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Fit Tip: Try a New Piece of Gym Equipment Each Week

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:00:00 -0700

The gym can get painfully boring when you constantly follow the same routine each day. FitSugar reader plumeria9 has some great advice though. She says, "I try to use one new piece of equipment a week so I don't get stuck in a rut." There's a huge variety of cardio machines and weight lifting equipment, so every week, do something new. Once you've tried everything out at least once, you'll feel more comfortable alternating them into your routines. Not only is variety the spice of life, but doing the same thing over again can cause repetitive stress injuries. It also only works certain muscle groups, so by using different equipment, you'll end up working more parts of your body, becoming stronger and burning more calories.

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Nike + iPod Meets Gym Equipment

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:45:00 -0800

If you're into walking or running, the Nike + iPod Sports Kit is a must. The sensor fits in your shoe and the receiver clicks into your iPod Nano. It keeps track of your distance, speed, and calories burned and stores all your data online with a quick synch. Now I'm happy to announce that Nike and Apple are teaming up with health clubs and fitness equipment brands like Life Fitness, Precor, Star Trac, and Technogym to make their cardio machines Nike + iPod friendly. Pretty cool, huh?

That means now you can step off the treadmill and track your workouts on an elliptical, a stair stepper, or a stationary bike with your Nike + iPod kit. It may take a while for your gym to get up to speed because they'll need to buy all new equipment or upgrade what they already have, but at least the option is coming.

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Fit Tip: Don't Be Shy, Ask For Help

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:00:00 -0800

Working out at a gym can be a little intimidating with so many different types of equipment to choose from, ranging from the cardio craziness of the StepMill to the medieval-looking cable pulley machine. One would be hard pressed to be an expert on using them all. So don't feel like you need to be! You can always ask for some help.

It just doesn't pay to be shy. If you are interested in trying a new piece of equipment, ask someone who works at the gym to show you the ropes, or the "pulleys" for that matter. Not only will you be trying new things, which is always a great idea, but your chances of hurting yourself will decrease if you know how to work the equipment. Talk to the instructor after a group class if you have questions about your form or are looking for ways to modify an exercise. To get into the nitty gritty of your fitness life, it might be a good idea to have a session with a personal trainer.

Other gym members will likely help you out too. Some people really like to talk form and will be happy to spot or assist you. You'll not only become more fitness savvy, but connecting with your gym community will also motivate you to go.

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Cool Machine Alert: Precor's AMT

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:30:00 -0800

I love when my gym gets a new cardio machine because that means more ways to change up my workout and combat the looming boredom. The latest addition to my gym to keep an eye out for is the Precor AMT.

The AMT does more than add variety to your workouts, it customizes movement by adapting to your motion, which means you can completely change the motion and paths of your steps without so much as the push of the button. This means that you can step in the motions of a StairMaster for two minutes and then use it as a glider for the next two minutes. It takes a little while to get used to, but I love that you can make a workout different every time rather than just doing the same thing over and over again like most cardio machines. What's more? It has a Stride Dial, which basically shows you which muscles you are using with each movement. Right now it looks like it's mainly for commercial use, but I do think it would make a great home piece (despite the fact that it's a little bulky - and pricey, I'm sure).

Look for it at your gym or pass along the information to the manager at your gym to have her look into getting one for the cardio floor.

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A New Way to Workout: Treadwall

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 03:30:00 -0700

When it comes to fitness equipment, I tend to think I've seen it all. Recently I came across something that I had never seen before: The Treadwall.

This cool piece of equipment is like an indoor climbing wall and a treadmill combined in one. Sounds strange, I know, but it's really very cool. Basically climbers adjust their rate of ascent with the twist of a knob and the Treadwall will stop and go automatically as you climb. You can even change the climbing angle with the turn of a wheel. You may be thinking that it is a disaster waiting to happen, however climbers should never be more than 1-2 feet off the floor. When it's time to stop, you just step down to the floor. I think it's a cool idea and a great way to climb as long as you want without having to find a super high climbing wall or belaying partner. Perhaps a little bulky for in home use, but a great addition for gyms. To learn more as well as get more info on ordering it, check out BrewersLedge.net.

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Does That Bike Fit You?

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 03:30:00 -0800

Stationary bikes are a great way to get a low-impact cardio workout. People with bad knees and joints often do well on a stationary bike (vs. the treadmill).

