Exercises for Flexibility: Workout routines Using PNF Stretching

Article by David Martinez

Exercises for Flexibility: Workout routines Using PNF Stretching – Other

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Whatever training program you are using, adding an effective stretching routine makes good sense. Whether you exercise or not, I firmly believe that flexibility workouts to relax the muscles is something that everyone can benefit from. In my opinion, the best stretches for flexibility are included in a PNF stretching routine. PNF is another term for isometric stretching which consists of the constricting and the relaxing of muscles. Relax Into Stretch, a program created by Pavel Tsatsouline, is where I introduced to these flexibility stretches.

Muscle tension is the primary thing preventing the average person from doing a full split. Pavel tests this ability by having you position one leg to the side of your body at a 90-degree angle and then, with the other leg, doing the same. In essence, you can do a split with each individual leg, but when you try to do both at once, your body simply won’t let you. The reason this happens is that your nervous system keeps you from elongating your muscles beyond a certain point based on its past stretching experience. Your muscles get tense because this automatic reflex makes them stiffen.

Isometric stretching or the act of constricting and relaxing the muscles is referred to as PNF or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. This stretching method is highly effective at improving your range of motion. To perform PNF stretching, you contract your muscle for a short period of time, relax it, and immediately stretch the muscle a little further. This works because your reflexes are slow to react. The muscles will be primed to want to stretch more even while you are in a relaxed state. There is not much time involved in this but it will allow you to have a greater range of motion in which to stretch.

An added benefit of isometric stretching is that by improving your flexibility, you create a stronger body. What happens is that your body feels more comfortable in a stretched position when it is stronger. Your reflexes don’t automatically halt the stretch because your body knows it is strong enough to restore itself after a stretch that is longer than the previous one it was able to achieve. Increased flexibility is the end result.

Pavel’s stretching routine consists of three techniques. 1) Contrast Breathing: Inhale deeply and then, as you stretch, immediately exhale the breath. This allows your body to completely relax and will increase your range of motion. Forced relaxation is another method. Although it sounds easy to accomplish, you are going to need a lot of mental strength to do it. Stretch and then hold it until your muscles can’t sustain the stretch any longer. 3)) Clasp Knife Method: In this technique, you apply intense force in order to nullify the stretch reflex.

There’s no reason why you can’t start a stretching routine since you can do these stretches just about any time and any place. You can simply perform PNF stretching in front of your favorite nightly TV show if you’d like. A core group of isometric stretching exercises will certainly help with muscular flexibility, simultaneously increasing both your strength and flexibility. Exercise routines that include stretches for flexibility should be done at least several times a week in order to see results. Don’t be surprised when, in three to six short months, you are performing a full split like a pro!

About the Author

When you’d like to learn about pnf stretches, come see my blog site where I deliver exercise and diet methods to allow you to shed pounds and get a lean physical appearance. Start getting in great shape right now!

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www.ogorgeous.com Stretch to prevent injuries and increase flexibility. You asked for it, so here it is! Cassey Ho is a fun Pilates Instructor who loves mixing up her moves to upbeat pop music. Songs in this workout “Colombia” by Anjulie “I’m Into Something Good” by The Bird and the Bee “PYT” by Michael Jackson —— Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com Read my Blogilates: www.blogilates.tumblr.com Join me on Facebook facebook.com ——
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If You Want to Start Using Gym Workouts to Lose Weight then This is What You Need to Do

Article by Jacob Portman

If You Want to Start Using Gym Workouts to Lose Weight then This is What You Need to Do – Health – Weight Loss

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I know what comes to mind when you think about gym workouts to lose weight because the same thing came to my mind too. At first I used to think that to do gym workouts you would of course have to pay for an expensive gym membership, and you would be spending day and long nights at the gym with a personal trainer who was going to be yelling at you as their way of motivating you to lose weight.

Instead of picturing that when you think about going to the gym for the first time, what you need to keep in your mind is what you want to look like when you don’t need the gym anymore. A lot of us just don’t have a good amount of time and hours when it comes to staying at the gym, but there are still some exercises that can be used even when you don’t have a lot time.

The fact of the matter is that a lot of gyms that we have today are just becoming so high tech that when you see one of those new machines you have no idea what to do with it. Treadmills just aren’t what they used to back in the old days.

When you are at the gym, what you need to be doing is following a good exercise routine that is helping you lose weight quickly. So you mainly need to be using machines that are cardiovascular exercises like treadmills and elliptical machines.

