I can think of three major factors that have to be taken into account while planning a home gym.I will categorize them as Space, Money and Objectives.

Firstly you will have to consider the space you have available for the purpose. If possible you can set aside an area as your personal fitness zone where the equipment is always ready for the use. Let’s say you have a spare bedroom in your house or probably a study room or even a garage in your house. You can make any of these ideal place as your fitness zone. But wait, there are some more features you need to consider before choosing your space. You have to ensure that the floor is strong enough to take the weights of the equipment and at the same time, it is springy enough for you to perform energetic exercises such as skipping or jogging on the spot actually without jarring your knees. If needed you also need to remove all the tools and appliances in the room or garage, that might cause an injury if you fall on or against them. As for the nature of the room, it is always good to have a pleasant environment so as to strengthen your resolve to continue with a regular exercise regimen. You can do that by making sure that the room is well lit and very well ventilated. The temperature should always be pleasant. In winters make sure the room is a little wam. Just a little warm and not too much. Extra heat can cause problems. And at the same time, it should not be cold in summers or you will increase the risk of injuring joints and muscles. Probably one more thing you can do in this room is to add a radio or a music player or even a television, so as to keep you entertained and provide you the right tempo as you exercise.

Make sure that you have enough time after your workout to recuperate properly before getting back to your everyday activities. It often turns out to be the best part of a good workout.

Money, the second factor is not a thing to be explained. More the money you have, better equipments you can buy, and better space you can make. If you are very rich, then probably you can hire a professional to make a gym for you at home. But i am guessing in that case, you wouldn’t have been here on the first place. So for all others who are here, spend your money wisely. Go for quality not quantity. Plan out your expenses on the equipments you buy!

As for the last factor, which is setting up objectives. It’s really up to you! It all depends on your will power, the amount of weight you want to lose, the number of inches you want to shed from your waist and how much you want to get in shape. Setting up goals and exercising your way to achieve it is the most important of all. All you need is stay focused and determined on your plan. Rest everything will follow up.

Some Useful Tips:

• Arrange the equipment so there is plenty of space for general exercise. Also if you have too much space, you might want to layout your exercise equipments for circuit training. This involves arranging a series of stations, each for a different exercise, sometimes involving equipments such as a multi-gym rowing machine, weights or even a skipping rope. The basic idea is to move around the circuit, working at each station in turn. With that you can set your own pace too. Circuit training actually helps all aspects of fitness like stamina, strength and suppleness. It also ensures that all body parts gets a thorough workout. Of course you can alter the number or sequence of exercises.
• Get an exercise mat. It is really useful. Specially is the fitness area has a hard cemented floor. This makes the floor exercises more comfortable and ensures that high impact activities put less strain on the joints. In the circuit training, you can place a mat in the centre, so you can include floor based exercises or stamina building activities like jogging on the spot. If you need you can also buy a mini trampoline. It helps build stamina and provides low-impact muscle-boosting exercise. It is handy if the space is limited, as it can be folded flat for storage.
• Remember the money factor. Improvise wherever you can. For example you can either buy a branded exercise step, or you can also use a low bench or the first stair or something like that. Similarly you can either buy set of dumbbells of different weights or you can substitute it with cans of vegetables or soups or probably some water-filled plastic bottles. Improvise, exercise and save money. Again, all upto you!
• When it comes to leg toning exercises, i always prefer using a canvas bag (let’s say a bag of flour). You need to sit on a table with the handles of the bag over your ankle. Then you just have to slowly lift up and down to work the leg muscles. That’s another improvisation!
• As for the machinery, of all, i think rowing machines are one of my favorites. They are affordable, collapsible and great for whole body fitness. You can place it anywhere whether bedroom or living room and you can row to your favorite music.

That’s all for staying fit for life. We will soon move on to information, artcles and tips on Healthy Mind now. Because that’s what our site says. Live happy! Exercise and have a Healthy Body and a Healthy Mind.

