It has often been the thought that rigorous physical exercises are the best way to stay fit and healthy; it now appears that this is not the best approach and the latest way of thinking is “less is more”. To expand on this, if you were to use a running machine it is better to run at 7mph for 20 minutes than to run at 14mph for 10 minutes!

Obviously different exercise regimes will suit different people therefore before embarking on a fitness programme it may be wise to seek professional advice i.e. from your doctor or a fitness instructor, the last thing you would need is for the programme to have a detrimental effect on your well being.

Having taken advice and if applicable you decide to begin physical exercises it is always prudent to “run before you can walk”. Start with the formulae that suits you, don’t attempt to become fit and healthy overnight or you are sure to suffer following your first bout of exercising. A good brisk walk is as good a way to start as any this will break you in gently before you attempt the jogging or bending or stretching movements, this will warm up the body gradually. Always remember that warm muscles are less likely to damage than cold ones, also tendons and ligaments need to work in conjunction with muscles, therefore warming up is an important part of exercising, not only is warming up important so is warming/cooling down after you have finished your physical exercises. Warming/cooling down returns the body to a state of homeostasis (back to as it was before exercise), having finished your main exercises this is a more low intensity programme for about 10-20 minutes to remove the lactic acid from your muscles to assist with a quicker recovery from the exertion.

It is very easy to assume you are fitter than you actually are, so consider the amount of exercising that you can do when you first begin. It is no good spending one night ‘working out’ only to spend the next three or four days being unable to move or being in complete agony every time you do move.

There is no reason why a well thought out and organised programme of physical exercises cannot lead to a better and more enjoyable lifestyle for those who relish more than just being a couch potato.

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Tiger Woods is off to an incredible start in 2008, winning 3 tournaments in
3 starts. He did it again this weekend, winning another tournament, but its
no surprise based on his physical strength and mobility.

Not only does Tiger look like he gained even more muscle in the off-season,
it looks like he has Mark McGwire’s arms, almost. Although again, Tiger is
doing this all without steroids.

Tiger is physically dominating the sport. Heck, he’s even driven Phil
Mickelson to start exercising and to lose weight. Phil looks so much better
now that he has lost 20 pounds.

I’d be very interested to see Tiger’s workout program. Is there anything
fancy in it? Or is it just the basics? How does he gain strength without
sacrificing mobility? That is one of the biggest mistakes
most “bodybuilding” type routines make…if a golfer did bodybuilding type
training, it would most likely ruin his game just as easily as getting fat
and out of shape.

Does Tiger use a lot of bodyweight exercises? Does he do cardio or interval
training? If anyone has the inside scoop on that training program, let me
know.

Now you certainly don’t need to be a powerlifter, bodybuilder, or gymnast to
be a good golfer…as you can see by the physiques on many other men and
women on tour. However, you can’t let your strength or mobility be the
limiting factor in your game. So you need to train…

The best things to do are…

1) Use a variety of bodyweight exercises to work on your strength and
mobility. This can be part of your warmup or can compose your entire
workout. Like I said, you don’t need to be a powerlifter to be a golfer.

First, start with the basics like pushups, bodyweight squats, inverted
bodyweight rows, stick-ups, lunges, and the plank and side plank for your
abs.

Then once you’ve mastered those, move on to spiderman pushups, spiderman
climbs, mountain climbers, one-leg romanian deadlifts, stability ball leg
curls, hanging leg raises, pullups, chinups, and decline pushups.

There are dozens, if not hundreds of bodyweight exercises you can do to burn
fat, get stronger, and improve your mobility. This will help you hit longer
and more accurately on the golf course.

Plus, it will increase your stamina and focus late in the game - combined
with good nutrition of course.

2) Work with a good golf coach to identify your weaknesses. Is your lack of
hip mobility messing up your swing? Is your work posture ruining your
shoulder mobility? Etc.

3) Eat right for fat loss and mental energy. You won’t get tired on the
course. I believe this is one of the most under-rated aspects of Tiger’s
game. If you watch him play, you’ll see him snacking at various points in
the day. And he ain’t eating junk, unlike many of the older players on the
scene. Plus, good nutrition allows him to recover between rounds and between
workouts.

If you follow these three steps, you’ll have a better body, you’ll burn fat,
and you’ll golf like a champ. Use your bodyweight, not machines, to become
fit like Tiger Woods.

