10 Psychological Benefits Of Running

The physical advantages of running has long been established. Some people run to build muscle, while others run to lose weight. However, aside from the physical impacts running can do to us, there are several psychological benefits of running. Scientific studies found significant improvements in people’s mental health due to this particular physical activity. 

Here are the 10 benefits.

1. People who run find it easier to deal with anxiety. While running, the activity of serotonin receptors in the brain is greatly reduced thus decreasing anxiety levels and creating an antidepressant effect for many people.

2. Improved IQ. A Swedish study found that people who engage in aerobic exercises such as running have better cognitive functions and memory. This is attributed to the belief that running helps increase the blood flow and circulation to the brain, giving way to the formation of new brain cells.

3. Positive attitude. Runners are found to be more optimistic, more friendly and exude more patience and energy. 

 

4. Running has also been included in addressing clinical depression. It is found that the more people run, the less depressed they feel. It certainly is a good yet cheaper alternative remedy for this disorder.

5. Running also helps in building up stress resistance. Running significantly reduces  stress through the excretion of endorphins, often called the happy hormones.

6. Better concentration is also among the psychological benefits of running. Particularly, running outdoors give the individual more focus on the things he has to deal with and is most likely able to come up with solutions to problems.

7. Studies also found that people who run regularly are happier. 72% of them claim that they are happy, while people who said they were only slightly happy or not happy tend not to engage in any physical activity.

8. Running also presents positive self-image and higher confidence. Achieving running milestones, may it be in terms of performance or physical improvements, gives a runner more confidence. The number or calories burned or number of races finished represents the hard work and achievement a runner can be proud of.

9. Furthermore, according to several studies, the endorphins released by the brain during running gives a certain “high.” This so-called “runner’s high” is responsible in making people happy and stress-free. For that reason, running has been popularly integrated in psychological treatments.

10. Running encourages creativity. We may encounter mental blocks from time to time and the best way to shake this off is through indulging in physical activities. Since one is able to concentrate more while running, the mental problem-solving also commences. Furthermore, aside from mood elevation which also greatly helps with creativity, runners find more inspiration especially in their creative endeavors through running.

Indeed, the number of psychological benefits of running are considerable. Not only does it boost the physical body, but also nurture the psychological processes of a person. Running only proves that it is the cheapest and more convenient pill against several psychological issues, and the more a person immerses himself in running, the more he will reap its benefits for the body and the mind.    

 

Damian@FitnHealthy

 

How You Can Get Your Body In Its Best Shape Ever With HIIT Fitness

HIIT Fitness is a growing fitness trend in the US. Hit Fitness, or High Intensity Training Fitness, is a fitness system built around a unique combination of science and sport.

HIIT Fitness in the Spokane Valley, WA area is a growing trend

Hit Fitness , or High Intensity Training, is a fitness system built around a unique combination of science and sport.

Hit Fitness is definably an "alternative" way to personal fitness, but it is a method that is worthy of a look.

What Will I Really Be Doing In HIIT Fitness?

Hit Fitness combines a unique combination of typical fitness along with sporting elements, such as the practice of Fencing or Kenpo.

Some of the activities that are included in HIIT Fitness include:

*Circuts

*GRIT

*Personal Fitness

*Other Sporting Activities

The types of activities that you participate in depends on the type of HIIT Fitness Spokane program that you join.

Different instructors of the HIIT Fitness way have different methods. Regardless of the methods that your fitness coach uses to teach you Hit Fitness, you will experience a unique exercise technique that will benefit your body more than a traditional fitness plan can accomplish.

HIIT Fitness Sporting Events

Participating in sporting events in the Hit Fitness program is a big part of your training. Not only will these sporting events help you to achieve your fitness goals at a faster pace, but several of the sports can be used later in life, even after you complete your fitness goals.

Sounds Fun. What Does Hit Fitness Spokane Concentrate On? Well, the HIIT Fitness program is quite the unusual exercise system. The HIIT Fitness program focuses on the following aspects of the fitness world:

Anaerobic Threshold Balance Body Composition Strength VO2 Max (maximal oxygen consumption)

Hit Fitness Anaerobic Threshold

A basic definition of the Hit Fitness Anaerobic Threshold is that it occurs when muscles "burn" glucose without the use of Oxygen. Anaerobic Threshold is ideal for those who need that short extra burst in their life. On the flip side, Anaerobic Threshold would not be ideal for a distance runner.

