Tuesday, November 10, 2009

How to become an APFA certified personal fitness trainer

If you’re here, it’s probably because you have decided to pursue a career in personal training. Congratulations! Personal training can be a very rewarding career. Here are some initial steps to get started in your new career.

Determine whether you have what it takes
Answer yes or no to each of these questions:

1. I’m a self-starter
2. I’m detail-oriented
3. I can work any time of day
4. I am a people person
5. I enjoy living a fast-paced life
6. I love learning
7. I love helping people
8. I am organized

If you answered yes to at least 7 of those questions, you might have the personality it takes to be a successful trainer.

Decide which certification you want to pursue
There are many organizations which certify personal trainers. Each has their own specialty and areas of emphasis, Learn about each one and decide which one to go for.

1. American College of Sports Medicine
2. National Strength and Conditioning Association
3. National Academy of Sports Medicine
4. International Sports Sciences Association
5. Aerobics and Fitness Association of America

Ask other fitness professionals for their advice on which certification might be right for you.

Intern and apprentice to learn the art
The best way to break into the industry is to shadow a more experienced trainer in their day to day jobs. What do you stand to gain from this? Here are some of the key benefits:

1. You can get a taste before taking on this career full time
2. You can’t get field experience from reading a book
3. You can earn credit towards a certification by interning
4. You will meet lots of great people, and many potential future clients

Decide whether to be independent or join a company
Working as an independent professional can be rewarding, personally and financially. However, here are some risks to consider before doing so:

1. No health or retirement plan
2. You will pay higher taxes as an independent business
3. No regular paycheck
4. No paid sick days
5. No support network. It can get lonely as an independent professional.

Market yourself
Some ideas for marketing your new practice:

1. Give away free seminars. Talk about health issues, weight loss, or any topic you think will be of interest to your audience. You can usually get space at a local college or hospital for free or low fee for this type of event.
2. Issue a press release. Announce yourself to the world
3. Get referrals. Medical professionals, like physical therapists, plastic surgeons, or many other types of doctors can be great sources of referrals. Spas and local health clubs are other great ideas.
4. Create collateral. Brochures, flyers, and newsletters can be great ways to promote yourself locally.

Use these steps to get started. I’d love to hear about how your progress is going, leave a comment on this post to let me know how you’re doing, or if you have any questions!

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For more information about personal trainer education, please visit our website.

 

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Monday, November 9, 2009

Fitness Trainer - Five Questions to Ask

The main obstacle to staying on track with a fitness program is losing motivation. People are just starting an exercise program can find themselves quickly tired of the same routine. Keeping exercise appealing and maintaining a good fitness perspective is key to long-term success.

If you have to watch the exact same episode of your favorite television show every day for the rest of your life, you would probably be banging your head against the wall by the end of the week. You would change the channel, pick up a book, or do anything you could to avoid something you once enjoyed.

Yet, many people starting on a fitness program feel compelled to follow the same routine, day after day after day, and consequently fall off the exercise wagon.

Most people would want the services of a fitness trainer in order to provide them the different portions of the fitness program in a livelier style.

Fitness trainers are actually experts in analyzing and creating a fitness program that is right for you. They are the ones who will calculate your appropriateness to a certain program with regards to your "fitness level," create the program according to your specific needs, and keep you stimulated and inspired by giving you activities that will not bore you.

But then again, as with other entities included in the fitness world, not all fitness trainers are created equal. They may vary from the different trainings that they have, the health education they have acquired, and the skills that they have learned.

It is important to consider some factors that will determine if a certain fitness trainer is right for you. Here is how to find the fitness trainer that fits you:

1. The Fitness Trainers Certification. Like any item or product, the quality is sometimes measured and determined through the certification. Before you choose your fitness trainer, it is important to verify if the trainer is duly certified by a highly regarded fitness association.

It is also best to choose a fitness trainer that has a CPR certification or first aid qualifications.