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

There will be days (everyday?) when you don’t feel like doing your workout.

Sometimes you don’t want to get out of bed.

Sometimes you don’t want to leave your office because you feel like there are too many deadlines (but this is when you need a workout the most!).

Sometimes you don’t want to end story time with the kids only to head down to the basement gym.

It even happens to me.

But I knew how I’d feel like a million bucks after the workout.

And in the end, I know I can’t let myself become “soft” and start skipping workouts. I have to lead by example.

But if you are set on achieving a goal, then when it’s workouttime, come heck or high water you’ve got to bear down and do the job.

So here are 7 ways to get motivated for your workout and to get you inspired to get through your workout.

1) Reward yourself. Finish your workout and treat yourself to a magazine, a TV show, some extra time with your family, some new songs for your IPOD, or even a little extra time for yourself.

2) Or set up a punishment for missing workouts. Skip the workout, put $20 into a jar to spend on home repairs. Make sure your spouse controls the jar.

3) Review your goals everyday and every night. Keeping your goals fresh in your mind will help you stay on track.

4) Realize that the hardest part of the workout is often getting your butt to the gym. Once you get 5 minutes into the workout, you will be over the hump. So tell yourself, “I’ll just go in and do 1 set of the first 2 exercises, then I can go”. Next thing you know, you’ll have done the entire workout.

5) Visualize yourself doing a great workout and finishing strong. Get yourself mentally prepared and you will literally have better workouts each time.

6) Crank the tunes. Seriously, nothing motivates like music.

7) Get social support. If you have a workout partner, you’ll feel like crap if you let them down. Or become accountable to everyone in the Turbulence Training workout forums…if you don’t post your workouts, they’ll track you down and demand to know why you’ve fallen off track! So online or offline, get everyone on your side!

Now get out there and kick the fat to the curb,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

There are 2 great exercises that you are able to begin doing to get your body in high gear to begin burning some important body fat, calories, and reducing up your back end. Those drills are cardio-kickboxing and physical fitness boxing.

Cardio-kickboxing This exercise demands the function of entire body motions like kicking, punching, moving up and down, leaping and employing the entire body to produce a amusing and high-powered physical exercise routine to get your body sweating. The quick paced music makes it all the more active and stimulating so that there never is a grey moment. Be warned that it is very difficult and very hard to perform. This isn’t simple depending upon the teacher.

Physical fitness boxing This drill takes the components of boxing and applying it for fitness roles. What’s neat about this type of practice sessions is that it’s just about impact free for the knees. You punch your way to good shape. Also, you will have to avoid mock punches by evading them going underneath them, going side to side so that you get build those side abdominal muscles. It’s more challenging then what most people believe. However, the routine of hitting something with mitts can be very freeing. All told, it’s a really fun, thrilling and rapid way to condition where you are able to burn a enormous numbers of calories. Somewhere in the range of four hundred to nine hundred calories per workout.

There you have it. These are two terrific drills geared toward increasing your calorie burning. And they will get you in condition promptly. Try it now at your local gym.

Here are a few really great tricep exercises for you to try. Queit often the triceps are overlooked when doing a workout. It’s easy just to focus on bicep workouts. The back of the upper arm is just as important. Without training your arms will not reach their full potential.

Standing Tricep Curls

This exercise uses a slightly unusual grip. Instead of holding the dumbbell by the bar, use your palms to hold it by the end. Using two hands gives more control and is safer than using a one hand grip.

1) Stand with your feet shoulders width apart. While keeping your knees slightly bent and your back stright. Using both hands hold the dumbbell over your head. Use your thumbs around the bar and your palms resting on the weight. Ensure that the bar is perpendicular(vertical) to the ground. Start with your arms fully extended above your head. Making sure your head is up and your shoulders are relaxed.

2) Lower the dumbbell behind your head as far as it will go. Keep your upper arm close to your head while you do this. Hold for a second and then raise to the starting position.

Top Tips

Doing this tricep exercise while sitting will keep your back strighter and more stable.

When using dumbbells with removable plates make sure they are fastened tightly as they can easily slip off when the bar is in the vertical postion.

Lying Tricep Extensions

This exercise works both the tricep and the anconeus, a short triangular muscle that helps srighten your elbow.

