Looking for a workout alternative that isn't all washed up? You may want to try swimming. Sure, jumping into the pool and swimming laps lacks a bit of glamour, but that doesn't mean this fitness option is soggy. In fact, for beginners and veteran exercisers alike, swimming can be a great way to boost your fitness level and reduce stress.
Don't let the fact that it's cooler than a landlubbing workout fool you. Like its drier exercise counterparts, swimming is a great cardiovascular workout, meaning it makes the heart stronger so it can pump blood more efficiently. This can help lower blood presure and reduce your risk of heart disease.
And unlike some other aerobic workouts, the natural resistance water offers means you can strengthen your muscles as you work your heart. People who can't reap these benefits from working out on land for a variety of reasons may want to consider swimming as an alternative. That's because water's natural buoyancy reduces the amount of body weight you carry as you work by about 90 percent, minimizing the impact on your joints.
But swimming isn't the best exercise option for everyone. While water's buoyancy makes it an ideal workout for people looking to lighten their load, if you are looking for exercise that can help you build bone density-- which cuts the risk of osteoporosis -- you'll likely get better results from low impact weight-bearing exercise on dry land. And if you're trying to lose weight, you may want to immerse yourself in another activity. Why? Water conducts heat away from the body, keeping your body temperature - and your metabolism - lower than when you work out on land.
Once you've decided to make a splash, here's what you need to know:
• Start slowly: As with any new workout, start slowly and gradually work your way up to 30 minutes straight. And again, as with any new exercise plan, check with your doctor first.
• Consider lessons: If you haven't been in the water for some time, you may want to consider swimming lessons to learn new strokes and other exercises you can do in the water. Make sure your instructor is trained in CPR and has the appropriate lifeguarding certification.
• Know your limits: If you choose to swim in open water rather than a swimming pool, remember that cooler water temperatures and water currents can tire you out faster.
• Use sunscreen: If you're an outdoor swimmer, remember that water doesn't block the sun's harmful rays. Apply a waterproof sunscreen before going in the water and make sure to reapply after you dry off.
There are also a number of swim-specific ailments that can leave you soggy:
Swimmer's ear:
This is an infection of the outer ear and ear canal, which can occur when water becomes trapped inside the ear, changing its acidity levels and promoting bacteria growth. Swimmer's ear can be itchy or painful and may cause the skin on the outer ear to appear red and flaky. This condition is treated with antibacterial eardrops containing flumethasone and clioquinol. If you're a frequent swimmer, you may want to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about getting a prescription filled before infection occurs, so you can begin treatment when the first symptoms of infection hit. Left untreated, swimmer's ear can be extremely painful.
Swimmer's itch:
This itchy rash is caused by parasites that live in some freshwater lakes. The parasites enter superficial layers of the skin and then die, causing irritation and a red rash on exposed skin only. Repeated exposure to these parasites can sometimes cause blisters. Lake swimmers can prevent getting this condition by avoiding marshy areas where snails are often found and by rinsing and vigorously drying exposed skin immediately after leaving the water. If you do get swimmer's itch, oral antihistamines and anti-itch products such as calamine lotion can help.
Swimmer's shoulder:
This is an inflammation of the rotator cuff that can make it difficult to take a stroke or to have a regular range of motion out of the water. As a result, activities that involve raising your arm may be painful. Swimmer's shoulder may be prevented by warming up and cooling down properly before swimming and by using proper stroke technique. If you do suffer from swimmer's shoulder, take a break from swimming and apply ice. Over-the-counter pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen may help. Some cases may require physical therapy, corticosteroid injections, and even surgery.
Now that you're armed with all you need to know about swimming, you're ready to make a splash. So jump in and enjoy your swim!
http://www.mytripledub.com/blog/fitness-wellness/workout-swimming
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Best Stress Reduction Techniques
Best Stress Reduction Techniques (Part 1)
Difficulty relaxing? Try these deeply relaxing practices to relieve your stress and make it a thing of the past! All these strategies are simple, easy-to-use and amazingly effective. Start today!
Learn how to meditate. It is simple, easy and free. You can do it any time you have a few minutes to yourself. It is one of the greatest stress-reducers and doesn't require you to sit around for hours on end, like most people think it does. When I meditate, I do so for about 5-20 minutes typically, there is little added benefit to sitting there longer. I recommend meditating 10-15 minutes 1 to 2 times a day, as you see fit, and skipping a day or two is fine. There are lots of audio and video CDs/DVDs on the topic, or you can join a low-cost or free local meditation group for a month or two until you master the process. You can typically learn how to meditate well in about 7 to 10 sessions.
