FTNESS TRANNG

Fitness training: 5 elements of a rounded routine Aerobic fitness (cardio ex. Aerobic exercise includes any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and increases your heart rate. Try walking, jogging, biking, swimming, dancing. Muscular fitness (Strength training at least twice a week can help you increase bone strength and muscular fitness e.g Resistance bands, resistance tubing, dumbells, push-ups(nav), abdominal crunches and leg squats. Stretching (Before you stretch, warm up by walking or doing a favorite exercise at low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Better yet, stretch after you exercise when your muscles are warm and receptive to stretching. Ideally, you'll stretch whenever you exercise. If you don't exercise regularly, you might want to stretch at least three times a week after warming up to maintain flexibility.) Core stability (abdominal crunches) Balance Training (standing on one leg for increasing periods of time to improve your overall stability.)

Slide show: Balance exercises ntroduction Try balancing on one foot while waiting in line (or with dumbells) , or stand up and sit down without using your hands Weight Shifts Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your weight equally distributed on both legs (A). Shift your weight to your right side, then lift your left foot off the floor (B). Hold the position as long as you can maintain good form, up to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. As your balance improves, increase the number of repetitions Single leg Balance Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your weight equally distributed on both legs. Place your hands on your hips. Lift your left leg off the floor and bend it back at the knee (A). Hold the position as long as you can maintain good form, up to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. As your balance improves, increase the number of repetitions. For variety, reach out with your foot as far as possible without touching the floor (B). For added challenge, balance on one leg while standing on a pillow or other unstable surface Biceps Curls for balance Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your weight equally distributed on both legs. Hold the dumbbell in your left hand with your palm facing upward (A). Lift your right leg off the floor and bend it back at the knee (B). Hold the position as long as you can maintain good form, up to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. As your balance improves, increase the number of repetitions. For added challenge, balance on the leg opposite the weight (C) or while standing on a pillow or other unstable surface (D). Shoulder press for balance Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your weight equally distributed on both legs. Hold the dumbbell in your left hand and press your arm upward until your forearm is perpendicular to the floor (A). Lift your right leg off the floor and bend it back at the knee (B). Hold the position as long as you can maintain good form, up to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. As your balance improves, increase the number of repetitions. For added challenge, balance on the leg opposite the weight (C) or while standing on a pillow or other unstable surface (D). Slide-lateral raise for balance Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your weight equally distributed on both legs. Hold the dumbbell in your right hand and raise your arm perpendicular to the floor (A). Lift your right leg off the floor and bend it back at the knee (B). Hold the position as long as you can maintain good form, up to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. As your balance improves, increase the number of repetitions. For added challenge, balance while standing on a pillow or other unstable surface.

STRETCHNG AND FLEXBLTY Stretching: Focus on flexibility Most aerobic and strength training programs inherently cause your muscles to contract and flex. That's why regular stretching is a powerful part of any exercise program.

Target major muscle groups. Warm up first.. Better yet, stretch after you exercise when your muscles are warm and more receptive to stretching. Pace yourself. It takes time to lengthen tissues safely. Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side. Do each stretch three or four times. Don't bounce. Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears in the muscle. These tears leave scar tissue as the muscle heals, which tightens the muscle even further making you less flexible and more prone to pain. Focus on a pain-free stretch. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching. If it hurts, you've gone too far Relax and breathe freely. Don't hold your breath while you're stretching.

