Four Ways to Fit More Fitness in Your Schedule
Everyday our lives are crammed with our daily routines. We go to work, study, pay our bills, etc. and never seem to have time for ourselves, what more to exercise. When we have too much on our plates, when do we find the time to think of fitness programmes? How do we stay fit? Lucky for us, an exercise routine does not have to be a full one-hour solid event. There are several ways where we can get some exercise time into our daily schedules. Below are four ways how you can incorporate exercise routines into your everyday life.Fitness At WorkWhen we think of it, work and exercise rarely go together. But nowadays, more and more employers are giving the opportunity for their workers to get healthy. There are even companies that incorporate special exercise or fitness breaks into the employees’ workday. That’s all well and good. But what if the company you work for does not provide such fitness breaks? How do you get your exercise? Hey here’s a secret. You can exercise at the office without ever letting anyone know! How do you do that, you say? Easy! Next time you need to go up or down use the stairs instead of the elevators. And how about trying to walk around as much as possible instead of sending that sms or that email to a co-worker? And, instead of using the bathroom on your floor, how about going up or down a few flights of stairs? You could also practice Pilate’s right at your desk, and perform simple stretching exercises either in your own little cubicle or in the bathroom. If you try to look for ways to exercises you’ll be amazed at the many opportunities that are available to you, right there in your office.Fitness At HomeYou’re at home. Great! What better place to exercise right? Wrong! In the home you might have other responsibilities such as being a mum or a dad. One way for you to be able to exercise is to also include your children in the routines. Once they’re involved with you, you’ll find it easier to exercise. Another plus point would be that you would be able to spend that special quality time with your kids, and they won’t even think of exercise as work or chores, so you’ll have double the fun. Need ideas? Go for walks before or after dinner, or organize a tag game which involves the whole family. Or you could turn your house chores into exercise routines. When vacuuming, make sure you use your arms and back and core muscles so that they are involved when you’re vacuuming. Or while loading the dishwasher or washing machine, maintain proper posture when bending and standing straight. This will keep your stomach muscles tight, and exercise them as you would while doing stomach exercise routines. Or for a quick aerobic blast, how about sweeping the driveway? Instant workout!Out and AboutWe may not think of exercising when we’re out and about doing our errands. However, once you try this, you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it before. When you’re in any kind of line or queue, say at the grocery store or the bank, try to contract your buttocks for about 15 counts and release. This will help to strengthen your butt muscles (and will keep you cool should the customer in front of you needs five price checks!). One other routine you can try is to stand on you tiptoes for account of 10. Slowly drop back to your original position. This will strengthen your calf muscles. Or next time when you’re out shopping, use a grocery cart and push it all round the supermarket. Let’s say you’re sitting in traffic. Use that time to stretch and perform some arm movements while you wait. Of course some people may give you funny looks or stare, but that’s ok. You know what you’re doing is for your own good. Plus it keeps your blood pressure from shooting through the roof while waiting in that traffic jam.As and whenWhen it’s one of those days when you’re bored or feeling lifeless, get up and visit a local park or do some speed-walking around your neighborhood. If weather doesn’t permit, go to the mall. Walk around the mall at least twice on all levels. Did you know that there are some malls with reward programs which give you points just for walking the mall? These points can then be redeemed into gift certificates or shopping coupons. How’s hat for random walking around the mall? Plus all that walking will be good for you. When you think about it there are many places where you can go for random fitness outings. So next time you’re out and about, look out for these areas for your next spur of the moment exercise trip! Have fun!
