Weight Fitness

Life Fitness Products

March 2nd, 2010 at 10:20pm Under Fitness Equipment+ fitness

Life fitness is a manufacturer of exercise equipment like treadmills and home gyms. They invented the original LifeCycle and are well known for producing high quality fitness equipment.

This article will introduce you to some of the best and most recent Life Fitness products so that you can become informed enough to make the right decision about the best fitness equipment for you. Remember; exercising at home does not have to be expensive if you know how to choose the right equipment.

Life Fitness provides both cardio and strength training equipment.

Treadmills
Their treadmills include the F3 Treadmill which is a foldable treadmill that comes with either the Basic or Advanced Workouts Console according to your choice. The T3 Treadmill is another top seller. It is a very sleep looking treadmill with all the features you need.

Elliptical Cross Trainers
The Club Series Elliptical Cross-Trainer is the home version of the model that is used in fitness clubs, so you know you are getting a top product. Or perhaps the X7 Elliptical Cross-Trainer will be more to your liking as it uses the excellent Whisper eStride feature which makes it an ultra quiet machine.

Lifecycle Exercise Bikes
These bikes hardly look like bikes but give you the same excellent workout in complete comfort. The R9i Lifecycle Exercise Bike is the home version of the Lifecycle bike found in health clubs. It is feature packed and is self powered. You get the health club-derivative console and wireless heart rate sensors.

Life Fitness equipment is of a high standard so you only have to buy it once. What does that mean exactly? Often, people will buy the cheapest fitness products they can find at their local department store. They may get a few months of usage out of it but then it breaks down. Because it was so cheap, they simply replace it with a new cheap one and so the cycle goes until they eventually spend more money than a high quality product. Instead of buying the same product over and over again, you can get it right the first time by choosing Life Fitness.

By Paul Add comment

Fitness Centers : Access to Thousands of Dollars of Equipment

February 27th, 2010 at 09:39pm Under Weights and Fitness

Do you want to work out regularly but can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars on home gym equipment? Or do you simply prefer working out with and around people who have the same goals and enthusiasm as you do?
If you fit into either of the above scenarios then fitness centers are for you.

Every major city and town is now equipped with at least one fitness center, but most will have dozens of options. Most major cities will even have multiple venues of the same fitness chain so that there is always somewhere close to home for you to attend to complete your exercise and fitness regime.

A fitness center is also known as a gym or a health club. Whilst there can be some differences, most if not all will contain rooms with cardio training equipment and weight equipment. Some will have a pool and spa and others will have sporting facilities like tennis and basketball courts. Many clubs also now offer classes such as aerobics, water aerobics, Pilates, yoga and much more.

Gold’s Gym is by far the most well known gym in the USA, being the old training ground of champions like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Gold’s is now spread all over the United States and provides many facilities for fitness buffs.

A new trend is the women only gym such as Curves which provides a relaxing, motivating environment for women to exercise. There are also several other chains of women only gyms which are highly popular.

Fitness centers like the ones mentioned above hold so many benefits. They are cheaper than buying home gym equipment, they allow you to socialize, you can join in classes and learn something new, you benefit by being able to talk to experts, you can take up personal training or have a personal fitness plan made for you and above all, you can use the huge range of equipment and facilities for just a small monthly fee.

It really is little wonder that fitness centers are seeing their biggest attendance numbers ever and it just continues to grow as more and more people become enthusiastic about exercising in a supportive environment.

By Paul Add comment

Fitness Gear: Weight Training Equipment

February 24th, 2010 at 08:26pm Under Weights and Fitness

Weight training is a form of fitness that should not just be considered the domain of bodybuilders. Absolutely everyone can benefit from lifting weights and doing resistance training.

If you are a woman and have been afraid to do weights training as you fear bulking up like a man, don’t worry. Women are unable to build muscle like men do and whilst you will find your muscles becoming toned, you will never become ‘manly’ looking without some serious supplementation.

When you are looking at fitness gear and weight training equipment you’ll notice how affordable it is to set up a small home gym area

Some of the items you might consider buying for the home include:

- Dumbbells
- Barbells
- Bench
- Weights machines

Barbells and Dumbbells are highly versatile pieces of equipment. They are also the most affordable strength training items you will buy as compared with weight machines they are very low priced.

You can then buy extra weights for them as you become stronger and feel comfortable lifting more.

Weights machines can range from the cheap up to the very expensive gym-quality models. You will notice a vast difference in the look, feel and movement of the more expensive systems, but usually mid-range option is suitable for home use.

You will find weights machines that focus on particular muscles, or machines that provide an all over body workout. The multi machines can cost anywhere from $1000 right up to $5000 and beyond.

If you just want to tone up without spending a fortune then the best fitness gear for weight training to buy is simply a set of dumbbells with adjustable weights. Your can work your arms and legs with this simple equipment thorough a variety of exercises and workout routines.

The Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbells are a good quality set that are durable. They are not the cheapest dumbbells available but they are well worth paying a little extra for. The Bowflex Dumbbells lets you adjust weights in 2.5 lb increments so it is very easy to gradually increase your strength.

Fitness gear and weight training equipment can transform your body without sending you broke.

By Paul Add comment

Fitness: Sports That Are Fun and Healthy

February 12th, 2010 at 06:22pm Under fitness

Do you dread the thought of exercising?

For many people visiting the gym is more a chore than a pleasure. It might feel like something you HAVE to do rather than something you WANT to do. If you have that outlook then eventually you may just give up on going to the gym altogether.

Then there are the people who think that you can only become fit by running 5 miles everyday. Not everybody likes to run (I can’t blame you!) and running can also cause you serious injuries.

