5 Reasons You Should Avoid Doing Sit-Ups

"Change means that what was before wasn't perfect. People want things to be better."
Esther Dyson

It's time to change your abdominal training program, change it for the better. It's time to say No to sit-ups and by doing so allow room for safer and more effective exercises that will fortify and strengthen your abs and spine.

The reason you may ask? The exercise poses to much of a risk compared to the benefits and no matter how you put it, getting hurt is not a lot of fun.

Here are 5 reasons why you should avoid doing sit ups:

1. You can't spot reduce, you can only spot build.

I know you want a flatter stomach or wash board abs so it may seem logical to do sit-ups and crunches to help your tummy fat go away. Fat loss doesn't work that way. You can build the muscles of the abs but that does not reduce the fat storage sitting above them.

Fat loss can only be accomplished through a sound nutrition and comprehensive exercise program.

2. Over training one movement pattern at the expense of others is a sure-fire way to create muscle imbalances.

The body was designed to move in many ways. No where in the body is that more apparent than with the abs. They help you bend, extend and twist in countless ways.

The body strives to perfect a hundred different movement patterns that activate a countless number of muscles.

By performing the same movement over and over again, like crunches and sit-ups, you set the body up for repetitive stress injuries.

These mall movements can create muscle imbalances in the torso. This creates a sub-optimal environment that can decrease the function and the potential of your body. In worst case scenarios it can cause low back pain and more.

3. The Abs do more than flex the spine, they do so much more.

The abs have two primary jobs.

The first one is bracing the body. You brace every time you reach, push, pull, throw, swing or kick. Any athletic movement requires bracing at some time during the movement and in most cases, twice. You also brace during every day activities like when you pick up an object from the floor with one hand and even when you're only opening a door.

The second primary job is to create the bridge between the legs and upper body to transfer power. Take a tennis fore-hand swing for example. The upper body and trunk rotates back in preparation to hit the ball, then the hips will rotate forward creating power for the swing. The the abs will then brace creating the 'bridge' that will work to rotate the torso and arms forward to strike the ball.

This is just one example of how the abs are designed to function. If you look closely you can find many examples of this function through out our daily and athletic lives.

4. Your spine flexes all day long

We flex our spine all day long. A typical day for the average person starts by waking up and sitting at breakfast with one's spine flexed (bent forward). Then this person commutes to work for an hour and then sits at work for eight hours all with the spine flexed. After a day of sitting, the individual drives home and eats dinner flexed and then sits on the couch and watches a couple hours of TV with the spine in a flexed position.

There should be one place the abs and spine should not have to flex and that is during your fitness program.

The health of your back depends on your ability to balance the work load, movements and stress that you place on it.

5. Sit-Ups produce the same force in the disc that causes disc bulges and disc herniation.

It's estimated that 80% of the population will see a doctor or chiropractor at some point in their life due to back pain.

According to Stuart McGill, a professor of spine bio-mechanics at the University of Waterloo, sit ups produce the exact same force in the spine that can create disc bulge and disc herniation, two of the most common low back injuries.

Does it make sense to perform exercises that can create common back injuries?

I didn't think so either.

The Bottom Line

These are the 5 reasons of why you need to stop doing sit-ups immediately.

In it's place start using planks and leg lifts to strengthen your core. These two types of abdominal exercises are much safer on your spine and there are countless variations and modification that you can use.

Take these recommendations and apply them today in your program, your back will thank you for it.

If you found this article helpful, you might like to visit http://www.precisionfitnesstrainer.com/ where you will find more life changing fitness articles that will help you transform your body today.

Edward Scaduto is a Fitness Coach. He helps his clients change their lives one healthy habit at a time.

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Choosing Personal Trainers - What You Should Know

It's not surprising that so many people these days are turning to personal trainers! With our busy lifestyles, the time we have for gym and working out is sandwiched somewhere between work, family, social lives, and trying to relax occasionally. We just don't have the time to experiment with the best way to get the body we want.

