Keeping it cool with your loved one may be the best way to avoid stress and early heart disease.
Middle-age people who feel that their family members are excessively demanding or a source of worry are more than twice as likely as worry-free people to develop angina, the chest pain that occurs with exercise or exertion due to a reduced blood flow to the heart
The economy has affected everyone’s life in every aspect including working out.
Trends depend on many factors, said the survey’s lead author, Walt Thompson. Take Pilates, which dropped off the survey’s list from No. 9 last year. Thompson believes the economy made Pilates equipment and specialized instructors too expensive for clubs to maintain. He’s not sure if Pilates will make a return to the top 20, but he doesn’t expect a few of this year’s trends to stick around long.
Pilates is an exercise system that stretches, strengthens, and tones the muscles. It can also help you lose weight. Created by German-born Joseph H. Pilates in the 1920s, Pilates is performed on a mat or a specially designed piece of equipment called a “Pilates Reformer.” Using a Pilates reformer requires the assistance of a Pilates instructor, so some sessions are one on one, while others are made up of small groups.
Pilates mat exercises can also be performed one on one, but mat exercises are typically performed in a classroom setting, with many participants. While Pilates machines offer more back and neck support and they help maintain correct posture, some people may prefer Pilates mat because it’s more affordable.
If you’re interested in Pilates mat, there are several things to consider during your search for the best class. You should consider environment, certification, and years of experience.
Environment is important for several reasons. Pilates studios typically have more space, better equipment and more of it, more sessions and classes, and instructors with more experience than the Pilates classes offered at your local YMCA or Bally’s. A Pilates studio’s main focus is Pilates, so all time, funds, and effort go into recruiting the best talent, purchasing and maintaining the best equipment, and making improvements based on client feedback. The community is smaller in a studio setting, which also makes the experience more personal.
Certification is required to teach Pilates at a studio or in a health club setting. The instructors at any given facility must be certified by a program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Any health club or Pilates studio will be more than happy to provide credentials, but you can also check with the NCCA.
Experience typically means at least two years in the industry working for a health club or Pilates studio. Many studios prefer more experience, so you will likely find Pilates instructors with 5-7 years of experience, sometimes more. Some health clubs will accept a Pilates instructor with a year or two of experience, while upscale health clubs may require more.
You don’t have to settle on a Pilates class based on high pressure sales tactics, so don’t feel obligated to sign on the dotted line until you’ve visited at least three Pilates studios and/or classes. Most Pilates studios will give you a free tour, answer any questions you may have, and they may even let you audit a class. Health clubs might be willing to do the same. Many offer free passes, which will give you an opportunity to try a class without further obligation.
I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
-Michael Jordan
low testosterone levels put men at risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and early death?? One study shows that testosterone treatment reduces LDL cholesterol and increases HDL cholesterol.? Another study that looked at the cause of death in almost 2000 men aged 20 to 79 years.? The men with low testosterone at the start of the study had a 2.5 times greater risk of dying during the next ten years compared with men with higher testosterone levels.? These studies, and more, will be presented at The Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, in San Francisco, suggest that testosterone therapy has several positive effects.
(Vitacost.com Daily Health Tip; June, 2008)
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