All about Shin Splints | PERSONAL TRAINER IN BATH

A Pain in the Leg!

After last night's football game, your son complained that his shins hurt, so you iced his legs before he went to bed. His legs felt fine after a good night's sleep and you sent him off to school this morning with a kiss and soccer practice clothes in his backpack. Now he's calling and saying that his legs hurt again. Could it be something more than simple pain?

Shin splints are a common injury among athletes - especially runners, sprinters, figure skaters, and gymnasts. The term "shin splints" refers to pain felt in the shinbone or tibia (the large bone in the front of your lower leg) after an athlete has run or "pounded the ground" for a period of time. This force of impact can sometimes cause the muscles around the tibia to tighten, pull, or become inflamed, which leads to pain. Shin splints often respond well to home treatment, but if the pain continues, it's a good idea to have a medical professional check it out just to be sure it's not a stress fracture in your shinbone or another serious condition.

Symptoms of Shin Splints

The most common symptoms of shin splints include:

•                Tenderness, soreness, or pain along the inner part of your leg

•                Mild swelling

•                Pain that worsens when you run or participate in other weight-bearing exercise

•                Discomfort in your lower leg that lingers even after you've stopped exercising

These symptoms are most likely to occur after you've been running downhill, on a slanted or tilted surface, or engaging in sports like basketball or tennis that require frequent starts and stops. You may also experience shin splints if you're running in worn out footwear, which offer less support for your feet.

Treating Shin Splints at Home

The good news about shin splints is that you can treat the condition at home in most cases. If you or a loved one is experiencing shin splints, try these remedies to relieve your pain.

•                Rest. Most of the time, your legs just need time to recover after high-impact activities like running. However, don't give up totally on exercise while you're resting your legs. Try lower-impact sports like swimming or bicycling.

•                Ice. Icing your legs can help relieve pain caused by shin splints. Just apply an icepack wrapped in a towel (to protect your skin) for about 20 minutes up to four times a day.

•                Reduce swelling. If your legs swell when you get shin splints, try elevating your legs above the level of your heart (especially at night).

•                Take non-prescription pain relievers. Several pain relievers, including ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin can help to relieve pain and inflammation.

•                Wear the right shoes. If you think your shoes are causing shin splints, try buying a new pair of athletic shoes. If your foot shape is hard to shop for, ask your physician for tips on what kind of shoe to purchase.

•                Consider arch supports. Arch supports can drastically reduce your risk of shin splints. You can buy off-the-shelf arch supports that can immediately be fitted into your shoe or you can get custom-made arch supports.

Remember, it's important to avoid overdoing it when you get shin splints. Take a break from your exercise and recover before gradually working back to your previous athletic level.

3 Tips to Prevent Shin Splints

Rather run past shin splints? Here are a few tips to stop the pain in your shins before it ever starts.

Tip #1: Keep up with your shoes. Your footwear is a very important part of preventing shin splints - especially if you're a runner. Replace your shoes as soon as they begin to get old, usually about every 350 to 500 miles of wear.

Tip #2: Lessen the impact. Instead of running or exclusively participating in high-impact activities, try cross-training with exercises that are easier on the legs, such as swimming or walking.

Tip #3: Add strength training to your routine. Strengthening your shins is key. Try slowly rising up on your toes while you're standing and then slowly lowering your heels to the floor. Repeat 10 times. If this exercise gets easy, try holding weights in your hands as you perform the exercise.

Artificial Sweeteners | the low down by BATH PERSONAL TRAINER

What's the difference and what's it matter to you?

You know that getting too much sugar isn't good for you. So when you find yourself in a situation that demands a sugary treat, you often go for the artificial stuff, expecting it to be healthier for you. But are artificial sweeteners all they're cracked up to be, or would you be better off with the natural choice?

Read on to learn what you can expect to get out of natural sugar compared to the manmade alternatives.

