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At Home Cardio Moves

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 05:30:00 -0700

I have had a few requests recently of Sugar users looking for cardio moves they can do at home. Here are some ideas for getting your heart rate up in the comfort of your own home.

Small sprints – Think of these like mini killers
Jumping jacks – A classic move known for elevating your heart rate
Jump rope – If you don't have a rope, jump with a pretend one
Skipping – This childish form of locomotion is great for your legs and heart rate
Mountain Climbers – Like running in place while in the plank position (for a description click here)

I have plenty more moves, so read more

Jumping Squats – Classic plyometric exercise to get your heart rate going and going
Jumping Lunges – Add some lift to your lunges and switch your legs in the air
Step ups – The higher the step/bench the more your legs will work
Squat Thrusts – I grew up calling these burpees and loving them
Shadow Boxing – Jab to the front and the side and keep your heart rate up by moving your arms

You can design a workout mixing up these elements. Alternate exercises every 30 to 60 seconds. Add some strength training moves and you'll have a circuit.

If you have an easy at home cardio move you'd like to share, tell us all about it in the comment section below.

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Get It Up, Your Heart Rate That Is: At Home Cardio

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:00:00 -0700

I have had a few requests for an at home cardio program involving no machines. Here is a short, fun, and hard cardio workout I just dreamed up and tested. I loved it! My legs and arms both feel worked. Check it out! The only thing you need is a step and a jump rope, if you have no stairs in your house find a small bench to use, or just march in place with a bit more vigor. If you don’t have a jump rope just imagine you do and hop over your imaginary rope.

Exercise	Time / Reps
March in place	2 minutes
Step up	2 minutes
Jump rope	2 minutes
Stretch	Hamstrings, Quads, Calves, Inner Thighs

That wraps up the warm up. To see the rest of the workout, read more.

Jumping jacks	2 minutes
Squats	1 minute
Side lunges	10 sets
Jumping rope	1 minute
Jump squats	15 reps
March in place	1 minute
Burpees	15 reps
March in place	1 minute
Walking lunges	10 sets
Squats	1 minute
Jump rope	1 minute
Jump Squats	15 reps
Jump rope	1 minute
Step up	2 minutes
March in place	2 minutes
Push ups	20
Ab work	5 minutes
Tricep dips	30

This workout is definitely not low impact, and if you have downstairs neighbors it could seriously bother them. Take care of yourself and your knees. Remember to stretch your entire body post workout.

Source

At Home Cardio Moves

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:13:12 -0800

Winter is upon us making it difficult to exercise outside. That is where the gym comes in handy, but if that is one expense you have trimmed from your budget, check out these at home cardio moves. They will get your heart pumping and lift your spirits even though it is cold and dreary outside.

Small sprints – Think of these like mini killers
Jumping jacks – A classic move known for elevating your heart rate
Jump rope – If you don't have a rope, jump with a pretend one
Skipping – This childish form of locomotion is great for your legs and heart rate
Mountain Climbers – Like running in place while in the plank position (for a description click here)

I have plenty more moves, so read more

Jumping Squats – Classic plyometric exercise to get your heart rate going and going
Jumping Lunges – Add some lift to your lunges and switch your legs in the air
Step ups – The higher the step/bench the more your legs will work
Squat Thrusts – I grew up calling these burpees and loving them
Shadow Boxing – Jab to the front and the side and keep your heart rate up by moving your arms

You can design a workout mixing up these elements. Alternate exercises every 30 to 60 seconds. Add some strength training moves and you'll have a circuit.

If you have an easy at home cardio move you'd like to share, tell us all about it in the comment section below.

Source

Stop Hating the Gym and Start Loving It

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:50:43 -0800

If you are dreading moving your workouts indoors due to falling temperatures, let me help you learn to love, or at least tolerate, the gym. Here are some common reasons people hate hitting the gym, and solutions to help you overcome the hurdles.

I hate the gym because . . .	The solution
It's too expensive.	Go price hunting. There are so many different types of gyms that offer various services, so find one that fits your budget. Instead of paying $90 a month for a gym that has cardio machines, a weight room, classes, a pool, and a yoga studio, figure out what's most important to you and just pay for that. A gym down the street from me is only $10 a month for cardio and weight machines. Not bad at all.
It's too far away from my home.	If you can't find a gym close to where you live, try to find one close to where you work. That way you can head over on your lunch break or after work.
The cardio machines are boring.	Find a way to make them more enjoyable. I like to download audio books or podcasts onto my iPod. Listening really helps pass the time. Switching to different machines in one workout also helps beat boredom. Or try competing with a stranger.

To learn more ways to start loving the gym, keep reading.

Bad News For Anyone Looking to Buy Home Machines

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 03:00:00 -0800

The ratings experts at Consumer Reports have recently compiled a report on the best treadmills and ellipticals for the home and it's looking like if you want something that works well, you're going to have to shell out a few thousand bucks for it. That's because the Landice L7 Cardio Trainer treadmill (pictured) and the Precor 5.31 elliptical took the top spots overall and are both well over $3,000.

The best value in terms of elliptical machines was the $1,000 NordicTrack AudioStrider 990. Overall it was found that ellipticals that cost $2,000 and up were well-built and felt stable to testers, more like the $5,000 machines at gyms. And they were less likely to have defects.

