You can find additional info at the following links:
Click Here for more informationClick Here for more information
You can find additional info at the following links:
Click Here for more informationWe have heard it so many times before that there are many benefits to Exercise especially when used to lower stress. If everyone knows that Exercise is important then why is stress, disease, and fatigue so prevalent in today's society? The answer is simple. We know what to do we just aren't doing it.
Experts agree that one best way to manage stress is through exercise. Exercise has been proven to relax the body and mind, burn fat, improve cardiovascular system, bring in more oxygen, reduce the chance of diseases, lower blood pressure and the list goes on.
During the stress response, many chemical reactions occur in the body preparing it to what is known as the fight or flight response. During prehistoric days as cave dwellers, we had the opportunity to burn off our stress when an animal attacked, as it was a means of survival. We were able to run away or fight the threat immediately. In today's society, we do not have to fight a bear or tiger, so we do not have much of an outlet readily at hand to burn off the stress or pent up negative emotions. Therefore, we carry it with us creating emotional and physical problems. Exercise can help by providing an outlet for negative emotions such as worry, irritability, depression, hostility, anger, frustration, and anxiety. You can dissipate these feelings by simply taking it out on the tennis court, by running, or punching a bag. Regular exercise provides the opportunity to manage the fight or flight response and helps the body to return to a homeostasis or balanced state more quickly.
Exercise can also improve self-esteem and self worth by realizing that you are benefit directly. You may feel more outgoing and social because of the increased energy and also a better physique creating more confidence and positive self image. Your self-esteem may be enhanced by taking on exercise challenges or goals, giving you a feeling of accomplishment and reward.
Anaerobic vs. Aerobic Exercise:
Aerobic exercise is an activity that uses major Muscle groups such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling. This type of exercise strengthens your cardiovascular system by increasing your heart and respiratory rate and brings in more oxygen into the body. To reap the full benefits of aerobic exercise, you must be at 60%-80% of your target heart rate for at least 20 minutes, between three and five times a week.
To calculate your target heart rate use the following formula:
Take 220 - (subtract) your age X (multiply 60%, or 70%, etc. intensity rate.) = Target heart rate (divide by six for a ten second pulse count. Take your pulse for ten seconds and gage where you are during the Workout. Speed up the pace if you are below 60%.
Aerobic exercise is key to lose weight as it burns calories which are the energy consumed and adds fat to our bodies. Combined with a healthy diet it is a sure way to lose weight. One pound of body fat is equivalent to 3500 calories. To lose one pound, you must burn 3500 calories. It is easier to combine aerobics and create a small caloric deficit in your diet than to do one or the other solely.
Anaerobic exercise builds Muscle strength and power. Isotonics and Isometrics are two kinds of anaerobic exercises.
Isotonics uses your muscles to contract against an object with movement such as Weight Lifting (also called strength or resistance training.) The benefits of isotonic exercises are stronger muscles, stronger bones, tone, prevent injuries, and condenses and shapes muscle for better esthetics.
Workout-thumb12922719.jpg" alt="" />
Isometric exercise is contracting your muscles against resistance without movement. Such as lifting an object like a dumbbell and holding a position. You are isolating that muscle.
Use both types of anaerobic exercises to maximize your strength to build healthy, lean, and strong muscles.
Select exercises that you enjoy and can do for at least 20 minutes, three to five days a week. Exercise does not necessarily mean hitting the gym and making an ordeal out of it. It can simply be a walk around your neighborhood or dancing to some tunes. Try to think "activity" verses "exercise". When you are in an active mind-frame, you will purposely park a little farther, do stretches at the computer, take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.
Commit that you will begin to be more active and stick to your exercises or activities for 21 days. Why 21? Research has showed that it takes about 21 days to create a habit. Document how your feel after the 21 days. Your stress levels should be lowered, you should feel more energized, and see some physical changes such as a slimmer physique.
You may already know the benefits of exercise but are you doing it? So start by making a decision, begin slowly, then gradually work up to more and longer workout sessions. The point of this article is to help you take immediate action.
Brennan Howe is owner of several free health information websites. Visit FreeInfoSites.com for information on a variety of health topics.
Video Source: Youtube
When you think about gaining Muscle, stretching is probably not the first thing that pops into your head. But did you know that stretching plays a critical role in building Muscle?
Every muscle in your body is enclosed in a bag of tough connective tissue known as fascia. Fascia is important for holding your muscles in their proper place in your body.