2. The Fitness Trainers Education/Trainings. Be sure to choose a fitness trainer who had acquired an adequate training and education as far as health and physical fitness is concerned.

Even though it is not necessary, fitness trainers who have acquired education connected to physical fitness or any other related field will definitely have an edge over the others.

3. The Fitness Trainer should know how to give the right attention. A good fitness trainer should know how to provide his or her client an undivided attention whenever their session is going on. In this way, the trainer will be able to focus more on the details that need attention and offer immediate considerations.

4. The Fitness Trainer should know how to track development It is best to choose a fitness trainer that knows how to track his or her client’s progress as far as fitness is concerned. In this way, the trainer will be able to generate new activities and trainings designated for a particular result of the client.

5. Does your Fitness Trainer have a Good Personality? Since you will be dealing most with your fitness trainer, it is best if you will look for somebody with a compatible personality, somebody whom you can be comfortable with.

The services of a fitness program center and the contributions it can give you while working out on those belly fat, are, indeed, one of the best help that you can get from a professional person who knows what he is doing.

It is best to choose the best fitness trainer who can give you the best fitness program services that you need so that you will never get bored again.

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For information about personal trainer certification, please visit our website.

 

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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Cold Weather Training, Fitness in the Snow

When the weather gets cold, it can seem like a chore to go outside for a workout. However, before you lock yourself inside all season, take a cue from the kids. Remember how much fun it was to play in the snow when you were young? Well, there is no reason to stop now. Just walking around on snowy ground requires extra energy and burns calories. Here are a few other ideas to get you fit while enjoying the white stuff this winter.

Anyone who has ever gone sledding knows how exciting it can be to fly down a hill and slip and slide to the bottom. What you may not realize, though, is that this youthful activity is actually quite the workout. The average adult can burn more than 350 calories in an hour of sledding. How? Well, every time you reach the bottom you need to lug that sled back up. The steeper the hill, the more you burn and the more fun you’ll have on the ride back down.

Building a snowman is one of the quintessential winter activities. It’s a great way to spend time with family and friends, and also a great accomplishment when you display your finished masterpiece. In addition to all the joy a snowman brings, this wintery figure also helps get you in shape. All that rolling and packing burns roughly 285 calories in an hour. When you’ve finished your snowy friend, continue the fun by picking a snowball fight with your fellow builders. Running and tossing soft snow around can burn another 320 calories an hour. When you finally tire out, why not make some snow angels? Just rolling around in the snow like this can still burn 200 calories an hour. Add all these together and you’ve had quite the winter workout!

Shoveling snow may seem like a chore, but next time you are getting ready to go out and uncover your driveway, put a positive spin on the situation. Skip the snow blower and use this task to earn yourself that extra slice of pie or cup of cocoa later. Shoveling snow by hand can burn more than 400 calories an hour for the average 150 pound person. This is just as much as a casual jog or bike ride! Just make sure you don’t injure yourself. Use proper form and always life the heavy weight of the shovel with your legs, not your back.

Another great winter working gets you out of the neighborhood and in touch with nature. Hiking through the snow burns about as many calories as shoveling, and is a great way to get out on a chilly afternoon. Feeling buff? Go snowshoeing instead. It burns more than 450 calories an hour! For those who prefer more thrilling sports, skiing and snowboarding are also great weekend choices. Each burns around 350 calories an hour and can easily take up a whole day. Just make sure you know what you are doing. If you’re new at these sports, get some basic instruction before you hit the slopes, and stick with the easy trails to start.

Just because there is snow on the ground doesn’t mean you have to lock yourself indoors. Going out in the snow is tons of fun for people of all ages, and is an excellent way to schedule fitness into your holiday season. Besides, you’ll feel a lot better about all those great holiday foods if you burn some extra calories off first.

