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UltimateFitnessGear Archive Page
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
 As you begin to age it can be difficult to get out and get the exercise that is needed to stay healthy and youthful. Your muscles are going to start losing strength and bones will naturally become weaker. Luckily, there are a number of exercises you can do straight out of your home allowing you to stay fit at any age.There is no doubt that the most basic and best known exercise for older people is walking. Walking a mile or so a few times a week can help strengthen your leg muscles while improving blood circulation. And you do not have to just walk on your own. You can take a dog or a child with you for company to make it as enjoyable as possible. While you are walking you want to try to move your arms and hands as much as possible as well. This will help you move muscles that typically do not get used with walking and can be extremely beneficial. Another beneficial exercise is to do sit-ups. Depending on your age, this can be a bit more difficult. However, sit-ups are great because you can do them anytime anywhere. This will strengthen your core muscles thus making your bones far more durable. The next exercise you can and should do in your home is climbing stairs. Climbing the stairs in your home can help strengthen your leg muscles and will improve your blood circulation as well. It is important you have strong leg muscles as you age so you can continue to get around. A simple yet effective exercise is to march standing in one spot. This will help keep your standing posture upright so that you can maintain a strong and sturdy back. In order to do this exercise, you will stand in an upright position and move your arms in vertical circles. You want to start with a slow pace so that you do not strain your muscles. You can then vary the exercise and stand on your toes for a little while to build your balance up. There are many great workout DVDs that you can try from home. As you begin to age, it is vital you try to exercise as much as possible. This can help you maintain strong bones and muscles so that you can be as active as possible. This article highlights several different workouts and exercises you can do straight from your home to stay active and fit no matter how old you are. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X 
Monday, March 30, 2009
 As you begin to workout you are going to face the dilemma of whether you should purchase a gym membership or not. There are advantages and disadvantages to both working out from home at working out at the gym. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which the better option for you is.Before you can determine whether the gym or your home is the best option, you first need to set some goals. You need to think about how serious you are, what types of exercises you are going to be doing, and how many pounds you want to shed. All of these things can play a part in whether you get a gym membership or not. As soon as you have defined your goals you can then look closer at the ways you would be able to use a gym versus your home. So what are some of the factors you will want to take into consideration? The first thing you want to consider is whether or not you have the machines needed to complete your goals. If you do not have a flat bench, dumbbells, or a treadmill, you may have no other choice than to get a gym membership. Depending on what types of exercises you are wanting to do, the machines you have can factor in. The next thing to keep in mind is convenience. It can be easy to put off going to the gym because you actually have to get out of your house and drive somewhere. It is amazing how often this can deter people from working out. However, working out at your home makes it easy to get to the gym and start working out. Going back to machines, you have to realize that your home is going to limit the amount of workouts you can do. Purchasing dumbbells is a good start as you can do several different exercises with dumbbells. However, a gym will provide you with all of the equipment and machines needed to do just about any exercise you can think of. The last thing that may push you toward working out at your home is that you can workout at any time of the day. You have the convenience of getting right out of bed and working out or working out at midnight. There are gyms like 24 hour fitness that are beginning to allow you to work out at any time of the day. But nothing beats working out in the comfort of your own home. When you can workout with in home video workouts it is like having a personal trainer. Check out the P90X workout routine, 10 minute trainer from tony horton, the chalean extreme workout, or hip hop abs for the best home workout videos. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Sunday, March 29, 2009
 Putting together a workout schedule can be challenging when it comes to finding out what works best for you and staying motivated. While there are several things you do want to do when working out, there are a number of things you want to avoid as well. Here are six ways you can ruin a perfectly good workout schedule.1. Inconsistency Perhaps the worst thing you can do is be inconsistent. If you are going to put together a workout schedule for you to follow, it is vital you stick to it and are consistent. It is easy to miss the first day and then miss another day and the next thing you know you are working out once a week. Make working out a part of your routine and not an option. 2. Impatience You cannot expect to see results after the first week. When working out you have to be patient in order to see results. In order to build a good muscular physique you need to give it time. Forcing yourself to workout longer and harder is not going to give you immediate results. Stick with the routine you have put together for yourself. 3. Overtraining As mentioned, you do not want to over-train or work out too much. Instead of giving you quicker results or building larger muscles this can actually be quite detrimental to your body. Overworking your muscles can break them down and strain them. They need time to rest after you have worked them out. 4. Comparing to others The last thing you want to do is start comparing yourself to others. As soon as you see others who are stronger or more fit than you are you will start to become discouraged. Don’t worry about anyone but you when working out. Concentrate on improving yourself and avoid competing with others. 5. Not keeping track In order to progress you need to keep track of how you are doing along the way. Track your improvements and the increase in weight or workout time over the weeks. This will help you see how you are doing and whether the workout routine you have put together is working. 6. Quitting The worst thing you can do for your workout schedule is quit. Giving up is going to get you nowhere. Remember, it is important you are patient and give it time. You cannot expect to see immediate results. And when things get tough, fight through them and work to accomplish your goals. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
