Coach Phil Fitness

From swinging a hula-hoop in a park to climbing a mountain, there can be innovative ways to step up your heart rate in an outdoor fitness class. Joining an outdoor fitness class has become a growing trend these days. Bored with the same gym routines and fed-up with being stuck indoors, more and more people are choosing the exhilaration of exercising without confining walls. In fact, according to recent research, it is proved that exposure to the great outdoors, even in moderate amounts, can have beneficial effects on health, mood, and even productivity.

There are many other reasons why working out outdoors can do wonders for you. Exercising in natural light, getting free Vitamin D from the sunshine, and breathing in fresh air certainly beats a smelly workout indoors, under harsh artificial lights and inadequate ventilation. It would also be a better choice of fitting the exercise regime into your lifestyle. For instance, if you have just stopped exercising because of the boredom of going to the gym, joining an outdoor fitness class and committing yourself again to a workout regimen that you love will motivate you to stick to it, and thus be one of the best ways of jump-starting a fitness program that has the potential of lasting a lifetime.

Most people just find being outside, doing something they enjoy, pleasurable. When exercising outdoors, you can be part of Mother Nature and all her beauty. You can listen to the birds, enjoy the greenery of the grass and trees, and the colors of flowers, let your senses absorb your surroundings, as you experience the sights, smells, sounds, and textures of surrounding nature. If you live in a neighborhood with views that are not particularly motivating, you could make that an excuse to hike somewhere more inspiring. A greener neighborhood with well kept gardens and homes or a well designed park with a variety of flowering shrubs and trees could give your day just that much needed boost.

There are a wide variety of activities offered as part of outdoor workouts; choose something that you like doing. Joining an underwater ballet class, a dancercise or kickboxing class by the pool, peddling through a park trail or even a forest trail, or surfing under expert instructions on mastering the art of riding waves on a surfboard along with other surfing neophytes; all of these can be great ways of putting fun back into exercising. Many fitness professionals and gyms offer personal fitness training sessions and outdoor fitness classes these days. The growing popularity of these specially designed outdoor fitness exercise routines has inspired personal fitness trainers to create programs that include a wide variety of activities like surfing, adventure racing, cycling and hiking.

Of course, the type of activity varies according to the place you live in. Many certified exercise trainers conduct exercise sessions for groups which include strength and cardio circuits, along with biking and hiking up mountains or on beaches. Some innovative trainers make it even more fun and exciting by offering one-on-one programs such as kayaking to an island, running on the beach, or clambering up sand dunes. Some even include sports like volleyball and tennis.



By: Kris Koonar

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Exercise

Regular exercise is vital to help maintain good health. Exercise burns up extra calories in food and reduces the likelihood of these being converted into fat. Regular exercise makes you fit, gives a general sense of well-being, improves appetite and sleep and makes the heart and circulation, lungs and respiration work more efficiently. Exercise carried out for about 20 minutes three times a week is beneficial for the body.

Physical Fitness can be measured in various aspects such as your balance, stamina, strength and flexibility. It is often assessed by measuring heart rate after exercise. Fitness can also be measured in terms of the strength of specific muscles required to perform a task such as lifting weights. optimal Physical fitness requires both aerobic exercise and muscle - strengthening exercises.

There are three main types of exercises that can be included in your exercise program. These are- flexibility, strengthening, and fitness.

 

Flexibility exercises involves stretching, loosening up and bending. These exercise helps muscles and joints to perform their full range of movement with suppleness and ease and help to reduce stiffness and keep your joints flexible. Strengthening exercises include both flexibility and fitness exercises as well as the use of weights and specially designed equipments in a gym. These exercises help maintain or increase muscle strength, leading to firming up of the body and an improvement in posture. Fitness exercises help increase your endurance and stamina. Vigorous activities (Aerobic activities) such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, dancing, swimming along with many sports like football, tennis, badminton etc. improve fitness. The improvement can be seen after a few weeks of regular, fairly, hard exercise i.e. 30 minutes of aerobic activity every day. However, the level of fitness soon declines if the exercise regime is abandoned. Walking: Walking is the best form of moderate exercise. Brisk walking help circulation of blood throughout the body. Walking can help people avoid a heart attack, peel off pounds and even develop a hard body.

