Bruce Lee Fitness and Strength Workouts

Bruce Lee Articles Bruce Lee’s Diet Bruce Lee Kickboxing Jeet Kune Do Bruce Lee gave so much advice in his relatively short time as a professional martial artist and fitness instructor. Fortunately he left many notes and journals that have now been made into books, so that we know more about his training methods and philosophies. “Above all, never cheat on any exercise; use the amount of weight that you can handle without undue strain.” – Bruce Lee Bruce Lee divided his routine into specific martial arts training to enhance his martial arts prowess, i.e. weight training, calisthenics, cardio fitness and stretching. If you combine this Bruce Lee workout with a fitness plan you will get excellent results very quickly. Each day Bruce Lee would train to improve his physique and his martial ability. However, Bruce Lee also stated that it was important to never train the body so hard on any given day, to the point where the body is too weak on the following days to train more or to fight. From a martial perspective it is essential to never over-train, as although in the long term intensive training can make the body stronger quicker, in the short [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

Military Fitness Training

Whether you are looking to get fit before joining the military or just wish to learn from the best, these tips should certainly help guide you. Here we cover running drills typical of the army, strength training routines to build functional and powerful muscles, plus we look at some of the US Army;s fitness advice and basic training routines. First we look at a warning from the US Army that many people simply too unfit to fight. Are You Too Fat to Fight? In May 2010 the United States military aired its concerns that America is becoming such a fat nation that it cannot find enough new recruits for the armed services. So many teenagers are now overweight or obese that they cannot pass the physical tests to allow them to sign up and start military training. Retired generals from the US military, Mr Shalikashvili and Mr Shelton, have published their concerns in the Washington Post. They feel that the rising obesity crisis is now becoming a national threat as America can no longer find enough new recruits to maintain its army size. 5 years ago in 2005, 27% of all Americans between the age of 17 and 24 were too overweight [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

Workouts and Fitness Exercises for Tennis

Tennis requires a combination of strength, speed, agility, fast reflexes and above all, endurance. Legs provide the base of a tennis player, and they have to be strong and agile. Shoulders and arms are essential for power play, and the core should be able to hold it all together. Tennis players are amazing athletes and have to dedicate a lot of time to fitness and conditioning to reach the top of their game. “If you really want to go deep in a major tournament then just look how hard the top guys work”. John McEnroe Tennis is now a very physically demanding sport that requires superior fitness as well as excellent tennis ability. Many good players have failed in recent years because they did not have the stamina to allow them to stay focused for an entire match. Like any other activity, as soon as you start to become physically tired, your mental processes start to deteriorate rapidly. Tennis players have to be “fighting fit” just like solders and martial artists. How to Stay Fit in Tennis Interval Training For Tennis Tennis involves relatively short periods of intensive exercise followed by rest. So just jogging 5 miles a day will not [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

How Much Exercise Is Needed to Get Fit and Lose Weight?

How much exercise do you need to day each day? There are so many fitness systems and gadgets on the market today and they all contradict each other. The extreme systems suggest as little as 4 minutes of extreme cardio or 7 minutes of intensive weight training. More often people advise workouts of around 20 to 30 minutes. But what is best? Surely there is an optimum amount of exercise you should be doing? Here we look at advice from the experts, namely government health departments and research institutes. We provide our own recommendations at the end. 15 Minutes of Exercise - Taiwan Study on Health and Exercise In August 2011 research was published that looked at the effects of exercise on long-term health. It concluded that just 15 minutes of exercise per day can add 3 years to your life. However, it was emphasized that this really is the minimum amount of exercise you should perform for health purposes – not for fat reduction. The research actually concluded that; “moderate-intensity exercise might be of benefit” (Dr Chi Pang Wen et al, 2011) which suggests that the research is not conclusive that such a small amount of exercise is really all that useful. The study was [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

MMA Workout To Build Strength and Endurance

MMA is fast becoming the most popular competition martial art. As it takes the best parts from several styles, i.e. kicking, punching, grappling, throwing and submission wrestling, it is the closest to a true fight that can be had while still ensuring that there are safety rules in place to prevent serious injury. Many people are critical of MMA, claiming it to be too violent, however there is less risk of serious injury in MMA than in professional boxing. UFC sees the top cage fighters from around the world meeting in the ultimate fighting contest. UFC is a no-holds barred competition which pulls in fighters from a wide range of martial arts styles. Kick-boxing and jujitsu wrestling techniques are generally favored. Brazilian Jujitsu shot to fame due to its success in the MMA arena. MMA (mixed martial arts) are without the most demanding physically of any martial arts competition. And for that, fighters need to be extremely well conditioned and skilled. The actual martial training will depend on the styles that each fighter specializes in, so some will spend longer working on boxing, others kicking, others grappling. All are needed, but how much time is spent on each system is [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

