Feeling good about yourself in the area of fitness is important for your self-esteem and it can be something that improves your mental attitude toward life in general. Don’t settle for using what you already know about fitness when you can learn something new to get yourself to a whole new level. Take a look at these useful tips.
A great way to stay fit is to take periodic pictures of yourself. By looking at pictures of yourself, you’ll be able to track your progress and they’ll also keep you motivated. You can also share these pictures with others to help motivate them in their fitness goals.
The key to being fit is to stay motivated. If you find that you don’t have enough time throughout the day to go to the gym then try waking up early and do some exercise before work. You can run and do push ups and sit ups as a workout to start out your day.
If you’re trying to get in better shape, don’t bother exercising when you have a cold, the flu, or another illness your body needs to fight off. Why? Your body has different priorities than you do — when you’re sick, it will try to restore your health before it will devote any resources to muscle-building.
Learn to properly use exercise equipment. This is important because you want to make sure that you get the most out of the machines and that you aren’t wasting your time by using them improperly. If you have access to the manual, briefly read it before using equipment. If you’re at a gym, a staff member should be available to explain how to use each machine.
Pack a lunch and eat in the park instead of eating out. Not only will you get some fresh air and sunshine, but you’ll undoubtedly consume healthier foods. The fact that you walk to the park for your lunch has the added benefit of giving you a much needed break and a little bit of exercise!
Chances are that you might be sore following a workout, but that doesn’t mean that you should automatically pop a Tylenol or Advil. Studies have indicated that these and other over-the-counter pain medications do not provide noticeable pain relief for post-workout muscle aches. What’s more, they may actually hinder muscle growth when taken immediately following a workout session.
Doing work outs that involve jerks or lunges can be very beneficial but can also be very dangerous to your spine. When bringing any heavy object over your head, you should clench your butt muscles together. This will ensure that you body has stabilized the spinal region and reduce injury.
If basketball is your game and you are looking to increase your ball handling skills, then practice your dribbling while wearing canvas work gloves. It’s been shown that the glove’s thickness actually helps increase the sensitivity of the tips of your fingers. So when you do finally take off those gloves, you will have better control of the ball!
To tone and strengthen your legs, ride a bike as often as possible. If you want to add an additional challenge to your routine, increase the resistance on your bike, which can help to build muscle. Bike riding will allow you to achieve the lower body strength and fitness that you desire.
A great fitness tip is to experiment with different set and rep ranges and see what works for you. Typically lower reps are better for building mass and strength. Higher reps are for muscle endurance. A lot of sets can promote muscle gain but they can also lead to over training.
Stop making excuses for not working out. Schedule a block of time to workout tomorrow, even if it’s only for 15 minutes. Tomorrow, schedule another block of time for the next day. Do this daily and eventually you won’t need to make that appointment with yourself and your workout time will increase. Soon, exercise will just be part of a normal day.
If you want to be fit, you really should exercise every day. By doing some form of exercise on a daily basis, you will ensure all the hard work that you are doing isn’t being wasted. As you begin exercising daily, you will make it a habit. You will want lighter exercise on occasion so that you can provide adequate rest for your body.
If you are not feeling well, you would be wise to skip your workout that day. You should use your energy to help your body heal itself rather than using energy to build muscle and cardio vascular strength. Once your body has healed completely, then you can resume your routine.
Set a schedule up for your fitness routine. Having a certain schedule to exercise will help you do it daily. Getting into a routine daily will make it easier to do it more often. In the beginning, you will probably have to set a schedule but with time it will become a habit.
Many people avoid the standard “get a check-up before starting a fitness program” advice, but you should not. A medical review before you kick off your fitness efforts not only protects you from injuring yourself, it can also help you plan a better program. A quick physical can teach you exactly which areas you should focus your initial efforts on.
Improving your balance can help all athletes. Try standing on a soft cushion off of your couch and move a gallon jug with liquid inside from hand to hand. Do it side to side, up and down, behind your back, and above your head. This will help your balance.
As you can see from these practical and useful tips, it is never too late to add new information to what you already know in order to improve your mental attitude and feel good about your personal fitness. You never have to settle for good enough when you put this advice to work for you.