Friday, November 30, 2007

The Best Home Gym Equipment Features for Everyday Use


If you haven't been involved in weight strength training in the past, it's easy to get confused by all the different kind of home gym equipment that is on the market today. It may almost seem like a foreign language at times. But the good news is that just a little bit of information can help you understand that language quickly and easily. So here are some things that you need to know about home gym equipment in order to get what you really need.

First let's divide this discussion into two parts. In the first part we will cover traditional free weight systems. This may be what many people think of when they think of home gyms. Essentially, they are a collection of free weights and the bars that the weights are assembled on. The responsibility of using the weights properly in each exercise falls entirely on the exerciser in this case. And it's easy to injure yourself if you don't use the proper form when doing free weight exercises. For that reason, be sure to get some good guidance and training before you undertake using free weights to make sure you are doing it properly.

But the equipment that you will need is very simple and not complicated. First of all, you will need about 200 lbs. of free weights that have a hole in the center of them. Then you will need a barbell, which is a long metal bar for stacking weight on each end. Next you will need two dumbbells, and these are used for single-handed exercises. The weights have to be held on to both the barbell and the dumbbells with a simple device called a collar, and you will need enough for both ends on each bar. The next piece of equipment is a bench, and this bench should have a standing rack on one end that will support the barbell with a full load of weights.

Really, that is about all the equipment that you need for a very simple home fitness gym consisting of free weights. However, these days more elaborate home gym equipment has been made available that structures all of your exercises and help you keep the proper form as you go. This usually makes for a more safe overall exercise experience.

The most common components of a typical home gym machine includes a bench, and a press, which often are performed lying down, but sometimes are done standing up on some machines. A lat pulldown is often included too, that lets you pull weights down from above to strengthen the lat muscles in your back. Other popular equipment include a leg extension and leg curl at the end of the bench, and a low pulley for single arm curls. There are also the gyms that include leg presses and squats, but you often have to pay more for those features.

You can actually do just as many exercisers with free weights as you can with one of the expensive home fitness gyms, but you have to know what you are doing in order to do it right. Many folks these days are deciding that they prefer to use the structure that a home gym machine gives them for their individual workouts. Whatever type of the equipment you choose, be sure to use them in advance to be sure that they will meet your needs properly before you buy.

You can find the best home gym equipment and home gym reviews by visiting our Home Fitness website

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Monday, November 26, 2007

How to Find the Best Home Gym Equipment

Using home gym equipment for strength training has become a very popular component of many people's home fitness workouts. The benefits of strength training are many and well-documented, and they can be very useful for overall body conditioning. But there are so many choices to be made when looking at home gym equipment, so which will make the best choice for you? Here are a few points to consider:

Actually, the very least expensive strength training equipment is a good set of free weights and dumbbells, but they can also be unsafe if you don't know how to use them. Proper form and balance are essential to getting the results you want without hurting yourself along the way. So if you decide to go this route, it's a good idea to invest in a training program that will show you how to use your equipment properly and avoid injury.

Because of the safety factor, strength training machines have become much more popular, even penetrating the home fitness market. One of the advantages of strength training machines, or home gyms, is that they allow you to perform your exercises in a more safe manner, keeping your body positioned to maintain proper form as you exercise.

Home gyms are generally divided into two major categories, and again these categories often pertain to price. The lower cost home gyms are often featured on television and in magazines, being recommended by well-known celebrities and public personalities. You can even find them being advertised on infomercials as well. The two most common home gyms in this field are the Bowlex and the Crossbar.

Both of these kind of strength training machines use rods or bars to provide resistance for your muscles as you train, and many people feel that they do their job very well. The big advantage of using this kind of equipment is the lower cost involved.

The higher end of the home gym equipment field are machines that use a more traditional weight stack or plates. They more resemble the kind of machines that you would find in a typical fitness gym. But they are also much more expensive, and they can tend to take up a lot of room. So before buying this kind of equipment you need to make sure that you have the room to be able to accommodate it in advance.

Any of the equipment mentioned above can be used successfully by the average person at home to help them reach their fitness goals. But as with all fitness equipment, you need to try them out before you buy and make sure that you feel comfortable with the way the equipment works. And never began a strength training regimen without doing so under the supervision of a qualified physician to prevent injuries as you train.

You can find the best home gym equipment and home gym reviews by visiting our Home Fitness website.

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Create your Home Gym with Minimum of Equipment

Training at home could prove as a good solution for the ones interested. The effectiveness of this type of training could compare to the one of working out in the gym, as long as some factors are considered.

The first, and at the same time the most important of these, is owning the necessary equipment. If, besides this, you also have a partner who trains with you, the exercises can be as effective as the ones performed in the gym. Of course, we are talking now about the ideal situation of affording a gym in your own house.

Even with these conditions fulfilled, some practitioners, especially the more extrovert ones, might lack the stimulating atmosphere, the sharing of experience, the communication that they can find in the gym.

