All Year Fitness in Toronto

Bikini season is almost over and as scary as that sounds, WINTER IS COMING...

Which means many of you are going to start looking for ways to exercise indoors - preferably for cheap. However you are in luck because Toronto is ripe with fitness classes, big box gyms, skating rinks and parks with trails. Now that the freakishly hot weather of Summer is starting to dwindle it is time to start exploring your other fitness options for staying lean and fit.

If you are looking for a gym in downtown Toronto there is only a few I actually recommend - and they're all owned by either Ryerson or the University of Toronto. Ryerson has the RAC and the MAC (and I had a membership with both of them this summer so I could use their weightlifting rooms and their pool). The University of Toronto likewise has a number of equally good pools and gyms you can use. Which one is better? Honestly, just get the one closest to you.

And if there isn't an university gym or pool near you then I recommend the Toronto YMCA.

I do not recommend ANY of the big box gyms in Toronto because their goal is to get your credit card / bank info and then rape you every month with extra charges, cancellation fees, and refusing to stop taking money from your account even after you cancel your gym membership. (I had an Extreme Fitness membership once and the only way I could get them to stop charging my credit card was to phone the credit card company and cancel the card.) If you do get a gym membership from a big box gym my recommendation is that you pay in cash every month.

Ryerson, the University of Toronto and the Toronto YMCA offer a number of programs that can get you exercising indoors easily enough. Everything from martial arts (tae kwon do, karate, etc) to generic fitness, spin, yoga and pilates classes.

That means that there is basically something for everyone - including Bruce Lee fans.


Outside of gyms and pools, spin classes, etc your next option is to TRY SOMETHING NEW.

In which case there are a variety of places and people to give you some interesting options.

#1. Join a bicycle club - Ride around with other bicycle fanatics on tripped out bicycles.

The Toronto High Park Bicycle Club - torontohpbc.ca

The Toronto Morning Glory Bicycle Club - mgridetoronto.com

The D'Ornellas Cycling Club - dornellascyclingclub.ca

This is not a complete list. When I googled bicycle club toronto I wasn't expecting to find so many... There is pretty much a bicycle club for every age group and neighbourhood in Toronto.

#2. Take up Archery or a similar sport.

Yes you can get archery lessons from me, but there are other sports you might consider as well. For example Javelin throwing.

#3. Take up Boxing or a martial art.

There are a number of boxing gyms in Toronto that you might consider. Remember that boxing is a sport however, not a martial art, and thus is very different. For martial arts you don't even need to take martials arts classes to study martial arts - although it is strongly recommended that you do if you want to get really good at it. Private practice and watching youtube videos will only get you so far.

For boxing gyms check out Sully's, Toronto Newsgirls (a women only boxing gym), and the Cabbagetown Boxing Club. There are many more too.

#4. Take up a winter sport like ice skating.

As the winter gets closer this will become more available as an option. There are several indoor ice rinks however so you can go ice skating even in the summer. (Or take up rollerblading during the summer, which is somewhat similar.)

One of the indoor rinks is at the Ryerson MAC. So with a Ryerson gym membership you get access to weights, cardio equipment, pool, squash courts, and even an ice rink.

#5. Ball Room Dancing / Latin Dancing

Believe it or not you can burn a lot of calories and build good decent muscle tone in your legs through dancing - regardless of whether you are doing a waltz or a salsa. I am not suggesting you should take up ballet, but a healthy awareness of different dance styles and which ones you enjoy will certainly keep you busy. One site you might check out is ballroomdancingtoronto.com, which offers dance classes in Tango, Waltz, Fox Trot, Cha Cha, Rumba, Samba, Salsa, Hustle, Merengue, Swing and more.

Yoga Gloves Vs Fishing Gloves

Have you ever seen these before? They're called yoga gloves and they're very grippy. The idea is that you can wear the gloves and do yoga on a bare wooden floor without needing a yoga mat. You also get yoga socks and you're basically set to do yoga anywhere, anytime.

However what I find funny is that yoga gloves look and feel very similar because they're made of the same materials and also designed to be very grippy - so that you can grab a slippery fish and they can't wiggle away.

The bottom line is if you like to do yoga in weird places (like during a fishing trip...) you can do so using yoga gloves and socks - or if those aren't handy, try some tight fitting fishing gloves instead and discover just how darn similar they are.