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Exercising can be fun and helping someone to exercise in a proper manner can be fun and rewarding at the same time. Not to forget the earning potentials. Personal Fitness Training can be a great career and if yo are considering to take up this career you would need some information about personal trainer school. Please visit our website for more details.

 

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Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Working Out At Home: Exercise Videos Or Personal Trainer?

Working Out At Home: Exercise Videos Or Personal Trainer?

We all know we should be doing some form of exercise don’t we? But, most of us really don’t want to leave our home and go to a gym.

No matter which way you go, you are going to need exercise equipment and a room in your home to put them. Here are a few choices for the kinds of equipment that you might want to get:

The most popular workout equipment that is sold today is a treadmill. If the weather is cold, or if it’s raining or snowing you don’t have to worry about freezing. Just go into your exercise room (or space) and walk on your treadmill. Treadmills aren’t the heavy, clunky machines that they used to be. Most can now be folded up and stowed away in a closet or behind a screen.

A universal weight set is the next thing that you should think about getting. Universal weight sets can be set up so that you can exercise a wide range of muscles in the body. Pumping iron isn’t like it used to be in the old days. This type of exercise equipment can be set up to exercise just about any part of your body, from your legs, to your arms to you back…you name it.

Using just these two pieces of exercise equipment, you can improve both your cardio and your body’s strength.

The least expensive choice as to learning the correct ways to exercise is by purchasing a fitness video. You don’t even have to use special equipment with some of these videos. Some will be for yoga and others just for dancing and aerobic exercise. Here are some things to be aware of when looking for a fitness video:

1. Decide on what kind of fitness that you want to start with and buy a video for that one kind. Don’t try to start out with twenty different kinds of exercises. You’ll just give up overwhelmed and frustrated.

2. Start slowly by following the video examples one step at a time. Maybe you’ve decided to do an aerobics dance video first. Begin the routine and then stop when you get overly tired. Take a day off and then start again, going as far as you can without overtaxing yourself. Build up your workout routine time gradually.

3. Only when you can easily do the exercise routine in the aerobics video that you purchased, then go for another type of exercise such as Tai Bo.

Fitness videos are great for those who are shy or think that they are to fat to be seen at the gym. (Why is that? That’s what gyms are for!) Once you get a few routines down, you’ll start feeling healthier and have more stamina.

Some people may do better with a personal trainer. After all, you can’t "cheat" on your exercises if you have someone telling you exactly what, how and why you should do your exercising. A personal trainer will create an exercise routine that matches your fitness level. They are there to push you a bit but not to make you do more than your body will tolerate.

Here are some tips on hiring a personal trainer:

You should be able to find a personal trainer at your local gym. You can hire one of them or ask them for a referral for one for you to use in your home.

This could get a bit expensive. You might just decide that it would be less expensive for you to work out at the gym just to get you started. You could join for just a short time. Some gyms even have a "trial period" so you can test them out. The trainer would show you how to use the exercise equipment and you’ll go and apply the same methods at home.

It would probably be better to splurge on a personal trainer to begin with so that he (or she) can start you on the routine that will be best for you level of physical fitness. They are the experts and will guide you in the right direction.

Which ever way you decide to go, fitness video or personal trainer, you must get started. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be. Just do it!

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To know more about personal trainer education, please visit our website.

 

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Monday, November 2, 2009

What is The Best Personal Trainer Certification?

Our industry, much like our world, is transforming at an accelerated pace.

The unthinkable and impossible soon becomes the inevitable and forgotten.

The fitness industry, as you know, is relatively unregulated, which is an advantage and a disadvantage. There are so many certifications out there, so many experts, so many things we can learn to help transform our clients’ bodies and minds, but how does one go about choosing the best educational path?

Is there even a thing such as the one best personal training certification, or is it possible that some certifications excel at teaching one specific area, while some excel at teaching a different area, while others only excel at building their own business and following?