All of these workouts are apart of the HIIT exercise regimen which stands for High Intensity Interval Training, and they all have been designed to be extreme workouts that burn calories in the shortest time frame that is possible.

When you focus on HIIT regimen people are going to find that they are losing weight faster than they though was possible. Bear in mind that you need to always warm up before starting a workout at the gym. So spending 5 minutes get your body prepared is going to help you from injuring yourself while exercising. Also remember to use the right machines and don’t overwork yourself.

Losing weight and burning calories is all based on how well one can speed up their metabolism, and the best exercises that help to increase a person’s metabolic is cardiovascular exercises. 2 great exercise machines that help get the heart pumping is the rowing machine and the treadmill. Now you know some good gym workouts to lose weight.

About the Author

IF YOU SERIOUSLY WANT TO START DIETING OR LOSING WEIGHT, PLEASE VISIT HERE ====> Lose Weight Dieting

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Bodybuilding using fitness bands

Article by Harry

Fitness bands are a new addition to the Body building world. The fitness bands have gained increased popularity because they are versatile and can give a full body workout. These bands are also portable and cheap.

These fitness bands apply the same theory of resistance like those of the gym. Except that these bands rely on elastic bands to provide the resistance whereas the weights in the gym rely on cables and pulleys. The bands offer various levels of resistance depending upon their thickness.

These fitness bands are also effective as they will allow you a wider range of motion and provide you with a full body workout rather than the traditional weights. When you’re able to get a wider range of motion then you can recreate any exercise similar to those of the health clubs.

The cost of fitness bands is very low compared to the gym equipment and the traditional weight machines or the home gym systems. The bands generally cost just around fifty dollars while offering resistance of five pounds to twenty-five pounds. These bands can be attached to ankle straps and used to perform exercises so that they give you increased resistance. For example, the resistance offered by the band is very less then you can change another band or add another band and attach the bands to the ankle straps.

These fitness bands can be used to build muscles for any body part. So you don’t need to go buying fitness equipment for different body parts. The convenience offered by these fitness bands is its strongest selling point. You could take your fitness bands and use them while holidaying or at home or in the field. You can carry them anywhere you want and they are also versatile. They are quite easy to pack in a bag and you can work with them anywhere you want. You can build muscles with these bands no matter what your fitness and budget level is.

Fitness bands are inexpensive but most of these bands are not quite effective. Currently the most effective fitness bands are those of the Bodylastics. Bodylastics is the industry standard home gym that is available from just fifty dollars. You can buy these fitness bands separately or purchase the whole package with various extensions. The bands at Bodylastics just cost from ten dollars.

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How To Tone Your Lower Chest Using 2 Simple Exercises

Article by Ombladom Freacka

Chest exercises assistance to develop an area on your body that some might say is the most attractive body part. It signals vitality and health, and it just makes the owner of a well-developed chest feel better.

Although typically associated like a male exercise, exercises for the chest are equally important and beneficial for women. Although the exercises will not transform cup sizes, theyll assist you to by lifting sagging chest and breast and enhancing your cleavage.

So to enjoy these benefits, you obviously have to exercise that area. Although there really are a countless number of exercises that you could perform, listed here are the best chest exercises.

However, prior to going over these exercises, below are great tips on technique and form that may help you to get the most out of your exercise routine.

Strategies for Technique and Form

For each exercise, dont arch your back, because this can result in injury. Keep your back flat against the bench. Essential, keep your feet planted firmly on the floor.

In addition to working your chest muscles, these exercises will even strengthen your wrist, which will grow stronger as you still lift. Just make sure when your are gripping the bar to keep your wrist straight.

For more strength and also to avoid unnecessary strain, the bar also needs to rest on your palms.

As you perform each rep, ensure that the motions are smooth and even. With barbell exercises, theres a tendency to let the bar bounce off your chest. Do not do it. Let the bar touch your chest and continue upward in a smooth motion.

Best Chest Exercises

Flat Bench Press The flat bench being active is the conventional of chest exercises. To perform it, lay on the bench together with your grip slightly wider than your shoulders. Make sure to keep the elbows in. Repetitions: 8-10

Incline The bench press The incline bench chest being active is performed with the bench angled upward and is made to work your upper chest or pecs. Due to the angle, you cannot lift as much as using the bench press, so do not attempt. Also, as a second reminder, since many lifters often do that with this particular exercise, do not arch your back. Repetitions: 8-10

Decline Bench Press For the decline bench exercise, the bench is angled downward and is designed to work the lower chest. You should use either the barbell or dumbbells to perform this exercise. It youre just beginning, start with the dumbbells. This should help you to become accustomed to the position and the motion from the exercise. Repetitions: 8-10

Dumbbell Flyes Designed as an inner chest exercise, dumbbell flyes are carried out lying on a flat bench. Holding your arms out and your elbows slightly bent, perform a flying motion. When decreasing the dumbbells, do not go pass the level of the bench, as this will assist you to avoid overextension injury. Repetitions: 10-12.