How to do Archery in the Wind and Rain

When it comes to outdoor archery competitions there is a good chance you will sometimes end up competing in wind and rain conditions. If you don't like it you have two options:

1. Don't compete in outdoor archery.

2. Learn to shoot despite wind and rain.

Now I am not suggesting you just give up and do number 1. If you give up that easily due to a little wind and rain you seem to be missing the point of outdoor archery - and likewise outdoor archery competitions. The wind and rain (and heat) is supposed to be an added obstacle.

I once did archery on a very foggy day and I have to admit it made it a lot more interesting having a blurry target in the distance. And it really didn't effect the quality of my shots once I got over the unfamiliar environment.

RAIN

Taking positive and preventative action will help you get better results. Fussing over the weather conditions won't help you, but being proactive about them will. Take your time like you would during a normal shot. Don't rush it just because you want to get it over with.

Some people have more difficulties than others shooting in the rain. They think things like "I suck at shooting in the rain. I always shoot badly in the rain." Etc. However that negativity is a mental block. You can adjust for rain conditions very easily.

For example if you practice shooting in the rain regularly you may realize you shoot several inches lower in heavy rain. You can correct this by simply adjusting your shot upwards by the same measurement.

Depending on how heavy the downpour it is you may have to adjust your shots a different amount. If it is barely spitting outside then you don't really need to adjust your shots at all. "It is the arrow hitting the rain, not the rain hitting the arrow."

When it comes to your equipment it is best to think preventative. Keep all your equipment in waterproof containers until it is ready to use. A big baggie can be slid over your quiver to keep your arrows dry. Small baggies for everything else you want to keep dry - including the lens on your telescope when not in use.

Dress appropriately. Always bring your rain gear to competitions because you never know when you might need it. Waterproof boots or shoes, a towel to dry off your equipment, a large umbrella, wide brimmed waterproof hat (Stetson cowboy hats work great), a tight-fitting jacket with a waterproof hood, etc.

If you can have a friend, coach or fellow competitor hold an umbrella for you while you shoot and do the same for them when they shoot.

WIND

Studies show that the wind effects the archer more than the arrow by making you less steady on your feet. The wind is literally blowing you in one direction and you need to anchor your feet and stand firmly to your spot - unbending like an oak tree. Master this ability to be unmoving despite the wind blowing you and the simple matter of adjusting your arrow shots to match the wind will seem easy. (Building up your strength and balance in your legs will be an advantage in such conditions to help keep you steady.)

In wind conditions it depends on whether it is a steady wind or gusting.

A steady wind is easy to adjust for. It will knock your arrows sideways so you need to adjust your shots accordingly. I also find that heavier arrowheads make for less fishtailing arrows, so that will improve your accuracy.

A gusting wind means you need to be patient and time your shot between the gusts. A technique I use is to study the grass while waiting to make my shot. If the grass stops moving in the wind momentarily then it is the right time to shoot. You will still need to adjust your shot like during a steady wind, but the random gusts will feel less random.

If you don't like looking at the grass (or there is no grass) you can also tie a ribbon, windsock or flag to a nearby post and you can get an idea of the wind's direction and speed.

If you don't learn how to adjust for both steady and gusting wind then good luck. Your shots will be a lot more random because you lack the experience learning how to adjust your shots. Experience and training yourself in these conditions are the biggest factors for improving your ability to shoot.

Let your arrows tell you where to aim. This is an old school traditional archery thing, but it remains true for all time. If your shots are going to the left then shoot to the right the appropriate distance. Do NOT changes your sights on your bow. The reason is because if the wind changes several times during the competition then you won't be able to remember all the changes you made.

Shifting Wind Conditions - These are the worst. The wind keeps changing direction at random, sometimes changing and then changing again within mere seconds. Remember your training however and learn to shoot in-between the gaps when the grass it still.

During competitions remember that your fellow competitors are having the same problems as you are. If you have trained to shoot in wind and rain then you will be fine. If they haven't then that gives you a competitive edge.

HEAT AND HUMIDITY

Many archers have less problems combating extreme heat and humidity because they are used to training outdoors on hot days. A lot of this you should already know. However for the purpose of  diversity here is some tips.

Drink lots of fluids - Powerade, Gatorade, juice, etc. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Avoid sugary drinks too.

Learn the warning signs of heat fatigue, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Not just for you, but for your fellow competitors.

Keep ice packs and cold drinks in a cooler. A personal cooling device (like those backpacks that cyclists wear) would be handy too. Apply cold packs to your neck and other areas where blood flows.

