Certainly you don’t want to look like a body builder, male or female. Many women …
Can You Really Build Muscle with Bodyweight Exercises?
You know that strength training by lifting weights will help you build muscle. But what about bodyweight only exercises? The answer is yes – read on to learn more.
Why Squat?
The squat is one of the body’s most fundamental movement patterns. In fact, it’s quite possibly the most important exercise you can do.
After all, you squat whenever you sit down and stand up. Getting into a car requires both a squat and a twist. Read on for even more benefits of squats you may not have known about – and how to do them correctly.
The 5 Biggest Exercise Myths
In my work as a fitness coach, I find that many people have some deeply ingrained beliefs about the “right way” to exercise for best results. No doubt these come from the seemingly endless messages we’re bombarded with every day in the media, the latest fad workout or diet, or maybe from what we were taught back in elementary and high school PE class. In this article, I’ll debunk the five most common mistaken beliefs, or myths, about exercise and fitness that I encounter with my clients.
Should You Work Out When You’re Sore?
When you feel muscle soreness after a workout, it can seem like a sort of a badge of honor. It’s a kind of reminder that you’re following your plan, you made time for exercise, and you pushed yourself. But if you’re still feeling that same soreness a day or two later, should you still work out again?
Muscular Strength vs Muscular Endurance: Why both are important
Did you know that how you’re training your muscles matters? It’s because our bodies essentially have two types of muscle fibers that are called upon for different purposes. These are described as muscular endurance, and muscular strength. And both are essential to focus on in your exercise program. In this article, I’ll explain the difference between strength and endurance, and why they’re equally important. I’ll also share some ideas to help you mix the two into your workout schedule.
Strength Training 101
Each time you strength train a muscle, you’re causing micro-tears in the muscle fibers. But that’s a good thing, because when these tissues repair themselves, they rebuild stronger than before. Do this steadily and progressively, increasing the overall intensity from week to week, and your body will respond with new increases in strength and lean muscle mass. Do too much too soon, and you’ll wind up with an injury in the form of a muscle or tendon tear or strain. But if you never deviate from what you always do, you’ll never see any improvement (and you’ll be wasting your precious time as well.)
The 5 Basic Principles of Fitness
Learn how the principles of Overload, F.I.T.T., Specificity, Rest & Recovery, and Use it Or Lose It can help you achieve your fitness goals
Functional Fitness
Functional fitness is about preparing you for life, rather than something specific like a big race or setting a new personal best on the bench press. Things like squatting down to pick something off the floor, turning and reaching for an item on a high shelf, or carrying a child on your hip or a heavy suitcase.
Get excited about exercise: try something new!
Human beings are creatures of habit. Most of us find comfort in consistency, at least to some degree. Making exercise a consistent habit is one of the best things you can do for yourself. But – when it comes to exercise, having a habit is good, but repeating the same workouts over and over often isn’t. The solution: try something new!