Tag Archives: cardio

Health and Fitness News

I LOVE My Punching Bag

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I am long overdue in writing about this, but my husband got me an Everlast boxing equipment punching bag (the long kind), which hangs from a self supported stand in our basement. I wanted the stand instead of attaching this huge 80 pound heavy bag to our rafters in the basement.

Something about that just didn’t sit right with me. I imagined my whole house collapsing, which of course I know is completely ridiculous and far-fetched. So he bought both the stand and the bag I wanted.  He also got me a new pair or red punching gloves. They work pretty well, but I’ll warn you, your wrists have to get used to it because my wrists were sore the next day after the first time I used it simply from the shock absorption of hitting the bag over and over again.

Another tip I would like to give if you’re in the market for a punching bag and the accompanying accessories needed, is to buy the most padded gloves you can find. The bag is not by any means very giving, especially if you do squat punches like I do and are punching the bag near the bottom where the sand settles and makes the surface much more firm.

All of that being said, my punching bag is pretty freaking awesome. I love to use it when I’ve had a bad day at work, or if I’m feeling particularly ornery or like I need to get a lot of anxious, nervous energy out.  It does help you to build sculpted, lean muscle on your arms pretty fast too. It helps with that flabby arm syndrome that me and many other women suffer from for sure.

I also love that you can get a really good cardio workout in on it.  I like to do fast punches, combined with slower ones.  I also like to use it for roundhouse kicks. You can’t do many of them, because they do hurt and they do get the heart rate way up, but they are excellent both for your muscle tone as well as for your heart conditioning.

One thing I’ve learned how to do is to release the tension in my neck and shoulder area as I’m punching. This was something I also had to learn the hard way. If you happen to have a lot of neck pain in your every day life, you likely tend to really stiffen those muscles up when doing this exercise.

So make sure you concentrate and focus on loosening the neck up. Don’t tense the neck muscles, make sure instead you focus on tensing up your core (your abs), and use this as your center for strength and your stabilizing force instead of focusing on the neck area too much.

I really love this piece of exercise equipment though. I love using my punching bag for stress release.  I feel tough and powerful when using it, and I actually feel like it helps to train me for self defense a bit too because it teaches me how to use force with my own body weight. LOVE IT!

Health and Fitness News

Rebounding : Hard on Joints or Healthy?

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I was in my very busy gym the other day and saw (mostly because I first heard) a guy doing an exercise called rebounding.  The sound was actually really distracting and sounded like it could put you in excruciating pain if you hadn’t properly warmed up. I have never tried rebounding, so I thought I would look into it and see what it’s all about – and share it with all of you.

Rebounding is a bit different than jumping on a trampoline, which I personally think is both fun, good for you and brings out the kid in you.  I remember jumping on trampolines as a kid and how silly I felt and giddy.  See our past post on trampolines and how much fun they are.

We had a huge one in our neighborhood in the back of a restaurant, so while my parents could sit on the patio, my sister and I could jump and have hysterical fun. And get winded, and also get a really great cardio workout – but we didn’t care about that – we just wanted to have fun.

Now, I realize that there are probably rebounders of various quality, and the one I heard at the gym likely was not of high quality. It was squeaky, and didn’t sound smooth at all.  There are premium rebounders though that I’ve read really good reviews on. I think you have to go a little higher end with this piece of exercise equipment or you’ll be sorry.

Rebounders are essentially mini trampolines. They come in either a straightforward upright model, or one that is sort of sideways that is designed to be pushed up against a wall for support so you can rebound off of it sideways and do plyometric-type exercises.

The benefits of a GOOD rebounder are that they provide excellent, high intensity workouts that burn quite a few calories in a relatively short amount of time because of their high intensity.  You absolutely need a smooth one that is easy on the joints though, or these rebounders can really do a number on your joints and make your neck and back sore if these areas are already sensitive on you.

You also need to get a really sturdy one. Remember, you are putting all your weight on it over and over, and you are impacting it in a big way when you come down on it, so you need something of solid, high quality construction.

Rebounding can be a great, short workout.  It’s high intensity, so it burns fat, and you can also really sculpt your leg, thighs, butt and ab muscles and work on your core strength with some of the exercises provided.

Health and Fitness News

Zumba Craze : Are You a Member of the Cult?

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Soooo, so many people I know are loving the whole Zumba workout craze. And I must admit, while I am one of the most uncoordinated people I’ve ever met in my entire life, it does look like it’s a lot of fun, especially once you start to get the hang of it.

And isn’t that sort of the point of fitness and exercise?  It should be fun so that you keep doing it and don’t get bored. You should also feel powerful, playful and yes a little sexy when you work out, so why not have it be in great clothes doing some great dances moves that also shape your bum, your belly and your legs.

