Fitness Freaks

Putting Our Two Cents in Fitness Blogging

  • Blog Home

January 6, 2018 By Tony Leave a Comment

The Convenience of the Yoga Mat Bag

For a yoga practitioner, use of eco-friendly yoga mat is essential. Apart from undergoing the session in-house, you need to carry the mat to your yoga center, may be in a yoga competition or for involving you in a great session close by your home surrounding park under the open air. However, how you are going to carry the unyielding large mat to the outdoors? Here comes to necessity of gym bag with yoga mat holder that serves as a hauler, arranger, custodian, and a symbol of style and security. It offers a series of convenience to the user:

The Usefulness and Ease of Gym Bag with Yoga Mat Holder

• Ease of Accessibility

Yoga devotees can find plethora of mat bags through all major online retail stores, online shops as well, with sports goods stores in varieties of styles, shapes, and sizes. They are available in gym tote bag and backpack styles while you can choose bags with enclosures at the upper part or side-load zippers similar to duffel bag. Best choice is obviously full zipper on the top that helps in loading or unloading the mat without any hassle. Apart from unisex models, mat bags are also available in designs meant for men and women.

• Wide Variety

Yoga mat bags are available in varieties of materials such as high quality cotton, canvas, nylon and linen. When you choose nylon products make sure that, it is superior quality ballistic nylon material, which is breathable, hardwearing, and supple. Apart from nylon, cotton and canvas are also well popular in the market even though their longevity is relatively much less than nylon. Nevertheless, all of them will protect your mat from fungi or bacterial growth, which occurs due to sweating during the session.

• Roominess

You can find yoga mat bags made only for storing and carrying your yoga mat. However, considering almost all yogis are required to carry varieties of essentials like water bottle, towel, yoga consume, mobile phone and other necessities, these days, gym bag with yoga mat holder are typically found in relatively bigger size with counters inside which can effectively hold all your things safety and orderly. You can even find them with plenty of room for keeping outfits together with separate mesh shoe compartment and laundry items.

• Ease of Portability

In order to provide the best treat to your valued yoga mat, lengthen its durability and let it withstand the strain of regular travel without being harmed, outfitting you with a gym bag with yoga mat holder is a great thought. Prepared with sling straps now you can travel even long distances taking the mat hanging over your shoulder safety, conveniently and with style. Go for longer sturdy straps that enable you to carry your mat over the shoulder horizontally by your side and vertically on the back when you drive motorcycle or use cycle to reach the yoga center.

• Eco friendliness

For individuals who are environmentally conscious and like buying biodegradable mat bags, there are plethora of patterns in terms of materials and mechanisms. They can be found bags that are made of recycled materials. All organic substances used are sustainable, environmental friendly and long lasting. Conversely, one can think of procuring yoga mat bags that are finished with petite holes on the entire body or made of high quality net. This makes your mat breathable from inside, protect from microbes growth, odor-free and hygiene.

• Cost Effectiveness

Accessible in diversity of carrier types in tote a backpack style, type of materials, with or without pouches, enclosing range apart from mechanisms, you can easily select you most loveable gym bag with yoga mat holder in varieties of price range. This makes it affordable to every buyer even with minimum budget.

• Ease of Maintenance

Whether you buy your gym bag with yoga mat holder made of canvas, nylon or linen; all are easy washable even twice a week. Since it is the exterior part of your mat, make sure to cleanse them with organic detergent that keeps them shinny, unharmed and protect from discoloration. Use of harsh chemicals can spoil their look and color.

Filed Under: Accessories

January 5, 2018 By Tony Leave a Comment

All About Women’s Gym Bag with Shoe Compartment

If you want to be fit, you have to work for it. There are a number of options women can try to be fit, for example gym, yoga, aerobics, Zumba…the options are many. No matter what fitness regime you choose, there are a few equipment you have to carry. Clothes, shoes, towel, water bottle, phone, headphones, work clothes if you are heading to work after the workout… the list goes on. To carry all of these things you will definitely need a gym bag and choosing one isn’t an easy task.

