Make Your Gym Sessions More Productive And Comfortable In The Right Gym Shoes

Getting a gym membership can be exciting whether you are looking forward to losing weight and shaping up, building muscles or simply getting fit. Whatever your reasons for going for some gym activities, you ought to remember that the shoes you select can have effects on how comfortable and productive you remain. A good gym shoe is one that does not keep reminding you that you are wearing it probably because it is too hot, too tight too heavy or because it pinches. You need to choose the right shoe to make sure that you give maximum concentration on  the gym workout.

Grip – This is very important especially when you are looking for weight lifting shoes. Shoes that offer a flat firm grip on the floor or ground gives you proper form and they keep you safe from skidding when lifting heavy weights. It is important to avoid thick soled high tech shoes when in the weight room for safety and effectiveness in the activity. Always look at the sole of your shoes and the anti-skid features it has to ensure that you select a pair that is bound to offer firm grip regardless of the gym floor that you get exposed to.

Support – This is another very important aspect of gym shoes especially for strength training and cardio sessions. Remember these are activities that consist of side to side shuffling and jumping and you therefore should look for a shoe that has ample support. Wide toe box high top sneakers can be great choices when you are looking for optimal movement. Look for shoes that offer ankle support and arch support as well to keep the aerobic movements swift and safe for you. Shoes that are able to keep your feet from inward rolling are best for treadmill time  so make sure you pay attention to this supportive feature as well.

Comfort – It is definitely something you must pay attention to. Choose high top sneakers that have ample cushioning to keep your feet comfortable whether you are strength training or lifting weight. A comfortable gym shoe should not only be cushioned but also light enough and breathable for your feet so that they don't end up feeling overheated and heavy as this can slow you down. Comfort also relies on the shoe size that you select. Make sure your workout shoes fit comfortably. Avoid choosing very tight shoes or very large ones because either way you will have a hard time keeping up with the gym demands.

Style – You might be going to the gym but you definitely do want to look stylish. There are so many stylish sneakers you can choose for your gym workouts so you do not have to compromise your sense of style just because you are hitting the gym, go for workout high tops! When you take time to weigh your options, you will find a gym shoe you love and one that matches your personality. Love the shoe to enjoy wearing it to the gym.

Bodybuilding sneakers are very important for any gym workout. Ensure you remain safe, productive and comfortable by selecting excellent gym shoes that have all important features included and get the right fit for your feet.

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Fitness Programs for Women: Four Essential Tips

Fitness programs for women are often wrought with bad advice and pseudoscience. It's no wonder that so many fitness programs for women utterly fail! There's plenty of great information out there, but it can be impossible to find amidst the gimmicks, fad diets, and ineffective workout routines. If you're looking for fitness programs for women that really work, try using the four following tips.

1. Lift Heavy Weights

Plenty of women make their way into the weight room now and again, but most are afraid that they'll get "bulky" if they lift too heavy. That's nonsense! It takes male bodybuilders years of dedicated effort to pack on muscle mass, and they've got testosterone and tons of food on their side. Not only will you not get "too big" by lifting challenging weights - you'll actually look better.

Lifts like squats, bench presses, deadlifts, and other heavy movements are great for stimulating your metabolism and packing on a little bit of lean mass. Whether or not you realize it, that's really what you want! The right amount of muscle gives you a lean, fit look that you simply can't achieve with cardio alone. Challenging yourself in the gym will also cause you to burn more calories, which means you get to eat more and still lose weight.

2. Low Fat is NOT Healthy!

Some nutritionists are still stuck in the 1980s' low-fat craze, but avoiding dietary fat is NOT going to get you the results you want. In fact, most "low-fat" products like crackers, pretzels, and other grain-based products will make it nearly impossible to get lean! They make your blood sugar levels skyrocket, which in turn causes your body to secrete tons of insulin - a hormone which actually makes your body store even more fat. If you're trying to get lean, ditch most of your carbs and eat plenty of olive oil, avocados, nuts, and even some red meat.

3. Ease Up on the Cardio

If you're going to start lifting heavy weights (which you should!), then you're also going to need to ease up on all of that cardio you're probably doing. Slaving away on a treadmill or elliptical is simply not necessary, and it eats up way too much of your time. It's great to do a few short sessions per week for your cardiovascular health, but hours upon hours of monotonous movement aren't going to help you lose fat.

