Every week it is important to maintain a focus on fitness basics and conditioning in order to maintain your health and well being.

It is up to you to realize the importance of establishing exercise as a key outcome for this year and every year for the rest of your life. This week we will expand our focus on fitness techniques, technology and tips to help you derive greater happiness and health benefits in less time.

The Warning Signals

Many people seeking guidance are facing some combination of emotional, mental or physical health issue which is impeding the quality of their life. A comprehensive and well designed exercise and fitness plan will definitely go a long way toward lessening many and hopefully eliminating all of the unhealthy symptoms and warnings they are now experiencing.

The most common health challenges and warning signals people share with me on a consistent basis are chronic aches and pains, digestion issues, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, low energy, skin issues, sleep disorders, stress, tension and weight gain. The great news is that all of these issues seem to benefit from exercise, fitness training and proper nutrition.

Creating Your Core Team

As a holistic life coach my role is not to diagnose, focus on or treat any medical conditions. Awareness of the underlying contributing conditions and factors should serve as a wake up call to motivate you to seek help. With great resources and role models for education and information on proper fuel, maintenance and repair you will be able to protect your most valuable asset and investment. A professional team of alternative, complementary, diagnostic, fitness, holistic and medical advisors will be able to share specific strategies, suggestions and systems to educate you on effectively dealing with any version of health issues.

A terrific tag team combination based on a well designed core fitness routine, optimal nutrition and stress reduction will usually help anyone and everyone facing an emotional, mental and physical challenge.

Applied on a consistent basis this will most likely reduce and very likely reverse the vast majority of health issues people face.

Maintaining Focus

It is imperative to maintain focus on a great exercise fitness program that involves constantly improving your level of overall agility, balance, flexibility, stamina and strength. In our last post, Part 4: Focus for Fitness – Core Muscle Development we focused on developing a basic exercise and fitness program with three days of core resistance training interlaced with three to four days of general aerobic conditioning routines in between them.

Do you have three basic exercises you can do each week on a consistent basis regardless of time issues or travel?

If you have not identified them yet when would now be a great time to do it? Remember simple exercises done on a consistent basis are more valuable than fancy exercises you know should be done but don’t. Pushups, squat lifts and crunches are examples of three simple exercises you can do easily and effectively no matter where you are or what comes up. Adding an exercise ball, sand bags and hand weights greatly increases the number of exercises you can enjoy.

Once the three days per week of exercise feels comfortable them you can increase the intensity or add a new type of exercise to engage new muscles with new movements and motions to keep the body adjusting to new challenges. This also helps you avoid boredom and a improve progress. The body loves to respond to new conditions and physical demands which cause it to be more efficient and effective and results in additional fitness and health benefits.

Detailed Fitness Terms

Now is a great time to discuss some fitness terms in more detail:

Aerobic means with exercising adequate oxygen which is great for improving your energy, endurance, health and stamina.

Anaerobic means exercising without adequate oxygen and is good for short term effort for power, speed and strength training

Cross fitnees and cross training refers to performing a variety of exercises that offer different dynamics and conditioning potential. Consider various routines such as backpacking, biking, calisthenics, dumbbells, elliptical machines, jogging, kayaking, power plates, power walking, rebounding, rowing, sprints, swimming, Swiss exercise ball, yoga and much more,

Elliptical machines are usually designed with stationary platforms and moving hand holds which produce a synchronized exercising motion for the upper and lower portions of the body at the same time. While they offer an excellent whole body aerobic exercise they may often be fairly expensive machines.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is any exercise you engage in for a short duration such as 30 seconds and then recover for 60 to 90 seconds. The goal is to put a significant demand on the muscles so they go into an anaerobic state which builds power, speed and strength. During the rest stage they recover and replenish much of the oxygen used. Google Peak 8 for a great example by Dr Mercola.

Pilates is great form of exercise developed by Joseph Pilates that utilizes your body weight often on an apparatus, frame or Swiss ball to develop overall core strength straining. One of the primary focuses is on simultaneous body and mind control and coordination.

TRX is an extremely clever and new exercise system consisting of adjustable straps that can be used to perform hundreds of exercises with minimal space. The whole kit weighs about two pounds.

Tai Chi and Qi Gong are excellent exercise traditions that evolved from ancient Asian origins. Anyone young to old can practice them for excellent agility, balance, strength and toning for total body, mind and spirit development.

Yoga is usually known as a mild and gentle form of conditioning. It has also been used in a more advanced format to provide strenuous power yoga.

Resistance weight training can use free weights, weight machines or your body weight like a Total Gym to provide many options for a full body workout

Creating Your Unique Fitness Regime

Now that you have a better overview of options available it is important to determine what equipment, exercises and space requirements will best fit your needs.

As you continue to expand your focus on fitness techniques, technology and tips you will develop greater appreciation and benefit as you engage in various exercise routines. This will usually help one enjoy more happiness and health benefits as you transform your body and mind into the magical and magnificent being you were designed to be.

Mastery Action Plan

View several websites for more details and video demonstrations of various exercise equipment and techniques.

Then check out family, friends and facilities that offer you an opportunity to test out the equipment and exercises you think may best meet your budget and needs.

Now it is time for you to make a decision and take action to implement your perfect health exercise and fitness program.

Our next blog post will share: Part 6: Focus on Fitness