Any Age for Aerobics

workout mommy | Exercises | Monday, 22 June 2009

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Everyone wants to get healthier, and everyone knows what when it comes right down to it, doing aerobic exercise on a regular basis is something that can really take you from a point of being unhealthy, and bring you to a place where you can be healthy and you can enjoy all that life has to offer you. This goes for everyone, but there are certain groups of people who have to design their aerobic exercise very carefully to avoid hurting themselves.

Seniors are in one of these groups of people. When it comes to aerobic exercise for seniors, there are several things that you have to take into account before you begin. Remember that for everyone, aerobic exercise is something that you are going to want to build up to. You will need to start small, and where you start is going to depend a lot on how healthy you are to begin with. If you want to get healthier, you have to go from where you are and work up. This goes for seniors as well.

Seniors are going to have to take inventory of all of their health before they begin to have aerobic exercise on a daily basis. This is because seniors are more prone to health problems in general, so they should see their doctor before they begin doing aerobic exercise and they should consult a doctor before making any major changes to the way that they get exercise.

However, after they have seen a doctor, seniors can begin a regiment of aerobic exercise in just the same was as people of any age. Unless their doctor has suggested that they don’t do aerobics for whatever reason, a senior should begin with a short work out, and gradually work their way up to longer work outs. This is the same way that others should start an aerobic exercise program. If seniors follow these instructions, and if they don’t do anything that they feel their body can’t handle, they should have the same results with aerobic exercise as anyone else.

It all depends on how healthy you are to begin with, and how far you want to take the exercise. As long as you don’t overdo it, an aerobics workout is going to be very helpful for you. Remember though, like anyone else, you should discuss your plans with your doctor, even if you feel that you are completely healthy. Your doctor will have more information about what type of exercise is going to be best for you.

       

Let Kids Run

workout mommy | Exercises, Family | Monday, 15 June 2009

Running: A Great Exercise for Kids

Developing basic physical skills including running and jumping are one of the key elements in early childhood.  Experts advise that these activities should be utilized in game play, which helps to develop a child’s movement skills.  As the child grows, and depending upon what area a child shows particular interest, this too can be enhanced through exercise.

Considered to be a great cardiovascular exercise, running is one of the best physical activities for kids.  At school, for example, some kids are not afforded the opportunity to work up to a full exercise routine due to time constraints.  They may have 15 to 20 minutes of play in the schoolyard.  However, running can be a family routine which engages the child to begin exercise at an early age.

Experts recommend beginning exercise regimens early so that a child will develop an interest in physical activity, which can only benefit them as they grow to adulthood.  Toddlers love to run around the house.  One can take that pent-up energy and mold it into a routine that will afford kids the opportunity to run in parks and playgrounds in order to work up to a cardiovascular exercise appropriate to their age.

Kids love to run.  As small children, it is a fun activity as long as there aren’t races to win or goals to achieve.  But as they grow older, they may view running as a sport in which they begin to set goals for themselves.  As long as it is enjoyable for them, and they can set their own pace, running will become a natural physical activity they will engage in throughout their lives.

Experts advise that “children under the age of 14 should run no more than three miles at a time.”  If you and your family are engaged in this exercise, allow the kids to begin slowly and run at their own pace.  Since they are still growing, they are more vulnerable to injury.

       

Aerobic Definition

workout mommy | Exercises, General | Wednesday, 03 June 2009

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What are Aerobics?

Aerobics, which literally means “with oxygen,” are exercise that can be done to lose weight and regain health. There are main types of aerobic exercises, and if you do these exercises daily, you will find that you really will be more healthy. Aerobics are generally done at moderate levels of intensity for a longer time and can target any part of your body you wish to slim. There are many advantages of aerobics, which is why this form of exercise is both important and popular among health-conscious people.

Exercise can be broken down into two categories: aerobic and anaerobic. These differ in the ways in which your muscles contract during the exercise and how energy is generated within the muscles. Examples of anaerobic exercises include weight training or strength training, and with aerobic exercises, even the most well-built bodybuilder will not be able to run, swim, etc for long periods of time.

During aerobic exercise, your body breaks down glycogen to use for energy. If there is not enough glycogen in the body, you start using fat reserves instead, which is why you lose weight. Oxygen plays a key role in this process. With aerobic exercise, you don’t use bursts of energy. Rather, you spread out moderate levels of energy over a long period of time to trigger the use of fat in energy production. In general, things like running long distances, aerobics dances, and swimming for long periods of time are considered aerobics exercises, while anything with short bursts of motion, like sprinting, are not.