There are a number of aspects to consider before buying gym bags for Women and this article will help you understand those considerations to make an informed decision. We will lay special emphasis on women’s gym bags with shoe compartment, because a shoe compartment is something that every gym bag must and should have. Read on to know more about buying a gym bag for women.

How to Buy a Women’s Gym Bag with Shoe Compartment?

1. Look for a Shoe Compartment

First and foremost, whenever you are buying a gym bag look for a separate compartment for the shoes. There is no way you can dump your sweaty and dirty shoes into a compartment that already has your clothes/electronic items like phones or headphones. Whether you are buying the bag online or offline, you can always specifically ask for a women’s gym bag with shoe compartment. Once you do that, judge for yourself if the compartment is sufficient enough to store your shoes and easily remove it when needed.

2. Look for More Compartments

When you are buying a gym bag, don’t just settle for a gym bag with a separate shoe compartment. Since you have a lot of things to carry to the gym, you also need a lot of other compartments. For example, you most certainly need a separate compartment to put all your sweaty clothes post-workout. And of course a separate compartment for your dirty shoes. On top of that you need a small compartment for all the electronic items like phone, headphones etc. and a compartment for the water bottles as well. So, ensure to look for more than one compartment whenever you buy a womens gym bag with shoe compartment.

3. Size, Color and Design

The third most important consideration you need to make while buying a gym bag is the size, color and design of the bag. A small and sleek bag is always recommended since they are easy to carry and don’t attract a lot of attention. Gym tote bags are a very popular design when it comes to women’s gym bags. If you intend to carry your gym bag to work avoid bright colors and go subtle ones like black, grey or navy blue. These colors are subtle and won’t embarrass you when you walk into the office with a women’s gym bag with shoe compartment. If you are not intending to carry it to work, go for design and colors that you are comfortable with or something that reflects your personality.

4. Waterproof and Interiors

Lastly, when you are buying a gym bag for women, look for bags that are waterproof. This is very important because of two reasons: one, you are carrying a water bottle all the time and you don’t want the water to leak into your electronic/shoe compartment. Two, if the bag is not waterproof the sweat from your clothes will seep into other compartments, spreading the foul smell of sweat all over. Thus, when you buy a women’s gym bag with shoe compartment, ensure that it is made from waterproof material. In addition, when you buy the bag enquire the materials used to make the interiors of the bag and check if the interiors can be easily cleaned with a wet cloth.

Filed Under: Accessories

January 4, 2018 By Tony Leave a Comment

Selecting the Ideal Gym Backpack

The durability of gym backpacks depends largely on its construction, workmanship, and material used that includes nylon, leather, and canvas. One can buy innovative range of gym backpack with shoe compartment in all major online retail stores, departmental shops and with sports goods dealers. In order to find your ideal gym backpack with shoe compartment, it is vital for you to consider how frequently it will be used, whether it will be used only for gym or other purposes like weekend holidaying or outdoor activity. Have a look to different types of gym backpacks and other decisive factors to choose the right one for you.

Strap Bag

One of the popular categories of gym bag comes with shoulder strap and handles. Available in varieties of designs, colors, and styles with numerous compartments and pockets to keep things in place. The structure is highly durable and comfortable for use.

Gym Sacks

With compact design, these lightweight backpacks have spacious compartment, which can house necessary clothes, mobile phone, pair of shoes and other necessities without any hassle. They are simple type budget based gym bag and have popularity to people from all classes of the society.

Duffel Bags

With a cylindrical shape, these traditional bags are mainly found in canvas. It has one large compartment, a pair of handles and only a few pockets inside. Ideal for anyone who like to carry from sports goods to clothing and other belongings to gym, sports ground or outdoor.

Backpacks

Gym backpack with shoe compartment is an ideal choice for buyers who look for enhanced space with plenty of pockets inside, special counter for keeping laptop, vented separate compartment to keep shoes and sweaty or wet outfits with robust construction and ease of carrying on their backs.