Fitness 2009: The Latest Trends
Keeping in top shape has always been an important goal for individuals, whether it is for managing stress, keeping old age at bay or simply as a means of looking and feeling good. This year proves no different and while there are new programs to look forward to, there is also a seemingly deeper emphasis on the good old back-to-basics, sweat-it-out programs. Gone are the days when people switched to the pill for a quick fix to their fitness problems. So what does the new year bring to the fitness lifestyle?Fitness Programs for Children with Obesity Obesity has always been a major problem for a lot of people but over the years there has been a disturbing increase in the number of children who suffer from this condition. This year will bring about continued and focused efforts to address childhood obesity, especially as studies show this condition can cross over to adulthood.Skilled and Certified Personal Trainers and Fitness ExpertsEven as personal training has become more affordable and readily accessible, people are also becoming more discerning of the services that they acquire. There is a growing demand for fitness professionals with credible certification. People don’t take wellness lightly and are unwilling to compromise on the quality of fitness programs that they choose.PilatesPilates continues to be a popular choice because it is not only limited to keeping you in top physical form. It also addresses issues such as injury prevention, improving flexibility and stress management. Not only do you become stronger, you are more relaxed.Employee Wellness ProgramsCorporations continue to extend the benefits that they provide to their employees in the form of a well-devised wellness scheme, and why not? Studies show that wellness programs can increase employee productivity, which in the long run spells benefits for companies as well.Sweat-It-Out ActivitiesStrength training, indoor cycling, core training – these are just some of the programs designed to strengthen your body and get the most activity out of you. There are also workouts designed to improve stability such as balance training and the use of stability balls.Fitness Programs for SeniorsMore of the retirement-age and elderly population are getting in on the action to make sure they stay in top form throughout their golden years. A lot of these programs are geared specifically to seniors and baby boomers so people are assured they get the most out of their fitness scheme, plus there are no fears of over-exertion.Functional FitnessSimply put, functional fitness is a workout program that improves your capability to do everyday tasks such as doing household chores, gardening or running errands. These exercise activities are not limited to the use of exercise machines and some may even incorporate role playing where individuals do the actual daily tasks.Sensible Weight LossWeight loss programs become more focused on achieving overall well-being as opposed to get-thin-quick schemes. A sensible weight loss program encourages people to eat well as well as incorporate exercise into their daily routine.Other trends to watch out for this year are the:• buddy system training• sport-specific training and;• wellness coaching.
Five Things To Look For From Your Personal Trainer
Finding and choosing the appropriate in home personal trainer to meet your fitness needs can be a harrowing and exhausting experience. Most of the time people will use their friend’s trainer as a recommendation only to be disappointed that they do not reach the same goals as their friend because that trainer was not appropriate for them or their fitness needs. Throughout this article, Team Fitness America recommends five key points to take note of when choosing a fitness professional.
1. Certification – Sometimes the most stressful part of finding the right in home personal trainer is figuring out what your trainer knows and how they came to learn it. With all of the certification acronyms available such as ACE, AFAA, NPTI, AAA-ISMA, and even college level degrees, it is easy find ourselves asking, “What does it all mean?” Most certifications are textbook classes and exams that trainers must pass each year to keep their certificate current. The above are the most popular and also include NASM, WITS, NFPI and ACSM. Other online “quick-buy” certifications are not normally acceptable through most companies.
When choosing a personal trainer through an organization, whether it is gym based or home based, you know that your personal trainer’s certification(s) are checked out and certain guidelines are followed to maximize your program results. Places like 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, and even Team Fitness America all have personal trainers that sat for at least one certification exam. In addition, your personal trainer may pick up specialties like kickboxing, aquatic aerobics, group fitness, Spinning (cycling), Yoga or Pilates. Each additional certification will give your personal trainer more credibility and versatility when designing a fitness program that meets your needs.
2. Affordability – Most personal trainers that are not related to a gym or home based fitness company will gladly take you on as a client but they usually will ask you to pay anywhere from $85 to $150 per session. These personal trainers have taken the same courses and passed the same exams as organizational related personal trainers that charge a fraction of the cost.
The common mistake that somebody might make is that if the personal trainer charges more, then he or she is more knowledgeable and experienced than a more affordable personal trainer. If you are unsure of their experience, then ask to see a resume and what school they studied at to obtain their certification. If you are looking to work with a home based fitness company, then look for an organization that requires certain standards from their fitness staff. Going through an organization like this will give you the opportunity to have a qualified in home personal trainer at an extremely affordable price.
