Category : Article
If you enjoy dancing then why not make this your exercise routine? You have probably read lots of articles telling you that it is easier to stick with an exercise routine that you enjoy. So why not dancing?
There are so many types of dance that you will never get bored dancing. You could try Zumba dancing, Belly dancing and even tap or ballet. Plus this can all be done in the comfort of your home with very little if no special gym equipment.
Even just turning on your favourite music and dancing is a great form of exercising. Let yourself be carried away by the music and burn lots and lots of calories. A 150 pound person can burn approximately 306 calories per hour just dancing in general. Ballet or Tap will have you burning 326 calories per hour and Ballroom dancing 374 calories in a one hour period.
Of course you don’t have to dance for one solid hour. You could break this up into four 15 minute intervals during the day. To get the biggest benefit try to put in as much effort as you can into your dancing. Don’t get carried away as you don’t want to hurt yourself by pulling a muscle.
If you want to learn a certain style or a dance routine you can find plenty of DVD’s and videos on this subject. If you visit YouTube you could probably find some instructional videos on there. This is a great way to try something new like Belly Dancing before purchasing a DVD or book on the subject. You will just need to make sure that you have enough room to dance safely near your computer.
Maybe you dreamed of being a ballet dancer when you were younger. Well there is nothing stopping you from learning the movements now. Ballet dancers are known for their incredible strength and practicing the basic steps will no doubt improve your leg, arm and core strength.
Of course it will take time and determination to perfect any new dance routine, but you are not aiming to be a professional. Your goal is to have fun while learning a new dance step or style.
Just moving your body more will help get you back into shape. You will be feeling more energetic and youthful than you had expected and all you did was dance your way back to health.
By now you might have known though it is hard to get a perfect body shape, it isn?t impossible either. Following a proper exercise regimen will help you attain what you aim for. Now after the shoulder exercises, let?s get onto working on upper back muscles. The rows exercise as they call it, is an exercise performed with a rowing machine. It could be down with the dumbbells, bars or t-bars rows with special equipments, in any case, though it might look like an arm exercise, it really helps in strengthening the upper body muscle.
Bent over t-bar rows exercise:
As usual before starting any weight lifting exercise it is advisable to do warm up exercises to make your muscles flexible. So start with some light aerobics exercises and continue it for a time span of 15-25 minutes.
Once you are done with warm up exercises, load your t-bar with the weight you intend to work on. But remember if you are a beginner or if you are doing this exercise for the first time then start with just 25-45 pounds of weight. If you are an advanced weight lifter then you can go up to 100 pounds of weight. However do not go beyond your comfort level, as it may worsen the condition than helping you out.
Face the ground and grasp the handles. Depending on the part of the back you want to emphasize you can either use a palms up, palms down or palms in position.
Now grasp the handle of your t-bar with your overhand grip. While you are lifting the weight make sure that you are standing with your feet placed shoulder width apart and your arms extended in front of you. Your knees also should be bent slightly. This will be your starting position.
While you lift the t-bar see to it that you keep your body flat and bend your waist a little bit till your upper body is at 45 degrees from the vertical. The bar should be at arm?s length straight below your shoulders.
As you exhale slowly squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift the t-bar as close as you can to your lower chest. One tip to be followed here is, while lifting the bar keep your upper arm as close to your chest as possible, as this will lay proper emphasis on the back muscle.
Hold this position for a second or two, as per your convenience and then slowly inhale and place the bar back on the ground. Come back to the starting position.
Repeat this exercise as per your fitness expert?s recommendation.
As mentioned before take proper position before starting this exercise, as an improper position may wrench your back out of whack instead of helping you out. As this exercise involves intense weight lifting to be done, it is wise to perform it under the supervision of an expert than doing it by yourself. So stay fit and enjoy your life.
Posted in Article on February 24, 2013
“How to lose lower belly fat?” It is a cry heard around the western world as people become fatter. Men, especially worry about pot bellies and having stomachs hanging over the belt line. As washboard abs are a sign of sexiness, many men look for solutions to How do I lose lower belly fat?
The key is that you need to do a variety of kinds of exercises. The best strategy is to do an hour of cardio exercises every other day and 45 minutes to an hour of strength training every other day.
Walking, running, cycling, and working out on cardio equipment at the gym all qualify as aerobic exercises.
