Golf Fitness Tips

Fitness is a major priority for professional golfers on tour these days. Golf, like any other physical activity, takes a good amount of stamina because you're constantly pushing yourself to excel and you're doing a lot of walking while you're out on the course.

Although it's important to focus on improving your golf game, you'll also need to keep in shape in order to increase your stamina and prevent injury that could keep you out of commission. Here are a few tips that will help to keep you on track:

#1. Participate regularly in some form of strenuous cardio activity. This can be running, swimming, sprinting (hill sprints are excellent cardio builders and a good fat burner), stair stepping, treadmill, ect. This will also improve the strength in your hips and your lower body.

Always remember to stretch before and after any type of strenuous exercise. This is not only important to decrease soreness after your workout, but most importantly to help prevent injury.

#2. Improving Abdominal strength is helpful in preventing injuries to your lower back. This is an injury common to golfers. You can improve your abdominal strength by doing sets of sit ups, crunches, swimming, ect.

Another injury common to beginning golfers is shin splints. You may also have these if you've taken an extended lay off from the game and are just returning. The best recommendation that I can make for shin splints is to take a slower pace when starting out or returning to the game. I've personally suffered with shin splints ever since my days in the military and it just takes time to build or rebuild the strength in the muscles in that area of your legs.

Try riding a stationary bike regularly to increase your leg strength, hill sprinting (in short sets) will help a lot, but don't overdo it at first, swimming is also excellent because it takes the body weight off your legs. Hold on to the side of the pool and do plenty of kicking exercises, both on your stomach and on your back.

Once again, remember to take it slowly and you'll be back in the game before you know it.

#3. Upper body exercises will not only help your stamina, but also help you to improve your swing. Exercises like push-ups (arms and chest), sit-ups (lower back and abdominal muscles), mountain climbers (brutal, but effective) and even jumping jacks will help you to increase the strength in your torso and hips, which will result in you being able to have more "push off" power in your down swing, hit the ball straighter and farther than before and also improve your consistancy.

#4. It's also a proven fact that exercising regularly will help to reduce stress, therefore helping you to "keep your cool" on the back 9 while the other guy sweats and stresses out. You'll also feel better off of the course too. You can realistically count on a "whole life" benefit from working out. Oh, you'll also lose weight and lower your cholesterol.

Let's recap what we've learned here.

#5. Doing the correct exercises on a regular basis will help you to improve your golf game, reduce your risk of injury, increase your strength and stamina and also have great health benefits, such as weight loss, lowering bad cholesterol and looking and feeling emotionally better.

Holiday Facial Fitness

It’s the time of year when the weather has changed and you’re busy running around, caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday rush. Along with having parties and making sure things around the home and office are filled with plenty of holiday cheer, you continue with your normal chores of paying bills, helping with homework, attending school functions and household upkeep. You’re probably doing a lot more in the day and getting a lot less sleep at night. Needless to say, this creates a lot of wear and tear on your mind, body and face. Yes, your face!

It’s no secret that added stress and less rest can cause you to feel and look worn out. You may have found that your face is starting to reveal signs of holiday fatigue. Puffiness and dark circles under the eyes, as well as a change in texture and clarity of your skin from lack of adequate rest, cold weather and wind, can put a damper on your seasonal celebrations. You need facial rejuvenation and you need it now!

The fastest, easiest and cheapest way to get back your facial glow or achieve a glow that you never had is by facial stimulation and massage. This technique has worked wonders on countless faces across the globe and was actually part of the beauty regiments of many ancient civilizations. What’s even better is that this is something you yourself can do for free. You don’t have to go to some doctor for surgery or injections nor do you have to go to a massage parlor or salon.

Studies show that stimulating your face with certain patterns of finger tapping and massage improves skins clarity and texture, prevents and reduces wrinkles and breakouts as well as reduces swelling. What you are doing is stimulating and waking up cells that have become dormant beneath the skins layers. This produces a lifting effect and promotes a firm and supple face. You are also unblocking and clearing clogged cells which increases the blood flow and circulation, thus, giving you a glowing and refreshed face in a matter of days. A noticeable improvement is often seen after the first day. Experts have said it restores a lost youthfulness to the face and can even give the appearance of having a facelift.

