How to Strengthen Your Lower Body?

Whether you want to compete in a triathlon or just look better in shorts, improving your lower body can help you look better, feel better and play sports more effectively. Increased lower-body strength can also improve your balance and reduce your risk of injury. You can improve your lower body through a variety of activities such as walking and strength-training.
Walking or Running
Walking and running both work the muscles of your lower body. Running gives you a more intense aerobic workout, but it also increases the strain on your joints. For a more difficult workout, build sprints into your run or walk, run a trail that has hills or walk through waist-high water in a pool. Running and walking are most likely to give you lean muscles made up of slow-twitch muscle fibers.
Cycling
Cycling also builds your lower body strength, especially your quadriceps and hamstrings, without straining your joints. Cycling also provides an aerobic workout and is an efficient, environmentally friendly means of transportation. Riding a bicycle uses five times less energy than walking to go the same distance, according to website The Exploratorium.
Strength Training
Many strength-training exercises target your lower body. For example, squats, lunges, leg lifts and leg presses tone and strengthen the muscles in your legs. Strength-training exercises are more likely to give you bulky muscles that consist of fast-twitch muscle fibers, especially if you lift heavy weights with low repetitions. Remember to take a day or two off between weightlifting sessions to allow your muscles time to recover. In addition, ask a qualified trainer for a demonstration if you don't know how to do an exercise or use a machine.
Considerations
You should work out all muscle groups in your body, not just those in your lower body. This helps prevent injury and improves your overall strength. For example, if you're a runner, lift weights or add swimming to your workout schedule to improve your upper body strength. If you want to add muscle mass, work out all major muscle groups, including those in your upper body, abdomen, back and lower body.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Indoor and Outdoor Fitness Workouts

If you want to have a tan, then you have two choices: indoor or outdoor tanning. Indoor tanning involves the use of a tanning bed with bulbs that emit ultraviolet light. Your other option is to tan outdoors, exposing your skin to natural sunlight.
Types
The type of UV rays you are exposed to differs between indoor and outdoor tanning. Outdoor tanning exposes you to a mixture of UVA and UVB rays while indoor tanning facilities typically emit only UVA radiation. UVB rays cause the skin to sunburn, and UVA rays affect the pigment that causes the skin to tan. UVA radiation has been linked to causing the most deadly form of skin cancer, melanoma.
Features
One of the drawbacks of outdoor tanning is that there are numerous variables that affect how much ultraviolet radiation you are exposed to. For instance, during the summer months at noon, the sun's intensity is the highest. Clouds can decrease the intensity of the sun, and a cloudless day will emit the strongest UV radiation. Ground reflection can also elevate your amount of UV exposure.
Considerations
Tanning indoors allows for more control over the way that you tan. You can typically set the time frame and level of intensity that you desire while using the tanning bed. Protective eyewear and hair covering is usually provided as well.
Warning
Whether you tan indoors using a tanning bed or outdoors using natural sunlight, you are still exposing your skin to harmful ultraviolet rays. UV exposure has been linked with an increased risk of skin cancer as well as causing premature signs of aging, like wrinkles. Your best protection will be to wear sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher when exposed to UV rays.
Potential
Indoor tanning may include the use of topical solutions to give the skin the look of a tan. This is a safer alternative to using tanning beds or sunbathing outdoors. Since you are not exposed to UV rays, there is not an increased risk of skin cancer. Tanning salons perform these treatments, and retailers sell over-the-counter sunless tanning products.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

5 Ways to Firm Your Post Pregnancy Belly

Even months after delivering their bundles of joy, new moms have to deal with the dreaded baby belly. The uterus has swollen during pregnancy, and the swelling takes time to go down. Your body will naturally lose some of the swelling, but for the rest of the baby belly, action needs to be taken for it to go away. Combining a healthy diet with exercises that target the problem area will get rid of the baby belly in no time at all.
Step 1
Eat a healthy diet of between 1,200 and 1,500 calories.The amount will be higher if you are breastfeeding. Eat lean protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. These foods will keep you full longer and help prevent overeating.
Step 2
Breastfeed your baby. Breastfeeding helps reduce a baby belly at a faster rate. When you breastfeed, you burn calories faster -- and therefore lose weight faster.
Step 3
Do some form of cardio exercise two to four times per week. Walking, running, dancing, aerobics or using cardio exercise equipment will help you burn fat and build muscle.
Step 4
Take up a postpartum yoga class, which is designed to target the baby belly. The specific moves will help you lose fat and firm up your stomach.
Step 5
Using a stability ball, do crunches and other ab exercises. The exercises will strengthen your abdominal muscles, and in turn, you will lose the baby belly.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts,Pregnancy

How to Get Bigger Arms for More Strength?

