building muscle - tune your body

Physical fitness is to the human body what fine tuning is to an engine. It enables us to perform up to our potential. Fitness can be described as a condition that helps us look, feel and do our best. More specifically, it is:
"The ability to perform daily tasks vigorously and alertly, with energy left over for enjoying leisure- time activities and meeting emergency demands. It is the ability to endure, to bear up, to withstand stress, to carry on in circumstances where an unfit person could not continue, and is a major basis for good health and well-being."

Focus on the following key elements of getting and staying fit:

Warmup - 5-10 minutes of exercise such as walking, slow jogging, knee lifts, arm circles or trunk rotations. Low intensity movements that simulate movements to be used in the activity can also be included in the warmup.

Building Muscle is easy with a minimum of two 20-minute sessions per week that include exercises for all the major muscle groups. Lifting weights is the most effective way to increase strength.

Muscular Endurance - at least three 30-minute sessions each week that include exercises such as calisthenics, pushups, situps, pullups, and weight training for all the major muscle groups.

Cardio - at least three 20-minute bouts of continuous aerobic (activity requiring oxygen) rhythmic exercise each week. The Bowflex TreadClimber is ideally suited for getting maximum results in the shortest time. Mix it up - try a variety of aerobic conditioning activities. Get out and enjoy the fun of walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, rope-jumping, rowing, cross-country skiing, and tennis, racquetball and handball.

Flexibility - 10-12 minutes of daily stretching exercises performed slowly, without a bouncing motion. This can be included after a warmup or during a cooldown.

The Cool Down - at least 5-10 minutes of slow walking, low-level exercise, combined with stretching. This is when you really get that great sense of calm and accomplishment. The cool down is SO relaxing.Keep moving. Enjoy the good feeling!

Patience is essential. Don’t try to do too much too soon and don’t quit before you have a chance to experience the rewards of improved fitness. You can’t regain in a few days or weeks what you have lost in years of sedentary living, but you can get it back if your persevere. And the prize is worth the price.