A fun thing to bring is a camping shower device. Fill it with cold water and stand under it for a cool shower.

Wear clothing that doesn't trap heat or sweat.

Stay in the shade whenever not shooting. A large beach umbrella would be handy if there is no shade available.

Ancient Techniques of Fast Archery

Learning how to shoot fast is a desirable skill for many archers. But is impossible to do using modern archery equipment and techniques.

Rather, an archer needs to learn ancient techniques that haven`t been commonly used in centuries so that they can shoot arrows so fast it seems humanly impossible.

And do things that most archers would never dream of. Things like:

Shooting 3 arrows while falling off a horse or while running backwards.

Shooting 3 arrows in less than 1.5 seconds.

Shooting 10 arrows in less than 5 seconds.

Shooting instinctively without using a fixed anchor point.

If you don`t believe it is possible try watching the following video. Proof that traditional/ancient archery techniques result in superior knowledge of how to shoot.

Motivational Cartoon - Treadmill with Laptop

I agree. People would run a lot more faster if it meant their downloads downloaded faster. It would be very motivational for people to keep jogging.

Normally I don't post funny stuff like this but this time I made an exception.

Archery Lessons for Kids in Toronto

So your kids want to learn archery eh?

And you live in good ol' Toronto, Canada? Even better because this city has many excellent people and places where you can learn archery.

But the problem is do they cater to kids?

The truth is most places that teach archery do NOT cater to kids - or worse, have no experience teaching kids.

So what are your options?

#1. Personal Trainer / Sports Instructor.

I have been teaching archery for 3 years now and I have loads of experience teaching archery to children as young as 10. I provide all the equipment, and instead of being a glorified babysitter I actually do teach your kids how to do archery - which at times is a bit like trying to teach them patience and concentration skills, since archery does require a lot of patience and concentration. A difficult task to teach children, but one which I have been doing quite well.

I teach "Traditional Archery" which is really a method of aiming used by many of the great archers of history. Tried and true techniques to gain accuracy and power in your shots. And it isn't beyond the ability of children to learn if they have a degree of patience.

There are a few other sports trainers in Toronto who provide private lessons for archery - including former Olympian Joan McDonald who coaches Olympic archery (which is expensive and not ideal for kids just learning archery).

The problem with teaching kids archery is that they lose / break arrows a lot. So it becomes expensive to be constantly be buying new archery equipment. (If I was teaching Olympic archery instead of Traditional archery I would need to dramatically raise my prices.)

Another problem is that your kids probably want to shoot a bow similar to the girl Katniss in the Hunger Games or Merida's bow in the Disney movie Brave. (Both are traditional wooden recurves, which fortunately is what I teach and what the kids are looking for.)

#2. Find a place that teaches archery.

Well there you have several options. They include:

Scouts Canada... No seriously, enroll your kid in Scouts. They have their own private archery range in north-west of the GTA. They don't do archery all year round, but each scout group usually does it once per year. However this might not be enough. The first time I did archery myself was in scouts when I was about 10 years old. I was hooked after that.

Don't expect their bows to be spectacular however. When I learned archery in scouts they gave us compound bows we could barely pull. Many Scouts groups use cheap fibreglass bows that are shoddy at best.

Note! You don't have to be a boy to enroll in scouts. Girls are equally welcome, but rare since most girls join Girl Guides instead (which sometimes offers archery too, but less often).

The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, located near the Ontario Science Centre, they teach Japanese Kyudo on Saturday mornings and Monday evenings. All the basic equipment for beginners is provided by the JCCC. Monthly fee is $50 which is pretty reasonable. However Kyudo is a whole process similar to Japanese Tea Ceremony. It isn't ideal for kids with low patience. Lastly Japanese yumi bows are really big. I don't know if they even have bows small enough for kids at the JCCC so that might not be your best option. More research required.

Hart House / University of Toronto... It is really a club meant for University of Toronto students, but they do have a waiting list for non-students to join. There is no age rule on their website, but they are probably expecting you to be an adult. Besides you will also need to buy your own equipment. So probably not a good place for kids to learn archery.

The Toronto School of Archery, which operates out of an Etobicoke community centre and an East York church gymnasium. You have to sign up for a minimum of 4 lessons and they are geared towards Olympic archery - which means really expensive equipment. (Getting your kid into Olympic archery is a sizable investment.)

