There's much more to fitness than simply spending time at the gym. To reach your fitness goals and bettering your health, you need to have the knowledge of what to do, the body strength to carry out the exercises and the persistence and patience to see it through. Use the following tips as guide to help your fitness routine.
Many people look to lifting weights as a means to reach their fitness goals. Though to really see results, all you need are some simple push ups, pull ups, handstand push ups, bridges, leg raises, and squats.
If you find a workout regimen you find enjoyable you will be more likely to stick with it. Make sure your exercise routine is enjoyable, so that working out becomes a treat instead of an ordeal.
A good tip to keeping in good shape is joining a health club and when you do, pay for a few months upfront. The guilt you will feel by not using the club will hopefully get you to go more often than you normally would. This should be done as a final resort, mostly if you have a difficult time forcing yourself to attend.
If you want to get more fit, walk more. Be sure that you are getting the most out of the time by walking briskly and squeezing your muscles as you go, placing your heel down first. You can also work your arms when walking by keeping your elbows bent and swinging them after each step.
Are you short on time and think you cannot fit in a workout? Split up your workouts. You don't need to work out longer, simply split the time in half. If you cut your work out into half, do the first session early in the day and the second half in the evening. If you break your work out into 3 sessions, do the middle session near lunch time. If you'd prefer not to go to your gym more than once in a day, you can try doing one workout at your gym, and doing one workout outdoors.
Count the calories you consume to help you stay fit. Staying aware of your calorie intake will help you understand weight fluctuations on the scale. Aim to eat enough calories to cover your basal metabolic rate while counteracting extra calories with exercise.
You should not be concerned if you really do not want to run or walk. Biking is also a great exercise for endurance and stamina, especially if running isn't your strong suit. Hop on your bicycle, and enjoy a scenic, calorie-burning commute to work. Riding to work for 5 miles will take you less than 30 minutes, and by doing so you will be able to get a good workout in the process.
Keep your knees strong by exercising your thighs. Torn kneecap ligaments are a common sports injury. You must do exercises that work your hamstrings and your quads in order to safeguard your knees. Leg extensions, leg curls, squats, and lunges are all exercises that will work the upper leg muscles.
Crunches alone won't help you build abs. A university study found that even if you do a quarter million crunches, you'll only burn a pound of fat. Simply doing only crunches means that you aren't getting as much of a workout as you need. You should also work out the abs in various different ways.
Fitness Knowledge
Don't spend more than one hour lifting weights. Besides producing cortisol, working out for over an hour actually causes muscle waste. For maximum performance, keep your weight lifting sessions on the short side.
Those that are serious about fitness will take advantage of every opportunity to be more physically active. Now with more fitness knowledge to add to your fitness knowledge you can easily create a fitness plan and achieve your goals.