Friday, September 28, 2007

Call Of The Cruiser Retro Bicycle For Baby Boomers

Having just gotten back from a 200 statute mile motorcycle trip I was struck with the thought of authorship an article on the new Cruiser Bicycle that is becoming so popular. Now, even though I took my motorcycle trip on a 21 velocity loanblend route bike, how about those Cruiser Retro Bikes that spell back in clip before multiple gears,light frames,& dérailleurs for shifting ?

Why have gross sales of these Cruiser Bikes almost doubled since 2004 (according to the National Bicycle Dealers Association)? Could it be the less terms which usually averages out around $275 as opposing to the norm mountain motorcycle that tallies from $600 to $900, or could it be the simpleness with no gearing or dazes or manus brake system to worry about. How about the simple, non-imposing style that these motorcycles exude. While the basic style is simple, they can also be made as cool as you may want with baskets,lights,bells,horns or even streamers if you desire. It looks that many,or most, of the people buying these motorcycles did not sit regularly before. So there is, perhaps, a previously under served marketplace that many have got got ignored in the past.

Most police cruisers have one velocity and coaster brakes. There is no demand to set gearing or brake pads. No care required aside from air in the tyres and keeping the concatenation lubed. They are certainly comfy with broad tyres and a comfortably broad place with jumps included. They come up in any figure of cool colours and paint schemes.

The Cruiser epoch began in 1933 with the Schwinn Aerocycle. It was about the first motorcycle to be equipped with high-fashion fenders,a decorated combustible tank, and large tyres for a soft,comfortable ride. At that time, it is generally agreed, motorcycles were marketed primarily to children who could sit with friends,deliver newspapers,or whatever.

Then,in the late 1960s & early seventies, police cruiser motorcycles began to melt from the landscape as the billions of grownups who grew up riding police cruisers began buying 10-speed motorcycles and the Sting Beam style bikes. I don't retrieve if I ever had a Sting Beam model, but I make retrieve my first 10-speed.

From there, we began to see BMX motorcycles and eventually the development and popularity of mountain bikes. It seemed by the late 1880s or early nineties, Cruiser Bikes were rarely seen. In fact, you may have got got been called a eccentric at that clip or it would have brought back memories of "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure".

Now,however, we babe baby boomers yearn for a simpler life and perhaps simpler ways of getting exercise. We like the "no particular equipment needed", just leap on and go, thought existent well. So, maybe it's about clip you considered doing some route statute miles on a bicycle. If you are not going off route much and don't care so much about speed, bank check out the many different Cruiser Bikes out there today.

You may happen a merriment manner to acquire exercising and fresh air with a simplified,comfortable ride. Think back to your young person as the wind hotfeet through your hair and those trees and autos ace by.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

5 Easy Fitness Tips for Busy Moms

Most mas take extremely busy lives. With so much to make (work, taking attention of the kids, keeping the house organized, etc.) – it's no inquire that keeping a hard-and-fast diet government and programming clip exclusively for exercising is almost impossible.

The followers five easy-to-follow tips are meant to assist busy mas who desire to be in shape, expression beautiful and remain healthy without sacrificing much clip from their feverish schedules.

1. Avoid "eating after your kids"

No substance how alluring it is to "pick" from your kid's food, or even worse – eat their leftovers, don't make it! Children have got completely different nutrition and caloric necessitates than adults. While that macaroni and cheese may not really have got an contiguous impact in your child's weight, believe twice before packing material on 315 calories (90 from fat!) in a single serving.

2. Carry your babe with you

Nothing Burns calories faster than exercising with weights. You acquire stronger while edifice thin musculus that assists addition your metamorphosis and fire further calories. Instead of pushing the saunterer everywhere you go, see carrying your babe in your weaponry or even on a babe carrier/sling. Not only will this aid you exercise, it will also assist you develop a near chemical bond with your child. NOTE: When carrying your baby, do certain you have got good position by standing up consecutive and tightening your abdominal muscles. This volition forestall any possible dorsum hurt which can ensue from constantly carrying the further weight.

3. Get at least 30 proceedings of "real" exercise

Let's confront it, "running around chasing after your baby" is not truly exercise. You necessitate at least 10 proceedings of changeless physical activity to number it as "real" exercise. While it may be difficult to schedule 30 proceedings of jogging on that treadmill, seek breakage it into three 10 minute day-to-day sessions. This is much easier to suit into your agenda and will still have got the effectual gram calorie combustion consequences of a full one-half hr workout.

