Workout Routine

By Sifu Shi Yan Ming

There are intrinsic harmonies between certain parts of the body. Your hands are in harmony with your feet. Your elbows are in harmony with your knees. And your shoulders are in harmony with your hips. As you continue to train the warrior’s way, you will begin to find all the muscles and joints in your body working in harmony, giving you a strength and endurance you’ve probably never felt before. The Shaolin Workout trains your body from head to toe. No single muscle or limb can be anywhere near as strong as when all your muscles work together.

These physical harmonies reflect spiritual and mental harmonies: Your heart is in harmony with your mind. Your mind is in harmony with your chi. Your chi is in harmony with your power.

These are inseparable relationships. You can’t separate your heart from your mind, or your mind from your body. The physical and the mental are linked. When your body is weak and tired, so is your mind. When your body falls asleep, your mind stops working, too. And by the same token, if you exhaust your mind, your body will be exhausted, too. If you’re thinking and worrying so much at night that you can’t rest, the next day your body will have no chi. You’ll be doing your workout Sleeping Style!

That is why we relax both our bodies and our minds. We want flexible minds in flexible bodies.

If you find yourself getting stressed-out today — at your desk at work, in a long line at the supermarket, wherever it is — take a moment to relax. If your mind is stressed, your body tenses. You feel the muscles in your neck tighten, and your shoulders hunching. Your chest constricts, and you can’t breathe right. You can give yourself a headache or stomachache.

When you’re tense, you can’t celebrate your beautiful life. Loosen up. Relax your body and your mind. Stand up from your desk and do your neck stretches and shoulder rotations. Or do them standing right there in that supermarket line. Who cares if other people are watching? Untense those muscles, and you’ll relieve some of the mental stress as well. It’s not magic or mumbo jumbo. It’s your body and mind working in harmony. And now that you’re relaxed, you’ll see how much easier it is to get through the task at hand. A relaxed mind in a relaxed body allows the chi to flow and releases your power.

Try it today. You’ll see.

Reprinted from: The Shaolin Workout: 28 Days to Transforming Your Body and Soul the Warrior’s Way by Sifu Shi Yan Ming © 2006 Rodale Inc. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735 or visit their website at www.rodalestore.com.

an excerpt from the book The Shaolin Workout

by Sifu Shi Yan Ming

Published by Rodale; May 2006;$29.95US/$39.95CAN; 1-59486-400-4

Copyright © 2006 Sifu Shi Yan Ming

Sifu Shi Yan Ming, a 34th-generation Shaolin warrior monk, is respected not only in the martial arts world but also in the entertainment world by stars like Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Wesley Snipes, and the Wu-Tang Clan. His kung fu classes have been featured in USA Today, The New York Times, New York Daily News, and Entertainment Weekly. Brian Gray of Inside Kung Fu magazine has called him a “living treasure of China.” He has also appeared on the Discovery Channel, MTV, and CNBC, among other major networks. Sifu Shi Yan Ming lives in New York City.

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By Gary Gresham

Would you like to know the secret to burning body fat?  Healthy natural weight loss really boils down to two things.

The secret to burning body fat to get to your ideal weight is you must eat and exercise right or it simply won’t happen.  That’s probably not what you wanted to hear, right?

But did you know that 95% of all people who lose weight gain it all back again?  That means the diet methods most people are using simply don’t work.

The problem is most people rely on diet plans, pills and supplements which usually only achieves quick fix weight loss results.  But once you go off the diet plan or quit taking the pills and supplements you gain the weight back again.

Have you ever eaten the diet meals in a package that cost you a fortune?  What happens when you stop eating those expensive diet meals?  Could you eat these the rest of your life?

That’s why eating like this will not work for a long-term weight loss solution.  You must use your common sense and go back to basics for what really works.

Even small adjustments in eating and exercising can make a world of difference in your weight loss results.

Understanding how your body’s metabolism works can help you burn body fat effectively to get to your perfect weight and maintain it.  Your body’s metabolism is the biological process that burns body fat.

While exercising is one of the critical parts of raising your metabolism, the food you eat also plays just as an important roll in how your body burns fat.

Ever heard of negative calorie or fat burning compatible foods?  Fat burning compatible foods and negative calorie foods require more energy for your body to break down, absorb and then use than the actual calories that they contain.