To see the best values on treadmills just read more.

For the best value on treadmills, the magazine recommends two $1,300 machines - the Vision Fitness T900 Simple and the Epic View 550. However, in treadmill tests the magazine found that you have to spend well over $2,000 to get a machine designed for serious runners, though lower-priced models are just fine for walkers.

Online subscribers can read the full reports here.

If you own a treadmill or elliptical tell us about it in the comments section below. Do you like it? Was it pricey? Ya know, give us the dirt.

Source

DVD: Dancing with the Stars Cardio Dance

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Now that Dancing with the Stars is back in full effect, I have taken notice to how toned everyone seems to be as the show evolves.

Of course, dancing is known for burning major calories but it's not something we can just teach ourselves. The Dancing with the Stars Cardio Dance DVD ($11.89) features three of the show's pro-dancers Ashly, Kym and Maksim. You'll learn four choreographed dance routines (Cha-Cha, Samba, Paso Doble, and Jive) featuring some of the moves we've seen Stacey Keibler and Mario Lopez perform. Don't have a partner willing to do it with you? No worries as the dances are meant to be done without a partner. There is a bonus freestyle routine at the end that will test your new dance skills. You'll be sure to have fun while burning calories -- What's better than that?

You can do it in the comfort of your own home so that even if you don't dance like a star behind closed doors, you can look like one once the doors open. Buy it from Amazon.com.

Miss last week's episode of Dancing with the Stars? Check out Buzz's Buzz Reel.

Enter The EnterTrainer

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 16:30:00 -0800

Many of us have the luxury of working out at home on our own equipment in front of our own TV. The problem with such a luxury is that it is quite easy to slack off and not workout as hard as you would at the gym or with a trainer.

The Entertrainer ($139.99) basically works like a remote control except that your intimidating personal trainer is holding it. The device monitors your heart rate and when you are not working your heart rate up to par it lowers the volume of your TV until you bring your heart rate back up. If you don't pick up the pace, it will eventually turn your TV off. If Britney is on Ellen and just about to reveal everything about her rocky marriage with FedEx, you better keep on keepin' on!

Imagine if everyone at the gym had to use an Entertrainer. One slacker in the cardio room could ruin it for everyone. People would be yelling at each other to work harder. Talk about pressure.

Buy it here.

Fit's Tip: A heart rate monitor is included with your purchase, so don't worry if you don't already have one. Remember to keep the Entertrainer within 5 feet of you so it can read your heart rate.

Best Buy No Longer Just Selling Couch-Potato Electronics

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:21 -0800

When I hear my husband is headed to Best Buy, I get a bit nervous. My fears my be slightly allayed by the fact that select outlets of this electronics mecca will be selling my favorite fitness accessory that features a computer chip: heart rate monitors. Forty stores in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas will be selling HRMs as well as pedometers and gear for swimming, yoga, and Pilates enthusiasts. Many locations will also have cardio machines like ellipticals, treadmills, and stationary bikes for shoppers to test drive. My guess is that the store is also hoping you will think that you need a flat-screen TV for your new home gym, but I still take this as a positive sign for incorporating fitness into daily life.

Game Review: Your Shape For Wii

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:50:08 -0800

There's a new fitness game in town and it's ready to work you out and make you sweat. Your Shape ($69), a new Wii game by Ubisoft, makes Jenny McCarthy your workout coach and training buddy so you don't have to sweat it out alone.

The game comes with a camera that you perch on your TV; it captures your image and plays it on your TV so you move with a reflection of yourself, like looking in a mirror. The camera also monitors your movements, and if you slack off, Jenny will let you know - she also gives you praise when you make a correction. Who couldn't use an ego boost mid-workout?

To learn more about the game, continue reading.

DVD Review: Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:00:31 -0700

I know that many of your share my admiration for Jillian Michaels of Biggest Loser fame, with her no nonsense approach to exercising and her ability to get the contestants up and moving. So I was excited to check out her workout DVD, Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred ($11).

As the title implies, the workout promises visible results in a month, if you do it every day for 30 days. (“Up to 20 lbs. in 30 days!”) Though that may seem like a big undertaking, the commitment is small - just about 25 minutes a day. Between the short workout sessions and Michaels’s motivation, I was feeling amped that I had a winning DVD on my hands.

To hear more about the 30 Day Shred, read more.

Sure, I got a hint of Michaels's hardcore ways when watching The Biggest Loser, but it did not prepare me for my first day, as I was completely worked over. Don't be alarmed - as with most fitness DVDs on the market, Michaels makes sure to include workouts aimed at the beginner, intermediate, and more advanced viewers.

The 30 Day Shred is a nonstop, heart pounding, super-intense cardio workout based on Michaels's "3-2-1 method," which combines a repeating cycle of three minutes of cardio, two minutes of strength, and one minute of abs into a single routine. The exercises and instructions are clear and straightforward, and as seen on The Biggest Loser, Michaels is incredibly motivating. I like that the workout stays at a fast pace and doesn't get boring since Michaels changes the exercises in each six-minute set.

If you're looking for a short and sweet workout, this is a great DVD to pick up. It won't steal a huge chunk of your day and has the big plus of burning fat and toning muscle simultaneously. Have you tried this DVD? Tell me what you thought about it in the comments section below.