Casa Loma, 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto. They do offer archery lessons ... but according to the Casa Loma website it is only for adults. Hmm. I guess they don't cater to kids.

YMCA Day Camp Archery Toronto

#3. Archery Day Camps in Toronto / GTA.

If you are looking summer day camps that provide archery lessons for kids they are few and far between - and often fully booked by March of each year. That means if you want to enroll your kids in a day camp that provides archery lessons that you really need to book really far in advance.

The day camps that provide archery as part of their activities in Toronto are...

Humriva Day Camp (Humber River)

Claireville Day Camp (Steeles and 427)

Mooredale Day Camp (Rosedale)

Toronto YMCA (various locations)

If you know of any more day camps in Toronto that provide archery please email me at cardiotrek {atsymbol} gmail dot com so I can add it to the list. Or just leave a comment below.

Advice on choosing a day camp. Honestly, ask what kind of bows the camp uses? Longbows, recurve, compound? What is it made of? What is the company brand? If they don't know it is probably a bad sign, but ask if they could find out for you.

#4. Summer Camps outside the GTA.

There is a lot of summer camps where kids can go for a week or two and do archery. Many of them are north of Barrie, in the direction of Algonquin Park. Just a few hours drive north of Toronto and they have less enrollment in comparison to day camps in the city.

There are many others east of Toronto as well. The camps are basically a dime a dozen, but it does mean sending your kid away for a week or so and making the trip to pick them up. However having a week alone without the kids might seem like heaven to some parents.

#5. Teach Your Kids Yourself.

Ah, the old Do-It-Yourself approach! Well then I have some advice for you.

More is more, and it gets expensive. This is not a less is more sport when it comes to teaching kids. Archery tends to be expensive sport, especially for beginners who lose and break a lot of arrows. And children break and lose arrows more than adult beginners.

With probably zero training yourself you will be trying to teach your kid how to do archery. This is a bit like the blind leading the blind, and this will lead to a lot of lost and damaged arrows. Thus I have a number of tips for you.

1) Buy lots of cheap arrows. Fibreglass and wooden arrows are very cheap and ideal for kids learning. By lots I mean 10 or more because you are going to lose them anyway.

2) Find a safe place to practice where your kids won't hurt anyone or even pose a danger to anyone. Failure to do this could result in legal repercussions as doing archery in your backyard is "reckless endangerment" and can lead to criminal charges.

3) Make sure that your kids understand that they can only do archery when you are watching them. Parental supervision at all times must be respected otherwise the archery equipment gets locked in a closet.

4) If you do intend to do archery at home your basement or garage is your best option. Make sure you clear any breakables out of the way. If you have a relative who owns a farm however that would much better.

5) Make a trip to the Toronto Public Archery Range at E.T. Seton Park in Toronto. It is just south of the Ontario Science Centre. It is an ideal location to practice and one of very few free archery ranges in all of North America.

6) Buy a decent bow for your kids size. The little kids bows from Canadian Tire are designed for 5 to 8 year olds. If your kid is 9 or older they are going to need a better starter bow. I recommend a Ragim Matrix bow, 18 lbs to start. Cost is approx. $130 + tax if you buy or order one from Tent City in North York, Toronto. Arrows are $70 for 10, plus you will also need an arrow-rest, fingergloves and an arm bracer. Expect to spend about $300 to $350 on equipment.

7) Make sure you know if your kid is Right Eye Dominant or Left Eye Dominant.

8) Read everything you can about archery form, archery aiming techniques, etc. I have lots of that information here in my archery section of this website. You will be trying to teach your kid to do archery with no experience yourself so it will help if you have lots of helpful information at your disposal.

9) Brace for complaining. Honestly. Kids trying to learn archery with no one to coach them on what to do are going to make lots of mistakes. Even adults make mistakes and it is my job as an archery coach to get them to unlearn their bad habits and learn good habits that will make them a better archer. Kids are slower at picking up these good habits because they lack patience and need to be taught patience during the learning process. Without someone to properly coach them they will complain about the quality of their shots constantly because they don't understand what they are doing wrong - which is why having a coach is important for archery because they can recognize all the mistakes you are making.

10) Try to have fun. Honestly, isn't that the point? Try to motivate the kids by giving them a fun target to shoot at. Make the target a dragon, a zombie or even a Donald Duck poster. So long as they are feeling more motivated to hit the zombie in the nose.

