Getting back on track with your fitness goals can mean many things, whether you are trying to lose weight or if you are just trying to get healthy. Regardless what your motivations for improving your fitness are, this article will highlight several helpful tips to help you on your way.
Lift a higher amount of weight for a lower amount of reps. Choose the muscle group you wish to target. Start with weights that are lighter than usual to warmup your muscles. Doing 15 to 20 reps of your warm-up weight is ideal. Then increase the weight so that you can only lift the weight 6-8 times. Increase the weight by 5 pounds and repeat for the third set.
You can enhance the quality of your workouts by taking a moment to loosen up the joints in your hips and lower back. With both hands on the squat rack, slowly lower your body until both thighs are just parallel with the ground. After 30 seconds in this position, slowly raise yourself back up. This should be performed for about five to ten minutes before each workout.
Running hills is great exercise, but can sometimes be cumbersome. You can make it a little easier. While running up the hill, focus your eyes on the top of the hill and keep your head up. This will make it easier to breathe by opening up your airways.
Take the stairs. If you use the steps instead of the elevator or escalator whenever you have the choice, you get a mini-workout. You burn 10 times as many calories when you climb the stairs as you do by just standing. Planning to take the stairs when you can means committing to a fit lifestyle.
If you have a desk job and are concerned about staying fit, consider storing a mini-stepper under your desk and use it for a few minutes of every hour. Even five minutes of fitness per hour will make a big difference. This will also help prevent the soreness and stiffness associated with prolonged periods of inactivity.
If you are looking to speed up your running time, be sure to add resistance training to your training routine. It has been found that resistance training actually helps speed up the 5K running times of seasoned runners, often by as much as thirty seconds. Start by adding eight-weeks of resistance training, then go from there.
Increase your starting pace each time you run. To help increase your speed overall when you run, start out running faster than your regular pace. Over time, your body will recognize this as your normal pace, and you will be able to increase it again. Keep doing this until you hit your maximum running speeds.
Do at least forty minutes of high-intensity aerobics a week to stay healthy. Studies have shown that people who work out are less likely to become ill, but if you only want to do the minimum, opt for aerobics. People who performed two aerobics classes a week got sick much less often than those who don’t exercise at all.
When doing lat pulldowns, keep your thumb next to your index finger, rather than wrapping it around the bar. This will help to keep your arms less involved and therefore improve the workout that your back muscles receive. The same trick can be used with pullups as well.
Invite your close friends to exercise with you. A great way to make your fitness routine more fun, and rewarding, is to have your friends join you in it. You will soon find that working out in a group is an easy way to keep each other motivated and moving.
When you don’t feel like working out, just commit to putting your shoes on. If you feel tired, or the weather’s cold, or 50 other reasons, sometimes it’s hard to get going. If you can just commit to getting your workout gear on, you will be surprised at how easy it is to make your work out once you’re dressed. Sometimes, the first step really is the hardest.
Eat more oatmeal to get your body in better shape. An easy way to get your body burning fat, and building muscle, is to eat oatmeal for breakfast. It is quick and simple to make, and will keep you full while you go about your busy day. Avoid sugary flavored varieties.
Swimming is an excellent form of exercise. Swimming allows you to work almost the entire muscle groups of your body. If you want to gain speed while you swim, the key is to develop flexibility in your ankles and feet. Flexibility in your feet will help propel you quickly in the water while you swim. Pointing your toes straight out then flexing them back toward your shin repeatedly will help improve ankle flexibility.
Stretching is an important part of exercising by warming up and cooling down the muscles. To get the most out of stretching, stretch and hold the position for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Don’t bounce and remain still. Bouncing may force the muscle to stretch beyond its limits and tear. So be sure to stretch before and after exercising to avoid injury to your muscles.
If you are planning a program to increase your fitness level keep track of your progress. This will help you see what methods are effective for you, as everyone has different needs. It will also be a source of motivation when you see your running time increase or your body-fat percentage decrease.
Find a way to sneak in exercise. It’s not important where or when you exercise, just that you do exercise. It is easy to sneak in a thirty minute workout in your day. If you take a bus, get off a stop or two before your stop and walk the rest of the way or go for a walk after lunch. Finding small pockets of time to exercise can be beneficial to your health.
Sometimes, the hardest part about improving your fitness is just getting started. Reading advice is one thing, but implementing it is a whole other ball game. Hopefully this article has provided you with advice to boost your “fitness motivation.” So what are you waiting for? Slim your flab into fab with these fitness tips today.