Fitness Mantra for Your Mind, Body and Soul - Ashtanga Yoga!

How are you maintaining a balance with the fast paced world? Do you sometimes feel tired of life? Do you want to strengthen your body so that it can withstand the daily pressures of life? Are you sick of the daily exercises which are boring and which actually you want to avoid every morning? If your answer is a 'yes', then read on. And if it is a 'no', then I must say, there is something special for you too.

One of the biggest drawbacks of your regular exercises is that it can provide fitness to your body only; what about your mind and soul? One simple answer - Try the age-old practice of Yoga. Yes, whatever you call it, yoga, dance yoga, kickboxing yoga, yoga workout or anything else, the point is that it can certainly give you a solution.

What you need is to join a yoga class. You can go for a yoga centre or a yoga studio, whatever it is and start practicing. One advantage of joining such classes is that you can have the proper training from the yoga teachers. Once you have learnt Ashtanga Yoga you can easily practice it at your home. You just need to buy some equipment like a yoga DVD, a yoga bag and a mat to perform the exercise.

No matter where you practice, at home or at a class, doing the yoga correctly is very important for a positive outcome. Whereas a right posture can cure many diseases, a wrong one can create troubles too. Here are some types of yoga which are very popular nowadays.

• Pilates Yoga- Developed by George Pilates, this type of exercise is very popular in the United States. Though it is referred as yoga, actually it is not. The only resemblance is that it also gives an exercise to the mind. It can be referred to as a yoga with movement or yoga with machines.

• Bikram Yoga- Bikram yoga is a more aerobic and a physical type of yoga. It was founded by Bikram Choudhry. This type of yoga is not meant for everyone. It is carried out in a warm room with a temperature around 90 to 100 degrees and therefore it is also called as hot yoga.

• Power Yoga- This is actually a modified version of Ashtanga yoga, which will be described later on. It is a practice of doing 'yoga poses' in a continuous series of exercises. This type of yoga helps you to enhance your inner power and to make a connection with your soul.

• Ashtanga Yoga- In Sanskrit, Ashtanga means 'eight limbs' and it refers to the eight limbs of the Yoga Sutras. It was taken from Yoga Korunta, a very ancient text. A student has to progress through six different series in this type of yoga.

This method helps in realignment of spine, detoxification of body, building strength and flexibility and also in strengthening of the nervous system.

There are three different levels of Ashtanga yoga. The first level helps you to align the body and gets the toxins out of your body. The second level helps to clean and open the energy channels. The last level is for the advanced ones and it helps in measuring power and grace.

Ashtanga yoga is a very popular type of yoga. It is a very energetic and athletic form of practice. It has many benefits like relieving from sore muscle and joint pain. Along with these physical benefits, it does have some mental and emotional benefits also. If you practice this yoga, you gain the ability to focus mentally and release the negative energy. It will give you relief from unwanted tensions as well.

If you are searching for a perfect yoga fitness program, Ashtanga yoga can be a good choice for you. If you are a beginner in the field of yoga then this can be quite tough for you to start with. You can start with some other simple methods. After bringing yourself up to its level and gaining the required fitness level, you can surely give it a try and reap the benefits!

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Kettlebell Exercises - A Surefire Way to Total Body Fitness

Kettlebell exercises have only recently become very popular in the United States, though in Russia they have been a staple workout in military institutes for many years, for weight loss and to gain strength, stamina and muscle mass. Since Pavel Tsatsouline, a former special forces coach from Russia, brought the russian kettlebell, or 'Girya' by it's Russian name, to the US it's become all the rage with athletes, coaches and celebrities to increase flexibility and strength.

When comparing the russian kettle bell to some of the equipment you see in most gyms nowadays, it may look like from another time, but don't be fooled by appearances. A kettlebell workout is very intense and can give you amazing results even highly sophisticated gym equipment would be hard pressed to match. Kettle bell weights are mostly made of cast iron and look like a cannonball with a handle or a kettle, hence the name. For convenience the handles are made of rubber nowadays; much easier to grip than the original iron handles.

Most kettlebell exercises put many body parts to work at the same time, which gives you a total body workout. Some exercises using kettlebell routines target specific parts of the body and, just as with dumbbells, a wide variety of exercises and combinations exist. To reach total body conditioning you will want to do training that includes swings, cleans, windmills, presses, turkish get ups and jerks to work out the entire body.

