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With jobs to go to, businesses to run, kids to put to bed, homework to check, dishes to get done, and wives to spend time with, it’s almost impossible for most dads to find time to exercise. For example, I have a 3 year old son, a working wife, and a number of business projects I’m involved in. To say my life is hectic is an understatement.
The solution I found was to focus on practicing body weight exercises. They don’t bulk you up as quickly as lifting weights, but if situps, pushups, and pullups are good enough for the Navy SEALs, then they’re good enough for me.
Here are some reasons why you should be doing body weight exercises:
Flexibility – You can do body weight exercises anywhere. We all have cell phones and laptops, so we know how important it is to be able to move around. Why should we be tied down to bulky exercise equipment and gyms? It’s much easier to do pushups in the living room or basement than it is to drive to the gym when you have kids. Sitting in the bathroom giving your child a bath? Then do some palm presses! They’re easy to do and can be done anywhere.
Effectiveness – Are you wondering if body weight exercises are effective? Just ask the police officers, firemen, elite fighters, and special forces commandos who live and die by these exercises. They won’t be the biggest guys you’ll ever come across, but they’re all about getting the job done. If you feel like you’re starting to plateau, you can add weights, increase the reps and do variations. You can use weighted vests to add more resistance to your pushups, dips, etc.
Efficiency – What could be better than free? Body weight exercises are both effective and economical, so there’s no excuse not to do them. Just think, you can finally start saving for that pony your daughter has always wanted! Not only are isometrics and body weight exercises financially efficient, they are time efficient too. In certain martial arts there is a strong emphasis on “economy of movement”, meaning you shouldn’t exert a lot of energy on something if you don’t have to. Focus on the task before you and get it done with the least amount of effort.
Speed – Body weight and isometric exercises are fast. Some say that an isometric contraction needs to last just 7 seconds for you to benefit from doing it. Isometrics, when done properly, recruit more muscle fibers than isolated exercises, and the more muscle fibers that are used, the more you build up your strength. Your full workout can be completed in just 30 minutes.
Obviously, lifting weights is incredibly important if you want to get stronger and build lots of muscle. If we could spare an hour for the gym everyday we would, but with a lifestyle that makes staying fit so difficult, body weight training is the next best thing.
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Tags: body weight exercises, Exercise, fitness, Men, men's health
Posted in Exercise · March 6th, 2010 · Comments (0)
As easy as it may seem, buying exercise equipment takes a lot of considerations. Let us look at the factors that really matter when making a purchase:
Determine your goal
The entire process of selecting which type of exercise equipment is right for you and how much do you need to spend for it relies on what goals you wish to accomplish along with your current fitness level. So before selecting one or limiting yourself to which treadmill or elliptical trainer is right for you, ask yourself, “What do I want to achieve?” Do you wish to improve your cardiovascular health? Do you want to develop strength? Do you wish to boost your energy? Such questions, when answered right away would lead you to identifying which type of equipment do you really need.
Set your Budget
The second, most important thing you need to determine is how much you are willing to spend on a particular type of home fitness equipment. Different types of exercise equipment have varying costs. A good treadmill costs from $1500 to $3500. An elliptical trainer ranges from $200 to $5000. A stationary bike ranges between $500 and $1000. The old adage, “you get what you pay for” still applies here so make sure that you balance between affordability, features and usability.
Note:
Not because you can use your credit card to purchase a thousand dollar elliptical trainer or a $3000 treadmill means that you can afford it. Study your financial position and know exactly how much you can spend on a certain purchase.
Space
Aside from your goal and budget, the 2 other equally important things to remember when purchasing exercise equipment are: to test the equipment and to measure the size of the equipment. While the former is somewhat automatic, the latter is often overlooked, simply because when you are at the store, it is hard to tell if the equipment will really fit in to your available space. So consider the space needed for the equipment. (This applies whether you have a home gym whole room or just a small space in the living room.)
Shop Around
A wise shopper does not settle in one store. Visit at least 2 stores to compare prices of the same equipment. It also pays to do your research online so that you are armed with the right information about a particular product you are eyeing at. Read product reviews whenever it is available.
Do not be deceived
People will do everything to make a sale. So if you see TV ads saying that you can lose several inches off your waist or lose several pounds after a week, don’t fall prey. Yes, they sound too good to be true, and they are. Quick-fix products with “before” and “after” testimonials may be too attractive but remember this: bodies do not change radically after a number of sessions. Because if it does, everyone who desires to have a six-pack abs or who wants to lose pounds upon pounds of weight should be contented right now.
Consider all the cost
Transportation, shipping, installation and other extra charges can pile up easily. So before buying one, make sure that you take note all these charges so that you will be ready for the total amount that you have to pay.
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Posted in Diet · March 6th, 2010 · Comments (0)