While younger people who are generally healthy and fit, may have no problem using regular toning equipment such as a treadmill, an exercise bike, a rowing machine etc., seniors may have other requirements. However seniors may have problems using such equipment even though their requirement to remain active and limber is even more important at this stage in life.

For seniors it is important to use appropriate toning equipment and remain active.

Since exercise can help strengthen bones and muscles, keeping them healthier and more able, it can combat frailty and can help them improve balance preventing falls and injuries.

With joint pain being a daily problem, low impact toning equipment is required that does not stress the joints and cause jarring.

Also with age many seniors may develop certain infirmities and physical impairments that limit their mobility, so specially manufactured toning equipment is required.

Some toning equipment options for seniors are –

The Motorized Stationary Cycle – This is very useful toning equipment for seniors, those who are dealing with injury and require rehabilitation as well as those who suffer from certain diseases such as Parkinson’s.

Motorized exercise cycles can have their own built-in seating facility or they can be operated while seated in a regular seat or even a wheel chair.

This toning equipment offers forced exercise that can act as physiotherapy for the bones and muscles. Studies have also shown that such toning equipment can have a beneficial impact on seniors and even reduce their disease symptoms quite significantly.

Light weights – Lighter dumbbells and other free weights can be used even sitting down and can be useful toning equipment for seniors to improve upper body strength, and endurance.

Toning Bands – These can also be suitable toning equipment for elders since they provide resistance without the stress of lifting weights. A toning band can be used to tone different parts of the body or to add variety to a workout.

Medicine Balls – They can improve muscle tone and strength as well. This toning equipment is smaller than an exercise ball, and is used to simulate different movements such as throwing, catching, and reaching and so on. This improves coordination and endurance.

Exercise mats – In addition to toning equipment, it is important for seniors to invest in certain other items such as a non slip mat or exercise surface to prevent falls and injury which the older person may be more prone to. Not only do they prevent fall and injury but they can also cushion the area, thereby reducing impact and jarring.

No Toning equipment – There are many low impact exercises that are suitable for seniors and which require no toning equipment to be purchased. Tai Chi, Yoga, Pilates and similar activities help improve, strength, endurance and muscle tone and yet are suitable even for old and infirm individuals.

What is also important for seniors is to consult with a doctor about the suitability of the toning equipment that they need to buy. Also the instructions that come with the equipment should be properly perused so that one is aware of the best and optimal way of using it.

What do you need to do to lose weight? The answer to this question can be found in a carefully planned program. Losing weight involves proper nutrition, training, supplementation, and a variety of resources that can be specifically designed to meet that goal.

There are many popular programs that promise to help you lose weight; however, the safest and most effective method is to burn more calories than you consume on a daily basis.

To lose weight, you will need to adopt a healthy lifestyle. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, maintaining a healthy weight isn’t just about a diet or program; it’s about a long term healthy lifestyle that involves physical activity and conscious eating choices.

That being said, everyone’s body is different; nevertheless, the following tried and true methods should be at the heart of a well rounded weight loss program:

1. Aerobic Exercise

The Centers for Disease and Control recommends 30 to 60 minutes of daily moderate physical activity. Even a 60 minute walk can burn up to 500 calories.

To put that into perspective, if you walk five days a week, you will have burned 3,500 calories.

According to the American Academy of Sports Medicine, one pound of fat contains approximately 3,500 calories. In this daily 60 minute walking routine, you should lose one pound of fat per week. A goal of losing one to two pounds of fat a week is the safest method according to the CDC.

2. Have an Effective Routine

You may need to experiment with several different programs until you find one that works for you. Because everyone’s body is different, what works for one person may not be effective for you.

When designing your routine, keep it simple, and remember to utilize exercises that get your heart pumping. A weekly combination of cardio and weight training exercises will be the most effective approach to losing and keeping the weight off.