However, there is a much better type of cardio for optimal fat loss: interval training! On a track, treadmill, elliptical, or exercise bike, simply alternate short bursts of all-out sprinting with longer bouts of active rest. For example, you might do eight rounds of fifteen-second sprints and forty-five second "jogs" on an elliptical machine. The whole thing will be over in under ten minutes, but the intensity of the workout will cause your body to burn more fat all day long.

4. Don't Under-eat

One of the worst things you can do in fitness programs for women is to eat too little. Your body is an adaptive machine, and it will respond to severe calorie restriction by slowing its metabolism way down. Have you ever noticed how lethargic, tired, and cold you get when you don't eat enough? Those are sure signs that your body is burning less fuel!

That's not to say that you shouldn't cut calories at all - your body does need a reason to use its fat stores for energy instead of your food. The key is to eat just little enough that you can burn fat while avoiding hunger. Focus first on the right food choices, and then start counting calories if you truly need to. Overall, it's best to take it slow and steady with your fitness programs for women and focus on losing no more than a pound per week.

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Walk Your Way To A Fitter Body -- Do The Treadmill Workout Now!

Nowadays, there are a multitude of fitness equipment infomercials. Almost all promises are further than absurdity.

The idea is that if want to look great and feel healthy you have to work at it. That normally requires a vigorous exercise routine combined with a well balanced diet. You have to burn calories. And of all the fitness equipments which give you a perfect shape, only one stand out, that is the treadmill.

A treadmill is designed to enhance the most popular form of exercising, running and walking. They are built on the basic premise that the more effort you put in, the more you will get out. With a workout on a treadmill, you can work out in comfort without having to lift weights and it does not put any undue stress on your leg and hip joints.

A treadmill is also ideal for getting a good cardio workout by walking, especially when there is an inclement weather. You can also use several different treadmill walking workouts to give your heart the workout it needs by adjusting the speed and the incline level of the treadmill.

Below are several important factors that you can do to make treadmill exercising feasible.

- Either Run or Walk

The two most popular and easy forms of exercising are running and walking. Whether you are a casual walker or a serious runner, a treadmill can accommodate your exercise needs. You can just set the speed and incline to suite your desired cardiovascular goals. You can even do a power walk up an incline or a heart pumping run at high speed.

- Avoid Bad Weather

A treadmill can guarantee a consistent workout in all seasons. A cold climate and freezing and snow will not stop your workout. It’s because you can simply work on it at home.

- Low Impact

For walkers and runners alike, injuries are usual from the constant pounding of joints on asphalt and concrete. Good thing there are higher end treadmills that offer surfaces that absorb impact and reduce pressure. Injuries are less common and stress is reduced on those critical joints.

- Versatility

Since treadmills are getting sophisticated, so does the versatility of the workout. Speed and incline has always been a popular feature on motorized treadmills, but now your workout is enhanced by a variety of preprogrammed computerized exercises. You can simply simulate running up and down hills, focus on cardio exercise, focus on burning calories, or work on speed training. Since some treadmills have preset programs, you can easily manipulate your own work out.

Choosing a Treadmill

Whether you are a treadmill beginner or a pro, you must also be wise enough in choosing the ideal treadmill.

Treadmills come in all shapes and sizes, including folding and stationary models. It is essential that you find the perfect model that suits your present and future exercise goals.

You may want to talk with fitness professionals that can recommend a treadmill specific to your needs. Also, you can ask your friends who uses treadmill or simply get through articles and reviews online.

Don't be attracted by the blue light specials found in large retail and sporting goods stores. They may lack the components and functionality to provide an enduring and pleasurable exercise experience. If you are in it for the long run you'll want to buy a treadmill that is build to last and designed to be practically maintenance free.

A treadmill will work if you’ll spend more time on it. So make sure you’ll do the workout on a regular routine. Remember, the more calories you burn, the more weight you lose!

Brigi G | Fitness Inspired Formula

25 Ways Get 10 Mins Of Fitness Exercise Part 2

by Brigi G | Fitness Inspired Formula

Around the House

1. When you go outside to pick up your morning newspaper, take a brisk 5-minute walk up the street in one direction and back in the other.

2. If you're housebound caring for a sick child or grandchild, hop on an exercise bike or treadmill while your ailing loved one naps.

