Cholesterol - How to beat it

How you can put high cholesterol to sleep by hitting the gym.

Cholesterol is produced naturally by the body and gets fed to your body through all sorts of food. While a certain level of cholesterol is necessary to keep your body functioning properly, too much can be dangerous, and if it leads to a heart attack, excessive cholesterol can be deadly.

Want to know about one of the best ways to fend off high cholesterol? You'll need to put on your exercise outfit and head directly to the gym. Keep reading to learn why your lower cholesterol levels may depend on exercise and what you'll need to do in the gym to keep your levels low.

Lower, Higher

Through the exercise process, your body does two amazing things. It reduces the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in your body and increases the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in your body. Why does this matter, and why do you want more of any kind of cholesterol?

Getting rid of LDL is obviously a good thing, especially if you consider all cholesterol to be bad cholesterol. But in the eyes of your physician, LDL truly is bad cholesterol, since it is responsible for the artery-clogging affects cholesterol is known for. HDL, on the other hand, is actually beneficial to your body. Though researchers are unsure exactly what makes HDL so helpful, it is thought that this kind of cholesterol pushes excess cholesterol out of the arteries, into the liver, and out of the body. Regardless of what makes HDL work, it has been proven to reduce your likelihood of heart attack.

But It Takes Lots

While exercise increases your HDL while lowering your LDL and helping you get better control over your overall cholesterol, it takes a good bit of exercise to really kill off cholesterol in the gym. So if you're accustomed to stopping by the gym when the mood hits you or when your schedule allows, you're going to have to change.

Instead of maintaining a rather lax exercise schedule, you're going to need to spend some time in the gym four or five days a week. Any kind of exercise is good, but spreading your exercise wings is best for fighting cholesterol. Therefore, spend time stretching out, getting plenty of aerobic exercise, and don't forget strength training. By going to the gym and working out most days of the week, your body will begin to get rid of unwanted cholesterol and create more of the good, heart-friendly cholesterol.

Better With Food

By itself, exercise will definitely have a positive impact on your cholesterol levels. But as great as exercise may be on improving your cholesterol levels, exercise alone will never be enough. For maximum cholesterol-killing ability, you're going to have to change how you eat.

An easy first step is to look at the labels on the foods you're eating. If there is a lot of cholesterol, toss it and grab something else. Prefer to not pay attention to food labels? There's an even better solution. Up your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and start making your own food instead of buying prepackaged goods that are more likely to be loaded with fat and cholesterol. You'll not only help your cholesterol levels, but you'll be better able to maintain your weight and will enjoy a sudden boost in energy that prepackaged foods simply can't offer.

Short, sharp routines for busy Bristol bods

The fastest way to keep your exercise routine regular.

If you've spent some time away from the gym, you may feel like taking on the world at your return. Sure, a three-hour marathon workout may make you feel like you conquered the world, but it takes regular exercise to get your body in good shape, so bite off a little at a time.
 Need a little more convincing? Read on to get a few reasons why a short routine may be the best way to get and stay strong.

It's Easier to Maintain

The thought of a prolonged workout may be intriguing at first, but getting to the gym the third and fourth time for an equally long workout won't be easy. Nothing is as easy the second or third time - especially if it involves draining yourself of all energy with hours of nonstop exercise. Do yourself a favour by going for the short, the sweet, the manageable.

It Fits in Your Schedule

Along with a short routine being easier to maintain, it also fits into your schedule with greater ease. This means that while you may think you've not got time in your busy day to squeeze in a trip to the gym, you actually do. On those days when it seems impossible to hit the gym, it's much easier to make it happen if your routine only requires 20 or 30 minutes, compared to some of the more time-intensive workouts.

It Gives You Variety

Short routines may seem stifling on your creativity. But if done right, they can provide a great amount of variety in your routine. Shoot for four exercises during each session and choose different ones every day. Go for two arm and two leg exercises one day, one arm, two legs, and an abdominal exercise the next. Keep things switched up by tossing in an all-aerobic day or a full body workout in the pool.

It Helps You Focus

One of the big problems of staying in the gym for too long is the ease with which you can lose your focus. You may have shown up with grand plans, but two hours into it, you realize you've been standing around shooting the bull more than you've been working out. By sticking to a short routine, you know exactly where you're going from your first step into the weight room to the final lap in the pool, ensuring your body gets a workout throughout your time at the gym.

