Athletic man and athletic woman stretching on field

Stretching For Sprinters

A proper stretching routine helps improve your running performance and speed. Dynamic stretching before a race warms up your muscles, preparing them for short and powerful bursts of energy. Post-race stretching, or static stretching, focuses on muscular elongation and relaxation and helps prevent soreness or strain.

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Girl kicking soccer ball

Exercises for the Rectus Femoris Muscle

The rectus femoris, one of the four quadriceps muscles, is located on the front, middle portion of your the leg. It powers your movement every time you kick a ball, extend your knees or squat down.

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Close up of muscular man holding a basketball.

What Muscle Should Basketball Players Develop?

Chances are good, if you are a basketball player, that you want to jump high, shoot efficiently and run quickly. Strengthening your quads, glutes, upper body and core will help build the muscular endurance and strength necessary for the court.

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Women Doing Stretching Exercises In Gym

How Often Can I Train My Abs?

Strengthening and toning your abs requires no more or no less effort than any other muscular group in the body. The American Council on Exercise recommends resting a day in between abdominal workouts to allow for muscular recovery and growth.

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Cyclists leg

Exercises to Slim the Calves

Spot reduction, or targeting a specific muscle for weight loss, doesn't work. Rather, take a multifaceted approach, consisting of diet, cardio and resistance training, to slim down all over, including your calves.

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Rear View of a Woman in Underwear Holds Fat Belly

How to Reduce Fat From the Lower Back

Love handles, muffin top: whatever you call lower back fat, chances are good you want to get rid of it. Spot reduction doesn’t work and may slow down your results, so don't put the spotlight on your back. Rather, take a three-pronged approach, focusing on diet, cardio and strength training to drop pounds and tone up.

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Portrait of a young woman exercising with weights

Arm Exercises Using 2-Lb. Weights

You don’t have to lift heavy weights or become a gym buff to reap the benefits of strength training. Any external resistance that places demands on your arm muscles will build strength and endurance while improving bone density. Using 2-lb.

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Exercise to Increase Hip Bone Density

Low bone density increases the risk of developing osteoporosis, a disease that causes bone loss and deterioration. It also makes your hips more susceptible to injury. Weight-bearing exercises for your hips increase bone density and strengthen the hips.

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Jump Rope

How to Increase a Vertical Jump Using Exercises Without Weights

If you want to clear a hurdle, dunk a ball or improve your jeté, increasing your vertical jump is a must. Plyometric exercises, first used by Olympians in the 1970s, involve a slight muscular stretch, followed by a quick and explosive contraction. Plyometrics increase jumping height while building muscular strength.

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Close-up of a person sitting on a rubber ball

How to Sit on an Exercise Ball at a Desk

Prolonged periods of sitting may contribute to back pain and tight muscles in your neck and shoulders. Replacing your office chair with an exercise ball may reduce back pain and improve your posture while building core strength.

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Fitness Woman Exercising on Fitness ball

List of Exercises to Lose Belly & Thigh Fat

A multi-faceted approach is the most effective way to lose fat. Don’t focus on losing weight in your tummy and thighs -- spot training isn't an effective way to transform your body. A diet rich in whole grains, lean sources of protein, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats, will help you reach your goal weight.

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Exercising with a kettlebell

Exercises That Reduce Hip Size

While trying to spot-reduce the hips--or attempting to lose weight specifically in the this area--does not work, certain exercises do tone, strengthen and tighten the hip muscles. Muscle volume requires less space than fat, so gaining muscle while losing fat contributes to slimmer hips and a smaller size.

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Athletic stretching in the morning and watching nice nature view

Dynamic Shoulder Stretches

Dynamic stretching for the shoulders is done with active stretches that increase blood circulation, warm up the muscles and improve range of motion.

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Young woman practicing yoga

2-Week Butt-Enhancing Exercises

The butt consists of the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus muslces. Two weeks of strength training exercise that challenge the butt contribute to a stronger and more toned backside.

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Nurse assisting senior woman in exercising with resistance band

Resistance Band Exercises for Seniors

Strength training builds strong muscles and bones while improving seniors' ability to carry out activities of daily living. According to MedlinePlus, regular weight training fights age-related muscle loss.

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Pushing the Workout

What Muscles Does the Stairmaster Work?

The Stairmaster provides a cardio workout, while building muscular endurance and toning lower-body muscles. Doing three Stairmaster sessions a week helps tone and slim the legs, reports "Fitness" magazine.

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Fit young woman exercises with gymnast rings

The Best Underarm Exercises for Women

If you refer to your underarms as bat wings or bingo wings, know that you are not alone. The common complaint of flabby underarms led the American Council on Exercise to sponsor a female-only study in 2011 to determine which exercises best tone the triceps.

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Man riding mountain bike

What Muscles Does Cycling Build?

Familiarize yourself with the muscles cycling builds, integrate exercises for them into your workouts, and you will become stronger during your rides. Cycling burns calories and builds muscular and aerobic endurance, contributing to improvements in body composition and physical capability.

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Woman swimming in outdoor pool, elevated view

What Are the Benefits of Swimming for Women?

A body of water provides multiples avenues for exercise. Swimming, walking, aerobics and resistance training are all examples of water routines that build strength and burn calories while providing women with an effective workout.

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