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June 6, 2008
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Free Weights Vs Machines - The Battle!
June 2, 2008
It seems like everyone has an opinion on this debate. Which is better- free weights or machines? I asked my trainer friends what they thought and it was pretty much split in half. One group loved free weights and the other loved machines.
Those that are just beginning to strength train, those that are rehabilitating a body part, those who want to isolate a particular muscle, and those that want to lift large amounts of weight would be better off selecting a machine. It is safer for your circumstances.
Here’s why, free weights require users to have a base of strength, balance and coordination. Machines provide that balance for you. Using a machine the strength trainer can lift a weight in a relatively safe manner. The exercise is guided along a pre-set path that does not allow for unsafe movements. With free weights you are left to your own devices. Your exercise path is whatever feels best for you.
If you are setting up your own in-home gym, I would go with a set of dumbbells. They are less expensive and take up less space. Less is good. Buying an all-in-one machine may be what interests you more and that’s fine. Just be sure that all of the cable lines are of strong and high quality material. Otherwise they will wear out over time.
Steam Bath or Sauna ? Which Is Better?
May 31, 2008
There is sometimes confusion between the terms ’steam bath’ and ’sauna.’ Many people think they refer to the same thing. Not so. Even though they both are hot baths, one uses dry heat while the other uses moist heat.
There is confusion among the vast majority of people in the world. So we would like to help clear up the confusion. While both offer many health benefits there is a major differences. Health benefits include losing weight, cleansing the body of toxins, lowering cholesterol, relieving the symptoms of arthritis and treating respiratory problems like bronchitis and laryngitis. Sounds like a miracle cure, doesn’t it? Some of these claims may be exaggerated, but others may have sound scientific foundations. Let’s take a closer look
The sauna has very low humidity. This means it can be much hotter than a steam bath. Saunas are usually between 80°C and 100°C while a steam bath is usually about 40°C. If the steam bath was any hotter than this it could scald the skin, but the dry heat of the sauna is safe.
Cheap Elliptical Trainers From An Industry Giant
May 28, 2008
From its humble beginnings as a part time business for two college students in Utah, ICON Health and Fitness has grown into one of the world’s largest manufacturers of fitness equipment. The company’s credentials are impressive: 4000 employees in 11 locations around the world, nearly 200 patents, ISO 9001 certified and a portfolio of some of the best known brands in the fitness industry. Among this stable of brands are some of the best-selling elliptical trainers in the world ?- Weslo, ProForm, NordicTrack, and Reebok.
It’s no wonder these ellipticals sell so well. They retail from $200 - $900 with an average purchase price of around $400. They boast features usually found on higher-end elliptical trainers such as heart rate monitors, several built-in exercise programs, built-in cooling fans, motorized resistance settings, and iFit.com technology.
The vast majority of consumers in the market for a home elliptical trainer balk at spending more than $500 for a machine. An elliptical trainer from ICON Health and Fitness for $400 seems like a no-brainer, but before you whip out your credit card, you may want to take a peek under the covers.
Elliptical Trainers and Burning Calories
May 25, 2008
One of the most frequently asked questions is do the use of elliptical trainers help me burn calories compared to other cardio machines?
With our busy schedules it is completely understandable that you want to get the most results for the time you spend working out.
As you may know how many calories burned during a workout will vary depending upon your weight. A 150 pound woman may only burn 387 calories while a 180 pound man may burn 500 calories on the same machine for the same length of time.
Many elliptical trainer companies say you can burn around 800 calories per hour of elliptical training workout. The following factors dictate how many calories you will actually burn during your workout:
- Workout Duration - This is simply how much time you spend on the specific workout. It is usually recommended that you do it for a half hour to an hour.
- Interval Training - Taking small breaks, followed by a cool down period is recommended for extended workouts.
- Elliptical Tension Settings - These tension settings help you control the intensity of the workout. Using a higher intensity can improve the effects of the workout.
6 Features Found in All the Best Treadmills
May 21, 2008
Are you just plain fed up? If you have spent any time researching online for a treadmill, every site you visit tells you that they have the best treadmills, buy from us…we are the best…blah, blah, blah!!
It just makes me sick.
Everyone who is looking for a treadmill want the best treadmills (or best value in your price range) the problem is without some guidelines and direction, unsuspecting treadmill researchers can get sucked along by these all promising websites and then before they know find they have just forked out $3000 for the “best treadmill”.
