10 Ways to Get the Best Fitness Workout Routine

When it comes to a holistically hale and hearty life, fitness is definitely one of the watchwords! If you do not feel fit and healthy, you simply can't feel happy from within! I'm sure none would disagree. Each one of us must make sure that we take out some time from our hectic schedules to pursue a fitness workout routine. Let's take a look at some of the ways we could aim for a fitter self!

1. The best exercise for abs: side plank.

You should lie down on your left side with your elbow below your shoulder and your legs stacked. Then the right hand should be placed on your left shoulder or on your right hip. Once you have braced your abs and lifted your hips off the floor, hold on for as long as you can. Switch sides and repeat.

2. Standing dumbbell fly: For broader shoulders

A dumbbell should be held in each hand by your sides. Without shrugging, the upper body should be used to swing the weights up by a few inches. The arms and torso should form an upside down V shape. It will contribute hugely to your fitness healthy lifestyle!

3. Towel Cable Row: For great arms!

A towel is to be hooked to a cable pulley, following which you should stand in front of it, set up to do a row, while holding an end of the towel in each hand. Then the shoulder blades should be squeezed together and the towel rowed to your rib cage.

4. Pec Minor Dip: One of the best workout routines for chest

Once you've suspended your body over parallel bars, let your shoulder blades come together as you lower your body towards the floor. Make sure your elbows are locked while doing this. Thereafter, your shoulders should be spread and your body pushed upward again. There, can you feel your pecs working? Even with slight movement, it can do a lot to improve the overall size and shape of your chest.

5. Deadlifts for back muscles.

Begin with a low squat position and grab the bar with an overhand grip. Then your torso should be raised once you've sat back on your hips, pushed through your heels, and ascended upward. Throughout the motion, a tight core and straight back should be maintained.

6. The kettlebell complex: Most effective functional fitness workout

This will work wonders for you if you are short of time, or looking for a quick workout involving minimal stuff. All you need for this is a kettlebell and 20 minutes!

7. Bulgarian split squat: one of the best leg workouts

Hold a dumbbell in each hand once you stand lunge-length in front of a bench. Then the top of your left foot should be rested on the bench behind you. Your body should be lowered until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is parallel to the floor.

8. TRX Atomic Pushup: An excellent time-crunch move

Begin with your feet in a TRX suspension trainer or on a sliding surface. Follow this up with a pushup and then your knees should be pulled to your chest and then pushed back.

9. Squat with Ball: The best workout routine for toned thighs

Once you place an exercise ball between the wall and the curve of your lower back, stand with your feet apart by shoulder-width. Follow this up with bending your knees and lowering 5 to 10 inches. Make sure your shoulders are level and your hips square. This position should be retained for 3 seconds and then repeated.

10. K-Tread: Workout even while you're swimming, for a fitness healthy lifestyle!

In the deep end of the water, tread on it, making small circles with cupped hands and the right leg should be lifted straight in front of you, bringing it at hip level. Reach for the toes of left leg towards bottom of pool. Following this, the legs should be switched quickly, bringing right leg down as the left leg is raised, and hold on to this position for 5 seconds. This should be continued for 30 seconds, altering sides.

Happy workout, folks!

I am Martine Leom, a fitness enthusiast. I strongly believe that for a healthy lifestyle, one needs to follow certain functional fitness workouts. I have attempted to lay down certain easy-to-follow points for the workout of different body parts. Hope my fellow fitness freaks enjoy trying these!

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5 Ways a Daily Walk Can Improve Your Life

We all know the health benefits of walking, such as losing weight, strengthening muscles, and lowering the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and cancer, but a brisk 30-minute walk each day also provides several non-physical benefits. Take up walking and you too can enjoy:

• An improved mood
• More energy
• Better sleep
• Improved sex life
• Something fun to do

An improved mood

As you walk, you'll burn calories, lose weight, get more toned and as a result feel better about yourself. And when you feel better about yourself, your confidence and self-esteem also improve. Walking is a good way to relieve the stress of a hard day at work. When you walk, endorphins - the feel-good hormone - is released in your brain making you feel happier and more relaxed.

More energy

Walking improves your cardiovascular system. This in turn allows more blood flow to your muscles and tissue thus boosting your strength and endurance by providing more oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. Plus because walking is a good cardio exercise, you'll lose weight. Not having as much weight to carry around alone gives you more energy because your body doesn't have to work a hard doing the normal daily tasks as it did when you were heavier.