4. Bash the housework

Although most people don't really bask doing the family chores, those boring activities can really assist you fire some serious calories. For example, 30 proceedings of vacuuming the house Burns between 75 and 125 calories. Other common undertakings such as as making the bed can fire up to 70 calories and even the enactment of cookery a healthy repast can assist you fire off up to 50 calories.

5. Agenda physical drama clip for you and the kid(s)

Instead of sending the children off to watch television or drama picture games, seek getting involved in a merriment game with them that includes physical activity for you and them. Go for a saunterer walk, throw a Frisbee, drama ball, etc. You can also set up for drama days of the month with other mas and transform this clip into a merriment and entertaining societal soldering experience.

Friday, September 14, 2007

The Joy of Zen Meditation

Often I will inquire people, at random, if they are happy. More modern times than not, they reply with "About what?" This states me a batch about their state of mind. People have got been raised to believe that no 1 is really happy. The successful adult male have always been portrayed by the multi-tasking, Sixty hr a hebdomad worker who's main end in life is to do a batch of money. We all cognize the old expression "Money doesnt bargain happiness", but most people really believe that it does.

A better word for felicity could be "joyfulness". Imagine waking up every morning time and being joyful? Despite what is going on in your life, you can still be joyful. All it takes is 20 proceedings a twenty-four hours of meditation. Through the meditation, one goes centered, in mind, body, and spirit. One larns to dwell in the moment. The past is good to larn from and the hereafter is good to program for but all that bes right now is this present moment. Meditation assists learn you how to let random ideas to simply go through by, like a cloud, so you can go on on with whatever you were doing. People often state "Just set it out of your mind". Well, those who pattern day-to-day speculation can actually make that.

But there is a catch. You have got to actually make the day-to-day meditation. Reading books or just talking about it makes nothing. The best thing would be to happen a local speculation teacher who can assist you acquire started. They can be establish many modern times where Yoga, Pilates, or Martial humanistic discipline are taught. Going to a social class that rans into on a regular footing is a major encouragement in keeping you on the path. The teacher is also very valuable in helping with any jobs you might undergo while meditating.

Living in the present minute is the cardinal to joyfulness. Meditation is the way to getting there.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Push Your Imagination Up!

A 'push up' is a pushing up, right? From the knee joints or the toes it's just a 'push up'. Not so fast! There are over 100 fluctuations of pushing ups that I could demo you, and yet many of you will only have got tried the 1 version. How come?

Well, for most people the 'original' is always going to be ambitious enough, and because good word form is so important, the original may well be the lone 1 you need. You see, a well performed pushing up is actually quite a feat. It's a sum organic structure exercise, requiring input signal from your abs, low back, buttocks, arms, thorax and even legs. And there you were thinking it was just a manner to pump up your thorax and arms!

Practice do perfect, so long as you contract those pot muscles, fasten the bum, and maintain your organic structure as stiff as a board throughout each rep. Depending on your current ability, start from a place that you experience comfortable; standing, kneeling, or lying from the toes. Everyone have their ain starting point. If you can't maintain your trunk steady you necessitate to drop down a level.

Here are the basic patterned advances of this upper organic structure builder;

1. Wall Push Up

2. Counter Push Up

3. Bench Push Up

4. Kneel Floor Push Up

5. Full Push Up (from the toes)

Type any of these discrepancies into a hunt engine and you should happen instructions. The cardinal is to slowly travel less and less towards the flooring as clip progresses, so that you can eventually maestro a full pushing up.

However, assortment is the spice of life, as they say. For those of you who bask more than of a challenge, and who are ready, there are plenty of other variations, each and every 1 challenging your organic structure in a completely different way. No 2 pushing ups ever necessitate be the same...

Try some of these challenges;

1. Single Leg Push Up

2. Ball Push Up (Feet on the ball)

3. Staggered Hand Push Up

4. Decline Push Up (Feet up on a bench)

5. T-Push Up

For those still mastering the classic pushing up, don't lose heart. Keep practicing and you will win!

Monday, September 10, 2007

Wasting Time at the Gyme

So today I'm taking my Motivator, Story-teller, Drill Sgt. and Politically-Incorrect-Rude-Bloke hats off... and putting on my Exercise Scientist beret. Yep, you read right; beret. Ready, steady, go.

If you desire to change your organic structure in some way, then today's confabulate mightiness be of involvement to you.

I acquire a clump of letters every hebdomad from tons of defeated "my-body's-not-changing-and-I-need-help" people... so those letters have got been the accelerator for today's post. For some of you this station will be revision. For some it will be a revelation. And for others, it will be of no involvement at all. See ya tomorrow.

Coming from a geezer who have a couple of gyms, the statute title of this station may look dense or a spot contradictory. Perhaps. You be the judge.