The Health Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is a very popular fitness activity. It is mostly practised by women in the west to help tone muscles and lose weight. It is certainly not the most efficient way to get fit, but as it is a low impact exercise that is often taught in a quiet and relaxed environment it appeals to many people. Here we take a look at some of the known health benefits of doing yoga, ask the question “can yoga help you to lose weight?” and then guide you through a simple yoga warm up routine and a more advanced sequence of asanas (postures) that will help to work your whole body. Advantages of Yoga as a Form of Exercise Yoga is an excellent fitness activity. Although a majority of people only practice their yoga in organized classes, once you have learned the main postures and sequences you can train anywhere. It is ideal for anyone living in a small space or for those who travel a lot. While yoga does not provide an excellent cardiovascular workout it does provide good strength, flexibility and balance training and also helps to improve circulation and respiratory health. For anyone who has not exercised in a very long time a yoga workout [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

The Health Benefits of Regular Exercise

Overall exercise is very healthy and will help to improve your quality and quantity of life. There are many benefits to be gained from being active, however there are also some risks associated with exercise. However, if you choose appropriate activities and take into consideration the safety factors, the risk of an accident or injury can be reduced.

We love MotleyHealth.com

7 Day Exercise Plan for Fitness and Weight Loss

If you want maximum results in a short time you have to be prepared to work hard and make sacrifices. This plan restricts calories while providing essential protein for muscle growth and sets an intensive workout plan to maximize fat burning. Do not expect an easy ride as there really is no such thing as quick and easy weight loss. You will sweat and you will be hungry - but you WILL BURN FAT!

We love MotleyHealth.com

Abdominal Exercises to Tone and Strengthen Your Stomach

If there is one part of the human body that we have covered more than any other in these pages, it has to be the stomach. There are many ways to work your abs. Do not make the classic mistake of thinking that crunches are the only way to strengthen abdominals. To build a six pack you need to hit your abs from all angles, work the different muscles with different exercises and apply varying amounts of resistance. Although it is thought that abdominal bicycles are the best abs exercise, you really need to perform a variety. Here we list some classic abdominal exercises that will definitely provide the variation required to build a solid set of 6 pack abs. There are many ways to work your abs and to develop a strong core and defined abdominals you need to work them in a variety of ways. Just doing the same crunches every day will not get the best results. Hit them hard and hit them often. Get inspiration from these video workouts. 1. 15 Minute Abs Workout for a Flat Stomach This is a simple but effective 15 minute core workout for building abs. This stomach workout starts with several variations [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

Running Training Tips for Half Marathons and Full Marathons

Running certainly is not for everyone, but one thing is for sure – if you want to be lean and fit, then long distance running will certainly help you achieve these goals. All marathon runners carry very little fat, and the pace at which the top runners race at is pretty intensive over a 2 hour period. If you feel that marathon running is only for the professional and most dedicated runners, remember that every year thousands of people enter marathons each year to raise money for charity and to challenge themselves. In fact, London Marathon is actually to worlds largest charity fund raising event, with all the major charities and many smaller ones being represented by the “fun runners”. We have already talked at length about the health benefits of running. It really is one of the best ways to get fit and improve your long term health. Long distance running does require planning as well as dedication. There are entire books dedicated to running (Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide by Hal Higdon is a good place to start). Paula Radcliffe’s Marathon Training Tips Paula Radcliffe is the best female marathon runner in the world. She recently shared some of [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

Get Fit for the Slopes with our Ski Workouts

The summer is finally coming to a close. All over Europe and North America people are starting to excited about the forthcoming winter. While the sun worshippers mourn at their loss the skier tribes start to dust off their jackets and polish their skis in eager anticipation of the soft powder that will soon start falling. However, are you ready? Have you spent the summer months crawling from one barbecue to another, wallowing in a pool with a beer and generally being exceptionally lazy? If this sounds like you then you may be in for a shock when you don your skis once again. Your legs have become weak, your core jelly like and your tendons and ligaments tight. So now, while the weather is still reasonable mild, is the time to start working on your fitness again in time. The skiing season is fast approaching, it is time to start preparing for the gruelling demands of the slopes. Skiing is a very demanding pastime, and the fitter you are, the more enjoyment you get out of it. If you ski for one week just once a year, it is essential to get fit for skiing beforehand, with some ski specific training, so that you [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

How To Get Fit At Home In 20 Minutes

This 20 minute home workout is a great introductory circuit. It works the whole body and provides a good balance of cardiovascular exercise and resistance training. There are 9 exercises to go through. As you start to get fitter perform the circuit 2 or 3 times. This will get you burning fat and building lean muscle tissue.

