“Fitness training: 5 elements of a rounded routine - MayoClinic.com” plus 1 more |
| Fitness training: 5 elements of a rounded routine - MayoClinic.com Posted: 21 Jun 2010 07:21 AM PDT Fitness training balances five elements of good health. Make sure your routine includes aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, stretching, core exercise and balance training.By Mayo Clinic staffWhether you're a novice taking the first steps toward fitness or an exercise fanatic hoping to optimize your results, a well-rounded fitness training program is essential. Use the five primary elements of fitness training to create a balanced routine. 1. Aerobic fitnessAerobic exercise, also known as cardio or endurance activity, is the cornerstone of most fitness training programs. Aerobic exercise causes you to breathe faster and more deeply, which maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. The better your aerobic fitness, the more efficiently your heart, lungs and blood vessels transport oxygen throughout your body — and the easier it is to complete routine physical tasks and rise to unexpected challenges, such as running to your car in the pouring rain. Aerobic exercise includes any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and increases your heart rate. Try walking, jogging, biking, swimming, dancing, water aerobics — even leaf raking, snow shoveling and vacuuming. Aim for at least two hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity — preferably spread throughout the week. 2. Muscular fitnessMuscular fitness is another key component of a fitness training program. Strength training at least twice a week can help you increase bone strength and muscular fitness. It can also help you maintain muscle mass during a weight-loss program. Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines, free weights and other tools for strength training. But you don't need to invest in a gym membership or expensive equipment to reap the benefits of strength training. Hand-held weights or homemade weights — such as plastic soft drink bottles filled with water or sand — may work just as well. Resistance bands are another inexpensive option. Your own body weight counts, too. Try push-ups, abdominal crunches and leg squats. 3. StretchingMost aerobic and strength training activities cause your muscles to contract and flex. For balance in your fitness training program, it's important to stretch those muscles, too. Stretching improves the range of motion of your joints and promotes better posture. Regular stretching can even help relieve stress. Before you stretch, warm up by walking or doing a favorite exercise at low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Better yet, stretch after you exercise — when your muscles are warm and receptive to stretching. Ideally, you'll stretch whenever you exercise. If you don't exercise regularly, you might want to stretch at least three times a week after warming up to maintain flexibility. Activities such as yoga promote flexibility, too. Next page(1 of 2)
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| J.T.'s Fitness to reopen as Uptown Fitness - Indiana Gazette Posted: 21 Jun 2010 08:54 AM PDT A NewsThe Indiana Gazette Online welcomes and encourages reader comment on stories and columns. Use the comment form found at the bottom of each story page. Users' full names and hometowns will appear with their comments. Visitors also may comment on any topic related to the Web site on the Indiana Gazette Online Guestbook.
By RANDY WELLS, rwells@indianagazette.netNew equipment. New services. New people. A new look.
All of that is coming in the next couple of weeks as J.T.'s Health & Fitness Center in downtown Indiana morphs into Uptown Fitness. (Originally posted Sunday, June 20, 2010.) ``It's a new corporation. A new attitude,'' said John Hockenberry, who will be general manager of the emerging exercise center. J.T.'s Fitness Center has been in Indiana for nearly a quarter-century. It moved to its present location in the lower level of 655 Church St. - the former R&P Coal Co. building - in 2003. J.T.'s Fitness will close Wednesday, and after a short period to remodel and retool, Uptown Fitness is expected to open July 5 in the same location. Rod Gretler will be the owner of the new center, and Rudy Steffish will be the day-to-day operations manager. According to Hockenberry, Uptown Fitness will feature more than 15 pieces of upgraded cardio-vascular equipment, new circuits of selectorized weight training machines, a new free weight section with more than 3,000 pounds of free weights, new floors, new paint and a new audio-visual system with a 42-inch flat-screen TV. There will be a new lounge for members with vending machines offering endurance and recovery bars and drinks, and upgraded locker rooms. Also available at the new center will be a massage therapist and tanning beds. And there will be new aerobics classes - yoga, mixed martial arts, Zumba - and new instructors. ``We'll have a class for everyone,'' Hockenberry said. Each Uptown Fitness member will receive three sessions with a certified trainer who will evaluate the member's needs and tailor an exercise program for them. ``We're very service-oriented,'' Hockenberry said, adding that the staff will also follow up with members and make sure they're happy with their progress. Uptown Fitness will also make personal training affordable. The average market price for personal training is $50 or $55 per hour, Hockenberry said. ``Here it will be as low as $10 per session'' for about 30 minutes, he said. ``Training has become function-oriented and time-conscious,'' Hockenberry said. Most people don't have a lot of time to spend in exercise centers, so the staff at Uptown Fitness will strive to make members' time there efficient and productive, he said. A session going through a circuit of machines ``that tag every part of the body'' takes about 45 minutes, Hockenberry said. J.T.'s Fitness has about 180 members, and most come in two or three times a week. Hockenberry said J.T.'s Fitness is busiest between 5 and 7:30 a.m. and from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. as many members stop in before or after work. The center's location in downtown Indiana makes it possible for many to walk to their workout sessions and eliminates having to look for a parking space. Hockenberry expects the number of members to grow significantly with the opening of Uptown Fitness, which will have monthly memberships and special student and family membership plans. Uptown Fitness will be open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday; 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Article RatingReader CommentsThe Indiana Gazette Online is beginning a transition to a new design and layout. Until the transition is complete, you may find past stories in the same categories and sections where they originally appeared by following the Indiana Gazette Online Sitemap. Please contact the Web desk at webmaster@indianagazette.net for any assistance during the transition of our news library. / Five Filters featured article: Headshot - Propaganda, State Religion and the Attack On the Gaza Peace Flotilla. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
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