Monday, 9 November 2015

List of Fat Burning Foods

Fat burning foods, see the following list of healthy foods you can eat to help you lose fat and tone up.
If you combine good regular exercise with the right foods you'll get the results you want in quick time.

Foods that are good for fat burning are foods that include lots of nutritional value, like high protein and complex carbohydrates. nutrient rich foods help to speed up your metabolism and build muscle, muscles burn more calories, also your digestive system requires more effort to digest protein which burns even more calories.

As well as high protein foods, your diet should also include good amounts of fiber, fruit and vegetables, the vitamins and minerals from fruit and vegetables help to keep our bodies healthy and our metabolisms working well.

Healthy Food List

High Protein Foods

Chicken

Very good source of protein, less saturated fats than red meats, chicken is also a good source of vitamin B3 and B6.

Eggs

Remove the yolk which is high in cholesterol and this is an excellent source of protein, it also includes all 9 essential amino acids.

Tuna

Tuna is a really good source of protein and very low in fat, It's a great source of Omega 3, selenium, potassium, and vitamin B12.

Fat Burning Carbohydrate foods

  • Whole wheat bread
  • Whole wheat pasta
  • Brown rice
  • Oatmeal

Fat Burning Vegetables

  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Onions
  • Peas
  • Tomatoes

Fat Burning Fruits

  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Strawberries
  • Cranberries
  • Pineapples
There are plenty of other good foods for burning fat and weight loss, but these are the ones I regularly eat.

Sunday, 1 November 2015

Setting Exercise Goals For Beginners

To reach your fitness and exercise goals you should know exactly what you want to achieve and to be realistic about it.

So the first thing to do is to know exactly what you want to achieve, then you just have to get the right information. One of the biggest mistakes that beginners make when setting fitness and exercise goals is basically making their goals extreme and unrealistic. Setting unrealistic or difficult to achieve goals will more than likely result in failure which could lead you to feel demoralized and frustrated and giving up on your goals completely.

Next is to understand that it's partly decided by our genetic make up, that determines our ability to succeed in this area, this will help you set realistic goals. Some of us will more naturally pack on more muscle and get stronger than others, some will make better improvements in endurance and cardiovascular exercises. So find out what you're naturally good at, and if you're trying to improve in an area that is not natural to you, understand it may take longer and require more effort. Understand that you can maximize your results with the right training methods and techniques.

Achieving your fitness goals requires much more than just exercising, it requires an education in understanding the way the human body works, but don't be put off by this, it doesn't require that much effort to get the information you need.

Quick tips for beginners on achieving your goals

Know exactly what you want to achieve, without clear goals you're probably not going to achieve anything.

Set realistic goals for both exercise and any changes to your diet, achieving realistic goals will motivate you to achieve more.

Be patient, make your time scale realistic, unrealistic time scales will only result in failure.

Study and understand the basics of how the human body works with regards to exercise and nutrition.

Be very honest with yourself about what you think you can achieve, will all don't have the same genetics and abilities.

Get your information from experienced, qualified or well educated people only.

Take note of your performance each week, be awear of any improvements that you make.

Treat and reward yourself for achieving any goals.

Monday, 5 October 2015

Weight Loss & Diet Tips

Simple weight loss and diet tips, tips on burning fat and toning up, you don't need an extreme diet to get results.

When people say they're going on a diet, it's normally because they want to look good for a particular event, like a holiday or party or something like that. The problem is when people say they're going on a diet, it implies only a temporary change to their eating habits, and the changes are normally extreme.

How long until you see results?

A good thing to remember is adopting a healthy lifestyle should not be a short term thing, if you only apply yourself to healthy living for a few days or weeks in order to lose weight you are probably not going to reach your goals. If you adopt these weight loss tips and make them apart of your life you should start seeing results within a few months.

The Extreme Changes Can Be

1 They starve themselves

Starving yourself is very bad for you, your body needs certain nutrients, if you deprive your body of these nutrients it could lower your metabolism therefore lowering your body's ability to burn calories.

2 They cut out all the foods they enjoy

Cutting out all your favorite foods for a temporary period of time, this is the better diet of the two, as far as giving your body good nutrients, but if you're not enjoying what you eat then it's unlikely to last very long. See healthy snacks

As far as diets are concerned the best advice I could give would be to completely rule out any form of temporary diet, with regards to fat loss. Instead run with the idea that you only have one diet, one permanent diet that you can adjust and tweak.



