Indoor Equipment For Getting Fit

When it comes to aerobic exercise, you might find that you get a better workout on a machine rather than actually running or jumping rope. Remember that like every part of a healthy workout routine, aerobic exercises need to be tailored to your body and what is best for your health. You'll need to work together with your doctor and your personal trainer if you have one to develop a system for working out that works for you, and to make sure that whatever you are doing it is the best for your body and your mind as well.

Treadmill (Photo credit: Bitman)

Machines have become very popular when it comes to working out because sometimes they are easier to use and easier to get used to. You don’t have to worry about running outside when it is cold out or finding a way to fit getting to the gym into your busy schedule if you have a machine in your home that you can use.

The point of an aerobic workout is that you are getting your heart rate up and you are getting into shape. You can do this on a machine as well as by running or jumping rope.

There are several different machines that you might want to try. The two easiest and most popular would be tread mills and exercise bikes. On both of these, you'll find that you can get a great work out. The point of an aerobic work out is to get your heart rate going, so if you are riding a bike or walking or running on a treadmill, you are going to be getting some aerobic exercise (just be sure not to overdo it - long-duration aerobic exercise actually doesn't do you many favors, as we've discussed recently; short intervals give you the best results).

The reason that these two machines are so popular is that they are handy. Riding an exercise bike can be something that you do in your living room no matter what time of day or temperature it is when it's time to work out. Treadmills can also be handy, and with either of these, you can get all of the exercise that you need right at home. (Keep in mind that treadmills may take up more horizontal space and be harder to store. They are also higher impact than a bike, so a bike would be my first choice.) Check back Thursday for some tips on choosing a good exercise bike.

Video: Fun Winter Sports Ideas

Most anyone who has heard of Minnesota knows it's a cold and snowy place in the winter. Those who live there make the most of it by enjoying a wide variety of winter sports - keeping in shape and having fun, regardless of the weather! From skiing to snowboarding to snow shoeing and more, this video offers some fun ideas for exercising in winter - even if you don't live in St. Cloud.

Check it out and get inspired to get outside and enjoy the great winter outdoors!

Winter Sports in Granite Country - St. Cloud, Minnesota!
The St. Cloud Minnesota area gets a lot of snow ...and we love it, because there is so much to do in the snow! Skiing, snow tubing, hockey, ice skating, sledding - even indoor sports like basketball and swimming thrive in central Minnesota all winter...

Keeping Warm & Safe During Winter Sports

Many people love to engage in various sports for fun and exercise that take place outdoors during the winter months. However, it is vital that you know how to keep yourself warm so that you don’t become ill or suffer from frostbite. It is also important that you stay hydrated as your will lose body heat if your body is lacking the right amount of water to regulate your temperature.

Canadian winter sports, snowshoeing and skiing. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Since you don’t really know what the temperature is going to be like from one moment to the next in winter, you just have to be prepared for it. While it may warm up during the afternoon the temperature can rapidly dip in the late afternoon and evening. You will likely generate body heat to stay warm if you are engaging in a winter sport that keeps you moving such as ice skating, skiing, sledding, or ice hockey.

Dressing in layers is a very important for you to stay warm during winter sports. There are particular types of clothing that work well for various sports so pay attention. You want to have three distinct layers of clothing – the base layer, the under layer, and then the outer layer.

Underneath the clothing wear a cotton undershirt which will allow your skin to breathe. For winter sports such as skiing you will want to wear thermal underwear and then a snowsuit and ski jacket. Hats and gloves with thermal linings are very helpful too. Most of the body heat a person loses is from their head so a hat is very important when being outside for any prolonged period of time.

The boots or shoes you use for a particular winter sport are very important as well. They need to be designed to offer you plenty of traction as well as mobility. They need to keep your feet dry and warm so you won’t suffer from frostbite on your toes. If you're a runner, there are special tennis shoes designed for running in the winter time that will prevent you from slipping due to ice or snow.

Various types of foods and drinks can help to keep you warm during winter sports as well. Soups and stews are very nutritious and they will keep you warm. Hot drinks such as coffee, tea, coca, and cider will help to warm you up as well. Enjoying these types of foods will also serve to help you maintain your energy while enjoying winter sports.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pay close attention to the signs your body gives you to warn that you aren’t staying warm enough during winter sports. You don’t want to find yourself far away from shelter and extremely cold. Knowing where you are at and where you can find shelter from the cold is very important. Hypothermia can set in if you get too hot while engaging in winter sports and then the sweat from the process makes you cold. You will lose too much body heat this way so pay attention to the physical abilities of your body.