Large arms are a symbol of strength, and many people train for countless hours trying to develop big arms with little or no success. Growing your arms is not as simple as performing 25 sets of dumbbell curls. Stimulating your muscles to grow requires precise training and knowledge of the body, proper nutrition and adequate rest and recovery.
Pre-Exhaustion
Performing auxiliary exercises for a particular muscle before beginning your heavy exercises not only warms up your muscles, but pre-exhausts them, so that during the heavy exercises the targeted muscles are forced to work that much harder. For example, before performing your standing barbell curls, do three sets of seated incline curls followed by three sets of dumbbell preacher curls. Lying triceps extensions and press downs are productive pre-exhaustion exercises for the triceps. For the forearms, wrist curls and grip exercises work well. Pre-exhaustion exercises should be executed with moderate weight, so that the muscles don't become too fatigued, and should be in the eight- to 12-rep range.
Heavy Compound Movements
Your compound movement exercises are the ones with which you really push yourself. Standing barbell curls, close-grip bench presses and reverse barbell curls will tax both your strength and endurance. These exercises should be performed with heavy weight, so that executing 12 reps pushes you to the point of failure. Complete three sets of eight to 12 repetitions for each compound exercise.
Burn Outs
After completing your heavy exercises, it is time to move on to burn outs. Only perform one burn-out exercise for each muscle, and only two sets of each exercise. Doing more than this can lead to overtraining. Cable curls work well as burn outs for the biceps. Overhead triceps extensions function well as burn outs for the triceps. Burn outs for the forearms aren't necessary since those muscles are active during all other arm exercises.
Nutrition and Recovery
Proper nutrition and adequate rest and recovery time are critical to muscle development. Your muscles do not grow while you are in the gym, they grow in between workouts. Insufficient nutrients and rest can facilitate the onset of overtraining symptoms. Train your arms no more than twice each week, and take a week off after every 12 weeks of training. Furthermore, try to get between seven and nine hours of sleep every night.
Diet is as important to bodybuilding success as training and rest. Consume enough vitamins, minerals and nutrients to allow your muscles to grow. Specific intake levels are dependent upon your age, weight and other factors, so consult a physician before beginning any training regimen or diet.
Tips
Train with a partner. A good spotter can help you force additional repetitions to create a deep burn in your muscles during heavy sets and burn outs.
Use perfect form. Cheating by using momentum only cheats you out of your desired results.
Train proportionately. Building massive biceps while ignoring the triceps and forearms will make your arms look grotesque, and such imbalances can lead to serious injuries.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Benefits of Swimming & Exercise for People Over 50

Regular physical activity can be advantageous at every age. However, if you are over 50, regular physical activity can help you reduce your risk of certain chronic diseases and improve your overall health. Swimming is a low-cost, complete workout that provides cardiovascular exercise and also strengthens most of the muscles in your body.
Benefits of Exercise for People Over 50
Regular physical activity provides several health benefits. It can increase your energy levels and mood, and improve your mental focus. Regular physical activity can also help you lose or maintain a healthy weight, and thus reduce the risk of problems related to overweight and obesity. Additionally, regular physical activity can help you decrease the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and certain kinds of cancer.
Benefits of Swimming for People Over 50
Swimming is one of the few types of sport that combines cardiovascular exercise with strength training. Additionally, it is a great sport for people over 50 years of age. It is a low impact sport because the water, and not your legs or back, supports your weight. It strengthens your heart and lungs, and can be refreshing and relaxing. As you get older, it gets more difficult to maintain a healthy weight. Swimming burns a lot of calories, which can help you balance your weight and helps tone most of the muscles in your body
Gear
Swimming is a low-cost sport. If you can find access to a lap pool near you, you really only need swimwear, water goggles and a cap. However there are other types of gear that can help with your workouts. For example, you can use fins and kick boards to work out the muscles in our body, and pull buoys and paddles to work out your arms. Also, a lap tracker can help you monitor your progress throughout the workout.
How Often Should You Swim?
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adult Americans practice 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity a week. Swimming can fall under either category depending on how intense your workout is. If you do slow, steady laps for longer periods of time, then your workout will fall under the moderate-intensity category; if you do faster-paced circuit or interval training over shorter periods of time, then your workout will fall under the vigorous-intensity physical activity.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

5 Ways to Do Proper Handstand Pushups

Handstand pushups with your body in a vertical position work your shoulders, chest, triceps and upper back. Exercises that work more than one muscle are called compound exercises. Handstand pushups with your knees on a box work the same muscles, but they are not as difficult. This variation gives you the ability to slowly work your way up to the standard handstand pushup. A good progression is to use a box, then place your knees on a table and continue to raise the height of your knees until you are vertical. If you do not have access to a box, a sturdy chair will work as well.
Step 1
Stand with the box behind you and lower yourself down to the ground by bending your knees. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart on the floor.
Step 2
Position your knees on the box. Lift your right leg behind your body, bend your knee and lightly place it on the box. Lift your left leg, bend your knee and place it next to your right knee.
Step 3
Tighten your abs and form a straight line from your shoulders to your butt. Position your head between your arms and look backward. Keep your arms fully extended at this point and your hands 6 to 8 inches from the box.
Step 4
Lower yourself down by bending your elbows. Stop when the top of your head is right above the floor. Push yourself back up in a steady motion and repeat. Make sure to maintain your body alignment as you do the exercise. Do not let your hips sag or your back arch. Take two seconds to lower yourself down and one second to push back up.
Step 5
Breathe properly when doing pushups. Take a big inhale as you lower your body and exhale as you rise back up.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Exercise to Must Avoid