Better Sleep

Going for a daily 30-minute walk can help you get to sleep faster and stay asleep. While you are asleep a lot happens inside your body. This is the time when your body repairs and builds muscle tissue and cells. It stands to reason if your give your body more time to repair itself while you are asleep, it will be in a better state when you wake up in the morning.

Improved Sex Life

If you are too tired or too out of shape, you can't enjoy physical intimacy the way you should.
Not only does this affect you, but your mate also. When you lose weight and get in shape, not only do you feel better, but look better too, giving you more confidence that you can please your mate. Studies also have shown that men who exercise have less problems with erectile dysfunction then those who don't.

Something fun to do

And finally, walking is fun. It gets you out of the house and a chance to enjoy the outdoors - witness new sights and smells and hear the birds sing. If you walk with a friend, it is a great way to socialize and hold each other accountable. Both of you may not to walk on a certain day but because neither of you want to let the other person down, so you walk. Once finished, you are glad you did.

Walking isn't just about fitness. There are several non-fitness and mental advantages to going for a daily walk. Strap on your walking shoes and get started today!

Russell (Rusty) Hart is the founder of the Health, Fitness & Sport Club, a website devoted to the promotion of health, fitness and wellness. Should this subject matter be of interest you can visit the HF & S Club home site where you'll find over 1,300 quality posts with new posts being published daily. To quickly access those that are of interest you can select any of 20 Categories broken down by over 260 Sub-Categories for easy access.

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7 Tips to Build Your Body

Being lean and fit is okay but if you are lanky, it tends to downgrade your personality. Body building is a great idea. However, this idea is not about pumping your body with medicinal supplements. In fact, body building is all about developing a routine that includes the perfect blend of diet and exercise to give you a great looking body. Yes! If you follow the routine consistently and passionately, you will also develop muscles and increase stamina. But, the ulterior motive should be to remain healthy. 

Here is a look at some quick tips to help in body building:

In review, the 4 things needed for weight gain.

1. Include lifting weights in your exercise routine. While cardio helps you increase stamina, if you want to add muscle to your body, you need to start lifting weights. Also, remember to increase the capacity gradually.

2. Don't exhaust yourself on day one. Body building will happen gradually. You must not overstress yourself by trying to exceed limits on the first day itself else it could permanently damage your body.

3. Multiple muscle exercises are good when you are planning body building workouts. For example, lifting weights on the legs that strengthen your thigh muscles as well as your calf muscles.

4. Hydrate the body. Drinking proper amount of fluids before and after workout is important. The fluids you consume before the workout ensure that the muscles are not dehydrated which automatically enhances your stamina.

5. Change is the only constant. It's great that you have worked out an exercise routine to keep your body fit. However, if body building is your aim, you have to remember to alter this routine every once in a while. Ideally, two weeks is a good time to change. After all, this change is what will help you enhance the muscle power of your body.

6. Take rest. Here again, we would want to stress the importance of not exerting your body. Between two workout days, ensure that you have given the body ample rest. This resting period is what helps in restoring the muscle stamina after you have exhausted yourself in the arena.

7. Eat well. Exercise is just one part of the body building routine. You also need to eat well. For eating healthy, we would recommend you to consult a dietician. According to the requirements of your body, they will work out a diet plan. Ensure that you stick to this plan in addition to the workout sessions.

To know more about body building trainers, please check our website.

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Want Abs? Don’t Use Stimulants or High Caffeine Products!

Diet To Build and Define Abs

BREAKFAST: 5 egg whites, one yolk. ¼ to ½ cup (before cooked) oatmeal- 1 Banana -8 ounces water – Multi Vitamin-mineral tablet – 3 desiccated liver tablets – 2 amino acid capsules

SNACK: ¾ cup non-fat cottage cheese – 1 apple – 3 ounces raw nuts – 1 fig – 3 desiccated liver tablets


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LUNCH: Large salad that has tomato- mushroom, spinach, kale and cucumber with MCT oil-honey and apple cider vinegar dressing. 6-8 ounces fish or lean meat. Large baked sweet potato with 1 tablespoon MCT or olive oil. 1 banana. Two Amino Acid capsules. 3 Desiccated liver tablets

SNACK: Milo Shake that consists of serving of protein powder or egg white protein powder equal to 20 grams of protein - 8 ounces water - one tablespoon MCT oil – ¼ cup oatmeal flour and one tablespoon raw ground flaxseed.

DINNER: Large salad like lunch salad. 6-8 ounces of lean protein. ½ cup cooked wild rice. One cup cooked corn. One cup cooked green beans. Three desiccated liver tablets.

