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You Are What You Eat, Especially If Your Training For An Endurance Event
If your gearing up to participate in an endurance event, like a triathlon, or even an Ironman/Woman race. Conditioning your body is only one part of the training exercise. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s a large part. But if you don’t have the right kind of fuel ready to burn to get you from point A to point B, well then, you’re not going to hit your mark, heck, you may not even be in shape to finish.
Now that would be a shame if your body is in decent shape to go the distance, but you run out of gas before you crossed that finish line.
Eating, we might as well say it, “Nutrition” is a key factor in every facet of our lives. Even if you’re not pumping iron or racking up hundreds of miles to get yourself ready to compete in that Triathlon race. Eating right can make the difference between your having a good day at work or falling flat when the clock is only showing 2 pm in the afternoon!
As an endurance machine, we sometimes forget that eating well is more than just chowing down on energy bars and salt pills. We all have grown used to taking them along with us on those long runs or bike rides our energy bars and gels, are great for providing us with that extra boost when we need it, but what are we eating when we are not pounding the pavements, cycling countless miles or swimming those early mornings or late evening laps to condition our bodies?
Keep in mind the mantra of most endurance trainers is that our own general health is the foundation of endurance fitness, and a high-quality diet is essential for general health. Most triathletes struggle to get leaner despite an appetite inflated by heavy training. A high-quality diet is able to satisfy your appetite cravings in a calorically efficient way.
Some simple things to keep in mind as you shop to fill your fridge with what you need to fuel your body's engine are:
Your plate should be overflowing with fruits, vegetables, lean protein and complex carbohydrates
You avoid the urge to binge on junk foods (including large amounts of processed energy bars and gels) Remember, while these are good when your pushing your body out on the road, and the miles are dropping behind you, remember they also have large amounts of sugar and salt that if you’re not exerting energy so they process out of your body, then your only building up a reserve of these nutrients and when not exercising they can turn into fat!
You limit your intake of alcohol to one or two drinks a day and keep caffeine to a minimum.
Supplying your body with enough fuel to burn on training days is important. After all, if there is not enough fuel in your tank, you could possibly end up breaking down muscle as your body looks for areas to draw on for energy.
Make sure you get started with a quality breakfast, between 800 to 1,000 calories, split up between pre-workout, during and after. Your first meal of the day should make up a third to half of your daily calories, to avoid getting tired in the evening and eating too much or too poorly.
Be aware that during the course of your training that if you:
Think about food all the time
Your workouts aren’t enjoyable and don’t feel like quality sessions
Your hunger spikes in the evening
The above can be indicators that you’re not eating enough to supply your body with the energy it needs to perform the tasks you’re asking from it.
On the “Flip-Side”, You’ve hit the right balance when:
Your performance consistently improves
You recover quickly
You crave sweets infrequently (people who say they’re addicted to sugar are really just hungry)
Be aware of when you eat your meals! Even eating high-quality foods, when eaten at the wrong time can cause a problem with your body’s breaking down of the nutrients to turn that food into fuel.
The rule of thumb is:
An athlete should have some sort of nutrition approximately one to three hours before a training session," says Bob Seebohar, sports dietitian, exercise physiologist, and coach at fuel4mance.com. For short and/or high-intensity sessions under two hours, Seebohar says athletes can benefit from teaching the body to rely on fat stores for energy, which requires consuming fewer carbohydrates. For such sessions, he recommends liquid-based nutrition such as a sports drinks . For sessions more than three hours, Seebohar recommends consuming 200 to 300 grams of carbohydrates one to four hours beforehand.
What you eat after a workout:
When those muscles are primed to accept nutrients, matters just as much. The 30 to 60 minutes immediately following long and high-intensity workouts are especially important. Seebohar recommends consuming 1 to 1.2 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight and 10 to 25 grams of protein after a workout. Fat, which inhibits carbohydrate absorption, should wait until a few hours later. This is probably the most neglected factor once an athlete gets ready to “Chow-Down” It’s important to eat moderately after you’ve subjected your body to a high-intensity workout or taking part in an endurance event.
Fueling your body well goes beyond eating your fruits and veggies. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, have several important functions in the body, and it’s crucial to give your body the right amount of each.
The percentages of each will vary depending on what type of triathlete you are; an IRONMAN triathlete will need more carbohydrates (the body’s primary energy source) than a short-course triathlete logging fewer training hours. But as a rule of thumb, athletes should aim for getting 45-65 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates, 15-20 percent from protein and 20-35 percent from fat.
