonally upward and your left leg diagonally downward. Then you bring both the leg and arm back in the middle to meet your elbows and knees. Now you have achieved one set. Do about 10 of those and then switch over to the opposite sides. This exercise is really great for improving your core.

Incline Push-Ups

To do this exercise, place your feet on top of the chair and get into a plank position with your hands on the ground. Now simply do push-ups. This version is much more difficult than a traditional push up, but also much more rewarding. If you still want to step it up a bit, raise one of your legs in the air while doing the reps. I would recommend starting out with sets of 15 in this exercise and then work your way up. This exercise will benefit your arms, chest and shoulders.

Chair Squats

Chair Mountain Climbers

To do this exercise, start with kneeling in front of the chair. Position your knees and feet, hip-width apart. Now, place your palms on top of the chair. After that extend both of your legs out behind you into a high plank position. Finally, bring your left knee up to your chest and as you are extending it back; bring your right knee up to your chest. I recommend doing this for intervals of 30 seconds. This exercise benefits nearly your entire body, but specifically targets your butt, hips, legs and thighs.

Bicycles

These are exercises are convenient to do anywhere. They are great for vacation or just keeping yourself active while watching a movie. So, go ahead and use the chair that you are probably sitting on right now and let’s get it going.

Get the Body You Want: 10 Foolproof Weight Loss Tips

Are you tired of taking a bunch of pills for high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol ? Or maybe you want to prevent diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure? Kudos to you. Not only will you look good you will feel good too.

The time is now to get on track with your fitness and be on your way to good health. First you must set a goal then follow a plan that you can stick to.

Depending on where you start it might take a few months h before you start seeing results. Long and steady wins the race and you have to stay in it to win it.

Check out these 10 fact-based weight loss tips that are guaranteed to make you see a difference in your waistline and your numbers.

Tip #1: Eliminate Sugar

Sugar causes obesity, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, diabetes and tooth decay, says the World Health Organization (who.int). Sugar that occurs naturally in foods like apples and oranges is fine because it comes with nutrients your body craves. But the sugars in processed desserts, salad dressings, ketchup, barbecue sauce, yogurts, candy bars and bread overload your body.

Drop your sugar intake to 10 percent or less of your daily energy intake, suggests the World Health Organization. If you’re a sugar junkie you may feel lethargic, irritable and full of cravings for a few days but take heart: A 2014 study conducted by Kaiser Permenente (kff.org) found that people who stopped consuming sugar no longer felt cravings by the sixth day.

Besides the ones withe the word “sugar” did you recognize any of these as sugar?

Brown Sugar
Cane Sugar
Corn Syrup
Corn Sugar
Dextrose
Fruit juice concentrate
High Fructose corn syrup
Honey
Maltodextrin
Molasses
Sucrose
Raw sugar
Turbinado sugar

Tip #2: Don’t Use Aspartame

It might be tempting to use artificial sweeteners, so you don’t have to give up your sugar fix entirely, but unfortunately it won’t work. According to Business Insider (businessinsider.com), not only do artificial sweeteners not help you to lose weight, they can cause you to gain it.

While our bodies process artificial sweeteners differently than they do real sugar, the outcome is nearly identical. In addition, the fact that artificial sweeteners don’t provide any genuine energy can cause the body to turn on its own muscles for fuel.

Tip #3: Drink H2O

You can easily add hundreds (even thousands) of calories to your daily diet just through liquids. If you’re a regular drinker of soda, juice or even energy drinks, you’re piling on liquid calories that your body simply doesn’t need. Switch to pure, calorie-free water. If water doesn’t really do it for you, try carbonated, flavored waters that don’t have sweeteners. Add cucumber, strawberries, blueberries or lemon to infuse the water with interesting flavor. If you simply must have coffee, train yourself to drink it black. A cup of black coffee has only five calories.