Drink at least ½ gallon of water a day but do not over do the consumption of water unless living in hot climate conditions.

Stay away from sodium added foods, refined foods, sugared man made foods and white flour products. As you progress in weeks and want to get razor sharp definition, subtract starchy foods for MCT Oil and increase protein. Do NOT eliminate carbohydrate food totally or even below 100 grams a day, that is a mistake many people make.

Many more diets I have, some are more simple and some are more complex. Different diets for different lifestyles and body-types.

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Don't Go To That GYM

There is no point going to that Gym, they only train athletes and don't really care about their normal members, as the coaches are to overqualified for normal people.. (So what is normal..?)

My thoughts..?

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I sense that some gyms are making waves in the industry and other trainers are trying to put people off by saying certain facilities are to advanced for them and I smell a rat.

This notion that trainers are to over qualified for the normal general population and they only train real athletes couldn't be further from the truth, these are the trainers that you need to seek out.

However, I do believe that there is some slight truth to that statement, so please read on and ill tell you more.

In my opinion this is what the good trainers/coaches/gyms who are to overqualified for the normal population, do for their clients.

They would treat everyone like an athlete; there is a big difference to being labelled an athlete and being treated like one.

Being treated like an athlete means that the coach/trainer wants the best for their clients and will do the following to ensure this..

1. They would put together an extended plan, that would consider your lifestyle and goals that you want to achieve.

2. They would then cater that plan for that persons needs, be it weight loss, Sport performance etc.

3. All good trainers/gyms will then assess the client every 4 weeks, to ensure their programme is working and the client is progressing at the correct rate.

So, what does this mean to you?

You will produce better more consistent results compared to the guys/girls who haven't had their workouts planned for them, therefore, If you want to reach your goal being treated like an athlete is how you should do it.

1. You need to ensure that you set a real achievable goal, that you strive to get to.

2. You need to plan your workout over a period of time with short term goals, in order for you to reach the long-term goal

3. The progress you are making needs to be assessed on a regular basis to ensure you are going in the right direction

TOP TIP.

Most people fear the unknown, why not ask YOUR trainer if he/she plans your workouts, or do they just make it up on the spot?

If you or your trainer are just making it up as you go along how do you expect to achieve your goal be it fat loss or entering an event, such as the great south run etc?

Be wise and smart with your programming or by choosing your trainer and the results will be fantastic

Sean Cole (AKA) Fitness Dad

SC Vital Fitness - Personal Training Portsmouth

I am the head coach of a facility in Portsmouth that ensures all our clients have fantastic results, with an opportunity for anyone in the local area to find out what it is like to be treated like an athlete, if you want more information, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

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The Top 5 Best Exercises For Total Body Fitness

What if I told you that you could get in the best shape of your life even if you didn't have time to exercise, even if you were busy, and even if you didn't know where to start?

There are many exercises that can give you results, but if you want fast results, it's best to focus on the very best exercises for total body fitness. Although these exercises are well-known, you might not have realized their importance in developing an enviable physique, whether it means increased endurance and heart function, tight and sexy thighs, butt and legs, or muscular arms. Or you may not know how to incorporate them into your routine - until today.

1. Squats: The squat is one of the most basic all-around fitness exercises that you can do, and it is one of the best. It works several body parts at once, including your core, quads, hamstrings and calves. No matter what you do, you should incorporate squats into your routine. If you train for strength, squat using a barbell or holding dumbells in your hands. If you want to train for endurance or cardio, use body-weight squats.
2. Pushups: This exercise is no secret, but not enough people take advantage of it. Many women and even men still have weak, flabby arms and chests. The best way to develop them is by starting to incorporate daily pushups into your routine. They work the chest, shoulders, triceps, back and abs (core). The key with pushups is to incorporate different kinds of pushups into one routine. If you cannot do a standard "full" pushup, start with the "modified" version on your knees. Then work your way toward doing regular pushups. EVOLUTION OF THE PUSHUP:
   1. Wall pushup: Stand facing a wall. The farther your feet are from the wall, the harder it will be. Lean in toward the wall.
   2. Counter Pushup: Pushup leaning from the edge of a counter.
   3. Knee Pushup: the standard "modified" pushup on your knees
   4. Feet Elevated: you've now reached the regular pushup level, congratulations!
   Other pushups that rule:
   Wide Hands - Place hands on the floor at a greater distance apart (past the shoulders). This works even more back muscles.
   Close Hands - Place hands on the floor closer to each other (maybe a foot apart or less). Very difficult. Feet Elevated - Place your feet on a chair or other object and push up from the ground. More difficult. Handstand Pushup - This is my favorite pushup EVER and the ultimate exercise to build strong shoulders. If you're a man, you need to be able to do this one.
   Go to a handstand, your feet against the wall, then lower your head to the floor and push up. If you can do a few of those, you're good. To help you succeed in mastering this pushup, you can first use your toes to help you "crawl" the wall, or have a friend hold your feet and help you through it. At first, your goal should be to simply stay in a handstand with your feet facing the wall.


