Many people are under the misconception that if they are thin they are fit. There are many thin people who have high cholesterol, high blood pressure and are really, not as fit as they think they are. There are some things that you should consider if you want to know just how fit you really are.
Make sure you make every effort to do as much exercise as you can throughout the day. It can be something like choosing to ride your bicycle to work instead of driving if you live close enough. You can also try to park a couple blocks away from work or the store to give you more walking time throughout the day, every little effort helps.
A good tip to stay fit, is to try circuit training. Circuit training is a method of lifting weights where you dramatically reduce the rest time and the weight. This method turns your weight lifting session into a cardio session at the same time, so you can kill two birds with one stone.
Practice “Four-Square Breathing” after your workout while stretching. Breath in for four seconds, then breath out for four seconds, and repeat for three minutes. “Four-Square Breathing” increases your lung capacity and reduces stress when done properly, which helps you relax after your workout, and get ready for the rest of your day.
A great fitness tip is to strengthen your abs. To do this, you do not need to work them out every single day. Abs are like all the other muscles of the body. They need recovery time. Therefore, you should aim to train your abs around two or three times per week.
Exercising with a friend or a group of friends is a great way to keep yourself motivated. Not only is it a lot of fun to work out or play sports with friends, a friendly rivalry will keep you on your toes and at the top of your game. Just make sure that the rivalry doesn’t get in the way of your friendship.
Regardless of what you are doing, or attempting to do, do not grab the seat in front of you. It yanks the chair back and startles the person in it. If you do not want to be responsible for spilled drinks and broken laptops, use your armrest to get yourself out of your chair.
If you injure one of your arms when pursuing your fitness goals, do not stop working out the other one. Research has discovered that people who only trained one arm for two weeks were able to increase their arm strength in the other arm by around ten percent. This is because working out one arm also activates the fibers in the other arm.
If you are starting a new physical fitness program, the route to success is not to go about it too aggressively. Generally, you are trying to make this a habit, not a regime. Approach a workout or a walk around the block as if it were second nature, like doing the laundry. Just relax and do not be hard on yourself, especially in the beginning.
If you are working on pull-ups, do not wrap your hand completely around the bar. The best method is to hook your thumb up by your index finger, as it will cause your arm muscles to work much harder to hold on to the bar. This also helps to improve your grip.
Check your statistics. Every two weeks, you should calculate your weight and body measurements. Whether you are working on losing weight or gaining muscle, knowing your numbers can be the best motivation. This also will let you know if you should step up your routines, or take them down a notch.
If you are one of the many people who sit at a desk all day, using a recumbent or regular bike for your workout may not be your best bet. Instead, try an exercise like running or soccer that gets you into an upright position and stretches out your muscles. Working out in a different position than you are accustomed to prevents the aches and pains that result from being in the same position all day.
Build muscles and strength for stronger bones. All types of exercise, from mild to intense, can help reduce your risk of disease and keep your heart healthy. Milder exercise, though, may not be enough to strengthen your bones. Research has indicated that greater strength is associated with stronger bones.
If running is part of your fitness program and you are looking to increase your speed, take faster steps, not longer ones. The same stride length that feels natural and comfortable to you is also your most healthy. Your feet naturally fall into the best-balanced and safest stride. Pushing yourself to take longer steps, reduces your balance and increases your risk of injury.
When you are performing the abdominal part of your exercise routine, try to spend some time on lower back exercises as well. Working on just your abdominal muscles, and not your lower back muscles, increases the chance of suffering lower back pain and injuries. It also negatively effects your posture.
A great fitness tip is to make sure you assign the appropriate amount of sets to each of your muscle groups. You’ll obviously want to perform more sets for your chest than you would for your arms. This is because your chest is a bigger muscle group than your arms.
A great fitness tip is to make sure that you’re targeting all of your muscle groups. Don’t just focus on your chest, triceps, and biceps. Those are the stereotypical beach muscles. Hitting all of your muscle groups will provide you with a more balanced and desirable physique.
The information that has been provided above should have given you an idea for just how fit you really are. If you are not as fit as you would like to be, it is important for you to start making changes now while you can still fix your overall fitness.