It seems like everyone is trying to exercise and get in shape, but it can be hard to know where to start. Instead of diving right in and risking injury, arm yourself with a good base of knowledge first. Follow the tips in this article, and you’ll be able to get the most out of your fitness routine.
Gym classes, led by an instructor, are an excellent way to improve your overall fitness level. Instructors plan routines in advance to optimize the right proportions of muscle work, aerobic work and stretching for each class. You just show up, follow the teacher’s lead, listen to some good music, and hopefully have some fun too.
Make sure you make every effort to do as much exercise as you can throughout the day. It can be something like choosing to ride your bicycle to work instead of driving if you live close enough. You can also try to park a couple blocks away from work or the store to give you more walking time throughout the day, every little effort helps.
Sit ups and push ups are really good tools to use for getting a lean body. The best thing about sit ups and push ups is that you can do them almost anywhere. You can do push ups and sit ups at almost any time of the day, all you need is a small window of time and you can execute a quick workout.
To exercise your calf muscles, try heel ups. All you have to do is stand up like normally. Then raise your body on the tips of your toes. Then slowly lower yourself back down. Repeat this 10 times for three sets. Doing this is similar to a pushup, but for your legs instead of your arms.
Keep your goals short and simple as you start on a new fitness program. You can easily overwhelm yourself if, after a lifetime of being a couch potato, you decide you should be able to run 10 miles at full speed on the treadmill. At the beginnin, keep your goals simple. Start out with just a walk for a few minutes every other day. Work up to longer and more frequent walks as you progress.
No matter what your schedule is, make time for exercise. Now this doesn’t mean that you have to be able to make it to the gym each and every day. Just make sure that you are getting some movement in every day, whether that’s a walk at your lunch break, playing with the kids at the park or doing an exercise video before bed. Make a commitment to move your body every day.
Being physically fit and healthy is crucial to your quality of life, so it’s extremely important that you go about it the right way. Having a solid foundation of understanding of fitness is key to any exercise routine. Apply the knowledge you’ve learned from this article, and you’ll be on the road to better health.