What You Need to Know to Choose a Kickboxing Class

How to Choose a Kickboxing Class

Kickboxing isn’t just for martial arts warriors.  It provides fun with a fast-action cardio workout that builds muscles, confidence and burns a load of calories. It’s not complicated like some fitness programs. In fact, the moves are the least technical among all other martial arts according to some experts. If you have always been intimidated by kickboxing you should find a facility that allows a trial class.  Chances are you will have so much fun that you’ll sign up that day for a full program.

If you find yourself constantly trying new workout routines and never keep up with any of them, this may be because your lack of self-motivation. One way to stay motivated is to...

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If You Like To Run, You Have Got To Read This!

How Runners Can Strengthen Their Core

Developing a strong core is critical for runners not only to maintain stability and balance, but to prevent injuries as well. The core muscles are the ones that keep us from moving from side to side. Unfortunately, some runners do not realize the importance of incorporating core strengthening exercises into their routine and they think that having strong legs is enough.

If you want to improve your performance as a runner, here are some tips on how to strengthen your core:

•     Before running, make sure you warm up to stretch out your lower back. If your lower back is tight, it will prevent the core muscles from firing properly. Some people encounter reciprocal inhibition and this occurs when a particular muscle group is tight.

Naturally, when one muscle group is tight, it prevents your other muscles from doing their job properly. Warming up prepares your mind and body for a demanding activity but it will also allows you to achieve peak performance. To warm up your lower back, do some spinal twists and forward bends.

•      Practice hip bridges and pelvic tilts to strengthen your core. These two exercises are very easy to do and they are perfect for beginners and people with back problems. They help isolate and strengthen the glutes and hamstrings as well as train your body to engage them when needed.

The hip bridge also improves core and spinal stability. To do this exercise, lie flat on the floor, lift your pelvis and hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds. Do 10 repetitions. If you want it to be more challenging, you can lift up on your toes alternately as if you are marching. For pelvic tilts, get down on your hands and knees and then raise your lower back to the ceiling. Straighten your back and do 10 to 20 reps.

•     Another way to strengthen your core muscles is to do plank exercises. Aside from a flat stomach, planks will help improve your posture. Doing  ten-minutes of 1-2 minute plank routines outweighs the benefits of doing abdominal crunches for an hour.

Start by getting in the pushup position. Your forearms and toes should support your weight and make sure your elbows are lined up directly under your shoulders. Keep your neck neutral by looking down on the floor. This prevents placing too much strain on your neck.

Hold the plank for at least 30 seconds and take a 5-second break in between repetitions. Once your core gets stronger, you can hold the position for as long as 1 minute or more.   

Your Gym Owner Doesn't Want You To Read This...... EVER!

The road to health and fitness is not a toll road!

Let's face it, with the weather improving the gym ads are flying through the air like nobody's business! They would have you believe that you must come to their gym for the latest fitness class if you ever want to achieve any level of fitness!

DO NOT BUY IT!!! 

Moving towards health and fitness is not really the hard arduous job that everybody seem to think it is. When you really think about it, the hard part is often the start. Afterwards, everything else will be easier once you really get the hang of it. All it takes is discipline and commitment.

It can be more than just a little intimidating, but it does not have to be!

Below are some tips on how to get a head start on your road to health and fitness. Read each one and you’ll realize that it is actually easier to undertake than you might think. You just need to take the first few steps.

1. Start small If your favorite dish is something that your doctor asked you to avoid, there is no sense in skipping it altogether and then binging on the dish when you can’t take the abstinence anymore. Take moderate steps towards the goal. If you eat the dish everyday, try to cut down on your consumption and make it just three times a week. IF you have managed that, cut down further and make it once a week. That way, you are able to still enjoy the food and not increase your craving for it.

2. Plan modestly Set goals for yourself but that does not mean that you have to kill yourself to get it and when you don’t you’ll also kill yourself. Setting too high goals will often only lead to disappointment and frustration. When you plan, make sure that you can do it. How will you know? Be realistic. You know what you are capable of. It is better to set goals for yourself that you know you can do. Accomplishing them will give you a sense of achievement that will make you more confident and more willing to continue with your task.

Learn the Mistake That Hold Us Back In Our Fitness Quest!

3. Have a buddy Sharing the aches and pains as well as the joys of accomplishment with a buddy will help make the process easier and more bearable. In fact, people with a buddy when doing a self-improvement project are better able to stick with their plans than those who are doing the projects alone. This is because when you have a buddy with you, he or she acts as a support system that will help keep you on track and prevent you from giving up. Besides having a friend with you experiencing the same things makes the process more fun and more enjoyable.

4. Have discipline This is one of the few things that will make or break your plans to finally live a healthy lifestyle. In order to really stick to the plan, you need to develop self-discipline especially when it involves things that you really want to do or things that you are used to doing. Temptations along the way will be many and you need to be prepared to face all that!

5. Do it for yourself A lot of people start to live a life of health and fitness when they are trying to get a new guy to notice them or when they want to impress a lover. Although these are valid reasons, sometimes, they are not enough to see you through the entire process. It is better that you do it for yourself because you want a healthier and better you than do it for other people’s approval. After all, the only approval that you will ever need is your own.

Grab your copy of the free report on Low Impact Exercises to find out what you can do to get started today!

The Biggest Challenge in Working on Functional Fitness is the First Step!

Moving Towards Functional Fitness: Getting Your Kids Up and Off the Computer

When you were growing up your parents probably had to pry you away from the TV to get you outside into the fresh air. These days it is the computer and gaming consoles that are the issue. It is so easy for kids to spend hours playing games and chatting with friends online that exercise is the last thing on their minds.

So how do you get your kids away from the computer and outside? Well one way is to offer them something exciting and fun to do. This could be in the form of a family scavenger hunt or going down to the local swimming pool.

Quite often kids love to choose and not be told what to do. So why not give them a list of exercise related options or let them totally choose what they would like to do. Even going for a bike ride together to a local park for a picnic is good exercise. It gets everyone outside plus gives you some much needed family time together. (For more ideas on easing your family towards fitness, check out our free report on low impact exercises that are suitable for all ages and levels of fitness!)

Summer is great for all kinds of outdoor activities and older kids may enjoy learning a new hobby or skill. You could encourage them to learn how to make a kids picnic table or even build a new shelf for their bedroom. If you kids like to read why not let them set up their own private area in the garden? They could paint an old chair and use some blankets for a screen. One great privacy idea is to plant a screen of sunflowers or morning glory, any flower that grows quickly works well. This way they have their own private place to retreat to away from that computer!

If you have a dog then designate one child per day as the official dog walker, or enjoy a family dog walk together. Giving your children responsibility is a good way to get them thinking about different things instead of which friend to chat to next.

Planning in advance is another way to get your children outside. You could sit down on a Sunday afternoon and plan activities for the week. This could also include chores and tasks that need to be done. For example cleaning out old toys or helping sort items out for a garage sale. Why not let them sell their old toys and buy new clothes with the money?

While the computer can be a great learning tool and resource it can also be time consuming and addictive. It is important for you as a parent to balance your children’s online time with physical activity. So start planning some fun activities and get everyone outside in the fresh air this summer. 

There are some predictable stumbling blocks to family fitness. Check out our Fitness Mistakes course to learn how to avoid them!

Functional Family Fitness 2

Learn About the Common Fitness Mistakes that Families Make. One of the best ways to make your fitness goals a reality ...
BE FIT TO BE SAFE! Learn more at www.safekidznow.com