Slide show: How to stretch your major muscle groups Calf stretch Your calf muscle runs along the back of your lower leg. To stretch your calf muscles: Stand at arm's length from a wall or a piece of sturdy exercise equipment. Place your right foot behind your left foot. Slowly bend your left leg forward, keeping your right knee straight and your right heel on the floor. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds, being careful to hold your back straight and your hips forward. Don't rotate your feet inward or outward. To deepen the stretch, slightly bend your right knee as you bend your left leg forward. Switch legs and repeat. Hamstring stretch Your hamstring muscle runs along the back of your upper leg. To stretch your hamstring muscles: Lie on the floor near the outer corner of a wall or a door frame. Raise your left leg and rest your left heel against the wall. Keep your left knee slightly bent. Gently straighten your left leg until you feel a stretch along the back of your left thigh. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat. As your flexibility increases, maximize the stretch by gradually scooting yourself closer to the wall or door frame Quadriceps stretch Your quadriceps muscle runs along the front of your thigh. To stretch your quadriceps: Stand near a wall or a piece of sturdy exercise equipment for support. Grasp your ankle and gently pull your heel up and back until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Tighten your stomach muscles to prevent your stomach from sagging outward, and keep your knees close together. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat. Hip flexor stretch Your hip flexors which allow you to lift your knees and bend at the waist are located on your upper thighs, just below your hipbones. To stretch your hip flexors: Kneel on your right knee, cushioning your kneecap with a folded towel. Place your left foot in front of you, bending your knee and placing your left hand on your left leg for stability. Place your right hand on your right hip to avoid bending at the waist. Keep your back straight and abdominal muscles tight. Lean forward, shifting more body weight onto your front leg. You'll feel a stretch in your right thigh. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat.

1.Place One Knee On a Chair (one without wheels). 2. Slowly Move your Pelvis Forward. Be Careful Not to Rotate Your Hips. As you Start to Stretch the Hip Flexors. In This Case the Right Psoas Muscle, the Tendency is to have the Left Hip More Anterior (forward). 3. A Slight Lean Back Position of your Upper Torso will Accentuate the Muscle Stretch. Most of Your Weight Will Be on the Leg You Are Standing on. Iliotibial band (ITB) stretch Stand with your right leg crossed in front of your left leg. With your left arm extending overhead, reach to your right side as shown. Put your right hand on your hip. Push slightly on your right hip to move your hips to the left; you will feel a slight stretch along the left side of your torso. Continue to stretch so you feel a complete stretch on the outer torso, hip, upper thigh and knee of your left leg. Hold 20 to 30 seconds, then change sides. For a deeper stretch, keep your feet farther apart, bend the knee of your forward foot and keep the back knee straight. Avoid the knee-to-chest stretch if you have osteoporosis. You may increase the risk of compression fractures in your vertebrae. Knee-to-chest stretch The knee-to-chest stretch emphasizes the muscles of your lower back. To do this stretch:

Lie on your back with your legs straight, bend the right leg and pull it towards your chest with your hands grasping the backside of the thigh and hold for 10-30 seconds. Repeat on the left leg.
Avoid the knee-to-chest stretch if you have osteoporosis. You may increase the risk of compression fractures in your vertebrae. Shoulder stretch

Keep the arm straight and bring it across your body parallel to the ground. Help the movement by pulling in with the other hand and pressing just above the elbow joint. Hold for 10-20 seconds and change to the other side.
Shoulder stretch with towel Your shoulder's internal rotators are part of the group of muscles often used in overhead sports. To stretch these muscles: Grasp a rolled-up towel firmly with both hands, as shown. Gently pull the towel toward the ceiling with your top hand. You'll feel a stretch in the shoulder of your opposite arm as your lower hand is gently pulled farther up your back. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. Switch hands and repeat. Neck stretch While sitting or standing Perform exercise slowly maintaining good posture (shoulders square, pelvic tilt, abdominals tight) Look to the right Look to the left Bring right ear to right shoulder Bring left ear to left shoulder Gently tilt head forward, look down Return to original position Hold each position for five seconds while breathing

Stand up tall, lengthening through the spine. Lift your chest, and relax your shoulders. Look straight ahead, keeping your chin level. Clasp your hands behind your back, and slowly raise arms as far as possible. Hold for 1015 seconds, breathing naturally.