Remember, one of the key ways to make sure you're eating properly with the correct number of percentages between, fats, carbs, and proteins is to do the majority of your eating at home!
This way you can cook with the freshest foods, that are low in sodium while containing the good fats that are necessary to maintain that engine you call your body.
Eat Well, Exercise Smart, and most of all, embrace your healthy, fitter way of eating. Your body at the end of your event, with thank you for it!
Read more
If your gearing up to participate in an endurance event, like a triathlon, or even an Ironman/Woman race. Conditioning your body is only one part of the training exercise. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s a large part. But if you don’t have the right kind of fuel ready to burn to get you from point A to point B, well then, you’re not going to hit your mark, heck, you may not even be in shape to finish.
Now that would be a shame if your body is in decent shape to go the distance, but you run out of gas before you crossed that finish line.
Eating, we might as well say it, “Nutrition” is a key factor in every facet of our lives. Even if you’re not pumping iron or racking up hundreds of miles to get yourself ready to compete in that Triathlon race. Eating right can make the difference between your having a good day at work or falling flat when the clock is only showing 2 pm in the afternoon!
As an endurance machine, we sometimes forget that eating well is more than just chowing down on energy bars and salt pills. We all have grown used to taking them along with us on those long runs or bike rides our energy bars and gels, are great for providing us with that extra boost when we need it, but what are we eating when we are not pounding the pavements, cycling countless miles or swimming those early mornings or late evening laps to condition our bodies?
Keep in mind the mantra of most endurance trainers is that our own general health is the foundation of endurance fitness, and a high-quality diet is essential for general health. Most triathletes struggle to get leaner despite an appetite inflated by heavy training. A high-quality diet is able to satisfy your appetite cravings in a calorically efficient way.
Some simple things to keep in mind as you shop to fill your fridge with what you need to fuel your body's engine are:
Your plate should be overflowing with fruits, vegetables, lean protein and complex carbohydrates
You avoid the urge to binge on junk foods (including large amounts of processed energy bars and gels) Remember, while these are good when your pushing your body out on the road, and the miles are dropping behind you, remember they also have large amounts of sugar and salt that if you’re not exerting energy so they process out of your body, then your only building up a reserve of these nutrients and when not exercising they can turn into fat!
You limit your intake of alcohol to one or two drinks a day and keep caffeine to a minimum.
Supplying your body with enough fuel to burn on training days is important. After all, if there is not enough fuel in your tank, you could possibly end up breaking down muscle as your body looks for areas to draw on for energy.
Make sure you get started with a quality breakfast, between 800 to 1,000 calories, split up between pre-workout, during and after. Your first meal of the day should make up a third to half of your daily calories, to avoid getting tired in the evening and eating too much or too poorly.
Be aware that during the course of your training that if you:
Think about food all the time
Your workouts aren’t enjoyable and don’t feel like quality sessions
Your hunger spikes in the evening
The above can be indicators that you’re not eating enough to supply your body with the energy it needs to perform the tasks you’re asking from it.
On the “Flip-Side”, You’ve hit the right balance when:
Your performance consistently improves
You recover quickly
You crave sweets infrequently (people who say they’re addicted to sugar are really just hungry)
Be aware of when you eat your meals! Even eating high-quality foods, when eaten at the wrong time can cause a problem with your body’s breaking down of the nutrients to turn that food into fuel.
The rule of thumb is:
An athlete should have some sort of nutrition approximately one to three hours before a training session," says Bob Seebohar, sports dietitian, exercise physiologist, and coach at fuel4mance.com. For short and/or high-intensity sessions under two hours, Seebohar says athletes can benefit from teaching the body to rely on fat stores for energy, which requires consuming fewer carbohydrates. For such sessions, he recommends liquid-based nutrition such as a sports drinks . For sessions more than three hours, Seebohar recommends consuming 200 to 300 grams of carbohydrates one to four hours beforehand.
What you eat after a workout:
When those muscles are primed to accept nutrients, matters just as much. The 30 to 60 minutes immediately following long and high-intensity workouts are especially important. Seebohar recommends consuming 1 to 1.2 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight and 10 to 25 grams of protein after a workout. Fat, which inhibits carbohydrate absorption, should wait until a few hours later. This is probably the most neglected factor once an athlete gets ready to “Chow-Down” It’s important to eat moderately after you’ve subjected your body to a high-intensity workout or taking part in an endurance event.