Benefits of aerobics exercises are great, which is why most doctors recommend them to patients, even if you enjoy a normal weight. Some of these benefits include strengthening the repertory muscles, enlarging the heart to pump more efficiently, increasing the flow of blood (and oxygen) in the body, and increasing endurance. Aerobics decrease the risk of death due to cardiovascular problems and of osteoporosis in both men and women.

Want to learn how aerobics can change your life? There are a number of great exercise programs you can do, which include both solo activities and classes with groups. To learn more (and always before starting a new exercising program, talk to your doctor or other health care professional to learn what types of aerobic exercises will work best for your body. Aerobics are the key to living a healthier and physically productive life, so don’t wait another day before starting a new healthy program that includes aerobics.

       

Aerobics for Beginners

workout mommy | Exercises | Friday, 08 May 2009

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If you are just getting started with aerobics, you might be feeling overwhelmed. It is true that there are many ways to work out, and that if you can manage to get a good workout you are going to be much more healthy. It is also true that you need to have a course of workout in which your body is moving fast and your heart and lungs are forced to work harder than when you are at rest. This is called aerobic exercise, and it is something that is very important that you understand.

Don’t think that you have to start at the top right away. Advanced aerobics can be something that you have to work up to. This includes running in place and doing a series of movements that you might find very intimidating to start with. And also, it isn’t safe to start anywhere other than as a beginner, because you might hurt yourself and you also might run into problems. Therefore, you have to start form the beginning if you want to be able to get the most benefit from your routine.

Beginning aerobics are very easy and they are something that you can do even from home. The point is to get your blood flowing, so beginning aerobics using start with walking in place and moving your arms and legs in order to get your heart rate up. Then, you gradually proceed to doing more and more movements and to doing them faster.

A great thing to do for beginning aerobics is to start by walking or jogging in place. You can then start moving your arms up and down. The point of aerobics is to get your heart going, and the best way to do this is to keep on doing movements, like jumping jacks, for as many repetitions as you can do. This is the best way for you to start with aerobic training, because you are able to work your way up from nothing and really get in good shape as you do this.

Something else that you should keep in mind is that aerobics often work better to music. The way that it works is that you can use the music to keep your tempo and to keep your working hard. You can also time your exercises to music – you can do one set for an entire song, for instance. Music can be your motivator and it can help you keep working out.

       

Aerobics for Abs

workout mommy | Exercises | Monday, 04 May 2009

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We all know that working out is something that is very important for us to be doing. You are going to want to get a workout so that you can be healthier, and so that you know what you are doing when it comes to getting a better outlook on life. Most of the people who get depressed and unhealthy aren’t doing aerobics, so no matter what your level of health is, aerobics are going to be good for you.

However, sometimes it is important to target more than one area when it comes to aerobics. You might want to work on something in particular. Often, people have parts of their bodies that they don’t like as much as others, and this can be very stressful. Most of the time, workouts seek to make your whole body stronger, and while this is important, if you have a problem area, you might feel like you want to work out it.

In order to target the abdomen while you are doing aerobics, it is important that you remember what the abdomen is and why it is important. It is not just your tummy area; this is a whole range of muscles that help you move and stretch in every piece of your daily routine. This is why targeting your abdomen during aerobics is very important.

When you are looking at targeting your abdomen, think first of repetitions. The best way to work on your abdomen is to add stretches into whatever you are doing aerobically. If you are walking or running in place, you should be stretching your body and stretching from side to side as you move. You have to be sure that the movement you are making is coming form you abdomen, however. It is all too easy to move your arms and legs and think that you are stretching your abdomen.

Another great thing that you can do while you are doing your aerobics is to kneel down and to then use your abdomen muscles to move up and down into different positions. Remember that you have to keep doing repetitions at a high enough rate of speed to keep your heart rate up. The more that you move, the better in shape you are going to get. This is a great way to target your abdomen. Again though make sure that the movements are coming from your tummy area.

       

Keep Your Teenager Fitness Motivated

workout mommy | Family | Sunday, 26 April 2009

Not too many years ago you could expect children and teens to get exercise during gym class at school as well as spending time outdoors playing or riding bicycles. However, with the popularity of televisions, computers, and gaming systems, children and teens are spending less time in physical activity and more time being sedentary. Your goal is to keep your teenager fitness motivated as they grow.

