working out

[Tootsie]

Ive been working out doing yoga and using an elliptical stairstepper regularily now several times a week and that alone has helped me so much to feel better. There must have been lots of toxins in my muscles becaue when I first started the yoga I could literally feel the toxins release and then would feel pretty bad the next day. sort of like having the flu.This went on for about a month . But now I feel pretty good and dont have all those muscle aches and pains i used to live with daily. Plus it feels great to have that calm and peace that yoga can bring. i started that almost a year ago.

And now I have added weights and an excersize ball to my routine and workout to a video 2 or 3 times a week .I started this about a month ago. Pushups squats and crunches too. Im thrilled because finally after all these years my muscles are started to respond more normally and instead of feeling weaker from working my muscles they are actually getting stronger and getting this feeling like they want to be worked even harder . i havent felt like this years!
i havent lost anyweight whitch is a bummer butjust feeling healthier and stronger is enough for me.
I encourage you all to start an excersize program , its done so much for me! just go easy in the beginning and do whats comfortable.

[Brenda]

...............what's elliptical?

dumoleme
brenda

[Tootsie]

I dont know what it means either actually but imagine that you are running in air is the only way I can think to describe it. Great workout for the legs and no stress on the knees

[ladycolorado]

i have two ways of exercising, walking, and i do something real dorky to exercise my lungs: i play music videos and sing. so what if i sound silly it expands my lung capacity and i have fun sometimes i dance like a dork too, . the main thing is having fun. (LC).

[Tootsie]

Thats not dorky LC! Your just letting your hair down and being a free spirit! Sometimes I dance too

[Brenda]

shoot............i dance whenever there's music with a beat, even if its seat dancin........i just can't sit or stand still. so is elliptical stairsteppin kinda like playin the air guitar??

luvtadance
brenda

[Tootsie]

Probably not like air guitar Brenda but imagine a stair stepper that goes around in a circle , not up and down.
I hate to admit this but when I first started I could only do 5 minutes and I was winded and woozy and felt like I might have a heart attack but each day I added a minute or so and now I can do 30 to 45 minutes pretty easily, the human body is amazingly adaptable.
So anyone who thinks they cant excersize is probably wrong........you just have to take it slow and dont give up

[ladycolorado]

one machine want to pull out use is my old pilates performer. that machine is amazing only 3 20 minute workout a week for 20 minutes needed. more controlled safer movements using the machine lenghthens strengthens the muscles tissues and supporting structures and helps even the neck spine align over time. for athletes, physical therapy, dancers! all done to yoga type breathing and tape has sooothing mucic so good way to strenghten self without being unable to breathe. if ecercise hard then skip or do less reps, then build self up. but i oce had carpel tunel that machine made it go away! for guys who work out to be big, never hurts to be more flexible . sorry bad, just a joke. but can help increase you range of motion over time too. and machine is cheap last time i checked look : http://www.ifitnessdirect.com/product-178.html . may not look like much, but i tell you when used three months with even some loose skin from childbearing was starting to get a washboard stomach. gee same price i paid 4 years ago! . they have fancier ones, but i tell you every exercise is fairly easy, and all strengthen the bodies "core" back all of abdominall and the . start with the easiest tape first take it slow, ad have remote nearby if the healthy swede going too fast for you . celebrites, athletes and for physical therapy have used this machine AND and i tell you IT WORKS. here is the machine for the uk members: http://www.shop4pilates.com/pilates_performer.htm UKTAPE COMES WITH TAPE TOO you do not need the fancy models unless in super good shape. OKAY FOUND EVEN CHEAPER PRICE FOR MY MACHINE, HOW DOES 90 DOLLARS SOUND? HERE IS LINK FOR USA: http://www.staminaproducts.com/produ...rodID=55-4300S . NOW TRY TO FIND THE TAPES I HAD. oooh that last one comes with a tape, cool! only downside: PUT HAIR UP IF LONG, SO KEEPS FREE FROM HAVING A HAIR GET CAUGHT THEN BE FINE (LC). they have balls mats all other kinds of stuff but streatchig on a mat or this machine the best if ask me. friski iS doing what is called "non or low impact" exercise, which is the safest. swimming is considered non impact and elliptical less jarring to joints, (LC).

[ladycolorado]

here is something most likely boring , but this tells about joseph h. pilates who the principles of my machine are based on. his idea was to help athletes and dancers restore and build muscle tone and strength: they are low inpact movements the following was cut and pasted from wikipedia, it is his bio: [edit] Biography
Joseph H. Pilates was born in Mönchengladbach Germany, in 1880, to parents of Greek and German ancestry. His father was a prize-winning gymnast of Greek origin and his mother a naturopath of German origin.[1] His name was originally spelled by its Greek derivation "Pilatu" but was changed to Pilates. This caused him much grief because, as a child, older boys taunted him calling him "Pontius Pilate, killer of Christ". A sickly child who suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever, he dedicated his entire life to becoming physically stronger. Joe began studying body building and gymnastics and by the age of 14 was fit enough to pose for anatomical charts. He came to believe that our modern life-style, bad posture, and inefficient breathing were the roots of poor health and ultimately devised a series of exercises, training techniques and engineered all the equipment, specifications and tuning required to teach them properly. (LC).

In 1912 he moved to England earning a living as a boxer, circus performer and self-defense trainer. During World War I he was interned with other German citizens in a camp in Lancaster where he trained other inmates in fitness and exercises. It was here that the beginnings of the true Pilates Method began to take shape.