In most of the cases, what you can do at home is improvise a room or just a corner of a room, for fitness. Besides, most of the times you have to train by yourself. As these are the most frequent situations, we'll deal with them now. Anyway, it is preferable to have constant training at home, rather than interrupt it a lot because the gym is too busy, too far, too expensive, etc.

The minimum of equipment necessary for training at home includes: an adjustable bench, a set of two dumbbells, with increasing weights, a barbell, with free weights and a fix bar for pull ups. This equipment will enable both executing basic exercises (squats, bench presses, pull-ups, sit-ups, etc.) and diversity of exercises, necessary for avoiding routine.

The main disadvantage of not having a partner to train with is reflected in the amount of loading in some exercises, which cannot reach its maximum. There are many exercises which can be loaded to maximum without any risk, even if there is no partner to assist you (pull-ups, dips, shoulder presses, barbell curs, dumbbell curls, etc.).

An advantage which comes from training at home is that you can choose the training time without any restraint. Moreover, the speed of exercising can be increased a lot if the practitioner chooses to execute supersets, tri sets or giant sets. You can also save time, as you are not distracted by casual conversation, by waiting for the machines to be available, by having to change the weights for every personal series of exercises, etc.

In the extreme case when we can only afford as equipment a mattress, chairs and a towel, we can focus on exercises using the weight of the body (push-ups, reverse push-ups, between chairs push-ups, squats, sit-ups, crunches, hyperextensions, lunges, plyometrics, plunks, etc.).

All the exercises involving the body weight are considered as really demanding, because they mobilize more stabilizing muscles that ensure coordination and balance. The body-weight exercises are often introduced in the programs at the gym due to their proven effectiveness. They are also used in training and testing people in special troops, as these need a lot of force and discipline in their training.

Isabel Curini, fitness trainer and editor at http://www.healthfitnessworld.com. HealthFitnessWorld.com is dedicated to providing high-quality, free advices, tips and resources on exercise, fitness, body building, supplements, nutrition, weight loss.This article may be reprinted as long as the "About" and "weblinks" are kept intact and active.

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Choosing a Home gym-Fitness equipment

Limited time due to a busy schedule of balancing work and family can prevent anyone from regular exercise at the gym. A home gym, however, could just be the solution to incorporate fitness into your daily routine. With the variety of fitness equipment available, how do you select which is right for you? Consider the following during your planning and purchase.

Fitness goals. Determine your fitness goals. Deciding your fitness goals before you start your equipment selection will help you make a wiser purchase. Do you want to perform strength training to reshape your muscles? Boost your energy or loss weight through cardiovascular exercise? If you want to strength train, decide the muscle groups you want to target. Here is a list of the major muscle groups for you to keep in mind when considering what equipment is right for you:

Pectoralis major and minor (chest)

Deltoids and trapezius (shoulders)

Latissimus dorsi, teres major and minor, rhomboid (upper back)

Biceps, brachialis (front of arms)

Triceps (back of arms)

Gluteus maximus (buttocks)

Quadriceps (front of thighs)

Hamstrings (back of thighs)

Gastrocnemius, soleus (calves)

Rectus abdominis, obliques (abdomen)

Erector spinae, quadratus lumborum (lower back)

Sternocleidomastoids, scalene, splenii (neck)

Space. Before you decide to make a purchase, designate a place specifically for your home gym. Ensure you have adequate space to accommodate everything in the home gym. You should measure the dimensions of your room, (the length, width and height) to have available when purchasing the equipment.

Equipment. After you have determined your fitness goals, shop for equipment, which will help you to meet them. Examples of equipment for aerobic exercises are treadmills, stationary bicycles, and stair-steppers. You could even invest in a television to workout with aerobic tapes or view your favorite show while jogging on your treadmill. http://home-gyms-fitness-equipment.blogspot.com/

Strength training equipment can include free weights such as "dumbbells" or "barbells", or a multi-station machine (also known as a home gym). If you plan to lift heavy free weights you may need a lifting partner. Your partner will help you check your form and monitor safety. For more equipment ideas, you could take a tour of a fitness center.

Cost: Ask yourself, how much money do you want to spend. Most fitness equipment can range from $500-$1000 and more if you want a total body work out. Typically, quality equipment is priced in the upper range.

A Test Ride. Always test the equipment before you buy it. Test the machines for comfort and satisfaction.

Talk to the Experts. Purchase your equipment from a fitness specialty store. These stores specialize in fitness equipment and provide a broad selection for you to choose from. Specialty fitness stores would also employ certified associates to address your questions regarding exercise equipment.

Increase your Knowledge. Be certain you increase your knowledge of weight training safety and proper technique to reduce injury. Read directions for your fitness equipment and follow them.

Remember! Choosing equipment and exercises, which are fun for you, will help you to keep at it and enjoy it. Stop by: http://www.fitnessandkids.com/adult_fitness_equipment.html for some great prices on home gyms-fitness equipment.

