progression « Blue Sky Living

If you have ever suffered from sciatica, or lower lumbar problems, you understand the excruciating, sometimes immobilizing pain associated with flare-ups. Often recognizable by an acute pain in your derriÃ¨re that also radiates down into the lower leg, sciatica can cause muscle weakness, tingling, numbness, and of course, wicked pain. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, more than 65 million Americans that suffer from lower-back pain, such as sciatica, will have a recurrence of the pain within one year. (American Assoc. of Neurological Surgeons, 2000.) Therefore, see......

Your weight loss plan in three simple steps

Kind of reads like a magazine cover, doesn't it? In all seriousness though, there really are some simple steps that will help you achieve a weight loss goal...but you can't do just one and kinda do the other two, or only kinda do all three. Do all three, keep you eye on the ball, and you'll hit a home run. Ready? Here we go... Your Plan 1. Record your food intake daily. Include in your diet a variety of fruits and vegetables at 6-9 servings daily; 2-3 servings of lean protein; 3 servings of dairy; and quality oils. Why? Keeping track of what you eat for a few weeks (I'm not talking forever peo......

Two, fun, medicine ball exercises for your core

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="179" caption="these are "soft" weighted fitness balls"] [/caption] Some recent research shows that crunches, the old standby for ab exercises, only targets 3 of the abdominal muscles. Yet there are muscles that surround the entire core, acting as a girdle to support your spine, increase power and speed, improve stability, and oh yes, give you that six-pack look. Six-pack abs aside, you need a strong coreâ�¦ A strong core is your center of power. Powerhouse. Like a rocket ready to take off on a moments notice. Okay, you get the idea. When your c......

Reader question: Why do you love running so much?

Actually, the question went more like this: "I hate to run. It is hard. Did I already say that I hate it? Yet, you talk about running so much. Why?" There was more, but for the sake of this post, let's just say that this reader's negative feelings about running ran deep (no pun intended). Why am I so hip on running? Well, for one thing, it is hard. I like things that are hard to do. Second, it is "me" time, and often the only time I have for finishing a thought. Four kids...enough said. And finally, (and let's face it, this is important stuff) few physical activities burn as many calories per ......

Why are you working out?

Maybe you've been on a workout train for some time, diligently going to the gym and happily taking your dose of cardio and weight training, maybe even a few classes too just to challenge yourself. Perhaps you've been on this train, per se, for years, then all of a sudden, you're okay with missing a workout, then two. The idea of going to the gym or out the door for a jog becomes a chore, when it was once something you enjoyed. Have you been there? Are you there now? If so, read on... I think I can help. True, I am a trainer, but at heart, I'm really a fitness buff and have been since college. ......

Mar

You asked: Is it okay to do the same workout routine every day?

Posted by Admin on uncategorized

This is actually one of the better questions I’ve received recently. Instinctively, my first thought is NO. More on this in a minute.

If, however, you are new to fitness and just starting to exercise regularly, then by all means do whatever type of exercise you like, even if it means doing the same thing every day. You will eventually reach a point when the results taper off, you lose motivation, get bored, or all of the above. That is when you’ll want to mix it up.

Even if you are a fitness guru, there will come a time when your “normal” workout routine isn’t working, or you suffer from burnout (this is common). To keep your muscles challenged and continue to see results, you need include the following components in your routine:

1. Variety

2. Cardiovascular exercise

3. Muscle strengthening exercise

4. Progression (which is just a fancy word for, “gradually making it harder” so that muscles and/or cardiovascular fitness continue to improve)

5. Stretching

Variety is the spice of life, and also the key to a successful workout routine. By continually surprising your muscles with new challenges, they will in turn adapt and become stronger, more efficient.

To mix up your routine, you might try martial arts, swimming, weight training, yoga or Pilates, Zumba, BodyPump…you get the picture. This is also called “cross training.”

Cardiovascular exercise is the calorie-burning equivalent of driving your car on the highway. Aim for 30-60 mins on most days of the week.

Strength training is beneficial in many ways. It builds lean muscle, which increases resting metabolic rate. It also helps prevent injury by strengthening the muscles around the joints.

Progression will get you from A to B. You can progress both your cardiovascular and strength training routines, and there are many ways to do it. Read more about how to progress your routine.

Stretching We sit all day, move forward most of the time, and, as the title of this post would indicate, tend to do the same workouts over and over. As a result, muscles get T-I-G-H-T. Stretching at least a few times a week for 15-20 minutes (2-3 minutes for each major muscle if you do 8 stretches and hold each one 15-30 seconds, and repeat), will go a long way toward improving elasticity, and help prevent injury. I’m a fan of yoga, as well as Pilates, but really, any stretching is good in my book.

You might also like: Is your workout working?and, Strength Training 101

Do you have a favorite “mix it up” routine? What do you do to add spice to your workouts?