Artificial Packs More Punch

You may think you can use as much artificial sweetener as you want, but be careful. As sugar substitutes are much sweeter than sugar, adding the same amount of artificial sweetener as you would natural sugar can ruin the flavour of your drink or favorite dessert.

Real Is Fatter

Compared to artificial sweeteners, real sugar has more calories, making it easier to gain weight when consuming real sugar. But that doesn't mean artificial sugars are fat-free. In fact, many people who primarily consume artificial sweeteners wind up gaining more weight than their real-sugar-eating counterparts. Why? Because they think since artificial sweetener has fewer calories, they can eat more. This leads to the consumption of more cookies, cakes, and other foods filled with useless calories.

They're Not Carcinogenic

When sugar alternatives first hit the market, there was a big scare that artificial sweeteners were linked to cancer. However, after a number of careful studies, researchers disproved this idea, as they found no definitive link between cancer risk and use of artificial sweeteners.

 All Are Considered Safe

In order to be on your grocer's shelf, natural and artificial sweeteners must meet approval by the appropriate regulating body. In America, this is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the FDA has approved five artificial sweeteners: saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, D-tagatose, and acesulfame potassium.

 Fake May Improve Your Health

While the jury is still out, early testing has found that use of aspartame may actually give your health the upper hand. In a study at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, researchers found aspartame to be useful in providing pain relief to individuals suffering from sickle cell anemia, osteoarthritis, and multiple sclerosis. Only time will tell if these initial findings will hold up and artificial sweeteners will one day be used as a medical therapy.

You May Have Symptoms

Though artificial sweeteners haven't been found to bring about cancer or other dangerous and deadly diseases, they can have mild side effects on certain people. Some of the most common include an upset stomach and headaches. In the event you find yourself experiencing either of these symptoms, lay off the artificial to find out if that's the cause of your problems.

Moderation Is Key

For most people, eating natural sugar or using artificial sweeteners isn't going to cause big weight fluctuations or health problems. However, eating too much of any kind of sweetener whether it is natural or man-made is where trouble comes in. It is especially dangerous to consume excessive sugar if you are living with diabetes. Stay safe with your sweets by avoiding too much of a good thing!

Get Fit in Bath with Short And Sharp Fitness Workouts

The fastest way to keep your exercise routine regular.

If you've spent some time away from the gym, you may feel like taking on the world at your return. Sure, a three-hour marathon workout may make you feel like you conquered the world, but it takes regular exercise to get your body in good shape, so bite off a little at a time.
 Need a little more convincing? Read on to get a few reasons why a short routine may be the best way to get and stay strong.

It's Easier to Maintain

The thought of a prolonged workout may be intriguing at first, but getting to the gym the third and fourth time for an equally long workout won't be easy. Nothing is as easy the second or third time - especially if it involves draining yourself of all energy with hours of nonstop exercise. Do yourself a favour by going for the short, the sweet, the manageable.

 It Fits in Your Schedule

Along with a short routine being easier to maintain, it also fits into your schedule with greater ease. This means that while you may think you've not got time in your busy day to squeeze in a trip to the gym, you actually do. On those days when it seems impossible to hit the gym, it's much easier to make it happen if your routine only requires 20 or 30 minutes, compared to some of the more time-intensive workouts.

It Gives You Variety

Short routines may seem stifling on your creativity. But if done right, they can provide a great amount of variety in your routine. Shoot for four exercises during each session and choose different ones every day. Go for two arm and two leg exercises one day, one arm, two legs, and an abdominal exercise the next. Keep things switched up by tossing in an all-aerobic day or a full body workout in the pool.

It Helps You Focus

One of the big problems of staying in the gym for too long is the ease with which you can lose your focus. You may have shown up with grand plans, but two hours into it, you realize you've been standing around shooting the bull more than you've been working out. By sticking to a short routine, you know exactly where you're going from your first step into the weight room to the final lap in the pool, ensuring your body gets a workout throughout your time at the gym.