Exercising on a regular basis will help you control your weight, stay healthy and boost your mood and energy levels, according to MayoClinic.com. With that in mind, you may think that just about any type of exercise is better than no exercise. In reality, some exercises are unnecessary, a waste of time or even dangerous. They consistently rank among top lists of worst exercises.
Traditional Sit-Ups and Crunches
Crunches and sit-ups focus only on the middle abdominal muscles -- the rectus abdominis -- also known as the “six pack.” In addition, the motions involved in sit-ups and crunches can cause back pain, according to the Harvard Health Publications. Exercises such as planks are more effective at working all of your core muscles, plus they won’t strain your back.
Ab Machine Workouts
Using ab machines can detract from a good abdominal workout because they give you leeway to flex your arms, shoulders and legs instead of relying on your core strength, according to Fitness Together, a personal training fitness website. Doing bicycle crunches or performing crunches with a stability ball forces you to use more core strength.
Lat Pull-Downs and Shoulder Presses Behind the Neck
Pulling down cables or lifting an object over your head behind your neck stresses your rotator cuff muscles and can lead to long-term painful shoulder impingement. You are at an especially high risk of damaging your shoulders if you have limited range of motion in your shoulder joints. If you are going to lift weights or use a lat pull-down machine, keep the action in front of your breastbone.
Leg Extensions
Using a leg extension machine isn’t functional because it doesn’t mimic any movements you would normally perform in daily life, according to exercise physiologist Neal I. Pire in an Oprah.com article. Leg extensions also are less effective than other leg exercises because they isolate your quadriceps, which are your front thigh muscles. You may end up straining your hamstrings, which are on the backside of your thigh, if you don’t balance your legs out with more holistic leg exercises such as lunges.
Tricep Extensions
Doing triceps extensions can be impractical because proper form requires you to reach fully behind your back with your upper arms by your ears and your elbows pointing straight up, according to Oprah.com. You may find that you develop neck pain and can’t fully extend your triceps if you have a stiff and inflexible back. Try a more inclusive and effective upper body workout such as triceps pushups.
Ballistic Stretches
Contrary to popular belief, “bouncing” into stretches won’t help you work into a bigger stretch. In reality, your muscles contract to protect themselves if you suddenly overstretch them, according to the Better Health Channel, a health-based website established by the Australia State Government. This can lead to small muscle tears and unnecessary soreness. A healthier alternative is to focus on slowly working your way into a stretch, hold it for about 10 to 20 seconds, rest and then hold a gently increased stretch.
Full Squats
Squats make excellent upper-leg exercises, but you risk straining your knee joints and lower back if you force your knee joints past about a 90-degree angle, warns the Better Health Channel. Keep your squats to about half that – 45 degrees – and keep an eye on your body mechanics by watching your reflection in a mirror.
Extended Cardio Sessions
More isn’t always better when it comes to cardio. An ideal jog or other cardio workout should have your heart rate within 65 to 85 percent of its maximum. You may end up canceling out your hard-earned strength training and burn off muscle mass if you stay at this intensity for over 45 minutes. Keep your cardio workouts to about three 30-minute sessions a week to preserve muscle mass, recommends Health Services at Columbia University.
Waist Twists and Bends
Twisting your waist and bending your sides may slightly boost your flexibility, but it probably won’t do much to trim down your waistline or tone your core muscles. You also may end up straining your low back if you twist and bend too often or too abruptly. A safer and more effective core workout that involves torso movement is to stand upright with your feet planted firmly on the ground, hold a weighted medicine ball and rotate slowly from side to side.
Any Spot-Reduction Exercise
If you do any kind of strengthening or toning exercise to try to take inches from any one area of your body – your thighs or buttocks, for instance – you won’t specifically be burning fat from that area. Spot-reduction just doesn’t work. Evidence that spot-reduction is a myth includes the fact that tennis players have about the same amount of fat in their playing arm as they have in their inactive arm, according to the American Council on Exercise. You will gain more muscle in an area if you consistently work on it, but you need to do cardiovascular exercise and burn fat throughout your body to see fat burn in any one spot.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

How to Keep Yourself Cool in Workouts With High Blood Pressure?