Kettlebell exercises are excellent fat burners and put the entire nervous system to work. A highly intensive kettle bell workout in a providence gym, with a personal training program to fit your fitness needs, will whip you into shape in no time. It can leave your body exhausted in a few minutes, since the body moves freely and isn't supported by benches or machines as in regular gym exercises. For this same reason these exercises burn more calories and reduce fat faster than regular fitness training programs would. An intense workout can be done in under twenty minutes, which is great for busy people, who just don't have the time to spend hours on end in the gym.

Even though kettlebell exercises look like they require a lot of strength to execute, kettle bell weights come at different weight levels, so the exercises can be done by man and women alike, at any fitness level. Through this type of training you can improve your grace of movement and get muscles and joints to act in full motion range. Grip strength and endurance, so necessary for sports like martial arts, tennis, ball sports, rowing ad others, will greatly improve with kettlebell exercises. Even for jobs like fire fighters and police men, kettlebell workouts in a providence gym will whip them into the top shape they need to be in to do their jobs.

A word of advice though, when starting out with Russian bells you want to make sure to get the right instruction to avoid injuries. Get started in a providence gym where the personal trainer instructor is RKC # 2 certified, which means the trainer is certified particularly in Russian kettlebell exercises. That way you will be on safe ground and also get the most out of your efforts.

This article was prepared by Christina Meier on behalf of the Body Armour Fitness Kettlebell Gym, bodyarmourfitness.com. The Body Armour Fitness Kettlebell Gym is located at 1010 Plainfield Street in Johnston, Rhode Island. Stop by today to check out their facilities and to see how kettlebell exercises can get you into the best shape of your life.

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5 Simple But Powerful Fitness Steps You Can Take in the New Year

If you are tired of making New Years resolutions that you never fulfill here are some tips to help you keep them way past January 1st. For most people the hardest part of any fitness program is getting started. We want to achieve something grand or something we have never done before. What happens is we end up placing too much pressure on ourselves because the fallacy in our thinking is that in order for us to achieve our big goals we need to take big steps.

We aim for giant leaps like "This is the year I will run the city marathon!" or "I will lose the extra 30 pounds" and the list goes on. Now don't get me wrong, these are great things which I highly recommend, but you have to remember, if we never become experts at doing the simple things and wait to do the big ones we might end up doing nothing at all. The saying is true. The only way to eat and Elephant is one bite at a time!

So Happy New You! Let this year be the one where you enjoy health and fitness at a level you have never experienced and here are some steps to help you get started.

Set your goals but use pictures and not words. The human mind is not motivated by words, but is motivated by pictures. Start making an inspirational collage of images and photos that really speak to you. You can get these from advertisements for fitness products like running shoes, magazines or fitness magazines. Post these somewhere you will see each day. Post a picture or a photo of what you want your body to look like. You can even use your computer's background desktop or screen saver, the trick is for you to keep seeing it.

Find a Friend Find a friend who also wants to get healthy and fit. For example there is a 90% chance that your next door neighbor also wants to get fit in the New Year. Ask them or any of your close friends to walk or workout with you. If you go to the gym, make some friends at the gym and try interacting and reaching out to others. This will make the gym a more delightful place to visit and when you skip the gym your buddy might notice and give you a hard time about it . In life, we need all the encouragement we can get.

Invest in magazines and DVD's - Get inspirational fitness magazines and exercise videos that will give you something to strive for. I produce my own exercise videos and I really know first hand how beneficial they can be. I get tons of email from people who are making significant changes in their lives. You many not have access to a gym, so buying fitness magazines and exercise DVD's are a wonderful resource for exercise ideas and workouts.

Out with the Soda. Eliminating sodas from your diet is one of the simplest and most profound health improvements you can make. One can of regular soda has an equivalent of about 10 teaspoons of the artificial sugar-like product high fructose corn syrup and studies have linked sodas to osteoporosis, obesity, tooth decay and heart disease.

Join a gym or take neighborhood fitness classes. Personally I love the gym and I'm not just saying this because I'm a trainer who teaches classes almost everyday, but because I know that being a member of a gym can be a life changing decision. It's not just about the equipment and the trainers at the gym it's about the spirit and the energy you will find there. Being a member of the gym will allow you to feed of the energy of others, you will be inspired to see other motivated people pursuing the same goal you are.