3. Try 5 to 10 minutes of jumping jacks. (A 150-pound woman can burn 90 calories in one 10-minute session.)

4. Cooking dinner? Do standing push-ups while you wait for a pot to boil. Stand about an arm's length from the kitchen counter, and push your arms against the counter. Push in and out to work your arms and shoulders.

5. After dinner, go outside and play tag or shoot baskets with your kids and their friends.

6. Just before bed or while you're giving yourself a facial at night, do a few repetitions of some dumbbell exercises, suggests exercise instructor Sheila Cluff, owner and founder of The Oaks at Ojai and The Palms, in Palm Springs, CA, who keeps a set of free weights on a shelf in front of her bathroom sink.

While Waiting

7. Walk around the block several times while you wait for your child to take a music lesson. As your fitness level improves, add 1-minute bursts of jogging to your walks.

8. Walk around medical buildings if you have a long wait for a doctor's appointment. "I always ask the receptionist to give me an idea of how long I have left to wait," Cluff says. "Most are usually very willing to tell you."

9. While your son or daughter plays a soccer game, walk around the field.

10. Turn a trip to a park with your child into a mini-workout for you. Throw a ball back and forth and run for fly balls.

Cardio Workout Plan: Best Cardio Workout Plans

Most people do not do cardio because they want to…I know I don’t.  Instead, a majority of exercisers incorporate cardio into their workout routine with the hopes of burning calories or blasting away fat from their problems areas in the most effective and fast manner possible.
If you are looking for the best cardio workout routine, we have some great and easy strength and cardio workouts that you can do on the treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, or using no equipment at all. Enroll in this course for a complete at home cardio workout without the excuses, and read on to for more ideas for the best type of cardio workout plan to fit your lifestyle.

Exercise 1:  60 Minute Cycling Hill Workout

Instead of coasting on your next biking excursion, try this stamina-building cycling workout.

1. Find a hill that will take about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes to climb.
2. Warm up for 15 minutes using moderate effort.
3. For your first hill climb, stay seated on your bike and use moderate resistance.  Recover by pedaling downhill in an easy gear.
4. For the second hill climb, stay seated and increase resistance.  Recover by pedaling downhill in easy gear (RPE 2).
5. During the third hill climb, sit halfway up the hill, and then move into a stand using moderate resistance.  Recover by pedaling downhill in easy gear.
6. In the fourth hill climb, sit halfway up the hill, and then stand using hard resistance.  Pedal downhill in easy gear.
7. For the fifth hill climb, stand the entire time with moderate resistance.  Pedal downhill in easy gear.
8. For your final hill climb, stand the entire way up using hard resistance.  Pedal downhill in easy gear.
9. Finally, ride with moderate effort for about a half hour, and then cool down for 5 minutes applying easy effort.

Exercise 2:  Walking Workout

1. For 5 minutes, walk at a comfortable pace to warm up
2. For 3 minutes, increase your speed or incline until you are working harder than your warm up pace.  This should be harder, but you should still be able to carry on a conversation.  This will act as your baseline pace
3. For 2 minutes, increase your speed or incline until you are working slightly harder than baseline pace.
4. For 3 minutes decrease you speed back down to your baseline.
5. For 2 minutes, increase your speed once again.
6. For 5 minutes come back down to a comfortable pace.

Exercise 3:  Stair climber Workout

If you are interested in getting the most out of a stair climbing machine, consider this calorie-burning cardio workout.  While performing this workout, remember to keep standing upright with your abdominals firm, and do not lean into the side rails.

1. 0:00-5:00                      Warm up with an RPE of 4-5.
2. 5:00-10:00                    Pick up the pace using an RPE of 5 to 6.
3. 10:00-15:00                  Feel your body getting warmer by using an RPE of 6 to 7.
4. 15:00-18:00                  Now go all out with an RPE of 8 to 9.
5. 18:00-21:00                  Recover using an RPE of 5 to 6.
6. 21:00-51:00                  Now repeat minutes 15:00-21:00 five more times.
7. 51:00-60:00                  Finally, cool down at an RPE of 3.

Exercise 4:  Elliptical Fat-Burning Workout

Run, walk, or hop onto the elliptical for this 40 minute fat-burning workout.

1. 5 minutes:  Warm up at an easy pace on the elliptical, reaching up to an RPE of 5.
2. 30 minutes:   Complete eight 1-minute sprints at a fast pace with an RPE of 8 or 9.  Between your sprinting bursts, return to an RPE of 6.  Do this for a span of 30 minutes.
3. 5 minutes:  Cool down with an RPE of 3.

