Muscle and Fitness — The First Key To Achieving Your Goals
October 26, 2007
Lets discuss what I term as Muscle and Fitness — The First Key.
In a previous article, I went through the ‘Three Keys To Success’ in any muscle and fitness regime that you use.
Remember — ‘BE - DO - HAVE’?
If you missed this article, you can get it here… Fitness Goal
If you’ve read it, here’s just a very quick overview of what it was about:
1. Decide what you want to HAVE. What are your goals?
2. Decide what the necessary steps are, that you must DO to reach those goals.
3. Choose what you need to BE. What do you need to become in order to DO what is necessary to HAVE what you want?
If you are at all confused about this article, please re-read it, and again if necessary. You’ve really got to get this right so that you can succeed in anything you choose to do, including achieving any sort of success with your fitness goals.
Assuming you understand the concept I’ve just discussed, here are the ten most important steps of the ‘HAVE’ key:
An Ab Exercise For Everyone!
October 26, 2007
I don’t have much of a problem with belly pouch or bulge, since I’ve been doing one ab exercise or another for most of my life to make my abs flat.
But most of you haven’t done any kind of ab exercise recently or ever in your life so you can benefit by my experience with one particular ab exercise especially.
I know a small ab exercise that can literally whittle your waistline and work your abs at the same time. If you work diligently at this ab exercise, that is.
Here is my ab exercise:
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet resting on the floor.
Bend your right leg sideways and rest your right ankle on your left knee.
Link your fingers behind your head and situp, twisting your torso as you do, so that your left elbow touches your right knee.
Then lay back down and repeat 20 times. If you’re a beginner at ab exercise you may want to work your way up slowly, starting with five ab exercises everyday and each week adding one more ab exercise on.
The Basic Golf Swing Is Pure Physics
October 25, 2007
If you’ve been on a golf course and have tried to use all your strength in the basic golf swing so that you hit the ball as far as possible, then you will have already understood that this does not quite work.
One of the reasons is that although the basic golf swing requires strong conditioned muscles, this hardly means hitting the ball with all your strength. In fact the basic golf swing is much more physics that strength.
Look carefully at the way your golf clubs are designed. You will have already noted that each club has a different job to do and part of the basic golf swing is selecting the right club for the right job in the right conditions.
Power will emerge from your body only from exercised and conditioned muscles applied in a controlled and relaxed manner in your basic golf swing to drive the ball in the right direction and far enough to keep your scores low. In other words, the basic golf swing is really pure physics more than anything else.
Interestingly enough, to be able to make long drives you need to hit the ball at the correct angle which has a lot to do with your positioning and the way you follow through.
5 Tips for Starting Runners
October 25, 2007
So you’ve decided to take up running? Maybe you are starting back up after putting it off for years. Here is a list of tips that I have found beneficial to the starting runner or even the seasoned pro.
1. STRETCH THOSE LEGS AND FEET ?BEFORE AND AFTER ? Stretching is the number one thing to remember in any running program. Keep your muscles flexible and relaxed, your joints mobile, and relieve tension and strain by doing a few gentle stretches before AND AFTER your run. I cannot stress enough how important it is to stretch after the run and to cool down. I have found most new runners miss this vital step in their exercise program.
You don’t want to start off doing too much too soon. Build your body up while you prepare yourself to meet the demands that you are about to ask from your body. Make sure to loosen up your hamstrings, quads, calves, iliotibial (IT) band, hips, buttocks and the plantar fascia (area at the bottom of your feet between the heel and ball of foot). Stretch until you feel tension but not pain. NEVER bounce because this can tear your muscles and cause more serious problems.
Golf Training Equipment Can Give You A Competitive Edge
October 24, 2007
Whether you are just beginning to enjoy the game of golf or a seasoned professional, you will find that golf training aids can help you improve your game. Everyone has room to improve, and practice always helps. With the right equipment, you can be knocking strokes off your score in no time.
Training equipment is designed to help with a variety of areas of your game. You can find putting aids, swing aids and aids for improving overall performance. Of course, as with all aspects of the game of golf, incorporating an appropriate fitness routine into your lifestyle can also greatly impact your skill level. Staying fit and in good physical condition affects all aspects of your game, from your swing to your ability to comfortably make it through the round without fatigue.
Having a good swing is essential to your game. Swing aids can help you correct a slice or hook, get more power into your swing, or simply help you understand when to use a particular club. Various aids can place you into proper sequences within the swing to help you develop a better feel for a repeatable motion.
Horizon Elite Treadmills
October 24, 2007
Horizon Elite treadmills, a series of high quality fitness products, are manufactured by Horizon Fitness of DeForest Wisconsin. Horizon Elite treadmills are extremely durable, high-end performers created with the committed athlete in mind.