People with high blood pressure overheat more easily than people with normal blood pressure, according to an August 2009 article published on the website of KSDK-TV in St. Louis. Wearing too many clothes increases your risk, too. When you exercise, you naturally raise your body temperature. Combining exercise, too many clothes and high blood pressure may be dangerous. Consult your doctor before working out if you have high blood pressure.
BENEFITS
Despite the risks, exercise is beneficial for controlling high blood pressure. Thirty minutes of regular, moderate cardio exercise helps lower blood pressure and decrease strain on your heart. Exercise helps in weight loss and improves circulation, which lowers your risk of a blood clot that could cause a heart attack. Exercise also raises your level of HDL, or good cholesterol. Moderate exercise is hard enough that you can't sing while doing it, but you should be able to carry on a conversation. Although yoga is often light-intensity exercise, it may also help keep blood pressure low by reducing stress.
HEAT EXHAUSTION
Working out with too many layers on increases your risk of heat exhaustion, especially if you have high blood pressure, because of the increased risk of overheating. Heat exhaustion is a condition resulting from your body becoming too hot. This can progress to heatstroke if it becomes severe. Heatstroke is potentially fatal. Overdressing in one of the main causes of heat exhaustion, along with strenuous exercise, hot weather and dehydration. Alcohol also increases your risk by reducing your body's ability to control your temperature.
KEEPING COOL
It's harder for people with high blood pressure to keep cool. Not only do they get hot more easily but many blood-pressure medications also interfere with the body's ability to handle heat well. Your body naturally works to keep your body temperature down. Sweating helps to cool your body. The sweat then evaporates off your skin, which regulates your body temperature. Covering your skin with layers of clothing prohibits this evaporation. Exercising intensely also makes it hard for sweat to cool you down. Drinking water and moving to a cooler area staves off heat exhaustion.
GUIDELINES
Following exercise guidelines make working out safer if you have high blood pressure. MayoClinic.com recommends that you warm up gradually before a workout to slowly increase your heart rate and body temperature. Also, cool down after workouts to slowly bring your heart rate and temperature down. Avoid exercising in hot weather, especially if you have high blood pressure and heart disease. Work out in the morning or evening and avoid wearing too many layers of clothes. Stop exercising if you feel dizzy, excessively fatigued or short of breath; have chest pain; or feel pain in your jaw or arm.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts,High Blood pressure

Fitness Comparison of Burpees and p90x

The burpee, also known as a squat thrust, is a total-body exercise included in boot camp-style workouts and other intense training protocols. You will also find the burpee as part of the popular DVD workout, P90X, distributed by Beachbody. Although burpees are an effective exercise, variety and cross-training can help you reach your fitness goals. Instead of doing only burpees, you are better off incorporating them as part of a complete training program that activates all the major muscle groups from multiple angles, stimulates your cardiovascular system and combats boredom so you stick with it.
ABOUT BURPEES
The basic move is done from a standing position, feet hip-width apart. You bend your knees and place your hands on the floor – jumping back into the top of a push-up. Complete a push-up and then quickly thrust your feet back to your hands and jump up to complete one repetition. To add intensity, you can make the jump-up a squat jump, a plyometric jack or a tuck jump. For a low-impact option, make the jumps forward and back steps.
P90X
P90X is a 90-day training program divided into three blocks. It is available on 12 DVDs, and you do the workout with the help of the video coach and his team of participants who demonstrate various intensities of all the exercises. The program intends to help you lose weight, improve overall fitness and build muscle strength and definition. The exercises require you purchase equipment, including dumbbells, a pull-up bar and yoga blocks. Every workout includes almost all the necessary components of fitness, including strength, cardio-conditioning and flexibility. The main focus of P90X is the concept deemed “muscle confusion,” meaning that the components of the program are ever changing so your body does not become accustomed to one specific movement and is constantly challenged.
BENEFITS
The burpee trains multiple muscle groups, including your legs, the chest, triceps and core. It also increases your heart rate and, if done for a significant period of time, can train your cardiovascular system. The P90X program includes burpees as part of the program. P90X, however, also includes myriad other exercises to train your body in multiple directions. P90X is also progressive, so as your fitness level improves, the exercises become more challenging so that you keep seeing improvements in your fitness levels.
CONSIDERATIONS
Although burpees are an effective exercise, they should be part of an overall training program. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends any cardiovascular training program last for 20 to 30 minutes and include a warm-up and cool-down. ACSM also recommends multiple exercises be included in a strength-training session you perform at least twice per week. Burpees alone do not include all of these components and even if you warm up and cool down on your own, doing burpees for an extended period of time can become monotonous. The P90X builds warm-ups, cool-downs and variety into exercise sessions. P90X can be expensive, especially once you invest in all the equipment. Burpees require no equipment and can be done virtually anywhere. Both burpees and the P90X programs are high-intensity and for those with exercise experience. If you are new to exercise, consult your physician before beginning a program and consider working with a personal trainer to learn proper form before embarking on a self-directed program like P90X.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Benefits & Risks of ol and pl Squats

