|
|
      |
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
|
|
|
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
 |
Top 5 Exercise Plateau Breakers
Plateau. That dreaded word that you do not want to hear, let alone experience. Especially if you have been diligently exercising in an attempt to get fit or lose weight. We have all experienced a plateau at some time all of a sudden you stop losing weight or you just cant seem to run any faster. When you hit a plateau, dont panic. It doesnt necessarily mean you need to work harder or spend more days at the gym. Here are five ideas that may help you break through in record time. Take an Active Rest If you have hit a plateau, it may be time for an active rest. Take a week off from structured exercise, and instead take leisurely walks, play ball with the kids, or take a yoga class. Active rest rejuvenates the mind and the body and allows for overworked muscles to rest and rebuild. You will return to exercise stronger and ready for new challenges. Time to Eat As you increase your fitness level, your bodys metabolism may increase and so will your calorie needs. If you hit a plateau, evaluate how much you are eating. You may need to eat more than you have in the past for your body to continue to increase its fitness level. If you find you are often hungry, this is a clear sign you need to eat more to sustain your exercise program. Mix it Up If you do not vary your workout routine your body will eventually run on cruise control, and you will experience a plateau. Try new cardiovascular activities, or use free weights if you always use machines for strength training. Changes in your routine will surprise the body and force it to adapt, bringing you to new levels of fitness. Different Day, Different Intensity Varying your activities, or cross-training is important to avoid or break through a plateau. While cross-training the type of activity is often recommended, it is also important to cross-train the intensity of your workouts. Specify different days of the week as low, moderate or high-intensity days. Try interval training work at a low intensity for a couple of minutes and increase to a high intensity for a couple of minutes, and repeat. If you use a heart rate monitor, be sure your average heart rate for your exercise sessions vary from day to day. Sleep It Off Be sure you are getting enough sleep. Getting the right amount of sleep for your body will allow time for your muscles to recover from exercise. This will ensure that you can come to your next exercise session with enough energy and at full strength to take on a challenging workout. If you are still frustrated, find inspiration in the story of Chris Witty, winner of the Gold Medal in 1000 meter speed skating in the 1998 Winter Olympics. A month before she was to compete in the Olympics, she was diagnosed with mononucleosis. Of course she had to cut back on training, and at the time that she should have been preparing to peak for competition. Not only did she win the Gold Medal, which nobody expected, she broke the world record! Imagine what a little rest might do for your workouts! If you find you still cant break through that plateau, then make the decision to ride it out. Sometimes a plateau is necessary to allow the body to catch up with a new body weight or fitness level. Rest assured your body knows what is best and will break through the plateau at the right time! About The Author Gillian Hood-Gabrielson, MS, ACSM is the president of Flexible Fitness, a nationwide coaching practice offering health and fitness solutions for your busy lifestyle including Fitness Coaching by Phone, Intuitive Eating, and monthly motivational seminars. She can be reached at 866-618-8814 or by email at gillian@flexiblefitnessforyou.com. To receive our free report, I Hate Exercise Too! and our newsletter, please visit www.flexiblefitnessforyou.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Different Types of Treadmills When we usually think of treadmills, we tend to think thatthere is only one type on the market. However, this isvery far from the truth as there are a couple of differenttypes of treadmills. Why Core is Key Do you currently suffer or have you ever suffered from any of the following: Lower back pain, frequent hamstring injuries, a twisted knee or a pulled shoulder?Have you ever considered that it may not be just the fact that you slipped and twisted something or your back simply 'goes'? It could be you need to strengthen your core?Core training is a buzzword in the fitness industry that's been around for a while now. The measure of its popularity can be seen in the increased use of stability balls or Swiss in gyms, books, classes & videos and the fact that big name clothing stores are even selling stability balls alongside underwear and belts!But in order to train something correctly we must understand exactly what it is we are training. Tips To Deal with Exercise Induced Asthma For approximately 80-90% of people that suffer from asthma, exercise can be a strong stimulus for an attack. This syndrome has become known as exercise induced asthma or EIA. Best Flat Tummy Exercises for Great Female Abs Are there flat tummy exercises that are the best for great female abs? Abs-olutely! To make this list, the female abs exercises must be safe, effective and can be done nearly anywhere. Your abs can be worked out every day. The Truth About Exercise and Why Its Not Always Good for You! Exercise is often regarded as a panacea for many things.. Diet and Exercise - Without Going to the Gym Exercising and dieting are tasks that are very difficult for many of us, but usually just the thought of it that makes us queasy. There are some simple ways to get out and get fit, and you just might enjoy yourself too. Take a Break Writing is a strenuous creative activity, and like physical activity it produces fatigue that requires rejuvenation and renewal, so when the mind is blocked, it is time to rest it. Many writers call this 'writer's block' but others claim that no such state exists. Easy and Effective Home Workouts Many people think that creating a home workout gym is either too intimidating or too costly. So, often they instead invest their money in a health club membership not realizing that for the same amount of money (or even less) they can create a very effective gym right in their own home. Physical Activity Versus Exercise: Is there a Difference? Quite often a client will come into the gym discouraged with their exercise program. The common complaint being lack of results. Lose Weight - Stay Fit and Stick With It! Health and nutrition experts continually advise us that the more we exercise the healthier we will be. In magazines, the doctor's office or on television we are never far from information showing us how to exercise, what to eat and how to lose weight. 10 Best Workout Tips Top Trainers share their secrets to getting slim, toned and strong in record time. It guarantees that you will see results in no time. 5 Little Known Benefits of Warming Up & Cooling Down After Exercising While working out in the gym, I have noticed that many exerciserstend to skip two very important parts of their workout. It iscrucial that exercisers starts with a warm-up and ends with acool-down. Stretching for Health Lack of flexibility is now seen to be a major cause of general health problems and sports injury and is being linked to everything from stress. back pain, and even osteoarthritis. The Right Exercise Intensity We've all heard the exercise guidelines that recommend we participate in 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity 3-5 times per week. That seems easy enough to implement. Planning An Exercise Program When designing an aerobic or strength training exercise program, fitness professionals, such as personal trainers and gym instructors, invariably use the F.I. Banish Your Lower Back Pain Permanently Without Drugs or Surgery It is estimated that about 80 percent of the population will suffer from low back pain at some point in their lives. The condition accounts for millions of dollars in medical expenses and lost work time and is often a perpetual misery for the sufferer. The Fundamentals of Pilates There are people who are fond of getting an exercise for maintaining their body figure as well as to condition their body so to look healthier and sexy. Some do the swimming or others stay in the gym to get their ideal body figure. Home Gym Workout Routines Home gym workout routines can take the hassle out of staying healthy. How often have you claimed your busy schedule as the reason you could not get to the gym? How many times have you skipped a workout you knew would make you feel better because the fatigue of traffic and the pace of a gym with trainers were too much for your work weary mind?Well, say good bye to the excuses standing in your way because home gym workout routines are the answer for your busy schedule. Pilates: A Challenging and Motivating Exercise Regimen Pilates is named after its creator Joseph Pilates. It is an exercise regimen that uses machines and special stretches. Different Exercises Schedule to Combat Hypertension, Obesity, and Asthma! Different Health Problems generally do not allow us to do traditional exercises. Above all, one type of exercise cant be effective to each group facing different challenges.
|
Section Site Map - Submit News - Feedback - Comments - Advertise with Us Copyright 2006 Luminati Inc. All rights reserved. 
|
