Home Fitness Workout

Hectic work schedules and expensive health club memberships have led to many persons going in for home based fitness equipment. The range of fitness equipment available these days can be quite bewildering to the buyer. Let us help solve some of your dilemmas and list out some simple yet important tips for choosing physical fitness equipment. Our section on bodybuilding fitness lists out some critical dos and don'ts.

Home fitness equipment

Before buying fitness equipment for the home, keep these tips in mind:

1. Identify your fitness needs. Your chosen activity and fitness level is the deciding factor for buying home fitness equipment. The fitness equipment should be suitable to you and still provide you with enough challenge to increase your resistance and endurance.

2. Include a blend of activities when firming up on home gym equipment. Aerobic training equipment helps in burning fat and strengthens your heart and lungs at the same time. Strength training equipment uses machines, free weights and bands to resist your movement so as to strengthen bones and build muscle.

3. Your budget is another factor that decides the kind of fitness equipment you want to invest in. An electric climber priced at $1500 will seem exorbitant but instead you can go in for a good quality step bench with some aerobics tapes for about $150.

Comparison-shopping is a must when you go in for fitness equipment. Look around for budget assembled equipment or ones with less rigorous design. Even the used physical fitness equipment market can be a good scouting ground. You may be able to pick a good piece that is in good condition.

4. The space constraint in your home is also an important factor when selecting home fitness equipment. Ensure that there is enough space for your home gym equipment and future additions too. This is the basic guideline for determining the space required for regular physical fitness equipment:

Stair climbers - 10-20 square feet

Exercise cycles - 10 square feet

Treadmills - 30 square feet

Single station gym equipment - 35 square feet

Free weights - 20-50 square feet

Ski machines - 25 square feet

Check the safety features of the fitness equipment. There shouldn't be any inherent safety violations such poor stability and sharp protrusions. Presence of safety mechanisms such as safety switches on treadmills and range-of-motion limiters on strength machines are an added plus. The moving parts must mesh well as the welds should be clean and smooth.

The equipment must be easy to move and comfortable and easily detachable. Don't get taken in by tall claims of turning a 'beer belly' into a 'six pack stomach' in weeks. Celebrity endorsements and outrageous claims must not be allowed to deceive you into buying fancy equipment that you may not need.

Before attempting any rigorous fitness schedules at home with the newly acquired fitness equipment, it would be prudent to consult a doctor regarding any injuries and medical conditions such as knee or joint injuries and high blood pressure and lower back pain.

The ever-popular treadmill

The treadmill continues to be one of the most popular home fitness equipment. It is undoubtedly makes for a good cardiovascular workout. Other home fitness equipment that rank high on the home gym circuit are the rowing machine, stair machine, stationary cycle and cross-country skiing machine. Indoor cycles are also popular with home gym enthusiasts.

This physical fitness equipment is ideal for fitness testing, fat burning and overall cardiovascular fitness. Steppers are not ideal for beginners or those with low levels of fitness. Working out on steppers needs correct posture and technique as well as an advanced physical fitness level. The multi station home gym allows you to work on different muscle groups.

The treadmill offers different speed spectrums depending on the user needs. Whether you are seeking a leisurely walk or a power walk; you can adjust the treadmill to your convenience. Inclined treadmills help in adding intensity to the workout and works out most of the large muscle groups in the body.

When buying a treadmill for home fitness equipment, keep these factors in mind - sturdy handrails, AC/DC motors, alloy steel frames, speed range, length of the walking surface and width of the belt. The optional feature of the heart rate monitor is also found on many treadmills.

FTC guidelines on fitness equipment

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sued fraudulent marketers who advertise for electronic abdominal exercise belts that claim to give you 'rock hard' abs. The FTC advises consumers to ignore claims of quick-fix remedies.

It cautions against products that claim to burn off fat from a particular area of the body, such as the hips or stomach or thighs. Get the details on warrantees, guarantees and return policies before purchasing any fitness equipment for the home gym. The FTC also advises consumers to check the customer support services of different brands of equipment.

Body building fitness

Weight lifting is an important aspect of body building fitness. To begin with, you need to define the body building muscles that need working upon.

Based on this, you can decide on the equipment that is required. bodybuilding can be done at home; provided you have the equipment and more importantly the motivation. Choose to fit in a daily schedule of body building workouts and gradually increase the pace.

Dos and don'ts for a safe bodybuilding workout

• Drink adequate water during the workout and after.
  
  
• Choose clothes that allow free and safe movement along with a good supportive pair of shoes.
  
  
• Be cautious when lifting and lowering weights. Do not attempt loads that you cannot handle without difficulty.
  
  
• Ensure a good warm-up and stretch -out before a workout schedule and a similar cool down after.
  
  
• Do not ignore any back pains, dizziness or sore muscles.
  
  
• Over training can lead to early burnout.
  
  
• Use gloves to avoid calluses and bruises and weight lifting belts to minimize back injuries.