Exercise to make the best of your body shape

Exercise to make the best of your body shape
Depending upon your genetics, as well as your exercise routine and diet, your body shape may be quite different from those around you.
Not everyone likes the body type or shape that they are born with, but there are ways to make the most of what you have. Here are some tips on how to identify your body type and shape as well as how to sculpt it with the best possible exercises.

There are six basic body types:
•8 frame or hourglass
•A frame
•H frame
•V frame
•Ruler
•Oval/Apple
Each body frame carries weight differently and, therefore will pose different exercise challenges to the individual.

The 8 frame is considered the perfect body shape. It is often called the hourglass figure. For those of you lucky enough to have this naturally proportionate shape blessed with chest and hips of the same size and a waist ten inches smaller, your job is easy.

You can perform any type of cardio which means you can vary your work out to keep from being bored. You should still include a regiment of resistance training at least twice weekly. Work all of the muscles of the body between the two days.

If you are 8 frame or an Hourglass

If you are have an hourglass figure, then you should be focusing on both cardio and resistance exercises. Cardio will assist in keeping your weight in check, while resistance exercises will help to maintain balance between your upper and lower body.

Vary your repetitions and keep your resistance weights light so as not to build too much muscle mass. Here are some great exercises that you may want to try:

•slow jogging
•stationary biking (with light resistance)
•jumping jacks
•swimming
•bicep curls, shoulder press, and squats

The A body shape is not quite as lucky as the 8 frame. This body type is thinner on the upper body and carries most of the body weight in the hips, thighs, and butt. This body shape wants to avoid doing cardio exercises that will increase the muscle size of the lower body.

This means the stair climber is out unless you want to increase the spoon like figure proportions. Stick with the elliptical or the treadmill without an incline. Resistance training should target the upper body to even out the body shape. The bigger you make the upper body muscles, the smaller the lower body will appear.

If you are a A body type

If you are an A you will want to focus on exercises that will balance out the top half of your body with the bottom half of your body.

You will also want to try to thin down your lower half. To achieve this, focus on aerobic activities that work out your lower body and resistance exercises that will build your upper body. Use light weights and perform high repetitions of exercises. Some great activities include:

•walking

•cycling (with low resistance)

•elliptical training

•jumping rope

•leg lifts and dips

•push ups, chin ups, and shoulder press

•Training Tip:

•Cardio – 3 times per week (30 min) of low intensity exercise

•Weights- 3 times per week working the whole body and combining light and heavy weights

The H frame body shape has a larger waist and shoulders. People with this type of body want to concentrate on minimizing the waist. The cardio choices for this body include the treadmill with an incline and the stepper. Resistance training should concentrate on the lower body. Squats and leg presses are great resistance exercises for the H body shape.

If you are a H frame

Cardio choices should be focused trimming the upper body and bringing out the symmetry. Such cardio tactics should include theTreadmill on an incline

The stepper

Proper lower body training is needed for balance to bring it up to par with the wide shoulders. Focus on squats, leg press and stiff dead lifts as the bulk of your training, and use the extension and lunges as finishers.

The V frame body also known as the "cone shape" has shoulders measuring at least two inches more than the hips. This body shape is usually bigger up top and smaller on the bottom. The goal for this body shape is to build up the lower body to even out the body shape.

For cardio, the stepper is a good way to burn fat while increasing the muscle tone in the legs. Avoid doing cardio that will slim the legs. As with the H frame, resistance training should focus on the lower body.

If you are a V frame

The stepper is a good form of cardio to burn calories and add thickness to the legs.

The treadmill on an incline is also good, but this body type is best to avoid the elliptical machine, as it will lean the legs up too much.

To bring the legs up to speed, focus on quality leg training. Basic power movements should compose the bulk of your leg training, such as squats, leg presses and stiff deadlifts. Shaping exercises such as extensions and lunges are a good finisher for legs.

The Ruler body shape is usually equally thin from bottom to top. A person with this body shape has difficulty adding weight and shape. The majority of exercise should be resistance training. Too much cardio will only further minimize the body. Focus on resistance exercises for the whole body evenly. Building muscles on the upper body and lower body will help bring out more shape.

If you are a ruler

Running is the ideal exercise for you. This will keep your build lean. You can do this for about half an hour. Sit-ups can also do well for you to strengthen your abs and maybe even that prominent belly look. You can do these 3 sets of 20 if you can.

The ideal sports that you can engage to will be volleyball and basketball. These sports will involve your whole body and you can do this for also half an hour. Reaching and stretching before the game will do wonders on your upper body segment.

To ensure that you build a symmetrical body shape, all of the muscle groups should be emphasized and routinely given a workout. Focus on:

•stretching
•sit-ups
•step classes
•spinning
•walking or jogging on an incline
•squats
•bench press and shoulder press

The apple/oval body shape is biggest in the middle, chest and stomach, but little in the arms and legs. This body shape wants to concentrate on cardio that will burn fat and build toned legs. The stepper and the treadmill on incline are great cardio to lose weight all over while still building some muscle tone on the legs.

Resistance training should concentrate on the lower body, again to build tone in the legs.

