Author: Steven Stratton

You made your resolution to get in shape, you have even found an exercise program that you like, but where exactly do you start? One of the first things that you should do is to find out what your current fitness level is. This is important, because you want to make sure that you increase at a healthy rate to prevent injury. There are several ways to test your fitness level.

Upper Body Strength
A great way to test upper body strength is by using the push-up. Men should use the traditional military style push-up, while women can use the bent-knee position. To perform the test, do as many push-ups as you can, and count them as you are going. The average number of push-ups is listed below:
WomenMen
Age 20-29: 17-33Age 20-29: 35-44
Age 30-39: 12-24Age 30-39: 24-34
Age 40-49: 8-19Age 40-49: 20-29
Age 50-59: 6-14Age 50-59: 15-24
Age 60+:   3-4    Age 60+:   10-19

Aerobic Activity
A great way to test your aerobic fitness level is the 12 minute test. To perform this test, warm up properly then cover as much distance as you can in 12 minutes. You may walk, run, or jog. When your 12 minutes are up, record your distance. Below are the average results for the number of miles covered:
WomenMen
Age 20-29: 1.33Age 20-29: 1.54
Age 30-39: 1.27Age 30-39: 1.49
Age 40-49: 1.21Age 40-49: 1.42
Age 50-59: 1.13Age 50-59: 1.33
Age 60+:   1.07Age 60+:   1.24

There are several other tests to check your fitness level, some of which can be performed by a trainer or physician. If your numbers are below the averages above, set your goal to the average and work towards that. When you have reached that goal, move to a higher one. Goal setting is so important when making that decision to get into shape, you do not want to make unrealistic goals, but you also want to make sure that the goals you are setting are will challenge you. Once you achieve the goal that you set, you feel incredible. Then comes the choice to set another goal or try to maintain the current level of fitness that you just achieved. Another way to help you determine your fitness goals is to find out what your body fat percentage is. You can do this a couple ways, you can go to the gym or a physician and get your body fat measured by a personal trainer or a doctor, or you can buy a body fat measure with a fat measurement guide. Body Fat measurers are simple to use and pretty accurate, and you can check your progress anytime you want. Seeing progress is so important, because it helps to motivate you to conquer your goals. Another reason why body fat measurers are great is because not everyone is trying to lose weight. If you are trying to pack on more muscle, you might not see a difference on a scale, in fact you might actually gain weight, but having a body fat monitor will you help you see that you are decreasing your body fat.

Getting Back in Shape: 32 Workout Programs for Lifelong Fitness

Author: Steven Stratton

Shaun T’s new workout has been highly anticipated for quite some time now, and it has finally arrived! Insanity with Shaun T will definitely be the workout that will change people’s lives. The Insanity workout will help you conquer the battle in your mind, so you can maximize your results and push your body to reach fitness levels you never thought possible for yourself.

Who is Shaun T?

So why should you care about Shaun T’s Insanity Workout? The answer to that is, because Shaun T knows what he is doing. He started off getting his BS in Sports Science and a minor in Theater/Dance at Rowan University. Since then he has made quite a name for himself in Hollywood, being on several television shows and movies. He has worked with Mariah Carey, Aaron and Nick Carter, and Elephant Man. He has worked for companies like Nike, Boost athletic shoes, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Shaun T has been widely known for his choreographing and dance moves. It was his dancing that helped him make his first workout programs, Hip Hop Abs and Rockin Body, which focused on dancing for a cardiovascular workout. Hip Hop Abs quickly became one of the most successful in-home workout programs out there.

What is up with the Insanity Workout?

Even though Hip Hop Abs and Rockin Body were incredible workouts, the Insanity workout is focused on a life changing experience. Insanity is more structured and is a 60-day workout plan. Shaun T’s Insanity has been built for achieving strength, stamina and cardio success. If you really want to find out how much you can push yourself, the Insanity workout will help you dig deeper than you ever have before.

The great part about this Insanity workout is that it works! The whole philosophy behind Insanity with Shaun T is called, MAX Interval Training. Olympians and professional athletes around all sports, use Max Interval training to help get their bodies into shape. After 60 days, the results you will experience will be mind blowing, and you will be in the best shape of your life. Max Interval training will make you do long burst of cardio training and short spans of rest, instead of traditional interval training, which has you perform short burst of energy and longer periods of rest.

What Comes With The Insanity Workout?