Kenn Kihiu is a fitness expert and the creator of DanceX Fun Dance Exercise Workout DVD's for both adults and kids. To learn more about Kenn or DanceX visit http://www.dancexfitness.com

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7 Effective Exercises For Every Teen's Fitness Transformation!

I am glad I have an opportunity to share with you an outline of effective exercises any and all teens should begin to utilize in their own lives.

I recognize not every person has access to a commercial fitness gym or access to high dollar equipment so I have created a list of exercises that anyone can begin doing without having to spend a ton of money.

Here you go... a list of effective exercises that I know can and will help transform your body into a well- conditioned machine!

1. Push-ups They are not fancy but they are an excellent exercise to build functional strength for the entire upper body. I would suggest you begin doing as many push-ups as possible each day. As you become more proficient, begin doing multiple sets of push-ups throughout the day. You will begin to see more definition in your upper body and feel more physically fit with each set.

Remember this is a basic movement you can perform pretty much anywhere you want. So start pushing the floor and you will most definitely see the results!

2. Bodyweight Squats Place your feet shoulder width apart and SQUAT!

At the bottom of the movement your legs should be parallel to the floor and remember to keep your back as straight as possible. The squat is one of the greatest exercises you can do to develop strong leg muscles as well as core strength.

As you work your way up to hundreds of reps... you can change it up by jumping at the top of the movement. As you jump... pull your legs up in to your stomach. This exercise alone will increase your jumping ability and overall quickness for any sport or just for overall fitness.

3. Pull-ups Find a pull up bar or some monkey bars at a park. Pretty simple movement...pull yourself up as far as you can. Do as many repetitions as you can knock out. This exercise is great for building strength in your arms, back and shoulders. The pull-up is a major compound movement that will give your upper body the strength and thickness you desire.

4.Leg Lifts I was first introduced to this exercise when I was playing little league football. I can still hear my coach yelling... 6 inches... not 12... 6 inches. You see this movement is brutal!

Lay on your back and lift your legs about 6 inches off the ground. You will definitely need to tap in to your mind to push yourself past the pain. Keep your legs straight and your feet together. This exercise will strengthen the entire core region.

5. Rope Jumping Get yourself a decent jump rope and start jumping. I usually shoot for 1000 jumps each session. Now as you progress... add an additional 100 reps each week or so.

This exercise builds leg strength... improves quickness for a variety of sports... and burns off the goo from all those burgers and fries! As you progress... you will feel empowered to tackle any obstacle that comes your way!

6. Ab Wheel The first time I saw an ab wheel I was working as a fitness trainer. One day as I approached the main workout area, this guy was on the floor rolling a wheel around. I asked him if it really worked and he said it was the best exercise he had done for his core region. I purchased one myself and I would have to agree...it's a great workout. The movement not only kills your abs but it is great for your arms, shoulders and chest.

7. Power Sprints Another great exercise you can do pretty much anywhere.
I utilize a large field by my home and knock out 15 to 20 sprints each session. I would suggest warming up by doing some walking or light jogging. I usually start with build- ups. I start fairly slow for about 20 yards and then gradually accelerate for another 30 or 40 yards. After your muscles are warm, you can increase your speed for each sprint. Again... this exercise will strengthen the entire body and make you feel like a million bucks!

There you go... 7 great exercises that will help assist you on your physical fitness transformation. Now remember... I can give you great exercises all day long but if you don't take the initiative and actually implement these in to your daily routine... you will not reach your fitness goals and dreams. Embrace the daily disciplines it will take to begin these exercise and you will most definitely transform your entire life!

Mr. Flinton has worked in public schools as a teacher, coach, school principal and consultant. He is also the author of "Xtreme Teen Success... Empowering Principles To Ensure Every Child's Success" and "Xtreme Power... Discover Your Destined Power and Strength!"

To discover more informative articles on teen fitness and success visit... [http://www.xtremeteenfitness.com]

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5 Simple Reasons on Why You Should Have a Fitness Regime

Your fitness is how you define it. It could mean a number of fitness areas, like physical, mental, emotional, financial and many others.

But in this article, I am talking more about "Physical Fitness". Which is starting point of other fitness areas in your life. When you are physically fit, you can do most things that you want to do that demands physical effort. You feel good and about yourself and therefore, exhibits confidence in your everyday dealings, be it at work, at home or just simply with friends.

