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Once summer comes around you may find it difficult to continue your normal exercise routine. It gets hot and muggy and you may either lose the drive to workout or find yourself physically unable to because of the heat. Well this year your routine doesn’t have to be interrupted. Keeping a few important reminders in mind will allow you to stay fit and healthy even when a heat wave strikes.

Hydration and Nutrition

Whether your outside under the hot sun or indoors in a muggy room, be sure to drink plenty of water. You’ll be raising your body temperature even higher and sweating more than usual so it’s important to keep your fluids replenished to avoid heat stroke and dehydration. Make sure you’re getting the proper nutrition as well by choosing healthy foods that will keep your energy supplies up.

Dress Appropriately

One of the best ways to keep yourself cool while exercising in the sun is to wear something light and breathable. If you choose to wear something that exposes skin make sure to wear sunscreen as well to avoid burning. Breathable shoes will help to keep you cool, just ensure they are still the appropriate footwear for the type of exercise you will be doing. Trading supportive shoes for something that will keep you cooler won’t help your workout routine.

Obey Your Body

Pay attention to the signals your body gives you. Checking your pulse from time to time and slowing down your regular routine at first are both excellent ways to ensure a safe workout. If you’re feeling tired or dizzy be sure to give yourself a break or even end your workout early.

Change Your Routine

You may choose to just avoid the sun entirely. Finding a new activity that can be done indoors might be exactly what you need to keep your fitness routine going strong through the summer. Or perhaps you may just want to change when you exercise to a cooler part of the day.

Finding a new activity that’s more suited to the summer temperature could be a great chance to try something you’d never thought of before. It may also give you the opportunity to work new muscles that had been getting neglected with your old workout. Just be sure you don’t overdo your workout and you give yourself a generous warm up and cool down to keep those muscles loose and flexible.

If you’ve seen balance balls lying around your gym and have never used one, you may be wondering what they’re for and how they work. They may look like a simple piece of equipment but the possibilities are endless when it comes to different the exercises you can perform with them. Even if you don’t see something you like with this short video, just try to get some type of resistance with it. Have fun and make sure you are on a comfortable area just in case you roll off.

Uses

Most commonly balance balls are seen in gyms being used for stretching and muscle strengthening. Because they offer such a variety of exercises they can be used whether you want to tone a certain muscle group or strengthen muscles to prevent injury. Low impact exercises can easily be done with a balance ball so they are enormously helpful in rehabilitation from injuries.

Balance balls aren’t limited to just exercise. Many people use them as desk chairs to improve posture. While you may not be “working out” your back and abdominal muscles are still being strengthened by maintaining your balance.

Benefits

As the name would imply, balance balls assist in developing your balance and stability. Achieving excellent balance may not seem always important but it can actually greatly enhance your overall workout.

Having proper balance during a cardio workout will minimize your chance of injury and allow you to more fully enjoy the workout. For a weight training work out, stability is very important when using free weights so the addition of a balance ball to your routine might give you that added level of difficulty you’re looking for.

Working on your balance will increase strength and core fitness resulting in more finely tuned muscles. Your coordination will be honed giving you better reflexes and reaction time.

Tips

Find the right size for the type of exercise you’ll be doing. Balance balls come in many sizes will different variations of firmness, so it’s important to find one that is comfortable for you and suits your needs.

Get creative with your exercises. There are so many exercises out there for balance balls that focus on every different muscle group. If one exercise stops being enjoyable for you or is no longer giving you the resistance you’re looking for, don’t be afraid to try something else.

Watch this short Video on Balance Ball Exercises 101

Whether you’re starting a new fitness program at your local rec center or purchasing equipment for your home gym, understanding the different types of equipment out there is valuable knowledge for anyone with an interest in physical fitness. Your custom routine will determine the equipment you’ll be most familiar with but knowing what’s available can give you the opportunity to expand your workout to something new and exciting.

Cardio Machines

Many weight loss fitness programs will incorporate cardio machines to get your heart rate up and get your blood pumping. Treadmills and elliptical machines offer adjustable speed, inclination, and resistance settings that let you customize your workout while cycling and rowing machines are another option if you’re looking to focus on certain muscle groups.

Weight Training Equipment

For any weight training workout you will be able to choose from free weights or a weight machine and many people will incorporate both into their routines. Free weights will generally be used with an adjustable weight bench that give you the desired inclination for each exercise. Weight machines can be either plate loaded or stack machines and the one you choose will just be a matter of personal preference.