Olympic squats, also called bodybuilding squats, differ from powerlifting squats in key areas. Both forms of squats require you to use your body as a spring, compressing at the knees and hips to deliver lifting force to a weight across your shoulders. Each style of squat has its proponents, and both squat types are worth studying for bodybuilders who want to experience the differences in form for themselves.
Knee Position
A classic Olympic squat requires a significantly deeper bend in your knees than the powerlifting squat. During a powerlifting squat, your knees never form an acute angle or project beyond your feet. Your shins stay close to vertical. Good form in an Olympic squat involves dipping your upper body low enough to form a noticeably acute angle of 45 to 55 degrees with your knees. Your knees travel slightly beyond your feet to counterbalance the degree of the bend at your hips. In an Olympic squat, your knees bear more force than they do during a powerlifting squat. Conversely, a powerlifting squat applies more force to the lower back, gluteus muscles and quadriceps.
Hip Position
In both types of squats, the angle of your hip bend corresponds to the angle of your knee bend to keep the weight distributed evenly and traveling on a perfectly vertical plane as you lift and lower. In a powerlifting squat, the knee bend is shallower, so the hip bend deepens to compensate. Olympic squats have a roughly equal distribution of bend, with both the knees and the hips forming similar acute angles during the lowest point of the squat.
Weight Position
The initial position for an Olympic squat is upright with the weight across the highest point of the shoulders. A powerlifting squat begins with a slight forward tilt and the weight bar lower on the back and shoulders. That slightly forward stance translates into a capacity for a heavier lift, but it also applies more force to your lower back than the relatively vertical posture of an Olympic squat.
Powerlifting Squat Benefits and Drawbacks
If your aim is to lift as much weight as possible, the powerlifting squat will maximize the load you can lift. Because it uses the massive quadriceps and gluteus muscles, it provides the greatest amount of lifting force. This style of squat also applies less stress to your knees. However, the stress you save on your knees instead travels to your lower back during a PL squat. The position of your hips may initially feel unnatural because your body is accustomed to bending knees and hips equally to lower itself into a squat.
Olympic Squat Benefits and Drawbacks
An Olympic squat distributes the weight more evenly throughout your body, applying force to your knees, hips and lower back in roughly equal proportions. You also get a greater degree of motion from an Olympic squat, so if you're performing squats for exercise, you'll work more major muscle groups with this style of squat. Although that even distribution of stress preserves your lower back from injury, it applies more stress to your knees than a powerlifting squat. If you have sustained prior knee injuries, deep squats may exacerbate existing knee trouble.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Basics of Elliptical & Boxing Cardio Workouts

Boxing and elliptical machines are different workout programs that appeal to very different groups of exercisers. Which one is right for you will depend on a variety of factors, including your workout goals, tolerance for impact and what you consider enjoyable.


Boxing Basics
Boxing is a combat sport in which two competitors fight with gloved fists, scoring points by punching each other in the head and body. Boxing training consists of practicing offensive and defensive skills, practice fights called sparring, cardiovascular conditioning and strength-building exercises. It's a full-body, all-around fitness program that burns 400 to 600 calories per hour in an average-sized person, according to NutriStrategy.com. However, it's high-intenstiy, high-impact training that carries a moderate chance of injury.
Elliptical Basics
Elliptical machines are something of a cross between a treadmill and a stationary bicycle. Like a treadmill, they're designed to allow the user to do a walking or running workout while indoors and in one place. Like a stationary bicycle, the machine guides the runner's feet through a curved arc to reduce impact on the joints. Elliptical workouts are cardiovascular exercises that improve cardiovascular health and capacity, but do little to build strength. According to NutriStrategy.com, a one-hour session on an elliptical will burn between 500 and 1,000 calories, depending on your pace and resistance settings. Elliptical training is a low-impact workout specifically designed to minimize the risk of injury.
Cardio Boxing
In the late 1980s, karate champion Billy Blanks introduced Tae Bo to the fitness world. Its success spawned numerous imitators, including several variants of cardio boxing. A cardio boxing session focuses on the fitness aspects of boxing training without the impact and potential for injury. Participants can expect to receive cardio and strength-building training while burning between 400 and 600 calories per hour. Impact level is between that of competitive boxing and an elliptical workout.
Common Sense Caution
You should always seek your doctor's advice when starting a new fitness program. This is especially important if you are considering a sport like boxing for your fitness regime. Not all bodies are ready to handle the rigors of boxing training, and your doctor can help you determine if yours is.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

