Benefits of Physical Fitness Training

Added to the commonly acknowledged benefits to physical activity, physical exercise is starting to show recognized correlations with increased academic performance in school, as a result of lowered stress levels, heightened self-esteem, self-confidence and a greater sense of belonging.

Here is a list of potential benefits that can be gained from structured sporting and physical exercise in your child's regular routine.

Improved Focus and Concentration - According to leading sport academics, a person who moves well is also likely to perform well in school, as increased blood flow brings more fresh oxygen to the brain, which fuels it! Sports can improve a child's mind and body connection, since he or she will need to train the mind to help the body to react quickly and accurately on the sports field. With regular physical exercise and repetition of certain physical activities, we experience reinforcement of the neural pathways (our brain's information pathways, roads and highways). This means that while we are training our body to develop faster and have more accurate muscle control, we are training our brain as well by focusing it on goals and targets!

Team spirit translates into better interpersonal relationships - Team sports allow children to develop camaraderie, friendship and connectedness in the schooling environment, which is essentially a micro-society, which prepares them for their entrance into the adult world. Children, who feel part of a team and are accepted by others, will experience less anxiety, stress and social phobia. Being accepted and successful in a team has a huge impact on self-esteem and self-confidence.

Increased activity means better rest! With increased physical activity, the body and mind are more likely to experience quality rest and rejuvenating sleep. We all know that when we have had a proper night's sleep, our mental stamina is that much greater. On top of this, when the body feels rested, the mind feels fresh and ready to deal with the stressors of the average day at school.

Physical exercise and neurotransmitters - Neurotransmitters are chemicals within our brain that help our brain to communicate between its different parts and as a result with the rest of the body. Certain chemicals, such as serotonin, are responsible for our mood levels. High levels elevate moods (such as happiness) while low levels are associated with depression. Physical exercise increases levels of serotonin, which makes us feel good about ourselves and our experiences. It has been shown that physical activity can even lower the symptoms of ADD/ADHD such as hyperactivity and impulsivity, distractibility and inattention. As you can see it is extremely important to train the body from an early age on and keep at it. A holistic approach to wellness will lead to the desired effects of feeling, behaving and functioning optimally.

Make sure that you and your children exercise enough, eat healthily and sleep well. To enhance brain health and ideal functioning it is not always necessary to take medication. Nowadays there are a number of alternatives to choose from such as Neurofeedback training, which trains the brain in a similar way as physical exercise trains the body. Neurofeedback or brain training strengthens the brain and allows new, optimal pathways to form. This is often sufficient to help you concentrate better, feel de-stressed, less anxious or depressed and to sleep better.

I have studied Human Movement Science, Biokinetics, Psychology, Hypnotherapy and Neurofeedback Therapy, and worked in schools, colleges, universities, hospitals and private practice.

Currently, I am working in private practice in Westville and specialise in helping my clients to de-stress, decrease anxiety, depression, improve concentration problems and ADD/ADHD, insomnia, improve memory problems as well as people who needed to stop smoking, lose weight and reduce phobias. I help people to achieve their goals and lead a happier life. This includes athletes to increase their sporting performance, achieving great success.

Apart from counselling, I use hypnotherapy and neurofeedback to assist my clients.

Find out more http://www.eq-advantedge.co.za

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Andrea_Kellerman/2291911

Body Fitness

So you want to be fit? Are you fit? How do you know? Well to answer all these questions quickly, there are several types of fitness levels. So yes you are fit but to what extent?

Have you ever seen that one guy, usually called the lunk, walking around in a small shirt with a big jug of water and when he works out he screams. Well that is what you would call a bodybuilder fitness level. Many of us think of this picture when we say fitness. But the truth is the guy next to him who is 2x as small as him is still fit. Though someone may not be big and bulky but rather slim and small that does not mean that their fitness level is not as great as the next guys.

Now for many of us we don't really work out much and when we do we don't even know how to begin. From here we either look for help or just quit. Most of the time people end up quitting though. I'm here to try and motivate you to be that person who turns and looks for help. I have gone through that many of times and it took me a while but I got my act together and made fitness park of my everyday life. It has changed it in a way I could not have ever imagined. I use to go to the gym and feel so out of place, I would look around and try to figure out what to do. At the end of it all I just sat anywhere and did a workout I saw someone else do. I had no idea what to focus on how many times to do the workout or even what was a rep. I felt totally lost over and over. Eventually I looked for help among my friends and eventually I got on board and it is now a second nature to me. I think I might have just described exactly what you have gone through a couple of times when wanting to start working out.