 Everyone wishes they could go back to their childhood and have the physique they had when they were younger. It can be difficult to maintain a flat stomach with so many fast food chains just calling your name and your favorite shows waiting to be watched. However, there are several ways you can get that dreamy flat stomach you desire.1. Crunches The most notable way to tone your abdominal muscles is to sit down and do crunches. Crunches target your upper abdomen and are extremely effective. All you need to do is lie on a flat surface, contract your abs, hold for two seconds, and then return to your lying position. You want to avoid using your neck or shoulders while focusing on pulling your upper body up with your abdominal muscles. 2. Side crunches The next type of crunches you will want to include in your repertoire are side crunches. These are exactly the same except the focus is on the oblique muscles. This is going to help you burn the sides of your abs to help you get rid of those love handles. 3. Lying leg lifts Lying leg lifts target the lower abs and start exactly like crunches. As you lie flat on your back you will then lift your legs six to twelve inches off of the ground. This is going to exercise the muscles in the lower part of your abdomen. As you perform this exercise, you are going to want to place your hands under your buttocks to provide leverage helping you elevate your feet. 4. V-Crunches Similar to lying leg lifts, these crunches involve you starting with your chest at a 45 degree angle. You are going to sit at the edge of a bench and reach back enough to support yourself. As soon as you are stabilized you will then bring your knees back toward your chest creating a v motion. 5. Bicycle crunch The final way you can work on getting back that flat stomach is through bicycle crunches. In order to perform this exercise, you will start by lying flat on the floor. You are going to put your hands beside your head and raise your knees up to a 45 degree angle. From there you will perform a pedaling motion as if you were riding a bicycle, which will put pressure on your abs. With so many different abdominal exercises for you to use, there is no need for you to have to settle for a flabby gut or love handles. Apply the different exercises in this article into your workout regimen to get that dreamy flat stomach. If you do not like crunches or sit ups then give Hip Hop Abs a try. This program can get you a dreamy six pack but you never even have to do one sit up or crunch. Programs like P90X and the Chalean Extreme have specialized ab targeting exercises that are awesome. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Saturday, March 28, 2009
 Weight lifting is a crucial part of development and staying fit. Whether your kids are involved in athletics or are simply trying to stay in shape, lifting weights is a great way to do so. However, a question many parents have is when the right age is to start lifting. After all, starting them too young can be detrimental to their growth.The first thing you need to know is that it is never too early to start your kids with lifting. The key is understanding what lifts are ok to do and how many reps and sets are feasible for their body. You do not want to put too much strain on certain parts of their body. For the most part, you are going to want to stay away from squatting, deadlifting and Olympic lifting until they are at least thirteen. The reason for this is because there is far too much pressure put on their back and legs that can deter their overall growth. What you want to focus on is form and discipline with your children. This is why you want to keep the weight light and the reps fairly high so your children can begin to develop strength and form together. Some types of lifting and workouts they can do include bodyweight squats, push ups, pull ups and crunches. The last thing you want is for your child to mess up his back, neck, knees, shoulders, or arms. The whole point of early lifting is to gain an understanding of how to lift effectively and safely while building muscle. At such a young age your child does not yet have the motor skills, information or experience to perform these lifts correctly. If your child is adamant about lifting dumbbells, you can work with them with small weights. Again, it is all about gaining an understanding and learning the correct form. Do not let your child go to the gym on their own and try to do certain lifts. It is vital you are with them to guide them and show them what weight to start at. Depending on the age of your child and the muscle they are working out, you will not want to go much higher than five or ten pounds. While many parents are concerned about when the right time is to start their child on weight lifting, it is important you realize any age is ok. As long as you are with them and start them out on extremely low weights, they will be able to develop technique and form. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Friday, March 27, 2009
 The death of Natasha Richardson was quite a blow to the people who knew her, both on and off screen. Her death happened because of a minor ski accident. Her death and other deaths have prompted people to start looking at whether it should be mandatory for someone to wear a helmet when doing these activities.In many countries outside the US, they are able to ski without helmets but many resorts are thinking that this is not a good idea. Although using a helmet while skiing is a matter of choice it does seem to prevent head trauma and injury. This is something to take into consideration when you ski. According to Dr. A Stewart Levy, wearing helmets while skiing has reduced the risk of someone having a brain injury by 75%. This is a pretty startling statistic especially when there are dangers out there when you are skiing that could make you hit a tree or make a mistake while moving. Some people are taking their skiing in to their home gyms and have developed a workout routine that combines a program like Shaun T Rockin' Body or other program. The reason people are working out in their home gyms is because they want to save money. Instead of going to a gym with a monthly cost, they are able to spend their money wisely on a fitness program for a lot less. When you think about it a good fitness program can stop you from spending hundreds of dollars on ski equipment each year. There are many programs where you can get the same type of workout and be safe. Of course for some people the fresh snow and cold is part of what stimulates them and keeps them skiing. Just like skiing is a personal preference is a personal choice a personal gym and how it works for you is a personal choice. It can be a safer choice than being on the slopes for some people. Another great program is the P90X PLUS Workout Routine if you are looking for something more advanced and comparable to the workout you will find on the slopes. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
 As you go to the gym you are going to find that many people are focusing on their biceps and shoulders for arms. However, what you need to understand is that triceps comprises sixty percent of arm muscles. Far too many people overlook the importance of working out their triceps when in fact it is these muscles that can give you more definition to your upper arms. Here are four exercises to help you build up your triceps.
