Need a bit of motivation to get you started on a smart fitness plan? We’ve put together these tips that will inspire you to embark on a journey of better health and a stronger body. If you’re ready, let’s hit the ground running, and begin to reach our fitness goals!
When you are weight lifting to increase fitness, it is always preferable to use free weights, not machines. This is because the free weights will allow you to build up the supporting muscles around the major muscle groups. Machines, instead, focus on very specific areas. You will see an increase in the amount of weight you can lift on the machine, but not as much strength as if you used free weights.
In order to truly commit to a fitness program, you need to change your attitudes and beliefs about fitness. You need to be willing to work hard, even when you’re feeling tired or lazy. Only if you are willing to make solid, lasting changes will you able to make fitness a part of your life.
If you are looking to get fit, make a regiment that is both reasonable and productive. For example, expect yourself to go to the gym four days a week, and burn 500 calories each time. In this way you do not over burden yourself, and at the same time, keep on track towards a long term goal.
Fitness isn’t something that necessarily has to be done at the gym. Fitness is all about consistency! A good thing to do to get fit and not overwhelm yourself, is a daily one hour walk. For those on the heavier end of the scale, you’ll be surprised by just how much difference a one hour walk every day can make.
When you are exercising you should ensure that you breathe out after ever rep. This causes your body to expend more energy and inhaling air will give your body more energy as well.
No matter what your schedule is, make time for exercise. Now this doesn’t mean that you have to be able to make it to the gym each and every day. Just make sure that you are getting some movement in every day, whether that’s a walk at your lunch break, playing with the kids at the park or doing an exercise video before bed. Make a commitment to move your body every day.
Avoid using the treadmill to warm-up with before you engage in your weight training. Instead, opt for a warm-up that will actually work the muscles that you will be using for lifting the weights. To do a full body warm-up that accomplishes this, use a bar and perform two sets of 10 reps of squats, bench-presses, dead-lifts, etc.
You will not lose fat by only working out your abdominal muscles. Studies have shown that it takes around 250,000 crunches to burn just one pound of fat. That is the equivalent of you doing 100 crunches everyday for 7 years straight. Instead of doing all that work, have a variety of areas targeted in your workout and you will see more instantaneous results.
If you are trying to flatten your stomach, a great tip is to be sure you work out your invisible abdominal muscles. These are the trasversus abdominis muscles, which are beneath your rectus abdominis. They flatten your waist when you suck in your stomach. In order to work this muscle out, try to pull in your belly button towards your spine. While breathing normally, hold this position for ten seconds.
These fitness tips should inspire you to take a look at your fitness efforts with a fresh eye, work on things that need improving, and ramp up the routines that are working for you. Your goals are in sight, now, you just have to stick to your plan. Good luck!