One of the best ways to decide what to buy is to look at sauna photos, which you can find on many manufacturer sites as well as personal pages of current owners. This will give you a good idea of all of the different options you have, i.e. sizes, styles, configurations, etc. That way, when you do decide to buy a sauna for your home, you will have a pretty good idea of what you want.

After looking at sauna pictures, you may decide that you want to build your own unit from scratch, as many people do. Of course, you have to be pretty handy to pull this off. You can gather your own materials and literally construct your own custom sauna from the ground up, but it is not an easy task. Still, many people get immense satisfaction from creating something from nothing, and making your very own sauna certainly fits the bill.

For those who are a little less adventurous, you may come across sauna photos showing kits, with all of the elements needed to make your own sauna. Although you would still be constructing it yourself, the wood, stones, heating element and step-by-step instructions are all included, so it’s difficult to mess up. Some sites actually feature sauna pictures depicting every step of the building process, a virtual photo instruction manual. Many people find these quite helpful.

Some of the best pictures of saunas can be found on manufacturer sites, as these tend to be high resolution pics. You can really get a feel for what they look like, and how they will look in your home environment.

A simple search in Google or other engine will yield plenty of photographs and images of sauna baths, so take a look around and pick the type that appeals to you. Then visit one of the leading manufacturers when you are ready to make your purchase, like the ones we feature here.

If you don’t find what you’re looking for, send an email to the company and ask if they can send you some sauna pictures…I’m sure they’ll be happy to oblige.

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The decision of whether to use a lifting belt during exercise should be guided by the following information:

As mentioned in an earlier article on lower back pain, the deep stabilizing muscles of the lumbo-pelvic region (core) are suspected as having a “drum forming” effect - that is the muscles contract simultaneously in a reflex (no conscious thought required in people without back pain) action to help stabilize the low back and allow forces to be transferred from the lower body to the upper body and vice versa. This action also has the effect of compressing the abdominal contents - composed primarily of water and very little gas; thus the name of this phenomenon is the “fluid ball” effect. Water as a liquid is essentially incompressible, so you can see how the presence of an internal pressurized fluid “ball” will lend stability to the pelvis and spine and actually help generate torque in the lift. For example, as you descend into a heavy squat, the muscles of the core and diaphragm begin to contract and generate tension on the fluid ball. As you squat deeper and your knees and hips flex more and more, the pelvis starts to tip forward and the large erector spinea muscles begin to lose their strength advantage due to a decreased muscle length. It is logical then to assume that the fluid ball acts as a “block” to prevent excessive spinal flexion and possible compressive damage to the intervertebral ligaments and discs.

Lifting belts have been demonstrated to have a similar effect of passively increasing intra-abdominal pressure simply by the mechanics of their operation. However, when a lifting belt is used on a consistent basis, it is proposed that the inner stabilizing muscles and deep abdominals are relieved of much of their duty and fail to get stimulated sufficiently. Therefore, even though you may be performing a very functional movement like a squat, you are receiving a source of external stabilization likened to that provided by machine exercise. The risk of using a lifting belt for all lifts is that the core muscles are not trained sufficiently and in the correct motor sequence, so if you attempt a heavy lift without a lifting belt, there may be an increased chance of injuring your back. The best advice then is if you are going to use a lifting belt, use it only when you attempt maximal (1RM) lifts and only when the spine is directly targeted like in a squat. Perform submaximal lifts without a belt to ensure sufficient training of the deep stabilizers of the spine. (It should be kept in mind however that some world class Olympic-style weightlifters never use weightlifting belts).

So if your goal is to wear a lifting belt on the field or track or even while performing regular everyday tasks, then use a belt for all your lifts. If however you want “true” functional strength and power, train your own “internal weight lifting belt” and discard the “fake” one.

David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.com

NOTE: You’re free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this note, author information and all LIVE website links as above.

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Learn to recognise the signs before you end up in a crumpled
heap!

Stress - it’s part of life isn’t it? Stress is good!

We subject ourselves to stress all the time, we need some
stress, at work and in our daily lives. Without pressure and
stress we would simply get nothing done, we wouldn’t achieve
anything! Stress is a positive force when it invigorates your
life and enables you to realise your dreams. So, the more, the
better then?

