Browsing Category: "Elliptical Fitness Equipment"
The best way to get healthy and stay in shape these days is to use an elliptical fitness machine to work your legs, arms, stomach, back and buttocks. Not only are elliptical fitness training machines great tools for staying fit and thin, but equally as important, elliptical crosstrainer fitness equipments are very gentle and easy on your joints too. One of the best parts about working out is the nice, calm and serene feeling that you get when you are done. If you do not want that feeling to be overcome by body aches and pains in your joints, muscles and bones, then make sure you train on an elliptcial trainer instead of a treadmill.
There is a ton of literature out there on why ellipticals/crosstrainers are better tools for cardiovascular exercise than treadmills. However, the only thing that should count is whether or not the stride on the elliptical fitness trainer is as comfortable, or more comfortable, than the treadmills you are used to running on. One should always remember that the true test of how well a piece of fitness equipment will work for you, is always solved by actually trying the different gym machines and then determining their value to your workout program.
Non-Folding v. Folding Treadmill Specs & Suspension with Shock Absorbing Running Decks on Treadmills
A friend of mine asked me today what the best kind of running surface is and how treadmills compare to other running surfaces such as grass, concrete, rubberized tracks and a couple of other running surfaces. The easy and 100% correct answer is that grass is the best and it is not even close. Other running surfaces such as concrete are really rough on joints and bones to the point where running can actually become detrimental towards your health, rather than beneficial. The easiest option is to get a treadmill that has a great suspension system and a shock absorbing running belt. With an advanced suspension system and an extra-thick, orthopedic style running belt, a treadmill can be the next best thing to run on for your body, other than natural grass.
The Life Fitness 95Ti treadmill, is part of a series of heavy-duty, hi-performance, gym quality, commercial-grade treadmills, that are built to last a lifetime, and please the most hi-maintenance of athletes. Some of the features on the Life Fitness 95Ti treadmill include its 4.0 continuous horsepower motor, 28 exercise programs, a built in reading rack, built in water bottle holder, extra-wide and long 20” x 60” commercial size treadmill running belt, 3.5” precision crowned steel rollers, a power incline of up to 15%, and a speed range of 0.5 to 14mph!
In addition to all of these awesome features, another feature of the Life Fitness 95Ti that it is a non-folding treadmill. Historically, non-folding treadmills have always been more durable than folding treadmills. For example, you will never find a folding treadmill at a commercial workout facility. One-hundred percent of commercial health clubs in the United States use non-folding treadmills. The immediate benefit of non-folding treadmills is that they have higher mechanical capacities than folding treadmills have. For those of you who do not know what a “mechanical capacity” is referring to, saying so and so treadmill has a 500 pound mechanical capacity is the same thing as saying that treadmill has a 500 pound user weight limit. Along with non-folding treadmills being more durable than folding units, and having higher user weight limits, non-folding treadmills are normally a whole lot heavier than folding treadmills. The heavier the treadmill is, the less likely it will be flimsy, and heavier treadmills last longer too.
As Summer nears, people across the nation are checking themselves out in the mirror, hoping that their body will look swimsuit ready, and more attractive than ever. Who doesn’t want to show off their sculpted frame at the beaches and pools, so that others can stare, and talk about how you look like you are on steroids? After all, isn’t that why we spend an hour a day exercising on treadmills, home gyms and elliptical machines, even when we are very busy and tired of working all day?
Let’s not get it twisted, for the majority of us, the reason we exercise is so that we look good. Being in awesome shape and looking like you have been conditioning with Kobe Bryant, is what makes the months of June, July and August, so fun and exciting! In the wintertime, it is too cold to wear less clothes in order to show off our fantastic bodies. But the problem is, it is close to impossible to turn your body into a lean, mean, fighting machine, in a matter of months, let alone days. Therefore, one must dedicate themselves to getting on the treadmill, lifting weights on the home gym and climbing steps on a stair-climber, long before it is time to put away the sweatshirts and sweaters for the summer. We here at KingsofCardio.com find that way too often, people are looking for the quick fix when it comes time to put those shorts and tank top on.
One way to make sure your body looks healthy, fit and trim, is to use home fitness equipment on a regular basis, to increase agility, endurance, strength, while toning and defining your muscles. Hard work and daily exercise may seem very difficult to most, however, with the right home gym equipment and exercise gear, any cardio or strength workout can be enjoyable.
Health club quality home fitness equipment is necessary in order to stay in shape without going to the gym. It is much easier to get a great workout session in after a long day of work, if you are able to exercise at home, versus taking even more time out of your personal and family life, by going to the gym. If you are riding on the Life Fitness 9500 Upright Exercise Bike at the gym, it would be near impossible to help your daughter Julia with her Social Studies homework. However, if you have exercise equipment to use at home, such as the commercial, health club quality Life Fitness cycle mentioned above, or a stationary bike similar to it, then you would be able to help Julia with her homework as you exercise on your upright or recumbent, exercise bike.