Hit Fitness Balance

Another important part of the Hit Fitness way is the aspect of balance. A majority of people who participate in the Hit Fitness exercise plan are athletes. These people require a great amount of agility and balance to succeed at what they do best. By having great balance, you can even increase the efficiency of your Spokane workout.

Hit Fitness Body Composition

Hit Fitness Body Composition is a way of describing the percentage of bone, fat, and muscle in your body. The Hit Fitness Spokane system puts a lot of attention on the aspect of body composition, as it is vital to balance the mass percentages of bone, fat, and muscle in ones body.

Hit Fitness Strength

Hit Fitness works with your overall body strength. Since the Spokane Hit Fitness way of exercise revolves around sporting activities, it is important to have strength as it will give you the opportunity to push your body to the next level.

Hit Fitness VO2 Max

What is VO2 Max? Basically, VO2 Max is another meaning for the maximal amount of oxygen consumption. It plays a very important role in Hit Fitness as your VO2 Max directly determines how physically fit you are. Each person has a different VO2 Max.

Damian@FitnHealthy

5 Components of Physical Fitness

 

Physical fitness is the ability to function effectively throughout your workday, perform your usual other activities and still have enough energy left over to handle any extra stresses or emergencies which may arise. 

You will reach your desired level of  physical fitness faster by understanding the five components of physical fitness and how they fit together.

Physical fitness is the ability to function effectively throughout your workday, perform your usual other activities and still have enough energy left over to handle any extra stresses or emergencies which may arise.

The components of physical fitness are:

*  Cardio respiratory (CR) endurance - the efficiency with which the body delivers oxygen and nutrients needed for muscular activity and transports waste products from the cells.

*  Muscular strength - the greatest amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert in a single effort.

*  Muscular endurance - the ability of a muscle or muscle group to perform repeated movements with a sub-maximal force for extended periods of times.

*  Flexibility - the ability to move the joints or any group of joints through an entire, normal range of motion.

*  Body composition - the percentage of body fat a person has in comparison to his or her total body mass.

Improving the first three components of fitness listed above will have a positive impact on body composition and will result in less fat. Excessive body fat detracts from the other fitness components, reduces performance, detracts from appearance, and negatively affects your health.

Factors such as speed, agility, muscle power, eye-hand coordination, and eye-foot coordination are classified as components of "motor" fitness. These factors most affect your athletic ability. Appropriate training can improve these factors within the limits of your potential. A sensible weight loss and fitness program seeks to improve or maintain all the components of physical and motor fitness through sound, progressive, mission specific physical training.

Principles of Exercise

Adherence to certain basic exercise principles is important for developing an effective program. The same principles of exercise apply to everyone at all levels of physical training, from the Olympic-caliber athlete to the weekend jogger.

These basic principles of exercise must be followed.

Regularity

To achieve a training effect, you must exercise often. You should exercise each of the first four fitness components at least three times a week. Infrequent exercise can do more harm than good. Regularity is also important in resting, sleeping, and following a sensible diet.

Progression

The intensity (how hard) and/or duration (how long) of exercise must gradually increase to improve the level of fitness.

Balance

To be effective, a program should include activities that address all the fitness components, since overemphasizing any one of them may hurt the others.

Variety

Providing a variety of activities reduces boredom and increases motivation and progress.

Specificity

Training must be geared toward specific goals. For example, people become better runners if their training emphasizes running. Although swimming is great exercise, it does not improve a 2-mile-run time as much as a running program does.

Recovery

A hard day of training for a given component of fitness should be followed by an easier training day or rest day for that component and/or muscle group(s) to help permit recovery. Another way to allow recovery is to alternate the muscle groups exercised every other day, especially when training for strength and/or muscle endurance.

 

Overload

The work load of each exercise session must exceed the normal demands placed on the body in order to bring about a training effect.

Damian@FitnHealthy

How To Be More Successful By Being Physically Fit

Could you imagine if your energy levels were endless and you could turn water into wine?

Okay, maybe not turn water into wine but imagine if you felt great, all the time. I know. It seems like a dream, but really, it's not.

Having the energy and superhuman power to be a business professional is easier than it sounds.

Lets be honest.

 

Most business professionals are slouched over a desk getting 5 colds a year with high blood pressure. Sadly, I've been there.

This is a pretty crappy place to be but you can overcome it and kick start your health to be a better business professional.

Here are 5 benefits of being physically fit and how they can make you more successful:

1) Know who you are by being confident

When you feel good, you look good and when you look good you're confident. Being physically fit encourages confidence by giving you the tools to stand up straight, look people in the eye and speak with conviction. 