It Gives You a Partner

Finding yourself in the midst of a marathon weight-lifting session gets old fast for you and your workout partner. To make sure your spotter will always be there by your side to offer encouragement and join you on the road to better health, use a shorter routine. It'll help you both stay on track.

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Improve your body

How you can improve your body's performance in four steps.

It seems everybody who knows how to exercise has a tip or two on how to get your body to operate at its maximum potential. Which ones should you use? The ones that work for you. Believe it or not, most tried-and-true ways to get more from your body work. At least they work for a certain group of people.

Trying these different techniques will help you determine what it takes to help your body get to the next level of fitness and provide you with a better, stronger self.

Strengthen Your Core:

Just the name of your core should be enough to convince you of your need to keep it strong and healthy. When your core is weak, the rest of your body is at a distinct disadvantage. Add some muscle to your core with sit-ups, double crunches, crunches while resting on an exercise ball, and other core-strengthening and core-stabilizing exercises. The end result will be more than a good-looking set of abdominal muscles. It will be a set of good-looking abdominal muscles that supports you properly and efficiently in all endeavors you undertake - whether walking briskly through the airport with two carry-on bags tossed across your shoulder or going for a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Get Vitamin D:

You've known for a long time that vitamin D is important for strong bones, and strong bones are important if you want your body to do its job as well as possible. Did you know that vitamin D is also important for another reason? Recent research shows that vitamin D may play a great role in whether an athlete is able to take his or her performance to the next level. Runners who underwent rigorous training reduced their sprint times by 7.4 percent with the aid of vitamin D, while their counterparts who did not receive vitamin D increased their times by a meager 1.7 percent. So if you want to get the most from your body, take a vitamin D supplement or get out in the sun.

Kick Back:

Taking some time off to relax seems counterproductive when you want your body to be stronger and more efficient. But if you don't take time to relax and get proper amounts of sleep, your body won't be there for you when you need it most. Instead, it will be ready for naptime. In addition to getting plenty of sleep, you should also relax your body during the day. By forcing yourself to let your limbs hang loose and your fingers drop carelessly, you stretch out your entire body and reduce your stress levels immediately. Take this time to breathe, and breathe deeply. Deep, focused breathing is a great way to reinvigorate your muscles with oxygen-rich blood, and it's easy to do. So relax a little now and your body will be ready to help later.

Drink It Down:

Water is one of your body's main building blocks, making up nearly three-fourths of your body mass. Are you getting enough of it? If not, you're putting your body at a disadvantage that is difficult to overcome with energy bars and electrolyte-filled drinks. When in doubt, drink water. It will give your body what it needs to stay strong and healthy, keep you from growing weak and faint, and will help you feel fuller faster, all benefits that help your body operate at its peak all the time.

Slow It Down

There are countless ways to keep your body from reaching and operating at its potential all the time. 

Exercising in the cold Bristol winter

Should you get moving when the weather outside is frightening?

When the weather outside starts to get cold and foreboding, you may be tempted to stay inside by the fire with a warm cup of tea and some comfort food in your lap. However, you should know that heading out the door for some cold-weather workouts will reap great rewards if you take care to stay warm and safe.

Read on to learn how to pump up when the wind is biting and your nose is bright red.

Dress Right.

Running and playing in the cold requires you to be very thoughtful about your wardrobe. Obviously, you can't take off in a t-shirt and shorts. Instead, you'll want to wear layers of clothing. As you begin to sweat, remove a layer to keep your sweat from causing you to get cold later. Then put your outermost layers back on when you begin to grow cold. For best warmth, the layer against your body should be polypropylene or another synthetic material, followed by fleece and then something waterproof and breathable on top.

In addition to staying warm, you should remember to stay safe. As it is often darker during the cold months, take precaution to remain visible to oncoming traffic. Wearing clothing with reflective surfaces will help others see you, even from a distance. You should also make sure your shoes have good enough traction to keep you on your feet as you run across various surfaces. And if you're participating in skiing, snowboarding, or other winter sports, wear appropriate safety gear to avoid hurting your head, knees, and other body parts.

Work the Wind.