To deal specifically with the question of how to lose lower belly fat, you need to realize that lower stomach fat is different than the rest of your abs. Sit ups and ab workouts can help, but they will not get rid of it. You need to do cardio in combination with your ab workouts. You may not see results right away, but keep at it.
Besides sit ups, Hata Yoga can help with lower belly fat. Vajrasana exercises involve you bending to the front of your knees which provides a great workout. This kind of yoga should be done under the guidance of an instructor if you are a beginner.
In addition to normal “stomach exercises,” work with your legs. Do exercises that require your legs to come level with or above your lower waist line. This causes your lower abdominal muscles to work in order for you to keep your balance. Kickboxing is a great example of a type of exercise that can keep your stomach completely flat.
Vigorous dancing can provide this kind of leg exercises. In addition to helping you lose weight, it tones your legs and helps you to lose belly fat. Belly dancing in particular will work to rid you of belly fat. You can either join a class or get videos to teach you the movements.
But cardio-type exercise alone will not answer the question “How to get rid of lower belly fat?” Indeed, you must involve some weight training at least three times a week.
Remember that muscle mass burns fat. When you put on muscle, your body is burning fat all day, not just when you exercise. So, don’t neglect this aspect of losing your lower belly fat.
You have to get close to your ideal body weight in order to have the firm, flat stomach you desire. Your lower belly fat will be among the last fat you lose. If you are 50 pounds overweight, getting in shape should be your first goal, because your long term goal of losing lower belly fat will only happen when most of your other fat is gone. So, if you are a pretty fit person who just has a little pouch, some specific types of exercises will work. But, if you are overweight, it is going to take some long term work.
And that’s the answer to the question, “How to lose lower belly fat?”
Posted in Article on February 22, 2013
This is another exercise mainly aimed at working out the Tricep Muscle, although it also works out the chest and shoulders. It will help to build up strength and stamina, as well as muscle mass, and is also a good fat burner.
You will need a dumbbell or other appropriate weight to use during this routine. This exercise is best performed with a second person to assist you when needed.
You will need two benches, set parallel to each other, with enough space between them to enable you to easily reach with both your arms and legs semi-extended. The height of the benches should allow for a full range of movements.
With one bench in front of you, and the other behind you, position yourself so that your hands grip the edge of the bench at your back, shoulder width apart and arms fully extended.
Extend your legs so that your heels are resting on the bench in front of you. With your legs parallel to the floor, and your torso perpendicular to it, cross one foot over the other so that your ankles are touching.
Have your assistant place the dumbbell or other weight onto your lap.
This will now become your starting position.
Lower your body slowly while inhaling by bending your elbows. Keep working slowly until you have lowered yourself to an angle of roughly 90 degrees between your forearm and upper arm. Tip: By keeping your elbows as close as possible and your forearms pointing down throughout the exercise, you will maximize impact and effect.
While exhaling, use your Triceps to raise your body back to the starting position. Pause while contracting your Triceps.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
Warning: When first attempting this exercise, practice without the weights until you are sure you have the movements correct. When you start to add the weights, go slowly and add them gradually. The more weights added, the higher risk of injury.
For those more experienced in weighted bench dips, there are some variations of the exercise.
Position yourself in the starting position with your arms, but keep your feet on the ground in front of you. Stretch your legs straight out without bending the knees, and either place both feet firmly on the floor, or cross one foot over the other so the ankles are touching.
Slowly lower yourself while inhaling as you would if you were using two benches.
Using your Triceps, raise yourself back to the starting position. Pause while contracting your Tricep muscles, and start again.
Instead of having a weight added to your lap, have your assistant place it on top of your thighs.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
Warning: As always, practice without the weights until you are sure of the movements. Then build up the weights gradually until you have reached your target weight.
If carried out properly, this is a very effective exercise for both your tricep and chest muscles.
Posted in Article on February 13, 2013
There are so many different diets on the market that it is important to know which diet is honestly safe to use. The different factors involved with each diet can make either the diet effective and safe or a health hazard. Here are ten safe diets that have been researched and reviewed by leaders in the diet industry, to verify the health related factors for everyone wanting to diet safely.
eDiets.com is a diet plan that incorporates most of the plans into their online system for dieters. The main focus on the diets includes healthy eating habits and exercise for the weight loss. This site uses Atkins, Glycemic Impact, Mediterranean, Slim Fast, Low Fat, High Fiber, Wheat Free, Cholesterol Lowering, Vegetarian, and Heart Smart diets along with many others on the site.
