That's Fit

As recently as ten to fifteen years ago, many people -- especially women -- refused to join the resistance, fearing that weight training would make them big and bulky. Thankfully, this fear has been quelled by the release of better intel and sound advice from fitness professionals.

Being quite honest, if someone who lifts weights is getting too bulky, it's most likely because they've been lifting a heavy fork, not heavy weights. You can't be a salad dodger all your life and expect to look fit and trim, regardless of how many pounds are on the end of a bar. If bulking up is your big fear, focus on eating 5 to 6 small, high fiber and high protein meals and healthy snacks throughout the day. Also, drink plenty of water to flush toxins from your system and to aid digestion. And work out. Train your body with a combination of cardio and resistance training; perform 12 to 15 reps per set, focusing on multi-joint, compound movements that target the larger muscle groups.

And then some day in the very near future, you'll stare at your slimmer and fitter self in the mirror as you complete your last set of front squats, very pleased with the way you look and wondering what you were ever so afraid of.

Looking to start a resistance training program but aren't quite ready to join a gym? No problem. Some basic fitness equipment (dumbbells, Swiss ball, resistance bands, etc.) should be more than enough to get you started at home. However, what if you're not ready to make even that much of a financial commitment yet? Again, no problem at all, because the last time I checked, your own body weight is free. And, doing these three body weight exercises will certainly get you a return on your fitness investment.

1. Squats. You don't need a barbell, stacked with 45-pound plates, bending across your back to benefit from this great lower-body exercise. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and with your hands either on your hips or stretched out directly in front of you. Lower yourself slowly until your thighs are parallel to the floor, hold in that position for a second, and then rise quickly back to the starting position.

2. Push-ups. Push-ups are one of the best upper-body exercises you can do, even if an entire gym full of weights are available. Use proper form and technique, which includes keeping you hands just slightly farther than shoulder-width apart. If standard push-ups are too difficult for you at this point, try modified push-ups (knees on the ground).

Though it is usually considered only when the word osteoporosis is entered into discussion, maintaining bone strength is vital to our health. Bones are living organisms, which means that they have the capacity to become weaker or stronger. Given the fact that our bones gradually stop accumulating calcium roughly around the age of 30, regular exercise is a necessity for total body health as we age.

Resistance training has been shown to increase bone strength and reduce a person's risk of osteoporosis. But, this doesn't mean that you have to throw around a set of 50-pound dumbbells to experience similar results. Remember, whenever you're standing, your own body weight is being supported by your bones and muscles. Therefore, increased movement -- be it in the form of exercise, dancing, sports, or even a leisurely stroll through a botanical garden -- may be enough resistance to keep your bones healthy.

Despite what many older adults believe, it's almost never too late to start exercising. That said, still be sure to check first with your doctor to help determine a fitness protocol that's right for you.

If you're a regular gym-goer, good for you. But you might be missing an important step in the road to fitville -- hydration. According to a recent study in the Journal of Applied Physiology, dehydration can seriously compromise your workout and results. Why? There are a number of reasons but in short, it decreases how well your stress hormones can circulate, and it alters metabolism.

The good news is that it's easy to avoid dehydration. Just drink water. Lots of it. Eight glasses a day is recommended, or at the very least, make sure you drink at least 500 ml or about two 8-oz glasses at least half an hour before exercising. It also can't hurt to bring a bottle of water with you in case thirst strikes.

(Via Total Wellness Blog)

Many people are turning to resistance training as a viable means of achieving their fitness goals. This is quite a departure from a popular sentiment that was held no more than a decade ago; that weight training makes you bulky. The fact of that matter is that this isn't completely true.

The results you obtain from resistance training are yours to control. There are ways to get stronger and bigger, just as there are ways to lose weight and tone your body. Muscles need to be sustained, and for this to happen calories need to be burned. Therefore, the more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn while you are in a resting state. In effect, your body will become a fat-burning furnace even when you're not exercising.

If you still haven't made the turn to what you still feel is the dark side of fitness, you are doing yourself a disservice. Mounting evidence suggests that following a regular resistance training program has myriad health benefits, not least of which are an increased metabolism, healthier bones, reduced cholesterol, and decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Perhaps I'm being a bit presumptuous, but I think it's safe to say that most women wouldn't exactly mind having a body like Jessica Biel. Similarly, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a guy that would scoff at having Jason Statham's physique. Well, in order to build a Hollywood-worthy hard body of your own, you have to be willing to enter into the iron age.

While cardiovascular exercise is a must for people looking to reduce their BMI, adding a weightlifting program to your weekly workout is vital for movie star muscle. My suggestion is to focus on calorie-torching compound exercises that target major muscle groups, rather than trying to isolate individual muscles with detailing exercises. For those of you who fear becoming big and bulky, you truly have little to worry about. By using light weights and performing a high number of repetitions (anywhere from 12 to 20) per set, you'll be able to stick to your goal of looking slim and toned.