But your fascia may also be holding back your muscle growth. Think for a moment about your muscles. You train them and feed them properly. They want to grow and will grow but something is holding them back. They have no room to grow!
Because fascia is so tough, it doesn’t allow the muscle room to expand. It is like stuffing a large pillow into a small pillowcase. The size of the muscle won’t change regardless of how hard you train or how well you eat because the connective tissue around your muscles is constricting the muscles within.
The best example of this is the calf muscle. The lower leg is riddled with fascia because of its tremendous weight-bearing duties in the body. It is because of this fascia that many trainers have great difficulty developing their calves.
The solution: stretching.
Using the pillowcase example from above, imagine you can expand the size of the pillowcase by stretching it. Suddenly, the pillow within has more room and will expand to fill that new space.
By stretching your muscles under specific conditions, you can actually stretch your fascia and give your muscles more room to grow.
The key to effective fascial stretching is the pump. The best time to stretch to expand the bags that are holding in your muscles is when your muscles are pumped up full of blood.
When your muscles are fully pumped up, they are pressing against the fascia. By stretching hard at that time, you increase that pressure on the fascia greatly, which can lead to expansion of the fascia.
One of the major reasons Arnold Schwarzenegger had such incredible chest development was that he finished his chest Workouts with dumbell flyes, an Exercise that emphasizes the stretched position of the pectoral muscles. He would pump his chest up full of blood during the Workout then do flyes, holding the stretch at the bottom of the flye. This gave his chest room to grow to amazing proportions.
Fascial stretching is more rigorous than regular stretching but the results can be amazing. When you stretch hard enough to cause the fascia to expand, you will really feel it! When you are stretching the fascia, you should feel a powerful pulling sensation and pressure as the muscle works against the fascia to expand it.
Be sure you do not stretch so hard that you cause the muscle to tear or cause injury to yourself. You will rapidly learn to distinguish the difference between a good stretch and a bad stretch. You should not feel any sharp pain, just a steady pull.
Hold each stretch for at least 20 to 30 seconds as you must give your fascia time to be affected by the stretch. Stretch hard like this only when you have a fully pumped muscle as you must give your fascia a reason to expand. If your muscles aren’t pumped, just stretch normally.
You can find instructions for stretching at: http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Info/Stretching1.htm
One set of hard stretching after each set you do for a muscle group, besides the obvious benefits of increased flexibility, can have an incredible effect on the size of your muscles and their further ability to grow.
When you Exercise, your brain releases chemicals called endorphins that produce a feeling of euphoria the so called “runner’s high” that people can become chemically addicted to.
Without it, you feel irritable and out of sorts till you Exercise again. So you go on exercising, never stopping to listen to what you body is saying. And what its saying is, “Stop.”
The reason exercise addicts keep pushing themselves probably lies in what happens when they don’t work out. Psychologists at the University of Massachusetts at Boston studied the psychological consequences of being unable to exercise. They compared 30 male and female runners who had been laid low by minor injuries for at least two weeks, with a similar group who continued to run. Those who could not run displayed more signs of depression, anxiety and confusion, and they were far less happy with themselves and their bodies. Like other addictions, exercise, they say, appears to have withdrawal symptoms.
Of aches and pains
Over indulgence doesn’t harm only the mind, but the body as well. Initially, the exercise will do what it’s supposed to, give you a fit body but once you cross the line, it can get lethal. Muscle damage, osteoarthritis, heart problems they’re all waiting to make an appearance.
The body has its limitations and if you push it beyond that limit, you will harm yourself.
Obsessive exercise tends to happen among new exercisers, people who have only just started working out. So keen are they to get fit that they overstep the limits.
The initial signs of unaccustomed exercise can be exhaustion, but that leads to a build up of fatigue. This can do “irreparable harm to the body.”
It isn’t only Muscles that are at risk, so are bones. Some “recreational” athletes push themselves to the point of injuries such as shin splints or stress fractures, then refuse to rest, causing greater and perhaps permanent damage.
Even a morning walk is not without risk. Too much walking can lead to osteoarthritis.
When you’re walking, you are working against gravity. So more than exercising your muscles, you are harming your knee joint. A lot of patients who walk up to an hour everyday come up with complaints of aches in the knee. In fact, jogging also harms the knees. Too many sit-ups can also hurt. More than 10 a day can weaken the spine. Moderation, as usual, is the key.
