Club Blog

When people begin to lose interest in exercising, it is generally because they allow other priorities in their lives to become more important than maintaining a healthy body. Those other priorities include things like work, family, friends and daily chores. Without a network of people to help you stay focused or to energize you, it can be difficult to stick with an exercise routine for very long.

However, working out in group exercise classes or around others is proven to aid in the motivation of many casual exercisers. Working out with others not only helps individuals feel social included, but it helps them feel that they are part of a group of like-minded individuals that identify themselves as being healthy and good to their bodies.

Furthermore, many people report that working out regularly at a gym or at a fitness class helps them make connections with other like-minded individuals. These connections, just as much as the physical activity, encourage the individuals to return to the place of exercise for social networking just as much as for physical exertion. Thus, working out in groups serves as a sort-of safety net for individuals that have a hard time sticking to a particular routine.

1. Gives Energy to the Body
You can expect more energy and higher endurance after some form of regular cardio training.

2. Prevents Diseases
One could prevent heart diseases with regular cardio training. It is also helpful in preventing other variety of diseases like diabetes, obesity and even high cholesterol. The cardiovascular training strengthens the heart and the lungs. The low to moderated type of cardio exercises are required for people seeking to prevent diseases. Examples of these are walking, brisk walking or jogging.

3. Control Your Weight
With cardio training, you are able to burn more calories. This will help those who need to lose weight. While those who already achieved their ideal body mass, the training will make it easier to control the weight.

4. Lose Body Fats
Some people do not have a problem with their weights. However, there may be some excess fats that keep bothering you. Cardio training will help in getting rid of those. The activities involve the movements of large muscle groups. Regularly doing the training will make you leaner.

5. Gets Rid of Boredom
Cardio training is fun. It pumps up your system. You will definitely feel more energized and on the go.

A good cardio workout should consist of activities you enjoy both indoors and out. If you prefer the comfort of your home gym or the community of the local gym, your best choice is one of the many pieces of cardiovascular equipment commercially available. These include the staple treadmill and the traditional stationary bike. Bikes are great for cardio health and promote lower body strength without putting as much shock on joints as the treadmill does. Plus, those who like to bike can take their activity outdoors when the weather is nice or join a spin class for a group cardio session. Indoor cardio can also include the elliptical trainer, which is an excellent workout because it combines upper and lower body movement.

For those who prefer the outdoors, running and biking seem to be the norm and are also good cardio workouts. However, rigorous hiking, rowing, rock climbing, and swimming are also great activities. If you live near the beach, you can also add surfing to your workout regimen. Finally, playing outdoor sports that require multiple athletic skills also counts towards your much-needed cardio. So, get out there and join a soccer team, hit the ski slopes, or play a game of tennis.

Ultimately, each new cardio exercise you try will challenge your body in a unique way. For example, biking will work leg muscles that are not engaged while rowing. To create your best body, you will want to mix up your routines and perform more than one of these cardio exercises.

There a couple different approaches in doing cardio to burn body fat. Some people recommend you do “low intensity” cardio for long stretches at a time to burn body fat. The thought process is that you need to train at a moderate intensity to get your heart rate to the target zone to burn body fat. It has been argued that if you get your heart rate too high, you will begin to burn carbohydrates instead of body fat. Some people argue that high intensity cardio will allow you to burn more total calories in your cardio workout. Creating a “calorie deficit”, by burning more calories than what you take in, is another great way to lose body fat. Let’s compare the two different approaches in detail.

The Low Intensity Cardio Workout

This is the cardio workout that is currently being pushed by the mainstream. This cardio workout is often used due to the great results it gets. Low intensity cardio is very effective at targetting body fat for energy instead of just burning calories in the body. If the body burns fat for energy, you will lose body fat. It just makes sense. Most of the cardio equipment these days comes with a heart rate display. This is the best way to make sure that you reach the correct intensity level to burn body fat. In about 10 minutes of low intensity cardio, you will reach your target heart rate. It is suggested to stay within that zone for at least 30 minutes for good results.

The High Intensity Approach

This form of cardio is used much less than low intensity cardio. Training at a high intensity level can be tough, since you have to push yourself pretty hard. This cardio method gets great results as well. High intensity cardio will burn a lot more calories than low intensity versions, since it gets your heart rate to a much higher level. The calories burned are a mix of fat calories along with carbohydrate calories stored in the body. The idea behind focusing on burning calories in your workout is to burn more calories than what you consume each day. Creating a calorie deficit, by burning more calories than what you eat, will allow you to lose body fat.

Core training has become popular as a fitness philosophy because it is a great way to build a strong foundation. Here are 10 Core Exercise Tips.

Tip #1: Activate Your Abdominal Muscles

The abdominal muscles play a significant role in core stability. The deep abdominal muscles contract to stabilize the spine before the arms and legs can move. The drawing-in maneuver and the plank are great exercises to activate the deep abdominal muscles.