Exercise 5:  20 Minute At-Home Cardio Circuit

Here is a fun cardio workout plan to do at home.  This workout packs some classic PE movies that are ideal living-room exercises.

1. March in place for 3 minutes (or take 360 steps)
2. Do 60 Jumping Jacks
3. March in place for 1 minute (or take 120 steps)
4. Do 60 Jumping Jacks
5. March in place for 1 minute (or take 120 steps)
6. Do 30 Squat-Thrusts
7. March in place for 1 minute (or take 120 steps)
8. Do 30 Squat-Thrusts
9. March in place for 1 minute (or take 120 steps)
10. Do 30 Squat-Thrusts
11. March in place for 1 minute (or take 120 steps)
12. Do 30 Squat-Thrusts
13. March in place for 1 minute (or take 120 steps)
14. Do 60 Jumping Jacks
15. March in place for 1 minute (or take 120 steps)
16. Do 60 Jumping Jacks
17. March in place for 2 minutes to cool your body down

Exercise 6:  30-Minute Run/Walk Workout

If you enjoy running and walking, consider mixing the two up with this run/walk cardio workout plan.  All you have to do is walk or jog, and then really kick it up a notch for one minute.

1. Walk for 3 minutes to warm-up your muscles
2. Jog for 1 minute
3. Walk for 2 minutes
4. Jog for 1 minute
5. Walk for 1 minute
6. Jog for 1 minute
7. Walk for 1 minute
8. Run for 1 minute.  You can choose to alternate between a run and walk or and run and jog, depending on your level of fitness, for intervals of 12 minutes (6 sprints in total).
9. Jog for 1 minute
10. Walk for 1 minute
11. Jog for 1 minute
12. Walk for 1 minute
13. Jog for 1 minute
14. Walk for 3 minutes

Exercise 7:  Rowing Machine Workout

If you are interested in trying the rowing machines you see at the gym, try out this cardio workout plan on a rowing machine.

1. With medium resistance, do four to six 10-minute sets of high-intensity rowing on a rowing machine.
2. Rest for 2 to 3 minutes in between each set; this will allow your heart rate to come down a bit so you can regroup with intense effort.

For your form, remember to create a fluid motion with your strokes.  You can remember to be fluid in your motions by counting 1-2-3 and 3-2-1.  On 1 count, push with your legs; on 2 count swing up your body by leaning back; and on 3 count, draw your arms down towards the bottom of your rib cage.  Then, reverse it: on 3 count, extend your arms; 2 count, swing your body forward from your hip area; and on 1 count, bring your legs up after the handle passes your knees.

Exercise 8:  Treadmill Workout

In this 45 minute workout, you can stay slim on the treadmill all season.

1. Warm up: Walk easily and then pick up the pace into a brisk walk for 3 minutes
2. Power walk for 2 minutes
3. Run fast (but do not sprint) for 2 minutes
4. Repeat Steps 1 & 2 ten times
5. Cool down: Walk easily for 2 minutes

Exercise 9:  Invisible Jump rope

This fun and traditional exercise can also be used without any equipment.  It will on conditioning, core, and ankle strength and stability.

1. Start in an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Imagine that you are holding a jump rope in your hands.  Keep your elbows at your sides.
3. Start jumping and push off the floor on the toes while swinging your arms in a circular motion.
4. Repeat for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Cardio On Up

With these cardio workout plans, you will be able to make good use of your gym, living room, bike, and the outdoors. 

5 Cardio Fitness Ideas for Weight Loss and Better Health

From weight training to jogging in the park, there are hundreds of ways to improve your health and lose weight. One of the most effective ways is through cardio, both in short, powerful and intense bursts and slow, low-intensity workouts.
In this guide, we’ll share five cardio fitness ideas – from jogging in the park or on a treadmill to swimming at your local pool – that can help you burn fat, reduce your risk of developing heart disease and become far more energetic and active.
Are you just starting to add exercise to your daily routine? Learn how to make your cardio fitness routine a long-term habit and improve your health over the long term in our course, Fit for Life: The Science of Exercise.