Blowing, freezing wind is one of the hardest parts to overcome if you're trying to force yourself to work out in the cold. Keep the wind beneath your wings by facing the blowing breeze during the beginning of your run or bicycle ride. This way, you'll be running with the wind on your way back home, making the return trip much more pleasant and making you more likely to want to do it again the next day.

Think Hot.

While you'll need to plan your wardrobe and your wind sprints with the weather in mind, you'll need to change your mindset to a warmer climate to ensure your overall good health during a winter workout. Wearing sunscreen in the cold may seem senseless, but the sun still has the power to burn your exposed skin during the winter. Actually, you may be at increased risk for sunburn if you're working out at a high altitude or in an area with a lot of snow. So be sure to lather up before you head out for your cold routine.

You'll also need to think hot weather with regards to your hydration. Becoming dehydrated may seem to be a concern only valid during the hot summer months, but you need plenty of liquids in your system year round to keep your system well watered. To avoid dehydration, drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workout - even if you don't feel thirsty yet. Because once you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated.

Get Back In

For the most part, you can exercise in the cold and reap only benefits from your routine. Sometimes, however, exercising in the cold isn't a good idea. If you exercise outside when you shouldn't, the results can be bone-chillingly bad. When should you get back inside? The following are signs that you need to get inside and stay there:

• The temperature is below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (or –17.8 degrees Celsius). At these temperatures, you're at risk for lowering your body temperature, which can have horrid results.
• You experience frostbite or hypothermia. The initial signs of frostbite include numbness, loss of feeling, paleness, or stinging in the fingers, face, and toes. Hypothermia is recognized by unstoppable shivering, fatigue, loss of coordination, and slurred speech. If these symptoms are present, seek emergency medical attention immediately.

Sprains - How to prevent them

Sprains come in all shapes and sizes - none of which is too fun. Here's how to avoid sprain pain.

You're in the middle of a football match, rowing a boat across the river, or working under the hood of your car. Suddenly, a pain springs up that you can't ignore. It's a sprain.

A sprain is a common injury that occurs when you overstretch or tear a ligament somewhere in your body. Elastic bands of tissue, ligaments' job is to connect bones where they meet together in joints such as ankles, knees, wrists, and thumbs. A sprain is common in sports, but it can occur any time you fall or twist in the wrong direction.

What can you do to avoid getting a sprain, and what is the treatment for sprains if you do get one?

Contributing Factors

There are many causes of sprains, and they depend on the ligament sprained.

You are more likely to sprain your ankle if you walk or run on an uneven surface or if you fall on the side of your foot. Spraining your knee occurs during activities during which you pivot or twist your legs. Your wrist is at risk for sprains if you land on your hand during a fall. And believe it or not - you can sprain your thumb. This is most likely to occur during sports such as skiing or those that use a racquet such as tennis. While anyone can suffer a sprain, your muscles are weaker and are more likely to get injured if you're not in good shape.

Fatigue is also a contributing factor in getting a sprain, so calling it quits when you've run out of energy can protect against sprains. Additionally, if you exercise without a sufficient warm up, your muscles and joints will be tight and more prone to tears and stretches.

Prevention

To best avoid sprains, it is important to be in good physical shape. Keep your muscles strong by eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising every day. Before you hit the gym hard and heavy, spend a few minutes stretching and warming up. Any time you're tired or have suffered a minor injury, don't fight through it. Get off your feet and rest.

When running or walking, wear shoes that fit well and that offer protection and support. Any time the tread or heels on your shoes wear down, get new shoes. Also, wear the correct protective equipment when playing sports.

When the Unexpected Happens

Unfortunately, accidents happen and sprains do occur. Symptoms of a sprained ligament include pain, bruising, swelling, inability to completely move the injured joint, and possible redness or streaks radiating from the injured area. Another telltale sign? When the sprain occurs, you may hear a popping sound and feel a tear. The pain will begin right away. It may be so severe you think you've broken a bone.

Sprains range from mild to severe. Initial treatment for the pain and swelling are rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).

Rest: Avoid using the joint for the first day or two, and get around by using a cane or crutches if necessary.

Ice: Apply ice to the injured joint 20 minutes, four to eight times a day.

Compression: Use special bandages, splints, casts or boots to squeeze the injured area.