It Gives You a Partner

Finding yourself in the midst of a marathon weight-lifting session gets old fast for you and your workout partner. To make sure your spotter will always be there by your side to offer encouragement and join you on the road to better health, use a shorter routine. It'll help you both stay on track.

Optimum Body Performace | PERSONAL TRAINER WARMINSTER

How you can improve your body's performance in four steps.

It seems everybody who knows how to exercise has a tip or two on how to get your body to operate at its maximum potential. Which ones should you use? The ones that work for you. Believe it or not, most tried-and-true ways to get more from your body work. At least they work for a certain group of people.

Trying these different techniques will help you determine what it takes to help your body get to the next level of fitness and provide you with a better, stronger self.

Strengthen Your Core:

Just the name of your core should be enough to convince you of your need to keep it strong and healthy. When your core is weak, the rest of your body is at a distinct disadvantage. Add some muscle to your core with sit-ups, double crunches, crunches while resting on an exercise ball, and other core-strengthening and core-stabilizing exercises. The end result will be more than a good-looking set of abdominal muscles. It will be a set of good-looking abdominal muscles that supports you properly and efficiently in all endeavors you undertake - whether walking briskly through the airport with two carry-on bags tossed across your shoulder or going for a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Get Vitamin D:

You've known for a long time that vitamin D is important for strong bones, and strong bones are important if you want your body to do its job as well as possible. Did you know that vitamin D is also important for another reason? Recent research shows that vitamin D may play a great role in whether an athlete is able to take his or her performance to the next level. Runners who underwent rigorous training reduced their sprint times by 7.4 percent with the aid of vitamin D, while their counterparts who did not receive vitamin D increased their times by a meager 1.7 percent. So if you want to get the most from your body, take a vitamin D supplement or get out in the sun.

Kick Back:

Taking some time off to relax seems counterproductive when you want your body to be stronger and more efficient. But if you don't take time to relax and get proper amounts of sleep, your body won't be there for you when you need it most. Instead, it will be ready for naptime. In addition to getting plenty of sleep, you should also relax your body during the day. By forcing yourself to let your limbs hang loose and your fingers drop carelessly, you stretch out your entire body and reduce your stress levels immediately. Take this time to breathe, and breathe deeply. Deep, focused breathing is a great way to reinvigorate your muscles with oxygen-rich blood, and it's easy to do. So relax a little now and your body will be ready to help later.

Drink It Down:

Water is one of your body's main building blocks, making up nearly three-fourths of your body mass. Are you getting enough of it? If not, you're putting your body at a disadvantage that is difficult to overcome with energy bars and electrolyte-filled drinks. When in doubt, drink water. It will give your body what it needs to stay strong and healthy, keep you from growing weak and faint, and will help you feel fuller faster, all benefits that help your body operate at its peak all the time.

Say NO To Diabetes | Tips from FROME PERSONAL TRAINER

On the verge of diabetes? Eat right to keep it at bay.

When type 2 diabetes sets in, you can expect a life full of tedious and exact portion control, medications, blood tests, and injections. But what if you could catch diabetes before it ever set in, and thereby avoid all of these potential problems?

Thanks to a diagnosis of pre-diabetes, you can. If you're willing to change your diet.

Know the Numbers

With pre-diabetes, your fasting blood sugar level (level of sugar in your blood) is between 100 and 125 mg/dl. These measurements butt up right against the 126 mg/dl that indicates you're diabetic, and if you don't make some lifestyle changes, you can easily enter the land of diabetes. By watching what you eat, you can actually lower your blood sugar levels, preventing pre-diabetes from turning into type 2 diabetes.

Ready to sidestep diabetes by what you put in your mouth? Then sit down and take notes on your new diet plan.