Tip #4: Eat at Home

Hitting up fast food joints and indulging in eating out in the evening can make life more streamlined, but you don’t know what’s going into your food. Much of what restaurants are putting on your plate was made in a warehouse, frozen and shipped to them from other states. They’re loaded with sodium, salt, oil, fat and preservatives, none of which are going to help you in your weight loss goals. In addition, the kitchen is adding fats and salts to your food to enrich the taste, which can easily turn a meal you think is healthy into one packed with unhealthy calories.

Tip #5: Keep Healthy Foods on Standby

Nothing will derail your weight loss efforts like being hungry with nothing healthy readily available. Avoid this pitfall by having something in your fridge at all times. Roast a chicken to use for salads and lettuce wraps. Frozen shrimp steams up in minutes, making for a great peel-and-eat feast at home.

Nuts like pistachios, cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts and pecans make great and easy snacks (just make sure they’re unsalted). Fresh fruits can stave off hunger while you’re cooking supper. Cut up fresh pineapple, mango, tangerines, pears and peaches and put them in air-tight containers in the refrigerator for quick snacking. Freeze grapes for a cold treat.

Tip #6: Stick to Whole Foods

Steer away from foods that have already been made for you, like canned soups, pasta meals, frozen entrees, hamburgers, granola bars and such. Go for fresh, whole foods in their natural state: fresh produce, fish and poultry. Go for whole grains like farro, buckwheat, quinoa and, yes, corn, which is widely regarded as a vegetable but is actually a grain.

Tip #7: Keep a Food Diary

Counting calories may seem counter-intuitive to some and that’s okay. But keeping a journal of what you eat when you’re first starting out is a good way to get a realistic picture of how much you genuinely eat in a day compared to what you should be eating.

You may be surprised to see how much you’ve been consuming. Once you begin replacing bad habits with good habits, you’ll become familiar with the amount of calories foods contain and you’ll learn how to navigate your eating throughout the day based on those learned numbers.

Tip #8: Exercise

Exercise is crucial to effective weight loss. Men’s Health (menshealth.com) recommends combining strength training with cardio to see the best results from your workouts.

There are many different styles of exercise to choose from. Cardio training gets your hear rate up, works your respiratory system and burns calories in the moment. Strength training grows your muscles, which in turn will burn more calories for you throughout the day. Dynamic forms of exercise like high intensity interval training (HIIT) and Crossfit combine aerobic energy with muscle challenges that result in achieving both cardio and strength training within the same workout.

Tip #9: Cut Back on Alcohol

Alcohol, by its very nature, is full of sugar, and as already mentioned, sugar isn’t good for you. In addition, according to CNN (cnn.com), when you drink alcohol, the body stops burning calories from the food you ate and concentrates on eliminating the alcohol from your system. This results in excess fat getting stored primarily in your abdomen, hence the infamous beer belly. Alcohol lowers inhibitions, which can easily result in you throwing caution to the winds and noshing on those chili cheese fries that have been calling your name.

Tip #10: Move Past Mistakes

Did you binge out on pizza last night? Did you give in at the office party and eat more than your fair share of cake? Did you skip your workout in favor of meeting your friends at the bar, where you indulged a bit too much? Don’t compound one bad choice with a flood of more. Pick yourself back up and get right back on track. Your health and fitness depend on what you do over the course of time, not what you do in one isolated incident.

Getting that summer body isn’t as hard as you think. If you follow these 10 medically-proven tips for weight loss, you’ll meet your long-term weight goals a lot sooner than you think.

High Risk for Falls? Why Seniors Should Exercise

Senior exercise can be highly important for anyone who wants to maintain healthy supple joints and prevent injuries. Many people shy away from the idea of elderly exercise, as they are scared of injuring themselves or doing some kind of permanent damage. In reality, senior exercise is perfectly healthy, and many seniors will benefit from doing it regularly.

Seniors are often reluctant to take part in any form of exercise, but it is still one of the most things you can do to keep your body healthy, along with following a healthy and balanced diet. Research has shown that those who are aged over fifty and still maintain an active lifestyle are less likely to develop diabetes than their less active counterparts are. Senior exercise can also have those who are suffering from age-related health problems, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Ironically, you are far more likely to suffer from health problems if you do not exercise, rather than if you do.

