Shake Weight – A New Type Of Work Out With Weights

Have you ever felt that by using regular weights, you weren’t getting a full upper body work out? After all the only movement you actually do with standard weights is the same up and down technique which works out the same few muscles in your arms and shoulders.

With this rather ingenious contraption though, you are able to work out many more muscles which in turn will help you get even more toned than if you were just to use standard weights. If you do watch the video you will probably be a bit sceptical to the fact if it actually works but based on fitness reviews around the web, it seems that the Shake Weight, does in fact work albeit not the levels that are claimed in the video judging by the physique of some of the actors/gymholics.

You won’t need any batteries for it either and you only need the one to achieve a proper workout unlike with dumbbells where you actually do need two weights to actually do a proper workout routine, however it is unlikely that you will be able to tone up your arms just by doing 6 minutes of exercise a day as the video claims. It is good to use the Shake weight as a supplement to your normal workout routine and not to simply rely on it for all your fitness training.

The Shake weight is available for both men and women and costs roughly £30 in the UK.

Wii Games To Help You Get Fit

For those of you who are feeling winter creep closer and are slightly too lethargic to go outside and exercise in the cold whether it’s a jog in the park or even having to travel in the freezing weather to get to your local gym, here are some of the best fitness games available on the Wii so you can stay in shape without having to brave the rain or snow.

1. EA Sports Active – This game comes equipped with a thigh band into which you attach your Wii Nunchuk so that it can monitor your running speed and also a resistance band that is designed to replicate the sense of weightlifting. This game comes with the usual range of work out activities and several activities such as: Squatting, running, rollerblading, baseball, tennis, weightlifting and many more. The added advantage to this package is that you get a virtual personal trainer to keep you motivated and there contains a mode called the ’30 day challenge’ which tracks and monitors your fitness levels over 30 days and changes your fitness regime on a day to day basis.

2. Wii Sports Resort – Probably one of the more entertaining Wii fitness games available, Wii sports resort is designed more as a fun fitness game rather than a serious fitness game with the primarily intent of getting you into shape. For this reason it is best to play with another player and although not designed primarily as a fitness game, it does give you a good work out nonetheless.

3. Wii Fit Plus – Unlike the other games, Wii Fit Plus is specifically designed to help get you fit and doesn’t have such a video game feel to it as it is more suited to being a fitness aid than a game. It allows you to create your own fitness routines which weren’t available in the first Wii Fit and also in this version all the exercises are already available so you don’t have to spend time unlocking various exercises to proceed to the next ones. This game also gives you information on how many calories you are likely to consume dependent on what type of food you eat and takes into consideration body mass index measurements.

4. Wii Sports – This game is normally bundled free with the Wii and is a great game to give you a taste of how much exercise you can actually do on a Wii and lets you take part in activities such as tennis, bowling, golf, baseball and boxing. Whilst this game is not intended purely for fitness, it is a great introductory game and the boxing game within it can be quite physically demanding.

How To Tone Up For Free

With the recession apparently nearing an end, newspapers are still covered with headlines detailing how badly it has affected us all with record levels of people pawning their antiques and valued possessions for a bit of cash, we are all trying to find ways of saving a few pennies here and there.

Not everyone can afford the cost of a gym membership, so here are a few proposed methods of toning up for free!

1. Walk, run or ride your bike to wo.rk – If you normally take public transport or drive into work, try walking or jogging it (if your work place is within walking distance of course) or riding a bike in. This will not only save you money on fuel or train/bus fares but also gradually help you to shape over a period of a few months.

2. Get a free gym pass – More often than not, if you go to a gym and show you’re interested they will offer you a free trial for you to judge for yourself if they merit your hard earned cash. This is the perfect chance to work out for free and also allows you to review the gym for yourself so that when your bank account is healthier you know which gym is right for you.

3. Go swimming – Only free if you live near the coast and if the weather is warm enough, swimming is a great way of getting and staying in shape. The only disadvantage to swimming though is that it’s great for working out the upper body but doesn’t help that much to lose weight around the stomach.

4. Do sit ups or push ups – You don’t necessarily need your own equipment or weights to be able to work out at home, of course if you can afford the extra cash then it will aid you to get into shape but by doing exercises such as push ups or sit ups regularly enough, you should start to notice a difference in your physique. If you have friends who like to work out see if you can borrow some of their equipment and then you can test for yourself if you want to actually go out and buy some.

5. Clean the house or do some gardening – Getting into shape doesn’t just have to be about exercise and working out it can also benefit you in many different ways. If you normally hire a cleaner of gardener, you can save money and give yourself a partial workout at the same time!

How to exercise yourself back into shape after an injury

All of us are prone to accidents and injuries but when you’re a fitness enthusiast the road to recovery can seem very boring and unfulfilling. Unlike most of us who actually enjoy the time to sit in front of the TV or computer watching films and eating unhealthy food, those who enjoy working out and staying in shape will find it very difficult to stay focused on being lazy and staying in the same spot constantly.

The following tips give you advice on how to slowly and surely get back into the pattern of exercise you were once used to without going overboard and risking further complications.

1. Take your time and don’t rush it – It may feel like the natural thing to do after being away from the gym or exercise in general for such a long time to jump back into the routine you were once used to and work even harder than before so that you regain the fitness level you once had before your injury however the most sensible thing you can do is to take your time and gently ease back into your exercise routine. If you rush back into it straight away you not only risk causing more damage to the area you are trying to recover from but also damage other areas of your body.

