Fitness Tips

The following fitness tips are bits of information you should remember that can help improve and advance your health and physical fitness.

Don't push too hard - Feeling "gung ho" about your current fitness plan? Great! However, some people have a tendency to overexert themselves. This overexertion can increase their chance of injury.

Monitor your heart rate - Unfortunately, people can put too much stress on their heart during exercise. In some instances this results in a fatality. Understand what your heart rate should be during exercise and monitor it. On the flip side, if your heart rate isn't high enough during exercise, you may not get the results you are looking for. This heart rate chart will give you a general idea of where your target heart rate should be. However, I suggest you talk with a doctor to figure out what's best for you.

Use proper form - When exercising, particularly strength training, be conscious of your form. For example, don't lift so much weight that you sacrifice proper form. Proper form is a component of the larger topic of body mechanics. For more information, please click the link.

Focus your mind - When doing an exercise, focus your mind on whichever muscle or body part you are working. Your mind is very powerful. By staying focused you isolate the targeted muscle or body part. This isolated focus will give you greater gains in a shorter amount of time. For more information on how your muscles work, please click the link.

Stretch - Do not neglect this fitness tip like so many do. Stretching improves your flexibility. An improved flexibility will decrease your risk of injury, support your muscles and bones, help your joints, and improve your posture. Take a look at the section on flexibility exercises for stretches you can perform.

Change your routine - This will keep things interesting and your body guessing. Keeping your body guessing avoids the plateau effect, which happens when your muscles become accustomed to particular movements and develop less as a result.

Wear the right shoes - This fitness tip is often overlooked. Many people don't realize shoes play an important role in your gait. Not having proper footwear can negatively impact your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. This is because they can alter the way you walk and run. This can cause unnecessary pressure on these body parts, resulting in soreness, stiffness, and sprains in the lower half of your body.

Set Goals - This will keep you focused and motivated on what you are trying to accomplish with your physical fitness.

Record your progress - If you have established fitness goals, it is important to know where you stand. If you don't know where you are, you will have a hard time getting where you are going.

Keep your joints bent - This will not apply to all exercises, but for less wear and tear on your joints, it's generally best not to lock your joints when exercising. This fitness tip is meant, particularly, for resistance training, such as the bodyweight exercises or the resistance band exercises suggested on this site.

Replenish your body - After every workout make sure you replenish your body with the proper vitamins and nutrients so it can repair itself. In other words, eat, but eat healthy.

Avoid the cement - Many people experience knee and ankle problems after years of consistently running and walking on cement. When possible, it's best to do these and other activities on a softer surface, such as a track or treadmill. It can save you problems later in life.

Hydrate - While exercising, your body sweats to keep itself cool. Our bodies are roughly 70% water, when we sweat we lose water. Drinking water during exercise will give you more energy, keep you from cramping, and rehydrate your body.

Find a friend - Finding a friend to work out with will start a buddy system. This can keep both of you in line making sure neither of you start sliding down a slippery slope of exercising less and less.

Warm up - Spend 5-10 minutes of light jogging or bicycling before you start your exercise plan. This will loosen your joints and help prevent injury.

Remembering these and other fitness tips are important for your health and physical fitness, as well as, reducing your risk of injury and soreness. Come back to this page from time to time for a refresher.

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