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Golf Workouts Can Quickly Add Yards To Your Drives Author: Mike Pedersen I’m sure by now you’ve heard most of the professional players; both men and women actively participate in golf workouts. It’s no secret. But why then do most amateur golfers ignore this? Is it because it seems like work? Or, does the thought of actually breaking a sweat get you tired already?Either way…the proof is in the bag. The number one player in the world, Vijay Singh, does his golf workouts all the way through Sunday of each tournament. Does it look like it’s hurting his game? I don’t think so. Back in 1997, a young, very athletic golfer came on the professional scene and blew everyone away. I think you know who I’m talking about. Tiger took golf to another level. A real eye-opener for the veteran players who were hitting the 19th hole after every round…and the last thought on their mind was “exercise”. What a wake-up call to be totally dominated by a player who was only 20 years old at the time.How about the year Annika Sorenstam shot a 59 and totally dominated the LPGA? Do you know what she attributes it to? Golf workouts! She hired a trainer and got serious about her fitness. And look what happened? She hasn’t looked back since. She just recently came out with an instruction book and devoted a chapter to golf workouts. To my recollection, that’s the first women’s instruction book to include golf workouts. Working out to playing better golf isn’t just for the guys; Annika has proved that. Now more LPGA players are working out to try and catch her, just like the guys did with Tiger.How about the senior tour? Now players are realizing they can still make good money, even after they’ve turned 50 and can’t really compete with the young guys anymore. With the money at stake, they too are all working out. This group of players both amateur and pro is the biggest demographic that needs it the most. With age comes a decline in both flexibility and strength. When the body declines, the swing goes right along with it. The result is a big loss in yardage, more mishits, and ballooning scores. The end result…frustration! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played with and received phone calls from older golfers who are just about ready to quit the game.They are SO frustrated at this rapid decline, that golf’s not fun anymore. But there is hope. The answer? Get your body moving just a little better. How? By participating in golf workouts that focus on golf-specific strength AND flexibility. It’s amazing to see golfers in this age bracket dramatically improve their driving distance, accuracy and scores.You don’t have to accept that with age, your body declines. No way! You’ve got to fight it all the way! I’m dead serious. The ones who do, are the ones who are enjoying the game again and taking all the money in their foursome.What is a golf workout anyways? Is there such a thing? You bet there is. The golf swing is an awkward movement that puts a tremendous amount of stress on the body. To prevent injury and improve swing speed and distance requires your body to be both strong and flexible specific to the swing.I could spend dozens of pages describing what this entails, but for the sake of this concise article, let’s keep it simple.The golf swing is a rotational movement, with your body in golf posture. Slight flex of the knees and a bending forward at the hips. Since the golf swing is primarily rotational, wouldn’t it make sense to focus on rotational strength and flexibility? That is improving your turning ability related to range of motion and speed.So anything involving twisting with resistance such as a medicine ball, a dumbbell, or even a weighted club would work. You need to have a resistance to take your body beyond where it normally goes. For instance, if you took a club and placed it behind your neck, got in your golf posture and rotated back and forth; do you think that by itself would improve your range of motion or power? No, you need to add resistance to accomplish this. Take a weighted club and make golf swings. Now you’ll be making a bigger turn AND improving your power. Same thing with a medicine ball. Make turns back and through holding a 4 to 6 pound ball and you’ll see a BIG improvement.In fact, most of your abdominal work should be rotational. Doing straight crunches won’t improve your driving distance. Doing rotational movements with added weight will. This is where I could go on and on, but I won’t overload you. I hope I’ve convinced you to take a real serious look at what all the other successful professional players are doing to stay at the top of their game. Doing golf workouts can and will dramatically change your game forever. Now get out there and get it started. No procrastinating. Do it right now!About the AuthorAbout The Author: Mike Pedersen is a respected golf fitness expert, and the author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, numerous golf fitness tips and founder of several online golf fitness sites. For more information on his new, cutting-edge golf fitness e-book, go to http://www.ultimategolffitnessguide.com. ... pilates - joseph pilates anatomypilates - heart of pilates

