After you’ve peeled off the outer wrapping of your exercise video all you need to do is stick it in your player and commence working out, right? WRONG! Don’t end up like the many well intentioned at-home exercisers who succumbed to one or all of the 5 don’ts listed below. Avoid them and you are sure to enjoy exercise videos for years to come.

1. Too much too soon.

Don’t attempt to do the entire video or use equipment the very first time. Even advanced exercisers need to first view the routine at least once before giving it their all. Doing too much too soon can lead to injury. Follow the guidance of the instructor which almost always includes a note about starting slow. When you are able to complete a full routine consider using a Polar heart rate monitor to ensure you maintain the desired intensity level during your workout.

2. Incorrect equipment.

Don’t use substitute equipment unless told to do so by the instructor. Using milk cartons or soup cans for weights is just plain ridiculous on so many levels.  Milk cartons put the pressure at your wrist which is not the intended target of most weight workouts. Soup cans are simply too light to get any meaningful results.

3. No variety.

Don’t perform the same exercise video more than two days each week. A lack of variety in your workout routine will severely limit results.  Have at least five videos available so you are performing a different video each day. Many local libraries allow you to check out workout videos for at least one week. Use this option if you are short on cash.

4. Skipping the cool down.

Don’t stop the video right before the cool down. The cool down is part of the routine. It wasn’t just thrown in there to meet an arbitrary number of workout minutes. Take the time to care for your body with stretches and deep breathing as directed by the video instructor.

5. Modification meltdown.

Don’t ignore the form modifications offered in just about every video made these days. This is especially intended for beginners. As you build strength, you can follow the lead of the instructor. Some people don’t want to perform the modified moves for fear of not burning enough calories.  If this sounds like you then I suggest using a Polar F4 or something similar to alleviate your concern.

You don’t need a home gym machine to burn fat and build lean muscle. What you do need is adequate floor space and energy. Do not become to reliant on workout equipment. Learning how to do body weight workouts will mean you can get a great workout even if you are on vacation.

Body weight exercises are great for burning fat and building lean muscle. It is also great for improving flexibility, coordination, and balance. Lets look at some great body weight exercises.

Burpees

A lot of people will make the mistake of thinking body weight exercises are easy. After a few sets of burpees they will quickly change their mind.  This is basically the king of body weight moves because it works the legs, chest, arms, calves and will have you covered in sweat. I would recommend trying to see how many you can do in a minute straight. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat for a total of 3 sets.

Static holds

These really get your muscles burning fast. While there is no movement involved your muscles be feeling it for sure. Some of the most popular moves are; quad sits, plank, side plank, pull up hang, hand stand, and  even though you aren’t even moving. After about 30 seconds your arms and or legs will be shaking. Hold each for about 90 seconds or as long as possible. Complete 3 sets.

Push Up

One of the best exercises for building your chest, arms and back. One of the best things about doing push ups is that you can do a lot of variations to work different muscle groups. You can actually get a complete chest workout just from push ups. Try diamonds, wide, bombers, decline, and clapping.  The most important part is that you keep your back straight. Complete 3 sets of at least 35.

Bench/Box jumps

While jumping up onto a box 50 cm high sounds easy after about 50 of them you will be gasping for air and your legs will be on fire. Be sure to land softly and keep the tension in your legs. As you tire your form will suffer which can lead to injury so be sure watch carefully.

Working out without a complete home gym machine at your disposal doesn’t mean you can not get a great workout. While you will not bulk up from body weight exercises they will help you get a defined and ripped body.

Are you over 50 and still lead a very active lifestyle? I mean do you exercise a lot and really get your cardio working to stay physically fit? If you do, you certainly understand that as we get older, it’s important that we take a little extra care to take care of our bodies because things don’t always work the same as when we were younger. I’m a 51 year old guy and I love to workout and try to stay very fit. Most people tell me I don not look my age but look a lot younger. I can only attribute this to trying to stay in good shape. i really enjoy it actually. Working out helps to avoid and beat the stress of daily life.

Our joints just don’t work like they used to no matter how much you workout. That’s just a fact of life. I found that out recently. I headed over to my local mountain bike trails to take a morning hike. Since I was just going to do a power walk, I really didn’t concern myself with too much warming up. I had a great hike and really got my heart rate up to burn a few calories. Later that evening, I felt a dull ache in my right knee. Unfortunately, that was over 2 months ago and the pain is still there. It’s not a bad pain but it’s ever-present. I must find a remedy and I’m hoping to avoid a trip to the doctor.

I’ve been doing a lot of research on the internet about knee pain. One thing that is surprising to me is that there are a lot of people who are swearing to the healing powers of magnetism. They say that magnetism helps the flow of blood, thereby helping to increase healing. Many companies even make a magnetic knee support and I’m ready to give one a try. I’ll do just about anything to avoid a trip to the doctor. I’ve read a couple of articles that say a good magnetic knee support used in conjunction with a knee support pillow at night can offer a lot of relief to aching knees. It’s time for me to put these into action in my search for pain relief. Good luck on all of your workouts.