Do you want to look better in a bathing suit? Are you concerned about your health?
Whatever your reasons are for wanting to work out, working to become more physically fit is something everyone should try to do.
Here’s some advice that will get your quest for fitness off to a strong start.
Consult with a professional before attempting a new exercise with weights or machine. Doing an exercise or using a machine improperly can negate any benefits you might get from it. Worse than that, you can sometimes even injure yourself, possibly causing long-term problems.
If you are going to be doing serious weight training, it is crucial to have a spotter on hand. As you are lifting, your body is going to get tired. Lifting without a spotter leaves you open to the danger of being unable to lift your weights off of your chest, or even more dangerously, having them fall down on you if your arms give out.
When you’re working through a fitness regimen, remember that you should always warm up. If you are under the age of forty, hold your stretches for thirty seconds.
If you are over the age of forty, your stretches should be held for sixty seconds. Muscles become less limber as you age, so it is wise to adjust your workout to keep on top of these changes.
Gym classes, led by an instructor, are an excellent way to improve your overall fitness level. Instructors plan routines in advance to optimize the right proportions of muscle work, aerobic work and stretching for each class.
You just show up, follow the teacher’s lead, listen to some good music, and hopefully have some fun too.
When developing a fitness routine, the savvy exercise enthusiast will not rely on any one form of exercise. Building a regimen with diverse forms of exercise will not only prevent tedium, but it will also make it easier to keep working out.
Injury, equipment failure or other negative circumstances will have less effect on an overall routine if it includes many forms of exercise.
To keep physically fit, it is important to remember that daily or at least frequent exercise is important. Exercising only once a week, even if it’s for a long period of time, will not be as effective as exercising for a short time every day. Consistency is key in keeping fit.
Try working out during your favorite TV show to keep your momentum steady. You can use commercial breaks as opportunities to workout. Keep a set of 3lb weights beside your chair to do a little weight training as you like. You can always find time to get extra exercise in.
Some people perceive exercise as inefficient and do extreme workout routines to try and burn a large number of calories. Not only do you risk joint and muscle damage, dehydration and heart problems, by pushing yourself too hard, you’ll also reach an anaerobic state, where fat is no longer being metabolized.
Rather than seeing exercise as something you “must” do, try to see it as something you want to do! Love dancing? Then hit the nightclubs! Enjoy a good hike?
Then grab your running shoes! Cleaning the house, taking a walk with an old friend, romping around in the backyard with your dog – if it’s something you enjoy doing, you’re much more likely to stick with it.