Exercise & Fitness Information

A Fitness Mothers Time


So you've been a mother for a while. Good for you, mothers are important. I know I have one! But you know what? I've seen my mother get so tied up from taking care of Dad, me and the house that she had very little time to take care of her fitness. Boy, the things you see in retrospect. Anyway, my mother used to be a beanpole; fitness came from all kinds of activity. I've seen the wedding photos so I know it to be so! I can also remember my mother putting on weight over the years. I'm sure my mother will read this, so I must choose my words carefully! When I think about it though, I know why this can happen to a lot of mothers. Life gets in the way and fitness takes a side seat.

Working Out - Its Good For You


When we think about the life in the country, there is always something rosy about it. What is it that the people in the country have that we do not? When you ponder about it you find that those lucky souls eat good food, they work really hard, by work I mean real physical work and they have good night?s sleep. Of course they do not have all the amenities and facilities that the city life has to offer.

Defeating Back Pain Forever


Back pain, one of the most common physical, and debilitating ailments today, affects 70% - 80% of us at one time or another in our lives. However, as a result of the obesity epidemic, that number continues to climb. So if you are suffering or have suffered from back pain, you are not alone!

Wise Up and Invest in Your Workout Success - Six Top Fitness Faux Pas


Already dedicated exercisers make small but costly mistakes regularly in their workouts, and one tiny change can have a huge impact on their results. Time is valuable, and for each precious moment invested you want to ensure the best possible return. If your body is not yet as lean or toned as you would like, it is likely that you are committing some key training mistakes. These errors can sabotage the efforts of even veteran exercisers. By learning about the most common fitness faux pas and their fixes, you will mistake-proof your exercise and see tremendous payoffs. Six of the biggest fitness faux pas are?

Arthritis Exercise for All Levels


Exercise can be very beneficial for arthritis sufferers, often relieving stiffness in joints, strengthening muscles thereby reducing stress on joints, keeping bone and cartilage tissue strong and healthy, and increasing flexibility. A recommended 30-minute minimum of daily activity is the norm. Before starting any exercise program, it is vital that one speak to their doctor to ensure there are no unseen risks, however you will find that most doctors recommend exercise for their arthritis patients either on their own initiative or when asked.

Tai Chi, NOT Chai Tea!


Those of you that have either completed a one-on-one program, purchased an on-line program or have read anything else that I have written in the past have most likely determined by now and realize it is quite evident... I am a huge supporter and advocate of integrated and phase-based training as optimized methods of health and fitness technologies/systemologies. And it wasn?t until I started researching Tai Chi as an alternative form of exercise (I have been exercising for three-and-a-half decades consistently) did I understand how such a slow-velocity activity can help decrease blood pressure, reduce stress, help develop a greater degree of coordination and diminish the number of falls experienced by the elderly. The affects of resistance and aerobic type activities and their impact on health is unequivocal. Resistance training improves strength and the development of lean muscle mass, as well as an increase in bone-density and cardiovascular training improves the efficiently of the heart, lungs and circulatory function while decreasing mortality rates. However, over the past few decades, Eastern practices such as Tai Chi and Yoga have complimented mainstream fitness training programs by demonstrating comparable health benefits to traditional fitness training. A closer look at Tai Chi is warranted and yes this is coming from a fitness coach who intrinsically knows and has meticulously practiced and has been the recipient of the absolute benefits of weight bearing exercise for over 30 years.

Exercise Is a Key to Good Health for All of Us


There?s plenty of evidence that an essential component of a healthy life is physical activity. It has been shown that exercise has a positive effect on both your body and mind.

How to Keep Your Body Fit


Fitness is just as imperative as health. As a matter of fact, fitness is linked directly with your health. If you are not taking care of your body, you will get sick. Here are some great suggestions that will help you to keep your body fit:

Is It Safe To Start An Exercise Program?


I think the real question is ?How safe is it for you not to exercise?? Did you know that obesity has just replaced smoking as the number one cause of health related problems? That?s incredible! Sorry to say, but that means we are a bunch of fat, inactive people! Back in the day when people milked cows and planted their own food for exercise, you would never hear of something like this. Think about that the next time you can?t exercise because of a hard day at the office! O.k. before I tear off too far into a rant lets look at some of the real concerns you should tend to before you start an exercise program.

How Exercise and Beta-Glucan Help the Immune System


It is thought that moderate exercise, such as speed walking, jogging, and aerobics may enhance your body's natural resistance to infection. This is due to that fact that this kind of physical activity activates the release of immunostimulatory factors, such as growth hormones, cytokines, and prolactin, which in turn activates various populations of immune cells.