BONUS! Learn archery yourself and you will be better equipped to try and teach your kids. If you live in Toronto let me know if you need archery lessons.

Most Popular Topics

Earlier today (around 12:30 EST, August 1st 2013) Cardio Trek surpassed 200,000 visitors.

Now you might think, wow, that is a lot of visitors. But I think we should point out that some topics are really low interest - and others are really high interest.

We shall start off with the high interest topics.

The Top Ten Most Popular Posts on Cardio Trek

#1. Nose Exercises Vs Rhinoplasty
#2. Weight Loss + Loose Skin
#3. 20 Ways to Tighten Skin after Weight Loss
#4. Motivational Quotes for January
#5. How to get a Thigh Gap
#6. Anatomical Terms for Athletes
#7. 25 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise
#8. 10 Tips for maintaining a Beach Perfect Body
#9. 10 Ways to Trick Yourself into Burning Extra Calories
#10. Whey Protein Supplements

Now I admit some of those topics are pretty interesting and exciting - and sometimes just plain useful to know.

But let us look at the LEAST popular topics on Cardio Trek and see if they are any less useful. As you can see below they are mostly topics about motivation, lifestyle changes, food and eating healthy - things that many people have problems with - and are extremely useful information, even though the topics are less glamourous than 10 Tips for maintaining a Beach Perfect Body.

#1. Bored of exercising indoors?
#2. How much rest do you need?
#3. Working out despite the Winter Blues
#4. 5 Tips to Help you Live Longer
#5. How to Make Lifestyle Changes
#6. 5 Tips to Push Yourself Harder
#7. 5 Slimming Fruits that Help Burn Calories
#8. Weightlifting Split Squats and Side Squats
#9. Eating Healthy in an Hurry
#10. The Hallmarks of a Successful Weight Loss Plan

They are certainly worth reading if you are having difficulty losing weight and finding motivation to exercise.

August Exercise Motivation Quotes

"You've lost weight before. Now just do it again and again until it becomes a lifestyle instead of a random whim."
- Charles Moffat

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."
- Arnold Schwarzenegger

"Winning isn't everything, but the will to win is everything."
- Vince Lombardi

"Sure I am this day we are masters of our fate, that the task which has been set before us is not above our strength; that its pangs and toils are not beyond our endurance. As long as we have faith in our own cause and an unconquerable will to win, victory will not be denied us."
- Winston Churchill

"Courage is as often the outcome of despair as of hope; in the one case we have nothing to lose, in the other, everything to gain."
- Diane de Pointiers

"A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals."
- Larry Bird

"Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Extreme Heat effects your Workout and Diet

When it gets super hot and humid in Toronto you're going to be sweaty, cranky and tired. So how do you beat the heat and still manage to eat properly and get a good workout?

Today we are going to do some ol' fashioned myth busting when it comes to exercise and eating healthy in the heat. And give you some healthy tips along the way!

#1. Is it really hot enough to fry an egg? No, not really. And seriously, would you even want to eat the egg? Stick to frying your eggs in a pan instead.

#2. Does the heat actually make you more tired? Yes. Heat is very draining on your body and it uses a lot of your active energy just to try and cool your body down. Which means if you have air conditioning you will be able to sleep better at night.

It isn't just the heat however - it is also the humidity. Which means a dehumidifier in your bedroom can also help you to sleep better. And better sleep = more energy the next day and less likely to binge on sugary foods to boost your energy levels.

#3. If you feel so tired that you are nauseous and dizzy (or suffering memory problems) you may have heat exhaustion or heat stroke, and you should get to some place cool immediately and drink some cool water. When in doubt call 911.

#4. However, heat exhaustion doesn't mean you should jump in a cold shower or a pool. The shock could knock you unconscious. Your goal should be to SLOOOOOOWLY lower your body temperature back to normal. So a dip in a cool pool - not a cold one - will help. A cool / luke warm shower is also good. Drinking lots of water (not too much all at once) will also help. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, they will just dehydrate you further.

#5. Avoid very large meals on a hot day. Binging on food will just make you more tired. Your body is already working hard to maintain your body temperature, so digesting a big meal will just put more stress on it. Aim for smaller, lighter meals - and eat snacks in-between meals.

