In the late 1970s, a group of extreme athletes participated in the ultimate test of fitness and endurance, The IRONMAN Triathlon Competition. From inauspicious beginnings, The IRONMAN is recognized worldwide today as the most extreme form of endurance competition.  The event is held annually on the island of Hawaii and consists of three phases run sequentially:  A 2.4 mile swim in open water; a 112 mile bike race; and a run of 26.2 miles (the marathon distance).  There are a number of classes of competition by sex, age groups, professional and amateur.  Just finishing The IRONMAN gives significant bragging rights and hero-points enough to last a lifetime.

The promoters and developers of IRONMAN produce IRONMAN Fitness Equipment for the North and South American markets and they have licensed the manufacture outside of the Western Hemisphere.  The three primary products are; treadmills, exercise bikes and elliptical exercise machines.

• Treadmills – Two models, 1911 and 1921, with respectively; 2.5 and 3 HP continuous electric motors, 10 and 12 mph top speeds.  Each has 13 exercise programs and handlebar controls for ease of operation.
• Exercise bikes – Eight models, 3 upright and 5 recumbent, all with a wide variety of resistance and features.
• Elliptical Exercise Machines – Five models, 1 with eight levels of resistance, 4 with sixteen levels.  The base model has 1 heart-rate control and 1 program, the other four have 4 HR controls and up to 12 custom programs

Though IRONMAN Fitness Equipment was developed for home use, they are of commercial quality with sturdy frames, decks, motors, controls and features.  Independent reviewers rate all IRONMAN equipment very highly.  Further information is available on their webpage or through any of a number of equipment distributors found online.

“Exercise is boring.” Is one of the most common complaints about exercising for weight loss, most of which involves a high-repetition-low-impact cardio-vascular program.  Sure there are TVs in the fitness club, or you can plug into your iPod and listen to your favorite music, but exercise can be boring.  Then along came dance exercise, providing all the fun of dancing and the fitness benefits of cardio.  Most of the dance-for-exercise programs are available on DVDs so you can train at home, but many fitness clubs are offering dance exercise classes in their aerobics rooms.

Set to lively popular music; rock to hip-hop, even belly-dancing, the dance exercise routines are, as described in one promotion for a DVD, “fifty minutes of fun . . . and sweating!” Though you may do the dance exercise at home, there is something about the atmosphere of a crowded aerobics room with a bunch of jumping (dancing?), sweaty bodies all aglow from a mutually shared experience.  Also, it is a lot easier to keep up the program if you have a bunch of workout partners.  These programs aren’t just for the ladies either.  Many men are enjoying the vigorous dancing weight loss programs as well.

Some of the internet sites promoting these DVDs also have sample videos available at a click of the mouse:  www.DanceXFitness.com, www.jazzercise.com, www.beachbody.com, www.collagevideo.com/exercise-videos/dance-exercise-videos.com and many others.  Just do a Google and look for what you want.  Also, query the local health and fitness clubs, including the YMCA and you’ll probably find a number of options available to you.

Women must be more concerned about fitness and health than are men.  At least that is the impression one gets when perusing the newsstand magazine rack.  There seem to be about five women’s fitness magazines for every man’s offering.  There appears to be three types of fitness magazines for women; fashion and glamour magazines that have a fitness-for-women section, magazines totally dedicated to women’s health and fitness and periodicals dedicated to women’s bodybuilding.

In the women’s fashion magazine category, almost every one has a light section for fitness.  These often deal in generalities and involve dieting as much as exercise, though some low impact exercise programs are promoted.  Periodicals such as Glamour, Ladies Home Journal, Better Homes and Gardens, Redbook and the like fall into this classification.

Dedicated women’s fitness magazines feature articles on every type of exercise program, usually highlighting one or two in particular; Pilates, Curves, aerobics, floor exercise, circuit training and cardio.  This classification has the most offerings, including:  Fitness, Shape.com, Women’s Health, Self, Health, Natural Health, Prevention, and Yoga Journal. Some of these are health magazines with extensive fitness departments.  All of these magazines have sections on diet, family, recipes, fitness/workout fashions and other areas of interest to women.

In the women’s bodybuilding category are the hard-core iron-pumpers magazines like Muscle and Fitness Hers.  These are for the serious bodybuilders, not the casual fitness reader.  The pictures feature women in “contest” form, well muscled and very fit looking.  Most of the articles deal with high impact exercise programs designed to develop the female body to the nth degree.