We all know how important education
is for our industries credibility, our client’s success, and our career stability. Our client’s come to us looking for leadership; we wield great power over them, and with great power comes the need for responsibility. Of course, they are ultimately responsible for their own success, but we are responsible for providing them with the best shot at realizing their full potential, while also being responsible for their safety and joint integrity.

And in order to give our client’s the best shot possible, we must be passionate about learning and dedicate ourselves to the study of many topics.

“Those who love wisdom must investigate many things.” Heraclitus

I have personally, in 9 years of being a trainer, been to numerous courses and conferences across the country, including Florida, California, and Oklahoma, taken 8 certifications, several all day workshops, 2 internships, and read numerous books, textbooks, and research studies.

If I could point to one thing, it is my passion for knowledge that has allowed me to create a very successful career in the fitness industry.

A wise man once said “A better question will lead to a better answer?” This is absolutely true. Think about it. If you ask “Why am I so fat?” you may come up with the answer “Because I am lazy or stupid”. But if you ask yourself “How can I lose weight while having fun” you will come up with a much better answer. Right?

So how does this idea apply to the question at hand? What is the best personal trainer certification?

Honestly, I have learned important things from each and every certification. I think a much better question is “What area am I passionate about learning about?” If it is biomechanics, RTS is the best certification. If it is the heart and cardiac rehab, ACSM is the best. If it is about sports performance, you may want to go with an Athlete’s Performance Internship or get you C.S.C.S from the NSCA or look into the Charles Poliquin certification program. Want to teach Olympic lifts? No one does it better than USAW.

So ask yourself, what are you excited to learn about? Just as importantly, what kinds of people do you want to train? If you are focused on the elderly and post rehab, MES makes a lot more sense than USAW.

One very cool certification that I just learned about is PTA Global. They are unifying some of the best teachers and trainers in our industry under one certification system.

Asking yourself “What knowledge and clients am I excited about” is an important first step in laying the foundation for a successful fitness business. Based on your answers, you can begin to identify a career path that will allow you to realize the business and lifestyle you deserve, while enjoying what your life’s work and client’s successes.

I encourage you to continue learning about all the different certifications out there, and pursuing the ones that make the most sense for your market and passion. It is very important to not only continue learning, as you already know, but learning from multiple sources. Our job as elite fitness professionals is to empower our clients and provide them with real world practical solutions to their health and fitness needs; having the ability to shift perspective is incredibly important for us in this capacity.

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Find out more about personal trainer certification from our website.

 

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

How To Raise Your Personal Trainer Salary Fast

If you are like most fitness professionals, then you want a much larger personal trainer salary. In order to obtain this goal it is important to start doing the small things to improve your personal trainer business. You can start today by following the tip below used to profit by most six figure fitness trainers.

Most fitness pros’ start training clients because they absolutely love fitness. They have enjoyed the benefits of a workout program themselves, and want to share their enthusiasm with others. The bottom line is most personal trainers are educators, and not fitness marketing mavericks. If you are one who wants a greater than average personal trainer salary, then you must incorporate a balance between a fitness educator, and a marketer. The good news is there are a lot of resources available on how to market your valuable services. You can always read articles like this, or invest in a personal trainer course that specializes in marketing for fitness trainers.

Once you become a personal trainer, it is important to begin focusing on the fitness marketing side of things. The minute you train your first personal training business client, why not focus on leverage by having them assist you in increasing your personal trainer salary. Yes, they can very easily assist you in attracting more fitness training clients.

There are two easy ways that existing clients can help you attract new fitness business customers. The number one way is by clients informing their friends, family, and colleagues about your personal trainer business services. Getting excellent fitness results for your existing clients will motivate them into talking about the value you provide. Also, don’t forget to ask them if they have friends that would be interested in your services. A good way to do this is by mentioning that you are in the process of expanding your personal fitness trainer business.

The second way of having your clients assist in generating a larger personal trainer salary is by starting a client progress, testimonial book.