Senior exercise

Senior exercise can help with four essential parts of being healthy: flexibility, balance, endurance and strength. Getting older does not automatically mean that you need to lose out on these. Strength and endurance mean that it is less effort to do everyday activities, such as walking up and down stairs and carrying bags of groceries. Flexibility plays a key role in recovering more quickly from injuries. Generally speaking, senior exercise can have a big effect on your quality of life as you get older. For women over the age of fifty, the chances of developing osteoporosis is much increased, which means the risk of broken and fractures is much higher. Yoga, Pilates and other exercises that encourage you to be more flexible can help to combat this.

Strength exercises are intended to build up the muscles that may be starting to weaken as you get older, as well as raising your metabolism. The latter helps to maintain a healthy weight and keep blood sugar levels constant.

Balance exercises are intended to build up the muscles in your legs, which makes you less likely to fall over. Many hospitals treat countless seniors every year for fractures (mostly hip fractures), but this can easily be avoided if you take the time to incorporate balance exercises into your exercise routine.

Stretching exercises are intended to allow you to move more easily. As you get older, you might find that your muscles stiffen up, and joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis often stem from this. While stretching exercises cannot guarantee that you will not develop these in the future, they can help to delay the onset and make it less likely.

Endurance exercises are intended to increase your heart rate and breathing for an extended period of time. It is best to build up your endurance slowly but surely – start with just five minutes of intensive exercise and work up from there.

As well as this, senior exercise can help older people to feel more content with their life and themselves in general, especially in comparison to those who do little or no exercise. Exercise releases natural endorphins, which lift your mood and can even help to combat psychological conditions, such as depression and anxiety.

Before you embark on any kind of exercise plan, you should make sure that it would not affect your health first. For example, if you already have diabetes or a history of heart problems, you should consult your doctor for medical advice. This is also advised if you are overweight. You are also advised to seek medical advice if you experience any chest pain or breathlessness when exercising.

There are plenty of exercise and fitness videos on the market that are specifically aimed at seniors, so if you are looking for a senior exercise video, there are bound to be one for you.

The same is also true of senior exercise equipment. For example, Fit Express is just one of the companies that are eager to cash in on the ever-expanding “baby boomer” market by creating a range of hydraulic fitness equipment that is designed to appeal to the health-conscious sector of the senior market.

Many seniors like to do exercises with a chair to maintain their balance. If you are looking for a senior exercise chair to use, you do not need anything fancy – most chairs will do.

Exercise for women over 50 can be fun. It does not have to involve the usual exercise regimes that can quickly become boring and uninspiring. Trying your hand at something new like yoga or Pilates can be a great way to exercise and improve your flexibility without having to stick to activities such as aerobics or cycling every week. Varying your exercise routine will give you the motivation and enthusiasm to carry on with your senior exercise.

Senior exercise is a great idea for any senior who wants to stay active or resume an active lifestyle in order to maintain good health. Staying fit and healthy can help to ward off some of the health problems that are associated with getting older, as well as improving your quality of life.

Couch Workouts for Couch Potatoes

If you want to get into shape, but don’t want to or cannot leave your home this is the perfect article for you. With these methods you can get a good work out without turning off Netflix. It doesn’t matter if a gym membership isn’t in your budget at the moment, the weather is bad, you have a sleeping baby or you are waiting for a delivery. Or maybe you just don’t feel like going out on your off day. If you get creative, even a couch potato can get fit. The beauty of these exercises is that they require no equipment at all. Just your couch, a bottle of water and something good to watch on the tv. With these exercises, anybody can achieve physical fitness.

The Couch Plank

The first exercise should be used as sort of a warm up to get things started. Just kneel facing your couch and place your hands-on top of it. Now, extend your arms by pushing down on the couch. After that extend your legs back and make sure your entire body is straight. Hold this position for about 30 seconds. In addition to getting you warmed up this exercise will benefit your abs, back and arms.