Whatever their level of interest, women are sure to find good reading in one of these types of magazines, maybe in all of them.  A number of them have online offerings so they may be checked out before subscribing or purchasing one at the newsstand.

The Swiss Ball, also called the “fit-ball or “physio-ball”, is an inflated, elastic ball available in several sizes from about 2 ½ feet in diameter for the largest to smaller sizes of about half that.  The Swiss Ball can be used for a wide variety of exercises by people of all ages and fitness levels.  The exercises performed are low-impact and every part of the body can be worked out.  Most of the time, a Swiss Ball will be used to augment a fitness regimen, but a full body workout may be executed using only the ball.  The routine uses the elasticity of the ball to provide some impetuous for each of the moves, sort of a bounce or jump-start, that lessens the impact on the frame of the user, and still allows for a full range of movement.

Some of the basic exercises performed with the Swiss Ball:

Upper Body

• Wall Push-up – works the triceps and shoulders by placing the ball against the wall at shoulder height, move the feet about three feet (more for greater resistance) away from the wall.  Place both hands on the ball and slowly complete a push-up.
• Push-up – works the triceps, chest and shoulders by the user elevating their feet by placing them on the ball while in a prone position, placing hands at shoulder width and completing a push-up.
• Reverse Push-up – feet on the floor, hands on the ball.  Lower resistance, but effective on triceps from controlling the movement of the ball.
• Triceps Dips – with the ball behind a user seated on the floor, place hands on top of ball and keep the legs straight for greater resistance, or bent for lower, perform a triceps press-up.

Lower Body

• Swiss Ball Squat – with the ball against the wall and feet about three feet away, place back against the ball and squat down while rolling the ball with the back.
• Single Leg Ball Squat – using only one leg.
• Swiss Ball Lunge – using the same position as the squat, but perform a lunge while keeping the back tight against the ball.
• Ball Bridge – seated with the ball at back, bridge midsection upwards while keeping the shoulders on the ball, rolling the ball to maintain balance and form.
• Reverse Ball Bridge – feet on the ball, shoulders on the ground.
• Hamstring Curl – same position as Reverse Bridge, but roll the ball towards the body with the feet bending the legs, while bridging.

Torso

• Ball Crunch – seated in a chair position with the buttocks on top of the ball, perform an abdominal crunch, rolling the ball forward with the move.
• Roll-Away – using the ball like an ab-roller.
• Side Crunch, Back Extension – using the ball for support for these moves.
• Jackknife – knees on top of the ball, hands on ground (as in the push-up), bend the body, drawing the ball towards the feet.
• Ball Rotation – lie flat on back gripping the ball between the ankles.  Raise legs straight overhead and rotate to ball clockwise and counter clockwise.

Whether you’re someone with a specific goal or someone who wants an overall lifestyle change, a spa fitness center can be a good fit for you. This is especially the case for anyone interested in any aspect of fitness, because if you’re like most people then your goals will change. Eventually, people will get bored with their program and goals. Either they’re frustrated, they meet their goal, or they plateau. When you join a spa fitness center, you don’t have to worry about switching the place where you workout. You will have an opportunity to change your routine without having to go through the hassle of finding a new location, signing papers, meeting new people, feeling comfortable, etc.

For instance, if you were someone who was going for bulk, spent a ton of time in the weight room, and once you reached your goal decided you wanted to work on your flexibility, you could just switch to a Pilates or Martial Arts class. If you were someone who was focusing on cardio and now you wanted to build muscle, you could switch from the treadmill section to the weight room. And in many cases, there will be a boot class available to give you a good boost.

Regardless of what your goals are, there is something else that a spa fitness center will offer you aside from variety. Most spa fitness centers have the name ‘spa’ in there for a reason. They will often have masseuses on location, a sauna, and other types of unique forms of relaxation and rejuvenation. This is a great option to have as a reward for your workout. For some people, it can make them train harder during their workout so they feel like they earned it. The spa aspect of the visit will be even that more rewarding.

Whether you’re looking to join a gym for strength training, endurance, flexibility, a special skill set, etc, a spa fitness center can offer it. This is not the case with most gyms. You might pay a little bit extra, but if you like quality, it’s well worth it.