Not to mention, Zumba gives you an excellent non stop cardio workout, which many people don’t even realize because they are having so much fun with the music and moves that the time flies by.  This is an example of the ideal exercise – one that combines fun and working out, because that way you reel people in and they forget that it’s all about doing something good for their body – it begins to be more of a fun pastime.

Zumba is a workout that you can get on DVD as well. I’ve seen plenty of them available for sale online and I’ve also seen quite a few available at second hand DVD stores and trade in types of places too.  A great tip to make sure you get one you like is to rent it from a video store or online rental service before you buy it.

Many online rental outlets will also give user reviews of the workout DVD’s they offer, which gives you a good idea how other people perceived it so you can figure out if you’d like it or if you’re just wasting your time. Time is precious, that is definitely not something you want to waste doing a workout you hate!

Zumba may not be the best at target toning, I’d still leave that for the gym equipment and weights, but it certainly can offer you a butt kicking, heart pumping workout that will leave you breathless and having lots of fun from what I’ve heard. I’m gonna take one, I just haven’t found time yet!  Check out the other post I did on Zumba when I first started to hear so much about the craze from friends.

 

Health and Fitness News

Working Out When Sick : Good Idea?

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I’ve had a cold – a pretty bad one – for a few days now. However, I’m starting to feel a little better. I actually don’t feel like sleeping all day like I did just a day or two ago. So my energy levels are a little higher now, which is nice.  A lot of people question whether or not they should work out when they’re not feeling well.

It’s actually quite a common question because most people think they might make themselves sicker if they work out.  Especially since we are in the thick of flu and cold season, those who work out often are feeling it since they feel trapped into being a couch potato when they’re not feeling good.

But the answer to the question is very simple. You can certainly try a light workout, but if your body is telling you STOP then you need to stop.  Your body often needs all of its resources to fight a bug such as a flu or cold, and when you work out, you are demanding energy and resources from your body.

This is how you actually burn calories from exercising – you are demanding resources of your body such as increased blood flow, heart rate, and increased oxygen circulation. All of this takes energy, and if your body is telling you no during your attempts at working out while sick, then you simply have to stop and not push boundaries.

When you start to feel better, try doing something really light and therapeutic, like a yoga DVD.  This tends to be more calming and less demanding than a hard cardio and weight workout, but you have to choose an easy one because things like hot yoga or ashtanga can be every bit as demanding nad physical.

One thing I’ve found that helps me recover from a flu or cold quicker believe it or not, is our far infrared sauna.  Because it heats my body, it creates a sort of artificial fever. The reason our bodies get a fever when we’re sick is because this is the body’s attempt at killing off the bacterial or viral infection that is making you sick.

Heat kills many viruses and germs, so getting into the sauna can definitely help you to fight off the bug better. I also increase my intake of vitamin C and other antioxidants simply to make myself feel better and more energized.

Drinking plenty of water – I add lemon juice, freshly squeezed to mine – it also good for recovery as often you feel dehydrated during a cold or flu.  Also, see our past post about coconut water for better hydration – interesting read.

Once you start to gain your energy back, that’s when you can try to work out, but working out when the flu or cold has its hardest grip is probably not a good idea – this is your body’s way of telling you it’s down for the count.

Health and Fitness News

As You Age, Muscle Mass Gets Harder to Maintain

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As we age, there are of course a variety of undesirable things that happen not only to our physical appearance, but also to our mental facilities. As with most everything else age-related though, there are many ways you can help slow the inevitable process of aging, and even to help reverse some of the not so grand signs of aging.

One of the things that men and women alike complain about as they get older is that their muscle mass seems much more difficult to maintain. At the same time, fatty tissue builds more easily on the body as our levels of HGH, or Human Growth Hormone start to wane.  The one-two combination of higher levels of fatty tissue and less muscle mass really does a number on our bodies – and our ego.

But what about the likes of people who never seem to age and seem to retain muscle mass and be able to successfully keep a lot of fat from forming on the body? Well, they likely not only eat the right diet, but also take part in the right combinations of exercise that will help them to maintain that muscular, lean look.

There are also supplements that can help you build lean muscle as well as help keep fat storage to a minimum.  One of them is Nitric oxide, which a lot of body builders use to help them get that pumped muscle look that they typically have, and to help minimize body fat storage.

Combining supplements, a high protein low fat diet and very little carbs will also give you the lean, mean look as well. Just performing high impact short burst exercises makes your body go into overdrive when it comes to natural HGH production, so simply getting those high intensity, shorter workouts in a couple times a week will help your body get that look you desire.

