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Workout Tips

Follow these easy workout tips and you will feel better, decrease injuries and find yourself enjoying your workout routine more and more each time you exercise. Workout Tips listed are from my own personal experience, Each Person Should Consult A Physician Before Beginning Any Workout Routine. Please understand that each person is different so the things that work for me may not be right for you. Please use these tips as a starting point and know that some or all may have to be altered to fit your personal needs.

Always Stretch Before and After you workout

Stretching is easy, it only takes a few minutes and you will definitely feel better the next day. This is the most important workout advice that I can give you. Stretching is one of the most important parts of any well balanced workout routine.

Always Warm Up before you exercise

Take a few minutes to warm up your whole body and you will avoid injuries and make your work out more effective. This is the second most important workout tip I can offer. Even if you are crunched for time make sure to do some form of warm up

Don't Forget To Breathe

I know it sounds stupid but this is one of the most common workout mistakes. Always try to breathe in AND out through your nose. If you start to get winded you may need to breathe out through your mouth but ALWAYS try to at least breathe in through your nose. If you are lifting weights of any form breathe in when you are relaxing and out when you are exerting (example...breathe out when lifting the weight and in when lowering it). Remember oxygen is the more important to the body than both food and water so DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE!

Start slow and then increase your intensity

Rome was not built in a day and you cannot remake your body in a few days or weeks. You cannot undo a lifetime of neglect overnight so don't try. Start with lower weights when lifting and work your way up. This will keep you from getting too sore and also help you keep motivated to go back for more. Start out slow and easy and you will find that it will be much easier to meet your long term goals.

40 - 60 Minutes Is Long Enough

Unless you are training for a marathon or triathlon exercising for more than 40 - 60 minutes at a time is not necessary. Studies show that you actually decrease the efficiency of your workout once you go past 40 - 45 minutes. Once you are in shape try increasing the intensity of your workout instead of a longer workout routine.

Drink Lots of Water

Not only should you make sure to drink water before and during your workout but you should make a habit of drinking water throughout the day. If you are dehydrated it could take up to 2 hours for water to hydrate your entire body so drinking water just before you exercise is not enough.

Eat Right

Even if your goal is only to lose weight it is not healthy to cut out all carbs. If you want to lose weight cut out sodas, sugars and other unnatural foods and do more cardio to burn more calories. Also, make sure you get plenty of protein in your diet. You must have complete proteins in order to build muscle. Our goal here is to develop a fitness lifestyle that you can stick to and that will carry you well into your old age.

Eating Before Exercise

DO NOT eat right before you exercise but you should make sure you have eaten between 1 and 4 hours before you exercise to make sure you have the energy you need to complete your workout routine. Some people like to workout on an empty stomach so they use stored energy; however, if you don't have enough energy to complete your workout then you are defeating your purpose. If you feel fine exercising on an empty stomach then do it, there doesn't seem to be any real health risks.

Eating After Exercise

I usually try to take in some protein immediately after exercise either with a shake or a meal replacement bar. It just makes me feel better. I also try to eat a small protein rich meal within an hour or two after working out. I have found that I recover quicker and usually don't feel as drained the next day. This is just personal advice that I have found works best for me.

NEVER Compromise Form

Always use proper form when doing any exercise. Not only will this keep you from getting injured but it will also build your muscles correctly. Even if you can add 40 pounds to your bench press by compromising your form it will NOT make you stronger in the long run and you risk damaging not only your chest muscles and back but you also tendons and ligaments that may never heal right. Remember we are in this for the overall benefits to our life not just bragging rights on who can lift more weight.

Compound Exercise

Try doing exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time such as squats, lunges, push ups, rows, pull ups, dips. Not only does this make for a more effective workout but it better simulates ever day activities that we do in the real world.

Core Exercises

Your core muscles include your stomach, lower back and hips. Your core is the foundation of your body and all movement starts from your core and radiates out. Many of these exercises will not produce results that you can see but you will feel a difference in every aspect of your life.

Don't Forget Cardio

To me cardio exercises are one of the most boring part of my workout routines but they are absolutely necessary. It is important to pick cardio that you enjoy and stick with. On days I don't feel like running or bicycling I usually do lifting exercises with lighter weights and little or no rest between in order to keep my heart rate up. This is the hardest of all the workout tips for me to follow so I hope you have better luck than I have.

Try Balance Lifting

Instead of just standing or sitting while you are lifting try standing on one leg or while sitting on a pilates ball. This will make you work on your balance as well as strengthening your core muscles.

Switch It Up

Your body is an amazing creation. It can adjust to almost anything. Make sure you change your workout routine often to make sure to keep your body guessing. This is especially true when it comes to cardio exercises. Most experts say within 3 to 4 weeks your body can adjust to most workout routines. Personally I never do anything 2 days in a row but that is just me. If you are trying to train for a specific event or say develop your chest then you need to adjust this rule to your specific needs otherwise consider this one of the best workout tips there is.

Circuit Training

Instead of doing several sets of the same exercise try alternating exercises from different muscle groups. This allows the muscle groups to rest but you can still get a complete workout in a shorter amount of time. I recommend alternating an upper body exercise with a lower body exercise. If you do not rest between sets you will not only build strength but you will get a cardio workout at the same time.

If you utilize these workout tips you should have little problem developing a workout routine that you can stick with and enjoy. Workout Tips are only suggestions made from my own personal experience. Always remember that each person is different and our bodies work differently so use these tips as a base to develop a workout routine that works for you. If you are unclear about any of these workout tips Contact Us and we'll be happy to help.

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