Why You Should Learn Tai Chi


Learning Tai ChiTai Chi combines movement, meditation and breathing, to enhance the flow of vital energy in the body, to increase both physical and mental well-being.Tai Chi is one of the most broadly applicable systems of self-care in the world and is suitable for both young and old alike.In China, it is estimated that 300 million people alone practice Tai Chi.Tai Chi however is not just practised in China, in the 20th century it spread throughout the world and as we enter the 21st century, it is more popular than ever.Tai Chi - The FormThere are several styles of movement and approaches to Tai Chi, some of them historic and some developed in recent years.Each has its own individual charteristics and carries the name of the clan or family who developed it i.e. Yang, Chen, Wu, Sun etc.All the principles of Tai Chi are put into practice in a non stop sequence of moves called the form.Each Tai Chi style has its own distinctive way of presenting the form in terms of: The postures included, the order in which they appear, the way they are performed and finally, how long the form actually takes to complete.Although the different styles of Tai Chi present the form in different ways, the purpose and the philosophy behind them is the same.Tai Chi & HealthWhen Tai Chi is practised, the movement creates streams of energy to flow through the body.In the philosophy of Tai Chi, it is said Chi (life energy) follows the mind, each posture and movement creates a different energy flow that, has a benifital overall affect on overall well-being.Tai Chi stimulates circulation, aligns the skeleton and joints correctly, stimulates the organs of the body and helps digestion.It increases muscle tone, strength, improves balance and co ordination and improves breathing.Tai Chi does not just provide physical benefits; by raising energy levels, it also affects the mind and the spirit.Tai Chi focuses thought, so that mind and body energy works together as one. When practising Tai Chi, people find that they are not just physically fitter but, happier, more alert, have greater mental focus and are more creative.It is this harnessing of mental and physical energy that makes Tai Chi not just a form of exercise; it makes it a life enhancing experience.Learning Tai ChiTai Chi is an exercise for people of all ages and all levels of fitness.The movements of Tai Chi are non-strenuous, relaxed, slow moving, soft, and flowing.It has often been described as moving meditation, as it relieves stress and improves concentration.It is the gentleness and slowness of Tai Chi that makes it so applicable to everyone as a form of exercise.When you watch Tai Chi being performed, it looks effortless but this comes from a considerable amount of practice.When taking up Tai Chi it is best to pick an experienced teacher, who can guide motivate and encourage you. Simply, go with someone you are comfortable with.The style of Tai Chi you pick Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun or any other form, is down to personal preference; the benefits described however apply to all styles.

What the Philosophy of Tai Chi Can Do For You


Taoist PhilosophyTo understand the purpose of the form it is important to understand its basis and roots.The origins of Tai Chi go back over 5,000 years and are based in Taoist philosophy developed and refined by the great Taoist thinkers such as, Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu.The core concept of Taoism and Taoist philosophy is that everything in the universe is subject to change and when dealing with this change we should act not to fight it but work with it and avoid conflict.The core Of Taoism is that action should always be effortless and come from spontaneous creativity, but this should not require mental or physical effort.According to Taoist philosophy change is constant but, by understanding change and acting in accordance with the laws that govern it, we can work effortlessly to achieve our aims.Taoism is about working within the laws of change, not struggling to oppose them, this is seen as futile and a waste of energy.In Tai Chi this manifests itself in that a posture will always be difficult and a struggle, unless there is union of mind and body, to make the move an effortless interaction.Yin and YangAnother concept in Chinese philosophy related to change is yin and yang.These two opposing, yet complimentary forces are constantly at work in the universe and in our lives.Yin and yang are the basis of change but they also come together in harmony to create a balanced whole.The simplest example of this is breathing. We breathe in and we breathe out - an opposing action that comes together to create balance and harmony. Change and harmony, is the basis of yin and yang and of Tai Chi.The principles of yin and yang are reflected in the form the sequence of movements that make up the Tai Chi discipline.The form is actually a sequence of movements that flow continuously representing both change and harmony. A movement begins, grows completes and empties then another begins until the sequence is completed.The Tai Chi PhilosophyThe aim of the Tai Chi form is to create streams of energy to flow through the body.In the philosophy of Tai Chi, it is said Chi (life energy) follows the mind; each posture and movement creates a different energy flow, which, has a beneficial overall affect on overall well-being.Tai Chi stimulates circulation, aligns the skeleton and joints correctly, stimulates the organs of the body and helps digestion.It increases muscle tone, strength, improves balance and co ordination and improves breathing.Tai Chi does not just provide physical benefits; by raising energy levels, it also affects the mind and the spirit.Tai Chi focuses thought, so that mind and body energy works together as one.Tai Chi reflects both Taoism in terms of effortless interaction and yin and yang in terms of reconciling two opposing forces, to create harmony and equilibrium. This combination is the very essence of the Tai Chi philosophy.

Muscle Cramps and Exercise


Quite often runners and exercisers experience painful muscle cramping either during or immediately following a strenuous exercise bout and as a result, these types of cramps have become known as Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps or EAMCs. Much confusion surrounds the causes of EAMCs including dehydration to electrolyte imbalances. This article aims to explain the latest model for describing EAMCs, how to prevent them and how to deal with them once they occur.

3 Exercises for Good Posture and a Six-Pack


These days many people spend a significant part of their day slaving away over a hot computer and as a result, their posture is not what it should be. Bad posture can result in short-term discomfort such as neck stiffness and headaches and also lead to more serious problems in later life. It is therefore worth spending some time to counteract the damage we may be doing to ourselves every day. But how about this - did you know that some of the same exercises that you can do to maintain good posture are the very same exercises, which if done regularly, can help you to achieve a six-pack? I am totally serious ? this is something I discovered recently while looking at different exercise routines because I wanted to do something about my own bad posture. As well as sitting and standing up straight, you will also look good on the beach next summer. Kill two birds with one stone!

The New Discovery That Makes It Possible To Get An Effective Workout In Less Time


The Art of Multifunctional Training

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