The secret to marketing your fitness business is documentation beats conversation. In your personal training marketing materials make sure you present proof as to what you are claiming. There is no better way than getting third party testimonials from existing clients. Doing so will surely attract many more clients along with a larger personal training salary.

No matter if you are just becoming a personal trainer, or already have an existing fitness training business, make sure you start a testimonial log. Testimonial logs are comprised of before, and after pictures, written testimonials, as well as video endorsements.

Get as many third party testimonials as you possibly can. Remember, the more proof the better! Your testimonial log will be an important part of your personal trainer marketing plan. You can put this information on websites as well as fitness marketing brochures. The more proof you offer, the more sales you will make; thus, the larger the personal trainer salary you will enjoy.

Don’t forget to get your clients approval to use their information before placing it in your personal trainer marketing materials. If you are helping your clients get results, then they will have no problem helping you get the word out regarding your fitness trainer business in an effort to help you attract a more lucrative personal trainer income.

The key to increasing your personal trainer salary is proof in your marketing. An extremely effective way of providing this proof is by using existing clients testimonials in your fitness business marketing materials. Make sure you take before, and after pictures, and get written, as well as video testimonials from existing clients. Doing so is a good recipe for a larger personal trainer income.

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To know more about personal trainer school, please visit our website.

 

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

PERSONAL TRAINING FITNESS EDUCATION - WHAT TO EXPECT?

If you are a kind of person who is more passionate towards balanced diet, managing the body and loves to guide others, then you should for sure enroll your self in one of the personal training fitness education and it will prove to be beneficial for you. You will not only shape your body but also achieve greater concentration and become more knowledgeable in teaching others about the healthy and fit way of living one’s life.

A person can become a trained and certified personal fitness trainer through comprehensive education including anatomy and physiology, basic first aid and CPR, nutritional education (i.e., macro/micro nutrients, diet, nutritional consulting), fitness assessment, exercise
programming, exercise machinery, and how to track client progress.

The personal training education gives you the knowledge about both muscle testing method which is popularly known as “kinesiology” and necessary skills in marketing field, business and directives.

There are many courses in personal training like diplomas and certifications which are of six months duration or up to one year. If you want to study the depth then you have to enroll your self in bachelors and masters degree in the personal training fitness education to become national certified fitness trainer.

After your studies and education you can work in the health clubs, fitness centers, health retreats, spas and salons, as well as vacation resorts and alongside major sports teams. The income level varies depending on one’s expertise level and reputation. A personal training expert can earn from $25,000 to well over $50,000 annually.

PERSONAL TRAINING FITNESS PROGRAMS TODAY:

Nowadays you can choose from a variety of personal training fitness programs because they are becoming popular swiftly due to their initials and proficient education degree.

Distinctive subject knowledge that is provided through personal training fitness programs includes sports training and advanced training. These programs also teach you mind and body therapies, as well as nutrition and weight management.

The personal training fitness programs that are deep and more educative includes studies in exercise physiology, kinesiology, personal training, functional anatomy, biomechanics, flexibility and strength training, nutrition assessments and program development, exercise applications and other physical regimens. Moreover, they also organize seminars and comprehensive classes to make their students more practical and trained in this field.

The majority of the fitness trainers are the proud holders of typical diploma or certificate of completion in personal training fitness programs. Those candidates who want to be nationally recognized and registered, they need to take the NSCA Personal Trainer Certification exam; including training in both CPR, and AED.

It is very genuine and is assured that the graduates of personal training fitness programs have a bright future and career in the fitness world. They will achieve remunerative careers as a personal trainer or expert, fitness gurus, exercise instructors at health clubs and health resorts, fitness clubs, aerobic clinics, physical therapy centers, and other wellness and health-related facilities. Their job profile is respectable and reliable as daily the population of people who are becoming more conscious about their body looks is increasing.

EXPLORE THE INTERNET FOR MORE EDUCATION AND DETAILS ON PAERSONAL TRAINING

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For more information about personal trainer education please visit our website.

