The Best Kettlebell Workouts

Kettlebell workouts are the most effective strength training exercises that also combine the benefits of cardio exercises. The secret lies in the design of kettlebells where the individual's center of gravity is slightly off, thus, encouraging the muscles to work harder to keep the body's balance on an even keel. In fact, kettlebell exercises work the entire body since these are basically compound exercises. It must be emphasized, however, that most exercises can also be considered as isolation exercises because specific muscle groups are engaged during the movements.

Here are a few examples of these exercises that can be included in kettlebell workouts. If you are doing these exercises in a fitness center, it is a good idea to ask for assistance on proper technique, form and execution from a personal trainer. Keep in mind that kettlebell exercises may be the best in strength and cardio workouts but you can quickly injure yourself with improper technique.

1. Two-handed American Swing - The two-handed American swing is considered as a better exercise than the Russian swing although it boils down to personal preferences. This is because the swing involves more major groups of muscles including the hips, back and shoulders. The swing also increases the balance, coordination and flexibility of the shoulders.


2. One-arm Swing - This works in the same manner as the two arm swing albeit with a difference - it demands more strength from your entire body since only one hand does the lifting. The exercise strengthens the muscles in the abdomen, lower body, and the arms while also improving on the hips.


3. Turkish Getup - Don't underestimate the difficulty of the Turkish getup especially as it involves changing positions from lying down to standing up, all while gripping the kettlebell in one hand. This is, bar none, the single most effective whole-body exercise in all kettlebell workouts! It is effective in strengthening shoulder and scapular stability, in extending the thoracic spine, and in improving stability in the core, hips and lumbar spine, among others.


4. Renegade Pushups - Yet another kettlebell exercise that strengthens the entire body is the renegade pushup. The pushup part works on the chest (pectoralis) muscles, the back of the upper arms (triceps), and the front of the shoulders (deltoids) as well as the core muscles (lower back and abdominals). The rowing part develops the middle back muscles (rhomboids), the front muscles (biceps), and the forearm muscles while the plank position engages the core muscles.


5. Windmills - This is also a full-body exercise with emphasis on the chest, core and shoulders as well as the arms. Plus, windmills make for a tough-guy workout from the eyes of a casual observer because of the complexity of the move.


6. Goblet Squats - The goblet squats work the muscles in the forearm, shoulders and hands as well as the legs, glute and core. Several variations are available such as the kettlebell on a bottoms-up or a bottoms-down position.

And there you have it, 6 effective and fun kettlebell exercises that you can do on your own, or with the professional coaching from a personal training fitness studio.

Keep in mind, these kettlebell exercises require practice and repetition in order to begin to feel comfortable with the various movements. But you will soon start to see the results.

Coach Javier Lozano Jr is the owner and head fitness instructor at Summit Fit Dojo, the leading personal training fitness studio in Westminster, CO. He has been in the fitness and martial arts industry for over 23 years, and continues to help his clients achieve their fitness goals through effective fitness training and nutritional coaching. Contact Summit Fit Dojo by visiting: http://www.SummitFitDojo.com to learn about their latest specials.

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Sitting at Work

We now live in an industrial and technological age, making it nearly impossible to live as actively as we once did. A sedentary lifestyle (Sitting) is the ultimate culprit, and we will examine the reasons for this.

Sitting has been called the 'smoking' of this generation. The ramifications of prolonged sitting range from a measurable decrease in productivity to manifestations of actual disease process. Let us focus on the fact that prolonged sitting affects our overall posture and how this, in turn, can have severe physical consequences.

For the majority, the typical day can depicted as follows:

Wake up and shower. 
Sit to have breakfast. 
Sit in a vehicle on our way to work. 
Most of us sit at work - only a lucky few get to move. 
If you are required to be seated at work, chances are you may only have the opportunity to get up a few times during the day. 
Break for lunch, usually involving sitting down to eat your meal. 
Drive home in a seated position. 
Again, sit down for dinner. 
Perhaps, sit or lie on the couch prior to going to bed.

This depiction of the predominantly sedentary day is bleak, considering that as human beings, we are built to move.