3. 
   Walking or Running Hills: You want extreme health, a fit body and a healthy heart? Try walking or running up hills. This is one of the best exercises for overall fitness. So go find hills in your area, and dare to walk the hell out of them!


4. 
   Pullups & Chinups: Many women lack upper body strength. Unfortunately, this can lead to injuries and lack of ability, as many common movements such as lifting a box (or a child!) require strong upper body muscles.
   It's wise for all women to strengthen these muscles by working on the two best exercises for them: pushups and pullups. Just because pullups and chinups are hard, it doesn't mean women can't do them! In fact, you should be able to lift your own body with your arms. In nature, this sort of movement is very basic and in fact a matter of survival.
   For men, the benefits of pullups and chinups cannot be emphasized enough: you will build a strong back and enviably muscular arms.
   For women, I would set a goal to do at least 1 complete pullup and 2 complete chinups, with a future "ultimate" goal to do at least 3 pullups and 5 chinups.
   To get started, use the assisted pullup machines at the gym, or follow the following routine:
   1. Hang for 30 seconds or as long as possible in the position of having pulled your body up all the way from a bar. You can use a chair to get in that position. When you feel you can't hold yourself any longer, lower gently in a slow and controlled manner. Do this 5 times.
   2. Get on a chair and check out what kind of a bend you need in your arms before you can successfully pull yourself up. Then do it five times from there. Improve from there.
   3. Hang from a bar and see how far you can pull yourself up 5 times in a row.
   Do these three exercises 2-3 times a week and make sure to warm up properly beforehand (by doing some jumping jacks for a few minutes, for example).
   For men, a good benchmark for strength would be to be able to do a few series of 5 pullups with 10% of your weight attached to your body (as extra weight).


5. 
   The Plank: This is a powerful isolation move used in Pilates and Yoga and it works the abs, back, arms and legs as well as your internal abdominal muscles, which is your core strength!
   To do it, lie face down on mat with your elbows resting on the floor next to your chest. Go to a pushup position while resting on your elbows or hands. Then squeeze the abs and keep your body in a straight line. Hold in this position for 30-60 seconds, then slowly lower yourself to the floor and rest for 15-30 seconds. Repeat as many times as you can. Start by doing the plank on your knees and gradually work your way up.
   So there you have it, 5 powerful exercises that every man and woman should include in their routine for functional fitness and increased strength.

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Exercises and Workouts - Four Fitness Myths You Might Be Falling For

As you go about your fitness routine, it's vital you take into account some of the top fitness myths many people fall for on a regular basis.

Remember when it comes to seeing results, there are many ways to go about a program, so very often, it's not a matter of you "have to do this," or you "have to do that." You need to do what works for you. Don't let any fitness myths lead you to believe otherwise.

Let's take a look at four myths you need to make sure you aren't falling for...

In review, the 4 things needed for weight gain.

1. Weight Lifting Makes You Bulky. The first big myth to know is the myth weight lifting will make you bulky. Perhaps if you are a man in your 20's or 30's, you're in the gym lifting daily and eating as much food as you can handle, then you will get bulky.

But if you're the average individual eating a calorie reduced diet, you are not going to turn into the hulk overnight - or ever for that matter.

Weight lifting will make you thinner, not thicker in most cases.

2. You Only Burn Fat After 20 Minutes. Another commonly believed myth is you will only start to burn fat after about 20 minutes of activity. This again is incorrect because your total rate of fat burning for the day comes down to how many calories you are burning off versus taking in over the course of the day.

If that number is higher than what you've eaten, you burn fat.

So, in that regard, every little bit of activity adds up and counts towards making sure you aren't gaining body fat. In fact, some of the best fat burning activities - intense interval training - take less than 20 minutes to do.

3. You Must Exercise Daily. Another myth is you must exercise daily to see results. Not so. In fact, I'd strongly recommend against this.

If you are exercising daily this means you aren't giving your body sufficient time to recover, which means you may start to suffer from overtraining.

One day off per week - at minimum - is wise for optimal health.