Gym Backpack with Shoe Compartment Materials

Selection of material of your small gym bag is a major factor that determines its visual appearance, sturdiness, and price tag. Commonly used materials are of three types like nylon, leather, and canvas.

• Nylon

Nylon finished products are globally demanding since that are available in affordable price while users enjoy aesthetic with varieties of designs, colors and features. All superior quality nylons are robust and long lasting. They are easy to clean and maintain. Almost all world standard brands produce nylon finished gym backpack considering its worldwide popularity.

• Leather

Backpacks made of leather are very much expensive even though tough and visually appealing. Since leather is prone to abrasion and easy scratch, they are not very much fitting for carrying soaked costumes and outdoor programs.

• Canvas

Canvas is durable, lightweight, and easy to clean. Being inexpensive, they are also widely used, even though popularity is much less then nylon items. They can hold dirty shoes, moisture bags and other necessities and fit for rough use. They’re not suitable for carrying valuables like laptop.

Popular Features

While choosing the features, considering your requirements and budget is the major criterion that helps you reach your ideal backpack.

• Shoe and Clothing Compartments

With separate mesh compartment for keeping shoes, clean clothes and wet costume inside your backpack, you can keep everything odor-free, unharmed, and secured. These are very useful for men and women who love involving in activities like water sports, swimming, apart from gym of yoga.

• Counters/ Pouches/ Holders

Considering you need to carry laptop to mobile phone, books, office papers, toiletries and other necessities, choose your backpack with required number of pockets and counters. Make sure that it is waterproof, and for carrying notebook always go for well-padded separate compartment. An exterior space for keeping water bottle is a must-have.

• Carrying Straps

Shoulder straps and straps for carrying on the back

• Construction and Security

Always choose your gym backpack with shoe compartment with robust construction, high quality rust resistant hardware, high quality zippers, and high quality padlocking system. In fact, durability and excellence of the product depends largely on construction whereas every element including clasps, fasteners, zippers or all hardware times take a significant place.

Filed Under: Accessories

January 4, 2018 By Tony Leave a Comment

Small Gym Bags for Men that You Can Carry to Work

Finding work-life balance is something that occupies most of our time, trying to prioritize both personal and professional life equally. Sadly, for many people work takes up most of their life and they are hardly left with any time and energy to focus on a fit and healthy life. If you are a guy who is very dedicated about fitness, you wouldn’t let anything come in between as an excuse to miss your fitness routine, would you? If you are a working professional who is equally dedicated towards fitness, there might be instances when you hit the gym soon after work or right before work. If this describes you in any way, this article is for you!

There are many people today who visit the gym right after work or right before work. If you are one of them, you would most certainly need a gym bag that you wouldn’t mind carrying to your workplace any time of the day. A small and sleek gym bag that wouldn’t get much attention is something that most people would suggest, including us. In this article you will find the most helpful tips you can follow to buy a small gym bag for men.

1. Small and Sleek

Most certainly, you must first ensure that the bag you choose is small and sleek. The advantages of having a small bag are many: to start with, you won’t attract a lot of attention when you walk into the office with your gym bag. Secondly, it is so much easier to carry a small and sleek bag since you are already carrying an office bag as well with you. If you take daily commute like a bus or subway, it is more difficult to move around with a bulky bag clinging on to you. Thus, always choose a small and sleek bag from the lot of small gym bags for men.

2. Color

If you have noticed, none of the office bags or briefcases come in flashy colors like orange, red or yellow. The same applies to your gym bag if you intend to carry it your workplace before/after the workout. Thus, ensure you choose a color that is subtle, soft and doesn’t attract a lot of attention. Colors like black, navy blue and grey are always the safest colors you can go for while choosing a bag from small gym bags for men.