Before you start you online search make sure you know what you are looking for. If you don’t know what features the best treadmills have or look like how will you know when you find one.
Let’s have a look at 6 features that all the best treadmills have so that you can take control of the buying process.
1. Quality Brand Name
Most of the best treadmill brands have been around for years. This should be evidence enough that they are doing something right. Some of the better known brands include Precor, Proform, Smooth, Nordic Track, Life Fitness etc.
5 Sure-Fire Tips To Save You $1000s On Your Home Gym
May 19, 2008
It always amazes me when people say “Home Gyms are expensive! I just don’t have $1000’s of dollars lying about” These people obviously haven’t looked very hard because nowadays home gym equipment doesn’t have to cost 2, 3 or even $4000 dollars.
Below are 5 great alternatives that won’t cost you the earth but can do just a good a job as many of the commercial fitness equipment found in local gyms.
1. Dumbbells
For resistance weight training you can’t go past dumbbells for their practicality and versatility. You can perform any number of exercises with dumbbells that even the more expensive weight machines can’t do. These days you can get adjustable dumbbells which allow you to use add or remove weight from a single dumbbell with a simple pin, just like with traditional pin loaded weight machines.
This feature means you don’t have to buy different weight dumbbells for different exercises and you save on floor space which can be used for cardio equipment like ellipticals or treadmills.
You can easily get a good quality quick change dumbbell set for less than $500. At that price you’d be silly to spend money on larger, muscle specific equipment even if you did have extra cash floating around.
Questions You Must Answer Before Buying a Treadmill
May 16, 2008
Who is using the treadmill?
It is important to know the number of people using the treadmill, the weight of the heaviest person and how everyone will exercise using the treadmill.
The number of people using the treadmill will directly affect the durability that you will need in the treadmill. If two people are using it on a regular basis it will wear out twice as quickly as if only one person is using it. If three people are using it, it will wear out three times as quickly, and so on. Durability is loosely related to price, the more durable a model you need, the more you must be prepared to spend for it.
The weight of the heaviest person using the treadmill fits into a spec that most of the treadmills have, the maximum user weight. If you exceed the maximum user weight for the treadmill, you can expect to have problems much sooner than you normally would.
How everyone will use the treadmill is also important. Treadmills are generally designed to fit one of three types of users: walkers, walkers/joggers, and serious runners. As you move from walker to serious runner the treadmills will become more expensive.
Benefits of A Compact Elliptical Machine
May 12, 2008
With the fitness craze that is going on across the world today, the elliptical trainer is becoming very popular more popular in the average household today. In part, because the once expensive elliptical trainer machines have become more affordable to the average person, who enjoys working out at home rather than a gym. In addition to this elliptical machines have become more compact which makes it easier to store these machines in your house. Prior to this, elliptical machines were so large that it was hard to store them without dedicating a whole room as your “work out room”
Someone looking for an elliptical trainer needs to do research and decide what their needs are, decide how much they would like to spend and purchase accordingly.
The elliptical trainer is a complex machine that burns fat and calories with a low impact workout. People enjoy these lower impact workouts because you often avoid being sore the next day like if you did cross country running.
It’s designed to provide a smooth, seamless motion that is more forgiving on your knees, joints and ankles than other exercise methods. It’s an excellent cardiovascular exercise as well and I highly recommend trying an elliptical workout, you will not be disappointed.
An Informative Home Gym Review
May 10, 2008
There are several well-known manufacturers of home gyms worth mentioning. While all have their advantages and disadvantages, the following home fitness gyms are particularly noteworthy. The reviews will focus on the universal gyms that the companies manufacture.
Weider Home Gyms Review The Weider Crossbar (formerly called the Crossbow) is a universal gym that uses sturdy but bendable bows to create resistance. The range of resistance is from 5 pounds to 240 pounds, with an available upgrade that increases the amount of resistance to 440 pounds. The Weider Crossbar sells for around $500.
Pros: The Weider Crossbar is relatively inexpensive and has a wide range of exercises that it can be used for.
Cons: It takes a long time to put together and some of the suggested exercises are uncomfortable and impractical.
Gold’s Gym Home Gyms Review
The most popular Gold’s Gym home gym is the Power Flex. This is a universal gym that uses flexible bows to provide resistance. The maximum resistance is 210 pounds, with an available add-on that increases the maximum to 410 pounds. The price range for the Power Flex is between $500 and $900.