This sends signals not only to yourself but also to others that you're proud and confident in who you are.

People do business with confindent people. They know their products and / or services, they know themselves and they definitely know their clients. 

2) Boost in brain power = boost in revenue

We've all heard that exercise is heart healthy but it also has significant benefits for your noggen (yes, that's your head).

If your brain is working better the more ideas you'll generate and the more rational you'll become. This is associated by a direct link to an increase in revenue. 

3) Trash the feeling of stress by learning to cope with it

Being physically fit gives you the added benefit of receiving a constant flow of endorphins. These little brain neurotransmitters are your "feel-good" source and can be contributed to stress reduction.

The less stressed you are the more coherent and rational you'll be. Who wants to work for or deal with an irate maniac? Being able to cope with stress is crucial to becoming more successful.

4) If you're more efficient, more opportunities will open

One of the best benefits of being physically fit for business professionals is its ability to make you more productive. It boosts your energy, makes you alert and increases your confidence. All 3 of these produce a spike in your productivity.

We can conclude that the more productive you are the more gets done, right? Being more productive opens the door to added possibilities.

5) The more fuel you have, the more effort you can give the world

We can all feel like a drag during the day, it's normal. But another benefit of being physically fit is the spike in energy you'll experience. By delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your organs you'll feel like a new person. Okay, maybe not a new "person" but better than you did before.

The more energy you have, the more you can get done. The more you get done, the better off your business will be.

Be warned that there's one drawback to being fit. The I-need-to-be-more-fit-and-cardio-is -the-only-way-to-get-there mentality. Never, ever, ever get stuck in the mindset that you must do cardio to lose weight. If you enjoy running half marathons, triathlons, and bicycling for 50 miles, thats great. But never think you have to if you don't enjoy it. Remember follow your passions.

Damian@FitnHealthy

Crossfit Kettlebell Sandbag: Amazing Exercise Produces Superior Results

Crossfit Kettlebell Sandbag are outstanding! These kettlebell exercises may be the answer to preserving a home gym or having a pricey club membership.

With Crossfit Kettlebell Sandbag you can establish exceptional gains over conventional exercise methods and conserve lots of area in your home.

The man who teaches Russian Kettlebell training is Pavel Tsatsouline. He is a former Spetznaz fitness instructor. For those who could not know, Spetznaz is the Russian equivalent of the CIA or special forces.

 

As every high-risk representative would want, after researching a few of Pavel's books you can certainly discover ways to have explosive instant power prepared at all times.

But, not everyone is a spy; in reality really few of us are. So what advantages does adjustable kettlebell training have for the typical lady or guy?

Crossfit Kettlebell Sandbag training can be a wonderful means to reduce weight, condition the body, and remain in shape once you get it there with the included benefits mentioned above.

And not just that, adjustable kettlebell exercises may be much better for you than weights. In one of his books, Pavel points out a few of the fitness tests that were utilized to compare kettlebell training to standard exercises.

The kettlebell trainers seemed to be in much better shape according to Pavel. And Pavel would know - You can see a picture of Pavel on his website. The guy is well muscled and toned for someone that stays clear of weight training like the torment.

Mentioning muscle and tone, look into the amazing Ab muscles that Pavel can reveal you how you can develop. Pavel, being an expert in physical training combined with his special experience and insight is completely certified to reveal you all about physical fitness.

Whether you are male or female, Pavel can show you the way to fitness. He has actually likewise gathered for our advantage, what he thinks to be outstanding recommendations in nourishment.

An additional thing I think that is intriguing about Pavel and his work is that he brings his colorful and interesting Russian personality into play. For example, simply think of the title of one of his books, Power to individuals.

I find that title funny, however if I had to discuss why I think it's funny, I'm not sure that I could. Come to think of it, I suspect liberation is in order.

Pavel desires to show us a much better method to fitness and complimentary us from our demand to invest an inordinate amount of time in the gym and spend it more carefully and effectively, so that we can have fantastic physical fitness and time to enjoy it.

As you can see by glancing at his images, Pavel not just knows ways to develop a remarkable body however he also knows how to keep himself versatile at the same time.

Possibly now you can understand why I think this man has some answers to fitness that we may not have the ability to discover anywhere else, nor all in one practical area either.

As constantly, get in touch with a main care physician before embarking on any physical fitness program. This article is for information purposes only and is not to deal with, prevent or detect any physical condition.