Well, think about it for a moment and be careful what you wish
for. Just as we need oxygen in the air that we breathe to
survive, pure oxygen will kill us. So it is with stress, we need
some, but at what point does stress then becomes counter
productive and a destructive force in our lives?

How do YOU perceive stress?

Do you need the “Buzz” of that last minute deadline? Do you get
a “Rush” from the responsibilities of a high-pressure situation?
Do you get a “High” by creating a situation that produces anger
or fear? Do you say to your workmates “I thrive on stress”? Do
you “live in fear” for your job? Do you “Worry” constantly about
your abilities at work? Do you “Fear” competition at work? Do
you “Change” behind the wheel of your car?

Our physiological response to stress manifests itself in our
bodies, by producing stimulants and other stress hormones, which
act as mood altering devices, so we become much less conscious
of pain, both physical and mental. We can set ourselves a
dangerous precedent here, if we choose to ignore the signs that
our bodies use to warn us that we are making ourselves vunerable
to breakdown. Ignore this advice at your peril!

A common symptom of stress is a persons lack of respect for and
enjoyment of, eating. The stimulants and other stress hormones
which makes us tired, irritable and angry, totally disrupts our
digestive function. We also tend to make poor choices about
eating when we’re stressed either through time constraints or a
desire to eat comfort food. According to your disposition this
will either cause a loss of appetite, depleting your body of
vitamins, minerals and nutrients, leading to weight loss and
poor health, or weight gain, through a diet of junk food eaten
in a rush, leading to digestive disorders and other
weight-related problems. Poor nutrition will further weaken your
resistance to illness and allow other symptoms of stress to
develop. It’s a downward spiral.

Stress hormones are immensely powerful and have side effects
that can quite literally kill you. Stress becomes a bad thing
when it reaches a level beyond which you feel in control any
longer, when you find yourself feeling tense, tired and
uncomfortable. It’s not just the guy that seems most likely to
drop dead from a stroke or a heart attack that’s at risk here.
Stress hormones can contribute to ulcers and other severe
gastro-intestinal problems, diabetes, high blood pressure and
heart disease. These chemicals are also causal factors in a host
of psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. It can
also weaken the immune system, which makes you more susceptible
to illness and affects the body’s ability to heal.

Ask yourself - am I stressed or am I in denial? How much stress
is too much stress?

Well, we’re all unique, and everyone experiences stress
differently.

So how do we go about recognising the signs before it becomes a
serious problem? First, check the following lists and be honest
with yourself. If you start to exhibit some of these symptoms,
they may be warning signs that your stress levels are becoming a
cause for concern. Your body and your emotions are attempting to
give you a “wake-up” call. Listen to what your body is telling
you.

- Upset stomach - Stomach pains - Loss of appetite - Severe
headaches - Dizziness - Irritability - Nervous Tick or Blinking
- Insomnia - Chronic fatigue - Pain in the neck and shoulders
and back - Stiff neck and shoulders or back - Teeth Grinding -
Poor focus and memory

How you feel can indicate signs of stress too, look for the
following: - Anxious - Depressed - Frustrated - Hustled -
Overloaded - Pressured - Tense - Worried

Identifying stress at the early stages makes it so much easier
to treat. Good habits can be adopted to ensure that you have a
good work/life balance and stress reduction becomes a manageable
exercise.

Learn to recognise the signs that stress is starting to build up
and be prepared to act quickly on the problems causing this,
because problems seem to grow in intensity if they are not dealt
with. The relief will be instant and you’ll be glad that you
did. It’s important to realise that you always have choices and
learning how to properly manage stress will make you a happier
person and really will improve your life.

If we are honest with ourselves, we can recognise the signs that
stress is reaching an abnormal level, but of course it’s
different for everyone. The situation can become more serious
when the sufferer is in denial of the obvious, when stress
levels can then reach intolerable levels before the sufferer has
a serious, sometimes catastrophic health crisis.

Stress can cause serious illness and even if it doesn’t go on to
do that; it can make you thoroughly miserable in the meantime.
This article isn’t supposed to scare, but to make you aware and
to inspire you to take preventative action before it’s too late.

In Part 2 of this article we’ll look at stress reduction and
explore lots of simple ideas that you can apply, which are
sure-fire stress busters that will help you clear the clutter
and return the sparkle to your mind.

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