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Exercises Using Dumbbells For The Biceps

A properly done bicep routine with the use of dumbbells wont just make your arms stronger but make them look nicer as well. Using simply some dumbbells, you can do the following exercises for your biceps, whether at home or at the gym.

The Important Warm Up

Before you start doing any of the dumbbell exercises mentioned below, its of extreme importance to warm up so you aren’t being injured. Stretching out your arms and running on a treadmill to warm up are necessary to do. As you perform any exercise with dumbbells, do it smoothly without performing any jerky movements. You should begin by doing exercises with light weights while you gradually challenging yourself as you get used to the challenges. As a beginner, though, you’ll want to perform multiple reps using lighter weights. If you do it like this, you’ll see that its easier to keep the right posture which in turn will help you avoid getting injured.

The Dumbbell Curls While Seated at

While seated on an inclined bench with a properly supported back, extend your arms outward with a dumbbell in both of the hands. Bring the dumbbells to your shoulders by lifting slowly, and then bring them down. The movements must be slow for all of these dumbbell exercises. Continue to perform the exercise until you cannot continue. When it happens, you’ll need to stop and put down the dumbbells to stretch your arms and rest for a minute or so. You want to do another two sets in the same way.

The Preacher’s Bench

Put your chest in a correct position and sit on a bench. Then, make sure the exercise is being done correctly and lift the most weight that you can so that your muscles are being challenged. While you lift the weights, make sure that your elbows are close together and almost parallel. you’ll be receiving help from the bench for the correct position and you’ll be able to lift heavier weights than you would normally be able to. In order to get the maximum benefit from the exercise, you should lower the dumbbells as you can. Keep on doing this exercise until you cannot do it anymore because your muscles aren’t up to it anymore. Do the exercise again after resting for a bit.

The Basic Curl

Lift dumbbells up to your shoulders while your knees at a slight bend and feet placed apart at shoulders width. Hold your arms right next to your body while you squeeze as hard as you can near the top of the curl. Remember that you must have a steady movement as you lift and lower your dumbbells. Don’t do any jerky motions when doing these exercises because its actually much better to do smooth and easy motions. Remember also to do the exercise until your muscles have failed. Rest for a small period of time after you complete the exercise and then repeat. When you finish, stretch your biceps out.

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How Can Using Stretch Bands Improve Your Strength Training

Article by Jordan Glenn

If you are looking to take your workout to the next level, it may be time to enlist in the help of a personal trainer. This can help you get a more advanced workout and there may be some great tips that you can use to help you maximize each workout. There are many great parks in Brooklyn and this can give you a great place to begin using stretch bands and each workout you participate in will be more effective.

A Brooklyn personal trainer will be full of insight and offer you new things to do in the parks of Brooklyn. This can include many small things that can make a big difference in your final results. It is important to keep each workout new and fresh to challenge your body and this is where a personal trainer can be the biggest help. You will be able to ask questions and get some great feedback that you can incorporate into each workout.

Your personal trainer Brooklyn may be one that has experience with resistance bands. This can increase any workout that you do and the right trainer can show you how to use stretch bands the proper way. Bands increase resistance and this can help you to get more out of even the simplest workout.

These bands are easy to transport and if you have been using weights, you know that you do not have a lot of flexibility on where you can take and use these weights, but stretch bands can be taken anywhere. When the weather is nice in Brooklyn, many people take to the parks for their workout and you can easily use stretch bands outdoors when the weather is best. You may like to mix up your workout so you do not become bored and this is where stretch bands can change with you and will not keep you stuck with one workout routine.

When you use a personal trainer Brooklyn area, you will find that your workout can be modified and with the simple use of stretch bands, you may see some great results.

3 Aspects of Using Home Gym Exercise Equipment

Article by Smith

No need to go to gym to get fit because you can achieve fitness with home fitness exercise equipment. First of all you have to make out what are you needs regarding your daily work out. By using Reebok Promo Code, get the latest rebook fitness equipment at affordable prices. There are three main aspects that are deciding factors when you plan to buy home gym.

