Exercise, though a painful thought to some, is nevertheless essential for one to lead a healthy life. In addition to the weight loss benefits it provides, regular exercise has also been shown to help in the prevention of such diseases heart disease and osteoporosis. This is a list of simple exercises that don’t involve a machine that one can do in order to build sculpted calf muscles. However, it’s important to always remember to check with your doctor before adopting a new exercise regime.

Running

Running or jogging, twenty minutes a day, three times a week, is a fantastic way to not only help build calf muscles, but lose weight in general. If not done properly, however, this exercise can be harmful -such as when people don’t stretch before running. Always make sure to stretch beforehand and not over-do it in the beginning. Otherwise, your body will be too concerned with trying to repair broken muscle tissue that it won’t be able to do anything else.

Cans, Bottles, or Weights

One exercise that I have done for several years is to get on the floor on all fours, place an item of canned food, a bottled drink, or light weight behind my knee, squeeze the leg so that the can stays in place, and then lift up and hold for a few seconds. Repeat up to twenty five times on each leg and you’ve done an easy, quick calf muscle exercise that won’t leave you too tired for anything else.

Squats

Doing squats is not only great for the legs, but the abs and buttocks as well! Simply stand with your feet apart (so that they line up with your shoulders) and then move as though there’s a chair behind you and you’re going to sit down. Hold the position for a few seconds and then stand back up. Do this at least twenty five times. If it starts to become too easy for you, include weights in the exercise or add more repetitions. Take it slowly and don’t hop up and down like a jack in the box!

Calf Raises

These are similar to squats, except instead of bending back, bend straight down, like a ballet dancer. These are a bit more difficult, since more balance is required. If you have trouble maintaining balance, have something to hold on to, such as a chair, bar, or even a broom. Once this becomes too easy for you to do and you no longer require help balancing, incorporate weights into the routine.

The Bicycle

This is a fun exercise that requires very little effort at all! Simply lie on your back on the floor, raise your legs into the air, and move them in circles at a rapid pace, as though pedaling a bike. Actual bike pedaling is another great way to work on your calf muscles, but the floor exercise is good for rainy days or if you don’t have a bicycle. It’s quick, easy, fun, and any exercise that can be done in front of the television is definitely a winner!

The post 5 Easy Exercises to Create Great Sculpted Calf Muscles appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Step workouts are some of the best ways to get a total body workout, and the step is versatile. It can be used for aerobics, toning and strength training workouts. Curvy women who carry their weight in their thighs and buttock benefit from step workouts because they lift the butt and reduce sagging. However, in order to find good step workout DVDs, the instructors should be people who are experts in this form of exercise.

Gin Miller’s Everybody Step

It is no surprise that this is one of the top workout DVDs because Gin Miller is the woman who created step training in the 1980s. Thus, she knows all the basic moves needed for a good step workout, and she uses them in this beginner’s workout. People unfamiliar with step aerobics learn the basic moves and step terminology while burning fat. She gradually adds difficulty to her workout on this 56 minute DVD. At Collage Video, this step workout DVD costs $19.95.

Gin Miller’s Simply Step, Classic Moves

Gin Miller’s step aerobics DVDs should always be on lists of the top workout DVDs because she’s energetic as well as experienced. This simple workout DVD includes simple step combinations such as the up and down, V-step, straddle, step touch, and knee lifts. As she instructs exercisers, her voice and perkiness draws people. This intermediate/advanced, 63-minute workout costs $19.95 at Collage Video.

Shapely Girl-Let’s Go Stepping!

This is a beginner step workout DVD that specifically designed for plus-size women. People who are not drawn to workouts because they cannot relate the skinny workout instructors will like this DVD. Debra Mazda, the instructor, once weighed 310 pounds and now wears a size 12. Now, she’s creating workouts for real women. Mazda conducts a basic, 46-minute exercise routine and gives clear clues. In addition, none of her fellow exercisers are full-figured women. The step DVD includes a 15-minute tutorial and a 9-minute bonus toning workout. This DVD costs $19.95 at Collage Video.

Gin Miller’s Serious Strength

Gin Miller’s Serious Strength is a total body, toning step workout DVD and one of the top toning workout DVDs. This advanced workout works the entire body. The DVD includes a 19-minute upper body section, a 20-minute lower body section, a 5-minute combination section, and a 10-minute abs workout. The complete workout is 72 minutes long. Exercisers will need 3- to 10-lb dumbbells and a barbell. This workout DVD costs $19.95 at Collage Video.

The Firm: Advanced Cardio

The Firm is one of the top workout DVD programs for women. The workouts are designed to work common trouble areas of the body. The Firm step workouts have been my favorite programs since I was in my late teens. Lisa Kay, the instructor on this workout, speaks in a tone that is easy to understand as she guides people through the workout. This advanced, 30-minute workout includes jumps and lifts. Although The Firm has its own step, any aerobic step can be done with this workout. This workout costs $19.95 at Collage Video.

These are a few of the top workout DVDs for people who want to do step aerobics. Step aerobics is one of the best workouts increase strength and work areas of the body that are sometimes hard to maintain. The above-mentioned step workout DVDs are specifically designed for real women who want to maintain a regular workout routine.

The post 5 Best Step Workout DVDs appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Aerobic exercise is a form of exercise that uses large muscle groups to increase the heart rate. Aerobic exercise allows you to take in more oxygen, which helps convert the fat and glucose that I stored in your body into energy. These exercises can be used as a weigh of burning calories and losing weight or you use aerobic exercise a way of warming up for other types of exercise. Running, walking, bike riding and swimming are common forms of aerobic exercise. However, the exercise ball can also be used in aerobic exercise. Here are five exercises that can be performed using an exercise ball.