4 Things to Know About Shamanic Workouts

Shamanic bodywork training is not going to bulk up your biceps or burn off unwanted calories. Rather, it is a form of holistic healing that works on multiple levels. Founded by Wayne Kealohi Powell in 1977, shamanic bodywork is designed to increase physical and spiritual energy. The healing practice is rooted in ancient Hawaiian culture and begins with a body tune-up. Two forms of therapeutic massage -- Lomi Lomi and Kahi Loa -- follow the body tune-up. Kalana Hula, a form of ancient island dance and martial arts, is another key component of shamanic bodywork training.
Body Tune-Up
In shamanic bodywork training, there are two steps in the body tune-up process. The first is understanding the importance of positive energy flow throughout the body. Shamanic bodywork training strives to eliminate mental and physical stress built by toxins in the body. The belief is the toxins can be flushed out through the natural flow of the life cycle. That flow is stress, tension, relaxation and release. The second step stresses relaxation and release through mental awareness, universal breathing and a full alignment of the skeletal structure via applied kinesiology.
Lomi Lomi
Lomi Lomi is a traditional Hawaiian massage designed to rid the body of physical and mental stress. Performed by a practitioner, Lomi Lomi typically begins with a prayer seeking healing. The practitioner uses rhythmic strokes with the hands, forearms and elbows. Lomi Lomi translates to "remove what doesn't belong." Lomi Lomi was performed originally as a rite of passage to initiate a young man or woman into adulthood. Shamanic bodywork training strives to awaken self-realization during the Lomi Lomi phase.
Kahi Loa
In shamanic bodywork training, the Kahi Loa massage summons the healing power of fire, water, wind, stone, plants, animals and humans. Also known as the "Magic Touch" massage, the Kahi Loa differs from the Lomi Lomi massage. Instead of massaging the muscles and skeletal structure like Lomi Lomi, Kahi Loa practitioners gently massage the skin to promote healing and wellness.
Kalana Hula
In shamanic bodywork training, the Kalana Hula focuses on movement while using lua, a Hawaiian martial art, and the popular hula dance. Breathing, movement and self-awareness are emphasized in this portion of the training. You connect with the past and the present environments during the Kalana Hula, which also is known as the Energy Dance.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Things to Know About Doing Leg Dips

Strong leg and core muscles do more than just make you look and feel good. It also takes a lot of the pressure off of your back. The key to having strong legs and core is to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet as well as perform key exercises such as cardio and strength training. Leg dips help strengthen your abdominals as well as your hamstrings, glutes and quadriceps.

Bridge Single Leg Dip

For stronger gluteal muscles, perform this exercise one to two times per day. Place a mat on the ground and lie down on your back. Place your feet on the ground so that your knees are bent and place both arms down at your sides. Push your arms down as you lift your hips and butt off the ground. Lift until your knees, hips and shoulders are parallel to each other. Then, slowly kick one leg straight and hold this position. Slowly lower your hips down to the mat without letting it touch the ground, then slowly raise yourself back to the starting position.

One Leg Hamstring Dip

For strong hamstrings, abdominals and glutes, grab a stability ball and place it on the ground. Lie down and place both hands down by your sides. Bend one knee and rest the foot on the stability ball and lift the other leg straight up into the air. Lift your body up so that your hips and butt are slightly off the ground, about two or three inches. Then, without losing your footing while on the ball, lift your hips and butt up higher while maintaining your other leg straight in the air. Lower yourself back down to the starting position and repeat.

Tricep Dip with Leg Lift

This full-body exercise works your shoulders and upper arms as well as your abdominals and hamstrings. It also helps boost your balance as well. Sit down on the edge of a steady surface, such as a sofa or stair step. Place your hands on both sides of your body and grasp the ledge of the surface. Straighten your legs out in front of you and rest your heels against the ground. Bend your elbows as you slowly lower yourself down from the ledge. At the same time, lift one leg. Hold this position for 10 seconds then slowly lift yourself back up onto the ledge.

Single-Leg Dip

Strengthen your knees, hips and ankles as well as your hamstring, quadriceps and glutes. Stand on a flat surface with both feet shoulder-width distance apart. Find a spot to focus on while you conduct this exercise. Place both of your palms together in front of your chest and hold this position throughout the exercise as well. Lift one leg in front of you 12 to 15 inches off the ground as you slowly bend your other knee and lower your hips and glutes to the ground. Keep your bending knee aligned with your toes. Hold this position for two seconds then slowly raise yourself up, keeping your other leg lifted the entire time.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Things to Know About Different Dipping Exercises

Toe dipping is an exercise technique that can make it easier to build your stomach muscles and can help you strengthen your calf muscles when you are jumping rope. The latter is an exercise that is used to improve quickness and will help with weight loss. Jumping rope also puts a lot of pressure on your feet, and you may need to do exercises to strengthen your feet to avoid injuries like plantar fasciitis. Toe dips will help you avoid this injury.

Toe Dip Exercise

The purpose of the toe dip exercise is to strengthen and stretch your knees, your calf muscles and your lower leg. It is also called a standing heel raise. Stand on the floor or stairs. Place your weight on your toes and lift your heels off the ground. Rise up on your tip toes. Go back to the starting position. Do this 10 times, take a 30-second break and repeat the set. This will help you get more height and speed when you jump rope.

Achilles Tendon Stretch

One of the benefits of the toe dip exercise is that you will stretch out your Achilles tendon and prevent serious injuries when jumping rope or doing other running and jumping exercises. As you lower your heel, you will increase your Achilles tendon's flexibility. As you rise back up on your tip toes, you will strengthen your calf muscle.

Calf Strengthening

The toe dip exercise will help you strengthen your calf muscles. This is vital when jumping rope, sprinting or doing other jumping exercises. When you strengthen the calf muscle with this exercise, you increase this muscle's capacity to work and avoid fatigue along with the buildup of lactic acid.

