Friday, 7 August 2009

Is Buying Home Fitness Equipment The Right Choice For Me?

Is Buying Home Fitness Equipment The Right Choice For Me?

by John James

There are a hundreds of types of home fitness equipment available these days that are sold in the marketplace. Unfortunately many would-be fitness enthusiasts make the mistake of buying the wrong type of equipment because they haven't thought about what they require.

A lot of fitness equipment is promoted through television ads. Keep in mind that you will never be told the whole truth, so don't let the adverts fool you. When you are willing to buy equipment for your home gym, give yourself some time to think about your preferences and don't let your choices be influenced by commercials.

Remember that home fitness equipment is designed to perform different tasks and you will need to work out just what parts of your body you intend to train. If you have other outside physical activities then hopefully the equipment will help you train for these. The problem is that buying the equipment is the easy bit, it is actually using it that takes determination.

Always remember that the cost of an item is no guarantee it will be used so think about this before you hand over your credit card. If this were the case there wouldn't be so many ads in the classified section of the paper each week! Once you have set yourself an upper limit to the amount you want to spend, find the best you can for the amount you have available.

Although this is not always true you might find yourself buying expensive equipment that is of poor quality while a cheaper alternative, such as used equipment, can actually be made to a high standard. However, if you prefer to have new home fitness equipment with a guarantee then start your search with ex-demonstration stock used in stores or older models that may be sold for less.

When thinking of creating your own personal home gym, it is crucial to estimate how much space will be needed. Also, being aware of your current fitness level is important. Starting to work out regularly may be a shock to your body if it is out of shape, so asking for your doctor's permission first is usually a good idea.

It can also be a good idea for you to consider joining a local gym and using their apparatus to get used to it,then if you think that buying your own home fitness equipment will be a less expensive long term option, go for that. Buying fitness equipment should not be done on a whim so if you really can't make up your mind which way to go, why not ask a professional fitness instructor.

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Tuesday, 4 August 2009

The Weight Training Exercises That Will Get You Your Ideal Body

The Weight Training Exercises That Will Get You Your Ideal Body

by Emmanuel Palmer

There are two main objectives that people are armed with as they head towards the gym-- they either want to trim off excess weight, or pack on huge muscles. If you want to lose some pounds and tone up your body, then go on a low calorie diet and aim for high cardiovascular workouts. However, to build bigger muscle you will have to do the opposite. Load up on the calories and brace yourself for intense weight training exercises that will surely get you a massive physique.

For this article, we concentrate on those who want to build up their body. You will first of all need to gain a considerable amount of body mass. To accomplish this, trainers suggest 45 to 75 minutes of high intensity training. Cardio workouts will be done only minimally during certain days of the week. Maximize every session by taking only 90 second breaks between each set.

There are many new exercise equipment and drills out there but the simplest ones are usually the most effective. For legs, you can never go wrong with squats. Change up the positions in executing squats and you can target the different sections of your leg area. Supplement these drills with calf raises and lunges.

There are differing opinions between bodybuilders regarding the most effective chest exercises one can use. The bench press is the standard exercise to get that massive chest going for you. However, a lot of people claim that the mobility of performing dumbbell flyes and pullovers work better than the bench press. The right or wrong answer ultimately rests on the individual. If you see that your body responds better to one method, then go for that. What is important is that your body is challenged to do better, and you can do this by varying the weights, reps/sets and drills of your program every few weeks.

Big arms are best serviced by bench dips and barbell curls. As you go further in your training, periodically add on to the weight load you are lifting. Wait and see the difference this will make. Your arms will feel the burn and even outside of training, expect soreness to set in. If they are still painful when you go back to the gym, do not exercise. Rest them instead.

Use pull-ups to exercise your back and military press (sitting and standing) to beef up your shoulders. There are a number of back and shoulder drills which you should also use but these are some of the most effective by far. Modify your workouts every two to six weeks because your body needs to be pushed to its endurance limits for your weight training exercises to work.

For bodybuilding purposes, strong aerobic training is not advisable. That being said, make sure you do not neglect your cardiovascular training by engaging in light running or sports every so often. Your goal maybe to bulk up; but it shouldn't be at the expense of your heart's health.

Most of all, solidify your weight training exercises by giving it your all every time. You might be able to trick yourself in completing the designated drills with poor form and lackadaisical energy; but do not complain that results are long in coming. Do your best, you won't regret it. Not only will you build bigger muscle-you have an opportunity to build your character and personal tenacity as well.

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