Fueling your body well goes beyond eating your fruits and veggies. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, have several important functions in the body, and it’s crucial to give your body the right amount of each.
The percentages of each will vary depending on what type of triathlete you are; an IRONMAN triathlete will need more carbohydrates (the body’s primary energy source) than a short-course triathlete logging fewer training hours. But as a rule of thumb, athletes should aim for getting 45-65 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates, 15-20 percent from protein and 20-35 percent from fat.
Remember, one of the key ways to make sure you're eating properly with the correct number of percentages between, fats, carbs, and proteins is to do the majority of your eating at home!
This way you can cook with the freshest foods, that are low in sodium while containing the good fats that are necessary to maintain that engine you call your body.
Eat Well, Exercise Smart, and most of all, embrace your healthy, fitter way of eating. Your body at the end of your event, with thank you for it!
Read more
Reasons to Take Up Swimming for the Fall & Winter Months
Now that the weather is changing and those hot summer days are beginning to fade, there is no reason why you need to pack up your bathing suite till the next summer season. In fact there is a great reason why NOT to!! You may or may not know that swimming is one of the best exercises you can do.
If you look, you will probably find that a lot of gyms, health clubs and don't forget the YMCA all have pools. This makes for year round access to the water, where studies have found, swimming is probably one of the best all-around means to aid in getting you fit. The water acts as a semi-resistant medium that puts some slight strain on your muscles to perform the way you want them to. Add in the benefits of the water making you a bit buoyant and someone who has trouble standing for long periods of time can actually perform better in the water!
Swimming not only aids in increasing your muscle strength, but since it a public part of the gym, or other facility, it also helps your social life as you can be amongst like-minded individuals. Also, swimming is a great way to help bring down your stress level. Swimming really can make a huge difference to your body mentally and physically.
Below are some reasons you should start taking up swimming today! Remember, just cause the sun-shade umbrellas are all put away, doesn’t mean you can't still take advantage of the benefits you’re going to reap from swimming on a regular basis.
How Swimming Up’s Your Exercise Game!!
If you don’t love working up a sweat but do love the benefits of a cardio workout, swimming may be your ideal match.
The water keeps you cool, even as your heart gets a great workout. You’ll probably be able to keep yourself going for a longer time than if you were running. That’s because it’s fun and gentle on your joints and muscles. The water can also feel relaxing. Remember, I said above that it can lower your stress levels??
To get the most out of this regimen, plan on doing 2 1/2 hours of swimming a week. Or mix in swimming with other cardio workouts. You can set your own pace, going as fast as you like.
If you don't already know how to swim, there are classes at indoor community pools, gyms, and YMCAs or YWCAs. It's good to know how to swim, for safety's sake, even if you aren't planning to make swimming your main workout.
Intensity Level: Medium
You’ll use your lower and upper body muscles for a steady workout. You can make your swim harder by going faster or longer.
Areas It Targets
Core: Yes. Swimming gives your entire body a great workout, including your core.
Arms: Yes. You’ll need your arms for most swim strokes, so expect them to get a workout.
Legs: Yes. You’ll use your legs to propel yourself through the water.
Glutes: Yes. Swimming uses your glutes. Like we said before, swimming offers a whole body workout
Back: Yes. Your back muscles will get a workout, whether you’re doing the backstroke or a water-based exercise class.
Flexibility: Yes. Swimming will make you more flexible. The more you work at it, the easier it will be to use your extremities and you will begin building up those muscle groups by repetition.
Aerobic: Yes. Your heart will keep pumping as you use your entire body to move through the water. Again, this is one of the big reasons most seniors take up swimming or water aerobics. Even though it’s easier on them because of the buoyancy of the water it still provides enough of a resistance to work that heart muscle and give you a good cardiovascular workout!
Strength: Yes. You’ll get stronger from the resistance of the water, which is about 12 times the level of air resistance. Try using hand-held paddles, foam noodles, or a kickboard for extra resistance.
Low-Impact: Yes. Swimming is an excellent low-impact workout. The water gives you buoyancy, so you’ll float through your exercise session without putting pressure on your joints.
Good for beginners? Yes. You may not be able to swim for a full workout (30 minutes or longer) right away, but you can work your way toward a longer workout. Start slowly, with 5-10 minutes of laps.
