January 2009
The Benefits of Having Your Own Home Exercise Equipment
David Cowley asked:
Obesity is occurring at alarming rates these days, and unfortunately gym membership costs are not getting any more affordable. Not to mention the fact that many people who haven’t worked out for years are very self-conscious about exercising in front of other people. These and many other reasons are why you should consider investing in your own home exercise equipment.
Before you run down to the nearest retailer or outlet and start charging items left and right, slow down for a minute and think about what pieces you really need and how you’ll fit your exercise equipment into your house or apartment. Do you have a separate room you can use for working out or some space in the basement? If you’re thinking of putting the treadmill in front of the television in the living room, consider how your roommates or family may like this. Many options for home exercise equipment today are foldable or more compact, so if you give some thought as to the placement and then take your time to shop around, you’ll find just what you need.
If you’re still not quite sure about purchasing some exercise equipment for yourself, keep in mind that if you have the equipment in your house you’re more likely to use it on a regular basis. It’s too easy to get overwhelmed after a long day at the office and get comfortable at home, forgetting all about going to the gym. But when you have home exercise equipment right there in front of you, it’s easier to just walk to the basement or the other room and get yourself on the treadmill. You also don’t need to worry about what you’re wearing or how you look when you exercise. It may seem trite or trivial, but many people shy away from the gym because they don’t want anyone to see them when they’re sweaty, out of breath, and all flushed. But with your own exercise equipment you can get as enthused as you want about your routine without having to worry about whether or not you’re sweating or if your sweatpants are in good shape.
Having home exercise equipment is also great for those who haven’t exercised in a long time. Many who are very out of shape can exercise for only a few minutes at a time before they’re out of breath, and this can be embarrassing when you’re on a treadmill next to someone that’s jogging away seemingly without effort. But with your own exercise equipment, you can go for five minutes or an hour or whatever is comfortable for you without being self-conscious.
When starting out building your own home gymnasium you should consider investing in some used free weights. Start out with a few of the lighter weights and add to them as your need arises. You can always add more free weights as your fitness level increases so it is not necessary to have a very large outlay of money when you first start building your home gymnasium.
The price of home exercise equipment is very reasonable and modest, especially when you consider that this is an investment in your health and even your longevity. So why not pick out a few pieces for yourself? You’ll be glad you did!
Obesity is occurring at alarming rates these days, and unfortunately gym membership costs are not getting any more affordable. Not to mention the fact that many people who haven’t worked out for years are very self-conscious about exercising in front of other people. These and many other reasons are why you should consider investing in your own home exercise equipment.
Before you run down to the nearest retailer or outlet and start charging items left and right, slow down for a minute and think about what pieces you really need and how you’ll fit your exercise equipment into your house or apartment. Do you have a separate room you can use for working out or some space in the basement? If you’re thinking of putting the treadmill in front of the television in the living room, consider how your roommates or family may like this. Many options for home exercise equipment today are foldable or more compact, so if you give some thought as to the placement and then take your time to shop around, you’ll find just what you need.
If you’re still not quite sure about purchasing some exercise equipment for yourself, keep in mind that if you have the equipment in your house you’re more likely to use it on a regular basis. It’s too easy to get overwhelmed after a long day at the office and get comfortable at home, forgetting all about going to the gym. But when you have home exercise equipment right there in front of you, it’s easier to just walk to the basement or the other room and get yourself on the treadmill. You also don’t need to worry about what you’re wearing or how you look when you exercise. It may seem trite or trivial, but many people shy away from the gym because they don’t want anyone to see them when they’re sweaty, out of breath, and all flushed. But with your own exercise equipment you can get as enthused as you want about your routine without having to worry about whether or not you’re sweating or if your sweatpants are in good shape.
Having home exercise equipment is also great for those who haven’t exercised in a long time. Many who are very out of shape can exercise for only a few minutes at a time before they’re out of breath, and this can be embarrassing when you’re on a treadmill next to someone that’s jogging away seemingly without effort. But with your own exercise equipment, you can go for five minutes or an hour or whatever is comfortable for you without being self-conscious.
