Tag Archives: shoulders

4 Stretches for Better Posture and Health

For some, sitting for hours at an office desk is an absolute nightmare. Being sedentary while displaying poor posture is not just painful, it’s bad for your health. A decrease in productivity, a negative attitude, and a disdain for your work are all unpleasant side effects of having to be chained to your desk all day. So I say, let’s fix that.

If you care about your attitude, your career, and your health, I encourage you to take some time and practice the following stretches. Do not be a victim of the spine-wrecking 40-hour work week. Instead, take charge and move your body throughout the day by stretching, bending, and breathing.

You may notice a theme with these suggested stretches, and that is to stand up! Even if you don’t get around to stretching, at least stand up from time to time while at work. A little bit goes a long way in keeping your body healthy.

Also Read:

3-Minute Meditation at the Office

A Lap Dog Next to Your Lap Top Reduces Workplace Stress

4 Ways to Improve Your Health at Work

Saturday Morning Drills: Sexy Shoulder Workout

It’s that time of the year where you finally get to pack away all your bulky sweaters and pull out your sexy tank tops and sundresses. If the warm weather snuck up on you quicker than you expected and your shoulders aren’t quite as sleek and toned as you would prefer, don’t despair, we are here to help!

We have included six easy moves that will get your arms ready for their grand debut in no time. All it takes is 15 minutes 3-4 times a week, starting today!

View Saturday Morning Drills: Sexy Shoulders Slideshow

5 Must Do Yoga Poses to Get in Shape for Spring

More sunlight in the evening means the days are getting warmer and your pants are getting shorter. Spring is right around the corner, and soon we will reunite with our scant summer clothes whether we like it or not.

If you have been hiding your unused arms and legs under layers of bulky winter clothes, breaking out the tank tops and bikini bottoms will feel like a shock to your system. To give your muscles a much-needed wake up call, the following five yoga poses are a must for springing into action and shedding excess layers of all kinds.

Plank

An overall great pose to sculpt your shoulders and triceps and firm up your core, plank pose works wonders to whip your body into shape for spring. Build a solid foundation from your feet (or knees) to the palms of your hands by engaging all of the muscles between your hips and your ribs. Take several deep breaths in plank while imaging your spine lengthening and your entire body strengthening. Hold for up to one minute and repeat up to three times throughout the day.

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Get Sexy Arms By Christmas With this Weekly Yoga Routine

Christmas parties and other such holiday events bring our favorite dresses out of the deep corners of the closet and revive them back to life, but often these dresses are of the sleeveless variety. From the candy-devouring weeks before and after Halloween, to eating our way through November, our bodies can become puffed, plumped and primed for baggy sweatshirts, rather than our sleek holiday get-up.

If you work hard and follow this plan starting right now, you will be showing off your sexy guns by the time you grace your first Christmas party. The only downside is that you will make your friends envious as you parade around looking fabulous.

For the best results, couple this daily yoga routine with a low-fat diet.

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Housework Can Be a Workout

You know those days where it seems like you’re being pulled in a million directions and you can barely feed yourself properly and shower, let alone squeeze in a workout? Or after a particularly stressful week, all you want to do is lie on the couch and veg, although your house is a disaster zone? Been there, done that, too. But instead of choosing between chores or a workout, why not combine them?

Turning housework into a workout is a way to kill (or clean) two birds with one stone. All it takes is a good attitude (especially if you dislike cleaning!) and a nice variety of different types of activities to keep your heart rate up and your muscles challenged. Below are three cleaning activities, what muscles you’ll work when doing them and how many calories an average 150-pound person can expect to burn in 30 minutes. (more…)

Fitness Tips for Your Next Snorkeling Adventure

I just recently got back from Maui, Hawaii and what a beautiful place; it is truly paradise. I had the privilege of snorkeling for the first time and it is now a hobby of mine, especially because it is such a low cost hobby: you can pick up a mask, snorkel and fins for around forty bucks.

Snorkeling is absolutely amazing and I totally recommend it if you have never been. Being able to see life  under the sea is simply breathtaking. The coral, rock formations, thousands of different species of fish, and, of course, the gigantic sea turtles are all a sight to see.

Although snorkeling was a blast and a half, it was definitely a workout. My entire core, shoulders, hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and ankles were completely worn out. Below are the benefits of snorkeling, as well as an exercise routine that will help condition you for your next snorkeling adventure. (more…)

The Benefits of the Classic Push-Up

The push-up is one of the best exercises for the body and is a great tool for determining a person’s upper body strength- so much so that the military uses them as a part of their physical fitness testing.

The primary muscle group that the  push-up engages is the pectoralis major and minor (chest muscles or “pecs”). It also targets the triceps, deltoids (shoulders), and entire core region (abdominals and lower back) making it one of the simplest, but most effective exercises for the body, as it incorporates so many muscle groups.

There are several different variations of the push-up, which target a vast variety of different muscle groups. Generally, the arm and hand position of the push-up will change to target different muscle groups or increase the intensity. (more…)

The Golf Workout

golf workoutWell, it’s definitely summer time and that means golf season is in full affect. Golf originated in Scotland in the 12th century and has been very popular ever since. I strongly believe that golf is a game of mental toughness, natural ability or skill, and a little bit of luck. I play once or twice a year so I am definitely no expert, but I have trained my share of golfers and have had great success with them. (more…)

Mathue Johnson’s Cardio and Weight Training Workout

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Out of all the posts and blogs that I have done, I don’t ever remember discussing my actual workout routine. I used to do cardio before my weight training, but have recently switched the two and have had a great deal of success. This allows me to have more energy and stamina during my weight training portion.

I typically workout five to six days a week for about an hour to an hour and a half at a time. Each day I break down certain muscle groups basically in a push-pull form followed by three to five miles of jogging. This helps me work every large muscle group at least twice a week and has worked for me for several years now. (more…)

The Pre-Skydiving Workout

mathue johnson skydivingSo, I went skydiving this past weekend and wow; what an experience. It is definitely not for everyone, but I strongly recommend that you give it a try. Being fit or in good shape definitely made the whole process a lot easier and more enjoyable. Being strapped to another guy while trying to maneuver through the plane and out the door was not easy and I have a few sore muscles and several good memories to show for it.

As you all know, I am a personal trainer and I have trained a young lady for a couple years now. When we started, she had set a goal to lose a certain amount of weight (more than 100 pounds) and her reward for doing so would be to go skydiving. Well, we hit the goal and we hit the air. Good overall experience!! My point is to set a goal and go for it, don’t give up or lose motivation until you hit that certain goal. Hard work does pay off, just ask my client. (more…)

4 Best Exercises for Preventing Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder pain is another big issue and it is definitely not something to take lightly. The shoulder is the most movable joint in the body and very vulnerable due the unstable range of motion. The shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint which allows for the wide range of motion. There are many causes of shoulder pain, but the one of the most common causes is arthritis.

Arthritis is the breakdown, or wearing out, of cartilage in the joints. The result of this is joint pain and stiffness. Preventing this issue is almost inevitable, but through proper exercise and medication you can decrease the severity. (more…)