Equipment required? None, except for a swimsuit. Goggles and a swim cap are optional. To mix things up, you can add small accessories to your water workout, like kickboards or swim noodles. When you get proficient in your swimming workouts, it might be a good idea to purchase an activity monitor that is water resistant. As you progress your going to want to set new goals for yourself and the best way to do that is to monitor your progress. A good monitor to do this is the Garmin Vivoactive Smartwatch .The vívoactive features built-in sports apps that track your stats, even when away from your phone. Simply tap to choose among GPS-enabled running, golfing and cycling apps plus swimming and activity tracking.
If you are looking for a great aerobic and total body-strengthening workout, then look no further. Swimming can provide all that and more.
Swimming can be a solo or a group adventure. You may prefer to swim laps, if you like to work out by yourself. But if you like being in a group, many pools and Y’s have aquatic exercise classes for all levels. If you are older, pregnant, or disabled, there is likely a specialized class just for you.
Swimming is a great aerobic workout for people with most types of arthritis. It can take the load off your joints and help prevent injuries. It is also a good choice if you have low back pain. Warm water can be very soothing. Check with your doctor first if you are having joint pain, have had a recent injury, joint replacement, or are having an arthritis flare.
If you have diabetes, an aerobic activity like swimming can be a very important part of your diabetes treatment plan. It will help you burn calories, lose weight, and keep your blood sugars under control. If you have high cholesterol, you will also benefit from swimming. It will help you lower your ''bad'' LDL cholesterol and raise your ''good'' HDL cholesterol.
If you have been a couch potato, or you have heart disease or other medical problems, check with your doctor first to see what kind of swimming program is right for you. So don’t let that cooler weather keep you out of the water. Join a club or the Y and see just how much better you feel after a few weeks of getting yourself wet while the leaves are starting to fall and before that first flake drops!
If you look, you will probably find that a lot of gyms, health clubs and don't forget the YMCA all have pools. This makes for year round access to the water, where studies have found, swimming is probably one of the best all-around means to aid in getting you fit. The water acts as a semi-resistant medium that puts some slight strain on your muscles to perform the way you want them to. Add in the benefits of the water making you a bit buoyant and someone who has trouble standing for long periods of time can actually perform better in the water!
Swimming not only aids in increasing your muscle strength, but since it a public part of the gym, or other facility, it also helps your social life as you can be amongst like-minded individuals. Also, swimming is a great way to help bring down your stress level. Swimming really can make a huge difference to your body mentally and physically.
Below are some reasons you should start taking up swimming today! Remember, just cause the sun-shade umbrellas are all put away, doesn’t mean you can't still take advantage of the benefits you’re going to reap from swimming on a regular basis.
How Swimming Up’s Your Exercise Game!!
If you don’t love working up a sweat but do love the benefits of a cardio workout, swimming may be your ideal match.
The water keeps you cool, even as your heart gets a great workout. You’ll probably be able to keep yourself going for a longer time than if you were running. That’s because it’s fun and gentle on your joints and muscles. The water can also feel relaxing. Remember, I said above that it can lower your stress levels??
To get the most out of this regimen, plan on doing 2 1/2 hours of swimming a week. Or mix in swimming with other cardio workouts. You can set your own pace, going as fast as you like.
If you don't already know how to swim, there are classes at indoor community pools, gyms, and YMCAs or YWCAs. It's good to know how to swim, for safety's sake, even if you aren't planning to make swimming your main workout.
Intensity Level: Medium
You’ll use your lower and upper body muscles for a steady workout. You can make your swim harder by going faster or longer.
Areas It Targets
Core: Yes. Swimming gives your entire body a great workout, including your core.
Arms: Yes. You’ll need your arms for most swim strokes, so expect them to get a workout.
Legs: Yes. You’ll use your legs to propel yourself through the water.
Glutes: Yes. Swimming uses your glutes. Like we said before, swimming offers a whole body workout
Back: Yes. Your back muscles will get a workout, whether you’re doing the backstroke or a water-based exercise class.
Flexibility: Yes. Swimming will make you more flexible. The more you work at it, the easier it will be to use your extremities and you will begin building up those muscle groups by repetition.
Aerobic: Yes. Your heart will keep pumping as you use your entire body to move through the water. Again, this is one of the big reasons most seniors take up swimming or water aerobics. Even though it’s easier on them because of the buoyancy of the water it still provides enough of a resistance to work that heart muscle and give you a good cardiovascular workout!