3. Check Out on Eating Habits

Unhealthy eating habits can be a leading contributor to rapid weight gain. Here are some examples of poor eating choices:

• Eating too fast
• Always clearing your plate
• Habitually eating
• Skipping breakfast
• Eating large portions

4. Have Proper Diet

According to the USDA, a healthy diet consists of fruits, whole grains, vegetables, lean meats, and low- fat dairy. For optimal results, it’s best to avoid foods that are high in fat and sugar.

Foods such as white breads and pastas are often responsible for packing on the pounds. These types of foods should be avoided or at least minimized. Also, along with eating the correct foods, portion control is also important.

5. Avoid Fad Diets

Fad diets often make unrealistic promises. Before starting one of these well-marketed diets, get nutritional advice from a registered dietitian. Be cautious of the diet plans that overemphasize a specific food group.

According to the United States National Institute of Health, some of these diets are so low in carbohydrates that they cause the body to lose fluid. The problem with the rapid fluid loss is that once the body becomes rehydrated, the weight will come right back.

6. Cut Back on Soda

Soda often contains up to 40 grams of sugar per 12 ounce can. Your body will convert that sugar to fat. Another problem with soda is that it’s easy to drink a 12 ounce can in a short period of time and still be thirsty.

7. Drink Enough Water

The human body is composed primarily of water; therefore, water is essential to the overall health and vitality of your body. Water allows you to stay hydrated, while it can also make you feel full at the same time. And perhaps the best benefit is that water has zero calories.

8. Include Fiber in Your Diet

Fiber is beneficial to your digestive health and has the added benefit of making you feel full. Foods such as whole grain cereals, breads, and fruits are often excellent sources of fiber. A goal of between 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily should be adequate.

9. Moderate Alcohol Consumption

Like soda, alcohol is empty calories for your body. Many drinks contain upwards to 500 calorie per 8 ounce drink. Also, drinking alcohol lowers your inhibitions. This can lead to drinking too much as well as overeating. Too much alcohol can also cause your body to be dehydrated.

10. Positive Attitude Matters

Like many endeavors, your attitude will ultimately dictate your possible success or failure. When you’re in the gym, you should visualize yourself actually shedding pounds.

Don’t underestimate the power of your mind. A good attitude will allow you to have the proper discipline that is vital to a healthy lifestyle.

Bottom Line

Many diets can be compared to fashions that will come and go depending on the trend of the day. That can’t be said for a lifestyle that incorporates healthy eating choices and regular physical activity.

By following this 10 step program, you will be on your way to losing weight. It’s not an easy road, but with a little patience and some discipline, you can meet your weight loss goals.

Kickboxing is defined as a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Thai boxing and western boxing.

While it is known more as a discipline for self defense or as a contact sport, fitness kickboxing for general fitness and muscle toning is increasing in popularity.

Why fitness kickboxing can make sense

Kickboxing can make sense for a lot of us since it is an excellent adjunct to an existing workout regime which you are looking to tweak or enhance or in which you may have reached a plateau.

Kickboxing can also help break the boredom of the same old workout so that it can help to motivate you and keep you on track for further fitness gains.

Fitness kickboxing can help stimulate the metabolism anew and engage and challenge different muscles.

How fitness kickboxing works

Kickboxing can use a mixture of high power exercise routines and actual full contact fighting.

This can help strengthen the body, and enhance mental toughness, and also help increase stamina and muscle endurance.

We may not think of it in that way, but fitness kickboxing can be a very effective cardio workout since an estimated 500 to 800 calories can be burnt per hour of kickboxing due to the high intensity nature of the workout.

Since kickboxing can be a highly concentrated activity, a beginner may want to take it easy and begin slow, even if their personal fitness levels are fairly high to begin with.

