Tuning into Health Issues before Toning Up
When starting a fitness program, it's important to take stock of your general wellness. Addressing medical, health, and safety concerns ensures that you end up doing the appropriate program at the level of difficulty that is best for you. The following is established wisdom.
Checking in with your doctor
It's always a good idea to see your physician before starting any exercise program, and getting one before starting your ten-minute tone-ups makes sense for your safety and general health. Besides, getting an annual physical should be part of your preventive medicine plan. The doctor can determine if you are at risk for cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal problems, or if you have other health issues. He or she can sort through possible symptoms of heart problems, orthopedic aches, pregnancy, and so forth. All of this information helps you to take responsibility of your own body so that you can accommodate any medical limitations.
When consulting with your physician, take along a copy of your ten-minute tone-ups plan. She can use it to advise you of what is appropriate or not for you, should you have any limitations. Your doctor will probably offer encouragement to you on your fitness journey.
Knowing your medical limitations
For safety reasons, always be aware of your medical limitations. It's important to respect any current injuries or health problems. For example, let's say your goal is to sculpt your shoulders and arms for an upcoming pool party. Under normal circumstances that would be a reasonable goal. However, if you recently injured your shoulder swinging a bat at a weekend warrior baseball game, this could be cause for medical concern. Trying to sculpt your arms after such an injury may not be appropriate because shoulder movement would be involved. You'd be better off seeing a physician. Depending on the extent of the injury, you might be able to adapt your goals to include a cardio workout and lower-body and core tone-ups rather than arm and shoulder exercises. Respect any injury or medical problem you have. Nobody knows your body like you do.
Preventing back problems
Primary care physicians see people with back problems back to back. Lower-back problems are the second-leading cause for doctor's office visits after colds. Approximately 80 percent of adults end up with lower-back pain. That figure is astounding when you consider that many of those problems can be prevented.
Most back problems are caused by weak muscles surrounding the spine. With weak postural muscles, any chance for correct body mechanics goes kaput. And it certainly doesn't help if you slouch all the time. Following are some great suggestions for preventing back problems:
- Strengthening your core: Strengthening your core muscles (lower back and abs) creates stability for your back and entire body.
- Do resistance training: Doing weight training, such as that provided in ten-minute tone-ups, helps maintain bone density.
- Maintain appropriate weight: It's common for overweight people to develop back problems. Try to maintain an appropriate weight.
- Do stretching moves: Stretching can help prevent back problems. Muscles to stretch include hamstrings, hip flexors, back, abs, and chest. Bet you didn't realize so many muscles affected your back!
Posture pointers
Proper posture can make all the difference in the world to your total look and health. Unfortunately, it's way too easy to cave into an unflattering "poor posture slump." You know — the one that occurs when you sit in front of the TV, drive, or even stand. The shoulders droop, and your spine collapses into a rounded bend. Poor posture can also ruin the results of your ten-minute tone-ups by working the wrong muscles or, worse yet, causing injury.
Posture is how all your body parts work together, whether you are sitting, standing, exercising, or doing anything else. To achieve good posture, your feet should be planted on the floor parallel to each other. Put your chest out and bring your shoulders slightly back but relaxed. Hold your abs in tight and keep your butt tucked under. Here are some helpful posture pointers:
- Elongate the spine: Pretend you are a marionette and a tight rope is pulling at you from above and below.
- Keep your chin parallel to the floor: This can help make the look of a double chin disappear.
- Distribute your weight evenly: Pointing your toes forward rather than outward helps maintain stability.
- Hold your head up: Holding your head up as if to lengthen your neck can make your neck appear longer, and you look taller.
Fitness Glossary
aeroboxing, kickboxing
A class that takes the moves of a kickboxer’s training and choreographs them to music.
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anaerobic threshold
The point at which your body switches from using oxygen as its primary source of energy to using stored sugar. When you’re in poor physical shape, you hit your anaerobic threshold while exercising at relatively low levels of exercise.