 

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Monday, October 26, 2009

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency medical procedure for a victim of cardiac arrest or, in some circumstances, respiratory arrest. CPR is performed in hospitals, or in the community by laypersons or by emergency response professionals.

CPR involves physical interventions to create artificial circulation through rhythmic pressing on the patient’s chest to manually pump blood through the heart, called chest compressions, and usually also involves the rescuer exhaling into the patient (or using a device to simulate this) to inflate the lungs and pass oxygen in to the blood, called artificial respiration. Some protocols now downplay the importance of the artificial respirations, and focus on the chest compressions only.

CPR is unlikely to restart the heart; its main purpose is to maintain a flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and the heart, thereby delaying tissue death and extending the brief window of opportunity for a successful resuscitation without permanent brain damage. Advanced life support and defibrillation, the administration of an electric shock to the heart, is usually needed for the heart to restart, and this only works for patients in certain heart rhythms, namely ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, rather than the ‘flat line’ asystolic patient although CPR can help bring a patient in to a shockable rhythm.

CPR is generally continued, usually in the presence of advanced life support (such as from a medical team or paramedics), until the patient regains a heart beat (called "return of spontaneous circulation" or "ROSC") or is declared dead.

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For those who wish to take up a career in personal fitness training it is important to be CPR certified. To know more about personal trainer certification, please visit our website.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Personal Trainer School – Curriculum and Opportunities


Personal Trainer School – Curriculum and Opportunities

Personal Fitness Trainer is a highly sought-after career option these days. Despite the current economic condition, personal trainers seem to be doing pretty well. The one reason can be attributed to the fact that more and more people have become health conscious and are making efforts to develop and maintain a healthy and fit body.

There are various institutes in the United State alone that offer a wide variety of courses for fitness professionals. The curriculum followed in mot of the institutes is not just about exercise, in fact it encompasses a much wider spectrum that include the basics of human anatomy, human development, pathology, physiology, vitamins and minerals, muscle testing , muscular analysis, flexibility, stretching, straining, exercise programming and most importantly, CPR and first aid.

The entire course is usually broken down into smaller segments. Once a student completes all the essential academic and practical lessons, they are awarded a diploma or a certificate of completion. Some institutes offers graduates program to the students to become Certified Personal Trainers. These courses require a prior certification in CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) and AED (Automated External Defibrillator).

A reputed personal trainer school opens doors to a great career opportunity for students who complete the course offered by such institutes. Students who graduate can take up professions like recreational workers, fitness and personal trainers or personal coaches and can have a potential of earning $50,000 or more annually.

So what’s holding you back?

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Developing Your Anti-aging Workout Routine

It’s now time to design your sample weekly fitness program. Decide on which days you’ll exercise and on which you’ll rest. Decide which activities you’ll do on each day and for how long.

Remember, you need three to five cardio workouts of varying intensity and duration. You should ensure you include a bit of interval, agility and balance training within your routine. You also need two muscle­conditioning workouts that will involve exercises for your lower body, upper body and torso. Ensure you save lots of time to stretch and relax. Oh, yeah, and don’t forget your Kegels and you-know-what once a week.

When designing your program, it is imperative that you set an ideal and a maintenance goal. For example, your ideal cardiovascular goal may be five workouts per week, but your minimal goal will take into consideration weeks when you are really busy at work, not feeling so hot or away on holiday. This will prevent you from getting off track and backsliding. This maintenance goal will be the minimal exercise you will commit to, even if life is rough. This will ensure that you maintain your level of fitness. Generally, if you manage to do one good, high­intensity cardio- and muscle-conditioning workout in a week when things are crazy you will maintain your fitness, provided you maintain your program during weeks in which events cut you more slack. Take the time now to record your ideal exercise goal and your maintenance exercise goal.

