Elliptical Trainer Benefits

Today, there are many fitness crazes that come and go. As each fad comes, people come running after it. To accommodate such fads, several machines are also manufactured. They, too, don't always last long as they also go out of style right along with the fads. Sometimes, a new idea is welcomed that actually sticks around and gains popularity as it has been proven to work. A recent invention that is quickly gaining popularity is the Elliptical Trainer. More and more fitness centers are adding elliptical trainers to their stables of equipment and they are fast approaching the popularity of other machines such as treadmills and recumbent bikes. This is one machine that appears to be here to stay. Here are 6 reasons as to why they are becoming so popular.

1. The Elliptical trainers allow the user to burn a similar amount of calories as jogging but with more ease. Feet never leave the pedals which makes this machine low impact and easier on the body, especially the joints. Doing running exercises on an elliptical trainer is equivalent to running in midair as the body does not feel the impact.

2. This machine has been recommended for users who are elderly or for people recovering from a joint injury. This is because of the lack of impact experienced by the body.

3. Elliptical trainers work the entire body--both upper and lower. As the feet are going in an elliptical motion working the entire lower body, the upper body is getting a workout from the rotating movement of the handlebars thus allowing the user to tone their arms.

4. Because the elliptical trainer works the entire body all at once, the heart rate climbs more quickly thus optimizing the body's energy making for a more efficient workout.

5. Users of elliptical trainers can often burn more calories in the same amount of time as they could using other machines such as treadmills.
6. When using the elliptical trainer, one can adjust the intensity of the workout. They can set the resistance levels to what works best for them. This feature is great to adding tone to the body. Say good by to flabby buts and thighs--forever!

Next time you are at the gym, be sure to try the elliptical trainer if you have not already. Some people especially beginners to cardio workout find them challenging at first and you may not be able to stay very long, but if you increase your workout each time, you will soon get used to it and it may well because your favorite machine for your cardio workout.

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Dance Aerobics - Fun and Healthy

Dance Aerobics is one of the best and fun methods to keep trim and lead a healthy life. Most people that cater to this type of Aerobic Exercise say it is the most fun. It gives you all the muscle toning, keeps your body flexible and trim.

Now you can do Dance Aerobics by joining classes just like Step Aerobics. But what is really fun is when you go out dancing on a Saturday night or some other night. There are many dance clubs you can join. One good example is Square Dancing. People have fun and they make a lot of friends. If you are a home body get you one of many videos on the internet and enjoy Dance Aerobics at home.

There are many types of Dance that fit into Dance Aerobics, Jazz, Funk, Belly dancing and many more. Being Latino I personally like Salsa and Mambo.

We have all heard about a "runner's high". Did you know that there is also a "Dancers High" for those really into Aerobic Dancing. If you have ever reached a "Dancers High" you know it is sensational. Some claim it is much more spiritual and and deeper than a "running high".

One of the problems we face today is obesity. We spend most of our time on the couch watching TV or on a computer. We need to add some activity to our lives to burn all those calories we take in and what could do that without feeling pressure...Dance Aerobics. So if you like to have fun while keeping physically fit get your dancing shoes on often and socialize and meet new people. the exercise you get is good for your health, you will look trimmer and have more self confidence.

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3 Stunning Aerobic Exercises Which Will Make You Burn Fat Really Fast - This is Guaranteed to Work

Aerobic means "with oxygen". Physical workouts of lesser to medium intensity are known as aerobic exercises. These are based on rhythmic movements of the body and the rhythm is expected to continue till the moment you stop exercising. For instance, brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming are all aerobic exercises. Can you find out the rhythm? Most certainly you will....

Aerobic exercises increase the heart rate. This is how they help the lungs in optimizing oxygen. Thus they have three pronged benefit. It strengthens the heart against maladies. It helps the lungs with constant utilization of vital lung capacity and it peps up metabolism. The pepped up metabolism helps in burning calorie and losing fat subsequently. Here are three top exercises to lose weight.

