Thursday, May 19, 2005

Lower Back Extension Exercise

This is an excellent exercise for the lower back that is very simple to perform. This exercise requires no equipment and it can be performed almost anywhere, even at your office. Many people neglect to do exercises that focus on your lower back. Your lower back, Erector Spinae, supports your upper body and affects almost every sport and every day activity that you do. It is important that you exercise this part of the body. The lower back extension is probably the best exercise for strengthening your lower back as well as eliminating or preventing lower back pain.

If you sit on a chair all day, you may be experiencing tight or sore back muscles. To eliminate these nagging minor pains, perform this exercise 2-3 times per week consisting of 2 sets of 15 repetitions. This is an exercise also recommended by chiropractors and doctors. I've also seen variations of this exercise done in Pilates and Yoga. If you do constantly have back pains, it is advisable that you consult with your doctor before attempting this exercise.

Method of Performance

Lie down on a mat or carpet with your stomach to the floor, keep your arms and hands flat at your sides and legs extended like in a standing position, but lying down. Slowly raise yourself up from your torso as far as you can go but do not over-extend. Just to the point where you feel comfortable and you are receiving the maximum benefit. Remember to tighten your buttocks when lifting yourself from the ground and concentrate on working the lower back. Now slowly lower yourself back to the floor. Don't forget to breathe. Do about 2 sets slowly consisting of 12-15 reps, 2 to 3 times per week.

Variations

This exercise can also be done on vertical benches or holding onto extra free weights. The exercise done on a vertical bench is much more difficult. Personally, I do not feel that it is necessary to perform this exercise on a vertical bench since doing it on the floor is just as effective and safer. Using a vertical bench may also put undue strain on your back.

For more exercises and video exercise demonstrations, visit PopularFitness.com

Monday, May 16, 2005

Exercise Program

Exercise Program

The exercise program you choose depends entirely on your fitness goals. The exercises you will be doing and the approach you take in performing these exercises will depend on whether you wish to gain muscle and strength, tone and lose weight or just stay in shape and be healthy. I will briefly describe a sample exercise program that can be adapted for all people regardless of their age or fitness objectives.

If you are looking to build muscle or strength via a bodybuilding routine, stick to 4-5 sets of 10-12 repetitions. Focus on the positive and negative of each movement of each repetition. Gradually increase the weight as you work out to force your muscles to work. Otherwise your muscles will become programmed, accustomed to the same weight and you will no longer experience any gains. There are many approaches and techniques that can be used in bodybuilding. Experiment and use the best one that fits you. An excellent book about weight training and bodybuilding that discusses many different techniques to working out is The Weider System of Bodybuilding. You can find it on my site.

If you are looking to tone or just stay in shape and be healthy, an exercise program combining weight training and a cardiovascular workout is appropriate for you. When you are exercising with weights, 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions at a reasonable weight would be appropriate. Combine this with a some cardio exercise 1-2 times a week such as riding an exercise bike or elliptical machine or by joining classes at your gym. It is difficult to show on this web page in great detail exactly what you should be doing. For custom exercise programs I highly recommend Global, Health and Fitness

Here is a sample exercise program that can be modified to fit any person's fitness goals. Remember that you can change the order and incorporate different exercises for each body part on weekly basis. I encourage this to prevent boredom and your body getting used to the same routine.

Before beginning your workout, you should warm up for 5 - 10 minutes on an exercise bike or treadmill. This will prevent you from pulling muscles or injuring yourself. For a cool-down, you can perform stretching exercises.

Day 1

Back Exercises:
Behind the neck lateral pulldown 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
Seated pully rowing 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
Lateral pulldown with a narrow grip 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
One arm dumbbell bent rowing 3-4 sets 10 - 12 repetitions

Triceps:
Pulley pushdown with handle 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
Behind the head rope triceps extesion 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
Reverse-grip pulley pushdown 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions

Abdominals and lower back floor exercises:
Crunches 3 sets of 24 repetitions
Oblique crunches 3 sets of 16 repetitions
Lower back extensions 2 sets of 12 repetitions


Day 2

Chest

Seated iso wide chest bench press 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
Incline dumbbell press 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
Cable crossovers 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
Flyes 3-4 sets 10 - 15 repetitions

Biceps:
Seated bicep curl
Incline bicep dumbbell curl
Hammer bicep curl

Cardiovascular Exercise


Day 3

Shoulders
Seated behind the neck shoulder press 3-4 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
Upright cable rowing 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
Dumbbell side lateral 3-5 sets 10 - 15 repetitions
Arnold press 3-4 sets 10 - 15 repetitions

Forearms:
Forearm curl 3-4 sets 12-15 repetitions

Abdominals and lower back floor exercises:
Crunches 3 sets of 24 repetitions
Oblique crunches 3 sets of 16 repetitions
Lower back extensions 2 sets of 12 repetitions

Day 4

Legs:
Leg extensions 4 sets, 12-15 repetitions
Leg press 4 sets, 12-15 repetitions
Calf raises 5 sets, 15 repetitions
Hamstring curl 4 sets, 12-15 repetitions

