Circuit Training

Circuit training routines are a favourite of many trainers. It's great for Stamina building, used as part of injury rehabilitation programs, and is great for anyone serious in their health and stamina quest. Often this is used for conditioning elite level athletes so you can understand the level of work and also reward this can give you.

 

So what is it?

 

Circuit training consists of a consecutive series of timed exercises performed one after the other with varying amounts of rest between each exercise. For example, a simple circuit training routine might consist of push-ups, sit-ups, squats, chin-ups and lunges. The routine might be structured as follows, and could be continually repeated as many times as is necessary.

• Do as many push-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds
• Do as many squats as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds
• Do as many sit-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds
• Do as many lunges as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds
• Do as many chin-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds
 

What makes it so good?

 

The quick pace and constant changing nature of circuit training places a unique type of stress on the body, which differs from normal exercise activities like weight training and aerobics.
 

The demands of circuit training tend to prepare the body in a very even, all-round manner. I have found circuit training to be an exceptional form of exercise to aid in the prevention of injury. Circuit training is one of the best ways I have found to condition your entire body and mind.

There are many other reasons why circuit training is a fantastic form of exercise, and what most of these reasons come down to is flexibility. In other words, circuit training is totally customisable to your specific requirements.
 

• Circuit training can be totally personalised. Whether you are a beginner or an elite athlete you can modify your circuit training routine to give you the best possible results.

• A circuit training routine can be modified to give you exactly what you want. Whether you want an all-over body workout or you just want to work on a specific body area or you need to work on a particular aspect of your sport.

• You can change the focus of your circuit training routine to emphasise strength, endurance, agility, speed, skill development, weight loss, or any other aspect of your fitness that is important to you.

• Circuit training is time efficient. No wasted time in between sets. It is maximum results in minimum time.

• You can do circuit training just about anywhere. One of my favourite places for doing circuit training is at some of the parks and playground areas near where I live. Circuit training is a favourite form of exercise for the British Royal Marine Commandos because they tend to spend a lot of time on large ships. The confined spaces means that circuit training is sometimes the only form of exercise available to them.

• You do not need expensive equipment. You do not even need a gym membership. You can just as easily put together a great circuit training routine at home or in a park. By using your imagination you can devise all sorts of exercises using things like chairs and tables and even children's outdoor play equipment like swings and monkey bars.

• Another reason why I like Circuit Training so much is that it is great fun to do in pairs or groups. Half the group exercise while the other half rests and motivates the exercising members of the group.

Extracts taken from here.

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Is There a Secret To Getting Six-pack Abs?

Everybody wants to have a trim, firm stomach. Yet very few people do. Why is that? Is it truly that hard? Is it in your genes? Or are there systems that a few individuals know and others don’t?

The truth is, it really is not all that difficult. There may be a little bit of a hereditary part, but the honest truth is that the genetic influence is minor. The real problem boils down to diet and exercise.

A trim, fit stomach needs healthy muscles. Nevertheless no matter how powerful and well developed muscles are if they are covered by a layer of flab you will not be well placed to see them. You can see the evidence of that on the defencive line of any NFL team. Those very skilled sportsmen are incredibly strong, including their abdominal muscles, but you can not see them because of flab they're packing.

So a health-supporting, prudent meal plan and some awareness of your percent body fat is important to let stomach muscle definition stand out.

Having said that, waist muscles are rather like any other muscle. They get stronger and bigger as you exercise them. They also develop increased tone. So in the same way biceps bulge in someone who’s been on an intense arm training session, abs bulge in someone who has exercised them correctly.

Exercising muscles correctly is the key. Here is where some knowledge and the correct equipment can give you a real advantage. It is definitely possible to spend literally hours performing exercises that yield no results while spending a small fraction of that time doing useful exercises would have given the results you’re looking for.

Even worse, some exercises can leave you open to the chance of injury while not being especially effective. An instance of this is the old duck walk exercise. It was meant to develop leg strength but basically was best at producing knee damage.

When not done right the normal setup could result in back and neck issues without actually strengthening the stomach muscles.

Most Effective Ab Exercise: Bicycle

1. Lie face up on a carpet or ideally a excersize mat and place your hands behind your head, lightly supporting it with your fingers.
2. Bring the knees in to the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck.
3. Rotate to the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee as you straighten the other leg.
4. Switch sides, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps to start with. As this becomes easier add more reps and more sets as you go.

A good tip to remember is that the hardest ones to do i.e the later reps becoming less easy, are in fact the ones that are doing the most good. So keep pushing yourself to that point by adding to your reps. Don't take the easy option of simply doing the same reps and finding them easier to do each time. Push yourself.

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Fitness Support

One simple fact often gets overlooked while you are trying to get into shape, - temptation is all around!

For this reason it is very important to have the support of your friends and family, so you must make them aware of your goals. They need to respect your fitness and health goals and not tempt you into the wrong food choices or try and derail you from your fitness training plan.

Make sure they understand you are serious and that when they offer these foods to you (possibly thinking they are doing the right thing and being polite) they are only creating an opportunity for your hard work to come undone.