4. Spot Training Works. Last but not least, know the myth of spot training. No matter how many crunches you do or how many tricep kickbacks you complete, you cannot burn fat from just one region of your body.

You will burn fat from all over your body, so it will be a total body affair. Those who believe they can spot reduce are just spinning their wheels.

Structure your program to burn many calories, both while exercising and after exercising. You'll see far greater results, not only the area you want to target but in the rest of your body as well.

So how did you do? Are you falling for any of these myths yourself? Make sure they aren't leading you away from your goals rather than closer to them.

Although managing Type 2 diabetes can be very challenging, it is not a condition you must just live with. Make simple changes to your daily routine - include exercise to help lower both your blood sugar levels and your weight.

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4 Tips for Building Pure Muscle

Gaining pure muscle sounds simple, but it is far easy. How many people do you know start working out at the gym, only to quit 2 weeks later when they become frustrated with their lack of progression? When it comes to packing on muscle, there are 4 important things that you need to focus on to increase muscle mass. If you aren't focusing on these 4 things, you probably will not grow.

First and foremost, muscles need to be stimulated to grow by training near maximum intensity. Training at a high intensity physiologically forces the body adapt to the stress you have put on it. It is best get the heaviest lifts done right after a thorough warm-up and should be taken near or to failure. The only way the body will stronger and more muscular is if you give it a reason to. Heavy sets near failure with compound movements will signal an anabolic response. To really let the testosterone flow you should be failing within 3-6 reps for 3-6 sets. Use exercises such as squats, dead lifts, bench press, rows and overhead press for best results.

Volume sets should also be included near the tail end of the workout. Remember, hypertrophy is directly proportional to the amount of blood that can be forced into the muscle. Isolate muscles that are lagging behind and force as much blood into them as possible. This is achieved by constant moderate tension over a long period of time, while performing the exercise at full range of motion. Obviously, the rep range is going to be a little higher to achieve the volume pump. 3-6 sets of 8-12 reps, even as high as 20 reps should get the job done. Increase the weight for more tension if you can perform more than 20 reps with proper form.

Intense training means nothing if the body is not fed the proper nutrients to recover. Perhaps the most difficult part of gaining muscle mass is eating the proper types and amounts of food. I am sure you have heard it a thousand times "you are what you eat", and this is absolutely true. Keep that in mind the next time you stuff your face with that greasy cheeseburger.

So if you want to be lean and muscular it obviously a lot of protein is needed (1.2-1.5g per pound of body weight should enough for most people). But, no matter how much protein is eaten, muscle cannot be built without a caloric surplus. Obviously in order to gain, more energy needs to be eaten than the body is burning. During a bulking phase, an extra 300-500 calories per day, every day, should result in steady weight gain of 1-2 pounds per week.

The final point is perhaps the most neglected for most people. You will not grow if you do not get enough sleep, plain and simple. Keep in mind that the majority of natural anabolic hormones are released during deep sleep. Sleep is when the body is repairing itself from most of the damage of the training session. If you are sleeping 5 hours or less per night, you will most likely never going to grow because the body is too stressed. Lifting too much and not sleeping enough will inevitably cause exercise burnout and/or over-training of the central nervous system. The magic number for most people based on average sleep cycles is actually 7 hours, not 8 like we have always been told. You might think that more sleep is better, but more than 9 hours doesn't seem to have any additional benefit for most people. Beyond 9 hours, studies have shown diminishing returns. So it seems your parents were on to something when they were nagging not to over-sleep.

In review, the 4 things needed for weight gain.

1. Lift heavy with compound movements
2. Force blood into muscles with high volume sets with constant tension
3. Eat at a caloric surplus and eat plenty of protein
4. Get 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night.

Stay consistent and persistent and undoubtedly you will see results!

Visit http://www.coachquinnpersonaltraining.com for customized exercise programs hand-made by me, Coach Quinn. With the right plan, you can achieve the body you have always wanted. Let me show you how.

All programs are set up as a printable check list with areas to track progress. All things are considered in program creation - goals, medical history, exercise history, access to equipment and lifestyle.

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8 Key Training Principles For Fitness and Sports Training

The 8 Training Principles are research-based guidelines that can help you accelerate your training progress and optimize your results. Knowing how to apply these principles gives you an educated basis on which you can make informed decisions about designing your fitness or sports training program. The principles can also help you evaluate the merits of fitness equipment and personal training services.

All of the principles complement each other. For best results, they should be applied in concert throughout every phase of training.