Source by George Holzhueter

The Exercise Afterburn Effect

The Afterburn Effect; Burn Calories While Doing Nothing!

What Is The Afterburn Effect?

- Exercise after-burn, also know as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), is when the body continues to burn calories after the exercise session is over. For example, let's say you go for early morning jog for 30 minutes. After you have finished the 30 minute jog, your body will continue to burn calories for the next 15 minutes to 48 hours! EPOC represents the amount of oxygen consumption needed to bring the body back to a pre-exercise state. The amount of calories burned from EPOC is directly related to exercise intensity and duration. The harder and longer you exercise, the more calories your burn via the exercise after-burn!

Exercise Intensity!

- Exercise intensity, according to all the studies conducted to date, is the most important determinant of the effect of EPOC. The harder and more intense you exercise, the greater the effect of EPOC is.

In a study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, the effect of exercise intensity on EPOC was studied in 8 trained men and 8 trained women. The subjects were examined after completing 3 separate exercise bouts of different intensities. The intensities were 40%, 50%, and 70% of their VO2 maxes. Your VO2 max is the greatest amount of oxygen your body can take in and use for exercise. Your VO2 max is a good measure of your fitness level. The more oxygen you are able to use, the more energy you will be able to create, so the higher your VO2 max, the higher your fitness level is. 

 

So let us get back to the study. The study showed that the intensity levels had a great effect on the duration of EPOC. In both men and women, the effect of EPOC was greater as intensity increased. 

The study also showed that even low levels of exercise intensity still have a positive effect on EPOC. The results of the study were as follows:

- For the men

40% VO2 max - EPOC was 31.2 min;

50% VO2 max - EPOC was 42.1 min;

70% VO2 max - EPOC was 47.6 min

- For the Women

40% VO2 max - EPOC was 26.9 min;

50% VO2 max - EPOC was 35.6 min

70% VO2 max - EPOC was 39.1 min

In another study published in the Journal Of The American College Of Nutrition, the effects of low and high intensity exercise on calories burned during exercise and after exercise were studied in 8 active women, ages 22 to 31. Although both groups burned 500 calories, the effect of the exercise after-burn was much greater for the high intensity group (45 extra calories) versus the low intensity group (24 extra calories).

Effect Of Duration On EPOC!

Duration also has been shown to play a big role in the energy after-burn effect. In one study conducted in 1988 published in the Canadian Journal of Sports Science, subjects were divided into 3 groups.

Although all three groups exercised at 70% of their VO2 max, the duration was different for each group. One group exercised for 3o minutes, another group for 45 minutes, and the final group exercised for an hour. The results of the EPOC values of the studies were 33 calories lasting 128 minutes, 74.5 calories lasting 204 minutes, and 165 calories over 455 minutes for the durations of 30, 45 and 60 minutes, respectively. This study showed that increasing exercise duration has a great effect on EPOC.

 

In another similar study (1), 6 healthy male subjects exercises at 70% of their VO2 max for 80 minutes, 40 minutes, and 20 minutes. The results of EPOC were 55.5 calories, 73.5 calories, and 159.5 calories for 20 minutes, 40 minutes, and 80 minutes respectively.

There have also been studies that have combined high intensity exercise with longer durations.

There are more studies such as these that show similar effects of duration's effects on EPOC. In a study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 8 trained males performed 164 minutes of treadmill running at 70% of their VO2 max. The average EPOC effect was 162 calories, which is a significant contributor to overall energy expenditure.

So it's pretty simple then, right? Just exercise harder and longer and you'll burn more calories from the exercise after-burn! Unfortunately, that may not be entirely correct. There have been studies that show different exercise after-burn effects from exercise. Some studies showed a low EPOC effect after exercise of long and short duration even with high intensities. From all the research done, the effect of EPOC varies from person and person. It seems that many factors such as gender, age, fitness level, etc. may be playing a role in the effect of EPOC.

Interval Training!

If you really want to maximize your calories burned from the exercise after-burn, the I would highly recommend performing intermittent training, which is a form of interval training. Intermittent training consists of shorts bouts of all out exercise followed by a rest period. You would repeat this over and over throughout the course of the workout. The Fields Sprints workout video is an example of an interval training workout.

A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology consisted of 8 males performing 20 1-minute intervals at 105% VO2 max with corresponding 2 minute rest periods between intervals. The same 8 males also performed 30 minutes of continuous exercise at 70% VO2 max to allow for comparisons. The results showed a significant increase in the EPOC effect for the interval training (75 calories) versus the continuous running (34.5 calories).