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barbells
The larger weights (for power lifting in a weight training program) that include a long bar with weights added to each end. You need to use both hands to lift a barbell.
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Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis BIA
A method of measuring your body fat in which you lie on your back while a signal travels from an electrode on your foot to an electrode on your hand. The slower the signal, the more fat you have.
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blood pressure
A measurement of how open your blood vessels are. Low numbers mean that your heart doesn’t have to work very hard to pump the blood through your blood vessels.
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body composition
How much of your body is composed of fat and how much is composed of everything else. Your body composition is also called your body-fat percentage.
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body mass index BMI
A way of relating your height and weight to estimate how fat you are. You can use a simple formula to determine your BMI.
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body sculpting
A non-aerobic, muscle-toning class, usually focused on core strength.
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BOSU
A domed, flexible apparatus that helps to improve balance and can be used in a step aerobics exercise routine. BOSU is an acronym for Both Sides Utilized.
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cardio
A term (short for cardiovascular) that is often used interchangeably with aerobic. Aerobic exercise is any repetitive activity that you do long enough and hard enough to challenge your heart and lungs.
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chi
Otherwise known as "life energy," this is the life force that pulses through your body and keeps you vital. Blocked chi can cause sickness or unhappiness.
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circuit training
A fast-paced class or exercise routine in which you do one exercise for 30 seconds to 5 minutes and then move on to another exercise at the next station. Combines cardio exercise with strength training.
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core
The abdomen, obliques, lower back, butt, and so on, that form the midsection. Many forms of exercise focus on strengthening the body's core.
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core conditioning
A non-aerobic, muscle-toning class, usually focused on core strength.
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cross-training
A method of varying your workouts to take your fitness to the next level by adding new forms of training to your current routine.
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Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry DEXA
A method of measuring your body fat that also determines where the fat is located on your body, a more relevant health indicator.
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dumbbells
Smaller weights (for a weight training program) that you can lift with one hand.
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elliptical trainer
The hottest trend in cardio machines, which is part stair-climber, part treadmill, part stationary cycle. Your legs travel in an elongated circular movement, and, on some models, you pump arm poles back and forth for an upper-body workout.
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exercise ball
A large plastic ball that is an excellent tool for doing challenging exercises (with or without weights) that require varying forms of strength and control.
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Fartlek
A type of interval training program that doesn't use an exact measure of time or distance. You just do your intervals whenever you feel like it. The term Fartlek means "speed play" in Swedish.
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fitness walking
A faster and more intense walking technique than casual (lifestyle) walking that burns more calories and helps you lose weight. When you fitness walk, you generally move along at a brisk pace of 3.5 to 4.3 miles an hour, covering a mile in 14 to 17 minutes.
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flexibility
The range of motion or distance you can move a joint through. Stretching is the key to maintaining your flexibility.
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free weights
Portable weights used in a strength training program.
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freestyle
The traditional type of swimming movement that uses the front crawl.
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heart rate
The number of times your heart beats per minute.
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high-impact aerobics
A traditional dance-inspired routine that involves jumping or hopping and moves at a slower pace than low-impact aerobics. High/low combines the two types of routines.
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in-line skating; Rollerblading
A type of skating in which you wear skates with urethane wheels that enable you to glide, sprint, curve, turn, and spin.
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interval training
A training technique in which you alternate short, fairly intense spurts of exercise with periods of relatively easy exercise.
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kickboxing; aeroboxing
A class that takes the moves of a kickboxer’s training and choreographs them to music.
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lifestyle walking
A casual walking technique that is low to moderate intensity and relatively slow paced. Most lifestyle walkers walk an average of 2.5 to 3.5 miles per hour, which means that they walk about 1 mile every 17 to 24 minutes.
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low-impact aerobics
A traditional dance-inspired routine in which you always have one foot on the floor — you don’t do any jumping or hopping. High/low combines the two types of routines.
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marathon
An organized 26.2-mile race for runners and walkers.
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maximum heart rate
The maximum number of times your heart should beat in a minute without dangerously overexerting yourself.
