5 Easy Core Exercises That Absolutely Work

May 23, 2010 | Leave a Comment

Here are some simple core exercises from Chalene Johnson that will make you stronger in just a few minutes a day. No, you don’t have to get on the floor and do those boring crunches that so many of us hate. These are fun exercises you can do right in front of your TV that will give you amazing abs! And these exercises will burn calories too.

A strong core will help your body age well, so it is crucial to start working on it now. So, give these a try and let me know what you think. Have you already been doing these or similar exercises, or are you still doing sit ups?

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Celebrities, Fitness, Strength Training

10 Important “Don’ts” To Ensure A Successful Workout

April 8, 2009 | 11 Comments

Photo by thejonoakley
When I first got serious about exercising, I just kind of jumped in and learned as I went along, putting all my faith into the person leading my workout class. But believe me, as time went on, I came to realize there were plenty of things I was doing, or not doing, that were preventing me from having a successful workout. So I want to share some “don’ts’ to follow if you want to have a safe, successful, and injury-free workout. I guess my first “don’t” is don’t always rely on the instructor leading the class, as she usually has new people coming in all the time. Unless you are lucky enough to have a personal trainer, you may be missing out on small, but important, things you need to know.

Here are 10 other important things to know to ensure you will have a successful workout:

Don’t wear improper footwear. Improper footwear increases the pounding on your joints and can lead to injury. When purchasing shoes, shop at stores that specialize in athletic shoes and choose shoes specific to your activity. If you don’t know, then ask the salesperson. And always replace the shoes as soon as they begin to show signs of wear.
Don’t try to burn fat only in an isolated area. You can firm muscles in an isolated area, but you’ll be unsuccessful if you attempt to isolate fat burning to one part of the body. Such as your stomach, thighs, hips, or arms. Incorporate cardio into your workout with the goal to reduce all over body fat. That being said, unfortunately, the areas that gain fat the fastest will be the most stubborn areas to let it go.
Don’t stretch before your workout. Like me, you probably grew up being told to always stretch before a workout. Now experts are saying that is wrong! Your muscles should never be stretched while they are still cold as this puts you at risk for pulled or torn muscles. Go straight for the warm-up. Which brings me to the next “don’t”.
Don’t skip a warm-up before your workout. Or you will increase your risk of injury. If you skip a nice warm-up before a cardio workout, you raise the heart rate too fast. And skipping a warm-up before lifting weights could result in torn muscles. A 5-10 minute warm-up is needed to get the oxygen and blood flowing.
Don’t assume cardio is enough. Cardio is a great fat burner, but don’t forget strength training. Keep in mind that we begin losing muscle at age 30. And strength training builds muscle, which increases metabolism, which burns more calories. It is very important to do both.
Don’t use bad form on cardio marchines. Never set the resistance so high that you have to hunch over or hang on to the handrail with a death grip. Doing so is preventing your body from a good workout and it can throw off your alignment, which jars your spine, shoulders, and elbow. And never read while using cardio machines, as this will take away your focus on form. No matter the exercise, you’ll never have a successful workout if your form is bad.
Don’t think “no pain, no gain” is always true. Yes, some muscle aches and pains are normal and should be expected. But sometimes pain is your body telling you to back off. Joint and bone pain, muscle strains, or ligament and tendon strains are all signs that something is wrong. They will only get worse if you choose to ignore them because of the “no pain, no gain” theory.
Don’t think drinking water during a workout causes cramps. Quite the opposite is true. If you are thirsty, you are dehydrated, and this actually increases your risk for cramps. Always stay well hydrated.
Don’t skip the cool-down. Just like you should take 5-10 minutes to warm-up, you should also take 5-10 minutes to cool down giving your heart rate a chance to slow down properly. Never just come to a sudden stop at the end of your workout.
Don’t let loss of motivation put an end to your workouts. You may be pumped up about your workouts for a long time, and then suddenly feel unmotivated. Loss of motivation is a sign of over training. When this happens, take a break or change the pace. You may skip the weights and only do cardio for a while. Or rest a day between workouts. Another option is to reward yourself with a massage or new workout clothes. (That sounds good to me!)

