What's a normal resting heart rate?

For an adult, a normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats a minute. For a well-trained athlete, a normal resting heart rate may be closer to 40 beats a minute. For healthy adults, a lower heart rate at rest generally implies more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness.

To measure your heart rate, simply check your pulse. With your palm facing upward, place two fingers on the thumb side of your wrist — or place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. When you feel your pulse, count the number of beats in 10 seconds. Time yourself with a timer or the second hand on a clock or watch. Multiply this number by 6 to determine how many times your heart beats in one minute.

Keep in mind that many factors can influence heart rate, including:

    Activity level
    Fitness level
    Air temperature
    Body position (standing up or lying down, for example)
    Emotions
    Body size
    Medication use

Although there's a wide range of normal, an unusually high or low heart rate may indicate an underlying problem. Consult your doctor if your resting heart rate is consistently above 100 beats a minute (tachycardia) or below 60 beats a minute (bradycardia) — especially if you have other signs or symptoms, such as fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath.

Useful Back Dumbbell Exercises

The back muscles are ones we use every day, yet ones we rarely work out. There are various back dumbbell exercises that one can very easily perform by simply reading these instructions. After adding these simple back dumbbell exercises to your workout routine, you will have a more complete workout addressing more muscle groups.
One Arm Row on a Knee:
With a dumbbell in one hand, place your other hand and one knee on a bench. Then, while keeping the rest of your body motionless, lift the dumbbell up next to your chest, bending your elbow behind your head. Then, after a short pause, slowly let the dumbbell down and repeat. Be sure to exhale when lifting the dumbbell up, and inhale when lowering.
Wide-stance Row:
With a dumbbell in each hand, spread your feet just beyond shoulder width and bend your knees, allowing for flexibility in your hips in the squat position. Then, lift the dumbbells straight to your chest, pause at the peak, and drop the weights back down to the starting position. Be sure your knees do not bend, putting the stress solely on your back. Like the above exercise, exhale when lifting and inhale when releasing down to the starting position.
Dead Lift:
This back dumbbell exercise is very similar to a squat with a bar. Begin with a dumbbell in each hand on the ground. Bend at the knees and hips to grasp the dumbbells, then stand straight up, making your back upright and straight. Then drop back down to the starting position and repeat. Breathing should be similar to the above, as you exhale when lifting and inhale when dropping back down.
Stiff Dead Lift:
Similar to the exercise above, begin with dumbbells in each hand standing straight up. Then, bending at the hips, lower the dumbbells straight to the ground, this time keeping your knees straight and locked. Keeping your arms straight, stand back up, keeping the stress on your back.
All of these back dumbbell exercises will expand your workout to include more muscle groups and keep the muscles you use every day strong and active.

3 Tips for Performing the Dead Lift

The dead lift is an essential lift that must be included as part of any strength training regimen. The reason for this is the fact that it incorporates more muscles than just about any other lift, enabling you to lift a greater amount of weight than with most other lifts. Because the dead lift allows you to lift a considerable amount of weight, it is important that you understand the proper way to perform this lift.

I want to provide you with three simple tips that will help to guarantee you're using proper form so you can get the full muscle and strength building benefits of dead lifting, without compromising your personal safety by risking injury.

Tip #1: Start with the Bar Close to Your Shins

The number one cause of dead lifting injuries is the rounding of the back while lifting the bar from the ground. Many times this could be avoided by simply understanding the proper placement of the bar before initiating the lift. The bar should be an inch or two away from your shins. Any more than than and you'll have to lean too far over to grip the bar, which will cause you to round your back and greatly increase your risk of injury.

Tip #2: Lift From Your Heels

While it can seem natural to use the balls of your feet to stabilize your body, the proper way to initiate the lifting movement is by pressing up from your heels using the hamstrings and posterior chain. This will allow you to lift heavier weights and also keep your back erect.