Training Equipment that offer Flexibility:

While training, you want to make your body flexible. For a good warm-up, flexibility exercises are compulsory. You have to improve your joint functions and muscles by stretching prior to each workout session. Jump ropes, elastic bands should be a part of your warm-up routine. They not only make your body more flexible but also offer you a lot of fun. There is some other training equipment that has become very famous for warm-up exercise such as balance balls which improve your fitness level and give a fun start to your fitness regime.

Equipment for Aerobic Exercise:

If you want to lose pounds of weight, you should be doing exercise that involves lots of physical movements such as rowing, running and cycling. If you don’t want to get out of your home, get a heavy -duty cardio equipment which will help you get fit by burning extra calories. Exercise Steps are easy and helpful aerobic tools that allow your lose pounds without spending a fortune of money. If you want to burn even more calories, go for slightly costly Step Machine which let you burn even more calories. This fitness machine is also more compact, easy to move and perfect for frequent travelers. With Reebok Coupon Code, get these exercise equipment at discerned prices.

One of the most popular aerobic exercise equipment is a treadmill which although takes a lot of space but give you the best way to workout. You’ll find it in professional and home gyms throughout the world. Go for the one that has a strong board frame and cushioned tread with takes the pounding of the impact.

Equipment for Anaerobic Workout:

If you want to tone and strengthen your muscles, you should be doing strength building exercises by using resistance training equipment. One of the cheapest exercise equipment in this category is an exercise band which is easy to carry and provide you a complete workout. This make exercise band, highly affordable and useful. Exercise Bars are other tools for pull-ups which make your body strong. You’ll strengthen your muscles by using this equipment regularly. Those who are looking to strengthen their chest should go for Free-weights & Bench. It consists of kettle bells, barbells dumbbells, and ankle & wrist weights.

A cable set include adjustable weights, cables and cables to provide a give you a resistance workout. People use different types of equipment to tone various body parts but some of the large unit gives a complete workout. Using Promo Code allow you buy different types of exercise equipment at discounted prices.

Using Weight Lifting Straps for a Bigger Back

Article by Mike Hightower

Lats like Jay Cutler. We all want ’em. A big wide lat spread that casts a shadow over the whole gym. Ahhh but how to get it, that is the question.

We all see our favorite bodybuilders walking around with straps dangling from their wrists and we realize that we too must get a set of these bad-boys so that we can look just as cool on back day right?

The problem is that without proper knowledge lifting straps can actually hinder your lat building progress. On the other hand used properly they can make back growth exponential.

The key is in realizing the weakness in lifting straps.

The weakness inherent in all lifting straps is that they allow you to lift more weight than you can hold with your grip.

“But Mike isn’t this a good thing” you say.

Can be. If used correctly. However, if it means that you are now just lifting more weight and still using improper form then you are headed for a world of hurt.

So what is the key?

The key is to use your straps to create better form. In the case of back training straps should allow you to focus all of your attention on your back muscles, and avoid to the use of your arms.

Nitty Gritty Details

The mistake that most beginning and amateur bodybuilders make is to rely on their biceps in their back training. Now a certain amount of bicep recruitment is almost unavoidable. However it should be minimized to the greatest extent possible because when the bicep is bearing the weight, the back is not.

Take wide grip pulldowns for example. Most trainees make the mistaken assumption that the key is to get the wide-grip bar down to their chin. This is not the case. the goal is to get the latissimus dorsi to contract as maximally as possible. And really this can only be done when the trainee is aware of the muscle contracting. This awareness is much harder than when doing a set of concentration curls because the trainee cannot see the back.

What must be done is to spend time doing exercises that create an environment for feeling the latissimus contraction. The bottom line best exercise for this is chin ups. That’s right… chin ups. Not pull-downs, but real grab-the-bar-and-lift-the-body-up chin ups. You see, the line of the body hanging on a bar just happens to be the perfect line to feel those lats in action.

Straps For Focus

Now for the straps that we are talking about.

When doing the chin-up you want the back muscles to be your focus and not your biceps. So slip on the straps, and curl them around your chin up bar [if it is too far off of the ground then grab a bench to attach the straps and then hang free]. Now with straps on, arch you chest as much as possible and lift your body concentrating on pulling your elbows toward your sides. As you focus on your elbows your arms should almost feel loose and unengaged. All tension should be in your lower back and on your lats.