After the War, Pilates immigrated to the United States. On the ship to America he met his future wife Clara. The couple founded a studio in New York City and directly taught and supervised their students well into the 1960’s. Pilates and his method, which he and Clara originally called "Contrology", refers to the way his method encourages the use of the mind to control the muscles. This method focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and strengthen the deep torso muscles, which are important to help alleviate and prevent back pain. Together they soon established a devout following in the local dance and the performing arts community. Well known dancers such as George Balanchine and Martha Graham became devotees and regularly sent their students to them for training and rehabilitation. Pilates practiced what he preached and lived a long healthy life. He died in 1967 at the age of 87.

He also wrote several books including "Return to Life through Contrology" and "Your Health". Joe and Clara had a number of disciples who continued to teach variations of his method or in some cases focused exclusively on preserving the method and instructor training techniques they learned during their studies with Joe and Clara.

The unique training regimen Joe and Clara devised has now proven itself for more than 80 years as an effective and safe method of exercise, when taught and applied by a qualified instructor who understands how to develop and tailor a "Contrology" workout specific to your body and capabilities. HERE IS HIM AS REAL OLD GUY USING SOMETHING LIKE MY MACHINE. SCROLL DOWN WILL SEE IT WHERE LAYING DOWN PUSHING WITH FEET, LOL IN 1961.
http://www.rapo.com/icrgallery/Pilates2.htm . i also have him as strapping young guy attached.
(LC).

[ladycolorado]

ever see the old farts and hippies in the park doing weird slow movements and wondering "WHAT THE HECK ARE THE SILLY FOLKS DOING?". well it is called tai chi. I WILL SAY THEY SAY STRETCH AFTER A WORKOUT CAN BE GOOD, NOW SAYING BEFORE MUST BE DOnE RIGHT CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE INJURY. WEIRD MUCLES SHOULD BE WARMED UP A LITTLE I THINK THOUGH. HERE IS AN ARTICLE FROM THE MAYO CLINIC ON TAI CHI: Tai chi: Stress reduction, balance, agility and more
Tai chi is a series of gentle movements that can bring about stress reduction, improved balance and many other health benefits. Find out what tai chi is all about.
Tai chi (ti-CHE) is sometimes described as "meditation in motion." Originally developed in China as a form of self-defense, this graceful form of exercise has existed for about 2,000 years. It's becoming increasingly popular around the world, both as a basic exercise program and as a complement to other health care methods. Health benefits include stress reduction, greater balance and increased flexibility — especially for older adults.

What is tai chi?

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Tai chi movements
Tai chi is a noncompetitive, self-paced system of gentle physical exercise. To do tai chi, you perform a defined series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner. Each movement or posture flows into the next without pausing.

Who is tai chi for?
If you're trying to improve your general health, you may find tai chi helpful as part of your program. Tai chi is generally safe for people of all ages and levels of fitness. Studies have shown that for older adults tai chi can improve balance and reduce the risk of falls. Because the movements are low impact and put minimal stress on your muscles and joints, tai chi is appealing to many older adults. For these same reasons, if you have a condition such as arthritis or you're recovering from an injury, you may find it useful.

Tai chi appears to offer both physical and mental benefits no matter what your age. It's used to:

Reduce stress
Increase flexibility
Improve muscle strength and definition
Increase energy, stamina and agility
Increase feelings of well-being
Tai chi hasn't been studied scientifically until recently. Preliminary research shows that for older adults, in particular, practicing tai chi regularly may:

Reduce anxiety and depression
Improve balance and coordination, reducing the number of falls
Improve sleep quality, such as staying asleep longer at night and feeling more alert during the day
Slow bone loss in women following menopause
Reduce high blood pressure
Improve cardiovascular fitness
Relieve chronic pain
Improve everyday physical functioning
Types of tai chi
Like yoga, many styles of tai chi exist. Some of these styles include:

Chen
Hao
Sun
Wu
Yang
Zhao Bao
The intensity of tai chi varies somewhat depending on the style. For example, the Chen style may be more fast-paced than other styles. However, most styles are gentle and suitable for everyone. Talk to your doctor and tai chi instructor to make sure the style you're using is appropriate for your physical capabilities.

Pros and cons
When learned correctly and practiced regularly, tai chi appears to be a very positive form of exercise:

It's self-paced and noncompetitive.
You don't need a large physical space or special clothing or equipment.
You can do tai chi anytime, anyplace.
It's easy to do in groups as well as by yourself.
You can add new movements as you become more proficient.
Because tai chi is slow and gentle, it has virtually no negative side effects. It's possible you could strain yourself or "overdo" things when first learning, but with proper instruction, this shouldn't pose a barrier to practicing tai chi.

How to learn tai chi
To gain the full benefits of tai chi and reduce the small risk of injury, learn the correct way to do the postures and movements. Strict attention to your body position and breathing are critical, so it's best to study directly under a teacher rather than with a book or videotape. As you attend a series of classes, the instructor can give you personal guidance and correct any errors in your approach before they become habit. As you practice, you learn how to do tai chi without straining your muscles and joints.

Once you're comfortable with the tai chi basics, you can do it by yourself. You may find it helpful to practice tai chi in the same place and at the same time every day. You'll likely experience some health benefits right away, but they probably won't be dramatic. Be patient. Health benefits accumulate over time.

You can find tai chi classes in cities throughout the United States. To locate a class in your community, contact your local senior center, YMCA or YWCA, health club or wellness center.

Although tai chi is generally safe, consider talking with your doctor before starting a new program. This is particularly true if you have any problems with your joints, spine or heart.