SO HOW DO I GET STARTED?

It's very easy. I will try my best to lay it down as easy as possible

FOR A BEGINNER

I would recommend working out 3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday).
Monday focus on your upper body
Wednesday focus on your lower body
Friday focus on cardio (running, swimming, and jogging) at least 30 minutes

INTERMEDIATE

I would recommend working out 4 times a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)
Monday focus on chest and triceps
Tuesday focus on back and biceps
Thursday focus on shoulders and core
Friday focus on legs and calves
Before each workout do at least 15 min of cardio (running, swimming, and jogging)

EXPERT

At this point you know what you're doing and I suggest you research and figure out just what kind of body you are interested in achieving. From here there are many routes you can take that will definitely change your body. Just don't forget to always fall back to the basics if you ever get confused.

Please visit my site at MyFitnessRush to get a couple more ideas on how to start as well as some great motivation I personally have gone through. Also if your interested in either a slim fit style or bulk fit style please read my article Body Fit to get an idea on what you are going to be doing. Thank you for your time

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sergio_Vargas/2183450

How Functional Fitness Benefits Seniors

Functional fitness is all about teaching your body to handle real-life activities. It is a way of exercising that helps your body be strong in those areas that the body needs to be strong in your everyday life. This type of fitness can benefit anyone but can benefit seniors perhaps more than others.

The Idea Of Functional Fitness For Seniors

Functional fitness involves putting your body through the paces that are necessary for everyday life. As a senior, you can lift weights or use a weight lifting machine to strengthen certain muscles of your body to the exclusion of others and may find that you are strengthening certain muscles, which leaves a deficiency in others.

Without functional fitness, you can strengthen your arms in a biceps machine but still throw out your neck when reaching for something out of your reach or throw out your back while lifting your grandchild.

Seniors especially make the mistake of exercising their arms or legs in ways that may strengthen those muscles but avoid exercising their back, for example. This can lead to back trouble that could have been avoided if you had recognized that your arms and legs are intricately connected to your back and are useless without a strong core.

As a senior, you need to use all your muscles and joints in concert with one another and not just isolating out certain muscles to the exclusion of others.

Helping Your Muscles Work Together

Many seniors make the mistake of using weight machines or free weights while at the gym. They are isolating out certain muscle groups for strengthening, strengthening some muscles more than others. They may believe that to have a good biceps bulge is a sign of good health when their triceps muscles are not exercised at all. This means that the muscles cannot work together to do the everyday lifting and stretching that needs to be done as part of your regular day.

Everyday movement is not idealized. You don't lift or move things by isolating out your muscle groups and in fact, it takes a strong back, strong legs, and strong-arm muscles to move a box or carry groceries. If you isolate out a muscle group to the exclusion of all others, you can set yourself up for injury to those muscles you have neglected.

How To Make Functional Exercise Work For You

Functional exercise is all about integration of muscle parts. It is about showing the muscles how to work together to accomplish a task rather than isolating muscle groups that may be exercised out of proportion to the rest of your muscles.

If you like rowing machines, for example, think about the posture you are in when you do that exercise. Your back is stiff and your arms are bent repeatedly with your legs doing very little. This strengthens some muscles and not others.

A better activity is to use a free weight standing up. First, you bend over and strengthen your back in picking up the weight. Then you strengthen your legs by holding the weight with your entire body. Finally, put the weight in various motions around your body so that your latissimus dorsi muscles are activated, along with your biceps and triceps muscles. Even the small muscles of your hands are strengthened by holding the weight.

All your muscles are working in concert by that simple exercise. If you repeat it on the other side of your body, the muscles of your back, sides, legs, and arms are exercised for the other side of your body and you haven't missed any muscles in the process.

This type of exercise better mimics the regular activities you do every day and you will have fewer injuries because your muscles have learned to work in concert.

Balance And Control

Functional exercise is all about using your body to balance yourself while having control over your muscles. For seniors, it may mean skipping lifting weights completely and instead working on things like squats and lunges that use all your muscles and help your balance. You don't need bulging biceps to have good functional use of your body.

Can you stand on one foot for any amount of time without falling?

If you have questions about functional exercise, talk to a trainer about those exercises that will best mimic those things you are doing in everyday life. It is a different way to exercise that will keep you balanced, strong, and free of injury.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Moataz_Elzieny/321206

You Really Can Take Care of Your Child's Health and Here's How

One of the major issues that concerns a parent is the health of his/her child. Being the most important duty of a parent is to motivate a child to lead a healthy life, parents can have a positive impact on the health of their children simply by setting a beneficial example.