Facial stimulation and massage should become a part of your daily beauty routine during the holidays and everyday. It’s fast, free and easy, yet it yields great results. Try it and you’ll never have a dull face again.

Cruise Travel For Physical Fitness

You really want to take a cruise but you also really want to go to a spa for physical fitness and maybe a little pampering. In the world today you can do both. Years ago you were lucky to find a spa on a cruise ship. If there was one, it was in a really remote area of the ship. As for physical fitness there was very little equipment and most of it was tired. When people started to become more conscious of their looks and health the cruise lines revised their way of thinking. Cruise travel now can double as a spa vacation as well as learning a new physical fitness program.

The newer cruise ships have gone to great lengths to accommodate the cruise passenger who also wants to beautify and tone up. The cruise lines have installed state of the art equipment, added numerous exercise classes, and offer the newest beauty treatments available. Many of the cruise lines have relocated their fitness centers to the top decks of the ships with lots of windows so you can have a view while you are on the treadmill, bike, or lifting weights. Tucked up into the corner is a big TV so you can watch the news from back home. The cruise ships now have three distinct areas, one for fitness, one for spa treatments and one for the beauty salon.

As mentioned, the fitness centers on cruise ships are now a thing to behold. They all will definitely have treadmills, Stairmasters, free weights rowing machines and bikes. Some cruise lines even have complete Nautilus machines. Popular exercise machines, especially on sea days, may require you to sign up for a particular time of day and will limit the amount of time you can use the machine.

If you want to use your cruise travel as a vehicle to start an exercise regime there are physical trainers onboard. Their services, however, will cost you extra. The trainer will ask you lots of questions about your health and diet and then will come up with a personal regime for you. He or she will then book times through the week for you to work together.

All cruise lines offer exercise classes, yoga, aerobics, dance, water aerobics, even Pilates and kickboxing. Some of these may require a slight fee. To find out when these classes are held consult your daily bulletin for times and fees, if any.

Now, you're thinking why would I start a physical fitness regime while on a cruise ship, especially since they serve all that food, 24 hours a day? Well along with the newer, shinier and better facilities the cruise lines have also instituted what they call spa cuisine. Everyday they will offer a "lighter side" menu if you are really serious about you new physical fitness regime.

Don't assume that if the ship is older, it won't have a decent fitness and spa area. Check with your cruise travel agent to find out what facilities are onboard the cruise ship you have chosen. For instance, the QE2 is an older ship but it has a beautifully outfitted spa with a large staff. Celebrity's slight older Century has a Thalassotherapy pool for their passenger's enjoyment and it has become quite popular among their cruisers.

When you board your cruise ship go to the spa area. Usually on the first day the staff will be explaining their treatments and occasionally demonstrate how it is done. Sometimes they will raffle off treatments, so go to the demonstration just for that reason. If you have definitely decided that you will be doing some treatments, book them on day one to get the best times. Any beauty salon appointments should be made then too, hair appointments for formal night go very quickly.

Many times the spa and beauty staff will discount their services on days when the ship is in port. If you are going to a few cruise destinations that you have previously visited, take advantage of these offers. You will find that you can pick your time of day to get these treatments done with little or no competition. If you are an early riser, choose an appointment in the morning and then get off the ship to enjoy that port. Or, conversely, disembark early to explore your new port, and then return to the ship in the early afternoon to take advantage of a discounted treatment.

When you go to your spa appointment, do not wear jewelry or fancy clothes. Most treatments are a bit messy and you don't want to ruin any of your belongings. It is best just to wear a robe. When you get there an attendant will give you a towel and a private locker to put away your things. You may then be asked to wait in a room. Your technician will come out to take you to the room designated for that particular application. You will also fill out a form on your health and any surgeries that you have had. The room you are in will most likely have a shower. It will definitely have a sound system to play soothing music and there will be an array of exotic oils and creams.

The cruise ship spas have gotten quite creative. They now offer couples massages where you and your partner are in the same room with different massage therapists. Then there are four hand massages where two people work on you at the same time. Some of the cruise lines offer in suite massages and some even have massages on the deck.

By far the highest percentage of staff are women but there a few men. If you have a preference between male or female spa technicians, state it when you make your appointment. Some people are uncomfortable lying naked on a table with a therapist of the opposite sex. Check the cruise ships policy on tipping. Some cruise lines automatically tack on a 15% charge to your bill while on others you may have to pay in cash. To save embarrassment, check at the time you make your appointments.