Fitness kickboxing Basics – There are some basic moves that constitute kickboxing:

• Punches are of different types such as the jab, the cross, the hook, the upper cut, the short straight punch, the back fist, the flying punch, the cross-counter, the overhand, the bolo punch, the half hook and the half swing.
• Kicks such as the front kick or the push kick (derived from disciplines such as taekwondo) the side kick, the semi circular kick, the round house or circle kick, the hook kick, the crescent kick, the axe kick, back kick and sweeping kicks constitute fitness kickboxing.
• Knee and elbow strikes such as the straight knee thrust, rising knee thrust, hooking knee thrust, side knee snap strike, and so on are also part of fitness kickboxing routines.
• Defense or defensive maneuvers also are an important main constituent of kickboxing – slipping, bobbing and weaving, parrying or blocking, covering up, the clinch and so on are the defensive part of fitness kickboxing.

What is aerobic kickboxing?

This is a sport specific form of fitness kickboxing, which was developed by Frank Thiboutot and is also known as cardio kickboxing. This is an equipment based form of kickboxing that is designed specifically for attaining fitness goals and uses equipment such as training pads, heavy bags and so on.

The aim of aerobic kickboxing is to provide a dual benefit to the person; a cardio workout as well as resistance training that consists of kicks, punches, hand strikes and self defense moves as well.

Recumbent bikes differ from traditional upright bikes due to the position of the seat. Recumbent bikes have a bucket-like seat that takes the pressure off the rider’s lower back area.

When a rider sits on a recumbent bike, the body weight is off the pubic bone. This has the desired effect of distributing the pressure evenly across the buttocks and back area.

Recumbent bikes are often effective for people with injuries because they remove some of the stress on the joints.

Benefits of Exercising with Recumbent Bike

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, stationary biking can burn up to 250 calories in 30 minutes.

These exercise machines have the added luxury of allowing you to work out in the comfort of your own home during inclement weather.

Recumbent bikes are an effective alternative to traditional cycles. The rider can choose between various settings that simulate an actual bike ride.

You can customize a workout program to fit your fitness goals. Programs often include cardio, fat burning, hills, interval training and muscle building.

Professional cyclist legs are far from puny. Their powerful leg muscles have to push them up steep hills. If your goal is to have strong legs, a stationary recumbent bike will assist in developing bulging quadricep and gluteal muscles.

Recumbent Bike Exercise Routine

To pack on the muscle, you will need to pedal with resistance. Here are a few ways to do this:

Sprints

Pedal as fast as you can for one minute at a high resistance level. During the rest period, lower the resistance and pedal at a normal rate for one minute. Try to do at least five repetitions of this during a fifteen to twenty minute workout.

Hovers

Pedal in a seated position with your buttocks lifted about an inch off the seat. This is usually done on an upright bike, but can also be performed on recumbent bikes that have handles located near the seat. Use your hands and arms to brace yourself, while you continue to pedal. This will work different areas of the quadriceps and gluteal muscles.

For best results, limit your muscle building workouts to three days a week. You can still ride the bike on your off days at a lower intensity. This will give your muscles time to recover.

What Muscles Are Worked During Recumbent Biking?

There are five main muscles that help power the pedals during a recumbent bike workout. Every time you generate force by pushing down on the pedals, the fibers in the following muscles are actively recruited:

Hamstrings

These are the muscles that are located on the back of your thigh. They work in opposition to the quadriceps muscles in the front of your legs. They also help the knee to bend during the pedaling.

Quadriceps

These large group of muscles run down the front of your leg from the hip to just above the knee. These thick muscles are engaged every time you push down on the pedal.

When you add resistance, these muscles will do the majority of the work in pushing the pedals forward.

Gluteal Muscles

These muscles are compromised of the gluteal maximus, medius, and minimus. The gluteus maximus tightens and releases power during the pedaling movement.

The gluteus medius and minimus also assist in rotating your hips during the range of motion.

Soleus and Gastrocnemius

These are your calf muscles that are responsible for lifting your heels during the upward motion of the pedal. They also help to extend the ankle when your knee is straight.

Abdominal Muscles

Due to the angle of the bucket seat on a recumbent bike, your abdominal muscles are frequently engaged. To help employ these muscles during riding, tighten your stomach and maintain good posture.

Bottom Line

Recumbent bikes are an effective way to meet your cardiovascular goals. At the same time, they will challenge all the muscles of your legs.