Resistance Training!

So we have pretty much covered everything about the exercise after-burn effect on cardiovascular exercise, but what about strength training?!

Although it is difficult to compare cardio to resistance training because of just the sheer difference of the type of workout and exercise intensity, there have been studies trying to compare them.

In a study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Science Research, the subjects were broken down into 3 groups. One group performed 40 minutes of cycling at 80% of their maximal heart rate. Another group performed 40 minutes of circuit training (50 percent of individuals' maximum lift [1 RM] x 15 repetitions x 4 sets) and the final group performed 40 minutes of heavy resistance lifting (80 to 90 percent of 1 RM x 3-8 repetitions x 3 sets). Heavy resistance training produced the greatest EPOC ( 53 calories) compared with circuit training (51 calories) and cycling (33.5 calories).

So what did we learn from all this? 

To exercise! More important than any of the details of the exercise afterburn is the exercise! Find something you enjoy doing and do it! Above all else, just make sure to exercise and be active. If you really want to maximize your training program and burn the most calories from the exercise after-burn response then I would recommend doing the following:

Tempo Training:Continuous aerobic exercise at a high intensity for half an hour to an hour.

Long, Slow Distance Training:Continuous aerobic exercise at a moderate intensity for an hour.

Split Training:2-4 high-intensity exercise bouts for a period of 15-25 minutes with a 5 minute rest in-between.

Continuous Interval Training:Alternating 3-minute bouts of low-intensity and high-intensity exercise for a period of 30-60 minutes. An example of this would be to walk for 3 minutes, then jog for 3 minutes, then walk for 3 minutes, etc. Or if you are in very good shape, you would jog for 3 minutes, sprint for 3 minutes, jog for 3 minutes, etc.

Supramaximal Interval Training:15-20 of really high intensity exercise (the hardest you can exercise) for a period of 1 minute, with 2- to 5-minute rest periods in-between.

Heavy Resistance Training:2-4 sets, 8-10 exercises, 3-8 reps of 80%-90% of your 1-rep max with 2- to 3-minute rest periods

 Source : Danny Maman

10 Things You Should Know About Stretching

10 Things You Should Know About Stretching

 Before fitness training, one must give importance to doing warm-up or stretching exercises to prevent accidents or to enhance the output during the training.  There are also a number of precautionary measures and tips to serve as guidelines when doing fitness exercises.  Here are some of them.

1.  To increase your flexibility and to avoid injuries, stretch before and after workout.  Almost everyone knows that stretching before workout prevents injuries during the exercises, but only few people know that stretching after workout, when muscles are still warm, can increase flexibility.

2.  Hold your stretching position for more than 60 seconds to increase flexibility.  While holding your position for 20 seconds is enough for warm ups, holding each position for at least 60 seconds will develop the body's flexibility.

3.  Do not go into a stretching position then immediately return to the relaxed position, and do it repeatedly.  This is more appropriately termed as bouncing while in a position.  When stretching, hold that position for several seconds, and then slowly relax.  You may do this exercise repeatedly this way.  Bouncing or forcing yourself into a position during stretching can strain or damage some joints or muscles.

4.  Work slowly in increments instead of immediately proceeding to doing the hardest exercise or position.

5.  Make sure that you have stretched or warmed up all muscle groups.  For some people, even if they have strong bodies, they tend to neglect the neck when working out of stretching.  Stretching the neck muscles can be as simple as placing the palm of one's hand against the front of the head and pushing it.  Then, do the same to the sides and the back of the head.

6.  Stretch regularly to continually increase your range of movements and your level of flexibility and strength.

7.  Workout considering only your capabilities and not of others.  Do not force yourself to do exercises that you are not yet capable of just because there are people who can do it.  Increase your limits slowly.  Listen to your body.  There are days when your body may be too tired that you may have to consider reducing your range of motion.

8.  Learn to rest.  Rest in between sets and stations to make sure that the body has enough time to recover its energy.  Also, it is advisable that you don't work the same muscle groups consecutively for two days.  The muscles grow during the period when you rest and not when you are working out.

9.  Do aerobic exercises to strengthen your heart.  Aerobic exercises are those physical activities that much oxygen for fuel.  This includes cardiovascular exercises such as skipping rope, running or swimming.

10.  Music may help you when you want to train for longer periods or to increase your intensity.  You can use mp3 players, CD players or lightweight am radio receivers for this.  Just make sure that you brought your headset with you so you wouldn't disturb people who don't prefer music while exercising.