Pilates Maneuver

The toe dip is also an exercise used in Pilates to strengthen the core muscles. Lie on your back on the floor, keeping it as flat as possible. Raise your legs so that your thighs are pointing toward the ceiling and your lower legs are pointing across the room. Your legs should resemble the letter "L." Slowly lower your right foot and tap it on the floor. Raise it back to the starting position. Then lower your left foot and tap it on the floor. Raise it to the starting position. Do 10 toe taps with each foot, take a 30-second break and repeat the set.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Best Ways to Do Tricep Dips

A triceps dip is an intense upper body exercise that targets the muscles on the backs of your upper arm. The weight of your body provides enough resistance to fatigue your triceps and improve your strength. To vary the intensity of the workout, you vary the placement of your legs. Dips are an exercise that progresses with you as your strength improves.

The Dip

The movement of the dip occurs in your arms. Sit on a flat bench or in a chair and place your hands on the bench next to your hips. Allow your fingers to hang over the edge of the bench. Straighten your arms. Walk your feet away from the bench to lift your hips off the support. Bend your knees if you are a beginner, or straighten your legs for a more advanced workout. Inhale and bend your elbows as your body lowers toward the ground. Bend your arms until your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Exhale and straighten your arms to the start position. Point your elbows behind your body as you bend your arms.

Bent Knees

The beginning leg position during the triceps dips is a bent knee position. Place your feet hip-distance apart. Align your feet parallel with each other and point your toes forward. Keep your knees over your heels throughout the exercise and place the majority of your body weight in your heels. You should be able to raise your toes off the floor.

Straight Legs

When you change your leg position from bent knees to straight legs, you change the distance your feet are from your body. In the bent knee position, your feet are close to your triceps. The bent knee positions shorten the length of your body during the dip which lessens the tension on your arms. When your legs are straight you increase the length of your body during the dip, which increases the amount of tension in your triceps. Although you are still lifting the weight of your body, the new position limits the amount of support given from your legs and places the tension in your arms.

Lifted Legs

The advanced version of the triceps dip elevates your straight legs. Instead of placing your heels on the floor, place your heels onto another weight bench or chair. The height of the bench depends upon your strength. A lower bench equals a lower elevation of your feet and a less intense dip. The higher you elevate your feet, the more you increase the challenge of the dip.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Exercises to Know to Reduce Your Heel Spur

Heel spurs are often the result of plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the tissue band that runs across the bottom of your foot. This band connects the heel bone to your toes. When plantar fasciitis is present for a long time, calcium deposits can form on your heel bone. These deposits are known as heel spurs. Heel spurs can be painful. If heel spurs persist, you can have them removed. After surgery, foot exercises can help get you back on your feet. Always consult with your doctor before beginning exercises after a heel spur removal.

Toe Spreads

Toe spreads help to strengthen your foot after surgery. Place your feet flat on the ground while seated. Spread the toes of your affected foot as wide as they will comfortably go. Hold this position for a few seconds, relax and repeat. Complete three sets of 10 repetitions each day.

Heel Walking

Heel walking is a functional exercise that helps to rebuild the strength in your heel after surgery. Complete this exercise barefoot. Shift your weight back onto your heels. Your toes and the front of your foot should be off the ground. Try to walk for 10 seconds at a time. Progress to the point where you are able to walk across a room. Complete two sets of 10 repetitions daily.

Calf Stretch

Stretching your calf muscles can help relieve pain and eliminate tight muscles. Stand with your hands against a wall. Place your healthy leg in front of your affected leg. Bend the front leg at the knee and keep the back leg straight. Slowly push your hips toward the wall while keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground. You will feel a stretch in the heel cord and calf muscle of your affected leg. Once you feel this stretch, hold the position for 10 seconds and relax. Perform one set of 20 repetitions. Never stretch to the point were you experience pain in your affected leg.

Plantar Fascia Stretch

A plantar fascia stretch will help to strengthen the arch of your foot and prevent further problems with heel spurs. Take a seat to complete this exercise. Cross your affected foot so that it is positioned on the knee of your healthy leg. Take your hand and grasp your toes. Slowly pull them toward you. Stop when you feel a stretch in the bottom of your foot. Hold this position for 10 seconds and relax. Complete one set of 20 repetitions.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

How to Do Tricep Dips for Shoulder Joints?

Firm, strong triceps are a must to help combat flab under the arms, also nicknamed "grandma arms" or "bat wings." Triceps dips are a useful exercise that use your own body weight and can be done at home, in a park or at the gym. If you have shoulder or wrist problems you can still do modified triceps dips and tone the underarms while strengthening your arms, shoulders and core.

Triceps and Shoulder Joint

Your shoulders are not able to move 360 degrees. They are designed to move in the frontal plane, side to side, and the sagittal plane, front to back. Triceps originate at the bone that also connects to an area of the rotator cuff that stabilizes the shoulder in triceps dips. Rotational movements are allowed by ligaments connecting the rotator cuff muscles. You can best do triceps dips if have no previous injury to the rotator cuff or a separated shoulder.