3. Background Check – Hiring an independent personal trainer or fitness specialist because your friend recommended it does not mean they are safe or lack a criminal history. Even though you want to get in shape fast, you still want to protect who you are letting in your home or even around your family. If you are seeking an in home personal trainer, then structural based organizations like Team Fitness America as well as many others make sure that their personal trainers have a clean criminal background, checked references, and certifications have been verified. If you just found someone’s business card then how can you be so sure that person is really certificated and has a clean background? You can avoid all of this hassle and concern by using a company that offers prescreened, certified personal trainers.
4. Convenience – Nothing is more frustrating then choosing the right personal trainer and finding out the only slot they have open is during times that you are not available. You need consistent workouts and the only real way that you are going to stay consistent is by procuring a personal trainer during times that are convenient to you. You need a personal trainer that meets your schedule, your days, and your times. Otherwise, you will find yourself wanting to make excuses of why you cannot find time to work out. Make sure that when you choose a personal trainer that you know in advance that they will be able to accommodate your schedule.
5. Compatibility – Your friend at work had good intentions by referring his or her personal trainer to you, but maybe their personality does not live up to the type of person that you can build a bond with. It is important to have the right personal trainer because you are going to build a bond with that person and there has to be a high trust factor to feel that their advice is the best advice. If you are looking to get in shape but you need to start slow and gradually progress in your workout, then hiring a boot camp instructor will only make you want to quit your program from the consistent feeling of always being too sore before your next workout. On the flip side, if you have only allotted yourself a short time period to reach your goals (maybe a wedding, party, or vacation), then you need a personal trainer that will push you beyond your current fitness threshold. Compatibility is more than just personality, it is thinking of your fitness goals with a long-term mind set.
Make an educated decision, but do not get yourself stuck by spending weeks sifting through fitness trainer resumes, meeting them, even asking to background check them all on your own. Go with a health club or in home personal training organization that has worked hard to do all of these things for you. The key factor is to make sure that once you are ready to make that commitment to a healthy lifestyle change that you stay dedicated with it and stick to a good nutritional program while your personal trainer is not with you.
Pilates for Core Strength
Until the mid 90’s the core conditioning routine that I had consisted of the typical sit up benches and military training I previously did. In an effort to expand my “toolbox” of knowledge, a Master trainer had a class certification available that included Mat, Chairs and Barrels, Reformer and the Cadillac. I was in a class with mainly women and few other guys. I stood out as the “bodybuilder” –“military bearing” posture body type upon assessment protocol.
When demonstrations were needed, looking back, it became obvious that my strength with larger muscles than my class mates, made some movements easy…but most other movements that required finesse, very difficult. To further “close me on the deal “ of Pilate’s certification, the master trainer promptly signed up with me to do some regular one on one session’s in the gym. He easily blew through the workout…with unreal total body strength. My little ego was challenged, but I signed up for the class. Several thousands of dollars later I can honestly say that Pilates is and was a very welcome add to my fitness education journey.
Many who have not experienced Pilates firsthand compare it to Yoga, and while there are some similarities with the mind-body connection, Pilates is a much more active exercise. While Yoga revolves around poses and stretching, Pilates truly relies on using your body weight for strength and conditioning moves that focus on, you guessed it, your core. Each movement is slow and controlled and will focus on the particular muscles of every part of your body. Most movements are compound in nature so that rather than focus on simply your biceps for example, an arm movement may incorporate the biceps, triceps, and shoulders as well. Some of the leg lifts, while incredibly simple in appearance, provide an amazing workout for your upper thigh and hip area, helping to further strengthen this often neglected area of your core.
There are two main types of Pilates you can choose to participate in. One is mat Pilates, which by far the most popular in which you use your body weight to move through graceful yet challenging movements to develop overall body and core strength. The other is on the Reformer, a machine with springs and pulley’s on a rolling bed supported by a rail like frame, which you use a to take you through a series of movements for shoulder and pelvic stabilizers . Both forms are incredibly challenging and provide a workout unlike any other. While performing Pilates, your body and mind can go into a meditative relaxed state because of the fluid and grace of the motions, but make no mistake, you are doing some serious exercise, and if you forget while you are doing it, your body will remind you the next day.