#6. When running / jogging don't drink ice cold water. Instead drink cool water that is only moderately cold. The reason is because your body has to expend energy to warm that water up. The lost energy then makes you feel more tired than you would normally be. By drinking only moderately cool water you don't feel the energy drain as much but are still getting the cooling effect. Some marathon runners prefer to drink water which is luke warm / room temperature that way they are minimizing their energy drain as much as possible and only want the water for hydration, not for cooling them down.

#7. The more fit you are the less effect the heat will have on your body, this is true - but that doesn't make you immune to heat exhaustion, dehydration or heat stroke. If you start to notice symptoms of any of these three seek shade, a cool place and water.

#8. A handy trick is to exercise AFTER the sun goes down. You can download a smartphone app that will tell you when sunrise and sunset is in your area or check it online. (I personally use one which tells me sunrise, sunset, a detailed hourly weather forecast and the weather forecast for the coming week.)

#9. If doing any kind of weight training outside on a hot day it is best to have a partner if possible. Long list of variety of safety reasons. And the list grows longer if you are older and / or unfit. Exercise caution.

#10. Sweating a lot doesn't burn more calories. It just means your body is overheating and trying to cool down. If you feel too hot you won't be able to exercise as hard. You can exercise much harder in cooler conditions because your body doesn't have to expend so much water, sodium and energy trying to cool you down.

#11. Sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade help. Why? Because in addition to the water they also replenish sodium and calories. Gives you more energy, and the sodium means you can sweat more - which in turn cools you down physically - which in turn allows you to exercise harder because you don't feel as hot.

#12. If you're tempted for a beer on a patio, try to stick to just one beer. None is better, but if you fall to temptation try to limit yourself to one and then have a glass of water with it. Same goes with coffee and other caffeine drinks. Alcohol and caffeine dehydrates you because you end up using more water from your body just trying to flush the toxins from your system. (Which is why you will feel the need to urinate later after drinking alcohol or caffeine.) Exercising immediately after having alcohol is not recommended, but if you do try to rehydrate yourself by drinking a fair amount of water before, during and after the exercise.

#13. Your body adapts over time to hot weather. It is why we get sunburns on our arms for example and later our arms become more resistant to sunburns. It is in our genetics that we adapt to summer by getting sunburns a couple times and by the time we have a good tan going we don't burn as easily - but you can still get a painful sunburn if you aren't careful! So use sunscreen, wear a hat and avoid long exposure to the sun.

#14. Your blood vessels and sweat levels also adjust to the weather. You will start craving more salty foods and this is normal - the sodium in the salt replenishes your ability to sweat and keep yourself cool.

#15. A health tip for women and men. Antiperspirants contain aluminum in the form of toxic chemicals like aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly - a chemical proven to cause lymph node and breast cancer in both women and men. If you are going to use an antiperspirant try not to use so much - or switch to deodorant instead.

Women who wear antiperspirant regularly have significantly higher chances of developing lymph node and breast cancer. In contrast most men use deodorant instead, which doesn't prevent sweating and instead just masks the smell - and thus men have significantly lower chances of lymph node and breast cancer because they aren't using antiperspirants as much as women do. This doesn't mean men cannot get cancer in those body parts, it just means that most men don't use antiperspirant and thus have lower chances. A man who does use antiperspirant regularly will have the same chance of developing lymph node and breast cancer as a woman who uses antiperspirant regularly.

Also your body is going to sweat anyway. Swiping some toxic chemicals on your armpits isn't going to stop you from sweating from head, neck, chest, arms, belly, back, legs and so forth. In its efforts to cool your body down your body will simply sweat from all available pores anyway.

How to do the Splits

Flexibility training isn't something that most people do. But it is something I would personally would like to do more.

Keeping in mind that I have no background in dancing, gymnastics or acrobatics. I am more or less just an average guy who is into exercising a lot. (Although I do admit I sit cross-legged quite a bit so I might have a slight advantage.)

Thus learning how to do the splits is a technical challenge for anyone who wants to practice stretching and flexibility exercises.

MYTH BUSTING

#1. The first thing I want to do is point out that ANYONE can do the splits if they practice flexibility exercises - even men and overweight people. Flexibility has very little to do with what sex you are or what size you are. It has nothing to do with age either. For this reason I have chosen a variety of images which disprove any myths you might have about flexibility. Sex, age, size, race, etc have nothing to do with your ability to be flexible. It is purely a matter of stretching exercises.

93-year-old woman doing the splits.

#2. Learning to do the splits doesn't take as long as you think. It should take roughly one to three months to reach the point where YOU can do the splits. But you will need to be diligent about doing your stretching exercises every day and I do mean EVERY DAY.

