Many people love to workout because it helps them stay fit, makes them feel better, and keeps them healthy. Some individuals do not like to warm up. So today, we must talk about the importance of warming up correctly.

Warming up and stretching can be beneficial in so many ways. For example, it increases body temperature, it reduces the potential for muscle injury, and it increases blood flow to exercising muscles. It also helps the heart and blood vessels adjust to the body’s increased demands and it prepares muscles for
impending workload. Warming up may also reduce the likelihood of excessive muscle soreness.

That being said, there is a correct way to warm-up. While the popular trend has been static stretching, stretching in place each muscle for seconds is beneficial as well; Dynamic stretching has actually been proven to be better for the athlete. Dynamic stretching is a series of movements performed in a smooth, controlled manner that can take the body to the limits of its range of motion. Dynamic warm up has led to improved performance as it allows progression of speed and agility work because the body is better prepared and better able to sustain increased loads. It can also improve forces through the connective tissue and joints with proper blood flow, circulation, and mental preparedness. While static stretching impairs performance, it does not prevent injury and it does not correctly warm up the muscles.

Some good examples of dynamic stretches that you can do before any workout are front to back leg swings, side-to-side leg swings, butt kicks, and high knees. It is important to do each stretch no longer than 2 seconds and complete movements that mimic the activities you are about to perform as closely as possible. Do the dynamic movements for about 40 feet turn around and return completing the next movement. This will help activate those muscle groups you are about to engage for exercise.

By Jessi Walker

This is the week! The fourth week of school where the exercise prescription students meet the clients they will teach, where professors start giving actual tests, and where students start to realize ihop everyday was not a good idea. So the wellness is where everyone will be .

The wellness center is usually very busy… That being said I believe everyone is nervous on some level to workout. The exercise prescription students are nervous to meet their clients; they want to say and do everything perfect. While the faculty members are probably a little worried because they want to do well on all of their fitness tests. The other students working out in the wellness are also either stressed out about an upcoming test or new to the wellness and are not used to being surrounded by their peers as they work out.

Just remember working out is a way to help with anxiety, it boosts your mood and can make you feel much better. So don’t worry when you get nervous about having to go to the wellness. Some ways to help with the nerves would be to find a workout partner! They will help keep you accountable and you will relax knowing you are headed to workout with a friend. Another great way to help calm the nerves would be to make a gym plan. Know what exercises you want to do when you get there, that way when you arrive you are not only confident but ready to get busy. The more focused you become on your workout plan the less time you have to think about your nerves. Trust me everyone has their minds on what is going on in their life that day, so just do your best and enjoy working out. It really is for your benefit!

by: Lauren Clonts

There are so many productive things that you can do during your breaks that you have throughout the day other than play Candy Crush, scroll on your Facebook for 30-45 minutes or take a nap on your lunch break. There is one thing that you can do that can totally improve your quality of life in multiple different aspects without you really even realizing it! It can make you tougher, self- reliant, self- confident, increase your willpower, and even more and the best part is that it only takes up an hour of your time! If you break it down, an hour really isn’t that long and if it will improve your quality of life, why not give it a try?

Lift weights.

Lifting weights teaches you so many skills to help you be successful in a lot of different aspects of your life. For example, a lot of people have to overcome fear to even go to a gym or go into a gym alone and you are already one step ahead of the rest for being in this program! Then there is the confidence that you know what you are doing and can be productive for an hour. It will also teach you to keep pushing until you are able to achieve your goals. Lifting weights is also a fantastic stress reliever when you aren’t having a great day. You will come back from your lunch break in a lot better mood and you will most like get a lot more things done the rest of the day.

Now that we are nearing the end of our time together, we want you to be able to continue on your journey to a healthier lifestyle without us and still be successful. We gave you a lot of the tools that you needed to be able to get started and learn how to do different exercises. Now it will be on you to hold yourself accountable and get into the gym. We want to still see you improve, even if we aren’t there to help you. Keep up all of your hard work and stay determined and motivated!

by: Shelby Winrow

With summer just around the corner, many people are going to start traveling soon. It can be hard to stay fit while you’re enjoying a vacation. There can be a many temptations, but there are ways to fight them off.  If you work out on a regular basis, don’t let travel get you off track. There are many innovative and easy ways to stay on your plan.

Try planning your workouts before you leave. If you know you will be staying in a hotel for a week try planning three to five different bodyweight circuit plans that can be done in the room. These can consist of timed circuits of pushups, bodyweight squats, and lunges. Many hotels also have fitness centers in the building. These fitness centers can have a limited amount of equipment so it is important to have a flexible plan. By planning your workouts into your vacation schedule it may be easier to stay on track. It can also be helpful to pack portable equipment such as, lightweight dumbbells, resistance bands, or an exercise mat.

