There are a dazzling array of shapes, styles and colors of mats on the market today and exactly which workout mat you choose largely depends on what type of exercise you are doing. From crash and tumble mats through to the sticky yoga variety, these mats are designed to provide the ultimate service in facilitating an optimum workout where you feel safe and secure.

All purpose mats are very useful if you are the type of person who does wide range of workouts. These mats are ideal for tumbling, stretching exercises like pilates and yoga, martial arts, physical restraint, wrestling, gymnastics and physiotherapy.

Aerobic mats are lightweight and have polyethylene foam infill to make them shock absorbent. They are usually waterproof and washable, hygienic and extremely hard wearing. The base is anti-slip and like most mats on the market, it does not include latex which can induce allergies. Read the rest of this entry »

Looking to make a change and lose some weight? I have reviewed the top diet on the internet and you can go and read over 200 comments people have made about why this diet has worked well for them, as well as some of the problems.

Tags: allergies, Gymnastics, India, physical restraint, physiotherapy, wrestling

To make an improvement in body mechanics or physiology, you must give the body a reason to improve.

The only way this is possible is to put a demand of effort on the muscle groups that causes them to adjust the body to good mechanics and to strengthen the physiology.

It is readily apparent that use of the muscles of the body can be arranged to improve the general posture of the body through strengthening those muscles which hold organs and joints in good position. It is not so readily understood how use of muscles can strengthen the physiology. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: body mechanics, energy, exercise program, Gymnastics, muscular effort, physical fitness

Kim Lyons is a fitness contest competitor from California. Yesterday I posted about how Jillian Michaels has left the Biggest Lose and is being replaced by Kim Lyons . Who is Kim Lyons you may be wondering? Well I dug around and found the following bio on her at the Kim Lyons website. It looks like she has quite the background and I am excited to see her in action when the Biggest Loser comes back to TV next January

Height 5′4
Birthday 5-5-73
Weight 120 off season 115 competition
Measurements 34-24-34
Hair Blonde
Eyes Brown

My Childhood

“Home is not the place where you live, but the place where you belong”

I was born in Texas, then moved to England, Sacramento CA, New Mexico, Alabama, Back to Sacramento, Idaho, Virginia, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Italy, Utah and now I’m in Hermosa Beach, CA Although I always made where I’m living home, I have been coming to Hermosa Beach since I was five to spend the summers with my Grandparents. I have always called Hermosa “home”. It is the only place that I have continued to return to throughout my life. It sounds silly, but I still get so excited every time I wake up and realize I live here!

Athletic Background
I have always been involved in sports. Gymnastics, dance, track, softball, and cheerleading were I spent most of my time. Moving so often it was hard to make new friends, having sports always put me in with a little group. I cheered all the way through my last year in college. Most people really under estimate how much athletic talent and time is required as a collegian cheerleader.

Getting started as a fitness competitor
I never planned on a career in fitness. Throughout college I studied nutrition and other related topics to get my BS in Human Development and Nutrition. I just needed to get a degree so I could become an airline pilot. That was my goal. However, my love and passion of the fitness industry and modeling lead me down a different path.

Shortly after graduating from Colorado State I began teaching aerobics and working at the front desk at a new World Gym opening up across the street. I rarely lifted weights, and taught about 6 classes a week. One of the trainers asked me if I wanted to train with him and another girl looking to share the cost of the sessions. The other girl, Shannon, was training for the Galaxy. She had the most amazing abs I’d ever seen. After about a month of training and learning to eat better, my body had drastically changed and I decided to compete as well. There were about 100 girls in the competition and I placed somewhere in the top 20. I was super happy with that and had a blast. Even better, I was swamped by several top photographers in the business. I started to get exposure, and from there the ball kept rolling. I never dreamed I’d actually get the job of my dreams as a “Weider Athlete”. I have since signed on as part of “Team Muscle Tech”. Life just keeps getting better!

Me in a Nutshell!
I’m a totally down to earth! I believe in the good old fashion phrase “Treat others as you’d like them to treat you!” If I’m having a bad day and someone smiles, says hello, or gives a compliment can really turn my day around. Sometimes I feel like everyone is so quick to be critical and not to give a compliment. I think we all critique ourselves enough, sometimes it is hard to see the beauty in ourselves.

I guess overall I’m pretty much a goofball. I’d say I have a smile on my face 90% of the time. Doing sexy shoots is not my thing, I think I look silly when I have a serious face! Many people think I’m a goodie two shoes because I don’t do a lot of sexy T and A shoots, but really I just have a butt complex and my top half is usually to lean to brag about! I’m super independent and love to be alone. I love days when I can just sit around my house, catch up on e-mails, clean out a drawer or two, fold the laundry, and walk the dog. I don’t understand how people can be bored. I need about ten lifetimes to do everything I want to do!

Tags: airline, Alabama, Arizona, California, collegian cheerleader, Colorado, Gymnastics, Hermosa Beach, Idaho, Italy, jillian michaels, kim lyons, little group, New Mexico, Sacramento, Shannon, Softball, Texas, United Kingdom, Utah, Virginia, World Gym