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Join A Gym Or Purchase Exercise Equipment

The age old question when it comes to working out is: should I join a gym or purchase exercise equipment? Depending on your needs and specific method of working out, different individuals experience different results with each of these methods. However, before you rush out and sell your gym membership to purchase thousands of dollars in exercise equipment or sell your exercise equipment in order to purchase a gym membership, consider your options carefully. Depending on your schedule, budget, workout schedule, and dedication, the decision you make must be personal and honest in order to experience the best results.

Whether you are looking to lose weight, gain muscle, or just become healthier, a gym membership may be just what you need. In addition to access to top of the line equipment, professional gyms employ professional trainers, intuitionalists, and other individuals that will allow you to meet your goal. Furthermore, most gyms hold a series of classes in all types of exercises and activities. From popular activities like yoga and Pilates to more action packed classes like kick boxing and classic aerobics, exercise classes are a great way to meet people, stay motivated, and see results.

You should join a gym if you are looking professional guidance in the correct methods and techniques to working out. Also, if you find yourself unmotivated to begin exercising, joining a gym will keep you motivated, since many individuals are resistant to let their hard earned money spent on a gym membership go to waste. Furthermore, join a gym to meet other individuals with your interests or goals, so that you can form a support system to ensure that everyone meets his or her goals.

However, if your schedule finds little time that you can dedicate to visiting a gym, consider establishing a home gym. Typically, outfitting a home gym is much more expensive than paying a gym membership, but having the ability to work out any time of the day is well worth the cost. Additionally, you only have to purchase gym equipment once, where you have to renew a gym membership on an annual basis. Furthermore, if you are shy or feel intimidated while working out in gyms and find yourself often sacrificing your work out routine in order to avoid exercising in rooms with many people, consider starting your own home gym.

Although you have a home gym, a professional trainer is not out of the question, as many trainers will gladly travel to your home in order to establish a work out regimen that best works toward your goal. Having a professional trainer on call may be more expensive than working with a trainer at a professional gym, but the cost is well worth the service.
John Marcus specializes in exercise equipment and fitness equipment

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Home Gym Equipment

When you are setting up a gym in your home, you will need about ten basic pieces of equipment to make it successful. If you are setting one up for a male, you will probably want to make sure some of the weights are heavier to meet their needs. First, you will want a 50llb dumbbell set. A good dumbbell set which includes a set of 5llb, 8llb and 12llbs dumbbells. Dumbbells are essential in toning any body because they create lean, defined muscles which give you a sleek look as well as help burn more calories. You also are going to need a barbell set. Barbell sets are good to go along with dumbbell sets because they target different areas of the muscle, giving you an all around better workout. To help you with your weight lifting, you can purchase a pair of weight lifting gloves, which will allow you to have a better grip on the bar, as well as protect your hands from calluses.

Now that you've got all your weight's set up, you are going to need something to work out on. If you're budget allows, you can purchase a weight bench, which allows you to do exercises of all kinds. However, if you can't afford to buy a weight bench, you can buy an aerobics step, which allows you to do many of the same exercises. You can also use an exercise ball to do your exercises on, which is very popular because they help increase balance, and core strength. After you are done your work out, you need to stretch, so a mat would be useful so you avoid rug burn, as well as bruising you're spine. These are the basic necessities for any home gym, but if you find you're self wondering what exercises to do after you've got you're gym set up, you might want to purchase a workout book as well.

Logan writes about various topics. This article is free to re-print as long as nothing is changed, all links remained intact, the bio remains in full and the tag is not added to any of the links. Thank-you

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Home Gym Equipment

When you are setting up a gym in your home, you will need about ten basic pieces of equipment to make it successful. If you are setting one up for a male, you will probably want to make sure some of the weights are heavier to meet their needs. First, you will want a 50llb dumbbell set. A good dumbbell set which includes a set of 5llb, 8llb and 12llbs dumbbells. Dumbbells are essential in toning any body because they create lean, defined muscles which give you a sleek look as well as help burn more calories. You also are going to need a barbell set. Barbell sets are good to go along with dumbbell sets because they target different areas of the muscle, giving you an all around better workout. To help you with your weight lifting, you can purchase a pair of weight lifting gloves, which will allow you to have a better grip on the bar, as well as protect your hands from calluses.

Now that you've got all your weight's set up, you are going to need something to work out on. If you're budget allows, you can purchase a weight bench, which allows you to do exercises of all kinds. However, if you can't afford to buy a weight bench, you can buy an aerobics step, which allows you to do many of the same exercises. You can also use an exercise ball to do your exercises on, which is very popular because they help increase balance, and core strength. After you are done your work out, you need to stretch, so a mat would be useful so you avoid rug burn, as well as bruising you're spine. These are the basic necessities for any home gym, but if you find you're self wondering what exercises to do after you've got you're gym set up, you might want to purchase a workout book as well.

Logan writes about various topics. This article is free to re-print as long as nothing is changed, all links remained intact, the bio remains in full and the tag is not added to any of the links. Thank-you

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