Enjoying winter sports is a great way to have fun and to keep your body healthy. However, it is very important that you do everything you can to stay warm. Serious injuries or death can occur if you aren’t prepared for the elements. Make sure you also have a cell phone, food, blankets, and flares stocked in your vehicle. You never know if you will get stranded driving to or from any type of winter sports activity. You always want to be prepared. Make sure you have at least one other person with you as well.

Speed Skating for Fun & Fitness

Speed skating has become a very popular winter sport, but some critics claim it is simply too dangerous for most people to be engaging in. Many people enjoy watching speed skating during the Winter Olympics and then want to engage in the activity on their own without proper training. The speed of travel in this type of sport can be more than 30 miles per hour so if you fall down or collide with someone else it can be quite dangerous.

In order to reduce the risk of injuries during speed skating, it is vital that safety gear is worn at all times. This includes a helmet that fits properly, knee pads, and elbow pads. It is best for this sport to take place on an ice rink that has been specifically designed for it instead of out on a frozen pond somewhere.

Speed skating marathon. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In professional speed skating there are pairs of competitors on the ice. Each track has two lanes and each person in a pair will get a colored band. This tells the judges which lane they started at for the beginning of the competition. The skaters have to change lanes at a given location along the track to ensure both skaters are covering the same amount of distance.

There are many different types of races that take place in the winter sport of speed skating. If a pair of teams are racing against each other they will start at different locations on the track. This prevents them from being in the way of each other and their times are tracked by the judges. For marathon speed skating races everyone starts at the same location and there is plenty of bumping and pushing as the skaters try to get ahead of each other.

However, speed skating does offer a great way for people to get into shape and to enjoy a fun new form of exercise. It takes plenty of practice to build up enough strength to successfully participate in this sport. The type of skates you will use for speed skating depend on the type of events you are participating in.

Long distance speed skating requires you to use clap skates. They are different from regular ice skates because they feature a hinge on the boot that the blade is attached to. This allows the skater to move faster and to have more control over the skates because part of the blade is continuously in contact with the ice.

Speed skating in the Netherlands (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are plenty of speed skating events around the country (and even the world) for you to participate in. Find a partner that is just as interested in the sport as you are so you can train with them. Many people have a goal of one day being part of the speed skating teams in the Winter Olympic Games. While not everyone can be a part of that, there are plenty of other events you can easily be a part of while you continue to improve your skills.

If you decide to engage in speed skating you need to make sure you have skates that are designed for it. You also want to make sure you always wear your safety equipment so that you minimize your risk of injuries. Speed skating is quickly becoming one of the most popular winter sports and you can expect to see more people participating in it in the near future.

Video - Setting Effective Fitness Goals

This video gives you some excellent pointers for setting fitness goals and sticking with them throughout the year. He mentions the 5 areas where you need to set goals in order to see best results, and also warns you about some areas where people often slip up and lose motivation (for example, trying to measure weight loss instead of fat loss - bad idea).

He also discusses the importance of setting specific goals, with a time deadline to meet, and most of all creating the "why" for pursuing the goals you set, which gives you a positive mindset towards achieving them.

Check this out, and follow these tips to achieving your exercise and fitness goals for 2013!

Fitness Goal Setting
fitness.mercola.com Mercola.com personal trainer and healthy lifestyle coach, Darin Steen, discusses the important things to consider in a fitness goal setting.

Gear Guide for Running In Bad Weather

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every day was sunny and temperate? It sure would make it easier to run (or perform other types of outdoor activities). However, the weather just doesn’t behave like that in most places and if it did, it might be boring.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There’s something fun about running in the rain or the cold. It wakes you up and challenges you to work harder. The key to a safe and fun bad weather run rests in your gear choices. Here are a few recommendations and tips.

Protect Your Feet

In cold weather you will likely want to wear warmer socks. Yet it can be difficult to find socks that are warm but not thick. Thick socks won’t fit inside your running shoes, or can make them too tight which inhibits circulation. Consider wool socks. There are some wonderful wool socks designed for running. They wick away moisture and keep your feet warm. They’re also good for running in warm weather too.