Because every movement in Pilates is slow, controlled, and requires steady breathing throughout, your abdominals and lower back will receive a fantastic workout. Many who try Pilates become hooked and notice immediate changes in both their strength and flexibility as well as the definition in their midsection. Originally, Pilates became a popular warm-up and stretching and strengthening tool for ballet dancers, but now, millions of people from all walks of life have taken up the practice of Pilates including martial artists, boxers, and even some of the top names in the sports of football and basketball.
One of the most beautiful things about practicing Pilates is that the gentle nature of the exercise makes it perfect for people of any age to practice. It is incredibly safe and will provide results for those ages 8 to 80, and even beyond. If core strength and development is what you are after, sit in on a Pilate’s class and discover what millions of others have: Pilates is one of the most effective core strengthening exercise programs ever developed.
Certification Personal Trainer Courses are Vital for Employment
Are you great at motivating people? Interesting in helping others make healthy lifestyle choices? Think personal training is the career for you? If so, the best way to get started beyond leading by example is to look into certification personal trainer education programs.
Anyone can profess to be a personal trainer, but quality instructors really know their stuff. This goes way beyond having an ability to motivate and inspire others. It means providing good, solid information about exercises, diet and more. It also means having a grasp on how to correctly deal with special cases, such as people who have gone through traumatic situations like car accidents, dealing with youngsters and beyond.
The best personal trainers not only know their way around a gym, they also know how to properly guide their clients into a healthier lifestyle while taking mitigating circumstances into consideration. Plus, they are adept with a multitude of training techniques ranging from basic lifting and cardiovascular workouts to Pilates, yoga and beyond. Not every form of training will appeal to individual clients, so having a range of options can make or break a personal training business.
Certification in the field is important for a number of reasons. The top, however, is it offers clients and possible employers the peace of mind in knowing they’re hiring someone who really knows his or her trade.
Personal training certification programs generally include a number of valuable lessons, all of which will greatly help the trainer down the road. Some of the top areas covered in a good training course include:
* Client assessment. How to find out where your client is health and fitness-wise. Starting a beginner on a 10-mile run a day isn’t smart, but jumping right in to that with a marathon runner might be. Knowing the difference and how to accurately assess fitness levels is very important for getting started.
* Personal trainers are there to serve their clients. Inasmuch, understanding a client’s individual goals is vital. Interview techniques are necessary to determine this. Training will help advance these skills.
* Special needs training. No two people alike and trainers need to adapt their routines to fit clients’ needs. To help trainers practice this, certification courses generally offer information on how to handle different cases as they arise. This can include elderly clients, handicapped clients or those who are recovering from surgery or even physical trauma.
* Business skills. A lot of personal trainers choose to go into their own private businesses. To do so, they need to have a background in handling the books and other nitty gritty details. Certification programs can offer valuable lessons here as well.
It’s one thing to be great at working out and motivating people, but it’s another thing entirely to take that on full-time as a career or business. To get started, the best way often is to make sure some solid training is backing you up. Lots of different situations arise during the course of a personal trainer’s career, so knowledge is key.
Training programs are vital for making sure trainers not only know the physical end of the craft, but also the business and psychological aspects, too. Plus, certification personal trainer programs also give future clients and/or employers the ability to know they are hiring a knowledgeable person for the job.
Combination Pilates
Pilates in an exercise ball. Pilates fitness band. Pilates with yoga. Pilates for tango dancing. Pilates in the pool. The list goes on, but are we really talking about Pilates even when presented mostly in the context of a system of exercises? Much of the Pilates community would say no, and much would say yes.
Joseph Pilates developed a wide repertoire of exercises based on the principles of very specific movement. Their exercises are done on a mat or one of the many pieces of equipment he invented, as the magic circle, a Pilates chair or reformer. That’s near the end of the story for many traditionalists in the world of Pilates. However, as the Pilates method has influenced the exercise science and vice versa, many new approaches and equipment have found their way in the formation of Pilates.
