Give your workout an extra boost that will help you burn more calories, faster. If you make the most of your exercise sessions you will get better results and reach your weight loss goals faster and more easily.

• Do strength before cardio: If you do both weight training and cardio on the same day, do the strength training first. If you work hard at the weights, when you do cardio your body will be forced to burn fat. If you don’t usually do strength training, try and get into the habit of doing a few simple weight exercises and it will help you get the most out of your cardio workout.
• Stretch while you rest: Make the most of your rest time between sets of strength exercises by stretching the muscle you have been working on. This gives your strength workout a boost. Frequently stretching not only improves flexibility but increases strength.
• Mix it up: Alternate between different types of exercises to target muscles in different ways. Switch between machines, hand weights and body fat exercises. Also try to vary the level of resistance.
• Add intervals: Vary your cardio program by adding intervals. Alternate between fast bursts of intense exercise with slower recovery sessions. For example, if you usually jog, sprint for 30 seconds and then return to your regular pace.
• Shorten your rests: Make your rest periods between strength sets shorter to burn more calories.
• Beat your best: When exercising on machines, keep an eye on how many calories you are burning. Then next time you do the same activity, try to beat that number by increasing your speed or resistance.
• Hit the hills: Whether you are running, walking or biking add hills into your cardio routine. This will make you stronger and burn more calories in the time you spend working out. You can either find a hilly route outside or do repeats on one hill, or use the incline function on the treadmill.
• Lift slowly: When you are doing weights, lift and release slowly to maximise the effect of each move.
• Limit your workouts: Keep your workout time at 30-40 minutes and make sure the whole time is spent well. It is better to work out at a higher intensity for a shorter amount of time.
• Increase your pace: Once a week, increase the speed of your cardio workout. Try completing a whole session at your top pace, pretending you are in a race.

Cardio exercise is important for a healthy heart and weight loss. Start by choosing an activity that you enjoy. The best exercise for you is one that you will actually do, not one you think you should do. Walking is a great place to start since you can do it anywhere, but you can try any activity that involves some type of continuous movement like cycling, swimming, running, aerobics, stair climbing etc.

Start with two or three days of your chosen activity a week with a rest day between workouts. Begin with a 5-10 minute warm up of light cardio to gradually increase your heart rate. Increase your pace and intensity slightly harder than comfortable and go as long as you comfortably can. You may only be able to exercise a few minutes at a time, but that will change quickly if you are consistent.

End each workout with a cool down of light cardio and stretch the muscles you’ve worked to relax and keep your muscles flexible. Each week increase your workout time by a few minutes until you can work out continuously for 30 minutes a session.

Don’t worry about distance or pace. For the first few weeks focus on showing up for your workouts and building time. You have plenty of time to work on your speed and distance. After 4-6 weeks, change your routine by adding another day of exercise, increasing your pace/intensity, adding a new activity and/or increasing the amount of time you exercise.

The bench press works the upper body and builds strength and muscle. Unfortunately, the bench press is also responsible for most injuries in the gym, especially in the shoulder region. Other common injuries are the wrist and neck. The reasons being that the bench press is one of the most popular pieces of equipment in the gym and is therefore performed the most and also that bench press enthusiasts fail to follow some important guidelines.

It is important to warm up before performing bench press lifts. Stretch your arms, your back and other body parts before performing any exercise. Warm up the chest, shoulder and arms by simulating the bench press with very light dumbbells. ‘Light’ is considered any weight that doesn’t impose any type of strain on the muscles. You can also just bench press the bar with no weights for 60 reps, then add light weight to the bar and perform an additional 20 reps.

Add an appropriate amount of weight and gradually increase. Don’t start bench pressing with too much weight on the bar. Find a comfortable amount of weight until you build your technique and strength. A good starting weight is not the maximum weight that you can lift, but instead the amount of weight that allows you to take the bar out of the cradle, perform 8 to 10 bench press reps and put the bar back in the cradle without assistance. You can also ask a gym associate or trainer to help you find the appropriate amount of weight to start with.

It is also essential to ask someone to spot you. Another person can help you support the bar in case you get stuck. Place your thumbs on the bar. Thumbless grips can cause the bar to slip out of your hand. Keep your glute muscles on the bench when performing the bench press. This keeps your entire body stable and helps to prevent injuries.