Rainy, slushy weather also results in wet feet. Wet feet mean blisters. Sock choice is important. However, you can also protect your feet with gaiters. Gaiters are little water proof sleeves that strap over your shoe and rise above your ankle. They sit on the outside of your shoe to keep the water out.

Stay On Your Feet

In the winter trails and sidewalks can be slippery. There are a few solutions to help you stay on your feet and off the ground. YakTrax are one brand of traction device that straps to the outside of your shoe. MicroSpikes are another option. They screw into the bottom of your shoe to provide traction. There are many choices to consider depending on where you run and the thickness of ice you’re dealing with.

Lined tights. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Stay Warm

Many times you don’t need much to keep you warm even on the coldest of days. True, you may be chilly for the first half mile. However your body warms up quickly when you run. On the coldest of days consider wearing a hat and gloves. Wool is a favorite however fleece and other materials work well too.

Tights keep your legs warm. Standard tights may not be enough on cold days. You may want to look into buying lined tights. They’re wonderful under snow pants for sledding, snowshoeing, and skiing too.

Upper body warmth can be found by wearing layers. A silk or thermal base layer topped by a thin fleece and a windbreaker should be enough to keep your body warm. If not, consider adding a vest to keep your core warm.

Get Waterproof

Not everyone wants to be protected from the water. Many waterproof items don’t have the ability to breathe. However, if you dislike being wet consider looking into water resistant instead of water proof. Several main sporting lines have recently come out with water resistant fitness wear to protect athletes in inclement weather.

Bad weather isn’t a reason to stay indoors. With a little planning and preparation you can run in just about any type of weather. You may find that these runs are the most fun - enjoy the brisk air, the crunchy leaves or the winter wonderland around you!


Bad Weather Running Gear:
   

Why Rest Is Important For Your Exercise Goals

It's that time of year again: Time for New Years Resolutions! It's the time when so many people decide to get healthy, get fit, and set some exercise goals for the year. So it might seem odd that we're starting off the year talking about rest - but it's actually an important factor for achieving success with your fitness regimen this year.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When you get started on a workout routine, you want to keep it going strong, but you have to remember that it is possible to do too much.  Working out as much as you can, for as long as you can, and as hard as you can, is more likely to get you injured than in shape.  Our bodies require regular rest to heal and to function optimally.

Every time you work out, you create damage in your muscles and other tissue.  It’s often too small to really notice, but it’s still there - that's why you get sore after a workout.  Resting your body allows these tiny injuries to heal themselves.  If you don’t get enough rest between workouts, these tiny problems can add up to a larger, more serious injury.  Rest also gives our muscles time to build themselves, so if you never get adequate rest, you won’t see significant improvement.  Not only should you take adequate rests between each individual workout, you should also alternate light and heavy workouts during the week, and have a much lighter week every 6 weeks or so. 

In addition to just “taking a break” between workouts, you need to get adequate sleep at night as well.  Not only does sleep help us rest and relax our brain, it also allows us to relax and repair our bodies.  Not getting enough rest will leave you sluggish, not at your peak performance, and will eventually even make you ill.  While it is recommended to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night, you should remember that each person is different.  Some need only 5 or 6 hours of sleep to function properly, while others may need 9 or 10 to feel refreshed.

Yoga (Photo credit: RelaxingMusic)

One type of rest people don’t usually consider when thinking about a workout is rest from stress.  A workout provides stress to our body, but it’s not the only thing that does. If we are mentally and emotionally stressed throughout the day, it shows physically.  If your body is in a constant state of stress, your muscles won't relax and heal, even when you’re just sitting still.  If you are showing symptoms of fatigue and feel overworked, you should try adding yoga, Pilates, or even meditation to your routine. These will truly relax your body and mind, and allow it to get the rest it needs - at the same time as giving you a nice workout! 

If you don’t rest between workouts, get sleep at night, or take the time to de-stress, you’re not only more at risk for getting hurt, you’re probably also pretty tired.  If you don’t feel like you have the energy to get out of bed in the morning because you’ve worked out too hard, chances are you probably won’t feel like exercising either.  By doing too much too soon, you’re actually likely to decrease how much you work out in the future.

So remember, working harder isn’t always better.  Set a plan to reach your fitness and exercise goals for the year, but remember to add rest time into your program. You'll end up getting more out of your workouts, seeing better results, and finding exercise more fun and enjoyable. Take the time to relax and let your body prepare for its next challenge.