Cardio exercise - good for the heart!

Cardio training has many benefits that extend beyond simple weight loss. There are benefits both inwardly and outwardly that help with your physical appearance, muscle toning, heart strengthening, mental and emotional state of mind and more besides that are described in more detail in the below 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/7992870) written by Jacques Delorme (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacques_Delorme) - a youth fitness, motivation, exercise and nutrition Blogger and Writer. Read on for more.


Cardio is short for cardiovascular. This is the system that centers around the heart to transport blood that carries nutrients to various parts of the body. The proper name for this type of activity is aerobic exercise, exercise that requires a lot of oxygen during a prolonged time frame. Cardio exercise is very different from high intensity interval training that involves very fast movements in short bursts (30 seconds to a minute), a short rest and repeating in a cycle pattern. Cardio is done for much longer periods of time with or without rest depending on the fitness level of the individual. Activities include walking, running, cycling, swimming and even dancing.

Benefits of Cardio Exercise
The health benefits of cardio exercise are well-known and general exercise is highly recommended by doctors to help alleviate a number of conditions. Benefits include:

• the added circulation of blood needed during this type of exercise, your heart will be stronger and your body's ability to handle heavier activities will increase
• muscles will get a workout and that takes energy. Burning calories will help to lose weight in the form of fat
• the release of endorphins will help combat stress, anxiety and depression
• improve your complexion
• reduce the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease

Types of Cardio Exercise
Low Impact - this type has very little impact which means it puts less stress on your joints. Activities include walking, cycling, swimming, yoga and Pilates. As a general rule, this type of exercise will not increase your heart rate as high and are generally classed as a slower paced workout. These are good for older individuals, people who are overweight or new to exercise and those recovering from injury.

High Impact - As the name suggests, you will put a strain on your body from plyometric exercises - forcing your body off the ground in a jumping motion. Activities include jogging, running, skipping and bounding like during an aerobics class. Impact is not bad for you unless it is done improperly. Good technique is essential to avoid joint damage. Research has shown that it can help to build bone density which can prevent or delay osteoporosis.

Workout Session Details
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate cardio exercise five days a week. If high intensity is your thing, do 20 minutes three days a week. For those looking to lose weight or to increase their fitness level, 30-60 minutes of moderate to high intensity activity five days a week would be better.

To help prevent injury, always warm up with a light jog and some dynamic stretching. A cool down involving a light jog and stretching will help to lower your heart rate and temperature and flush out lactic acid.

Deciding how hard to workout can be tough but a simple formula can be used to find your training zone. The most recommended training zone is 60-85% of your maximum heart rate. To calculate your range, use 220 - your age and multiply by 0.60 and 0.85 to get the lower and upper limits. For example, a 40 year-old person would have a heart rate training zone of 117 - 244 beats per minute.

While you doing cardio are exercise, take your heart rate by feeling the inside of your wrist or neck for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Some sports watches have a heart rate monitor built-in to make it easier.

Regardless of the type of cardio exercise you choose, do it regularly and within your training zone to get the maximum benefit. A good training routine paired with an excellent diet will help you live a long and healthy life.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Three ways to develop your core strength.

Having talked in the last couple of Posts about the benefits of the 'Plank' and the 'BOSU Ball', here are a few other areas that you may have looked into already, or are considering as an alternative to your weight/cardio/resistance training that you are doing at home, at the gym at the beach or at the park. At the same time those are great options for developing that core strength and will give you another focus that could aid your fitness programme and your weight loss objectives. Written by Rich Carroll again (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rich_Carroll) and sourced at 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/8093856) this might provide you with ism further inspiration.


Keeping your core muscles strong and flexible are an important part to maintaining an active lifestyle, particularly as we age. Core muscle strength not only can help relieve lower back pain, but improves flexibility and balance, which makes things that we love to do like travel and sports a pleasure to do. Plus keeping better balance prevent injury from falls and pulled muscles, aggravations that can put a damper on our lifestyle.

So with that in mind, let's examine three exercise routines that have been widely accepted as great ways to build core muscles, and some of the limitations each may have.

1. Yoga. There are many forms of yoga, and more than most forms of exercise it integrates physical, mental and spiritual elements to strengthen the body and improve circulation. It has been around for about 5,000 years and has spawned many variations, from exercises that are gentle designed to soothe muscles and joints to those routines that are quite intensive. This adaptability is one reason why many seniors are using this as central to their exercise routine. Yoga instructors can offer routines specifically designed for people suffering back pain or arthritis.

Studies have demonstrated that just by doing yoga without any other resistance training that people were able to substantially increase their strength, particularly in the core area. One area that those who practice yoga to work on back issues must realize that creating muscle flexibility is a good thing, but creating lax ligaments in the back area is not. So it is important to know just how these exercises should be conducted to help your lower back area and not injure it.

2. Pilates. Pilates receives its name from fitness trainer Joseph Pilates, and the emphasis is on quality of balanced movements that assist core strength, grace and flexibility. For example, an Auburn University study found that people who did ten repetitions of Pilates abdominal exercises did more for the abdominals than the same number of regular crunches. For strengthening the midsection Pilates is an excellent choice.

For alleviating back pain, however, Pilates is not considered that effective. A 2012 study didn't reduce pain or improve functionality as compared to other forms of back exercises. Perhaps the reason for this is that for improving back pain, which normally comes from poor posture and poor body mechanics. Therefore for back pain simply doing core exercises might not be sufficient. Plus Pilates is not deemed to strengthen large sections of the body as yoga does.