Yet, why so many individuals tend to take this part for granted? Sometimes, they have to get sick seriously first before taking action to commit to a fitness regime.

Here are simple reasons on why you should have one;

1. You know best

Nothing could be far from the truth! Only you know what is best for your body. If a car needs some periodic maintenance, so is our body. Deep within you, lies the need for something to keep fit but for reasons you keep postponing the starting date until, one day you'll say... forget it! But hey, it's not too late. Whatever situation you are in, you really need some form of fitness routine that will keep you energized throughout the day. Think about having one soon!

2. It builds confidence

I don't have to mention this supposedly. But I have to, in order to highlight this important side effect of being confident, once you are into something like this. From my experience, it makes you somewhat excited to let your friends know that you have this routine and you feel good about it. Once you've told them, the obvious response is... really? Since when did you start it? How is it? And all sort of curiosity questions will come up which you are happily ready to answer.

3. You owe it to yourself

Everyone deserves to be healthy and well, including yourself. So why deprive yourself of this opportunity to have something that will change the way you look at yourself as a whole? You live to enjoy life and by being physically healthy. Simply speaking, you owe it to yourself. So go out and find some form of a fitness regime to repay yourself.

4. You'll influence others

Remember the time when you told your friends about it and how they responded with curiosity? In a way, you are influencing them and will and will thank you for it in the end. You will become an "agent for change" on them. Similarly, they will also influence others as a result. It's domino effect, in a good way. So be a change agent to people!

5. You feel good and expand the circle

What else you could ask for in this situation when you feel good to yourself by having the fitness regime? Nothing much, but pure joy that you embarked on this kind kind of activity. Your circle of friends will increase in number and very soon you realize that you are building a community that shares the same passion as you. Good for you!

Having a Fitness Regime on your own is as rewarding as you feel good about yourself. Most of the time, being physically fit is a choice, but unfortunately some individuals are choosing the opposite. You know what is best for you and you have to make the right decision.

If you want to learn more or just simply advance your knowledge about Fitness, make sure to visit this link, http://e-idealfitnesssystem.com/

It could be the solution that you are looking for. Check it out the link indicated and thank me later on.

If you have any questions about this article and Fitness System, I can be reach at ntnarciso@gmail.com.

To your success!

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10 Top Body Fitness Tips - Reach For Success Quickly!

Becoming fit is a top priority on most peoples' wish list. The problem is that many do not follow through with their fitness plans and thus fail within the first 3 months of starting a new fitness plan or routine. However when they manage to turn into a regular routine and they stick with it, eventually exercising turns into a habit.

Then something marvellous happens after a number of months - People will start noticing definite improvements in the way they exercise and most importantly they actually see the results in the mirror, seeing the results gives you the will to continue on with the tough exercise regime.

Here are ten straightforward ideas to help you with your health and fitness plan, these body fitness tips will help you succeed quicker.

1. Be Active... Get Yourself Moving!
Decide to be really energetic take up a wide range of physical activities that will actually create muscle, improve cardio efficiency and physical strength.

2. Dig Deep... Find Your Energy Levels.
Look to work on physical exercises that involve using the bigger muscle groups of your entire body, thus obtaining better fitness overall.

3. Let Your Muscles... Walk The Talk.
Use your body exercise routine to work those muscles, keep lifting those kilos and employ resistance workout routines to put your muscles through their paces.

4. Take It Easy... Chill Man!
Warm up properly, you will need to stretch those muscles regularly and efficiently - especially before and after your fitness training, stretching is also very beneficial during regular exercise. Make sure to work on moving your muscle mass over it's full-range consistently.

5. Succeed In Losing Weight... 
Decide on the weight levels you are looking to achieve it is a good idea to have a target to aim for. In cases where you want to shed considerable weight, a broad rule to follow would be to eat less and workout a lot more (all in controlled situations and in moderation of course).

6. Watch Your Eating Habits!
Consume your daily food intake for fitness sensibly. First-rate nutrition is equal to a sound body. An excellent eating routine includes giving your entire body all the required vitamins and minerals in appropriate volumes. Do this correctly it will save you an awful lot of sweat and tears!