 Being a single person or in a relationship without children, it would probably be a tough task to sort out the difficulties other people of your age have when it comes to ensuring good health to a Child. But all we think about is how stressful it is and how to allocate quality time being around them. However, if you are a parent, it becomes even more stressful to look after them while you have to go to work!

But, the most wonderful experience one could get in a lifetime is just about being a parent.

 To watch your child prosper daily with good nutrition and self-independence is quite a thrill. On reading a couple of Child care literature material which provides you with tips on child care and parenthood, the role of being a parent can prove to be an amazing one. With some families, it could be more effective for one parent to stay home and look after the child.

Encouraging your child to take part in physical activities on a regular basis is very essential. Parents should also convince them to imbibe this activity as a part of their lives. It becomes even safer to accompany your children on a daily walk as it is an exercise that is considered to keep them in good shape.

 It is very important to consult a physician whenever a child is likely to have a problem related to the health. However minor the problem seems it is advisable to seek a physician's help since, they are delicate and require special attention.

A lot of planning and coordinating occurs no matter which phase your child is in. So, always make sure you are prepared to provide them the best of everything, watching them prosper healthy and fit.

 There is no mandatory rule as doing a lot of research when it comes to the wellbeing of your child. Take your own quality time researching, without failing to get an early start so as to feel fresh and healthy as they grow along with you for a lifetime. It is one of the important things to remember.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Aman_Tumukur_Khanna/1972047

Tredmill Fitness Machines

Modern lifestyle has made people all the more health conscious and it is a new trend that everyone likes to maintain a home gym. But today maintaining a gym at home is not just a fashion statement but has also become a necessity. Health and fitness equipments play an important role in maintaining one's health. One of the most common and the easiest exercise equipments to use are treadmills. Treadmills are indeed a boon for lazy people. 

For many of us it is really difficult to step out and workout in a gym. We find it tedious to wake up early in the morning for jogging. Treadmills, the basic equipments of home gym relieve us from the tension of going out and help us by providing a chance to do fitness exercises according to our convenience and privacy. It is to be noted that many shy away from public gyms for the fear of exposing their inadequacies and in such cases home gym allows them to achieve the benefit of proper exercises.

Among all the exercises aerobics are considered to be the most effective.this type of exercise gives utmost benefits to one's body. One can carry out the activity without any time restriction. Repetitive exercising is always boring but treadmill relieves the boredom by allowing you to listen to your favorite music or even watch TV while you are working at it.

The great advantage of treadmills is that it is possible to buy an equipment that can be specifically made to address your individual choices like foldable or stationary types and manually operated or by machine. Regarding the health benefits you can get from treadmills is that it helps you to exercise whole of your body, not just some parts like many other forms of exercises. Likewise it burns the fat from all the parts of the body. 

Note that with treadmills there is no restriction on the age of the user and thus whole of your family can benefit from exercising on treadmill. The electronic measurement system in the treadmill gives you the display of pulse rate and travelling speed as you work on it. These indications help you to self monitor your improvement on daily basis.

It is important to take some care while using treadmill to avoid any injury or bad effects of wrong usage. Doctors recommend doing some stretching exercises before commencing the exercise on treadmill as it warms your body prior to exercise. Equally important is to remember to have a cooling period after the completion of exercise. It allows body to get back to normal condition after the rigors of the exercise and allow the heart to regain its normal pulse rate.

Treadmill fitness machines with their manifold advantages have gained wide popularity they save your time, money and provide you a. chance to enjoy better privacy.indeed these fitness machines enable you to have a more scientific approach in your effort to stay fit and to achieve your desired body and health.

Get more information on: Fitness Treadmill Machines

For more information visit: Fitness Elliptical Trainer Machines

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/expert/Vijay_K_Shetty/401395

Myths In The Fitness World

* The "It's working" Syndrome: This can apply to training programs or supplements. If a beginning builder happens to respond well to some exercise, doesn't make that exercise or routine one that will work for everybody because beginners' bodies respond almost to any exercise.

* Supplements Salespeople: salespeople have specific ways of pushing their public into buying their products. Keeping yourself informed will help you make the right choices and help them direct you to what you want and most importantly, what you really need.