Abdominals and lower back floor exercises:
Crunches 3 sets of 24 repetitions
Oblique crunches 3 sets of 16 repetitions

Cardiovascular Exercise

These are just general workout guidelines. You really need to consider what ideally suits you best. If you need more help or for customized exercise programs visit popularfitness.com

Monday, May 09, 2005

Benefits of Online Fitness Programs

There are many benefits of choosing an online fitness program over a live personal trainer. In this article, I will focus on the most important ones. I will also mention and recommend Global Health and Fitness' online fitness program http://www.popularfitness.com/global-fitness.html because in my opinion they are the leaders in this field on the web. Not only have they been online since 1997, more importantly they have helped hundreds of people over the years achieve their fitness goals. They are associated with many well-known fitness-related professionals and have also been featured in numerous fitness articles.

Convenience.

The best thing about the Internet is that information is available when and where you want it - it is interactive and dynamic. These are the reasons why the Internet is ideal for a fitness program and trainers. A true personal trainer that has come of age and that is accessible from your home or office almost any time of the day. Most people cannot afford to have a trainer to offer them guidance and support whenever they need it. With online fitness programs you can receive advice almost any time of the day. Got a question that pops in your head while your at work? You can email the fitness program and receive a prompt reply. Something live personal trainers just cannot do.

Inexpensive and extensive area of expertise.

Most live trainers specialize in general fitness only whereas Global's fitness program includes 30 highly qualified professionals from every fitness-related field. Not only do you receive help with your workouts, but you will receive nutrition advice, injury and rehabilitation training help for a specific sporting event or competition, your medical questions answered, motivational help and more. This is all available at a fraction of the cost that a personal trainer would charge who is limited in knowledge to only his or her field of expertise.

Fitness must be enjoyable.

For any fitness program to be a success, we all know that it needs to be enjoyable. If you are new to fitness or want to start on an exercise program, it is difficult to know where to begin and very time consuming to read and figure out your own fitness program. In the end, it could be very frustrating and boring for you resulting in you giving up. Global's online personal trainer program cuts through all the confusion and teaches you exactly how to achieve the results you want. By eliminating the guesswork, your very own online personal trainer will help you avoid the common mistakes that can waste your time and effort. Their mission is to have you seeing great results as soon as possible. You will soon discover that you can truly enjoy healthy eating and physical activity for the rest of your life.

If you have been exercising for a while and are trying to reach new plateaus, Global can help you by creating an exercise and nutrition program that produces the best results that you are aiming for. By teaching you techniques for making your routine much more effective and personally guiding you step-by-step to achieving new results again and again!

Up-to-date

A fitness program that is frequently updated, thus offering you all the latest reliable research and discoveries in the fitness industry.

Customized and personalized for you.

Global's online personal trainers will customize your very own program based on your fitness level, goals, personal preferences, time and equipment availability, and special limitations and requests.

Tools and Live Chat.

Various tools are also available that outside of a live personal trainer would end up costing you a lot such as video demonstrations, exercise instructions, Protrack software, healthy recipes and shopping lists, online books of the 5 components of optimal health, live chats with online personal trainers and much more. All of which will enhance your learning and assure your success.

These are just some of the numerous benefits of joining an online fitness program.
http://www.popularfitness.com/global-fitness.html

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Online Golf Program Features and Benefits

Online Golf Program Features and Benefits

There are many features and benefits to look for when it comes to choosing an online golf program over a personal golf trainer who charges by the hour or lesson. In this article, I will focus on the most important benefits. I will be discussing what you should be looking for when choosing an online golf program and the many benefits of working with an online golf trainer.

What to look for in an online golf program

You should try to find a program that is comprehensive in nature. The golf program should be able to effectively teach you how to improve your golfing techniques, mechanics and consistency of your game. To be able to consistently hit the ball properly every time! But, it is not enough just to join a program that only focuses on golf. To be the best golfer that you can possibly be, you need to perform the proper exercises and follow proper nutrition as well. Golf specific exercises will allow you to improve your golf swing and hitting distance. Exercising will also improve your flexibility, prevent injuries, make you feel healthier and increase your strength. By strength we mean not muscle mass but power because if you get too bulky, it will hinder your swing.

Convenience

An online golf program allows you to access the program any time you want, no matter where you are. You may be at your office or job and looking for a break to take your mind off work. Or you may be travelling and have some free time in your hotel. In all these situations, you could easily access the online golf program and continue from where you last left the site. Compared to a personal golf trainer with whom you have to be on the course at a specific time. What if a meeting suddenly comes up? Well you have to cancel. With online golf programs, you dictate when you want to learn or improve your golf game and not the other way around.

Online golf program versus personal golf trainer

Paying a golf trainer can get very expensive and you may not be able to remember everything they said during the lesson. Online golf programs are extremely inexpensive and offer many more additional benefits. Information on a particular topic can be accessed whenever you wish. Information can be viewed in written form as well as diagrams. Most importantly it should also have online video demonstrations. With online videos you can get a better visual representation of particular golf swings or exercises for golfers. You could even go through the motions along with the specific videos. Sort of like having a live golf trainer whenever you want, wherever you may be.