1. Bouncing on the ball. Seat yourself on the ball with your feet about 18 inches apart with your knees directly over your ankles and your arms by your sides. Push off the floor and begin bouncing yourself up and down, allow your bottom to come slightly oft the ball. Bounce gently at first, increasing in strength as you become more comfortable with the feel of the ball. Keep up your breathing and relax as you bounce.
2. Half Stand-ups. Seat yourself on the ball with your feet about 18 inches apart with your knees directly over your ankles and your arms by your sides. Push your feet into the floor, activating your thigh muscles as if you were going to stand up, but come up only far enough for your bottom to lift about 1 inch off the ball, then sit back down. As you lift up, raise your arms to eye level, and then relax your arms down as you sit back down.
3. Foot taps. Begin by being seated on the ball in a normal sitting position. Make sure your feet are 18 inches apart with your knees directly over your ankles and your arms by your sides with your hands lightly touching the ball. Step your right foot out to the side, putting your weight on it, then lightly tap your left foot in front. Repeating on the other side beginning a bouncing action as you move from side to side. Bounce gently at first, increasing in strength as you become more comfortable with the feel of the ball.
4. Jacks. Begin by being seated on the ball in a normal sitting position, feet 18 inches apart, knees over ankles, arms down by your sides. Begin a bouncing action, extending your right arm and right leg out sideways on the first bounce and bringing them back to the starting position on the second. Repeat on the other side, keeping a steady rhythm. Bounce gently at first, increasing in strength as you become more comfortable with the feel of the ball.
5. Rocks from side to side. Begin by being seated on the ball in a normal sitting position. Walk your feet out to the sides to a wide position, knees bent turning your legs out so that your feet and knees are pointing out at a 45-degree angle. Push forward into the hips so that your weight is right at the front of the ball. Push your weight over onto your left leg so that you left knee is bent and your right knee is extended. Make sure that your left knee is directly over your left ankle. By pushing off the floor and activating the left thigh muscle, push yourself all the way over to the other side. You should now have your right knee bent and your left leg straight. Continue to push from side to side, allowing the ball to roll underneath you.

Aerobic exercise is necessary for a healthy heart. The exercise ball is easy and convenient. You can actually do these exercises while you are watching TV. If you are looking for something different in the way of aerobic exercise, you may want to consider trying these aerobic exercises designed for the exercise ball.

The post 5 Aerobic Exercises for the Exercise Ball appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Asthma can feel crippling for people who suffer from it, but it doesn’t have to keep you from getting the exercise you desire. If you have Asthma, you just need to take more precautions and you can achieve the same routines as many other people. What exercises are recommended for people with Asthma though? This article will address a few exercises that are perfectly safe for people with Asthma and how they should approach them:

Swimming

Swimming is an excellent exercise with people with Asthma because of the warm environment that the pool offers you. This environment is very unlikely to stir up any of the symptoms commonly associated with Asthma. Swimming is a great exercise because of how much of your body it uses, it’s a great calorie burner.

Yoga

Yoga has been seen in a positive light by many people who have Asthma because it’s an easy going exercise that makes your body feel great and incorporates many breathing techniques that are said to help people with Asthma. This doesn’t make it any less important to use your inhaler, but if it makes you feel better there is no harm in doing it in addition. Yoga also promotes good mental health, which is important for anyone.

Walking

Walking is an easy activity than almost anyone can do that is often overlooked as exercising due to how easy it is. Walking during your lunch break or taking the stairs instead of the elevator is extra exercise that is sure to make you feel better every day. Walking is perfectly fine with people with Asthma because it can be done anywhere and is not particularly strenuous when done in moderation.

Team Sports

Team sports such as football and basketball are perfectly fine for people with Asthma. They required quick bursts of energy rather than prolonged energy, which means it’s perfectly acceptable for people with Asthma. Always explain to the coach and teammates that you have Asthma and that you may need their help, and always keep an inhaler close by.

If you need further help deciding what kind of exercise is right for you or a close loved one who suffers from Asthma, please consult your doctor or fitness expert. This article covered just the base of what people with Asthma can do, don’t limit yourself to just these, but keep these particulars in mind.

The post 4 Exercises for People with Asthma appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Getting a set of six-pack abs is as much about dieting as it is exercise, since no one will be able to see the results of your workouts if your stomach is covered by a layer of fat, warns the experts at Bodybuilding.com. Cut out white bread, soft drinks and other empty carbohydrates, suggests Muscle & Fitness magazine, and increase the amount of protein you eat. Men’s Health magazine recommends aiming for a gram of protein for every pound of body weight. Then, pair your ab-friendly diet with ab exercises that various exercise publications and research studies have identified as being some of the best for your washboard stomach.

But don’t waste your time on inefficient exercises. Fitness professionals and exercise experts have identified some of the best movements to get you a lean, strong core. Your new, ripped torso is just a few crunches away!

Hanging Knee Raises

While you may think of your pullup bar as reserved for just shoulder and chest development, Men’s Fitness magazine notes that doing knee raises on a pullup bar ranks as “the most effective abdominal workout there is.” Grab a pullup bar with your hands spaced just slightly wider than your shoulders. From this neutral hanging position, tighten and contract your core while raising your knees toward your chest as high as you can go. Pause, then slowly uncurl and straighten your body into a neutral hanging position.

One-Hand Bicep Dumbbell Presses

Bicep presses work your chest to build impressive pecs, but make one slight change and you’ll also target your abs for what Men’s Health magazine calls one of the best ways to “chisel your core.” Lie down on a bench just as you would if you were doing a traditional dumbbell bench press, holding a dumbbell in each hand. However, instead of pushing both dumbbells into the air, keep your left dumbbell in the starting position and push the right dumbbell up in the air until your right arm is straight. Pause, then slowly lower your right hand back down toward your chest and repeat for your left hand. In essence, you’re splitting a traditional dumbbell bench press into two moves instead of one. This lopsided, weighted movement works your abdominal muscles as they try to stabilize your body, and Men’s Health says you “won’t believe how hard your abs and glutes contract.”

Isometric Crunches

Isometric workouts, involving holding a tense muscle group in one position for a few seconds, are one of the top seven ways to develop abdominal muscles, according to Muscle & Fitness magazine. One of the best examples is the isometric, or static, crunch. (Reference 6) Perform a crunch as you normally would, lying on your back on a mat or towel. At the peak of the traditional crunch movement, pause. While keeping your abs contracted with your belly button sucked down toward your spine, hold the position for 30 seconds. Once this time is up, try to bring your torso up even higher and pause for another 30 seconds before relaxing and lying down completely.

Air Bicycle

In a study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise, researchers found that the bicycle maneuver engaged the abs even more than stereotypical ab workouts, such as traditional crunches. Lie down on your back with your thighs pointing in the air, perpendicular to the ground, and your calves parallel to the ground. (Reference 8) Clasp your hands behind your head, elbows out, and bring your right knee in and toward your left shoulder while slightly straightening your left leg. Repeat for the opposite side of your body, creating a movement that makes you look like you’re pedaling a bicycle in the air.

