Best “On Your Health” Fitness Blogs
Posted in
If you’re one of the 20 percent of Americans who made a resolution to get fit in 2018, you may have already abandoned your resolutions or you’re just not sure how to get started. From trying new types of exercises and creating a workout schedule to knowing how to stretch properly and working your way up to running long distances, figuring out what to do can be overwhelming.
To help you commit to your health and physical fitness this year, we’ve rounded up our favorite fitness-focused On Your Health articles in an effort to provide inspiration and instruction on some of the latest workout trends. Do some research, try new things, find out what works and start your journey toward better fitness in 2018.
Getting Started
How to Create a Workout Calendar
Creating a workout calendar is an easy way to keep your healthy habits on track in the new year. Start by determining how much time you’ll devote to exercise and then decide what type of fitness program you want to follow. Simple, but effective.
Five Pieces of Workout Equipment Everyone Should Own
One easy way to motivate yourself to exercise is having simple workout equipment at home. These five essential pieces of equipment can help you get a full workout in without going to the gym.
YMCA Healthy Living Center Membership
If a gym environment is more your style, the YMCA Healthy Living Center combines a full-service gym with a cardiac rehab facility. This means you’ll have access to state-of-the-art equipment as well as qualified, heart-focused instructors ready to help you reach your fitness goals.
Types of Workouts
The Basics of Circuit Training
Want a workout that works your whole body in 30 minutes or less? Circuit training combines higher reps, less weight and bursts of cardio for an exercise that works both your upper and lower body while elevating your heart rate.
Cardio exercises are any workout that increases your heart rate by at least 50 percent of its maximum level for a sustained period of time. Whether it’s running, swimming or dancing, getting cardio in each week is good for your heart and overall health.
Does getting a high-intensity workout in only four minutes sound appealing? Tabata routines combine intense cardio and strength workouts to achieve optimal results in a short period of time.
Why Weight? Lifting Weights at Any Age
Don’t be intimated by weight-lifting equipment at the gym. Adding light weight training to your fitness routine can help build lean musical mass that is crucial to physical health. All you need are some light weights and a few simple exercises to get started.
Outdoor activities
As Easy as Riding a Bike: A Look at Cycling
Whether you enjoy the great outdoors or an energy-filled spin class, both indoor and outdoor cycling are a great fitness option for people of all ages and physical abilities. Grab a bike and start pedaling.
Swimming to a Healthy Lifestyle
Did you know that swimming builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness, and can help you maintain a healthy weight while also building a strong heart and lungs? Consider taking a dip for your next workout.
Rowing Your Way to Fitness in Oklahoma
Rowing, whether outside on the water or in the gym on an ERG machine, provides a complete full-body and cardio workout. If you want to try something new, we highly recommend this fun yet rigorous activity.
Getting Your Steps In
Counting your daily steps is an easy way to gauge your activity and set manageable fitness goals. Our Steps to Health series highlights various activities and attractions that can help you reach your daily step goal.
- Steps to Health: Your Local Supermarket
- Steps to Health: On the Golf Course
- Steps to Health: Oklahoma City Zoo
- Steps to Health: Lake Hefner
- Steps to Health: Myriad Gardens
Running
How to Start a Running Program
There are many health benefits that come with running on a regular basis. If you want to start running in the new year, here are some tips for getting started as well as a 90 Days to 5K plan to get you off the couch and on the move.
Marathon Training Tips (From a Dietitian Who’s Run Four)
Did you make a resolution to run the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon in 2018? INTEGRIS Dietitian Brent Wilson provided his tips for getting ready as well as what to eat and drink pre-race and on race day.
Steps to Your First Half Marathon
If a whole marathon seems too daunting, we’ve got tips on how to train for a half marathon, too.
Group Classes
Inspired by military training, boot camp workouts use basic body-weight exercises and interval training to provide an effective and efficient workout. If you’re looking for a great workout in an upbeat, fast-paced environment, boot camps may be for you.
The Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Tai Chi
While increasing your heart rate is important during exercise, taking a break for meditation and focused breathing also provides both physical and mental health benefits. Tai Chi’s low-impact, slow-motion movements are great for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Pilates: The Perfect Indoor Exercise
Pilates is a great workout option for both exercising in a group setting or at home. Exercises incorporated into traditional Pilates classes are designed to build muscle control using different equipment and stretching techniques.
Barre Isn’t Just for Ballerinas
Barre classes aren’t just for avid dancers. These group workouts incorporate exercises using a ballet barre to help improve balance, core strength and overall flexibility to provide a low-impact and fun workout.
Senior Exercise
Aging healthily can be as easy as following a few simple steps for staying active and eating right. Oklahoma City provides many fitness opportunities for seniors looking to improve their fitness, making it easy to stay fit and active.
The Basics of Yoga for Seniors
Practicing yoga is great exercise at any age, but seniors especially benefit from moves that bring improved posture, sleep quality and pain relief. You don’t have to be a guru to get started, just grab your mat, join a class or practice at home.
Navigating the Gym with Arthritis
Arthritis can make going to the gym a painful and uncomfortable experience. However, a slow pace and the right fitness routine can help you get the exercise you need to help relieve joint pain.
Stretching and Recovery
While stretching may seem unnecessary after a workout, stretching on a regular basis can help to improve your athletic ability and decrease your likelihood of activity-based injury. A few simple stretches can go a long way in helping your body cope with strenuous exercise.
The Importance of Foam Rolling
When your muscles feel sore, it’s important to help them properly recover in order to avoid injuring yourself further. Foam rolling is a great method for alleviating muscle tenderness and loosening soft tissues to improve blood flow.
Don’t Forget the Kiddos
How Recess Affects Your Child’s Well-Being
Recess is a crucial part of the day, affecting our children far beyond the playground.
How to Nurture Your Toddler’s Physical Development
Excess weight at a young age can hinder your child’s movement and normal levels of activity. A few simple activities can help your toddler get the exercise they need to stay healthy and develop normally.
Great workouts are most effective when paired with a healthy and nutritious diet. Check out our On Your Health nutrition blogs for inspiration.