Everyone knows the importance of maintaining a healthy body, but that doesn’t mean that they do what’s best in order to stay healthy. Quite often this means they’ll sit around instead of being active. They may also eat too much or the wrong foods which leads them to gain an unhealthy amount of weight.

To combat extra weight, it’s important for teens to be active every day. Not only will they be healthier, they’ll also have more energy and feel better about their selves. Taking the time to get and stay healthy while they’re young will also help teens prevent serious diseases in the future. Diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis are just a few of the diseases that may be avoided.

Most experts recommend that teens get a minimum of one hour of physical exercise, preferably each day of the week. Unfortunately, children tend to stop being active as they reach their teens. If they’ve played organized sports in the past, they may even drop out of them in favor of other non-physical activities.

Encourage them to try a new sport. Sports are more than baseball, basketball, soccer, and football. There is also gymnastics, skateboarding, swimming, tennis, dancing, or ice skating. Purchase some free weights and set them up at your home. You can take up working out with your teen as a way to help them stay fitness motivated.

Give your teen the opportunity to choose which sport they’ll be involved in or what they’ll do to stay physically active. What they choose to do to keep themselves moving isn’t nearly important as the fact that they are moving and that they do it regularly.

Being physically active can increase your teen’s self-esteem, can reduce stress, and help them do better in school. There are so many benefits to being fitness motivated that it’s hard to imagine anyone preferring to be otherwise.

Find fun activities that you can enjoy with your teen. Perhaps you both need to start out slowly. You may be able to find a walking trail the two of you can go to. Re-learn to roller skate or learn how to in-line skate. Whatever you and your teen choose, you may want to be sure that the activity is something you’ll continue doing and that will fit into your schedule.

If you’re concerned about how inactive your teen is these days, you probably recognize the importance of keeping your teen fitness motivated. Give them options, join in the fun, and watch how they’ll soon stop their sedentary ways.

       

Smooth CE 2.0 Elliptical Trainer

workout mommy | Exercise Gear | Friday, 17 April 2009

As part of your home exercise regime, this elliptical trainer will provide you with an excellent body workout. It will tone as well as strengthen your body and build muscles in your legs and glutes. You will enjoy the low-impact motion of the trainer and exercising will be fun.


The compact size of the elliptical trainer makes it very easy to store. It is only 45”length by 20”width and can be tucked away in any corner of your home. It comes with adjustable pedals and movable handlebars to make it comfortable for all shapes and sizes.

You can choose between 16 different levels of resistance depending on your workout goal and fitness. You can also choose between various manual and preset programs. The options are multifold and you can use a different program every time. Exercising will never be boring again.

The built-in BMI sensor calculates your body mass percentage and monitors your weight loss and muscle toning success. As an added feature, when placing your hands on the handlebars, your pulse will be monitored and accordingly the intensity of the workout altered to reach an optimum exercise pulse rate. At the end of an exercise regime, you can press the recovery button and your recovery heart rate will be monitored for 60 seconds.

The computer console has a sophisticated display and shows time, speed, distance, calories, pulse, resistance level as well as RPM. In sleep mode, temperature, date and time is displayed.

This elliptical trainer is perfect for your home gym and it comes at a very reasonable price. It will certainly give you workout fun and success for years to come.

       

Garmin 305 Forerunner with Heart Rate Monitor and High Sensitivity

workout mommy | Uncategorized | Wednesday, 15 April 2009


Consider your Garmin 305 Forerunner as your running buddy or your personal trainer who will lead you to a better workout and success.

The Forerunner 305 is a sports watch manufactured by Garmin. It is very comfortable to wear, even if it is bigger than a usual sports watch. It looks cool and is very easy to use with functional buttons to push.

Included in the price is:

* Forerunner 305
* Garmin Training Center CD-ROM
* Heart rate monitor
* Docking cradle
* Expander strap
* A/C charger
* USB cable
* Owner’s manual
* Quick start guide

The high-sensitivity GPS tracks and measures distance, heart rate, multiple laps, calories burned, speed, time, altitude as well as pace. If you are a road runner training for your big race, or if you are a triathlete aiming for a big goal, this is your must-have piece of equipment.

If you don’t like running on your own, you have the option of a virtual running partner program. This allows you to compete against a virtual runner that will keep you going.

