About Fitness

• [Physical fitness], a general state of good health, usually as a result of exercise and nutrition
• [Fitness (biology)], an individual's ability to propagate its genes
• [Fitness competition], a form of physique training for women, related to bodybuilding.
• In mathematics and computer science, the degree to which a given function is optimized; see [optimization (mathematics)]
• [The Fitness], an electric band with no legs.

Fitness

Questions and Answers

fitness plans?

Q) i am want to carry out a fitness regime in my home, i have no fitness equipment other than some fitness dvds but i feel if i had other things to do other than fitness dvd. Only within the house! I would be really grateful if someone could tell me a plan i could carry out? thank you!

A) Not exactly in your house, but cheap to do - I lost quite a lot of weight by going running 3 times a week, tough at first but good once you get in to it

Gym Fitness Plan/Workout?

Q) Hi I am joining my local university gym. It is cheap and has every piece of equipment you could ever imagine. However, it does not offer tailormade fitness plans. Can you help me create a plan? More about me: Sex: Female Age: 26 Height: 5'2 Weight: 7 stones 4 pounds (105 pounds) Health: No problems Fitness history: I have not been to the gym in 4 years. However, I workout at home 3/4 times a week for an hour a time. I also cycle and walk a lot. I am able to do full press-ups etc. Goals: I do not want to lose weight! I would like to tone up a little more and increase my cardio fitness. I would like to use weights, but I do not want to end up with huge muscular thighs! Any help would be much appreciated.

A) Hi, It sounds like you have a pretty good overall level of fitness already, but wanting to improve is always a good thing. First of all it sounds like you need to concentrate on your cardio work. (This will increase your fitness levels and also reduce your body fat levels). Running is an excellent choice for this, if you want to increase fitness but not lose too much weight, then start out by seeing if you can jog comfortably for half an hour. (Just so you are slightly out of breath but can still talk comfortably). Once you can do this, then speed it up a little, and aim for a mile and a half in 12 minutes. (It may take some time to build up to this but that is fine). Just to give you an example for comparison, I used to be in the army and we used a mile and a half in 10 minutes or under for our fitness base. Cycling is excellent for cardio fitness and if you already do it and enjoy it then carry on, but doing the same thing all the time will reduce it's benefits as your body gets used to it. Lots of swimming is also a good idea. But alternate your workouts and throw in some rowing and x training if your gym has one. All of these will obviously increase your fitness but will also tone up your muscles to a limited degree too. It may be a good idea to buy a body fat measurer if your gym doesn't do it just to keep an eye on it, you can see if you are at a healthy level now and then adjust your cardio programme accordingly if you are going to low or high. Secondly you need to start on the weights. This seems to be a taboo subject for many women but don't let it be. There is a basic rule to remember (obviously this is simplified) but basically heavy weights with few reps and sets will build size and power, light weights with lots of reps and sets will tone and shape the muscle. A lot depends on your body type too (mesomorph, endomorph or ectomorph). I'm assuming you are naturally slim/petite build by your description? (apologies if I'm wrong.) But this general workout will be fine anyway, just adjust it to what is good for you. Basically you need to work your entire body, not just one or two groups. For your arms, shoulders and chest, free weights are the best. (basically dumbells). Use a light to medium weight (a medium weight is one you can comfortably do three sets of twelve reps with), and do 5 or 6 sets of 12 to 15 (depending on the weight. This will tone up your muscle and give your body shape without building bulk. For your arms you just need to do basic dumbell curls for your biceps, and pushups are great for your triceps. Just ask instructors if you are unsure of technique. For the chest and shoulders, basic presses at different angles are good. Your gym should have machines for doing your legs and back, the same rule of light weights and lots of reps still applies for these too. For your torso, there are a thousand varieties of excercises and crunches you can do. Basic crunches, super crunches etc are good for the abs, (aim for 3 sets of 50, then three sets of 100, then three sets of 150 of each as you get better.Remember there is no rush, these are just goals to reach.) But also remember there are muscles all the way around your torso. If you raise yourself into a basic crunch position (with your back of the floor and lift your legs up, (so basically only your backside is on the mat,) then hold that position, and with a weight or medicine ball, rotate your torso as far left and right as you can. Do three sets of 12 to 15. This will really work your side obliques. And there are a load of back stretches and excercises to do as well. Your gym instructor will be able to show you a few to start off with. If you stick to light weights and lots of reps, or free training (i.e sit ups and push ups) for every muscle group from calves to shoulders then you will end up with a toned but not bulky body. The main thing is not to get caught up with too specific weight/sets/etc. Change your workout to what suits you personally, you may hate running for example but love swimming so do more of what you love and just run occasionally (for example). The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy it, and then reap the benefits of being healthier and seeing your looks and body improve too. Hope this helps hun, and good luck.