Unlike what many people believe, triceps are a vital part to your arm. They actually consist of more than half of your arms muscles, which is precisely why you want to take the time to work them out. Take the exercises listed in this article and apply them to your workout so you can beef up your triceps. ChaLEAN Extreme - P90X - P90X Plus - Power 90 Workout - 10 Minute Trainer - Shaun T - Ab Workout - Turbo Jam Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Thursday, March 26, 2009
 While it is true that fiber is essential to include in your diet, consuming too much of it can actually have a negative affect. There are two types of fiber; soluble and insoluble and both are needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. While there are numerous benefits to both kinds, eating too much can have a negative impact on your body.The first problem of consuming too much fiber has to do with your cholesterol. One of the main functions of soluble fiber is to help remove cholesterol from the blood. However, there is some cholesterol that can actually be god for you and can protect the heart and brain. If you take in too much soluble fiber, it is going to remove the good and bad cholesterol leading to low levels of HDL cholesterol in your blood. The next problem you will face is poor mineral absorption. Soluble fiber is also going to hold foods in the digestive tract longer so that nutrients can be absorbed. Too much of this fiber will have the opposite effect and can actually prevent your body from absorbing several minerals like calcium, iron and zinc. Although it is not quite as serious but can be just as painful, constipation is another issue you need to worry about with an excessive fiber intake. Insoluble fiber promotes regular bowel movements that can reduce constipation. Consuming a lot of this can cause the water in your digestive tract to dry up. What this leads to is your stools drying up making it difficult to pass. This can present a problem with excreting waste minerals. The final problem to be aware of when taking in too much fiber is gas. Both types of water are going to interact with water. What this leads to is gases being created like carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen. A high amount of fiber can lead to intense levels of gases in the digestive tract causing a bloated stomach and passing gas frequently. There is no doubt that the intake of fiber is extremely important. There are numerous benefits you will get from eating fiber including eliminating cholesterol from the blood and promoting regular bowel movements. However, much like many other things in life too much fiber can be detrimental. There are many side effects to be aware of including bloated stomach, constipation, and the elimination of good cholesterol. Because of this, be careful about the amount of fiber you are including in your diet. ChaLEAN Extreme - P90X - P90X Plus - Power 90 Workout - 10 Minute Trainer - Shaun T - Ab Workout - Turbo Jam Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
 While most people think that the purpose of a weight loss workout routine is just to lose weight, they forget that such a routine can help one feel healthy and energetic all day long. If you feel alive and energetic, you will go about your daily work routine with more zeal and vigor.Ask yourself the following questions: - Do I feel low in energy in the mornings and afternoons and after the day’s work is done? - Do I suffer from stiffness of muscles and sluggishness? - Do I suffer from stress? If your answer to the simple questions is yes, all you may need is a good daily workout. Lack of exercise can lead to weak bones and weak muscles. A weight loss workout routine can tone up your muscles in order to handle your body weight better and bring a spring in every step. You will not only feel energetic, but will also lose weight faster. You can do a combination of strength training and cardiovascular workouts. This combination can optimize your body metabolism and increase the endorphins that induce a feeling of well-being. You know that elated feeling after a good run or after a hearty laugh. This is the effect of endorphins that give you a natural high. Moreover, the lactic acid built up during cardio workouts can be used up to produce energy when you follow cardio exercises with strength training exercises. Starting at a comfortable pace and working out at your home will save you a lot of time and money. After all, exercise does not have to be complicated. Try picking up an at home video workout like Chalean Extreme or P90X. As you begin a weight loss workout, you will see a rise in your energy level as well as in your mood. This is because a healthy body means a healthy mind. Therefore as you reduce stress, you will be able to handle challenging situations better. As you work out daily, you will also look better. You will lose excess weight and have a more shapely body. As you get fitter and develop strong muscles, you will burn fat efficiently even as you go about your daily activities. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
 Most people who follow a weight loss program will notice that after losing a few pounds, the body stops losing weight further despite religiously sticking to the weight loss program. This is called a weight loss plateau. The reason for this is that the body is naturally programmed to fight any change in energy intake and output. Your body resists weight loss in order to maintain an energy balance. Therefore it adapts to your diet and exercise routine, and learns to maintain the same weight regardless of all your efforts.So before you feel guilty, you must understand that this is the natural tendency of your body and happens to everyone. Next, you need to take some steps to make your body lose weight. You can do this by either making your workout more rigorous or by making it more refined. Here are some tips to overcome a weight loss plateau: • If you’ve been eating chicken, change to eating fish instead. • Eat more of fruits and vegetables instead of your regular snacks. • Don’t starve yourself or else your body will slow down its metabolism and conserve fats thinking that there is a shortage of food. • Substitute proteins for carbohydrates and see if this is making any difference. • If you are on a walking routine you will need to increase either your pace or the distance you walk. • Swimming is a good all round exercise. It works out the entire body and is a good cardiovascular exercise. Increasing the laps will help you overcome your weight loss plateau. Once you make the changes, do not expect results overnight. Allow your body a few days to get your metabolism boosted up. By changing your diet and exercise routine, you will notice that your body will begin to lose weight again. Don’t take this response for granted, as you may require another adjustment in a few weeks time in order to avoid another weight loss plateau. In this way you will have to constantly make changes in order to keep your metabolism at its optimum till you reach your weight loss goal. Tony Horton has developed a muscle confusion system for his P90X workout. This muscle confusion is meant to keep your body from hitting a plateau by always introducing new workouts for your muscles. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Monday, March 23, 2009