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meditation
A mental process involving focused attention, or calm awareness, which is also called mindfulness.
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mountain bike
A fat-tire outdoors bicycle with upright handlebars that is built to withstand rough terrain.
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multi-gym
A home gym contraption that looks like a bunch of health-club weight machines welded to each other.
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muscular failure
In a strength training program, the point at which your last repetition with weights is so difficult that you cannot perform another repetition.
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orthotics
Fitted shoe inserts designed by a podiatrist that correct weight distribution along the foot.
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periodization
A method of organizing a strength training workout program into several periods, each lasting about four weeks. Each phase has a different emphasis.
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Pilates
A form of exercise that emphasizes correct form using your body’s core. Pilates is named after its inventor, Joseph Pilates, who invented the technique for injured dancers.
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plantar fasciitis
An inflammation of the tough fibrous band of tissue that runs the length of the bottom of your foot.
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pulse
The number of times your heart beats per minute.
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Qigong
An element of a T'ai Chi practice that covers many different types of movements that involve using and feeling the body's energy.
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recumbent bike
A type of stationary bike with a bucket seat that provides back support so that you pedal straight out in front of you.
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repetition rep
One complete motion of an exercise, often used in reference to strength training.
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RICE
An acronym that stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation — common treatment methods prescribed for runners with training injuries.
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road bike
The traditional type of outdoor bicycle with curved handlebars that is built for speed.
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rolling stair climber
A cardiovascular machine that resembles a section of a department-store escalator. A set of stairs rotates in a circle so that you climb continuously, but never getting anywhere.
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rowing machine
A cardiovascular machine that increases stamina, upper body endurance, strength, and flexibility by mimicking a rowing motion. Also called a rower.
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set
A group of consecutive repetitions in a strength training program.
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Spinning
A popular group studio cycling program invented by ultra-distance cyclist Johnny G. and licensed by Schwinn, which manufactures the bikes used in these classes.
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stair-climber
A cardiovascular machine that has two foot plates you pump up and down to mimic the action of climbing stairs. Also called a stepper.
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stationary bike
A cardiovascular machine that comes in two styles: upright bikes and recumbent bikes.
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step aerobics
A choreographed routine of stepping up and down on a rectangular, square, or circular platform.
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strength training
A type of workout that uses any combination of weight machines and free weights (dumbbells and barbells) to build muscle strength.
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stride frequency
The number of strides that a runner takes over a certain time period.
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studio cycling
Group exercise classes that are taught on stationary bicycles.
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T'ai Chi
An ancient martial art focusing on smooth, slow movements that cultivate inward focus and free energy flow. T'ai Chi is properly pronounced tie-jee.
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target heart-rate zone
A range that is between 50 percent and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate that can tell you what heart rate to aim for during a workout.
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treadmill
A popular choice for a cardiovascular machine in a home gym if you enjoy fitness walking and jogging (or running).
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upright bike
The traditional kind of stationary bike, which resembles a regular bicycle.
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walk-run
A workout in which you alternate walking and running. By sprinkling running intervals throughout your walking workout, you can spike up exercise intensity and burn more calories.
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water aerobics
Aerobics classes that do traditional workouts in waist- to neck-high water in a swimming pool. The resistance of the water makes the workout feel far more intense, while the water cushions you from the impact.
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weight machines
Stationary equipment mostly found at gyms that are easy to use and help you to safely and quickly advance through a strength-training workout.
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weight-bearing exercise
A type of exercise in which your skeleton is supporting any sort of weight, as it does when you walk, run, or lift weights.
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Wushu
The “martial art” or traditional self-defense activities practiced with or without weapons (includes T'ai Chi).
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yin and yang
The terms for opposites that are opposing yet complementary. A concept used throughout all of T’ai Chi and Qigong.
Fitness Glossary
yoga
A series of poses (known as asanas) that you hold from a few seconds to several minutes. The moves — a blend of strength, flexibility, and body-awareness exercises — are intended to promote the union of the mind, body, and spirit.
