I have been writing about different areas of mens fitness and fitness nutrition, but what about the basics of fitness. The core so to speak and why us men want to be fit. Fitness is for all ages. It doesn't matter how young or old you may be. It is never too late to start.
Men are the breadwinners of the family usually. If a man is fit, he has way more energy for his work and for his family life. You feel better, look better, and are happier. I feel every man should strive to achieve some level of fitness. You dont have to train like an olympian, but overall fitness, to me, is a must. I am sure the ladies agree.
The first part of a fitness routine and the most basic is Flexibility. Stretches before and after a workout will keep you flexible and away from injury. The second aspect of mens fitness is a good cardio workout. Cardio gets the blood pumping, increases your lung capacity and their ability to distribute oxygen to your blood. This gives you almost unlimited resources of energy for anything that comes up in your daily life. The blood flow also keeps your brain oxygenated Which improves it's overall capacity for handling anything that comes it's way. The third is muscle building and strength training. Now these are definitely optional. Some men do not want to be "muscle bound".
There is nothing wrong with keeping the muscles toned and fit though.
By far, in my opinion, is the cardio workouts. Aerobics if that is all the time you have. By focusing on cardio more, it keeps the arteries and veins open, keeps cholesterol low, and keeps the heart fit and strong. The heart is just a muscle after all and needs it's workouts. Cardio will keep you young and full of energy. Stretching for flexiblity and cardio is truly all you would need.
If you want to build muscle then, by all means, do it. If you are going to weight train, follow some simple rules. Know how to do your exercises properly, stretch properly before exercising, and possibly have a workout buddy/spotter for your lifting. Always be safe. To build muscle properly is where the proper nutrition comes in like I covered in a previous article. You need to get a well balanced diet, take vitamin and mineral supllements, get your fair share of protein(around 1 gram for every pound you weigh), drink plenty of water, and dont push yourself too hard or overtrain. The best foods to eat are raw foods(vegetables) in a wide variety, chicken, tirkey, and fish. Red meat if it is lean and not fatty.
There you have it. Some basics of mens fitness workouts and nutrition. Some of these are obvious and others arent. When we write about fitness, we tend to think everybody is already a semi expert and that isn't always the case.Until next time...