Jogging (or walking)

When it comes to cardio fitness, sometimes the most basic workouts are the best for improving your health. Jogging is a fantastic way to burn calories and improve your body’s cardiovascular fitness, improving almost all aspects of your health.
Best of all, it’s a form of cardio exercise that you can do anywhere. From your local park to a treadmill in your garage, all you need for a jogging workout is some open space, fresh air and a supportive pair of running shoes.
Like any form of cardio exercise, it’s best to start small when you make jogging part of your fitness routine. Start with a 15-minute jog around your local park or on your treadmill, then gradually increase your jogging time until it’s at least 30 minutes.
Once you can jog for 30 minutes comfortably, focus on improving your pace instead of extending your workout. Try to add a few hundred yards to you 30-minute jog on a monthly basis and you’ll soon be running at a serious pace.
Jogging is one of the most effective forms of cardio exercise for burning calories, but has some downsides. One of the biggest disadvantages of jogging is that it’s hard on your knees and ankles, particularly if you have flat feet or existing injuries.
Avoid the side effects of high-impact jogging and distance running by warming up well and, if you still seem to be affected by knee and ankle pain, walking instead of jogging whenever you exercise.
Would you like to make jogging part of your cardio fitness routine? Learn the right form for running to avoid injuries, feel better and improve your mile time with some training tips from Right Form Running.

Swimming

While jogging might be the easiest form of cardio exercise, it’s often quite hard on the joints in your knees and ankles. Swimming is a great alternative cardio fitness workout that’s completely impact-free and far less likely to result in injuries.
From freestyle to backstroke, all forms of swimming are great for pumping blood to your muscles and improving your heart health. A half-hour of swimming will leave any non-athlete feeling tired out and majorly calorically depleted.
Like with jogging, it’s best to start small with your swimming routine. Swim lengths of your local pool – or, if you have a swimming pool at home, your own pool – for 10 to 15 minutes. Once you’re comfortable, increase the pace but not the workout time.
A good swimming workout should include a variety of strokes and techniques, from the classic freestyle to more advanced techniques like butterfly. This variation offers a good blend of cardio fitness and resistance training for your muscles.
Would you like to learn how to master advanced swimming techniques like butterfly and effortlessly glide through the water? Enroll in our course, Swim Butterfly Like a Pro in WEST Swimming Technique, to master the most challenging way to swim.

Yoga

While yoga isn’t a pure cardio workout, it offers a great mix of resistance training, relaxation techniques and light cardio training. A one-hour yoga session will give your heart a great workout, burning calories and improving your health.
One of the best ways to increase the intensity and difficulty of yoga is to raise the temperature. Hot yoga – yoga in a heated room – burns more calories and assists your body in refreshing itself of toxins by sweating out excess moisture.
Yoga also improves your flexibility, making it easier for you to practice other forms of cardio fitness like running, swimming and kickboxing. Because of this, it’s a great ‘accessory’ form of training that you can add to your weekly exercise routine.
Does yoga sound like the best cardio fitness workout for you? Learn the basic yoga poses for increased flexibility, better heart health and optimal weight loss with Yoga for Weight Loss.

Kickboxing

From the ancient art of muay Thai to modern forms of karate, there are numerous styles of kickboxing. While their techniques and rules may differ, the results are the same: rapid weight loss, better health and massively improved cardio fitness.
Kickboxing is one of the best ways to improve your cardiovascular fitness, and it’s something that anyone can do. Although many kickboxers compete in fights, you’ll get all of the benefits with none of the injuries by practicing kickboxing technique.
Think you need to join a dojo to learn kickboxing? Think again. Learn the essential movements and techniques of kickboxing in a simple workout designed for weight loss and cardio fitness in our Extreme Kickboxing Workout course.

Plyometrics

From pushups to jumping squats, plyometric exercises help you get in shape using nothing more than your own weight. Although plyometrics are often used to build strength, they’re also a great way to improve your cardiovascular fitness.
Putting together a plyometric workout is simple, and there’s no need for any special equipment or training. From bodyweight squats to pushups, the basic movements of plyometric training can easily be performed in your living room or yard.
Do you want to lose weight, tone your muscles and become more flexible without a gym membership? No Equipment, No Excuses Home Workout will teach you how to improve your cardio fitness and create your dream body in no time.

Which form of cardio fitness is the most effective?

Whether you want to lose weight or simply improve your heart health, some forms of cardio training are more effective at burning calories and getting your body into gear than others.
If you’d like to maximize your results in the shortest possible time, knowing which forms of cardio are the most effective is important. Read our blog post on the types of cardio that burn the most calories to learn how to create an efficient workout.

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