GYMNIC balls are a type of therapy or exercise ball. They typically range in size from 18 to 48 inches. Working out with a GYMNIC exercise ball can benefit your body in many ways. Besides toning muscles, exercise balls can…
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Exercising is not always easy if you have bad knees. Running and other high-impact exercises can be counterproductive if you have ever had a knee injury or are coming off a knee surgery. High-impact exercises can pound on your joints;…
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Most of us want flatter stomachs and firmer abs, and it’s an admirable goal to have. Working out your core muscles, which will firm your stomach by default, will also improve your posture and help you with everyday physical movements….
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Overview The Ab Slide has been featured on infomercials with the promise of fulfilling your dream of achieving “rock-hard abs.” The Ab Slide targets your abdominal muscles by using your own body weight as resistance. Performing the exercises in a…
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Overview Your forearm is made up of an extensive network of bones–the ulna and radius–muscles, tendons and ligaments that allow you to grip. Weakness or damage to your forearm muscles can cause painful conditions such as tennis elbow, according to…
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The muscles of the neck have several functions: flexion (chin to chest); lateral flexion (ear to shoulder); extension (look upward); and rotation (looking side to side). There are several simple isometric–non-shortening and lengthening–exercises for the neck. Each involves using manual…
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Circuit training is an exercise regimen that blends aerobics with weight training. Performing circuit training on a regular basis can help you build lean muscle while burning significant calories. The actual exercises for a circuit training workout should involve full…
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Some people neglect their back when participating in exercise programs. However, exercising the muscles of the back is an important part of a well-rounded routine. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercising the back consistently can help prevent and/or treat back…
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One of the most sought after body parts of fitness enthusiasts and soccer moms alike are flat, toned abdominal muscles. Each year consumers spend hundreds of dollars on gym memberships, weight loss products and exercise equipment that promise to tighten…
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The pectoral muscles of the chest region are comprised of the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. The smaller pec minor is deeper than the more visible major and is involved in scapular rotation and abduction. When people refer to a…
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Whether it’s for bodybuilding or just to look good with your shirt off, developing big pecs takes a lot of effort and even some weightlifting. The pectoral muscles are the major muscle group of the chest and can be targeted…
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Suzanne Somers became synonymous with the ThighMaster after a series of 1990s TV commercials. While it’s not ideal for a full-body exercise, this small, coiled resistance unit can, when creatively applied, exercise almost any of your major muscle groups. As…
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Adding weight to core exercises increases the strain, allowing you to challenge already fit muscles to a greater degree. Doing these exercises properly is critically important, as improper form can easily lead to injuries. Beginners may want to perform these…
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Regardless of your age, you should keep moving. With exercise, you can improve the health of your cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, circulatory system and mental functioning. Your sleep will improve says the National Heart Blood and Lung Institute. Exercising will decrease your…
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The best road to fitness for the lower abdominal muscles is consistency. Once the workout routine is in place, exercises should be performed two to three times a week and should at least approach the point of “momentary muscle failure”–the…
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Building muscles in your buttocks not only gives you the definition you want but also increases hip strength, prevents lower back, hip and knee pain, and boosts your ability to run, sprint and jump. Choose exercises that work your hips…
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Aerobic exercises depend on breathing and oxygen intake for endurance. In contrast, anaerobic exercises rely mostly on muscle-stored energy sources rather than oxygen to keep the body moving during fast-paced, powerful exercises. Exercises like sprinting, weightlifting, hill climbing and interval…
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Losing weight through exercise requires precise and targeted techniques that accelerate muscle-building and fat-burning. Simply exercising in the first place will get you a long way toward achieving your goals. However, adding a few easy exercise tricks and techniques will…
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Fear of sweating in front of the opposite sex is no excuse to skip the gym as there are several gym chains and programs designed exclusively for women. Women need exercise, too; a study published in the “Journal of the…
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The New Year is a great time to make fitness resolutions, but if you’re like 80 percent of us, it’s unlikely that you’ll keep that resolution throughout the year, according to an article in the “Wall Street Journal.” Resolutions most…
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Power Plate machines provide whole-body vibration training, which, according to the official Power Plate website, uses a “low- to moderate-vibration stimulus to improve muscular strength and power.” When you perform an exercise on the plate, waves of energy stimulate muscles…
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Overview Muscle power can be developed by including specific types of exercises in a fitness program–namely, plyometrics. Plyometrics are explosive movements performed at a faster tempo than traditional strength exercises. The dynamic nature of these exercises requires a certain level…
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Women and men have differences in their muscle fibers and amount of muscle tone. While these differences are striking, according to Dr. William Kraemer and Dr. Vladimir Zatsiorsky they are not large enough to warrant dramatic variations in weight training…
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The mouth is made up of a variety of muscles that help us chew, talk or even stick out our tongue. The mouth muscles incorporate the largest group of muscles of the face, according to Martini’s Anatomy and Physiology. Many…
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Lower-back strength is essential to support your spine. Weak core and lower-back muscles lead to poor posture and back pain. By committing a few minutes each week to the proper exercises, you can strengthen and tone your lower back. Do…
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People who begin Pilates exercise programs with the mat-work series eventually might become interested in working on Pilates equipment. Pilates mat and apparatus exercises all enhance strength, flexibility, coordination and core activation, but the equipment workouts add variety. The Reformer,…
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Age, weight gain, pregnancy and a general lack of fitness all have a way of adding pounds and slack to the area surrounding your abdominal muscles. When they are buried in layers of fat, you lose the definition that is…
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Working out on an elliptical machine provides a cardiovascular and lower body workout that is easier on your joints than running or stair climbing. With an elliptical machine, you stand on large pedals and mimic the action of running or…
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The pectoralis major muscles (or pecs, as they often are known) are on the front of your chest, and their functions include flexing your arms forward horizontally and drawing your arms toward the mid-line of your body–a movement called adduction….
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If you have arthritis in your hands it is important to do exercises to maintain strength and range of motion. Two types of arthritis can affect the hands: osteoarthritis, which is a wearing away of the cartilage in the joints;…
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