Eating these foods requires the body to create a calorie deficit that helps to burn body fat.  That process can help you with achieve permanent weight loss.

Eating foods like high-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains not only keeps your digestive system on track, they actually prevent fat storage.

There are many more ways of burning body fat, and once you understand how your body’s metabolism works, you’ll have found the secret to burning body fat.  In many cases it’s the perfect permanent weight loss solution for you.

Gary Gresham is the author of “Fat Burning Secrets” that gives you lists of negative calorie and fat burning compatible foods that you can buy at any regular supermarket and fat burning exercises that can be done with or without fitness equipment.

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By Gary Gresham

What is the best exercise to burn fat?  Any exercise that gets your heart rate into your targeted heart range.  If you want to lose weight, you need to exercise hard enough to increase your pulse rate enough to burn fat more efficiently.

The exercises that get your heart rate into your targeted heart range will increase your metabolism and that’s what burns fat.  So if you find the best exercise to burn fat you’ll lose weight.

Losing weight has more health benefits other than just making you look better.  By losing 10-15% of your body weight you can reduce your risk of heart attack, reduce your cholesterol level, and get healthier overall.  So how do you start?

Your first hurdle that you will need to overcome is commitment.  If you want to lose weight, then you have to commit to a good cardio workout routine.

This means that you will have to exercise at least three to four times a week for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  If you commit to one month of regular exercise, you will find that at the end of that month you will have more energy, be in a better mood and you will probably have lost a few pounds.  Commitment is one of the keys to finding the best exercise to burn fat.

Mix it up.  Keep your exercise routine exciting and vary it so you will keep interest in your workout routine.  Finding an exercise that burns fat is not that difficult.

Any exercise can burn fat if you get your heart rate in the targeted zone.  This can include running, walking, hiking, playing basketball, spinning, interval training, or anything else that you can think of.

Make it fun and you will enjoy it and have a much better chance of sticking to it.  Changing your routine around will help you to stay interested and committed.  Make sure that you work your entire body for maximum results.

A full body exercise workout can include adding some weight training into your workout.  If you enjoy walking and jogging, then you could add some weight training for your arms and shoulders to make it more of a full body workout.

Or you could alternate running and jogging days with weight training days.  Alternating exercise is a great way to ensure that you work your entire body.

If you can find a few exercises that you enjoy doing, then you can alternate them to make a workout routine that you will love.  Think about what you enjoy doing and then work to create the best exercise to burn fat for you.

Copyright © 2005 Treadmill-Info.com All Rights Reserved.

This article is supplied by http://www.treadmill-info.com where you will find valuable information, ratings, reviews, articles and buying tips before you make the investment in quality fitness equipment.  For more fitness related articles go to:
http://www.treadmill-info.com/articles_1.html

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Sanjay Johari

The correct posture is the least demanding on body structure. The weight of the body is properly distributed and the stress of activities such as walking and lifting are absorbed without excessive strain on any part. A person working with correct posture can do enormous amount of work for a longer period. Try to do the same work with incorrect posture and you will not only get tired much faster but you may also injure yourself.

In our evolutionary process the human body developed the posture for bearing body weight and facilitating body movements with highest efficiency and least expenditure of energy. We can maintain natural posture for bearing ourselves by using the muscles to the extent intended by the nature.

Just watch small children. They maintain good posture because they can run about and play without inhibitions. They get the required exercise for their muscles.

In our modern lifestyle there is lack of opportunity to use our muscles and weakening of muscles leads to bad posture. By our daily routine certain muscles work overtime and other muscles are sparingly used. There are jobs involving sitting on a chair for longer periods either in classrooms, at workplaces or even at home. This puts unnatural strain on lower back and this is the area where troubles start most frequently. If there is extra weight in the belly and around the hips the strain is further aggravated.

What is correct posture anyway?

As a rule of thumb the correct posture gives minimum strain to your spine. The idea is that when you are in upright position the spine should remain reasonable vertical and should not be used as a lever. When you stand be in a relaxed position ensuring that your spine is reasonably straight. Don’t be stiff like a soldier and at the same time don’t be too relaxed which will tend to arch your back. Earlier we talked about the lower back which is a hot trouble spot and demands careful attention. When you stand and walk try to tuck in your bottom and draw in your belly. This should improve your posture.