The key question then is: How far from traditional Pilates is too far? If you take a class or buy a Pilates video and pretending to be something, say Pilates and ballroom dancing, but there are only two traditional Pilates exercises in the whole thing, is Pilates? “And if we add fundamental building work? If you do a Pilates class and the instructor ball no more than a day “Pilates on the ball” certification from one of the many self-appointed certification companies, you will reap the benefits associated with doing Pilates correctly?
I can not answer those questions. My job is to bring to your attention and alert you that the fact that while most of Pilates-based instruction is excellent, there are a lot of Pilates combined with other teams and traditions and is derived from Pilates there is no real is in it – other than as a noun or as a marketing tool.
So how do you know if you go to a fusion of Pilates experience that Pilates gives you enough to be worthwhile, especially if there is no traditional Pilates taught? The 5 tips below will help you be a demanding customer:
1. The best solution is to know about Pilates. Take some Pilates classes, equipment or mate, with a fully certified Pilates instructor. Then go to the combination of Pilates with this or that. At least you have an idea of the basics of Pilates movement, and you will be able to see the principles in its fusion instructor or not.
2. Find out how much of his instructional Pilates Fusion Pilates teacher actually does. Do not settle for a one day workshop. If the instructor is the combination of Pilates with something else, yoga or ballet, for example, must be well trained in both.
3. Look for the basics of Pilates inspired instruction and an emphasis on abs who retired in supporting the core, the length and alignment, exercise modification, including the stability of the ABS base, shoulder and pelvis integrated breathing, and a sense of the principles of Pilates.
4. Ask yourself how you feel after a class. Are you getting the benefits associated with Pilates training? Do your limbs feel more and feel taller? Are you getting the strength without the stress? His posture is better and breathing is easy and completely? Are you more flexible?
What is the Difference Between Yoga and Pilates?
Copyright (c) 2007 Jess Harley
Let’s face it, being a woman is stressful. Most of us have to hold down careers, raise a family, keep a clean house and have dinner on the table by 6pm. Our physical health and fitness can be greatly affected by too much stress. As women we also have to deal with hormonal changes once a month and when we are pregnant our hormones are even more out of wacked. Yoga and Pilates are two excellent forms of stress management and are also helpful in keeping our hormones and body in check. What is the difference between the two and which one is better for you?
Let’s start by talking about Pilates. Pilates was created early in the 20th century. The point of Pilates is to concentrate on the development of the core of the body or as you will hear in Pilates classes the Powerhouse. For years dancers used Pilates to obtain the lean and sculpted bodies that they needed. Benefits of Pilates included strong abs and a strong back muscles.
Now on to Yoga. Yoga has been around for centuries and has been shown to be a powerful tool to reduce stress, and lower blood pressure. Yoga poses are also designed to tone and exercise the muscles of your body which will help eliminate any excess fat. There are also breathing techniques, and meditation that is included.
Both Yoga and Pilates are what is known as ‘mind body’ programs. This means it requires its users to be mentally focused as they perform all the exercises. Both are slower than normal calisthenics and use have you use your breath with movement. The biggest difference in Yoga and Pilates is structure. Yoga can be loosely structured while Pilates has more of a stricter routine and is done in sets and reps. Each move of Pilates should be done in a very order and precise way. Technique is key with Pilates. Yoga tends to be a little more free form.
If you need order and want to follow things a specific way, then Pilates might be a better choice for you because of how displicne it has to be. Most of the time people who are considered a “Type A” personality tend to lean more toward Pilates. People who are more mellow might want to try Yoga since it is not as structure. No matter what one you choose there are some things you need to look for. First make sure there is a qualified instructor. Yoga and Pilates require their instructors to have completed in depth training to fully understand the subject and the techniques. The instructors should have a good knowledge of anatomy and human movement. There are many schools and training courses that a instructor can get their certification, some can last for a weekend while other can last month. A good instructor though will usually be certified in one of the two. In order to ensure that you find a good instructor you might want to enlist the help of either Yoga Alliance which provides you with a searchable database where you can find a qualified instructor, or you can check out the Pilates Method Alliance which provides you not only with a database of qualified instructors, it also gives you a list of questions to ask your instructor.
