Strength and endurance are two of the most important factors in becoming a successful kayaker. The simple motions of the paddle when kayaking are enough to work entire core muscle groups and build six-pack abs in no time. While amateur kayakers may not be able to race for miles, they can still gain all of
One of my favorite things about the summer time is fresh produce. Fresh produce contributes many positive benefits towards your diet. If you are trying to lose weight this summer, fresh produce will also have many positive effects on your workout effectiveness.
In general, it is good to supply your body with foods
The back is one of the most important areas of our entire body. It is so often ignored in many ways, and this leads to the back issues we see as we progress in years. Simply adding a little focus toward the back will certainly pay dividends in the future.
"It is not a bad back, it is a weak back" are the words trumpeted from my father. He theorized that the millions of sufferers of back pain and back problems were due to those who ignore
When you work on improving strength in your back, you increase your muscle health all throughout your body. Strong back muscles enable you to maintain great posture and put more effort into every workout as your strength grows. You can work a few key exercises into your exercise sessions to precisely target your upper and lower back. Here are several options to consider.
A kettlebell is an imbalanced weight that takes immense
Back strength is vital to having less pain and a better future overall. It is vital to build a stronger back and there are many ways to do this safely and still keep it interesting. This article is going to cover a couple ways to accomplish this.
I do not think I have ever written an article on back exercises without beginning with my rant of how important it is to exercise these muscles. Many people focus on firming up and bulking up
I have been involved in fitness and the study of the body since I was about ten years old. Twenty-five years later and I still maintain a few simple truths that I understood back then: the core is key and the back is best.
This workout routine will touch on both of those areas and take roughly seven minutes out of your busy day.
Without a strong core (meaning your abs, lower back, and oblique muscles) you will not reach
If you have a negative outlook on your body image, you may spend a lot of time mentally picking apart your form. Instead of focusing on the way your body looks, it might be time to reflect on the way
Exercises designed to bulk up the muscles in your arms also go a long way in toning up your shoulders, neck, back and abdomen. By targeting your arm muscles, you're effectively working out your upper body all at the same time. Push your effort to the limit to net the benefits of a full cardio routine, as well, without the tedium of using the same running and cycling machines over and over. In fact, the more you alternate your movements during workouts, the quicker your strength and endurance will grow.
The past several years have caused me to think of new ways to workout to challenge myself and to maximize my limited time. It is not always an easy task to find ways to accomplish this. However, I have found a great one to work my arms to exhaustion in 15 minutes.
In a previous article preparing for the summer, I discussed that it would suit most people who do not have spare hours to spend in the gym to try three whole
Quick and easy meals often sacrifice health for convenience. In fact, many of the most popular convenience foods come prepackaged full of preservatives, including tons of sugar and salt. You can prepare fresh ingredients ahead of time instead to ensure you can make a fast, easy meal without sacrificing your health. One of the simplest meals to make with your prepped ingredients is stuffed vegetables. You just mix together the ingredients, stuff the vegetable full and pop it in the oven to heat up. Here are three stuffed vegetable options
Getting ready for the beach this summer, or just being fitness minded in general, requires a lot of work. Those men and women who grace the covers of fitness mags usually do more than just the elliptical and a few crunches before work each morning. They alter their entire lifestyle to fine tune their bodies... This includes a disciplined diet.
I have read before that diet is 40% of the workout. I am not sure where the statistic came from or its accuracy.
Yoga directly addresses all of the mechanisms that allow stress to run out of control. With yoga, you must control your breathing, focus on movements and work out all of your excess energy. While you hold each pose, your yoga instructor will regularly remind you to keep your breathing in pace with big inhales, long holds and drawn out exhales. Breathing exercises naturally help reduce
The summer is right around the corner, and that means bathing suit weather, which means bathing suits. If you are like me, there is still a lot of work to do before hitting the beaches. Have no fear, because full
You can achieve two goals in one by toning up your body for summer by practicing vital swim moves. Mastering these moves will give you the skills to safely enjoy your time by the pool, lake, or ocean side as the days warm up. Furthermore, the demanding movements will quickly tighten up your body by shaping the muscles in your arms, legs, back, and abdomen. Here are four moves to learn and perfect during your trips to the gym pool.
After you've reached your goal weight, you still may not feel ready to don a bikini and hit the beach once summer arrives. A lack of muscle tone in your stomach, thighs and upper arm areas can make you feel less fit than you really are. Although heavy lifting is the best course of action for developing muscle tone, you may not be ready for that type of routine. Thankfully, you can embrace a toning routine that does not use much more than your body weight to build muscle.
Every athlete and fitness aficionado has the same love-hate relationship with abs. It is almost as if each of our bodies has a secret code to crack in search of a flat stomach. An ab Rubiks Cube, if you will. Well, planks are the magic formula for a vast majority of us.
With just three plank variations done three times a week, you will have a stronger core
Typically, strict low carb diets work for the majority of people who try them. Weight loss or muscle gain plateaus may require the reintroduction of carbohydrates into the diet. Instead of simply reverting to a carb heavy diet, you can try cycling high carbohydrate ingredients into your meal plan at regular intervals. Carb cycling tends to gently shock the system into making the changes you are working toward. There are several ways to approach this
We all dream of having six pack abs. Why, then, do so few people have them? Getting a flat, muscular stomach is more than just doing some exercises; it is a lifestyle change.
All of the programs out there, like P90X and all of the others, are great and offer incredible workouts. Many do offer diet plans
Although cardio routines often focus on quick, intense movements, it is possible to get the blood pumping with a series of precision movements instead. This is especially true if those movements activate a large number of muscles, such as those found in the core, at the same time. Furthermore, performing core targeting exercises will help you gain strength and stamina to enable you to complete higher intensity sessions in the future. A strong core will even improve your posture, balance and flexibility. Here are four exercises
While on your journey to significant weight loss or strength gains, you may find your motivation flagging on occasion. The loss of oomph is a perfectly natural reaction to sustained personal improvement programs. Thankfully, you can invite your significant other along for the ride to strengthen