Have a Ball With Stability Ball Exercise Author: Rick DeToma You have permission to publish this article electronically, without changes of any kind, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included, and remain working hyperlinks. Please send a copy of the URL where you have posted this article.Have a Ball With Stability Ball Exercise©Rick DeTomaWhether you call them a stability ball, swiss ball, or exercise ball, there are so many great benefits to exercising with a stability ball in your home workouts.Stability Ball Benefits Besides providing balance training, (an often overlooked component in most exercise programs) stability balls work your core in almost every exercise that is performed, and work multiple muscles at one time while forcing your body to balance itself. So your core will be better prepared to support the rest of your body in whatever activity you do. They are versatile too:1. The ball can be used at home or at your gym. 2. All ages, and levels of fitness can benefit from stability ball training. 3. An exercise ball is portable and light weight. 4. An exercise ball is inexpensive. 5. Requires little if any maintenance.Stability Ball Workout TipsUse your exercise ball for a total body workout. You can work your legs, arms, chest, back, and abdominals. Try some of these in your stability ball training:Supine Oblique CurlStart with the top of the ball beneath the center of the back, then stagger your feet and turn hips to one side. Anchor the lower hip to the ball and move the rib cage at a diagonal direction toward the legs (for example, right elbow to left inner thigh). Make sure your neck and pelvis are stable. Forward Transverse RollKneel on the floor and place your forearms on the ball, making sure your hips and arms form a 90 degree angle. From this starting position, roll the ball forward as you extend your arms and legs simultaneously. Contract your abdominals to help support your lower back, which should not be strained. Roll as far forward as possible without compressing the spine, drooping the shoulders, or rounding the torso. Return to starting position. Chest FlyLie across the ball with your head and shoulders supported on the ball and your legs bent with heals about two feet from ball. Extend arms overhead with palms facing each other. Slowly separate your arms in a circular motion and bend your elbows slightly as lower your arms down until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Return to start position and repeat.Wall SquatsLean your back against a ball that is placed against the wall and stand with your feet hip-width apart and about a foot away from the wall. Keep your back straight. Bend your knees and let the ball roll up your back until your knees bend to about a 90 degree angle. Keep your knees behind your toes as you bend. Return to start position and repeat.Shoulder RetractionKneel over the ball. Tuck your hips into the ball and rest your abs against it. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms relaxed and at the sides of the ball, palms facing back. Pull your shoulder blades back. Pull your arms up, bending at your elbows to form right angles until they are parallel with your shoulders. Return to the starting postion.Don't Forget to StretchThe American Council on Exercise suggests the following simple yet effective stretches on the ball:Back Extension - Start in a seated position with your fingertips supporting the back of your head both your elbows out. Walk your feet out until your upper back is lying on the ball while continuing to support your head and back. For a more intense stretch, lengthen your arms overhead and straighten your legs - breathe deeply and hold the stretch.Kneeling Side - Start by kneeling upright on a mat with the ball at the side of your right hip, place your right hand on the ball and your left arm hanging close to your torso. Sweep your left arm in a wide arc up and over your head and back to the starting position. Hold the final arc in a lifted position 10-30 seconds for a static stretch and repeat three to five times.Pelvic Circles - Start in a seated base position. Slowly circle your hips clockwise three to five times; reverse, circling counterclockwise. Focus on releasing tension in the hips and lower back.You can't go wrong with such a versatile and inexpensive piece of equipment. If you are looking for a simple and highly effective way to change a workout routine, look into doing your exercise on a stability ball.The information contained in this article is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended to provide medical advice. If you are sedentary or over 40 please get clearance from a doctor before starting an exercise program.About the AuthorRick DeToma is a fitness coach, and trainer who specializes in home workouts. Contact Rick for a no obligation telephone fitness assessment at: http://www.tailored-fitness-home-workouts.com/contact.html Get more tips like these and a bonus too, by subscribing to Tailored Fitness Newshttp://www.tailored-fitness-home-workouts.com/newsletter.html ... pilates - golf pilatespilates - free winsor pilates exercises