1) Lie on a weight bench with your head slightly extended over the end. Making sure you put your feet flat on the ground. Hold the dumbbell with two hands using the same grip as the “Standing Tricep Curl”. Fully extend your arms at an angel slightly greater then 45-degrees, with the wieght over the top of your head. Keep the bar purpendicular to the ground.

2) Keeping your arms still, slowlt bend your albows. Lower the weight until it is behind your head. Hold for a second and then return to the starting postion.

Top Tips

To produce a greater stretch in the triceps keep your elbows and upper arms stationary.

For best results completely strighten your elbows at the extended phase of the exercise.

I hope you find these tricep exercises useful. Why not start using them in your workout today?

I’m sure you have seen plenty of work out videos for sale everywhere you look. Celebrities often bring out their own fitness videos. Some of them are really good others and just lame.

Carmen Electra’s Fit to Strip DVD

This is one of those classic work out videos with an added twist. You get a workout while learning how to strip for your partner! It has received countless great reviews from satisfied customers.

“It was fun to learn the routines (they’re cute, and none of them are too complicated or difficult)” - J. Birk

I love this workout, I liked it so well that I went out the day after the I bought the first one and bought the second one! - D. Bashoor

Jane Fonda Collection: The Complete Workout & Stress Reduction Program

This video is now a bit dated and cheesy but still not bad. It’s basicly a DVD of one of those old aerobics work out videos re-released on DVD. For people that have used the older tapes but now want a DVD version this is great. But it’s deffiently a bit dated.

Men’s Health: 15 Minute Workout

This is a great workout if you don’t have much time. Whats great is it’s quick and easy to follow. The video is taken from a series Men’s Health magazine did on quick 15 minute workouts.

So If your short of time but still want to workout then this is a brilliant option to get the results fast.

So what are you waiting for? Start using work out videos today to get the body you deserve!

10 Minute Workouts - Online Training Resource - Click Here

Everyone complains about not having enough time, but anyone with a core of honesty will confess that each day they spend a fair amount of time doing nothing more than picking lint out of their navel. Even if your daily schedule is packed to bursting point you can still find time to exercise. It’s a case of making time….

Finding The Best Time to Exercise

1. Early in the morning can be a great time to get in a 20 minutes exercise session. Set your alarm to go off early. Few us have a schedule that conflicts with 5 A.M.

2. Ride a stationary or skip rope in front of the TV. This can be a great time to exercise with the average American watching 30 hours of TV a week imagine how fit you would be with 30 hours of exercise a week!

3. Set aside reports, newspapers and books during the day - Then find the time to read them in the evening while spinning on an exercise bike.

4. Take the stairs. If you are trapped in a hotel without a gym and the streets are unsafe at night running up and down the stairs can be a great way to still get in a workout.

5. Do you spend your lunch break filling your face with food and playing games on your PC? Why not use this time to go for a walk or a jog!

I’m sure you have plenty of little time gaps in your day? These are the best time to exercise. Jump on these opportunities and don’t let time slip threw your hands. You will look and feel so much better for it to!

Lower Body Workouts - Online Training Resource - Click Here
It is important to work all four of the main muscle groups in your thigh. These are leg abductors, biceps femoris, leg adductor’s and quadriceps. All of these must be worked to see a noticeable change. Swimming and walking are all great inner thigh exercises. A brisk walk daily can do wonders. Swimming is great for toning the thigh and abdominal areas as well as the rest of your body.Exercise bikes, treadmills and cross trainers can provide a great work out. Keeping the resistance level low is important. To much can end up making the muscles in your legs grow bigger. Weights can also be used to target the inner thigh but the key is light weights and high repetitions to sculpt and tone the leg.

3 Fab Inner Thigh Exercises

1) Stepping one foot onto the step and then taking the other foot to meet it on the same step and then back down again. This can be done one the bottom of some stairs or with a step box.

2) Hold on to a chair with your feet together, tense your abdominal muscles and your back straight. Slowly put one leg in front a tighten your inner thigh as you do it. Try not to swing your leg but use a slow controlled motion. Light ankle weights can be added over time.