7. Relaxation Point.
Determine to maintain certain situations of your life in proper perspective look at things from varying standpoints. Understand that you will not be able to completely control certain aspects of life. Do not feel "overwhelmed" about things that you are unable to change. Look to benefit from these unexpected events and learn from them positively this will help you relax more.

8. Sleep Benefits... Sweet Dreams!
Yes this may be very basic, but you'll be surprised how many people ignore this advice - get enough sleep. Often this fundamental guideline regarding the amount of uninterrupted sleep you may need is vital to enable you to feel super-recharged, attentive and in relative good state of mind for the next day. Uninterrupted sleep really helps you recuperate as well as restore your entire body both physically and mentally.

9. Maintain Focus On The Target At Hand.
Make sure to create time for you to follow your workout activity on a consistent basis. Being consistent will earn it's rewards as mentioned earlier seeing the results quickly will definitely help with motivation. Try to focus on the lean muscle you're exercising. Please don't just go through the motions without putting the sweat and effort in. You will be glad that you paid special attention to this when you see the spectacular results after a few short months.

10. Remember... It May Not Always Be Plain Sailing!
Remember that nothing is given to you on a plate! A little work is needed to successfully execute a plan, choose your daily diet and lifestyle options carefully. For example, quit smoking. Keep tabs on your weight levels. Steer clear of the latest and most up-to-date gizmo's in addition give the miraculous creams and exercise equipment a miss, they appear to be far too beneficial to be true (many always are!).

Looking for more improvements and body fitness tips visit our site where you can see how TV and movie personalities like Alex O'Loughlin's Workout from Hawaii Five-O use their workout routines to keep in shape. Click on following link to visit our site at http://squidoo.com/alex-o-loughlin-workout/

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Fitness Programs That will Retain You In Shape

By Bill Citronaxia

There are many causes to obtain match, and these range from vanity to wellness. That stated, most people never possess the slightest concept the best way to begin functioning out. The following approaches can get started you on your road to fitness. This is why I love p90x schedule

Working out may be challenging when you have a very busy schedule. Divide a single workout up into two distinct sessions. You don't ought to make your workouts longer, you'll want to just divide them into two parts. Should you reduce your work out into half, do the initial session early inside the day and the second half within the evening. In the event you break your work out into 3 sessions, do the middle session near lunch time. You may split a health club exercise into a single exercise within the fitness center and one particular outdoors, if creating two trips for the fitness center doesn't fit your everyday schedule.

It is critical to maintain track of the calories or fat grams that you simply take in every day. By counting the calories you consume every day, it could enable you to lose weight. By maintaining your present calories and starting an physical exercise routine, you might begin to turn into match.

Your strength education goals will determine how usually you will need to perform out. When seeking to raise muscle size and strength, you'll need to not use a strength education routine on a daily basis. If you'd like to grow to be extra tone and defined, then you ought to have strength education every day.

Attempt out an assortment of fitness workouts and classes to mix things up. Mixing it up a bit provides you the opportunity to learn new classes, and discover additional enjoyable methods to obtain match. Try out yoga or dancing. You may also attempt kickboxing or signing up to get a boot camp class. Keep in thoughts that you just do not have to stick with each class when you hate it, but trying out unique classes can help you lose weight and get in better shape quick.

You are able to retain your metabolism up and keep motivated by carrying out light exercising though watching Tv. Fit in breaks for workouts, or do some walking in location when a industrial comes on. You could even perform with little weights when you sit around the sofa. Come across any way which you can to help keep moving though performing what generally is a sedentary activity.

Should you really feel negative about being lazy and watching a Television, you may exercise whilst undertaking it. For those who exercise in the course of a industrial break, you can nevertheless relax and watch Television.

Wear comfy clothing when working out. If you do your workouts at a gym, you could possibly really feel pressure to wear trendy workout gear, but try to not succumb to that stress. Wear clothes that you just can very easily move around in without the need of feeling embarrassed. You will need to become focused in your workouts, not what the newest style types inside the fitness center are.

Kind a solid strategy to produce confident which you comply with through with all your fitness plans. You could take some ideas from this short article in order that it is possible to make your personal exceptional fitness methods. Not being aware of exactly where to begin is no longer an excuse. The information that you just just read is often a superior first step to beginning this method.