Chest stretch

STRENGTH TRANNG Strength training: Get stronger, leaner and healthier

Start slowly. Warm up with five to 10 minutes of stretching or gentle aerobic activity, such as brisk walking. Then choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 repetitions. On the 12th repetition, you should be just barely able to finish the motion. To give your muscles time to recover, rest one full day between exercising each specific muscle group. When you can easily do more than 15 repetitions of a certain exercise, gradually increase the weight or resistance. Remember to stop if you feel pain. Two to three strength training sessions a week lasting just 20 to 30 minutes are sufficient for most people.

Strength training: How-to video collection Body weight exercises

Step-up exercise that works muscles in the legs and buttocks, targets quadriceps, hamstrings,the gluteal muscles in the buttocks, a good general lower body conditioning exercise. To do a step-up, you'll need a small step stool. Or you can stand in front of the stairs. Pushing primarily through your lead foot, lift your body up onto the step. Then step back. It's fine to start with a low step height. For this exercise, your form is more important than the step height. When you step up, alternate your lead foot each time. Do as many repetitions as you can stop when you're fatigued. Lunge exercise (works the leg muscles, targets the quadriceps, hamstring muscles in the thigh, the gluteal muscles in the buttock, and to a lesser extent, the lower leg muscles. To do a stationary lunge, start by standing up comfortably. Step ahead with one foot and lean forward until your knee reaches a 90-degree angle and your rear knee is parallel to the ground. Then return to the starting position. Make sure that your knee doesn't go beyond your toes and that your knee stays centered over your foot. Don't let your knee roll inward or outward. If you can't lower your knee to a 90-degree angle, simply go as low as you can. Do as many repetitions as you can, depending on your fitness level. For a variety, try a traveling lunge. Simply step ahead with the opposite foot rather than return to the starting position. Video: Squat exercise (works the leg muscles, quadriceps and the hamstring muscles. To do a squat, stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing ahead. Slowly descend, bending through the hips, knees and ankles. Stop when your knees reach a 90-degree angle. Then return to the starting position.Make sure that your knees stay centered over your feet on the way down. Don't let your knees roll inward or outward. If you can't bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, simply go as low as you can. Use your arms for balance and support. Stop when you're fatigued or your form begins to suffer. Abdominal crunch (targets the abdominal muscles, which are part of your core muscle group. The stronger your core muscles, the easier it is to do most physical activities and sports. To isolate your abdominal muscles, lie on your back with your knees slightly bent. Make sure your feet are planted firmly on the floor and about hip-width-distance apart. Keep your knees comfortably apart. Fold your arms on your chest and tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your head and shoulders off of the floor. Hold for three deep breaths, then return to starting position. Do as many repetitions as you can with good form. Stop when your form begins to suffer. Modified push-up works the pectoral muscles, which are the muscles in the front of the chest wall and triceps muscles, which are the muscles in the back of the upper arm. Position yourself on your hands and knees with your eyes facing the floor. Place your hands slightly greater than shoulder-width apart and your knees comfortably apart. Make sure you contract your abdominal muscles and keep them tight throughout the exercise. Slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest until your chin reaches the ground, then slowly return to the starting position.As another option, to do a wall push-up, stand up facing a wall. Then lean against the wall with your hands. Keep your knees comfortably apart. Place your hands on the wall at the level of your shoulders, slightly greater than shoulder-width apart. Make sure you contract your abdominal muscles and keep them tight throughout the exercise. Slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest until your chin reaches the wall. Then return to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in your back, your abdominal area and your upper arm.

Resistance tubing exercises

Biceps curl with resistance tubing (to build strength in your upper arm) To do a biceps curl with resistance tubing, stand on the tubing with the ball of your foot. The closer you place your foot to the handle, the more resistance you'll get during the exercise. Grasp the handle with your palm facing up. Then slowly curl the tubing up by bending your elbow. Keep your elbow close to your body. Then slowly return to the starting position. one set of 12 to 15 repetitions is adequate.