3. Foundation Training. Developed by chiropractor Dr. Eric Goodman, this takes a different approach to core training. The concept is to teach the integrated chains of muscles that connect to the core to work together in coordination. These muscles that are trained are any that connect to the pelvis, which includes the glutes, hamstrings and adductor muscles. The emphasis for these exercises is in the hips, and if you are trouble with back pain (and so many people are), I would strongly suggest you check out Foundation Training.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Other routines to consider for fitness, health and weight loss.

Throughout these Posts that you may have read before, or watched, there has been talk of getting started, beginner routines, diet, motivation, gyms, Personal Trainers and such like. This I sourced too from 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/4666060) and it gives you something else to consider that might add variety to your exercise and fitness regime, and help in achieving your goals still further. It's good to mix things up a bit, and it will help stimulate other parts of your body, and mind too, give you a new or renewed focus, and you'll get to make new friends and like minded people as well! A real win/win! Written by Neelima P (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neelima_P) - an author and publisher of many health related websites, and I hope you find it of some use.


There are many types of fitness and wellness programs that we can choose from. Many of which improve not just our physical conditions but also our mental and emotional health. In order to know which programs are best for you, consult your doctor and ask for suggestions. Though there are numerous fitness and wellness programs available, not all of them may be suitable for you.

People who love to lose or maintain their weight often do these programs to keep them strong, fit, and healthy. These fitness and wellness programs are made even more effective with the inclusion of the following exercises:

1.Kickboxing
This type of fitness and wellness exercise mainly focuses in strengthening your physical stamina. This is recommended when you want to enhance your muscle definition. This is also a very good part of a fitness and wellness program for those who want to enhance their cardiovascular system.

2. Aerobics
Aerobics is a very good type of fitness and wellness program. With its numerous benefits, it will most certainly improve your daily lifestyle. This is especially advantageous to those who want to lose weight and have the discipline to keep it off. This type of program also gives the person a sense of control and commitment that opposes stress. Aerobics gradually increases your fitness level stamina and mental discipline which will be very beneficial in the long run.

3. Yoga
Now this type of fitness and wellness exercise is very good in preventing many health and ache disorders such as back pain, arthritis and even diabetes. It promotes proper breathing and posture through simple exercises that also promotes flexibility and improves your stamina. Yoga is a unique non-strenuous exercise that improves the elasticity of our ligaments, joints and tendons. It also massages our internal organs that enhance our sensitivity that gives us awareness when something is wrong in our body.

4. Sports
Getting into sports is an excellent type of fitness and wellness exercise because it promotes our well being in every aspect. It increases our physical and mental fitness plus it also develop our social skills. Many consider sports as a fun and exciting fitness and wellness exercise because it is an enjoyable activity at the same time a bonding experience for your family and friends. Another benefit of sports that is worth mentioning is it could be taken as a career or a hobby that you can even take as a profession.

5. Gym workouts
Going to the gym regularly can do wonders to your overall fitness and wellness. You can have a personal trainer to assist you to better improve your specific needs. If undertaken with the proper diet, you can achieve your health goals easier. If you make it a habit to go to the gym, it is likely for you to meet other people who have the same diet and exercise objective. This will give you more motivation to continue with the program and increase your success rate.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Group fitness training - another good option!

You will have noticed by now that I have dedicated quite a few Posts already to the Personal Trainer - choosing one, what to expect and reinforcing how this can provide the structure, the drive and the commitment that you need - especially if you are starting out new on your exercise routine. Looking for the right subject matter to keep you informed is important to me, and so I found this for you on ezinearticles that makes a lot of sense too, and again serves to reinforce the message if you are still unsure how to progress.

Group training programmes are a great way to get to know new people in very much the same or similar positions to your own, they are more cost effective, still structured and offer plenty of variety depending on your wants and needs. This I grabbed from Cee Rose (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cee_Rose and through Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8487777)


Group fitness instructors work with multiple people at one time in a multitude of different fitness areas. Those who wish to learn about CrossFit, yoga, boot camp, indoor cycling, Zumba, Pilates, kickboxing, and a variety of other exercises usually partake in a group setting rather than try the exercise alone. Group fitness is a great motivator, and encourages everyone to participate, resulting in working harder and learning faster from everyone in the group. The most successful fitness instructors typically have a few traits that make them efficient in their job.

People person. 
As this individual will be completely focused on helping other people, having an outgoing and friendly attitude will be very beneficial. Being able to connect with clients will help both the instructor and the group to feel more comfortable, especially for those who are in the class for the first time.
High energy.
Most group instructors teach more than one class a day, if this is their full-time job. Even if being a group instructor is a second job, these individuals still need to find the energy to complete their first job before moving onto teaching a fitness class. Once in the class, instructors must try to transfer their high energy to the rest of the group. Being both motivating and encouraging also accompany this trait.

Certification.
Most people who participate in classes would rather be taught by someone who is certified. This shows that the instructor is experienced, and has the ability to teach a class with the proper instruction. Some of the most well-known agencies from which individuals may earn this certification include The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and The American Council on Exercise (ACE). There are many other agencies from which certification may be earned, as well.

Knowledgeable.
While being able to efficiently teach one class may be enough for some instructors, others want to learn more than just one fitness style. Earning specialized certification in addition to the general certification is highly encouraged. For example, general certification allows most instructors to teach cardio classes, but specialized certification is available in areas such as Pilates, yoga, and kickboxing, among others.

These characteristics should also be found in those who are also personal trainers. Often times, group fitness instructors also train people on an individual basis, in order to allow for extra attention and coaching in certain areas. The above-mentioned are just a few of the traits valued in an instructor. Those who teach group fitness all have their own style, whether with music, pace, interval training, or the number of participants allowed in each class. Those considering taking a group fitness class should search for an instructor with whom they feel comfortable, both in personality and in exercise expertise.

WhyWeight - Don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-