2. Exercise for half the time you normally would – On the same level as point 1, instead of rushing into exercise again split the time in half, so for example if you went running for an hour before just run for 30 minutes instead. This should prevent your injury from getting worse and help you make a slow but sure path to recovery and it won’t put too much pressure on the injured part of your body to start off with.

3. Buy some support straps for your injured body part – If you’re getting back into shape but your injury is still not fully healed it is worthwhile buying some form of support to gently aid the ligament or muscle when you are working out as without using some form of support you risk causing even greater damage to yourself. A support will also help to build up the strength in your affected body part without risking causing further damage to it.

4. Start by swimming – Rather than jumping (Or limping) straight back into your routine by doing weights, going on a running machine or attending a fitness class, try swimming! Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise you can undertake to aid your recovery as say you have damaged your foot or ankle and you can’t run anymore then swimming will allow you to exercise (It could well be the only option you have if it concerns your foot) and will not hinder the recovery of your foot/ankle.

An interesting video on ‘Aqua Therapy’

The most important thing to remember though in all of this is to TAKE YOUR TIME AND DON’T RUSH IT (That’s why its point no.1)

800 Metres World Record Broken

The world record for the 800 metres race was broken by 21 year old Kenyan David Rudisha on Sunday the 22^nd August at the Olympic stadium in Berlin. His record breaking time was 1 minute 41.09 seconds which beat the previous time of 1 minute 41.11 held by Wilson Kipketer of Denmark which was also set in Germany but in Cologne.

The Kenyan runner said that he now hoped to run the 800 metres in under 1 minute 41 seconds, a remarkable task if he can achieve it. He also stated that whilst he was happy to have set a new world record his next task is to win a medal at the 2011 World Championships and eventually become an Olympic champion.

Rudisha has competed in many events as a junior runner notably in the World Junior Championships, African Junior Championships, African Championships and also the World Athletics Final coming 1^st in all races.

Just before Rudisha managed his astonishing time, the women’s 800 metres was won by Caster Semenya who had previously come under scrutiny and had to take gender tests to prove she really was a woman. In 2009 she managed to win the 800 metres at the World Championships and set the fastest time of the year and all this when she was just 18.

These two athletes look set to dominate future races so be sure to keep a look out for them in years to come.

4 Easy Ways To Stay Fit This Summer

Summer is one of those times of the year when we usually relax, let our hair down and enjoy an easy lifestyle, however if your not too careful this lazy lifestyle can have a dramatic affect on your body by the time it comes to winter.

Here are 4 very easy ways to stay in shape this summer without restricting your diet or lifestyle too much.

1. Join A Gym – Fairly obvious but if you do want to lose weight or get in shape then this is the best option. Working out at home is good and well but by having a gym membership it gives you that added incentive to go out and exercise rather than staying at home and contemplating about it.

2. Eat Barbecued Food – Yes you read that right! Eating food that is grilled on a BBQ is a healthier option that eating food that is put in the oven as whilst the meat is cooking the fat is allowed to drip away rather than remaining in the cooking tray. Just be careful not to over indulge in the toppings and sauces!

3. Walk Everywhere You Go Or Even Better: POWER WALK!

As its summer it’s the perfect time to take advantage of the (semi) decent weather the UK is enjoying and is the ideal time to ditch the car to walk instead and enjoy the sunshine!

If you really want to push it you can try power walking which will help your tone up even more and the added benefit is that you’ll get to places a lot quicker than you would by walking normally!

And finally

4. Cut Down On The Drinking!

Yes its summer and everyone enjoys a few drinks with friends in the garden but it’s during this time that you forget about how many calories you’re actually drinking! If you’re more of a beer fan then it may be time to cut down and instead try having half pints or even better stick to spirits with a diet mixer.

Staying safe in the Sauna…

By now most of you must have heard that over the weekend at the World Sauna Championships based in Finland, one of the contestants: Vladimir Ladyzhensky, a Russian finalist died from severe burns after enduring temperatures of 110C. The current championship holder Timo Kaukonen, who was the remaining finalist in the sauna alongside Vladimir Ladyzhensky, suffered severe burns but managed to survive.

The organisers of the event have now decided to cancel all future events and an investigation is underway into what actually happened to the Russian finalist.

In light of these events it is worthwhile mentioning what steps you can take to avoid any injury in the sauna whilst you may be having a wind down after a furious workout:

1. Wait after eating before you go into the sauna. Just like with swimming, it is strongly recommended to wait a couple of hours and properly digest your food before you enter a sauna.

2. Hydrate yourself before going in. This is of course fairly basic but remember to have plenty of water on you as whilst your in the sauna you will be sweating and losing a lot of water.

3. Remove any rings, chains and watches you may be carrying as these are likely to become very hot and may even burn you.

4. Know when to get out! The less time you stay in the sauna the less likely problems are to occur. Depending on your health and how many times you go to the sauna – never stay longer than is needed.

If you follow the above advice you should be fairly safe and avoid the need for any medical attention!

Happy Sauna’ing’!

Fitness First offering free 1 day guest membership

If you’ve considered joining up to a health club or gym but have never had the time or the money now is your chance to try out a Fitness First gym near you!

At the moment Fitness First are offering free one day guest passes that allow you to try out the facilities and get a feel for what it is like at Fitness First.

Follow this link if you’d like to try out your local fitness first gym for free – Free 1 day pass

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