Archive for the ‘Fitness Tips’ Category
Thursday, September 21st, 2017
Every athlete worth their salt has hit a plateau. You all know the feeling — suddenly gym sessions feel less productive, gains slow to a crawl, and you start to feel stuck.
Often, the natural response is to train harder and longer, assuming that plateaus can just be powered through, but pushing your body harder when it might actually need to slow down is asking for injury. Injuries aren’t fun for anyone, but if you’re preparing for a competition, race, or big game, it can be a death knell for your training.
Why Am I Hitting a Plateau?
While some plateaus are part of the natural training cycle, others are due to improper training. It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in your own drive and push too hard for too long. The result is a burned-out athlete whose body is breaking down instead of building up.
Avoiding bad training habits seems like it should be common sense, but it’s easier said than done. Everyone wants to be the best, and you get there by training, right? So what’s the difference between pushing and pushing too hard? And how do you toe the line without long-jumping over it?
Unfortunately, there’s no perfect formula for everyone, but with an updated training strategy, it’s a little easier to navigate the minefield of training fatigue. As with most athletic advice, this comes with a strong dose of “listen to your body.”
Plateaus and training fatigue generally stem from overdoing it every time you’re in the gym or under-recovering after you go home. (more…)
Tags: cross training, crosstraining, exercise, fitness, health, injuries, injury, overuse, prehab, prevention
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Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
With the summer in full swing, it’s only natural that more and more people are taking full advantage of the long daylight hours by spending plenty of time outside. A natural source of annual encouragement for an increase in activity is certainly a good thing, especially for those of us who are serious about health and fitness.
On the other hand, those inspired to begin a fitness-training program during the summer months ought to be keenly aware of how to build a proper training foundation to ensure their continued progress while also avoiding deterrents like an injury or training plateau. Dale Parducci, a fitness coach and personal trainer from North Bergen, New Jersey, offered a few common-sense tips for summer fitness training. (more…)
Tags: exercise, fitness, Fitness Tips, health, healthy, Healthy Lifestyle, summer, work out, workout, workout tips
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Monday, July 17th, 2017
Are you in the gym day in and day out, but feel like you just are not seeing results like you used to? Well, it is completely possible that you might be overtraining, which is a lot more common than you might imagine.
Overtraining means that you are training so hard your body does not have the time to rest and recover, as it normally should. This condition can lead to a slew of negative side effects, like muscle atrophy, motivational loss, and mood swings.
Overtraining can even diminish the results that you worked so hard to earn, so it is imperative that you never let this happen to you. Stick to the following tips and information to ensure that you never over train. (more…)
Tags: fitness, health, over training, overtraining, recovery, weight lifting, Weight Training, wieghtlifting
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Monday, June 12th, 2017
The Top Endurance Exercises
Athletes have become bigger and stronger and are in better shape nowadays, and the trend towards endurance training has only accelerated this phenomenon. Athletes are getting leaner and more ‘ripped’ than ever, in nearly every sport.
It used to be that a baseball player, for example, would focus on exercises specifically designed to improve the specific skill set that they needed to succeed on the baseball field. The same sport-specific training was true for every sport. But as people began to see the broad-spectrum benefits that came with endurance training for events like the triathlon, it became evident that an individual with greater strength and endurance in any sport could benefit from a more well-rounded circuit of exercises.
It didn’t take long before regular people started to realize that they could benefit from endurance training, too, and it quickly became more and more popular. Today, its appeal is at an all-time high. Even weekend athletes, as a result of endurance training, are becoming almost indefatigable.
Here’s why. (more…)
Tags: cardio, Conditioning, endurance, exercise, fitness, health, high intensity, hiit, intervals, speed work, speedwork, working out, workouts
Posted in Best Exercises, Conditioning, Fitness Tips, HIIT Routines | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 5th, 2017
Bodybuilding is a great way to sculpt and tone muscles, but the strain that it places on the body is sometimes too much to bear. Injuries are not uncommon among bodybuilders, and lower back pain is one of the most common problems experienced by lifters everywhere.
If you’re experiencing lower back pain, you don’t have to stop your workout routine. However, you should remember these tips that will help you manage your back pain and heal quickly. Warming up, stretching properly, and maintaining strict form will go a long way, but try these too:
(more…)
Tags: back pain, bodybuilding, form, health, healthy, injuries, injury, pain
Posted in Bodybuilding, Exercise Technique, Fitness Tips, Injuries | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 28th, 2017
Weight lifting is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world. Millions of people hit the gym every day to work out in the weight room and strive to achieve their own ideal physique. Rigorous weight lifting results in a lot of stress on muscle fibers – in fact, this is exactly how resistance training works!
