Learn to Like Running

I’ve completed three marathons, but I wasn’t born with an I-love-running gene. In middle school I dreaded the mile, and I dragged my feet the entire four laps when physical fitness testing came around. In high school I joined the cross-country team because all of my friends were doing it—I was the slowest girl out there, and often finished last, in tears. In college, running was a cheap way to stay fit—that was all. It wasn’t until I was a full-grown adult, living in New York City where Central Park was my only respite from the hustle and bustle that I truly fell in love with the activity. What changed? My attitude. I discovered a personal relationship with running that made me feel like a champion simply for lacing up my sneakers. Here’s how you can learn to love (or at the very least, like) running, too.

Be a beginner Not being able to run an entire mile the first time you attempt to run is perfectly normal—and I promise, no one is judging you for it. In fact, you should be proud you’re even trying. You’ve got to start somewhere, so why not accept your newbie status and plan to take walk breaks on your first few jogs around the neighborhood. Then give yourself time to build up your endurance and distances.

Back off the speed Unless you’ve got a sponsorship deal with a major sports brand, running fast isn’t really necessary. And it might even be preventing you from actually enjoying the run. Try running slower, at a pace that allows you to speak in full sentences, and see how your body reacts—your breathing will feel more natural, your joints won’t start aching as quickly, and you might even find yourself smiling out there.

Set small goals See that telephone pole at the end of the street? Run to that, and then pick your next target. Creating small goals within your workout keeps it interesting, and feeling those little twinges of achievement can help you enjoy running more. Today the next mailbox, tomorrow the finish line of your first 10K!

Enjoy being alone The kids aren’t around, your boss isn’t standing over you, it’s just you, your running shoes, and the road. Thinking of your run as “me” time will help you see it as a special event, one you’ll start looking forward to.

Find a buddy Pounding the pavement with a friend can make all the difference. You can encourage each other to get going, commiserate on the hills, and chit-chat your way to the finish. And making a plan to meet someone for a run can give you a little extra motivation to get out the door. 

Make the miles matter When the personal benefits of running (weight loss, improved cardiovascular health, reduced stress, etc.) aren’t enough to get you to pick up your feet, consider running for a cause. Sign up for a 5K that raises funds for a nonprofit organization, or download an app like Charity Miles, which lets you earn money for a charity of your choice with every step you take.

Listen to music Studies show upbeat tunes can distract you from physical exertion and even get you to push a little harder. (Songs between 120 and 140 beats per minute have the biggest impact.) Just be smart about your headphones—only use them in safe, low-traffic areas and keep the volume at a level that allows you to still hear what’s going on around you.

Track your success Feel like you’re not getting anywhere? Try logging every run with an app like MapMyRun, RunKeeper, or Runtastic. You’ll be able to look back and see how far you’ve gone—and how much faster you’ve gotten along the way! Keep track of your routes and see if you can do the neighborhood loop faster next time, or increase your distance by tacking on an extra block or two.

By : myfitnesspal.com

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Why You Need Cardio Exercise

Each week I get questions about cardio--how often we should do it, how hard we should work and why we need it in the first place. Many of us are confused about what to do because there are conflicting opinons about how much cardio we really need. The guidelines published by the American College of Sports Medicine suggest 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise 5 days a week, or vigorous cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week. For weight loss, you might need even more (up to 60-90 minutes) depending on your diet and other activities. It's tough keeping all these rules straight and, the good news is that you don't have to. Sometimes it's best to forget the rules and get back to basics: Cardio isn't just for weight loss.

Our Bodies Are Made to Move

If you have a sedentary job, think about how your body feels at end of the day. Do you have tight muscles, an aching back, feel exhausted even though you haven't done anything physical? Maybe your shoulders burn from tension and your head hurts from staring at a computer screen for too long. Now, think about how your body feels after a workout. Your muscles are warm and flexible, the blood is pumping through your body, providing oxygen and energy. You feel energized, confident, proud of yourself and ready to take on the world. It's much different, isn't it? Our bodies are made to move--not sit around all day and yet, that's exactly what we're doing.

Next, take a moment to remember all the benefits of cardio exercise:

• Weight loss
• Stronger heart and lungs
• Increased bone density
• Reduced stress
• Reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer
• Temporary relief from depression and anxiety
• More confidence about how you feel and how you look
• Better sleep
• More energy
• Setting a good example for your kids to stay active as they get older.

Notice that weight loss, while a big focus for many people, is only one benefit of cardio. Despite that, weight loss is often our only goal and not just for health, but to look good. While there's nothing wrong with wanting to look good, having that as our only goal can make exercise harder. Why? Because losing weight takes time...what happens if you don't see results on your timetable? Where will your motivation go if the scale doesn't cooperate? Open your mind to other reasons to exercise--you might just find new ways to make exercising easier.