Picture an individual sitting in front of a computer with a slightly rounded back, with one's head and shoulders hanging forward. Imagine how the body is being warped when this posture is held for many hours daily, at home, work or in a vehicle.

Visualize the accrued period of months and years that one maintains these postural habits. What would happen to our postures when we stand up?

The evidence is ubiquitous. Shoulders and heads compensate forward. Upper backs become rounded.

It's not a coincidence, nor bad luck or genetics. Sitting for prolonged hours every day has shortened all of our abdominal (front) musculature and over lengthened our back musculature into sustained, awkward forms.

As a result, the abdominal muscles have shortened and potentially strengthened, rendering the back musculature weak. By virtue of prolonged sitting, our gluteal and hip musculature do not fire appropriately, furthering the core instability and associated issues that arise. This is problematic because those muscles are the prime movers of the body. When these structures are inactive, our bodies reflexively compensate with other muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings) to replace the work of the direct hip structures. The results included majorly compensated movement patterns. These faulty movement patterns can lead to back, hip and knee pain, amongst many others. Sitting changes the way we use our bodies, clearly contrary to our optimal efficiency.

Over time, prolonged sitting warps posture. Concurrently,the body's physiology goes through major changes in its oxygen consumption. Internally, prolonged sitting places uncomfortable duress on our internal organs as they are forced into compression. This stress makes it difficult for the diaphragm (our main breathing muscle) to contract properly. Consequently, we are forced to overuse our accessory breathing muscles in compensation. These muscles (intercostals, scalenes, upper traps, levator scapulae) are smaller and affect a smaller range of motion for the ribs which directly translates to less oxygen available for inhalation and less carbon dioxide expelled during exhalation. This results in premature fatigue, decreased ability to concentrate and higher acidity in the body. All chemical reactions that occur in the body require oxygen. Any subsequent reduction in oxygen will impede performance and function.

We can therefore conclude that sitting for long periods will have adverse effects on movement and posture. How can we augment our outcomes at the end of the day? Many options are available for a more active day at work such as, standing work stations, active sitting, sitting on a Swiss ball, as well as increasing physical activity into our daily schedule.

It is important to note that although we can learn to assume proper sitting postures, the act, in and of itself, is counterproductive to great physical health. Knowing this, we should aim to get up and move around for a few minutes every half hour. This will help activate muscles that lay inactive while seated and will boost circulation.

Not all work places allow for standing workstation or Swiss balls to replace chairs.

The following is an outline to learn how to sit actively on a work chair, as this will be the most accessible option for most.

When sitting on a chair, it is important to have the feet in contact with the floor.

Your knees and hips should be bent at 90°.

The computer screen should be at eye level, in order for your neck to not crane forward.

With feet firmly on the ground and knees about a fists distance apart, roll your hips forward (for the yoga group, this is akin to sitting on your sits bones).

As the hips roll forward, your back will begin to straighten. Too often, I see clients using their backs to straighten the spine in seated postures. This will lead to pain and won't be comfortable to hold over time.

Rolling the hips forward allows for a pain free way to align the spine. This will require practise and conscious effort.

Trust that in due time, this practice will become automatic and your discomforts will become a distant memory.

Aliyah Massage Therapy Centre physical rehabilitation Montreal improves the physical and emotional well-being of its clients. At Aliyah Massage Therapy Centre, we define Reflexology Montreal, or zone therapy, as specific massage techniques applied to pressure points in your feet, hands, and ears as a means of genuine and integral relation to the vitality of your global body tissue network system.

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8 CrossFit Myths

CrossFit has become one of the more popular trends for individuals aiming to amp up their personal fitness. One frustration that many individuals report with fitness programs is that it is hard to manage your resistance workouts from one week to the next. Instead of holding onto a note pad that has your weight levels at each station, you make use of body weight and the instructions of your trainer to push your limits. As with any trend, though, some myths have sprung up that may be keeping you from giving it a try.

This short article has 8 of the most typical CrossFit myths-- along with the reality behind every one.