With the right approach towards becoming and remaining health and fitness a super-star, you can have your buttocks, thighs, biceps, triceps, torso and abs beach-ready, every-day of the year. There is no reason we should wait until it warms up every year before we start to worry about how our bodies look. If you go to gyms in the winter time, you can jump on your favorite piece of gym equipment, whether it is the Life Fitness 95Xi or the Precor EFX 546, and not have to worry about someone being on your treadmill or elliptical. However, if you go to the gym in the summer time, it will be packed! Good luck getting on that Cybex Arc Trainer that you love so much. We sat good luck because there will most likely be a long waiting list and line to get on all of the most popular pieces of fitness equipment at the gym in the summer time.
From a technological standpoint, home gyms and standard cardiovascular exercise equipment such as treadmills, rowing machines, stair climbers and elliptical machines, have improved tremendously through the development of new ideas, parts and software. Twenty years ago, if one were to exercise on a treadmill for longer than thirty minutes, then their knees, hips, and ankles would be in pain, due to draconian treadmill running decks that had no give, bounce or suspension. In the fitness world, it is more than possible to get in a comprehensive workout including a long run on your treadmill, without having the setbacks caused from pain in your bones and joints.
Cheap and inferior pieces of cardio and strength equipment litter the exercise equipment industry and always will. The key to finding the right piece of equipment for yourself is to determine through word of mouth, independent reviews and personal experience, which treadmill, recumbent bike, rowing machine or home gym, is optimal for your needs.
Recently, Kings of Cardio LLC, sent out an independent party of fitness experts in order to determine the best of the best when it comes to fitness equipment. With the amount of distributors and manufacturers of fitness equipment that want us to sell their home gyms and fitness equipment, it was nearly impossible for us to arbitrarily decide which fitness equipment brands would be best for our home gym store to carry. For instance, if I were to ask you what the best name brand pieces of fitness equipment are in today’s health and fitness industry, you would most like reply with answers such as the Precor EFX 556, Life Fitness 95Ti, Life Fitness 97T Engage, Star Trac Pro, and approximately ten to fifteen other models of exercise equipment. Those are all commercial pieces of exercise equipment and although they may be the best for health club settings, are they really the best buys for your home? The answer to that question remains uncertain and subjective. Each individual has a stride length and running style that conforms to certain pieces of exercise equipment more so than others. On the other hand, the structural integrity, specifications, features and mechanical capacities of treadmills, elliptical machines, rowing machines and exercise bikes, is an objective measurement. Therefore, it is easy to determine which home gym or commercial fitness equipment, has the thickest gauge steel frame, or which treadmill goes at the fastest speed.
So we know that the overall performance of an elliptical machine would be a subjective measure and certain features and specifications such as its speed range, is objective. We also know that there is no way to absolutely define one elliptical, treadmill, rowing machine or any other piece of fitness equipment as the best, because people react have different body types and therefore are more comfortable on some gym equipment than others.
HERE ARE SOME GREAT PRECOR ELLIPTICAL CROSSTRAINERS FROM THEIR EFX SERIES
1.) PRECOR EFX 546:
Frame: Non-Folding, commercial grade, health club quality.
Mechanical Capacity: 400 Pounds
Arms: Do Not Move
Ramp: Adjusts from 13 to 40 Degrees
Reputation of Brand: The 546 EFX elliptical machine is made by Precor. They has been a well-known and highly established fitness equipment manufacturer, for quite some time now. Even a simple “Google” search of its name, would be a simple and easy way to read the endless amounts of their positive customer reviews. Precor has been well known for the design, creation and marketing of some of the best treadmills, cycles, climbers, elliptical machines, cross trainers, stretch trainers and strength training systems, the fitness equipment industry has seen over the past 20 years.
2.) PRECOR EFX 556:
Frame: Non-Folding, commercial grade, health club quality.
Mechanical Capacity: 400 Pounds
Arms: Move with User / Non-Stationary
Ramp: Stationary / Non-Adjustable
Reputation: The 556 EFX elliptical machine is made by Precor. Precor has been a well-known and highly established fitness equipment manufacturer, for quite some time now. Even a simple “Google” search of its name, would be a simple and easy way to read the endless amounts of their positive customer reviews. As a company, Precor has been well known for the design, creation and marketing of some of the best treadmills, cycles, climbers, elliptical machines, cross trainers, stretch trainers and strength training systems, the fitness equipment industry has seen over the past 20 years.
3.) PRECOR EFX 576i:
Frame: Non-Folding, extra heavy duty commercial grade steel frame.
