Workout Tips: Losing Muscle

October 11th, 2008 Shaka

Exercise Tips >> Workout Tips

Workout Tips: Losing Muscle
Most people are trying to gain muscle and lose body fat, but some want to go in the other direction. This is a little tricky, because if you haven’t been working out hard with weights, your body composition may be genetically determined. Still, if a woman at 15% body fat wants to be around 19%–still healthy–there are some things she can do. First, cut back a bit on cardio exercise, which burns a lot of fat. You can add some high rep weight training, but don’t overdo. Second, eat more, but stick with healthy foods. If you add dietary fat, make sure it is “healthy” fat like olive oil or avocado. Monitor your weight as you go along, and remember, good health and fitness should be your primary goal.

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Workout Tips: Martial Arts Workout Plan

October 11th, 2008 Shaka

Exercise Tips >> Workout Tips

Workout Tips: Martial Arts Workout Plan
In addition to providing terrific self-defense techniques and inner calm, aikido offers fabulous body building workout routines.

While you probably need to supplement your aikido workout program with swimming, stretching, and walking, you can add a block of aikido twice a week or more to your workout plan.

A typical aikido workout is built on a principle of using circular force to disarm an opponent or deflect energy. You don’t need Mr. Miyagi of The Karate Kid movies to tell you that aikido isn’t about getting into fights, but often about avoiding them and keeping mentally as well as physically fit. What more could you ask from your workout?

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Workout Tips: Cardio Love in the Afternoon

October 11th, 2008 Shaka

Exercise Tips >> Workout Tips

Workout Tips: Cardio Love in the Afternoon
Forget about morning and evening workouts! According to a recent issue of Spa Magazine, working out in the afternoon is better for you.

The air resistance in your lungs is lower in the afternoon, making it easier for air to circulate as you execute dance and aerobic workout routines. Draw a big heart in your workout plan grid when you pencil in 2 p.m. and try your swimming, aquatics workout, or mountain biking workout program in the afternoon.

*If you enjoy hot California weather year-round, remember that UVA and UVB strength is still high around 2 p.m. PST so include the note, need extra sunblock,in your workout plan.

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Workout Tips: Fitness Ball Workout Routine

October 11th, 2008 Shaka

Exercise Tips >> Workout Tips

Workout Tips: Fitness Ball Workout Routine
Have a ball using a fitness ball! Any fitness ball workout offers a fun and light-intensity workout program capable of toning your muscles. Whether you use a squishy ball or a firm ball in your workout plan, your abs and inner thighs will be firm and not squishy.

You can also use the fitness ball alone or incorporate it into your workout program.

*Want better posture? Try taking your ball to work with you and sitting on it instead of a backed chair!

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Workout Tips: Workout or Not

October 11th, 2008 Shaka

Exercise Tips >> Workout Tips

Workout Tips: Workout or Not
Can sitting still really be as good a workout as moving around? Yep. Holding a yoga or Pilates pose (for example the Downward Dog asana and the Spine Stretch in Pilates) offers as much challenge as 30 minutes of a heart-pounding treadmill workout.

Don’t think that you need to be sweating and dizzy to feel as though your workout routines work. If you are sweating and dizzy too often, that may be a sign that you need to have your heart checked or change your body building workout routines. Your cardiologist will probably recommend a more balanced workout plan.

Gentle muscle workout routines don’t make you perspire copiously. Let’s deep-six the image of the muscle-bound he-man manfully straining red-faced to push up iron. You might as well replace it with a tennis player returning an easy serve. Don’t overload your workout plan with blood, sweat, and tears. The gentle tai chi and bagua movements redirect the energy and function as effective body building workout routines without outward effort. All your muscle work is inward, no matter what workout program you choose.

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Workout Tips: Dance Workouts

October 11th, 2008 Shaka

Exercise Tips >> Workout Tips

Workout Tips: Dance Workouts
Switch it up! Take a cue from square dancing caller and do-si-do and switch partners when it comes to your body building workout routines.

Varying your routines and programs will make your workout routine more exciting and will keep you from reaching a plateau. Try these tips on how to spice up your workout:

Vary your pumping iron workout plan and target different areas of your body on different days
Sign up for some swing or salsa dancing lessons
Try alternating your dance and dumbbell workout with stretching (such as yoga or Pilates)
Mix in a little tai chi for grace and swimming for cardiorespiratory fitness

Who says workout routines have to be routine?

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Workout Tips: Core Exercises

October 11th, 2008 Shaka

Exercise Tips >> Workout Tips

Workout Tips: Core Exercises
Core exercises refer to exercises that target the abdominal and low back areas. You will find some exercise for the glutes will help, too, as these areas function together. Pilates exercise specializes in the core, but some traditional strength exercises like crunches and back extensions also are effective. You can work these areas every other day. Start with one set of crunches, an exercise for the oblique abs, and an easy back extension, if you are out of shape or recovering from surgery. Increase difficulty slowly. If you’re in good shape, start at an appropriate level. Remember, you will not see abdominal definition unless you have a low percentage of body fat, but it’s important to have strong abs anyway.

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Workout Tips: Working Out Without Equipment

October 11th, 2008 Shaka

Exercise Tips >> Workout Tips

Workout Tips: Working Out Without Equipment
If you want to work out without equipment, you can start with chair sits. Put your arms out in front of you and sit back into a chair, but just touch it and stand up again. Repeat until you feel some fatigue. Then you can go to a freehand squat, which is the same thing without the chair. Lunges and step-ups with just body weight are good, too. Do heel raises for your calves. For upper body, do push-ups, either the standard kind or from your knees. You can do crunches and most other abdominal exercises without equipment. Learn some yoga, which can be done without equipment.

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