The post 4 Best Exercises for Ripped Abs and a Lean Stomach appeared first on Health & Wellness.

When your joints hurt and swell due to a form of inflammatory arthritis, exercise is usually the last thing on your mind. But, doing yoga in a slow, controlled way can build balance, flexibility and strength, according to The John Hopkins Arthritis Center.

Why Yoga is Helpful

Being inactive increases pain, stiffness and arthritis flares. When I started to doing yoga, I noticed a same-day reduction in lower joint pain. Although morning ankle and knee swelling continues, yoga has lessened my bouts of joint swelling throughout the day.

When a group of 30 sedentary adults participated in an 8-week yoga course monitored by John Hopkins University, the participants noted fewer swollen and tender joints, according to The Arthritis Foundation.

Yoga Works for Me

Somewhere I read something to the tune of, “Don’t let you joints get rusty. Use them!” For me, yoga is a low-impact slow stretching routine that not only burns calories, but also builds muscle which ultimately reduces the amount of strain on my joints. That’s a win-win.

I try to do 20 to 30 minutes of yoga four to five times per week. It may not sound like much to an avid gym rat, but it definitely eases arthritis swelling. Although I change my routine on occasion to add variety to my exercise sessions, the following three yoga poses always make it into my workout.

Sun Salutation

My routine usually starts with this pose. Fully elongating your body at the start of the pose helps stretch a stiff back. When I sit too long — a definite work-related hazard for a writer — my back gets sore. The second half of this yoga pose stretches your lower back and calves. Here is an animated guide to perform the Sun Salutation, or Salute to the Sun. I only do steps 1 through 3 to prevent strain on my wrist and ankle joints.

The Warrior

When my hips are stiff and swollen the warrior pose gently stretches my hip flexors. When I’m especially sore, my stance isn’t very wide. As I become more limber I space my feet further apart for a more thorough stretch. Here is an animated guide for the version of the warrior pose that I enjoy.

The Tree Pose

I have quite a bit of swelling in my ankles due to rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory form of arthritis. When my ankles are visibly puffy, but not in pain, I enjoy doing the tree pose. The act of balancing not only uses my ankles and moves fluid away from the joints, it also stretches my inner thighs and hips. Use this link to see an animated guide of the tree pose.

Talk with your rheumatologist or family doctor about starting a yoga routine of your own. Your physician can recommend which joints and muscles to focus on stretching to benefit your form of arthritis.

The post 3 Easy Yoga Poses for Arthritis appeared first on Health & Wellness.

When it comes to building a sexier back, diet is important–but so is using exercises designed to build and sculpt your entire backside. And that doesn’t mean doing endless repetitions using paper-light weights. It means lifting heavy, just like a bodybuilder.

If you’re worried these exercises will make you manly and bulky, don’t–women have very little testosterone, so your muscle-building potential is pretty slim. Instead, you’ll develop a more defined, leaner back, with a backside that would make any man (or woman) swoon.

To get a leaner back, add these exercises to your exercise routine:

Pull-Ups

Muscles worked: Pull-ups are great for developing your lats–the muscles located just below your shoulder blades, according to Bodybuilding.com. Building your lats helps create definition and firmness to your middle back.

How to do it: To do a pull-up, grip both hands on a pull-up bar, with your palms facing forward. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart.

Next, draw your shoulders and upper arms downward and backward. Do this until your chest touches the pull-up bar. At this point, your arms should only move–not your torso or legs. Hold this position for a second before releasing.

Variations: If you can’t do this exercise at first, try doing it on an assisted chin-up or pull-up machine. As you get stronger, you’ll need less assistance from the machine to do a pull-up, and eventually, no assistance at all.

Bent-over Barbell Row

Muscles worked: This exercise works numerous muscles, including the middle back, shoulders and lats. It’s an excellent exercise for targeting multiple muscle groups without having to do more exercises.

How to do it: This exercise must be completed with a barbell, so have one pre-loaded with your desired weight before doing this exercise. To begin, grab the barbell with your hands with your palms facing down. Bend your knees and bend your torso forward while keeping the back straight. Imagine your body is trying to look like the letter Z. Your arms should hang downward, with the barbell and your hands just below your knees.

Next, bring the barbell up with your upper arms while keeping your elbows close to your body. Bring up the barbell until it touches your torso, then hold it for a couple of seconds. Make sure to squeeze your back muscles. Now release it and return to the starting position.

Variations: You can also complete this exercise with dumbbells, using the same grip as before or using a palms-in grip, like you normally use while doing hammer curls.

Wide-Grip Lat Pull-Down

Muscles targeted: Done correctly, this exercise targets the lats. It also works the middle back and shoulders, which can really give a defined, lean appearance to your back.

How to do it: For this exercise, you need a pull-down machine, which is typically found in any standard work-out gym. To start off, grab the bar with both palms facing forward, making sure there are wider than a typical shoulder-width grip.

Once you grip the bar correctly, move your torso–not your body–back by 30 degrees while bending it backward, so that it maintains a slight curve. Now puff your chest out.

Slowly, use your back muscles and arms to bring the bar down to your upper chest. Focus on contracting the back muscles. Use a slow, steady force to bring it down. Hold the position for a second before returning to the starting position.

Variations: To change how the exercise targets your back, try using a narrow grip. You can also use a reverse grip.

Recommended Repetitions

To help make your back more lean and sexy, stick to what are called the “bodybuilding” rep ranges. This is between 7 to 12 reps. You should struggle to finish the last rep. If you find the reps are too easy to finish when you reach 12 reps, it’s time to increase your weight load. Aim for at least two sets per exercise.

The post 3 Weight Lifting Exercises to Build a Sexy Back appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Seniors often utilize water exercises since the water has a dual purpose. Water is more buoyant on any achy joints for arthritis and it also provides resistance aside from gravity for strengthening muscles when you get the body moving. All you need is a simple swimming pool for the most popular water exercises that do the most good. Here are some movements that will get your blood pumping if your joints feel older and achy.