Strength: Yes. You’ll get stronger from the resistance of the water, which is about 12 times the level of air resistance. Try using hand-held paddles, foam noodles, or a kickboard for extra resistance.
Low-Impact: Yes. Swimming is an excellent low-impact workout. The water gives you buoyancy, so you’ll float through your exercise session without putting pressure on your joints.
Good for beginners? Yes. You may not be able to swim for a full workout (30 minutes or longer) right away, but you can work your way toward a longer workout. Start slowly, with 5-10 minutes of laps.
Equipment required? None, except for a swimsuit. Goggles and a swim cap are optional. To mix things up, you can add small accessories to your water workout, like kickboards or swim noodles. When you get proficient in your swimming workouts, it might be a good idea to purchase an activity monitor that is water resistant. As you progress your going to want to set new goals for yourself and the best way to do that is to monitor your progress. A good monitor to do this is the Garmin Vivoactive Smartwatch .The vívoactive features built-in sports apps that track your stats, even when away from your phone. Simply tap to choose among GPS-enabled running, golfing and cycling apps plus swimming and activity tracking.
If you are looking for a great aerobic and total body-strengthening workout, then look no further. Swimming can provide all that and more.
Swimming can be a solo or a group adventure. You may prefer to swim laps, if you like to work out by yourself. But if you like being in a group, many pools and Y’s have aquatic exercise classes for all levels. If you are older, pregnant, or disabled, there is likely a specialized class just for you.
Swimming is a great aerobic workout for people with most types of arthritis. It can take the load off your joints and help prevent injuries. It is also a good choice if you have low back pain. Warm water can be very soothing. Check with your doctor first if you are having joint pain, have had a recent injury, joint replacement, or are having an arthritis flare.
If you have diabetes, an aerobic activity like swimming can be a very important part of your diabetes treatment plan. It will help you burn calories, lose weight, and keep your blood sugars under control. If you have high cholesterol, you will also benefit from swimming. It will help you lower your ''bad'' LDL cholesterol and raise your ''good'' HDL cholesterol.
If you have been a couch potato, or you have heart disease or other medical problems, check with your doctor first to see what kind of swimming program is right for you. So don’t let that cooler weather keep you out of the water. Join a club or the Y and see just how much better you feel after a few weeks of getting yourself wet while the leaves are starting to fall and before that first flake drops!
Read more
Now that the weather is changing and those hot summer days are beginning to fade, there is no reason why you need to pack up your bathing suite till the next summer season. In fact there is a great reason why NOT to!! You may or may not know that swimming is one of the best exercises you can do.
If you look, you will probably find that a lot of gyms, health clubs and don't forget the YMCA all have pools. This makes for year round access to the water, where studies have found, swimming is probably one of the best all-around means to aid in getting you fit. The water acts as a semi-resistant medium that puts some slight strain on your muscles to perform the way you want them to. Add in the benefits of the water making you a bit buoyant and someone who has trouble standing for long periods of time can actually perform better in the water!
Swimming not only aids in increasing your muscle strength, but since it a public part of the gym, or other facility, it also helps your social life as you can be amongst like-minded individuals. Also, swimming is a great way to help bring down your stress level. Swimming really can make a huge difference to your body mentally and physically.
Below are some reasons you should start taking up swimming today! Remember, just cause the sun-shade umbrellas are all put away, doesn’t mean you can't still take advantage of the benefits you’re going to reap from swimming on a regular basis.
How Swimming Up’s Your Exercise Game!!
If you don’t love working up a sweat but do love the benefits of a cardio workout, swimming may be your ideal match.
The water keeps you cool, even as your heart gets a great workout. You’ll probably be able to keep yourself going for a longer time than if you were running. That’s because it’s fun and gentle on your joints and muscles. The water can also feel relaxing. Remember, I said above that it can lower your stress levels??
To get the most out of this regimen, plan on doing 2 1/2 hours of swimming a week. Or mix in swimming with other cardio workouts. You can set your own pace, going as fast as you like.
If you don't already know how to swim, there are classes at indoor community pools, gyms, and YMCAs or YWCAs. It's good to know how to swim, for safety's sake, even if you aren't planning to make swimming your main workout.
Intensity Level: Medium
You’ll use your lower and upper body muscles for a steady workout. You can make your swim harder by going faster or longer.
Areas It Targets
Core: Yes. Swimming gives your entire body a great workout, including your core.
Arms: Yes. You’ll need your arms for most swim strokes, so expect them to get a workout.