Eat Less

If you're overweight and have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, your first step toward a healthier diet that can reduce your risk for diabetes is to lose weight. The best way to do that is to look at how much you eat every day. Spend time eating out of boredom? You can't do that any more. If you're going to fight off diabetes, you're going to have to eat for energy. That means listening to your stomach and only eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're full. A few easy tips to help you do this include drinking a glass of water before each meal, going to bed earlier (this will prevent unhealthy late-night snacking), and chewing your food well and slowly.

Eat Better

Now that you're eating less food each day, you'll need to eat the right kinds of foods if you really want to help your blood sugar. Instead of greasy, fatty foods, go for something a little healthier. This means grilled or broiled instead of fried food, more fruits and vegetables, and leaner cuts of meat. It also means saying no on occasion, but there is good news about your sweet tooth.

Choose Wisely

While you don't want to stock up on cookies and cakes, you don't have to mark them off your list altogether either. With pre-diabetes, the secret to success is moderation and being choosy. That means only having a small slice of cake during very special occasions. And instead of going back for seconds, relish in the piece you had and enjoy it so much that you don't need a second piece.

Choose Daily

In addition to choosing which sweets to eat and when, you've got to make other dietary decisions on a daily or even hourly basis. Should you go with chicken or a hamburger? Baked beans or a salad? Find out what is in different dishes and opt for the option that has less sugar, fat, and calories. Low-fat, low-calorie options not look too appetizing? Then go for the hamburger. But only eat half of it and skip the fries. Tomorrow, give the chicken a try. Or better yet, give up meat one day a week and focus on getting more fruits and vegetables.

Eat Up the Gym

As you probably suspected, what you put in your body doesn't have the final say over whether or not your pre-diabetes will turn into type 2 diabetes. If you want to fend off diabetes and pull yourself out of the pre-diabetic realm, you'll also need to spend some time in the gym.

By working out regularly, you help your body make use of the food you eat each day. That way, your food gets burned off as energy instead of sitting around and increasing your blood sugar levels. So eat well, and make sure you couple your new eating habits with regular physical activity for maximum diabetes-fighting power.

Want Some Whey? Build Muscle in Bath

Before you jump on the bandwagon, bulk up on your whey protein knowledge.

Considered one of the best protein supplements on the market, whey protein is accredited with building muscle, burning fat, providing antioxidants, and giving your immune system a boost. But does it do all this and more?

Maybe. Keep reading to find out what whey protein can do for you and what you can do to avoid any potential side effects that it may bring about.

Milky Substance

A protein found in milk, whey protein is exceptionally digestible. Because of this, most of the whey protein you ingest is used by your body. This is particularly useful if you're attempting to build muscle mass. Protein is required to build muscle, so the more of it you have in your body, the more opportunity you have to add some muscle weight to your frame.

And in case you're wondering, whey protein is indeed found in the milk you get in the cold aisles at your grocery store. Unfortunately, the protein is found in such a small amount in milk that it would be very difficult to consume enough whey protein through drinking milk alone to get the muscle boost you seek.

Cheese has even less whey protein, as it is removed during the cheese-making process. So if you really want to get some whey protein into your diet, you'll need a trip to your local fitness store to pick up some whey protein in powder form.

Drink It Down

In studies, whey protein improved strength, muscle mass, and lean body mass when combined with strength training. If you're considering using whey protein to bulk up, you'll need to make sure you do it right. The tough part is figuring out what exactly that means. Because while whey protein clearly helps build muscle, it is unknown exactly how much of the muscle-building stuff you should use on a daily basis.

During studies on whey protein, athletes consumed as much as 1.5 grams of whey protein per kilogram (or 2.2 pounds) of their weight. So if you weigh 75 kilograms (165 pounds) and are active on a daily basis, you may be able to handle as much as 112.5 grams of whey protein each day. But be warned. If you're not active enough to make use of all the whey protein, it will do what all the other extra calories do that enter your body: turn into fat.