Remind them how important this is to you and how important their support and encouragement is to you. You never know, you may just inspire a family member or friend to join you in your quest for a healthier you.

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Top 10 Fitness Tips

If you had a few too many mince pies at Christmas and want to kick-start the New Year in good shape these top 10 fitness tips.

Tip One:

This is the easy one that everyone knows but doesn’t always practice: exercise or diet alone won’t work. An exercise routine and healthy food plan based around your lifestyle is the best way to lose body fat, tighten muscles and increase energy so think of the two as inseparable.

Tip Two:

If fat loss is your goal think of your fitness routine as a pyramid. The foundation is cardio exercise – at least 30 minutes a day, four to five days per week. On top of that build stretching, to increase flexibility and reduce stress, and at the top of the pyramid add strength training. Make sure you’re resting for good intervals between all the training or your body won’t react well.

Tip Three:

Weight training is essential to burn body fat. For every pound of muscle you gain, your body burns 30-50 additional calories per day. If you gain five pounds of muscle, you'll be burning up to 250 additional calories per day. The cumulative effect is significant - about 84,000 calories over the course of a year.

Most people are afraid of bulking up from weight training, but bulk is merely fat on top of muscle, so as you lose the fat, you'll look lean and tight from your weight training - not bulky. Weight training also combats osteoporosis and is the shapely woman's best kept secret.

Tip Four:

You’ve got to enjoy your exercise or you’ll never stick at it so if you don’t enjoy cardiovascular exercise, invest in an upbeat dance video tape, or take a belly dancing or archery class. 

Tip Five:

Make sure in the time you dedicate to your workout you give it your all. Exercise can unlock allsorts of potential in your life by making you stronger, leaner, healthier and more nimble. It will allow you to play sport better, dance with friends, play with your grandchildren and accomplish your daily activities faster and easier.

Tip Six:

Consistency is more important than volume. Working out two to three days per week with will produce more results than haphazard workouts such as five days one week and one day the following week.

Tip Seven: 
 

If you’re having trouble getting motivated write down two or three goals you hope to have accomplished in 30 days. Make sure it’s realistic. For example: "I will work out two days per week every week for the next 30 days and I will perform 30 minutes of power walking for my workout each session with a goal of losing two pounds".

At the end of the 30 days, you'll feel a sense of accomplishment because your goals were short-term, realistic and measurable. This natural progression will propel you to add a third day of exercise and dramatically increase your motivation and self-esteem.

Tip Eight:

Ever hear of the expression 'cardio queen'? It refers to someone who does two hours of cardio a day. This person mistakenly assumes that this is the most efficient method to lose fat. In fact, it's the most efficient method to lose fat and muscle.

By the time you get to your weight goal you’ve no firmness to your muscles. Always perform resistance training and cardio as part of your overall fitness programme and don't go over 50-60 minutes of cardio.

Tip Nine:

It doesn't have to be overly rigid, but I highly recommend some sort of structured eating plan from Monday to Friday. You can take some liberties at the weekend, but if you have a plan and know what you'll be eating for each meal and snack, you're less likely to reach for munchies at night. This may involve some meal preparation and planning, but I find it to be extremely effective in losing fat.

Tip 10:

The key to losing body fat is controlling blood sugar and insulin levels. The best way to control blood sugar through your diet is to eat three small meals and two to three small snacks spread out over every two to three hours. This sends a signal to your body that there is plenty of food and that stored body fat and excess water can be released.

Combine protein and carbohydrates at each meal and snack with some good monounsaturated fat and don't let any meal go above 300 calories.

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Top 10 Health Myths Exposed

Do carrots really help your eyesight? Should you actually eat for two if you're pregnant? It's no wonder many people struggle to see through the mass of confusing advice, old wives' tales and health myths out there. That's why we're here to do it for you! Here, we investigate 10 of the most popular health myths and uncover the truth...

Myth one:
A vasectomy is a protracted and painful procedure that could damage your sex life.

The truth: According to the Marie Stopes charity, a vasectomy is a relatively simple and painless procedure that only takes a few minutes to perform.

Myth two:
Acne is caused by not washing properly.

The truth: Acne is caused by the effects of hormones on sebaceous glands. This is why it particularly affects teenagers and can also be increased by stress.

Cleaning your face too often can actually increase acne as the body compensates to replace the body oil washed away.

Myth three:
Depressed people need to 'pull themselves together' and then they'll be fine.

The truth: Depression is an illness involving an imbalance of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

It is not a character flaw or a sign of personal weakness. You can't make yourself well by trying to 'snap out of it'.

Counselling and medication may be needed to treat depression, and a doctor should be consulted.

Myth four:
You should always rest during your period.

The truth: You should do whatever makes you feels comfortable, but don't be afraid to exercise.

It is a good way of controlling PMS by increasing endorphins, the 'happy hormone', and helps cramps by increasing the supply of oxygen to the muscles. Swimming is fine provided you wear a tampon.

