Archive for the ‘Exercise’ Category

The Benefits of a Recumbent Exercise Bike

September 12th, 2011 admin

Exercise is essential and should be a regular feature of everyone’s day; however, this is easier said than done. Finding the time to partake in beneficial exercise each day is hard in today’s hectic lifestyles. Exercise has many benefits including the promotion of a healthy body and the wellbeing that comes with exercise bike; however, exercising all of your body is essential to balance out the benefits of your exercise. Many people concentrate on the upper body and after time the upper part of the body looks out of place with the lower part. To address this common issue you need to exercise your legs in the most effective way that builds strength, stamina and muscle mass. To achieve these goals in the shortest time possible the best piece of exercise equipment to use is a recumbent bike or an exercise bike.

The benefits of the recumbent exercise bike are the primarily the large and comfortable bucket seat. The position the user assumes when seated on the recumbent bike makes the exercise easier to perform and more comfortable with less stress on the joints of the legs. Breathing during the exercise is improved compared to using an upright cycle because of the reduced pressure around the abdomen.

The seat on a recumbent exercise bike is adjustable to the apparatus can be used by all members of the family. Because the hands are not needed to stabilize one’s self during exercise, your hands are free to help you do other things while exercising such as reading or operating a telephone or TV remote.

The design of the recumbent bike also ensures that users won’t develop any back pain through use. It promotes the correct posture to make sure that the user cannot harm them selves while exercising. There is hardly any pressure put on your knees or other joints while you are exercising with a recumbent bike so your workout should be pain free with hardly any chance of injury. Many of today’s models have heart rate monitors built into the handles so it is possible to monitor your pulse at a glance as well as distance cycled and calories burned on the digital display.

The amount of resistance applied to the cycle can be adjusted to give the user a more thorough workout. The greater the resistance, the more energy is used to pedal and the more calories you body burns. Muscle size is also increased by using higher amounts of resistance. Because of this simple feature recumbent bike is suitable for all users from beginners to advanced users.

There are many manufactures of recumbent bike or exercise bike. The most popular make at the moment are the ones made by Schwinn. These models use the magnetic Eddy Current Brake to select varying degrees of resistance. Setting the level of resistance is done by operating the control panel. The most popular models in the Schwinn range are the Marcy and the Nautilus NR 2000. Both are supplied with many useful features than means that the user will get the maximum benefit from their workout when using these models.

The recumbent bike or exercise bike is definitely a must for any home gym or for anyone wanting to add an effective leg exercise to their daily workout regimen. If you are serious about your fitness and also concerned about the fitness of other members of your household then it is recommended that you add exercise bike to your home as soon as possible. Prices vary considerably; however there are many to choose from and you are bound to find one that suits your requirements and budget.

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Discount Exercise Bike – 3 Ways to Save on Your Exercise Bike

August 28th, 2011 admin

Looking for a discount exercise bike? There are several ways to save money when you buy a recumbent or upright exercise bike. This article will give you 3 easy ways to get a discount exercise bike.

Please note however that I’m not recommending you buy a cheap exercise bike. In the exercise equipment industry, you generally get what you pay for. Resistance controls break, consoles don’t work, foot straps aren’t included or you may get a high-pitched squeaking noise right around the time the warranty runs out. So when shopping, try to find a highly rated brand that was built with quality parts.

But when you do have an idea of what you want in an exercise bike, here are 3 ways to get a big discount and save money:

1) Buy From An Online Store

There are several online fitness stores that sell a large variety of high quality, brand name bikes directly to the consumer.

Because they are not paying the overhead costs of a store, these savings get passed on to you and you can often save hundreds of dollars on a brand name stationary bike.

Plus, some of these stores will give you a discount on shipping (which can save you up to $150). And you can even save on sales tax in some areas.

2) Buy Directly From The Manufacturer

Some stationary bike manufacturers will sell their bikes directly to the consumer. By skipping the middleman (the store) you also save on the mark up price that the store has to add to make a profit.