Legs: Yes. You’ll use your legs to propel yourself through the water.
Glutes: Yes. Swimming uses your glutes. Like we said before, swimming offers a whole body workout
Back: Yes. Your back muscles will get a workout, whether you’re doing the backstroke or a water-based exercise class.
Flexibility: Yes. Swimming will make you more flexible. The more you work at it, the easier it will be to use your extremities and you will begin building up those muscle groups by repetition.
Aerobic: Yes. Your heart will keep pumping as you use your entire body to move through the water. Again, this is one of the big reasons most seniors take up swimming or water aerobics. Even though it’s easier on them because of the buoyancy of the water it still provides enough of a resistance to work that heart muscle and give you a good cardiovascular workout!
Strength: Yes. You’ll get stronger from the resistance of the water, which is about 12 times the level of air resistance. Try using hand-held paddles, foam noodles, or a kickboard for extra resistance.
Low-Impact: Yes. Swimming is an excellent low-impact workout. The water gives you buoyancy, so you’ll float through your exercise session without putting pressure on your joints.
Good for beginners? Yes. You may not be able to swim for a full workout (30 minutes or longer) right away, but you can work your way toward a longer workout. Start slowly, with 5-10 minutes of laps.
Equipment required? None, except for a swimsuit. Goggles and a swim cap are optional. To mix things up, you can add small accessories to your water workout, like kickboards or swim noodles. When you get proficient in your swimming workouts, it might be a good idea to purchase an activity monitor that is water resistant. As you progress your going to want to set new goals for yourself and the best way to do that is to monitor your progress. A good monitor to do this is the Garmin Vivoactive Smartwatch .The vívoactive features built-in sports apps that track your stats, even when away from your phone. Simply tap to choose among GPS-enabled running, golfing and cycling apps plus swimming and activity tracking.
If you are looking for a great aerobic and total body-strengthening workout, then look no further. Swimming can provide all that and more.
Swimming can be a solo or a group adventure. You may prefer to swim laps, if you like to work out by yourself. But if you like being in a group, many pools and Y’s have aquatic exercise classes for all levels. If you are older, pregnant, or disabled, there is likely a specialized class just for you.
Swimming is a great aerobic workout for people with most types of arthritis. It can take the load off your joints and help prevent injuries. It is also a good choice if you have low back pain. Warm water can be very soothing. Check with your doctor first if you are having joint pain, have had a recent injury, joint replacement, or are having an arthritis flare.
If you have diabetes, an aerobic activity like swimming can be a very important part of your diabetes treatment plan. It will help you burn calories, lose weight, and keep your blood sugars under control. If you have high cholesterol, you will also benefit from swimming. It will help you lower your ''bad'' LDL cholesterol and raise your ''good'' HDL cholesterol.
If you have been a couch potato, or you have heart disease or other medical problems, check with your doctor first to see what kind of swimming program is right for you. So don’t let that cooler weather keep you out of the water. Join a club or the Y and see just how much better you feel after a few weeks of getting yourself wet while the leaves are starting to fall and before that first flake drops!
If you look, you will probably find that a lot of gyms, health clubs and don't forget the YMCA all have pools. This makes for year round access to the water, where studies have found, swimming is probably one of the best all-around means to aid in getting you fit. The water acts as a semi-resistant medium that puts some slight strain on your muscles to perform the way you want them to. Add in the benefits of the water making you a bit buoyant and someone who has trouble standing for long periods of time can actually perform better in the water!
Swimming not only aids in increasing your muscle strength, but since it a public part of the gym, or other facility, it also helps your social life as you can be amongst like-minded individuals. Also, swimming is a great way to help bring down your stress level. Swimming really can make a huge difference to your body mentally and physically.
Below are some reasons you should start taking up swimming today! Remember, just cause the sun-shade umbrellas are all put away, doesn’t mean you can't still take advantage of the benefits you’re going to reap from swimming on a regular basis.
How Swimming Up’s Your Exercise Game!!
If you don’t love working up a sweat but do love the benefits of a cardio workout, swimming may be your ideal match.
The water keeps you cool, even as your heart gets a great workout. You’ll probably be able to keep yourself going for a longer time than if you were running. That’s because it’s fun and gentle on your joints and muscles. The water can also feel relaxing. Remember, I said above that it can lower your stress levels??
To get the most out of this regimen, plan on doing 2 1/2 hours of swimming a week. Or mix in swimming with other cardio workouts. You can set your own pace, going as fast as you like.