1. CrossFit costs too much.

It holds true that CrossFit costs more than the regular monthly membership at a 24 Hour Fitness or a Lifetime Fitness, and even at the Globo Gyms. Nevertheless, each time you get in the door at CrossFit, you have a personal trainer who is going to put you through a routine, and the cost of the trainer is included in your charge. At various other gyms, you pay for the trainer each time, and they likewise try to sell you on supplements. At CrossFit, you get a trainer every time, and they're not attempting to press supplements. They'll show you ways to get the nutrients you need out of the diet you currently have.

2. I'm too old to start CrossFit.

CrossFit fitness instructors work with everyone from teens to seniors. They tailor the daily workout to the needs of the person. You might look online and see that a certain workout ought to make use of 100 pounds, however you understand you cannot get close to that. It's the task of your trainer to provide you a routine that pushes your limits however does not progress beyond them.

3. I do not have time in my schedule for CrossFit.

How much time do you spend on social networking sites every day? How much time do you spend watching tv? How much time do you spend waiting for your food at a restaurant? Your fitness instructors can get you through your workout and back out the door in under an hour. You can find an hour in your day, if you have a look at your various other priorities. If you could transform your body in about an hour a day, a number of days a week, why not do it?

4. Getting fit is very important, however I have a video workout system at home I can make use of instead.

The numbers are stacked against you. There are individuals who have success with series like the Insanity and PX90 workouts, however the general rate is about 15 percent. When you do not have someone keeping you liable, the tendency is to let workout fall off the schedule when various other priorities pop up. The most uneasy activities tend to go first when you think that you do not have time, and workout is nearly never comfortable. If you are amongst the 15 percent, then kudos to you. A few of those programs have strong workout programs, however they do not have the structure and the accountability that CrossFit provides. The vast majority of us need that additional push to stay with an workout routine, whether it takes the form of a scheduled meeting, a course, a workout buddy, a group run, or an appointment. Accountability brings results.

5. CrossFit will bulk me up too much.

This is among the CrossFit myths that are specifically a concern for females, who want to get toning out of their workouts however do not want to get large. It's vital to keep in mind that females develop muscle differently from men, meaning that it is rather hard to accomplish the exact same levels of muscle mass. It's likewise vital to keep in mind that the daily workouts with CrossFit blend cardio and weights to yield high intensity interval training (HIIT). This increases your muscle tone, however it won't make you get too muscular. Some females might want to add muscle; to achieve that, you just cut down the cardio part of the workout and add to the resistance part.

6. You need to follow a regimented diet for CrossFit to work.

This is among the CrossFit myths that intimidates a lot of individuals, because they think they need to transform their eating for the workouts even to have any benefits. While CrossFit fitness instructors do suggest using a paleo diet or another routine that focuses on lean proteins and veggies at the expense of carbohydrates, those recommendations are not obligatory. The better your diet plan is, the much better your outcomes will be. Nevertheless, it is not true that you need to follow a set menu or list of food restrictions for CrossFit to work.

7. When you start CrossFit, you cannot do other workouts.

Somehow, there has emerged the idea that CrossFit is some sort of workout cult that does not enable its members to do any of their previous preferred workouts. The reality is that a lot of individuals start CrossFit to supplement the training they do for triathlon training, marathon training, or for various other sports. A lot of soccer and football players make use of CrossFit to improve their general fitnessand raise their efficiency on the day of the game.

8. CrossFit fitness instructors push you until you get sick.

It holds true that the CrossFit daily workouts are made to push you. Nevertheless, it is never the goal of a trainer to make anyone vomit. If you start to feel ill, or the workout ends up being too strenuous, it is very important to stop and seek advice from a trainer. Vomiting or various other indicators of excess stress can be harmful. While CrossFit fitness instructors want you to enhance your results, they want you to do so in a healthy way.

CrossFit is increasing in popularity because of the means it is helping individuals raise their personal fitness levels. Combining resistance and cardio into one workout, under the personal guidance of a trainer, allows you to get optimal results in the least amount of time. If you enable the CrossFit myths that have developed over time to keep you from giving it a try, you are doing yourself a disservice. Rather, try a week or more out to see exactly what sort of difference it can make for you.

