What Is An Elliptical Trainer And How Can It Help Me?

Elliptical trainers, sometimes referred to as cross trainers, are a new form of exercise equipment rapidly becoming the most popular piece of fitness equipment in gyms and homes around the world. Elliptical trainers are a good choice for anyone desiring a safe, total body work out. Ellipticals are one of the best weight bearing total body fitness exercise machines on the market today and no other fitness equipement offers as many benefits.

My Personal Experience On The Elliptical
I have to admit when I was first introduced to an elliptical trainer I was a bit skeptical about its ability to furnish a whole body workout. Boy was I (pleasantly) surprised however by the results. The elliptical is now a personal favorite for my husband and I, who use it religiously. Both of us have knee problems that do not affect us when working out on the elliptical. It's quite easy to get your heart rate up when using an elliptical machine, but you don't feel like you are 'pounding pavement' and killing your joints.

Elliptical Trainers: How Do They Work?
Elliptical trainers work much like a stair climber only they reduce the impact to your knees and joints. They provide you with footpads to stand on while you exercise. You hold onto handles that move in a manner much like you would if cross country skiing. Elliptical trainers allow you to engage in weight bearing exercise, which helps build muscle and strengthen your bones. Unlike jogging or running, elliptical trainers provide a total body workout without severely impacting your joints including your knees.

Most elliptical machines have a crank arm attached to a bar at one end of the machine and an axis at the other end of the machine. The axis then rotates when the bar moves and the end moves in a flat back and forth direction. Resistance for elliptical machines is created either through a band that attaches to the fly wheel or by magnetic resistance (most higher end models feature magnetic resistance). The motion of an elliptical machine is smooth like a bicycle ride. You can also switch your movement into reverse and rotate the areas of your legs you are working.

An elliptical machine provides continuous movements that are smooth and non-jarring. That is why so many people prefer them to the abrupt and impactful movements of a treadmill or other exercise machine. An exercise bike may provide the same smooth motion. You can't however work your upper body the same way using a bicycle that you can when using an elliptical machine. Likewise, swimming also provides excellent smooth exercise for all body parts, but it doesn't provide weight bearing exercise. Study after study suggests that it is important for people, especially women, to engage in weight bearing exercises to help boost bone density and muscle strength.

Benefits Of 'Elipticizing'
Using an elliptical trainer provides many benefits including:

1.They are easy to use.
2.They are good for patients with knee problems or those looking for a low impact but effective form of cardiovascular exercise.
3.You can adjust elliptical trainers to meet your fitness level.
4.Most come with built in heart monitors so you can check your fitness progress.
5.Elliptical trainers provide a total body workout, exercising the arms and legs at the same time.
6.If you own an elliptical trainer, you probably won't need another form of exercise equipment.

Even better, you can select from various types of elliptical workout machines to suite your personal needs. Some for example are built for home use while other higher end models are exclusively built for gyms (though many home owners prefer these because of their exceptional quality).

History of The Elliptical Trainer
The elliptical trainer first started gaining popularity during the 1990s. During this time studies began showing that elliptical trainers provided superior benefits over other forms of exercise like bicycling or running. Elliptical machines offer total body routines without high impact exercise. Traditional versions initially only worked the lower body with stable, unmoving handlebars. Fortunately the elliptical trainers of today feature movable handles that offer a more complex and sophisticated workout. Users can now workout multiple areas of the body in one session, rather than jump from machine to machine to get total body benefits.

About The Author:

Antigone Arthur is a successful freelance writer with 10 years of professional experience providing consumers with informative articles on such topics as elliptical trainers, elliptical machines, and elliptical trainer reviews.

The Importance of Being Flexible

I am Dr Patrick Flanagan, and this is the latest edition of my Dr Health Secrets newsletter.

I am a scientist with over 300 inventions related to health, longevity and medicine. This newsletter installment is about stretching, flexibility and its effects on your body.

Bone Up on Your Stretching

You attempt to bend down and lift your cat but your lower back creaks, seizes up and complains. Your hamstrings are tight as two boards of plywood from years of running, but will not allow you to reach down to pick up your grandchild. You stretch for the bar of soap in the shower but your shoulder tightens in its rotator cuff. Your body rattles, grates and squeaks like the tin man as you stiffly maneuver through your busy day.

If you want to retain a youthful flexible body that will bend at your request, then move the toxins out and get the oxygen in to the connective tissues and joints. You may not ever be ready to run away with the trapeze lady at Cirque de Soleil, but you will be able to bend down and pick a flower or tie your shoe all the way into your 70?s if you give in to a routine practice of stretching.

Flexibility is a health issue for many adults as the average person loses up to 70% of flexibility between the ages of 20 to 70 if they do not take conscious action to stretch their joints, ligaments, and bones. Although not life-threatening, lack of flexibility is a health concern for those who exercise, and for those who don?t, because of its debilitating effects on the human body, as joint stiffness increases and muscles become less limber with age.