When starting out building your own home gymnasium you should consider investing in some used free weights. Start out with a few of the lighter weights and add to them as your need arises. You can always add more free weights as your fitness level increases so it is not necessary to have a very large outlay of money when you first start building your home gymnasium.
The price of home exercise equipment is very reasonable and modest, especially when you consider that this is an investment in your health and even your longevity. So why not pick out a few pieces for yourself? You’ll be glad you did!
Exercise Plans – How to Create the One for You!
Don Pasco asked:
Do you have an exercise plan? Do you own any exercise equipment? Perhaps a treadmill, an exercise bike, or any of the gazillion exercise machines advertised on infomercials over the last 10 or 20 years? I think we’ve all been sold at one time or another on something to make exercising easier… or so we thought. And that’s good! Having the desire to look better, feel better and implementing a good exercise plan can help us to reach those goals and also help us to keep our weight under control. And those are just a few of the benefits of exercise. When we perform an exercise routine regularly we begin to not only look and feel better… we even sleep better. When you get right down to it I think we all know that a good exercise plan is part of a healthy lifestyle.
I often hear people ask “What is the best exercise?” And the answer to that question is the one you like the most. Why? Because that’s the one your more likely to do! For many people, just one exercise would not be enough because although we all want to be in good shape and the proper weight, we all have different fitness goals… but for others, one exercise performed consistently and regularly provides all the benefits mentioned above and then some!
So… how many exercise plans do you need to receive all of the exercise benefits described above? One! That’s right… just one! And how many exercises do you need to do? That will depend on your particular fitness goals… your likes and dislikes… but the first question I encourage you to ask yourself is “What one exercise do I like the most? That answer will get you started on a good exercise plan.
Now…
Did you know that how often you exercise is the single most important factor in whether you: • reach your weight loss goals • will be satisfied with your results • will feel good about your progress
You could own every piece of exercise equipment ever advertised on an infomercial, from an exercise bike to an exercise ball and every exercise machine in between, but if you’re not going to use them, then your exercise plan will never succeed. Now I’m not saying that you need to own exercise equipment to be in shape. There are many people who are in excellent condition who own nothing more then a pair of Nikes. If you get just one thing from reading this, understand that your fitness level is directly related to the frequency in which you exercise.
It doesn’t matter if you know how to do every imaginable abdominal exercise, dumbbell exercise, aerobic exercise, tricep, deltoid or backside exercise. The important thing is how often you do them!
I challenge you right now to base your exercise plan on frequency, and I promise you will be much more successful. Whether your exercise plan consists of 20 different exercises or one… please remember this.
Now I don’t want you to get carried away. There’s more to life than just exercising… much more. All I’m saying is when you set about creating an exercise plan, the frequency of exercise is crucial. So as you create your exercise plan answer these two questions: 1) What one exercise do I enjoy the most? Even if you currently **** all exercise… there must be one that you like or **** less than the others. 2) And secondly, how often can I sincerely do this?
Answer those two questions and your exercise plan will be off to a great start!
Do you have an exercise plan? Do you own any exercise equipment? Perhaps a treadmill, an exercise bike, or any of the gazillion exercise machines advertised on infomercials over the last 10 or 20 years? I think we’ve all been sold at one time or another on something to make exercising easier… or so we thought. And that’s good! Having the desire to look better, feel better and implementing a good exercise plan can help us to reach those goals and also help us to keep our weight under control. And those are just a few of the benefits of exercise. When we perform an exercise routine regularly we begin to not only look and feel better… we even sleep better. When you get right down to it I think we all know that a good exercise plan is part of a healthy lifestyle.
I often hear people ask “What is the best exercise?” And the answer to that question is the one you like the most. Why? Because that’s the one your more likely to do! For many people, just one exercise would not be enough because although we all want to be in good shape and the proper weight, we all have different fitness goals… but for others, one exercise performed consistently and regularly provides all the benefits mentioned above and then some!