In addition to the aesthetic benefits of resistance training, it also offers a number of benefits to your overall health. Not only have studies shown that it can help cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but Harvard researchers found that lifting weights can greatly improve the mood of a person experiencing depression.

Your shoulder joints are among the most mobile you have, and their safety comes from the stability provided by the muscles and ligaments that surround them. That's why an imbalance in these stabilizing muscles can oftentimes result in injury.

In addition to performing rotator-cuff-specific exercises (the area of the shoulder where most injuries occur), it's important to follow a resistance training program that targets more than just your mirror muscles. Be sure that your workout includes an equal amount of pull exercises (pull-ups, rows, etc.) as it does pressing exercises (bench press, push-ups, military press, etc.), as it will create muscle balance and, in doing so, help stave off shoulder injury.

Also, be sure to listen to your body. Pain is never the goal, despite what some meatheads wearing Gold's Gym T-shirts and lycra shorts may tell you. If something feels wrong -- that is, different from the usual burn you have grown accustomed to feeling during a resistance training workout -- you should stop immediately. Failure to do so could take you out o the gym and on the D.L. for several weeks.

As I've mentioned many times before, it's vital that you change your workout every 4 to 6 weeks. If you don't, you're going to reach a fitness plateau.

But what if you really like your workout and you don't want to change it? That's fine, so long as you change something about it. For example, if you're a mile logger, pumping those legs with daily runs either outside or on a treadmill, try adding some upper-body strength training. Or, if you're a Yoga fanatic, you could do the opposite -- add a lower-body strength training element to your workout. While Yoga does a good job of toning your arms and abs, most Hatha styles don't target the legs all that much.

There's nothing wrong with being attached to a workout, especially if it's providing you with results. However, there will come a time when you either must part ways or, as suggested above, at least incorporate something new. For additional ideas on how to go about tweaking your workout without ditching its best parts, visit AOL Body by and check out the fitness section.

Before jumping into your daily resistance training workout, it's always best to perform a total body warm-up of some kind. In most cases, this can be accomplished with a low- to moderate-intensity session on an elliptical. However, to really prime your muscles, you may also want to include a simple move known as the kettlebell swing.

First -- what the heck is a kettlebell? It's a type of weight that's a bit more unbalanced than a traditional dumbbell. Believe me, you've seen them before -- most likely in grainy, black and white or sepia-toned photos of YMCA gyms from the 1930s. The problem is, many gyms still don't have kettlebells. Does that mean that you're out of luck? Not at all. A dumbbell can work almost just as well for this exercise.

To perform the swing, stand with your feet wider than your shoulders and hold a light kettlebell (or dumbbell) in your right hand in front of your hips, arm straight and with your palm facing your body. Next, squat down, shifting your hips back, as you lower the weight between your legs. Then, swing it forward to chest level as you rise up from your squatting position. Continue in this manner for many reps and then switch arms. Believe me, after a few minutes you'll feel more than just warmed-up.

Summer is here, despite what the calendar may say (the solstice falls on June 20th this year). The beaches are open, the traffic is unbearable, and the heat is oppressive. Not exactly the cheeriest of pictures, I know, but with those negatives out of the way, we can now start focusing on the positives -- chief among them being you.

Transforming the human body seems an easy task for some people and an impossibility for others. But achieving some semblance of positivity in this regard is not as hard as it may sometimes seem. There are literally hundreds of ways to improve our physical health. Obviously, following a regular exercise program is one of them. Adhering to a healthy and sensible diet is equally as important. But that's all macro level, wide brush sort of stuff. Nothing new, nothing specific enough to really take hold of. So, that's why I decided on four quick tips that offer precise methods for kick-starting your positive physical transformation.

1 - Perform a Resistance Training Circuit. By cutting down the break time in between sets during your resistance training workout, you will burn more calories and improve cardiovascular health. Try performing a circuit of five to seven exercises with little to no rest in between sets, and then, if possible, go through the same circuit once more.

If you have young children, part of your day may include taking a nice, long stroll with them around the neighborhood. It's a great bonding experience, plus it provides you with an effective and productive workout. Some moms and dads like to turn the dial up ever so slightly and use a running stroller, allowing them to run at a decent clip while still taking care of the little ones.

But then there's Sheff Otis -- whose better known in some circles as The Dadinator. I learned of Sheff from a reader, who sent me this link to a broadcast from his local news station. In it, Sheff demonstrates how he has taken the concept of family fitness to new heights ... quite literally, in some cases. Rather than spend time away from his seven kids with daily trips to the gym, Sheff designed a resistance training workout in which he actually uses his kids as weights!! If he's doing a set of dips, he has one of his kids stand on his feet and hold onto his waist, adding an additional 45 pounds or so to his own body weight. He even lifts his kids in place of dumbbells while performing the bench press!!

