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Four Low Impact Exercises That Still Burn That Fat

Just because you’re not working out with a high impact exercise doesn’t mean that you can’t get a good workout. Here are some low impact exercises that will still give you the workout you need:

1. Walking - To get that heart rate up, try walking faster and using your arms as you walk.
2. Walk up some stairs
3. Hiking
4. Step aerobics

What’s your favorite low impact exercise?

Should You Work Out if Injured?

This is a question that we will most likely have to ask ourselves at some point, whether we are suffering from a major injury like a torn ligament or a more minor one like straining a muscle. The bottom line is that you don’t have to convert back to your couch potato days while you’re injured. You can still work out! Just follow these tips:

• See your doctor. This is just to double check the severity of your injury.
• Work out, but don’t include your injured body part. Let it rest.
• It something starts to hurt, stop.
• Do all you can to prevent further muscle injury—like stretching!

How do you deal with injuries that put a damper on your working out?

Yes, There Are Times When It’s Best NOT to Exercise

I know that it seems strange, but there are definitely times when you should skip the workout. Here’s a list of situations where it’s perfectly okay (and recommended) that you sit out on the exercising:

• You are persistently coughing. This can make breathing extremely difficult, especially if your plan was to do some cardio.
• You have a fever. Regardless of what you’ve heard, it’s not best to “sweat out a fever”. If you work out when you have a fever, you could suffer from heatstroke.
• Your illness is chronic or serious. If this describes your situation, you should check with your doctor before you jump into any exercising.
• Your experience diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. These three symptoms can lead to dehydration, so it’s best for you to wait until you are completely rehydrated before you jump back on the working-out wagon.

On the other hand, there are times when you’re not feeling your best that working out can be beneficial, including the following.

 

·         You have a cold (minus the fever).

·         You’re experiencing delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS).

·         Your life has been particularly stressful lately.

High Impact Exercise Doesn’t Necessarily Equal the BEST Exercise

When we think about working out, we typically think that high impact exercise is the best. It helps us to lose weight quicker and get toned up in a shorter period of time. However, there are many different circumstances in which high impact exercise should be opted out of in favor of a lower impact workout.

 You should aim for a low impact exercise if you:

• Are pregnant
• Have joint, bone or connective tissue injuries
• Are a beginner
• Experience stress fractures, arthritis or osteoporosis
• Are extremely overweight
• Have an aversion to high impact exercise

So don’t feel bad about taking it easy, guys! You can still get a high quality, low impact workout.

 

What Do I Get Out of Exercise?

I’ve talked for months now about different exercise techniques and tips to keep in mind to ensure that you have a great, beneficial work out.

But what exactly are these benefits that we’re referring to?

Following are just some of the things that you will get out of working out:

• Decreases your stress level
• Leads to weight loss
• Relieves symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Increases your energy level
• Improves your overall mood
• Reduces your risk of heart disease and various types of cancer
• Increases bone density
• Helps improve the quality of your sleep
• Improves your overall quality of life
• Strengthens the lungs and heart

So why are you waiting to exercise? Get started today.

The Easy Way to Find Your Target Heart Rate

A while back, I posted two blog posts detailing how to find your ideal THR (target heart rate). Now, I have a much simpler way to find your THR zone!

The Target Heart Rate Calculator is an easy tool that allows you to find your THR zone without dealing with the math. Simply enter your age and fitness level, and you’re good to go.

My THR zone is between 97 and 116 BPM. What’s yours?

The Five Top Dumbbells

Okay—you know I’m not just talking about stupid people, right? I’m talking about actual dumbbells…the weights that you work with when you strength train. I’ve done some research, and the following five dumbbells (or sets of dumbbells) are what I deem as the best!

1. Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells

Granted, they’re expensive. But you get what you pay for, right? Before you invest in these dumbbells, I would have a good, long talk with yourself and make sure that into strength training for the long haul.

2. SunFitness 40lb Deluxe Dumbbell Set

Reasonably priced and sturdy, this set will get you through your toughest strength training workouts.

3. Neoprene Dumbbells

For someone who’s new to strength training and wants to do so at home on a trial basis, these are the perfect dumbbells. They’re inexpensive, and instead of purchasing an entire set of various weights, you buy them by the pair. The weights range from 1 lb to 15 lb. Great for aerobic exercise, too.

4. Premium Black Kettlebell

Kettlebells are used for different strength training exercises, and if you get very involved in weight training, you may want to invest in one for home use. This one is sturdy and not too expensive. The weights available range from 4 KG to 36 KG (8.8 lb to 79.3 lb).

5. AquaJogger Water Dumbbells

If you’re like me, strength training becomes less like work and more like fun when you do it in the water. These dumbbells are perfect for water aerobics and other water activities.

The Five Worst Dumbbells You Can Buy

Here are the five dumbbells (or sets of dumbbells) that didn’t make the cut.

1. Everlast for Her 5-pound Vinyl Dumbbell Set

First off…I’m no crazy and extreme feminist, but I am a little offended that when things are proclaimed as “for her,” they have to be pink. So, strike one, Everlast. These dumbbells are round, meaning that they roll. This can make for a messy workout. Strike two, Everlast. And strike three? They’re made out of slippery plastic. If you are a sweater, you’ll know why that’s a strike.

2. CAP Rubber Hex Dumbbell

This may be the oddest reason I have ever had for putting something on the “worst” list, but it’s true. These dumbbells STINK. Literally. For whatever reason, the materials that make up these dumbbells smell extremely strong. This does not make for a pleasant workout, kids.

3. Gray 25lb Hex Dumbbells

This may seem like a standard dumbbell, but for that price, you don’t get the kind of quality you should. That’s all it comes down to.

4. Apex 40-Pound Cast Iron Dumbbell Set

First off, these are not Apex brand—they are a brand I’ve never heard of. Next, the materials are cheap and not worth the cost. Case closed.

5. Weider Space Saver 25 Adjustable Dumbbell Pair

According to reviews, the “adjustable” factor in these dumbbells isn’t nearly as simple as it seems. The equipment gets stuck and is unreliable. To avoid dangerous situations (just imagine one of the weights falling off and hitting your toe—ouch!), avoid this disaster.

Ten Signs That You’re Overtraining

Even if you’re a beginner when it comes to exercise, you may be overtraining. It’s important to keep in mind that if you do too much, you’re not doing the best thing for your body. Here are ten symptoms of overtraining:

1. Fatigue
2. Insomnia
3. Headaches
4. Muscle and/or joint pain/ache
5. Increased morning pulse
6. Lacking energy and motivation
7. Suddenly unable to complete your workouts
8. Loss of appetite
9. Increased susceptibility to sore throats, colds, etc.
10. Decreased performance

If you find that you have been overtraining, just take a break! Take a few days to a week off from working out, or simply do something more low key such as stretching or yoga.

Logging Your Strength Training Progress: Easier Than You Thought!

When we talk about strength training, one of the important things that we focus on is logging your progress. This gives you the chance to stay motivated and see how far you have come.

But how should you log your strength training? There are many strength training logs that you can use for just this purpose. They vary in design and intricacy, so you can browse through them and find the log that best suits your purpose.

1. About.com Strength Training Log
2. Microsoft Office Online Daily Strength Training Log
3. Strength Training Woman Log

What type of log do you use to track your progress?