Stretching and Yoga

Flexibility and stretching is an important part of any workout so using the proper mats can make this aspect more enjoyable and save your hands and knees some potential grief. To add some extra meat to your warm ups and cool downs you may want to try using some exercise bands and tubing. They come in different thicknesses so having a few different bands on hand can give you a variety of resistances.

Other Machines and Equipment

Exercise balls and balance disks can be used on their own for toning and stability exercises or used concurrently with weights to add a little more difficulty to your weight training. Hand exercisers are excellent little pieces of equipment that will help you work on your grip. You may even want to try things like ab and thigh machine to tone specific areas.

No matter what type of workout you want to get there is a piece of equipment out there that can either provide the workout or simply enhance it. If you aren’t sure about a certain machine try it out or have a trainer or store clerk show you how to use it. Learning about new machines and equipment can be an interesting way to spice up a previously stale workout routine.

Getting started in a water aerobics class could be the right thing for you any number of reasons. There are so many different types of fitness programs and work out plans but water aerobics has always remained pretty unique. Water aerobics can not only be an amazing workout, it’s safe, and it’s tons of fun!

A Good Start

If you’re new to exercising, think you’re out of shape, and don’t know what to try then water aerobics is a great place to start. This is an activity that lets you go at your own pace and increase your exertion when you’re ready. While the water provides resistance as part of the fitness routine, it also helps to reduce the resistance of gravity and can be used to your benefit while your muscles are still getting stronger.

Weight and Obesity

For some it may be discouraging to embark on a new fitness program when you’re overweight. One of the best things about water aerobics is that about 85% of your body weight is being supported by the water. When you’re working out in this environment, you’re still burning calories, but a lot of stress is being taken off your back and legs so you get the chance to have a full body workout with less discomfort.

Age and Joint Pain

As you get older, arthritis and joint pain may be something that can’t be helped. Trying to maintain a healthy level of physical fitness may become unbearable, but water aerobics is an activity that will cause less inflammation and pain to your joints. Plus, being submerged in the refreshing fluidity of the pool may actual go a long way to help relax some of your aches and pains.

Rehabilitation

Exercising can be a great way to get you back on your feet after an injury, but that can be challenging when you’re already in pain. Water aerobics is an invaluable rehabilitation tool because it can be as low-impact as you make it. You may even just decide to make it part of your fitness regime as a form of injury prevention.

Water aerobics can be right for you whether it’s being done for exercise or just for fun. Many people out there who aren’t strong swimmers may still enjoy water related activities and lucky for them water aerobics can be done in shallow water levels. Whether you choose this form of fitness because of medical reason, age, pregnancy, or just for your love of water, it’s a great way to keep cool and have fun while burning calories.

Are you using proper breathing techniques while exercising? It may be something you’ve never even thought about, but it can be a pivotal point in a successful workout. Whether you’re lifting weights (anaerobic) or going for a run (aerobic) your breathing is important in many ways. Even during your warm up stretch, paying attention to your breathing patterns can give you a better workout.

Endurance

Controlled breathing will go a long way to maintaining a steady workout. During a cardio workout, you’ll have to keep your breathing level heavier than average but you don’t want to be outright panting. If you can talk but your breathing is still laboured you’re probably in the right breathing range. Your breathing is an indication of your heart rate, and with a cardio workout, your heart rate is determining the intensity level of your activity.

Breathing may seem less important while lifting weights but that is most certainly not the case. Do not hold your breath while strength training! Your muscles need that oxygen you’re breathing in and you’ll be able to last a lot longer if you keep your breathing steady.

Blood Flow

Holding your breath in a workout or not breathing evenly can affect your blood pressure. The physical activity you’re doing has already elevated your heart rate, but adding uneven breathing can increase this and that can be dangerous if your blood pressure is already high. You’re working out to be healthier so doing something that could endanger you is only counter-productive.

Maintaining Stress

Not only will proper breathing techniques prolong your workout and keep your heart beating at a safe pace, it can also just relax you and make your workout more enjoyable. While doing your warm up and cool down stretches, take the time to breathe slowly and deliberately. This will focus you and let you really feel the progress your body has made. Controlled breathing will lower your heart rate after an intense workout and will replenish your muscles with the much needed oxygen they have used up.

Your body is a fine tuned machine and even though breathing may seem like a trivial thing it should not be overlooked. Proper breathing will give you a more effective and enjoyable workout so whether your riding a bike, doing bench presses, or holding a difficult yoga pose, just breathe!