Just because you are in the water, that doesn’t mean you should over exert yourself. You should still take it easy and don’t exercise beyond your means. If you get out of breath and need to take a break, by all means just relax your muscles and take it easy. The water will already help keep you cool as opposed to the warmer air.

Water Walk

Simply walking in the water offers more resistance when you lift your legs than normal walking due to the weight of the water. When you swing your arms through the water you add more resistance to your arms as well. Cupping your hands will increase the weight for your arms to move and improve your arm muscles beyond just lifting them when you walk normally. Your hands will push away more water offering better resistance for your forearms and elbow.

Walking in water is ideal if you have shaky legs or stiff joints and there is a fear of falling. If you fall in the water there is a much less chance of getting hurt even though you should still take it easy.

Push Ups

Using the wall of the pool for a push up can be better for your arms than you think. Get in water that goes up to your shoulders and place your hands shoulder width apart against the edge of the pool. Then push your arms up and down like you are doing a normal push up.

The beauty of this exercise is that your entire body weight isn’t being held up by your arms. All you are doing is getting a light workout as you push against the water up against your back. This is a great exercise to get your arms and shoulders moving with little resistance so you can gradually work up your arm strength.

Just For Kicks

You’ve seen little kids with their first swimming lesson that grab on to the edge of the pool, lay with their legs straight out, and kick the water. This elementary movement for swimming lessons is also a great workout for your legs, knees, and hips.

While you don’t need to splash up sea foam with every kick, you can kick along at your own pace according to how your joints and muscles feel. Even if you don’t splash water on the surface, the simple kicking motion will give your entire leg a workout. The beauty of all three of these exercises is that they can be done at your own pace with less risk for injury due to falls since the water will help keep you buoyant.

As with any exercise routine, having a partner with you is helpful in case you need assistance and encouragement. Consult with your physician if you plan on starting a water exercise routine or any physical workout to keep in shape.

The post 3 Simple Water Exercises for Seniors appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Have you ever wished you could jump a few inches higher so you could finally start throwing down slam dunks during basketball games? Well you’re not alone! Athletes from all sports, from basketball to volleyball, all are constantly looking for ways to jump higher. Some athletes try special shoes, some try ‘super jumping pills’, and still others drink special protein shakes that are supposed to give your jumping ability a quick boost. These ways are almost always guaranteed to fail and not help athletes at all. If you really want to help increase your vertical jump, there are three very effective types of exercises you can do.

Plyometrics

This type of exercise is designed perfectly for any sport that involves jumping. Plyometrics helps athletes increase their ‘explosiveness’, which could be anything from sprinting really fast across the basketball court to quickly jumping to spike a volleyball. Here’s an example of an easy plyometric exercise you could do at home. Find a sturdy bench, or find any kind of step. Now use as much energy as you can to jump up on top of the step, then quickly jump back down. If you don’t feel like it’s effective, then you probably need to move faster or the step is too low. This is a very basic exercise, but it’s also very effective too.

Improving Your Jumping Technique

Many athletes, even if they can dunk or jump over a volleyball net, don’t have perfect jumping technique. By working on improving your technique, you could easily add anywhere from 1-4 inches to your vertical jump within a week. To see whether your technique is right or not, you should record yourself before, during, and after you jump. You should look for things like which foot you’re jumping off of, the angle of your knees and body when you jump, and how tensed up your muscles are during your motion (tense muscles take away from your vertical jump). The more you work on improving your vertical jump technique, the higher you’ll be able to jump.

Stretching The Right Muscles

You use a lot of different muscles when you try to jump as high as you possibly can, so it’s important to be as limber as possible. You don’t want to go up for a dunk and end up pulling your quadriceps because you weren’t in good shape. Make sure to always stretch your back and legs in order to prevent injury and also to make your jump more effective.

These three exercises all can help your vertical jump in different ways, but if you do them consistently, you will definitely be able to jump higher then you ever have before.

The post 3 Exercises to Help You Jump Higher appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Many people would like to have a six-pack without a ton of work and now this can be done with less than an hour of your day. I have put together three work-out exercises that use the abdominal muscles. These exercises are easy to do and do not require any machines.

The abdominal muscles are the muscles that line in the center of your chest and go down to the pubic bone. There are many exercises that you can do to strengthen these muscles but these three exercises are quick and easy to do.

The crunch

Many people already know how to do this but for those of you who don’t crunch is a workout that is done while lying on the ground. Your feet should be flat on the floor and hip length apart. Your arms should be either laying out beside you or under your head for support. The upper body should rise forward toward your knees but only slightly. The crunch exercise should be done in twenty repetitions holding each crunch for two seconds each. During this exercise you should feel more stress in the upper abs.

Reverse crunch

A reverse crunch is similar to the crunch exercise but only opposite. Instead of raising your chest up you lift your knees towards your chest. The reverse crunches should also be done in twenty repetitions with a two second hold on each. Reverse crunches should cause you to feel more stress in your lower abs since this is the area that you will be working on.

Double crunch

This exercise is the crunch and reverse crunch brought together into one exercise. Lying on your back you should bring you hips and chest together by lifting your head and knees together simultaneously. This exercise should be done with ten repetitions and holding each for two seconds. This exercise works both the upper and lower abs.

Now that you know what exercises are quick and easy to strengthen your abdominal muscles you should have no problem in getting your abs to tighten up. These exercises should be done at least three times a week for great results.

Before doing any of these exercises you should consult with your physician to make sure that you are healthy enough to do them. If you are not use to doing these then you should take a break in-between days of doing them so that you don’t overdo it.

The post 3 Easy Exercises to Strengthen Your Abdominal Muscles appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Spinning, or cycling on a stationary bike with a control dial, is a great workout. Because it is very low impact, its an especially great exercise for those who have body or back pain, knee strains, and women who are pregnant! But spinning can get very boring if you don’t have a set program planned ahead of time — so give this one a try before the next time you head out to the gym.

Most spinning instructors teach on a scale of 1-10 of perceived exertion. You will use the control dial on the bike in order to set the difficultly of your ride — 10 should be the most difficult and you should hardly be able to push the peddles through a full spin. One should be so easy that your feet are practically spinning on their own (this level should never be used because it is dangerous for the knees). Before you get into your ride, experiment a bit with the different levels.

Start 30-Minute Spinning Program Now !