Stretch These Old Bones

Extended periods of inactivity bring about chemical changes that can limit flexibility. Underused connective tissue loses elasticity as it becomes stiff and dense. The human body goes through a similar process as it ages, but a flexibility program will not only improve physical fitness, it can give you a more youthful body. Stretching will increase suppleness by stimulating the production of chemicals that lubricate the connective soft tissue. Stimulating the production of lubricants between connective tissue fibers promotes hydration and as a result, the pliancy and agility of the movements of your body, slowing down the aging process.

Flexibility is defined as the absolute range of motion available in any joint. It is joint specific. How far will the joint yield to slow steady stretches while breathing deeply. It is also movement specific. You may be flexible in one shoulder stretch, but not in another. Flexibility training promotes relaxation both mentally and physically. Body awareness, aligned posture, and proper breathing patterns will be enhanced and carry over into your daily life, which is the ultimate goal of all exercise and health care. You exercise to increase the quality of your life through taking care of the body. Stretching quickens the delivery of oxygen and other nutrients, while speeding the removal of lactic acid and other waste products. It is vital to hydrate, and re-hydrate after deep stretching, to help remove the toxins from the body and to promote suppleness and lasting health.

Recommendations for Flexibility Training

1. Stretch and flexibility training should be done when the body is warm.

2. Yoga is an amazing practice to strengthen and stretch the body and mind.

3. Never stretch to the point of pain, only slight discomfort.

4. Slow long inhales and exhales will aid you to get into a stretch, and ease the muscles over time into relaxing more deeply.

5. Hydration is a necessary way to keep healthy, removing the toxins from the muscles, joints and connective tissue.

Water These Old Bones

Some of you may say, Well, I hate water and I don't want to drink anymore than I have to, and while I want to enforce that water is essential to our bodies and minds, seeing as how we are mostly comprised of it, there are other ways to make the most of the water that you do drink.

Make sure you can absorb the nutrients with proper hydration. That means enough of the right kind of water each day. The naturally present water in raw foods is a great source but also make sure your water has a low surface tension.

Though most tap and bottled water has high surface tenions, there are ways to make water more available to your body's cells.

Silica is a natural mineral and special forms of microcluster? silica are small enough to change the absorption properties of water. Ask your vitamin store for it.

For more information about optimal sources of hydration, visit http://www.drhealthsecrets.com/newsflexible.html

This article has been brought to you by Dr Patrick Flanagan, a cellular hydration expert who has developed a unique mineral form called Microcluster? silica and silica hydride to dramatically increase longevity. Silica hydride is also the most powerful antioxidant known. To learn more about Dr. Patrick Flanagan and ways to more beauty, health and longer life, for less than $1 a day, please visit http://www.drhealthsecrets.com/newsflexible.html

You will also find a link to download the Wetter Water Report by Dr. Patrick Flanagan for FREE.

The Psoas Muscles and Abdominal Exercises for Back Pain

Common opinion notwithstanding, the proper purpose of abdominal exercises is to improve coordination of the abdominal muscles with the other muscles of the trunk and legs (which include the psoas muscles), to improve alignment, and not to strengthen the back (a nonsensical proposition if one thinks about it). When the psoas muscles achieve their proper length and responsiveness, they stabilize the lumbar spine, giving the feeling of better support and strength, and cause the spine and abdomen to fall back, giving the appearance of strong abdominal muscles. To improve psoas functioning, a different approach to abdominal exercises than the one commonly practiced is necessary. Instead of strengthening, the emphasis must be on awareness, control, balancing and coordination of the involved muscles - the purview of somatic education.

A discussion of the methods and techniques of somatic education is beyond the scope of this paper, which confines itself to a discussion of the relation of the psoas muscles, abdominal exercises, and back pain.

The Relationship of Psoas, Abdominal Muscles and Back Pain

The psoas muscles and the abdominal muscles are agonist and antagonist as well as synergists; a free interplay between the two is appropriate. The psoas muscles lie behind the abdominal contents, running from the lumbar spine to the inner thighs near the hip joints (lesser trochanters); the abdominal muscles lie in front of the abdominal contents, running from the lower borders of the ribs (with the rectus muscles as high as the nipples) to the frontal lines of the pelvis.

Take a moment to contemplate each of these relationships until you can feel or visualize them.

• In the standing position, contracted psoas muscles (which ride over the pubic crests) move the pubis backward; the abdominal muscles move the pubis forward. (antagonists)

• In walking, the ilio-psoas muscles of one side initiate movement of that leg forward, while the abdominals bring the same-side hip and pubis forward. (synergists)

• The psoas

Can I Have A Tummy Tuck?

Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty surgery is a major surgical procedure that aims to remove unwanted fat and excess skin from the lower abdominal area. Tummy tucks also tighten up the abdominal muscles via surgery. The end result is a nice figure free of unwanted fat and stretch marks.

If you are planning to undergo a tummy tuck, it would be a good idea to go for a general checkup to determine to overall health. You would be at an increased risk of complications if you have diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, liver disease. Go through your medical history and consult with your family doctor to see if you can undergo a major surgical procedure.

Your bodyweight should in and around 30% of your ideal bodyweight to get the most out of a tummy tuck. Your weight should also be quite stable within the period of 6 months before your tummy tuck. If you are on a weight loss program or plan to take one up, then you should complete the weight loss program first. Upon completion of your weight loss program, wait a while for your body weight to stabilize before undergoing a tummy tuck.

If you plan to have children, then you should go for a tummy tuck only after completing you family planning. The reason is because pregnancy will stretch your abdomen and this could undo your tummy tuck procedure as a tummy tuck aims to tighten the abdomen.

It will also help a lot if you start gathering some information about surgery. A tummy tuck is considered a major surgery so you should be well prepared to know what you are getting yourself into. This information gathering exercise will help calm your emotions and help you understand the risks involved in undergoing major surgery.

Since a tummy tuck involves surgery, you would probably want to make sure that it is the last resort of your weight loss efforts. The main reason being the lengthy recovery period after a tummy tuck. It will take you up to a year before you can fully enjoy the benefits of a successful tummy tuck.

Want to learn more about Tummy Tucks?, feel free to visit us at: http://www.about-tummy-tucks.info

Home Gym Full Body Training Routines

We all know how difficult in might be to make it to the gym after 9 long hours at work. I bet it has happened to you as well.

But what do you do when you don't feel you have the energy to stop by the local gym on your way home? Or may be you don't have the time for a workout at the gym. You can only use 20 - 30 min.

What?s the solution then? It could be only one - a full body workout at your home gym.

But first take this from me. If you don't have a home gym set up already, don't even think of missing a workout. Go to the local gym where you are a member. Missing a single workout can set a path for a habit. Vice versa, not missing a workout won't let you think of such an option.

So, let?s suppose that it's one of these days when you can't make it to the gym, and are planning on working out at home. That means you have a gym of some sort, already set up.

In this article I want to advise you on your choices for a full body routine. The workout you will pick however, will all depend on how your home gym is equipped.

For example you might have a home-gym machine. Or you might be a hardcore bodybuilder. Then you have free weights as your main equipment.

If you belong to the first group - you own a home gym machine - this is the part you should be reading.

The simplest home gym machines are equipped for at least several exercises such as: bench press, lat pull down, seated rows, biceps curls, triceps push-downs, leg extensions and standing hamstring curls.

That?s actually plenty. You can complete the whole body in a single session.

Your circuit workout:

/Warm up/
Crunches 2-3 x 15 - 30
Seated bench press 3 x 10 - 12
Lat pull-down 3 x 10 - 12
Front cable raises (machine behind you, lower pulley cable between your thighs) 3 x 10 - 12
Standing biceps cable curls (lower pulley cable, facing the machine) 3 x 10 - 12
Standing triceps push-downs (using the lat-pull down handle) 3 x 10 - 12 Leg extensions 3 x 12 - 15
Standing hamstring curls (facing the machine) 3 x 12 - 15
/Cool down/

You have more options for replacing some of the exercises:

Replace seated bench press wide grip with seated bench press close grip.

Replace lat pull down with seated rows (facing the machine).

Replace standing biceps cable curls with lying cable curls (lie down on the floor on your back and place your feet on the rolling pads for support).

In case that you belong to the second group - you are a hardcore enthusiast or bodybuilder, the least equipment you have (I would guess) is an adjustable bench, a power rack, an olympic barbell set and a pair of dumbbells with adjustable weights.

For you I'd suggest two circuit routines. You can do only one of them or you can do two circuits, using both if you feel you have energy (and desire) to do that:

Workout One/Circuit One

/Warm up/
Crunches 1-2 x 15 - 30
Flat bench press on the rack 2-3 x 12 - 15
Barbell rows 2-3 x 10 - 15
Seated dumbbell overhead presses 2-3 x 12 - 15
Barbell curls 2-3 x 8 - 12
Barbell lying triceps extensions 2-3 x 12 - 15
Squats 2-3 x 10 x 15
Stiff Leg Dead Lifts 2-3 x 10 - 12
/Cool down/

Workout Two/Circuit Two

/Warm up/
Reverse crunches 1-2 x 15 - 20
Dumbbell flys 2-3 x 10 - 12
One-arm dumbbell rows 2-3 x 10 - 12
Dumbbell lateral raises 2-3 x 10 - 12
Seated dumbbell curls 2-3 x 8 - 12
One-arm overhead triceps extensions 2-3 x 8 - 12
Lunges (holding a pair of dumbbells) 2-3 x 12 - 15
/Cool down/

Note that the number of reps is slightly higher than what you would normally do should you have worked out at the gym. I did it this way intentionally. My advice is that you use 50 - 70% of your One Rep Max due to the fact that you don't have a spotter. If you think you can go heavier please do, but at your own risk.