 Stretching has been around for a very very long time. We see it everywhere we go, people doing Yoga, Pilates, sporting teams stretching before a game, sprinters and swimmers stretching before the competition. But does stretching actually help? Is there a bad time to stretch? If there is a bad time, when is the best time to stretch? Well, incase you are wondering, stretching does help. It allows your muscles to relax, so many people tense up after workouts, but stretching helps those muscles to relax and grow better. As of when to stretch, it is not a good idea to just start stretching. Many people actually get injured when the first thing they do is stretch. It is better do a warm up before you stretch, so if you run in place or do jumping jacks, something to get the blood flowing and the muscles warmed up before you stretch, that is the best time to stretch, right after a warm up. Another great time to stretch is right after a workout, it helps the muscles to relax, and recover quicker. There are plenty of stretch exercises out there, like Yoga and Pilates, but there are also great stretch routines in the P90x routine and the Chalean Extreme workout. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Sunday, March 22, 2009
 Most people need to supplement their nutrition by adding vitamins and minerals to their everyday life. Many athletes and bodybuilders use protein powders or shakes to get the nutrition they need when losing weight. If you are just starting out in your journey to lose weight you may not know that there are a lot of options to help you along the way.When you first approach nutritional supplements it is a good idea to understand why you need them or how they are going to serve your needs. As an example, some people will take a supplement to help with fat burning. Often this comes in a multi-vitamin form that can be taken on a daily basis. ActiVit Fat Burning Formula is one example of this type of supplement. It helps with bone strength, helps boost your immune system and keeps your bones healthier. If you are doing an extreme workout program using a muscle strength supplement is a good idea. The point of these is to keep your muscles strong so they can be at their peak performance. The Muscle Strength Formula is benefiting many people who are doing extreme workouts like ChaLEAN Extreme or the Hip-Hop Abs Programs. These also give your muscles energy so they you can get the most from your physical exercise. Many people worry about their joints when they are exercising on a regular basis. Also older adults may have arthritis in their joints which will cause stiffness and achiness when they workout. You can supplement your joint health through using a natural nutritional supplement that adds support to your joints. Joint Support Super Formula is one example of how a joint compound should work because it contains essential ingredients for joint health: glucosamine and MSM with collagen. This means that the supplement will support the joints and the muscles around them. Nutritional supplements are a good addition to any weight loss program when you use them for specific areas of the body that may need more help. They add to the body's ability to maintain its health while promoting better health at the same time. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Saturday, March 21, 2009
 The time has come to start worrying about what you are going to look like in a swimsuit. If you workout and prepare for the summer you will not have to worry what you are going to look like because you will look awesome.Listen, there are still a few months left, PLENTY of time to get you into the shape you want to be in. If you have a gym membership USE IT or LOSE IT. My suggestion, lose it... here's why. Pick up a chalean extreme or p90x video. Both of these home video courses are 90 days or intense workouts and will get you results. They also cost around $100 which is typically less money then a gym membership. Plus when you get the videos you are far more likely to workout everyday because you have the motivation of someone guiding you along the process. Come summer you can be cool, smooth, confident and have a kickin body to show off. Just get started now. It is possible to get that lean, muscular body. It just takes some work and discipline to workout everyday. Don't let your mind talk you out of it. Wake up a little earlier or cut out an activity (like TV) and exercise. It is worth it. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Friday, March 20, 2009
 Yes ladies I am talking to you. I am also talking to the men so they do not feel left out.Lets talk about dumbbells. Dumbbells kick some serious tail when it comes to home workouts. Dumbbells are small, easy to store and do not weigh that much. If you are still reading this and not wondering, "what the heck" then go back and read the last sentence again. The weight part is not exactly true but that is a good thing. Did you know that when you lift dumbbells you are not only workout out the muscle you are targeting, but because you are forced to balance the dumbbells individually you workout nearly every muscle in your arms and shoulders. Dumbbells are the great maximizer when it comes to upper body workouts. But dumbbells are not just solely for the upper body. You can increase the amount of weight you are using and do lunges or squats to workout your lower body. Plus there are some killer ab exercises that can be done with dumbbells. Dumbbells are pretty much the all around killer exercise equipment. If you are planning on doing the px90 workout or the chalean extreme workout I would suggest getting some good dumbbells. It'll be worth it. I am definitely a fan of the resistance bands, but sometimes I do not feel like they maximize my workouts. When I workout I want to feel like everything I am doing to purposeful and 100%. It is not worth working out if I am not giving it everything and I feel that using dumbbells is the best way to achieve this. Now I definitely have a nice set of resistance bands because those are light weight and great for traveling and keeping in the car. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Thursday, March 19, 2009
 So it begins today, the big NCAA tournament, and already there was almost a big upset, #15 CS Northridge almost pulled it off against #2 Memphis. Which would have totally screwed up my bracket, I do have 6 brackets, but none of them had CS northridge beating Memphis. #9 Texas A&M got past #8 BYU and my Washington Huskies blew past Mississippi St. 71-58. There were some other great games around the league but so far the Number 1 teams have held strong. UNC dominated Radford and UConn smoked Chattanooga. Probably the biggest upset of the day was #12 W. Kentucky beating #5 Illinois. Tomorrow is another day of basketball filled excitement, and hopefully your bracket is not already busted. The Huskies will be playing Purdue in their next match, so it should be a great game. GO HUSKIES!! Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
 If you are a parent you may not want to hear this, but a new study says that parents are the reason why their children are obese. Of course this is probably an easy thing to understand when you think about the fact that children usually will eat what their parents eat. Although the study only looked at California teenagers they found that if parents were eating a healthy diet the chances of their children doing the same was high; in contrast if they ate a fast food diet the kids would do the same. Soda is one of the challenges for teens because it is so readily available. About 62% of teens according to the study drink soda and 1.4 million eat fast food. There are about 385 who eat lots of fruits and vegetables. The study was based on the California Health Interview Survey in which thousands of teens responded. The study showed that parents were the lead factor in whether a child ate nutritionally or not so it was important to help parents understand better nutrition. Parent's behavior around food can also be mimicked by their children. For many people, this study is not new because parents have a tendency to make children eat more food than is possible for the child. Some of the first problems happen when parents make a child sit and eat everything on their plate regardless of whether the child says they are full or not. Although this study was not based on science it is important to understand that parents are the first influence on what a child eats. Proper nutrition with lots of fruits and vegetables is a start and then adding exercise to the program is next. Parents can help their children with workouts too. There are many workout videos that can be done with kids and adults that are fun and easy to use. If you have an obese teen or younger child you can always make the workout fun. Try resistance bands or fitness balls with kids and use a teen video or DVD to get started. Shaun T. has come out with a workout just for kids called Shaun Ts Fit Kids Club. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
