Fitness

The trapezius muscle is a large muscle group that starts at the base of the skull, spreads over the top of the shoulders and ends at the lowest thoracic vertebra, in the region of your mid-back. It is shaped as…
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Overview Muscle soreness has affected most weight trainers. The execution of everyday activities or subsequent workouts can be hindered by sore muscles. Understanding the signs of muscle soreness and how to treat it can limit its ability to affect you….
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If you want to reduce extra fat around your abdomen, tone your waist and define your stomach muscles, core exercises are a solid starting point. According to the Mayo Clinic, core exercises will help improve your balance, posture and stability…
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The shoulders are adaptable muscles responsible for upper body movements in a variety of directions. The superficial muscles of the shoulder include the anterior deltoid, the lateral deltoid and the rear deltoid. There are many other muscles that support the…
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As the surplus of fad diets and exercise programs can attest, the desire to reduce and eliminate belly fat is a common goal in many American households. While the body mechanics of storing fat, or surplus calories, relies on a…
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The gluteus maximus is a muscle that attracts a lot of attention. It is a feature that can be considered attractive to the opposite sex. Many are fatigued by attempts to try to minimize or tighten their butt. However, there…
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Overview Numerous factors influence abdominal exercise efficiency. These include height, weight, leg to torso length ratio, hip flexor flexibility, lower back alignment, abdominal strength and neck tension. Despite countless studies about the so-called best abdominal exercises, experts rarely agree with…
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The hip is a ball-and-socket joint, which means that the spherical head of the femur, or thighbone, connects to the hipbone’s spherical cavity. Ball-and-socket joints support multi-directional movement, but they work on a “use it or lose it” principle. They…
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Whether they want a tight, well-defined set of “six-pack” abs, or simply want to improve their athletic performance in a sport, men need to spend some time focusing their workouts on the abs. The best ab exercises for men focus…
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The trapezius is located on your upper back and shoulders, extending from the bottom of your skull down to your middle back and fanning out to your shoulder blades. According to Dr. David Kent at Kent Health Systems, lack of…
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Overview The multitude of products, gizmos and ab classes at your local gym make your abdominals a popular body part to target with exercise. Well-trained abs not only look good, but also have health benefits such as improving posture and…
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The muscles of your neck function to move your head backward, forward, side-to-side and to rotate your head. Strengthening these muscles can help prevent and treat neck pain which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is an extremely common condition caused…
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Heredity, facial expression habits, sun exposure, gravity and aging all can converge on a face to cause loose skin, wrinkles and sagging, report doctors at the Cleveland Clinic. While the skin on the face cannot be tightened through exercise, the…
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Overview Because abdominal and thigh muscle tone are common concerns among fitness enthusiasts, manufacturers create hundreds of exercise gadgets to work these muscle groups. Some provide an efficient workout, but others are flimsy, unsafe and ineffective. While equipment may enhance…
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Many women find it impossible to firm up the muscles in the lower abs, especially after having a child. The traditional floor crunch that you may perform on a regular basis has no impact on the transverse abdominus or the…
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Chiropractors often prescribe exercises to stabilize your spine and reduce your spine-related pain or discomfort. Your chiropractor will demonstrate your exercises for you while you’re in his clinic and have you perform them to evaluate your form and make any…
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Joseph Pilates developed his method in Germany in the early 20th century, but his technique did not become an international fitness trend until the early 1990s. The growing population of Pilates enthusiasts inspired exercise equipment manufacturers to develop their own…
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Muscular strength allows you to exert force against a given resistance for a least one full range of motion. In contrast, muscular endurance allows you to carry out the exertion over an extended period of time with increased repetitions. In…
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People with hip problems often have limited mobility and trouble exercising. While hip surgery can help, it sometimes makes it even more difficult to exercise during the immediate recovery period after surgery. Luckily, there are still mild and gentle exercises…
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A flatter stomach and leaner midsection aren’t the only good motivations to exercise your core. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercises that target core muscles improve your balance, stability and posture, and make a wide variety of other movements easier…
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Crunches after crunches will not make your waistline trimmer. They may form muscles, but until the unwanted fat covering those rock-hard abdominals disappears, the six-pack will never appear. Incorporating various cardio training is required to send you on your way…
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The 5X5 workout program concept has been around for decades. Arnold Schwarzenegger describes using them to develop his legendary physique in his book, “The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding.” According to Arnold, he learned of them from his bodybuilding idol, Reg…
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Overview Increased strength is just one of the many health benefits associated with building muscle mass. Participation in a consistent resistance training program improves body composition, increases metabolic rate, enhances athletic performance and reduces risk of injury and disease. Greater…
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Advanced exercisers may attempt abdominal exercises performed on an incline bench. When executing any abdominal exercise, keep your neck aligned with your spine at all times and draw the belly button toward the spine to maximize activation of the muscles….
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Abdominal exercises help you strengthen your core area, roughly from above the hips to below the chest, including the muscles to the side of the torso. These exercises help define this frontal area and help decrease lower back pain by…
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Kids have fun doing yoga poses that imitate the elements of life they find most interesting. There aren’t many environments where most children are allowed to do these things freely. Not limited to kid’s yoga practice, everyone is free to…
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Saggy breasts can be lessened by strengthening the pectoral muscles and tissues that support them. There are no miracle cures, but you can start a variety of simple exercises at home. It is important to do these exercises consistently and…
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If you are recovering from any type of shoulder injury or have had shoulder surgery, it is important to do all you can to maintain range of motion in your joint. Shoulder flexibility is necessary to comb your hair, reach…
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Your torso is the middle section of your body. This area does not include your arms, legs, head or neck. When you want to strengthen your torso and abs at home, you have multiple exercises to choose from. In order…
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Pilates equipment was developed by Joseph Pilates in the first half of the 20th century to support his method of body conditioning, then called “Contrology.” Pilates machines feature springs of varying length and resistance, combined with bars, loops, cords or…
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