The Insanity workout makes sure that you are taken care of. It comes with 13 DVD’s that are systematically planned out for you to achieve maximum results. Insanity also comes with a fitness guide and diary so you can track your progress, a nutrition guide so you can plan your meals and make sure you have the energy you need to perform the workouts, and a workout calendar, so can easily track where you are in the program. It is important to read through everything before you begin, so you can make a game plan. Insanity with Shaun T is not for everyone; it is an “EXTREME” workout program, which will kick you butt. So make sure you consult your doctor before deciding to do this workout.

Insanity: The Ultimate Cardio Workout and Fitness DVD Program

Author: John Philip

Often times middle-age people avoid riding a bicycle because they claim that it hurts to ride. While this may be the case for some people because of health issues, for healthy individuals, riding a bike should not be painful. If you find cycling painful, it’s quite likely that you are riding a bicycle that is the wrong size for you.

The most common types of pain that are often associated with cycling include back pain and knee pain. For those suffering from back pain, improving posture is one of the best things that you can do to alleviate the pain. Your back should be properly arched in order to make pedaling easier and allow for some flexibility when going over bumps. Some people feel that modifying their bike in order to make the handlebars higher is the solution, but this does not actually work well. It may allow you to sit upright, but bumps in the road will cause the vertebrae to hit one another, causing back pain. High handlebars also make it hard to ride any faster than a fast walking speed. Study proper posture and consult a professional if it becomes a problem for you and you should be able to ride without back pain.

Often rider complains about knee pain as well, but there are things that can be done to alleviate knee pain. One of the best ways to stop knee pain is by using the correct gear for the terrain and slope or the road. Also, the saddle height can make a large impact on a rider’s comfort level and will help to eliminate knee pain. If the saddle is too low, the knees are bent most of the time, causing pain. Often riders feel that they need to put the seat quite low, simply because they do not know how to properly mount the bike.

Author: John Philip

With so many different machines out there in the gyms across the country, many people tend to forget about the easiest, cheapest, and the best way to get into shape. A cycle exercise, such as riding your bike, is a great fitness routine to get into. Health should be the number one priority for people because there is nothing more important. The healthier you are the more you will get out of life in the end.

One of the most obvious benefits to cycle exercising is that of getting out into the world and enjoying the scenery while getting all of that fresh air. Breathing that clean air is another thing that is excellent for your health. Instead of staring at the same four walls at the gym and smelling all of that stale sweat, you could be watching the blue skies and getting all of the fresh air you could ever want.

Another reason why this type of exercising is so beneficial is because it is low impact. Those who have a little trouble with their joints will enjoy this exercise, as the motion of the exercise of cycling does not stress the joints too much. You will be able to exercise for a much longer period of time this way. Those trying to get their joints back to tip top health after joint surgery find cycle exercises to be a great rehabilitation path.

There are also many cardiovascular benefits that come with cycle exercising. By increasing your fitness level, you will lower your risk of arteriosclerosis and heart attacks. Also, this sort of fitness routine will help you drop those unwanted pounds you have wanted to shed for some time now. And since those who are in need of dropping a few pounds may not be used to working out, cycle exercise is wonderful because it provides a slow warm up. You can easily start slow and then gradually increase your speed and resistance as time moves on.

Variety is the spice of exercise. It is very easy to end up bored and tired of the same old exercise routine day after day. No matter how important fitness is to your health, you can easily lose interest in the entire thing should you become bored. With cycle exercising you can switch your scenery whenever you like which means you never have to be bored with your exercise routine again. The more interesting you can make your workout the more you will enjoy the overall experience and the more you will stick with it.

So if you have not already gave cycle exercising a try for yourself then there is no better time than now. When it comes to your health, it is important to take action and stick with it. Even though it may be hard to get into a routine in the beginning, just hang in there. It will eventually become second nature and you will actually feel out of sorts if you miss a day of cycle exercise.

Author: G. Jones

Building muscle with pushups is the most basic, easiest way to start building upper body muscles quickly. For those of you who dont have time to go the gym, or even if you just love to do calisthenics you know you can always benefit from pushups. Building muscle with pushups is one of the oldest ways to gain muscle yet its also one of the best ways to gain muscle.

There are a variety of pushups you can do to get your chest, shoulders, and triceps busting out of your t-shirt! Even your biceps are hit to a certain extent but not as much as the other muscles. Incorporating these different types of pushups in your workout can have a huge positive effect on the muscular development of your upper body. For example, you can start  building muscle with pushups  by starting with a set of 20 normal pushups, then 15 diamonds and 15 inclines with no rest in-between. Imagine the intense burn a workout like that can have on your upper body! (Change those rep numbers according to your physical ability of course.)

Try These…

Normal Pushups – Get down on the floor, back facing the ceiling, extend and balance yourself on top of your toes. Spread your hands shoulder width apart. On the way down keep your body in a straight line downwards toward the floor, but dont let your back go down before the rest of your body goes down.