Weight loss & Diet Tips

Start by making small changes and cuts to your diet, for example if you normally eat 4 chocolate bars a day, reduce it down to 3 and then 2, slowly start to reduce junk foods, little by little.

Eat more frequently during the day, eat smaller portions, it's better to have 5 small healthy meals than 2 large meals, eating more regularly will keep your digestive system ticking over, the digestive system itself burns calories.

Eat foods with low saturated fat, and eat foods that are high in protein, vitamins and minerals, these foods will fill you up and they will help to prevent you from feeling hungry and snacking.

Eat something first thing in the morning, even if it's just a chocolate bar, it will kick start your digestive system and your metabolism.

Drink plenty of water, the experts normally recommend about 6 - 8 medium size glasses a day and more if you have been exercising or when the weather is very hot. Water helps to remove waste from the body, your body uses water to regulate your body temperature and allows nutrients to travel to vital organs. Also drinking lots of water and keeping your body and skin hydrated helps to fight the signs of aging.

Look for healthier options in your current diet, for example, switch from white bread to brown, white rice to brown rice, replace ice cream with yogurt, skimmed milk, low fat spreads instead of butter, see fat burning foods.

Don't Starve yourself you'll be depriving your body of nutrients which will slow down your metabolism, therefore reducing your bodies ability to burn calories. Starving yourself could also cause harm to your internal organs.

Do some weight training, find a flexible routine and stick to it, workout 3 to 4 times a week for 30 to 50 minutes each session, weight training has many benefits. Regular resistance training will make you stronger and look better, for both men and women. It will also improve your bodies circulation and burn more calories in the long run helping to reduce your body fat percentage.

Reduce fried potato foods, like chips, chips/fries, they are high in calories but offer very little nutrition value, because your body has not been getting the nutrients it requires from these foods, you are going to start feeling hungry again real soon.

Reduce your alcohol intake, alcohol dehydrates us and can slow down the metabolism reducing the bodies ability to burn fat. Alcohol is also full of bad carbohydrates which just results in excessive calories. You don't have to give it up completely just cut back if you're someone that drinks regular.

Increase you daily activity, walk as much as you can, take the stairs instead of the lift, if you spend most of the day sitting down go out for a 10 - 20 minute walk, this will burn calories, increase heart and lung activity and get your blood circulating.

If you can't get to the gym, perform short workouts at home, even if you only have 5 or 10 minutes to spare you can still get some exercising done, see home workouts.

Count your calories, this can be a great way of keeping track of how much you are consuming, if you are keeping track you are less likely to over eat.

Don't just do the same boring workouts every time, not only will you get bored, so will your body.

How best to judge your results

If you are to start exercising on a regular basis, even if it's just walking on a treadmill you are going to gain a small amount of extra muscle, this muscle may not be visible but it will add extra body weight. Gaining weight from muscle increase is something you should keep in mind when you weigh yourself. Instead of weighing yourself to judge how well you are doing, use a mirror to judge instead.
These are some effective tips, in time you'll notice the effects, after all it's a marathon not a sprint. However don't just take my word for it, for more diet tips see this article from the National Health Service.

Sunday, 27 September 2015

How many calories do you need?

List of healthy weight loss foods and a breakdown of the calories in a easy to follow table, plus calculate your daily calorie requirements.

For healthy fat loss it's important to keep track of the calories you consume and the foods you eat, ideally the foods you consume should be packed full of nutrients, foods full of nutrients will give your body what it requires, If you provide your body with everything it needs it will help to prevent you from feeling hungry and you will be far less likely to snack.

Calorie calculator

First you need to find out how many calories your body requires to sustain its weight, you can use a calorie calculator to do this.

Use this formula to calculate your calorie requirements

Male - BMR = 10 * Weight (kg) + 6.25 * Height (cm) - 5 * age + 5

Female - BMR = 10 * Weight (kg) + 6.25 * Height (cm) - 5 * age - 160

Try this automated daily calorie requirement calculator.
 
The below table has a list of many of the most common healthy weight loss foods and the calories they provide.

