Remember as a kid, how you used to run and jump and play all day?  part of what you were doing involved Plyometric exercises.

Plyometric exercises involve using simple yet effective movements to build power and speed.  There are no weights used in plyometric exercises because of the intensity.  Only body weight is required.

Still a little foggy about what it is?  Think about playing tennis.  The movements needed to change direction in a second and hit a ball hard enough to return it across the net are both plyometric movements.  Other movements that fall into this category are jumping on one foot through a maze, jumping squats and jumping on and off of a box.

While they may seem like simple exercises, plyometrics are actually demanding.  Your body needs to be in good shape before attempting them.  To prepare your muscles for the impact, participate in regular weight training to build strength in muscles and bones.  Moving in so many unpredictable ways can cause injuries to joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles.

Before you begin any plyometric training, be sure to stretch properly.  A muscle that is not stretched is a disaster waiting to happen.  Get the body warmed up first so that muscles are easier to move without injury.

You can perform plyometrics for any muscle in the body that you want to improve.  The most common muscles that are targeted are the leg muscles.  Most sports and exercise classes use the legs considerably because they are the largest muscles in the body.  The goal is to teach your muscles to respond quickly without any problems.

Know that you can handle the training before participating.  If you have problems with your knees, jumping up and down on a box or winding through a maze of cones is not a good idea.  Plyometric movements are high impact.  Even for the conditioned body it is recommended that you start slow and simple and not at an advanced level right away.

Prepare your area for doing plyometrics.  Use a soft surface like a mat or cushioned floor to absorb most of the shock.  Also wear shoes that have sufficient support for all areas of your foot.  Hard surfaces can cause injuries to your body.

The everyday athlete can also benefit from using these techniques to better their performance.  Find a personal trainer who is familiar with plyometrics to show you the ropes and give you a good workout.

Good habits mean better results

When it comes to getting healthy and losing weight, exercising on a consistent basis is key.

However, not all exercise routines are created equal. To make sure that you maximize every moment that you put into your exercises, it is important to know the best way to exercise.

There is no ONE exercise that will do everything that you need to lose weight and stay fit. Therefore, the best way to exercise is to combine some essential exercises in the cardio and strength training categories to maximize your fitness level.

But no matter which kind you choose, there are some basic rules you need to follow.

The first part of a great exercise routine is the warm-up period. This is the time that you stretch out your muscles gently, to avoid injury, which can set back your new keep fit regimen even more.

By stretching your muscles before you exercise, you are getting the blood flowing through them to maximize the work out. This period of stretching will also help you not to pull muscles later in the exercise routine.

Cardio training is one of the basic elements to an exercise routine and the key to a healthy heart. The most common form of cardio training is the treadmill.

However, this can be very dull for some people.

The good news is, there is a way to make this basic workout even better, and help you to burn more calories with the same amount of time on the machine. The way to do this is interval training.

Interval training is when you increase and decrease the intensity of your workout in quick bursts. The way to do this on the treadmill is to start out at a slow walk. Keep at this speed for two to three minutes.

You will want to increase the speed of the treadmill up to the pace that you would not be able to talk to someone standing next to you. Work out at this pace for a minute or two to start with in order to get your heart pumping (provided you are healthy enough for jogging).

The best workout on the treadmill will alternate between the fast pace and the comfortable walking pace you started at a few times in the work out in order to make your muscles work harder. You just need to remember to give yourself a few minutes on the treadmill at the end at a slow speed to cool down.

Resistance or strength training is the part of the exercise routine that is going to help you to build muscle. Muscles burn more calories than fat, and are more dense and attractive than untoned muscles.

It is the difference between a pound of brick and a pound of cotton balls in terms of consistency and density (which is why people often wonder why they have not lost much weight, but they can fit into an outfit a size or two smaller).

The easiest way to do resistance training is to do a workout circuit. Gyms have a workout circuit set up that will work all of your muscle groups. The machines are set up in a circle and you go from one machine to another, working out as you go.

Circuits are set up to be done in thirty minutes. There is usually a light that will tell you when to change workout stations. The stations alternate with weight machines and walking in place or up and down a step. It is an intense workout put into a nice thirty-minute bracket and will keep you from getting bored.

The final step to the best exercise routine for your body is the cool down. This is where you help your heart rate to slowly return to normal.

A slow-down routine will consist of stretching out all of the muscles that you have been working out. Take your time and stretch out your muscles so that you will finish your great exercise routine the right way.

Resting is a key way to make sure you do not pull any muscles.

By exercising smart instead of trying to overdo things, you will manage to get more results for your efforts with your workout. The main thing is to instill good habits so you will not ruin your workout.