The Power Workout:

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The Power Workout:
By: Chris Guerriero

Scenario: I really want to get in shape, but I work all day and attend multimedia classes until 8:30. How do I find the time to exercise, and what are a few good exercises for beginners like me? Solution: Finding time to exercise is certainly a challenge. Even the most motivated among us suffer setbacks during our business's busy season or when a new project is on the horizon. The key to fitting fitness into your busy day is to recognize that finding time isn't the issue--it's making time.

You may be surprised to hear that you can enjoy the benefits of a regular exercise program in as little as three hours per week.

The following routine shows you how:

Monday: Half-hour of jogging, biking (on hills) or other intense aerobic exercise you enjoy

Tuesday: Half-hour of strength training (squats, sit-ups and push-ups for beginners; weight training with machines or dumbbells for the more experienced)

Wednesday: Rest day

Thursday: Repeat Monday

Friday: Repeat TuesdaySaturday: One hour of exercise--any type of exercise. Go rollerblading with a friend, take the family to the hills for a hike or swim laps at the pool.

Sunday: Rest day

Make your workouts more time-efficient by exercising harder. For example, you can walk two miles in a half-hour, or you can run four miles in a half-hour. You can spend an hour in step aerobics class, or you can spend 20 minutes rowing at the highest resistance level on the rowing machine. When you perform strength-training exercises, use a challenging resistance and move quickly through your exercises to get an aerobic benefit.

If you want to commit to getting fit, exercise must become a part of your life--a habit as regular as brushing your teeth. Try these ideas to help you stay on track:

*Make a log of everything you do for a week, and identify the time slots where you can fit in exercise. Did you spend a Saturday afternoon watching the Back to the Future trilogy for the fifth time? Could you manage to get up a half-hour earlier on the weekdays? Just skip an hour of television time and go to bed earlier.

*Make exercise convenient. Find a place to work out that's close to your home or office. If you're disciplined and have the space, work out at home.

*Develop relationships with supportive people. Join an exercise class or go to the gym with friends. If you skip a class, your friends will hold you accountable.

*Exercise at the right time. The "right time" is when you're most likely to do it. If you know your day often ends late or meetings come up suddenly, it's best to schedule your workout for first thing in the morning when nothing can interfere. If you're a night owl, fit your workout in before dinner. If you can only manage a 10-minute walk on your lunch hour--do it. Some exercise is better than none.

Benefits Of Exercise

Need more motivation to get fit? Consider the following benefits of exercise:

*Exercise increases your stamina and strength.

*Exercise improves your heart and lung efficiency.

*Exercise gives your body greater resistance to disease, stress, anxiety and fatigue.

*Exercise gives you more energy and enhances your capacity for work and leisure activities.

*Exercise releases hormones that stimulate the brain, helping to clear your mind, see things from a new perspective, and come up with fresh ideas.

So make an appointment with yourself to get some exercise. Your body--and your business--will thank you for it.

For a ton of f.ree, valuable tips, tricks, and secrets visit: http://www.MaximizeYourMetabolism.com

© 2002-2005 Wisdom Books, LLC & Christopher Guerriero WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Christopher Guerriero, is the founder of the National Metabolic & Longevity Research Center and a best-selling author, speaker, and coach to millions. He is creator of the award-winning 'Maximize Your Metabolism' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FR*EE how-to articles and F.REE teleseminars, visit http://www.MaximizeYourMetabolism.com

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The Power of Stretching - Dave Snape

Your muscles ache from a good stretch. This is quite
normal and is part of the process. Stretching has
seemingly been with us and particularly with athletes
since the beginning of time.

A very key point to good stretching is to hold the
stretch for at least seventeen seconds. This is a
pearl of wisdom gleaned from a ballet teacher a few
years back. She said that any stretch under 17
seconds was just not effective.

The 17 second rule is exceeded in the high intensity
Bikram's yoga where stretches are held for about 30
seconds. Don't forget the high level of heat that is
used in Bikram's to extract that last little bit of
stretch out of your muscles. An interesting twist that
is not necessary to gain benefits from stretching. But,
it can't hurt, right?

So what kind of benefits can you expect from
stretching? That's an easy one. Have you ever seen the
movie, Blood Sport? Did you know that Frank Dux could
truly stretch his body to the extreme. The actor that
played him was quite elastic as well.

Great elasticity is also something you might see in
well trained Spetsnaz (Russian) agents. They often work
out with Russian kettlebells too. They are for superior
strength gains and the ability to withstand ballistic
shocks.

Why are stretching and flexibility considered important
to these people? Stretching gives one the ability to
have explosive power available at one's fingertips
without the need to warm up. Of course most of us are
not martial artists or agents. But, you'll be happy to
know there are plenty of other benefits.

Let me give you an example. After learning to sit in
the full lotus position for long periods of time, my
ankles became very flexible. One day I was walking
along and my left foot fell into a pothole. This mishap
pushed my ankle sideways to about 90 degrees from it's
normal position.

Amazingly, this didn't even hurt, not one bit. If my
ankle hadn't been so flexible, I may have suffered a
sprained ankle. At the very least, it would have hurt
for days.

Key point: stretching helps you to avoid injuries.
Not only that but if you do have a muscle, tendon or
ligament injury it should heal faster, theoretically
speaking.

Stretching actually grows the ligaments, tendons and
muscles being stretched. They really grow longer over
time.

Check with your physician before undertaking any type
of exercise, including stretching.

Here is some good instructional material on stretching:
http://tinyurl.com/6c6kq

Dave Snape

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