Friday, April 18, 2008

Jumping Jacks


A traditional cardio exercise with proven benefits. This simple but effective maneuver not only stimulates all your muscles but also elevates your heart rate which increases your metabolism. Your body enters into an "aerobic" state burn cycle and maintains it for some time. Maybe you cant run for 45 mins, or cycle for an hour, but 4 sets of 50 jumping jacks will have great benefits none the less. Remember to warm up first by stretching, especially your ankles and calves. Arms, back, and shoulders should also be stretched. Deep knee bends is suggested as a warm up if that needs to be addressed. Ready...1, 2, 3,....

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Pole and chair exercise

Here's another exercise for the calfs, legs, and gluts. Take a pole (for balance) and place a firm chair in front on you to stand on. With a tall pole in your right hand stand on the seat using your right leg. That's right hand pole (for balance), right leg stand (on chair). Then switch the pole and leg for the other sides. You should do some stretching before performing and after doing the exercise. Try 3 sets of 10 reps for each leg if you can. Refer to the video below for demonstration.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Door Jam


Here's a great exercise for the upper body that my friend Harold turned me onto (I call him 'Harold the Great').

Stand in the doorway..have your hands shoulder high, palms facing the door frame and push as hard as you can against the door frame for 10 seconds and release. Rest 1 minute and do again. Do this three times. Good upper body workout that takes only 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Make ugly faces


Ever wanted to exercise your face muscles. Studies show that exercise, even facial muscles, helps reduce the looks of aging and wrinkles. Making facial exaggerated expressions such as smiling, frowning, anger, glee, moving your mouth from side to side, puckering (as to kiss), raising and lowering eyebrows, tight blinking, are just some of the movements. Doing these exercises repeatedly will help improve skin elasticity and can help reduce stress in the face. Suggested routine: pucker-smile, frown-happy, anger-glee. Give it a try, show us your expressive side.

Common Sense Tips


Wow, I wish I could tell you something that you don't already know. I've checked other sites and blogs and have discovered the same message for most of them. So allow me to give you a quick 'cliff-note' summary for those common sense things (I think you'll know the reasons behind them). Become more active, cut out bad foods, don't smoke, consider what you drink and how much, wear seat belts, avoid prolonged exposure in polluted environments, relax and meditate, brush your teeth and floss, get good sleep, consider your genetic link to parents for possible health issues. These things are simple but powerful. If you explore each item you will find a wealth of healthy opportunities to change your life.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Pole exercise for core area


This is a great exercise for the stomach, hips, arms, back, even the area under your arms. Using a pole (broomstick, mop stick, tent pole, etc.) stand with your legs more than shoulder width apart. Bend your knees, keep your back straight, and lower your stance (almost bar stool height). Take a pole and hold it chest level with both hands and your arms out straight. Begin to bring the pole around your chest/stomach area from side to side until one end of the pole is pointing to the front and the other end points to the back (the middle of the pole should brush against your waist slightly). As your doing this, turn your knees inward slightly and rotate your feet on the balls of your feet. Now raise your arms (while still performing the side to side maneuver) so that one end of the pole moves in front of your face, then the other end. Repeat the maneuvers: hip cross hip (4 count) shoulder cross shoulder(4 count). Be sure to start off slowly and then increase the speed. Afterwards, slow down and then stretch all worked muscles. See video demonstration below by double-clicking play button.

Ball hip-to-hip exercise


Stretch before doing this exercise by slowly leaning towards one side of your body, letting your hand slide down the side of your leg past your knee, then lean to the other side and slide your hand down the other side of the other leg past your knee about 5 times each. Once you feel limbered up take a basketball, volleyball, or even a football and hold it between your hands. Stand with your legs open about shoulder width, bend your knees slightly, your back straight, and move the ball from one side of your hips, to the other side of your hips, passing the ball in front of your stomach without twisting your hips. If done correctly, only your arms should be moving and you should feel a slight 'pull' across your stomach and sides. This continuous motion is actually firming up your stomach muscles while tightening your belly and obliques. Increase the rhythm to a comfortable interval (if you like, do it for the length of your favorite rhythmic song) and keep the motion steady. Afterwards stretch by leaning from side to side letting your hand slide down one side of your leg, and then the other hand down the side of the other leg (just like in the warm-up) Double-click play button below for exercise demonstration.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Fitness tip of the day


Are you one of those people who get a shopping cart from the front of the store but leave it near your vehicle when you're done? Take it back to the front of the store. Walking those extra steps are burning extra calories.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Lunch control, save dough


Your mom used to pack your lunch. Why not do the same for yourself and control what you eat? You're smart enough to know what you should and should not eat. No one has to tell you about dieting. We're smart enough to figure that out. But if you pack a healthy lunch and healthy snacks to munch on, then you control your diet and your wallet will greatly benefit from your choices. You choose how to prepare your healthy meal, water intake, portions, and all the other healthy adages. Shop 'grocery smart' and stock up on those items that are good for the body. Remember, eat BEFORE you shop so your buying with your head and not your stomach. (if you need help in making food choices, follow the dieting links)

Stair Master?