If you are an Apple

If you are an apple, you will want to focus on aerobic training in order to slim down and lose body fat. By working on the lower half of your body, you can help balance out your chest and shoulders.
Look to perform exercises that are low-resistance and involve low repetitions, such as:
•stair climbing

•walking on an incline

•running

•leg squats, leg press, and dead lifts

•The trick is, know your body shape and the exercises to use to sculpt the masterpiece.

Note: Some women will not fit into any of these categories but the basic principles still apply. Regular exercise, light weights or resistance training and a healthy low fat diet will deliver lasting results over the long term.

Get in Shape with Little or No Equipment

You think that if you drop $1,500 on that elliptical machine, you'll be honor-bound to spend some serious hours on it. But it doesn't work that way. Instead, try some of the no-equipment roster of fitness moves explained by the Zen Habits blog, or a similar set of no-stuff-needed workouts outlined by Dumb Little Man. (Original posts: equipment spending, no equipment 1, no equipment 2) Image by mikebaird.

Exercise and Metabolism Revisited

In my last few posts I have been revisiting the topic of boosting your metabolism.  I began by explaining exactly what metabolism is and then moved on to explain how eating affects your metabolism.  Today I am going to discuss how exercise affects your metabolism.
As I mentioned in previous articles metabolism is influenced by three main factors:
- Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) (the number of calories you burn performing the basic functions that keep you alive).
- Your level of Physical Activity.
- The Thermic Effect of Foods that you Eat (the number of calories it takes to digest and absorb the foods you eat).
HOW DOES RESISTANCE TRAINING BOOST YOUR METABOLISM?
Resistance training (also known as strength training or weight lifting) is anything that involves using resistance to build strength and muscle mass.  Examples include bodyweight training, using weight machines and lifting free weights.  Resistance training also burns additional calories during the workout but the main way it boosts your metabolism is by increasing your muscle mass.  Muscle requires more calories to maintain than fat.  The difference is not huge but according to About.com a pound of muscle requires 6 calories per day to maintain whilst a pound of fat requires 2 calories per day to maintain.  Therefore, by performing regular resistance training and building muscle mass you can increase your BMR and the overall amount of calories you burn on a day to day basis.

Hair Loss Treatment

If hair loss is caused by an illness, treatment of the illness is the best treatment for hair loss. The decision to treat androgenetic alopecia depends upon its emotional effect on the patient's sense of well-being. Many different therapies to stop hair loss and to regrow hair are promoted; you should discuss these options with your physician to establish their validity.
Treatment options include grooming techniques, wigs and hairpieces, medications, and surgery.

• Styling hair to cover the areas with the most hair loss is effective for mild cases. Washing and styling the hair will not cause further hair loss.
• For more severe hair loss, wigs and hairpieces can provide good results if you are willing to try them. Either of these options can be used in combination with medications or surgery if the results of styling or the hairpiece alone are not satisfying.

Contact Lenses That Fix Your Eyes

Eye care tips

“Eyes are the most precious gift of god, you will never get another pair, so look after your lovely eyes.”

Do’s You can do a lot to prevent diabetes eye problems. Include lot of vitamin A in your diet Wear productive eyeglasses while driving, working in industries, chemical exposure, welding etc., Periodically check your vision by closing one eye. Go for periodical eye checkups when there is family history of eye problem like glaucoma or retinal detachment. Have strict diet control in case of diabetes or hypertension. If you are a contact lens wearer, then make sure that you wash your hands each and every time you handle your lenses to avoid infections If you use computers for more than four – five hours a day, take a break for every twenty minutes. Look at any distant object for twenty seconds and then get back to work This will relax your eyes Have a regular eye check up with the ophthalmologist

Don’ts If dust particles enter your eyes, do not rub your eyes. Just wash your eyes with clean water. If you have any infection in one eye, then do not touch the other eye or use the tissue or cloth which you used to wipe the infectious eye to avoid the spread of infection to the other eye Do not watch television at a close distance. Do not lie down and read a book Do not read books in a moving vehicle Do not take indigenous treatment for eye problems Avoid smoking habit and alcohol consumption.

5 Facts About Goal Setting

These practical tips on goal setting can help make it easier to set and reach goals:

1. Specific, realistic goals work best. When it comes to making a change, the people who succeed are those who set realistic, specific goals. "I'm going to recycle all my plastic bottles, soda cans, and magazines" is a much more doable goal than "I'm going to do more for the environment." And that makes it easier to stick with.
2. It takes time for a change to become an established habit. It will probably take a couple of months before any changes — like getting up half an hour early to exercise — become a routine part of your life. That's because your brain needs time to get used to the idea that this new thing you're doing is part of your regular routine.
3. Repeating a goal makes it stick. Say your goal out loud each morning to remind yourself of what you want and what you're working for. (Writing it down works too.) Every time you remind yourself of your goal, you're training your brain to make it happen.
4. Pleasing other people doesn't work. The key to making any change is to find the desire within yourself — you have to do it because you want it, not because a girlfriend, boyfriend, coach, parent, or someone else wants you to. It will be harder to stay on track and motivated if you're doing something out of obligation to another person.
5. Roadblocks don't mean failure. Slip-ups are actually part of the learning process as you retrain your brain into a new way of thinking. It may take a few tries to reach a goal. But that's OK — it's normal to mess up or give up a few times when trying to make a change. So remember that everyone slips up and don't beat yourself up about it. Just remind yourself to get back on track.