Apart from preventing injuries and increasing one's limit, it is also said that stretching is good for a tired body and also for a stressed mind and spirit.

 

Damian@FitnHealthy

Getting Motivated With Physical Fitness

Most people would spend money to enroll in gym memberships or buy those fitness equipments only to quit as soon as they start. Either they are too busy that they couldn't find time to keep it going or they quickly lose their interest due to lack of motivation. It's easy to start a lifestyle of fitness.  What's difficult is how to be consistent with it.

Studies reveal that most Americans engage in physical fitness only once in a while.  Others don't even exercise at all. And yet, about a quarter are able to find time to go the gym and sweat it out to their heart's delight.  

How could they?
It's easy to start a lifestyle of fitness.  What's difficult is how to be consistent with it.  Most people would spend money to enroll in gym memberships or buy those fitness equipment only to quit as soon as they start. Either they are too busy that they could no longer find time to keep it going or they quickly lose their interest due to lack of motivation.

In order to stay motivated, try to set some fitness goals and write them on paper. Putting them down on paper gives them more weight than just saying things to yourself.  be specific and realistic with your goals.  Instead of telling yourself that “I will start working out in a gym next week and build some muscles,” try writing it down in paper as “I will start working out in a gym next week, 3 times a week, Monday...Wednesday...and Friday, after work.” Setting unrealistic goals may lead to disappointment and frustration.  Exercise can give you a healthier body and add a certain glow, but it won't catch you a lover or turn you into a celebrity or supermodel.

 Setting aside a specific regular time for your fitness regimen is important to keep your enthusiasm going. The number one reason why most people, especially women, don't exercise is because they're too busy doing things for other people: their spouse, their kids, their boss. 

Make a plan or schedule for all the little stumbling blocks that usually get in the way and incorporate your time for exercise into your daily routine. Be sure to follow it and stick to it. Biking to work or taking a walk to do errands make a great deal in adding physical activity to your lifestyle.

Treat exercise as a social event by joining a group or being with a workout buddy.  Camaraderie helps in keeping the spirits up. Make family time a lot of fun by playing catch or kick with your kids, or swimming together in a lake or pool. Routine variations help, such as working on several activities during the week will help develop different sets of muscles and skills. 

While athletes do this for cross-training, one doesn't have to be in training to enjoy the benefits of mixing different sports, such as running, biking, and swimming.

 When fatigue interferes with your desire to workout, something may be wrong with your eating habits. Eating small meals frequently throughout the day is much better than skipping a meal, say lunch, and  then eat a big dinner.  Starving yourself affects your brain and leads to fatigue.  

However, eating too much at once slows your metabolism and makes you feel sloppy. On the other hand, eating frequently keeps your blood sugar level constant and maintains your energy level up. High-protein and high-fiber foods such as nuts and fruit are a good snack to give yourself a boost.

Treat yourself with rewards whenever you complete a cycle of your schedule, say every month, buy yourself something to encourage you for your effort. Some experts suggest putting a small amount of money in a jar every time you work out. At the end of the year, use your collected cash to buy something just for you.

Being consistent helps you become motivated. And the more you exercise, the easier it gets. Building more strength helps muscles develop more mitochondria, the cell parts that turn sugar into energy. The more mitochondria you have, the harder you can exert yourself. You also increase the number of capillaries which helps the oxygen flow to your muscles to provide more energy.

As you continue being faithful with your schedule and goals, the changes may not be visible at once.  Most of these bodily changes are invisible but they are happening and are important in laying the groundwork for a strong, healthy physique. As the cliche goes, “no pain, no gain.” Stick to it and you will soon realize that everything will fall into its proper places.

Damian@ufitnhealthy

Fitness Boot Camp - A Great Help

The fitness industry is getting popular these days due to the increase in demand of health fitness. This is because people are becoming conscious about their body shapes. Now, there is an increase amount of boot camps, gyms, personal trainers and fitness centers in the market. Most people work according to the instructions of their trainers to get best results. 

Excellent results cannot be attained only by joining the gym, it requires better programs and techniques. Fitness camps are the best option to get the best value for money and best professional results.

Personal trainers:

Personal trainers cost 5 times more than these fitness camps. In this fitness area you cannot get attention like personal trainers, but motivation will be a lot more than trainers. Boot camps will motivate you more to work hard. It will provide you with more encouraging and inspiring environment. So that you can work out more, boost your metabolism and burn your fat and get better fitness shape.