If you don't already know how to swim, there are classes at indoor community pools, gyms, and YMCAs or YWCAs. It's good to know how to swim, for safety's sake, even if you aren't planning to make swimming your main workout.
Intensity Level: Medium
You’ll use your lower and upper body muscles for a steady workout. You can make your swim harder by going faster or longer.
Areas It Targets
Core: Yes. Swimming gives your entire body a great workout, including your core.
Arms: Yes. You’ll need your arms for most swim strokes, so expect them to get a workout.
Legs: Yes. You’ll use your legs to propel yourself through the water.
Glutes: Yes. Swimming uses your glutes. Like we said before, swimming offers a whole body workout
Back: Yes. Your back muscles will get a workout, whether you’re doing the backstroke or a water-based exercise class.
Flexibility: Yes. Swimming will make you more flexible. The more you work at it, the easier it will be to use your extremities and you will begin building up those muscle groups by repetition.
Aerobic: Yes. Your heart will keep pumping as you use your entire body to move through the water. Again, this is one of the big reasons most seniors take up swimming or water aerobics. Even though it’s easier on them because of the buoyancy of the water it still provides enough of a resistance to work that heart muscle and give you a good cardiovascular workout!
Strength: Yes. You’ll get stronger from the resistance of the water, which is about 12 times the level of air resistance. Try using hand-held paddles, foam noodles, or a kickboard for extra resistance.
Low-Impact: Yes. Swimming is an excellent low-impact workout. The water gives you buoyancy, so you’ll float through your exercise session without putting pressure on your joints.
Good for beginners? Yes. You may not be able to swim for a full workout (30 minutes or longer) right away, but you can work your way toward a longer workout. Start slowly, with 5-10 minutes of laps.
Equipment required? None, except for a swimsuit. Goggles and a swim cap are optional. To mix things up, you can add small accessories to your water workout, like kickboards or swim noodles. When you get proficient in your swimming workouts, it might be a good idea to purchase an activity monitor that is water resistant. As you progress your going to want to set new goals for yourself and the best way to do that is to monitor your progress. A good monitor to do this is the Garmin Vivoactive Smartwatch .The vívoactive features built-in sports apps that track your stats, even when away from your phone. Simply tap to choose among GPS-enabled running, golfing and cycling apps plus swimming and activity tracking.
If you are looking for a great aerobic and total body-strengthening workout, then look no further. Swimming can provide all that and more.
Swimming can be a solo or a group adventure. You may prefer to swim laps, if you like to work out by yourself. But if you like being in a group, many pools and Y’s have aquatic exercise classes for all levels. If you are older, pregnant, or disabled, there is likely a specialized class just for you.
Swimming is a great aerobic workout for people with most types of arthritis. It can take the load off your joints and help prevent injuries. It is also a good choice if you have low back pain. Warm water can be very soothing. Check with your doctor first if you are having joint pain, have had a recent injury, joint replacement, or are having an arthritis flare.
If you have diabetes, an aerobic activity like swimming can be a very important part of your diabetes treatment plan. It will help you burn calories, lose weight, and keep your blood sugars under control. If you have high cholesterol, you will also benefit from swimming. It will help you lower your ''bad'' LDL cholesterol and raise your ''good'' HDL cholesterol.
If you have been a couch potato, or you have heart disease or other medical problems, check with your doctor first to see what kind of swimming program is right for you. So don’t let that cooler weather keep you out of the water. Join a club or the Y and see just how much better you feel after a few weeks of getting yourself wet while the leaves are starting to fall and before that first flake drops!
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Fitness Trackers – Weight Loss And A Healthier YOU!
Look around today as your walking down the street, shopping, at the office or just stopping in for your morning "Pick Me Up Cup of Coffee". Chances are you’re going to see some sort of fitness tracker on someone’s wrist or maybe clipped on their belt. Fitness is the buzz word today and more and more people are getting them and wearing them. But is it just like people wearing fashionable workout attire? They have to have one because they want to fit in, Get It "Fit" In, with the people that are deemed the “Cool Ones” and they want to be part of the current trend.
Well if that’s the reason they’re buying Fitness Trackers some merchants are all right with that. After all, that helps their sales bottom line.