* Magazine Editors: popular magazines can be a huge source of bodybuilding myths. Sometimes the story will just have it's facts wrong. Keep in mind that you'll always be seen an amazing headline on every single month's edition, they need to sale the thing, they need to give it a twist here and there to make it more interesting!

If you see something exaggerated and over the limits, that actually goes against all logics, then start asking for seconds, thirds and even fourth opinions. Use your common sense, not everything that is said or published out in the world is 100% true neither good for your health.

According to my experience even friends and popular knowledge and even urban legends can become sources of myths in the fitness world, anything that is just out of any logical pattern, should be taking into consideration and submitted for research before you even consider doing it. Just be careful and play safe all the time, remember health is not something we can purchase on a daily basis at Wall-Mart.

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/expert/Rene_Quete_Importa/156477

5 Pieces of Fitness Equipment You Never Knew You Had

Everything you need to tone your trouble areas and get fit is right in front of your eyes. You don't need a gym membership and you definitely don't need costly fitness equipment. It just takes a bit of imagination to transform everyday items into body sculpting tools.

1. Hard wood floors and socks: When it comes to home décor hardwood floors are really in style, but stand on them while wearing a pair of socks and you've unknowingly created a brand new piece of fitness equipment that takes your workout to a whole new level. The hardwood floor under your socks creates a slippery surface that engages more muscles as you try to control your movements. The constant contact with the floor as you glide back to starting position targets your inner thighs and the core in ways a standard fitness routine will never do. Side lunges and scissor plank are two great examples:

Side gliding lunges:

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Keep your hands in front of your chest to help you stay balanced.

Put your weight into your left leg.

As you slowly bend your left knee and squat down slide your right foot out to the side.

As you straighten your left leg, slide the right foot back in. Your right foot is in constant contact with the floor. Focus on bringing your leg back in with your inner thigh.

Complete three sets of 15 reps on each side.

Scissor plank:

Begin in a full plank position with your hands under shoulders and arms straight.

Slide your feet apart, opening legs as wide as possible without sinking your lower back. Squeeze your inner thighs as you glide your feet back together. Complete three sets of 15 reps.

2. Your couch: This multipurpose piece of furniture isn't just for lying around. Not only does it serve as a great piece of fitness equipment for all exercise levels and for total body fitness routines, its various elevations (couch cushion versus arm rest) allow you to target different portions of your muscle that you may find harder to tone. Elevating your legs on the couch cushion while performing a push up makes this upper body exercise advanced. It targets the top part of your chest, while simultaneously sculpting your shoulders and your arms. Beginners practice perfect form while standing over the arm rest and leaning in to the push up. Standing allows you to control the amount of bodyweight you're pushing and gives you the benefits of defined arms and chest.

3. Your groceries: Whether it's once a week or once month, every bit of exercise helps. Groceries are a great arm toning activity. If you don't want to cause attention to yourself don't move. Hold a grocery bag in each arm at 90 degree angles and keep them there for as long as possible. This exercise is known as an isometric hold. The longer you stay in place, the more muscle fibers you recruit and the more fibres you recruit, the nicer your arms will look. It's that simple.

4. Your body: your body is the only all in one cardio and resistance training tool you own. In fact, some would say store-bought fitness equipment is a thing of the past as newer and more creative body movements cut the boredom of exercise. The burpee is a great example of a full body toning and cardio exercise:

Burpee:

Place your feet shoulder width apart. Lower your body into a squatting position as you place your hands on the floor in front of you.

Step your feet back so that you are in push-up position. For added intensity jump back.

Bend your elbows and lower your chest into a push up.

Step your feet into their original position. Stand up, and then jump into the air.

5. The stairs: Stairs are the best butt elevating piece of fitness equipment you will ever own. The main muscle in your bum, the Gluteus Maximus, works at straightening out your hip. Every time your hip is flexed, your Gluteus Maximus has to work at straightening your leg out. That is why stair stepping is so effective. The higher the step the greater the hip flexion and the more your butt works.

It doesn't end there. Stand upright at the end of the movement and place all of your weight on the leg that you push up. This works another butt muscle called the Gluteus Medius. This muscle tones the side of your butt as it flexes to keep your hips in alignment.

It doesn't stop here. Almost anything can become your brand new piece of fitness equipment, adding fun and innovation to any fitness routine.

Alicia is an avid fitness professional and owner of the in home personal training company Destination Fit. For more health and fitness tips check out: Alicia's blog at http://www.destinationfittraining.ca/our-blog/

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/expert/Alicia_D_Jones/1294463