This can, again, save you hundreds of dollars and get you a brand name exercise bike for a discount price. Like online stores, when you buy directly online from the manufacturer, you also can usually get a discount on shipping and save on sales tax.

3) Buy a Remanufactured or Used Exercise Bike

If you want a solid, commercial-quality exercise bike without paying the commercial pricetag, a remanufactured bike can save you thousands of dollars. Remanufactured exercise bikes are not just left-overs discarded from health clubs.

They are taken, stripped down and basically rebuilt from the ground up. They’re only resold to the general public after passing certain quality standards. This basically means that you can buy a health club bike for 1/2 to 1/3 of the price (and even get a pretty decent warranty included).

For example, the list price of a new Life Fitness Recumbent bike may be around $3500, but you can get it for around $1200 remanufactured. And because these bikes were built to withstand rigorous health club use, they’ll be more than adequate for one or two person home use.

While buying remanufactured may not be for everyone, it’s becoming extremely popular with buyers who want that commercial quality feel for less.So those are 3 ways to buy a discount exercise bike. Here’s another savings tip: At certain parts of the year, you can get huge discounts on exercise bikes as manufacturers try to clear out old models.

Best time of year to buy? End of the Year (i.e. Christmas), Start of the Year (i.e. New Years) and middle of the year (Summer).Whatever you choose to do, make sure you choose a exercise bike that’s comfortable, well-made and gets you excited about exercising.

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Pregnancy Exercise Video Types – Tips To Pick The Best One For You

February 20th, 2011 admin

It is very beneficial for baby and mother to exercise during pregnancy. You should choose a good pregnancy exercise video as wrong exercise can harm you and your baby. A specifically designed pregnancy exercise video should be used that has various effective and safe exercises for pregnant woman. This would help you stay fit when you are expecting or is pregnant. It would ensure your health and fitness during pregnancy. Such pregnancy exercise videos may have exercises based upon yoga to massage or workouts.

Regular exercise would improve the birth weight and height of your baby. If you continue this pregnancy fitness programme even after the child birth then you would easily lose that extra body weight gained during pregnancy and tone up your tummy to its shape.

There are various types of workout videos available in the market or on internet. You can get videos for pregnancy exercises and also on the ways to get into pre-pregnancy shape after your delivery. Other choice is for yoga, pilates or aerobics; so that you can choose an exercise of your type. Such exercises would help you gain good energy level. It would also help you to improve your stamina, ease birth process, circulation and posture although you may not like exercising at that time.

You would develop safe movement and posture as these pregnancy exercise videos guide you for ways to recover from caesarean sections. In most of the cases, it has been observed that an average woman gain around 2lbs during her pregnancy. This increases chances of back ache and many other problems. All such problems can be easily overcomed with the help of exercises described in pregnancy exercise videos. It would strengthen your muscles and improves your posture to ease your back ache.

You can choose intense exercises once you expertise in simple and gradual exercises for startup. Therefore, these pregnancy exercise videos has gradual exercises for start up and once you are fit to go towards intense exercises you can. You should consult your healthcare provider about the type of exercises that you would be carrying out. It is necessary as you may be suffering from some or the other medical ailment for which that exercise is not advised. Research has proven that fit and healthy mothers who follow fitness programme has healthier babies in comparison to those woman who do not undertake such activities.

In yoga pregnancy exercise videos, different postures are included in various trimesters to help you in preparation for birth experience. You need great flexibility and strength for child birth during labor. Yoga helps you achieve that easily with a completely relaxed and supple body.

Pilate’s pregnancy exercise videos helps you prepare both mind and body for your new baby by its useful breathing exercises that are included in the exercise schedule. Although it is advised that you should start doing Pilate’s exercises before you conceive but you can start it during your pregnancy also if you are under some guidance or supervision.