Diet.com has a credible doctor backing this site, who has authored books about weight loss. Dr. Robert Kushner, uses personal lifestyles of the individuals to create a customized diet plan; based on the personal habits that will help people lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.
Other doctors to help their patients lose weight effectively and safely created Medifast Diet. It consists of six meals a day removing the hunger many suffer during a diet. The plans are transitional with maintenance and exercise plans to help keep the weight off, as well as a strong support system for continued guidance and assistance.
Jillian Michaels Diet Plan is used by a national television program with proven results. The diet is designed so the individual can exercise in the comfort of their homes as well as eating a healthy diet and concentrating on the mental aspects of the dieter. The plan is based on the individual’s metabolism and increasing it so the person can lose weight safely and effectively with the abilities to learn weight management for long-term effects.
Denise Austin Diet was created by a fitness expert that bases her diet on the development of a diet plan that allows a person to eat what they want but at lower levels that are healthy and nutritional. The concept helps dieters learn to avoid the cravings while eating a balanced diet with an exercise program.
Sonoma Diet uses the Mediterranean diet with added styles in the plan. The foods are known to be extremely delicious that adds to the wonder of losing weight. The people are taught to eat slower so they not only enjoy their food more but also learn to eat less since it takes about 15 minutes for the brain to accept the stomach is full when eating. The diet is based on “waves” or steps where the person uses the described steps to lose weight effectively.
South Beach Diet Plan is based on healthy eating foods that will be satisfying, while removing the hunger issues. There are three phases to the diet that are each designed to deal with the many issues such as eliminating the food cravings, kick-start weight loss, and weight management.
The Duke Diet & Fitness was created by renown experts in the nutrition and medical field dedicated to helping others improve their lives with healthy eating and weight management. The diet focuses on the diet, fitness routines, and behavioural strategies to help the person create a healthier life style.
Nutrisystem Diet Plan is a unique plan for women, men, over 60, vegetarians, and Type 2 Diabetics. The personalized diets use good carbohydrates in the diet with fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids to control the appetite while promoting a healthier heart.
5 Factor Diet Plan was created by a diet coach for Hollywood stars based on fitness and a healthy diet. The people eat five times a day, cut the time on the exercise routines, and transforming the person’s body into a healthy body.
To be on the safe side it is always better to consult with your own personal physician prior to commencing a specialized diet or exercise plan.
Posted in Article on February 2, 2013
One of the best exercises for your back is bent over t-bar rows. This will concentrate on your middle back. The exercise will help build the muscles on your back while making it stronger. It will also go after your lats and biceps and help increase their strength.
You will need an Olympic barbell for doing the bend over t-bar rows. Place a weight only on one end of the Olympic barbell. Make sure the weight is something you will be able to lift up comfortably.
You do not want the barbell sliding backwards while exercising. In order to get the bar in place, lodge the end in the corner of a wall or put something heavy behind the bar.
Place each foot on the side of the bar, and make sure they are flat on the ground. Slightly bend your knees and lower your body until it is almost parallel with the ground.
Stretch out your arms and grab a hold of the bar. When grabbing the bar place your hands one in front of the other just behind the weight. Your palms will be facing in toward each other. Now slowly lift the bar up until you can rest your bottom hand on your knee. You are now in the starting position.
Best exercises for your back tip: Please make sure to drink plenty of water throughout this routine.
While exhaling and keeping your elbows close to your torso, start to slowly raise the bar up toward your chest. Keep raising the bar until the weight touches the lower chest. In order to help build strength in the middle back, while you are lifting the weight up, start squeezing the muscles in your back. When the weight is touching your chest hold this position for a couple of seconds. Do not arch your back while doing this. Keeping your back straight is very important otherwise you can easily hurt your back.
While inhaling, start lowering the bar back to the starting position. By lowering the bar slowly you will feel it pulling on your lats.
The bent over t-bar rows is not about seeing how much weight you can use. Be sensible and only use the 25 pound plate. This plate will give you the most range of motion and will give the desired workout to your middle back.