But here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com we’d like to think that you’re buying a Fitness Tracker for just that reason, to get YOURSELF in Shape. It’s now October and it won’t be long till you're making your New Year’s resolution again. Scary isn’t it? Well, there are new trackers and heart rate monitors being developed all the time. This year we brought you the new Garmin Forerunner 35 GPS Watch Wrist Based HR and Activity Tracker Not to mention the new Polar M600 Strapless Heart Rate Monitor Smart Watch or we know you’ve heard of Fitbit, which is probably the most popular like of Fitness Trackers this year and last year as well. They also introduced the new Fitbit Charge 2 Activity Tracker HR and the Fitbit Flex 2 Swim Proof Activity Tracker which is brand new and will be coming out this month.
The bottom line is here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com we pride ourselves in bringing you the latest products to help you with your lifestyle maintenance program. A healthier you means you're going to be around longer for your family and friends and that makes us happy!
So don’t be that group of people that just wear the newest fitness watch so they can look like they're a part of the healthier fitness throng. Wear them because you want to use them, to get you up to your highest fitness potential!
In the meantime, we here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com will continue to shop around for you, in order to keep bringing you the best tools we can find to keep you reaching for new personal fitness goals. And from time to time we will write some new posts on what we feel can help you and your family and friends with timely articles that cover seasonal happenings that you all can take part in, and that will also work towards keeping you active and healthy.
So take a look at that smart watch, have your reached your daily goal yet??? Well WHY NOT!
Read more
Look around today as your walking down the street, shopping, at the office or just stopping in for your morning "Pick Me Up Cup of Coffee". Chances are you’re going to see some sort of fitness tracker on someone’s wrist or maybe clipped on their belt. Fitness is the buzz word today and more and more people are getting them and wearing them. But is it just like people wearing fashionable workout attire? They have to have one because they want to fit in, Get It "Fit" In, with the people that are deemed the “Cool Ones” and they want to be part of the current trend.
Well if that’s the reason they’re buying Fitness Trackers some merchants are all right with that. After all, that helps their sales bottom line.
But here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com we’d like to think that you’re buying a Fitness Tracker for just that reason, to get YOURSELF in Shape. It’s now October and it won’t be long till you're making your New Year’s resolution again. Scary isn’t it? Well, there are new trackers and heart rate monitors being developed all the time. This year we brought you the new Garmin Forerunner 35 GPS Watch Wrist Based HR and Activity Tracker Not to mention the new Polar M600 Strapless Heart Rate Monitor Smart Watch or we know you’ve heard of Fitbit, which is probably the most popular like of Fitness Trackers this year and last year as well. They also introduced the new Fitbit Charge 2 Activity Tracker HR and the Fitbit Flex 2 Swim Proof Activity Tracker which is brand new and will be coming out this month.
The bottom line is here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com we pride ourselves in bringing you the latest products to help you with your lifestyle maintenance program. A healthier you means you're going to be around longer for your family and friends and that makes us happy!
So don’t be that group of people that just wear the newest fitness watch so they can look like they're a part of the healthier fitness throng. Wear them because you want to use them, to get you up to your highest fitness potential!
In the meantime, we here at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com will continue to shop around for you, in order to keep bringing you the best tools we can find to keep you reaching for new personal fitness goals. And from time to time we will write some new posts on what we feel can help you and your family and friends with timely articles that cover seasonal happenings that you all can take part in, and that will also work towards keeping you active and healthy.
So take a look at that smart watch, have your reached your daily goal yet??? Well WHY NOT!
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Swimming: A Perfect Cross-Training Activity for Cyclists and Runners
Swimming is one of the best methods of cross-training because it allows athletes to take a break without compromising their workout schedule. Running and cycling every day is not recommended because it is hard on your joints and your body needs about 2-3 days of rest each week. Thus, swimming allows you to utilize different […]
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Swimming is one of the best methods of cross-training because it allows athletes to take a break without compromising their workout schedule. Running and cycling every day is not recommended because it is hard on your joints and your body needs about 2-3 days of rest each week. Thus, swimming allows you to utilize different […]
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Eyesight and Sport
This is a guest post by Tim Harwood of TreatmentSaver.com If you are a serious athlete then the last thing you want to be worrying about is your eye sight. There are enough other issues to concern yourself with, such as making to the end of a grueling uphill cycle climb! If you are someone […]
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This is a guest post by Tim Harwood of TreatmentSaver.com If you are a serious athlete then the last thing you want to be worrying about is your eye sight. There are enough other issues to concern yourself with, such as making to the end of a grueling uphill cycle climb! If you are someone […]