So… how many exercise plans do you need to receive all of the exercise benefits described above? One! That’s right… just one! And how many exercises do you need to do? That will depend on your particular fitness goals… your likes and dislikes… but the first question I encourage you to ask yourself is “What one exercise do I like the most? That answer will get you started on a good exercise plan.
Now…
Did you know that how often you exercise is the single most important factor in whether you: • reach your weight loss goals • will be satisfied with your results • will feel good about your progress
You could own every piece of exercise equipment ever advertised on an infomercial, from an exercise bike to an exercise ball and every exercise machine in between, but if you’re not going to use them, then your exercise plan will never succeed. Now I’m not saying that you need to own exercise equipment to be in shape. There are many people who are in excellent condition who own nothing more then a pair of Nikes. If you get just one thing from reading this, understand that your fitness level is directly related to the frequency in which you exercise.
It doesn’t matter if you know how to do every imaginable abdominal exercise, dumbbell exercise, aerobic exercise, tricep, deltoid or backside exercise. The important thing is how often you do them!
I challenge you right now to base your exercise plan on frequency, and I promise you will be much more successful. Whether your exercise plan consists of 20 different exercises or one… please remember this.
Now I don’t want you to get carried away. There’s more to life than just exercising… much more. All I’m saying is when you set about creating an exercise plan, the frequency of exercise is crucial. So as you create your exercise plan answer these two questions: 1) What one exercise do I enjoy the most? Even if you currently **** all exercise… there must be one that you like or **** less than the others. 2) And secondly, how often can I sincerely do this?
Answer those two questions and your exercise plan will be off to a great start!
5 Pieces of Abdominal Exercise Equipment for your Ab Workouts
Charles Inniss asked:
People are always looking for the best ab exercise equipment and here is a run-down of 5 pieces of equipment that you can use in your ab workouts (for pictures and full descriptions of more than 50 abdominal exercises check the resource box below).
#1 The Stability Ball (Exercise Ball)
The stability ball is a great piece of equipment. In addition to increasing range of motion for crunches and other abdominal exercises, the stability ball also improves your balance and coordination. You can start with the basics such as regular crunches or oblique crunches.
After mastering crunches you can move to something more challenging such as roll-ins or piques. In roll-ins and piques your feet are placed on the ball while your hands are on the floor.
The stability ball ab exercises are a good addition to your ab workout.
#2 The Medicine Ball
The medicine ball is simply a weighted ball. Although some people may think that medicine balls are only for boxers and athletes, medicine balls can really enhance your core workout.
When basic crunches or other ab exercises become too easy, adding resistance in the form of a medicine ball is a great way to increase the intensity of your ab workout. Some of the best medicine ball exercises are seated Russian twists and medicine ball toe touch crunches.
#3 Ankle Weights
Medicine balls are a great way to add resistance to your upper body, and ankle weights are a great way to add resistance to your lower body.
Ankle weights can increase the intensity of reverse crunches and leg raises. When regular leg raises become really easy, you can add ankle weights to increase the muscle work in your abs.
#4 Cables or Resistance Tubes
Here is another way you can add resistance to your abdominal muscles to break through strength.
You can perform cable crunches from a low cable tower by lying on the floor and holding the resistance behind your head. Or you can perform cable crunches from a kneeling position.
The cables add a very different feeling to your abdominal muscles because of the constant tension from the weight stack, so your abs get a burn throughout the entire range of motion.
#5 Ab Wheel
The ab wheel or power wheel is just what it says it is. It is a wheel with a stick in between it. You basically use the ab wheel for roll outs, and this is a very challenging abdominal exercise.
There are hundreds of ways to work your abdominal muscles, and above are just 5 good pieces to include in your ab workouts.
An if you don’t have any ab exercise equipment available, the floor is always a good option. Some of my favorite ab exercises are bicycle crunches and the plank. So no excuses. Start working your abdominals.