Take your time when doing this exercise and concentrate on what you are doing. If you are trying to see how quick you can perform the exercise, or are not paying attention your back will pay the price. If you do the bent over t-bar rows correctly your back will not get hurt and you will build the muscles on it.
When you are done exercising gently place the weight on the floor and slowly stand up. Stretch your back a little and even walk around for a minute.
Now that your back is stretched and the muscles have been warmed up you are ready to proceed with the next exercise. All of this is what makes bent over t-bar rows the best exercises for your back. This exercise is going to stretch some more back muscles.
Posted in Article on January 31, 2013
Yoga is another exercise which doesn’t require a whole lot of equipment to start with. Basically all you need is a yoga mat. If you attend a local yoga class these may even be provided for you. Yoga is also a great exercise that can be done at home with just a DVD to follow.
Before starting any type of yoga it is a good idea to do some research and even watch a few DVD’s. There are certain poses that you will need to learn. Plus to get the most benefit you want to be assured of doing them correctly.
You will also want to learn breathing techniques as this will also enhance your performance. Your body is bound to get a little sore after your first yoga session. This is perfectly normal and the soreness can be reduced a little by stretching afterwards.
A good yoga class or video will take you through an entire yoga workout. This should include a warm up period, a breathing or meditation technique and then proceeds into the main yoga session. In between all of this you will be taught certain poses like the child pose that allows you to take a short rest period. The class or video will end with you performing a series of cool down poses along with stretching.
To get the most of your yoga class you should not wear any socks or shoes. You should also not eat a large meal before exercising and you will want to drink some water before your class.
Any good teacher will have the ability to help you adapt any of the yoga positions that you find too difficult. Remember not to compare yourself to others as they may be more advanced than you.
When first starting out with yoga you don’t have to rush out and buy yoga clothing. Just wear pants and a top that are comfortable and be sure your clothes don’t restrict your movements. Lightweight clothes are recommended as they will help keep the moisture away from your skin.
After a few yoga sessions you can decide if this is the type of exercise that you would like to continue with. If so then you can start to purchase more yoga equipment as necessary.
It is possible to find low cost alternatives for exercising. There are many low cost yoga classes that are available. If not you can get a library book or even look online for yoga videos if money really is an issue.
Posted in Article on January 28, 2013
The squat can be an effective exercise when it comes to working the lower part of your body. The great thing about it though is that it is very versatile and allows people to do it at any different skill and strength level. It is one of the most popular exercises that people do. The squat also works many different muscles of the lower part of your body, such as the quadriceps group, the gluteal muscles as well as the lower back. This can help to improve your posture and help to give you lean legs that you can be proud to show off.
How to do the squat
You will want to start off with your legs shoulder width apart and your back straight. You want your toes to be facing straight ahead so that they are perpendicular to your shins.
While holding in your abdomen and keeping your back straight, you will bend your knees as if you were sitting on an imaginary chair
3. Without arching your back you will then stand back up to return to the starting position to start the next repetition
Tips for getting the best results when using the squat
It is very important to remember to breathe while you are doing this exercise. You can exhale while you squat and inhale while you stand back up
There are many ways that you can challenge yourself with this exercise and you can get very creative in what you do for this, though adding dumbbells or wrist weights are a great way to increase the intensity of this workout and can be done while holding them at your side
One way to work your entire body all at once with this exercise is to include some sort of upper body exercise with this. You can do anything from bicep curls or overhead presses (which are actually cool because it is basically the same motion on the top and bottom of your body). The important thing is to make sure that you do not sway while you are doing these exercises and interfere with proper posture as this can cause significant injury to you
Also keep in mind that the lower you sit, the more you will be working all these muscles. This is great for getting beautifully sculpted butts and thighs, but make sure that you do not go past what you can do as this can also cause serious injury
Make sure to take your time while doing the squat in order to get the full effect. Do not try to rush this as it can also damage your muscles.
Another great way to add a little extra to this exercise is to do a jump after you squat and are on your way back up. This is a burst that is made in place and helps to get your heart pumping a little more and incorporate more of your calf muscles into the exercise
Posted in Article on January 21, 2013
Sometimes also know as the Bradford Press, this exercise is mainly aimed at the shoulders, although the Tricep muscle is given a good workout at the same time.