Mechanical Capacity: 500 Pounds
Arms: Adjustable and Swing Back and Forth
Ramp: Adjustable
Only Commercial Precor Elliptical Crosstraining machine with an adjustable ramp and adjustable arms.
Reputation: The 576i EFX elliptical machine is made by Precor. Precor has been a well-known and highly established fitness equipment manufacturer, for quite some time now. Even a simple “Google” search of its name, would be a simple and easy way to read the endless amounts of their positive customer reviews. As a company, Precor has been well known for the design, creation and marketing of some of the best treadmills, cycles, climbers, elliptical machines, cross trainers, stretch trainers and strength training systems, the fitness equipment industry has seen over the past 20 years.
These days everything seems to be more expensive. Poor economy, less jobs, higher gas prices. However, there is still affordable, health club quality, home fitness equipment out there so do not give up on your fitness just because the economy is not great. Exercise equipment pricing is down over the past 8 months so take advantage while you can. Your favorite treadmill, elliptical, home gym, stair climber, rowing machine, upright bike, pilates machine, whatever it may be, we can almost guarantee you that its price is much lower than it was a year ago. In order to compensate for the lack of sales over the past year in the fitness and sports equipment industries, manufacturers are dropping their pants on all of their prices!
Summer is winding down but this does not mean that you should give up on your summer exercising routines. Do not start hibernating just because the sun is starting to go down earlier and it is not as hot outside. Egg nog, sleeping, and eating cookies is for fat people and the Kings of Cardio are fighting a war against obesity. More treadmills and less sugar. Less resting and more physical fitness. Our nation as a whole has become fat, lazy and most of all, we have no discipline. When it comes to health, we ( greater than 50% of U.S.A.), show absolutely no discipline which is highlighted by our obesity numbers.
In reference to another very important issue, aging, which has been a hot topic in the new lately. Recently, it has become apparent through various studies that the more you eat, that quicker you age. If you do not want to look like a grandfather/grandmother by your mid 40′s, you need to pay very close attention to what you eat and equally as important, how often you dedicate time to physical fitness and exercise.
Somehow people have turned against building muscle mass and as far as I can remember, there have not been any reputable athletes that have not endorsed lifting weights. Go and pump some iron today. Weight lifting will increase your muscle mass, tone your body and make your clothes feel tighter when you put them on, if you are a true weight lifting machine then you know what I am talking about. Add weight lifting to any cardio routine and it will dramatically increase your overall results from exercising. If you want to look sweet, fell good and be a champ, then you have to mix up your home gym exercise routines and not just walk on the treadmill for a mile or so. That is for wimps and simps!
I have purchased several pieces of equipment from Kings of Cardio and have been using them for several years. I start my day with 30 minutes on the recumbent bike and then 30 minutes on the eliptical. I am 54 years old and have never been big on lifting. I used to run but my knees and back started to be effected by the constant pounding and I gave it up. The aerobic workout gets me started every day and I am able to deal with the challenges of my day with a healthy attitude as a result of my workout. I believe everyone should motivate themselves the be productive before noon and if you get out of bed and commit to an early excersize program you will be able to stay both physically and mentally heathy.
Start by getting a piece of equipment and using it. It does no good to get something and let it become a hanger for your clothes. Good luck and “Just Do It”
I have always tried to make time to workout but finding the time or energy to do so is nearly impossible. I usually carry my gym bag in the trunk of my car so I can stop by the gym after work. The thought of working out daily is always on my mind but hardly ever an action. There have been times when I am excited to go to the gym but after I get out of work and start driving in traffic my energy is drained and all I want to do is get home and relax. There have even been times when I get to the parking lot of my nearby health club only to find myself parking, getting out of my car, getting my gym bag, walking a few feet and then walking back to my car and driving off home. The times when I have actually managed to walk inside the gym, I find the machines busy, and that gets me frustrated. Since I usually like to workout to relieve stress and stay in shape I realized that the frustrations that I got from trying to get a workout where defeating the purpose of why I wanted to exercise. It wasn’t until about 2 months ago that I decided to buy a recumbent bike.
I now workout at home, usually right in front of the TV while I watch my favorite TV shows. Working out at home for me has proven to be the best most effective thing I could have done. It is not a hassle, and I usually find time to exercise at least 1 hour a day 5 days a week. I think that working out should be a life style that improves our overall wellbeing. Not only is exercising good for the body but it is also good for the min. After I workout, I find myself full of energy, relaxed, and I simply feeling good about myself. What makes me even more excited is that I have started to see results. Since getting a regular workout is no longer such a hassle for me, I do it regularly and I have dropped 5 pounds and my legs and my bum are starting to get a very nice, sexy, feminine definition, which I absolutely love!!