There are many fitness alternatives and the best ones are those that involve high fitness sports. There are so many sports that are great for a workout and for improving your health and fitness, but you don’t even need to be good at them to benefit.

So what are the very best fitness sports? I’ve compiled a short list of the sports that I believe provide exceptional fitness benefits and I’ve explained why each one is so good.

Swimming
Swimming does amazing things for your upper body. It strengthens your arms, back and shoulders and is a low impact exercise so is great for those with muscle or joint problems.

Tennis
Tennis is an all over body workout. Your arms are busy swinging the racquet whilst your legs are moving non stop. It is no wonder that tennis players are some of the fittest people on the planet.

Ice Skating
Ice skating is not only fun, but it teaches you balance and promotes leg and ankle strength.

Squash
Squash requires quick reflexes and constant movement so is a great cardiovascular activity.

Cycling
Riding a bike will have your legs hurting in minutes when you aren’t used to it, so gradually ease into it. Try riding uphill for extra b

enefits.

Kayaking/Canoeing
Th

ere may be no better upper body exercise than rowing a boat,

which explains the muscles on Olympic kayakers.

Surfing/Bodyboarding
The balance required for these beach sports is astounding, and it’s a great mental exercise too. It also requires all over body

strength to stay standing and to paddle on to a wave.

These are just a small selection of the sports that will significantly improve your fitness whilst allowing you to have fun at the same time!

By Paul Add comment

Fitness Yoga

February 9th, 2010 at 05:36pm Under fitness

Yoga is an ancient Hindu discipline that, in its purest form aims to help a person achieve tranquility and inner peace. Yoga made its way into Western society and is used as a relaxation technique. It is particularly popular amongst younger people who lead very busy lives and find that yoga allows them to detach from the hustle and bustle whilst helping to clear their mind.

The goal of yoga is to control both your mind and body. In recent years people have put a new spin on yoga to turn it into a fitness routine rather than just a spiritual and relaxation experience. Yoga has the ability to assist in the flexibility and strengthening of your body and it is these attributes that are focused on during fitness yoga routines and classes.

So what are the benefits of fitness yoga?

1. Strength
Yoga is a combination flow movements that have to be held for periods of time. This sort of resistance training is not practiced in any other form.

2. Flexibility
The range of motions that you do in yoga are unmatched by other exercises. Your flexibility will improve over time as some of the positions can be rather difficult (and best attempted after you gain some experience)

3. Balance
Most exercises focus on just a few core muscle groups or parts of the body whereas yoga encompasses your entire body (inside and out) and as such is one of the most all round forms of exercise you can do.

4. Breathing
Yoga teaches you how to breathe evenly and it lets you practice in a concentrated manner, unlike many other exercise forms in which it can be hard to concentrate on correct breathing techniques.

Fitness yoga is a great way to gain more flexibility and strength and is a welcome change from the regular exercise you might do. Always consult an expert or buy a fitness yoga DVD before starting so that you can learn the correct form for each exercise.

Most health and fitness clubs now hold yoga classes as this discipline becomes increasingly popular amongst people who are just starting to realize is multiple benefits.

By Paul Add comment

The Chuck Norris Total Fitness Gym

February 6th, 2010 at 05:09pm Under Fitness Equipment

The Chuck Norris Total Fitness Gym line of products is made up of three different home gym sets. Each piece of equipment provides multiple workouts at varying levels from very easy right up to the more strenuous. The current line up of home fitness gyms in the Chuck Norris line:

Total Gym XLS
Total Gym 3000
Total Gym 2000

We’ll go over each one below.

Total Gym 2000
This is the basic gym unit that has a weight capacity of 250lb.
It contains over 40 exercise possibilities so you can work almost all of your muscle groups. There are no add on accessories for this particular gym however it is a great system for an all over workout. If you are just starting out or don’t require extremely heavy weights then the Total Gym 2000 is perfect for you.
RRP: $599.40

Total Gym 3000
With a capacity of 300lb this is the middle range gym that packs some punch. There are over 60 exercises to do and it features a partial comfort system, new pulley and cable system, chrome upper rails and steel handles. It’s a nice looking gym that does what it aims to do: provide a comfortable, effective platform for strength training almost all muscle groups.
RRP: $849.00

Total Gym XLS
This is the top of the line Chuck Norris Total Fitness Gym. It has a weight capacity of 400lb. The comfort system has been upgraded compared with previous models and you can really tell the difference. It is comfortable without being overly luxurious (which takes away from your workouts). The cable and pulley system is also all new and is very stable.

You can do over 80 exercises with the Total Gym XLS and it is suitable for advanced users and those wanting to get the most out of their home fitness workouts. There is even a bonus Pilates kit, squat stand and wing attachment.  RRP: $1448.05

The Chuck Norris Total Fitness Gym family consist of high quality equipment that is suitable for all levels of fitness in the home. The prices are reasonable and the number of exercises that can be completed on even the basic model is quite astounding. You will not be left disappointed in any of these three gym models.

Now you can take a full 30 day in home trial for only $1.

By Paul Add comment

Exercise Fitness Basics

February 3rd, 2010 at 03:07pm Under fitness

We all know that exercise and fitness is vital for good health, but how much do you know about the basics?
The more you know the better you can become at using exercise and fitness to improve your health, resistance to disease and even lengthen your life expectancy.

There are several parts to physical fitness. These include:

- Cardiovascular fitness
- Muscular strength
- Muscular endurance
- Flexibility

These 4 fitness basics should all be concentrated on as part of your overall health plan. Let’s look at them in some more detail.