Dangers

While most people can take whey protein without any adverse side effects, it is possible that you could suffer some complications from whey protein. Initial symptoms that your body and whey protein don't agree with one another include frequent thirst, cramps, nausea, excessive bowel movements, headaches, and bloating. As soon as you experience these symptoms, it's best to stop using whey protein.

Additionally, if you are allergic to milk, whey protein is completely off limits.

Because it is derived from milk, whey protein can cause the same allergic issues as drinking a glass of milk. And while whey protein is helpful for healthy people who are attempting to beef up, it can interact with medications, such as antibiotics and drugs that are used to treat Parkinson's disease or osteoporosis. Therefore, speaking with your physician before starting whey protein if you are taking other medications or have other health issues ensures you won't suffer any undesired complications.

Lactose Intolerant? No Problem.

While you can't use whey protein if you're allergic to milk, lactose intolerance won't keep you from enjoying the benefits of whey protein. So grab some whey protein powder and work your way to a bigger, better body.

Baby steps to a better diet in Bath

Big diet adjustments have you overwhelmed? Then start with baby steps.

Whether you need to change your diet in order to shed pounds or improve the health of your heart, it can be hard to know where to start. If you've set a weight loss or health goal for yourself, the best way to achieve and maintain that goal isn't to completely overhaul how you live your life overnight. You're more likely to maintain good habits if you start out slow and steady.

So what baby steps can you take to make a healthy diet a life habit instead of a mere goal?

Sip on This

It may sound simple, but drinking more water is a great goal to get your healthy lifestyle started - especially if you love soda. Did you know that if you drink two glasses of soda every day for a year, you will gain 24 pounds? Sound crazy?

Consider this: The sugar found in sodas, caffeine products, and juices taste great, but these drinks may actually make you thirstier instead of quenching your thirst like water does. That's why you wind up downing glass after glass of soda when you go out to eat.

Try replacing at least one soda a day with a cup of ice water. You'll cut out excess sugar and calories, and the cold water will help you burn calories by forcing your body to warm up the water. If you simply can't cut soda completely out of your diet, drink diet soda instead of regular.

At the same time you're cutting soda out, you should also switch to skimmed milk.

Even drinking one-percent milk adds hundreds or thousands of grams of fat to your body each year. Skimmed milk may taste a little different, but it still has the same amount of vitamins and minerals and less fat. If you're currently drinking whole milk, switch to two percent. Give it a few weeks, and then jump to one percent for a couple weeks, and finally work your way to skim.

Go Color

When you think of colorful foods, don't think about red velvet cake or green icing. Think about fruits and vegetables. Having a colorful plate at each meal is a healthy thing to work toward, so take small steps to add them into your meals and snacks. If you find yourself reaching for chips or cookies at snack time, try an apple or baby carrots instead. And don't worry about becoming a vegetarian. Including at least one fruit or vegetable at each meal will help you take great strides toward a healthier diet.

Stay Balanced

Breakfast is often overlooked and forgotten. After all, many people are too busy in the morning to sit down to eat or perhaps they just aren't hungry first thing in the morning. However, eating even a small breakfast can make a big difference in your health. Skip breakfast, and you can expect to be extra hungry when lunch rolls around, causing you to overeat and add extra, unneeded calories to your physique. Don't think you can become a breakfast eater? Go with a small piece of toast, a hard-boiled egg, or a spoonful of peanut butter to get started.

Also, be sure to include healthy snacks as part of your day, and don't let more than a few hours go by without food. Otherwise you will suffer the same fate as if you didn't eat breakfast. You'll become overly hungry and eat more than necessary at the next meal.

Other small changes to make in your meals include using olive oil instead of butter, switching to whole grain breads and pastas, and checking nutrition labels to reduce sodium and sugar in your diet. But don't sweat making all these changes at once. Remember - baby steps!

The Common Cold - Tips for staying fit and healthy in Bath!

With cold season around the corner, keep these home remedies on hand to battle your symptoms.

