Archive for November 20th, 2009
As we age, it becomes more important than ever to keep our muscles strong and our reflexes sharp. Muscle tissue can deteriorate and atrophy with disuse, so there’s no excuse not to get out and be active. For many older Americans, lack of exercise has more to do with an ignorance of one’s options than anything else. More and more people are taking up water aerobics routines to stay fit and healthy later in life.
The human body is virtually weightless in water, which means that exercises performed in the water are low-impact with a decreased risk of injury. Since water provides a natural resistance against arms and legs, it’s possible to tone parts of the body without the use of free weights. Exercising in water is not just good for muscles, however. It can also benefit those people suffering from joint pain such as arthritis.
Whenever you are weight training the one thing that should be emphasized is proper lifting techniques! There are a few reasons why trainers and instructors stress this so frequently. The first and obvious reason for proper lifting techniques is to avoid injury. If you repetitively perform a squat incorrectly you will injure your knees or your back. The risk of injury dramatically increases with an increased amount of weight.
Secondly, if proper lifting techniques are not adhered to, you will not see the desired results! It’s that simple. Let’s face it, we want to have a ripped, and toned body and if you are performing an exercise incorrectly it will be a long time before you actually see and feel the benefits of your work. Why then would you waste your time in the gym performing a move and not reap the rewards? It’s simply not smart training.
So if you are a beginner, ask the gym personnel to help you and teach you. Don’t always go by watching other people in the gym, because alot of the time those people are not using proper technique either.