Triceps kickback with resistance tubing (to strengthen and tone the back of your upper arm) To do the triceps kickback with resistance tubing, start by standing on the tubing with the ball of your foot. The closer you place your foot to the handle, the more resistance you'll get during the exercise. Grasp the handle with your palm facing down and lean forward. Tighten your abdominal muscles and maintain a neutral, balanced arch in your back. Then extend your elbow backward until your arm is nice and straight. Keep your elbow close to your body, then slowly return to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the back of your upper arm. Bent-over row with resistance tubing (to work the muscles in the back of the shoulder.) To do the bent-over row with resistance tubing, start by standing with your feet shoulderwidth apart on the center of the tubing. Grasp both tubing handles with your palms facing in, and bend your knees comfortably and keep your back in a neutral position. Slowly bring your elbows back. Keep your elbows close to your body. Then slowly return to the starting position. Seated row with resistance tubing (to work the muscles in your upper back.) wrap the tubing around your feet. You might use the notch in the middle of your shoe to hold the tubing in place. Pull the tubing straight back with your elbows, as if you were rowing. Then return to the starting position. Standing hip abduction with resistance tubing (to work the hip muscles) start by looping the tubing around one of your ankles. Then step on the tubing with the ball of your other foot. The closer you place your foot to the looped end of the tubing, the greater the resistance. Tighten your abdominal muscles and slowly move your entire leg outward, maintaining balance and alignment with the other leg. Then return to the starting position. Hold on to a stationary object for balance if needed. Hold on to a stationary object for balance if needed. Hip abduction walk with resistance tubing (Hold on to a stationary object for balance if needed.) stability is very important. It might be easiest to use a resistance tube that has cuffs for the ankles. But you can also use a regular resistance tube if you tie a tight loop for where your ankles are going to be. To start the exercise, take a series of steps to each side. You're working the muscles on the outside of your hip. Keep your knees slightly bent during the exercise, and keep your steps smooth and controlled. As another option, take forward strides and then backward strides. Do as many repetitions as you can, and stop when you're fatigued or your form begins to suffer. Squat with resistance tubing (the squat targets the quadriceps and the hamstrings. It also works the gluteal (popo) muscles. The squat is a great exercise for strengthening the leg muscles in general.) start by standing in the middle of the tubing with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Grasp both handles and place the tubing midway between your shoulder and your elbow. Slowly descend, bending through the hips, knees and ankles. Stop when your knees reach a 90degree angle. Then return to the starting position. If you can't lower your knees to a 90degree angle, simply go as low as you can. Stop when you're fatigued. Video: Hamstring curl with resistance tubing (to work the muscles in the back of the thigh.) start by looping one end of the tubing around your ankle. Then step on the open end of the tubing with your other foot. The less tubing between your ankle and the opposite foot, the greater the resistance. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Bending only at the knee, raise your foot behind your body and toward your buttock as far as you can, and then slowly return to the starting position. you might want to place your opposite hand on a wall for support.

Free weight exercises

Video: Bent-over row with dumbbell (work the muscles in the back of the shoulder. Hold a dumbbell in your hand and stand with your feet comfortably apart. For most people, this is about shoulder-width apart. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Bend your knees and lean forward at the hips, keeping your spine nice and straight. Let your arms hang straight below your shoulders and slowly raise the weight until your elbow lines up just below your shoulder and parallel with your spine. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the back of your shoulder and the muscles across your upper back.) Video: Biceps curl with barbell (helps you build strength in your biceps, which are located in the front of the upper arm. pick up the barbell with your palms facing away from your body. Place your hands comfortably apart on the bar. This is usually about shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight, and tighten your abdominal muscles. Slowly curl the barbell up by bending your elbows. Keep your elbows close to your body. Then slowly lower the barbell to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the front of your upper arm.