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Blast Away Fat and Get Your Abs, Chest, Shoulders, Back, And Arms in Their Best Shape Ever Using Multi-joint Exercises

January 1st, 2011 admin

Let’s face it, we all want to be in shape and catch someone’s eye. None of us like putting on our clothes and seeing our tummy hang over our jeans or our arms looking like a set of bat wings. With multi-joint exercises, you’ll be able to blast away fat at record speed, as well as get your chest, abs, shoulders, back and arms into the best shape they’ve ever been in your life.

When you want to find a way to build strength and fire up your metabolism to burn away all that fat, it is best that you concentrate your exercise routine on including exercises that deal with many joints at the same time. With a perfect foundation, you’ll be able to add lean muscle as well as burn fat. To do this, it is very important to know many single-joint and multi-joint exercises.

What exactly is the difference between single-joint and multi-joint exercises?

Single-joint exercises usually work and engage muscles that surround and focus on one moving joint. An example of this would be a bicep curl because it only moves the elbow joint. Multi-joint exercises are those that engage in rotation around many joints. Multi-joint exercises are said to stimulate how our body both works and plays. Many of our daily movements require multi-joint exercises.

This is precisely why we need to use multi-joint exercises, simply because they determine how our body works and moves. With daily activities, our bodies don’t just use one muscle or one joint at a time. Something as simple as walking is a multi-joint activity. Though walking isn’t complicated, it involves every joint and muscle in our lower extremities.

Why are multi-joint exercises important in a regular exercise routine?

1. Time efficiency. Multi-joint exercises are able to save you time that you have to spend in the gym working out. Because these exercises are able to allow you to engage in many muscles and joints all in the same exercise, you are able to work more of your body, decreasing the amount of time you have to spend.

2. High metabolic cost. That’s right! Doctors have even been able to prove that multi-joint exercises get our metabolism working 30 to 40 percent higher. As you work more muscles at the same time, you are able to burn more calories while your metabolism rates are high and pumping.

3. Helps to train our neuromuscular system. Having a steady and healthy neuromuscular system is able to improve our balance. Whether you plan on walking across the tightrope in the circus or just walking down the street, balance is important. Because multi-joint exercises use many muscles and joints at the same time, your body learns how to work together with the many parts that makes it.

4. They’re more fun. Who said working out couldn’t be fun? With multi-joint exercises, you are able to tone and shape your body while having fun with it. You don’t have to stick to the boring sit-ups or crunches. With multi-joint exercises, you can take pleasure in doing simple exercises while adding a little spice to them.

5. Variety, variety, variety. We all want to be able to have some sort of change in our lives. Start with your exercise program! If you incorporate multi-joint exercises into your routine, you are able to do many different types of exercises each day. Change and variety is good, especially if you want to have fun while getting into shape.

Here are some effective multi-joint exercises:

Squats: Squats, as dreaded and boring as they may be, help to build powerful and strong thighs and hips as well as toned a toned back, shoulders, arms, and chest.

Deadlifts: This exercise uses joints throughout the whole body. They are able to work both your lower and upper body muscles.

Leg Presses: These exercises are used to work the hamstrings, quads, and your glutes. With these, you’ll be able to have toned legs and a firm butt!

Front, Side or Reverse Lunges and Stepups: These exercises are able to work each and every leg muscle. These can get quite boring, so try doing all three types of lunges. A lunge requires you to drop your knee 90 degrees to the ground.

Bench Presses, Dips and Pushups: All of these exercises add muscle to the shoulders, back, and chest as well as the triceps. They are able to work most of your upper body muscles.

Overhead Presses: These exercises are great for working out your triceps and shoulders.

Pulldowns, Pullups, Barbell Rows, and Dumbbell Rows: As you do these exercises, your back and bicep muscles will grow. You are able to work out your back as well as your arms.

Upright Rows: Upright rows are great for exercising the shoulders as well as the upper back.

So when you really want to blast away fat and get your abs, chest, shoulders, back, and arms in their best shape ever then consider using multi-joint exercises.

