Health & Fitness | Nutrition-supplements

Toned shoulders gives the appearance of a smaller waist.  Try these simple exercises to strengthen, tone, and define your shoulders.  Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.  Slightly bend your knees, tuck your pelvis under, and keep your back straight.  Hold 2-3 lb. weights in front of your upper thighs.  With straight arms bring them both up at the same time lifting them no higher than shoulder height (i.e., your arms should be parallel to the ground).  Do 15-20 reps.  With your stance in the same position as the first exercise, start with your arms at your sides.  At the same time lift both arms out to the side no higher than shoulder height.  Do 15-20 reps.  Work up to 2-3 sets of each exercise.

     

Anyone who has worked out in a gym, had a personal fitness assessment done or is an athlete, your VO2 Max is something you need to know. VO2 max is something we all have, it's a natural ability and it refers to the maximum oxygen consumption that you need to perform at maximum sustained output. In other words, if you're going to push yourself on the treadmill at a sustained high speed - let's say 3.5 - your VO2 max is just how hard you are going to breathe to get the amount of oxygen you need to keep up that effort.

I've heard VO2 max being described as the engine performance in your body. Consider the idea that you want to run an endurance event or compete in one, you need a high performance engine to sustain that level of performance. The higher your VO2 max, the more likely you are to perform well in that endurance event.

So you would think that based on this analogy, the higher the VO2 max is the better off you are. Not necessarily, because it depends on what your goal is. VO2 max is also not the only factor, but it does play its part. The idea being that even a moderate VO2 max can make you a sustainable endurance performer, but you may not do well in the short bursts of speed.

Your VO2 max is measured through incremental increases in your effort until you can't go any further. There are a number of ways to test your VO2 max and you're better off doing this test in a controlled atmosphere with someone monitoring because the testing portion will leave you gasping for air and making all kinds of faces. Once you know your VO2 max, you can work on improving as it necessary. There is one trick to improving your VO2 max, lose some extra weight.

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With the recent increased media attention being paid to the National Football League and the controversy over the care of it's players suffering from traumatic brain injuries, many may be surprised to learn that football is not the leading sport in which brain injuries are suffered.

Did you know that you can tone your abs while you’re pregnant without doing harmful situps?  Try this simple pregnancy exercise to tone your tummy.

Standing lift your left leg and touch your heal with your right hand.  Repeat 15-20 reps then switch sides (i.e. left hand to right heal).  Work up to 3 sets on each leg.

Benefits: Tones your waist and inner thighs

Yes, I know, uniform is stretching it where fitness is concerned, but I have a fitness uniform that I wear and I think many people do. Your uniform doesn't have to have a name tag or a specific color scheme, but it does need to put you in the right mindset for your fitness routine. In general my uniform consists of:

• Shorts - I prefer shorts to pants when I am walking or working out because I get very hot, very quickly. Pants can increase my body temperature and if I am sweating over much, they get soaked through and that's a really uncomfortable feeling. In winter time, I may wear a pair of light pants for outdoor workouts in order to avoid chills
• Sports Bra - No matter what workout I am doing whether it's an outdoor session of power lawn mowing, bicycle riding, strength training or yoga - the support of a sports bra is great as well as the cooling off factor because there's not a lot of dripping sweat
• Tank top - I prefer tank tops to t-shirts in part so I can see my arms as I isolate muscles and also for the cooling down factor
• Light weight ankle socks are better than thick fold down socks for heat control around my feet and ankles
• Sturdy, comfortable walking shoes that support my arches are the final component of my fitness uniform

I've worn this type of fitness uniforms for three plus years now and I can honestly tell you that when I put this uniform on - I am already working my way into the right fitness mindset. I can feel my body gearing up and I am looking forward to my workout. I know that a couple of times that I have gotten into my workout uniform and my workout has been delayed - I get all antsy waiting to get started on my workout because I am dressed in my workout uniform and ready to go.

What is a part of your workout uniform?

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