The golf program should be able to allow you to contact them via email or other form of online communication when you need help or have a specific question.

One of the many added benefits of online programs is that software is often provided free of charge such as game tracking software.

Nutrition and health

To be the best golfer you can be, you must be healthy so it is important that the program be able to provide nutritional or weight loss advice and proper golf exercises to prevent injuries from occurring.

Online Community

Interactivity with other golfers, be they amateurs or professionals, is an important aspect for learning on the Internet. To improve your golfing game or just make new friends, you may wish to be in contact with other golfers. Look for a program with a discussion forum or any form of online golfing community.

Conclusion

Joining a quality online golf program is like having 24/7 access to a golf fitness trainer, golf psychologist, sports medicine expert and golf nutrition expert. This article discusses just some of the key points that I feel are important when looking for golfing instruction. I emphasized that the program you join should be comprehensive incorporating golf specific instruction as well as golf specific exercises and nutritional advice. One program I feel that fits all this criteria is the Golf Trainer's online golf program which can be found here:
http://www.popularfitness.com/golf-trainer.html
because Mike Pederson's golf program is comprehensive and covers every facet of the game. He has been a certified fitness professional for over 20 years and has worked with golfers exclusively for the past 9 years.

Friday, May 06, 2005

Inline Skates and Exercise Benefits

Inline skating is a fun way to get in shape and stay fit especially on warm sunny days when it's a lot more enjoyable to exercise outdoors than on a treadmill or exercise bike indoors at the gym. These days most cities have nicely paved paths through parkland, beach and waterfront areas to make your rollerblading experience more enjoyable. Unfortunately depending on where you live, you may not be able to or want to rollerblade all year round.

There are many benefits to be derived from inline skating. It's much easier and safer on the knees and back than jogging since your legs aren't taking as much pounding against a hard surface. You don't have to travel as far as cycling to get maximum benefits. Along with a great cardiovascular workout, blading provides you with a fantastic lower body workout by strengthening and toning your thighs, gluteus, calves and hamstrings. It's like doing thousands of lunges using your own body weight without even realizing it or getting bored!

I also recommend that you combine blading with strength training exercises with weights such as leg extensions, leg presses and calf raises to name a few. This will ensure that your muscles and bones remain strong and it helps to prevent any possible injuries from occurring.
Before you begin inline skating for the day, you may want to do a little bit of light stretching particularly focusing on your thighs and hamstrings. Right now there is debate over whether or not to stretch before exercising. I believe you should do what feels best for you. Also, the first few minutes should be done at a slower pace as a warm up for your muscles.
I find that roller blading is extremely safe once you get proficient at it. Rarely will you fall by yourself. If you do, it's usually a result of your surroundings. No different than cycling or walking on a sidewalk. To prevent injuries and scrapes, you may wish to purchase elbow, wrist and knee pads plus a helmet.

What should you look for when buying a pair of inline skates? If you're new to this sport, I suggest you either borrow a pair from a friend or rent a pair just to try it out, get a feel. When you're ready to buy a pair there are a few things to look for. If you're going to buy a really cheap pair I'll guarantee you that you will not enjoy inline skating. What I suggest that you buy a pair in the mid-price range.

What should you look for in a pair of inline skates? The obvious being that the boot fits your feet properly in a pair of sports socks. If you feel the boot rubbing against your ankles or your toes rubbing inside the boot, try another pair because ill-fitted boots will result in blisters and soar feet. Just like a badly fitting pair of running shoes.

I prefer laces for the boot with one plastic or velcro strap at the top and soft boots with plastic heel and bottom moldings for extra support. Soft boots with no plastic molding support usually give way to your ankle over time. Wheels should be in the 76-78mm range. 80mm is too big a wheel for most people. Look for bearings with ABEC 4-5. Most quality inline skates come with ABEC 5 bearings nowadays anyway.

I've tried several different makes of inline skates over the years. I find I like K2 the best and highly recommend them. I like their sleek design, they fit my feet very well and have great support. K2s are also very comfortable and light in weight. Ultra Wheels are also very good and I hear that Salomon are quality blades too.

Inline skates are easy to maintain. The wheels need to be rotated every once in a while to prevent uneven wearing out. So if you use them 3 times a week, monthly is fine or take a look for how much wear there is on the wheels. The bearings need to be lubricated too. I do this by removing the wheel bearings assembly and wiping the surface of any dirt and then spraying the entire wheel bearing assembly with lubricant. I don't remove the bearings from the assembly casing any more since I find very little dirt gets in there and it's a lot of work.

In this article I've discussed the cardiovascular and strength training benefits associated with inline skating. What you should look for when purchasing a pair of inline skates and their proper maintenance.

About the author:
Peter Kudlacz is the owner of http://www.popularfitness.com where you can find online fitness and golf programs, exercise instruction guides, articles, resources and tips.