However, while personal training is definitely one of the best solutions out there to help, you get the body you want in record time; it's also not without pitfalls. One of which is the question of how to get personal training that guarantees you the results you want. We decided to make a list of all the things you need to know about a personal trainer to make the right choice.
The first thing to look for has to be experience. How long has the trainer you're considering hiring been doing this? What sort of track record and results can they show you?
Another important factor in choosing a personal trainer would be what type of experience they have, and what their specialty is. Remember that there's a vast difference between training to tone, training to bulk up, and all the other things you might want to do, and you want to work with someone who has the relevant experience.
Next, you'll want to ask about education. Not all personal trainers have degrees, but most should have some type of formal training. Find out what the trainers you are considering have studied, before you shortlist potential choices.
Once you've narrowed down the list of potential personal training options, book an appointment to get to know them. You'll be spending a lot of time with a personal trainer, and you want to be sure you'll get along! Don't forget to ask for references too, and follow up on them.
Whether you're working with a private personal trainer, or one that works in a gym or another type of fitness facility, you will need to ensure that they have any relevant certifications in place, and that they have the required personal liability insurance. A non-registered, non-insured personal trainer is probably not a good idea, because if something goes wrong, you have no real recourse.
Finally, find out what their rates are. Personal training is not a regulated industry, in that the difference in rates from one trainer to the next could be just about anything. Be wary of personal trainers who are too cheap though - remember that old saying 'you get what you pay for.'

The vast majority of people who work with personal trainers find that the experience is rewarding and fulfilling, and well worth the cost involved. They get the training and results they want in less time, and with less trial and error, and it's a real lifestyle makeover for many. There are, however, a small minority who don't have such a great experience, and if you are looking for a personal trainer who falls into the former, rather than the latter category, it's a good idea to spend a little more time researching them before you sign up.

Always remember that your relationship with your personal trainer is a business one too - you're paying for a service, and if it's not being delivered to your standards, then it's okay to end the relationship, and look for personal training services elsewhere.

If you live in or around Sevenoaks, Kent get in touch with the Better Body Shop who have a range of graduate qualified personal training experts ready to help you.

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The Top 5 Reasons You Should Invest in a Personal Trainer

1) You Need Help Getting Started

If you have never done exercise before, or even if you have but you're a little unsure of where to start then investing in a personal trainer will benefit you greatly. They will be able to give you the correct exercises and technique, make sure your working at the right intensity according to your ability and they will help you progress as you learn to adapt to the exercises so you don't hit a plateau.

2) You're Not Seeing Results in Your Current Training Routine

Have you been using the same old routine week in and week out for a while and not seeing any results anymore? Investing in a personal trainer will ensure that you never do the same workout twice. They have a wide variety of exercises in their knowledge base which will keep your workouts ever changing. With dumbbells alone there are hundreds of exercises that can be done, let alone other equipment such as boxing pads, gym stick and medicine balls. Put all these together and your routine will be ever changing, removing any chance of a plateau again.

3) You're Bored With the Same Workouts You're Doing at the Gym

Similar to the above point, any good personal trainer will make sure you're not bored in your sessions by offering a variety of exercises and equipment. Mobile personal training has proven to be just as if not more effective then working out in a gym because you can train using functional exercises, using your entire body rather than being stuck to a specific machine.

This fact alone will ensure boredom during your workouts will be a thing of the past.

4) You Need Accountability and Motivation

I often hear clients say the reason they pay me is for that last rep, while it may come across as a joke there is a very real point to this. When you're in the gym on your own it is very easy to just stop when an exercise gets hard, but when your with your personal trainer they will push you to complete those last 1-2 repetitions and then keep going. Imagine how much better your results will be completing those last few reps, and then some!

5) You Have a Specific Injury or Illness

If you have a specific injury, more often than not they can be healed with the proper training. Training on your own can often become very dangerous if you are trying to heal a specific injury, but if your personal trainer works alongside with your doctor and/or physio then they can ensure you have a full recovery.

To find out more on how a personal trainer can help you with you health and fitness goals, click here

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Why Should You Work Out?