1. Collect an exciting, upbeat soundtrack. This is very important because you want to listen to music that will keep you motivated throughout the workout. Choose about 8-10 songs that you would like to spin to and use this as your soundtrack.
2. Warm-up. Like all good exercise regimes, your spinning program should start with a 5 minute workout. Begin on a flat road (about level 4) and keep your feet moving quickly. After about 3 minutes, increase the dial to a level 5 and continue.
3. First Hill Climb. The next 5 minutes you will be spinning up a hill. Immediately increase to a level 6 and do not let yourself slow down, but keep up the same pace. After 2 minutes, increase to a level 7 without slowing down. One more minute, and then increase to a level 8. After 1 more minute, stand up out of the saddle and spin in a standing position. After 1 minute, drop down to a sitting position to finish off.
4. Sprint Set. Then next 6 minutes you will spend sprinting on and off– every 30 seconds you will sprint at about a level 5, then spin at a steady pace for 30 seconds, and then switch until your 6 minutes are up.
5. Second Hill Climb. Repeat your first hill climb but this time begin at a level 6 and work your way up to a 9. You may stand up earlier if this helps you.
6. Jumps. Starting at a level 6, you will spend the next 5 minutes doing jumps. Begin in the saddle spinning at a steady pace and every 10 seconds you will stand and spin, then sit back down and spin.
7. Cool down. Beginning at level 7, you will slowly release the dial until your legs are relaxed, your heart beat is back to normal, and you feel sufficiently cool. End at a level 3.

The post 30 Minute Spinning Program appeared first on Health & Wellness.

So, you need to burn some calories and tone up, and you need to do it quickly? Give this 20-minute boxing workout a shot. It’s a simple workout that almost anyone can do no matter what fitness level they are. The things I love about this workout are that it is fun, it only takes 20 minutes to complete, and it burns fat and builds muscle at the same time. It’s also great for building up your cardiovascular and anaerobic endurance.

To do this workout you will need a stopwatch with an interval timer and a heavy bag. If you don’t have an interval timer, there are plenty of free ones you can use online – just perform a search for “interval timer.” If you don’t have a heavy bag or access to one, you can shadow box, but the workout won’t be as intense or quite as effective as actually punching a bag.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Set an interval timer for 1-minute intervals.
2. Start off with 1 minute of boxing. You can punch, kick, knee, elbow, etc… it doesn’t matter; just stay active on the bag for 1 minute.
3. When the timer beeps, take a step back and do 30 jumping jacks, then drop to the ground and do as many pushups as you can until the timer beeps again.
4. Repeat.

Basically, you’re doing 1 minute of boxing followed by approximately 30 seconds of jumping jacks and 30 seconds of pushups. You want to keep this up for 20 minutes (10 2-minute rounds). Boxing is a pretty good cardio workout by itself but when you throw the jumping jacks in with it, it really gets your heart pumping fast. The pushups only compound this and give you an added muscle building benefit. Don’t be afraid to get creative with this, either. You can sub out pushups for squats, or jumping jacks for mountain climbers, etc… I’m sure you get the idea.

If you’re not used to doing this type of workout, you may not be able to get through the whole 20 minutes your first time without taking a few breaks. That’s OK. The most important thing is that you do what you can and you don’t cheat yourself.

As always, consult your physician before attempting this workout or any new exercise plan. If you have a heart condition, you definitely need to talk to your doctor before attempting this workout.

The post 20-Minute Boxing Workout to Burn Fat and Build Muscle appeared first on Health & Wellness.

In my quest to get back to my goal weight, I thought it might help myself to list some ideas on how to motivate myself. For those of you that also need to lose some weight, I hope these ideas will also be helpful to you. Here are my top ideas of how we can motivate ourselves to stick to our diet and exercise plans even when we don’t feel like it:

1. Check out the latest issue of Victoria’s Secret. I think this one is pretty much self explanatory.
2. Look through our closets, basements and/or attics at all the cute clothes that no longer fit us.
3. Buy a really cute dress and/or pair of jeans a size or two smaller than we currently wear and hang it on our bedroom door. Having that item prominently displayed and seeing it all the time would hopefully inspire us to work hard on losing weight!
4. If you feel at all self conscious during sex due to the extra pounds, just think of how amazing the sex will be once you’re at your goal weight!
5. Think about all the cute new clothes that you’ll need to buy as you lose weight and your current clothes become way too big for you.
6. Having friends and family take pics and/or video of you will be just fine with you even though now it’s a little embarrassing.
7. Won’t it be nice to be an inspirational role model for your loved ones that also need to lose weight?
8. Imagine being able to play with your children in the pool or beach next summer without having to worry about being self conscious in your bathing suit.
9. Think about how good it would feel to run into that ex of yours that dumped you and/or treated you like crap, seeing the look of awe and desire in his eyes and having the satisfaction of knowing that no matter how much he wants you, it’s too late now.
10. Imagine how good it would feel to know that you were setting a wonderful example on healthy living for your children.
11. Think about how nice it would be to know that once you lose the weight, your chances of being around to see not just your children grow up, but also your grandchildren are much, much greater.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed these tips, and I wish you the best of luck in your weight loss journey.

The post 11 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Lose Weight: From Skinny Models to Being a Role Model appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Have you stopped losing weight despite continuing to adhere to a diet and exercise plan? Has the weight loss stopped even though you are supposed to keep losing more weight? I’m a certified personal trainer, and to have mysteriously stopped losing weight is a very common problem.

There are many reasons a person stops losing weight, despite sticking to what seems like a reasonable diet and effective workout regimen. Below are 10 of those reasons, and in no particular order. Re-evaluate your weight loss plan and see if any of these culprits apply to you. I bet most of them do. Incorporating just a few of them will re-trigger your body to lose more weight.

