Archive for June, 2009
Before, we were used to seeing new models of treadmills, stationary bikes, even dumbbells and other gym equipment that allow us to perform cardiovascular and strength exercises. Now, a vast majority of products being sold on TV are those that target one specific area, our abdominals.
This is because of the emphasis being put by fitness experts on our CORE muscles. The core is the midsection of our body, from the groin to the shoulder. It includes our pelvis, back, abs and chest muscles. Every movement we make originates from it. Therefore, if the core is not conditioned, it will affect the strength of our other muscles.
Think of yourself as a car. No matter how much you spend and how well you take care of the hood, wheels, and even the upholstery, if you don’t take good care of your engine, then your car will not do you any good. It might look good, but if it doesn’t even run decently, then it doesn’t amount to much, right?
Same thing goes for your body. Even if you are able to perform a thousand bicep curls and a hundred leg curls, if your core is not strong enough, you will not be able to optimize the strength of your limbs, and worse, it can even lead to injuries.
So what do you do now? Strengthen your core. Lucky for you, there are very simple ways to do it. Pilates and the Swiss Ball are two of them.
Here’s how they are different from one another.
The Pilates makes use of our own body for resistance. It mixes proper breathing with slow and controlled movements while lying on the floor most of the time. In this way, the core muscles are strengthened.
The Swiss Ball, meanwhile, provides instability and engages the core as you try to balance on it. There are many fun and easy exercises that you can do with it; and each one of them helps make our core muscles stronger.
Even without core exercises, having the proper posture when lifting weights will help out a lot to strengthen the core. Straightening your body while doing push ups can also help.
While core exercises are very easy to perform, many are discouraged because they get hurt easily and are unable to do as many repetitions as they could.
Note that it’s supposed to be like that. You will feel some discomfort in your abdominals because you are engaging your muscles there. But then again, it’s always best to seek a trainer’s advice to ensure that you are doing things right.
By: Dian Sia
About the Author:
Rosemount fitness trainerin The Body Project Studio has become popular in weight loss program in and around Eagan. They guarantee the best weight loss program around the city. You can visit them here http://thebodyprojectstudio.com/
I am going to make a bold statement. There is no better way to burn body fat than to perform body weight exercises. I firmly believe this from personal experience and from the results of those who have dedicated themselves to bodyweight exercises. Is it any wonder that some of the most fit individuals in the world (our U.S. military) primarily use body weight exercises to achieve their fitness level.
I have a health club membership (although I am not sure why other than it gives me someplace warm to perform certain exercises in the winter) and I watch in amazement how people can show up week after week and never lose fat. It is kind of sad. They are paying their money faithfully and they get on the treadmill or elliptical machine and go through the ritual. But at the end of the week when they step on the scale the numbers are all too familiar. It is no wonder that they give up after a couple of months.
If this has been you, I am here to tell you that it does not have to be that way. You do not have to train with weights and you do not have to do cardio for an hour a day for seven days a week. You do not have to spend $40 per month on a health club membership. You do not have to embarrass yourself by stepping on some goofy BOSU ball.
You are frustrated and you are not sure where to turn. If you have trainers at your gym like I do at mine you probably don’t want to ask them because it is quite obvious that they haven’t practiced what they preach. They are not exactly the image of thriving fitness and you surely don’t want to pay them extra for their “expertise.”
Maybe you are like me and your body is now suffering the effects of weight lifting and your joints are no longer capable of lifting heavy weights. Or possibly you have tried every fad diet known to humankind and you still are disgusted every time you look in the mirror.
You have tried everything else now why don’t you try what actually works. Instead of going to out-of-shape “personal trainers” at your gym why not lean on the expertise of someone who has been in the fitness industry for 30 years. And by the way, he has the physique of someone who has been in the fitness industry for 30 years (lean and mean).
Emile Jarreau has created the Naked Commando System of exercises that you can do at home, in the park, behind closed doors in your office, or even in your hotel room while you travel. If you want to see fat begin to melt away with as little as 3 intense workouts per week then this is the program for you. You will build strength, increase endurance, increase your metabolism and improve your heart with his time-efficient circuit workouts.