3) Lie on the floor on your right side and align your head, shoulders and hips. Use your hand to prop your head and put the other hand in front for support. Bend your left leg and put it in front of you. Keeping your leg straight raise the leg off the floor. Hold the leg still when you get to the top and the slowly lower it back to the floor. Make sure you do an even number of these on each side.

If you have any inner thigh exercises that you can recommend then feel free to leave a comment and I’ll add them to the site.

Fitness Ball Workouts - Online Training Resource - Click Here

Gym ball exercises are a great way to workout. They come in a range of colors and sizes. They are much kinder on your back and spine and also help develop a strong core.

Gym Ball Push ups

Push ups can be done on a gym ball but are typically more challenging then a normal push up. These can be a great upper body work out and really get your heart rate up.

Start by putting your legs on the gym ball. Your shins should be the main contact point. Put your hand on the floor and perform the normal push up movement. Having your legs raise off the floor with make this exercise really work your arms and chest muscles.

Top Tips

• If you don’t have a gym ball Amazon do some really good ones. You can get one by clicking here.
• To make this easier you can use a smaller gym ball.

Core crunchers

This exercise is really good for your abs and core muscles. Having toned abs is high on most people list of fitness goals. Start working on yours with this exercise!
1) Get down on your knees, bend at your waist and put your elbows on the gym ball.
2) Roll the ball forward until your upper body is straight. Making sure you squeeze your abs. Then roll back to the start.

Top Tip

• Doing this on an exercise mat can help stop your knee’s from hurting.

Bent Knee Bridge

This exercise is one of the best gym ball exercises for the lower body. It really works the hamstrings and buttocks.
1) Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your heels on top of the ball. Lay with your arms spread either side of you
2) Lift your butt off the floor while squeezing it and push your hips upwards toward the ceiling. Hold at the top and then lower back down to the starting position.

Top Tip

• Laying on your back on a hard floor can really make your back hurt. Protect it by using an exercise mat.

I hope these gym ball exercises help you out. If you need a gym ball you can get some really good ones from here. Most come with an exercise guide to get you started. So get going and start exercising today!

Healthy Back Workouts - Online Training Resource - Click Here
Upper back exercises are the key to having a strong and great looking toned back.Your back supports the weight of your upper body so having a strong back is essential to feeling and looking fantastic while minimizing the risk of pain or injury.

Most people just focus on lower back exercises, however the upper back is just as important and needs strengthening and toning too. A well toned back helps maintain good posture which helps you to stay looking great.

For a better healthier back why not try some of the best back exercises around. Start today to get the body you want a deserve! You owe it to yourself….

Barbell Overhead Pulls

This exercise gives a great upper body workout. It works the pectorals major and minor (chest) muscles, the latissimus dori (mid and lower back), and the teres major (below shoulder blade) and rhomboid (upper back) muscles. This exercises is great to improve swimming, rowing and hammering.

1) Lie flat on a bench with your feet on the floor either side. With your palms towards your feet, lift the barbell above your chest until your arms are perpendicular (at right angles) to the floor. Make sure to keep your elbows unlocked and slightly bent.

2) Slowly lower the barbell behind your head. Move in a semicircular motion until your arms and parallel to the bench or lower. Hold for a second and then slowly pull the barbell back over your head to the starting position.

Top Tips

• Wearing a weight belt or switching to a lower weight will help stop your back from arching.
• Using a curl bar makes this exercise more comfortable and easier to control.
• To reduce stress in your arms bends your elbows a bit more.
• If you don’t own a barbell you can get one from here

Upright Row

As the name suggests this exercise works the same muscled which are used when rowing a boat. The front deltoid (shoulder) and trapezius (upper back and neck) muscles as well as the chest and forearm muscles.

1) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Using a narrow over hand grip hold the bell bar with your arms extended downwards. The bar should be resting on your upper thighs. Lean forwards at your waist and allow your shoulders to drop forward slightly just a bit, but making sure your back is kept straight.

2) Keeping the bar close to you slowly lift it until it is the height of your collarbone. You elbows should point outwards and above the barbell. hold for a second and then lower slowly back to the starting position.

Top Tips

• It is important not to lean back or sway when lifting the bar.
• To make this exercise easier and to reduce balance problems it can be done with a low pulley.
• To increase the difficulty use dumbbells instead of the barbell.

I hope these upper back exercises help you just remember to weight train safely and to warm up and stretch before starting any exercises.