You should begin gradually, and combine different types of Workouts, something that obsessive exercisers forget. A complication factor with people who get hooked to exercise is that they tend to perform the same Workouts day after day, further increasing the chances of permanent damage.
Thinking right
Never work out so much that you feel completely exhausted at the end of it. About 45 minutes to and hour, four to five days a week, should be your limit. Your workout should leave you feeling fresh and energetic. And make it a pint to take a day’s break every week. This is important because your body needs to relax and rejuvenate.
The key to achieving this lies in your attitude. Exercising is the way to healthy life. So if you do it only to please yourself when you stand on the weighing machine, you defeat the whole purpose of the exercise. Felling healthy should be the priority. So stop fighting with your own body and you’ll be a happier person.
Are you one of the many people who do lots of Exercise in order to stay fit and healthy? No matter if you do it because you want to lose some weight or build Muscle mass, there are many things you can do to help yourself. I am personally interested in finding Exercises for building Muscle mass rather that such for burning calories as I am a man. But it all comes to your body type and goals. However, everyone who wants to stay healthy should consider a good Fitness routine.
Are you aware of the fact that weekly exercise is mandatory for staying healthy? How do you stay in shape? I am very fond of martial arts and apart from training self-defense, I am also trying to build muscle mass. Everyone wants to have a toned body which gives you confidence and strength. Do you want to be stronger? There are many exercises you can do without machines. For instance, you can try push-ups, pull-ups, crunches, dips, leg raises, running and jogging. Jumping jacks, jump rope and lunges are also a possibility. There are so many easy exercises you can do by yourself, thus I laugh at those who blame the lack of proper equipment for their poor health.
Probably the best way to build muscle mass is to start proper Weight Training. In case you want to have a large variety of modern weight machines, then joining a gym is the best option. Otherwise, you can simply buy a few dumb bells and a bench. For those individuals who cannot afford any extra expenses but still wish to build muscle mass, I would recommend muscle building exercises. Try with push-ups, pull-ups and dips. Search online for the best ab exercises available. You can get hundreds of different exercises if you have Internet access. What is really great about it is that you don't need to spend any money on building muscle mass.
You will be surprised how many free exercises are at your disposal. When having a Fitness training of some sort proper diet should be considered. For instance, if you are pumping iron five days a week but you cannot see a significant result, then probably you should change your current diet. In case you want to build muscle mass you will need high levels of protein. Fish and meat will provide you with enough nourishment of protein. Of course, protein bars galore are another option. When talking about building muscle mass, proper training and diet are crucial. Once you get them right, you can have the toned body you have always wanted for a short period of time.
You can find additional info at the following links:
Click Here for more informationDid you know that your diet could cause acne, or even worsen it?
Well, check out this latest research done at the American Academy of Dermatology in Harvard.
The facts are that despite what was commonly thought of chocolate and greasy food would cause acne, this is long proven wrong. Now the basic stable data here is that what cause acne to manifest itself are during hormonal fluctuations and genetics. Therefore the times prone to experience this uncomfortable condition is during puberty, pregnancy and menopause.
But the latest research point to one or two exceptions involving dairy products. The researches analyzed about 50,000 peoples habits and diets specially what they ate during high school. Those who habitually drank two-three cups of milk a day where 22% prone to have severe acne compared to those who only drank one cup a week or less.
Skim milk had the greatest effect. Cream cheese and cottage cheese were also related to outbreaks, while chocolate and grease were not. Basically researchers were certain to prove the effect of hormones on milk, other studies had come out with similar findings and share this discovery.
You also have to know that food that contain iodides, like shellfish and soy sauce, might also exacerbate acne. Iodides are thought to play a role in the inflammation, this confirmed by Dr Diane S. Berson, an assistant professor of dermatology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University.
So, the bottom line is that certain foods particularly dairy products, has proven to generate acne and some times, severe condition of acne.
But finally, there's something you can do to end the frustration and suffering brought on by acne. With just a few simple daily steps, you can heal the pimples you have today and help stop new ones from forming tomorrow. Whether you're a man or a woman, 15 or 50...you can have the clear, blemish-free skin you've always wanted.
If you're suffering with mild to moderate acne, I know how you feel - both of us have lived with it at different times in our lives. So I wanted to create a website to help you understand the causes of the condition, and learn what you can do to fight it. In this site, I have taken the time to refute some of the most common misunderstandings about acne and bring you the latest scientific information. I would also like to introduce you to a revolution in acne skin care - Proactiv® Solution.