 

An ideal walking schedule for beginners is 20 minutes 6 or 7days a week. As you develop endurance and loose weight increase your walking time gradually. If you don’t need to lose body fat, you can stay fit by walking 20 to 30 minutes 3 days a week. Research has shown that brisk walking regularly 3 days a week gives a 15 percent boost in mental functioning

Running or Jogging : Running improves cardiovascular fitness, promotes endurance and stamina and gives complexion a super fit glow. However, over exertion can cause fatigue, insomnia and rapid heart beat after the exercise.

Cycling : Cycling strengthens legs and thighs, heart and lungs and improve circulation. Fresh air, speed and sense of freedom allow the mind to soar. Ride at an even speed, instead of exhausting the energy by pedalling hard. The continual pumping action benefits the heart.

Aerobics : This vigorous form of exercising which is generally accompanied with music, will slim you down and improve the efficiency of your heart, lungs and circulatory system.

Swimming : It tones all parts of the body symmetrically. The crawl, butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, all of them firm buttocks and thighs, broaden shoulders, slim torso and lift *******. Swimming also gives a beautiful back and pressure tones the skin to a smooth polish.

Tennis , Badminton and squash : These sports help develop strong buttocks and leg muscles, strengthen wrists, reflexes, eye hand co-ordination and foot work ability. Warm up before you play. Drink plenty of liquids after play.

Other daily activities like climbing stairs, gardening, carrying groceries etc all count towards moderate exercises which help in burning calories.

 



By: Dr. Ripudaman Singh

About the Author:

exercise fitness

Syra D asked:


I have to talk about aerobic fitness. I have no idea what it is.
I have to do it for the fitness part of my p.e class. Its annoying. Can anyone help.

aerobics fitness

Fitness workout program is used either on its own or as a supplement to people’s dietary plan to achieve a sexier body. In the latter case, we all understand that our body will slow down its metabolism after we diet for some while and low metabolism means difficulty to lose further weight.

Without a doubt, the best fitness workout program should be the one that suits you most. Not everyone has the same build and health condition, so you need to first check out your fitness level. This is why you should check out your needs first. You can do so by having your pulse and blood pressure measured by your doctor and talking to him about what exercises are best for you. If you have no special medical conditions, you may simply follow the instructions by a fitness coach or a fitness guide. At this stage, what you are doing is learning the basics and come up with your own version of fitness plan which you believe will produce results for you.

Then, what are the features of a good fitness plan?

1. It needs to be realistic, otherwise you will not be able to stick with it in the long run. There is no point in exercising your **** off if you are only going to do it for a few weeks - you will eventually gain all the weight back and more this way.

2. A good exercise plan should be progressive. Keep a diary as you move on, as this will help you understand your regimen better and improve it when necessary. It is also a good idea to record any achievements along the way - this will give you sufficient motivation.

3. A good fitness program should consist of varied forms of exercises to maintain your top interest level. For example, you can start each workout by doing a 30-minute cardio exercise, such as walking, jogging, running, cycling and aerobics. Cardio exercise can always prepare your body for more intense activities. You may then spend another 30 minutes with strength training, such as weight lifting, crunches, sit-ups, etc. When you finish, you can cool down yourself with some stretches or de-stressing exercises. According to fitness experts, this type of exercise can give you enormous benefits both physically and emotionally.

Beside fitness workout program itself, there are a few other things you can do to achieve better results. For example, you may like to find yourself a fitness buddy to have more fun and motivation. After you follow the routine for some time, you may give your exercise a twist from time to time.



By: Nikki Davila

About the Author:

One of the biggest obstacles to staying on track for fitness is losing motivation. People are just starting an exercise program can find themselves quickly tired of the same routine. Keeping exercise appealing and maintaining a good fitness perspective is key to long-term success.