Feeling miserable because of a cold? While bed is calling your name and you know you should listen, duty is calling too loudly to ignore. What can you do to feel better faster? Good question with bad news. Because there is no cure for the common cold. As a virus, it has to run its course, which usually takes one to two weeks.

Thankfully, you don't have to suffer the whole time you have a cold. Numerous home remedies are available for colds and many have been around for centuries. Here are a few ways to help alleviate your discomfort.

Drink, Drink, Drink

It is important to hydrate with plenty of water or other liquids. While you can't flush a virus out of your system, fluids help break up congestion and keep your throat moist. Water, ginger ale, fruit drinks, and sports drinks are helpful, but avoid caffeinated drinks such as soda and coffee, as these can actually cause dehydration.

Especially beneficial for relieving nasal congestion and a sore throat are hot liquids such as clear broth, warm lemon water, and herbal tea with a teaspoon of honey. If congestion is preventing you from sleeping, a good old-fashioned hot toddy may help. Just make some hot tea and add in a small shot (one ounce) of bourbon or whiskey.

Increase the Humidity

Winter is the cold season partly because cold viruses spread rapidly in dry conditions. Also, when the air is dry, so are your mucous membranes. This results in a stuffy nose and a sore, scratchy throat. A helpful remedy is breathing in warm, moist air through your nose. You can do this either with a humidifier or a pot of boiling water on the stove. If you use a humidifier, keep the filters clean and change the water daily. If you breathe steam from boiling water, be careful not to burn yourself.

Taking a hot, steamy shower in a closed bathroom is another way to relieve congestion, moisturize your throat, and relax. Even sitting in the bathroom while the shower is running will help.

Salt Water

What can you do with the salt found on your kitchen table? First of all, you can dissolve one-half to one-quarter teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water. Gargle this mixture four times a day to relieve your scratchy, sore throat. To make it work even better, add a little honey to the mixture.

Secondly, salt water can be used to irrigate your nose. While this may sound unpleasant, many people rely on it to relieve nasal congestion. The salt water helps to break up the mucous and remove the virus from your nose. Mix one-quarter teaspoon of salt and one-quarter teaspoon of baking soda with eight ounces of warm, clean water. Lean your head over a sink, hold one nostril closed, and use a bulb syringe filled with the salt water to gently squirt the mixture into your other nostril. Let the liquid drain out. Repeat this several times, and then switch to the other side.

Nose Care

Nasal congestion can make you feel miserable. And while you may have more important things to do than blow your nose, it is important to regularly blow your nose instead of sniffing the mucous back into your nose. When you blow, blow gently out of one nostril, while pressing the other side closed. This prevents the germy mucous from getting into your ear passages, which can result in an earache.

If your nose is rubbed raw from frequent blowing, use a salve containing menthol, camphor, or eucalyptus to relieve the pain. These ingredients all have numbing properties and help open your breathing passages. You can also alleviate your pain by applying a hot pack to your sinuses. Use reusable hot packs bought at the store or a damp washcloth heated in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Before placing on your face, test the temperature of the hot pack or washcloth.

Sprains - How to prevent them

Sprains come in all shapes and sizes - none of which is too fun. Here's how to avoid sprain pain.

You're in the middle of a football match, rowing a boat across the river, or working under the hood of your car. Suddenly, a pain springs up that you can't ignore. It's a sprain.

A sprain is a common injury that occurs when you overstretch or tear a ligament somewhere in your body. Elastic bands of tissue, ligaments' job is to connect bones where they meet together in joints such as ankles, knees, wrists, and thumbs. A sprain is common in sports, but it can occur any time you fall or twist in the wrong direction.

What can you do to avoid getting a sprain, and what is the treatment for sprains if you do get one?

Contributing Factors

There are many causes of sprains, and they depend on the ligament sprained.