Tip #2: Strengthen Your Lower Back Muscles

The lower back muscles often get neglected in fitness programs, probably in part because of vanity. I have never heard someone say, “Do you know any good exercises to get ripped lower back muscles?” In fitness many people are focused on getting 6 pack abs and a flat stomach, and they are neglecting their back.

The back muscles are just as important as the abdominal muscles. If you want to have a strong core, you must have both strong abs and strong back muscles.

Tip #3: Learn to Engage the Pelvic Floor

The Pelvic Floor muscles are most popular when discussing sexual dysfunction or bladder control issues, but they are really important for stabilizing the pelvis lumbar spine. They actually work with the abdominals and back muscles. To engage the pelvic floor muscles you have to contract as if you were preventing yourself from going to the bathroom.

Tip #4: Do Balance Exercises

Balance Exercises are any exercise when you are standing on 1 leg or when you are standing on an unstable surface. Your center of gravity shifts when you stand on one leg, so your core muscles must work harder to maintain your alignment. Balance Exercises are an important part of a core workout routine.

What is Core Training?

The term “core” refers to the muscles of your abdominals and those of your lower back. If you picture your body and then aim for the very center you would be looking directly at your core. The muscles that make up the core play a unique role since they provide stabilization for your entire body.

Core training seeks to strengthen the muscles of your abdominal and lower back using coordinated movement. A strong focus is put on contracting your abdominal muscles by pulling your belly button in! toward your spine throughout the exercises to ensure that your core muscles are engaged.

What are the risks of a weak Core?

Unfortunately many ailments stem from having weak core muscles. You may be personally acquainted with the most common ailment…lower back pain. Other problems include poor posture, being injury prone, having minimal strength and a bulging waistline.

What are the benefits of a strong Core?

Alleviating persistent back pain is one of the most welcomed benefits of a strong core. An increase in strength and protection from injury are also nice, and who doesn’t love to lose inches from their waist as a result of tightened muscle?

Everyday motions such as lifting, squatting, reaching, twisting and bending will become less challenging after strengthening your core. While you may not immediately see the value in this, remember that it is better to be safe than sorry – who really wants to throw out their back while taking out the trash.

Balance exercises are often neglected in fitness routines, but having good balance is an important part of overall joint health and injury prevention. One of the reasons that balance training is left out of fitness programs is that it has little impact on how your body looks. Instead, balance training is all about how well your body moves. There are a lot of good looking people whose bodies do work well.

Core Training and functional training is all about getting your body to move more efficiently. When your body moves more efficiently, you are less likely to get injured and you will perform regular activities and athletic activities at a higher level.

A balance exercise is an exercise that is done standing on 1 leg. Your center of gravity shifts when you stand on one leg, so your core muscles must work harder to stabilize your entire body over the standing leg. Running is a 1 legged exercise, so any sport or activity that involves running requires good balance.

If you need some assistance learning to practicing new core exercises ask a San Diego personal trainer for assistance.

Upper Body Plyometric Exercises: Where explosion and power in the muscles of the upper body are essential, the following upper body plyometric movements will further develop those traits. Sports that require power in the upper body include: wrestling, mixed martial arts and boxing (more powerful strikes), and any sport that involves explosive upper body movement (throwing, tennis, others). Most of these exercises employ either a medicine ball, or in some cases, a basketball may be utilized.

·Overhead Throws- An over-head throw requires a wall, or a partner, and some sort of ball (medicine ball is recommended; however, a basketball may be substituted). Begin the movement facing the wall at a safe distance, ball grasped in both hands with arms extended overhead. Your stance should provide for optimal balance during the set. To achieve this, stand with feet no further than shoulder width apart, and staggered, one foot slightly in front of the other. When ready, explosively extend the arms out in front, throwing the ball off the wall with as much force as possible. Catch the ball on the bounce and methodically return to the starting position. Immediately repeat the movement. Each throw is considered a repetition.

Side Throws-This movement is performed in much the same way as the overhead throw except the exerciser is standing with either the left or right side of the body facing the wall (standing sideways to the wall). The arms are held slightly bent, with the ball resting on the hip farthest from the wall. Knees should remain slightly bent throughout the movement. On exertion, allow the trunk to pivot naturally at the hips, and with as much force as possible, throw the ball off the wall or to your partner in a slightly underhanded fashion. Catch the ball on the bounce or from your partner, and thoughtfully return to the starting position. Immediately repeat the movement. Each throw is considered a single repetition.

Again, regarding the number of repetitions, one should start with a minimal number of throws to begin with, and then progress incrementally. As with any fitness routine, the same cornerstones apply. Whether one is new to exercise, or a highly-trained competitive athlete, there are some very basic rules and principles that apply to any successful personal training program or routine.

For more information on plyometric exercises ask a San Diego personal trainer at our club for assistance.