Fitness can be a real good fun if you include interesting and variety of exercises in your exercise plan. Believe me, there are thousand of activities to workout. So be good in your selection of few from those thousands, simply for the reason that you are more likely to stick with a workout that you really enjoy! However just for your convenience i am jotting down 7 point for exercises that do interest the majority of people and help them stay fit! Some are necessary, and for some you can find substitutes/alternatives. So here are 7 ways to stay fit:

1. Get a Fitness Instructor : Why? Well, if you have set some fitness objectives or if you need some help staying focussed on your goals then fitness instructor is the best choice. They are qualified instructors, they know their job, they know how to assess your current fitness level, and they know what exercises and programmes are suited best to your fitness needs. They can also motivate you to stay focussed and tailor a suitable programme for you. Alternatively, your wife/husband, friends who really have a good effect on you can take place of fitness instructor to some extent. But professional is the best.

2. Join A Gymnasium/Fitness Center: There is no other venue like a gym or a fitness centre if you would like to have lot of variety in your fitness plan. There are lot of machines, weights, exercises plus professional coaches/instructors to help you use those machines. Of course, things depends on size of the gym. You may get wide range of exercising activities such as aerobics, dance, body toning, power workouts, sauna, jacuzzi, steam room and massage. Getting relaxed and being revitalized is equally important.

3. Water Exercise : Water is such a good platform for all around fitness. If you have ever noticed, swimmers have such a streamlined body and they are great examples of how good it is to exercise in water. Water offers resistance. So exercising in water build strength and endurance while aiding stamina and suppleness. For much concerned people who have problems with their joints, well water’s buoyancy also reduces the impact on your joints. For this particular reason, water exercise are best suited for over-weight people and people with back n joint problems.  Swimming is the most common exercise and it’s the best. But there are two other exercises in water and believe me they are so much fun. It’s the conventional aerobic dance classes and water polo like sports. Fun while exercising, well nothing like that.

4. Get Some Exercise Video : Nothing much to explain here. It’s just that you get some exercise videos that are actually very easily available. There are many styles of exercise videos but get the one which you think is better than the rest. The only word of caution, do not get an old video. Only the up-to-date videos. Old videos of 90’s etc. have been proved dangerous and she not be done. So just select a video that you think complements your fitness objectives that you had set.

5. Walking Club: You must have heard about lot of laughing clubs. It’s time you started a walking club. Try involving your family, friends, neighbors in a walking club. Go for usual walks. Or everyday let one of the member o some research and take the rest of you to some museum or some historical place or adventurous place and let it be a guided tour kind of thing. Take different routes or you can even include hilly or rough terrains. All the time interacting with your walking club members, you will find that it’s a good social way to make friends, and get that fitness level rising and still having lot of fun.

6. Outdoor Sports: This is really too much fun which can be done occasionally.  Take an outdoor sport like skiing, sailing, rock climbing, windsurfing, horse riding, canoeing, rowing, boating and there so many endless sports one can go for. They are so much fun, so much refreshing and helps you keep your fitness to the best level. Depending on your skill level, get some outdoor sports every now and then.

7. Dancing all the way: Social parties, dancing parties, well here is your chance for all around fitness. Never hesitate to dance in such social settings. If you do not know how to dance, then join some classes. There are various forms of dances right from ballroom dancing to jazz and tap dancing. It’s real fun. Learn to dance with partner or no partner. There is dance for singles, couples and groups. So dance your way onto building fitness.

Don’t think exercise is such a boring thing. It’s fun. Just chose the exercise that really interests you and get a Healthy Body and a Healthy Mind. Take care and stay fit.

The daily ten-minute stretching routine will ensure that your muscles becomes more and more elastic and supple and joints more mobile. The increased suppleness will improve your posture and help prevent stiffness and injury.

Let’s start with the stretching exercises now.

I. Front Of Thighs (Stretching exercise for upper legs)

• Holding onto the wall or a chair, you need to lift your right knee in front of you. Meanwhile soften the knee that is supporting your weight.
• Take hold of your right ankle with your right hand and allow your knee to lower until the thigh is vertical and your knees are side by side, and continue to hold the stretch. This may cause some pain in the beginning and may look like impossibility but will be easy as you regularly practice.
• Repeat on the left.

Note: Make it a point to pull in your abdominal muscles and tilt your pelvis forward as you ease your foot up.