Myth five:
A lump in your breast means you have breast cancer.

The truth: About 80 per cent of breast lumps are benign (non-cancerous).

Sometimes there can be cysts, nipple discharges and calcification (calcium salt deposits in breast tissues) resulting from injury or bruising, hormonal changes or infection.

However, should you find a lump you must contact a health professional straight away - catching cancer early significantly increases the chances of recovery.

Myth six:
Cholesterol is bad for you.

The truth: Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is made mostly by the liver. We all need some blood cholesterol as it's used to build cells and make vital hormones - and there's good cholesterol and bad cholesterol.

Saturated fats found in food like meat, cheese, cream, butter and processed pastries tend to raise low density lipoprotein - or 'bad' cholesterol - and this delivers cholesterol to the arteries.

However unsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds and oily fish tend to raise high density lipoprotein - or 'good' cholesterol - which transports cholesterol away from the arteries, back to the liver. This can be increased by exercise.

Myth seven:
Bananas are fattening.

The truth: They are actually low in fat. There is only half a gram of fat and 95 calories in a banana.

Not only that but they are packed with potassium, come in their own packaging, are clean and very handy as a snack!

Myth eight:
It's OK to skip breakfast.

The truth: Breakfast is a very important meal. When we're sleeping, we are also 'fasting' for an average of about eight hours, so it's essential to 'break' this fast.

Although people who skip breakfast catch up on their energy requirements later in the day, they're unlikely to get all the vitamins and minerals that a simple breakfast can provide. Try porridge with honey for a wholesome but filling meal.

Myth nine:
There is no need to worry about sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It only takes a course of antibiotics and you are fine!

The truth: It is true that most sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be completely cured if they are caught at an early stage, and the treatment may be as simple as a course of antibiotics.

However, if left untreated, STIs can pose a long-term risk to your health and fertility.

The infections chlamydia and gonorrhoea can both lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) if they are not treated.

This can, in turn lead to long-term pelvic pain, blocked Fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic pregnancy in women, and pain and inflammation of the testicles and the prostate gland in men.

Genital warts and genital herpes are two common viral infections, so antibiotics will not treat them. They can be treated with antiviral medications, but both conditions can recur.

Myth 10:
People are overweight because they have slow metabolisms.

The truth: Unfortunately, a slow metabolism is no excuse for being overweight.

In fact, recent studies revealed that fat people have faster metabolisms and burn off more energy than slimmer people simply to keep their bodies going.

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Aerobics Workouts For Awesome Health

Aerobics workouts are fun ways for you to keep fit, control your weight and maintain a strong and healthy body. Even if the recent aerobics craze has swept the entire world with its very own feel, the recent times features abundant information and tools about aerobics that has never existed before.Aerobics workouts when done in greater intensities can help reduce fat and at the same time tone muscle tissues. Aerobics can be performed at home or in the gym and is perhaps one of the most enjoyable methods of doing workout and losing weight.

Aerobics Workouts for the Heart

Cardiac exercise routines are usually made up of aerobic exercises such as swimming, walking and jogging. Aerobic workouts will help you burn much of the unwanted fats in your body. Cardiac aerobics exercises are especially geared towards making the heart work at a rapid fast giving it extra work to the heart muscles itself and the lungs.

Some of the most common cardio workouts include cycling, running, sit ups, rowing, swimming, jogging, walking and several sports activities such as soccer, badminton etc.

Cardio aerobics workouts optimize oxygen consumption and improve the cardio respiratory function. Among its most common benefits include:

• Promoting better sleep and rest periods

• Helps minimize stress levels

• Can be a temporary relief from anxiety and pain

• Improves a person sense of well being and self esteem

• Can help you shed off fatty tissues

• Enhances an individual’s daily energy level

• Bone mass improvement

• Strengthens the muscles of your lungs and heart

Aerobics Workouts Tips

Before even starting your very own aerobic workout at home, try to ascertain your age and fitness level. People have varied reasons for signing up to these weight loss programs. There are individuals who simply want to lose weight and others, maintain their good shape.

Understand the benefits that you will be getting out of these aerobics workouts. Aerobics is a form of cardio exercise routine that enhances the overall health and fitness level of an individual. It strengthens the lungs, heart, circulatory and immune systems of the human body. It is also something that can help relax your muscles thus lifting up your mood and providing you with a sound mental health.

Make sure you plan your aerobics workouts. Begin with a ten to fifteen minute routine at least thrice weekly and then gradually increase it to maybe thirty minutes for five times every week. If you want to achieve the optimal benefits for your workout routines, and then make sure you integrate strength training with your aerobics exercises at home.

Don’t forget to begin your aerobic workout routine with a five minute warm up session. This can be followed by strength training session. Do lighter aerobics consistently for about fifteen to twenty minutes. After all, you don’t shed off those fats overnight. You definitely need more effort, time and personal discipline.

When the body gets accustomed to your light aerobics workouts, you may gradually increase its duration and intensity. Interchange aerobics and strength training everyday and don’t forget to take a day off from all the sweating!

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Speak Soon.