Elevation: Be sure to elevate your ankle, wrist, knee, or thumb on a pillow. This prevents excess blood from causing the sprained area to swell.
Along with RICE treatment, take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen as needed. After treating the pain and swelling for a day or two, it is helpful to gently exercise the affected area to prevent stiffness and strengthen the joint.

In most cases, home treatment is enough to overcome a sprain. However, if pain and swelling are severe or continue after two or three days, head to your physician to determine the next step in treatment.

POP goes the ACL

Commonly referred to as the ACL, your anterior cruciate ligament is found inside your knees and connects your thighbone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia). When this tissue is torn, you become the victim of an ACL injury. While they can occur at nearly any time, ACL injuries typically come about while playing sports that require sudden stops, pivots, and direction changes such as soccer, basketball, football, and tennis. Your highest risk for ACL injury is when your foot is firm on the ground as your knee sharply twists to one side or your knee takes a direct hit from someone else's knee, a goal post, or another hard object.

Following an ACL injury, you may be able to perform normal activities, but returning to a sport may require surgery. And after your surgery, it can take up to nine months for your ACL injury to heal completely.

So how do you know if you've torn your ACL, how to you treat it, and can an ACL injury be prevented?

The Painful Pop!

You may hear a loud popping sound in your knee when your ACL tears. The pain and swelling that follows can be just as severe as the sound is loud. You may feel like your knee is giving out when you try to bear any weight on your leg, making it difficult to walk.

If you suspect an ACL injury, an immediate trip to your doctor is recommended.

Your doctor may be able to diagnose your injury with only a physical examination, but you should be prepared for a variety of tests to determine the severity of the injury and to rule out other possible causes for the pain and swelling. An X-ray will show if any nearby bones are fractured; an MRI will determine the extent of the injury and whether any other areas are torn or damaged; and an ultrasound can locate other injuries in the ligaments, muscles, and tendons in your knee. In the event your doctor needs a better look, you may require arthroscopy. With this minimally invasive procedure, a tiny scope is inserted into your knee through a small incision, giving your physician a clear view of the damage and even allowing repair on the spot.

Surgery or No Surgery?

How bad is the tear? Do you really want to play your sport again? Answers to these questions will determine whether surgery is necessary to replace your torn ligament. Initial treatment focuses on reducing pain and swelling and starts with good-old RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Whether or not you undergo surgery, your muscles will need rehabilitation therapy and strength training exercises to regain their normal range of motion and abilities.

Surgery to repair a torn ACL is usually performed arthroscopically, your damaged ligament being completely replaced with an uninjured tendon in your leg. Occasionally, internal bleeding accompanies an ACL injury. To correct this problem, a needle is inserted in the knee and excess fluid is removed.

Stay Away!

Sounds bad, doesn't it? Fortunately, you can reduce your risk of an ACL injury by following some basic tips on conditioning and proper technique. Strength and stability exercises, plyometric exercises, being in good aerobic shape, jump training, and being aware of ACL injury risks will reduce your chance for injury. 
If you participate in a sport that requires frequent jumping, learn how to land in a safe manner and don't land with one or both knees pointed inward. And while it may help in other ways, wearing a knee brace won't prevent an ACL injury.

Get sexy obliques

Slim your waist, support your lower back, decrease back pain, and improve your posture. That's the power of your obliques.

Better known as side abdominals, oblique muscles are a pair of muscles that enable you to bend at the side and twist at the waist. External obliques are upper muscles on your sides, and the internal obliques are underneath them, crossing diagonally near the side of your abdomen.

Building stronger oblique muscles will give your core strength a boost and also lead to a ripped, toned stomach.

Many sports such as swimming, wrestling, and rock climbing give your obliques a great workout, but you can do more to beef them up. Just be careful. While strong obliques are important, if you make them too large, women will look bulkier than desired and men will lose that coveted V-shaped torso. But how can you make your obliques as strong as possible?

Use Oblique Technique

Doing oblique exercises the correct way will speed up your results and make your workout as productive as possible. An aerobic warm-up and stretches before and after your workout is a good start. While exerting during an oblique exercise, exhale. And don't sweat turning out dozens of repetitions. With your obliques, it is better to do few repetitions with proper form than more repetitions with incorrect form.

