GO Exercise

Many of us invest a lot of time in planning our exercise routine, and not just the exercises - we think about what equipment we use, we eat before, what we drink after, how we stretch, taking a hot bath or shower, and of course what we wear. But there is one detail that tends to be overlooked - the temperature in the room!

Ideally you want to vary the temperature of your exercise space during the course of your workout; while this is not practical in a public space like a health club, you can do it at home. At the beginning of the workout, keep the room warm, and you will have an easier time stretching to loosen your muscles and getting your blood flowing. As you progress through the routine, you will build up body heat and find the room to be uncomfortable, that is the time to cool it off a bit so you don’t overheat. Some people believe that it is actually good to maintain the heat throughout, in order to increase weight loss due to prespiration. While doing this occasionally may help cleanse the pores of impurities and shed excess water, doing it on a regular basis can lead to dehydration and headaches. If you do opt for the hot exercise room, be sure to consume plenty of cold drinks before and after your workout to be sure your body is not deprived of the fluids it needs.

If you’re running or playing outdoor sports, of course, you don’t have control over the surrounding temperature. But you can still control the temperature of your muscles with clothing, and of the air you breathe with a baclava, which will make exercise more comfortable during the colder season, especially for those with respiratory issues.

You need fluid after exercising, to replace water lost through prespiration. You need a little sodium, to replace lost salt, and some electrolytes. A little nutrition is good too.

But do you need a specially “manufactured” sports drink? Of course not! Everything you need is found in nature. Just dilute orange or cranberry juice with a lot of water, add a pinch of salt, and you are all set!

The sports drink craze may not be harmful to your health, but it isn’t necessary either.

As we approach winter, the mercury falls and daylight shrinks. What’s a jogger or a cyclist to do? There are a few possibilities of how to maintain your aerobic workout as the flakes start falling.

1. Take up an indoor sport, like basketball, racquetball, or swimming
2. Get an indoor fitness machine like a treadmill, stationary bike, or elliptical machine.
3. Jump rope! Surprisingly, this simple activity is more effective than running!
4. If you lift free weights, cut the rest time between exercises, to get an aerobic workout in addition to building muscle.
5. Get outfitted for exercising outdoors - warm sweats for your arms, legs, and torso, a hat that covers your ears, and, if you have respiratory problems in cold weather, a baclava to cover your face and warm the air you breathe.
6. If you will be exercising outside at night, be sure to include reflective and flourescent clothing for safety.

Many of us remember trying to touch our toes by bouncing down, a little further each time. This type of sudden movement can allow you to stretch a little further, but from a fitness perspective it’s not beneficial. In fact, the danger is a matter for concern.

When one engages in ballistic stretching, they are putting an undue strain on whatever muscles and tendons they are stretching. Rather than building flexibility, this can actually cause muscles to tear or tendons to weaken.

Far better to stretch gradually and evenly, building up the muscle’s natural flexibility, and ensuring that no injury will occur.

For your stomach, abs and back muscles, sit-ups and crunches are great.
You can also exercise your back by lifting a suitcase or other object off the floor while keeping your legs straight (avoid this exercise if you have a history of back problems).

You can also work your calves by standing on the edge of a step or curb with your toes
and letting your heels go down as low as they can reach, then rising up as high as you can on your toes.
If you have trouble with balance, rest one hand on a wall, but take care to use only your feet to exert upward force. This exercise is great for developing and strengthening your calve muscles.

today you can find hunderds and thousands of new ways to exercise via the net

For your legs, try squats and lunges.
For a squat, stand squarely with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms loose at your sides.
In a controlled motion, bend your knees until you are almost sitting on the floor.
Don’t go so low that you lose your balance. Then gradually stand straight.
Inhale when you go down, and exhale on the way up.
You can increase the intensity of the exercise by slowing the motion,or by holding a heavy object such a briefcase in your hands,or by wearing a loaded backpack.
Repeat the motion ten times, take a break, and do it again.
A lunge is a similar exercise, but instead of keeping your feet square, stand with one in front of the other, as though taking a step.
As you come down, shift your weight forward, and shift it back as you come back up.
Alternate which leg is forward to work both equally.

It’s great to lift weights at a health club or use a weight machine in your home gym, but how can you stick with your fitness program when you’re on the road? There are several ways to work your muscle groups without any equipment at all. While they may not be ideal, and it is useful to have free weights or machines available, these exercises will keep you on your fitness program wherever you travel.

Your upper body can be exercised with push-ups.
Vary the hand position to work different parts of your arms.
You can also perform pushups standing, with one hand in each side of a door frame, to work other muscles.

To work your chest muscles, sit on the edge of a bed, and place your feet on a chair in front of you.

Lift yourself off the bed with your hands, and lower your behind as low as you can (off the edge of the bed.
Raise and repeat. For another approach, stand between two firm chairs or tables, place your hands on them, and lift your feet off the floor.

Lift yourself up and down using only your hands.None of these exercises is quite the same as using iron or a machine, but they can do in a pinch.

Many people also find they are a nice counterpoint to machine exercise because they emphasize balance and dexterity, additional fitness skills. Plus they building upper body strength and help you scuplt your muscles.