No one aces a fitness test. It is not a pass/fail endeavor. A well designed fitness evaluation simply defines strengths and weaknesses so that it is easier to set and reach specific fitness goals . A fitness test also provides a baseline to refer back to when evaluating progress. On the path to better health [...]
Running enthusiasts struggle when injury keeps the mileage down, or worse, prevents running altogether. Sometimes injuries can’t be prevented, but often simple stretching exercises performed at the end of a run while the muscles are still warm, can prevent chronic and common conditions. These four stretches should be done at the end of every run. [...]
The best place to exercise is not always the gym. Great workouts can take place in the home, around the neighborhood and even at the local playground – with or without the kids. If family fitness is the goal, give the kids a whistle and let them coach Mom and Dad through parts of this [...]
The ancient chinese martial art known as Tai chi chuan, or tai chi, has been studied and proven to relieve stress. This increasingly popular form of exercise has other health benefits as well. According to the Taiwan News, nationally renowned author and tai chi instructor Bill Douglas will soon be giving a presentation to the [...]
A well performed push-up is the most efficient way to strengthen all of the major muscle groups in the upper body. The push-up strengthens muscles in the chest (pectorals), back (latissimus dorsi), the shoulders (deltoids) and triceps (back of the upper arm). Because a push-up requires an exerciser to stabilize the body, important core muscles [...]
Walking is an excellent form of exercise. Walking burns calories, strengthens muscles in the lower body, provides relief from stress and builds aerobic endurance. But walking for fitness should feel different than the kind of walking we do in the course of our daily activities. To achieve fitness benefits, a walking workout should be difficult [...]
Parenthood is often the end of a commitment to fitness. Even if you’ve managed to maintain a habit, there will be days when getting out of the house is simply impossible. Your spouse is stuck at work, the sitter cancels and it’s too cold for a jaunt in the Burley. If, like many of us, [...]
Walking is one of the most popular and accessible forms of exercise. Even so, sometimes walking gets a bad rap from fit athletic types because it is often considered a beginner activity. But when done right, a good walk can challenge athletes of all levels. The key is maintaining an appropriate intensity level. A heart [...]
Adults who run forty minutes per day, or roughly five hours per week, are more likely to become centenarians according to a study reported at MSNBC.com. Researchers at Stanford University followed runners and non-runners for 21 years and found that the runners “lived longer and functioned better physically and cognitively as they got older.” Running [...]
I wonder if I’ve been changed in the night? Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I’m not the same, the next question is ‘Who in the world am I?’ Ah, that’s the great puzzle! - Alice [...]