Perhaps best of all, Sheff's kids seem to really enjoy spending this special time with their father. In fact, they all appear to have developed an early interest in health and fitness themselves as a direct result of watching dear old dad lift, pull, and curl them. Judging by the smiles on the kids' faces and Sheff's formidable physique, it seems like "The Dadinator" workout is a win-win for the Otis family.

I have tremendous respect for runners. Mile after arduous mile, you push yourselves to the limits day in and day out. Personally, I can't stand running, which is probably why I admire people who do. While I do put in my fair share of of cardio, I greatly prefer days when I'm performing a resistance training workout.

There almost seem to be two types of people in life: Those who run and those who don't. Clearly, I fall into the second category. But this doesn't mean that a total dichotomy should exist between these two groups. For us non-runners, there are fantastic cardiovascular benefits to be gained from doing some roadwork, not to mention a nice bit of burn for our leg muscles. As for the runners, incorporating some resistance training into your workout -- providing you already don't -- is something worth considering.

Researchers from Finland found that explosive strength training can improve performance during endurance exercise. Specifically, research volunteers who replaced 20 percent of their normal distance running program with a single strength training session per week reported an average speed increase of three percent over their previous best time. While three percent may not seem like much, in terms of race results it can mean the difference between breaking the tape yourself or showing up later to watch the winner celebrate.

When performing a resistance training workout, I personally feel it's best to stay on your feet as much as you can. Many exercises can be performed while seated (such as military presses, lateral raises, dumbbell curls, etc.), and you will effectively work your muscles. However, standing up forces you to also use much of your core strength, therefore targeting far more than the muscles isolated by the move itself.

While it is true that sitting down does prevent against cheating (i.e. swinging, twisting, contorting, or jerking your body to help move the weight), following proper form should be more than enough to keep you in check. Plus, that's what the mirrors are for -- to keep on eye on yourself so that you don't break form.

The next time you're at the gym and are scheduled to do some seated exercises, try performing them standing instead -- providing the exercise allow for such a modification (seated leg extensions, for example, clearly can't be done in any other position). I think you'll quickly find that the exercise suddenly seems a bit more challenging.

If you've ever performed a resistance training workout, you're probably familiar with The Pump. Yup, I'm talking about that tightness and healthy swelling that occurs in your muscles after an intense training session. You know, the best time to look in the mirror and throw up a nice, double-bicep flex. So, this "pump" ... what causes it?

Repeated resistance training causes microscopic tears in muscle fibers. When you're done with a set or an entire workout and finally put down the weights, you release blood that has been backed up by muscle contractions and it is then rushed into the newly-torn muscle. The end result? Like Hanz and Franz famously say, you look pumped up.

Aside from the ego boost resistance training offers, it is also a great way to build lean muscle and burn fat. Providing your not lifting cupcakes and pizza slices at the same time, lifting weights will increase your resting metabolism, causing you to burn more calories while at rest and help to prevent against the storage of fat.

Walk into any weight room in just about any gym in the world on a Monday, and chances are you will find every flat bench taken. Perhaps at some point in time the gods of Olympia decreed that chest exercises were to be done on the first day of the week. If it wasn't by Zeus' hand, maybe it's just because so many peoples' training schedules are based on the same weekly calendar. Whatever the case may be, the fact remains that far too much reliance is placed upon what is considered to be convention when it comes to working out. There are seven days in a week, which is why so many workouts are based on this unassailable truth. However, without trying to get all Plato on you, are there really seven days in a week? Or could it be that there are no true days, weeks or even months – at least, as not as far as your body knows? At the risk of turning the routine world in which we live into a land of confusion, try the following split routine resistance training workout, which is based on ... oooh, are you ready? Eight days a week.

TRY BEING A CAVEMAN

Your body has no idea what a week is. In fact, it doesn't even know who you are. The collection and storage of knowledge are all functions of the brain. While the brain is of course part of your body, it can sometimes be your worst enemy when it comes to working out. Cro-Magnon, Australopithecus, and Neanderthal were all men ... real men, with strong arms and small brains. If for some odd reason you were ever in a room with any of these evolutionary rest stops and asked them what the date is, they would likely club you nearly to death and then pee on you. But you will have learned a valuable lesson from these troglodytes, and that is: you shouldn't be focused on days or weeks, and should instead be more concerned with getting fitter and stronger. This somewhat traditional split routine is designed to make you think with your body and not with your brain, much like your hairier ancestors. It's very simple to follow; you'll split your workout to focus on two different muscle groups each day, while briefly revisiting the two muscle group you targeted two workouts ago. What's more, you'll find that you'll almost never have to vie for a flat bench again.