You are more likely to sprain your ankle if you walk or run on an uneven surface or if you fall on the side of your foot. Spraining your knee occurs during activities during which you pivot or twist your legs. Your wrist is at risk for sprains if you land on your hand during a fall. And believe it or not - you can sprain your thumb. This is most likely to occur during sports such as skiing or those that use a racquet such as tennis. While anyone can suffer a sprain, your muscles are weaker and are more likely to get injured if you're not in good shape.

Fatigue is also a contributing factor in getting a sprain, so calling it quits when you've run out of energy can protect against sprains. Additionally, if you exercise without a sufficient warm up, your muscles and joints will be tight and more prone to tears and stretches.

Prevention

To best avoid sprains, it is important to be in good physical shape. Keep your muscles strong by eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising every day. Before you hit the gym hard and heavy, spend a few minutes stretching and warming up. Any time you're tired or have suffered a minor injury, don't fight through it. Get off your feet and rest.

When running or walking, wear shoes that fit well and that offer protection and support. Any time the tread or heels on your shoes wear down, get new shoes. Also, wear the correct protective equipment when playing sports.

When the Unexpected Happens

Unfortunately, accidents happen and sprains do occur. Symptoms of a sprained ligament include pain, bruising, swelling, inability to completely move the injured joint, and possible redness or streaks radiating from the injured area. Another telltale sign? When the sprain occurs, you may hear a popping sound and feel a tear. The pain will begin right away. It may be so severe you think you've broken a bone.

Sprains range from mild to severe. Initial treatment for the pain and swelling are rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).

Rest: Avoid using the joint for the first day or two, and get around by using a cane or crutches if necessary.

Ice: Apply ice to the injured joint 20 minutes, four to eight times a day.

Compression: Use special bandages, splints, casts or boots to squeeze the injured area.

Elevation: Be sure to elevate your ankle, wrist, knee, or thumb on a pillow. This prevents excess blood from causing the sprained area to swell.
Along with RICE treatment, take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen as needed. After treating the pain and swelling for a day or two, it is helpful to gently exercise the affected area to prevent stiffness and strengthen the joint.

In most cases, home treatment is enough to overcome a sprain. However, if pain and swelling are severe or continue after two or three days, head to your physician to determine the next step in treatment.

Get Sexy Obliques - Get a Flat Stomach in Bath!

Slim your waist, support your lower back, decrease back pain, and improve your posture. That's the power of your obliques.

Better known as side abdominals, oblique muscles are a pair of muscles that enable you to bend at the side and twist at the waist. External obliques are upper muscles on your sides, and the internal obliques are underneath them, crossing diagonally near the side of your abdomen.

Building stronger oblique muscles will give your core strength a boost and also lead to a ripped, toned stomach.

Many sports such as swimming, wrestling, and rock climbing give your obliques a great workout, but you can do more to beef them up. Just be careful. While strong obliques are important, if you make them too large, women will look bulkier than desired and men will lose that coveted V-shaped torso. But how can you make your obliques as strong as possible?

Use Oblique Technique

Doing oblique exercises the correct way will speed up your results and make your workout as productive as possible. An aerobic warm-up and stretches before and after your workout is a good start. While exerting during an oblique exercise, exhale. And don't sweat turning out dozens of repetitions. With your obliques, it is better to do few repetitions with proper form than more repetitions with incorrect form.

To avoid neck injuries, don't lift from your neck and keep your chin off your chest. When performing oblique exercises on the floor, maintain a comfortable distance between your back and the floor, careful not to arch or flatten your back.

Oblique Exercises

Ready to start pumping up your obliques? Then try the following exercises. Once you can perform six sets of 12 reps with any exercise that requires weight, you can increase the weight amount. Just remember that while building your obliques, you also need to work your lower back. Otherwise, you increase your risk of injuring your lower back.

Side Planks: Lie on your left side with your legs straight and your left elbow on the floor. While pressing on the floor with your elbow and left foot, raise your hips until your body is a straight line. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then relax. Repeat and switch sides. For a more difficult exercise, lie on your side with your hand on the floor. Tighten your core muscles and lift your hips until your body is straight. You may also want to lift your opposite arm in the air to make a straight line with both arms. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then release. Repeat and switch sides.