Cardiovascular Fitness
This sort of fitness is all about the ability for your body to deliver oxygen to your muscles, plus the quality of your heart and lung functions.

Muscular Strength
Muscle strength is about how much force your muscle can exert in short bursts. This is achieved through weight lifting.

Muscular Endurance
How well your muscles and entire body can sustain continual force is a measure of muscular endurance.

Flexibility
Moving your joints and muscles through their full motion range measures your flexibility. One of the most common flexibility tests is the simple ‘touch your toes’ examination.

Fat vs. Muscle
Refining your muscle to fat ratio is the goal of a fitness plan. Lean muscle mass is built through continual exercise and strength training and whilst you require some fat mass it should not be overwhelming factor. Certain types of exercise will assist you to decrease body fat, whilst others will help you to build muscle mass.

Warming Up
Your workout schedule should always consist of warm up exercises for at least 5 minutes. There are various ways to warm up including walking, slow jogging, stretching, arm rotations and other low intensity movements that stimulate muscle use without straining.

You should aim to do exercises from each of the 4 groups above on a weekly basis. Flexibility can be achieved through yoga exercises or even during warm ups. Muscular endurance can consist of sit-ups and pull-ups. Muscle strength exercises concern weight lifting and your cardiovascular fitness will be made up of running, aerobics and other continuous exercises.

These exercise fitness work out basics apply to every single person, whether you are someone wanting to lose weight or a person who plays professional sports.

By Paul Add comment

Home Fitness For Busy Moms

January 31st, 2010 at 01:56pm Under Uncategorized

If you are a busy Mom who is at home all day then you probably struggle to find time to do chores, let alone to exercise. But home fitness is something you should get into if you want to maintain your own health, and set a good example for your kids. When your children see you exercising they will want to join in too when they are old enough.

There are so many ways to exercise at home and the best news is that they are not time consuming.

Skipping
A skipping rope costs $5 and can be used to assist in weight loss and cardiovascular improvement. Doing 100 skips per day will take you around 5 minutes – everybody has a spare 5 minutes and this is the very best way to make the most of that time.

Step Machines
These are very affordable home gym pieces which you can use for just a few minutes at a time. They are great for busy Moms at home as you can store it anywhere (it’s very small) and simple take it out for a quick 100 steps exercise. You will feel puffed out but invigorated!
However keep in mind there are two types of step machines: those that are very large with handles like a treadmill and those that simple have to foot holds and a bar to adjust the resistance.

Weights
Buying some light to medium weights will add a new dimension to your exercise. You can buy small dumbbells that don’t have interchangeable weights and these are great to hold on to when walking. You can also buy ankle weights to add some resistance to your legs.
That means you can benefit from cardio as well as pushing your muscles a little harder at the same time.

Doing house chores burns a surprising amount of calories. Vacuuming and cleaning can wear you out and can even be considered part of your exercise plan.
Remember, you don’t have to spend a fortune or spend hours working out each day. Home fitness for busy people can be achieved with some simple equipment and the motivation and desire to improve your health.

By Paul Add comment

5 Physical Fitness Tips

January 19th, 2010 at 09:50am Under fitness

Physical fitness is so important; regardless of whether you are trying to lose weight or if you just want to maintain good health, keeping fit will lower your chance of developing serious diseases and will keep your mind in a positive place.

So what are the health benefits of being fit?

Some of the benifits of physical fitness include:

- weight loss and maintenance: you can’t help but lose weight and keep it off if you exercise regularly
- lowers blood pressure
- decreases risk of diabetes
- reduces cholesterol level
- encourages regular bowel movements
- strengthens muscles
- reduces headache occurrences
- gives you more energy
- increases your confidence
- increases your libido
- helps you to sleep better
- reduces depression and stress

The above are just some of the benefits of regular physical fitness, but there are many more. No wonder doctors and medical specialists are constantly telling us to exercise daily!

Here are five physical fitness tips that will help you get motivated and get moving so you can reap the above benefits and more:

1. Go Early
Exercise in the early morning is a great way to start the day. You won’t have time to talk yourself out of it, and your body will start pumping blood that will wake you up and energize you for the day ahead. If it means getting up an hour earlier, do it – it is well worth it!

2. Eat Well
The better you eat, the more energy you will have for exercise. Don’t get weighed down with low quality food as you simple won’t have the energy to work out.

3. Mix It Up
Running around the block everyday can become dull, so mix up your routines with various workouts like gym work, swimming, cycling and even hiking and mountain climbing and other such fun outdoor activities.

4. Weight Training
Lifting moderate weights once or twice per week will make you stronger and will improve your muscle tone. It will also help strengthen your bones and is great for warding of conditions like arthritis.

5. Grab a Partner
Having someone to train with motivates you and keeps your spirits up.

These 5 fast physical fitness tips will help you to change your lifestyle and improve your health through the wonders of physical fitness and exercise.

By Paul Add comment

Weight Lifting Fitness Helps You Stay Healthy

January 7th, 2010 at 01:55am Under Weights and Fitness

Many people believe that weight lifting fitness is only for building  huge, bulky muscles. If that’s what you are going for, that’s all good and fine. But did you know there is much more to weight lifting than meets the eye?

Such a seemingly simple exercise has far reaching effects in overall health and fitness with additional benefits that are more often or not, overlooked.

Yes, it’s true. A resistance training program builds strong muscle, but it also helps you burn fat. Here’s how it’s accomplished.

A more muscular body increases metabolism, which allows you to burn up a good amount of extra calories daily – even at rest.