All the fitness programs are not same, you need to select the best one for you. In that case you must keep following points in your mind:

Type of camp:

Different fitness areas are designed especially on the basis of gender. Women prefer to join women based fitness program and men prefer to join men based fitness program. At present, boot camps are described as group training centers. You will find a professional coaching in these centers. Do get the necessary information about the type of training provided in the boot camp.

Skills of the trainers:

Be sure that your trainers are highly skilled. They must be certified by the related authorities. There are national standards for the creation of fitness programs and appointment of the coaches.

Cost:

Another important thing to notice is the cost. Sometimes you find the camps costing less and providing best of opportunities to achieve full fitness for your body.

Nutritional advice:

This is an important area that is ignored by many fitness programs. Without a balanced diet plan you can never achieve the best results. Only training and work out is not enough. If you come across such a boot center that emphasis on the eating habits along with the other training programs then you must go for it.

In a nutshell, fitness boot camp is the most effective way of getting your body in shape. You can see the results easily after a few days. So, better choose this fitness center for your fitness.

Article Source: Yasir_M_Chohan

 

Rowing Machine for a Full Body Workout ..

Rowing machine is considered as a tool to provide benefit of exercise to full body. It has been termed as a machine fit for work out of total body. Rowing has been considered as a very useful exercise for the limbs it can be done by rowing in the water. Mostly, rowing exercise is done on an indoor rowing machine. Rowing when done on machine helps in exercising muscles that extend and support the legs. 

Rowing can also be done outdoors on land with a row bike. Some row bike manufacturers sell stationary bike stands that permit indoor use. Many exercises include the same moments as done in rowing exercise but the exercise done on the rowing machine is more fruitful and more beneficial. An effective off-season training program combines both erg pieces and weight-assisted movements similar to rowing, with an emphasis on improving endurance under high tension rather than maximum strength.

Rowing exercise is considered as a strength training or strength building up exercise. Indoor rowing is regarded as one of the most challenging form of exercise as it works for all major muscular areas of the body, as well as excellent cardiovascular exercise. Ergometer rowing entails both high levels of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, so the benefits can be great, but this comes with some risk of injury. The most common kind of injury that is seen in knees and the connective tissues by the rowing exercise. 

Proper technique is a necessity for staying injury free, with a focus on both mechanics and breathing, as correct rhythm, exhaling on the drive and inhaling on the recovery, is a stabilizing force for the upper body. Good technique requires that the angle of the upper body is never too far forward, nor too far back, both of which jeopardize the lower back. In addition to the high levels of fitness attained, rowing is an intense calorie-burning exercise. Although rowers with less ability and training will burn fewer calories, the ergometer is an excellent tool for use in a weight-loss program.

 Damian@FitnHealthy

15 Habits to Attain Extra-Ordinary Health and Fitness!

It is my intention to outline specific habits in this article that will empower you and help assist you in your health transformation. Now after you identify these specific habits you must bring great effort to the equation. 

It has been my experience that most people know what to do for their overall success though they choose to stay in their comfort zone and continue to be mediocre. 

  

Choose today to change your daily habits and disciplines and watch your entire existence transform.

So let's get started..

1. VISUALIZATION
This is the first habit you must embrace. Begin by thinking of the person you want to become. What does your body look like? What does your body feel like? See yourself being disciplined each day with these new found habits. Remember everything starts in your mind. Get the picture you want for your life imprinted on your mind each day. Spend a few minutes each morning and evening visualizing your health and fitness goals and watch the transformation!

2. POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS
The next habit is identifying specific affirmations that align with your vision. I am healthy! I am physically and mentally strong! I have world class health! Think about what you want your health and fitness to be and begin to create positive affirmations .These affirmations should be a constant companion with you throughout your day. This habit alone will change your entire mindset and your overall success.

3. SUBCONSCIOUS REPROGRAMMING
The next habit consists of reprogramming your subconscious mind. The reason you are experiencing your current lifestyle is because of what your subconscious believes. Now you must remember you have the power to program your subconscious to believe whatever you want to see manifest in your life. If you are out of shape and unhealthy this is because you believe the current picture. Change the picture of your life and you will begin to see meaningful change.

4. 10,000 STEPS
The 4th habit is move your body. Visualizing and reciting positive affirmations is just part of the process. You must actually begin to move your body and the rest will take care of itself. This habit is pretty simple begin to walk 10,000 steps each day. I didn't say sprint or run 5 miles just begin to track your steps and get 10,000 steps each day. This is an excellent habit to embrace and will most definitely assist your health transformation.