3. Look for more compartments

This is the first suggestion anybody would give you if you are planning to buy a gym bag. This is because there a lot of things one needs to carry while going to the gym. A pair of clothes, shoes, water bottles, towel, phone, headphones… the list keeps growing. There is no way you can dump your sweaty clothes, dirty shoes and phone into one single compartment and then carry it to your work. You most certainly need different compartments for each of these. Thus, when you are choosing from small gym bags for men, always go for the bags with more compartments.

4. Waterproofing and Easy to Clean

Another thing that you need to ensure while buying a gym bag that you can carry to work is that it is waterproof and easy to clean. Imagine you have all your electronic items including your phone, iPad, headphones in one compartment and a leaking water bottle in another compartment. If the bag is not waterproof, there is a great chance your electronic items will stop working one day. Moreover, if the bag is not waterproof the sweat from your post-workout clothes will be absorbed by the entire bag making it smelly. Thus, while choosing a bag from small gym bags for men, always choose a bag that is waterproof and easy to clean. The interior material must be such that you can easily clean it up with a wet cloth.

Filed Under: Accessories

December 30, 2017 By Czerniak Leave a Comment

Elliptical vs. Treadmill: What is the Difference

If you are thinking about purchasing exercise equipment for your home, you may be wondering if there is a difference between an elliptical trainer and a treadmill. There are, in fact, several key differences between these two machines.

The first and most obvious difference is that the elliptical provides a workout that is virtually impact free. The smooth rotation of the pedals erases the foot strike effect you feel from walking, running or jogging on a treadmill. Those concerned about joint impact while training or those with mobility issues due to joint pain will find that an elliptical provides an excellent, impact free cardio-vascular workout.

Runners that train to race tend to favor the treadmill as the action and foot strike are more in keeping with what the runner feels while training outdoors. However, the elliptical may also benefit the avid runner. Dedicated runners tend to suffer muscle or foot injuries (often due to overtraining). If the runner’s doctor’s orders allow for light training, the elliptical may be a way to keep up cardio fitness while allowing the injury to heal.

Elliptical vs. Treadmill

Another difference between the treadmill and the elliptical is the handles. Elliptical trainers have long handles that the user pushes and pulls in tandem with the motion of their feet. In addition to providing balance and stability, these handles can be used to ramp up the intensity of the fitness routine and sneak in an excellent upper body workout. Many elliptical machines have settings that increase or decrease the strength needed to move the handles. Having to push and pull with force will help to quickly build up the muscles in your arms and upper body. Engaging the upper and lower body simultaneously exponentially increases the value of your workout.

When it comes to space saving options, treadmills tend to be a better choice. Those living in smaller spaces such as condo units appreciate the fold-and-store option many treadmills offer. There are virtually no options for folding up an elliptical machine and storing it under the bed while not in use!

Both the elliptical and the treadmill will offer you health benefits that can increase your length and quality of life. Deciding which machine is best for you will depend on your ultimate fitness goals, your mobility, your space requirements, and your personal preferences. Whichever machine you choose, the day your foot touches the pedal or the track is the day you start walking your way to a healthier future.

Buy a elliptical and treadmill machines online from a reputed store to get you in shape and feeling healthy, fit and strong. Once you check out their value pricing on their high quality machines you will find yourself left with no more excuses as to why you cannot start your new fitness journey today.

Filed Under: Workout Equipment

November 12, 2017 By Tony Leave a Comment

The Treadmill is a Convenient Home Workout Choice

As people commit to improving their health, the treadmill has enjoyed a strong resurgence in popularity.

Many consumers prefer the option of exercising in their homes. Ownership of a treadmill allows you to avoid temperature extremes and gives you the ease of being able to exercising at any time of the day or night. The convenience of owning a treadmill may also translate into your using it more frequently.

The advantages of using a treadmill include building endurance, toning, burning calories (with subsequent weight loss), increasing metabolism, a reduction of inches and higher energy levels. A good workout helps keep you accountable too. You are far less likely to indulge in that piece of chocolate cake when you know exactly how long it takes to burn it off!