To avoid neck injuries, don't lift from your neck and keep your chin off your chest. When performing oblique exercises on the floor, maintain a comfortable distance between your back and the floor, careful not to arch or flatten your back.

Oblique Exercises

Ready to start pumping up your obliques? Then try the following exercises. Once you can perform six sets of 12 reps with any exercise that requires weight, you can increase the weight amount. Just remember that while building your obliques, you also need to work your lower back. Otherwise, you increase your risk of injuring your lower back.

Side Planks: Lie on your left side with your legs straight and your left elbow on the floor. While pressing on the floor with your elbow and left foot, raise your hips until your body is a straight line. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then relax. Repeat and switch sides. For a more difficult exercise, lie on your side with your hand on the floor. Tighten your core muscles and lift your hips until your body is straight. You may also want to lift your opposite arm in the air to make a straight line with both arms. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then release. Repeat and switch sides.

Side Bends: Another great oblique exercise is the dumbbell side bend. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, your knees bent slightly. From this position, bend to the left side until the dumbbell reaches knee level. Using your obliques, pull yourself back up. Bend to the right side next, lowering the dumbbell again to knee level and pull back up. Alternate sides until you've performed 6 to 12 repetitions per side.

Pilates in Bristol

Looking for a way to tone your muscles without adding bulk? It's time to give Pilates a try. Pilates is a great form of exercise that practically anyone can do, regardless of age or fitness level.

It is an adaptable, safe exercise program that trained athletes, seniors, women wanting to lose a few pregnancy pounds, and those in physical rehabilitation can all benefit from.

Teaching body awareness, good posture, and graceful, controlled movements, Pilates can help sculpt your body, improve your strength, and even alleviate back pain. Sound too good to be true? Read on to find out more about this innovative system of exercise to figure out if it's worth a shot.

In the Beginning…

Now an incredibly popular forms of exercise, Pilates was developed by Joseph H. Pilates in Germany in the 1920s. Serving as a nurse during World War I, Pilates designed specific exercise techniques and equipment to rehabilitate immobilized soldiers. Soon, these exercises were found to benefit anyone wanting to become more fit.

Joseph Pilates based his exercise methods on various forms of exercise, including Chinese martial arts and the mind-body principles of yoga. There are two methods of exercise in Pilates. The most common method uses only a floor mat, and one's own body weight is used as resistance. The other form incorporates a variety of machines including pulleys, springs, and other resistance equipment to tone the body.

Pilates built his program around the belief that your mental and physical health are related and inseparable. Therefore, the exercises combine both by focusing on precision, concentration, control, breathing, and graceful movements. And whereas other exercises require a certain number of repetitions, Pilates is more concerned with the quality of movement rather the quantity.

Core Strength and Lean Muscles

You want a flat abdomen and a strong back, don't you? Pilates to the rescue! The foundation of Pilates is the development of your core (abdomen and back muscles) strength. When these areas are strong, they work to support the spine and body movement, relieving pressure on your back, improving athletic ability, and protecting from injury. Without good core strength, you can never reach your full potential overall.

Unlike many forms of exercise, Pilates conditions the entire body, leaving no muscle group left out or overly worked, giving you balance, strength, and flexibility. These benefits are helpful for sports performance, injury recovery, proper posture, and overall good health. Also, since most of the exercises are low impact and done while sitting or lying down, Pilates is safe for just about anyone.

Technique

To get the most out of your Pilates workout, it is important to stay focused. Control your breathing at all times, keeping it in rhythm with your movements. Concentration on your muscle movements is also important.

When you workout, don't wear anything that will restrict movement. Instead, wear comfortable clothes, and feel free to leave the shoes at the door. As you perform each exercise, use smooth, slow, strong movements so that it flows like a dance. Lastly, to get your heart pumping, perform the exercises at whatever pace is most beneficial for your fitness level. If needed, include an aerobic exercise such as walking or swimming along with your Pilates.

Home Alone?

Because of the sudden popularity of Pilates, there is an array of videos on the market that allow you to get your Pilates in at home. But if you don't feel comfortable doing it on your own, your gym probably offers Pilates classes. But before you sign up, make sure the Pilates instructor is qualified to teach the class. While Pilates isn't a fast-and-furious type of exercise, injury is possible if the moves are not done properly.