A question for fitness instructors....?

Q) Hey there, I'm currently studying to be a fitness instructor/personal trainer. I'm thinking that I would eventually like to be a freelance personal trainer. However, upon completing my qualification I intend to first work in a gym full-time as a fitness instructor. My first question is this: what kind of wage can I expect to earn per year? My second question: as a full-time fitness instuctor, do you think I will be able to do all of my own training at the gym? I know a fitness instructor who does all of his own training in the gym during the 'quiet' times and I'm just wondering if I'm likely to get the same oppurtunity when I work in a gym? (The reason being that it will free up a lot of time if I can do my training inside work hours). Thanks in advance, Craig

A) Standard instructor pay in a public gym can be pretty low. the job is mostly cleaning and customer service. As you will know from your studies, the level and type of advice you'll be qualified to give, is pretty standardised. Some gyms have a staged personnel structure, starting with unpaid or expenses-only 'motivators' (gym members who are available to advise others), and rising in responsibility to managerial positions, which can be quite well paid. Often, these positions will include the responsibility of starting a new branch; you can be 'parachuted' into the new location to recruit its staff and oversee the fit-out. In between the motivators and managers are usually several layers of, basically, sales jobs (you sell memberships, and make sure existing members re-enrol each year), often paid the same as an instructor, but with commission on top. It is a very competitive field; many more people train for qualifications each year, than there are jobs available. This keeps the salaries low. Working out on 'company time' is normally regarded as an absolute no-no. You are a 'front-line' representative of the organisation, and meeting the public while you are covered in sweat is extremely bad manners. Although muscular physiques are expected, in order to present an 'image', the staff are still expected to be well-presented and tidy. This is not always adhered to, but you will find that the general standard of running in a particular gym is also reflected in the staff attitude. If you want to do well, you need to work in a well-run gym, where you will not be allowed (or have time) to sweat. Quiet gyms, and badly run ones, are the ones that close first or lay off staff.

fitness plan?

Q) can anyone give me a good fitness plan to loose 5-7 pounds but tone up really well coz i dont really need to loose weight but i know i need to tone up, i weigh about 9st2 and im about 5ft5, i dont eat that badly but i know i can do better, i just need a fitness/excersise plan to do cheaply and without the gym, and to be able to do it in the house. thank you!

A) Get the basic Power 90 program from Beachbody.com. I can say that it is a good program for toning up. It doesn't require a lot of space or equipment (just workout clothes, shoes, and some resistance bands you can get from Walmart inexpensively). The basic program workouts don't go longer than 30-40 minutes, aren't difficult to follow, and P90 only costs 3 payments of $19.95. (Cheaper than a gym membership for sure.) It also includes some tips on diet and advocates taking a multivitamin suppliment (again, you can just get a good multivitamin from Walmart for this). Results for me.... I've lost 10-12 lbs, like 4-5 inches off my waist, and can see muscle definition I haven't seen in a long time. Only critique.... It can get boring after a while since there are really only 2 workout routines - a circuit routine and a cardio one. (Each has 2 levels of intensity and duration.) Good luck.

Fitness dvd's help!!?

