Say So Long to Old-School Stretches

Your junior high school P.E. teacher had it all wrong. If you grew up in the 70s like I did you were likely taught the importance of warm-up exercises and how holding stretches for at least 20 seconds was essential. Well, time has moved on and now scientists maintain that some of those tried and true stretches you did in 7th grade are not only a waste of time but also are bad for you. According to researchers, the belief that holding a stretch for 20 to 30 seconds (known as static stretching) primes muscles for a workout is not … Continue reading →

Building Leg Strength

Our leg muscles are the largest muscle system in our bodies. They are powerful. They are necessary. They carry us through every day. Everywhere we walk, we do on our legs. Everywhere we run, we do on our legs. Our legs are powerful parts of our body and they need to be taken care of if we want them to take care of us. I include leg muscle workouts in every workout I do because I spend a lot of hours sitting on my gluteus in front of a computer screen and writing. While my fingers get a lot of … Continue reading →

Intensity of the Exercise

You go to the gym every morning, you put on your headphones, crank up your book on tape, turn on the iTunes or just zone out to the tv screens around you as you hop on the treadmill and start walking your way to fitness. You do the same routine, every morning, five mornings a week and you’re starting to wonder where all your progress went. Sure you were crunching away the miles when you got started, but where are you now? Muscle Boredom Recently, my daughter was really excited because she gets to do the dishes after dinner every … Continue reading →

Exercise & Your Back

Does your back hurt? Mine does from time to time. Part of that is I spend hours every day parked in front of my computer, typing like a fiend. I can get caught up in my writing and my back will wait quietly as I spend an hour, then two and even three in a row before it begins to tighten up in protest and when I stand up, I can feel the aching creaks traveling up and down my spine. Good posture can help prevent back pain, but honestly, it’s not always enough. Different Strokes for Different Folks Back … Continue reading →

How to … Practice the Correct Technique

We discussed the fact that boredom is a factor in maintaining your workout program and not falling into a trap. There is another danger that can make you give up your workout before you have achieved your goals or felt any measured success. This trap is performing a workout incorrectly. Correct Form Every form of exercise has a correct form from walking to running to weight lifting to dancing in an aerobic class. You need to understand how to perform the exercises correctly so that you can maximize your results and minimize your risk of injury. While new exercises are … Continue reading →