We often post fitness tips on facebook, twitter and pinterest so it just made sense to compile them into one easy accessible place like our blog. Please leave your own tips in the comments below.
General Fitness Tips
- Working out for 20 minutes 5 times a week decreases sick days by 40% – encourage your employer to have a fitness facility or at least see if your benefits cover any fitness expenses.
- Don’t take pain killers pre/post work out. Researchers found that pain killers were no more effective than a placebo in relieving soreness They also say the drugs may actually suppress muscle growth when taken after a workout.
- Jump rope twice as high and get the rope under your feet twice before you land. Burns about 26 calories per min.
- Having strong core muscles can reduce lower back pain and make everyday activities easier. Try using a bosu ball or exercise ball when you exercise.
- Less is more—you don’t need long hours of fitness. Increase your level of output and decrease your time spent working out.
- For a full body workout in a hurry do exercises that engage multiple muscle groups like: kettlebell swings, jump rope, ellipticals.
- Not a morning person? Try this – For 4 weeks force yourself up 15 mins earlier and do any type of physical activity even walking. As you near the end of the 4 weeks, you’ll have a new habit and will be able to progress to greater amounts of exercise.
- Drink water…especially before, during and after a good workout. Every system in your body depends on water. Remember the 8×8 rule. At least 8 glasses of 8 oz. of liquid a day to start with then increase it a bit. The 8×8 water rule (eight 8 oz glasses) yields 1.9L of water and is a beginning point as men should actually drink 3L of liquid a day and women 2.2L.
- Do both Muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities. Bones get stronger when your muscles push and pull against them. Examples of bone-strengthening activities include running, walking and yoga – work them into your routine.
- Use dumbbells, barbells, and machines in that order. The smaller muscles you use with dumbbells fatigue before your larger muscle.
- Ease into stretching, start with short increments and work your way up. Start with 15-20 seconds, back off then repeat as needed.
- Remember to take 1 to 2 days off a week from training. Your body needs time to rest and rebuild its muscles.
- Over training? check your pulse first thing in the am the day after a workout. If it’s 10 BPM above normal, your body is still recovering.
- Every 4 weeks, measure a variable—waist size, body fat, bench press—that equates to your end goal. Results = motivation!
Ab Tips
- Don’t relax your abs as you lower your chest during a crunch — To get the firmest abs sustain the contraction all the way!
- Exhale forcefully at the top of the movement when you do crunches. It forces your abs to work harder!
- Avoid sit-ups with anchored feet, which can hurt your lower back and use more hip flexers and less abs.
- For every set of ab exercises you do, do a set of lower-back exercises. Focusing only on your abs can lead to bad posture & lower-back pain.
Running Tips
- Practice negative splits. Run the second half at a faster pace – allowing your muscles to warm up will help increase your pace.
- Increase the speed of your running strides not the length to b faster. Your foot should land under your body not out in front of it.
- When running watch your breathing. Slower, deeper breaths will help you and make you feel better than quick, shallow breaths.
- Write a “best by date” on your shoes when you buy them. Shoes last about 500 miles, Guestimate how many weeks that will be.
- Breathe so your belly rises as you inhale then your lungs are inflating fully with oxygen, you’ll be able to go longer.
Bench Pressing Tips
- Look at your dominant hand (without turning your head) while you’re bench-pressing. it will allow you to lift more weight.
Lat Pulldown Tips
- When doing lat pulldowns, don’t wrap your thumb around the bar- place it on top by your index finger you’ll work your back harder.
Chin Up Tips
- To make the exercise seem easier imagine pulling your elbows down instead of pulling yourself up!
Hike Tips
- Tips for doing the grind (or any hike) don’t look up look directly in front, always keep moving, think positive thoughts, drink water!
