Fitness requires three things, dedication to your goals, a willingness to change your life, and a plan. Without a plan, it’s too easy to quit your new lifestyle when things get hard. The following information will help you in creating your plan of action on the road to being physically fit.
Do not be afraid to motivate yourself before a work-out. There is no audience and no judgment if you want to give yourself a little pep-talk on the way into the gym. The benefits are very real; when you exercise with positivity you work out more successfully. Tell yourself you are going to have a great work-out and you probably will.
For healthy fitness staying hydrated is vitally important. The benefits of getting plenty of water do not end at the gym door, though. Besides powering an exerciser through a tough workout, a plentiful water intake improves overall health and aids in digestion throughout the day. Total hydration is another part of a plan for overall fitness.
Lifting weights is not all about the number of pounds you can put up. It is not even about how many repetitions you can do. The most important part of any weight training is to focus on the quality of each repetition. When you are putting the weight up, do so slowly, making sure you can feel the muscle contract, then bring it back down in a slow and controlled manner. This will ensure you get the most out of each repetition.
Fitness relies heavily on physical activity in the form of exercise. You should exercise once a day for at least 30 minutes. If you initial can’t exercise for 30 minutes, try starting with 5 minutes, then slowly work your way up to 30 each day. Once you reach 30 days, try doing more strenuous activity or exercise for a longer time period.
Wear shoes that are appropriate for the kind of workout you’re doing. The right pair of shoes can make or break your workout and may be the difference between continuing or stopping. Try on different shoes to make sure you have on the most comfortable pair and make sure to replace them when they get worn.
Many people believe that changing from one grip width to another does not require any other adjustments to the weight that is being bench pressed. However, failure to make adjustments may cause unnecessary strain and stress of joints and muscles. Instead, a change in grip should be accompanied by a ten percent decrease in weight.
Working out in the morning is a great idea, but it isn’t always easy to get up early. If you are determined to work out in the morning, try weaning yourself into getting up early. Get up ten to fifteen minutes earlier than normal and do any kind of physical activity. Continue to do this by getting up a little earlier each week until you are up early enough to do a complete workout.
Avoid harming your neck when doing squats by touching the bar to the tops of your shoulders. Holding it against the lower portion of your neck causes compression of your spine via the entire weight on just that area. This can most definitely lead to major muscle and spinal injury that could prevent further workouts.
So, what do you want out of your fitness plan? Whether it’s weight loss, toning or just improving the state of your health – you can succeed in your goals. Take the information above and use what works for you. It’s your body, take good care of yourself!