1. Principle of Specificity suggests that your body will make adjustments according to the type of training you perform and in the very same muscles that you exercise. How you train determines what you get.

This principle guides you in designing your fitness training program. If your goal is to improve your overall level of fitness, you would devise a well-rounded program that builds both endurance and overall body strength. If you want to build the size of your biceps, you would increase weight loads on bicep curls and related exercises.

2. The Principle of Overload implies that you must continually increase training loads as your body adapts over time. Because your body builds and adjusts to your existing training regimen, you must gradually and systematically increase your work load for continued improvement.

A generally accepted guideline for weight training is to increase resistance not more than 10% per week. You can also use percentages of your maximum or estimated maximum level of performance and work out within a target training zone of about 60-85% of maximum. As your maximum performance improves, your training loads will increase, as well.

3. The Principle of Recovery assets that you must get adequate rest between workouts in order to recuperate. How much rest you need depends upon your training program, level of fitness, diet, and other factors.

Generally, if you perform a total body weight workout three days per week, rest at least 48 hours between sessions. You can perform cardio more frequently and on successive days of the week.

Over time, too little recovery can result in signs of overtraining. Excessively long periods of recovery time can result in a detraining effect.

4. The Principle of Reversibility refers to the loss of fitness that results after you stop training. In time, you will revert back to your pre-training condition. The biological principle of use and disuse underlies this principle. Simply stated, If you don't use it, you lose it.

While adequate recovery time is essential, taking long breaks results in detraining effects that may be noticeable within a few weeks. Significant levels of fitness are lost over longer periods. Only about 10% of strength is lost 8 weeks after training stops, but 30-40% of endurance is lost in the same time period.

The Principle of Reversibility does not apply to skills. The effects of stopping practice of motor skills, such as weight training exercises and sport skills, are very different. Coordination appears to store in long-term motor memory and remains nearly perfect for decades. A skill once learned is never forgotten.

5. The Principle of Variation implies that you should consistently change aspects of your workouts. Training variations should always occur within ranges that are aligned with your training directions and goals. Varying exercises, sets, reps, intensity, volume, and duration, for example, prevents boredom and promotes more consistent improvement over time. A well-planned training program set up in phases offers built-in variety to workouts, and also prevents overtraining.

6. The Principle of Transfer suggests that workout activities can improve the performance of other skills with common elements, such as sport skills, work tasks, or other exercises. For example, performing explosive squats can improve the vertical jump due to their common movement qualities. But dead lifting would not transfer well to marathon swimming due to their very dissimilar movement qualities.

7. The Principle of Individualization suggests that fitness training programs should be adjusted for personal differences, such as abilities, skills, gender, experience, motivation, past injuries, and physical condition. While general principles and best practices are good guides, each person's unique qualities must be part of the exercise equation. There is no one size fits all training program.

8. The Principle of Balance is a broad concept that operates at different levels of healthy living. It suggests that you must maintain the right mix of exercise, diet, and healthy behaviors. Falling out of balance may cause a variety of conditions (e.g., anemia, obesity) that affect health and fitness. In short, it suggests all things in moderation.

If you go to extremes to lose weight or build fitness too quickly, your body will soon respond. You could experience symptoms of overtraining until you achieve a healthy training balance that works for you.

For fitness training, balance also applies to muscles. If opposing muscles (e.g., hamstrings and quadriceps in the upper legs) are not strengthened in the right proportions, injuries can result. Muscle imbalances also contribute to tendinitis and postural deviations.

Keep these 8 Training Principles in mind as you design and carry out your fitness training program. They can help you make wise exercise decisions so you can achieve your goals more quickly with less wasted effort.

Dr. Denise K. Wood is an educator and sport and fitness training consultant from Knoxville, TN. She is the creator of [http://www.womens-weight-training-programs.com]

Dr. Wood is an inspirational motivator with an extensive toolbox of training techniques based in science and delivered to accelerate the learning curve. She has trained a wide range of clients from beginners with special needs to Olympians. Her mission: Teach sound principles, inspire life-changing actions.

Dr. Wood is a former track and field champion with extensive international experience. She was mentored by world-class Olympic lifters and a former Soviet coach. As a graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee during the peak years of her athletic career, she coached many elite athletes in the field events and strength training. She has held many national positions in Olympic Development and with USA Track and Field.

As a career educator, Dr. Wood has been recognized for her work as an outstanding professor in the exercise sciences and research/statistics. Her experience with clients in physical therapy, allied health fields, and corporate fitness has further broadened her knowledge of human performance.