Where do you think they got the concept of the stair master machine from anyway? Stairs. That's right, stairs are a great workout for the legs and heart muscles. Take a comfortable pair of tennis shoes to work and instead of taking the elevator take the stairs. If your office is on the 90th floor, get off on the 80th floor and go up the stairs the rest of the way. Here's something I used to do: At lunchtime, go up and down the stairwell for a quick cardio infusion after lunch. It will help burn off your lunch (you know, the healthy one you just had) and start your body in metabolic burn cycle. It will also prevent that 'sluggard' state of mind when trying to get back to work and fight falling asleep. Stairs at home, stairs at the mall, wherever stairs are don't just stare at them. EVERY TIME you raise your heart rate, you re burning more calories.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Bed (or floor) Crunches


Before you turn in for the night try this. Lay on your back in bed and start off with a full stretch with your arms above your head and your legs flat. Place your hands supportive around the back of your head. Bend your body forward and your knees up to where both knees and elbows meet (around the stomach area) and then back down onto the bed. Your elbows should touch your knees simultaneously. Do these slowly and continuously, try 3 sets of 10reps for starters. If the bed is too soft or not long enough, lay on the floor and perform the crunches (the floor may be more supportive for your back anyway). Always stretch afterwards for a lengthy period of time to lessen the potential of abdominal cramping. Note: Do not perform these crunches on a full stomach or if you are attempting this exercise with much difficulty.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Thought for every day #2


Don't look for the convenient parking spot. With gas prices so high its expensive driving around in circles looking for a short walk. Instead, deliberately park far towards the end of the parking stall isle and walk. Note: Be sure and careful not to park too far away, especially towards closing or evening times. Safety is first and far more important than anything else.

Reading the news just got physical

Read the news? Great, now here's what you can do with the newspaper. Take the paper and tear it in half right down the middle. Now, ball-up the newspaper in each hand until it becomes a tight mass and then discard it. Take another piece of paper and do the same thing, until it becomes a tight ball of paper. You can do the same thing with an old phone book or magazine.

The benefit, you are strengthening your hands, fingers, and your forearms. Bruce Lee did this all the time (for you Kung Fu fans) and so can you...right at home. Make sure to limber up your fingers and wrist before and afterwards so your intricate muscles can reap all the benefits. Then, wash your hands (may be some ink residue on your fingers) and let them rest.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Commerical exercises

When you're watching TV, don't you just prefer to skip those commercials. Advertisers selling you things and enticing your thoughts. Well here's a thought (that I'm sure is not new), GET UP DURING COMMERCIALS right where you stand, and for the duration of all the commercials (until your program resides), do some simple squats. That's right, you and those watching with you can make it a ritual to stand up and do some simple squats or other movements during those commercials. And if you tired doing squats then stretch. A friend told me 'there's youth in flexibility'. Bend and twist slowly and within your comfort zone but do any else other than sit there.

Here's the benefit, your moving the blood around, muscles are engaged in activity, heart rate is increased to a metabolic state (means your burning calories), and most of all, the couch potato adage is becoming more obsolete. The more you move, the more your body responds

Water weights

Bottled water...what a concept! Not only can you drink it but lifting it in form of lifting weights can be more challenging than you think. Try the 1.5 liter bottles of water for example. If you take a 1.5 liter bottle of water in each hand and lift it in the form of curls (working the triceps muscle in your arms), say 4 sets of 25 reps (for starters) you will be surprised at the "buzz" your arms are experiencing after your fourth set. Then, your body can have the luxurious treat to receive the water into your body to help flush out toxins and replenish fluids which your body needs to do every day. 2-3 liters of water a day is best, just taking small sips over the course of your day. Nothing like good ol' fashion water.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Thought for every day


Eat BEFORE you go grocery shopping! Studies show that a person (when hungry) will tend to buy what they have an appetite for at that moment. The body and mind are closely connected and your body will have a tendency to dictact your shopping habits if its hungry. Feed your body with good healthy food before grocery shopping and you will less likely buy with a starving stomach and smart shop with your healthy mind. Bon appetite'

Ab Wheel is good, but what if you dont have one?


The Ab Wheel is an excellent tool for tightening the stomach muscles. Most people, though, find it difficult to use (especially those who have been away from the gym for a while). Here's a suggestion, if you have a chair with wheels that relatively roll smoothly, find a surface (unlike shag carpeting) that you can roll the chair back and forth easily. Kneel on the floor in front of the chair facing the seat and place your arms so that your elbows are resting comfortable on the seat. Now roll the chair forward than backward as far (and as comfortably as you can) for several reps (repetitions) to simulate what the Ab Wheel was designed for. You will find that your chair simulates the same motion and result. Stretch your abdominal muscles afterwards (to prevent possible abdominal cramping) by laying on your back and raising your arms above your head as far as you can. (Always consult your physician before any strenuous exercise)

Sweep instead of vacumn

The motion of sweeping (side to side) is great for burning calories. Not only is the motion good for the hips, thighs, lower back, and waist, but also raises your heart rate which stimulates your metabolism. Remember to keep your knees bent and make the motions long and rhythmic (as to your favorite music). Alternate your hand position on the broom handle from time to time (ie: left hand above the right for a minute, switch, then right hand above the left, switch) Remember, before any exercise stretch your body to 'warm it up' (especially if its been a while since you've last swept) and stretch afterwards. The result: a cleaner house and a healthier you. (Always consult your physician before taking on any strenuous tasks)