II. Back Stretch (Stretching exercise for the lower spine)

• Get on your hands and knees on the floor, with your hands placed in line with your shoulders, fingers pointing forward and your knees should be hip width apart.
• Pull your abdomen up towards your spine and curve your back. Hold up for up too 10 seconds and then relax your back.

Note: During first step when you take your position, keep your head aligned with your spine and look at the floor. Also tilt your pelvis as you curve your back and lastly try keeping your hands under your shoulder.

III. Back of the Thighs (Stretching exercise for the upper legs)

• Sitting on the edge of a chair, place one foot flat on the floor. Now, extend the other leg in front of you, with your heel on the floor.
• Placing your hands on your thigh, lean forward from the hips and you will feel the stretch in the back of the thigh on the straight leg. Repeat this stretch on other side now.

Note: Keep your spine straight and your shoulder square.

IV. Front of Chest (Stretching Exercise for your chest and shoulders)

Sitting upright on the chair, place your hands on your lower back. Squeeze your elbows towards each other behind you while lifting your chest up and forwards. You will feel the stretch in the chest and front of the shoulders.

V. Calf Stretch (Stretching exercise for the lower legs)

Stand with your feet under your hips. Take a step back with a left leg, placing the foot flat on the floor. Bend your right knee over the toe. Then place your hands on the right thigh for support. Make sure your left foot faces forwards and the leg remains straight. Repeat the same way on the other side.

Note: You will feel the stretch in your calf muscle of the leg that is in front.

VI. Neck Stretch (stretching exercise for the neck and shoulders)

Sit very comfortably on an upright chair. Reach your left hand behind you and grasp the back of the chair seat, right behind your left buttock. Slowly tilt your head towards the right shoulder. You will feel the stretch on the left side of your neck. Repeat the same way on the other side.

Note: This is a very easy and effective stretching exercise. Adopt a balanced and solid sitting position.

VII. Arm Stretch (Stretching exercise for the upper arms and shoulders)

Sitting upright on the chair, imagine you have an itch between your shoulder blades and attempt to reach it with your right hand by lifting your arm above your head and bending the elbow. Use your left hand apply gentle pressure to the upper part of your right arm. Repeat the exercise on other side now.

VIII. Inner Thigh Stretch (Stretching exercise for the upper legs)

Sitting upwards towards the edge of a chair, position your thighs as far as apart as they will comfortably go. Hold on to the inside of the thighs and ease the knees apart from each other further. You will feel the stretch on the groin and on inside of your thighs.

Note: Try keeping your feet flat on the floor.

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It is advised that you should always do a thorough warm-up before starting with stretching exercise. Also, move into each stretch position slowly and gently until you reach a point of mild tension. Breathe out as you start the stretch but breathe normally as you hold it.

Your suppleness changes from one day to next, depending on various factors such as mood, motivation, physical tension, warm-up routine, emotional tension, temperature and muscle fatigue and soreness. So even if you have done a particular stretching movement before, never force it if it seems difficult. Stop at once if you feel any pain.

You can even alternate some of the strength building exercise with these stretches in order to give your muscles time to recover and ease tension that might otherwise build up in the muscles. Please note that all the stretches should be held for approximately 10-15 seconds only.

Lastly, if at any stage you feel any difficulty, it is advisable that you contact your trainer for physical assistance. Till then take care and have a Healthy Body and a Healthy Mind

We last talked about how to achieve a full range of movements without any stiffness, aching or suffering. In other words we discussed about achieving suppleness. Suppleness can be achieved by stretching to far extent.

However, your stretching better be safe. Always avoid forceful stretches. You should understand that you would feel only a comfortable tightness instead of any kind of pain when a muscle is stretched to its limit. You should never go beyond this point. Always take care that you should avoid stretches that puts excessive strain on other parts of the body. For example, deep knee bends, in which the bottom drops below the level of the knees, and touching the toes while keeping the legs straight, can be harmful because they put too much strain on your back and joints. It is always advised to place your hands on your thighs when stretching the muscles at the back of the leg (hamstring) as this would help support the lower back, whether standing or sitting.