Q) I am looking for a website to buy a fitness dvd from. i would like either to buy the Big Bother box set which to me looks quite fun to do and also the ministry of sounds fitness dvds but i have searched and play.com has the MOS out of stock temperarorly( ! ) but also i dont ant to use play.com because i whave to register my card with them which i wouldnt like to do. i like to just buy it and thats it they dont have any details properly sotred if u know what i mean!! also i have searched ebay but no hope!! im looking to pay quite a cheap price as on play.com the MOS is only £6.99. Does anyone know any websites that sell dvds cheap like play.com? thanx for helping!!

A) You know I really am picky about fitness dvds. I am a member of netflix and through that I can try out a dvd and make sure i really like it before i buy it. you can keep it for as long as you like with no late fee. And you can buy dvds through netflix too though, though I dont know for how much.

fitness qualifications in canada?

Q) hi, i am looking to move to canada and work in the fitness industry. i have an ITEC qualification but was looking to do a course in canada. who is the leading training authority in canada in regards to fitness industry. thank you

A) Hi Depending on your age (between 18 and 35 if you're a non student, 18 - 30 if you are a student) you may be able to go to Canada for up to a year on a BUNAC scheme. Have a look on www.bunac.org/uk/workcanada for more info. If you were looking at going on a permanent basis then thats a whole other ball game and a much longer process. Check out the official Canadian Immigration website; www.cic.gc.ca to find out more info it. (Not sure if a Fitness Instructor is a job in demand in Canada, but its well worth looking into if thats what you'd like to do) Good luck

Fitness Programme: anyone know of a good fitness plan. for losing weight and toning?

Q) Fitness Programme: Hi, I am an ex rugby player,40 and 105kg,179 cm tall.I want/need regime to lose fat & tone. I have a high muscle mass 70% but fat of 25%.. abs need lot of attention.. thanks

A) All I can start out by saying is Cardio. Cardio, diet, and training together is the key. Some people try to do just one or the other and wont see good results. You need to cut out sugars and lots of carbs and do lots of cardio and lift weights. You will see major results withink 2 months.

What differences are between operating a fitness facility within the Higher Education and Commercial environm?

Q) Hi everyone, I`m going for an interview for a job as a fitness instructor for a University, the job is fitness instuctor working their first year in a university gym and I have to admit that they made it really,really hard for me with this question. The question above is based on an information which I should get from somewhere, about the " Diffrences between a fitness facility run in a Higher Education and a Commercial environment". If you can come with ANY IDEA, well that would be great. Also I need to do a presentation in PowerPoint related to the answer of the question " knowing the differences between running a fitness facility in a Higher Education and a Commercial environment, what would be your key objectives for the first years, as a fitness instructor at this University?" . A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAD THE PACIENCE TO READ THROUGH AND TRIED TO HELP. THANK YOU ALL

A) I think the best thing you can do is visit a council run fitness suite and a Uni run one, then make a list of all the things you think are good about it, like cost, availability, the amount of users likey to use it and why etc etc. Just weigh up the pros and cons of both. Make sure you make the Uni one more interesting and seem better than the commercial one LOL. I hope this helps

Getting into the Fitness industry?

Q) I've recently lost a lot of weight and become a fitness junkie, and discovered just how important it is and I'd like to go into the health/fitness industry, I have no concern for where I start, and with no experience I expect that I'll start at the bottom! On advice from LearnDirects website, the non-course route would be to look out for an "assistant instructor" position where you're under the supervision of an Instructor. Quick browse through local positions show no vacancies, though a few for Fitness Instructors and the like. Would the next step be writing letters, contacting gyms/leisure centres requesting vacancies of the assistant role or any like. Does this method actually work?

A) You can become a personal trainer on your own. Get certified and start getting your clients and help them with their weight and fitness. Many people are doing it now. Personal trainers and weight loss coach. They charge up to $60/hour. But first you need to get certified.

Burlesque Fitness/Pole fitness?