Food Calories
Vegetables
Carrot 50
Broccoli - Medium Serving 45
Tomato - Medium Serving 35
Cucumber - Medium Serving 32
Fruit
Apple 90
Banana 100
Orange 72
Grape - Single grape 2
Pear 101
Meats - Fish
Beef - 1 oz 65
Chicken - 1 oz 50
Tuna - 1 oz 45
Egg medium size 60
Pork - 1 oz 65
Other
Weetabix - single serving 134
Cereal bar 160
Vegetable soup 200
Foods to avoid or reduce
Burger 300
Pizza 1 slice 185
White bread 1 slice 70 - 80
Chocolate 1 oz

Sunday, 20 September 2015

Core Exercises - Strengthen Your Core

Core exercises to strengthen your core muscles which are very important, your core muscles are the foundation for a strong central core.

Strengthening your core muscles is one of the best ways to prevent lower back problems, this involves working your lower back, abdominals and the pelvic area. Your core muscles are basically all the muscles in your torso, excluding your arms and legs.

Your core muscles are very important, they're the foundation for our bodies movements, they allow us to stand up straight and move effectively.

Benefits of having a strong core

Injury prevention, reduce back pain, improved posture, daily tasks will become easier and require less effort, better sporting performance as a strong core will allow for the better shifting of your body and allow for smoother more powerful movements.

Core Muscles

Abdominals - Often mistaken for being the only core muscles.

Oblique's - They run along the side of your abdominals.

Erector Spinae - Run from your neck, down to your lower back.

Hip Flexors - These muscles are at the front of your pelvis.

Transverse Abdominis - They're beneath your oblique's and they go around to your back and help to stabilise your spine and waist.

Hip adductors - located in the upper thigh and hip area.

Gluteus Maximus - enables you to stand up straight.

Effective core exercises

  • Various plank exercises

  • Ab crunches, sit ups, leg raises

  • Deadlift

  • Stiff legged deadlift

  • Good mornings

  • Hyperextensions

  • Body twists

  • Squats

  • Press ups

  • Hip rotations
Various balancing exercises, (example) exercise balance ball exercises.

Below are three core exercises with details on how to perform them.

Front Plank

Technique

Get into a press up position, however rest your bodies weight on your forearms and elbows instead of your hands.

Then simply just hold your body in that position for a period of time.

Hyperextensions

Technique - requires a hyperextension bench

Lie on the bench faced down, your feet need to be placed under the foot pads to keep your feet in a fixed position.

Now keeping your back straight, slowly start to lower yourself at the waist as far as you can while keeping your back straight.

Now in a slow and controlled fashion raise yourself back up to the starting position.

Alternating Ab Crunches

Technique

Get in a crunch position with your back flat on the ground, knees up and elbows pointed towards your feet with your fingers on your temples.

Now try and touch your left knee with your right elbow, you should feel your abdominals and obliques being worked as you perform this, then repeat with the other side.

For added benefit you can extend and straighten your other leg keeping it suspended a few inches off the ground.

Sunday, 6 September 2015

Body Weight Workout

Have a complete body workout without weights, this workout uses body weight exercises only.

Press Ups

Performing the exercise


Legs and back straight, and elbows slightly bent, then bend your elbows and lower yourself so your chest is only a few inches off the ground, push yourself back up.

10 Repetitions, 3 sets

Tricep Dips

Performing the exercise


Develops your triceps and chest muscles, narrow grip will focus on your triceps wide grip will focus on your chest.

Place your hands behind your body holding onto the chair, knuckles facing forward, keep your arms and legs straight, keep your feet together in front of you, slowly lower your body bending your elbows to about a 90 degree angle, then push yourself up to the start position.

10 Repetitions, 3 sets

Lunges

Performing the exercise


Stand with your feet together, Lunge forward with the first leg, your forward leg should be bent at about a 90 Degree angle and your back knee should be nearly touching the ground, use your front knee to push you back up into the start position then repeat with other leg.

20 Repetitions, 3 sets.

Pull ups

Performing the exercise


Grab the bar palms facing forward grip slightly wider than shoulder width, pull yourself up, tuck your feet up behind you, slowly lift yourself up so your chin is inline with the bar, hold for 1 - 2 seconds then lower your body and repeat.