#3. You might think "Oh yes, men can do the splits, but they'd have to be a martial artists already or a really good athlete who is already super flexible to do the splits." Yes, it is true, many martial artists and athletes can do the splits - but only because they have trained themselves to do them. You have to get away from that way of thinking where you think A (natural ability) causes B (flexibility), when in reality it is C (practice, practice, practice) that is responsible for improved flexibility. You might also think that men with lots of muscle and / or fat cannot do the splits. In which case I invite you to browse the various photos on this page.

Man doing the splits

Overweight Older Man doing the Splits

Now that I have proven how it can actually be done lets get down to what exactly is the splits.

THE SPLITS - DEFINITION

A split is a stretch that completely extends the legs so that they and the base of the torso are flat on the ground. There are TWO kinds of splits. You can do a split with your torso facing over one leg - known as a Side Split - or with your torso facing forward - a Front Split.

Usually people start by learning front splits because it is slightly easier and takes less time to learn how to do them. The amount of time it takes you to learn to do a split depends upon your physical fitness, diet, metabolism, coordination, age and flexibility - but it is not impossible for you to learn regardless of any of those factors. Most people can build up to doing a front split in a month. If you have any injuries that effect your flexibility, consult your doctor before beginning training.

HOW TO TRAIN YOURSELF TO DO THE SPLITS

#1. DAILY BUTTERFLY STRETCHES

Perform daily butterfly stretches. These stretches increase flexibility in your inner and outer thighs, making the splits easier.

To perform a butterfly split, sit with your knees bent and tilted out so that each knee forms a "V" to the side. Touch your feet together and place your hands on your feet to remain balanced. Pull your feet in toward your groin and hold the stretch. To deepen the stretch, extend your knees toward the ground slowly and hold the stretch for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times daily. As the exercise becomes easier, pull your feet in closer to your groin. Your back should remain straight during this stretch.

Remember to repeat daily! I know I am beating an old drum here, but remembering to do these stretches daily is a huge benefit to your ability to improve your flexibility.

#2. STRETCH YOUR KNEES AND LEGS DAILY

Stretch your knees and legs daily. While kneeling, put one foot in front of you on a mat, stool or other sturdy item elevated a foot off the ground. Your knee should be bent at 90 degrees. Extend your other leg back behind you. Then push your hips forward until you feel your muscles stretching. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat 5 times daily.

#3. STANDING LEG STRETCHES

Stretch your legs while standing. This helps improve balance and flexibility. While standing place one foot in front of you on a mat or other sturdy item about a foot off of the floor. Keep your back foot flat on the ground. Then extend your arms forward to touch the toes of the front foot and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat the stretch on the other side. Repeat 10 times each side every day. However many flexibility experts say that the more frequently you perform this stretch, the better your balance and flexibility will become - so in theory you could do a lot more than 10 per day. However if you start to feel any extreme pain I recommend stopping immediately.

#4. ATTEMPT TO DO THE SPLITS

Don't expect to do the splits the first time or even the 20th day or the 30th day. Many people can do them by day 30, but lets pretend for a moment that you skipped doing your stretching exercises for a few days then you will have slower results.

Other factors such as diet, metabolism, etc will slow you down a bit, but basically anyone should be able to do the splits by day 90 of doing the stretches.

During your attempt stand up and spread your legs slowly to the ground into a split while supporting yourself using a stable chair or ballet barre. Go down as far as you can without experiencing pain or shaking legs. Hold the position for three to five seconds and repeat the stretch five times daily. This stretch (even if you fail) helps you improve muscle memory, flexibility and balance, all of which are important for splits. You will gradually be able to lower yourself closer and closer to a split.

It just takes time and daily practice.

CONCLUSIONS

If you were paying attention and doing some math you may have noticed it only requires 5 + 10 + (10 x 2) + 5 stretches each day to do the splits. It is a total of 40 stretches per day. Takes you about 5 to 10 minutes per day.

But the results are amazing regardless of what size or shape you are.

With time you could even do super flexible things you normally expect of dancers and gymnasts.

Don't think that just because they are young and skinny that you can't do it. You can. It just takes time, practice, diligence, a little willpower and 40 stretches per day.


Just 40 stretches per day.

Overweight Man doing the Splits

Elderly Woman doing the Splits

Bodybuilder doing the Splits