Brisk walking- this is perhaps the most rudimentary and requires nothing but a nice pair of shoes. The idea is to use all the body parts. So even if it looks stupid, remember to move all the parts while brisk walking. This will include movement of your arms, shoulder and obviously legs. Another thing to take note of is to start shortening the stride as you get into the rhythm. This way the heart rate is pushed up quite a lot. Moreover, it is important to keep yourself hydrated so that you do not suffer a stroke.

Cycling- it should ideally be done with small intervals. The idea is to push the legs into a rhythmic motion very fast. It's great for heart and lungs. For a little higher intensity, try it on less navigable roads; perhaps those which are laid with boulders.

Swimming- it is another one recommended to boost your cardiovascular ability. It is also ideal for people who have joint pain, muscle spasm or some kind of injury.

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What is the Best Exercise For Weight Loss?

It is a common misconception that aerobic exercise tones and firms muscles. Actually it accomplishes very little toning and firming. Resistance exercise (weight training) is where real toning and firming of muscles occurs.

Doing both aerobics and weight training is the optimal way to lose more fat and gain more muscle. If you are trying to lose weight, studies show that weight loss increases by 56 percent with aerobic and strength exercises combined.

Muscle may weigh more, but when you increase your muscle composition, the body is able to burn more fat, even when you are resting, because your metabolism is higher. A pound of muscle will use 350 to 500 calories per week to survive, while a pound of fat only needs about 14 calories per week. New studies have shown that building muscle helps your body fight disease better, too.

Strength training benefits everyone, no matter what age or sex, and is becoming recognized as an important component of fitness. Research is indicating that the muscle loss found in elderly people doesn't come from age, but lack of activity. Even a young person who doesn't get enough exercise can lose muscle mass and strength. Strength training, such as lifting weights or performing weight-resistance exercises, as little as twice a week can help maintain or increase muscle mass.

Strength training involving several sets of multiple repetitions using moderate weights will not result in huge muscles. Instead it builds bone mass and increases the metabolism, as well as toning and firming the muscles, giving a leaner look.

It is very important to do both aerobics and strength exercises. The aerobic exercises help your heart and lungs get stronger and help your body utilize oxygen more efficiently, which in turn helps with strength training and overall fitness. The strength exercise helps develop muscle, reduce body fat and maintain bone mass.

Aerobic Exercise is a type of exercise that elevates the heart rate and breathing for a continuous sustained period. This overloads the heart and lungs and causes them to work harder than at rest.

There are many options to choose from today. Bicycling, aerobic dance, swimming, walking, and stepping are all examples of aerobic exercise. Which ones to chose depends on your physical condition, your history, your interests and your goals. Many experts believe it is better to alternate between 2 or more types, to get a better workout.

There are two main types of aerobics- high impact and low impact. It is better to alternate between high impact aerobics (which are harder on the body and may cause more damage) and low impact aerobics, such as walking and swimming. This is called cross-training, and helps reduce the chance or injury and overuse of certain muscles.

You will want to perform aerobic exercises at least 20 minutes a day for at least 3 to 4 days a week. If you are trying to lose body fat, or your physical condition is very good, then you may want to work longer at it. Try exercising up to 40 to 60 minutes 5 to 6 days a week.

Remember there is no real need to go overboard. Moderate intensity is almost always better, and is more enjoyable. Low to moderate intensity is an especially good idea when starting out after a layoff or recovery from illness or injury, or if you are significantly overweight.

Warm-up and cool down is important to reduce discomfort and the chance of injury. Warm up by starting slow and gradually build up to your top speed. Then slow down again at the end of your workout.

The whole idea behind aerobic exercise is to get up and get moving! Find something you enjoy doing that keeps your heart rate elevated for a continuous time period and get moving to a healthier life.