Also take care that when you are stretching, you apply only slow and steady pressure and resist the temptation to speed up the stretch by bouncing. This will put more stress on the tendons than the muscles. Muscles are actually armed with a reflex device to protect them from over-extended. This means that every time you move into a stretch, the initial reaction of the muscle is to contract in order to protect itself. So when it is held for a few seconds, the so called initial contraction will disperse and the muscle can then relax into a stretch. It is to be noted that bouncing, which is also known as ballistic stretching repeatedly triggers the reflex action and results in a series of contractions rather than the desired lengthening of the muscle.

Please note that it is important that stretches are attempted by moving the joints only in direction for which they are designed. For example, your knees are hinge joints which can be damaged if attempts are made to rotate or move them laterally. Ligaments, the bands of fibrous tissues that hold the joints in place, can be damaged if the joint is moved in a direction that it is not designed to go.

So take care. Have a healthy mind and healthy body.

What is suppleness?

The ability to achieve a full range of movements “to turn, stretch, twist and bend” without any stiffness, aching or suffering a spine or joint injury is defined as suppleness. It is also known as flexibility.

What about it?

Suppleness or flexibility is an important part of your everyday life. Being supple means that you can reach up to take an item down from a bookshelf, for example, or bend down to tie your shoe laces, without feeling that your movements are restricted in any way. When you are young, you tend to take suppleness for granted. But as and when you start growing older, you need to spend a bit of time enhancing and maintaining your suppleness.

Anyone can start a daily routine of simple stretches at any age to restore or increase that flexibility to your muscles as well as joints. Some studies show that you are never too old to reverse the reduced level of suppleness that comes with the age. It really doesn’t matter as to how long it has been building up.

So how is suppleness achieved?

Suppleness is achieved by regular stretching of the muscles either by carrying out specific exercises or by actively participating in activities that take the joints through their full range of movement. Muscles are wrapped in connective tissues, which, rather like chewing gum, are resistant to being stretched when cold. For this specific reason, it is very important to attempt stretching exercises only when your muscles are warm. When stretching, a slight degree of tension should be felt in the muscle. Attempting to stretch too far may cause physical discomfort or even pain and can further result in an injury. So, in order to maintain your suppleness, stretches need to be held for at least ten seconds which gives connective tissues enough time to lengthen.

Don’t take it for granted.

Stretches should always be done slowly. Once you get familiar with the positions, you can develop your flexibility by relaxing in them for progressively longer periods. You will soon realize that as your muscles relax, they can be stretched further. However if you are not doing this sort of activity regularly, you will soon find your joints all stiffening up and your range of movements becoming much more limited. So don’t take exercise for granted. Always consult a physical instructor before you start something new.

Again, have a healthy living! Have a Healthy Body Healthy Mind.

Muscle-toning exercises won’t turn you into a mean looking body builder. Instead they will ensure that your muscles stay in good shape and can work more efficiently so that you can do everyday tasks for longer.

To avoid developing imbalanced muscles, you need to do a range of muscle-toning exercises. These can be included with the aerobic and other exercise as a part of a general fitness routine. If you are a bit new to exercising, do a few of each muscle toning exercise and slowly build up the number. Always do a warm-up routine before you start and a cool-down at the end to reduce the risk of injury and post exercise aches and pains. To refresh your muscles, march on the spot between exercises to help prevent a build-up of lactic acid.

As you do these exercises, maintain comfortable breathing and do the movements slowly and in a controlled manner. Remember to always breathe out on the exertion. Continue each exercise only to the point of mild fatigue and stop any exercise that causes pain. Seek advice from a qualified fitness instructor if you experience problems with these exercises.

Do you really have to pick up huge and heavy weights in order to build your strength? I guess not. Have a look at these alternatives.