Treadmills are found in medical and rehabilitation facilities and are the gold standard for evaluating cardiovascular status. Technicians record the bodies’ response to the increased demand imposed on the heart during a treadmill workout, measuring oxygen consumption, monitoring the heart rate and evaluating heart rhythms.

Our bodies are made up of two different types of muscle fibers that differ in the way they move us. Generally speaking, many of us have about 50% slow twitch fibers and 50% fast twitch fibers in our bodies. Fast twitch fibers contract quickly, producing more power and strength. Fast twitch muscle fibers are activated during short bursts of speed and strength such as in sprinting or bodybuilding. These muscle fibers are also designed to grow larger in response to training. Slow twitch fibers contract slowly and for longer periods of time. Their purpose is to gradually increase endurance. The difference is noted in activities like cycling, running and swimming. A treadmill workout can engage both the fast and slow twitch fibers when you divide your workout time into segments of sprints and power walking.

When using your treadmill, it is important to wear comfortable clothing and appropriate footwear. Drink plenty of water to remain adequately hydrated. Warm up muscles slowly, gradually increasing the blood flow to them, thus avoiding strains and injuries. While your clothes may reflect inches and pound lost, keeping a log to monitor your progress will record the improvement in your endurance and fitness.

Before you purchase a treadmill, evaluate your fitness goals and expectations. Prices can vary tremendously, as do the many options available. Consider the warranty and factor in shipping or delivery and setup costs. If ordering online, go to a showroom and “test drive” the model you are interested in to ensure that it is comfortable and meets your needs. Whether buying new or used, read the reviews and ratings. Remember that you can always upgrade your treadmill as your fitness levels increase. Buying a used treadmill may be an affordable option and there are some great deals to be had, especially in the off-season. Witness the January fitness phenomenon as people honoring New Year’s resolutions invade fitness centers and gyms and purchase exercise equipment. By February, a significant number of people have abandoned their pledges to incorporate more exercise into their lives, leaving a plethora of gently used treadmills for sale on internet swap sites and newspaper want ads.

When evaluating a treadmill, it should feel stable. Steel alloy frames are more durable than aluminum. The deck size should be adequate to accommodate your stride while providing shock absorption to cushion the impact on your joints. Consider the length and width of the track. A shorter track may be sufficient for walking or light jogging whereas longer, wider belts are recommended for running. Most models have heart rate monitors that display speed, distance, and calories burned while the newer models feature touch screens. The controls should be within easy reach and comfortable to use. Ensure that the motor runs quietly and smoothly, allowing you to hear music or the TV while in use. A programmable, variable workout can alleviate boredom as you vary the intensity and style of your workout. Interval workouts and hill climbing can be displayed and mimics walking on hills. Some models have space saver designs that fold for easy storage. Two important safety features, especially with small children in the home, are an emergency off switch and a safety key. The safety key is similar to that on snowmobiles. If you fall off, the key is disengaged, stopping the unit. As a final reminder, be sure to consider the size of the room that you intend to put it in!

Filed Under: Workout Equipment

October 10, 2017 By Tony Leave a Comment

Easing Your Couch Potato Bones into a Healthy Routine of Exercises

Variety, being the spice of life, should also be the case when exercising. More exercise is better, right? “The more I do, the more I’ll lose!” Woah, that’s a risky attitude to take, not just to heart. You have to do a variety of exercises. Not just stretching, to increase your flexibility. Not just resistance training, to build up muscles and improve the strength capacities in your joints. Not just aerobic exercises to burn fat, boost your energy, and improve concentration. Although, if you’re motivated enough, you can do all those. In fact, you should be doing a little bit of each type.

Why are you taking up doing exercises now? Because your doctor told you to. Good enough reason. Lose weight, help reduce the risk of heart diseases, improve your posture, balance, body shape, appearance, even your sex appeal and drive. Committing to becoming more physically active requires research, planning, and preparation. The hardest thing, though, to get through initially will be your discomfort, especially since you’ve been stuck in the sedentary lifestyle for a long while. But you can do this.  Ease into it at first.