Wide Pushups – Wide push ups are self-explanatory, they are performed with your arms extended further from your shoulders. This style of pushups hits a larger area of the chest.

Diamonds – With this type of pushup you are to put your index fingers and thumbs together on the floor in the shape of a diamond. With your hands in this position you will get more direct stimulus in your triceps. This is sort of like the calisthenic version of the close grip bench press.

Decline pushups – Decline pushups concentrate on your upper chest muscles as well as all of the areas of a regular pushup. In this exercise you place your toes on a stable surface above the floor which puts your body at a downward angle. Put your hands on the floor and perform as normal.

Incline pushups – Inclines are the exact opposite of decline pushups. Incline pushups concentrate on the lower chest muscles as well as all the areas of a regular pushup. Incline pushups are performed just like normal pushups, except you want to tilt your upper body in a upward angle with your feet on the floor. Find a sturdy surface to rest your hands to perform your pushups.

Take these different types of pushups and create an intense workout. To make it more challenging, you could even have someone lay a weight plate on your back! You could even have a small child sit on your back as you perform your reps up and down! Be creative, get results, and enjoy yourself.

Author: Eddie Lomax

Push ups are one of the classic bodyweight exercises.  Every bodyweight training program I know of uses push ups in one form or another.  As a result, the ability to perform a proper push up, for high repetitions is a fitness milestone in bodyweight training.

But there is more to this classic bodyweight exercise than high repetitions and bragging rights.  As a matter of fact, some people get so caught up in high repetitions that they forgo [forget] proper form, reducing the strength and endurance gains, and increasing the risk of injury.  In this article I’ll reveal an alternative to high repetition push ups.

But first, what is a proper push up?

A proper push up is an incredibly demanding full body exercise, requiring both upper body strength and a strong, stable core for proper completion.  This is important.  It is not just an upper body exercise.  It is a full body exercise.

Start by lying on the ground with you feet together and your hands on the ground by your shoulders.  Your elbows are flexed and should remain close to your body throughout the entire movement.  Don’t flair your elbows!

Perform a push up by pressing with your arms until your entire body leaves the ground.  In the up position, only your hands and toes remain on the ground.  The body has to remain stiff and straight throughout the entire lowering and raising.  The only thing that should move during the movement is the arms.

This is very important.  The body should be straight at the top, during and at the bottom of the movement.  This is accomplished by using your core stabilizer muscles, butt and legs to make your body as ridged as possible.

As you can see, your whole body is involved in completing a proper push up, not just your upper body.  Upper body strength and core strength must be coordinated to do a proper push up.  If either your upper body or core is weaker than the other, errors will occur and performance will be lowered.

Ok, once you know how to perform push ups, most people try to go for high numbers.  Yes, being able to do 100 push ups is a sign of great strength and endurance.  But striving for high numbers is not the only way you improve!

You can also improve push ups by going from easy to difficult.  Increasing the difficulty of the push up variation is an excellent way to build incredible strength.  This method allows you to keep the repetition number relatively low, reducing the risk of overuse injuries.  Plus, it reduces the possibility you will sacrifice quality for quantity, furthering your chance of injury!

Here is an example:

-    Start with incline push ups
-    The [Then] increase difficulty by doing the classic push up
-    Increase the difficulty again by doing decline push ups
-    And finally make it harder by doing handstand push ups

You could also throw in one armed push ups to increase difficulty.  But the point is this, there are more ways to improve your strength and endurance with push ups than just increasing the number or repetitions you can do in one set.

Let this push up progression example serve as an example of other bodyweight exercise progressions.  A lot of people say they get bored with bodyweight exercise because they only try to improve by doing more and more reps.  Now you know, increasing repetition is not the only progression method in town.  And in many cases, more strength and endurance improvements can be made by going from easy versions of an exercise to more difficult versions.

Author: Tk Healey

Ever heard of rebounding? Rebounding is a fun way to get great exercise using small controlled movements on a mini trampoline. By using a small trampoline and following a rebounding video, people of all ages can exercise on a rebounder. Rebounding is safe because your feet barely leave the surface and a stabilizing bar can be added which will help if you feel unsteady.

There are different types of rebounders on the market and some even fold for easy storage. Because of the size of these mini trampolines they can be used in your home or even easily transported to your office. Rebounding has been taking up in some of your most popular commercial gyms.

There are a vast selection of videos to keep your rebounding workout exciting and new. There are special routines for people of all ages to make it more enjoyable. Some examples of rebounding workouts include first timers, basic, seniors, sports specific, dance, ballet, hip hop, Latin, core, yoga, abdominal, stretch and many other routines.  You will never get bored with so many videos to choose from.