That means whether I’m playing a video game, watching Family Guy, or even sleeping, I’m burning up unwanted calories!  I don’t know about you, but to me that’s pretty cool!

With weight lifting fitness, you also gain a good amount of energy. You’ll find yourself jumping from bed morning after morning, ready for the day and actually looking forward to it. You won’t even need a pot full of coffee.

By embarking on a well rounded program, you’ll actually loose the sluggish feelings and replace them with an energetic body that most everyone would love to have .

PSST! You’ll look hot and sexy too!  YUM!!!

The opposite sex will be looking your way and checking you out. Hope you are OK with that 

If that isn’t enough for you, your mood will improve and you’ll have a great outlook on life in general. PLUS, your posture will be better, your blood pressure lower, and you’ll even enjoy greater balance and coordination.

I mean, what’s not to like?

No, you don’t need to workout untill your muscles tear or explode.

No, your mantra dosn’t have to be “No pain, no gain!!!”

A weight lifting plan dosn’t need to be hard or difficult. Start with a weight you can handle and progress from there. Don’t do too much too soon and get your doctor’s advice before beginning any fitness plan.

By Paul

Body Fitness: Bodybuilding Basics for Beginners

December 31st, 2009 at 11:10pm Under fitness

Believe it or not, bodybuilding is for everyone. You don’t need to have great aspirations to gain muscle ripping biceps in order to experience benefits from lifting weights. Strength training holds so many health and fitness benefits but unfortunately many people simply overlook it. A high percentage of people, particularly those who wish to lose weight, by pass the strength training equipment at the gym in favor of the treadmill and aerobics classes. Whilst these forms of cardio fitness are important, body fitness using weights is just as important, if not more so; regardless of your goals.

Here are some quick body fitness tips for people who are new to bodybuilding:

1. Vary Your Workouts
You will notice fast results when you start lifting weights, but this drops off after a few months as your body becomes accustomed to the routine. That is why mixing up your workouts is vital. You can try isolation exercises, compound exercises, different repetition routines, pyramid workouts and many others.

2. Allow Recovery Time
Recovery time is just as important as time in the gym. It is during recovery that your muscles repair and grow. Therefore you must give them ample time to undertake this process. Generally you will aim to work each muscle group twice per week so there is about three days of repair time between each workout.

3. Eat For Fitness
What you eat is going to determine your results. If you workout well, but eat badly then you are just wasting your time and energy. Your diet must complement your fitness routine. It should be high in protein and complex carbohydrates, but low in simple carbohydrates, fats, sugars and salt.

Body fitness should be a part of your workout routine at least twice per week. Unlike cardio exercise which can take some time to reveal benefits and changes within your body, working out with weights takes effect much quicker and with more pronounced results. You can lose weight faster by doing strength training, and you can also gain a toned muscled physique by continually altering and progressing your body fitness workout routine

By Paul

Fitness Weight Benches That Save Space and Deliver a Full Workout

December 28th, 2009 at 09:55pm Under Fitness Equipment

Fitness weight benches often take up a lot of space, which make living with them inconvenient if you don’t have the necessary room to fit it in.

If you have a small amount of square footage to work with  but still want the convenience and pleasure of working out  at home, there are many compact benches and systems on the market that are fitted to your specific needs.

When going out to buy  your new bench, give serious thought to it’s over all size and where you intend to place it within your workout area. It’s a good idea to be prepared for this by actually measuring  your space and  the equipment you intend to place, so be sure to take a tape measure as well as all measurements needed  with you when shopping.

There are many varieties of space saving fitness weight benches available to you.

Some are a scaled down version of a full size model, some are able to fold or break down for storage,while others are built from the ground up with the idea of saving space specifically in mind.

No matter which you decide on, make absolutely certain to check out the construction.

You don’t want to be in the middle of your workout and have the bench collapse because it was made poorly. Look for either single piece or solid welds at the stress points, excellent support all around, be sure it can hold at minimum, 300 pounds, and it should be comfortable with ample padding for your back, bottom. Legs, and arms too if you are buying a model with those attachments.

If you plan on lifting weights to develop your upper-body, a bench designed solely for sit-ups or crunches will not be in your best interest.  Keep in mind the more versatile the better. You want something that will allow you to do as many exercises possible, so you can change up your workout and not be limited in your choices.

Fitness weight benches that accommodate your workout routine should be the focus of your attention.

By Paul

Getting Man boobs? Incinerate ‘Em

December 25th, 2009 at 07:55pm Under fitness

If you’re getting man boobs (or already have them) I’ve got some good news for you – YOU DON’T NEED TO LIVE WITH THEM ANY MORE! Actually, you’re able to incinerate the fat around your chest and rid yourself of your man boobs once and for all by simply using three brief  exercise routines a week.

Getting man boobs to disappear is as easy as ridding yourself from any other form of body fat. You’ve gotta curb your junk food intake, get active and embrace a good workout routine.

It’s no secret that ladies see a well-defined chest as being sexy but make fun and even laugh at guys with boobies. It’s unfortunate for otherwise good guys to endure such ridicule. This is the reason I advocate workouts that focus on building up your muscles and burning stubborn fat cells as if you’ve thrown them into a furnace.

Include different types of push-ups and exercises meant for building up your chest at different intervals and intensity levels. In fact, even some ab and core workouts – if done correctly, shape the muscles of the chest, helping to change your flabby man boobs into a sexy and chiseled chest in a matter of only a few short weeks

When working out, there’s no need  for expensive membership gyms or exercise gear. All that’s really needed is some time and a bit of room to move around in. And even at that the requirements are minimal.