Cardio for Better Quality of Life

Appearance is important. That's why I take a shower every day, make sure my clothes match and check that I don't have anything green stuck in my teeth. But I worry that we've gotten so obsessed with how we look that we no longer care about how we feel. If you look at the benefits listed above, all of them translate into feeling good now and in the future. Despite that, we still seem more entranced with getting six-pack abs than feeling good, both physically and mentally.

Have we forgotten that being active can make our lives better? Moving around increases blood flow to our muscles, strengthens the heart and lungs and teaches the heart to work more efficiently. Not only that, when you exercise you set a good example for your kids to do the same, which could mean a better future for them.

If all this is true, why isn't that enough to get us moving? Why do so many of us struggle with being active? Part of it might be how we think about ourselves, our bodies and exercise. Read on to learn how to Change the Way You Think.

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30 Day Squat Challenge #30DaySquatChallenge

You guys joined us all over the world with the #30DAYSQUATCHALLENGE and amazed us with your awesome responses, pictures and compliments ♥. So…now we are ready for "UPII"... and invite you to join us! 

What is the 30 Day Squat Challenge?

It’s a simple 30-day exercise plan, where you do a set number of squats each day with a rest day thrown in every 4th day. You start by completing 50 squats on Day 1, and slowly increase to a maximum of 250 by Day 30.

What are the Benefits of the Program?

Squats obviously help strengthen and tone your leg and butt muscles, but they can also:

• Improve abdominal and back strength
• Burn calories from all the muscles involved
• Promote general flexibility

Since this program involves body-weight squats only, the challenge can be done anywhere.

• The squats can be done in the comfort of your home. There’s no need for equipment of a gym membership.
• The progression is structured in a way to make it challenging, but manageable.
• This program can be a good place to begin for getting in the habit of working out regularly.

#30 day squat challenge

How to Squat with Good Form

• Feet should be about shoulder width apart or slightly wider.
• Look straight ahead, back straight, and lower down by bending at the knees
• The movement should resemble sitting down in a chair
• Only lower yourself down as far as you feel comfortable
• Don’t let the heels lift off the ground
• Knees should travel over toes or slightly outside them. Avoid knee valgus or letting your knees bow in
• Arms can be held out straight in front during the movement to keep balanced

For more detail, see: Proper Form for Body Weight Squats

Want to add in some work for your mid section? Take a look at the plank challenge. 

Is the Squat Challenge safe?

Squatting is one of the most natural human movements. That being said, it’s important to consult with your doctor before starting any new workout or exercise program. 

Good luck!

THE GOLDEN FITNESS

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Benefits of Squats

Looking to build big and strong legs, build muscle all over and improve your balance? Then you should add more compound movements to your workout routine! The squat, one of the best compound exercises out there, builds lower body strength and stimulates muscle growth hormones like testosterone and HGH. Whether you do back squats, front squats, goblet squats, or sumo squats, this exercise should be a staple in your fitness routine.

1. Build your legs
Squats hit nearly every muscle in body, especially your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. If you want to build massive legs, do squats at least once a week as part of your workout routine. Beginners should start with a light weight and increase it gradually.

2. Strengthen your core

This classic exercise strengthens your core muscle, helping you build a strong foundation. Many times, squats are more than effective than crunches for training your abs. When you squat, your core muscles work to keep your spine stable and stabilize your torso.

3. Build muscle all over

Doing squats regularly helps build muscle all over. This compound movement creates the perfect environment for muscle growth. If you want to gain lean muscle and sculpt your legs, squats are your best bet.

4. Increased hormone release

This exercise increases the production of anabolic hormones in your body. People who do squats regularly have higher levels of testosterone and human growth hormone than those who don’t squat. These hormones stimulate muscle growth and repair.

5. Burn more fat

Like other strength training exercises, squats boost your metabolic rate and help your body burn fat more effectively. When combined with a clean diet and a solid workout routine, this exercise builds muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn at rest.

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THE THE 6 BEST EXIRSICES FOR BIG ARMS

Like every other bodypart, training smart is the key for developing a big pair of arms. Massive guns are built using compound movements, heavy enough weights (of course, ‘heavy’ is a relative term ), good technique and full range of motion. But besides training, they also need a good amount of rest and food to grow.

In this article we’ll take a look at the weightlifting part of the formula for building big arms. The workout consists of three exercises for the triceps, supersetted with three exercises for the biceps. We will first focus on the big movements that are supposed to increase the strength and power of your upper arms and we will finish with some higher rep movements used as hypertrophy work. These are the 6 best movements for putting slabs of muscle to your arms :

The Workout

1. Close grip bench press * 3 sets of 5-6 reps  

2. Close grip chin-ups – 3 sets of 5-6 reps

3. Triceps Dips – 3 sets of 10 reps 

4. EZ barbell curl – 3 sets of 10 reps

5. Dumbbell triceps extension – 3 sets of 12-15 reps 

6. Seated dumbbell curls – 3 sets of 12-15 reps

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CHEST EXERCISES

IN THE HOUSE

IN THE GYM 

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