Month: January 2012

Take the Zzzz’s out of your Workout with Zumba

If you are finding your regular workout is becoming a bit dull, or you are looking to start getting in shape then you may wish to consider Zumba. Dance as a way to get fit is certainly not a new idea, and people have been shaking and shimmying off the pounds with salsa, tango, ballroom, belly dance, and even pole fitness and burlesque at gyms and dance studios up and down the country for years now. Zumba is the new kid on the block and this Latin-inspired, fast-pace workout, has spread like wildfire.

What is Zumba

Image via Wikipedia

The aerobic dance form combines elements of belly dance, samba, salsa and merengue and turns them into a cardio workout that tones you up while you look cool (at least once you’ve get the steps down). The atmosphere at Zumba classes is quite different to your average aerobics session, as they have a real party atmosphere. In fact Zumba makes a great evening out with friends, I find that I have so much fun the it really feels more like a fun night out with the girls than a work out, and I’ve learnt a whole host of sexy new dance moves. Most classes are run in large groups, there tends to be a mix of people in terms of age, fitness level and experience. While some people will go in groups of friends, others will go alone so if you can’t round your mates up, you will be made to feel very welcome. You can read more about Zumba at zumba.com.

Refreshes Parts other Dances Can’t

As Zumba targets all of your muscle groups and works squats and lunges into the routines you will most certainly ache then next day but that soon wears off. Zumba teaches you to have better posture and works on your rhythm at the same time as it works on your abs, glutes, arms and thighs. I found that after a few weeks of classes I had started to notice a difference in my body.

Types of Zumba

I find that a regular Zumba class is enough fun to keep me interested, but if you feel that even this is getting a bit too repetitive there are lots of different Zumba variations you can give a try.

Zumba Circuits

If you are looking for something even more high energy then you might enjoy Zumba Circuits where you move between exercise stations to fast paced salsa music.

Aqua Zumba

This is a good choice if you are looking from something that has a lower impact as it takes place in water so puts less pressure on your joints. If exercise in public is not for you then there are now a range of Zumba DVDs that you can use at home and there is even a game for the Wii which is great to play at parties too.

I hope that this intro to Zumba has tempted you to give it a try. I’m Caitin and I am a dance and fitness nut. I’ve been Zumba dancing for about 10 months now. It took me a few lessons to really get into the swing of things but then I was hooked. I write for www.poledancingpoles.info when I’m not or hanging upside down on my pole which is my other dance passion. Let me know how you get on at our blog or on twitter at @poledancepoles. Zumba classes are offered at most gyms now, so it should be easy to find a class near you and get started.

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Tachycardia: A Symptom of Anxiety Attack

The different anxiety attack symptoms mainly emanate from the body’s nervous system.   Others even think that anxiety sufferers are experiencing the same symptoms because of the fact that it all emanates from the nervous system of a person.  This is not always the case.  The uniqueness of each individual has made the symptoms of anxiety attack vary from one person to another.   There are literally hundreds of anxiety symptoms that vary in intensity, duration, frequency and severity.  Therefore, it is tantamount to say that no two individuals are suffering from exactly the same symptoms of an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety is an excessive worry and fear about an object, event or situation. The occurrence of the symptoms of anxiety attack all come from the body’s nerves.  This is why those people who have bad cases of nervous system are more prone to have anxiety attacks. This is why one of the most common symptoms of anxiety attack is heart palpitation.  This faster heart rate that occurs during an anxiety attack is medically known asanxiety tachycardia.

When anxiety tachycardia occurs, the beating of a person’s heart every minute reaches up to 200.If you suspect that you are suffering from the same symptom, consult a doctor.  For anxiety sufferers, tachycardia usually occurs as a symptom of an anxiety attack and not as a symptom of any other heart diseases.  This is the most common reason why anxiety sufferers rush to the emergency room thinking that they are having a heart attack.

Fortunately, anxiety tachycardia can be stopped using some relaxation techniques.  It is also good if an anxiety sufferer indulges in yoga.  Yoga provides good relaxation techniques to an anxiety sufferer.  People with an anxiety disorder may also choose to have a short vacation or a weekend getaway to a place that is very relaxing.  This way, the person’s mind and body will be refreshed.  The person’s energy will also be replenished as well.  When a person was able to relax well he will have more strength to deal with stressful situations.  Relaxation methods do not always mean that the individual will be sleeping all day to be able to relax.  Relaxation may also mean doing the things that provide happiness to the anxiety sufferer.

The different symptoms of anxiety are due to the adrenaline flowing through the bloodstream. This adrenaline will then result to varied unusual physical symptoms.  The adrenaline flow increases when a person starts to become afraid of the physical symptoms of anxiety.  If this occurrence persists for a considerable period of time an anxiety attack will happen.

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5 Great Alternatives to Hitting the Gym

There’s a good reason so many of us just can’t muster up the sticking power to make committing to the burden of a gym membership worth our time and money, and isn’t that we’re scared of exercise…

It’s more that, to a lot of people, the atmosphere of a gym simply isn’t conducive to enjoyment. It can be intimidating, or simply unpleasant depending on where you go, with mirrored walls and a crowded mass of lycra clad limbs lending the setting a nightmarish air.

Whilst exercise is important for our health, that doesn’t mean it should be joyless. If anything the very opposite is true. So, here’s a round up of some top alternatives for those of us who’d rather be anywhere than the gym, even when we’re exercising;

Going For a Run or Hike

This might sound obvious, but the fact of the matter is that a high number of new gym members head straight towards (and stick to) the treadmills.

One of the chief enemies of exercise, especially cardio vascular activities, is boredom. Surely, the risk of boredom is higher on a treadmill, rooted to the spot with no scenery to distract you or prompt your mind to wonder onto subjects other than the ache slowly taking hold of your muscles…

Join a Sports Team

Many people find the gym experience hard to enjoy due to the fact it can be very solitary. Indeed, manufacturers of entertainment devices such as MP3 players have developed special models for use at the gym, to help members zone out and ignore the space around them.

This is probably the factor the drives so many people to hire a personal trainer, not so much for the advice and motivation or the dressings down, more for the company. With this in mind, even if you aren’t much of a sports fan, if you’ve suddenly decided to get fit, consider joining up to a sports team rather than joining a gym.

DVD

Alternatively, you might be perfectly happy exercising on your own. Perhaps for you lack of companionship isn’t a problem, but rather, you’d actually prefer more privacy. In that case what better setting for your work out than the seclusion provided by your own front room. Exercising along to a DVD can be an excellent, cost effective way to add structure to your regimen.

Invest In Your Own Equipment

When you think about it, gym membership often amounts to little more than paying over the odds to rent exercise equipment, much of which you could very easily buy yourself at a fraction of the cost of even a months membership, let alone a 12 month contract.

Even if you do love the gym environment, if you are turning up just to utilise dumbbells, resistance bands and an exercise ball, you’re going to be able to buy those items and have them for your own private use whenever you want, at a cheaper price than you pay for the privilege of effectively renting them out for an hour or two a week.

Jane Newman writes on a range of topics pertaining to health and fitness, from easy workouts to choosing health insurance quotes.

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