Ideal Goal

Maintenance Goal

I suggest you review your program design every four to eight weeks. Make some changes. Introduce a new activity. Learn some new exercises. Change the order and sequencing of your workout days; this is where the investment in seeing a personal fitness trainer for a couple sessions will payoff. Don’t make the mistake of designing one program and relying on it for improved health and fitness for years to come. Regular change, a minimum of every two months, is fundamental to ongoing progress.

Should You Work Out if You’re Not Feeling Well?

Whether to work out while unwell concerns many exercisers. Although more research is needed, the general guideline is that if you have symptoms of a common cold, with no fever and all symptoms above the neck, moderate exercise such as walking should be okay. However, if your symptoms include fever, extreme tiredness, muscle aches or swollen lymph glands you should refrain from exercise until you get better. When you do start exercising again, progress slowly and gently. Even if you do have to take a week or two off because you’re feeling under the weather, it really won’t make that much difference to your ocerall fitness level if you’re consistent with your program of the rest of the time.

If you get sick often, why? Is there something you can do about it? Once you’ve getting exposed to a virus, the likelihood of your getting sick depends on a number of factors, including advanture age, whether you smoke, high levels of stress, poor nutrition and lack of sleep.

Exercisers frequently report that they experience less sickness than their sedentary peers. (The American Council on Exercise reports that 61 per cent of 700 recreational runners studied had fewer colds after they began running, while only four per cent reported the frequency had increased.) During moderate exercise, various immune cells circulate through the body more quickly and are better able to kill bacteria and viruses. So every time you go for a brisk walk your immune system receives a boost that could increase your chances of fighting off respiratory infections.

Exercise won’t guarantee that you won’t get sick. In fact, sometimes too much exercise can put you at greater risk of developing a virus. A high per centage of marathoners and triathletes get sick immediately after a big event. The theory is that too much exercise may suppress the immune system and make you more susceptible to catching viruses.

Here are some general tips to reduce your odds of getting sick.

Eat well: The immune system depends on many vitamins, minerals and sufficient caloric intake for optimal functioning. Make sure you consume plenty of fruits, vegetables and grain products and drink a minimum of eight glasses of water per day.

Get lots of sleep: The American Council on Exercise reports that major sleep disruption (three hours less than normal) has been linked to immune system suppression.

Exercise: Include moderate levels of exercise in your weekly schedule to ensure your immune system receives a regular boost.

Avoid overtraining: Space vigorous workouts and race events as far apart as possible. Allow for adequate recovery periods and rest days.

Your View from Here

When a fit and healthy 19-year-old throws a ball, then sprints across the lawn to retrieve it, she is the picture of a perfectly tuned machine. Neurons fire rapidly, telling muscles to contract and release; lungs take in oxygen almost without effort, while a -strong heart pumps oxygen-rich blood through supple arteries.

What happens to that 19-year-old’s body 10 years later, 20 years later, 30 years and more, later if she, like so many of us, gives up chasing balls and begins leading a largely sedentary life? She loses muscle. She loses strength. She is not able to walk up stairs, let alone sprint across the lawn. Her lungs become less adept at taking in oxygen. Her heart weakens. Her bones thin. Her body fat increases, and she tires at the least exertion. She becomes the picture of frail old age.

Is this inevitable? We now know that it’s not. Sure, there’s not much you can do to stop the graying hair and the wrinkles, but scientists have found the true fountain of youth. It’s called exercise, and it can stave off many of the physical changes commonly attributed to aging. A little bit of cardiovascular conditioning, muscle training and good nutrition can preserve muscle tissue, strength, bone density, heart health, energy levels and functional performance. There is no magic pill or drug that can do this for you. Putting one foot in front of the other, making your muscles and heart and lungs work is the key. If you don’t use it, you lose it. So start using it and not only will you not lose it, you may be surprised at how much you actually gain!

Good luck and stay fit - physically, mentally and spiritually!

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For all thouse of you who have a passion for personal fitness training and need more information about personal trainer education, please visit our website.

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