Fitness

An elliptical trainer is a cardiovascular fitness machine designed to mimic the action of running while reducing the impact to the joints by featuring movable pedals. Many elliptical trainers also feature adjustable resistance, which allows you to increase the intensity…
Read more

Kids and adults can use medicine balls as an excellent tool for a full body workout. These balls come in varying sizes and weights allowing you to do twisting lunges, squat jumps with ball throws and ab exercises with resistance….
Read more

Unless you’re born with a large butt, it can be hard to obtain. Perform exercises once or twice a week at increasingly higher levels of intensity to get a firmer butt. Squats Squats are the all-around best butt-firming exercise you…
Read more

Exercise bands are versatile, affordable and portable. Three types of elastic resistance bands are used for leg exercises. Tubes resemble a jump rope, with handles on each end. They are best suited for squats and lunges. Ankle bands work best…
Read more

Joseph Pilates developed his signature method of exercise in Germany in the early 20th century. He was living in England during the outbreak of World War I, and was placed in an internment camp because of his German citizenship. It…
Read more

There isn’t a way to increase your breast size naturally, but you can help to influence the shape and positioning of your breasts through exercise. Exercises that focus on strengthening and toning the chest will tighten the tissue that supports…
Read more

Tai chi’s slow, deliberate movements started out as a type of martial art, but they’ve become a popular mind-body exercise that improves flexibility, muscle strength, balance and aerobic conditioning, according to Harvard Health Publications. Tai chi, in combination with traditional…
Read more

Stretching is an essential component to any fitness program. Day-to-day activities naturally lead to tightness in certain muscle groups, like the hamstrings and hips, which can cause postural imbalances or back pain if not properly addressed. Performing a full body…
Read more

You don’t have to use weights, cable machines or other equipment to exercise the shoulders. A variety of shoulder exercises that use the body’s own weight and range of motion increase strength and flexibility. Weightless shoulder exercises may also be…
Read more

Your legs move awkwardly, your lungs struggle to get in enough air and you wonder how you can keep running when starting out feels so bad. When you begin running, your body needs time to warm up and adjust to…
Read more

Overview Karate uniforms are designed for freedom of movement, allowing you to launch into precision techniques without getting bound up in the fabric. Sometimes, depending on what style you’re studying, the uniform itself–particularly lapels or sleeves–may be incorporated into karate…
Read more

Rain, darkness, very high or very low temperatures, no safe walking or running routes–these all limit your ability to walk or run outdoors. Under these conditions, treadmills provide a safer and more convenient option for exercise. Step on a treadmill…
Read more

Nearly two dozen different types of yoga are practiced around the world, according to Mats, Mats, Mats, each offering individuals different styles, positions and benefits. Yoga is a low-impact form of exercise that tones, stretches and strengthens muscles through a…
Read more

Cyclocross bikes differ from regular road bikes in a few ways. The frame’s rear triangle and fork are designed to allow greater clearance for wider tires and to help decrease mud buildup. The bikes use cantilever brakes for better control…
Read more

Fastpitch softball is a very competitive game dominated by pitching. Many of the top pitchers in the game can throw the ball at speeds approaching 70 mph. From a distance of 46 feet, that’s the equivalent of a 90 to…
Read more

The lower pectoral muscles of the chest cannot actually be worked alone, as they will always work in conjunction with the middle and upper pecs. However, you can emphasize them by doing decline chest exercises with your head positioned lower…
Read more

Yes, you’re busy, but you can still squeeze in a workout or a healthy meal between stops, phone calls and meetings. Whether it’s a two-minute breathing break between meetings or a long training run with your dog, make daily fitness…
Read more

Get yourself one step closer to becoming a scratch golfer with Pilates exercises to stretch the lower back and build up the muscles of the core. The last thing you need is to have your natural swing hampered by tension….
Read more

Pull ups are a difficult exercise that use many arm and upper back muscles. To do pull ups, hang from a bar and lift yourself up by bending and lowering your elbows until your chin is level with the bar….
Read more

Overview Poor posture and weak muscles can both cause back pain. Created in part for physical rehabilitative purposes, Pilates strengthens your back, decreasing your pain and chance of future injury. It also improves your posture by forcing you to better…
Read more

Elliptical trainers, also called elliptical machines, have similarities to both treadmills and exercise bikes. To use one, you stand on pedals and hold onto handles while the machine simulates walking, running, stair climbing or cross-country skiing. Pedals move up and…
Read more

Overview The breasts are composed of a high percentage of fatty tissue, nerves, blood vessels and ducts. When you want to increase your bust size, you have to look past the actual breasts and focus on the muscle that lies…
Read more

Overview Your chest muscles are responsible for forward pushing motions of your arms. Building these muscles up can benefit you with daily tasks such as getting up off of the floor, pushing a lawnmower, painting a fence and stacking boxes…
Read more

If your butt is larger than you would like it to be, odds are you have excess body fat and not enough muscle mass. When the body has excess body fat, the butt can be a common area for this…
Read more

Overview A push-up is a multijoint, bodyweight exercise works the chest, with no need for any equipment. A clap push-up is a more intense variation that is categorized as a plyometric exercise. Plyometrics are characterized by a slow, lengthening motion,…
Read more

Overview When it comes to bulking up the arms, you need to focus on two specific areas–the triceps and biceps. The biceps are found on the upper front part of the arms and the triceps are the opposing muscles on…
Read more

Home fitness DVDs are designed to motivate and coach you through a fitness workout. The programs take the guesswork out of fitness as you can just insert the DVD and follow the workout. The best home fitness DVDs require minimal…
Read more

Bodybuilding is a popular and worthwhile hobby for teens. Through bodybuilding you will gain discipline, willpower and, most importantly, a foundation of health and fitness that will last a lifetime. Starting a bodybuilding program can be confusing for a beginner….
Read more

The butt contains the body’s largest and heaviest muscle—the gluteus maximus. Glutes are responsible for hip extension and lifting the legs away from the body. Butt toning and lifting exercises do more than create a shapely backside–strong glutes improve posture,…
Read more

There are a variety of workout components to focus on if your goal is a higher vertical jump. You’ll need to strength train your lower body muscles, which are needed to propel your body upward against gravity. You’ll need to…
Read more