Regardless of what one you decide to go with, you will not be disappointed in the results that you will soon see.
Pilates Benefits
Pilates has developed into one of the top utilized fitness methods worldwide. The popularity of this fitness regime has grown immensely due to the ease of being able to incorporate Pilates into one’s everyday lifestyle, as well as its guarantee of positive results.
Although an original art with numerous movements and techniques, Pilates can also be viewed as a fusion between Yoga, Dance and Gymnastics. The varieties of exercises that can be utilized during a class are numerous and the art strives to increase your relationship with your body and in turn improve both your overall strength and health.
Pilates can be practiced in the comforts of your own home with the use of a Pilate’s reference book; however it may be easier to locate a qualified instructor in your area if you battle to settle into a routine independently. Instructors are plentiful worldwide; however care should be taken as to the type of certification and experience your Pilates instructor may have. If your instructor’s sessions are performed without you’re positioning being checked, this should be a good sign that they may not be as experienced as you may have thought. Positioning, breathing and concentration are very important in attaining the correct results. Getting set up is just as easy; all you need is a mat and some comfortable clothes. Although not necessary, there are numerous Pilates clothing and equipment stores online, for those of you wanting to work out in a bit of style!
So what are these benefits of Pilates? Pilates will not only give you that firmer, smaller and more toned bottom you have been praying for, but your posture is also guaranteed to improve shortly after commencing classes. Your body will slowly change to become longer and leaner, your balance and flexibility will improve and you will enjoy the benefits of a flatter and more attractive looking stomach. If you suffer from back pain or have experienced any repetitive stress injuries, Pilates has also been known to assist in the recovery process through better body alignment and body awareness. The chances of injuring yourself also decrease after practicing Pilates over a period of time, due to your bodies renewed strength and flexibility. Joseph Pilates was the founder of the art. It was due to his clever approach of strengthening and rehabilitating himself and other prisoners of war that he developed a special technique that still forms an integral part in Pilates today. Joseph Pilates used the bed and springs in the camp for resistance and stability while performing exercises with the prisoners. Small movement alongside this stability means that muscles are isolated and one can train the muscles underneath to work much harder and not rely totally on outside muscles. It is very difficult to feel muscles in isolation and a lot of concentration is necessary. Sarah Rosenfield, an expert in her field explains this quite nicely when stating, “By stabilizing your shoulders for example, it means that when you reach for a tin off a top shelf in the kitchen, you don’t have to pull on your shoulder. You can hold your shoulder still and still reach, isolating different sets of muscles. By doing so, you are strengthening other muscles and taking pressure away from your shoulder itself”. This is a very important and consistently used approach in Pilates and is significantly useful when wanting to increase body strength and decrease injury or future muscle degeneration.
In a nut shell, Pilates is a technique that stretches and strengthens your muscles and increases your relationship with your body. Back pain is usually caused due to poor posture or weak muscles in your stomach area. Pilates teaches you to strengthen these muscles by sucking in your stomach and working various muscles while performing exercise routines. Strengthening these muscles aid in bettering your posture and in turn your back ache. With muscles strengthened, you will find that daily physical activities will also be improved and more easily accomplished. Your spine is another area of your body that you use daily and can deteriorate as you get older due to its shock-absorbing structures decreasing and leaving you more susceptible to injury. Pilates is one of the best techniques used to strengthen both your spines stability and strength. Various exercises in Pilates address both stability and strength of the spine, enabling you to build up your spine strength and prevent future injury. Clearly, Pilates is not dedicated solely to individuals with injuries, but it works with isolating muscles and core strength, enabling one to better deal with the stresses and strains found in most everyday routines and lifestyles.
Although following the Pilates core principles of: “control, flowing movement, centering, precision and stability” may seem daunting and a huge task on its own, it is most definitely worth it. Classes range from beginners, intermediate to advanced and exercise that may seem difficult to start with will end up feeling both natural and energizing. Plus – you benefit from fitting into those sexy bottom hugging clothes you have been dying to get your hands on this summer!