It is 100% possible to build muscle and burn fat with short, well targeted workouts regardless of what others say (and if you pay attention, it’s usually the tired and out of shape people saying it). There’s no call for a 7 day a week  routine or spending countless hours in a gym sweating like a pig unless, of course, you actually want to. Definitely don’t spend hundreds of your hard earned dollars every month on ineffective supplements that do more harm than good.

Don’t listen to anyone that recommends surgery or liposuction . Procedures like these can lead to scars that don’t look all that good and will leave you even more uncomfortable then when you had your man boobs in the first place. The only true way to fix them is to change your lifestyle.

Turbulence Training is an exercise program that isn’t like other workout routines you may have used that didn’t do a thing for you. It isn’t weak weight machine circuit training  that simply winds  being a complete time waster.  It’s a system of exercising that is totally unique. One  that you are able to do in the comfort of your own home, without going to a gym among all the hard bodies and feeling self-concious.

The safest and fastest, and only real way to rid yourself once and for all from your man boobs is through interval and strength training. By adding in intelligent nutritional guidelines, you will be sporting not only a chiseled chest, but a full new sexy body in a few short weeks!

Grab your FREE Turbulence Training 10-Minute Workout Programs Here – 100% FREE , No Strings Attached.

By Paul

The Benefits of Weights and Fitness

December 16th, 2009 at 02:59pm Under Weights and Fitness

Did you know that lifting weights regularly can assist your bone strength, help with weight loss and make you a fitter, stronger person?

So many people, particularly women, write off strength training as the domain of bodybuilders or people who want to  ‘bulk up’  but you don’t have to desire to be a muscly person in order to benefit from weight training. Weights and fitness routines can assist with a plethora of health aspects including chronic health conditions like arthritis, and even injury recovery.  By building lean muscle mass you are strengthening your body, and that can only be a good thing.

Strength training with a weights and fitness program will also keep you mentally fit. You will become a more confident person and you’ll have a good body image. This is highly important and is a central part of who you are as a person: you will notice your confidence soaring after you start weight training AND the best part is that it doesn’t take long to see results.

Training with weights can be as simple as doing 5 sets of dumbbell curls every couple of days. Dumbbells are very cheap to buy and can be used anywhere in the home. there are some great videos online that show you exactly how to do various weights exercises, and it’s always important to follow good form so that you don’t injure yourself. Starting with lighter weights will allow you to develop the correct technique when you lift weights.

Other strength training exercises include those with a barbell such as curls and lifts. You can work out your legs with a barbell, just ensure you keep a good back posture and never lift weights beyond your means.

To get the most out of weights training your body must rest enough to recover: usually two to three days after exercising a particular muscle group.

If you want to raise your self esteem, improve your strength, tone your body and simply become fitter then undertake a weights and fitness program. You will be amazed at the results and at the same time your body will feel better, look better and function better forever.

By Paul

Fitness Weight Machine Review – Bowflex Revolution

December 10th, 2009 at 01:51pm Under Fitness Equipment

The fitness weight machine, Bowflex Revolution, is being billed as a space saving and multi-functional little wonder that gives you the body of your dreams. Many like it, others don’t.

Here’s an honest review.

Are you tired of your body letting you down? Do you feel weak or tend to breath heavy from walking short distances at a leisurely pace? In short, are you out of shape?

The Bowflex Revolution might be just what you need. When I tried that space saving piece of fitness equipment, I found a machine that can fit in a corner of an average sized apartment without overtaking the living space.

Overall, this fitness weight machine gave me  a great workout and offers up more than one hundred muscle building, body toning, and cardio exercises.

It’s well built and made very comfortable thanks to the amount of ample padding available.

The Revolution gets it’s power from the specialized “Spiraflex” -  a tightly wrapped coil that provides the “weight”  for your exercises.

There is no stress to joints since no actual weight is being utilized such as in traditional gym equipment

offered up is a full workout in a single station. It’s great for both upper and lower-body and even cardio routines.

Packed with the fitness weight machine is a DVD with workouts designed exclusively for the Revolution. In fact, there is not one exercise that I can think of that can’t be accomplished with this one machine and will easily support fitness enthusiasts of 300 pounds.

It can be a bit pricey though, I won’t include prices here because they are subject to change, but know that Bowflex offers a payment plan that will allow you to own this little devil to a nominal monthly investment.

A full ten year warranty allows for many years of regular use and Bowflex goes even further. They say that you can use it for six weeks, for twenty minitues each day, three times per week and you arn’t satisfied with the results it gives you, return it for a refund.

This fitness weight machine actually backs up its claims.

By Paul

Picking the Right Fitness Weight Bench for Your Workout

December 1st, 2009 at 07:10am Under Fitness Equipment

A fitness weight bench is meant to offer support when working to build and sculpt the muscle groups of the upper body, the lower body, and the torso, or core.

They typically have supports that are capable of holding the full weight of barbells. this type of workout equipment is used by laying or sitting on it as you are lifting your chosen weight with your arms. Usually made up of at least two sections, it allows for a variety of positions for many different exercises.

We will go over an assortment of four different benches and their usage.

Let’s start with a fitness weight bench known as the Preacher Curl. You use it to work on your biceps, it helps keep your arms in the correct position for the duration of your exercise.

This type of bench is fairly compact and easy to move around, which makes it perfect for limited spaces. It is mainly used with  Olympic or curl bars.

Next comes the Dumbbell Bench. This one is meant to be used with… you guessed it. Dumbbells! It typically doesn’t include a weight rack and is usually found as a horizontal padded bench.

