Treadmill Workout Ideas That Make Fitness Fun
March 30, 2008
Research shows that in order to lose weight safely and keep it off, you need to exercise. And even those who are not overweight benefit from an exercise or workout routine. But many people don’t exercise regularly, which puts them at risk for heart disease, accidents or injuries, and other health concerns. There are many reasons people give why they don’t exercise more. It’s boring, it’s too difficult, they don’t have enough time or they’d rather be doing other things. Some people aren’t sure how to exercise and they are uncomfortable going to a fitness center to work with a trainer. But with a good treadmill and a workout routine that fits your needs, exercise can be enjoyable, convenient and beneficial.
A treadmill is a perfect choice in exercise equipment for many people. It allows you to walk or run in the security and privacy of your own home. Unlike weightlifting or aerobics, you don’t have to use your hands or move your body across the room. Typically, it requires less concentration than other types of workouts, especially if you have a treadmill that allows you to program in a variety of workout components, such as hills, speed changes, and adjustments to maintain a target heart rate.
Are You Making This Cardio Mistake?
December 6, 2007
Are you exercising for long periods of time to try to burn fat? If you’re like most people you probably are, but there is a better way. It’s called "high intensity interval training" (HIIT) and lately it has started to become pretty famous for its obvious health benefits.
–So What Exactly Are The Benefits?
1. Major Increase in Fat Loss. In a study done by Tremblay et al, two groups were assigned different training regimines. Group A performed the regular moderate intensity cardio (like jogging or bicycling) for 20 weeks and Group B performed a HIIT routine for 15 weeks. In the end the results of each group were recorded. Group B lost nine times more fat than Group A and in 5 weeks less (1)!
2. Increased Lactic Acid Threshold. Lactic acid is that burning sensation you feel when you work a muscle really hard. You’re lactic acid threshold is how fast your body can remove the lactic acid in your muscles. The higher the lactic acid threshold, the harder you can work your muscles before they get tired.
3. Increased peak power, or the maximum amount of energy available for a sustained period of time (2)(3)(4).
Aerobic Cross Training for Weight Loss
August 10, 2007
Do you sometimes get bored with your aerobic exercise? Do You sometimes feel like you’re not getting the results you should from your aerobic exercise? If so, then aerobic cross-training is for you.
Aerobic cross-training refers to using two to three different types of aerobic exercise during an exercise session. For example, if you plan to exercise for 60 minutes, you might start with 20 minutes of walking or jogging, followed by 20 minutes of biking, and finish with 20 minutes of rowing.
Now, please don’t get the impression that you have to be in great shape to do this or that it has to be 60 minutes long. You can start with something as simple as a ten minute walk followed by ten minutes with an exercise video. This is cross-training too. You can gradually build up from there.
Here are some of the exercises you can use in your cross-training program; walking, jogging, biking, rowing, stair climbing, swimming, exercise videos, etc. Any combination of aerobic exercises will do. You simply go from one to the next with very little time between them.
Aerobic cross-training is beneficial to you in several ways:
