For your home gym to be effective, the following are crucial: an apt area of space; a seven-foot barbell; a power rack; a strong bench; cast iron weights; a calf block; dipping bars; chinning bars; and a pair of dumbbells.

A 7 x 10 feet area is perfect for a home gym. It is not mandatory to purchase everything that a public gym has; most of those machines go unused anyway. The abovementioned requirements should suffice for a home gym. The power rack is an absolute must, a necessity for such exercises as the squat and the bench press. Chinning and dipping bars generally come with the power rack. Also essential are cast iron weights and a seven-foot barbell. Standard bars and weights should suffice; still, if money allows, there is no harm in going for Olympic weights and bars. A strong bench is essential for bench pressing; so are adjustable dumbbells and a calf block.

Setting up a great home gym is a one off payment and may seem exorbitant initially. However, in purchasing the equipment you would probably be parting with as much cash as you would do for a year’s usage of a public gym. Furthermore, the exercise equipment is yours for life.

Gyms provides detailed information on Gyms, Home Gyms, Gym Equipment, Home Gym Equipment and more. Gyms is affiliated with Golf Fitness Programs.

One thing that you may not be aware of, is that regardless of where you purchase your elliptical trainer, you will need to put the thing together yourself. Some merchants provide in-home assembly for an additional charge, but in most cases it’s just you and a packet full of nuts and bolts.

No need to get too stressed out about it though. If you have any experience at all with a screw driver and putting together assemble-it-yourself furniture you should be fine. The most difficult part is typically lugging the box from your front porch to the room where you will assemble it. Remember, the better the elliptical trainer, the heavier it is going to be.

Some folks complain about certain trainers being too heavy and the unpleasant experience they had moving it. This really isn’t a valid complaint since the extra heft is what you should expect in a good machine. So be sure that you have someone help you move it.

There’s no sense in injuring yourself attempting to move your ticket to better health and fitness!

Be prepared in case there are some surprises

In most cases the assembly of your new elliptical trainer should go forward without too many hitches. On occasion you may encounter missing hardware or damaged parts. It’s very important to inspect the box and it’s contents immediately after delivery to determine if there is any damage. Contact the shipping company if you suspect the damage occurred during shipment.

If there are damaged pieces that appear to have been shipped from the manufacturer that way, then contact the manufacturer either by the phone number provided in the instructions or via email from their Web site.

Many of the higher-end elliptical trainers come shipped within a wooded frame around the components of the machine. You will need to unscrew the wooden pieces of the shipping frame to get at the parts. It may help to have extra tools handy to assist with this process.

If there is any missing hardware such as nuts and bolts you should also contact the manufacturer. However, in the mean time a little improvisation can probably get you by. You may have equivalent parts in your workshop or can find them at your local hardware store. Just be certain that any replacements are an equivalent substitution for the original part – you don’t want to risk damage to the elliptical trainer or worse, injury, by using an inappropriate part! Also keep in mind that you will probably void the manufacturer’s warranty by using substitute parts. So be sure to get replacements and install them once they arrive.

In case your elliptical trainer shipped without the assembly instructions or manual, you can usually download the manual from the manufacturer’s Web site.

The right tools for the job

Most all elliptical trainers, regardless of price, come with the necessary tools for assembly. In many instances this is just a hex wrench in the shape of a screw driver to tighten the screws and bolts. Sometimes a ratchet set can come in handy to tighten nuts.

It helps to have help

As mentioned above, having help in moving the elliptical trainer box is a good idea. The heaviest part of an elliptical trainer is its drive assembly. It’s heavy because it contains the flywheel. Depending on the design of the elliptical trainer, it may be necessary to have someone hold up the drive assembly while the other attaches it to the frame.

Be prepared to spend around an hour putting your elliptical trainer together. You may do it in less time or it may take you longer. The important thing is to take your time and do a quality job.

Hire out the dirty work

As mentioned above, some merchants provide in-home assembly of the elliptical trainers they sell for an additional fee. The other alternative is to enlist the services of an exercise equipment assembly company. Check your local phone book or the Web to find equipment assembly companies near you.

Rich Rojas

Elliptical Trainer Reviews and Fitness Ideas

http://www.ellipticalhome.com

By knowing the 4 basic essentials of a quality home treadmill, you’ll be able to quickly sift through the treadmill deals and choose the best home treadmill for you.

The 4 basic essentials to a quality treadmill are:

#1 – High Powered, Well Built Motor

Since the motor is the most expensive part of the treadmill to fix, a good motor is essential to your treadmill. Try to find at least a motor power of 2.0 HP, preferably higher.

Remember that a 1.5 HP motor has to work twice as hard as a 3.0 HP motor – so it will burn out long before the 3.0 HP motor.

Also, not all motors are built with the same quality parts. Look for a good brand name and a long motor warranty to give you clues as to the quality of the motor.

#2 – Excellent Cushioning

There’s not enough said about cushioning and it is so important in a home treadmill. A good cushioning system protects your joints, ligaments and back. A poor cushioning system can result in injury and pain.

I know of one woman who bought a cheaper brand of treadmill and then ran on it. Within 6 months, she had damaged her hips so badly that it hurt her to even walk on the treadmill. You definitely don’t want that!

Make sure your treadmill offers an excellent cushioning system – especially if you’ll be running!

#3 – Extensive Warranty

You want to protect your investment so a solid treadmill warranty is a must. A good treadmill warranty will cover the frame for at least 30 years, the motor for at least 5 years and other parts and labor for about 1 year. Anything above that and you’ve got an excellent warranty.

But a warranty isn’t just to protect your investment – a good warranty lets you know about the quality of the treadmill parts.

Treadmill companies do not include warranties because they think they’ll have to fix the treadmill within that time frame. They know that they WON’T have to fix them within that time frame because the quality of parts used are high. So if you find a treadmill with a 10 year motor warranty, you KNOW it’s a quality built motor. If the motor warranty is only 90 days however…that tells you something.

#4 – Quality Brand Name

Certain brand names have a reputation for building a high quality home treadmill. Other brand names may be well-known but they don’t necessarily have a good reputation.

Choose a treadmill that has a solid, trusted brand name. Not sure which brands are good? Check out expert ratings and ‘Best Buys’ on various treadmill review sites and/or magazines. You’ll start to see a trend where certain brand names come up frequently. These brands are the quality treadmill manufacturers.

So those are 4 basic essentials of a good home treadmill:

- High Powered, Well Built Motor
- Excellent Cushioning
- Extensive Warranty
- Quality Brand Name

Knowing these, you can sift through the treadmills available and easily locate the best treadmill for your home.

For more treadmill reviews and best home treadmill buys, visit:

http://www.TreadmillReview.net

Good luck and have fun!

Kathryn O’Neill is chief editor for Treadmill Reviews, a consumer oriented website focusing on home treadmills.

For buying tips, brand reviews, and best buys, visit Treadmill Review at: http://www.treadmillreview.net.

Stretch marks can result from a hormonal imbalance or as an inherited condition. There is very little you can do to prevent stretch marks that result from your genetic makeup. However, stretch mark prevention is possible when the cause is linked to a hormonal imbalance. The following are some easy tips for stretch mark prevention.

Don’t gain or lose weight rapidly. If your body changes its physical composition too quickly, all the processes may not function properly. In relation to stretch marks, collagen and elastin may not be produced efficiently. These elements are essential for keeping your skin flexible and smooth.

Keep your body hydrated. You have undoubtedly heard it times before, but there is never too much information about the benefits of drinking water. Water helps to prevent stretch marks by helping the body stay moisturized. There are constant debates over the amount of water an individual should consume. The best indicator is your urine. Urine that is close to colorless is an indication that you are well hydrated.

Exercise. Daily exercise is just as important as staying hydrated. The two work together to keep your body free of toxins. Exercise also keeps your body well toned. Strength training is a good method for toning, but a daily walk is all that is necessary for good health.

Moisturize your skin. Applying a moisturizer helps to keep your skin supple and smooth. You want to use products with natural ingredients. Stretch Mark Prevention Oil is one such product. Natural ingredients are generally safer and are tolerated by most people. Pregnant women are susceptible to stretch marks and a moisturizer with natural ingredients, such as Stretch Mark Prevention Oil assures the mother that no harm will come to her baby as a result of using the product.

When you take care of your body it will return the favor. As long as you nourish your body and keep it healthy you should be able to keep stretch marks at bay.

Let me explain. Normally when I go to the gym today, I will see guys working out but also laughing, talking and standing around. Honestly, they will take 5 minutes between sets. I often wonder if this workout or a Social Event. Let me tell you what is not happening during this kind of workout:

* There is no focus to psyche up to the next set. They’d rather talk about the weekend then get motivated to do their best..

* The body is cooling down and thinking No Pain here which means No Gain.

* Don’t expect the muscle to get pumped or flushed with blood.

In short this approach to a routine is just going through the motion. Oh sure it is better than doing nothing, but it worth the time.

To me the time on the gym floor is time to focus, push every rep to the limit and drive the muscle to greater size and definition. To do anything less is mediocrity…and this defines the men from boys.

So how do you achieve this level of intense training?

1. Don’t socialize on the gym floor. The first time someone wants to do small talk or maybe ask you a bodybuilding question, simply say “I’d enjoy explaining this but I currently in the middle of my routine, could we do it later?” They will get the point and not bother you in future. Use the locker room, juice bar, check in desk or any NON gym floor place to be areas of friendly conversation but also take time to define the gym floor as a place of strict business for your workouts.

2. Concentrate on thinking about your next set during your rest period. Your eyes will naturally focus on fixed objects in the gym rather looking around and catching someone’s eye for conversation.

3. Talk to yourself internally. Encourage yourself with thoughts “I can do this weight” or “I will push to limits on this one”.

4. Get a training partner that is every bit as serious as you. Motivate each other. Limit conversation to aspects that have to do with the routine at hand.

5. Avoid long rests. This is not power lifting! The muscle recovers to 80% to its original strength less than 1 minute.

6. Take every set to failure. Unless you are doing a warm up set, why stop at 10 reps if you could have done 12 reps.

7. Get a spotter to push beyond the number of reps you can do on your own and help take you to failure.

If you don’t walk off the floor drained from your workout (at least in trained muscle group), you likely did not do the intensity required to grow you body.

A regular stretching program will loosen muscle tissue, allowing an increased range of motion at the joints, which in turn helps prevent microtears at the muscle-tendon junction. Almost 90% of all injuries from muscle strain occur at the muscle-tendon junction (that is, where the muscle attaches to the bone near the joints) and repeated injury at this junction leads to a build up of scar tissue which impedes your range of motion, adding stress on the joints. The sooner waste products from exercise (lactic acid) are removed from the muscle tissue, the sooner the muscle begins to heal. Stretching not only speeds removal of waste but increases the muscle’s ability to bring in more nutrients. Keeping the muscles and tendons loose results in an increased range of motion, which helps to maintain the integrity of the joints.

How will I benefit from stretching? Stretching lengthens muscle fibers, extending your range of motion and helping you move with ease, power, and grace. Besides being extremely relaxing, it can relieve some symptoms of conditions such as arthritis. At work, regular stretch breaks help counteract the harmful effects of slouching in front of a computer all day. And keeping muscles pliable makes them less likely to tear during quick or strenuous movements, such as throwing a baseball or lifting a child.

So, benefits of regular stretching include:

- Decreased risk of injury of exercise – Increased range of motion and overall flexibility – Increased rate of recovery from exercise – Increase in strength (studies have shown that after a muscle has been stretched it recruits more fibers to perform a given task) – Faster removal of waste products

How does stretching work? Muscles get sore when their fibers remain partly contracted, from either overuse (such as too many rounds of racquetball) or underuse (too much time in the car). Tight muscles also trigger the body’s stress response, which prompts them to tighten even more. By systematically lengthening those fibers, stretching helps ease muscles out of this semicontracted state. That makes it a great way to “cool down” after exercise. And the act of stretching itself builds body awareness: In slowing down to focus on each movement, you become less apt to use your muscles in harmful or inefficient ways.

What kinds of stretches should I do? For flexibility and overall well-being, start with basic stretches that work the major muscle groups. Or look into one of the gentler forms of yoga or tai chi. For optimal fitness and protection against sports injuries, you’ll need to combine stretching with strength-building exercises, since the combination helps to prevent imbalances between opposing muscle groups. Adding the right resistance or weight training to your stretching routine will do the trick, of course, but so can some stretching programs. A method called active isolated stretching, for example, uses isometric exercises to alternately contract and stretch each muscle or muscle group. Water exercise, Pilates, power yoga, and Somatics are other, more dynamic ways to add strength building to your routine.

How do I get started? It’s often a good idea to spend a session or two with a personal trainer who’s knowledgeable about stretching techniques. Or you can teach yourself by turning to an instructional book or video. “Stretching,” by Bob Anderson (Shelter Publications), and “Sport Stretch,” by Michael Alter (Human Kinetics), are reliable flexibility bibles. “The Whartons’ Stretch Book” and “The Runner’s World Stretching Video,” both by Jim and Phil Wharton, give pointers on active isolated stretching. Whatever you do, start slowly, building your routine as you go.

How hard or far should I stretch? Stretch only to the point where you feel mild muscle tension, not pain. If it hurts, you’re doing it wrong. Move into each pose slowly, and exhale as you go. Experts differ on how long to hold a pose. Some argue that after two or three seconds a stretched muscle automatically tightens to guard against tearing — a stressful sequence that, over time, can lead to tightness, injury, or pain. These experts advise holding a stretch for no more than two seconds to prevent that “snap-back” reflex from kicking in. Others, including Bob Anderson, advise holding a stretch for ten to 30 seconds. Perhaps the best approach is to see what feels best for your body.

Don’t bounce as you stretch; that only tightens the muscle you’re trying to extend. And try not to stretch “cold”: Wait until you’ve taken a warm shower or moved around a bit.

When and How often should I stretch? Ideally, you should try to set up a daily routine to stretch. Adhering to a consistent stretch program can have a profound impact on how you feel on a day to day basis.

The problem with many traditional stretches is that often the same muscle you are trying to stretch is, at the same time, being used to provide stability and balance. You can’t stretch a muscle that is already in use. Most proper stretches should involve a chair, bench or wall to help isolate the target muscle group and keep your balance. By offering a base of support, the muscle group can be completely relaxed before the stretch.

Frequency: Try to stretch every day; start doing each stretch once and build up to doing each stretch 3 times

Intensity: Light pressure, about 30-40% of max

Duration: Hold each stretch between 10 to 60 seconds depending on your current flexibility, conditioning, and time. Start slow and gradually build up the time you hold a static stretch.

If you are unable to stretch on a daily basis, a post-workout stretch is necessary. Or, as I advice my clients, incorporate stretches DURING your workouts . Typically, that means stretching the bodypart that has just been exercised. For example, if you just did a set of bicep curls, follow it up with a bicep stretch. Or, if you’re doing multiple sets, stretch the bicep after the first set. This is a very time efficient way to incorporate stretching and to ensure you’re getting maximum benefit.

One of the most important things to remember is your mom’s advice – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you have eight hairs left on your entire head, a can of spray paint isn’t going to make those eight look like a full head of hair. While there’s some merit to the idea (mascara works roughly on the same principal and women with thinner eyelashes continue to use that product), use your common sense before you decide that this is going to be the answer to your balding problem.

Another point is to understand exactly what it is that you’re buying. If you pay close attention to some of the advertisements, you still end the session knowing that the company is touting a cure for balding but have no idea what that cure is. If you hear an advertisement that catches your interest, be sure you know some details about the product. If you don’t understand, ask. Any company that isn’t willing to answer your questions is probably in the midst of a scam that won’t work anyway. Also, don’t settle for techno-babble as an answer. Be sure you understand. Don’t be afraid of sounding stupid when searching for answers. It’s going to be worse if you pay $99.95 for this product that turns out to be tufts of hair and a bottle of super glue.

Surgery for balding is a pretty dramatic step. If you’re thinking of taking that step, find a reputable company to perform the procedure. The process has come a long way over the past few years, but you don’t want to pay for a transplant only to end up with tiny rows of hair that look like a doll’s head.

There’s no doubt that balding can be detrimental to self-esteem. Confidence can plummet with balding and finding a product that helps reverse that is vital to some people. The important part of this equation is to figure out why you want to address the problem and the lengths to which you’re willing to go. With some careful evaluation of the products and procedures available, you’re sure to find something that works with your lifestyle. But for some people, finding the self-confidence to simply go on is the more viable solution to balding.

Now you might know someone that is uses the elliptical all the time and is lean. But I will be the farm that they can thank their genetics, their strength training, and their nutrition for their results. I have yet to see someone transform their physique with the elliptical trainer. In fact, when someone comes to me with a failing program, I often see them using the elliptical for their interval training. And that’s the first things I change.

The elliptical machine is sneaky, and it fools us three ways. First, you can get your heart rate up really high and easily. Second, you can get a big sweat on. And third, the machine tells you that you have burned an awful lot of calories (even though the calorie counter is likely inaccurate, as was shown on a CBS news report).

So why doesn’t the elliptical work? Because you just don’t do as much mechanical work as you do when you run or cycle. Basically, it’s just easier and less effective. Getting your heart rate up is not the key determinant of fat loss.

Your body is a well programmed machine. It’s ‘wired’ to increase heart rate and breathing as soon as it senses motion (that’s why you start to breathe heavily after taking a single flight of stairs – it’s not just because you are unfit).

The key factor in fat loss is the amount of work done. Until you learn to separate the influence of the two, you won’t be using intervals in the best possible manner.

As fat loss expert Alwyn Cosgrove explains, “The problem is not the elliptical itself — it’s just that it tends to allow/promote momentum (as most people have the resistance too low) from bodyweight alone. So unless you crank up the resistance and actually produce some force and/or MOVE your bodyweight – it’s nothing but momentum. So if you’re not actively using your muscles to produce some sort of force you aren’t burning many calories.”

But even then, I still don’t think using a high resistance level on the ellliptical will get you the results you are looking for. Yet despite their ineffectiveness, elliptical machines and the like remain a popular training method. But that’s only due to the human condition – like flowing water, we seek the path of least resistance. We’ll will do anything to get around obstacles rather than doing the real work required to overcome the obstacles. Given the choice, humans always go with the easiest option.

Compare the elliptical to the Stairmaster. Stairmasters are more effective but less popular. Why? Because we’ve found something easier (the elliptical) that still gives us the comfort of a sweat and an elevated heart rate (even if we don’t get the results). And now millions of gym goers pat themselves on the back after flailing around on the elliptical for 30 minutes and thinking they’ve been shedding fat.

Training in your comfort zone is useless. Your metabolic rate will increase when your body is forced to change. The harder and smarter you train, the greater your increase in metabolic rate. That is why you have to do things the right way (the TT way!), to lose fat. As I’ve always said with Turbulence Training, the key to getting results is making your body change. That means using training techniques that demand your body to change. The elliptical will not cause your body to change. It is a waste of time.

So what works better? If you have my TT Reports, you know I recommend the stationary bike. It’s safe, effective, and convenient. You can work at a very high power outage, and that is no illusion. You are doing the work (as long as you are not spinning at a very high RPM – that is another waste of time!).

Of course, you can also use sprinting. But that has a few more risks to it, whether it is done on a treadmill (risk: falling) or outside (risk: muscle pulls – so prepare appropriately).

Some other manly fat loss interval options are sled pulling, Farmer Walks (see photo), pushing heavy objects, wheelbarrow carries, and complexes. I’ll talk more about the exciting fat-shedding potential of lifting complexes in my future reports.

Craig Ballantyne trains athletes and executives in Toronto, and writes for Men’s Fitness magazine. His trademarked Turbulence Training workouts and his comprehensive workout manuals (including “The Ultimate Bodyweight Workout”) are featured on his website Turbulence Training.

A major benefit of yoga is physical.

Yoga improves your flexibility. – The stretching that you engage in during every practice helps lengthen and stretch muscles, which helps reduce the risk of injuries.

It helps to improve your balance. – The majority of yoga practices include some type of balancing in the poses. A significant number of people, especially as they began to get older, start to have problems with balance, which can lead to major injuries due to falls. By having a greater sense of balance, you are able to move more easily and safely.

Yoga can help reduce pain. – Tense muscles often contribute to pain. Relaxing muscles helps to minimize muscle tension and the pain that is associated with it. Also, breathing deeply into muscles helps lessen pain by altering your perception of it.

It tones your muscles. – Yoga works all the muscles in your body. It helps strengthen and tone them and also builds endurance and stamina.

It helps to increase your level of energy. . – Carrying tension in your body takes an enormous toll on your energy reserves. By learning how to relax through your yoga practice, you benefit by enjoying higher levels of energy so you can more thoroughly enjoy your daily activities.

Yoga helps promote a sense of relaxation. – Most people breathe high in their chests. This not only does not allow them to get sufficient oxygen, it also triggers the stress response, which contributes to feelings of anxiety. Breathing deeply as practiced in yoga, helps relax your muscles and also brings much needed oxygen to your cells. The deep sense of relaxation also leads to better quality sleep.

Each yoga practice ends with some type of relaxation. Since your body and mind are one, by relaxing your body you also relax your mind. Many yoga experts believe that a relaxation pose is the most beneficial pose in any yoga practice.

Another benefit of yoga is mental.

Yoga clears your mind and helps you focus your attention. – During your practice, you are focusing your attention on your breath and turning inward. This concentration allows you to withdraw from the distractions in your environment. A significant benefit of yoga practice is that you can take this ability to focus your attention into every aspect of your life. You can be fully present with whatever you are doing instead of worrying about tomorrow or regretting yesterday. Not only will your actions be more productive, you can also enjoy them in a greater way.

Yoga helps reduces stress. – Deep breathing helps reduce the hormones that are released when you are feeling overwhelmed, overloaded, and frazzled. The internal focus that accompanies the poses helps create a relaxation response in your body.

Yoga can help release stuck emotions. – Often stuck emotions find their way into our bodies. Remember, your mind and body are one, and if you are suppressing any painful emotions, you will often experience that as pain in some part of your body. A benefit of yoga is that by breathing deeply into places in your body that hold tension, you can help release the emotions that may be buried there. You can then examine these emotions and let go of those that do not serve you.

Also, as you take your body past the limits of where it has been, you start to feel that you can move past other limitations in your life as well.

You gain a sense of peace and tranquility. – Most yoga practices include some time for meditation. Regular meditation helps your mind reach a state of inner calm. It helps you gain control over your thinking instead of being at the mercy of wayward thoughts.

As you can see, the benefit of yoga has far reaching effects in every area of your life. Maintain a regular yoga practice, and you will see for yourself, how yoga can benefit you too.

Someone looking for an elliptical trainer needs to do research and decide what their needs are, decide how much they would like to spend and purchase accordingly.

The elliptical trainer is a complex machine that burns fat and calories with a low impact workout. People enjoy these lower impact workouts because you often avoid being sore the next day like if you did cross country running.

It’s designed to provide a smooth, seamless motion that is more forgiving on your knees, joints and ankles than other exercise methods. It’s an excellent cardiovascular exercise as well and I highly recommend trying an elliptical workout, you will not be disappointed.

There are many different varieties of elliptical trainers as well as brands. Most websites list specifications and alternatives that are available when researching an elliptical machine.

There are home grade elliptical trainers or even commercial grade elliptical trainers. I recommend purchasing a commercial grade elliptical trainer if you are committed to following through with your workouts. A commercial elliptical trainer will be a little more expensive but will last a lot longer than other “cheaper” home grade models.

Commercial machines are often more durable, having higher quality parts and additional features over their home grade counter parts.

If you are looking for a higher quality brand elliptical check out the following brand names: Precor, Pro Form, Star Trac and Nordictrack, their are a few other major brands but these area few of the best.

For more FREE information about Compact Elliptical machines:

http://www.onlyellipticalreviews.com/compact-elliptical.html