People are always looking for the best ab exercise equipment and here is a run-down of 5 pieces of equipment that you can use in your ab workouts (for pictures and full descriptions of more than 50 abdominal exercises check the resource box below).
#1 The Stability Ball (Exercise Ball)
The stability ball is a great piece of equipment. In addition to increasing range of motion for crunches and other abdominal exercises, the stability ball also improves your balance and coordination. You can start with the basics such as regular crunches or oblique crunches.
After mastering crunches you can move to something more challenging such as roll-ins or piques. In roll-ins and piques your feet are placed on the ball while your hands are on the floor.
The stability ball ab exercises are a good addition to your ab workout.
#2 The Medicine Ball
The medicine ball is simply a weighted ball. Although some people may think that medicine balls are only for boxers and athletes, medicine balls can really enhance your core workout.
When basic crunches or other ab exercises become too easy, adding resistance in the form of a medicine ball is a great way to increase the intensity of your ab workout. Some of the best medicine ball exercises are seated Russian twists and medicine ball toe touch crunches.
#3 Ankle Weights
Medicine balls are a great way to add resistance to your upper body, and ankle weights are a great way to add resistance to your lower body.
Ankle weights can increase the intensity of reverse crunches and leg raises. When regular leg raises become really easy, you can add ankle weights to increase the muscle work in your abs.
#4 Cables or Resistance Tubes
Here is another way you can add resistance to your abdominal muscles to break through strength.
You can perform cable crunches from a low cable tower by lying on the floor and holding the resistance behind your head. Or you can perform cable crunches from a kneeling position.
The cables add a very different feeling to your abdominal muscles because of the constant tension from the weight stack, so your abs get a burn throughout the entire range of motion.
#5 Ab Wheel
The ab wheel or power wheel is just what it says it is. It is a wheel with a stick in between it. You basically use the ab wheel for roll outs, and this is a very challenging abdominal exercise.
There are hundreds of ways to work your abdominal muscles, and above are just 5 good pieces to include in your ab workouts.
An if you don’t have any ab exercise equipment available, the floor is always a good option. Some of my favorite ab exercises are bicycle crunches and the plank. So no excuses. Start working your abdominals.
Home Gym Equipment
John Spencer Ellis asked:
You can enjoy all the benefits of gym membership – a wide variety of equipment and facilities, good advice from staff and other members and the incentive to work out by making the gym a destination. But, you can also enjoy having the ease of access and the absence of a commute by purchasing home gym equipment.
But what should you buy?
If you’re just getting into, or back into a fitness routine, you should hold off purchasing anything. Using relatively new professional equipment, under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor, will give you a good basis for comparison when shopping.
One of the first pieces of equipment anyone interested in weight training will want is, naturally, a set of weights.
Free weights can be purchased for very little money – a basic set is often under $50. You’ll want a mixture of small, 10 lb (4.5 kg) and 20 lb (9 kg) hand-held dumbbells and a bar with larger, exchangeable weights. Just about any bar is as good as another, but weights can be either metal or plastic. Some people like the old-fashioned clink of metal, but plastic weights (usually composite or sand-filled) are marginally safer.
At some point, you’ll want to ‘graduate’ to a weight machine. They offer the ability to focus on specific muscle groups – biceps, quadriceps, deltoids and others – in a much safer way than free weights can. Also, some muscle groups – calves or hamstrings, for example – are harder to work using free weights.
Once you’re ready for a weight machine, be prepared to spend some serious cash. Costs and configurations vary. Some are just simple resistance machines, essentially composite rubber stretching straps that allow for some adjustment to the tension. These run a few hundred dollars. Others are multi-station, adjustable weight stacks, often costing from $1,800 to $5,000 or more.
Stair steppers are becoming increasingly popular. A very simple model can run anywhere from $80-$150. It offers you the ability to get a good cardiovascular workout in a small space at home with low joint impact, while you build thighs and calves. Beware anything that looks like too good a deal, though. Reliability is key here; otherwise you’ve spent $100 for nothing when it breaks two months after purchase.
