Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Follow These Tips To Hit Your Fitness Goals

By Kathryn Grimes


Working out can be a challenge, which makes it even more frustrating when you don't see results. But don't give up yet! There are plenty of ways to make exercising easier and more efficient. This article offers some tips that will show you how to make the most out of your workouts.

A great way to get fit is to perform reps in the ten to twelve range when you are lifting weights. You might not be able to lift as much weight, but your muscles will become more toned. The amount of reps you do is very important in getting fit.

Cardio training is another vital piece of the total fitness puzzle. Cardiovascular exercise - exercise that elevates the heart rate and respiration - burns fat, improves performance and contributes to overall health and fitness. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that cardio is the most effective kind of exercise for keeping fit - although it should not be anyone's sole form of exercise.

Running may possibly be the best way to lose weight. Running uses a lot of the muscles in your body as well as your heart. Your body needs energy to keep on running and will take energy from the fat stored in your body to keep on running.

Exercise releases wonderful hormones in your body called endorphins, so take the time and enjoy them. Give yourself a few minutes after a work out, just to relax and enjoy the feeling of the endorphins running through your body. This is a positive feedback for your body that will keep you coming back for more each day.

As you get older your muscles become significantly less flexible, which increases the risk that your muscles will become painfully strained. If you are younger than 40, you should try to hold each stretching position for at least 30 seconds. After 40, increase the holding time to a full minute. This will keep your muscles pliable and strain-free.

To stay hydrated, limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine. These two chemicals dehydrate your body and can leach nutrients from your bloodstream. The best drink for your body is pure water. Remember, you can lose a lot of water when exercising by sweating, so consider having an electrolyte replacement drink after workouts.

When you are training hard to reach your fitness goals you should remember to care for your body. One overlooked area of the body, that is commonly injured, is the neck. A simple way to save your precious vertebrae is to push your tongue against the roof of your mouth. You will automatically hold your head properly and avoid injury.

When you are doing crunches, hold your tongue on the roof of your mouth during the duration of the crunches. It may seem silly, but when you do this, your head will align properly during this exercise. Using this method, you will greatly lower the strain on your neck while performing crunches.

You should not work your abdominal muscles every day that you work out. Ab muscles are like the other muscles in your body. You should try to work your abdominal muscles only two to three times a week. Use your days off from ab exercises to work on other muscles in your body.

Don't attempt to maximize your overall weight limit by adding a whole bunch of weights at once, without testing it. Try adding about 20 to 30% more than what you usually lift and then test, to see if you can handle that first. Start by lifting it off the rack and then holding it for a couple seconds and then placing it back onto the rack. After about 3 or 4 minutes, try your max and it should feel lighter than before. Never attempt this without a spotter, though.

Strengthen your grip by using a towel. Wrap it around any weights or bars that you use to add extra girth. Your hands will have to work harder to hold on to the thicker material, and your grip will grow stronger. You can use this for weights, chin-ups, squats, or any other bar that you use in your routine.

A great tip to help you get fit is to do your own yard work. It can be convenient to pay someone to take care of yard work but it's much more rewarding to do it yourself. Mowing the lawn and trimming bushes can go a long way in helping you get fit.

Whenever your fitness routine calls for an exercise with plenty of reps, count backwards instead of forwards. By counting down from your target to zero you focus your attention on your goal. Counting up from one is not as motivational, because it encourages you to focus on how much you have done and how tired you are getting.

A good strategy to motivate yourself to finish each set is to count backwards rather than forwards. Counting down, rather than up, can be a great tool to propel you to give it your all towards the end of a set. So make sure you are counting how many repetitions you have left rather than how many you have done.

Even though staying fit can be a lot of work, it's worth the effort. Taking advantage of the tips suggested in this article will make sure that the time you spend working out pays off. Keep on trying in your quest to get in better shape. It won't be long before you see the results you've been waiting for.




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