6 - 10 Repetitions for 2 - 3 sets

Monday, 31 August 2015

What Is Your Body Mass Index

Is your Body Mass Index something you should be paying attention to?
This page shows you the formula and BMI scale.


B M I is a way to measure your body fat, based on a calculation of weight and height.
Use the formula below to calculate yours.
Imperial

Weight in pounds * 703 / Height in inches * Height in inches

= BMI

Metric

Wight in kilograms / Height in meters * Height in meters

= BMI

For a fully automated BMI calculator see the following page cdc.gov, this is perfect if you don't have the time to mess about with the above formulas to calculate your results. Once you have your results, check it with the below BMI scale.
BMI Scale
Severely underweight less than 16.0
Underweight from 16.0 to 18.5
Normal from 18.5 to 25
Overweight from 25 to 30
Obese Class I from 30 to 35
Obese Class II from 35 to 40
Obese Class III Over 40
What to make of this information

So now you have calculated your BMI and checked it on the scale, should you pay attention to it? That depends on your build, for example I am 6 foot 2 inches and about 202 pounds my BMI is 26 which is considered overweight according to the scale, but my body fat percentage is around 9%, so I know not to pay too much attention to this scale.

Muscle is heavier than fat, anybody that has more than average muscle mass should not pay too much attention to your BMI.

For everybody else it's a useful guideline.

A score of less than 18.5 probably means you're not eating enough, this could cause you to suffer from low energy levels and a reduced immune system increasing the chance of infection and disease, it could also cause possible organ damage. You should always check with your doctor if you have any concerns.

Sunday, 30 August 2015

What is Body Fat Percentage

There are different ways to find out your body fat percentage, then check your results on the scale.
A certain amount of body fat is essential, the fat percentage needed for women is higher than men, and there are two different types of body fat, essential and storage, while essential body fat is indeed essential to support our bodies, it's the storage body fat that can sometimes get out of hand.
If you're looking to get a six pack your body fat percentage should be around the 10% mark for your abdominals to be visible.
How to reduce your body fat %

Good regular exercise plus a well balanced diet, seems simple enough but many struggle, the main reason for this is just lack of understanding and poor information.
Body Fat Scale
Gender Women Men
Minimum fat 10-12% 3-5%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Healthy 21-24% 14-17%
Average 25-31% 18-24%
Over Weight 32%+ 25%+
Calculate your body fat percentage here.

How to find out your Body Fat %

Calipers (The Pinch Test)

Calipers are used to pinch your skin on different areas of your body, it measures the thickness of fat underneath the skin, then a formula is used to calculate the result.

Some health clubs and gyms will be able to perform the test.

BIA scale

This is a scale that you stand on bare footed, it has two electrical conductors where you place your feet, you have to enter information about age and height, the scale takes your weight, then it sends a small electrical current through your body, it sends the electrical current up one leg then down the other and records how long it takes. It can get an idea of how much muscle and fat you have by the result, the more muscle you have the quicker the electrical current will travel, because muscle is a good conductor it is about 70% water.

The margin of error is about 3%, you can find these in some gyms and health clubs, we have one in our gym.

US Navy Formula

There's a formula that is used by the US Navy, you need certain measurements like Neck, Waist, Hips and Height, then you enter that information into the formula, as you can imagine there will be a margin of error.

You will be able to find websites easy enough that include a body fat percentage calculator that uses this formula.

The best way

There are many others, some are more accurate tests for getting your body fat %, but the best tool of all is the mirror, if you have some fat you need to get rid of, the mirror will tell you.

Sunday, 23 August 2015

Best Abs Book - The Truth About Abs

The best abs book, The truth about six pack abs is a great book that gives honest information on how to achieve results.

Are you confused with all the different information and advice out there on Abs and weight loss? if you answered yes then this book maybe ideal for you.

I have heard a lot of good things about The Truth About Six Pack Abs E book, it's considered one of best books available on Abs and getting a flat stomach.

I decided to buy the book myself to find out what all the fuss is about and to see if it's worth recommending.

I am sure you have seen many books and Ab exercise equipment being advertised claiming to be the most effective way to tone and lose fat from the stomach area and get that visible six pack. They promise everything, but the truth is many are just ineffective.