Another way to stay on track with your workouts is to stay active on vacation. Try doing activities like a walking or cycling tour around a city, take a surfing lesson, or take a dance lesson. By staying active and moving it won’t feel like you missed a workout while on vacation. If you get stuck at an airport for a layover instead of just sitting try walking around the airport, doing squats, or walking up and down stairs. Include your friends or family that are vacationing with you in your exercise plans to help you stay on track.

by: Taylor Mogg

For most people it’s hard to get started on being fit. Being fit doesn’t just mean being in the gym for hours at a time. Unfortunately, that’s not for a lot of people. Luckily, physical activity doesn’t have to be complicated. There are so many health benefits for just walking. The temperature is finally starting to get bearable (not so much the wind), so being outside more often is now and option again. It doesn’t have to be an extremely long walk just go for a brisk walk at a good steady pace. Here’s a list of a few of the benefits of just walking:

Helps maintain a healthy weight.

Prevents/maintains various diseases, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

Strengthens bones and muscles.

Improves mood.

Improves balance and coordination.

Improves sleep.

Can lower Alzheimer’s risk.

References:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/walking/art-20046261

By: Ashton Smith

When I think about jump roping, I think about how much I loved it as a child. Now as an adult, my outlook towards it couldn’t be any different. I remember always playing at recess jumping to double dutch or in P.E. class participating in Jump Rope for Heart. I keep asking myself, where did my passion for jump roping go? I am a very competitive individual, always have been and probably always will. I think where we go wrong as adults is taking away the FUN of something we used to enjoy by making it as just a workout. I challenge you and myself, to find the fun in a exercise that can be one of the most effective exercises that can improve your health.

Jumping rope can have many benefits for one’s health. The big reason everyone loves to hear is the amount of major calories it burns. As opposed to jogging for 30 minutes, jumping rope actually burns more calories, up to 1300 calories per hour of vigorous activity.  Ten minutes of jumping rope is about equivalent to running an 8- minute mile. Jumping rope also increases quickness and agility. When jumping rope properly, on the balls of your feet, your body connects with the mind to make neural muscular adjustments to keep you balanced. Even if you jump rope for a few minutes every day you can subconsciously make your mind focus on your feet, which will improve balance as well. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, jumping rope is a highly recommended aerobic exercise. One must participate in this exercise 3-5 times a week for 12 to 20 minutes at a time, in order to increase heart and lung health. That’s it?

With all types of exercises we hear about today, not many are as cheap as $3! Even the top-of-the-line fitness jump ropes are only $15. My favorite part about it is you can do it in your garage, at the gym, or even at school or work. Many of you might be worried that jumping rope will be hard, but just like any other skill you have, it needs practice. Don’t give up!

Steps to Beginning the Jumping Rope Journey:

1. Choose the right jump rope.
   For beginners, you may want to consider a beaded jump rope or a licorice jump rope that is inexpensive, durable, and slower paced. Once you gain more experience, one may consider a speed rope which is meant to be fast.
2. Size your rope.

If you are a beginner, a longer jump rope may be ideal. In order to size your rope perfectly, stand on the jump rope in the middle of the cord. The BOTTOM of the jump rope handles should come to your armpit.

3. Pick the right surface.

Jumping rope should be a low impact activity. Hardwood floors are the best option as they give you a little extra bounce and are easier on your knees. Try to stay off of concrete unless on a mat or even carpet as it will cause your rope to bounce and you will have to jump higher to clear it.

References:

http://www.buyjumpropes.net/resources/how-to-jump-rope/

https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/jump_rope.htm

http://www.acsm.org

http://www.jumpropeinstitute.com/sports.html

By: Lauren Clonts

While going through the Employee Wellness Program have you realized that your clothes are fitting a little looser and you feel like your slimming down, but when you step on the scale to see how much weight you have lost you are disappointed? You believe you should be losing all of this weight, but instead it hasn’t moved hardly at all or it shows that you have gained weight. Do not get discouraged! Here is a couple of reasons you shouldn’t worry about what the number on the scale say.

Reason 1: You may be gaining muscle!

Have you ever heard of the phrase, “muscle weighs more than fat?” Well let’s think about that, one pound of muscle weighs the same as one pound of fat but if you look at the two side by side you will notice that fat takes up more space or volume than muscle. You may look noticeably slimmer and more lean due to losing fat, but you are adding in muscle gains which will keep the number on the scale the same or even higher. A body fat percentage testing would be more accurate to tell how much fat you have lost instead of a scale because it cannot tell the difference between fat and muscle.

Reason 2:  How you feel is important too!

Maybe you haven’t lost a ton of weight, but how do you feel at the end of the day? Do you like how you look? Do you have more energy? Do you feel stronger? If you said yes to those questions, then it shouldn’t matter what the scale says! All that matters is about how you feel about yourself!

Reason 3: Remember What’s Really Important

You joined this program to start a healthier lifestyle. We all want you to be happy and healthy inside and outside of our program. If we obsess about what the scale says, it could get in the way of your body composition goals. Instead of trying to set a weight loss goal, try to set a goal such as dropping a pant/ dress size or using a tape measure to measure how big your muscles are getting or how many inches you have lost.