Personalized Fitness

The diet and exercise industry has recently begun offering more personalized services. Women are a huge sector of the fitness market receiving more attention. There are many gyms now that bill themselves as women’s fitness centers. These gyms offer women a focused and supportive environment in which to concentrate on becoming healthy. A lot of women are unhappy with their bodies when they first begin an exercise program. Working out at a gym with a lot of men and hard-bodied women can be intimidating and uncomfortable. The environment of a woman-focused work-out area can alleviate these feelings of self-consciousness.

Fun and Socialization

Women’s fitness workouts are highly concentrated on fun and socialization. These elements make the road to getting healthy much less painful. Many women find that partnering with someone in the quest toward getting in shape makes this goal much more attainable. Fitness classes and gyms are a great place to find other like-minded women interested in making healthy lifestyle changes. Many work places are organizing fitness clubs in which co-workers make a commitment to drop excess pounds and eat healthier. The clubs are frequently set up on a competitive basis which is a strong motivator for some individuals with a competitive nature.

Fitness Exercise Options

There are a vast amount of activities that provide fitness benefits. Walking is a simple activity that provides excellent aerobic and toning benefits. It’s an activity that most anyone can participate in without a financial investment in memberships, class fees, or home equipment expenses. Walking is a great fitness activity that can be accomplished with a partner or as a solitary endeavor.

The majority of women own a television. The Fitness Television channel broadcasts work-outs that cater to all tastes and aptitudes. Hip-hop work-outs, Pilates, yoga, and belly dancing are just a few of the selections offered on a daily basis. DVD work-outs are an additional option that can be used at home. This route to physical fitness is ideal for women who might find sticking with scheduled classes at a gym difficult to maintain. Self-discipline is a necessity, however, for this path to fitness.

Local gyms and community recreational facilities offer scheduled aerobic dance, zumba, body sculpting, and bender ball facilitated classes. These classes are probably the best alternative for women who require outside motivation. A flexible schedule is also necessary to make time to attend the classes.

Addtionally, have you noticed all the options available in women’s fitness clothing now?  If you’re a woman looking for more motivation to workout, get yourself some great workout apparel to start with and then reward yourself with more as you reach your goals.

Bodybuilding for women went through several phases: Smooth, shapely symmetry in the early days; massive muscular development assisted by male growth hormones (some of these female bodybuilders looked more “male” than most men); to the present where highly defined muscle symmetry and overall development is displayed.  For today’s female bodybuilder, the emphasis is on a fully developed “female” body; well-conditioned, shapely, defined musculature, but not the massive sized attributed to anabolic steroids and human growth hormone.  These days at competitions, you will see a wide range of women; whether tall or short, white or black female bodybuilders all love the sport.

Female bodybuilding still involves lifting weights, but these women spend many hours performing other types of resistance exercises that will define their musculature rather than build huge, man-type muscles.  The female metabolism responds to exercise differently than does that of a male.  The hard exercise of female bodybuilders tends to condition, shape and develop their muscle definition, without developing the huge muscle size of the male bodybuilder.

Working out in the gym, performing cardio and running are the physical side of the female bodybuilder routine.  The other side of the coin is proper nutrition.  In order for the body to benefit the most from all that exercise, there must be a proper intake of protein, unrefined carbohydrates and fiber.  Supplements in the form of protein powders, vitamins, minerals and soluble oils can also make a contribution, though a properly balanced diet should contain a sufficient supply.

The final aspect of female bodybuilding is displaying all of that work in a manner that shows each part of the development to its best advantage.  Posing routines are developed that show the best sides of the female bodybuilder’s development, while minimizing any weaknesses.  The posing routines of the women tend to be more fluid and athletic than those of the men, who are just showing their development.  If you think you might be interested, look for a free female bodybuilder show or clinic in your area.

Testosterone is needed to build muscle, and since women don’t have as much as men, they can’t get as big.  This is a hotly debated topic in bodybuilding circles: should the sport support massive women who use steroids and supplements, or more feminine natural bodybuilders who are seen as being healthier and more marketable?

Women also need more body fat than men to support their reproductive organs.  This does not mean that women can’t be toned and still be healthy; instead they appear more toned while maintaining higher levels of fat.  Female athletes can have as much as 20% body fat, which may be heavy for a man, but is quite healthy for a woman.  For competition, female bodybuilders aim for 6-10% body fat, while men typically go for 3%.  This is not a maintainable level, with most of these athletes returning to more normal levels outside the competition season.