If it feels comfortable, step back with one foot while you're doing biceps curls. This will give you better stability. )

Video: Biceps curl with dumbbell (Specifically, the biceps curl works the muscles in the front of the upper arm. To do a biceps curl with a dumbbell, hold a dumbbell with your palm facing upward. Slowly curl the weight up by bending your elbow, keeping your elbow close to your body. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the front of your upper arm. You can do biceps curls while you're standing or sitting. Alternate arms during the exercise.) Video: Calf raise with dumbbell (work the calf muscles. The calf muscles are located in the back of the lower legs. hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Let your arms hang straight below your shoulders. Rise up onto your toes, then slowly return to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the back of your lower legs. Keep your back and knees straight. Video: Chest press with dumbbell (work the chest muscles. Lie on your back with a dumbbell in each hand. (ayaklar yere gen olacak) Hold your upper arms perpendicular to your body and your forearms perpendicular to the floor. Slowly press the weights upward until your elbows are almost straight. You'll feel tension across your upper chest. Don't let your elbows drop below the horizontal line of your body during the exercise.

Video: Reverse fly with dumbbell (you work the rhomboid muscles in your upper back and shoulder region.(srtn orta yerindeki kas) sit with your knees bent and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lean forward, letting your arms hang down next to your calves with your elbows slightly bent. Slowly raise the weights until your elbows are level with your shoulders. Then slowly lower the weights to the starting position. You'll feel tension in your shoulders and the muscles across your upper back. do not arch or hunch your back during the exercise. Video: Squat with dumbbell (work the muscles in your thighs and buttocks. hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Let your arms hang straight below your shoulders. Tighten your abdominal muscles and slowly descend, bending through the hips, knees and ankles while keeping your spine in a balanced, stable position. Your knees should be centered over your feet and should not move ahead of your toes. Slowly return to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in your thighs and buttocks. Visualize yourself lowering your body into a chair. If you have trouble doing a standard squat, put down the weights and try a chair-assisted squat instead. Sit in a chair, then lift up out of the chair by pushing upward with your legs. Push upward with your arms on the armrest, if needed. Video: Triceps extension with dumbbell (work the triceps muscle.which is located in the back of your upper arm. lie on your back with a dumbbell in your hand. Point your upper arm toward the ceiling, with your elbow bent to 90 degrees. Slowly straighten the elbow, moving the weight upward. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the back of your upper arm.

Slide show: Core exercises

Abdominal Crunch (Lie on your back and place your feet on a wall so that your knees and hips are bent at 90-degree angles. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your head and shoulders off the floor. To avoid straining your neck, cross your arms on your chest rather than locking them behind your head. Hold for three deep breaths. Return to the start position and repeat. Bridge (To work various core muscles in combination, try a bridge: Lie on your back with your knees bent (A). Keep your back in a neutral position, not arched and not pressed into the floor. Avoid tilting your hips. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your hips off the floor until your hips are aligned with your knees and shoulders (B). Hold for three deep breaths. Return to the start position and repeat. Single-leg abdominal press (The single-leg abdominal press is another popular core exercise: Lie on your back with your knees bent (A). Keep your back in a neutral position, not arched and not pressed into the floor. Avoid tilting your hips. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your right leg off the floor so that your knee and hip are bent at 90degree angles. Rest your right hand on top of your right knee (B). Push your hand

against your knee while using your abdominal muscles to pull your knee toward your hand. Keep your arm straight. Hold for three deep breaths. Return to the start position and repeat using your left hand and left knee.