Bulky, Killer Calves

Wish your calves were to die for? With the right steps, you can go from common to killer calves.

Having good-looking calves improves your legs' strength and appearance, giving you added confidence and athletic ability.

But if you're like many people, you probably don't spend much time working your calf muscles out. Sure, you run and do squats, but you rarely give your calves your undivided attention. Unfortunately, if you're just bringing your calf muscles along for your exercise routine without pushing them, you're missing out on what your calves can be.

What can you do to turn your everyday calf muscles into something to take notice of? It depends on your end goal.

For Bulk

If your goal is to bulk up your calves, you'll want to squeeze in calf exercises three days a week, with a full day's rest between each routine. Otherwise, they'll wear down and won't give you the growth you seek. Once you're in the gym, use these exercises.

Donkey Up: With one of the most entertaining names in weight training, the donkey calf raise will give your calves an immediate boost. To get started, bend at the waist with your upper body resting on a table approximately the height of your knees and your toes resting on the edge of weight plates or a stable platform. In this position, have someone sit on your lower back and then raise yourself up on your toes, keeping your body bent over in an L shape.

Sit and Raise: Have a seat at the calf-raise machine with the pads resting above your knees on your upper thighs. From this position, lower your heels as close to the ground as possible and then raise your feet onto your toes as high as possible in a slow and methodical movement. Once you hit the pinnacle of the toe raise, pause, return to the starting position, and repeat.

I will not retire while I've still got my legs and my make-up box. - Betty Davis

Raise the Toes: Something like the opposite of a calf raise, toe raises can have a great impact on the size and shape of your calves. Stand with the heel of your feet on a stable platform or a weight plate. Then, rest a dumbbell across your left foot and lift your toes as high as possible, lower, and repeat.

After a few reps with your left foot, put the weight on the other foot and repeat. As with all exercises, do this in a controlled motion for maximum effectiveness and safety.

For Beauty

Prefer to keep your calves slim and trim? No problem. With a handful of exercises, you can have killer calves that won't be bulging at the seams.

Jump Rope: Yep, one of your favorite childhood activities is also fantastic for your calves. Get in as much jump roping as often as you can, and you will feel the burn in your calves until it turns into the perfect shape you've been seeking. Just remember to make every jump work for you. In other words, if you're going so slow that you're jumping flatfooted, stop. It's only helpful for your calves if you're staying on your toes the whole time.

Run Faster: Long-distance running will certainly tone your legs, but short sprints seem to have a greater and more immediate impact on your calf muscles. So the next time you're at the track, do a series of short sprints and stay on your toes the whole time. After a while, your legs will thank you with some great-looking calves.

Press It: The old-fashioned leg press machine at your local gym is good for all kinds of stuff when it comes to shapely legs. And if you use it properly, it can also tone your calf muscles. For maximum effect, you have two options. The first is to do the complete leg press motion with your toes resting where your heels would normally. By doing this, your toes push through the entire motion, working your calves constantly. For a different technique, perform a typical leg press with your feet in the normal position. At the top of the press, extend the pressing plate out using only your toes.

Make It Happen

Want to keep your body in tiptop shape every day of the year? Then you're going to have to make some changes to how you operate. Try the following tips to maintain a healthy weight from now until this time next year:

•                get rid of fattening foods that are hard to resist

•                tell your loved ones what you're doing and encourage them to get onboard

•                make your own food as often as possible

•                adopt an exercise routine that you can maintain

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Starting with Stretches - Exercise in Bristol

Want to start your day off right? A stretch routine first thing in the morning is a great way to wake up your muscles and get your blood flowing.

While you may want to hit that snooze button over and over, a better way to start your day is with a few early morning stretches. Besides feeling good physically, stretching is mentally and physiologically beneficial as well. It improves your flexibility, circulation, coordination and balance, posture, and your mood.

With just 10 minutes of stretching added into your morning routine, you'll be prepared to face the day. Here are a few easy stretches to get you going.

Breathe Deeply

The simplest stretch to get started with is deep breathing. Sit up straight in a chair or even on the side of your bed. Rest your hands on your stomach and breathe in deeply. Exhale normally and notice the movement of your stomach. Repeat this exercise a few times, all the while breathing evenly, and progress slowly up to 12 repetitions.