Another area where you need to watch is your head and shoulders. Often you see people with head protruding and shoulders hunched forward. You can get this condition, for example, if you work at your computer for long stretches. If you notice this tendency in yourself you should consciously straighten up your head and draw back your shoulders. If you have to sit before a computer continuously, take time to get up and stretch yourself periodically.

Good posture is not limited to standing. For every activity there is a good posture. As a general rule keep your spine straight as much as possible. If you have to stretch your spine in any direction avoid heavy muscular activity in that condition. Do not try to open a jammed window while lunging forward. If you have to open that jammed window come close to the widow so that you do not have to bend your back too much while applying force. In case you have to look for something on the floor, instead of bending over you will do better to go down on all the four and support your back with your hands.

When you have to sit for extended periods in your work place, use a chair with a back rest which will keep your spine reasonably straight. While driving your car move your seat forward. Your seat will then support you while you drive and particularly when you apply brake. At the same time you will not have to stretch your leg to press the accelerator. While lifting something use the muscles of your arms and legs more that the muscles of your back. Use hard bed for sleeping.

By far the best way to have a good posture and avoid all the troubles associated with faulty posture is to follow a proper workout routine. There is simply no substitute for regular exercise.

I have outlined some simple steps which can help you maintain good posture. Just remember the guiding principle that the spine should be kept straight and it should not be used as a lever. However, you do not have to worry much about of your posture if you exercise the major muscle-groups of your body regularly. Preventing the trouble is always better than curing it.

There is no substitute for exercises. The importance of regular exerscise to keep you in peak health cannot be overemphasized. Note the important word of the last sentence “regular”. That’s right - unless the workout routine is religiously followed and regularly done, its effect will be limited. Here is an article on which highlights the importance of regular workout routine. Enjoy the article :

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Five Keys For Sustaining Motivation To Exercise
by Pepper Montero

It would appear that many an eager beginning exerciser looses interest and stops an exercise plan within a month. In order to keep this phenomenon from happening to you, follow these five steps.

If you have been exercising for some time and find yourself bored and dreading your next work out, consider a change of environment. If you have been exercising in your basement, you may benefit tremendously from joining a gym where you can interact with other people and use different equipment.

Don’t worry about not using your home equipment. It may be that once you have exercised at a gym for awhile, you’ll be ready for another change and want to resume exercising at home.

If you are currently using a gym and find yourself not wanting to go in, it may be time to look at exercising at home. There is something to be said for finding the quiet and solitude exercising can bring when you’re not in the middle of a crowded, noisy gym.

A second key for increasing motivation to exercise is in finding a way to listen to music that motivates you. For me personally, I use hip-hop, R & B, and rap. If you saw me in my SUV with kids in tow, you may not believe me. Just ask my husband; he’s the one who programs all my music into the MP-3 player he got me for Valentine’s Day off of ebay.

A third important key is to take a look at the clothing you wear when you exercise. Have you run more than 200 miles in a pair of shoes? If so, it’s definitely time for a new pair. Also, make sure that what you wear to exercise is comfortable and non-restrictive.

In addition to the function of work-out clothing, appearance is important. If you have a great new pair of work-out pants, you may be more motivated to get up in the morning and go to the gym. If you’re wearing the same T-shirt you’ve worn for twenty years, it may be time for a little shopping trip.

The shopping trip doesn’t have to be expensive. A friend of mine buys her work-out gear at Goodwill. She always looks fabulous.

A fourth key is to keep focusing on the goals you have set for yourself. If you’ve reached your goals, it’s time to set some new ones. Be sure to keep your goals realistic and measurable to prevent discouragement.

A fifth and final key to maintain or increase motivation to exercise is charting progress. Once you have an attainable goal, how will you know when you have moved one step closer? If you chart your progress, you will clearly see where you are and where you hope to go.

There are as many ways to work out as there are people who work out. Everyone’s routine is different and tailored to them. However, if you remember to incorporate these five keys into your work out, you will experience success and be motivated to continue your program.

Pepper Montero

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Pepper is an avid excerciser. She loves to stay in shape and tell others about her adventures. This article may be reprinted freely as long as all links remain active. http://www.bridalblog.info http://www.travelblogger.info http://www.thewebllama.com http://www.healthydietmagazine.com http://www.technologyblog.biz