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Aerobics For Fat Loss

If you want to lose body fat, you need to burn more calories then you take in, in other words you need to create a calorie deficit. There are two ways of achieving this: reduce your calorie intake or increase how much calories you burn through exercise. The best way is actually to use both methods so your results can remain more permanent. Unlike what most people think, it is always better to eat more and exercise more rather than starving yourself. Starvation slows down the metabolism and actually burns fewer calories. Exercise increases the metabolism and helps to burn much more fat.

Aerobics really means "with oxygen," because it takes oxygen for fat to be burned and for oxygen to be used, the aerobic exercise must be held for an extended period of time. Aerobics is a cardiovascular activity, which is why most people refer it to cardio.

There are different intensity levels when doing aerobics. Lots of people are convinced that low intensity exercises are the ultimate way to losing fat. When doing low intensity aerobics, the body tends to use the body's fat as energy whereas when doing high intensity aerobics, the body uses carbohydrates for its energy needs. But if this were the case then everyone would be sleeping twelve hours a day to burn fat. Sleeping is a very low intensity activity, but it barely burns any calories. Overall at the end of the day you don't burn enough calories to really affect fat loss. At high intensity aerobics, such as sprinting, the body uses carbs as the primary fuel source for energy, but it also burns a lot more calories and helps by actually increasing the metabolism.

The duration of aerobic exercise is very important, the longer you maintain the work out, the more calories you'll burn and in the end the more fat you'll lose. The best way for effective fat loss is using a combination of low intensity and high intensity exercises. Low intensity exercises should last from 30 to 45 minutes and work best first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. High intensity exercises should last as long as you can but no more than 30 minutes, but an hour or two after a meal which contains carbs would be best to give you the energy needed to finish the work out.

Depending on your goals, you should always do three aerobic exercises per week as a minimum. Its part of a healthy lifestyle that will help you in the long run and also keep your body fat low. Most cardiovascular exercise equipment these days have a heart rate monitor that you attach onto a finger and also track the number of calories you're burning. Everyone's heart rate is different because of their height, weight and age. So the number of calories shown on the screen isn't always accurate. As a guide line it is important to remember that if you're breathing heavier than normal then you're generally in your target zone, but should not be breathing too heavily in a way that you wouldn't be able to speak a full sentence. With these guidelines you should be burning those extra fats in no time.

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10 Tips For Cardio Workouts

Workouts may seem boring and only the thought of sweating and panting may drive all your motivation miles away. But if you follow these 10 tips, you will surely not only enjoy but give more time to your workout sessions.

1. Activities you enjoy

Don't choose any activity just because it helps you burn more calories or is thought to be best of the cardio exercises. Don't run if you don't like it, o for an activity which you enjoy. If swimming or bicycling pleases you more then go for it. You can do these activities twice or thrice a week and once start doing what you enjoy; you won't feel bored or exhausted.

2. Right equipment

Buy the right equipment for your workouts. This is necessary to ensure your own safety and comfort. If you like running, then buy a good pair of joggers, or if you like swimming, then get an affordable sports watch. You will like to try the new accessories and will enjoy if you have something to do while you exercise.

3. Make your workout pleasurable

If you don't like to pedal your stationary bike for long, then bring your iPod or a magazine with you. The activity will keep your mind busy and the music will pump your adrenaline. You'll finish with your workout before you'll even know.

4. Switch

Working on one machine for 30 minutes can be boring. Switch to different exercises after 10 minutes or so.

5. Sneak a few minutes

You can do sprinting or jumping rope for 2 minutes or so between sets of step aerobics. This will not let you get bored and boost your energy.

6. Full body exercise

You burn lesser calories on a stationary bike than running. during cycling half of your body is still, while with a little more effort you can use all your body muscles with running.

7. Burn fat

Cardio exercises are very effective in fat burning especially when you do it with an empty stomach. You can do cardio exercises as the first thing after you wake up in the morning.

8. Wait before eating

If you are interested in burning fat then you should wait one hour before you eat anything after a cardio workout. As your heart rate remains huh even after the workout, it burns your fats in that time interval.