Go for a walk. The most important part is HOW you walk. Be appreciative, enjoy all the nature around you and the fact that this is your “Me” time. Focus actively on relaxing your muscles as you walk and release all the tensions of the day. If you are walking your dog, think about all the love your pet gives you, and let that soften your muscles and your heart. Notice how your dog never stresses, a good role model if ever there was one!
Be loving to everyone. Are you stressed when you feel loving? Of course not! This is the one strategy all the relaxation books and gurus miss. By going through your day with a loving heart, eager to share your goodwill and helping nature with others, you will reduce your stress and your popularity will soar. Most stress is caused by feeling a sense of failure in life. The greatest failure is the failure to be meaningful in the world and in the lives of others. By giving of yourself in all you do with a loving heart, you will become massively successful starting today and every day from here forward.
Practice self-compassion. If you are like the typical person, if you honestly assess yourself (and observe your self-talk/thoughts), you will realize that no one dumps on you as much as you do. This is one of those weird pieces of psychology that is strangely true. We are typically our own worst enemy. The key is to forgive yourself, and others, for anything that happened in your past and make a commitment from this day forward to look upon yourself lovingly (despite any future mistakes you might make) as you would your own child. We have ALL made mistakes, forgive and let go today.
This is part of a series, so move on now to “Part 2” for additional tips. Please share this with a friend.
If you want more FREE resources and articles go to: www.AdvancedTrainingSeminars.com
Difficulty relaxing? Try these deeply relaxing practices to relieve your stress and make it a thing of the past! All these strategies are simple, easy-to-use and amazingly effective. Start today!
Learn how to meditate. It is simple, easy and free. You can do it any time you have a few minutes to yourself. It is one of the greatest stress-reducers and doesn't require you to sit around for hours on end, like most people think it does. When I meditate, I do so for about 5-20 minutes typically, there is little added benefit to sitting there longer. I recommend meditating 10-15 minutes 1 to 2 times a day, as you see fit, and skipping a day or two is fine. There are lots of audio and video CDs/DVDs on the topic, or you can join a low-cost or free local meditation group for a month or two until you master the process. You can typically learn how to meditate well in about 7 to 10 sessions.
Go for a walk. The most important part is HOW you walk. Be appreciative, enjoy all the nature around you and the fact that this is your “Me” time. Focus actively on relaxing your muscles as you walk and release all the tensions of the day. If you are walking your dog, think about all the love your pet gives you, and let that soften your muscles and your heart. Notice how your dog never stresses, a good role model if ever there was one!
Be loving to everyone. Are you stressed when you feel loving? Of course not! This is the one strategy all the relaxation books and gurus miss. By going through your day with a loving heart, eager to share your goodwill and helping nature with others, you will reduce your stress and your popularity will soar. Most stress is caused by feeling a sense of failure in life. The greatest failure is the failure to be meaningful in the world and in the lives of others. By giving of yourself in all you do with a loving heart, you will become massively successful starting today and every day from here forward.
Practice self-compassion. If you are like the typical person, if you honestly assess yourself (and observe your self-talk/thoughts), you will realize that no one dumps on you as much as you do. This is one of those weird pieces of psychology that is strangely true. We are typically our own worst enemy. The key is to forgive yourself, and others, for anything that happened in your past and make a commitment from this day forward to look upon yourself lovingly (despite any future mistakes you might make) as you would your own child. We have ALL made mistakes, forgive and let go today.
This is part of a series, so move on now to “Part 2” for additional tips. Please share this with a friend.
If you want more FREE resources and articles go to: www.AdvancedTrainingSeminars.com
The benefit of Laughing
Laughing is healthy activity. We can do it in anytime. It looks simple activity. But it work and give benefit for us. Laughing make us happy in all day. Laughing is the best aerobic exercise. We get more oxygen after laughing fifteen minutes in the morning. Benefit for anti aging, why I sad so. Because when we laughing more often we look more younger, laughing is the best sport for facial musculature. With many activity and working in office, laughing can release stress, Avoiding Depression. there is a research that laughing give us antibody from disease, preventing from viruses attack, bacteria and other microorganisms. So, with many benefit of laughing, why we don't start laughing start from now.
Stress Management and Nutrition
Stress Management and Nutrition
There is an accepted association between nutrition and stress. Stress can lead people to make poor nutritional choices which can affect overall health. Poor nutrition also can greatly affect a person's capability of reacting and coping with stress. And because of this, good nutrition is always part of effective stress management. Here are just some simple tips that would help people use good nutrition as a means to manage the stresses in life.