Side Bends: Another great oblique exercise is the dumbbell side bend. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, your knees bent slightly. From this position, bend to the left side until the dumbbell reaches knee level. Using your obliques, pull yourself back up. Bend to the right side next, lowering the dumbbell again to knee level and pull back up. Alternate sides until you've performed 6 to 12 repetitions per side.

Bulky Killer Calves

Wish your calves were to die for? With the right steps, you can go from common to killer calves.

Having good-looking calves improves your legs' strength and appearance, giving you added confidence and athletic ability.

But if you're like many people, you probably don't spend much time working your calf muscles out. Sure, you run and do squats, but you rarely give your calves your undivided attention. Unfortunately, if you're just bringing your calf muscles along for your exercise routine without pushing them, you're missing out on what your calves can be.

What can you do to turn your everyday calf muscles into something to take notice of? It depends on your end goal.

For Bulk

If your goal is to bulk up your calves, you'll want to squeeze in calf exercises three days a week, with a full day's rest between each routine. Otherwise, they'll wear down and won't give you the growth you seek. Once you're in the gym, use these exercises.

Donkey Up: With one of the most entertaining names in weight training, the donkey calf raise will give your calves an immediate boost. To get started, bend at the waist with your upper body resting on a table approximately the height of your knees and your toes resting on the edge of weight plates or a stable platform. In this position, have someone sit on your lower back and then raise yourself up on your toes, keeping your body bent over in an L shape.

Sit and Raise: Have a seat at the calf-raise machine with the pads resting above your knees on your upper thighs. From this position, lower your heels as close to the ground as possible and then raise your feet onto your toes as high as possible in a slow and methodical movement. Once you hit the pinnacle of the toe raise, pause, return to the starting position, and repeat.

I will not retire while I've still got my legs and my make-up box. - Betty Davis

Raise the Toes: Something like the opposite of a calf raise, toe raises can have a great impact on the size and shape of your calves. Stand with the heel of your feet on a stable platform or a weight plate. Then, rest a dumbbell across your left foot and lift your toes as high as possible, lower, and repeat.

After a few reps with your left foot, put the weight on the other foot and repeat. As with all exercises, do this in a controlled motion for maximum effectiveness and safety.

For Beauty

Prefer to keep your calves slim and trim? No problem. With a handful of exercises, you can have killer calves that won't be bulging at the seams.

Jump Rope: Yep, one of your favorite childhood activities is also fantastic for your calves. Get in as much jump roping as often as you can, and you will feel the burn in your calves until it turns into the perfect shape you've been seeking. Just remember to make every jump work for you. In other words, if you're going so slow that you're jumping flatfooted, stop. It's only helpful for your calves if you're staying on your toes the whole time.

Run Faster: Long-distance running will certainly tone your legs, but short sprints seem to have a greater and more immediate impact on your calf muscles. So the next time you're at the track, do a series of short sprints and stay on your toes the whole time. After a while, your legs will thank you with some great-looking calves.

Press It: The old-fashioned leg press machine at your local gym is good for all kinds of stuff when it comes to shapely legs. And if you use it properly, it can also tone your calf muscles. For maximum effect, you have two options. The first is to do the complete leg press motion with your toes resting where your heels would normally. By doing this, your toes push through the entire motion, working your calves constantly. For a different technique, perform a typical leg press with your feet in the normal position. At the top of the press, extend the pressing plate out using only your toes.

Make It Happen

Want to keep your body in tiptop shape every day of the year? Then you're going to have to make some changes to how you operate. Try the following tips to maintain a healthy weight from now until this time next year:

•                get rid of fattening foods that are hard to resist

•                tell your loved ones what you're doing and encourage them to get onboard

•                make your own food as often as possible

•                adopt an exercise routine that you can maintain