This unique, easy-to-use, 3-step daily maintenance system is designed to attack acne at its source - so you can get the clear, beautiful skin you've always wanted
Like me, millions of people have discovered Proactiv Solution and changed their lives for the better. Many of these people say the same thing: Proactiv Solution really works. So why don’t you take a look at this product for yourself. After all, if you are a dairy product lover and want to continue with it (and who doesn’t?) you must be prepared to deal with acne the right way. So there you go, now you know what are the diets that causes acne and what are the products that helps you handle it. Enjoy it!
Al Castillo
You can find additional info at the following links:
Click Here for more informationSomebody once asked me why I was so fascinated with Muscle cars. You know, it’s hard for an outsider looking in to understand why we Muscle car lovers are so fanatical about our cars. Until they’ve been behind the wheel of a newly restored ’66 Pontiac GTO, they just haven’t a clue.
Why is it that we can browse through muscle car advertisements for hours on end? Why do we have to go to every muscle car show that comes near our town? Why do we drive out of our way to see some of the hottest muscle cars around? Why do we seemingly pour all of our extra money into our muscle cars?
Some people think a passion for muscle cars comes from peer pressure a need to impress other people per se. As a muscle car enthusiast I can honestly say that’s not it, at least not for me. My interest in muscle cars dates way back to before I was ever concerned about what anybody thought. I have always found muscle cars to be fascinating and exciting.
First, muscle cars are original. Those who collect or restore muscle cars put their heart and soul into their hobby which makes every muscle car truly unique. Second, muscle cars are powerful. There’s nothing that gets the adrenaline pumping quite like sitting behind the wheel of a classic, high-performance muscle car. Third, when you take a classic car, restore it and muscle it up, you really have something to be proud of. It’s a lot like an artistic ability for me like taking a blank canvas and creating an incredible piece of art out of it.
One thing is for certain, regardless of the reason a muscle car devotee is interested in muscle cars, we all seem to talk the same talk and walk the same walk. Dealing with muscle cars is an incredible social outlet. Whether we collect, restore, show, or race our muscle cars, it doesn’t matter. We’re all on the same wavelength and we truly enjoy looking at and chatting about muscle cars.
Some enthusiasts have specific lines of muscle cars that they are interested in, while others are just crazy about muscle cars in general. Some like imports, others like exports, and most all muscle car enthusiasts have a strong interest in classics. We can look at them, talk about them, drive them, or just work on them. Muscle cars give us something to look forward to, something fun to invest our time and money into, and the muscle car hobby keeps us out of trouble for the most part.
Support and resistance are among the most important technical analysis elements when trading. Support is zone at which a security is likely to stop falling, at least temporarily, and resistance is a zone at which price is likely to stop rising. Trading support and resistance are not precise lines on the chart, but as we said before, are 'zones' within which the market action intensifies. Support and resistance are basically price bands where the price will probably stop falling or rising respectively.
Because of their widespread use in all financial markets, trading support and resistance are usually the best indicators for day trading. Many of the most successful day traders learn how to calculate and use support and resistance exclusively in trading. Support and resistance levels can be applied in any timeframe, and you can often see a long term chart displaying obvious areas beyond which price seems reluctant to venture.
If you can identify the support and resistance levels on a chart while trading, you can figure out where to jump in with the entire weight of the market behind you, should that price be broken. The most well known support and resistance levels are the so-called 'floor traders pivot points'. www.Traders101.com provide a free support and resistance level calculator for these floor traders pivots - unlike the usual pivot calculators which require you to enter open, low, high and close data, the traders101.com version just needs a stock symbol, and will then generate the support and resistance levels automatically (and for free!)
You can find additional info at the following links:
Click Here for more informationPersonal Trainers Are Everywhere
In today’s day and age there are more health clubs and more personal trainers than ever. In fact, according to Personal Fitness Professional magazine, “An estimated 5 million Americans are using personal trainers.” A growing army of Fitness professionals has emerged to act as mentors trained to assist you in your quest for improved health and fitness. It is essential to differentiate between a qualified fitness professional and your average personal trainer as the former can deliver impressive results and the latter can potentially cause personal injury or even death!
Personal Trainers Should Be Mentors
Men such as Louis Durlacher and Eugen Sandow were the pioneers of personal training. As stated by the late Dr. Mel Siff, “At the time, the training of royalty, the wealthy and the famous with weights and specialized Exercises was a well-established and desirable profession, predating the current generation of so-called personal trainers by about 150 years.” Personal training is now a growing profession as more people are realizing the benefits of regular physical activity and are seeking ‘expert’ advice from fit mentors.