This “elbow focus” is how you will begin to feel those lats working. And it is only possible because you have used straps to take your arms out of the equation as much as possible.

Try it, get some straps and try this elbow focus technique on your next training session. Once you feel it, and not a second sooner, then try the same technique on bent barbell rows and all varieties of other back exercises. With your new found ability to feel the lats working you will enjoy some nice back growth.

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Using Kettlebells for Weight Loss

For people who yearn to drop weight, kettlebells are a promising contrivance. You may think these are just the most modern weight loss fad however there is ample history and science behind kettlebells to show that they really can be useful. Moreover, they are adaptable enough that you can use them at home, a fitness center or even in your office. Let’s look at how this interesting fitness movement can help you to get into better shape and lose those extra pounds.

The most basic kettlebell exercise is probably the swing. To perform this simple exercise, pick up the kettlebell from a standing position and swing it between your legs. This exercise puts the emphasis on your hips and legs rather than the upper body and can be performed with one or both hands. Use a fluid, relaxed motion to do the swing, inhaling on the way down and exhaling at the top of the movement. When you do this exercise, you work many muscle groups as well as raising your heart rate so you will definitely burn calories. When you start out, make sure you’re using a weight that you’re comfortable with to avoid the risk of injury. One of the advantages of kettlebells is there is a wide variety of exercises you can do with them. Kettlebells allow you to work many different muscle groups, improve aerobic fitness, and burn fat in one workout. The kettlebell lunge is among the best exercises for weight loss and for improving fitness. You begin this simple exercise by standing up straight and holding the kettlebell in one hand with your palm facing your body. Then, simply step back with one leg while bending the front knee. At the same time, pass the kettlebell between your legs, shifting it to the other hand. After you complete a set of 8 repetitions on one side, change off to the other side.

Some people don’t understand the value of resistance training when it comes to losing weight, thinking that they only have to do cardio workouts. As well as being as effective as cardio for burning fat and losing weight, weight training also offers benefits like improving the condition of your muscles and joints. Doing a good kettlebell workout means you don’t need to do anything else since they are a more efficient type of resistance training that also gives you aerobic benefits. This means you save time by not needing to do two types of workouts. You should be prepared, however, for working out intensely if you want good results!

Kettlebells may be the tool that helps you work out consistently and lose any excess weight. They offer a total body workout that includes both cardio and resistance training. Like any other exercise routine, you need to take it seriously and give it time to actually work. Kettlebells aren’t a new exercise routine but they may be the workout of the future.

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Finding and Using Weightlifting Exercise Charts

Article by Guido Nussbaum

If you’re working out regularly, I’m sure that you already recognize that you can soon get into a rut and once that happens, you soon end up on a plateau. One way for you to be able to break out of this is to look for some various weightlifting exercise charts and to switch up your routine in this way. Not only will this assist you in breaking out of the rut, it may also open you to the possibilities of additional types of exercises that you had not considered before or some variations of those that you already do.

The reason why you would want to switch the type of exercises that you were doing on a regular basis is because the human body has an amazing ability to adapt to anything that you do to it. If you are constantly giving it the same type of exercises in the same way, it will soon grow used to it and you will not be getting the benefits that you did it first. By switching the type of exercises that you are doing, you help to keep your body guessing, so to speak and to grow muscle much faster.

Of course, you don’t need to completely change your workout in order for you to experience these benefits. As a matter of fact, some weightlifting charts may be surprisingly similar to what you’re already doing but they are going to have enough changes that it will make a difference. For example, doing a bench press with a barbell is something that many of us would consider a standard whenever we are at the gym. You can change what you’re doing, however, by switching to a dumbbell bench press and you will be working the stabilizer muscles, along with hitting the chest muscles from a different angle.

The easiest way for you to find these weightlifting exercise charts is to look on the Internet. As a matter of fact, you’re going to find a variety of different types of charts in almost any format that you can possibly imagine. Some of these are going to come from professionals, and they may give you their own personal workout that may have taken them years to develop. Others will simply be from people like you and me, who want to be able to improve their weightlifting efforts by trying something new from time to time.

Once you download one of these weightlifting exercise charts, it is important for you to put it into a format that will easily go to the gym. After all, you wouldn’t want to have to print out a dozen pages and try carrying it around while you’re exercising, it would simply get in the way. If you get the gist of what the chart is trying to tell you, and you write it down in a small notebook that can easily be held in the hand, this will be a much more convenient way for you to stay on track and growing.

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