As was explained above, there are actually several added benefits to overall health, functionality, and appearance which you will notice as you develop into more physically match. Because the tips within this article shows, creating the very first measures towards physical fitness might be easy and exciting. Following these suggestions can help you see results quickly!

About the Author:

Ginz and Bill have worked together to find all kinds of opportunities for ways to conquer the question of the schedule for p90x that it is really interesting to see such great fitness results. Apply what you learned today and you will go far!

Fitness Strategies To Gain The Edge You Need

You can only learn about the secrets of fitness if you are able to take your exercise and health more seriously than ever. This is not an over embellishment on what needs to be done, nor is it overly dramatic. Doing the same type of workout is something that will not help you. You need to change it up from time to time. Any workout that you do should have variety, otherwise you could potentially become bored with what you do. You have to learn more, expanding your knowledge, if you want this to work out.

You can take advantage of tips and suggestions for fitness, and they can be found everywhere. When you work hard most of the time, there are times you need to reward yourself. A reward is deserved, since your fitness goals are hard to achieve. The majority of the population has no dedication, so you are way ahead of them. You know what you like, so give yourself the reward you want. The worst choice you could make is to stop your fitness training for any length of time. If you think the gains you have achieved will remain, stop working out and you will be back where you were. Having a dietary luxury or ice cream treat is okay to indulge in.

The best way to tap directly into insider secrets on fitness is to hire a fitness trainer that really knows what they are doing. People that have money, or who are famous, typically hire expensive trainers that have information like this, plus offer excellent coaching. You can find a personal trainer if you look. This business is booming, and there are many looking for new clients all the time. Most people cannot afford the trainers to the stars, but there are still thousands of competent trainers throughout the country. Try to choose someone with the proper educational background and certifications before you hire a personal trainer. Their success may be due to their expertise in a certain sport. They will be able to offer this personal experience to you to help you in a beneficial way.

If you think those points on ageless male are something, then there is more to read as you know plus tons elsewhere. What is also exciting to us is coming to a full realization of how important it is to be fully aware of all the various implications. We know or at least believe that will have a better feeling for things once you get through this. When it all begins to gel for you, then you will be able to rise above to some degree thanks to added knowledge. Make no mistake about it - you have the power to exert far more control over your life than you realize.

Joining a fitness club and having to pay dues every month is one solution. There is no getting around the money you are wasting, if you don't show up. When you can work out with friendly people in a group, it is a good way to be accountable to each other.

There are secrets about fitness that don't necessarily fit what you are doing. Not every exercise that you are doing is covered by all of the secrets. Not everybody lifts weights as part of their work out, so their secrets are not needed. There are always things to be learned, and it doesn't matter what your area of fitness.

About the Author:

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5 Components of Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is the ability to function effectively throughout your workday, perform your usual other activities and still have enough energy left over to handle any extra stresses or emergencies which may arise.
The components of physical fitness are:

* Cardiorespiratory (CR) endurance - the efficiency with which the body delivers oxygen and nutrients needed for muscular activity and transports waste products from the cells.
* Muscular strength - the greatest amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert in a single effort.
* Muscular endurance - the ability of a muscle or muscle group to perform repeated movements with a sub-maximal force for extended periods of times.

* Flexibility - the ability to move the joints or any group of joints through an entire, normal range of motion.
* Body composition - the percentage of body fat a person has in comparison to his or her total body mass.
Improving the first three components of fitness listed above will have a positive impact on body composition and will result in less fat. Excessive body fat detracts from the other fitness components, reduces performance, detracts from appearance, and negatively affects your health.

Factors such as speed, agility, muscle power, eye-hand coordination, and eye-foot coordination are classified as components of "motor" fitness. These factors most affect your athletic ability. Appropriate training can improve these factors within the limits of your potential. A sensible weight loss and fitness program seeks to improve or maintain all the components of physical and motor fitness through sound, progressive, mission specific physical training.


Principles of Exercise
Adherence to certain basic exercise principles is important for developing an effective program. The same principles of exercise apply to everyone at all levels of physical training, from the Olympic-caliber athlete to the weekend jogger.
These basic principles of exercise must be followed.

Regularity
To achieve a training effect, you must exercise often. You should exercise each of the first four fitness components at least three times a week. Infrequent exercise can do more harm than good. Regularity is also important in resting, sleeping, and following a sensible diet.