Loosen Your Neck

Still sitting (or standing if you'd rather), keep your neck straight and move your head slowly forward as far as you can. Then slowly lean your head backward as far as you can. Repeat this movement a few times. Then smoothly and slowly roll your head in a circular motion. This will loosen up your neck muscles.

Relax Your Shoulders

Moving down your body, it's time to stretch your shoulders. After sleeping on your side, they may be especially tense. While sitting or standing in a balanced position, slowly and steadily lift your shoulders upward toward your ears, and lower them smoothly. Repeat several times. For another shoulder stretch, place your hands on your shoulders, move your elbows close together, and rotate your arms in a circle.

Stretch Your Sides

To stretch your side muscles, stand straight with your arms by your sides. Place your right hand behind your head and point your elbow out to your side. Bend your waist to the left, keeping your left arm straight, and reach down toward the floor. Hold this position for a couple seconds then stand up straight again. Repeat this stretch a few times and switch sides.

Loosen that Lower Back

This stretch will loosen your lower back and buttocks muscle. Lie on your back and bend your knees. Rest the ankle of your left leg on your right knee. Hold your right thigh and pull your leg toward your chest. You will feel a definite stretch. Hold this for a few seconds then relax. Repeat and hold for another 15–20 seconds. Switch legs and repeat.

Stretch Your Hamstring

Another important muscle to stretch is your hamstring, which runs from your buttocks down to below your knee. While lying on the floor, take hold of the back of one thigh and pull your leg to a 90-degree position, keeping your leg as straight as possible. Hold for 20 seconds, slowly lower your leg back to the floor, switch legs, and repeat.

Help Your Hips

One last helpful stretch to get you going in the morning is the seated knee raise, also known as seated marching. When done right, it improves your hip stability and your range of motion. Sit up straight in a chair and lift and lower one knee at a time as if you are marching. Lift both legs at least 10 times.

One Size Does Not Fit All.

Not only are stretches important before you exercise, they are also beneficial to start your day off right. However, you shouldn't expect your stretch to look identical to someone else performing the same stretch. Adjust your stretches to meet your needs according to your age and level of fitness. If you've had injuries in the past, take precaution and check with your doctor before beginning any new routines.

Not enough time for exercise? Rubbish!! - Fitness in Bristol

Is your schedule so full that it's hard to find time to work out? Here are six times to squeeze in some exercise.

You know exercise is vital to your health and well-being, and you've tried to fit it in. So why is it so difficult to make regular exercise a priority in your schedule? It probably has something to do with life. From work to kids to meals to errands to chores to sleep, fitting in anything else is virtually impossible.

But no matter how busy your life may be, you can find time to add more activity - if you're willing. Though a minimum of 30-minute increments of exercise are recommended, as little as 10 minutes can still make a difference. Squeeze in 10 minutes a day every day, and you'll rack up 300 minutes or five hours a month. How do you do it?

Fitting in Fitness at Home

Vacuuming, mopping, and scrubbing the bathroom. Like it or not, you probably spend time each week doing household chores. What great ways to be active! Instead of getting it over with as soon as possible, turn on your favorite dance tunes and work at a pace fast enough to get your heart rate up. Even while folding the laundry or making dinner you can stand on your tiptoes or do squats. And don't forget outdoor chores such as mowing the lawn, raking leaves, and gardening. These are excellent ways to burn extra calories all while doing normal activities around the house.

Lunch Break = Exercise Break

Tired of staring at the computer screen all day or dealing with cranky clients? Take a quick walk outside during lunch or other break times. If you'd like company, find a coworker to join you. Even better, if there is a gym near your workplace, use lunchtime to get in a quick workout. You'll return to work feeling energized to finish the day, unlike your coworkers who are ready to go to sleep.

Parking Lots and Elevators

Do you find yourself circling the parking lot to find the closest spot or standing in line waiting for a slow elevator? Turn these moments into exercise opportunities. Why not take the farthest parking spot and walking the distance to the door? You may actually end up saving time by walking instead of searching for a closer space. It's also a good idea to skip the elevator and use the stairs. You'll burn a few calories and don't have to worry about someone sneezing on you on the way up.