The problem comes in when the bike is not adjusted properly to fit your body. So have a fitness professional at the gym help you adjust the bike or use this rule of thumb from WebMD: Make sure that when you’re sitting on the seat with the ball of your foot on the pedal, there is a very slight bend in your knee. If you’re too low, you’re not allowing the legs to go through a full range of motion, meaning you'll burn less calories.

Many people sit way too low. This means that their knees will flex too much as they pedal, putting too much pressure on the knee and result in soreness.

Fit's Tip: The stationary bike is a less intense calorie-burner than some of the other machines, so I wouldn't always only do cardio on the bike, but it is a good way to add to or diversify your workout routine.

Get it Up - Your Heart Rate, That Is: Stationary Bike

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:44:44 -0800

The stationary bike is a great way to add some diversity to your work out. One of the best things about the bike is that almost every gym has one (at the very least) and that you can use the bike without causing high impact on the joints of your lower body.

00:00-05:00 Pick a steady pace and level that will elevate your heart rate, RPM 95+
05:00-07:00 Pick up the pace, RPM 100+
07:00-09:00 Pick up the pace even more, RPM 105+
09:00-10:00 Go as fast as you can, RPM 110+
Repeat the entire sequence two more times for a total of 30 minutes.
Cool down for 5 minutes, RPM under 95.

Make sure you get your heart rate up! Not sure what your target heart rate is? Check out the Fit Calculator to find out!

Get it Up - Your Heart Rate, That is: Arc Trainer

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 09:45:00 -0800

You may want to think about adding the Arc Trainer to your cardio routine. I actually find the Arc Trainer fun, almost like I am marching or something.

00:00-02:00 Level 3, Resistance 15
02:00-04:00 Level 3, Resistance 20
04:00-06:00 Level 3, Resistance 25
06:00-08:00 Level 8, Resistance 20
08:00-10:00 Level 8, Resistance 25
10:00-12:00 Level 3, Resistance 25
12:00-14:00 Level 3, Resistance 30
14:00-16:00 Level 8, Resistance 25
16:00-18:00 Level 8, Resistance 30
18:00-20:00 Level 3, Resistance 30
20:00-22:00 Level 3, Resistance 35
22:00-24:00 Level 8, Resistance 30
24:00-26:00 Level 8, Resistance 35
26:00-28:00 Level 3, Resistance 35
28:00-30:00 Level 3, Resistance 40
30:00-35:00 Level 3, Resistance 15 (Cool Down)

Make sure you get your heart rate up -- To find out where your heart rate should be check out Fit's Target Heart Rate Calculator.

Let me know what you think!

Ride the Cardio Wave

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 17:35:00 -0800

Sick of the same old. Elliptical one day, treadmill another, stationary bike another?

The latest and greatest piece of equipment to hit gyms is the Technogym Cardio Wave. It is similar to an Elliptical, except that your legs move side to side (they call it multiplanar movement) rather than front to back -- it's kind of like you're speed skating. The great thing about the Cardio Wave is that it really works your butt and promotes coordination all while giving you a great cardio workout. I also think it's way cool that there is a LCD TV built into the monitor.

The Cardio Wave is not everywhere just yet (and is not available for at-home use), but look for it at your gym!

To learn more, check out technogym's website.

Back Off: Lat Pulldown Machine

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 08:30:00 -0800

Based on my back fat post, many of you mentioned that you wanted to know some good ways to help combat that annoying problem.

The Lateral Pulldown Machine is the machine to use for some back toning -- but unless you own one, you're going to need to head to the gym.

Here's how to do it:

Adjust the weight so that it is not too easy or too hard that you won't be able to complete 10-15. A good idea may be to start lighter and increase the weight as you go along.
Stand up and hold the bar at a shoulder width grip.
Sit down (still holding the bar) with your feet flat on the floor.
Slightly lean back while keeping your abdominal muscles tight, shoulders back and chest up.
Pull the bar down in front of you while focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Stop just after your elbows are just a little below your shoulders and then reverse back to the starting position.
When you reverse, stop just before your elbows are straight.

That completes one rep. Aim for 3 sets of 10-15 reps (depending on your fitness level).

Fit's Tip: Try not to move forward or backward from the waist using your core to stabilize.