Dr. Wood earned her B.A. from Montclair State University in Health and Physical Education with teacher licensure, and both her M.S. and Ed.D. in Exercise Science from The University of Tennessee. Her areas of concentration were Motor Learning, Social and Psychological Aspects of Sport, and Research Design and Statistical Analysis. Dissertation topic: The Effect of Two Free Weight Training Programs on Selected Closed Motor Skills. She is a professional member of the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, and the American Society for Training and Development.

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10 Ways to Get the Best Fitness Workout Routine

When it comes to a holistically hale and hearty life, fitness is definitely one of the watchwords! If you do not feel fit and healthy, you simply can't feel happy from within! I'm sure none would disagree. Each one of us must make sure that we take out some time from our hectic schedules to pursue a fitness workout routine. Let's take a look at some of the ways we could aim for a fitter self!

1. The best exercise for abs: side plank.

You should lie down on your left side with your elbow below your shoulder and your legs stacked. Then the right hand should be placed on your left shoulder or on your right hip. Once you have braced your abs and lifted your hips off the floor, hold on for as long as you can. Switch sides and repeat.

2. Standing dumbbell fly: For broader shoulders

A dumbbell should be held in each hand by your sides. Without shrugging, the upper body should be used to swing the weights up by a few inches. The arms and torso should form an upside down V shape. It will contribute hugely to your fitness healthy lifestyle!

3. Towel Cable Row: For great arms!

A towel is to be hooked to a cable pulley, following which you should stand in front of it, set up to do a row, while holding an end of the towel in each hand. Then the shoulder blades should be squeezed together and the towel rowed to your rib cage.

4. Pec Minor Dip: One of the best workout routines for chest

Once you've suspended your body over parallel bars, let your shoulder blades come together as you lower your body towards the floor. Make sure your elbows are locked while doing this. Thereafter, your shoulders should be spread and your body pushed upward again. There, can you feel your pecs working? Even with slight movement, it can do a lot to improve the overall size and shape of your chest.

5. Deadlifts for back muscles.

Begin with a low squat position and grab the bar with an overhand grip. Then your torso should be raised once you've sat back on your hips, pushed through your heels, and ascended upward. Throughout the motion, a tight core and straight back should be maintained.

6. The kettlebell complex: Most effective functional fitness workout

This will work wonders for you if you are short of time, or looking for a quick workout involving minimal stuff. All you need for this is a kettlebell and 20 minutes!

7. Bulgarian split squat: one of the best leg workouts

Hold a dumbbell in each hand once you stand lunge-length in front of a bench. Then the top of your left foot should be rested on the bench behind you. Your body should be lowered until your rear knee nearly touches the floor and your front thigh is parallel to the floor.

8. TRX Atomic Pushup: An excellent time-crunch move

Begin with your feet in a TRX suspension trainer or on a sliding surface. Follow this up with a pushup and then your knees should be pulled to your chest and then pushed back.

9. Squat with Ball: The best workout routine for toned thighs

Once you place an exercise ball between the wall and the curve of your lower back, stand with your feet apart by shoulder-width. Follow this up with bending your knees and lowering 5 to 10 inches. Make sure your shoulders are level and your hips square. This position should be retained for 3 seconds and then repeated.

10. K-Tread: Workout even while you're swimming, for a fitness healthy lifestyle!

In the deep end of the water, tread on it, making small circles with cupped hands and the right leg should be lifted straight in front of you, bringing it at hip level. Reach for the toes of left leg towards bottom of pool. Following this, the legs should be switched quickly, bringing right leg down as the left leg is raised, and hold on to this position for 5 seconds. This should be continued for 30 seconds, altering sides.

Happy workout, folks!

I am Martine Leom, a fitness enthusiast. I strongly believe that for a healthy lifestyle, one needs to follow certain functional fitness workouts. I have attempted to lay down certain easy-to-follow points for the workout of different body parts. Hope my fellow fitness freaks enjoy trying these!

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3 Effective Lower Ab Exercises - How To Build Your Lower Abs Fast!

You will get much stress in your lower abs by doing leg raises from different angles. I see that most people
in the gym are working mostly their upper abs. Their are doing lots of sit-ups with additional weight and crunches with machines
or flat on the floor. These are good exercises to strengthen your middle and upper abs, but the problem is the weak lower abs
and incorrect training techniques.

Ab exercises for lower abdominals gives you the nice burn especially in your lower abs and the top on your thighs as well.
You don't need to do 20 different ab exercises to blast your abs, instead pick up 3 exercises, that works in each upper, middle and lower area.
If you have tendency to have problems to develop lower abs, always do the exercises for lower abs first and keep the focus of lower abs.