If you have to watch the exact same episode of your favorite television show every day for the rest of your life, you would probably be banging your head against the wall by the end of the week. You would change the channel, pick up a book, or do anything you could to avoid something you once enjoyed.

Yet, many people starting on a fitness program feel compelled to follow the same routine, day after day after day, and consequently fall off the exercise wagon due to sheer boredom.That is why, most people would want the services of a fitness trainer in order to provide them the different portions of the fitness program in a more livelier style.

Fitness trainers are actually those who are expert in analyzing and creating a fitness program that is right for you. They are the ones who will calculate your appropriateness to a certain program with regards to your fitness level,create the program according to your specific needs, and keep you stimulated and inspired by giving you activities that will not bore you.

But then again, as with other entities included in the fitness world, not all fitness trainers are created equal. They may vary from the different trainings that they have, the health education they have acquired, and the skills that they have learned.

Hence, it is important to consider some factors that will determine if a certain fitness trainer is right for you. Here is how:

1. Certification

Like any item or product, the quality is sometimes measured and determined through the certification that goes with it. Hence, before you choose your fitness trainer, it is important to verify if the trainer is duly certified by a highly regarded fitness association.It is also best to choose a trainer that has a CPR certification or first aid qualifications.

2. Education/Trainings

Be sure to choose a fitness trainer who had acquired an adequate training and education as far as health and physical fitness is concerned.

Even though it is not necessary, trainers who have acquired education connected with health or any other related field will definitely have an edge over the others.

3. Knows how to give the right attention

A good fitness trainer should know how to provide his or her client an undivided attention whenever their session is going on. In this way, the trainer will be able to focus more on the details that needs attention and immediate considerations.

4. Knows how to track development

It is best to choose a fitness trainer that knows how to track his or her client’s progress as far as fitness is concerned.

In this way, the trainer will be able to generate new activities and trainings designated for a particular result of the client.

5. Good Personality

Since you will be dealing most with your fitness trainer, it is best if you will look for somebody with a pleasing personality, somebody whom you can be comfortable. It is best to hire the services of somebody whom you can easily get along with.

Boiled down, the services of a fitness center and the contributions it can give you while working out on those belly fats, are, indeed, one of the best help that you can get from a professional person who knows what he is doing.

Hence, it is best to choose the best person who can give you the best services that you need so that you will never get bored again.



By: Paul Hata

About the Author:

fitness trainer

There are quite a few things to consider when choosing the right gym for you and it’s not just about the price. Frequency of use, location, type of equipment, quality of personal trainers, ambience and assorted facilities are all important factors when considering which gym to join. After drawing up your shortlist you need to whittle it down to a couple that you might want to visit before making your final decision on which gym will suit your lifestyle best.

The first thing to consider is ‘location, location, location’. What is most important to you? Should the gym be near your home, close to work or somewhere in between? Or perhaps being near your children’s school is the key. Remember to consider how your gym visits will fit into your current daily schedule as that will also help you decide the location.

Next, ask yourself how often you will be using the gym - and be totally honest! There’s no point signing up to a ‘four times a week’ fitness plan if your commitments simply prevent you from getting there more frequently than once a week - you’ll simply be wasting your money. Perhaps you need motivation and want to attend gym with a friend so you can spur each other on. In that case, is the location the most convenient for you both?

Additionally, what type of fitness equipment do you need? Are you likely to concentrate on weights, the latest cardiovascular machines, or perhaps you want to undertake a mixed programme. Will your chosen gym have the right equipment for you to undertake your fitness regime? If your plan is for a structured and supervised fitness programme, are there qualified, reliable and friendly trainers available at the gym ready to attend to your needs?