1. You haven’t been lifting weights. Muscle is the metabolic furnace of the body. The more muscle you have, the faster is resting metabolism, even during slumber. Lifting weights will dramatically jump-start metabolism and fire up more weight loss. You will not bulk up. You’ll lose weight, which means you’ll get smaller. If you pussy-foot around with tiny, ultra-light weights, don’t expect much more weight loss.
2. You insist upon doing “steady state” cardio, instead of a wonderful fat-burning technique called high intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.). H.I.I.T. increases resting metabolism, while steady state cardio does not. Steady state is also known as sustained or duration-based aerobics. It’s when you stay at the same setting, for the most part, on the treadmill, elliptical, bike, revolving staircase, jogging trail, etc. Read about H.I.I.T. right HERE to find out how to do this.
3. You are skipping breakfast. You might think you’re saving calories, but many times, the absence of a morning meal will cause greater hunger later on, causing you to eat more than you would have, had you eaten breakfast. The lack of morning nourishment might also slow you down, leading to fewer calories burned — and a halt to weight loss.
4. You’re skipping meals or going long periods without any food. Throngs of people still believe that an effective way to lose weight is to skip meals, or go long periods without eating. However, this backfires with a weight loss plan, because it actually slows metabolism. Your body does not “know” when the next meal or bite is coming, so it clings fast to stored body fat. Eat every three hours; not always a full meal, but a healthy snack will do.
5. Overall daily calorie intake isn’t enough to subsidize your physical activity level. If you’re exercising a lot, but that 1,400 calorie-a-day diet has suddenly stopped working for weight loss, it’s because it’s no longer enough to adequately fuel your body. Thus, metabolism has slowed down to compensate. Increase calorie intake and your metabolism will fire back up, causing more weight loss.
6. You have bad sleeping habits. They finally caught up with you and are interfering with your weight loss goals. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep, but here’s something you might not know: The best time to get in these 7-8 hours is between 10 pm and 6 am, AND in complete darkness. This maximizes release of human growth hormone during sleep. Human growth hormone is a natural fat-burner and will help you lose weight.
7. Frequent napping. A 20-minute snoozer is fine, but some people, despite sleeping 7-8 or even nine hours, will take a two-hour nap most days. This is complete inertia, and completely unnecessary in an otherwise healthy adult. Not only does the nap time minimize metabolism, but when you awaken, the grogginess tends to linger, creating a slow-moving, lethargic body.
8. Failure to change up your workout routine. Doing the same thing over and over is a well-established saboteur of weight loss, because the body becomes so adapted to the same predictable exercise routines, that it becomes efficient at doing the routines, and thus, requires fewer calories to carry out the exercise. Switch up your exercise routines, both weights and cardio, to keep your body guessing and confused. Confused muscles require more energy (burn more calories). This is a very effective ploy for losing weight.
9. Failure to include compound, multi-joint exercises in your workout plan. These exercise moves get the entire body involved, or most of the body going, and thus, burn more calories, and keep metabolism going even after the workout is completed, if the exercises are done intensely. They include barbell squats, leg presses, bench presses, dead-lifts, pull-ups and heavily-weighted lunges.
10. Failure to include hybrid exercises in your workout plan. Hybrid exercises involved several major muscle groups because they fuse two or more exercises into one. Examples are squatting while holding dumbbells, then standing and pressing dumbbells overhead. Another example is adding biceps curls to decline dumbbell presses – after lowering the dumbbells, curl them, then press them up again.

The post 10 Reasons You’ve Stopped Losing Weight Despite Diet and Exercise appeared first on Health & Wellness.

This 10 minutes plyometric leg workout can be used as part of leg day training or as a quick standalone circuit workout. Keep the pace quick, but don’t sacrifice form as you get tired. If you feel that this workout is too difficult, try doing only one or two rounds. If it feels too easy, add one or two more rounds.

Things you’ll need: jump rope, workout shoes (cross trainers may provide more lateral support than running shoe)

First you’ll do 30 seconds of moderate to fast paced jumping with the rope (even if you don’t have a rope you can just go through the jumping motions). Instead of using a timer, just count 60 jumps, as that should take roughly 30 seconds.

Put the rope down and immediately begin doing pop squats (see instructions below). Do 30 of these.

Unless you absolutely have to take a break, go right back to jumping rope for another count of 60 jumps.

Now immediately go into a set of 30 jump lunges, with fifteen per leg (see instructions below).

Go right back to another round of jumping rope for 30 seconds.

You can take a break now, and get a drink of water, but don’t rest for more than one minute before beginning the circuit all over again. Shoot for 3 sets and you’ll have completed the ten minute workout.

As mentioned before, depending on your fitness level you may need to adjust the number of rounds. If you find the work within the rounds too challenging, try doing only 20 pop squats and 20 jump lunges (ten per leg).

The key to the workout is keeping the pace fast while maintaining good form. You shouldn’t be able to talk during this workout.

On the scale of perceived exertion you should be maintaining an 8-9 throughout. That’s the equivalent of 80-90 percent of your maximum heart rate if you are using a heart rate monitor.

How to do Pop Squats: From a standing position, squat down as if you were going to sit in a chair. Keep your knees from going past your toes. This movement is the same as the traditional squat. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, “pop” back up into standing position with your feet together. Don’t jump into the air, just use enough force to get into the starting position. Immediately go back into your next squat by “hopping” your legs wide enough then squatting. The plyometric part of the move is in the popping back up and into the starting stance.

How to do Jump Lunges: Stand with legs in a “V” shape with one in front and one behind, each making a roughly 45 degree angle from the hips. Bend your front knee and allow your back heel to come off of the floor as you drop into the lunge position. Once your front knee is bent 90 degrees, with the knee remaining above the ankle (don’t let it extend past the toes) jump into the air, switching your legs so that the one that was in front is now in the back position. Immediately drop back into the lunge position. As you jump up and scissor your legs to switch, try to get at least three inches from the floor. You want to jump for this move, whereas you didn’t with that pop squat.

Note: For both moves you want to keep the knees from extending past the toes because it reduces the force put on the patella. Improper form can lead to knee damage or injuries over time.

Warning: Consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

The post 10 Minutes Plyometric Power Workout for Legs appeared first on Health & Wellness.

The Bosu Ball is the strange lookng, large half-sphere shaped exercise ball that is anchored to a flat plastic disk. As funny as it looks, this piece of equipment is extremely versatile and is relatively affordable at around $50-$60. Best of all, the Bosu Ball is a piece of equipment that allows you to get a full body workout in small space (bedroom or living room) without the need for any extra equipment.

I understand that some people are unable to commit to lengthy and ambitious workout programs due to their busy work and life schedules or because they cannot afford pricey gym memberships or personal trainers. No matter how busy you are, everyone has an extra ten minutes in their day to get this workout in. Before working out, please remember to properly warm up for a few minutes (run in place or do jumping jacks until you get a light sweat), and stretch for a few minutes to prevent cramps, strains, and other workout related injuries. Feel free to add or modify the routine to best suit your fitness needs and keep in mind this is just one of many different possible workout combinations.