Also getting the proper amount of sleep with help with maintaining muscle mass while decreasing body fat since one of the main times your body repairs itself and its muscle tissues and pumps out human growth hormone is in the deeper stages of REM sleep.

 

Health and Fitness News

Jillian’s Latest DVD Makes Me Miserable

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Review : Ripped in 30 with Jillian Michaels

In a good way of course. Jillian Michaels has outdone herself with another DVD that’s a kick butt workout compressed into a half hour. Just what I love, because I hate sweating it out at the gym or in my basement with the precious little time I have in my day for too long. Sure, I want to look good – even great – but I just don’t always have that standard hour that everyone seems to think works so well when it comes to working out.

The DVD is called Ripped in Thirty. It uses the same principles as her 30 Day Shred video, but it kicks things up yet another notch in my humble opinion. Case in point, I did the first workout and was sweating profusel as well as cursing Jillian and her damned cohorts within the first five minutes.

These are a lot more dynamic and have some more complex moves, but they really do get the job done. They are a little more ab-focused as well, which is what I’ve always felt was missing from her 30 Day Shred DVD.  I love to get an ab workout in every since time I get in exercise mode because my abs are one of the first areas of my body that starts to feel like squishy mush when I am lazy for a couple days and just taking it easy.

When my abs are tight and toned, I feel much leaner, sit and stand much taller, and tend to look much thinner (not to mention more confident) so kudos to Jillian for focusing more on the core in these. Mind you, you might not be doing tons of crunches, but the exercises are built to engage the core a lot more.

Level 2 is definitely harder than level one with some more compound moves and a little more explosive movements than the first segment. The DVD contains 4 workouts, and they are progressively harder, so you really have to be in shape to get through them and to practice them regularly.

She does a lot more stretching and cooling down in these ones, perhaps because she got feedback that there was not enough of a warm up in the first ones and people may have been getting injured. I know when I first did 30 Day Shred, I really felt it in my ankles, and they actually swelled a bit because of all the explosive movement.   In comparison, this one does a lot better job on warming you up and preventing injury.

All in all, Ripped in 30 is a GREAT DVD. I really love these DVD’s too because they’re inexpensive. I got mine for just under 9 bucks on Amazon and will be doing it for years to come. Can’t beat that!

Recreational Exercise

The Best Sports to Play for Boosting Fitness

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When it comes to playing sports, I’m the first to admit, I pretty much suck at anything that requires a whole of of hand eye coordination.  If you take me to play tennis, you’d probably be winning even if you’re just a mediocre player.

I can run allover the court all day, but when it comes to making contact with any ball in any sport, I’m pretty terrible. But that’s not what playing sports is really all about. It’s not about winning and competition all the time, but to me, even trying to play sports is fun and it also has a lot of benefits for my fitness.

One of the best calorie burners is tennis. Tennis is a game where you are running allover the court the whole time, and this is where the exercise comes in. You may not be hitting the ball all the time, but just running sideways takes a lot of coordination, and you are focusing the whole time.

Another sport that involves a court and a ball that is excellent for your cardiovascular fitness is basketball. Basketball players notoriously have some of the best physical conditioning when it comes to cardio fitness in the world.

If you look, you’ll also notice that they are almost constantly sweating, which means they are always exerting themselves.  They are running the ball up and down the court, playing defense and offense, and since it is such a high scoring game (unlike football), the game goes on forever, and many of the players stay on the court the majority of the time.

Basketball players can probably eat pretty much what they want because they literally burn calories the whole time they are on the court.  Another great sport is swimming. Although this could also be categorized in the pleasure category, swimming is a tough sport.

It conditions the muscles without you even feeling it, because you are weightless in water.  It also conditions your lungs and gives you compact, sleek muscles.

Workout Regimens

Boot Camp Workouts Rock!

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There are many different levels of commitment to reach potential fitness goals.  You can buy or rent DVD’s and do a 30 minute or more workout at home whenever you can find the spare time.  Other people may join a gym or health club and sign up for various fitness classes.

For the really motivated individuals, there are exercise classes called boot-camp workout sessions.  Depending on your motivation and personal fitness goals, this venue for exercise may be for you.  Some people find this is the best route to become toned and strong if they have an upcoming event in a few months, such as a reunion or wedding.

Often, people want to look their very best and fittest to reunite with people they haven’t seen in a long time.  The boot-camp workouts usually offer a choice for the time of day that works best for your busy schedule.  Ideally, a boot-camp class should offer a combination of cardio and calisthenics.

Instead of promising quick weight loss results, boot-camp classes should focus on improved overall health.  Boot-camp classes should ideally be run by certified instructors.  Many boot-camp classes meet about twice a week and consist of one hour long “drills”.