Tip #3: Lower the Bar in a Quick and Controlled Manner

Beginners to dead lifting are notorious for trying to lower the bar slowly. I don't know if they are worried about making too much noise or if they think slowly lowering the bar is beneficial in some manner, but this isn't the right way to lower the bar when dead lifting. The right way to lower the bar is in a quick and controlled manner. It should be lowered fast enough to not require much energy to support the load, but not so fast that you can't maintain control of the bar. Lowering the bar too slowly prematurely exhausts your muscles and prevents you from performing the maximum number of reps - and it can also hurt your lower back.

The dead lift can be an intimidating lift, but it doesn't have to be. These three tips will eliminate much of the risk with performing this exercise and give you good idea of how to properly perform this essential lift.

Marta Montenegro: A Workout To Control Blood Glucose

How many times a week do you workout? Hopefully, your answer is more than twice a week. Because if you want to lose weight, get stronger and leaner, and avoid cardiovascular disease or diabetes, spacing out your workouts too much won’t maximize these benefits. New studies also shed light on how more frequent workouts keep insulin and glucose levels in control.

Pumping iron have the greatest impact on muscle mass and the interval pattern – high intensity effort/short periods followed by recovery periods – that resistance training imposes. It’s one way to exercise to maximize glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity.

The Kettlebells Workout

 But not just any kind of resistance training will be the most effective.

A study tested the same whole body circuit type workout consisting of 10 exercises, but one group did three sets of 10 reps and other did one set of 10 reps. The greater benefits in glucose regulation were observed with the higher volume group. However, insulin reduction was the same regardless of the protocol.

The message: Do a circuit type of workout, selecting eight to 10 exercises that work the major muscles, aiming for 3 sets of 10 reps. Do this routine three or four times a week leaving one day in between.

Marta Montenegro is an exercise physiologist, certified strength and conditioning coach and master trainer, who teaches as an adjunct professor at Florida International University. Marta has developed her own system of exercises used by professional athletes. Her personal website, martamontenegro.com, combines fitness, nutrition and health tips, exercise routines, recipes and the latest news to help you change your life but not your lifestyle. She was the founder of nationally awarded SOBeFiT magazine and the fitness DVD series Montenegro Method.

Walking Workout: Treadmill Slimmer

Suggested Time: 30 minutes(Prevention.com) -- Treadmills are the perfect excuse buster — no need to worry about weather, traffic, or darkness. Seeing your speed increase as you become more fit is also a huge motivator. Try this routine from Lee Scott, creator of the DVD Simple Steps for a Great Walking Workout, to blast more than 150 calories* in half an hour.

Start at a comfortable speed. Increase 0.6 mph from there for Phase 1 speed intervals. For each subsequent phase, increase your speed intervals by 0.2 mph.

*Calorie burn is based on a 150-pound person and will vary depending on weight, walking speed, and workout duration.

Warming Up to Avoid Getting Let Down

One of the defining factors of the workout is the warm up. Different people place different importance on this. My gym partner doesn't believe in it at all, much to my dismay. He jumps on the Treadmill with an 'I'll warm up while I am running' and is off. However, after 3 years of gymnastics training I know the importance of the warm up and the huge difference it makes on a session. Granted you are not necessarily going to instantly pull a muscle if you don't stretch, but that's not all there is too it. You help get the blood flowing, increase the elasticity of muscles and so much more.
After all is a 'warm up' it gets you ready for the exercise ahead. Allows your body to adapt to the change of pace it is about to be put through.
As well as this there is also the psychological aspect as well, which is different for everyone, for me it is a time to look around and plan the workout for others it's the start of the controlled breathing.
There are so many different warm ups for different effects it would be an endless list. But a few key pointers are;
Hold all stretches for 8-10 seconds.
Even if you aren't using that muscle group then still warm it up, it takes a few seconds but can save days of injury.
Spend 5-10 minutes on the full warm up.
I know these are common sense but it scares me the amount of people I see go changing room - flat out run on the Treadmills - changing room. That massive burst of stress isn't good for you, whether it's an immediate effect or long-term effects.
I know there will always be people that won't agree. People who have been working out for years and have never warmed up. But this is something that shouldn't be dismissed. I have been out for months with some serious injuries that could have been easily avoided if I had done a concise warm up.
In conclusion the ultimate decision lies with the people who are going to exercise. But I know that since I have changed my attitudes to warming up I have been injury free and feel good even after a long run. So if I can help one person change their attitudes too, then I will be more than content!

