Core conditioning is a fitness buzz word these days but few are actually doing it correctly. Many confuse it with abdominal training when in fact the core covers your body from your groin to your shoulders (front, side, back and inside-out). Your core offers stability, balance and flexibility to all your movements. An improperly conditioned core will limit movement capabilities and predispose you to injury whether you are performing every day activities or complex sports movements.

The aim of working the core muscles is primarily one of stabilization and coordination versus strengthening. There are many muscles in the core including the lower back, superficial front and side abdominals, deep abdominals, deep back muscles, and the hip and pelvic muscles. It is the deep muscles that usually get neglected. The ultimate aim of core conditioning is to insure the deep trunk muscles are working correctly to control the lumbar spine during dynamic movements such as lifting a box. The deep muscles act as stabilizers and are isometrically contracted (contraction with no movement). Thus when training your core you should start with the inside and work outwards.

Exercises and products intended to train the core do so by creating resistance and instability so the core muscles must respond to maintain balance. Core exercises often imitate moves we employ in daily life or sports,  reducing the strain we put on our limbs daily. Some popular core exercises come from Pilates which uses both the bodies own resistance as well as balance devices such as foam rollers. The swiss ball provides an unstable platform to perform a variety of core strengthening moves on. Another newer balance and core developing device is the half domed shaped Bosu. Whatever type of exercises and equipment you choose start slowly. Even if you are a finely tuned athlete chances are you do not have a well developed core. Core strength is important for all ages and fitness abilities. Incorporating core training into your exercise routine can reduce muscular fatigue, avoid muscle strain and injury, improve posture and improve strength and mobility.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/getting-to-the-core-of-exercise-85397.html

About the Author: Dr. Lanny Schaffer is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of The International Fitness Academy. To find out more cutting edge fitness ideas and information go to aerobic-exercise-coach.com.

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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.

You can carve a firm, sexier body by doing nothing. That’s because  relaxation and recovery are just as important as your workout sessions.  When you exercise, you tear down muscle fibers.  As the fibers regenerate, they become bigger and stronger. It’s during this recuperation that your body transforms.  While  personal training in Rochester , NY I always remind my clients to rest, stretch and listen to their bodies…

Get enough sleep

Your body reconstructs itself best when you’re asleep.  Sleep deprivation also disturbs  your normal hormone levels therby depleting you of needed energy to get you ready for a good workout.  Not only will you  get an ineffective workout but you will also crave for sugar as an alternate  energy source.   In a recent study of 1,000 volunteers at Stanford University, subjects who did not get enough sleep per night had a higher body fat content compared to their constituents who enjoyed at least seven or eight hours of sleep.  

Take days off from your workouts

Give yourself a minimum of 24 hours between workouts.  Take at least one day off every week. You can still get great results from  strength training  twice a week.  Don’t strength train more than five times a week because all your hard work won’t get you anywhere if your don’t let your body recover.

Do not ignore aches and pains

Ignoring muscle soreness or tightness just presents you with larger issues. If you feel any pain while exercising, stop your workout completely. If you feel tightness, pause to stretch.  Better yet, stretch after your warm-up and at the end of your workout to keep your body functioning at its finest.

Avoid anti-infammatory drugs and pain killers

Delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS as it is called by exercise physiologists, is characterized by sometimes muscle tenderness, muscles weakness and a decrease in range of motion.  It usually peaks about 24 to 72 hours after an extreme  cardio-vascular  or strength exercise event.  Although anti-inflammatory drugs do appear to reduce muscle soreness during DOMS, studies show that they may slow down the muscles’ ability to repair the damage.

Eat appropriately

According to a study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, subjects who snacked with a 4-to-1 ratio of carbs to protein within 30 minutes of their workout offset muscle damage the most. That’s because after a  workout your body is damaged  and depleted of energy.  It requires immediate attention.  You’ll also get the most immediate bounce-back if you drink your snack in liqiud form because your body absorbs liquid faster than solid foods. You can purchase ready to drink protein shakes at most grocery stores.  Keep fat and sugar to under 2 grams per serving.  Have your shake with an apple, small banana or ½ cup of berries.