Q) Hi I teach Burlesque, as well as Pole Dancing for fun and fitness. Pole dancing helps burn calories, improves upper body strentgh and tones abs, thighs & every muscle in your body! While Burlesque is great for improving or helping posture and loosening lower back muscles. None of my classes involve nuditiy or stripping just lots of fun. Email me for details.

A) Nice advertisement... Shameless but nice! If you're bored on this bank holiday, go and check this out: http://www.ruletheseas.com/index.php?r=18094 This is fantastic, I have done not a minute of work this week because of this game!!! Good luck, if you aren't careful I'll mug you and hospitalise you!!!

fitness!!!!?

Q) can someone help with how to get fit in the shorest space of time.i broke my leg and ended up losin fitness and puttin on wieght.can sumone help me lose the weight and get bak to wat i was!!!

A) If you haven't worked with a physical therapists yet, you'll probably want to. You don't want to cause any further injury to your leg. Also, because of injuries, doesn't mean you can't work out, it just means you have to work around that injury until you build up strength. I would suggest brisk walks to build up your heart muscles and to test your leg. You'll be less likely to cause any injury if you take it easy in the beginning. Gradually add more intensity. Do some weight lifting. While doing standing weight lifts, be sure to keep your knees bent to support the back. Any running or jogging may be too much for your leg in the beginning, that's why I suggest visiting with a physical therapist. But as far as getting your fitness back, it probably won't take you too long, especially if you were fit before your broke your leg. Just hang in there and take it a day at a time. There may be days when your leg doesn't feel like a run. So work on weights those days. Listen to your body. Best of luck!

fitness...???

Q) how can i knwo if i am a person with good fitness or no , is there any calculation with height and weight or wt to do ,, thx!

A) Check the scales everyday

Fitness???

Q) Does anyone now any fitness websites that are free and dont need to sucribe for a magize??

A) Check the link below. It's a great site with lots of info.

Fitness??????/?

Q) can anyone tell me how to get more built im 14 but dont want to use weights or a gym anyone have any things for me to do to help build my pecs biceps and 6 pack>??? please help

A) do push ups increase the number of them that you do a little everyday.that will get your chest muscles in shape. do sit ups and crunches and increase the number you do every day.if you want to be adventurous do push ups on your knuckles

fitness!!!! ~*!!?

Q) i just need to know some exercises to get myself movin!! got any?

A) Have you tried the Cruch-Ola? The crunch is more safe and effective than its antiquated cousin the sit-up. To do the perfect crunch... lie on the floor with knees bent and arms crossed in front of your chest. Pull your belly button in towards your spine and slowly contract your abs, lifting your shoulders 1-3 inches off the floor. Focus on shortening the distance between the bottom of your rib cage and your pelvis. Slowly lower your shoulders but don't relax all the way.

fitness???

Q) whats a easy free way to lose weight and get energy. and does anyone kno a website to show you yago for free????