Once you are ready to join a Crossfit gym we recommend you purchase your own jump rope and wrist wraps. You can find affordable and high quality such products at: http://terrifit.com/speedrope and http://terrifit.com/wristwraps

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How to Treat Myofascial Pain

Myofascial pain, also known as MPS or CMP, is a painful syndrome characterized by chronic pain, caused primarily by pressure on specific sensitive points of the face, commonly known as trigger points. Pressure on these points causes not only facial pain, but also in apparently unrelated parts of the body. This kind of pain is known as referred pain.

As well as referred paint, pressuring a trigger point can cause oversensitivity in the pressure point, point palpitation, a very painful muscle hardening after pressuring the trigger point, weakness and limited motion range of the involved muscles. Myofascial pain can occur in different parts of a person's body and affect any muscle or group of muscles, causing a distinctive kind of pain in each. The intensity of the pain can go from slight discomfort to crippling pain, and it doesn't typically go away by itself even after applying ice, heat, cold packs or taking other similar measures.

Myofascial pain and fibromyalgia sometimes share common symptoms, like hyperirritability and pain, but they are two different conditions and, as such, are treated differently. It is possible, however, for someone to suffer from both myofascial pain and fibromyalgia at the same time. In fibromyalgia, chronic pain is constant and generalized. On the other hand, while myofascial pain affects many parts of the patient's body, it is still limited to the particular trigger points and spots where referred pain can be felt.

The exact causes of this pain are still not completely documented or understood. It is believed that poor posture, emotional disturbance, stress and back-related problems might also contribute to cause myofascial pain. According to Mayo Clinic specialists, it can also typically occur after a muscle or group of muscles has been contracted repetitively. This can be caused by repetitive motions used in specific activities, like some jobs or a hobby, or by muscle tension related directly or indirectly to a stressful situation.

Treatments

Pretty much everyone has experienced pain, but the distinctive discomfort of myofascial pain persists and/or worsens in a way no other kind of pain does. Treatment options for typically include physical therapy, trigger point injections and medication. Physical therapy involves gentle stretching and exercise, which is useful for recovering a full range of motion of the affected zones. This can cause long-term health of muscle or group of muscles suffering from pain.

Trigger Point Injections use local anesthetic, like Lidocaine. This treatment has been found effective by many patients, who have experienced longer-term relief after a few sessions.

Anti-depressants, anticonvulsants -like pregabalin, for example- and muscle relaxants such as Baclofen are listed among the various medications that are effective against myofascial pain.

Truth is, not much is known of understood about myofascial pain, so the effectiveness of each treatment will wildly vary. However, there is always hope and, as many patients have reported, real improvement is a true possibility.

Check all foam roller benefits before purchasing it.

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The Best Treadmill Buying Guide

A great way to stay healthy is to begin a regular exercise routine at home. The fact that many people find it difficult to go the gyms regularly, buying a treadmill can prove to be highly beneficial in not only helping you lose weight, but also help strengthen and condition your body, right in the comfort of your home. Moreover, since treadmills are easy to use and help tone the body without causing too much strain on your joints, many fitness experts highly recommend this home exercise equipment in order to stay healthy and fit.

Using a treadmill at home does provide innumerable health benefits.

Thus, if you are planning to buy this fitness equipment for yourself or the entire family, it is important to know that numerous types and brands of treadmills available in the market. Thus, learning about the different factors regarding the purchase of this gym equipment in this treadmill buying guide can be highly useful in helping you find the right treadmill successfully.

Treadmill Buying Guide

Shopping for a treadmill requires you to take some time to research about the product before you make an investment. To do this, you can visit reliable websites of reputed dealers and also try using the equipment in the gym or at a local store. This will help you get the real feel of using a treadmill, thereby helping you buy the right treadmill.

Factors to consider Before Buying a Treadmill

1. Before you start looking for a good treadmill, it is essential that you consider the required goals you wish to achieve when using the treadmill. In addition, take into account the requirements of various family members who are planning to use this exercise equipment. One of the most common mistakes made my most people when selecting a treadmill is the fact that they tend to opt for a low quality product rather than opting for the one that suits their requirements. This can often may it difficult for an individual to use it properly in the long run. Thus, opting for an exercise machine that is designed to be used safely by the largest person working on it can help you select the right treadmill successfully.