Dips

The classic triceps dip is performed using a bench at the gym, a park bench, or an armless chair at home. With legs straight out in front of you, place your hands palms down on the surface of the bench, or chair, behind you. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees while lowering your body toward the ground. Keep the elbows close to your sides to emphasize the contraction of the triceps. Repeat 15 to 20 times for a set, and perform up to three sets.

Modified Dips

If you have weak strength, are overweight, or just started working your triceps, modify the dips by bending the legs 90 degrees at the knee. This will help your support your body when lowering your butt to the floor. Another option is to stand with your back to a wall, and maintain a distance of 3 to 4 inches between your back and the wall. Bending the elbows slightly, place your arms behind your back, palms flat on the wall, and push away from the wall by extending your elbows.

Assisted Dips

Many gyms have an assisted dip and chin-up machine. These machines provide a counterweight to your own body, much like a teeter-totter at a child's playground. The more weight selected, the less of your body-weight you have to move while performing a dip. These machines are a good option for overweight, de-condtioned, or beginning exercisers. You can do several sets of assisted dips even if you are too weak to perform a single traditional dip using your full body weight.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Muscles Used in Dip Exercises

Dips are an upper body, body weight exercise that can be performed in two very different ways to work different parts muscles in your upper body. Body Building.com calls dips a compound push-type exercise that works a large number of upper body muscles at the same time.

Parallel Bar Dips

Parallel bar dips are performed using a specially designed parallel bar machine or by using any object or objects that are sturdy and of equal height so that your knees will not touch the ground. To perform parallel bar dips, grab the two hands of the machine and start with your arms fully extended with you above the bars and your legs crossed and bent. Then lower yourself until your elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle before pushing back up to the starting position to complete one repetition. Body Building.com notes that a variation of this move would be leaning forward to place more emphasis on your chest muscles.

Triceps Dips

Triceps dips are performed by using one or two weight benches or any surfaces of equal height. Beginners can keep their feet on the floor, but as you get stronger, placing your legs across an equal height surface will make the exercise more challenging. Start by placing your hands behind you onto a bench so that your fingers face forward. Place your heels on another bench or on the floor. Raise yourself up so that your arms are straight and this is the starting position. Then lower yourself until your arms are at a 90-degree angle before returning to the starting position to complete one repetition.

Parallel Bar Dips Muscles Worked

The pectoralis major muscle of the chest is the primary muscle that is worked during parallel bar dips. According to Body Building.com, other muscles that are heavily worked include the pectoralis minor, the anterior deltoid and rhomboid in the shoulders, the triceps and the lat muscles in the back. The trapezius muscle in the upper back is activated as a stabilizing muscle during parallel bar dips.

Triceps Dips Muscles Worked

The triceps muscle at the back of the upper arm is the primary muscle that is worked during the triceps dips exercise. According to the Sports Injury Clinic, the pectoralis muscles of the chest are also worked during the exercise. The main action though comes from the triceps, as the triceps muscle is responsible for extending the elbow which is the primary action in triceps dips.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts

Things to Know About Chest Strengthening Dips

The chest muscles, formally called pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, can be targeted in various exercises. Bar dips are traditionally used for exercising the triceps brachii, which is positioned in the back of your arm between your elbow and shoulder. However, with a slight modification you can use bar dips to exercise the chest muscles as well.

Chest Anatomy

The pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor, "pecs" for short, are located above the abdominal muscles and below the neckline. The pectoralis major has two heads located at the clavicle, which can be targeted with incline bench presses, and the sternum which can be targeted with a flat bench press and the chest dips. Additionally, the chest dip also targets the pectoralis minor, which is located on the outside of the pectoralis major. The pectoralis minor is attached to the third, fourth and fifth ribs.

Muscular Strength

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), muscular strength can be attained through anaerobic training with repetitions in the range of four to 12. Make sure to choose a weight that's challenging but still allows you to complete the desired amount of reps within this range. The lower the reps, the heavier the weight, which is designed to build power and maximum strength. Use a weight belt with an attachment chain for plates or a dumbbell to increase the weight on chest dips. Add enough weight so you can still perform these chest dips in three sets of four to 12 reps.

Chest Dips

Chest dips require use of a bar dip apparatus. To begin, grab each bar and push yourself up so that your bodyweight is shifted to your hands and your feet are off the floor. As you lower yourself toward the ground, lean your torso forward at a 45-degree angle. As you lean forward and lower yourself, your elbows are allowed to flare out. Lower yourself until the bottom portion of your chest is even with the bars, pause for a second and then push yourself back up. To prevent injuries to your elbow and shoulder joints, do not lock your elbows at the top when you push back up and do not rock back and forth during the movement. Perform this exercise in three sets of four to 12 reps.

Caution

Seek a consultation with a personal trainer before attempting chest dips. He or she can evaluate if this exercise is appropriate for your fitness level. Additionally, a personal trainer can teach you proper form, how to use the equipment properly and safety. If you feel any pain in your chest, elbows, or shoulders while performing this exercise, stop immediately and see your doctor. He or she should be able to diagnose the cause for this pain.

Read more »

Posted in: Fitness Workouts