Keep your shoulder blades back and down on the bench. Don’t allow them to roll forward during the press. Also keep your chest up and your upper back muscles tight.

Sportsmart stocks a variety of bench presses. You can view our bench presses online or visit our stores and get expert advice from our fitness staff on how to properly use a bench press.

Working out seems to be on everyone’s to do list but does not always make it in to our daily routine. This article will show you how to start a basic workout program and will teach you to start slow and establish your routine.

Firstly, make a plan. Figure out which four days of the week you can make room for 45 minutes of exercise. Every other day of the week usually works out best. Plan out which days and at what times you will workout.

Outline the exercises you will start with. Pick five exercises to do each day you workout. Each one of these exercises will need to set a goal of reps. For example, if its push ups, try to do 6 reps. Then repeat those reps three times for each exercise. Some of the exercises you can do without equipment are push ups, sit ups, crunches, jumping jacks and running.

One of your five exercises should include cardio. Every day that you workout you should have at least one of your exercises be cardio. You can run or walk. You want to start with at least ten minutes of cardio.

Record your progress and increase your activity and reps. As you continue to workout, write down what you do every day. This way you can record your progress and plan to increase your activity. Once you get through the first couple of months, you should be seeing progress in your reps and results.

Many people find it easier to stay in shape by having a home gym. The cost of building a home gym depends on how much money you want to spend and how elaborate you want your gym to be. With careful planning and creativity you can build the gym of your dreams.

Popular cardio machines include treadmills, elliptical machines, rowing machines, stair climbers and stationary bikes. You use cardio machines to burn fat and improve your cardiovascular ability. Treadmills are good for people who like running and walking while the others are good for people who prefer low impact exercise. If your home is small, consider a machine that folds to save space. There are treadmills and stair climbers available in this format.

Resistance training builds your muscles and can be done in several ways. Weight training machines are good but expensive and they require a lot of space. If you decide to buy one, pick a multistation system. You can also purchase dumbbells to strengthen muscles.

Some miscellaneous items should also be considered when creating a home gym. Consider buying a mat which you can stretch on. You might also be interested in a stability ball for abdominal work and floor based exercises. A heart rate monitor is also helpful to track your cardiovascular workouts.

You can view our large range of fitness products online or visit our stores to get expert advice from our fitness staff about putting together a home gym.

Stretching is important after any exercise routine. Stretching after running can prevent muscles soreness and can improve flexibility.

It is important to warm down after your run. Follow the pace of your warm up, but in the opposite order. Do some static stretches to begin. Common static stretches include: the hamstring stretch, quadriceps stretch and the runners lunge.

For the quadriceps stretch, stand on your right foot and pull your left foot to your left buttock with your left hand. Repeat on the other side.

Lie down on your back. Lift your left leg. Place your arms around your thigh and gently pull your leg as close to a 90 degree angle as it will allow. Repeat on the other side.

Begin on your hands and knees then bring your left foot between your hands. Straighten your leg and gently move your buttocks towards your heels.

Hold your poses. It is not safe to stretch too quickly. Move into your stretches with control and restraint. Breathe deeply form beginning to end and hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds. Repeat each stretch at least 2-3 times.

New machines are constantly being developed to help people create a better workout, in a smaller amount of time. Both the treadmill and the elliptical machine are capable of providing a vigorous cardiovascular workout, but much of what you get out of the session depends on what you put into it.

The treadmill is used often in home and public gyms. It has remained popular over the years because it has been proven to provide an effective workout. The treadmill has a conveyor belt that can be programmed to run at different speeds so the user can walk, jog or run. A treadmill workout is similar to running except that the conveyor belt does not force the backs of the legs to work as hard as they would in outdoor terrain. They are however ideal for keeping fit in those colder months where it is difficult to run outside.

The elliptical machine provides arm movement and forward and backward leg movement. Elliptical machines provide a smooth motion that is low impact for people with arthritis or aging knees and ankles. The elliptical’s settings can be changed to provide faster or slower workouts depending on the needs of the individual.

Individuals will find advantages and disadvantages to both machines. Both are capable of providing a full body cardiovascular workout. The treadmill does not allow the user to slow down without changing the setting while the elliptical allows the pace to slow as needed. Runners and those training for marathons will prefer the treadmill because of the similarity of the workout to running outdoors. Those who prefer a more varied movement with less impact on the joints will likely prefer the elliptical. Since both machines provide a good workout, it comes down to personal preference at the end.