It is an ideal exercise for those starting out with lifting weights, as your back is supported by the back of the bench seat.
For the purpose of this exercise, you will need a military bench press, and barbells of an appropriate weight for your level of expertise and strength.
As always, if you are unsure of your capabilities, or unsure of the exercise itself, start off with a low weight and build up to a heavier weight once you are feeling more confident. Try, if possible, to have another person present for safety reasons.
Position yourself comfortably on the bench press, with your back up against the back of the seat and the bar at shoulder level. Hold the bar with your palms facing forward and your grip wider than shoulder width.
Try to create an angle of 90 degrees between your forearm and upper arm as you lower the barbell.
This will now become your starting position.
Making sure that you hold the barbell in the correct position and the correct grip, lift the bar up slowly over your head and lock your arms.
While inhaling, lower the bar back down until it is positioned at the back of your head.
While exhaling, lift the bar slowly back up to the starting position.
Once again inhaling, slowly lower the bar back down until it is in position behind your head.
You have now completed one repetition.
Do the required number of repetitions of the same movement.
Tip: There cannot be enough emphasis stressed on the importance of breathing correctly while performing any kind of physical exercise. Ensuring that you are breathing correctly will help you attain your fitness goals. If you are not breathing properly, you will find the exercise is more difficult than it needs to be.
If you want to add more stress to the shoulder muscles, you could try raising the bar to slightly higher than the head, followed by slowly lowering it to the opposite side. This will add extra tension to your shoulders, while ensuring that your tricep muscles involvement is kept to a minimum. This is a good idea if you are recovering from an injury or strain, and do not want to put added pressure on recovering muscles.
Another variation would be to alternate moves.
From the starting position, as described above, hold the bar in the correct way.
Lift the bar up slowly and lock your arms.
Inhale while lowering the bar down to the back of your head.
Exhale while raising the bar up again and lock your arms.
Now exhale, and this time slowly lower the bar until it is front of your chest.
Front and back are considered to be one repetition.
Yet another variation of the same exercise would be to perform it while in a standing position. This will increase the number of calories burnt.
Posted in Article on January 20, 2013
When you look at Arnold, I?m sure sometimes you may wonder if he has kept a basketball up his sleeves. Many men strive hard to get that perfect big shoulders as it makes them appear wider and masculine. Actually there are two things that are to be worked on to get those pumped up shoulder muscles, they are the width of the shoulders and how thick they are. The key to real body building is adding up muscle mass to your shoulders to make them look bigger than they actually are. It again helps you in two ways. The torso looks really wide and thick and secondly if the shoulders are bigger, it makes the lower part of your body appear thinner and in shape.
Most of the bodybuilders swear by upright barbell rows when it comes to shoulder building, as it helps hit all of the three important main muscle fibers, i.e. the anterior deltoid, the lateral deltoid and the posterior deltoid.
Upright barbell rows guide:
For fresher?s, start with warm up exercises before starting your barbell plates. This will make your muscles flexible.
Now grab your barbell plates with an overhand grip that is to some extent less than your shoulder width. See to it that the bar rests on the top of your thighs. Your arms should be extended and your elbows should be slightly bent. Do not bend when you are holding the barbell plate; instead keep your body straight. This will be the starting position of your upright barbell rows exercise.
Now breathe out and lift the bars by using the sides of your shoulders and by raising your elbows right up and also to the side. As you raise the barbell plate see to It that you raise the bar close to your body and continue to lift the weight until you reach a position where the bar almost touches your chin. Remember that while performing this step particularly, your elbows should make the movement and it should be always higher than your forearms.
When you lift the bar, keep your upper part of the body motionless and hold the position for a second or two.
Now bring the bar back down to the starting position and inhale as you come back to this position.
If you are beginner, start by lifting a 25 to 35 pound barbell plate with a set of 20 reps in the first two weeks, then increase it by 3 sets of 12 reps for the other two weeks, followed by three sets of 15 reps in the 5th and 6th week, then 3 sets of 20-25 reps and as you progress depending on your capacity, increase the sets. But see to it that you do not overdo it, as it can spoil your health instead of making it. For an advanced lifter, it is always good to start with a 45-100 pound weight with recommended sets.
So why wait any longer? Just grab your barbell plates and start working out. You are sure to achieve great results within a couple of months.