The name, boot-camp classes, may scare some people off.  But the fact is that your usual boot-camp classes do cater to all levels of fitness coming in.  This style of workout has actually gone mainstream.  Boot-camp style workouts often go for approximately six week sessions.

If you are late or miss a workout session, your instructor will usually call you on it.  This often works to keep motivation strong and enhances a degree of commitment.  The majority of people who sign up for boot-camp workouts are women.  Women tend to like the group training more and the comraderie with others while attaining a fitness goal.

A good boot-camp workout series of classes keeps it interesting and keeps the class flowing.  A full body workout should be offered in a quality boot-camp workout session.  You want to see a combination of aerobics such as running or jumping jacks with interval training such as lunges.

To see if boot-camp workouts are agreeable with you and your fitness goals, many gyms and trainers offer a one week trial for free.  This way, you can see how it fits with your lifestyle, goals and schedule.

Ideally, after about six weeks of sessions that meet two times a week, you should be feeling stronger and more fit.  In a good boot-camp workout series, your instructor will find workout variations to “raise the bar” a little more and still let you use your muscles and still feel a little burn to further your strength even more.

 

Recumbent Bike Reviews

Do You Sweat More on Recumbent Bikes?

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I go to the gym fairly frequently where I work. I love the fact that, if I have the time and don’t have to run errands on my lunch, my workplace offers me the option of getting may workout in. I sometimes will make it there twice a week out of my four day work week, and sometimes I make it there three.

I like to make it there at least two though, that way I don’t have to work out when I get home, and it provides a nicer work-life balance that I can easily deal with.  One thing that I’ve noticed at the work gym is that when I decide to get on the recumbent bike, I sweat a heck of a lot more than I do when I get on the elliptical machine.

Those are my two cardio machines of choice there. I don’t really go for treadmills much, which they also have there, unless the ellipticals and bikes are all filled up and I really have no other choice.

I also will go on the treadmill if the ellipticals are full and I need an exercise where I’m in a standing position, to relieve the pressure on my back from sitting all day long. Other than that, I really like the recumbent bike because I sweat a lot more on it.

I can also do my favorite quickie cardio blast workout much faster on a recumbent bike.  It’s easy to set it up so that you go thirty seconds as hard as you can, then a minute and a half regular speed on a recumbent bike because the controls are right there at your fingertips and you don’t feel like you might go flying off the back if you try to slow it down suddenly or work the controls while you’re moving.

This is probably the reason I sweat so much more on the recumbent bike. Because I can actually set the intense speeds I like and really get my heart rate up and that in turn, makes me sweat a whole lot more.

Also, when on the recumbent bike, your body is more restricted, and you may sweat more for the simple fact that you aren’t airing out a whole lot. That, paired with the easily controlled intensity and interval training you can do on the bike, is definitely a good way to get a great, hard sweat on and burn those calories like a blowtorch.

Workout Regimens

Yoga and Running : Excellent Combo

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One of the best ways to make sure you keep a lean, sleek physique that’s not bulky or overly manly and “muscular” if you are a woman, is to combine a lot of stretching types of exercises with any weight lifting and cardio that you do.

Cardio is a must if you are going to get that lean look, since it is still the most effective way to get the heart rate up and strip fat from the body quickly and efficiently.  I have found that one of the best combinations for me personally to get lean and sleek looking (and I’m only 5′ 4″, so it’s tough for me to look this way), is to combine running and yoga.

Unfortunately, I run mostly when it’s nice outside, and since I live in Northeastern Ohio where the days can be extremely rare that you can get outside in the months of winter.  So then, I just have to resort to either an elliptical trainer or a treadmill and just run inside.

It’s just a lot tougher to keep your focus when you can’t be running outside past pretty green scenery, landscapes and other visually appealing and entertaining sights. Not to mention, you don’t get that same fresh air and the same runner elation that typically comes, for me anyway, more when I’m running outdoors.

I’ve found that combining running and yoga practice really makes me keep my weight at a nice level as well. The running provides me with pure cardio, a great heart pumping practice, and also great for trimming down my legs as well as my arms since I pump my arms quite a bit when I run.

The yoga takes those same muscles that I work so hard when running, and it stretches them back out. It keeps me flexible, and it also elongates my muscles, which helps me to keep that longer, leaner look, and helps to “stretch” my naturally shorter body out a little more, making me walk and appear taller.

It’s also great for flexibility, as well as mood. Studies have shown that women who practice yoga regularly experience much less depression, and tend to have healthier attitudes toward their life and toward stressful situations.  A good yoga DVD is worth its weight in gold, and if you combine this with running as your cardio practice, then you can get a sleek, mean, lean look that you are going for.