Lack of physical fitness is a very common problem among people today, and it’s mostly due to lack of proper education on how to be fit. If you’re one of those people who don’t know how to improve their fitness, read on for some great tips on exercising, which will have you feeling great, in no time!
Switch up your routine. If you have a regular exercise routine or exercise using some sort of circuit at your local gym, try to mix it up a little. You might stop seeing results as fast if your muscles are given time to adapt to a routine once you stick with it long enough.
If you want to get exercise to lose weight, but are lacking a workout friend, get a dog that loves to walk. Dogs are usually raring to go for a walk and don’t complain when they are tired (though they might slow down or lay down to give you a hint). So buy or borrow a dog – now you have a built in work-out buddy!
Remember that your fitness needs change as you age, especially regarding flexibility. When you reach middle age, you need to devote even more time to stretching before and after your workout. This helps keep your muscles pliable and prevents cramping after workouts as well as helping reduce the risk of injury.
Set goals. Whatever exercise you choose to pursue, set weekly goals and track your progress. You may set any goal appropriate for your fitness level, but the key is to persistently follow through on your plan. Record your daily workouts on a chart or keep a simple tally indicating that you completed the exercises you had planned to do.
Run at least four times per week. A consistent running routine increases endurance because your muscles train themselves to perform repetitive motions more efficiently. Running every other day is adequate to build this muscle memory. A run can be of any length, and beginners should start with runs no longer than 10-15 minutes.
Diamond push ups are another push up modification that can be done to achieve greater fitness results than standard ones. To do them, simply place your hands on the floor and create a diamond shape. Then do push ups as you normally would. The closer your hands are to each other when in the diamond configuration, the harder it is to do.
Building your forearm strength is super easy. If you play tennis or raquetball a strong forearm is a benefit which will help improve your game. You can build your forearm strength by crumpling a newspaper. Lay a piece of newspaper on the floor, crumple it up into a ball for thirty seconds, and then repeat with the other hand.
Take a day off each week. This will allow your body some much needed rest, but it will also give you a chance to think about something other than fitness for a while. That way, you can return to your fitness program with fresh eyes to see if you’d like to try something different or want to change a few things.
If your workout program includes separate exercises for individual body and muscle groups, try this trick: After completing each set, take anywhere from twenty seconds to half a minute to stretch and flex the muscle you just targeted. Doing so may actually increase the strength of the muscle as much as 20 percent!
Warming up your muscles prior to an intense exercise workout is an important step to incorporate in your fitness program. The body needs to increase the blood flow to muscle and joints slowly and before the exercise begins so that the muscles will not be strained or forced to perform beyond the muscle’s capabilities. Some fitness experts consider a warm-up as a lube job for the muscles.
You can cut your workout time down by doing your exercises in less time. About 10% less time to be more specific. Doing this will cause your muscles to have to work much harder and it will also help improve your endurance. Start doing this by cutting down your workout sessions by about 3 minutes.
Some people think that a weight belt will help them with their workout. While a weight belt helps keep your back and abdominals in line, if you continue to workout with the belt, you will actually weaken these areas. These areas will lose some of the workout that you deliver, so you should try to avoid the belt.
Often, the best path to fitness is choosing exercises you enjoy. If you played sports in high school or as a kid, you can still play them today. Call friends with similar interests or join pick-up games. Also, if you enjoy swimming or running, choose to do those activities instead of punishing yourself with hated exercise-forms.
When you go to the gym for a weight workout, think small to large when it comes to your activities. Begin with with dumbbells and end with machine work. The smaller muscles you need to use with dumbbell work tend to tire more quickly than the larger muscle groups used in machines. Therefore, end with the machines as your body will then need less from those smaller muscle groups.
Get rid of that pouch with your pooch! Taking your dog for a walk or run has always been a great way to get in shape. Now, many fitness and canine enthusiasts are taking it one step further. Try any number of new pet-friendly workouts that either use Fido as resistance or give you a workout while training your dog.
A great fitness tip is to take time off if you pull a muscle. You’ll know if you pull a muscle when you’re lifting weights. When this happens you need to take some time off to recuperate. Applying ice generously to your pulled muscle will get you back in good condition.
Now that you’re educated on the proper ways to get fit and stay that way, all that’s left is to do it! Don’t stay one of the many people who are depressed and have health problems related to a lack of fitness. Start applying what you’ve learned and become a healthier person.