The truth is that many of us are wasting our clip and money at the gymnasium (or any preparation environment for that matter; not just gyms... but I couldn't suit all that in one title!!).

For some of us, a trip to the gymnasium is small more than than a societal outing. We pass months, sometimes old age going through the motions... doing the same things, the same way, for the same amount of clip and producing the same result; zero (or very little) change. There was some initial alteration when we first started but for a long clip we have got got got felt like we've been standing still, as opposing to making any important advancement or seeing any existent physical change.

If you're exercising to acquire a spot sweaty, addition your bosom rate, move your limbs and have a societal outing on a regular basis, then you're not wasting your time; you're compensate on track... but if your end is to look astonishing (or different at least) and make important change, then it may be clip to re-assess the manner you near your workouts.

If your motivation for hitting the gymnasium (or wherever you train) is to keep what you have (in footing of fitness, size, shape, weight, visual aspect etc..)... then doing the same and producing the same consequence is great. But the truth is, most of us exert because we desire to change; we desire to undergo a 'new and improved' version of us.

Simple. Not rocket science. We manus over our 'hard-earned' because we want.. different.

We don't walk into a gymnasium and state "here's a thousand bucks... I wanna expression exactly the same (or maybe worse) in twelve months". But that's exactly what many of us 'achieve'. Not what we wanna hear.. but true.

Just take a expression around most gymnasiums and typically you'll see a whole batch of... same. Day in, twenty-four hours out.... regular gymnastic apparatuses jogging up and down on the spot; literally and metaphorically.

Doing the same. Looking the same.

Which is fine. If that's their goal. But it ain't.

Wanting different, producing same. Frustration, disappointment.

While most people desire to experience different (energy levels, emotional state) and mathematical function better (strength, flexibility, aerophilic capacity, overall health), nearly everyone desires to look different. (And yes, do-gooders we all cognize that having a great organic structure alone doesn't equal felicity or success.. so delight don't inundate me with those "how could you be so shallow" letters).

See readers; gotta screen all my bases. Expect and negotiate. Sorry. I Digress. Something new for me.

So... If you and I went to any gymnasium in our local country tonight and we interviewed a hundred people about their grounds for exercising, we would probably happen that at least ninety-five of them desire to change their visual aspect in some way. Some of them, drastically.

We're also likely to detect that more than than than one-half of them are, or have got been, defeated with their deficiency of consequences or their degree of alteration over the preceding months/years of exercising.

Now... if we came back to that same gymnasium six calendar months from today, what we'd probably happen is this:

(1) More than one-half of them wouldn't be working out any more. (Keeping in head that the greatest error we do from an exercising position is disbursement one-half our lives stopping and starting a countless of programs... also keeping in head that many people don't make it past hebdomad four). Did you cognize that gymnasiums can actually 'over-sell' memberships because they cognize that a big per centum of people who fall in will rarely (if ever) stone up? Great for the gymnasium owner; not so good for the fat geezer with diabetes.

(2) Of those who are still working out (with the end of changing their appearance) the huge bulk will still expression the same or very similar.

Today's cardinal message:
Our organic structure will only change (look different) when we give it a ground to make so... and many people don't. Doing the same things (workouts, activities, classes, exercises), the same way, with the same intensity, for the same amount of clip will consistently bring forth the same result; maintenance. Not change.

Do the same, you acquire the same. Bash different, you acquire different.

If we desire a quality tax return on our investing (real change) then we necessitate to do certain that we pass our exercising clip and energy wisely. We necessitate to regularly pull strings the preparation variables (type of activity, intensity, duration, recovery, overall volume, set, reps, weights, distances, surfaces, machines) if we desire to see our organic structure go on to change.

Most of us are animals of habit, even when it come ups to our exercise. And while the 'habit' of regular exercising is great, the 'habit' of always stimulating your organic structure the same manner (constantly doing the same or similar workouts) isn't great, if it's change that you're after. Still with me ?

Your organic structure will only accommodate when it have to. When you give it a reason. So... give it a reason.

Exercise is a word form of emphasis (good emphasis mostly). And improvements in fitness and strength and lessenings in body-fat and weight are (some of) your body's responses (physiological adaptations) to that stress.

Here are my.. 'how-not-to-waste-your-time-exercising'.. tips:

1. Change the strength of your exercising program. Harder and easier sessions.

2. Don't (always) make what you enjoy. Bash what works; what makes change. Sometimes the most effectual activity / exercising (for us personally) is what we bask the least. I'm not a monolithic fan (personally) of running but it's very effectual for me... so I make it three years every week... the procedure ain't always fun... but the result is.