Training your abs is a little bit different than for example training chest or biceps, but not much. You don't need any special techniques to develop
lower abs as well as upper abs. I recommend you to follow strict technique and concentrate to slow controlled reps. Sometimes I see, that people are
doing the movement by jerking with their body.

1) Reverse crunches

This is on of my favourite and best lower ab exercises. I and many other athletes have achieved great result performing this ab exercises slowly and
under control. This exercises has many variations, but in my opinion it's best done lying on the bench press bench that allows you to take a firm grip
at the end of the bench.

This is a basic exercise for lower abs, that anyone can do it anywhere. You can perform this comfort at home by lying on the floor. Or hanging
by your hands from a bar or resting on your forearms on a hanging Leg raise bench instead of lying on a bench. The technique will be the same. In the example,
I'll show you how to build your lower abs by doing leg raises on a bench.

Execution: Lie on your back on the bench take a grip from the rack (at the end of the bench) behind your head with both hands for support. Bend
your knees so that your butt is slightly off the bench. Bring your knees up as fat toward our face as you can without lifting your pelvis off the bench.
Bring your knees towards to your face, rounding your back and crunching up toward the rip cage. Hold this position for a moment and squeeze the ab for full contraction.
Lower your legs slowly back to the starting position, until your lower back is resting on a bench.

2) Leg raises

Leg raises are the king of all lower ab exercises and it shouldn't be neglected! Even though leg raises works your abs only indirectly, you
should include leg raises to your workout routine. No matter what expert says, Many athletes including bodybuilders have gotten great results by doing leg raises.
Leg raises are not only emphasize your lower abs, but tighten your hips, buttocks and lower back.

You may want to bent knees during the exercises to lighten the stress to your hip flexors, (the muscle that raise and lower the legs). I use both variations.
There are more variations, how you can perform leg raises. Hanging leg raises are very strict and intense exercises, that hit your lower abs hard. To make it more comfortable,
support your back against the wall for example. To add more resistance, you can perform this exercises on a incline board. In the example, I'll show you, how to do leg raises in a vertical bench.

Execution: Position yourself on your arms on a vertical bench. Hold your upper body steady by supporting your back on vertical pad. From a starting position, bend your
knees and bring them as high as you can as you would trying to reach the shoulders with your knees, until your hips are fully flexed. At this position, your hips are slightly off from the back support
and your abs fully flexed through full range of motion. While squeezing your abs hard, hold this position for a second or two and with your knees bent, lower them again to the starting position.

3) Bicycle exercise

This is the third and final lower ab exercise of the 3 best exercises for lower abdominals. Bicycle exercise on a floor will develop both, lower abdominals, obliques and intercostals.
This exercise is effective, because you hit each side separately. I always do this exercises at the and of my ab workout. It is best done without counting reps, instead do each set in 30-60 second
periods depending of the experience levels and goals. My advice is that you first train with less time and then gradually increase the time.

Good news is, that you don't need any special equipments or tools to complete this ab exercise. In any case the best option is to perform this exercises by lying on the floor. Use a special exercise mat
or carpet as a berth to make this exercise to be more comfortable.

Execution: Lying on your back on the floor, put your hands behind your head and place your knees to 45-degee angle, so that your soles are slightly off the floor. This is a starting position.
Now begin a pedal motion, bringing your knees one by one toward your opposite elbow. Bring your knee as far as you can, until it will touch to opposite elbow. Then bring your knee to the starting position
and simultaneously bring the opposite knee towards the opposite elbow.

Tips: Any variation of an exercise forces the muscles to respond in new and different ways. These ab exercises are confirmed to be the best lower ab exercises. The research has shown, that these 3 exercises
activates more muscle in your abs, than for example regular crunches. It has been tested with the EMG (electromyography) equipment, which tests the amount of muscle activity. There were tested 13 common ab exercises
and the above three are on the top 6, taking into consideration that these exercises build your lower abs and help you to get flat stomach.

You can have the best ab workout program for the lower abs, you can have the exercises for lower abs but you won't get any results, if you don't know the truth, how to get flat stomach and how to build lower abs. Click here [http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-get-great-abs] to learn more!

Before you even think any ab exercise, make sure you have a well planned diet and best interval cardio routine combined to your ab workout.. If not then you should read my review of the best selling book "The truth about six pack abs" [http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-get-great-abs] and get the FREE E-book "Insider secrets for a lean body" plus much more....

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