There are three lines that allow you to make your spa appoints before boarding the ship. Princess, Windstar and Celebrity all offer this option. In some cases they even have packages that you can book in advance. Be careful here though, they may give you some very early morning appointments which means you have to go and change them on the very first day. This is not the best policy since they should be giving you prime appointments for booking ahead.

The Best Fitness Equipment For You

Choosing the best fitness equipment for your workout program can be a very difficult decision. As home gyms have gotten increasingly important and popular in society, picking the best equipment for you can be important for a variety of reasons. It can be complicated because there are so many different types of equipment to choose from. Everything from treadmills to ellipticals can be purchased at every single fitness store. Complicate that fact with the influx of new reports coming out suggesting what is the best exercise to engage in as well as the incessant late night television commercials for different pieces of exercise equipment, and you have one very hard decision on your hands.

What Should I Look For?

First, decide what your goals are in terms of your workouts. Are you looking to add muscle? Do you wish to lose weight? Whatever your goals, knowing and understanding them will both narrow your choices and help keep you from being disappointed with whatever you purchase. The second thing you need to think about is your desires. Consider what activities you like to engage in versus the activities you despise. For example, if you hate walking or jogging as an activity, you probably should not purchase a treadmill. Next, consider your financial constraints.

The best fitness equipment for you should not break the bank. You can spend anywhere from less than one hundred dollars to several thousand dollars on the fitness equipment of your choice, so you should carefully decide what fits best within your financial needs. One last thing to remember is that you should try the equipment before you purchase it. If you think you will like a stair climber, but you get it home and discover it is too hard on your joints, you may have just wasted a few thousand bucks. It is important to like the equipment before you leave the store.

Aerobic Fitness

So what does mean “fitness” and what stands for “aerobic” after all? Under the word fitness we should understand the state of wellbeing of a person. Your physical fitness is formed by a set of many different body capabilities like endurance, strength, flexibility, and coordination. Fitness is not only the physical health, but also mental health of a person along with self awareness and emotional satisfaction. So now we see that in general fitness is a state when mind, body and soul are in touch one with each other and what is more - souls do fit the bodies and live in harmony.

The term aerobic along with the exercise was invented by K. Copper from the U.S. Air Force in 1969. All his thoughts were documented in his book called “Aerobics”. All the data from the book became the baseline for all aerobic fitness programs that are based on oxygen consumption equivalency.

Talking about the term “aerobic” I can say that it is the most important factor of physical fitness. The origin of this word is Latin and the meaning is following: “aero” means oxygen (air), and “bic” is for bio (life). So any physical activity that requires the intake of oxygen could be called aerobic exercise. All aerobic fitness exercises must maintain increased heart rate and that is why such activity is almost the same as cardio exercises. There are also obvious reasons for this: exercises strengthen lungs and heart, increase cardiac capacity and use body fat and carbohydrates and the fuel (energy source).

Of course there are a lot of types of aerobic fitness exercise. All of them build up your endurance and stamina. Forms of exercise include the following: running, swimming, cycling, long distance skiing, power walking, rowing, use of different exercise machines (bikes, treadmills, and others). Actually all aerobic fitness exercises must be performed at high level of intensity and for a long time period. That is why running is considered as aerobic fitness exercise, but sprinting is not. Regular aerobic fitness exercise gives you a lot of health benefits. They are united in a group called “aerobic training effect” and give your body the following: strengthen muscles that are involved in respiration, strengthen heart muscle (that improves blood pumping efficiency), increase the number of red blood cells in the organism. In addition jogging or rope jumping may stimulate bone growth and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The digestive system is fed more regularly and is cleaned more effectively.

Because of the very close connection between the mind and the body, mental fitness may now be seen to be in many ways equivalent to physical aerobic fitness. People that are in good aerobic condition tend to be more optimistic, more self-confident; more determined and, generally, have a higher energy level and of course a greater lust for life.

The Connection Between Fitness and Singles

What's the connection between dating and singles? It seems like gyms are often popular places to meet people, and fitness singles sites are cropping up to satisfy the needs and wants of online daters looking for partners to workout with and romance at the same time. Is there a significant connection between the fitness industry and single life?