What kinds of exercises are used in female bodybuilding?

Despite some physiological differences, women can use the same strength training techniques as men.  Overall, it’s not much different than power lifting, with heavy weights lifted only a few reps, often “to failure,” when they are not physically capable of lifting the weight again.  Because symmetry is part of the “ideal” bodybuilder’s body, trainers will often work only on specific muscles to get a more even shape.  Surprisingly, workouts happen only three times a week to give the body some time to recover.

Cardio is important for building up the heart and lungs to support muscle building, but mostly takes a back seat to weight training.

What do female bodybuilders eat?

Alongside exercising, muscle gain and fat loss is mainly a matter of diet.  There are numerous bodybuilding diets, but most consist of the same food: one-third lean protein, one-third complex carbohydrates, one-third vegetables, and a small amount fat.  Small meals are eaten throughout the day to maintain a fast metabolism: this way the body is always in a building mode, not a fat-storing mode.  This diet has caught on with medical professionals as a healthy way to lose weight.  Even the Atkins diet, known for its massive amounts of meat consumption, has changed to be closer to this model.

Bodybuilders “bulk” and “cut,” eating a lot of food when they’re trying to build muscle, while scaling back some when trying to lose fat.

The first thing to do after you have decided to either bulk or cut is to get into shape. You must be physically fit in order to begin the training process. The best way to do this is to involve yourself in a strength training program and a cardio program. Once your body is in shape, it may be best to find a personal trainer to assist with further bodybuilding techniques. Be sure the trainer specializes in working with female bodybuilders. There are different approaches to take when dealing with male bodybuilders.

Your trainer will most likely implement a balanced diet that will help you attain your goals. Typically, a bodybuilder will eat six or seven small meals throughout the day, full of fruits, vegetables and protein, which are essential building and maintaining muscle.

Once your training sessions begin, you will notice that the exercise routines will vary. This is because when the body gets used to one type of exercise, it ceases to produce desired results. It is important to have a routine that consists of many different exercises, targeting various parts of the body.

Becoming a female bodybuilder will take a lot of dedication, hard work and self motivation. It is just as strenuous mentally as it is physically. However, if you go about the training the right way, you will soon begin to see the results you are looking for.

For a lady, fitness can be very important. While many women leave their health and body image needs to cheap fixes like crash diets, it is best for long term health to pursue good lady fitness. This can involve cardiovascular activity, of course, but many women can even benefit from weight training.

Crash Diets Are No Form of Ladies to Achieve Fitness

Women do not benefit from keeping a good figure through unhealthy dieting. Good health can only be maintained through a balanced diet. This is not easily kept when trying out a variety of fad diets. Fad dieters tend to have sloppy physiques and poor health. A woman who pursues fitness through cardiovascular activity, weight training, stretching, and a healthy diet will have a good physique for decades longer.

Weight Training is Good for a Lady to Get Fit

Weight training is one of the more neglected areas of ladies’ fitness. Men tend to favor this type of exercise. As a result, many women view it as a means to gain muscle mass and size. However, doing high repetition activity with weights will not cause huge gains in mass. Instead, it will create toned muscle. This muscle will help keep the body tight as a woman ages. This is crucial for maintaining that slim, tight physique even into more advanced age. We have all seen those women at the gym who have kept a good body until very late in life. This is caused by keeping a good mind to the fundamentals, rather than to risky crash dieting.

Cardiovascular Health is Crucial for a Long Life

The lungs and heart are involved in every aspect of life. Giving them a good workout will equip them with the tools to handle serious strain. This will result in more precious moments of life. It also helps metabolize more food. Having a good cardiovascular routine will allow you to enjoy a balanced, healthy diet. You won’t have to count calories and worry about meals. You will know that you are just fueling up for your run. Your heart and lungs will appreciate this healthy attitude. Your family will too, as they will get to enjoy your company for many more years of life.

Keeping a mind to these solid fundamentals will keep a woman fit, healthy, and happy. Ignore the magazines who talk of crazy dieting. Eat healthily and keep busy with lady fitness techniques. You will look better for longer. You will also live longer. Fitness for ladies is very important.