If you’re considering Horizon Elite for your exercise regimen you have five treadmill choices, all of which offer the feather light easy fold-away lift system unique to Horizon Elite treadmills.
The Horizon Elite 1.1T, with its 1.75 hp motor, gives you a maximum running speed of 10mph, and a 10 percent maximum incline. The most basic of the Horizon Elite treadmills, the 1.1T features include a smartboard console that displays heart rate, elevation, time, calories, laps, distance and speed.
The next most advanced of the Horizon Elite treadmills is the Elite 2.1T. Additional features in this model include a book holder, a water holder and bottle, a stereo and emergency stop button.
The Horizon Elite 3.1T offers a considerably more advanced workout, with six preprogrammed and manual workouts that include a golf course program and one designed specifically with weight loss in mind.
Should You Train Before Bedtime?
October 23, 2007
A Japanese study found that if you exercise at night you will be less tired the next day. Apparently it increases testosterone levels.
Whether this is the case or not I’m not sure. However, I do know that in my own (and other peoples) experiences it depends on what type of exercise you do.
For those of you who have trained physically hard in the couple of hours before bed and then ingested the necessary food afterwards you may well have found it hard to drop off for a good nights sleep.
I know, in the past, this was the case for me.
Think about it. It stands to reason!
You perform hard physical training, get your body into an ‘alive’ state with blood pumping and sweat pouring, and then expect it to quickly shut down and allow you those precious eight hours sleep a night!
NOT likely!
If this sounds like you, or you would simply like a way to unwind before bed while improving internal health, then keep reading.
8 Tips To Building Your Dream Body
October 23, 2007
Just like routines, this document is not intended to be a “one size fits all.” Take from it what you will, but please remember that what is most important is your health and well being. In that light, consider the following list:
1. Before beginning any serious weight lifting or body building regimen, consult your physician.
2. Set your goals. Define what you expect to achieve with your new bodybuilding campaign within a realistic time frame. If you create goals that are unattainable you are setting yourself up for failure. You can become bored, disappointed and disillusioned to the point where you may give up. This is a very sad outcome to what might have been the best decision of your life. Don’t sell yourself short. Set your long term goals, of course, but also set short term goals that are achievable. And, don’t forget to reward yourself when you do achieve them.
3. Consider the costs. If you don’t already have a budget, create one. Then, determine what amount of discretionary funds you have available for your bodybuilding program. This will determine whether you can afford to have a home gym or if your needs would better be served by joining a club. Joining a club is still a good short term introduction before spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on equipment that might not be appropriate for your needs.
Golf Tips Should Always Include Fitness
October 22, 2007
When you think of golf tips, do you usually think about how to improve your swing, or how to sink your putts? Those, of course, are good tips, but you also need fitness tips behind all of those technique tips. Without proper fitness, technique tips will fall short.
Take your swing, for example. You can meet with a golf pro on many occasions and he can tell you all there is to know about how to swing the club effectively. If you haven’t learned the fitness needs behind your swing, though, you will still not be performing to your true potential.
Your swing depends on having a fit back. It is an essential part of your swing, and if you haven’t conditioned and exercised your back through exercises and complimentary stretches, it is not going to allow you to swing to the best of your ability. Good back strength adds power to your swing, adds coordination and assists balance.
Your swing also relies on transferring weight correctly, wrist and ankle strength, shoulder and arm strength, posture… the list goes on and on, and all of these things are effected positively by a fitness program. Without good fitness and an understanding of how your body works, your game falls short.
Golf Practice Equipment Can Pave The Way For Better Golf
October 22, 2007
There is a great deal of equipment on the market today that can help you make your practice time more efficient and effective. Many people believe that simply getting out on the course and playing more often will make them a better golfer. Without effective practice, however, you could just be making the same mistakes again and again without actually improving your game.
Effective practice has been proven to improve golf scores. Consider the prisoner of war who spent years in a POW camp. Each day he played a perfect game of golf in his head, visualizing every hole, every swing, and every putt. He concentrated on playing perfectly. When released from prison years later, he got onto the golf course for the first time and shot the best game of his life. Mental imagery in itself can be a powerful tool.
Beyond your mind, you can find plenty of practice equipment that will help your game. If you want to improve your swing, consider purchasing a net to swing the ball into. Even a small backyard can become your own personal driving range. If you want to practice your swing but aren’t interested in a net, you can purchase a swing practice aid that includes a tethered ball, so you can hit the ball as you normally would, but it will just swing on its tether. You can also buy practice balls that are lightweight and will not travel far even when hit with a powerful swing.