Progression
The intensity (how hard) and/or duration (how long) of exercise must gradually increase to improve the level of fitness.

Balance
To be effective, a program should include activities that address all the fitness components, since overemphasizing any one of them may hurt the others.

Variety
Providing a variety of activities reduces boredom and increases motivation and progress.

Specificity
Training must be geared toward specific goals. For example, people become better runners if their training emphasizes running. Although swimming is great exercise, it does not improve a 2-mile-run time as much as a running program does.

Recovery
A hard day of training for a given component of fitness should be followed by an easier training day or rest day for that component and/or muscle group(s) to help permit recovery. Another way to allow recovery is to alternate the muscle groups exercised every other day, especially when training for strength and/or muscle endurance.

Overload
The work load of each exercise session must exceed the normal demands placed on the body in order to bring about a training effect.

A personal fitness program can happen anywhere and at any age. Start off with a pair of New Balance mens walking shoes [http://www.best-walking-shoe.com/new-balance-mens-walking-shoes-mw558] and move on to the flagship New Balance 991 Running Shoes [http://www.best-walking-shoe.com/new-balance-w991-running-shoes] when the desire to do more kicks in. Never look back.

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Fitness Mistakes and Weight Loss Secrets

Mistake #1: Avoid these fitness mistakes

A common mistake made quite often is not including a weight routine and doing only cardio! The key to increasing your metabolism is developing lean muscle mass. As we age, muscle mass drops by 6% decreasing metabolism, lean mass and overall strength. This is especially true after the 40 years of age. Keeping your heart rate up and working out none stop, while you work your entire body, will increase fat burning.

Mistake #2: Doing a hundred or more sit ups a day to lose belly fat.

It's a fact you can not spot train any part of your body, including the abs and doing thousands of sit ups will not trim your waistline. The focus has to be on reducing your overall body fat percentage. We all have six-pack abs, but they are hidden underneath fat. Since men naturally have a lower body fat than women, It's harder to do for women. It is important, however, to develop a strong core for lower back support and to prevent injury, but crunches are not the only way to do that. Try total body moves like planks and weighted wood chops for maximum results, and eat less calories than you burn to get the best results.

Secrets to Fitness Success #1 - Set Your Goals

This may sound a little cliché, but it is very true. In order to achieve something that you set out to do, you must... 1. Clearly visualize what this "something" is 2. Know how you are going to go about measuring "it". 3. Have a plan laying out your ways in which to get "it" 4. Know when it is that you finally are going to achieve "it."

Always have a short-term goal and a longer-term goal, (Lack thereof is a major fitness mistake)and always writing your goals down with a clear map. The more motivated you are to reach your goal, the higher your chance of achieving it. What really drives you to lose 20 lbs? What is your reason for gaining 5 lbs of muscle or losing 20 lbs of fat? If your reason for the goal is not motivating enough for you to see the positive reward at the end of the tunnel, you might find yourself on the path to non-achievement. Be true to yourself be aware of these fitness mistakes, and be realistic about what you want to achieve, draw out a plan for how you are going to go about it, and keep your plan visible so that you are constantly reminded of it. Sometimes, I even tell my closest friends and family about my path to my goals so that they can encourage me along the way. Better yet, invite a friend to join you. Develop a routine!

Secret to Fitness Success and Weight loss #2

It would be safe to say that diet is almost 70% of the weight loss battle, where as exercise is 30%. You'll be amazed at just how many calories you are eating in a day, or how few you are consuming. One of the biggest problems that people have is that they don't eat enough, or frequently enough. Most people don't eat enough of the food that is going to get them lean or they are uneducated about the nutritional value of most foods. A good rule of thumb is to keep a balanced diet of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. A good split in a 2000 calorie diet would include a breakdown of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat. If you want to lose 1 lbs a week, you must eat 500 calories less than you burn for 7 days and a total of a 3500 calorie deficit equals 1 lb lost. NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST!! and if you are going to eat carbs, try to eat them at this time of day, and around the time of your workout. Try to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day, each meal consisting of 200-300 calories. Increase the consumption of high density, low calorie foods, such as vegetables. It's good to have some lean protein and veggies for dinner. Limit the amount of sugars you eat, reduce consumption of alcohol. Increase the amount of water that you drink.

Note: You don't need to starve yourself in order to lose weight.

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