Some stair steppers run as high as $1,700 or more. At this level you should be getting a lot more than just the ability to simulate walking up stairs. Apart from reliability and handrails, which should be rock solid for 5 years or more, you should be able to adjust resistance level, speed, angle, and distance between the pedals. You should also get a heart rate monitor and other digital readouts (speed, distance climbed, calories burned, etc) as part of the package.
Treadmills, too, are becoming a more common part of the home gym. Since they run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $2,000 or more, you should expect to get a lot for your money.
Again, they should be completely smooth working, stable and reliable for several years. A good treadmill should have a great, non-slip surface and it should be able to go faster and offer more resistance than you could ever use as you build up.
Like stair steppers, it should come with an impressive panel of controls and digital gauges. Any treadmill that costs over $1,000 should have, at minimum, adjustments for and measurements of speed and distance ‘walked’. It should include calories burned, with tailoring based on age, weight, etc. A heart rate monitor is a great plus.
Of course, if you plan to spend several thousand dollars to acquire home gym equipment, you should be prepared to dedicate yourself to a consistent, regular workout. But that’s something no manufacturer can guarantee.
You can enjoy all the benefits of gym membership – a wide variety of equipment and facilities, good advice from staff and other members and the incentive to work out by making the gym a destination. But, you can also enjoy having the ease of access and the absence of a commute by purchasing home gym equipment.
But what should you buy?
If you’re just getting into, or back into a fitness routine, you should hold off purchasing anything. Using relatively new professional equipment, under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor, will give you a good basis for comparison when shopping.
One of the first pieces of equipment anyone interested in weight training will want is, naturally, a set of weights.
Free weights can be purchased for very little money – a basic set is often under $50. You’ll want a mixture of small, 10 lb (4.5 kg) and 20 lb (9 kg) hand-held dumbbells and a bar with larger, exchangeable weights. Just about any bar is as good as another, but weights can be either metal or plastic. Some people like the old-fashioned clink of metal, but plastic weights (usually composite or sand-filled) are marginally safer.
At some point, you’ll want to ‘graduate’ to a weight machine. They offer the ability to focus on specific muscle groups – biceps, quadriceps, deltoids and others – in a much safer way than free weights can. Also, some muscle groups – calves or hamstrings, for example – are harder to work using free weights.
Once you’re ready for a weight machine, be prepared to spend some serious cash. Costs and configurations vary. Some are just simple resistance machines, essentially composite rubber stretching straps that allow for some adjustment to the tension. These run a few hundred dollars. Others are multi-station, adjustable weight stacks, often costing from $1,800 to $5,000 or more.
Stair steppers are becoming increasingly popular. A very simple model can run anywhere from $80-$150. It offers you the ability to get a good cardiovascular workout in a small space at home with low joint impact, while you build thighs and calves. Beware anything that looks like too good a deal, though. Reliability is key here; otherwise you’ve spent $100 for nothing when it breaks two months after purchase.
Some stair steppers run as high as $1,700 or more. At this level you should be getting a lot more than just the ability to simulate walking up stairs. Apart from reliability and handrails, which should be rock solid for 5 years or more, you should be able to adjust resistance level, speed, angle, and distance between the pedals. You should also get a heart rate monitor and other digital readouts (speed, distance climbed, calories burned, etc) as part of the package.
Treadmills, too, are becoming a more common part of the home gym. Since they run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $2,000 or more, you should expect to get a lot for your money.
Again, they should be completely smooth working, stable and reliable for several years. A good treadmill should have a great, non-slip surface and it should be able to go faster and offer more resistance than you could ever use as you build up.
Like stair steppers, it should come with an impressive panel of controls and digital gauges. Any treadmill that costs over $1,000 should have, at minimum, adjustments for and measurements of speed and distance ‘walked’. It should include calories burned, with tailoring based on age, weight, etc. A heart rate monitor is a great plus.
