Archive for July, 2008
Basketball, tennis, soccer and more are all great ways to exercise. They require only inexpensive equipment, get you out in the fresh air and provide a full body workout with huge cardiovascular benefits. But sports like these can be very hard on the joints. They stress the knees and ankles and may be inappropriate for older people or those who’ve recently had surgery or given birth.
Low-impact fitness gear to the rescue!
There are half a dozen different kinds of fitness equipment that offer the ability to build strength and coordination, improve balance and optimize joint health. Cardiovascular health and lung capacity are not neglected here, either.
Several of the items discussed below offer those benefits as part of an overall low-impact exercise program.
Rowing machines, for example, offer a full body workout that gives tremendous cardiovascular benefits with little stress on the joints. On the contrary, a rowing machine helps improve joint health by keeping supporting muscles strong and encouraging lubrication.
Stationary bikes or spinning cycles also provide a great cardio workout as they emphasize development of the hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes. They really work the muscles that stabilize the knees and provide similar benefits to ankle joints.
Stair stepping is another low-impact exercise and stair steppers are usually less expensive than many other items in the home gym. They keep knee-stabilizing quadriceps firm as they help shape up the calves and give an all-round good cardio workout.
For those with a little bigger budget a treadmill is a superb piece of low-impact fitness equipment.
Walking in general is great for health.
But sometimes sidewalks can be a little hard on the ankles and knees. Also, you may want to keep your workout indoors for reasons of safety or convenience, especially if you tend to exercise in the evenings.
A Treadmill is the perfect low-impact item to help you achieve those values. Also when you have a treadmill in your home you can workout everyday even if the weather outside is dismal. You can also walk a few minutes here and a few minutes as you find the time.
An elliptical trainer is the latest must-have addition to the home gym, but it’s not just a fad. Over the years since their introduction they’ve proven their worth. They help improve coordination, develop leg and back muscles, and optimize the cardiovascular system. But, unlike the outdoor exercises they emulate an elliptical doesn’t stress the joints.
Even a weight machine can provide a whole set of low-impact exercises that build strength, tone, curb body fat and burn calories. Weight machine exercises do put some stress on joints, to be sure. But there’s a big difference in effect on the knees between, say, a leg-press that works the hamstrings, calves and quads and the pounding that jogging entails.
There are a variety of reasons that finding low-impact exercises can be near the top of someone’s fitness goals. Recent surgery or other medical condition, advancing age, or a dozen other life circumstances can make it important to take extra care with joints and bones. Fortunately, there are several items of fitness equipment that make it easy to satisfy those goals.
Treadmills increase in popularity every year and with the price of gas going sky high, it makes sense to work out in your own home instead of driving to a health club or gym several times a month.
Since many new treadmill users are getting treadmills for their home it’s a good time to review a few treadmill safety tips. You should also read the literature that comes with your model as it will have additional safety tips.
Treadmill safety is important if you want to get the best out of your exercise program. Treadmill workouts are one of the best ways of increasing cardiovascular fitness. Most fitness tests are based on how well a person can perform a treadmill test, and treadmills are also a very efficient way of burning off calories.
There are many benefits to starting a regular treadmill workout. Like all forms of exercise it can help to burn off body fat, lose weight, reduce the risks of heart disease developing, and alleviate depression and negative feelings about the body. However, there are also some risks. It is best to check with your doctor that you do not have any pre-existing conditions that would make it inadvisable for you to start an exercise program right now. It is also important for everyone to start with a low or moderate level of exercise and increase very gradually.
Before beginning to use your treadmill, you should be sure that you understand all of the readings on the control panel and how to change the settings. If you have a home treadmill, it is important to read all of the instructions before beginning, and make sure that you have everything set up correctly and safely.
All users should be aware of where to find the pause or stop buttons. These will allow you to stop the treadmill immediately in the event of something going wrong, such as a shoelace getting caught in the belt. Of course every user should take care not to let any items of clothing trail on the belt or against the railings, but sometimes this can happen without a person noticing, so you need to know where the emergency stop button is located.
You will need good running shoes for your treadmill workout. Never run or walk barefoot on a treadmill, as this can cause injury. Running shoes will add to the absorption of the treadmill itself to help protect your knees from jarring shocks that can cause injury over the years.
Performing a short series of warm-up stretches for the hamstrings and calf muscles is helpful before beginning to walk on the treadmill. You can also do these at the end to help the muscles adjust.
To start, stand on the side rails, not on the belt itself. Start up the belt at a slow speed and use one foot to get used to the rhythm, then add the other foot to the belt. You can increase the speed and tilt in slow increments. In the beginning you can go on holding the rails or hand bars while you walk, but later you will need to kick this habit, because it is not good for the posture long term. Only one person should ever be on the treadmill at one time.
Throughout your workout, try to look straight ahead. If you look down or to the side you are more likely to become dizzy and lose your balance. If your shoes become untied or you drop anything, step off the belt and stop it while you fix the problem. Never stand still on the belt while it is moving.
If you feel dizzy at the end of your treadmill workouts, simply stand still beside the treadmill holding the rails until the dizziness has passed. You will probably find that this stops being a problem when you get used to using the treadmill.
These treadmill safety tips will help you get the best from your treadmill workouts and will help you avoid any “down” time.