 Running is a great form of exercise. It helps to lose weight, slow the aging process, and improve overall health.Running is a great way to lose those unwanted pounds. In order to lose one pound you need to burn 3500 more calories than you intake. That breaks down to 500 calories per day. Runners can easily burn that amount in less than an hour of running at a good pace. To burn even more, cut down the amount of calories that you intake throughout the day. Running has also been proven to help with other health conditions such as high blood pressure. Unlike other targeted exercises, running works the entire body. While running, the entire body is engaged. The legs, arms, back, and abs all work hard to keep you going. If you are new to running you may notice that after your first run you are sore in areas other than your legs. A great way to stay motivated with your running program is to sign up for a race. Once you sign up, mark the day on your calendar and note how much progress you need to make every week. As the race nears you will be more motivated to keep training so that you can perform well. A great race for beginners is the 5K, 3.1 miles. This is a very reasonable distance that can be accomplished with a minimal amount of training. It is important to remember when you start your “running” plan you should be careful not to overdo it. As with any other workout routine, running takes persistence. You may not be as good as you would like to be when you first start out. However, if you keep running you will build up your endurance and be able to run for longer periods of time. Stay focused as you train, and you will be running marathons before you realize it. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
 Exercise balls are large rubber balls, filled with air. They are constructed of thick rubber to prevent puncture, and many have ridges on them to prevent you from slipping. Exercise balls come in a variety of different sizes to make it easy to customize your workout. They are also referred to as stability balls and Swiss exercise balls.What can using an exercise ball do for you? Using an exercise ball in your fitness routine helps to make sure that you are getting everything possible out of your exercises. When you add the exercise ball to your current exercises you are adding the element of balance. Your body is forced to constantly stay balanced because you are on a curved object. There are also workout videos such as Chalene Johnsons Get On The Ball workout that focuses on exercise balls. How do you use an exercise ball? Exercise balls can be added to your current exercises. For instance, if you do abdominal crunches on the floor, start practicing your crunches on the ball. Not only does this work the abs, but several other muscles because your body is trying to remain stable while balancing on the ball. It has even been suggested to use the ball as a chair while you are not exercising to help build and strengthen your core muscles. You can also place the ball under your feet when doing push ups to give you a wider range of motion. There are also several Pilates moves that can easily incorporate the exercise ball. What are the other benefits of using an exercise ball? Adding the element of the exercise ball to fitness routines has also been proven to reduce back pain. While exercising with the ball, your back and abdominal muscles are engaged to keep you balanced. This helps to strengthen the muscles in the back. They are also very economically priced, and there are several brands to choose from. If you are looking to add a little something extra to your workout routine, consider investing in an exercise ball. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Monday, March 16, 2009
 Do you track and log your workouts? Are you reviewing and always improving on your workouts? Most people answer these two questions with no, but the answer should be yes if you are trying to maximize your workouts. One of the largest obstacles people come across when working out is hitting a plateau. A plateau is when you have been working out for some time seeing great results, but then suddenly your muscles stop growing, your body stops advancing and it seems like nothing is working to get in better shape. Tracking your progress and always improving is one of the best ways to combat plateaus. If you have been running everyday but don't track how far you run and how long it takes you, the next day you may by accident do the exact same, or even worse do less. Your body is made to always be challenged. You need to continually be stretching yourself so that you muscles never stop working. If you run 3 miles for a whole month, you are not maximizing your workouts. You could be running 5 miles in that time and improving your body that much more. Tracking is the key. It is very simple to do. Just get yourself a notepad, write on the front Workouts, each day right down the date and what exercises you did, for how long, and how much weight you used. Every two weeks, check back and see what you did two weeks previous and improve on that. In a years time you will be able to see how far you have improved. This maximizes and motivates you. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Sunday, March 15, 2009
 Our bodies are the most resilient organisms you will find on earth. Our bodies resist any type of change, and will fight in order to maintain a set weight and structure. This is why just sticking to one fitness routine does not work. The body get’s immune to such routines and the process of losing weight and building muscle slows down. Therefore it is advisable to change our fitness and weight loss plans, and either make them more rigorous or more refined. The P90X workout and the Chalean Extreme both are workouts that target different levels of fitness so that your muscles cannot get used to each exercise. These two workout programs keep your muscles and your body progressing through the entire workout routine.Then our human nature is such that we resist changes and get comfortable to a particular routine, as we get good with a particular set of exercises. You must remember, that the moment you begin to perform an exercise with ease, it is not doing your body any good. This is because your body has become stronger to adjust to the level of activity you subject it to. If you want to see further results, you must change your fitness routine. Some beneficial changes you could make to your fitness program are:
By changing your workouts daily, you will break the monotony and make your workout routine more fun, motivating and effective. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Saturday, March 14, 2009
