Physical Vs Mental Fitness
There is but one way to live life to its fullest- being fit. Understanding the benefits of all-round fitness and knowing how active you should make it easier to improve the overall quality of your life. To help you live better, here’s how you can benefit from mental and physical exercise regardless of your age, sex or physical ability.
When talking about fitness, both mental and physical fitness come into play. More often than not, physical fitness gets plenty of attention, and for a good reason. A healthy body can counter conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, and help you maintain confidence as you age.
However, mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness, and should not be neglected in your self-betterment plans.
Mental fitness means having a brain and emotional health in tip-top shape. It may not necessarily mean training to ace an IQ test, but a series of exercise that helps slow down, decompress and boost a flagging memory.
Aerobics (cardio)
Aerobics involves maintaining an increased heart rate for an extended period of time. Types of cardio exercises include running, swimming, biking, rowing, dancing, and jumping rope.
Strength
Also called Resistance Training. It’s a physical activity with the purpose of increasing muscle strength and mass. Examples include weightlifting, dumbbell and bodyweight exercises.
Balance
This is where you activate your abdominal muscles for stability and control of your body. Balance exercises can include yoga, tai chi and stability ball exercises.
Flexibility
Bragging about how much you can bench is no fun if you have trouble tying your shoes. Flexibility saves you from tight hips, hamstrings, hip flexors and makes you as strong as you can be.
Why you need to be fit and importance of physical fitness
Weight control leads you towards fitness
Along with diet, exercise plays an essential role in managing your weight and preventing obesity. To maintain your weight, the calories you are taking must equal the energy you burn. To lose weight, you must utilize more calories than you eat and drink.
Manage your sugar and insulin levels
Exercise can reduce your blood sugar level and help your insulin work effectively. This can lower your risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. And if you already have one of those diseases, exercise can help you to maintain it.
Feel Happier through fitness
Exercise has been shown to improve your mood and reduce feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. It produces variations in the parts of the brain that control stress and anxiety. It can also boost brain sensitivity for the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine, which relieve feelings of depression.
Better Mental Health and fitness
Regular exercise can have an extremely positive influence on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. It also relieves stress, increases memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood. You don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits – browse through our site and discover how to reap these benefits.
How to Achieve Mental Fitness
Be positive with yourself and improve your fitness
Affirmation, or positively talking to yourself, involves strengthening neural pathways to bring your self-confidence, well-being, and satisfaction to a higher level. To start, make a list of your good qualities. Remind yourself that you don’t have to be perfect. Set goals for what you want to make better and start small to avoid becoming confused.
Stop Multitasking
Many think that multitasking enables you to get more things done at once, but it creates more problems than it solves. Focusing on one task at a time will improve your concentration and help you to be more productive.
Try Something Different
New practices can also set you on the way to mental fitness. You can fit new approaches into your daily life by trying new foods, new ways to accomplish routine tasks, traveling to new places or trying a new route to the grocery store.
Read More
Reading is great for your brain. Your brain processes every word you read, including this one. Beyond the mechanics, reading helps you visualize the subject matter on the pages before you, and imagine what voices sound like in the written dialogue.
This can also be a great relaxation technique
Top Fitness Tips for Mental and Physical Exercise.
General physical fitness and targeted exercises to improve stability can prevent falls. But so can staying mentally ready to maintain brain health. A sharp mind helps you to think — and stay — on your feet. Join us and learn to strike a balance.
Nutrient Density: Way to Healthier Life
Do you think that the energy-dense ‘fast’ food you have adapted to is enough to keep you healthy? While these foods fill our body with immense energy or calories, they lack nutrients, which that our body requires to be at its best.
Why we should eat less, more often
Medical experts claim that frequent snacking, provided that it’s healthy, keeps your metabolism pulsating, fends off hunger, and most importantly controls blood sugar.
Balanced Goals towards Fat Loss
Whether it is to drastically shed stubborn fats or gain desirable muscles, it’s imperative to know the significance of the balanced goals. Here we’ve master-curated the crucial existence of balanced goals and why it is recommended to celebrate even the smallest milestone we achieve in the venture.
150 Exercises You Can Do
As a bonus, we are giving a free fitness exercise ebook to start your healthy lifestyle
4 Best Stretch Out Strap Reviewed For Improving Flexibility [2020]
This review will explain the importance of doing regular stretching exercises. For most of us, there is a need to have supporting equipment to allow us to use in stretching effectively. For this reason, we have reviewed the best stretch out straps for improved flexibility.
Read on
Flexibility is defined as to the extent of movement for any given joint. How flexible you are is affected by muscles and connecting tissues, including ligaments and tendons. Stretching exercises will help to improve your flexibility.