Once you’ve finished your work out, will you be able to change in comfort and then have a chat with your friends in a comfortable coffee shop or bar? Or perhaps you want to do more, such as have a swim or pamper yourself in a spa. Lastly, it’s very important that you feel comfortable in the gym and its surroundings. You will want the ambience to be suited to you. In this instance, you’ll have to decide whether you prefer loud and energetic music, or perhaps a more sedate environment.

Once you have answered all those questions, honestly evaluated your motivation and all your needs, you’ll know whether you want to go for the ultimate health club in Kensington offering the full works or whether to choose a specialist fitness gym with less add-ons closer to home. You know what you want - now go for it!



By: Elisha Burberry

About the Author:

fitness gyms

The growing interest in fitness and health makes it a great time to take the step and become a personal fitness trainer.

There are gyms and workout centers for men and women (and both together) springing up everywhere. A couple of years ago I was the only personal trainer in this rural area, but now there are several within a few miles and yet my small business has not felt any pinch and is still growing.

The reasons are many, but chief among them is the recognition that a fit lifestyle is much healthier and less prone to illness and disability than the sedentary, over-weight, sit-on-your-butt-all-day lifestyle that seems to be everywhere.

That and the fact that baby boomers are into or nearing retirement age and beginning to feel their mortality. Fit people simply live longer and happier lives.

If you are one of those, at any age, who works out regularly anyway, and enjoys helping people and can’t understand why everyone isn’t exercising, why not have a long think about becoming a fitness professional?

If you are reading this, perhaps you have already thought about a career change and simply want to be sure to do it the right way.

To that end I have put together a few pointers about getting your fitness trainer education and becoming a personal trainer and I have also published a list of Fitness Trainer Schools in the US, and online., on my website for reference purposes.

The decision to become a personal trainer must involve a decision to obtain the necessary education and certification and is an imperative step in being recognized as a competent practitioner in this discipline.

Reputable fitness trainer schools will help you become a personal trainer by providing the following training in their courses. Make sure that any school you are considering will deliver the following:

You’ll learn the critical areas of Fitness Assessment, Program Design, Upper- and Lower-body Strength Training and Flexibility Training.

You’ll learn how to effectively administer a health history screening, which simply means you will learn to assess a clients current physical condition through testing so you have all the information necessary to develop a safe and effective exercise program and more.

You will learn to become a fitness trainer for one-on-one or small group training. It’s worth bearing in mind that small group training in the form of ‘Boot Camps” can be highly effective at recruiting new, ongoing clients as well as producing a great income source. This is important whether you work at a club or on your own.

You will learn to empower, motivate, challenge and retain your clients.

The schools curriculum should be continually evaluated and updated to ensure that it includes the most current exercise science information to keep the graduates ahead of the competition.

You will have demonstrated your knowledge of exercise science, nutrition, fitness assessment, exercise programming, and training and instruction techniques.

You will be required to do real-life situational evaluations. Given a (hypothetical) clients problems, goals and limitations you will assess and design an appropriate program for exercise and be tested on your performance.

Generally, you must meet the following eligibility requirements to become a personal trainer.

* You must be at least 18 years of age.

* You must hold current adult CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) certification at the time of the exam. Candidates registering for online courses must have current CPR prior to registration.

It certainly helps if you understand fitness science and don’t just memorize it. This is a case where you can really help people if you have a good understanding, or you could do harm if you don’t. After all, being a fitness trainer is not just about memorizing program design, but understanding the fundamentals of exercise science so that fitness can be prescribed to many unique individuals.

Look for a program that includes alot of hands-on teaching. This will help you know you are doing things right and will increase your confidence.

The right personal trainer course will help with your belief in yourself, and will give you confidence in your ability, and trust in your knowledge.

Deciding on a career, or changing careers can be a little scary, but will be less-so if you do a little ground work first.



By: Cindy Brotherston

About the Author:

Buying a health club or gym membership can be quite expensive as anyone knows who has joined a gym in January. There’s a good chance you are paying more than at any other time of the year. Getting in shape is always a good idea, but in order to make sure it is your body and not your wallet that’s getting the workout, consider the following advice on gym membership and low cost exercise alternatives.