Single-leg abdominal press variations (To work your core muscles more completely, try variations of the single-leg abdominal press: Opposite hand on opposite knee. Push your right hand against your left knee while pulling your knee toward your hand (A). You'll be pushing and pulling across the center of your body. Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat using your other hand and leg. Hand on outside of knee. Place your left hand along the side of your left knee (B). Use your hand to push your leg inward. At the same time, create resistance by pushing your knee away from the center. Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat using your other hand and leg. Double-leg abdominal press (When you're comfortable with the single-leg abdominal press, try the double-leg abdominal press: Lie on your back with your knees bent (A). Keep your back in a neutral position, not arched and not pressed into the floor. Avoid tilting your hips. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your legs off the floor one at a time so that your knees and hips are bent at 90degree angles. Rest your hands on top of your knees (B). Push your hands against your knees while using your abdominal muscles to pull your knees toward your hands. Keep your arms straight. Hold for three deep breaths. Return to the start position and repeat. Double-leg abdominal press variations (To work your core muscles more completely, try variations of the double-leg abdominal press: Opposite hands on opposite knees. Place each hand on the opposite knee, toward the inside of the knee (A). Your arms will cross over each other. Push your hands against your knees while pulling your knees toward your hands. Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat. Hands on outside of knees. Place your hands along the sides of your knees (B). Use your hands to push your knees inward. At the same time, create resistance by pushing your knees away from the center. Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat Segmental rotation (Segmental rotation is another way to exercise your core muscles: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your back in a neutral position. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Keeping your shoulders on the floor, let your knees fall slowly to the left (A). Go only as far as is comfortable. You should feel a stretch, but no pain. Hold for three deep breaths. Return to the start position. Repeat the exercise to the right (B). Quadruped Start on your hands and knees. Place your hands directly below your shoulders, and align your head and neck with your back (A). Tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your right arm off the floor and reach ahead (B). Hold for three deep breaths. Lower your right arm and repeat with your left arm. Raise your right leg off the floor (C). Tighten your trunk muscles for balance. Hold for three deep breaths. Lower your right leg and repeat with your left leg. For added challenge, raise your left arm and your right leg at the same time (D). Repeat with your right arm and left leg. Modified plank Lie on your stomach. Raise yourself up so that you're resting on your forearms and your knees. Align your head and neck with your back, and place your shoulders directly above your elbows. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Create resistance by pressing your elbows and your knees toward one another. Neither should move from their positions on the floor. Hold for three deep breaths. Return to the start position and repeat. Modified plank variations Lie on your stomach. Raise yourself up so that you're resting on your forearms and your knees. Align your head and neck with your back, and place your shoulders directly above your elbows. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your right arm off the floor (A). Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat with your left arm. Raise your right leg off the floor (B). Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat with your left leg. For added challenge, raise your left arm and your right leg at the same time. Repeat with your right arm and left leg.

Side plank The side plank challenges your stability and works the muscles along the side of your body: Lie on your left side, raising yourself onto your left forearm (A). Place your left shoulder directly above your left elbow, keeping your shoulders, hips and knees in alignment. Rest your right arm along the side of your body. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat on your right side. For added challenge, balance on your left hand. Raise your hips off the floor and extend your right hand toward the ceiling (B). Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat on your right side. Superman help you strengthen your lower back: Lie on your stomach with a rolled towel or a small pillow under your hips to support your back. You might also use a folded towel to support your head. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your right arm off the floor (A). Hold for three deep breaths. Lower your right arm and repeat with your left arm. Raise your right leg off the floor (B). Hold for three deep breaths. Lower your right leg and repeat with your left leg.

Slide show: Weight training exercises for major muscle groups o Starting a weight training program Warm up with five to 10 minutes of stretching or brisk walking. Then choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 repetitions. With the proper weight, a single set of 12 repetitions can build muscle just as efficiently as can multiple sets of the same exercise. To give your muscles time to recover, rest a day between exercising each specific muscle group. Remember to complement your weight training routine with daily aerobic activity. Chest press The chest press is an exercise you can do with dumbbells to strengthen the pectoral muscles in the front of your chest. Lie on your back with your knees bent and a dumbbell in each hand. Hold your upper arms perpendicular to your body and your forearms perpendicular to the floor. Slowly press the weights upward until your elbows are almost straight. You'll feel tension across your upper chest. Return to the starting position, being careful not to drop your elbows below the surface of the bench. Repeat. Bent-over row with dumbbell The bent-over row is an exercise you can do with a dumbbell to strengthen the muscles in the back of your shoulder. Start with one knee resting on a weight bench. Learn forward, supporting yourself with your hand. Hold a dumbbell in your other hand, letting your arm hang straight below your shoulder. Slowly raise the weight until your elbow lines up just below your shoulder. You'll feel tension in the back of your shoulder and the muscles across your upper back. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. Repeat. Triceps extension The triceps extension is an exercise you can do with a dumbbell to strengthen the triceps muscle in the back of your upper arm. Lie on your back with a dumbbell in your hand. Point your upper arm toward the ceiling, with your elbow bent to 90 degrees. Slowly straighten your elbow, moving the weight upward. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the back of your upper arm. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. Repeat. If necessary, use the opposite hand to help keep your arm in a 90-degree position during each extension. Biceps curl with dumbbell The biceps curl is an exercise you can do with a dumbbell to strengthen the biceps muscle in the front of your upper arm. Stand up straight with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold the dumbbell with your palm facing upward. Slowly curl the weight up by bending your elbow, keeping your elbow close to your body. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the front of your upper arm. Repeat. For best results, don't swing your arm or elbow. Keep your wrist straight and rigid. For a core and stability challenge, work both biceps at the same time by alternating arms during the exercise. Knee extension The knee extension is an exercise you can do with an ankle weight to strengthen the quadriceps muscle in the front of your thigh.