Really. Just wait a minute. Don’t just dive in to the pool and expect to thrash around in the warm water in order to lose weight and look and feel better. First you have to assess where you are in terms of fitness level. You can’t just jump right back into the habit of exercising, especially if you haven’t “laced up the shoes” since high school. Nor can you just leap into action inspired by the 2012 Olympic athletes’ performances—you have to know what you’re capable of doing and establish some primary fitness goals. Then you can branch out into the other forms of exercises.

Exercises—are your friends doing them? Good. Research through them. Ask your friends lots of questions, not just about gym fees, what to wear, and the price of tennis shoes.  Note which of your social networking friends are posting notices about the exercises they do. Ask them why. What benefits do they feel they get from bicycling, weightlifting, jogging, pilates, shadow boxing, yoga, dancing, dog walking? Visit your local library and browse through the books on physical training. Find what appeals to you.

One of the first exercises you should do is indeed the simplest—walk. Walk around your neighbourhood. Unplug the iPod and listen to the birds. Reconnect to nature where and when you can; this helps improve your mood as well; let the good smells of nature (fresh cut grass, wild flowers, trees) calm you. Being in a good mood keeps you motivated to do your exercises!

Start your walking with a goal of a short distance first and gradually increase your distance over time. After you become comfortable with your walking routine, spice it up! Find safe areas in your neighbourhood park where you can do stepping exercises, for example, a sturdy and low retaining wall. Find places where you can comfortably stretch, places where you can include arm exercises such as wall press ups. Build up your stamina enough to include carrying small hand weights.

Exercising is a great way to relieve stress. The effort of doing something good for yourself and your body increases your positive mood—so when you need to beat the blahs, just take half an hour and perform some of your favourite exercises!

Considering the quite wide menu of choices when it comes to exercises, how can you not find something that suits your personality, lifestyle, and schedule? But don’t force yourself to do too many; pace yourself.  If you see the variety of exercising activities like a smorgasbord, yes, you can have seconds, thirds… just watch your portions! Consult with a physical trainer in addition to your doctor as well so that you have a helpful plan and a guide along the route to health.

Filed Under: Exercise

August 8, 2017 By Tony Leave a Comment

Choosing Your Ab Workouts

Workouts tend to focus on regions we need the most work on, and over the course of selecting your workout exercises, there are different routines that can yield results greater than others.  Ab workouts are traditionally the workouts that are left until last during the exercise routine, but are the key to maintaining a healthy overall body.

If you were to think of the limbs of your body as limbs of a tree, then the abdominal muscles form the tree trunk.  Abdominal muscles are the core of almost everything we do, therefore, keeping that core in the best shape possible with ab workouts only makes sense.

With ten different types of yoga, free weights, machine weights, resistance training, cross training and Pilates, there are many different types of ab workouts to choose from, but choosing the one that is correct for you is key to your success.  Choosing exercise routines that do not fit your lifestyle, or exercises that are not fun and interesting for you will likely mean you will not choose to do them as often and inevitably defeat the purpose.

Out of those ten varieties of yogic exercises, only three provide an ab workout or focus on abdominals.  Kundalini Yoga is a core workout on your abs and spine intended to free up the potential of your chakra.  Ashtanga Yoga is a physically demanding yoga, intended to keep you in very fast motion focusing on your arms and chest.  Prenatal Yoga is yoga for pregnant women and focuses on core work and breathing.

Free weights are a good way to exercise your abdominal muscles as some movements can target more than one muscle group, and also can add a degree of difficulty over doing the same exercise without weights.  Ab workouts with weights are considered more difficult exercises, and might be too challenging for the beginner, so consider this as an exercise you may want to grow into.  When beginning free weight core exercises, it is a good idea to start with the smallest weights possible like a 2.5-pound or 5-pound weight.