What makes REBOUNDING effective?

Rebounding provides many benefits to your body. It has been known to improve your circulation reduces stress, increase muscle tone, improve co-ordination and balance, increases energy. There is no strain on your joints. It simultaneously works all the major muscle groups, provides a calorie burning, cardiovascular, strength conditioning workout, incorporates simple, martial arts based movements in a coordinated way and builds stamina, strength and balance. If you do the techniques of rebounding regularly you will get results and have fun doing it.

REBOUNDING has been on national television shows such as The View with Barbara Walters, The Today Show and  has been featured in such magazines as Fitness, Ace Fitness Magazine, and  Fit. JB Berns has been on infomercials As Seen On TV promoting his urban rebounder.

Kids love it, adults and seniors love it too! Rebounding has become one of the most beneficial forms of exercise ever developed.

Bounce your way to feeling healthy. A fun workout that builds strength, cardiovascular capacity, and balance without jarring the body like other exercises.

Author: Varun Pratap At fifty, many of us take stock of our lives. We can look back on careers, friends, and family that we are proud of, but what do we want to do with our middle years? How can we make the most of our lives? Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of our later years, as well as the one that may have the greatest impact on our overall well-being, is our health and fitness. How, then, can we best ensure our health and fitness into our mid and later years? Exercise can help slow down the onset of the symptoms of aging. The health benefits of a good exercise program are numerous. Exercise helps maintain muscle strength and joint flexibility. In addition, the stress put on our bones through exercise help maintain their strength and integrity. Even our mood can be improved by staying healthy-–researchers have discovered a link between exercise and a decrease in depression and anxiety. This may be due to the increase in energy and the improved sleeping patterns among fit fifty year olds. Of course, nothing beats exercise for battling weight gain and getting our body into the kind of shape that can still turn heads as we walk down the street. Besides that, our blood pressure tends to drop, lowering the chance of heart disease. Even our immune system gets a boost from regular exercise. Believe it or not, physical activity has even been linked to improved mental function! Think of the advantages of living a longer and a more active life. From walking, running or cycling, to push-ups and sit-ups to actual weight lifting, at home or at the gym, each form of exercise has its own benefits to keeping you fit and strong. This will reduce the discomfort to the joints and muscles after the exercises are done. Similarly, after a workout, make sure and take the time to stretch and cool down. How you decide to stay fit and healthy is up to you. If the thought of bouncing around a gym or workout center in spandex makes you cringe, take heart. Chair aerobics are designed to give those with mobility problems a good cardio workout without putting strain on the joints and bones. A chair aerobics session may include kicks, punches and stretches, and often includes the use of workout bands and weights to increase strength and resistance training as the workouts get more intense. Better heart function, lower blood pressure, increased circulation and heightened alertness, say the experts. It’s the perfect solution if you can’t leave your desk or if you work at home and can’t get to the gym. It’s also an excellent solution for older Americans who may not be as mobile as they once were, but who can benefit from regular exercise. According to many recent studies, engaging in moderate exercise three to five times a week can help reduce the risk of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes and arthritis. Among the exercise that the American Physical Therapy Association recommends for seniors are golf, gardening, walking, swimming and jogging. Water fitness classes are among the best aerobics exercises you can do, especially if you suffer from joint stiffness or arthritic pain. Because you’re in the water, there’s no impact shock, making water exercises the ideal form of low-impact aerobic exercise.

Author: Eidorian

The most effective treatment for fibromyalgia is exercise. Which seems totally weird, because most people with fibromyalgia hurt worse and are more fatigued after exercise, and they may feel that way for days. The key is the right amount of the right kinds of exercise.

If you are new to exercising within the constraints of fibromyalgia, it may be helpful to enlist the help of a trainer, physical therapist or exercise physiologist to design a program specifically for you. Every person with fibromyalgia has a different exercise capacity, so you need an individualized program.

Another important concept related to exercise is your “baseline.” Each person has a different baseline. It is the level of exercise that you can maintain over time. It does not mean that you are pain-free, but that the pain doesn’t interfere with your lifestyle. You also need to remember that you’ll always have good days and bad days. You don’t stop or reduce your exercise because of a bad day. (Although you may reduce it for a while if you have a bad flare-up that lasts days or weeks.)

Exercise training for someone with fibromyalgia begins with stretching. Stretching reduces the stiffness and keeps ligaments and tendons from shortening over time. Stretching should be gentle and it should feel good. It is usually a good idea to warm your muscles with mild aerobic activity, such as walking, for a few minutes before stretching.

