Using Your Heart Rate to Guide Your Workouts

woman checking heart rateThe heart is the most vital muscle in your body, so improving its strength and condition is an ultimate fitness goal. But do you know how your heart rate affects your workouts?

When you’re working hard to be fit, it can be truly helpful to know if you’re training in a beginner or warm-up zone, an aerobic heart rate zone, or an anaerobic zone so you can build muscle more efficiently. And if your exercise is focused on keeping your heart healthy, you might like to know how your cardiovascular system is working, recovering and supporting your goals. BE FIT in The XSport Life – Learn how here

New Year, Be Fit: Total Body Workout List

woman getting a total body workout on exercise bikeA highlight of each New Year is when you start to make resolutions about fitness and weight loss. If you want to be fit from top to bottom in 2018, use this list of workout ideas.

  • Arms & Shoulders. If you want to build bigger arms, it’s a great idea to concentrate on heavy multi-joint exercises that also work on your shoulders, like military press or overhead press, plus the dip and burpee shoulder press we include here. To add more definition as you work toward that sculpted look, add some isolation work for your biceps and triceps, too: BE FIT in The XSport Life – Learn how here

How Ankle Mobility Problems Can Hold You Back

woman on treadmillYou’ve heard “the hip bone’s connected to the thigh bone,” right? In our bodies, the energy directed to the movement of joints is key to our mobility. This is known as the kinetic chain.

You might be surprised at how aspects of strength, speed and pain can be related to ankle joints, but it’s true: improve your ankle mobility and you can improve your fitness, too.

BE FIT in The XSport Life – Learn how here

Build a Beautiful Back – 3 Key Exercises

woman doing rows to strengthen back musclesIt’s not surprising that many of us don’t leverage back strengthening exercises to work on the posteriors of our bodies as much as we should – we can’t see them in the mirror! And yet, back muscles are involved in so much we do.

The muscles supporting your spine are key to everyday movements from sitting up to carrying a child. Whether you’re an athlete or a desk worker: build your back to feel and look better!

BE FIT in The XSport Life – Learn how here

Fit Head to Toe – Train Like a Quarterback

quarterback throwing footballIf you’ve ever known someone who played football, you know how intense the off-season workouts and pre-season training can be. Players need to be strong, tough and powerful.

At quarterback, we find some of the finest athletes on the field, relying on a special brand of quickness, endurance and more. Here are some ways to train for QB skills like an NFL pro.

BE FIT in The XSport Life – Learn how here