In order to make the right decision, it is important to test both machines to find out which you think gives you a better workout. A good workout pushes you out of your comfort zone and makes you work. Sportsmart stocks a variety of elliptical trainers and treadmills to suit all of your fitness needs. You can view our ellipticals and treadmills online or visit our stores and get expert advice from our fitness staff about choosing a machine that is right for you.

All the time people will try to begin a fitness program, many of those people will soon stop. Starting a running program and sticking to it can be a challenge, but if you follow some simple guidelines you will have a better chance of success.

Start slowly, too many people try to do too much in the beginning which leads to sore muscles and injuries. Beginning slowly and increasing your time and distance will gradually help you feel ready for your workout.

Schedule your exercise time and make it a habit. People who are successful at working out have learned to make time for exercise on a regular basis. In the beginning, it may be easier to actually schedule your exercise time on a calendar and then make sure you don’t let anything stop you from meeting that schedule. Making your run a habit will increase the likelihood that you will stick with it.

Find a running buddy. You might run with someone you know who already runs or you might find someone who is also new to running. You can keep each other accountable to your schedule and encourage each other during times of low motivation.

You can hire a personal trainer. Not only will you be paying money but you will also have someone you are accountable to.  The combination of these two aspects will help you to stay on track because you won’t want to waste money or let your trainer down.

Do something you enjoy while running such as listening to music or an audio book or run through your favourite park. When running is the only time you allow yourself to do these things, you will look forward to your run. For example, choose a book that you’ve been wanting to read and only listen to the audio version while running. You could even register for a race or other event. Knowing that you have a deadline will keep you motivated.

Boxing requires specific safety equipment to protect you from injury. Using the equipment properly helps you to succeed in the sport and reduce your chance of injury. When you begin boxing, you’ll need to know how to select and use basic boxing equipment to meet your needs.

Wrap your hands before you put your boxing gloves on to help protect your knuckles and small bones in your hands and wrists. Have someone help you do this. Ensure that your wrists and hands are protected but aren’t wrapped so tightly that it comprises your circulation.

Choose boxing gloves according to the type of training you are doing. Gloves are available in different styles and weights. Gloves for speed bags are lighter and have less padding than the heavier sparring and boxing gloves. Heavier gloves are safer for you and your opponent. Try different styles to make sure they feel comfortable and secure around your hand with wrapping in place.

Select shoes specifically made for working out in the boxing ring. They are made out of lightweight materials for ease of movement but have enough traction so you can move quickly without slipping.

Wear a boxing cup protector, which offers more coverage than basic sports cup protectors. The hips, abdomen and groin have more protection from punches.

Finally, protect your teeth with a mouth guard. Choose from a wide variety of mouth guards to find one that is right for you. You will find that some are basic while others will mould to the shape of your mouth and provide shock absorption. It depends on what is most comfortable for you.

Sportsmart stocks a variety of boxing equipment to suit your boxing needs. You can view our boxing range online or visit our stores to get expert advice from our fitness staff and try out the equipment for yourself.

If you are able to get kids excited about exercise at an early age, they will consider it a treat rather than hard work. The way to accomplish this is to turn physical activity into a game so your children will ‘play’.

Yoga and other stretching exercises are great ways to warm up for other exercises such as running, and playing sport. Yoga exercises are also good on their own, they increase flexibility and concentration in both children and adults.

You can make yoga poses fun for kids by introducing them with informal names i.e. a balancing position is called ‘tree pose’ and back exercises are ‘cat’ and ‘cow’.

Cycling is another exercise opportunity as it is a great way for families to have a fun time together. Get kids interested by creating a race atmosphere. Set a course, sound a starter and time children to the finish line. On family rides, include a goal such as stopping for ice cream half way through. This alone will get kids pretty excited!

Organised sports is something many children naturally have an interest in. Getting kids involved in sports such as soccer, basketball, and football are great to give kids a bit of regular exercise as well as make new friends and have fun. Individual sports such as swimming or gymnastics are also a good option and some kids may be more comfortable in these types of sports rather than in a team atmosphere. Evaluate your options and choose a sport which is suited to your child.