A) Always Think Fit: First step in exercise is to always Think FIT. To make physical improvements, you need to work your body harder than usual. This is referred to as the overload principle. As your body becomes more conditioned, you need to increase the frequency, intensity, or time of your workouts in order to continue improving your fitness level Choosing an Exercise: The best exercise is an activity that you enjoy enough to really pursue enthusiastically. •Indoor (Facility) Activities: If the treadmill, stairmaster, rowing machine or stationery cycle doesn't excite you, sample some group activities that strike your fancy. Participate in a group cycling class, beat stress with yoga, find balance with martial arts, stay cool with indoor swimming, or kick some you-know-what with boxaerobics. 1. Change your eating habits (i.e. start eating smaller portions of food) before if you ate a full plate of food try eating 2/3 of a plate instead. 2. o Substitute aspartame for sugar o Try eating 3 or 4 smaller meals during the day rather than 2 large ones o Eat your main large meal at midday with the other meals much smaller in content o Don't eat heavy meals late in the evening as the body wont have time to digest it so it ends up stored as fat in your body. o Balance your meals out during the day so in one day you have a mix of protein, carbohydrate and vitamins o Drink lots of water during the day and before, during and after exercise, you should drink at least 8 big glasses of water per 24 hours o Drink alcohol in moderation o Stop smoking if you smoke or cut down o Eat more fibre i.e. pulses grains nuts, pasta, brown rice, cereals, fresh fruit o Eat more vegetables as part of your diet o Eat less dairy products or choose those with less fat content i.e. cottage cheese o Try steaming or poaching food instead of frying it, frying adds calories by the bucketful o Cut down on Red meat and eat more lean or better still chicken and fish instead o Use low fat oils in cooking i.e. sunflower, corn or Mazola o Cut down on your salt intake, there are hidden salts even in tinned foods o Try substituting carrots or fresh fruit instead of biscuits and sweetmeat when you have a craving for something in between meals. o Drink semi or skimmed milk as opposed to full cream Simply choose a diet which is low in fat and cholesterol, moderate in sugar and salt and high in fibre but at the same time has a variety of everything thus making it a balanced diet. Calculate your BMR!!!! BMR means Basal Metabolic Rate.It is used to estimate how many calories you should consume.By using a simple formula called the Harris-Benedict principle, you can assess your BMR. Your BMR is the amount of energy your body needs to function.Then, to lose weight, you'll need to cut calories or burn extra calories and shoot for a level lower than the results you get with this formula. We use about 60 percent of the calories we consume each day for basic bodily functions such as breathing.Other factors that influence your BMR are height, weight, age and sex. Step One : Calculate your BMR with the following formula: •Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years) •Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years) Step two : In order to incorporate activity into your daily caloric needs, do the following calculation: •If you are sedentary : BMR x 1.2 •If you are lightly active: BMR x 1.375 •If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 1.55 •If you are very active (You exercise daily.): BMR x 1.725 •If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 1.9 Create a Calorie Deficit: In order to lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit. It is easier and healthier to cut back your calorie intake a little bit at a time. Every 3,500 calories is equivalent to 1 pound. If you cut back 500 calories a day, you will lose 1 pound per week. If you exercise to burn off 500 calories a day you will also lose 1 pound per week. Ideally, you should do a combination of both, (e.g. cut back 250 calories; burn an extra 250 calories). For more useful information go to read the following articles

Fitness???

Q) So I am in pretty good shape, and i have really good curves. I want more of a flat stomach though. Any way I can do this and KEEP the curves?

A) Crunches and/or Pilates mat work. Tons of DVDs available for Pilates floor exercises. Avoid salt (causes bloating) and cut down on processed foods and refined flours (white bread, tortillas, rolls, etc.). Whole grains digest better - drink lots of water to reduce bloat.

Fitness..?

Q) What are some good ways to get your lower body in shape and keep it in shape by summer?

A) go to this site.. Its got everything you need. They even have small demonstrations of the exercises to help you do them just right. http://exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Fitness????

Q) Im 14 years old i used to be a bit fat and now im not. I still have a bit fat on my stomach and on the sides on my waist... How to remove those? I do: day 1 : 40 mins jump rope, no muscle exercise day 2: 20 mins jump rope, weight training day 3 : 40 mins jump rope, no muscle exercise day 4: 20 mins jump rope, weight training day 5 : 40 mins jump rope, no muscle exercise day 6: 20 mins jump rope, weight training day 7: off and it goess on ... how long will it take and what else do i need to do to make my belly strong not flabby and to lose a bit fat on the sides of my waist???

A) try swimming nonstop for 10 minutes x 5 x 2 days a week this will train your overall body muscle. sit-up is good but do it in medium soft surface, otherwise it will give bad impact on your back and tail bone. try yoga too for two hour a week to increase your flexibility and decrease your waist size. Running too can train your abs. just remember to have variation in training, so each body muscle grow in good portion.

FITNESS FIRST rants here?