The structure of the 10 minute workout is simple: four different exercises. Two and a half minutes per exercise. Five sets of each exercise. Each set is twenty seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Make sense?

In other words, do the four exercise for two and a half minutes each. For each exercise, you are doing the designated exercise for 20 seconds and then resting for 10 seconds. That will be repeated 5 times which ends up being 2 and a half minutes for each exercise. After you repeat that process for all four exercises, you will be done with the full ten minute workout! Since these are timed exercises, the number of repetitions you do is not set. You must simply push yourself to get as many reps as you can. My advice is to work hard on your first 20 seconds and use that number of reps as a goal to hit for the following four sets.

Now, onto the exercises!

1. Bosu squat. This is the standard 90 degree squat that is made more difficult by having to stabilize yourself on the wobbly Bosu Ball. Make sure to keep your eyes forward and back straight. Do not look down or lose your posture. Think about how you would do a squat if your back were up against a wall and try to mimic that motion on the ball. When you get confident with this exercise you can change it to the jump squat. This is where you jump at the top of your leg extension and squat as your weight comes down onto the ball. Do not land on the ball straight legged and make sure you always keep your momentum moving.
2. Push-Up. This is just like a standard push-up except with a twist. Flip the Bosu Ball upside-down and grab the handles that are conveniently placed on the outer edges of the plastic base. Proceed to do push ups with your feet on the ground or with your knees on the ground. If you must use your knees, make sure your back and hips are straight. The extra effort needed to keep your upper body stable as you balance on the Bosu provides an extra challenge. When this becomes easy for you, do a bouncing push up. This is where you push up and get air-born just like you would do for a clapping push up (minus the clap of course!).
3. Sit-Up. Sit off-balance on one end of the Bosu Ball and lay back on it. Cross your arms over your chest and perform a standard sit-up. Having the Bosu underneath you will enable your back and stomach a fuller extension and larger range of motion to work your abdominals. Keep your feel planted on the ground.
4. Fish Flop. The fish flop is a funny looking exercise but is highly effective in strengthening the back. Lay down face first on the Bosu with your stomach squarely on top of the ball. Now, this is where the name “fish flop” comes in. Put both hands behind your head and simultaneously lift your head and heels to the sky. At this point your stomach is the only thing touching the Bosu. You should look and feel like a beached whale. Make sure to keep your legs straight and together. Lower your head and feet to the ground and repeat this up and down motion.

There you have it. Using these four basic exercises you will get a full body workout in no time! After each workout make sure to cool down and stretch. Oh, and don’t forget to hydrate! I bet you will even discover new ways to use the Bosu that will challenge you and keep you motivated! Have fun and be safe!

The post 10 Minutes Bosu Ball Workout appeared first on Health & Wellness.

Women who have reached menopause, either naturally, or surgically through total hysterectomy, will most likely experience significant decreases in bone density. When a woman’s T-score (bone mineral density compared to same sex 30 year old) is less than -2.5, that woman is considered osteoporotic. When that score is -1.0 to -2.4, the woman is considered osteopenic. Either way, that woman will need to talk to their physician about medical options for their osteopenic/osteoporotic condition, then also consider other ways to increase bone density to prevent fractures in the future.

Exercises that Increase Bone Density

A woman experiencing bone loss will have decreased bone density in the hips,spine, or wrists. Weight bearing exercises will help to increase bone density or prevent the loss of bone in these areas. The rule of thumb is that the woman needs to lift enough weight that the 10th to 12th repetition is difficult, in order to increase bone strength. Her goal will be ultimately 3 sets of 10 to 12 of each exercise. Every 6 weeks, a different exercise, and a different order of exercises should be done in order to prevent accommodation of the muscles.

Exercises for the Hips

• Squats: Standing with feet shoulder width apart, squat down so that thighs are parallel to ground.
• Lunges: Take one leg and step forward with large step, so that back leg is extended behind you, and back knee bends and touches ground. Keep front knee at 90 degrees. Bring feet back together, and repeat with other leg.
• Theraband sideways walking : Take a resistance band, bungee cord, or similar resistance device and tie around both ankles. Keep knees and hips bent slightly, and sidestep to right 10 steps, followed by sidestepping to right for same number of steps.
• Single Leg Balancing: Stand on an uneven surface, such as a pillow or air cushion, for up to 1 min each leg without support. Repeat with opposite leg up to 3 times each leg.

Exercises for the Spine

• Prone thoracic extension: Lying on belly, cross arms behind back and raise head and chest off floor.
• Standing wall slides: Standing up against wall, put back of head against wall by tucking in chin, then raise arms up into a field goal configuration. Ideally wrists and hands should be flush against wall. Finally, slide arms and hands up and down wall. This exercise is best done as frequently as every hour.
• Lower Abdominal Exercises (NO SIT UPS!!!): Press low back against floor. Bring one knee up, hold, then the other, then one down, followed by the other. Low back should not raise up during entire exercise. Repeat up to 3 sets of ten. Sit ups or crunches should NEVER be done with decreased bone density secondary to risk of osteoporotic compression fractures.
• Sidelying bilateral leg lifts: Lying on either side, lift both legs up as a unit. Repeat other side. If it is too difficult to lift both legs up when straightened, try bent at knees first.

Exercises for the Wrists

• Wrist Extension/wrist curls: Use 1 or 2 lb weight to start, and lift weight with wrist supported on edge of table. Start with palm facing down for wrist extension, then repeat with palm facing up for wrist flexion.
• Wall push ups: Stand facing wall with feet farther from wall and hands on wall, supporting your weight. Push away from wall by straightening your elbows, then lower back towards wall. This will work your wrists, triceps, chest, shoulders and core musculature.

By performing these ten exercises, you should have a good bone building routine that you can stick with to help to increase bone density when you have been diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis. When you are ready to progress the exercises, increase or add weight by holding a weight or using a weighted back pack, then repeat the exercises above. Performing the exercises on softer surfaces such as grass will also increase the level of difficulty, and thus, increase the amount of work that your muscles will build bone. Combine these exercises with a calcium and vitamin D rich diet and you are well on your way to increased bone density!