The Truth about 6 pack abs
 
After reading the book I was very impressed with the information, it is very honest and down to earth advice, it doesn't promise impossible to achieve results, just well written easy to following truthful advice.

The book offers actual workout routines designed to get your desired results, pictures showing how to perform each exercise correctly. Diet plans including detailed nutritional value information. It has a questions and answers section which dispels many six pack myths.

It really does have everything you will ever need to get results, you'll never need to purchase another abs product, or fitness and exercise product for that matter as the workouts will work your whole body.

I can certainly recommend this E book, excellent advice written by a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer.

The sales page has a rather long video, but stick with it, The Truth About 6 Pack Abs book is certainly worth the money. The book itself takes only seconds to download. Click here to learn more about The Truth about 6 pack abs

Saturday, 22 August 2015

What Are The Benefits To Exercise?

What are the benefits to exercise and physical fitness? knowing and understanding the benefits is one of the best ways to stay motivated.

You will look better and feel better with a healthy body, plus increased confidence and overall increased well being.

After exercising it's common to feel good, exercise releases serotonin a hormone that makes you feel happy, and endorphins which are natural pain-killers. Studies have shown that exercise can have the same kind of effects on depression as some anti-depression medications.

With the addition of exercise into your life you'll find yourself having more energy, you'll be able to get more things done with less effort.
 

Other benefits of physical fitness
  • Decreased blood pressure.
  • Decreased Cholesterol.
  • Live a longer more active life.
  • Decreased risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • Lower the chance of getting type 2 diabetes.
  • Lower the chance of suffering from Osteoarthritis.
  • Less likely to suffer with back pain.
  • Some studies suggest exercise can reduce the chance of developing some cancers.
    I have always tried to look after my body because I understand the importance of being healthy, I see it as my greatest procession. I am also a very independent person which means a great deal to me, without my health I would lose my independence.

    You're not just becoming healthy you're developing new interests, if you join a gym or a sports club, you're also improving your social life, you'll be meeting like-minded people.
    Just remember adopting a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean you can't treat yourself, it's all about balancing your life.

    Does fitness bring happiness?
     
    There is no simple yes or no answer to this question, physical fitness is not a magic cure for depression, but it can help you achieve a balanced lifestyle which I think is key to happiness.

    Balanced lifestyle
     
    Having a balanced lifestyle is having good amounts of work and play in your life, being stimulated physically and mentally, some of us neglect our bodies some neglect the mind and even our social skills. If we do neglect certain aspects of ourselves it can lead to problems, a common example would be neglecting our bodies, and becoming overweight, this can lead to all types of different physical problems, which can effect our brain chemistry and lead to depression among other things.

    Quick tips for a balanced lifestyle
     
  • Exercise Regular.
  • Learn something new everyday, develop and learn new skills.
  • Learn about yourself, gain new interests, you might have a passion for something and you didn't even realize.
  • Set achievable goals.
  • Get plenty of sleep.
  • Have plenty of things to look forward too.
  • Do some form of work.
  • Do something you enjoy everyday.
  • Have a balanced diet.
    So will being physically fit bring you happiness, my answer to this question is No, but it can help you to get a balanced lifestyle which can bring happiness. Change is not always easy, but it's possible, you just have to work at it.
  • Sunday, 16 August 2015

    Beach Body Workout

    Get a beach body with this beach body workout, use these short and simple workout programs and tips to get that body ready for the beach.

    This page includes 1 workout that can be done at home and 1 workout for the gym.

    So you are looking to get a beach body, this means looking to lose fat, tone up your muscles and build muscle, the following workouts can be used to do all these things.

    How long will it take to get a beach body?

    Impossible for me to anwser that question as everybody is in different physical condition and people have different genetic ability.

    I can say, dramatic changes takes time so if you are going on holiday in two weeks, that will not be enough time to make a massive difference, am sorry it just doesnt work that way. But the good news is if you start today you could have that beach body for next year.

    How do you achieve your goal?

    As well as using the beach body workout on this page you need a good healthy balanced diet, you need to be aware of what to eat and when to eat. Do not be put off by this, this diet does not have to be extreme, it can't be because you need to live with it, you just need the right knowledge because knowledge is power, then it's just a matter of common sense.