One possible explanation for the connections made between fellow gym-goers is the desire to find like minded people who enjoy active lifestyles and staying in shape. Certainly, a part of this is a greater appreciation in general for people who are physically fit. While this is a broad generalization, it may be safe to assume that most people who want to keep themselves in shape also want that from their partner. For this reason, gyms attract like minded people, with similar lifestyles. Also, as has been proven by several psychological studies, similarity and proximity increase the likelihood of attraction. Therefore, if two people run into each other on a regular basis, and see each other participating in activities they both enjoy, the chances of meeting and making a connection are more likely.

Another psychological explanation may come from biological and neurological studies. Chemicals released into the brain during exercise are often associated with feelings of euphoria. These feelings are commonly seen as responsible for a 'runners high' that many consistent exercisers experience. As these feelings of euphoria are experienced, people are conditioned to associate those positive feelings with other stimulus that surround them. Like Pavlov's Classically conditioned dogs, a person who see something (like another attractive person) while experiencing a positive emotion (a runners high) begin associating these two things together. Eventually, people begin attributing their positive feelings to that person (he/she makes me feel good). As a result, many singles who are heavily into the fitness lifestyle, and regularly visit the gym, may begin to pair their positive feelings with other fit singles they see at their gym.

While these explanations may only be a part of the reason why singles and fitness are frequently paired together, ultimately, there is some sort of connection between the two. Whether these stem from psychological reasons or the desire to seek out other physically attractive or fit people, fitness and singles are frequently paired, and with good reason.

The Dark Side of Fitness

A recent article in the New York Times, "Doctors See a Big Rise in Injuries As Young Athletes Train Nonstop" highlights a serious and growing health concern for teenagers and their parents. Typical injuries include stress fractures, cracked kneecaps and frayed heel tendons and damage to the alignment of the spinal column brought on by excessive flexing. As the article states, “...doctors in pediatric sports medicine say it is as if they have happened upon a new childhood disease, and the cause is the overaggressive culture of organized youth sports.”

The consequences of this new “disease” can be very serious, often requiring many months of expensive rehabilitation or even surgery. Some young athletes are left facing a lifetime of pain and physical restrictions.

The article emphasizes the role played by pressure from coaches and parents and by a culture in many sports that places so much emphasis on performance, and on winning, that players often ignore the pain signals coming from their bodies.

I was struck by the parallels between this teenage phenomenon and the wave of injuries reported during the early stages of the fitness boom of the 1980s. At that time, there were a great many newspaper and magazine reports of everything from severe shin splints caused by prolonged running on concrete to serious back and neck pain due to improper methods of weight lifting.

I can well remember the sudden influx of students during that period who came for Alexander Technique lessons after giving up on demanding exercise regimes because of pain or injury. They just wanted to learn how they could get back to where they were before and sadly that was not always possible. It seems that when a new fitness or sports trend begins, there is a heavy price to be paid by some participants.

What strikes me about both the current spate of injuries and the one that took place two decades ago is that in both cases, a huge emphasis on QUANTITY of exercise almost completely obliterated any concern with the QUALITY with which the exercise was performed. All too often fitness programs tend to be about things like how many miles you run, how many pitches you pitch, or how many hours you swim rather that how well you’re using your body as you run, pitch or swim.

It’s a bit like driving a car as fast as you can, for a long distance, without bothering to learn how to drive it well!

I am convinced that the current over-emphasis on quantity is one of the main reasons there are still so many sports and fitness related injuries. Sometimes it comes from the athlete him or herself - perhaps reflecting a common cultural idea that more is better. Sometimes it comes from outside. That certainly seems to be a large part of what’s going on with some young athletes today.

Anyone who studies the basic ideas of the Alexander Technique will very quickly see just how important the quality of one’s posture and movement is to the effectiveness and safety of any activity. This is true whether it’s a vigorous activity or something as mundane as using a computer or even watching TV. And if they decide to take up a new sport or fitness program, they have the knowledge and ability to approach it with skill, and with an appropriate level of body awareness and care.

(The article, “Doctors See a Big Rise in Injuries As Young Athletes Train Nonstop” can be found on page 1 of the February 22, 2005 issue of the New York Times.)