A few dumbbell benches are able to be adjusted to accommodate additional positions that allow you to change up your workouts a bit

With this bench, you may be able to add leg and curl attachments for a full body workout

The Olympic fitness weight bench is most popular with weightlifters since itis designed to support and hold much bigger barbells and heavier weights.This is the type of bench most often found in your local gym.

At last, we reach the ab bench.  You work your midsection on this bench with sit-ups, straight legged lifts,crunches and such.

They can be set flat or at an angle for an advanced workout. Foot pads are at one end for stabilizing your feet through the exercise.

When choosing a fitness weight bench,  look for one that is well made, preferably welded together  and is comfortable with a good amount of padding and is capable of holding heavy weights.

By Paul

Which is the Right Fitness Program For You?

November 28th, 2009 at 05:36am Under fitness

When it comes to fitness programs you can be forgiven for feeling completely overwhelmed by the options. how many times have you seen a new advertisement on TV, or a website ad that claims to have the ultimate “top secret” fitness program for you – but only if you pay for it. These types of ads are now common place as more and more people are becoming overweight or obese.

Many people are looking for a quick fix to weight loss and as such the market for “easy” exercise machines like comfortable gym cycles and ab pushers is huge. But if you really think you can become ultra fit using solely these machines, you will be sorely disappointed. Whilst these companies use bodybuilding models to sell their equipment, these people surely would not have got to that point by using that equipment alone (if they even used it at all). To be clear, I will emphasize that I am talking about products like those gym cycling machines that virtually have you laying down sleeping whilst you cycle. Unfortunately, fitness does not work in such a relaxing way!

To become truly fit you need a fitness program that caters to your goals and your body type. You don’t really need to pay for a fitness program, although if you want to become exceptionally fit it is always useful to employ a personal trainer to assist you.

First you have to work out what you wish to achieve.

Do you want to lose weight?
Do you want to tone your muscles?
Or do you want to train to run long distances?

These are three goals which will require very different implementation of fitness programs.

Losing weight will require you to focus on cardiovascular exercise as well as some strength training.

To tone your muscles you will do less cardio work but much more strength training in order to work your muscles to exhaustion. As they recover, they will grow and tone.

And to undertake a fitness program to condition you for long distance running, you must run almost everyday and add extra distance each time. Not only are you training your muscles to handle these conditions, but also your heart and lungs which play such a vital part in such a fitness regime.

By Paul

Fitness Weight Loss – Take Action Today!

November 25th, 2009 at 05:15am Under Weight Loss+ fitness

Losing weight is not rocket science! You don’t have to lose sleep about how you are going to lose weight. Instead, start taking small actions today.

Every small step you take towards losing those excess pounds is going to contribute to a new, vital and slimmer you within just a few months.

Whether your goal is to lose 5 pounds or 35 pounds, the first thing you need to do is to make a fitness weight loss plan.

Because you will want to be losing weight the healthy way, that is by not starving yourself, you will be using fitness to burn the extra fat on you. And to do that, you will need to input energy into your body on a daily basis. But it is going to be good energy, in the form of good, healthy and nutritious foods. Kick the junk food out the door and start forming a positive attitude to healthy foods – after all, they can be extremely tasty!

Diet pills are not the way to go to lose fat. That is why I advocate fitness and exercise as the ultimate method of weight loss. There is no point starving yourself to lose weight, or going on a lettuce leaf diet. Without proper nutrition you will become weak and sick. You will never feel like exercising; you may not even feel like getting out of bed. Your body absolutely needs good food.

Great food won’t make you put on weight, provided you keep your eye on portion size. Eating smaller meals more regularly will ensure your organs have time to process the foods and you will burn the calories off in between meals; without feeling weighed down.

You can still snack when you’re on a diet, but instead of crisps or chocolate, have some nuts, fruit, raw carrot sticks or other yummy nutritious foods.

Fitness and weight loss go hand in hand: if you are fit, you will lose weight. The more you exercise and eat well, the faster you will drop the pounds. So what are you waiting for? Get started on your fitness weight loss plan today!

By Paul

Body Weight Fitness – Great Workout, No Equipment Necessary

November 19th, 2009 at 02:12am Under Fitness Equipment+ Weights and Fitness

Body weight fitness is all about doing – getting our body moving and exercising using the resistance provided by our own bodies. No equipment is necessary, nor is an expensive gym or health club membership required. In fact, you do not need to spend a single penny.

The only this that is required is a commitment to yourself and your health. It could even be as little as eight to ten minutes a day!

There are many ways to get exercising using your body alone, Yoga and Pilates, as well as simple push-ups and sit-ups come to mind when I think of these exercises. There are many more.

Such workouts allow

you to exercise no matter where you happen

to be or even if time is at a minimal.

Don’t believe me? Drop down and pump out a quick fifty push-ups. How do you feel afterward?

Body weight fitness works, plain and simple. This exercise method can strengthen, and tone your body and even help in your flexibility.

This is also the method of exercise I use most since it is very difficult to hurt yourself doing it.

Because I have Scoliosis, a curvature of the spine, both my doctor and Sensei (martial arts instructor) do not want me to lift heavy weights.

I have achieved very strong, flexible muscles geared to martial arts through Yoga, Pilates, and cardio exercises.

Weights are not needed for a good exercise program and of course there isn’t a perfect program for everyone. It all depends on what you want to accomplish and what you enjoy. Because, after all, if we don’t enjoy it, we probably won’t keep doing it.

If you don’t like to go to a gym and have to wait for a machine or work station to be available, or if you don’t have much room to exercise to begin with, or if money is tight, give body weight fitness a try. You’ll be glad you did.