    Combine a good diet with good regular exercise, the exercises should be done with good form and technique, that's how to achieve your beach body.

    Sets - Reps

    If your main focus is on building muscle, you should lift heavy with low reps 6 - 10 reps, if your focus is more on weight loss and toning you should use high reps like 15 - 20 reps or more up to 40 plus reps per set.

    Home beach body workout

    Press ups - 3 sets of 10 - 20  reps

    Alternating ab crunches - 4 sets of 20 reps, As long as you do 80 reps in total

    Squat thursts - 100 reps in total, break them up into sets if you wish

    Tricep dips - 3 sets of 10 - 20 reps

    Lunges - 3 sets of 20 reps - 10 each leg

    Gym beach body workout

    Bench press - 4 sets of 8 - 12 reps

    Leg press - 2 sets of 20 reps

    One arm dumbbell rows - 4 sets of 10 reps each arm

    Squats - 3 sets of 10 - 20 reps

    Shoulder press - machine or dumbbell version 3 sets of 10 reps

    Bicep curls - 3 sets of 10 reps

    Machine chest press 4 - 5 sets of reducing weight 10 reps each

    Sets and reps are only recommended, change as needed.

    Saturday, 15 August 2015

    Upper Back Stretches for Beginners

    Simple and effective back stretches for beginners to improve flexibility in your lats, reduce the risk of injury and muscle pulls.

    These stretches will work your upper back muscles including your latissimus dorsi (middle back) and Trapezius (upper back), the back muscles are prone to muscle pulls, I have suffered with a few of these myself, while they are not serious they can be very painful.

    As well as preventing injury these stretches aid recovery by releasing lactic acid and other toxins from the muscles.

    Upper back/trap stretch

    You can be seated or standing for this one, I will explain using the standing version.

    Technique

    Stand up straight keep your body straight, now raise your arms up out in front of you, keep them parallel with the floor.

    Now inter lock your fingers and rotate your palms so your palms are facing forward.

    Keep your arms straight and slowly start pushing your arms out forward, you should slowly start to feel your upper back muscles being stretched.

    Hold for 10-15 seconds and repeat for 3-5 reps.

    Single arm side stretch

    Stretches your lats and the muscles at the side of your stomach.

    Technique

    Stand up straight, feet about 3 foot apart for balance, now lift your right arm up, pointing straight up vertical.

    Keep your legs and right arm straight, start leaning over to your left, continue until you start to feel your lats and stomach muscles stretching.

    Hold for 10-15 seconds and repeat with the other side, for 3-5 reps each side.

    Body rotations

    Technique

    Stand up straight and place your feet about 3 foot apart.

    Now raise your arms up to shoulder height, elbows bent at about 90 degrees, arms parallel with the floor.

    Keep your arms at the same height and angle and rotate to the left until you feel the stretch.

    Hold for 3-5 seconds then rotate to the right and do the same, and repeat for 5-10 reps each side.

    Wednesday, 12 August 2015

    Six Pack Ab Workout

    One of the best things about training your abdominals is that you don't need any equipment to perform most of the exercises.

    Abdominals

    Your abdominals are an important muscle, they are a core muscle group which means they play a big part in the every day function of the human body.

    How will you benefit of training your abs?

    Getting strong abdominals will allow you to perform normal everyday activities easier, it will also allow you to walk with more ease, run faster for longer and reduce the risk of abdominal injury.

    Getting a six pack

    If you are looking to get a six pack, training your abdominals is only a small part, you should work on lowering your overall body fat percentage.

    How many reps?

    I have included some sets and reps in the below workout, you may need to alter these depending on your ability, feel free to reduce or increase to reps.

    Ab Workout

    Alternating Abdominal Crunches - 4 sets of 20 reps - works your obliques (Muscles at the side of your abs)

    Leg/Knee Raises - 4 sets of 10 reps - Just raise your knees if you struggle to fully raise your legs.

    Abdominal Crunches - 4 sets of 20 reps - hold in the crunch position for 2 - 3 seconds.

    If you find the sets and reps easy, reduce your rest time between sets, or perform the total number reps as one single set.

    Tuesday, 11 August 2015

    5 Components of Physical Fitness

    What are the 5 components of physical fitness, learn how to test and improve every aspect of fitness, ranging from strength to flexibility.