Fitness

Machine weights and resistance training are very similar as the weight applied is both controlled and restricted.  Targeting your abdominals in ab workouts with either a series of machines or a resistance machine is an easy and sometimes fun way to work on your abdominal groups.  Typically, in the bigger gyms, there is a circuit to do, and people enter the circuit and move through the designated machines in a rapid paced workout routine.  When starting to do circuits in a gym, it may be better to start in off peak hours so you get into the exercises without feeling pressured.

Pilates has evolved over the years to include many different types of props, but the basic fundamental exercises involved in Pilates involve only a mat and a chair.  Pilates works on six principles, concentration, control, centering, flow, precision and breathing, but all of these principles focus on the core of your body, which is a great way to do ab workouts as well as conditioning the muscles around the spine and pelvic area.

As always, it is a good idea to consult a physician when planning your exercise routines, as people suffering from particular conditions may find some exercises detrimental to their condition.  Regardless, ab workouts will always yield a healthy core, so (with the aid of your doctor) determine which ones are right for you and happy exercising.

Filed Under: Workouts for Women

July 6, 2017 By Czerniak Leave a Comment

Getting Desired Results from Ab Workouts

If you ask most people what their top fitness goal is, many will say it’s to have toned abs. There is just something about a flat, toned stomach that appeals to people. Many people will also report having trouble in this area, saying that even when they do ab workouts, they are still not necessarily getting the results they want. Some complain that even though their stomachs are relatively flat and show no protrusion, there is an absence of definition around the abdominal muscles, so they are not getting that six-pack look that they desire. Others will report that they can feel those muscles getting stronger, and have built up great strength and resistance in their abdominal area, but they still seem to have belly fat sticking out. The reason that many people have issues in this area is because they don’t know that there is a difference between burning fat and building muscle, and that certain exercise will only achieve one goal or the other.

Most people who want to achieve toned abs do ab workouts that target the muscles in that area. Sit-ups, crunches, and other similar ab workouts will certainly over time build up your abdominal muscles. You will notice that these exercises will become easier over time and you will be able to do more of each, because you will be building those muscles up. However, muscle-building exercises only burn a certain amount of fat, so you might not quite see the definition you were hoping for. It is still possible to retain a protruding belly even if you have strong abdominal muscles. These muscle-building exercises are a crucial part of achieving the look you want, but they are only half of the equation.

One of the common misconceptions about burning fat is that you have to target the areas where you want to burn the fat. This isn’t always true. One of the best ways to burn fat is through cardio exercise, which ends up burning fat throughout your whole body. Running, dancing, cycling, and other high-action exercises are a necessary part of achieving an overall trim appearance, as long as you maintain a healthy diet as well. Maintaining a healthy diet and a lot of activity are enough to keep you perfectly fit and healthy, however, if you want those toned, visible muscles, you have to do targeted exercises for each of those areas. Cardio exercise might leave you lean and trim, but if you want to go any further than that, your best bet is to head to do some ab workouts that really build up your muscles.

Balance is the key to achieving success in many areas, and ab workouts are no different. You must combining muscle-building workouts that target your abdominal muscles with general, cardio exercise and a healthy diet in order to burn fat. When combined, these two types of exercise can be a powerful combination and will produce the results you were hoping to achieve in the first place.

Filed Under: Workouts for Women, Workouts for Men

June 4, 2017 By Czerniak Leave a Comment

Ab Workouts are Not Abnormal

Ab workouts are perhaps the most requested set of exercises for the weight loss/get-in-shape/be-fit/that’s-my-New-Year’s-resolution crowd because everybody wants to have a flat belly. The problem is that you can’t get a flat belly by just doing sit-ups. (Sit-ups are also a risky exercise for people prone to or those who have osteoporosis—it’s possible to fracture a vertebrae.) But don’t let that faze you from exercising your abdominal muscles; in addition to wanting a “flat belly” appearance, you’d also like to have improved posture and balance. And what are the abdominal muscles called, you may ask? You have five of them:

•    Obliquus externus abdominis

•    Obliquus internus abdominis

•    Transversus abdominis

•    Rectus abdominis

•    Linea alba

Sure sound impressive, don’t they? Well, they are. All of these muscles help provide movement and support for your trunk, and they also assist in the breathing process. Further, they provide protection for the internal organs. So yes, your abdominal muscles are a very important muscle group!