Secure an ankle weight to your ankle. Then sit on a chair or weight bench, with your feet dangling (sallanan) in a relaxed position. Slowly straighten your knee, pause, and then return to the starting position. Repeat. o Push-up Weight training includes exercises that use your own body weight for resistance. The push-up, for example, strengthens the pectoral muscles in the front of your chest and the triceps muscles in the back of your upper arms. Position yourself on your hands and feet with your eyes facing the floor. Place your hands slightly greater than shoulder-width apart and your feet comfortably apart. Slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest until your chin reaches the ground. You'll feel tension in the muscles in your back, your abdomen and your upper arms. Then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat. Calf raise The calf raise is a body resistance exercise that strengthens the calf muscles in the back of your legs. Stand with your feet slightly spread apart, your abdominal muscles tight and your back straight. Slowly rise up onto your toes, as shown here. Pause, then return to the starting position. Repeat. For greater challenge, hold dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing your body while you rise up onto your toes. Squat The squat is a body resistance exercise that strengthens the quadriceps muscles in the front of your thighs and the hamstring muscles in the back of your thighs. Stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing ahead. Slowly descend, bending through the hips, knees and ankles. Keep your back in a neutral position, and don't let your knees roll inward or outward. Stop when your knees reach a 90-degree angle. You'll feel tension in your legs and buttocks. Then return to the starting position. Repeat. If you can't bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, simply go as low as you can. For greater challenge, hold dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing your body while you squat. Sit-ups It is a good way to make abdominal muscles stronger. Lie down and have your knees bend. Make sure that your heels are flat on the floor. Position your hands on the opposite shoulders, crossing your arms over chest. It is necessary to gently tighten the abdominal muscles by drawing in the belly button to the spine. Lift your head slowly and gently as you keep your heels on the floor as well your toes flat on the floor. Keep your eyes on your knees while contracting your abdominal muscles gently. From the floor, pull up your body half way. Hold your position for a while. Bring your torse back to the ground slowly but make sure to keep it elevated slightly off the floor. Do not put your back flat on the floor. Instead, keep your back arched but relaxed. Putting your feet under the furniture isn't the only way to get this effect. Another way to isolate your abdominal muscles during sit-ups is to bend your knees and hips at a 90degree angle while stabilizing your feet against a wall.

SPORTS NUTRTON Performance-enhancing drugs: Are they a risk to your health? Eating and exercise: Time it right to maximize your workout Energy drinks: OK for athletes? Insulin: Can it boost athletic performance? 'Natural' steroids: Are they safe? Water: How much should you drink every day? Carbohydrate-loading diet Energy drinks: Do they really give me energy?