Joint and muscular inflexibility have at least three detrimental impacts on the body.
Joints – the less flexibility in joint areas reflects the lack of blood flow in these areas typically. This lack of blood blow will directly impact of supplying nutrients and removing any toxins to areas around tendons, cartridges, and muscles. This lack of blood flow will also reduce synovial joint fluids that are essential for joint movement. Knees and hips are the first to suffer.
Muscles – overtime your muscles naturally contract if they are not used regularly. There is a toxin build-up around the muscles and tissues. When you start using the muscles in any form, there is an increase in levels of stress not only on the muscles but as well on the tendons and cartridges. Muscle injuries occur when they are either overstretched or forced to contract too forcefully. Muscle fatigue is often a major factor. Another factor is muscles not able to support the joints sufficiently.
Additional body structural stress– the lack of flexibility impacts interconnecting parts of the body, such as short hamstrings impacting the lower back.
What is a Stretch Strap
A Stretch Strap is a stretching aid to help stretch muscles, tendons, cartridges andjoints that you cannot stretch without an aid equipment
Benefits of Stretching
There are many benefits of undertaking a regular stretching stretching routine, including:
Improved Posture – Stretching encourages proper alignment. It strengthens the muscles in crucial areas. You become less prone to slouching
Injury Prevention – Stretching before and after any vigorous exercises reduces the risk of overstretching muscles. It stimulates blood flow around the muscles and joints, increasing fluids and removing unwanted toxins. It allows us to move with more ease.
Reduced Soreness – even though stretching appears to be low cardio or aerobic exercise, it still does increase the blood flow to specific areas you are stretching. This blood flow is vital to supply nutrients to the given regions and remove toxins that are built up that contribute to muscle soreness.
Mental Relaxation – The motion of stretching requires full concentration. By the sheer fact of this concentration on this one activity, it gives your mind a break from the daily stresses and puts you in a more peaceful space. With just a 20-minute stretching routine, it will transform your day.
Tension Release – an essential tool for all is to learn how to release our inner tensions. Under stress, muscles become tense, especially around the neck and head regions. Stretching is a well-known stress management technique to reduce this tension.
Body revitalization – The body becomes re-invigorated when there is blood flow throughout the body. Ever felt tired and then go for a brisk walk. Doesn’t that make a difference! This is because the increased blood flow sends nutrients to all parts of your body, including the brain.
Improved muscle elasticity and subtleness – this will reduce the aches and pains due to muscle shortness.
Neuromuscular harmonization- Stretching does require a fair bit of physical coordination. Stretching teaches the muscles to work together. This helps in all aspects of our lives and avoids potential injuries.
Stretch Straps for all
Many stretches do not need to have any additional devices. You can attain significant benefits, just be doing many basic stretching exercises.
For many of us, including me, we need to have some aids to accelerate and increase the effectiveness of any stretching routine. Personally, I have trouble touch my toes and have restricted shoulder movement.
The stretch strap is an ideal device to support you in your stretching routine. It allows for more dynamic and fluid-driven stretching exercises that cannot be undertaken without an aid. It has been shown that using a stretch strap can significantly improve flexibility in a much shorter period of time.
The stretch strap basic in nature is a useful aid for not only in your fitness routine but as well in yoga training. We have written a comprehensive article about the benefits of flexibility. A stretch out strap is an essential accessory for not only those starting out in becoming flexible but for those who are already are incredibly flexible.
Let’s face it. Nobody wants to get a nasty injury when they’re working out. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast that’s indulging in tough exercises and pushing your limits on the regular or just someone who rather not do vigorous exercise, the stretch out straps is suitable for all. It is ideal for it to be used pre-workout for a vigorous workout or just to improve motion in your joints. Either way, it reduces the risk of injury.
The stretch out strap is a great aid, especially for hardcore yogis. The stretch out straps can help them improve their poses that they find hard to grasp and delve into their deeper selves.
There are many challenging yoga challenging poses for maintaining balance, and they require some strength and stretching. The more challenging yoga positions make it difficult for beginners to undertake without an aid. The stretch out strap is essential to allow to complete these exercise without feeling inadequate.
Stretch straps are very portable, small, compact, and lightweight. They basically take no room at home or in the gym bag. They are very convenient as well to wrapped around your yoga mat and slung over your should to carry the yoga mat to the gym.
With numerous options available in the market to choose from, picking out the best stretch strap that complements your needs and requirements may be a struggle. We have investigated, trialed, and evaluated a reasonably extensive range of stretch straps.
We have summarised what we believe are the 4 best Stretch Straps in the market.
Price
Range
Rating
OPTP The Original Stretch Out Strap
A very popular strap in the market. Nice to use. The multi loop price is comparable to most other straps with this feature.
