New Fitness Trends

Top Ten New Fitness Trends

What's the hot word in workouts?

   1. "Buffet-Style" Fitness. Fitness today is a smorgasbord of choices. Take a spinning class, an adventure vacation, a Chi Kung course or a plain old walk around the block. Better yet, take turns and do them all. Instead of restricting people to rigid guidelines, fitness experts are telling people to have fun, try new things, take risks and change fitness routines often.
   2. Pros In the Know. Remember when the guy on the block with the home gym was the weight lifting expert? Not anymore. Most of today's professional personal trainers and group fitness instructors are educated and certified. They keep up with research, industry news and professional standards. They may specialize in areas such as injury rehabilitation, special medical conditions, pre and postnatal fitness and more. Today's fitness pro has to stay on top of things -- because today's exerciser is also more knowledgeable about health and fitness than ever before.

Exercise

Working out should be a challenge, but it definitely should not be painful. If you find yourself running straight for the ice packs and aspirin after working out, you are probably doing something wrong. Before you convince yourself you have a wonderful excuse to quit, try evaluating your exercise program.

First, determine if you are exercising at the proper level. A beginner should not try to bench press 300 lbs or run the treadmill at the highest level. Believe it or not, starting off slowly will actually make you stronger faster, as you will avoid injuring your muscles. Also, pain is an excellent deterrent. You should feel invigorated and even a little sore, but ever like a mouse who has hit the wrong feeder bar. If you are working out at a gym, ask a trainer to help you develop a proper exercise program. If you are exercising on your own, there is a myriad of books and resources from which to learn.

Arm Exercises

Tone Your Arms--in 10 Minutes!
Bare them with confidence in 4 weeks with this targeted routine

Shapely, sculpted arms are possible--at any age. All it takes is this 10 minute routine you can tailor to your fitness level. These four firming moves work the chest, shoulders, and arms from every angle to tighten and tone the droopiness that can start when you lose lean tissue in your 40s. After a month, you'll be on your way to show-off arms that will look great in sleeveless tops and dresses all summer long.

Fit For Spring

Spring fitness tips

1. Lighten up
Trade your winter parka in for a light, packable waterproof jacket and pants. You need full-body protection against splash-back when you run through puddles, and using lightweight, packable gear ensures that you won't leave it behind to cut weight and then end up wet and cold. You'll also stay dry if it rains, snows or pours freezing rain on you – all of which can happen in the shoulder season. Even better? Being waterproof from head to toe protects you from even the most inconsiderate of puddle-splashing drivers if your workout takes you anywhere near the road.

Questions Answers

Q: Should I do lots of crunches to reduce fat around my middle?

A: No. Exercising the area from which you want to lose fat is called “spot reduction”. Spot reduction is now believed to be a myth. Research shows that fat is lost all over your body, not just in the area that you work.

Q: What’s wrong with situps?

A: Traditional situps emphasize sitting up rather than merely pulling your sternum down to meet your pelvis. The action of the psoas muscles, which run from the lower back around to the front of the thighs, is to pull the thighs closer to the torso. This action is the major component in sitting up. Because of this, situps primarily engage the psoas making them inefficient at exercising your abs. They’re inefficient