1. Dumbbells: Dumbbells are simple to use, safe and very effective. They can be used to provide extra resistance when doing standard exercises, or in exercises designed specifically for dumbbells. Dumbbells can be used singly or in pairs. They may be obtained as fixed sizes, available in a range of weights, or adjustable types to which extra weights can be added.
2. Barbell: A barbells consists of a bar to which weights are attached at the either ends. Barbells are very effective because they strengthen the support muscles, which help maintain posture and stability, as well as the main muscle groups. However their use requires a good instructions and proper training from an experienced fitness instructor.
3. Elastic Training Band: You can use elastic training bands in many different ways. For example, while sitting on a chair, loop a band around one of your foot and hold the two ends by your hip. Straightening that leg against the resistance of the band strengthens the muscles in front of your thigh. Similarly for the upper body, take the band in your hands, either in front of your chest or behind your back, and stretch it to strengthen arms and shoulders.
4. Ankle and Wrist Weights: These weights can be tied on your ankles or wrists. Ankle and Wrist weights will increase the amount of resistance involved when doing standard strength exercises such as push ups and heel raising exercises.
5. Gymnasium Machines: Resistance machines are easy to use and a bit simple to adjust especially when you want to increase the effort involved. Most of the machines target individual muscles or perhaps a group of muscles, so you have to take care not to overwork these areas of the body or you can end up getting imbalanced muscles. There are multi-purpose gyms available though. They include a range of different machines that can be worked through systematically. These useful devices are designed to improve all-round muscle strength and endurance.

Please Note: We’re not retailers or distributors of any of the above products. Please do not mail us inquiring about these products. We do not sell them and neither can we recommend any store for you! Ask your doctor/trainer instead. Thank you!

You do not have to join a gym or go to the pool regularly to develop and maintain good muscle tone. Effective training can be done in the comfort of your own home using your body weight as resistance, particularly in exercise such as push-ups and abdominal curls. Other method includes the use of some elastic exercise bands or weights for hands, wrists and ankle, which all are easily available in the market.

Apart from deliberate, specific exercises, the best way to ensure your muscles remain strong and with good endurance capacity is to use them on a regular basis. Performing tasks all by you, rather than the labor saving gadgets, or other people, is the best guarantee of muscle tone.

Try new activities, such as ice skating or ballroom dancing, so as to exercise more muscles. Every single time you use a muscle in a different way, you help your body remain healthy and strong.

Ideally, activities to improve strength and endurance should increase the muscles normal workload moderately. First increase the number of repetitions you do, and then up the weight; raise both steadily rather than attempt big increase too soon.

Also Take Care that when doing resistance exercises, don’t hold your breath or keep still for more than few seconds. That will only raise your blood pressure and we don’t want that. Instead, steadily breathe out when exerting maximum effort and breathe in as you relax the effort. It is advised that if you have a high blood pressure, it is necessary to consult a doctor before you start resistance exercises. Take Care

By running just 5 miles (8 km) in the whole week, you can reduce the risk of yourself getting a heart disease (which is supposed to be the number one killer in the western world) by nearly 20 percent. You already know the advantages of running. It can also help you lose weight, strengthen your muscles and bones and even slow down the aging process which means you will look and feel young all the time. Besides all other advantages, running also benefits your skin and hair. Above all, it will make you feel great.

Always aim to alternate resistance exercises with aerobic or the stamina building exercises. This will give your muscle a chance to recover from the build of the lactic acid in your body, which is a common side effect of high intensity activities such as weight lifting or sprinting. In these anaerobic activities, oxygen cannot be delivered to the muscles in time to assist with the breakdown of glycogen (the form in which glucose is stored as energy in muscles). If there is no presence of oxygen, then these glycogens breakdown produces lactic acid. It is build of this lactic acid in the muscles that causes a burning sensation in your body after you do an intense activity.

The pain eventually builds up to the point where you must rest. As soon as you stop, muscles start to use oxygen to break down the lactic acid. The more lactic acid that is built up, the more the oxygen required to break it down. This is called the oxygen debt’ and this why you pant for breath after sprinting. By alternating aerobic exercises with resistance activities you enable the muscles to disperse the lactic acid rather than accumulating it. You will then not have to stop doing strength exercises prematurely because if either fatigue or a muscle pain.

You can also train yourself to improve your recovery rate by timing each stop to allow yourself just enough time to breathe evenly and deeply before repeating the exercise. With practice this will enable you and your body to recover faster and therefore improving your stamina.