Do you work out? Are you asking yourself, "Should I go to the gym?" If you frequent a gym, you will notice that people come in different ages, sizes and backgrounds. It is interesting to see people between 45 to 61 years of age actively training.

It is inspiring actually. They are enjoying the many benefits of working out. Unfortunately, not everyone shares the same view. Not everyone can see this as inspiring. In fact, they will even likely spew negative comments.

A 58-year-old gym member will likely be asked if he's going through midlife crisis. He will likely receive discouraging comments like "Aren't you a bit too old to be worrying about your abs?" or "Isn't working out dangerous for you?"

Ironically, it is often people who do not know the value of working out that often ridicule others who do. Often these people are suffering from morbid obesity. They are those who have sedentary lifestyle. They are tired all the time and they have all sorts of medical complaints.

Often these are the same people who complain of being tired all the time. They find it hard to get up in the morning and they cannot even enjoy making love with their partners anymore. It's not even because they are in their 50's. Often, it is actually because they are not happy with their body. They are overweight, obese even, and they cannot enjoy sex. After all, sex is a physical activity and if it is not something you would enjoy doing if you are out of shape.

It doesn't matter if you are in your 20's, 30's or 50's - you will benefit from working out. When you choose not to exercise, you lose connection with your body. Your body speaks for you. It tells your story - what you eat, what kind of lifestyle you have, what you do. Over time, you start identifying yourself with the person that you have become. Because you are overweight or obese, you start shunning things that you used to enjoy. Eventually, you start hating yourself and your life.

This is why you should exercise. You can try working out at home or hitting your local gym. The better shape you are in, the better you will feel about yourself. You will see huge improvement in your self-esteem as well as with your relationship with your partner. You will also see an improvement in your general well-being. You won't feel sluggish or run down.

The testosterone level drops by 1-4% every year once men hit 40. This is why working out twice a day or even once a day helps with increasing testosterone and estrogen production. Of course, aside from exercise, you should also live a healthy lifestyle, banish negativity from your life, minimize stress, spend quality time with your loved one and live a happy life with your spouse or significant other. By doing all these things, there is no reason why you can't enjoy a productive life at 50. If you follow these few simple points people will be able to tell who you are without you even having to say a word.

Mark Johnson is a bodybuilding and personal training enthusiast. He is a blogger and online marketer. He is also a fan of Mike the Machine, an expert on personal training and body building. You can enjoy your favorite foods but still lose weight. Get more unusual but great working out tips from the Machine.

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Personal Trainer Software, Why Should You Get Hooked Up

Why should you go to the trouble of getting hooked up with some personal trainer software? Because as you know, or should know, the best way to build a strong personal training business is to get you clients fit and strong, to help them reach their goals, that's what it's all about, it's not about you, it's about them. They have family and friends that they will rave to, about you, if you help them achieve their health and fitness goals. That's the main aim. However you are also in business, and the best way to run a real, profitable business is to run it using systems, for everything. By buying yourself some software that has the systems for accounting, marketing and all the other tasks required to run your business, most of the hard work is done for you. This in turn will give you more time and energy to focus on getting your clients the results that they came to you for.

There are a lot of great personal trainer software packages on the market that can help you, for example, set up a website that will give your clients 24/7 access to you. That can help you market and promote your business, track and manage client sessions and billing. Just by having a website you will look and be more professional, you will be able to handle more clients and keep those clients motivated and loyal. It will help build your brand and boost the retention rate. You will build a community by keeping in touch easily by email, newsletters. You can set up client profiles so that they can log in and track their results. You will also be able to leverage your business by giving access to thing such as workouts, nutrition plans, tips and guidelines.

Community is a big thing that is often overlooked, for most people the feeling of being a part of something drives them to achieve, they will be motivated and driven to play their part in helping the wider community reach their goals. It also adds that little bit of competition to it, many people thrive on competition, lifting heavier weights, getting a faster time or loosing more weight.

It's for these reasons that I feel that buying a suitable personal trainer software package is vital for those who really want to make a difference in the personal training industry.

Mick is passionate about all things health and fitness as well as all things business.

http://epersonaltrainersoftware.com/

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