Daily low-impact, gentle aerobic exercise is the next step. Aerobic exercise has tons of health benefits. It specifically helps reduce fibromyalgia symptoms because it improves flexibility, causes your body to release endorphins and other happy chemicals and reduces stress. Walking and bicycling are excellent low-impact exercises. It is important to start at a level suitable to where you are and increase your level of exercise slowly. If you get fatigued after five minutes of walking, start there and increase your time by a minute or two every week or two.

Some activities are especially good for fibromyalgia. Water aerobics and swimming are wonderful. The buoyancy of the water supports your sore muscles and allows you to exercise with less pain. Swimming has a double benefit of gentle stretching along with aerobic exercise.

Tai Chi and Qi Gong and Yoga emphasize slow, gentle movements that are ideal for people with fibromyalgia. All three exercises include breathing and focusing, which decrease stress. You also learn to be aware of your body and learn to recognize signs of stress.

Pilates is another exercise system where you work with your body, stretching and toning it. Pilates is a non-weight bearing exercise, like chair aerobics. It is a gentle way to tone your body, and gentle is the word for exercising with fibromyalgia.

People with fibromyalgia can add some strength training slowly as they build up exercise tolerance. Resistance bands provide plenty of strength training for a while. Strength training must be undertaken carefully and gently, and it might be wise to get help from an exercise professional before adding it. There are many benefits to strength training, and it could be a very beneficial addition to your exercise, especially when you are feeling well.

Whether we are talking about exercise or sleep, pacing and routine are important if you have fibromyalgia. Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day helps with sleep. Exercising at the same time every day helps with exercise. Your body begins to respond to routine.

Exercise must be paced, too. That means starting at a low level, increasing gradually, and incorporating rest into your routine. You exercise, then rest, then exercise some more. Over time, you can shorten the rest periods and/or lengthen the exercise periods. Rhythm and pacing make a big difference in how much exercise you can tolerate.

It is recommended that you consult your doctor before starting any new exercise regime.  To find out more on why exercise can be so beneficial please visit  http://www.FibromyalgiaNaturalRemedies.com .

Author: MIKE SELVON

Are you looking for an immensely popular way to get yourself into great shape and have some fun along the way? If so, kickboxing is an activity that is very fun and that is sometimes overlooked.

As in boxing, it boasts many health benefits such as greater stamina, improved flexibility and enhancing core strength — all while working out to your favorite music.

The real roots of kickboxing actually go all the way back about 2,000 years to Asian cultures. But, the modern version of this competitive sport was introduced in the 1970s in the United States when karate authorities made arrangements for exhibition demonstrations that allowed for full-contact punches and kicks which were previously banned from karate competitions.

Due to safety concerns, protective clothing and padding was introduced and strict safety rules were instituted for the new sport and eventually various forms of competitive kickboxing evolved into the forms that are now practiced in the United States.

In the competitive area there are a few different styles of kickboxing that can be observed. The main differences in these styles are simply the variations in some of the techniques and also the amount of body contact that is allowed under different rules.

But, the form of this sport that is bringing fun and excellent results to the fitness world is called cardiovascular (cardio) or aerobic kickboxing.

This form of the sport brings in elements of traditional boxing and aerobics in a major way. This, teamed with martial arts, creates a workout that provides great toning and overall conditioning.

However, unlike the competitive version of this sport, the cardio one does not include physical contact between participants and is not at all competitive. It has simply been designed to be an aerobic activity that is done to gain the many physical benefits of the actions.

A common way to enjoy the cardio one is to participate in a class. Classes usually start out with a warm-up period of 10 to 15 minutes and often includes gentle stretching as well as incorporating some standard exercises, such as push-ups and jumping jacks.

The warm-up is then followed by a 30 to 40 minute workout session that integrates kicks, punches, knee-strikes and other beneficial moves.

Some classes even include the use of traditional boxing equipment such as jump ropes and punching bags. After the workout, the class wraps up with five to ten minutes of cool down activities which is often followed by 10 minutes of stretching and muscle toning.

The stretching is an important component of the overall workout and should not be skipped, even if you are tempted to do so, especially if you are a beginner.

A common problem for beginners is pulling or straining their muscles. However, by doing proper stretching that is slow and gentle, this can help prevent injury and help the muscles to relax. This will assure that beginners don’t give up before they start to enjoy the benefits.

Even though kickboxing is a very fun activity, it needs to be recognized that it is also quite a high-impact sport. If you are not used to such high-intensity workouts, then you should begin with a more moderate aerobic activity to prepare.