Feeling light is great. Walking around and feeling like you have a tire around your waist is unhealthy, annoying, time consuming, depressing, all while serving as one big monkey on your back. People who are obese and overweight think about how heavy they are at least 10 times a day and become psychologically overwhelmed by the living nightmare enacted in real life on a daily basis by those who are fat. However, there is some silver lining even for those who are very overweight and think that it would be irrational to even think they had a chance to lose weight. Well, here it is, here is the million dollar silver lining for you. BEING FAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN CONTROL. You create your own reality. Being fat is something that can change. Want to try a neat trick? Eat a bowl of Raisin Bran in the morning when you wake up, an apple and salad for lunch (eat peanuts for protein or mix chicken/fish/red meat in salad) and when you eat dinner…have something as simple as chicken breast or tuna fish. Additionally, make sure you exercise for AT LEAST 30 MINUTES A DAY EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK. That is it. That’s all you have to do. Following that fitness and diet regimen for a year will get rid of your fat problems.

Let’s look at what we can do to lose weight a little bit more in depth. Being overwhelmed by the variance in life can lead to unhealthy eating habits that can ultimately bog you down and bring your life to a standstill. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to make health and fitness a big part of your life. Think about that for a second; are health and fitness a part of your life? Well, of course in a way both health and fitness are a part of all of our lives, but some of us certainly do not act that way. When is the last time you exercised three times in a week? When is the last time you exercised at all? People normally do not care about the long term. For example, if you were to ask someone if they would like 50 dollars today, or 75$ in a month, they would most likely respond by saying they would like the 50$ right now. Do they even realize that they would be receiving 50% more money in a month? No. Most people are so fascinated with the here and now that they have no consideration for future events. How does this tie into our health you ask? Because this is how we treat our body. We do not think about, want to think about, and some are not even capable of thinking about, what how our actions at that moment will affect our wellbeing further down the line. Eating poorly does not result in immediate problems, therefore we do not think what we are doing is that bad. Eating bacon cheddar cheese fries laced with grease, salt and oil really is not going to hurt you immediately. You may feel lethargic as a result of eating the fries, but it’s not like the next time you look at yourself in the mirror you appear fatter with pimples. If this were the case, the majority of people would not maintain their poor eating habits. Results tend to show up later in life from eating poorly and that is the main reason we think it is ok to eat like we are hungry hippopotamuses.
The human liver can be used as another example. Most people fully understand how important having a healthy liver is for their health, but since most people see their liver as something in the distant future, they don’t care too much about it. Previously I gave you an example and used $50 and $75 as the variables in the hypothetical situation of someone offering you either $50 now, or $75 in a month. In real life, the variables are your kidneys, your ears and eyes and lungs. Would people smoke cigarettes if they were likely to get cancer the next day? Probably not. But people are still expected to get lung cancer as a result of smoking cigarettes, but since that problem is expected to come further down the line, people neglect it and only worry about the immediate damage smoking does to their body. Once again, if you if one were to look in the mirror before smoking a cigarette and look in the mirror right after, they would not notice much of a difference. On the other hand, if that same person were to look at themselves in the mirror before having ever smoked a cigarette after 5 years and there would be a considerable and noticeable difference in their appearance.

Explanations range from A to Z as to why people do not show a connection with the future and let impulsive sensations overwhelm them in the moment. Peoples inability to recognize the future results of their actions lead to things as sci-fi as 500 pound human beings who are less than 6 feet tall. Entire bodies bogged down from head to toe as a direct result of human beings being unable to have an awareness of the consequences waiting around the corner from their actions.

A gross statistic highlighting and underlining the thesis of this blog, is that 33%, or 1 out of every 3 adults in the US are obese! Unfortunately, there is not too much silver lining in that statistic. There is numerous ways to change your life for the better and take your body from hell to heaven. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are very helpful for staying lean and trim. If you can create an exercise plan and make sure you spend at least 30 minutes a day on strength and cardio exercises, you will do wonders for your body and mind. People think that working out is all physical but nothing could be further from the truth. When we wake up at 8am on a Sunday, bench pressing, squats, running miles, crunches, stretching, and busting our butts, is not what most of us want to do. Psychologically, many of us are not ready for heavy lifting and intense cardiovascular exercise when we hop out of bed in the morning. People love to wake up and drink a nice sweet drink, scarf down strips of delicious bacon and read the newspaper. If those representing the 1/3 of the population that is obese decided to exercise for at least 30 minutes every morning, do you think they would still be overweight? Probably not….it is pretty safe to say that those who stick to a daily exercise routine will benefit physically, psychologically, socially and professionally. According to the numbers, we just do not have the determination and heart that is needed to maintain an effective exercise plan and if we did; one third of all US citizens would not be overweight.