5. AB WHEEL
I was introduced to this piece of equipment during my short time as a fitness trainer. I remember I came into work one day and noticed a member on the floor out of breath and completely drenched in sweat. I asked him what he had been doing squats, dead lifts, or major cardio. He did inform me that the exercise he had finished was definitely a cardio workout though it was also great for the abs and entire upper body. Get yourself an ab wheel and begin by doing a few repetitions each day. When you can knock out about 50 a day your stomach will be feeling great.

6. JUMPING ROPE
This is a great exercise to strengthen your legs, upper body and core. I would encourage you to set daily goals for rope jumping. Jumping rope for 15 or 20 minutes a day will do more for your overall fitness and health than most other cardio exercises. Do some honest work with a jump rope and get ready for increased strength and stamina.

7. WEIGHT TRAINING
I am definitely a proponent of weight training for overall strength and health. Weight training will build lean muscle and strengthen your skeletal system if you are consistent with this habit. I would start off with some basic movements to get your entire body involved and then progress as you become more comfortable with the program. Please don't jump in with 400 pound squats and a 300 pound bench press. Take your time and gradually add weight to the bar. Shoot for 2 sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise. Again remember to progress each workout and add an additional repetition for each set or add weight to the bar.

8. COMPOUND MOVEMENTS
We just discussed the importance of weight training . Now let's talk about specific exercises to get the most bang for your buck in the gym. Compound movements or multi-joint movements will be the most beneficial for your overall strength and fitness. A great list of compound movements to start with consist of squats, dead lifts, pull-ups, weighted dips, shoulder press, shrugs, straight bar curls and pullovers. These movements will stimulate the entire body and you will begin to feel truly empowered .

9. MEDITATION
The next habit is daily meditation. Before you go to sleep or each morning before you start your day spend 15 to 30 minutes focusing on your breathing and the new picture you have for yourself. See yourself in your mind's eye experiencing the lifestyle you desire. Don't just want a change in health know there is a change in your overall health and fitness. Concentrate on your breathing 1-3-2 is the ratio to remember. Inhale for a certain number of seconds let's say 10 seconds hold that breath for 30 seconds exhale your breath for 20 seconds. As you practice this breathing technique, see and feel the transformation in your overall health. 

10. EFFORT
This habit is critical to your fitness transformation. You definitely need great effort to achieve your fitness and health goals. Actually you need great effort to achieve any goal. So begin today assessing your effort level and commit to increasing this effort as you continue your fitness journey.

11. CANT THEORY

 This is a great habit implementation of the Cant theory. What is the ant theory you may ask. Well..how long does an ant continue to work? Until! Until what? Until they accomplish the task or until they die! Begin today embracing the ant theory throughout your own journey. Continue to implement these daily habits until you are successful! Failure is not an option!

12. PUSH-UPS
This habit will do more for your upper body strength than any other exercise. Your entire upper body will be stimulated during this movement. Now decide when you are going to push the floor morning?...evening?...during your lunch break? It doesn't matter as long you are consistent with this activity. Begin by doing as many as you can and then add a few more repetitions as often as you can. Keep your arms close to your body and your back straight. Touch your chest to the floor and push your body back to the starting position. Pretty simple though not so easy after a few hundred.

13. POWER SPRINTS
I started doing power sprints a few years ago with great results. Basically I was taking a walk one morning and decided I would do some additional sprints after the walk. Well, as I continued with the walk I decided to sprint a few hundred feet and then walk sprint a few hundred feet and then walk. I kept the same routine of sprinting and then walking for about thirty minutes. I must say as I finished the walking and sprinting my legs were on fire and my lungs were burning as well. Do some honest work with this routine and you will definitely see some magical results.

14. GREEN TEA
Let's talk a little about diet. I start each day with a nice cup of green tea. The antioxidants are powerful healers and it doesn't have the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. You will begin your day with a high energy vibration. Trust me...a few weeks of green tea and you will feel like a million bucks!

15. ALMONDS
Eating almonds on a regular basis is a great habit for your health and fitness. As a classroom teacher, I would allow my students to only eat almonds and drink water in class. Students always wanted to eat in class so I agreed with a few stipulations almonds and water only! I know they didn't realize the wonderful benefits of eating almonds at the time though hopefully I planted a few seeds of healthy living for their future.

Damian@FitnHealthy