Q) First, I must say that it is my experienced opinion that Fitness First in the Philippines, i.e., Metro-Manila, Makati, etc, cannot be trusted. A friend of mine joined them in 2004. He gave Fitness First a TERMINATION notice, in writing, because he did not like their facilities.. So Fitness First did as he requested at first...and froze his account pending account termination. But at the 12 month, i.e. contract end point did they cancel his account? No way. Instead they re-started his account and billed him another 16 months beyond his one year contract at FULL PRICE. Honest mistake on their part? I doubt it considering the existence of the written request plus all of the resistance he is facing now. When he requested a refund from Fitness First, they first claimed to have lost his request to cancel. So he produced it. Then they claimed that it cannot be reversed because he was not proactive on reversing it when they charged him. He protested and pointed out that he produced a termination notice with their signature on a receiving copy. They still are saying 'no' because they froze it, even though he clearly requested termination. So let me get this straight...Fitness First won't give a refund because they over-billed a client and when he asks them to fix their mistake, they claim it's his fault? Fitness First Philippines, it is my opinion and the opinion of many that you are scum. It's bad enough that I've rarely, if ever seen your clients get results in your gym. When people join your gym they are expected to hire a personal trainer at an additional Php770 per session. I HAVE NOT ONCE MET A FITNESS FIRST TRAINER WITH A CLUE. If they did, maybe some of the people working out there would get noticeable results. Now, just because it appears to myself and others that your company continues to lose money in Manila Philippines, you feel that it's your right to fool your members? This is the way it appears to anyone who has seen this evidence from my friend. Don't you feel that it's your obligation to do the right thing before you are faced with a class-action lawsuit? The truth will come out about all of the people who have been exposed to this apparent trickery. So to all of the Fitness First members who are trying to get out of their contracts, and there are dozens based on people who have e-mailed me for help, my advice is simple - call your credit card company and tell them that your credit card was stolen. They will cancel your credit card and Fitness First won't be able to bill you anymore. Read these discussions for more stories of questionable acts - http://pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14379711#post14379711 and this one - http://forums.istorya.net/index.php?topic=35462.0 So that's it. Beware of Fitness First and don't give them your credit card. There's a reason they demand it from you and refuse to let you pay in cash now. Haven't you ever noticed that all of the workers and consultants in their head office don't appear to work out themselves? When I see a bunch of pasty managers with their bellies spilling over their belts whenever I've been there, something is very wrong with this supposed 'Fitness' company. Mark my words...Fitness First will be gone from the Philippines in a few years. People already know that their so-called trainers usually immediately put you on their crappy second-rate machines and you won't get results. Look around at how many people are working out in their clubs but appear to have never entered a gym for a day in their lives. Most people quit after a few weeks yet...they have your credit card for the whole year and you can't get out of your contract. Even then you run the risk of being billed beyond 12 months, EVEN WHEN YOU REQUEST TO QUIT IN WRITING. Php30,000 for no results is not worth it. Before you join Fitness First, consider that there are better options. TAKE YOUR TIME AND LOOK AROUND. DON'T PAY FOR A GYM WITH A NAME ONLY BUT NO SERVICE OR RESULTS TO BACK UP THEIR NAME. Don't make the mistake of joining FITNESS FIRST for serious or realistic results. It's not for people looking for serious change in my experienced opinion. Is Php30,000 really worth losing by not listening to me here? Ask some of their current or previous members you know. Research and do your homework before you take a risk with them. You might be surprised at how negative most people are about them. Finally, do the people that you ask or their members that you see actually look like they work out? I see many fat girls and stick boys carrying their bags all of the time...and they never seem to change. If the answer for you is also a 'no', I've made my point, regardless of their questionable dealings with my friend.

A) This isn't so much of a question as it is a rant. Though it is good that you are getting the word out, on the other hand how many people in Manilla who are thinking of joining Fitness First will check Yahoo Answers first? Possibly not so many. Obviously when dealing with any group like this, it is always best to keep records of all notices you have written and to change credit cards, etc that you have used in dealing with them which they might try auto-billing.