Eat Breakfast Regularly
A well nourished body always has a bigger capability of coping with stress. The earlier the body is prepared, the better. When a day is about to be filled with stress at work or anywhere else, it pays to keep the body well prepared to handle it as it comes. Bear in mind that stress can easily deplete the body of essential resources that keeps it functioning well. Too much stress can also induce the body to use up more of a variety of nutrients which can easily lead to serious deficiencies. If the body is not prepared to cope up with the changes that stress can bring, it would likely react negatively in some way or the other.
To prepare the body for the stress ahead, people should need to keep their body well-stocked with nutrients. If done early in the day, the better the chances that the nutrients are well stocked up to handle the body's needs. This can be assured by eating breakfast regularly.
But the ability to cope with stress can be worsened by skipping breakfast which is the most important meal of the day. The result would be a body that would react very poorly to stress as it comes. But by eating a well-balanced breakfast regularly, the body is ensured of a build up of much needed resources and nutrients, making it more capable of coping with stress for the day.
A Well-Balanced Meal
Apart from eating breakfast regularly, eating a well-balanced meal should also be considered. What will a breakfast be of use if it doesn't provide the body with its much needed nutrients? There are certain nutrients that the body needs in order to fight off the effects of stress more effectively. Also remember that stress can speed up the use of some of these nutrients.
When the body is under stress, it starts to produce stress hormones. The stress hormones then trigger the body to excrete a number of essential minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium from the body. These minerals, when present in the body, actually help it cope with the symptoms and physical signs associated with stress.
The essential minerals that are excreted by the body as it produces stress hormones actually help to avoid mood swings and help the muscles to relax. Without them, the body won't be capable of handling or coping very well with stress and would even make it worse. Along with essential minerals, more antioxidants such as vitamin A, B, C and E may be needed by the body since it tries to increase the use of such nutrients while it is under stress.
The antioxidants help the body fight the free radicals which are released by the body's adrenal glands when it reacts to stress. By eating an well-balanced diet, you are helping your body build up on the essential nutrients that it needs to fight off stress. There are also several nutritional supplements available that would help make up for essential nutrients that may not be provided fully by your diet.
Using good nutrition to fight stress is sensible stress management.
http://www.mytripledub.com/blog/fitness-wellness/stress-management-and-nutrition
There is an accepted association between nutrition and stress. Stress can lead people to make poor nutritional choices which can affect overall health. Poor nutrition also can greatly affect a person's capability of reacting and coping with stress. And because of this, good nutrition is always part of effective stress management. Here are just some simple tips that would help people use good nutrition as a means to manage the stresses in life.
Eat Breakfast Regularly
A well nourished body always has a bigger capability of coping with stress. The earlier the body is prepared, the better. When a day is about to be filled with stress at work or anywhere else, it pays to keep the body well prepared to handle it as it comes. Bear in mind that stress can easily deplete the body of essential resources that keeps it functioning well. Too much stress can also induce the body to use up more of a variety of nutrients which can easily lead to serious deficiencies. If the body is not prepared to cope up with the changes that stress can bring, it would likely react negatively in some way or the other.
To prepare the body for the stress ahead, people should need to keep their body well-stocked with nutrients. If done early in the day, the better the chances that the nutrients are well stocked up to handle the body's needs. This can be assured by eating breakfast regularly.
But the ability to cope with stress can be worsened by skipping breakfast which is the most important meal of the day. The result would be a body that would react very poorly to stress as it comes. But by eating a well-balanced breakfast regularly, the body is ensured of a build up of much needed resources and nutrients, making it more capable of coping with stress for the day.
A Well-Balanced Meal
Apart from eating breakfast regularly, eating a well-balanced meal should also be considered. What will a breakfast be of use if it doesn't provide the body with its much needed nutrients? There are certain nutrients that the body needs in order to fight off the effects of stress more effectively. Also remember that stress can speed up the use of some of these nutrients.
When the body is under stress, it starts to produce stress hormones. The stress hormones then trigger the body to excrete a number of essential minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium from the body. These minerals, when present in the body, actually help it cope with the symptoms and physical signs associated with stress.
The essential minerals that are excreted by the body as it produces stress hormones actually help to avoid mood swings and help the muscles to relax. Without them, the body won't be capable of handling or coping very well with stress and would even make it worse. Along with essential minerals, more antioxidants such as vitamin A, B, C and E may be needed by the body since it tries to increase the use of such nutrients while it is under stress.
The antioxidants help the body fight the free radicals which are released by the body's adrenal glands when it reacts to stress. By eating an well-balanced diet, you are helping your body build up on the essential nutrients that it needs to fight off stress. There are also several nutritional supplements available that would help make up for essential nutrients that may not be provided fully by your diet.
