exercise tips

Training plateaus can be a tricky thing. You're moving along at a good clip in terms of your progress, and then all of a sudden -- you're stuck.

How do you break through and achieve new gains (or losses)? Easy -- change your workout. Failing to do so every so often ultimately leads to the cessation of new results, but how often is often enough?

Someone new to resistance training recently asked me what they should eat after a workout.

I was actually quite impressed that the question was even asked, for it showed that this person at least had a basic understanding of the significant role food plays in the 20 to 30 minutes right after you've lifted your last weight.

Failing to plan is planning to fail; at least, that's how I think the saying goes. Regardless, the point is still quite clear: you have to put in the time required to properly set your goals if you every wish to achieve them. This is certainly the case when it comes to an exercise program.

If you're a former exerciser who's sorta fallen off the wagon for quite a while, you need not worry; getting back on board isn't as hard as you may think. One of the keys to making your transition back into fitness go smoothly is to start off at a reasonable pace.

That quote (from Jim Rohn) was printed on the back of my gym's members card some months ago, and it's stuck in my mind ever since I first read it.

The theory that music motivates us to exercise harder has been put to the test by Brunel University's School of Sport and Education researcher Dr. Costas Karageorghis.

Everyone needs a holiday from the pressures and routines of "normal" life. But does heading off for a holiday mean taking a break from regular exercise too?

The dilemma: how to balance the need to "get away from it all" with the desire to "stay on track" with your physical fitness goals.

This is the second post in a four-part series on "Dieting on a budget" - tips and tricks for sticking to your healthy habits during the credit crunch. If you missed the first part, it's at Seven ways to food shop healthily on a budget.

When money is tight, it's hard to justify monthly gym fees, expensive workout gear and regular sessions with your personal trainer. You might feel resentful about spending money on exercise - why should you have to pay to do something which feels like a chore?

Keeping active doesn't have to cost much, though. Here's seven ways to slash the price of your exercise routine - and even make some extra cash!

For most of my adult life, I've held to the belief that there is no such thing as bad exercises - only bad ways to do good exercises. You can take the most effective exercises and make them useless and compromising just as you can turn an ineffective exercise into a safe and functional one. That said, some exercise machines and movements are just flat-out awful.

Here are the "Unlucky 7": exercises where the risks far outweigh the benefits.

"The $20 Massage Therapist", "The pool-toy-looking-thingy", "The foam of profanity". Whatever you want to call it, the foam roller is an effective, inexpensive and vastly underused gym accessory. For about $20-30, you can improve mobility, relieve muscle stiffness, improve brain-muscle efficiency and improve performance. Here's how it works.

We now turn our attention to our lower halves. From the hips down to the ankles, many imbalances have the potential to occur, possibly leading to dysfunctional movement.

Let’s take a look at some of the culprits.

When it comes to weight training, we tend to focus on what we and others can see; Biceps, Pecs (guys), triceps (gals) abs, etc… in other words “beach muscles”. Consequently, we tend to ignore the smaller, postural muscles that help stabilize the body and keep the more dominant muscles in check.

The daily grind of life puts our bodies under different stresses which often leads to unbalance, ie. certain muscles tend to become overly tight, while others become more weak.

Here are some muscle groups you may be neglecting – and some basic exercises that may help you move and function better.

Recent research compared the impact of a 12 week exercise program on overweight and obese sedentary men and women.

Despite doing identical exercise regimes - the outcomes were very mixed.

Many people believe that engaging in exercise leaves you feeling hungry. Some take it further claiming that you end up eating more - thus negating any calorie deficit from the exercise.

So what is the truth?

Researchers in the UK have concluded that exercise does indeed make you hungry - but the overall result will still give you a calorie deficit.

Everyone has an opinion on this subject. Is a calorie-reduced diet alone best for fat loss? Or is exercise better?

Researchers have compared the two in a new study - and whether diet alone OR diet + exercise - the results were the same.

Researchers have discovered a 20 minute exercise technique that results in three times as much weight loss as a moderate 40 minute session on a stationary bike.

What is it?

The NY Times has a great feature about the reality of exercise for weight loss. The information comes from Ralph La Forge (Duke University Medical Center) who "compiled a detailed analysis of the various factors that influence the effect of exercise on weight loss".

Some health conditions are reversible - thanks to exercise - and you don't need to go over the top to feel the benefits. The people at Duke University have spent a year looking at the effects of physical activity - and the outlook is comforting.