2. The fact that the Internet contains numerous reviews of a product, reading the reviews of a treadmill that you are planning to buy can prove to be highly beneficial in getting vital information about the product. Although most commercial equipment's found in the gyms and health clubs are of the best brands, visiting the manufacturer's websites and Facebook pages can help you get various important details about the best brands available in the market.

3. The fact that stores who offer treadmills on discount prices usually do not have quality exercise equipment, visiting a specialty store will help you get a more personalized service. Similarly, though purchasing treadmills online is a great idea, it is always recommended that you try the equipment before selecting the one the suits you the best.

4. Select the level of service according to your convenience. Thus, if you do not feel like talking directly with anyone about the product or know how to assemble the product as soon as it arrives, you can opt for an online retailer. However, if you think you might require support of professional in handling the product, a local dealer could prove to be the best option.

5. To choose a proper treadmill, it is always recommended that you narrow down your choice of brand and select your equipment accordingly. Many specialty fitness retailers often sell certain name brands and have a good working relation with some personal trainers. Thus, buying an exercise equipment from these retailers will not only help you get an equipment of your choice, but will help you get professional help from a trainer who can help you get started on your fitness routine.

6. If you are planning to buy your gym equipment online, it is important that you test the equipment prior making the investment. The fact that many hotels are equipped with fitness centers, test-driving different types of treadmills manufactured by different brands during your travel tours can help a great deal in letting you learn more about the equipment.

7. However, apart from these aspects, one of the most important of factor of the treadmill-buying guide is the fact that it is essential that you test the equipment in the same way as you would use it in your home. Thus, using the different paces of the treadmill or jogging or walking on the treadmill for a few minutes will help you understand how much you can hold extra stress. However, when test driving these machines, make sure you wear comfortable clothes.

Extra Treadmill Buying Guide Tips

Most treadmills available in the market are usually equipped with digital screen. However, if you tend to get confused about navigating the machine properly, it is likely that the layout of the machine is not best suited for you.

Most people fail to continue with their exercise program on the treadmill because they feel uncomfortable on the machine. The fact that a soft and spongy deck can tend to cause injury to your joints, ensuring that your treadmill features shock absorbency cushioning system can play a vital role in helping you select the right one.

However, apart from these aspects, a treadmill-buying guide would be incomplete unless you learn about the safety and maintenance of a treadmill.

Safety features: One of the important safety feature required to be checked when buying this fitness machine is its belt and handrails. While the handrails should be easy to use, the belt of the machine should start and stop at gradual increments. Thus, using the machine at the store will make it easy for you to check these safety features in a convenient manner.

Maintenance: Although most treadmills state that they do not require maintenance, it must be noted that most machines do require care periodically. However, it is important to note that you do not require lubricating or servicing your machine after each and every use.

Warranty: When buying a fitness machine for home, always ask the sales person about the warranty that comes with the machine.

Learning about the various factors of purchasing a treadmill in this treadmill buying guide can be quite useful in helping you get the perfect treadmill that will help you work out in your space regularly in a simple, easy and effective manner.

For more tips to help you select the best treadmill for your needs, check out these useful tip sheets: Free Spirit Treadmill
Reviews and Guide to York Treadmills.

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Get Clued Up With Gym Equipment

Let's start with a list of equipment that is in most gyms for you to use.

• Resistance machines
• Dumbbells
• Kettle bells
• Barbells
• Cable machines
• Pull up bars
• Racks
• Benches
• Cardio machines
• Medicine balls

Resistance machines

You will get a variety of these in most gyms and different ones will involve you using different muscles. Examples would be the chest press or leg curl machines. These machines allow you to work on the muscle without so much of thinking about your technique. This is due to the machine being in a fixed position. All you have to worry about is whether you have to push or pull. They are great for beginners as you can just jump in the seat, read the signs that are usually on the apparatus and away to go.