Of course, if you plan to spend several thousand dollars to acquire home gym equipment, you should be prepared to dedicate yourself to a consistent, regular workout. But that’s something no manufacturer can guarantee.
Compact Exercise Equipment Shouldn’t Sacrifice Quality
Kevin Urban asked:
For most people, when it comes to reviewing all options of putting together the best home gym, space is a huge priority. Face it, if a machine doesn’t fold or doesn’t have a modest footprint, it’s just not going to fit in most home gyms. Since so many different manufacturers provide space-saving options, a buyer of compact exercise equipment should know that quality doesn’t have to be compromised by purchasing a space-saving design.
Treat the purchase of any piece of compact equipment like you would most major purchases. Research what you’re going to buy, decide how much to spend and create a list of priority features for your machine – compact or folding features can be on the list. The best place to research features of exercise machines are fitness equipment reviews written by professionals.
As you study home gym reviews for different machines to purchase, make sure the exercise machines you’re considering meet at least your Top 5 priorities. Since space is a premium, write this down on your list. Durability, features (folding, compact), comfort and ease of use should also be in the Best Top 5. Warranty comparisons don’t hurt either. Adjust the criteria to match your personal needs for equipping your home fitness gym.
Once you have your priority list together, you’ll find it can be pretty universal to match most home fitness machines. Whether elliptical exercise machines, or actual home gyms such as a Smith machine, the particular five qualities listed span the entire genre. With your list in hand, start reviewing the machines you want for their ability to match your priorities. Take the best of those and switch gears a bit on your equipment review.
If you’ve narrowed down the choices of machines, it’s now time to see what others have said in reviews. Pay attention to reports about construction quality, ease of use, durability and options. If a machine fails to challenge you might lose your motivation to keep exercising. If the fitness equipment breaks a lot based on past customer reports, it’s better to steer clear.
Since so many good manufacturers make compact exercise machines and even folding versions, remember you do not have to give up quality to save space with a compacted design. Look around to find the best discount home gyms. Take your time. Make your purchase armed with information and you should be set to equip your home gym with machines that better fit in the available space.
For most people, when it comes to reviewing all options of putting together the best home gym, space is a huge priority. Face it, if a machine doesn’t fold or doesn’t have a modest footprint, it’s just not going to fit in most home gyms. Since so many different manufacturers provide space-saving options, a buyer of compact exercise equipment should know that quality doesn’t have to be compromised by purchasing a space-saving design.
Treat the purchase of any piece of compact equipment like you would most major purchases. Research what you’re going to buy, decide how much to spend and create a list of priority features for your machine – compact or folding features can be on the list. The best place to research features of exercise machines are fitness equipment reviews written by professionals.
As you study home gym reviews for different machines to purchase, make sure the exercise machines you’re considering meet at least your Top 5 priorities. Since space is a premium, write this down on your list. Durability, features (folding, compact), comfort and ease of use should also be in the Best Top 5. Warranty comparisons don’t hurt either. Adjust the criteria to match your personal needs for equipping your home fitness gym.
Once you have your priority list together, you’ll find it can be pretty universal to match most home fitness machines. Whether elliptical exercise machines, or actual home gyms such as a Smith machine, the particular five qualities listed span the entire genre. With your list in hand, start reviewing the machines you want for their ability to match your priorities. Take the best of those and switch gears a bit on your equipment review.
If you’ve narrowed down the choices of machines, it’s now time to see what others have said in reviews. Pay attention to reports about construction quality, ease of use, durability and options. If a machine fails to challenge you might lose your motivation to keep exercising. If the fitness equipment breaks a lot based on past customer reports, it’s better to steer clear.
Since so many good manufacturers make compact exercise machines and even folding versions, remember you do not have to give up quality to save space with a compacted design. Look around to find the best discount home gyms. Take your time. Make your purchase armed with information and you should be set to equip your home gym with machines that better fit in the available space.
eHypno is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality and proven effective hypnosis and hypnotherapy products from across the world.