When the routine is right, the results are usually impressive. Sometimes the rigors of training can cause lasting tears in muscle tissue. The damage done to muscles in the process can be a serious problem for some. It is highly recommended that weight lifters make regular appointments for massage therapy. (more…)
Tags: fitness, health, massage, recovery, weightlifting
Posted in Fitness Tips, Healthy Lifestyle | No Comments »
Saturday, March 18th, 2017
Some people have difficulty getting six-packs, and others have trouble believing that abs are made in the kitchen and not the gym, but this doesn’t downplay the importance of exercising and strengthening the core. Having strong muscles in your abs and back make it easier for you to do everyday tasks; from lifting your kids (and pets) to carrying your groceries.
A solid core can also help you to maintain good posture and prevent back pain. As important as exercising the core is, crunches are boring. Keep reading to find out five great exercises you can use to strengthen your core. (more…)
Tags: ab training, ab workout, abdominal, abdominals, abs, core, crunch, exercise, fitness, pike, plank
Posted in Fitness Tips, Workout Routines | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 28th, 2017
If you’re looking for muscle gain, you probably think that devoting more hours to the gym is your best bet. But you’re wrong. Your diet is also responsible for a high percentage of your progress, but it is not always the key to getting out of a training rut.
If you’re looking for the real secret to achieving the muscle development you want, it’s simple – get more sleep. That’s right. Sleep is likely the missing piece to your training regimen.
In fact, according to research, it just may be the most important component of your regimen as it helps to increase muscular strength and size and promote efficient recovery.
(more…)
Tags: fitness, gain muscle, health, healthy, lifestyle, muscle gain, sleep, sleeping
Posted in Bodybuilding, Fitness Tips | No Comments »
Monday, January 2nd, 2017
New Year Fitness Goals
There is no telling how many people will resolve to lose weight, get in shape, and pursue better health and fitness at the turning of the calendar year, but it’s a good bet that the number includes most of the people reading right now. After the marathon eating and loafing characteristic of the holiday season, most of us enter the New Year feeling like sloths, and those few extra pounds around the middle are not helping the situation.
This might not be quite enough to motivate you to make a change that will reverse your situation, especially if you’re feeling a little depressed about it already. So here are just a few tips that will help you to find the motivation you need to set goals and improve your health and fitness in the coming year.
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The scale
Oh, man, you can practically hear the scale groaning under you already, post-holiday feasting. Numbers don’t lie, so if you’re actually willing to hop on the scale and take a peek it could be just the motivation you need to get back to the gym. The trick here is not to let the number on the scale dictate your emotional state. Instead, use the number you see to help you set goals, stay aware, and practice positive reinforcement.
When the number goes up a little, remind yourself that it’s due to the second helping of dessert you had and use that knowledge to make changes. Try to avoid checking the readout daily, as well; obsessive tracking can do more harm than good.
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Posted in Fitness Tips, Healthy Lifestyle, Motivation | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 15th, 2016
When Fitness is the #1 Goal
If you truly want to become fit, there is more to it than just jogging or doing a few sit up every day. As a matter of fact, the food you eat can also cause you not to be fit. The best way to do this is to hire a personal trainer than will help you get a handle on your diet and what you need to know about nutrition in order to become healthier and fit while losing weight or just toning your body.
A personal trainer will not only help you learn about nutrition, but will start you on a fitness program that will fit your own personal goals. Some people without specialized diet requirements may need to hire a personal nutritionist as well, but many trainers, as I personally did, also receive certifications in sports nutrition and other nutritional disciplines in order to offer the most effective diet advice possible and in some cases even write personalized nutrition plans.
In the majority of cases, you will need to start out slow both with diet and exercise, especially if you have not exercised or followed a health eating plan in a very long time. The good news is that you can choose a private, semi-private or group training session so you can train along with a friend and not feel so alone. On the other hand, if you want to work alone with a trainer that can also be accomplished.
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Tags: Diet, exercise, fitness, massage, nutrition, personal trainer, personal training
Posted in Fitness Tips, Healthy Lifestyle, Motivation | No Comments »
