The Internet is one of the best things ever to happen to the health and exercise community; if you can connect to the Internet, you can find thousands of workout tips, videos and instructions for all ability levels, from beginner to advanced. Unfortunately, the Internet also has given snake-oil salesmen easy access to a wide audience. Fortunately, if you know how to search, you can find quality information and avoid scams.
Searching Reputable Sources
One of the best ways to ensure you get high-quality information is to start with reputable health and fitness websites, one of which is MayoClinic.com, where you can find health articles and information from 3,300 doctors, scientists and researchers. To find exercise information on MayoClinic.com, search for the type of exercise you are interested in. For example, you could search for "core exercises," "aerobic exercises" or "strength training." Another good resource is AceFitness.org, the website of the American Council on Exercise, which has an exercise library available at AceFitness.org/ExerciseLibrary.
Limiting Your Search
Another way to find solid exercise information is to use Google's limited search functionality. To do this, go to the Google main page, then type in your search term followed by "site:sitenamehere.com." For example, if you typed in "cardio site:www.umm.edu," Google would return results from the University of Maryland Medical Center's website. Or you can restrict your search to a specific type of site. Typing in "exercise:.gov" would return exercise-related results from government sites, while "exercise site:.edu" would return exercise-related results from university and other educational institutions.
Steering Clear of Scams
There's a lot of misinformation out there, especially if you are interested in exercises to lose weight. Web-based scammers and quacks prey on the uninformed and the desperate. In fact, according to the Federal Trade Commission, weight-loss scams are the most popular form of fraud, ensnaring 4.8 million Americans each year. Use caution when reading Internet ads for exercise equipment; the American Association of Retired Persons, or AARP, recommends avoiding any product or service that promises a specific amount of weight loss per day or week; the association reports there is simply no way to guarantee specific results.
Exercising with Health Conditions
Individuals with specific health conditions may need to modify their exercise routines. While MayoClinic.com and AceFitness.org offer information on how to exercise if you have conditions such as heart problems, diabetes or arthritis, there are also specific websites dedicated to certain conditions, such as cancer.org, diabetes.org, and arthritis.org. If you suffer from a health condition common to older people, you can also check out AARP.org.
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