9. Heart rate

If you want to burn fats but are exercising within the target range of your heart rate then it's not going to be beneficial. To calculate your target heart rate, subtract your age from 220 and it is recommended that you start with 70% of your target heart beat and increase it with increasing fitness level.

10. No excuses

Now that you know ways to a healthy cardio exercise and all its benefits, you should start off right now. Make up a firm mind and devote some time to yourself.

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3 Fat-Burning Interval Workouts Without a Treadmill

Perhaps you are tired of your treadmill routine, or perhaps your knees, ankles and hips just need a break from the pounding. I've heard some trainers say that you can't use running to get into shape, because you need to be in shape to run. It made sense to me considering the crazy amounts of force and stress running puts on your joints. If you are carrying extra weight you are just adding to the problem. Doubly so if you are running with poor technique.. yes there is technique to running. Anyway, here are 4 alternatives to the treadmill that will still give you a fat-burning and exciting interval workout.

1. Switch Machines

If you are in a gym try switching to a different machine for a while.... like a stationary (but not a recumbant) bike. Bikes are actually easier to change speeds on than treadmills and don't involve any tricky jumping on and off. Also the tread of a treadmill guarantees you will work at a certain pace (or fall off). Without that on a bike, you are forced to push yourself to keep pace... most relatively recent bikes will have an RPM monitor so you can see your speed.

Or you could try my personal favorite machine: the erg rower. This one will hit the posterior chain much harder than a bike or a treadmill so go easy on your first day or you risk having very sore hamstrings the next. You also get a nice pulling action for more upper body integration than the other machines. Rowers might show your RPM, but it will spike when you pull and drop when you are recovering, so I find it easiest to count the number of strokes. Sprint your first interval and then knock a stroke off to find a decent target for your remaining intervals.

2. Get Off the Machines

If you have one at your gym a punching bag is about the most fun you can have for a cardio workout. If you've never taken a martial arts course, or a kickboxing class... well its not that important here. The priority is cardio! And nothing gets your heart rate up like wailing on a punching bag for 30-60 seconds. If you follow these 3 quick tips you should ensure some injury-free cardio time. 1. Wear bag gloves. These are not the big heavy gloves that boxers use, but rather thin leather gloves that protect the skin on your knuckles. 2. Keep your wrists straight. I've seen alot of former teammates try to punch with crooked wrists. If you punch hard enough that can be dangerous. Close your hand into a fist and keep it there like an extension of your forearm. True purists would say you should keep your fist loose until the actual strike to conserve energy. But we're not in a fight here, we just want to burn some calories (and take out a little aggression too). 3. Land punches with the first 2 knuckles of your fist. Those are the ones that line up straight with your forearm. Landing powerful punches with the other knuckles (ring and pinky fingers) can result in a classic boxer's fracture...though probably not very likely with gloves on and hitting a bag.

If you don't have a bag hanging up or standing up somewhere, then do some interval swings or snatches with a kettlebell. You can use a dumbbell in a pinch, but stick more to swings if you do since the handles aren't smooth like on a kettlebell.

3. No Equipment at All? No Problem.

Try Bodyweight-only Exercises. For instance, do as many bodyweight squats as you can for 20 seconds and then hold the bottom position for 10 seconds. Rest 30 seconds and repeat. 8 rounds of that is only an 8 minute workout that will have you burning.

Or if you are really adventurous (and already in good shape) you can try some squat thrusts or burpees. Starting standing up, you squat down until your hands touch the ground. Then kick your feet out behind you into a pushup position. For a burpee throw in a pushup, otherwise imediately jump your feet back up to your hands (resume the squating position). Then squat yourself back up to a standing position for a squat thrust or jump into the air for a burpee and repeat. Fair warning, you can do these anywhere and at any time, but these are possibly some of the most difficult cardio exercises you can find!

Alright, so those are just a few of the countless ways in which you can change up your interval training to keep burning fat and spend less time in the gym than with traditional cardio.

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