Ab workouts approved by your personal trainer contain the exercises you need to perform in order to strengthen and define the stomach muscles.  Regardless of whichever exercise discipline you choose to follow (Pilates, yoga, tai chi, perhaps even more than one), remember to perform within the prescribed limits of your fitness level: beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert.

Ab workouts through strength training are the most effective in terms of changing your body’s physical appearance since a lean, well-proportioned body is only achieved through losing body fat and gaining muscle. Your ab workouts will include crunches, machine abdominal curls (only attempt this exercise when your abdominals are strong—there’s no need to strain or injure your back in pursuit of the “six-pack”), lower abdomen raises, twists, and combinations of these. Even performing the push-up using a stability ball is a good ab workout.

Ab workouts to give you flexibility include doing total body stretches, as well as the standing side stretch, the seated side stretch, and the sphinx. The best set of Ab workouts you can do for yourself feature no exercise whatsoever—just watch what you eat and drink. You don’t want that beer gut anymore? Eliminate alcohol from your diet. If you’re not interested in eliminating alcohol completely from your life (that is a big change), instead, just reduce your intake—lower your limits to 8 units per week for men and 6 units per week for women. (e.g., one unit equals one glass of wine, or one measure of spirits, or half a pint of beer.) Keep hydrated by drinking two liters of water a day.

Regardless if you are doing ab workouts primarily to achieve a certain look or not, (e.g.,  a flat belly), you will look and feel better anyway by strengthening your body’s core and building up your aerobic capacity. The key aspect for all abdominal exercises is to maintain control in the stomach; do not let the momentum of your body allow you to make the reps. The benefit is in performing fewer high-quality stomach exercises.

Filed Under: Workouts for Women, Workouts for Men

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next Page »

Recent Posts

  • Why Fitness Enthusiasts Prefer Purchasing Gym Bag with Compartments?
  • Knee Wraps vs. Knee Sleeves: What’s the Difference Between the Two?
  • Find the Best Sports Ankle Brace to Prevent Ankle Injuries in Sports
  • How to Select Knee Sleeves for Squatting
  • Three Good Reasons to Wear Wrist Wraps During Weightlifting

YouTube Search

Categories

  • Weight Loss
  • Workouts for Women
  • Personal Training
  • Workouts for Men
  • Workout Equipment
  • Exercise
  • Infographs
  • Tips
  • Accessories
  • Nutrition & Supplements

RSS Fitness News

  • U.S. Open 2025: Sam Burns may have an unstoppable weapon in his bag come Sunday at Oakmont June 15, 2025
  • Air India's New Owners Were Trying to Revamp Carrier Before Crash June 15, 2025
  • Group fitness instructors invited for training, teaching, job opportunities - Maui Now June 15, 2025
  • 3rd Infantry Division takes first place in the U.S. Army's 250th Birthday Fitness Competition June 14, 2025
  • U.S. Open 2025: 11 surprising players who won't be around for weekend at Oakmont June 14, 2025
  • Costco Announces New Perk Just in Time for July 4 - Men's Journal June 14, 2025
  • Family fun highlights Ripon library activities | Local News | riponpress.com June 14, 2025

Google+ Followers

Links

  • Blog Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feed
  • About Us

Categories

  • Weight Loss
  • Workouts for Women
  • Personal Training
  • Workouts for Men
  • Workout Equipment
  • Exercise
  • Infographs
  • Tips
  • Accessories
  • Nutrition & Supplements

Calendar

June 2025
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30  
« Mar    

Copyright © 2025 · Generate Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in