Get off the Couch

After a long day at work, relaxing on the couch and watching television or talking on the phone catching up with a friend is rather appealing. While it's fine to rest after a busy day, don't forget to take advantage of these exercise opportunities. Grab a couple canned goods out of the cabinet to use as hand weights. Sit on a stationary bike and pedal away while you watch your favorite sitcom or talk on the phone. Get on the floor and do some leg lifts, push-ups, sit- ups, stretches, or yoga positions. Also, get rid of the remote control. It'll force you to get off the couch to change the channel or better yet - it will make you want to turn off the television and get active.

Include the Kids

If you have children, you may find your time divided between taking care of kids and taking care of yourself. Why not do both at the same time? Involve your whole family in exercise. Get out and take a walk or ride bikes together after dinner. Instead of a family movie night, plan a trip to the zoo or go hiking in the mountains. Play a game of kickball or soccer together at a park. If possible, walk with your kids to school in the morning. Another fun activity is to take a fitness class along with your children. You may even want to join in their karate or tennis classes. Many gyms now offer "mommy and me" swim or exercise classes for mothers with new babies, so take advantage of them.

Be Social

The final way to add activity into your busy schedule is to include exercise in your social life. Join a dance club with a friend sign up for a softball team through the local recreation department. Not only is being part of a team a great way to stay committed and motivated to exercise, it is also a great way to have fun with friends.

Start Slow.

Want to build your lats? - Weight Training in Bristol

Here are five of the best exercises to work the largest muscles in your back. 

Your latissimus dorsi, commonly known as lats, are broad, fan-shaped muscles in your middle to lower back that connect to all the other back muscles. While you may not give them much thought, your lats work to rotate and move your arms and shoulders. They also play an important part in your overall weight and resistance training and add width to your body that give your physique the unique "V" shape that shows you mean business.

Want to turn your body into a V-shaped beacon of musculature? Try out this handful of exercises.

Old-Fashioned Pull-Ups

You can use all sorts of machines to pump up your lats, but pull-ups are actually the best possible workout for your lats - as long as you do them the right way. To do a pull-up correctly, use your widest overhand grip. For a front pull-up, pull up until the bar touches the top of your chest and then let yourself all the way down. Don't jerk or swing your legs at any point in the motion, as this will subtract from your lats workout. Instead, make the entire motion in a controlled, fluid motion. For the best lats routine, start and end your back exercise routine with pull-ups.

Lat Pull Down

The second best workout for lats is the lat pull down, and there is a machine made just for it. So take a walk around your gym until you find the lat pull and have a seat. Whereas pull-ups require you to pull your weight upwards, the lat pull requires you to pull weight towards yourself. When doing so, use a wide overhand grip to grow your lats outward, or keep your hands close together and palms facing you to increases the thickness of your lats.

Seated Cable Row

The seated cable row machine includes a bench, footrests, and a cable. Sit down and pull the cable toward your body while sitting upright on the bench with your knees slightly bent. When you pull the weight, make sure you pull towards your lower stomach, and return the handle slowly, keeping your back straight the entire time. This motion works your middle back lat muscles as well as your arms.

Bent over Barbell Row

The bent over barbell row is another great workout for developing your back strength and thickness, as it works your lats and the rest of your back. To do the bent over barbell row, your legs must be slightly bent, your back should stay straight, and you ought to lean forward until you are almost parallel to the floor. Once in this position, pull the barbell up toward you until it touches your stomach. Pull the bar toward your mid to low stomach to develop your lower lats. Pull it toward the top of your stomach or chest, and you'll work your upper lats.

Bent over Dumbbell Row

While it may sound similar to the bent over barbell row, the bent over dumbbell row is a very different exercise. Whereas the bent over barbell row works your entire back, bent over dumbbell rows hone in on your lats. To do this exercise, place one knee on the bench and lean over, resting your hand on the bench. Stand on your opposite leg and hold the dumbbell with that arm. Lift the dumbbell off the floor and raise it up, pulling it close to your body at your chest or shoulder level. Lower the dumbbell slowly and repeat. Continue with the other side of your body. Try not to let your shoulders or arms do the work, and avoid performing barbell rows in the same workout as dumbbell rows.

Start Slow.

These five exercises are the most popular workouts for developing your lat muscles. As usual, if you've had previous back injuries or pain, be sure to check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. And to prevent injury and strain, start slowly and work your way up.