Sit Down Stand Up

This exercise is pretty self-explanatory, but very useful. To start, you will stand with your couch behind you and your legs about hip-width apart. Now, simply sit down and get back up. Make sure that you are squeezing your gluts and your core in order to get the best results. I would recommend doing this exercise for about 1 minute a set. These are almost like beginner squats, but if you want to make them a little more challenging; try sitting down and standing up on one leg at a time. This exercise benefit your abs, butt, legs, hips, calves, shins and thighs.

Couch Push-Ups

To do this exercise, place your arms on top of the couch and enter the couch plank position. Extend your legs out behind you or kneel if you are a beginner. Then simply do a push-up. This exercise is best done in reps. There is also another kind of push-up that you can do with the couch. For this one, place your feet on top of the couch and get into a plank position with your hands on the ground. This is version is much more difficult than the previous kind. If you still want to step it up a bit, raise one of your legs in the air while doing the reps. This exercise will benefit your arms, chest and shoulders.

Scissor Kicks

To do this exercise start by sitting on the edge of your couch. Then place your palms on the corner of your couch cushion to help you balance. Then lift your legs up and lean back, but don’t let your back touch the cushion. Now just flutter kick in the air up and down, but not too wide. Do this for about 30 seconds and you’re on your way. If you want to make it more challenging then lift your arms straight into the air during the set. This exercise is very beneficial to your core.

In and Out Abs

For this exercise, start off seated upright on the edge of your couch with your legs bent in front of you. Now lean back a bit and lift your legs up off of the ground. Keep your arms byyour side holding the couch cushion for balance. Then pump your legs in and out, while keeping your legs together. Exhale when your knees come towards your chest and inhale when your legs go down. I recommend doing this exercise for either 30 second intervals or 20 reps. This exercise is beneficial to your abs, lower back, hip flexors and quads.

Couch Lunges

For this exercise, begin by bending down in front of your couch. Stretch your arms out onto the couch and then extend your left leg back, and then bring it forward. Focus all your weight onto the balls of your feet. Make sure your feet are about hip-width apart and your body is straight the entire time. Do this for about 30 seconds on each leg; one at a time. This exercise is beneficial to your butt, quads and thighs.

Alternate Leg Dips

For this exercise put your palms on the edge of the couch and extend your arms. Put your legs out to where your knee is at a 90-degree angle. Then you are going to dip your butt down low almost touching the floor, while raising one of your legs up in the air. Do this for about 30 seconds raising one leg after the other. This exercise is very beneficial to your quads, core, gluts and your triceps.

Bicycles

For this exercise start off sitting on the couch. Place your palms on the edge of the couch and then slowly raise up your feet. Get your legs to a 90-degree angle and then keep it there. Then simply kick your feet out as if you were riding a bicycle. I recommend starting off with 30 seconds a set and working your way up. If you want to increase the intensity then put your palms on the back of your head and touch your left elbow with your right knee when it comes towards you; and vice versa. This exercise is great for working out your abs.

Triceps Dips

To do this exercise sit on the couch and place your palms at the corner of the cushion, with your fingers pointing down. Start off with bent knees if you are just beginning and then advance to keeping your legs straight out. Lift your hips off of the couchand then dip your body towards the ground, but don’t quite touch it. You want your elbows to be at about a 90-degree angle. After that extend your arms back to their normal position and then you have one rep. I recommend doing this exercise in sets of about 10 to start off. This exercise is primarily beneficial to your triceps.

Couch Mountain Climbers

To do this exercise, start with kneeling in front of the couch. Position your knees and feet, hip-width apart. Now, place your palms on top of the couch. After that extend both of your legs out behind you into a high plank position. Finally, bring your left knee up to your chest and as you are extending it back; bring your right knee up to your chest. I recommend doing this for intervals of 30 seconds. This exercise benefits nearly your entire body, but specifically targets your butt, hips, legs and thighs.

So, there you have it, 10 exercises that you can do on the comfort of your couch. Just be creative and you can exercise anywhere. I’d recommend finding something on tv with some action in it to keep you pumped up.