Jaylene Miller
Whether you own an elliptical and are looking for new ways to use it, or are interested in buying one, you should be aware that there are many ways to turn this machine into an effective gut buster! In the absence of resistance bands or dumbbells, here are some ways to play with the machine by varying resistance. Using the resistance listed below – I will then show you an incredibly effective and short workout!
Elliptical trainers can vary resistance through a few different ways.
- Speed you move your legs (revolutions)
- Intensity or resistance of the machine
- Your position (standing up, or in semi squatting position or in a full squat position on the eliptical)
- and Whether you push the pad with your heel or your toe
These 4 elements can be used to vary your workouts to BLAST your body in only 20-30 minutes!
HERE IS WHAT TO DO!
The first part: Start the machine at a steady pace for a 4 minute warm up
Next Stage is 5 minutes of 10/20 blasts: increase the resistance to a mid level intensity for yourself, and during this section go as fast as you possibly can for 10 seconds, followed by 20 seconds of recovery. Repeat for 5 minutes straight. (push with heels)
Next Stage of 4 minutes: do 15 seconds in a full squat position (squatting while you hold on to the handles for support and staying in the squat while you move your legs quickly) 15 seconds in a semi squat position and then 30 seconds of rest. Repeat 4x through this sequence
Next State of 4 minutes: Do Mud running for 30 seconds 30 sec rest followed by 20 blast 40 sec rest, repeat this sequence 2x. Mud running..turn the machine up to the highest resistance and go as hard and as ‘fast’ as you can. Note: the resistance should be high enough that you have to aggressively push with your arms! Drive mostly with the arms here while keeping your back straight to get an AB WOROUT on an eliptical!!!!
Next Stage: 1 minutes of balls out going fast at a high resistance
Recover Stage: go light at an easy resistance for 2 minutes – you can end here for a short workout or go on for some more!
Next Stage of 2 minutes: Mud running..turn the machine up to the highest resistance for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of ‘rest’ at a lower resistance, repeat. Note: the resistance should be high enough that you have to aggressively push with your arms! Drive mostly with the arms here while keeping your back straight to get an AB WOROUT on an eliptical!!!!
Next 2 Min Stage 10 sec blast, 20 rest, 30 mud run, 10 sec blast 30 mud run, 20 second rest
Next 3 minutes: 10 sec blast 20 sec squat 10 sec blast 20 sec rest, repeat 3x
Cool Down: Congratulations! You made it through an incredibly tough workout! Take 2-5 minutes to go slow and let your heart rate come down and your body cool down naturally.
This workout will burn more calories than your basic eliptical training workouts and will stimulate your metabolism in a huge way! By switching this workout in every 2-4 weeks for 3 days straight you can be sure that your body will not fall into a “routine”. In plain english – THIS CAN BUST THROUGH YOUR PLATEAUS AND GET YOU BACK ON TRACK WITH YOUR GOALS.
I recommend the Kettler CTR3 Elliptical , the Life Fitness 95xi Elliptical Crosstrainer, or the Life Fitness 9500HR Elliptical for the best units for this workout! The sturdy frames of the Life Fitness models and the high levels or resistance make them great matches!
Enjoy this kick butt cardio workout and stay tuned for more ideas on how to provide incredible variety using single pieces of equipment by thinking outside the box!
Andrew J.
Founder
South Beach Boot Camp
www.southbeachbootcamp.net
Cross Training through the use of an elliptical machine in your home is a great way to stay in shape. One of the many great things about elliptical is that they do not burden your joints with pain and stress like treadmills and running out side will. Secondly, elliptical cross trainers provide users with a total body workout that will strengthen your core, trim your fat and add lean muscle to your body. In the past several years, our customers have started buying more elliptical trainers than treadmills! This is due to their ability to mimic natural running motions while providing you with a workout that is easier on your body and burns more calories than exercising on treadmills, rowing machines, bikes, or home gyms.
Today, the latest and greatest piece of fitness equipment is the Elliptical Cross Trainer, evidenced by its nation-wide popularity. The elliptical fitness equipment is great for your body because it not only provides you with a total body workout that uses all four limbs, but in doing so, your knees, hips and joints are not subjected to constant pressure and pounding like they are when you run on a treadmill or outside. Start getting in shape now with one of our Award winning elliptical fitness equipment that we have in stock including the Precor EFX 576i, Precor EFX 556i, Precor EFX 556, Precor EFX 546, Life Fitness 95xi, Life Fitness 93x, and the Life Fitness 9500 Next Generation Elliptical. Those Life Fitness and Precor elliptical cross trainers can be found at commercial health club facilities across the nation and we are proud to offer them for rock bottom prices and free shipping! Call us right now to find out which Elliptical Cross Trainer is right for you.