The Four Basic Gym Essentials For Your Home

First, you check on the space you could work on. You can get equipment that does not take a huge amount of space. Also, consider getting an apparatus that allows multiple functions. This would be great use of the space and would also be beneficial for your workout. Here are some of the best essential home gym equipment that can help you take the first step to healthy living.
Home Workout Essential Number 1: Dumbbells
Dumbbells have been one of the key tools for exercise. You can condition different muscles of the body with the use of dumbbells through the help of different exercise forms and positions. These tools also improve the intensity of your work out by gradually increasing the weights.
Ready-made dumbbells can be purchased depending on the weight you're looking for. This would be effective in workouts as the different sizes and great features, like better grip handles, would be available for you. The downside would be the space. You will need a rack to store the ready made dumbbells.
You can also opt for adjustable dumbbells. You can increase and decrease the amount of weight by removing a plate or adding another. This is better for storage compared to the purchase of multiple ready-made dumbbells. Also, if you need to increase your weights, you can simply buy additional plates to raise the level higher.
If you're planning on making a good investment and money is not an option, get yourself a Powerblock dumbbells. This doesn't take much space, plus it's more compact and more convenient compared with adjustable dumbbells. You simply adjust the pin to add or reduce weights. It also neatly stores in one area and doesn't roll around the floor like a usual dumbbell.
Home Workout Essential Number 2:Adjustable Bench
Do chest press, chest fly, crunches and triceps curls. You can do modified chest presses and focus on different fibers of your pectorals by adjusting the incline or decline of the bench. You can use the declined bench for crunches and sit-ups to condition your abs.It's also possible to find benches that double as a chair to help you during seated triceps curls. This is great as it provides good back support.
Having an adjustable bench allows you to do more exercises compared to just dumbbells alone. Getting a bench is almost second impulse when buying a set of dumbbells. The more versatile your bench is, the more exercises you would be able to do.
Home Workout Essential Number 3:Olympic Barbell Set
You already have an adjustable bench, why not elevate your strength training further? This would allow you to work out like a pro.
You can get Olympic Barbell Sets available in any local sporting goods store at reasonable prices. Make sure you get one with a good, firm and sturdy rod that doesn't easily bend when carrying heavy loads. it's possible to get a good set with good grips and good handles.
Getting it from your local store would be better than buying it online. You'll probably be paying more for shipping as vendors will charge you by the pound.
Home Workout Essential Number 4: Power Rack
You already had this coming. Getting a power rack would be great for you as it helps you to full-body exercises from pull-up, chin-ups, abdominal workout, lift weights and do barbell squats.
The power rack has built in set bars that allow you to lift good amount of weights without the need for a spotter. You can incorporate your Olympic barbell set to the power cage to do this. You can do bicep curls and barbell squats. Use your adjustable bench to do chest presses. Be it inclined, vertical or declined, you can absolutely do a lot safely with the power cage.
Power racks not only add more dimensions to your weight training, they also allow you to do more exercises by incorporating the three other essential equipment previously mentioned. A power rack should have dip bars and pull up bars. Do abdominal crunches like Batman! The possibilities are endless.
With these key gym equipment to start your home gym, you can definitely do any workout routine regardless of any strength level. Invest on other equipment that does more to your work out. Find equipment that would simulate your flexibility or your balance. Part of balance training requires a medicine ball, which really isn't expensive. You can replace the bench with a medicine ball when doing your chest presses with dumbbells, modified push-ups or triceps curls. You'll find medicine balls in different sizes. Special features like burst-resistant would be great for your safety.
Take note that these equipment aren't worth it, unless you put them to good use. You may have the fancy equipment but lack the motivation to work hard. Then the results will not come. Make sure you also check with your trainer, check with your physician and get a balanced diet. The key to healthy living is being dedicated to it and doing it right. Gym equipment can really do so much. One of the best things to have is a healthy, working body.