Trial gym membership - It’s a good idea to start with a trial pass to give yourself a chance to be honest with yourself about how motivated you are. Fitness clubs may offer one-week or one-month memberships on a trial basis. Remember, the harder the club is to get to, the easier it is not to go. Visit at least two or three easy to reach club close to your home or office and choose the one that’s best for you. Don’t sign a contract right away by someone pressuring you to sign on the dotted line, no matter how attractive the membership package. Read the fine print on the contract to determine your cancellation and automatic renewal clauses. Most clubs offer an opt-out clause for three days after signing in which you can cancel the contract without a penalty. Never sign a contract that includes interest charges.

If you absolutely can’t afford a gym membership and your home is not exactly well-stocked with the latest home exercise equipment, Garretson suggests these low cost alternatives.

Outdoor Exercise - Instead of wasting your money on a gym membership, why not buy a $100 road bike that will give you as much exercise as you want. Or you might buy a good pair of even less expensive running shoes and take the dog for a walk.

Exercise Tapes - Here’s another great alternative to an outrageous gym membership: Rent or buy some exercise tapes or DVDs, turn on the TV and start exercising. It’s like having your own personal trainer at home. You can do Yoga, step aerobics, weight training routines or whatever else the trainers suggest.

Used Exercise Equipment - Consider purchasing used exercise equipment available from online merchants specializing in reconditioned machines. Check garage sales and your local paper for used, or maybe even “never-used” equipment that is still in top shape. It’s better to put your money into your own home fitness gym instead of a gym membership.

Join A League - No gym membership is needed when you join group activities through community centers, churches and work such as bowling, softball, volleyball, soccer and flag football. They offer a great way to exercise while having fun with your friends.



By: Kevin Urban

About the Author:

fitness gyms

Health, Fitness and Confidence

If you are trying to lose weight and have been doing so repeatedly for years and years, just yo-yoing from losing to gaining again just as fast, I have the answer!!

The problem is probably due to the fact that your goal  of losing weight, living a healthier life style ,doing more exercise was not specific enough or powerful enough to make your brain wake up and stop those old patterns of behaviour and replace them with something that is going to give you what you want.

If we specifically know that we want to be a size 12, weigh 10 stone and be able to fit into that black dress, and also envisage the benefits of being all that. i.e. looking great, feeling full of energy, feeling proud that we are in charge and not the biscuit tin!! - this becomes incredibly powerful and attractive for our brains to want and to move towards.

We have to know what we want very specifically.” I want to be thinner, fitter, etc” does not work.

If you said “I want to be richer! And I gave you £1, technically you would be, but it would not make any long lasting changes in your life and I doubt that you would see any benefits of that money!

However, if you said “I want to earn £30,000/year, you have something very specific to aim at. To look for, to work towards. From that amount you will also see the need for a rigid plan that will help you on the road to earning your £30,000.

Can you see the difference?

Let’s try it with eating healthily and exercising………

If we think of this in terms of a “what?” and “why?” thing, the “what” is what do we want, vividly, in detail…

Try closing your eyes and seeing your desired “what” happening in front of you, as if you are a film star. What is going on?

Have a look around and see what you look like, what are the sounds around you? Can you hear laughter and all the admiring comments from everyone as they see how good you look?

What can you feel in your body, the pleasing fit of your clothes, rather than bursting out of them as usual! The joy of pleasurably exercising and the fun you have. Imagine the delicious food which nurtures and feeds your precious body, and how you enjoy the benefits of this food as you eat in a controlled and responsible way.

You are solely thinking of the great benefits of changing your life style, the “what” and how I will like it!

Next we need to really examine “Why?” must we change, maybe our eating habits mean that we are totally out of control and that our health is at risk in a big way ie.diabetes and a host of other problems due to over eating and under exercising.

We need to look in to the future, 5years, 10 years and vividly look for the consequences of the behaviour we imagine we are continuing to have. We really, really need to feel the pain now of behaving in this way!!!!