3. If you don't have got any pre-existing risk factors... then acquire accustomed to working when you're hurting (sometimes, not constantly). A small uncomfortableness usually bes a small change... don't kill yerself but give your organic structure a ground to change. Stop going through the motions.

4. Bash different material (technical Iodine know). When we make the same sort of exercising all the clip we go specifically conditioned to (fit for) that activity. Take a swimmer for a run... and they may not look so suit (or vise-versa). Or the musclebuilder who can raise a Toyota but can't run out of a combustion edifice without having a bosom attack. Instead of doing the exact same tally around the burbs five years a hebdomad (for example) you could put the same amount of clip in (1) some step running (2) a boxing social social class (3) a swim (4) some skipping (5) a class of your choice... and acquire much better results.

5. You won't 'accidentally' end up with an astonishing body. The hit-and-miss preparation attack doesn't work... unless you're after hit-and-miss results. Creating your best organic structure necessitates to be a strategic, intelligent process... and following some generic preparation programme ripped out of page seventy-two of 'Meatheads Roentgen Us' probably ain't gonna make it for you. This doesn't intend you necessitate to be obsessive about your training... it's simply intends railroad train smart.

6. De-emotionalise the process. Don't allow your caput acquire in the manner of what's possible for your body. Bodies are very adaptable. Heads... take a small longer.

Okay Groovers, there you have got it; some nutrient for thought. Now, travel and make something amazing.

And different.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Low-Impact Exercises Are Fun and Healthy

Not everyone is made for high-level exercising. But you can become fit without bouncing around in a leotard, battering your joints. Forget all the huffing, puffing, lugging, lifting, and straining. Movement therapy is a gentle – yet effective – group of sports that include yoga, tai chi, and Pilates. Just don't be fooled by their mild manner. These activities can whip you into shape without breaking a sweat.

All three have ancient Eastern roots and are merely different interpretations of the same principle: keeping your body and mind in harmony naturally leads to better health.

It wasn't until recently that modern science confirmed the many physical benefits of yoga, tai chi, and Pilates. With them, you can improve your balance, flexibility, and strength – no matter what your age, weight, or fitness level.

No Pain – but great gain

Yoga, tai chi, and Pilates are gentle enough for anyone to try. If you consider yourself in bad health or disabled in some way, you're a perfect candidate for these movement therapies. You can ease into the programs slowly and set your own pace. It's easy to stick with them and you'll see improvement quickly.

Here are just some of the benefits you will get from these soothing approaches to fitness.


  • When you were a child, tripping and falling meant just another minor scrape. But as you get older, taking a tumble can have serious and crippling effects. If your sense of balance is as bad as Humpty Dumpty's, these are the safest forms of exercise for you.
  • Just like the trick to growing tomatoes is to keep the main stalk strong, the trick to great balance is
    to keep your core muscles strong. The bands of muscle in your abdomen, lower back, and buttocks
    are the center of strength and control for the rest of your body.

    All three examples of movement therapy are relatively stationary, but because they strengthen
    your core muscles, your balance will improve quickly – preventing falls – and you'll develop greater
    flexibility and strength. Soon you will be moving with confidence again.


  • Tai chi and yoga are especially recommended for people with arthritis.Gentle yoga can improve
    arthritis in your hands, for example, and tai chi's precise, flowing movements help keep your
    joints limber, relieve your pain, and keep you active.

  • The dance-like stretches, poses, and maneuvers within each of these movement therapies will gently
    strengthen and tone your body. Pilates is especially good as a strength-training workout.

  • Add yoga or Pilates to your exercise regimen if you need to improve your heart health.

  • In today's hectic world, it may be hard to squeeze an extra 30 minutes of exercise into your
    schedule – at least without feeling even more stress. The beautiful thing about movement therapy is
    that it combines stress relief with exercise, so you kill two birds with one stone.

  • All the activities – tai chi, yoga, and Pilates – are done slowly, with intense focus on proper breathing
    and posture. They all relax your body and calm your mind.

    As you can see, you can boost your overall health with these joyful, health-giving movements.

    Things to know before you give it a go

    Just to be safe, make sure that you take these precautions before starting any new exercise program.


  • Get your doctor's approval on your fitness plan, especially if you've badly injured your back, neck,
    knees, or shoulders in the past.

  • The stretches, poses, and movements of these therapies should not hurt. If you feel pain, stop and
    check your technique before continuing.

  • Pilates is the most intense of the three exercise forms. You may want to try one of the less strenuous
    programs first if you are out of shape.

  • Be forewarned, you might get addicted to these calming sports.
  •