By Paul

Life Fitness Weight

November 16th, 2009 at 01:51am Under fitness

Life Fitness makes many types of fitness and gym equipment such as treadmills, exercise bikes and elliptical trainers. These machines are all excellent for cardiovascular exercise and weight loss.

However Life Fitness also manufactures strength training equipment. These pieces of fitness equipment aim to assist you in growing muscle and strengthening your overall body.

You don’t have to desire to become a bodybuilder type in order to benefit from Life Fitness weight training machines. It is now well known that every single person can benefit from doing moderate strength training just twice per week. It assists you in losing weight as you gain muscle, and your bones will strengthen. That is why many arthritis patients are encouraged to life light weights, but it is something that should be doing well before you ever get to the stage of arthritis or other illness. In fact, strength training can even help you to prevent such conditions from developing.

Life Fitness Home Gyms are high quality systems that you can easily fit into your home. You don’t need any experience to use them as they are easy to set up and function.

Having a home gym in your house will save you considerably on gym membership fees, and you also don’t need to leave the house to exercise.

Currently Life Fitness weight training gyms come in 5 different models:

G2
G3
G4
G5
G7

G7 is the most advanced gym whilst G2 will suit those with basic needs.

Life Fitness G7 Home Gym
This gym is modelled on the one that Life Fitness provides to health clubs. It is full featured and includes adjustable pulleys so you can easily customize the system to your needs, and importantly; change them as you improve.

One of the best features of this machine is that you can exercise both sides of the body at the same time thanks to the two dual weight stacks.
The gym comes with 160lb weight stacks but you can always buy more if you ever get to that stage (this will be more than enough for the majority of users).

You also receive a bunch of accessories such as ankle and thigh straps, exercise ball, training DVD, clips for extra attachments, water bottle and exercise book. The training DVD is particularly helpful as you can follow along with a personal trainer through 2 different workout routines using the machine.

Any level of user can benefit from the Life Fitness G7 home gym. It costs less than you’d expect too: $2999 without the bench and $3499 with the bench.

By Paul

Exercise, Fitness, Weight Loss – They All Go Hand in Hand

November 12th, 2009 at 10:07pm Under Weight Loss+ fitness

Exercise? Fitness? Weight Loss? If you don’t have a clue where to begin, start with something simple. There’s no need to sign up and pay hefty monthly fees to a gym if  you don’t want to.

Keep the cash in your pocket and buy something you’ve been wanting. Make it your reward for a job well done. There are many cost effective and fun ways to get a great workout in without stepping foot in a gym.

Fitness. We all want it, but exercising is hard at times. For some it’s downright painful. For others, very boring. How can we change all that?

in a word: KAIZEN. Kaizen is Japanese for “Constant Improvement”. in all areas of life. If it is done in the correct way, it virtually eliminates work that is overly difficult.  We will be using this philosophy  in our exercise, fitness, weight plans.

First of all, we want to find something that we enjoy doing. If we like it we will tend to stick with it much longer than if we don’t. Make sense?

Next we need to get into it in a way that allows us to start off small and build. For me, I chose martial arts. I enjoy it and it allowed me to start off as a beginner and advance all the way to a 2nd. degree black belt.

If you enjoy running, start off on a short jaunt, the next day go a bit further and pic up the pace very slightly, constantly improve on the day past in small doable increments.. Soon you’ll be going a mile plus each day.

Same goes with push ups or any other exercise that you might like to add.

Next check out one of the many exercise DVDs available to you in countless stores and online. or if video games are more your style, try theWii Fit It may cost a bit but it’s far less then a gym membership.

Thought I forgot about the weight loss, didn’t you?

We do the same with it as we did exercising.  Let’s say that you wanted to loose 20 pounds to fit into those jeans in the dresser drawer. (I was in your house. I know they are there!)

make a plan to loose 1-2 pounds A WEEK! This is doable and sustainable. Slowly start to cut fats, sugars, and salts from your diet and cut more as you progress. this way you won’t feel deprived.

Don’t forget to drink as much water as you possibly can

Put kaizen to work in your exercise, fitness, weight plans and eliminate the overly difficult tasks. You’ll soon see the world differently.

By Paul

A Weight Fitness Program That Actually Works and it’s FREE?

November 9th, 2009 at 07:36pm Under fitness

Discovering a low to no cost weight fitness program is actually a simple matter of  finding something that works for you instead of subscribing to the next fad.

The key to a treasure trove of free weight and fitness info is literally at your finger tips, it’s the Internet and you can find practically everything you need there, providing that you are willing to do a bit of research.  But not all the advice you will find will be the best for you..

Different programs can all focus on weight loss but they all may use different techniques. Not all of them are right for us as individuals. In other words, there is no clear cut weight fitness program that will work for all of us every time.

Some focus on detoxification of our bodies by eating nothing but raw foods, some have you using a certain “fat burning ” product that does more harm than good, still others have you cut out a full category of foods as in carb diets.

Before going with this or that diet because a friend of a friend said it worked, decide on what it is that you want exactly.  Do you want to fit in a bikini for summer or do you want to trim fat and tone your body? Could it be just to have more energy?

Keeping your goals in mind will help in your program evaluation process. This way, you’ll be able to tell if it’s right for you or not.

I have found that the best way to obtain a free weight fitness program that actually works is to create my own centered around my specific goals.

Building a custom program that you tailor to fit your needs also means that you will stick to it far longer than the life of any fad.

Let me share my custom program with you

I wake up in the morning and before I even have coffee, I do a 30 minute cardio jog that helps start me up. I’ll have some coffee with some fresh fruit and a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with 2% milk. I don’t like the 1% or fat free versions, they are too watery for me.