Got Stress? Author: Heather Moreno, PeopleFit USA I know it’s a silly question. We all have stress. Its source can be positive or negative and it helps us to meet the challenges we face in life. If you balance stress with relaxation you can avoid a myriad of health problems from tension headaches and skin irritations to heart disease and stomach problems. This balance can also help to lessen any health conditions you already have. Throughout time many methods of relaxation have been practiced: acupuncture, prayer, hypnosis, massage (my personal favorite!) and meditation to name a few. Exercise is undeniably a very effective method of relaxation.“What? I wouldn’t call that Stairmaster workout relaxing!” I can hear you saying. But think back and you likely remember feeling refreshed after your workout and yes, even relaxed. It makes sense. Most relaxation techniques focus on breathing. Exercise produces a rhythm of breathing which can divert attention from the stress that disrupted your breathing pattern. Voila – relaxation!Find an activity that you enjoy. Your colleague may insist yoga is best for relaxation but if you find it more stressful than relaxing to hold those poses, forget it. Think of the concept of play or what best suits your personality. For me rollerblading on the beach is the most fun activity I can think of – I finish relaxed and with a big smile on my face. If you find running a 10K relaxing or T’ai Chi is your thing, great. The more enjoyable the exercise, the more effective. But whatever you do, just do it!About the AuthorHeather Moreno is a CPA escapee who followed her passion for fitness. She is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise. Heather is president of PeopleFit USA… getting you fit in 20 minutes a week over the phone. If working out isn’t working out for you or you’ve tried your last diet, visit www.peoplefitusa.com. Is your group or company looking for a fitness motivational speaker or corporate fitness program? Ask Heather! ... pilates - golf pilatespilates - joseph pilates

HOLIDAY SURVIVAL GUIDE Author: Aimee Deak The Holiday season has officially begun and Christmas is almost here. This is the time of year when most Americans are NOT beginning a new diet, rather ending their old one. The Holidays bring family, friends, and … food. Lots of food. SO, PLEASE…Don’t fight it. Don’t be a "food martyr". The Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays are the times of year where food not only “keeps us going”, but is a social event. If you avoid everything, you won’t feel like you are a "part of things." Avoiding food this Christmas will leave you with a sense of having missed out on something good. Something that brings us closer to the people with whom we celebrate this special time of year. Not eating will leave you feeling deprived. Feeling deprived ultimately sets you up for failure in your diet, and your goal for a lean body.So go ahead and eat. Enjoy yourself. But let’s make a deal! As soon as Christmas Day is done, it’s back to your healthy eating program. The last thing you want to do is make the Holiday season last from Halloween to Valentines Day.Here are some suggestions:• On Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, eat whatever you like until you are “not quite full”. Then stop for at least 30 minutes to give your stomach a chance to send "fullness signals" to your brain. If you are still hungry at that point, then eat a little more. Remember: Allow yourself some slack but DO NOT abandon your sensible eating plan to irresponsible excess!• Be sensible and really plan ahead. Slightly reduce your caloric (and carbohydrate) intake before and after your biggest eating days. Be strong and show some restraint. Do not gulp your food, nor over-stuff yourself, and whatever you do, NO hyperventilating! Do not stay and sit with those who continue to eat even though they are full BEYOND capacity. Walk away from the table! Remember: Find A Happy Balance Between Indulgence & Moderation!•Give away your leftovers and don’t accept any to “take home” if you are eating at someone else’s house. The only leftovers you are allowed to keep is white meat turkey (breast.) Toss the gravy, mashed potatoes, the stuffing and yes…the cakes, pies, cookies, candy and other assorted goodies. You’ll never get “back to normal” with that stuff cluttering your fridge.•The day after Christmas Day…work out! Get back to your normal diet and your normal routine. If you allow your exercise program to falter you might not start again until February or March of next year. Exercise is your friend and should not be neglected. Remember all the hard work you put in during the year. Don’t let the Holidays derail you! DO NOT use the Holiday season as an excuse to continue poor eating habits and skipping workouts once the social functions are finished. If you follow my suggestions you can emerge from the “dreaded” Holidays without having a gained a pound and with a new sense of control and confidence. You will have EMPOWERED yourself to “enjoy” but not “over-do”.Eat right, workout, BE HAPPY and most of all, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!Aimee DeakPersonal Trainer & Nutrition AnalystAIM 4 NUTRITIONwww.aim4nutrition.comAbout the AuthorAimee Deak is a certified personal trainer, nutrition analyst and author of the book, "Every Body Loses", an easy-to follow, step-by-step guide to fat loss.You can find more information about fat loss and exercise on her website www.aim4nutrition.com ... pilates - health facts about pilatespilates - ifit pilates reformer