The Forerunner 305 comes with a docking station and software to upload runs to your PC. You as a user will be able to view maps of your distances run, you will also be able to see your progression during the runs in altitude and pace. At the same time this watch also records your heart rate, which is downloadable as well.

       

Bodybuilding Benefits for Women

workout mommy | General, Motivation | Wednesday, 08 April 2009

Why Women Should Add Bodybuilding to Their Exercise Routines

While men engage in bodybuilding to strengthen and increase muscle mass, women seek to shape and tone their bodies using particular exercise routines.  Also, the notion that you will become a female version of the “Incredible Hulk” is a myth.

The areas of concern for some women may be the legs, chest, back, abdominal area, shoulders, or forearms.  In addition, weights can be used to enhance the effects of resistance training as well.

Here are some recommendations from women who have trained in bodybuilding:

* Learn the proper technique from a professional or gym instructor.
* A 30-45 minute workout is recommended.
* Exercises beginning with the lower body, middle, and upper body are advisable.
* Sets of up to 12 repetitions repeated three times, with rests in between each set.
* Two days a week of strength training.
* Begin slowly with weights or bands.
* Add resistance training to your routine.
* Stretching before and after exercising.
* Let your body tell you when you’re tired or in pain, then stop.
* A good routine leaves your muscles burning and tired at the end of a routine.
* Include a proper diet regimen.
* Get plenty of rest.
* Workout is preferable in the morning or afternoon.

There are those who contend that while you can burn fat using weights, it is a slow process.  They also believe that while using weights during lower body workouts does contribute to burning fat, the fact is you would have to do an entire routine such as using a circuit of exercise equipment in order to achieve the effect.   Therefore, they strongly suggest exercising the entire body for maximum results, such as: walking, jogging, or cardiovascular routines.

Women who are in the sport of bodybuilding develop high definition and muscles through increased workouts along with supplementation.   For most women today, however, who simply wish to shape and tone their bodies, the above recommendations will sufficiently achieve your goals.

       

Performance-Enhancing Drugs and Your Teen Athlete

workout mommy | Family | Wednesday, 25 March 2009

Each year there are famous athletes that are paraded across the news for using performance-enhancing drugs. Unfortunately, there are so many young athletes that look up to them. Many follow in their idol’s footsteps and begin using these drugs as well. When it comes to performance-enhancing drugs and your teen athlete, you want to talk to them and see what they think.

Teenage athletes may not think about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs, especially when their favorite athletes use them. They may think if they use these drugs, too, they’ll be as good as their idol. What they don’t realize is that these drugs aren’t a shortcut to sports supremacy; they could very well lead to death.

Performance-enhancing drugs and supplements promise to boost an athlete’s performance, enhance their physical appearance, and increase muscle mass and strength. Unfortunately they can also be harmful, especially to young men and women who may use or abuse them.

What is it about these performance-enhancing drugs that makes them desirable? What do they promise that causes athletes of nearly every age to take them?

* Creatine is a compound that your body naturally creates, but it can also be found over the counter as a supplement. Using this compound helps athletes recover after a workout. It also promises to increase muscle mass and strength. Besides the good that it can do, it can cause weight gain, nausea, and muscle cramps. If taken incorrectly or in large amounts, it can cause kidney damage.

* Anabolic steroids are the most common performance-enhancing compounds. They build muscle and increase strength which is why bodybuilders and football players use it so often. This drug can halt bone growth which can be particularly hazardous for teens that are still growing. They can also cause heart and liver damage.

* Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is the only steroid precursor that is available over the counter. All other forms are illegal without a prescription. They are used to build muscle mass and have similar side effects as those of steroids.

It’s important for your teenage athlete to know that you love them, no matter how well they perform in sports. You may want to discuss your expectations of them as an athlete and you as a parent. Let them know their health and safety is more important than athletic prowess.

Don’t expect your teenage athlete to bring up the subject of using performance-enhancing drugs. Instead, you’ll want to broach the subject. Talk to your teen about the proper way to care for their body, and how doing so will help them be a better athlete naturally. Most importantly, explain to your teenager how dangerous these performance-enhancing drugs are, especially to still-growing teenage bodies.

Teenage athletes want to be successful at their chosen sport. They may feel that using performance-enhancing drugs is the only way to accomplish that. Remember that your teenage athlete is smarter than you may give them credit for. It’s alright if you ask them tough questions. Do your best to talk to them so they understand your expectations and concerns about performance-enhancing drugs and their potential use or use of them.

       

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