That?s it. Now that you finished your workout you deserve a nice, chilled protein shake. After all you are at home and can make it any way you want, right. And, yes, you should feel good because you didn't miss your workout.

Ivan Nikolov, a top five natural bodybuilder, shares with you his secrets about his favorite foods and supplements, training routines and exercises. Visit his web site http://www.ivannikolov.com to learn more of what you need to know if you want to be a natural bodybuilder or simply look like one.

For more on training routines for novice, intermediate and advanced athletes visit the Total Body Exercise Routines page.

Seeing While Affected With Blindness

Being blind, is just simply the condition of not having visual perception. Like everything medical, and even today non-medical there is a more 'advanced' definition of blindness. This definition in North America is defined as having 20/200 or less in an individual's best eye after eye correction, such as contact lenses, or glasses. 20/200 means that you would stand 20 ft away from an object and see the same thing as someone with normal eyesight would see from 200ft.

Distance is one of the major factors in determining blindness, with the second being the visual field. A normal person has a visual field of 180 degrees, with someone who is blind having merely 20 degrees. Alot of times we assume that when someone is legally blind that they cannot see anything at all. This assumption holds true in ten percent of cases, with the rest having some vision. Even just some light perception accounts for vision.

One of the leading causes of blindness is Diseases. The most common causes of blindness around the world as determined by WHO (World Health Organization) are:

- cataracts (47.8%)

- glaucoma (12.3%)

- age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (8.7%)

- corneal opacity (5.1%)

- diabetic retinopathy (4.8%)

- trachoma (3.6%)

Developing countries are greatly more prone to developing visual impairment as it is one of the consequences of treatable or preventable conditions, that they simply just cannot afford.

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the article, this caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

Ryan Fyfe is the owner and operator of Color Blindness Test - http://www.color-blindness-test.com, which is the best site on the internet for all Blindness related information.

Diet Pills and Effective Weight Management

Trying to lose weight for some years now! Tired of sweating in a gym? Fed up of striving on tasteless diet schedule? Cellulites don?t seem to melt at all! Yes!!! Read On..

Have you ever given it a thought - Why? Answer is b?coz, there is no monitoring system; no back up plans for all the pills popped at random, no progressive charts to motivate and basically no fixed diet plan. People who had got tired of sweating in a gym and fed up of striving on tasteless diet schedule with a blank result in there hands may find diet pills to be a miraculous happening coming all the way long into their lives. The diet pills are known to be the fast way of loosing weight.

Diet pills popular among the common man as weight loss pills are the drugs used to reduce weight by suppressing hunger due to an increased rate of heart achieved by stimulating the nervous system of the body. These pills are manufactured and sold by drug companies. There are loads of diet pills available in the market like Phentermine, Didrex, Xenical, Adipex. However a doctor?s consultation is most needed before popping in these pills as these often trigger harmful side-effects to the body.

Diet pills can be categorized under two heads ? ?Prescription Diet Pills? and ?Over the Counter Diet Pills?. Prescription diet pills are those which require a prescription being provided by an authorized doctor or licensed nurse before its purchase. These pills are regulated by food and drug administration (FDA). Over the counter diet pills on the other hand are not regulated by FDA and do not require any prescription.

The weight loss diet pills supplement is also available in the market commonly known as herbal diet pills. These pills are being extracted from natural products obtained from plants and herbs. Herbal pills are often queued in the list of food supplements and are not under the regulation of FDA. People had a misconception that being herbal these pills will not have an adverse effect but it?s not true.

Besides outweighing benefits these pills are blamed to have several side effects ?

?Among few people the symptoms of dizziness, diarrhea, blurred vision, upset digestive system, and nervousness are noticed.

?Diet pills are found to be habit forming means people gets addicted to it.

?The effect of weight loss pills is of short duration. As soon as the body gets adapted to it the results start diminishing.

?Once you stop taking diet pills the weight is soon gained back with the same pace you had loosed it in past.

Diet pills with a balanced diet and regular exercise will always help you in loosing weight. Before going for these tiny miraculous pills it is advised to consult a doctor to avoid the risk and for better results.

Peter is an associated editor to the website http://www.slimtour.com. It is committed to provide visitors with complete information on weight loss,diet pills, and online prescription drugs like Phentermine, Didrex.