The post 10 Exercises to Increase Bone Density in Women with Osteoporosis appeared first on Health & Wellness.

If you are carrying a little more around the middle that you are comfortable with, then it may be time to try out some ab workouts and exercises to bust that belly fat. You probably aren’t looking for more creative crunch exercises that probably leave your neck and back strained. Instead of lowering yourself to the floor, laying on your back, and placing your hands behind your head, try these workouts and exercises instead.

Ab Workouts and Exercises: Sleep

It may not sound like much of a workout or exercise, but in today’s fast-paced world, forcing yourself to slow down and take enough time to get the proper amount of sleep will probably take just as much effort as crunches.

So while you may not consider sleep an ab workout or exercise, it does help your body produce chemicals that are key to weight control, and isn’t weight control the whole point of exercise?

Ab Workouts and Exercises: Yoga

Yoga is a great ab workout not only because of the physical exercise aspect, but also because it helps to calm your nerves and relieve stress. According to this article at AOL.com, “When faced with stress, our bodies release a hormonal cocktail of adrenaline, cortisol and insulin. Not only have high cortisol levels been associated with increased appetite and fat production, but the fat has been shown to typically deposit itself in the belly area.” So, if you take the time to relieve stress, you may just be taking the time to slim down your tummy as well.

Ab Workouts and Exercises: Dance, Dance, Dance

Whether you hit the club (sober) or dance around your bedroom, dancing is a fun and easy way to get your heart rate up and your waistline down. Cardio is a great way to get your body started in the morning. Paige Waehner, a certified personal trainer and exercise guide on About.com gives this list of the benefits of cardio:

Weight loss
Stronger heart and lungs
Increased bone density
Reduced stress
Reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer
Temporary relief from depression and anxiety
More confidence about how you feel and how you look
Better sleep
More energy

I’ve already discussed how reduced stress and better sleep can help to slim down your stomach, so that alone shows that cardio is a great ab workout. Reducing stress, however, is not the only reason that cardio exercises make a great ab workout. More energy means you are more likely to keep on moving, which means that your body is going to burn more fat and build more muscles. It isn’t enough to target just your abs when working towards a flat stomach, a healthier body overall is going to help you in your quest. This is why dancing is a great ab workout.

Ab Workouts and Exercises: Visit the Kitchen More Often

We have long been told that it is better to eat several smaller meals that it is to eat 3 large meals because it keeps out metabolism going. So, in order to keep your body burning fat throughout the day, including the fat around your middle, visiting the kitchen more often throughout the day becomes a great ab exercise and daily ab workout. You need to make sure, however, that you are leaving the kitchen with smaller portions than you normally do, and with healthier foods.

Ab Workouts and Exercises: Arm Lifts

It isn’t what it sounds like. Simply lift up your arms isn’t going to do much, if anything for your abs. What will do something to help you slim down your stomach is frequently lifting your arm to bring water to your face. Drinking water is an obvious, yet often overlooked, step in any form of weight loss. Drinking water will help you to avoid eating unnecessarily as well as help to flush any toxins out of your body. So, lift that arm more often!

Ab Workouts and Exercises: Standing Side Crunches Taebo-style

I recall doing Taebo in the living room of my childhood home with my mother and the dreaded standing ab exercises that left me feeling the burn. One great ab exercise featured on the video involved standing with my legs shoulder-width apart. Then I had to point one leg out to the side while leaning my upper body to the opposite side, with my hands behind my head. I was then instructed by Billy Blanks to do a standing side crunch by bring up my extended leg while also bringing my upper body over to that leg. I instantly felt the burn on my sides and a slight burn in my stomach. Then I had to repeat the whole process with the other side. This amazing ab exercise made me feel like I was really achieving something, and my goodness I was. I began to see a reduction in the fat on my waist after a few weeks of Billy kicking my a** into shape.

Ab Workouts and Exercises: Controlled Side Bends

We used to do these very controlled side bends in track that I found to be quite easy while still feeling the burn. These side bends didn’t leave me out of breath like crunches or sit-ups did, they did however, give me results as an effective ab workout. All I had to do was stand with my legs shoulder-width apart with my hands behind my head. Then we were told to slowly lower to one side, and then slowly pull ourselves back upright using the muscles along our sides. It seems really simple, and that’s because it is, but things don’t need to be complicated to be effective. I had a nicely defined stomach when I ran track and I attribute that to the combination of cardio (running) and conditioning such as these side bends, that we were forced to do.

Ab Workouts and Exercises: Buns of Steel

I know that the video is called Buns of Steel, but when it really comes down to it, this video is a great whole body workout. While most of the tape is focused on the legs, there are ab exercises towards the end of the video that will leave you praying for mercy. This tape is highly entertaining, with its out of date hairstyles, clothing, and background music, which makes it that much easier to get started. Anytime that you can combine entertainment and exercise you are more likely to have success. You could fast forward this tape to the ab exercises, but then you would simply find yourself laying on the floor like you usually do when trying to flatten your stomach. My recommendation is to do the whole tape from beginning to end to get your blood flowing, and try not to cuss out the instructor on the tape when you can no longer lift your leg without it shaking violently with exhaustion. By the time that you get to the ab exercises, and these are my only exception to the no laying on the floor rule, the rest of your body with be so tired that you will be forced to use only your abs to complete them, which makes this whole tape a great ab workout.

Ab Workouts and Exercises: Front Kicks

This is another Taebo inspired ab workout that really works, and not only your abs, but your legs too. All you have to do is stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands up like you are a boxer protecting your face, and you simply pull one leg up and then kick out to the front. Then you do the other leg. The key to this ab workout is to use your ab muscles to pull your legs up, and keeping control over your midsection.

Ab Workouts and Exercises: Standing Figure Eight

This video demonstrates another great standing ab exercise that you can add to you ab workout. It involves standing and moving your arms across your body in a figure eight.

Practicing control over your midsection is very important when you are trying to target your abs. Next time you are walking around focus on keeping your abs tight and controlled and you may just have another easy way to tone your stomach, and you will also realize the kind of control that I have discussed.

Hopefully you have found these conventional and less conventional ab workout suggestions helpful, and will soon start to see a difference in your midsection.

The post 10 Best Ab Workouts to Lose Belly and Stomach Fat appeared first on Health & Wellness.