High Intensity Interval Training: A New Frontier in Fat Loss Author: Nathan Latviatis Are you exercising for long periods of time to try to burn fat? If you’re like most people you probably are, but there is a better, more efficient way. It’s called “high intensity interval training” (HIIT) and lately it has started to become pretty famous for its obvious healthbenefits. -So, just how do you perform HIIT?Simply put, HIIT is based around this concept: Go fast then go slow. Repeat. You can perform HIIT routines on pretty much any machine you want like a treadmill, elliptical machine, cycling machine, or apply it to almost any sport (swimming, cycling, running). Try to keep the bursts of speed at around 90%-100% of max effort.Here is a sample HIIT routine:Sprint 20 SecondsRest 10 SecondsRepeat 4-8 TimesOr Sprint 15 SecondsRest 5 SecondsRepeat 4-6 TimesThese are just samples, you can change it however you want (you could even use distance instead of time). Remember though, HIIT is based around the concept of fast bursts of work. Also, to continually challenge yourself and also to continually make progress you should increase the level of effort required. You could add extra sprint cycles to the routine, shorten the rest periods, lengthen the sprint periods, try to run farther in the set amount of time, or (if you are going for distance instead of time), try to complete the distance in a shorter amount of time. When starting out on your HIIT routine, don’t kill yourself the first time though. You may have to work your way up, don’t be afraid to start out at a low intensity with low sprint times and high rest times.-What Are the Benefits of HIIT?--Major Increase in Fat LossIn a study done by Tremblay and other authors, two groups were assigned different training regimens. Group A performed the regular moderate intensity cardio (like jogging or bicycling) for 20 weeks and Group B performed a HIIT routine for 15 weeks. In the end the results of each group were recorded. Group B lost nine times more fat than Group A and in 5 weeks less! (1)--Increased Lactic Acid ThresholdLactic acid is that burning sensation you feel when you work a muscle really hard. Lactic acid is a byproduct of the processes your body uses to make your muscles work. When too much lactic acid accumulates in the muscles, the muscles become fatigued. You’re lactic acid threshold is how fast your body can remove the lactic acid in your muscles. When your body can remove lactic acid more efficiently, then you can work the muscles at a higher intensity for a longer period of time beforethey become fatigued.--Shorter WorkoutsI don’t know about you, but I definitely would rather crank it up a notch and exercise for 4-8 minutes in comparison to staring at the wall in the local gym for 30 minutes to an hour jogging…or performing any other slow, and somewhat boring type of cardio.-So why does HIIT burn more fat than regular moderate intensity cardio, like jogging?To put it simply, after your HIIT training session is over with your metabolism explodes and tons of calories are being burned. These calories are being burned because your body must recover from the HIIT workout you just exposed it to (the details asto why exactly this happens are pretty complicated, and would take a long time to explain, so I’ll spare you). Just understandthat after the workout, not during the workout, is when the fat is being burnt.HIIT offers people an extremely effective and, as shown by the study done by Tremblay and other authors, a very fast way to eliminate fat. In addition to this, it can increase your muscle’s resistance to fatigue. Although, probably the best part aboutthis type of training is that you no longer have to spend 30 minutes to an hour at your gym jogging away your life on the treadmill. Here's a tip: Personally, I enjoy listening to some type of fast paced music while performing an HIIT workout. Doing this canreally increase the intensity of your workout, and similarly, the productivity of it as well. Some type of MP3 player usually works best because they don't jiggle around very much.If you decide to take up HIIT training you may want to check it out with your doctor first. This type of training is incredibly effective, but it is also very intense.Want to learn more fitness tips like this one? Want to know which supplements work the best and why? Visit http://www.weight-loss-resources.comReferences:(1) Tremblay, A., J. Simoneau, and C. Bouchard. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism. 43:814-818, 1994.Disclaimer: The information in this article has been provided for educational purposes only. The information contained in this articleshould not be used to diagnose or treat any illness, metabolic disorder, disease, or health problem. Use of the information containedin this article is at the sole choice and risk of the reader. The author of this article assumes no liability in the event any type ofinjury or death occurs because of the use of the information provided in this article. Always consult your physician or health care provider before performing any type of exercise routine.About the AuthorNathan Latvaitis: An avid fitness researcher - helping other people realize their goals through knowledge. If you want to gain more knowledgethere is an abudance of it at my website: http://www.weight-loss-resources.com ... pilates - heart of pilatespilates - free pilates routine