Monday, January 18, 2010

Learning to Breath Correctly

From the first moment we enter this life we have been breathing, so why is it important to learn about breathing? Why do we need to learn about something that we have been doing all our lives? This might come as a surprise to you, but even though we have been breathing all our lives, it does not mean that we have been doing it properly. Its not that we are breathing wrong, but we could be breathing better.

Many people usually breath with shallow breathes, only drawing in short amounts of oxygen to the body. Short amounts of breathing does provide enough oxygen to allow our bodies to perform normally, but we are missing out on all the benefits of better breathing. Proper breathing can help your overall health, relaxation, and alertness. Stress is released when we learn how to breathe properly. We have become upper chest breathers, when we should be lower abdominal breathers.

By breathing in our lower abdominal and diaphragm, we allow more oxygen to release in the bloodstream and gets rid of carbon dioxide in the body. Deep breathing also allows you to have more energy throughout your day, by allowing the adrenal glands to relax.

So how can you breath more properly?

Breath through your nose and with your lips closed, this will allow your diaphragm to contract downward. Although it is your lungs that is filling up with air, but you should be seeing your abdominal move. Then exhale through your mouth, allowing your stomach to fall back into place. You do not have to breath like this all the time, but allow yourself breathing breaks to take in some deep breathes.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Importance of Core Workouts

We are always hearing about the "core", but what is the big deal about this thing called "the core." First lets talk about what actually makes up your core section.

Many people actually have no idea what the core actually is, those people think that the core is all about the sexy looking abs that everyone desires, but that is not all it contains. The core is where your center of gravity is. So that includes deep abdominals, hip flexors, glutes, and deep spinal muscles, lower back. There are actually 29 muscles that make up your core, and most people think that the only important part is the six-pack abs.

The core is very important! It is where your body begins movement, so if you have a good strong core, your movements will be more efficient and balanced. Resulting in a healthier body and maximum performance. So working out the core is definitely worth it! A healthy core will help you live longer and help you prevent common injuries that affect people who do not workout their core.

Core exercises should definitely be a part of your workout routine. Like any other area of your body, it is smart to workout the core every other day. Find workouts that target each section of the core and focus on those muscles, but make sure you give them a rest day to recover. You will probably be pretty sore the first week of your core workouts, but eventually that soreness will go away. By working out the core, you will find that you will be more equipped to do even normal everyday tasks.

Thursday, January 07, 2010

The Slendertone AB Belt Scam

There are a lot of things we see on the television; workout equipment has a huge market in the infomercial world. One particular piece of workout equipment that has busted on the scene is called the Slender tone Ab Belt. It is said to work out your abs and give you a six-pack by strapping on a belt that sends electric shocks to contract your muscles. The infomercials make it seem like it is a light piece of workout equipment, but does the slender tone Ab Belt actually work?

I wish I could tell you that this piece of equipment actually does work. I wish I could tell you that you can get great looking abs and lose weight just by strapping on this belt. But unfortunately, that is not the case. This is not the first time an Electric Ab Belt has broken out on the scene, and it is not the first time people have been fooled my this device.

If you listen carefully to the infomercial it says, that with a healthy diet and an exercise plan, you will see results. Well, of course you are going to see results, anyone who switches to a healthy diet and a workout plan is going to see results. The results that you get are not from the ab belt itself, but the change of diet and exercise.

Electric belts or pads are only good for muscles that have experienced an injury that has left them inactive for a while. But there is simply not nearly enough power in these ab belts to even recover an inactive muscle; they are only good for irritating the skin.