We love MotleyHealth.com

A Calisthenics Workout For a Fitter and Leaner Body

Calisthenics seem to be a forgotten art. Calisthenics are possibly the best form of exercise for fitness, strength and weight loss. This is because you can perform these exercises anywhere and need no equipment. It is just using your bodyweight to exercise. Here at MotleyHealth we receive comments quite often like the one left by Carter on the MCD weight loss plan article: “I do not have access to a gym. I was wondering is there any good alternatives for the muscle-building section to do at home and work me from beginner level to advanced?“ If you had a traditional Physical Education class when you went to school you should be able to remember performing a series of exercises in the school gym using only your bodyweight. Well, these were calisthenics and they are very effective at making your body fit, strong, healthy and lean. By lean, I mean that they help you to burn fat and lose weight! I know that the education system seems to constantly change and that it may not be fashionable for “games teachers” these days to teach children how to exercise properly by themselves to keep in shape, but in my day this formed [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

Walk Your Weight Off With Our Walking Plan

Unfit? Want to lose weight? Then start a walking plan. Brisk walking burns as many calories an hour as slow jogging and you can walk longer than you can jog!

We love MotleyHealth.com

10 Minutes Exercise A Day – Toni Yancey Talks About Instant Recess

Here Dr. Toni Yancey talks about the theory behind her Instant Recess approach to health and fitness. She wants schools and business to adopt regular exercise as a part of the normal operational routine. Her slogan is “What is good for the waistline is good for the bottom line”. She asks why PE teachers are always given such a bad time, and why schools cut physical education budgets before others, when it is known that exercise aids brain development and makes people more alert, more productive and increases learning. She wants people to do just 10 minutes of exercise a day to help guide the nation towards a healthier future. Her argument is that too much sitting messes with our metabolism and this causes weight gain and ill-health. Once again we have a very sensible and straightforward approach to getting the nation fit and healthy again. Although intensive workouts are better at helping people to lose weight and get fit, increasing the volume of light activity throughout the day can also increase calorie expenditure and improve cardiovascular fitness. She also talks about how a fitter workforce are more motivated, take less time off sick, get injured less and overall are [...]

We love MotleyHealth.com

Cross Training / Elliptical Workouts

Cross trainers (aka elliptical trainers) have become one of the most popular cardio machines. They provide a low impact but intensive workout that exercises the whole body. Unlike treadmills and running machines, cross trainers work the upper body too, and unlike rowing machines, they work the pushing and pulling muscles of the arms, shoulders and back.

We love MotleyHealth.com

15 Alternative Workouts To Get Fit and Lose Weight Faster

These 15 alternative ways to get fit and strong can make exercise fun again. You do not need to spend all the time in the gym to workout. Most involve getting outdoors and all involve playful activities.

We love MotleyHealth.com

Tabata Interval Training for Fast Weight Loss and Fitness

For those who are always using the excuse that there is not enough time to exercise, there is a new solution - Tabata Training. Perform a fast and intensive exercise circuit to boost metabolism, raise heart rate and burn fat.

We love MotleyHealth.com

Green Exercise, Green Gyms and Outdoor Living

Exercising outdoors has both mental and physical health benefits. Studies have shown that fresh and and exercise helps with stress and depression as well as providing an often enhanced workout. Kids who play outdoors are healthier too. Walking, jogging and cycling are the most popular outdoor fitness activities. So get outside and get fit.

We love MotleyHealth.com

Health Benefits of Jogging and Running

Jogging is one of the easiest ways to start getting fit and healthy. You only need a pair or running shoes and some lose fit clothing. Jogging helps to improve cardiovascular fitness, increases metabolism and burns fat. You can start with the walking / jogging program and work your way up to full on running as you get fitter and stronger.

We love MotleyHealth.com