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Fitness

Today’s Olympic Champions Are Going Farther And Faster Than Ever Before … And The Rest Of Us Can Too

August 18, 2008 | 1 Comment

Photo by Incase Designs

How are today’s Champions reaching overwhelming speeds on the race tracks?

With Michael Phelps surpassing Mark Spitz at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, along with many other amazing feats happening there, the question arises … what are these athletes doing these days in preparation for the Olympics?

You may take a look at the fitness clothing and shoes that they wear (surely for a hefty price) and think these things are making a big difference. But when Spitz competed and earned his title as the greatest Olympic athlete of all time, he did so simply in a regular swimsuit, without either the goggles or the swim cap.

Today’s athletes are competing into their 30’s and 40’s as well.

Take for instance 41-year-old Dara Torres, who is one of the oldest Olympians at the 2008 Olympics. Dara is a personal inspiration to me. Quoted for saying, “You can’t put an age limit on your dreams,” she is competing against (and defeating) women young enough to be her children. Unheard of? No. Unusual? Yes. And to prove that she has been competing fairly and naturally and not illegally doping, she has requested extra testing be done on her.

So what’s their secret?

Today’s champions endure intense training. They train longer and they train harder. They aren’t necessarily born with just the right genes. As Dr. Joyner at the Mayo Clinic stated, “Many genes contribute to performance, but it isn’t likely that one individual would have the right combination of all genes that would give you a natural competitive edge.” Dr. Joyner also attributes new world records being made to the fact that today’s athletes have improved medical care, plus there are many more athletes, from more countries, participating.

But there is one other secret they have that stands out.

These Olympic Champions have a strong mind and have a strong faith in themselves. With that faith, they are achieving world records. These athletes are proving to the rest of us that, whatever age we are, we can achieve great fitness, build good physique, and even fight aging. No matter what our health or fitness goals are, with good mental determination, we can achieve them.

But we first have to get off the sofa. And stop dreaming of being a champion, and go out and become one. No excuses!

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Posted by Julie | Filed Under Blog, Fitness, Health, Wellness

Burn Fat With Cardio Kickboxing And Kettlebells

January 30, 2008 | 2 Comments

Photo by Ganessas
Cardio Kickboxing is by far the hardest form of exercise I have ever done.

But it is also the most rewarding. Never have I felt stronger or more fit than I do now since cardio kickboxing has become a regular part of my daily routine. Cardio kickboxing is non-contact kickboxing which combines boxing, martial arts, and aerobics while giving a total body workout. It is a high intensity, high impact form of exercise that provides amazing health benefits to the body.

For instance,

It will burn anywhere from 350 to 500 calories per hour (or more).
It burns lots of fat and creates lots of muscle.
It reduces and relieves stress.
It will make you feel more empowered and confident.
It will teach you simple self-defense moves.
And if you keep your heart rate elevated by including a lot of jumping, bobbing, and weaving amongst your punches and kicks, your cardiovascular system will benefit too.

Cardio-kickboxing provides a full-body workout. If you do the jabs, punches, and kicks with power, you’ll strengthen your upper body and will start to see nice muscle definition. The kicks will strengthen your hamstrings and give you a nice shape in the legs. And the knee strikes will help firm your abdominal muscles.

But I have a second addiction, and it’s called Kettlebells.

Kettlebells is another fitness phenomenon that is changing the shape of bodies. Kettlebells (which look like a tea kettle without the spout) is a low-impact workout that can benefit overall health and wellness in just 20 to 30 minutes a day … and in only two or three days a week. Made of cast iron, they are available in a variety of weights and you can find them at your local Target or Dick’s, and, of course, you can find them along with training DVDs on eBay! By lifting and extending the weights away from the body in slow movements, they, like cardio-kickboxing, offer a full-body workout. With regular use, you’ll get improved strength, flexibility, balance, and muscle tone in half the time as other workouts. And it burns lots of body fat! Because this is a low-impact workout, even those with back problems can benefit. Check out this video of a Kettlebell workout.

The best reasons for a good exercise program are that it can slow down or even reverse the aging process while making you healthier. To really get healthy though, you need both cardio activities and weight training. Cardio kickboxing and Kettlebells both provide cardio and strength training. They both will give you a well-toned body and the look and feel of an athlete.