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Quickly Blast Away Your Fat and Get In The Best Shape Ever Using These Secret Multi-Joint Exercises

December 20th, 2010 admin

Let’s face it, we all want to be in shape and catch someone’s eye. None of us like putting on our clothes and seeing our tummy hang over our jeans or our arms looking like a set of bat wings. With multi-joint exercises, you’ll be able to blast away fat at record speed, as well as get your chest, abs, shoulders, back and arms into the best shape they’ve ever been in your life.


When you want to find a way to build strength and fire up your metabolism to burn away all that fat, it is best that you concentrate your exercise routine on including exercises that deal with many joints at the same time. With a perfect foundation, you’ll be able to add lean muscle as well as burn fat. To do this, it is very important to know many single-joint and multi-joint exercises.


What exactly is the difference between single-joint and multi-joint exercises?


Single-joint exercises usually work and engage muscles that surround and focus on one moving joint. An example of this would be a bicep curl because it only moves the elbow joint. Multi-joint exercises are those that engage in rotation around many joints. Multi-joint exercises are said to stimulate how our body both works and plays. Many of our daily movements require multi-joint exercises.


This is precisely why we need to use multi-joint exercises, simply because they determine how our body works and moves. With daily activities, our bodies don’t just use one muscle or one joint at a time. Something as simple as walking is a multi-joint activity. Though walking isn’t complicated, it involves every joint and muscle in our lower extremities.


Why are multi-joint exercises important in a regular exercise routine?


1. Time efficiency. Multi-joint exercises are able to save you time that you have to spend in the gym working out. Because these exercises are able to allow you to engage in many muscles and joints all in the same exercise, you are able to work more of your body, decreasing the amount of time you have to spend.


2. High metabolic cost. That’s right! Doctors have even been able to prove that multi-joint exercises get our metabolism working 30 to 40 percent higher. As you work more muscles at the same time, you are able to burn more calories while your metabolism rates are high and pumping.


3. Helps to train our neuromuscular system. Having a steady and healthy neuromuscular system is able to improve our balance. Whether you plan on walking across the tightrope in the circus or just walking down the street, balance is important. Because multi-joint exercises use many muscles and joints at the same time, your body learns how to work together with the many parts that makes it.


4. They’re more fun. Who said working out couldn’t be fun? With multi-joint exercises, you are able to tone and shape your body while having fun with it. You don’t have to stick to the boring sit-ups or crunches. With multi-joint exercises, you can take pleasure in doing simple exercises while adding a little spice to them.


5. Variety, variety, variety. We all want to be able to have some sort of change in our lives. Start with your exercise program! If you incorporate multi-joint exercises into your routine, you are able to do many different types of exercises each day. Change and variety is good, especially if you want to have fun while getting into shape.


Here are some effective multi-joint exercises:


Squats: Squats, as dreaded and boring as they may be, help to build powerful and strong thighs and hips as well as toned a toned back, shoulders, arms, and chest.


Deadlifts: This exercise uses joints throughout the whole body. They are able to work both your lower and upper body muscles.


Leg Presses: These exercises are used to work the hamstrings, quads, and your glutes. With these, you’ll be able to have toned legs and a firm butt!


Front, Side or Reverse Lunges and Stepups: These exercises are able to work each and every leg muscle. These can get quite boring, so try doing all three types of lunges. A lunge requires you to drop your knee 90 degrees to the ground.


Bench Presses, Dips and Pushups: All of these exercises add muscle to the shoulders, back, and chest as well as the triceps. They are able to work most of your upper body muscles.


Overhead Presses: These exercises are great for working out your triceps and shoulders.


Pulldowns, Pullups, Barbell Rows, and Dumbbell Rows: As you do these exercises, your back and bicep muscles will grow. You are able to work out your back as well as your arms.


Upright Rows: Upright rows are great for exercising the shoulders as well as the upper back.


So when you really want to blast away fat and get your abs, chest, shoulders, back, and arms in their best shape ever then consider using multi-joint exercises.

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