 When you were in high school, or perhaps you are currently in high school, do you remember having to do the row machine test. This was part of the P.E. physical fitness training. The pull ups, push ups, sit ups, sprints, etc where are merely child's compared to the turmoil that the row machine caused. There were more students that refused to do the row machine then any of the other exercises. I do not necessarily blame them, especially if they were out of shape. The row machine can put the hurt on.The row machine is a full body exercise that not only is great for cardio, but is killer on your muscle's. It not only works out your upper body, but also exercises the lower body and the core. The row machine is really a full body workout. If you are looking for a killer way to get your heart rate up and jump start your workout with some muscle fitness, try starting out your exercise with the row machine. The row machine is not only incredible for the start of your workout, but you can run some reps and build a whole entire workout routine around the row machine. I suggest using the row machine next time you are in the gym. If you want to try something similar at home you can use resistance bands, place them around your feet and pull back just like the row machine. Give it a shot. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Friday, March 13, 2009
 Right now across the nation college teams are playing their conference tournaments. I love this time of the year in college basketball, because it is the last shot some teams have to make the Big Dance. Already there has been some incredible games, so far the number 2 team in the nation Pittsburgh got upset by West Virgina, Baylor upset #11 Kansas, Oklahoma St. beat #6 Oklahoma, and in one of the craziest games #18 Syracuse beat #3 UConn in 6 OVERTIMES!!! That is nuts!! The #1 team in the nation North Carolina just avoided a huge upset by Virgina Tech. Right now I have a couple of friends who are at the Pac 10 Tournament. So far there has been no big upsets in the Pac 10, but I hope my Washington Huskies go all the way. The Huskies play Arizona State, which should be a pretty good game, they are both ranked in the top 20, so it should be a great battle.
Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Thursday, March 12, 2009
 Personally, I have never done any type of workout that involves dancing...really...I haven't. But everywhere I turn lately I see people dancing for their exercise. If I turn on the TV I see people dancing, like Hip Hop Abs, or if I go to the gym I see people in a separate room doing the cha cha. In fact there are tons of dance television shows on right now. We have Dancing With The Stars, MTV's America's Best Dance Crew, So You Think You Can Dance, dancing is taking over!! For myself I will probably never ever do a workout by dancing, but I can see why many people do it. First of all, it is active. You are constantly moving and it gets your heart rate up. Second, it looks like the people who do the dance class have a lot of fun, they actually enjoy it. And that is pretty important, that you enjoy yourself no matter what type of workout you do. Whether it be a at home workout like P90x or a routine that you have at the gym. So if you want to dance...then dance your heart away. There are many workouts to pick from too. You have dances like the Salsa, Hip Hop, Ballroom, Ballet, Jazz, and even Square dancing. The more popular dances are Salsa and Hip Hop, so if you can pull those off than they will probably give you the best workout. ~Matthew C. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
 To get you ready for softball season I thought I might do a bat review, because we are all looking for that next bat to come out and rock our worlds. For many people Softball season is just around the corner, so if you are looking for your batting gloves, your mitt, cleats, sliding pads, pants and balls, you might want to think about about getting a bat to help complement all your other gear. But which bat should you get? There are many bats out there to choose from, one of my favorites back in the day was the Miken Freak, it had a lot of pop and was durable. The bat that I have used for the last two seasons that I have absolutely loved is the Worth Mayhem 1.20. It is a 100% composite bat that is both approved by the USSSA and ASA. It has great pop right out of the package and only gets better. Although it does not have the greatest sound in the world, you will find that your hits will be traveling faster and further. It has a great sweet spot that helps any player. Just make sure...and this goes for any bat that when you are trying to break the bat in and using it for batting practice, that you rotate the bat on every swing. A lot of times new bats crack because the bat it getting hit in the same spot every time. Also if you can, do not hit in cold weather, I know if you are in the Northwester part of the united States that might be a problem, but try to hit in 60 degrees plus. It will improve the longevity of your bat. So try the Worth Mayhem!! ~Matthew C. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
 Wow!! I never thought I would be hearing about steroids as much as I have in the last three to four years. You cannot turn on the TV without hearing about a new athlete who has been busted by the use of some type of steroid. I was pretty bummed when I heard that Alex Rodriguez was the latest athlete to be using steroids. I really thought he was one of the clean ones, but we live in an age where everyone is trying to get the upper hand, and they will do anything to get it. Steroids are a very interesting drug, It is pretty much a drug that contains Testosterone which is a natural hormone in the body, but by taking steroids it helps you produce more testosterone, so you can get an increase of muscle mass. There is a big danger to it though, to many steroids or long term use can cause: -stunted growth in teens (by causing bones to mature too fast and stop growing at an early age) -liver tumors -abnormal enlargement of the heart muscles -violent, aggressive behavior and mood swings -blood lipid abnormalities that contribute to heart disease -acne (or a worsening of acne) -increased breast growth in males, especially teens -irreversible stretch marks -a heightened tendency for hair loss and male-pattern baldness -muscle aches So sure, steroids might get you a big contract but it will eventually destroy your body and most likely your relationships with friends and family, so it is not worth it. ~Matthew C. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Monday, March 9, 2009
 As I get into work this morning with my coffee in my hand my college here makes a crack at me. He says... "Nick you are going to get fat." Now I am no where near fat, but because I was drinking a coffee he thought he would be funny and throw that out there.So I started thinking about it... Is it good to start your day out with a coffee. I think the overwhelming and obvious answer is NO. Now, there are going to be hundreds of angry coffee drinkers out there, I may even get a little angry at myself, but lets break it down. What is in coffee? Well there is milk, okay not to terrible, unless of course you drink whole milk or god forbid breve. Then we have some coffee, not terrible, but not to good for you. Next we have some sort of sweetener, be its flavored syrup, mocha, caramel... okay now we are breaking into the bad. Now for some lets add on some whipped cream... oooooooooooo YUM. Now some more caramel on top of the whipped cream...... yeah now we are talking.......... OH, Now lets make it as HUGE as possible. 24 oz of goodness. You can see that the ingredients in a coffee go from bad to worse. To add insult to injury... coffee is ADDICTIVE. Oh man this is not looking good. The morning meal, called breakfast for those of you who haven't tried it in a while, is the most important meal of the day. Doctors, nutritionist and health experts are not just saying that because it sounds good. It really truly is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast should be a meal that is high in protein to give you the REAL energy to take on the day. Caffeine will cause you to crash, but a good breakfast will not. Coffee is not a positive replacement for a good morning meal. Drink your coffee, but make it a more rare occasion, more of a treat, do not replace your morning meal with a coffee. Your body will thank you, your health will thank you and your mind will thank you. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Sunday, March 8, 2009