    What is physical fitness?
     
    It's the ability to get through your busy active day without to much difficulty, your day may include work plus other activities such as going to the gym or competing in sports.

    5 Components of Physical Fitness listed below

    Cardiovascular Endurance

    What is it? This tests your heart and lungs at how well they can provide oxygen to the muscles.

    Benefits? Having good cardiovascular endurance can decrease the chance of getting heart related illnesses, and you'll be able to endure high cardiovascular activities for longer.

    How to improve? A good way to improve your cardiovascular ability is running, swimming or cycling.

    Common Tests for your Cardiovascular Endurance Cooper run/Bleep test.


    Muscular Strength

    What is it? This is how much power the muscles can create.

    Benefits? Various daily activities will become easier, better sports performance.

    How to improve? Heavy resistance training, low reps, high protein diet.

    Common Tests for Muscular Strength Grip strength tester/various weight lifting exercises can be used to find this out, for example bench press, leg press, dead-lift. weight training is the best way to develop your strength.



    Muscular Endurance

    What is it? This is the muscles ability to continue an action before muscle failure.

    Benefits? Various daily activities will become easier, you will not tire as easy, better athletic performance.

    How to improve? Resistance training, low weight high reps, many cardiovascular exercises will be beneficial.

    Common Tests for muscular endurance The sit up test.


    Flexibility

    What is it? It's the ability of your joints to move through a full range of motion.

    Benefits? Less likely to suffer from injuries including to the lower back.

    How to improve? Various stretching exercises repeated 3 or more times a week.

    Common Tests The sit and reach test is commonly used to test this.

    Body Fat Percentage

    What is it? This is your body fat percentage

    Benefits? If you have a good overall body fat percentage you will be less at risk from developing certain illnesses, you will also look and feel better.

    How to improve? Combine good eating habits with regular exercise.

    Common tests Skin folds, Body Mass Scales.

    Monday, 10 August 2015

    20 Minute Workout

    You don't have to spend hours in the gym to get results, just a 20 minute workout can lead to good results.

    The 20 minute workouts on this page are designed to be done at home, 20 minutes is not a great deal of time, even the busiest of us can spare 20 minutes.

    How often should you do these workouts?
     
    I recommend performing them 3 - 5 times a week for effective results, for example you could train Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Monday to Friday with the weekend off.

    How will these workouts benefit you?
     
    These workouts will burn calories, tone and build muscle and they will also give your cardiovascular system a workout.

    The exercises here can be done without equipment, apart from the tricep dip which requires a chair, bench or they can even be done using a bed.

    Workout One

    Warm up exercises
     
    Arm circles - 1 minute
    Hip rotations - 1 minute
    Jogging on the spot - 1 minute

    Main workout
     
    Press ups - 4 sets of 20 reps (use the knee version if needed) Rest 30 seconds in between sets (Approximate time 3 - 5 minutes)
    Rest for 1 minute
    Alternating ab crunches exercise - 4 - 5 sets of 20 reps rest 20 - 30 seconds between sets (Approximate time 3 - 4 minutes)
    Rest for 1 minute
    Lunges - 4 sets of 20 reps, 10 reps each leg rest 30 seconds between sets (Approximate time 4 - 5 minutes)
    Rest for 1 minute
    Step ups - Perform for 2 minutes.

    Workout Two

    Warm up exercises
     
    Arm circles - 1 minute

    Squat thrusts - 1 minute
    Rest for 30 seconds
    Star jumps - 1 minute
    Rest for 30 seconds

    Main workout
     
    Leg raises - Knee raises - if you find leg raises too difficult just raise your knees, 4 sets of 10 reps with 20 - 30 seconds rest between sets (Approximate time 4 minutes)
    Rest for 1 minute
    Squats - 4 sets of 10 - 20 reps depending on how difficult you find them, rest 30 seconds between sets (Approximate time 4 minutes)
    Rest for 1 minute
    Tricep dips - 4 sets of 10 - 20 reps rest 30 seconds between sets (Approximate time 4 - 5 minutes)
    Rest for 1 minute
    Side lunges - 2 sets of 10 reps for each leg, short rest between sets, (Approximate time 2 - 3 minutes)
    If you perform these 20 minute workouts properly with the required effort they should make your muscles feel worked and increase your heart rate and breathing.