A mentor is someone who can help you achieve a given task in a more efficient and streamlined manner. Personal trainers should be mentors that specialize in helping people achieve new levels of positive physical change but buyer-beware! Not all personal trainers are qualified to deliver the results that they promise. A qualified personal trainer can develop a safe and effective Exercise program but an unqualified trainer can get you killed!
Buyer Beware!
Stephan Grisanti, author of Industry of Illusions, cites a report by CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews that tells a frightening story of one woman’s experience with a so-called personal trainer. Andrews reported on one of these unqualified personal trainers and the fatal harm that this trainer caused to Anne Capati. “The trainer, who knew Capati had high blood pressure, also suggested, in writing, diet supplements including Thermodrene, which contains the stimulant Ephedra. The family charges the stimulants and the trainer’s poor judgment led to Capati’s death. The Capati lawsuit has helped expose two health club secrets. The first is sometimes a certified personal trainer isn’t certified. The second is there is no standard—national, state or otherwise—for what the word certified means.” This scenario has happened repeatedly in years past and it saddens me as I read about people suffering injuries or death by the hands of unqualified personal trainers that have no business providing advice to other people. It is essential that you become an educated consumer and protect yourself with knowledge.
The Process Of Selecting a Qualified Personal Trainer/Fitness Professional
You have decided to get into shape and you are seeking a mentor to help you achieve your fitness goals, now what? You have realized that some expert guidance will help you achieve results in a more efficient manner and you have decided to hire a personal trainer. This is where you should take care in selecting the individual that will be giving you advice that will affect your health and well-being. Follow this step-by-step list and you should be able to select a qualified personal trainer that will help you achieve your fitness goals.
1. Are You Ready To Start?
The first step is to determine if you are ready and able to start an exercise program. It is wise to consult your doctor and determine if you are ready to start and individualized exercise program. Depending upon your health and past medical history, your doctor may give some specific instructions on exercises or activities to avoid. This step is important especially if you are recovering from an illness or orthopedic injury. A good personal trainer will require that you complete a health and exercise history questionnaire at the very least prior to beginning an exercise program.
2. You’re Certified, So What!
Most people realize that they should ask if their potential personal trainer is certified or not. If the trainer says they are not certified, simply walk away. If a personal trainer tells you that they are certified you should then ask them what organization certified them. Being certified is certainly a good start but the problem is that there are currently over 300 different personal training certifying agencies in existence according to Phil Kaplan, author of Personal Training Profits. Some of these certifications have lofty standards while others only require that you watch a video and mail in the answers to a written test in order to become certified. The quality of the certification really depends upon which agency is doing the certifying, what the certification requirements are, and what the trainer gains from that particular certification. There are a handful of certifications that have value and a lot of them that are not worth the paper they are printed on so do your homework.
The National Strength And Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the American College Of Sports Medicine (ACSM) are two of the most respected certifications in the fitness industry. The NSCA is the only nationally recognized accredited certification and it offers both a Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) and Certified Strength And Conditioning Coach (CSCS) credential. The ACSM is considered the “Gold Standard” in the fitness industry and is also highly respected by the medical community. Both of these organizations involve a practical and written examination along with continuing education requirements.
To determine the value of their certification, ask them what kind of requirements they needed to fulfill in order to achieve that credential. Ask about continuing education requirements and if they have to stay abreast of new research in order to maintain their certification. Do some research about the personal trainer’s certification and try to determine its value, if any.
3. Do You Have Education In Exercise Science?
Ask them if they have a college degree in a health or fitness related field. In the NSCA’s publication entitled: How to Select a Personal Trainer, the authors state: “Personal trainers with an educational background in Exercise Physiology, Sports Medicine, Health and Wellness, Physical Education, or Anatomy and Physiology have a more thorough understanding of the way the different systems within the body work together, and how exercise affects each of these systems.” I have met many great personal trainers who did not get an education in exercise science but other qualities made them true professionals. It is important to realize that no one criteria can qualify a personal trainer and that it is important to evaluate a personal trainer by looking at everything that they bring to the table. As a general rule though, a true fitness professional will seek out a college education in a health related field and will have a more in-depth understanding about how to help you achieve positive physical change.
4. Do You Have The Qualities Of A Fitness Professional?