How to Create Your Own Workout

Being active

Being active offers so many health benefits such as preventing diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Unfortunately most of us are not as active as we should be. Therefore, we are at risk of developing these conditions later on in life. However, there is also a growing number of children that have adult illnesses due to inactivity.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 50% of Americans are not physically active which is concerning because engaging in physical activity on a regular basis can drastically improve our health.

If you are ready to get healthy, the importance of exercise cannot be overstated. Exercise so important for your health that the American Heart Association recommends 30 mins of moderate intensity exercise five times a week.

Most people dread exercising, citing inconvenience and time as the reason for being inactive. Some just hate it altogether. However, you might fall in one of the groups of inactive people for whatever reason, but you are now ready to get started. You do not have to step foot in a gym to get active nor does physical activity only mean exercise.

If you are going to engage in an exercise routine or a fitness program, you must be certain that you get the best results from your time, money, and effort as much as possible. Choosing the right fitness exercise program is the key to success. But this depends on your goals as well.

Before you get started with some random exercise, you must first consider if it incorporates all or most elements of fitness. A good program should contain routines that improve your cardio. There should also be a weight training routine, and other components should include mobility, stability, and flexibility training. Do not forget to look for and factor in warm and cool down.

The cardio part of your fitness exercise program should include a range of exercises that require considerable effort to get your heart up from baseline. Exercises such as walking, running, skipping, jogging, biking, swimming, skiing, dancing and other sporting activities are all types of cardio to consider. Cardio improves your cardiac and resp function and also burns fat. To achieve some results, cardio should be done at least fives times a week for optimal fitness.

Weight training should be done twice a week. You should target your major muscle groups and take a rest day in between. The amount of muscle group your target in a day depends on your weekly workout schedule. If you plan to workout two days per week, then you will be covering half your body one-day ad the other half of your body on the next day. Stretching should be included in your workout, or you can allocate an entire workout session to stretching alone such as yoga. To get the most of your work out and avoid injury make sure your body is primed and warm before stretching. You can create your own workout routine by following proper workout technique and principles. The muscles listed below should be the main focus of your strength training.

• Chest. Pectorals Major/minor.

• Legs & Calves. Quadriceps / Hamstrings / Gastrocnemius.

• Shoulder. Deltoid.

• Back. Latissimus Dori / Trapezius.

• Front of the arm. Biceps.

• Back of arm. Triceps.

• Stomach. Abdominal

Besides how often your train your muscles, how you train them will also determine your results. If you want to gain strength and power your training protocol will be different than if you want to build muscle. The exercise movements will be the same, however, the repitiion of each exercise, the weight, set and rest between each will be different. Therefore when you are looking for exercises or workout make sure you are selecting one that is based on your goals. One exercise plan does not fit all workout goals.

Choose the exercises that you like to do this way you will stick to. After about 3 months of consistently working the same program you can then switch to a new program.

If you dread exercising that much, consider buying a treadmill or a stationary bicycle and positioning it right in front of your television set. If you are a reader, listening to music and books can be beneficial.

Choosing the right fitness exercise routine should be a process that should enable you to grow and love the whole idea of keeping fit. An exercise, or a combination of activities, can be considered good for weight loss, or keeping fit but it also depends on your body composition and your level of fitness.

A workout session that could be termed as a good fitness exercise routine for one person might just be pre-workout for another. If you are overweight then any physical movement will burn calories, even climbing the stairs repeatedly will make burn extra calories. Just don’t eat the extra calories you burn. Many people notice an increase in their appetite when they start exercising. It is very easy to regain the extra calories you burn by eating a slice of pizza.

Where it begins to get tricky is when you have lost a certain amount of weight, and your fitness level has increased, simple physical movements as climbing the staircase will not suffice. Your body adapts, and you will have to exert additional effort by increasing the intensity of the exercises and intervals in which you do them.

CONCLUSION

If you cannot afford a trainer or dont like the workouts available then you can create your won. You can pick and choose from the various free ones on the web. Be creative when planning a fitness exercise routine and remember to make it more fun at the beginning so you can stick to it. . Understand your body and set challenging but reasonable goals.