You will avoid boredom in your workouts as he keeps it spiced up with 69 challenging and dynamic body weight exercises. Your stamina will increase, you will begin to understand the meaning of the word slim again and you will cut a major chunk of stress out of your life.
He will provide you with complete fat burning workouts with instructions, pictures and everything you will need to be successful. And you can get all of this for less than what you are paying for one month at a health club. I could describe it in detail for you but he does it so much better. So click on over to learn more about Naked Commando System.
Balance Training has become an important part of core workouts, because when you stand on one leg your center of gravity shifts, and the core muscles in your lower back and hips must work harder to maintain your stability. You can stand on the Bosu Ball with 2 feet or on 1 leg. 1 legged balancing is really challenging, but it can lead to dramatic improvements in balance, coordination, and sports performance.
In addition to balancing exercises, you can do traditional abdominal and core exercises on the exercise ball. The stability ball can enhance your core workout in 2 major ways. It can challenge your stability because it has a soft unstable surface, and it can increase your core strength by allowing your body to utilize a greater range of motion when you perform traditional core exercises.
Whenever you do a core exercise on a ball, your core muscles work both to stabilize and move your lower back and pelvis. When you perform core exercises on a stable surface like a machine or the floor, there is less challenge for the stabilizer muscles.
The balls can also enhance your core workout by allowing your spine to utilize a greater range of motion. Your lower back has a natural curve, and the abdominal muscles work to reverse that natural curve. When you lie flat on the floor, the floor partially reverses the natural curve in your lower back, and this decreases the range of motion that the spine can move. Less range of motion equals less muscle work.
Here is an example of how the Bosu can be used in your core workout to make your exercises more effective. When you perform crunches on a Bosu Ball, your spine can extend to its natural position, so you get additional range of motion when compared to the floor. It is also unstable like the stability ball, so your core muscles also work to keep you balanced as you crunch.
Also, because the balls are contoured, your body can focus more on segmental movement through the spine. Lastly, because the balls keeps your body elevated off the ground, there truly is no rest position for the core muscles, so they stay engaged throughout the entire exercise.
The balls are great tool to use for core exercises. In addition to regular ab crunches, you can do reverse crunches, oblique crunches, or Russian Twists. If you see a ball lying around the gym floor, ask a trainer to show you a few exercises on it. You may find that it is one of your favorite tools to incorporate into your core workouts.
By: Charles Inniss
About the Author:
Dr. Charles A. Inniss, Jr. is a physical therapist and personal trainer.
For pictures of core exercises and free ab workouts with the Bosu Ball visit his website Ab-Core-and-Stomach-Exercises.com
I have run across an exercise program that I believe will be just the thing that some of you are looking for. Many have been searching the internet for some sort of body weight exercise program. You are aware of many different types of body weight exercises but you aren’t sure how to put them all together in a program. That is where Body Weight Exercise Revolution comes in.
If you are like me then your hectic schedule often sabotages your exercise goals. That today as an example. I left the house at 5:45 am and did not return home until 7:15 pm. The local gym in my small hometown closes at 8:30 pm. So often I do not have a gym at my disposal even though I am paying for a membership. I haven’t made it to the gym in four days because of my schedule.
Training at home is the perfect solution if you find yourself running short of time like I do. But many are put off by the need to buy expensive home exercise equipment, weights, etc. The nice little home gym can set you back a pretty buck.
As I have shared with you before, however, is that you don’t need a gym membership or an expensive home gym to get in the best shape of your life. You have everything that you need already to get an incredible workout day in and day out. By using your own bodyweight and utilizing a little specialized knowledge you can whip yourself into a state of peak fitness.
This program, Body Weight Exercise Revolution, is not merely a regimin of push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. It consists of innovative bodyweight exercises and movements to help you reach your goals.
If you are looking for any of the following then I encourage you to check it out.
# Increased energy
# Improved pain-free range of motion
# Peace of mind from knowing that you’re working towards your exact and personal goals
# Fat loss
# Greater strength
# Muscle gain
# Longevity
# General athleticism
# Fun-to-learn bodyweight exercises
I could go on and on about it but they can describe it better than I can. Give them a look. You will be glad you did.