 Now for those of you who are thinking. Why post on Sunday? Well I enjoy it. I like writing and I like to inform you of some things that may better your health.So what does a typical Sunday look like for me?... Well that is very easy to answer. Pretty much looks like nothing. I do not go into work. I do not do any organized exercise. I take Sundays as a day to truly rest. I'll wake up and head off to church. After church I usually go out for lunch with my wife and daughter and some friends. Then depending if it is a nice day or not I'll try to get outside and enjoy the outdoors. Either mountain biking, or hiking is what I like to do. My wife and I also love to play tennis when we get a chance. If the weather is not that nice I'll stay at home and play with my 20 month old daughter and just have some family time. It is important that you take a day to rest your body and your mind. Rest is one of the most important aspects of health and exercise. Your muscles will grow faster, your body will be more healthy the more you rest. When you rest your body has a chance to restore and rebuild. If Sunday does not work for you as a day to rest then pick a day that does. Just make sure you are getting enough rest. Its not lazy to sit around for one day a week... it is SMART and HEALTHY! Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Saturday, March 7, 2009
 The home gym is a great idea and if you have been working out with a 90 day program it is a good idea to make a plan of what's next. Many people get excited about the 90 days and forget that they will need to do something else when the program is finished so they can keep their fitness levels up.If you are feeling like the first 90 days went really well, your body is fit, and you are in a routine of exercising daily, there are some things that you can do to advance your workout without going to a gym. In fact, it's probably the time to move to a more advanced level. The first thing to do is to continue eating healthy and doing exercises. Even if you start back on the same routine at first while you are looking for something else to do, it insures that your fitness program will continue. This also means that you will want to keep the same level of intensity so you do not lose the level you have created. By this time you can also modify any of the programs you are working with to get a better workout. As an example, you may have certain exercises that you did in the p90x workout that you haven't seen complete mastery of yet. You can start with these and then build upon them for a higher level of workout. It is also possible to add more moves and other exercises on your own, depending on how creative you want to get. If you are already using a program like P90X you can go to the next level with it by doing P90X Plus. This program is highly regarded as the next step in fitness because it helps you continue a higher level program. As an example, in the Interval Plus X video you will get advanced level exercise to offset those you already know. This program can continue to keep you moving when you need the structure of a routine. It will also help you tone and continue moving your fitness program forward. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Friday, March 6, 2009
 Exercising does not have to be something that you dread. It can be something that you love to do. Most people think that exercising has to be running, or working out at the gym, or something along those lines. This is simply not the case.Be creative when you workout. Personally I love to ride my bike, so I often times use my bike as my exercise for the day. I do not just go ride on the streets, but I'll head up into the mountains and ride in the woods, these are things that make me enjoy it even more. This gives me a chance to exercise and love it at the same time. I also really enjoy swimming, so I have found a gym with a swimming pool, and in the summer I head to one of the local lakes in the area. Swimming to me is refreshing and a great overall body workout. There are times when you will not enjoy working out. When I train for mountain climbing I like to spend a good amount of time on the stair stepper because this is one of the best exercises to work the muscles I'll use when climbing. Even though I do not enjoy that a ton I am doing it with a purpose, and on top of that I try to get outside and actually climb for my training as much as I possibly can. This keeps me motivated and gets me out of the gym. Try thinking of just a few active things that you like to do. Now brainstorm ways that you can use that activity and maximize it into a workout. Doing this will keep you in shape and motivated better then a cheap monthly gym rate will. I've never seen someone that does not enjoy working out in the gym start using a gym just because they got a 'great low monthly rate'. It just doesn't work that way. You need to find what you love to do and do that. Here are some examples of what you could do. - Bike - Hike - Swim - Run in the park - Get outside to exercise - Try something new - Mountain Bike - Rollerblade - Exercise with a friend - Set a goal and train for it. (ie run a marathon, climb a mountain, do a 100 mile bike ride, etc etc) - Try an in home workout dvd. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Thursday, March 5, 2009
 How difficult is it for you to eat healthy when you go on vacation? For most people this can be quite difficult. The temptations to splurge is great, but often leads to feeling worse after the vacation is over.Most vacations consist of eating out and often times, like on a cruise, you can eat as much as you want, whenever you want. A lot of people say that they come home from a vacation feeling sick, or just as tired as when they left. Now vacations are a time to play hard and enjoy yourself, but if you take the right steps you do not have to come home feeling bloated, tired, worn out, but still had the time of your life. I would say the number one problem people face when they are on vacation is not drinking enough water. There is soda, alcoholic beverages, juice and other drinks that people enjoy consuming, and a lot of times drink in place of water. Water is vitally important. Remember to drink loads of water when you are on vacation. Especially if you are in a tropical location. The headaches, body aches and tiredness is often times symptoms of dehydration. You can eliminate those things simply by drinking a lot of water. Many times people on vacation substitute a breakfast for a quick and easy coffee on their way to the fun. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and making time for a breakfast is important. Do not skip lunch either and try keeping lunch on the light side. Stuffing yourself with a huge lunch only to stuff your self again a few hours later for dinner is not healthy. Try this on your next vacation. Typically you eat three meals a day. Make two of the meals you eat be healthy and light. Start your day off with eggs, or foods with protein, eat a healthy and not too heavy lunch and enjoy whatever dinner you want. It you get hungry in the day try snacking on things that are a little more healthy then chips and dip with a soda. Eating healthy two out of three meals and drinking loads of water is a very practical way you can make your next vacation not end in feeling worse then when you left.
Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
 When you are low on energy there are plenty of ways that you can boost your energy. Some of these ways are natural and some of them are far from natural.What is healthy? What is bad for you? What are the best options for your health and fitness? All these are questions that you should answer, or at least find the answer too. Health is a big deal, a very big deal. Dumping loads of junk into your body is not a great idea. Most energy drinks are packed full of sugars, which gives you a big rush of energy, but then causes you to crash and feel even more tired and groggy. Not only that these high in sugar energy drinks are not healthy by any stretch of the imagination. There are some better alternatives to high sugary energy drinks. There are some natural options and some non-natural but healthy alternatives. To boost your energy naturally you can try eating any of the many super foods that are packed full of protein and energy. Here is a short list of them. Organic Tomatoes, Blueberries, Bananas, Avocados, Almonds, Apples, Natural Peanut Butter, Pomegranate, Broccoli, and the list goes on. Try thinking of boosting your energy as a long term thing. You can build a lifestyle that constantly has high energy. From the time you wake up to the time you go to bed. You can help achieve this by sleeping more, eating the right foods, exercising, drinking LESS caffeine, take your vitamins. Energy should be a constant, not something that you drink and lasts for just a few hours. The caffeine addiction is one of the biggest enemies of energy. Although so many people feel that they cannot get by without their coffee, if they would get away from that need everyday and replace that with healthy natural super foods and a good breakfast their energy levels would increase dramatically. Now I'll be honest, I do have a coffee occasionally, and by occasionally I actually mean it. I one time went about 2.5 years and could count the coffees I had on one hand. You do not have to cut it out completely just limit it, make it a rare treat instead of a daily need. Believe it or not it has been proven that exercise, although uses a lot of energy, replaces energy better then anything you can drink. When your body restores itself from the exercise you will find that you have more and more energy every time. Here is an idea. Try just ten minutes a day with the 10 minute trainer. Literally just ten minutes a day, but Tony Horton's methods are insane and work. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Yes I am from Seattle and yes this has nothing to do with working out, but I am pretty excited because the Seahawks signed wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Read about it here on ESPN.
 He will be in the blue uniform next year! I am a big Seahawks fan and with the troubles and injuries in the wide receiver position last year T.J. is going to be an awesome addition. Houshmandzadeh has the most catches in the league over the last three years. He is a pro bowl wide receiver and is going to give Matt Hasselback another great wide receiver to play toss with. GO HAWKS!!! and Great Choice T.J.! Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Monday, March 2, 2009
 WOW those weekends go by quickly. We had a great time at Poo Poo Point, but unfortunately we were did not get to see anyone jump. Maybe it is still to cold, I am not sure, probably just didn't catch anyone up there. Last year we climbed it in February and saw a group of jumpers. It was still a beautiful hike up on a very nice day. It was so great to get out in nature and feel the cool air as we hiked. I am saying we as in a couple of my friends and I made the trek. It is getting to that time of year again where I start to go out side more to exercise. This is the most exciting time of the year. It starts to get more and more light everyday, which means more time to spend outside. I do have one last goal before the whether gets real nice, and that is to complete the Chalean Extreme Workout. I am doing this workout with a friend. He just finished the p90x workout, so it'll be great because we will both have some good comparisons between the two. I'll be sure to share those with you. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
Sunday, March 1, 2009
 In light of it being a Sunday, I am going to talk about something that is vitally important in your quest to get in the best shape of your life. REST! Do you know that your body rebuilds its energy supply, heals your muscles and restores itself much faster when you are sleeping. Studies have shown that when you sleep is when your body does most of that work. In fact they even say that when babies sleep their bodies and minds are developing TWICE as fast as when they are awake. Sometimes sleeping a lot can seem like a waste of time but it is vitally important to your body restoring itself the best it can. The best way I have found to get more sleep is simply going to bed earlier. Since most people cannot get up later that is really the best option. That or naps. Another important thing to remember is to just rest. Sometimes it is okay to sit on the couch and watch a movie in the middle of the day on Saturday or Sunday. Resting and taking days off of your exercise programs will help you build the energy back up to maximize the program you are doing. Lets say your are going through the p90x exercise program, using workout bands and busting out pull ups on a doorway pull up bar. The program calls for 90 days of hard workouts. It may be good for you to take a day off and rest if you are not maximizing your day to day workouts. Your Place For: Workout Routines - Workout DVDs - P90X
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