Is Your Workout Missing These 8 Important Things?

Pushing/Pulling

A push exercise is when the weight is pushed away from the individual. These types of exercises usually work the calves, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps. Examples of push exercises include bench presses, squats, calf raises, and triceps dips. Pulling exercises involve the individual pulling a weight towards him or her and usually work the abdominals, biceps, forearms, hamstrings, and latissimus dorsi. Examples of pull exercises include bicep curls, weighted abdominal crunches, and weighted cables. Both types of motion are important for a well-balanced workout routine. Many pushing and pulling exercises can be combined with cardiovascular exercise (for example, exercise using rowing machines and elliptical machines). People with a well-balanced workout plan will already use many of these exercises in their routine.

Cool Down

The cool down is perhaps the most neglected part of any workout today. When a person's heart rate slows down immediately after exercising, blood is not travelling around the body as fast as it was. This can cause excess blood to pool in the lower body, leaving the individual feeling faint or dizzy. It is important to have a cool-down period after any workout as it helps the body prevent this dizziness. Although there is no scientific proof of this, people believe cool downs help muscle recovery because of the gradual reduction in blood flow within the body. A cool down can be a five-to-ten-minute light jog on a treadmill, a stretching session, or anything that gradually reduces the heart rate within this time while still exercising.