Multi-loopAround
$16
4.6
Best Buy
Clever Yoga Yoga Strap
Around $9
4.6
Excellent
Pete choice Yoga Strap
Around
$12
4.4
Good Buy
Tumaz Yoga Strap
Around
$9 Multi-loop Around $14
4.7
Very
Good
Interesting Myth about sitting on a exercise ball to get benefit.
Sitting onthe Exercise ball is exhausting on the lower back muscle. After some time you will become uncomfortable and may strain your lower back muscles.
OPTP The Original Stretch Out Strap
Colors: Green
Material: Woven Nylon
Length: 6′ 4″
Width: 1″
Warranty: 100% money back
Accessories: Exercise Guide
Price:Multiloop Under $16
Pro’s
- Made with durable nylon fabric
- Supremely versatile
- Long-lasting
- Instructional exercise book included
Con’s
- Material composition may not be suitable for sensitive skin
- Only available in one size
Along with featuring a 6’4 ″ woven nylon strap, it also offers 10 individual foot and hand loops that are ideal for beginners, as it will help prevent injury and muscle strains.
OPTP stretch out strap has proven to be durable, portable, long-lasting, and will not quickly wear or tear even with heavy use.
Moreover, the strap also comes included with a professionally developed instructional exercise book to help you in building your workout routine.
Clever Yoga Yoga Strap
Colors: 7 colors
Material: Non-Toxic Cotton
Length: 8′ & 10′
Width: 1.5“
Guarantee: 100% money back
Accessories: Guide
Price: Around $9
Pro’s
- Durable and sturdy
- Inexpensive
- Available in 7 different colors
- Adjustable D-ring helps secure placement
- Non-slip strap
- Eco-friendly
Con’s
- Some users find the strap too thick
This strap is lightweight and portable, allowing for greater versatility. Furthermore, they are 100% non-toxic, eco-friendly yoga straps that are safer for your skin, and also, you can take them with you wherever, whenever you like.
Another great feature is that the strap is machine washable, allowing for greater user-friendliness and will soften with use and washing.
Pete’s Choice Yoga Straps
Rating: 4.4
ExcellentColors: White
Material: Non-Toxic Cotton
Length: 8′
Width: 1.5“
Guarantee: Lifetime
Accessories: e-Book
Price: Around $12
Pro’s
- Made from thick, reinforced cotton
- Adjustable D-ring
- Comes with a money-back guarantee
- Bonus Ebook
Con’s
- Available in only one minimalistic white/beige color.
The versatility offered by the Trideer ball is unparalleled. It is not only great for yoga, back, and abdominal training but can also be used for pregnancy gymnastics and dozens of body warming exercises. Users get the freedom to test the product out, with a 30-day no-hassle return policy.
Tumaz Yoga Strap
Rating: 4.7
ExcellentColors: 14 colours
Material: Polyester Cotton
Length: 6′, 8, 10′
Width: 1.5“
Guarantee: Lifetime
Accessories: e-Book
Price: Around $9 – Multi loop – $14
Pro’s
- Reasonably priced
- Adjustable D ring
- 3 different sizes to choose from
- Available in 14 diverse colors
- Easy to clean
- Made with eco friendly dye
Con’s
- Maybe a little too thick
The strap is much thicker than other straps in the market and assures durability and comfort. The adjustable D-ring makes it easy to adjust any size of the loop to fit your needs. Furthermore, it can withstand a maximum load of 2000lbs, allowing you to feel confident and secure.
Not only do you have to not worry about cleaning with this, as it can easily be tossed in the machine, Tumaz also offers a 60-day warranty with its strap allowing you greater peace of mind when you’re making the purchase.
Vive Stretch Strap
‘Rating: 4.7
ExcellentColors: 3 colour varieties
Material: Nylon
Length: 75″
Width: 1“
Guarantee: 60 Day
Accessories: carry bag, Book
Price: Around $13
Pro’s
- Comes with an exercise guide
- Durable non stretch strap
- Comes with 10 individual loops
- 60 day guarantee
Con’s
- Maybe a little too long for some people
It comes with ten integrated loops that are large enough to accommodate most athletic shoes for ultimate convenience. Loops also provide comfortable handholds the entire length of the strap for stretching.
The sturdy nylon strap is durably constructed to withstand extensive use and will not stretch, allowing you to push beyond your limit. It also offers a 60-day guarantee making it a safe purchase and well worth your while.
Did you know?
Using an Exercise Ball as a substitute as chair will not give you better posture. In fact, sitting on the Exercise Ball may cause lower back issues.
Other Articles you may like.
Register Now
Sign up today and Get Expert Fitness Advice Right delivered right in your mail