Warm-up exercises Step 1 Upper Body. Stand tall, clutch hands together in front of chest. And raise hands over head. Pull hands over to the left side and then to the right. Repeat warm up exercise again. Step 2 Back. Place back against a wall. Turn until you are can touch the wall with both hands held out in front of the body at shoulder level. Repeat warm up on opposite side of the body. Step 3 Neck. Stand up and lower head to right shoulder slowly. Lower head to left shoulder slowly. Repeat exercise. Step 4 Shoulder Warm up. Place hands behind back and clasp them together. Stretch arms upward gently. Give arms a good stretch. And relax. Repeat. Step 5 Hips. stand and pull one leg up to the chest and lower back down. Repeat with opposite leg. Step 6 Calfs. Stand up on balls of feet and lower heels down. Repeat. Step 7 Quads. Do a half squat and slowly raise up. Repeat a few more times to warm up this area. Step 8 Hamstring. Lean forward and try to touch toes. Do not strain or bounce. Repeat. Step 9 Back. Bend knees slightly and place hands on top of thighs. Slowly round the back and shoulders lower the head. Return to start position. Repeat. Step 10 Entire Body. Stand on your toes and stretch both arms over the head. Hold the position for a few seconds. And relax. Cool Down Exercises So now we have three very good reasons to perform the cool down exercises. But which are the best exercises for cooling down the body? There are two main types of cool down exercises. Reduce the Speed If you are doing cardiovascular exercises, then the simplest form of cool down exercise is to reduce the speed of your workout. Suppose you are running on a treadmill. Then to cool down you can gradually decrease the speed of the treadmill. You can do this for any cardiovascular workout for that matter, whether it is cycling, hiking, swimming etc. For the last 3-5 minutes of your workout, you should successively reduce the intensity of the exercise so that your body gets into the pre-workout stage. Reduce the Intensity If you are performing a heavy workout, you can cool down by reducing the amount of weight you take on the last set. If you do a 4 set workout, make sure that you use the fourth set to cool down, by lifting a lesser weight. This will gradually ease the body into the state it was in before you started the exercise. Stretching The last type of cool down exercise is stretching. Stretching is crucial to avoid the delayed onset of muscle soreness. Some people work out all their muscles in one day, while others work out one muscle at a time. Either way, it is important that you give the muscle that you worked out a good long stretch for around 15-20 seconds. If you exercise all the muscles in one day, then you will have to stretch all the main muscle groups at the end of your workout. So this was all about cooling down exercises. As you can see, cooling down exercises are very important and very simple as well. So at the end of your exercise program, devote around 5-7 minutes for cooling down your body.

Walking beginner? Try this 12-week walking schedule **Doesn't include five-minute warm-up and five-minute cool-down time. Are you looking to ease into getting in shape? This 12-week walking schedule from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute can start you on the path to better fitness and health.*

Try to walk at least three times each week and continue working your way up to 30 to 60 minutes of walking several days a week. Week 3days/week weekly total 1 5 minutes 15 minutes 2 7 minutes 21 minutes 3 9 minutes 27 minutes 4 11 minutes 33 minutes 5 13 minutes 39 minutes 6 15 minutes 45 minutes 7 18 minutes 54 minutes 8 20 minutes 60 minutes 9 23 minutes 69 minutes 10 26 minutes 78 minutes 11 28 minutes 84 minutes 12 30 minutes 90 minutes *Before starting this walking plan, you may need to talk with your doctor. How to Build Muscle by Standing Up from a Chair 1. Step 1 Scoot to the front of the chair so that both your feet are firmly on the ground and pointing straight ahead. 2. Step 2 Make sure that your knees point directly ahead and are aligned over your ankles. 3. Step 3 Prevent your knees from falling in or out as you stand. Keep them over your middle toes. 4. Step 4 Lean your torso forward from the hips, so that your belly folds forward toward your thighs. 5. Step 5 When youve leaned far enough so that your nose is lined over your toes, press evenly into both feet and lift yourself into the standing position using all the muscles in your legs and hips. 6. Step 6 Relax your neck and shoulders. They don't need to help you stand up. 7. Step 7 To sit down in a chair, reverse the steps and lower yourself slowly so you don't "plop" onto the seat.