Using good nutrition to fight stress is sensible stress management.
http://www.mytripledub.com/blog/fitness-wellness/stress-management-and-nutrition
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
How to select the best Home Gym Equipment?
Almost everyone today has been educated on the benefits of getting regular exercise and gym. Yet still there are maximum people who are not exercising, while many of us are not active at all. Due to our busy schedule, we are not having the time to visit gym, or go for a run. Most doctors suggest that a person should exercise three to five times a week for about a half an hour to remain happy and healthy. So think for gym equipment at your home only where you would be able to save your time and money too. But before buying any home gym equipment you must be well-informed, otherwise you would not be able to judge the best and desired equipment. There is ample number of home exercise equipments available in the market like free weights, weight training machines, home gyms etc.
A home gym is a particular place of your home which consists of compact unit of equipment designed to perform many exercises at one station.
A home gym should have the following components:
An adjustable bench for sitting or reclining
Stacked metal weights with pin selection for load
Pull down bars mainly for the lat pull down back exercise
Press bars for pushing and pulling, for shoulders, arms and back
Leg extension system for quadriceps muscles of the thigh
Leg curl system for exercising the hamstrings at back of the thigh
Seated cable row system for back and arms exercise.
Types of home gym setups:
There are generally 6 types of home gym setups available in the market:
1. Free weight stations - It consists of adjustable benches, power racks for holding barbells, dumbbells, barbells and round weights.
2. Multi-gyms based on steel or composite bands and cords - It comprise of the flexing band which creates the resistance. Example: Bowflex and Weider.
3. Total Gym concept - This concept uses an adjustable height, inclined bench and sliding seat platform that uses your own body weight to increase resistance. For instance: Total Gym 1500.
4. Multi-gyms based on stacked weights - This kind of set-ups uses a cable and pulley mechanism with stacked weights. You need to move the peg to select the weight. Example: latest Body Solid EXM series.
5. Multi-gyms with provision for free weight plates - It consists of round weights which are manually fitted to the barbell extensions. Example: Powertec Workbench.
6. Smith machine multi combinations - It uses a mechanism that constrains the bar in one vertical plane, unlike free-weight benches and racks. Example: Mega Smith System which is commonly used.
Besides above 6 home gym equipment setup Aerobic exercise equipment such as treadmills, rowers and stationary bikes are also considered as the beneficial equipments that you can choose for your home gym. You should always ask the seller for tips and instructions to maintain the equipment properly.
Sanjana Sharma Is the author of this article. For more information about home gym equipment, fitness equipment , home exercise equipment and exercise machine Australia please follow this link fitness .
http://www.wikio.com/article/select-home-gym-equipment-158073071
A home gym is a particular place of your home which consists of compact unit of equipment designed to perform many exercises at one station.
A home gym should have the following components:
An adjustable bench for sitting or reclining
Stacked metal weights with pin selection for load
Pull down bars mainly for the lat pull down back exercise
Press bars for pushing and pulling, for shoulders, arms and back
Leg extension system for quadriceps muscles of the thigh
Leg curl system for exercising the hamstrings at back of the thigh
Seated cable row system for back and arms exercise.
Types of home gym setups:
There are generally 6 types of home gym setups available in the market:
1. Free weight stations - It consists of adjustable benches, power racks for holding barbells, dumbbells, barbells and round weights.
2. Multi-gyms based on steel or composite bands and cords - It comprise of the flexing band which creates the resistance. Example: Bowflex and Weider.
3. Total Gym concept - This concept uses an adjustable height, inclined bench and sliding seat platform that uses your own body weight to increase resistance. For instance: Total Gym 1500.
4. Multi-gyms based on stacked weights - This kind of set-ups uses a cable and pulley mechanism with stacked weights. You need to move the peg to select the weight. Example: latest Body Solid EXM series.
5. Multi-gyms with provision for free weight plates - It consists of round weights which are manually fitted to the barbell extensions. Example: Powertec Workbench.
6. Smith machine multi combinations - It uses a mechanism that constrains the bar in one vertical plane, unlike free-weight benches and racks. Example: Mega Smith System which is commonly used.
Besides above 6 home gym equipment setup Aerobic exercise equipment such as treadmills, rowers and stationary bikes are also considered as the beneficial equipments that you can choose for your home gym. You should always ask the seller for tips and instructions to maintain the equipment properly.
Sanjana Sharma Is the author of this article. For more information about home gym equipment, fitness equipment , home exercise equipment and exercise machine Australia please follow this link fitness .
http://www.wikio.com/article/select-home-gym-equipment-158073071
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