Dumbbells

With dumbbells you can perform with isolation exercises and compound exercises, both of which will work up a sweat. Dumbbells come in all weight and sizes so there's no excuse for not using them. Target the biceps with bicep curls, squat with them by your side to make your squat more challenging or perform a dumbbell woodchop as an all round body exercise. There are no limits with dumbbells and you can hit every muscle with them with the right exercise.

Kettle bells

The kettle bell or girya (Russian) is a cast-iron weight (resembling a cannonball with a handle) used to perform ballistic exercises that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. This piece of equipment can give you a great workout if used correctly. The kettle bell is like no other piece of equipment hence why it has stayed popular for so long. They can be a bit awkward at first so you will have to be patient and have a play with it. At first I would recommend trying a kettle bell swing to get a feel for the odd shape of the weight then try sumo squats and kettle bell extensions. Once you get the hang of it you could try using to kettlebells, then it gets tricky. Overall a great piece of equipment.

Barbells

Barbells are very similar to dumbbells in a sense that you can do most of the same exercises. The barbell is a lot larger and requires both hands to perform most of the moves. Large movements are done using a barbell such as Olympic lifts. These require a bit of practice before getting heavily involved with weight but are brilliant for getting all round body strength and power.

Cable machines

Most beginners will stay away from cable machines as they feel like they don't know what they have to do. Truth is, it's easier to use cables than using the likes of dumbbells, why? Because similar to resistance machines the cable is already set up so you only have to work on technique and angle. You can do all the basics on a cable machine, curls, bench press, squats etc. You will mostly see people performing triceps pull downs as it's hard to get the same movement with other pieces of equipment. Only down side of cables are that there are normally only one set per gym which means you're normally waiting about. Always have an alternative exercise just in case you're left queuing.

Pull up bars

As beginner you will not be running towards the pull up bars to warm but don't forget about them altogether. Pull ups are great for your lats, shoulders and arms. Changing your grip so that your palms are facing you will work these muscles also but put more emphasis on your biceps. If you're lucky you may have an assistant pull up machine in your gym, if not, practice pull ups with negative pull ups. To do this jump up to the bar and slowly let yourself down. This will work the muscles needed to perform pull ups then over time try a few full pull ups.

Racks

These are the heavy looking industrial chunks of metal that take up lots of space in the gym but for good reason. Racks are mainly used to perform squats with a barbell, a very popular exercise. It allows you rack the weight up high so that you don't have to lift the weight up from the floor (Taking a lot of energy from you before potentially big lifts).

Benches

A bench can be utilised in many ways. It's used to bench on, lean on, step on, and curl on. Bad thing about the bench is that most gyms don't have enough of them and just like the cables you end up waiting. If this is the case most of the exercises performed on the bench can be done standing.

Cardio Machines

Quite often a treadmill, rower, cross trainer or bike will be in your local gym. On these machines you can improve your stamina, burn calories and work your heart hard. Most would think that a cardio machine is the ultimate fat burning machine but this isn't the case. Practising weight training can burn just as many calories as what you can on a cardio machine. When doing cardio if your main aim is to burn calories stick to no more than 20 minutes and either do interval training or fartlek training.

Medicine Balls

These can be used in a number of ways and are a great piece of equipment. Most gyms won't have a great range of these as most people don't know what to do with them. The balls can be used to do sit ups, most compound moves and can be literally thrown about. How many pieces of equipment can you throw about without getting a gym ban, not many, so why not have a go? Find a flat wall where you can throw the ball hard at the wall, pick the ball up and repeat. Throw the ball from the chest as if you were a netball player. You could try power slams too by slamming the ball on the floor, picking it backing up and repeating. These are great exercises to burn a load of calories.

You shouldn't be afraid of having a go at anything in the gym and if you are un sure ask a member of staff, a gym instructor would enjoy helping as they don't partially do much in they're shift anyway. Everyone starts from the bottom and has no clue what they are doing and that goes for guys that now wear vests also, so have a go and try your best.

Is there a particular subject that you would like to read about? Leave me a message and I'll see what I can do. In the mean time stay fit, stay healthy.

Need to lose flab and get fit? Come over to http://www.definitionfitnessonline.co.uk, I can certainly help you achieve your goals.

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