As people age, they often let their fitness slip. The pressures of a job(s), spouse, and kids often take precedence over working out. If you are tired of the way you have let your body slip, then follow these fitness tips listed below. They will help you get into the shape you were in when you were a teenager.

When working out, do not waste your time doing too many crunches. If you find yourself doing more than 3 sets of 15 crunches a workout session, you are wasting your time. Studies have found that doing more than that is completely useless. You are simply wasting valuable energy that could be directed to working out a different part of your body.

When working out, make sure you take your time and focus on doing all and any exercises properly. If you were using short cuts, you’ll get much better results by doing fewer perfect form exercises, even if you can’t do as many or goes as long as you could. Not to mention that by using short cuts or improper form you could end up injuring yourself

Don’t rush your exercises. While working out faster may help you burn more calories right away, you’ll tire yourself out quicker and end up burning less in the long run. If you rush through any type of exercise you run a higher risk of injuring yourself while working out, plus.

Learning to dance is a great way to get more exercise into your life. Dancers are known for having some of the fittest bodies in the world and this is not by coincidence. Dancing requires incredible core strength, as well as, the stamina to get through a tough routine. Even if you will never be a professional dancer, learning to dance is a fun way to incorporate physical fitness into your free time, as well as a fun way to meet new people.

Have a timer handy when doing exercises at home. When using an exercise ball it is helpful to time each exercise so you know how long you are in each position. Holding each position for a specified length of time helps you build muscles and reach your fitness goals.

Using a treadmill can be the way to go for those who want to improve their aerobic fitness while being able to stay in the same room safely at home and not out jogging or running on a sidewalk somewhere. The treadmill gives one an always available always ready to use option for maintaining fitness.

Do exercises you don’t like and feel accomplished that you conquered them. For many people, the exercises they avoid are the ones that they’re the least skilled at. Conquer any such exercises by doing them regularly until you’re great at them.

As you begin to recover from a painful muscle injury or strain, gradually increase the intensity and duration of your recovery workout rather than jumping right back into your previous workout routine. After each workout, apply ice to the injured area for half an hour, then repeat the process with added intensity the next day.

Never accept pain during a workout. Pain is not a sign that you are doing something right, and you could really hurt yourself if you don’t stop when you’ve done too much. Know the difference between feeling natural tension in your muscles and outright pain. If pain doesn’t stop when you are done with your workout, consider seeing a doctor.

Therefore, these tips show that getting back into shape is not as hard as you may think. All it takes is a little work, time and dedication and patience. These are important characteristics not just for working out, but for life as well. If you can be successful at parenting, being married, and at your job, then there is no reason why you can’t be successful with your fitness goals. So, get out there and do it!