I try to eat about every 3 hours or so in order not to get hungry and binge.  As for eating in general, I don’t count calories. Instead, I cut out as much salt, sugar, and fats as possible, while drinking as much water as possible. I’m up to 2 liters a day right now.

For exercise,I focus on Pilates and Yoga that help in my martial arts. I alternate between them nightly and finish up with one more 30 minute cardio session.

My program is centered on martial arts which I enjoy immensely. In fact, it’s a way of life. Since everything in my weight fitness program is meant to improve that, I have less of a problem sticking to it.

By Paul

Is Weight Training Fitness Right for You?

November 3rd, 2009 at 05:15pm Under Weights and Fitness

Weight training fitness develops muscles and builds strength, it’s a great exercise. In fact, a good number of gyms specialize in it.

Recently however, more options have been made available. So, is lifting weights right for you?

Resistance Training – training that enlists the aid of devices or weights in order to increase the workload of the muscles being trained, is among the most popular methods available to us in our hunt to improve our bodies and overall fitness level.

It keeps our coordination, endurance,  and muscles strong. It even wards off osteoporosis by increasing our bone density.

When done correctly, weight fitness training can bring very impressive results. It doesn’t take very long to do and it isn’t as difficult as you may imagine and everyone can do it at various intensities

However, activities that are more aerobic in nature do have some distinct advantages.

For starters, you are able to do such exercises practically anywhere you happen to be with next to no equipment, if any at all. Really, all you might need is a good pair of shoes. And that’s if you decide to have your workout outdoors!

As far as weight training fitness goes, there is an endless supply of equipment you have at your disposal, not all of which are heavy weights.

One of my favorite  pieces resistance training equipment is the resistance band. It’s compact, versatile, and gives a great workout.

It’s nothing more than rubber tubing with handles at both ends. You can get them at any fitness store, they come in different levels of resistance.

The key to weight or resistance training is to concentrate on your form as you isolate specific  groups of muscles and increase the level of resistance as you gain strength.

more weight, or resistance in the case of the exercise band, and less reps will give your muscles a good bulk. Whereas less resistance or weight and more reps will give your muscles a toned look and increases endurance.

When working out, you will need to employ both methods. First building, than toning. That will allow you to sculpt your body exactly the way you want it .

With weight training fitness, you will be able to sculpt your body in a small frame of time with lasting results if kept up on a regular schedule.

By Paul

Weight and Fitness for Better Health

October 19th, 2009 at 07:58am Under Weight Loss

Beneficial health is due in part to proper weight and fitness. A proper diet and fitness plan really does work wonders. This combination is responsible for many life changing transformations.

Just about everyone knows that a exercising rids us of unwanted calories and is great for returning to a more acceptable weight. However, there are more significant benefits that go virtually unknown.

A fitness program that incorporates aerobic exercises on a daily basis lowers the level of blood sugar in the body by burning glucose at a faster rate in order to fuel the body’s demand during higher rates of activity. That helps you to loose weight.

Obesity is known to be associated with lower insulin and high blood sugar levels. A weight and fitness plan helps get these under control.

The harder you push yourself, the faster you will burn blood sugar. But keep in mind that you want to ramp up your intensity level on a slow and even  basis.

Here is a good example.

If you are used to walking at about 2.5 mph on a treadmill, start at that speed and walk for a steady thirty minutes on day one, on day two, increase to 2.6 mph, day three, 2.7 day four, 2.8 and so on.  Soon you will find that you are running at a steady pace and you will not be gasping for air!

There’s more to loosing weight than simply exercising though. You will also need a healthy diet that’s low in calories

Try to cut out as much fats and sugars as possible and remember to drink at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water a day.

This may sound difficult, but if you approach it in a method similar to our running example above, you’ll find it’s not that hard at all.

You’ll improve your chances for success a hundred fold with a daily weight and fitness plan that grows over time. It’s easier on your body and you won’t feel it to be difficult or depriving.

By Paul

Fitness Clubs : What You Need to Know

October 10th, 2009 at 04:49am Under fitness

If you have decided to join a fitness club this article will help point out some things that you need to know before signing up. By being aware of the entire process you will be in a better position to make the right choice. There are now so many different fitness clubs and gyms, all apparently offering different things at different prices, that it has become considerably overwhelming to make a final decision. In this article I will point out some things to keep in mind before you sign up at a health and fitness club.

1. Avoid Intimidation
Fitness club sales people are now on par with car salesman when it comes to really pushing a customer into making a decision without even considering whether it is the right choice for them. Remember that the sales person exists to gain as many customers as he possibly can, often for a commission, and as such will say virtually anything to win you over. The best course of action to avoid intimidation is to ask for all the details of the club on paper so that you can make your own decision.

2. Long term vs short term contract
Some gyms will offer a discount for signing up for one year, two years or even more. They know that many people simply stop using the facilities after a few months so have paid more than they needed to. Even if you plan on attending long term, paying in 3 or 6 month intervals at most ensures that any unforeseen circumstances won’t result in your losing money.

3. Ask for the Joining Fee to be Waived
Due to fierce competition from fitness clubs situated near each other, some will be willing to forego your sign up fee. But unless you ask, they will not do this so make sure you mention it. After all, they would rather miss out on this fee in exchange for winning your long term business.

These are just a few of the strategies to take with you when you visit prospective fitness clubs. In addition to the above you will need to check all the available facilities so that everything you require will be accessible to you – just make sure there are no hidden extra costs for using very area of the fitness club.

By Paul