So many people go back to old habits after good intentions for this very reason-they have not looked down the road of gloom …….

If we own up to what we are leading to we get massive motivation to replace this old behaviour which leads to a very different place.

The old habits must be shoved out of the way with compelling new habits that lead us to happiness and where we wish to be.

For example, over eating and inactivity can be replaced with a passion for healthy and fantastic food and having exercise as part of your daily life.

This is a choice, which once you are aware that you have a choice becomes so attractive and desirable.

So, what is the happier route?

To stay stuck in a situation which makes you unhappy? Or to do something about it, with someone to support you and keep you on the path that you have now chosen?

Contact Suzanne to discuss what would make you really happy and to start this journey with a caring professional.



www.cheshirelifecoaching.co.uk





Suzanne is a Master coach who works with women with Families who are ready to find some new direction in their lives.



By: suzanne Jenkin

About the Author:

health and fitness

In recent times boxing has become a very popular form of fitness training. Many health club style gyms across Australia and the world operate boxing fitness classes (commonly termed boxfit) for the general public. These classes are boxing, but with the important exception of no contact, therefore utilising most of the fitness benefits that boxing provides. This popularity has turned to a stimulated interest in competitive boxing.

No sport can provide the showmanship, action, drama and physical entertainment that boxing can. In Australia this has been shown in recent years by Anthony Mundine and Danny Green, and across the world by the likes of Floyd Mayweather and Roy Jones Jr.

Boxing as a form of fitness training is certainly nothing new, in fact it could be said that it is the original form of fitness training, with the sport dating back many hundreds of years. I like to classify boxing fitness as an underground style of training, as it is an original form of fitness training. Fitness training with a purpose.

I have had the opportunity to view world champion boxers such as Mundine and Kostya Tszyu sweating it out in the gym. Both trained with pure purpose, they did not care what they were wearing or who was there for a chat. Just good old fashioned hard work.

The fitness benefits of boxing are aplenty, with aerobic capacity, anaerobic threshold, speed, power, strength, reaction time, flexibility and agility just some of the qualities of fitness that are worked on.

But, if taken beyond the level of just boxing for fitness, there is so much more that can be gained from boxing. Boxing is the toughest sport. There is nothing like being in a ring with a person standing opposite you looking to strike you in the most primal form of all, with the fist.

All of you fears and insecurities are laid out right in front of you.

Do you back your self physically? Can you overcome any physical limitations with a strong mind, not worrying about possible outcomes? Can you look past hurdles, such as copping a blow and move forward with an eye on the ultimate prize? Are you not concerned about what people are thinking?

These are all questions that are asked when you step into the ring, whether it be for a sparring session or competitive bout.

These are the questions we face in everyday life.

Champions and successful people answer these questions.

There is no where to hide in the ring. You are back to how the cavemen lived, how we developed as humans. It is fight or flight.

When competitive boxers are ridiculed by media and public for various reasons such as not showing enough courage or not fighting solid enough competition, very rarely would these critics have experienced what it is like to be in combat in the squared circle.

Boxers which are labelled taxi drivers, or even bums would dispose of such critics without much effort, if any at all.

Whist many will never decide to take the opportunity to spar or even have a competitive fight, it would be of great benefit to do so. After you have experienced the caldron of the boxing ring during battle not much else in life seems to difficult. It would be of exceptional benefit for individuals suffering from stress related illness, and especially athletes and even sports enthusiasts to step into the ring.

Whilst mental toughness can not be defined, time in the boxing ring will certainly make you feel although you have it, and are ready to take on whatever life throws at you, whether it is work or play.

Of course there are issues to consider, such as physical limitations and insurance. But if these areas are appropriately covered, then the opportunity should be seized.

So next time you are watching a bout which is considered a mismatch, just think what it would be like in the ring. Whatever it is that you think it would be like you can multiply it tenfold.

Take the challenge; you will be a better person for it.



By: Gavin Stone

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