These exercise machines are also easier on your joints and can be used in the comfort of your own home. Perhaps one of the best benefits of recumbent bikes is their versatility. They are a valid alternative for many people who are unable to run or ride an upright bike because of injury.

Most upper body exercises utilize the muscles, joints and tendons of your shoulders in some fashion. Sports that require overhead motion, such as swimming, basketball, baseball, volleyball, and tennis will also put physical demands on your shoulders.

Unfortunately for many people, this results in overuse injuries to muscles and joints of the shoulder.

Structure of the Shoulder

The visibly round muscle of the shoulder is known as the deltoid. This muscle is smaller than some of the main muscles of the body in the chest and legs.

Because of its smaller size it is often more susceptible to injury.

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles that are responsible for turning the humerus bone of your arm internally and externally. The rotator cuff muscles also provide support for your shoulder during movement.

These muscles are known as the suppaspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapulapis, and teres minor. Due to the high range of motion required to move the shoulder, they often fall victim to injury.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, “The rotator cuff muscles enable the shoulder joint to produce numerous motions, while maintaining a balance between mobility and stability.”

Many recreational and professional athletes suffer from chronic shoulder pain due to rotator cuff tears and impingement. These painful injuries can make routine activities that require use of your shoulder very difficult. To help prevent injury, you should incorporate shoulder stability and strengthening exercises into your fitness routine.

Safe Shoulder Exercises

The following exercise will help build a foundation to improve athletic performance, while minimizing the chance of injury to the shoulder.

These movements will also help isolate and strengthen your rotator cuff muscles.

1. Isometric Movements

Start in a standing position and raise your right arm at your side to shoulder height and bend your elbow 90 degrees.

Have a partner provide resistance on your wrist and elbow, while you try to internally rotate your arm. Hold this position for 15 seconds, and then relax. Do this same movement with your left arm.

For the next exercise, remain in the standing position and internally rotate your right arm so that your forearm is at a 45 degree angle with the floor. In this position, your partner will provide resistance against your wrist and elbow.

Hold this position for 15 seconds, and then relax. Do this same movement with your left arm.

2. External Rotation Exercise

Start this exercise in a face down position on a bench with a light dumbbell in your right hand. With your elbow extended off the bench, flex it 90 degrees, so that your forearm pulls downward.

In this position, externally rotate your arm so that your forearm is parallel with the ground, and then move it back to the starting position.

Perform 15 repetitions of this exercise with both arms.

3. Seated Rotation Exercise

Start this exercise in a seated position with a dumbbell in your right hand. Hold the dumbbell vertically out in front of your body with your elbow bent.

In this position, rotate your arm up and towards your right side. Perform 15 repetitions of this exercise with both arms.

4. Lateral raise

Start this exercise in a standing position with a dumbbell in your right hand. Slowly raise your right arm with the dumbbell until it is level with your shoulder, and then lower it back to your side.  Perform 15 repetitions of this exercise with both arms.

Avoid These Exercises to Avoid Shoulder Injury

First and foremost, remember that your shoulder muscles are easily prone to injury from overuse. Unlike some of the major muscles of the body that can require a dedicated day of training, the shoulders can be effectively trained by incorporating exercises into your existing routine.

1. Wide Grip Bench Press

Wide grip presses can often lead to shoulder impingement. When performing a bench press movement, keep your elbows tucked close to your sides. Your elbows should remain in a straight line with your shoulders.  This will decrease the strain on your shoulder muscles during the movement.

2. Behind the Neck Shoulder Press

Many overhead movements increase your chances of shoulder injury. If you decide to incorporate an overhead press movement, its best to avoid lifting weight behind the neck.

This range of motion often increases the stress on the muscles and joints of the shoulders. Instead of bringing the weight down onto your shoulders, you can press it from your chest.

3. Upright Rows

This exercise should also be avoided by anyone with shoulder pain. During this movement, your shoulder is placed in an internally rotated manner. This position puts undue stress on the shoulder and can result in impingement.