Posts Tagged ‘workout’

Resistance Band Workout

[flickr]tag:pilates(,1)[/flickr]

We all know that we should spend less time doing nothing and more time being active, however with all the fad programs and different advice out there, it’s difficult for a beginner to decide on the most suitable program. Fortunately, there is hardly any argument among professionals that low impact, muscle building workouts are exceedingly suited to beginners.

There are various ways to reap the benefits of low impact strength workouts. The most beneficial – and convenient – are resistance bands. These rubbery bands are extremely economical and come in a wide array of resistances and sizes.

The most notable benefit of pilates band training is the ability to take them with you wherever you go. As the bands can be folded, balled or shoved into extremely small spaces, you can pack a band (or several|or a few|or two or three) into your case and grab in a workout whenever you have a few spare minutes. Since they don’t require any setup, you can pack in a quick five minute workout several times a day, without being conspicuous or frustrated.

Resistance bands are also the perfect exercise aids due to their versatility. You can use them to tone almost any muscle in your body, from your biceps to your abs to your calves. They can be used in most any standard exercise, or you can use them to create movements that are tailored for you.

While weights involve lifting and moving, pilates bands stretch with your body. This key difference makes the bands immeasurably safer than free weights. When using the resistance bands for strength workouts, you dont’t need to worry about dropping or overextending a weight. The band will not go farther than your muscle will let it. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable position with it, you can slowly release the tension using your body’s movements.

The safety benefits of resistance bands go further than just the use. Anyone who has kept a few free weights around the house knows that they inevitably end up being kept under beds and causing stubbed toes, trips and falls. Resistance bands, on the other hand, are almost accident free. They can be easily stored under a bed or in a corner without a second thought.

The health benefits of resistance bands are many and far reaching. The low impact movements build joint strength without causing damage, as exercises like press ups are prone to do. These movements build lean, long muscles, which are more attractive than the bulky muscles created by weight training. The process that builds this muscle will also build your flexibility and range of motion. After the muscle is built, your body can burn more calories (and stored fat) than it did before.

Most health professionals concur that the best exercise plan is one that you’ll stick with. Resistance bands offer any easy, simple, highly portable fitness option that will let you sneak in workouts when the mood strikes.

Visit Resistance Bands website for further information and product reviews.

Pull Up Bar Training Routine

The pull up bar is a conventional muscle training tool, and many fitness experts have used it successfully to build up muscle, or to improve their overall strength. You can use the pull up bar to train your upper body strength. Here is how you can start a pull up bar training program.

The first thing you need to do, is to decide whether you want your palms to face inwards, or away from you. When you attempt to do pull ups with your palms facing inwards, you are working more on your biceps. If your palms face away from you, you are using more muscles in several muscle groups – your chest, your shoulder, and your Teres muscle.

Next, you will need to decide on the intensity of the pull up program. The more intense the routine, the shorter the amount of rest time, and the greater the number of repetitions in each set.

Usually, a routine consists of three sets. In each set, depending on your requirements, you will be conducting a series of pull ups. For example, you can try attempt like 12 in set one, 8 in set 2, and four in set three. So how do you know how many chin ups to do in a single set? To work out the number of repetitions, try to do just one set of pull ups until you can’t pull yourself up anymore. How many did you do? If you did 10 pull ups, you can start with 8 to 10 pull ups for your first set. If you do just four pull ups, you can start with three to four for your first set.

After each set, give yourself some time to recover. The recovery time is needed for the blood to transport oxygen to your muscles. If you shorten the recovery time, you increase the intensity of your work out. For instance, if you are training for power and strength, you can start your second set after just 30 seconds. But if you are training for endurance, you can rest for a minute before starting your next set.

The break time also depends on your level of fitness. In the beginning, you may need a full minute recovery before starting on the second set. Bit by bit, you may then reduce the recovery time to fifty seconds, then fourty seconds, and so on.

As your strength and fitness level gets higher, you can also try to do more repetitions per set, or you can try spreading your hands wider apart. You will discover that it’s much more difficult to complete one pull up with your palms further away from each other. This is because the position requires you to use more of your upper body strength instead of your arms. If you just starting out, just spread your arms across your shoulder width.

To further increase the intensity of a pull up workout, try attaching weights to your waist or limbs. Then try to repeat the same work out.

Read more about Chin Up Bar and Powerbar