    10 Minute Workout

    Quick 10 minute workout that is effective and easy to perform, if you struggle to find time for the gym this workout is for you.

    You might not think you can do much in 10 minutes, however you can just as long as you perform the exercises with good technique and put in the required amount of effort. With a 10 minute workout you can burn calories and even tone your body.

    Who is this workout for?

    This 10 minute workout is ideal for anybody wanting to improve their fitness and burn fat, this workout will burn calories which can lead to burning body fat.

    How often should you use a workout like this?

    I would recommend doing a workout like this at least 5 times a week, you could even do this workout 2 or 3 times a day.

    10 Minute Workout

    This is a complete 10 minute full body workout that trains all of the major muscles in the body.

    Do these exercises without rest unless stated

    Exercise 1 Arm circles

    Stand up straight, start with your arms at your side, now rotate your arms forwards or backwards, you can keep your arms straight or slightly bent.

    Rotate forwards for 1 minute then backwards for 1 Minute.

    Exercise 2 Jogging on the spot

    For this exercise to be at its most effective keep your knees nice and high, your thighs should be parallel with the floor at the highest point, for extra effectiveness use good complete arm movements as you perform the jog.

    Do for 2 minutes.

    Rest for 1 minute

    Exercise 3 Press ups

    Use good form, lower yourself all the way down to your chest, in the up position you can straighten your arms or leave them slightly bent, this will give added benefit as it keeps more resistance on your chest, triceps and shoulders.

    If you can't do full press ups, you can do them on your knees.

    Spend 1 minute doing as many of these as you can, include a 1 minute break and then do another 1 minutes worth of press ups.

    Rest again for 1 minute

    Exercise 4 Star jumps

    Stand up straight with your feet together, arms to your side, then jump out with your arms just above shoulder height and your feet about 3 - 4 feet apart, then jump back into to the start position.

    Do for 1 minute

    Guest Workout Routines

    Workout routines for toning your body, burning fat and building muscle mass, plus health and weight loss information.

    Below is a selection of workouts that were submitted from various people. Abdominal Workout by Lauren
    (jersey)

    Workout Goal - For strengthening your abdominals - Burning calories

    Workout Difficulty - Intermediate

    when you do a crunch to get in the position of laying on your back to get started. Once you are on you back you need to bend your knees. Once you have your knees bent you put your hands behind your head. Then you pull your upper body towards your legs. 1 crunch will not count until your whole shoulder blade is off the ground for better results.

    For the best results do 50 break 1-2 minutes 50 more. as you start get to get stronger you might want to do 75 break 75 or 100 break 100. That's your choice not mine, Have fun working out. ~Lauren

    Mass Building 4-day Split Workout by James Loughridge
    (Belfast)

    Workout Goal - Muscle building - Strength gaining

    Workout Difficulty
    - Advanced

    Day 1

    Chest and Triceps

    Incline Barbell press 4x8
    Flat dumbbell press 3x8
    Decline barbell press 3x8
    Incline dumbbell flys 3x8
    Cable flyes 2x8

    Wide grip dips 3xfailure

    Diamond push ups 3xfailure

    Tricep extension 3x8

    Day 2

    Back and Biceps

    Deadlift 4x8
    Wide grip pull ups 3x8
    Bent over rows 3x8
    Trap flys 3x8
    Lat pull downs 2x8

    Dumbbell curls 3x8
    V bar curls 3x8
    Hammer curls 2x8

    Day 3

    Rest

    Day 4

    Legs & Abs

    Squat 4x8
    Superset - Leg extensions 3x8
    Leg curls 3x8
    Leg press 3x8
    Calve press 3x8

    Weighted crunches 3x8
    Jackknives 3xfailure
    Air cycle 2xfailure
    Crunches 3xfailure

    Day 5

    Shoulders & Traps

    Standing barbell overheard press 4x8
    Posterior deltoid flys 3x8
    Superset - Lateral raises 3x8
    Front raises 3x8
    Dumbbell shoulder press 2x8

    Front shrugs 8
    Rear shrugs 8
    Dumbbell (side) shrugs 8

    Day 6

    Rest

    Day 7

    HIT Cardio