Get Fit Online

Get a workout without going to the gym

2008-07-20T12:28:00.003-04:00

I like bodyweight workouts because they are convenient, quick, and they don't have the risk of creating strength imbalances like traditional work out routines. For example, a reoccurring hamstring injury is likely the result of a strength imbalance between the quadricep and the hamstring. The quad will continue to injure the hamstring because the hamstring cannot handle the force exerted by the quadricep. Bodyweight workouts avoid this because they focus on compound exercises, where multiple muscle groups are worked in natural motions.

Quality Running routines

2008-07-08T19:19:00.001-04:00

Running is one of the most effective ways bar none to get a lot of exercise in a very short period of time. There is no activity that is easier to find a suitable place to participate in. You can run in a park, on a street, or on a treadmill. If you live in a big city you can take up tower running. The only limits for places to run are the ones you set yourself. Today I’d like to list my favorite running workouts that either help improve your body overall or are specially targeted for one aspect of fitness.

Note: before you begin any running regimen make sure you wear appropriate footwear. Done safely, running is a fun, healthy way to get in shape and will make your legs stronger and healthier. However, running with old, damaged, or improper footwear will greatly increase your chances of injury. I recommend the Brooks GTS Andrenaline or the Mizuno Wave Inspire but the best shoe is the one that fits.

· The moderate distance run- This is by far my favorite run nowadays. This is also what most people think of when they hear running. The idea here to jog at whatever pace makes you breath harder than normal but not make your muscles burn. Do this for one to five miles (it’s quite ok if you start jogging half miles or less) and repeat as able and desired, typically two or three times a week.

· The long distance run- Distance running—running five miles or more at a time—is bar none, the fastest way to get in shape and lose weight. Distance running is considered an aerobic activity, or one that involves the body processing oxygen for energy. Aerobic activity raises a person’s heart rate to the fat burning level. The only downside to distance running is it can get boring, however I find bringing an iPod with me helps during the slow times of a run, but that’s usually avoidable if you vary where you run.

· If distancing running is a caramel macchiato with cream and sugar, sprinting workouts are the triple shots of espresso you use to keep yourself up all night. Sprinting workouts are anaerobic and are more effective at building speed and muscle than they are at weight loss. Sprinting workouts are usually done on a 400 meter oval track.

o 200 meter repeats- 200 meter repeats are sprinting around half the track at about 75-80% of your total speed. After each 200, take a 4 minute break, and then repeat. A good goal to work towards when starting is 5 intervals per session and then improve your time on each 200.

o 500 meter ladder- 500 meter ladders work different areas of your body and are aerobic and anaerobic. To do this workout run 500 meters (1 ¼ times around the track), rest, 400 meters, rest, 300m, etc. To increase difficulty, go back up the ladder or start at 1000 meters and go to 500 meters and back up.

Consistency is the most important part of exercise.

2008-07-04T09:32:00.008-04:00

In my last post I talked about consistency be the key to the 5 minute workout plan. While that is true, I feel the consistency is a topic that requires its own blog entry to fully cover. Like it or not, you can’t lose 100 pounds in a week. There is diet, plan, or workout that will accomplish that. The key to enjoying successful and fulfilling long term physical fitness is consistency.

In my years running track competitively I often ran into people that I affectionately labeled ‘work out champions.’ These people would skip or breeze through practice most of the week except for one day, when they would run so hard they could barely walk the next day. Now this pattern results in a few things. The first is no real improvement in a person's running. The second is that because they never saw any improvement in their physical capacities, their body began to fall apart due to the stress put on it that it wasn’t prepared to handle. Finally, they couldn’t run their race well because they quite often chose to pull a ‘superman day’ one or two days before a track meet.

Now unless you want to end up like my track friends with frustration and hurt legs, you need to make a promise to yourself that you are going to take a long term approach to fitness. 25 push ups each day is much more productive than 100 push ups in one day. The real secret to a great body is getting on a schedule that gives your body a moderate work out several times a week. There is no special workout technique that will magically get you in shape. If you put in the time to get in shape you will enjoy the benefits of feeling better, waking up more refreshed, a more fulfilling sex life (women like tight butts for a reason fellas), and having a body that turns heads. However, it will never happen if you aren’t consistent in your exercise.

This 5 minute workout will get you in shape.

2008-06-30T19:03:00.000-04:00

Today I’m going to talk about a 5 minute workout that can change your body from mush to firm guaranteed. The key to this workout is working it into your daily schedule, say when you wake up in the morning, right before you go to bed, before or after breakfast, or whenever you have 5 minutes in your day. Consistency is what will make this work for you.

1. 25 push ups- This works your shoulders, biceps, triceps, forearms, and pectorals.

2. 25 crunches- This is for your core muscles. The key here is to make sure you feel your stomach muscles contract. It’s easy to cheat on this exercise with your arms so I recommend crossing your hands and holding them to your chest.

3. 25 calf raises- This is for (surprise) your calves and working the rest of your legs.

I do one set of these three exercises daily. If this is too much for you by all means start slower by only doing half the push ups or skipping the calf raises until you feel strong enough to handle all three sets of 25. Also, if you’re particularly busy or tired on a given day feel free to skip for the day; just don’t skip more than once or twice a week! Building this workout into your daily schedule is what makes it work in the long run.

Ten ways to exercise without changing your schedule.

2008-06-28T14:29:00.000-04:00

A common misconception is that you have to go to the gym or the park to exercise. Today I have listed ten ways to incorporate exercise into your daily household activities.

1. Turn on the radio or grab your iPod while you vacuum or do the dishes and then dance with the music.

2. If you use a push mower to mow the lawn, don’t use the auto-drive feature. Push that lawnmower with your soon to be ripped arms.

3. Reward yourself for finishing tasks. As soon as you’re done balancing the budget get up and do pushups, walk around the yard, or juggle.

4. For the parents out there, you don’t have to sit down and do nothing while you supervise your kids in the yard. Get up and join them in whatever game they’re playing.

5. Better yet, sit down with your kids and create a game all of you will enjoy.

6. If you have the time, don’t be afraid to walk to the grocery store or pharmacy. I promise you the walk will help you get fit and with gas prices the way they are, every little bit counts.

7. Get your legs in shape by lifting yourself up on your toes 25 times while you cook everyday.

8. Live your video games once in a while. Taking the Brazilians to the World Cup and winning in FIFA 2008 is exciting, but winning a game of soccer with your friends is too.

9. If you have a stationary exercise bike or a treadmill, bring a book before you get on. Often times having something to focus on lets ride or run much farther. Try it.

10.Last but not least, get to the cleaning project you’ve been meaning to do but keep putting off. Emptying your garage, attic, or spare room is a great way to get exercise.

Hi there

2008-06-26T16:38:00.000-04:00

Hi there and welcome to Get Fit Online. I’m going to go ahead and keep this first post to just a short introduction and an ice breaker. My name is Doug and I’ve been a runner all of my life. I just recently finished running track competitively after 7 years but still run a couple of times a week. I’ve also developed a strong interest in Frisbee and soccer when I can get a game going. I hope that through my blog entries you’ll find helpful information for exercising in regards to quality equipment, helpful tips, and finding the motivation. I’m going to leave you today with a surefire way to pick up chicks (or impress guys ;) at the beach.