Hippocrates once said, “that which is used develops, and that which is not used wastes away.” That statement perfectly describes the human body and its need for continual exercise and movement. One must exercise and challenge themselves through intense physical conditioning and regularly working out, if they want to be in top form. Exercises that increase ones pulse, such as lifting weights on strength training equipment and using cardiovascular equipment such as exercise bikes and treadmills, are quintessential exercises for people seeking optimal health. Cardiovascular exercise on treadmills and elliptical machines, as well as physical strength training with weight equipment, are also requirements for those who wish to be fit. Laying down in bed, day dreaming of what you wished you looked like, will only make you more upset. Do not waste time, procrastinate and day dream. Get on the exercise grind and make it happen!

Many of you reading this are probably saying to yourselves, “Why does this blog keep reiterating how important cardio and strength training are, when it is obvious that in order to reach your full potential, such measures must be taken. Is there a reason we have been told 50 times in this article that one must use both cardiovascular and strength equipment in order to maintain a successful exercise program?” Well, if we are preaching to the choir, then more power to you and we are more than pleased that our readers are doing their homework. However, although it is obvious that a total-body workout is necessary for a fitness training session to be complete, many people only focus on one aspect of exercise, while neglecting the other. In other words, many people will just lift weights and not run, or vice versa, so even though the majority of us perfectly understand the theory behind the necessity to incorporate strength and cardio training into the same workout, the majority of that majority, does not put their theory into practice.

When it comes to practicing with exercise equipment, weight machines are really fun and effective. Weight training is essential for increasing strength and muscle mass. There is a large variety of weight training machines in today’s fitness equipment industry, each having its own purpose, specializing in different functions. Therefore, there should be a machine suitable for any and all strength conditioning needs. The variety of home gym options, including but not limited to, single, double, triple or quadruple weight-stack home gyms, make it virtually impossible that someone can’t find a home gym that can help serve their needs. For example, Nautilus, Life Fitness, Body-Solid, Bowflex, Precor, Cybex and Kettler are some excellent brands of commercial and home fitness equipment, that all manufacture a wide variety of strength training machines suitable for ones home, or commercial health club facility.

Home gyms are used for strength training and are built to help people tone, build and define their muscles, however they are not all the same and there are many features of a home gym one must consider when shopping for one. Structural integrity and mechanical capacity are key terms that need to be completely understood by those seeking out a top of the line home gym. The mechanical capacity of the home gym refers to the amount of weight that can be lifted on the machine. Typically, home gyms, strength trainers and circuit weight machines, all have solid warranty coverage. Whereas treadmills, stair climbers, ellipticals and other kinds of commercial and home fitness equipment, all have electronic boards prone to breaking down, strength equipment such as home gyms, weight plates, circuit weight machines and selector strength pieces, are all electronic free and primarily made of steel.

Popular home gym models include, but are not limited to, the Body Solid 1500s, the BodyCraft Family Express, BodyCraft X2 Family Xpress, Life Fitness G7, Precor S3.23 Functional Trainer. Extensive research has proven that the health club caliber gyms previously mentioned are mechanically advanced and structurally superior pieces of gym grade equipment. One of the best parts about having commercial gym equipment at home is that it is rated to last for decades. Imagine how long pieces of gym equipment last in commercial environments over time. At the end of the day, you are only using it for a small percentage of time, compared to its usage in the gym, therefore the fitness equipment is rated to last much longer in your home, than it would in the gym.

Get your home gyms and treadmills tuned up and ready for the change of weather! Soon it will be cold in most parts of the country and nobody likes exercising outside in cold weather. At least most people that work for the Kings of Cardio, but then again, we get the nice and sunny weather of beautiful Los Angeles, CA.
For those of you who are not as weatherly blessed as we are here in Los Angeles, you must not stop running and walking just because it is starting to get dark earlier and colder by the day. The great thing about purchasing home gym equipment is that once you have it, your options remain open, and you can always go back outside once in a while to exercise during winter, but make life easier for yourself and get some home fitness equipment.

The most common excuse for not neing able to work out and exercise on a daily basis is “Well I just don’t have enough time in my day.” While for most of us this excuse holds merit, we fail to realize how important daily exercise really is towards our health and overall well being. With that said, you need to carve out that 30 minute time frame each and every day in order to maintain a fit amd healthy body. Home fitness equipment is so essential to those who do not have the luxury of taking 2 hours out of there day to go to the gym.  Having a treadmill or an elliptical, or any other piece of exercise equipment at home will make fitting the time to exercise in your daily routine that much easier.

The recent increase in the amount of people in the United States that purchase fitness equipment for their home is a good sign. Are we finally realizing that happiness is attained through gym equipment rather than designer clothes? We here at Kings of Cardio sure hope so!

Recently in the news, there has been even more coverage focused around heathcare, than the average daily dosage. It is well known that the U.S.A. is the only first world nation on the planet that does not offer a comprehensive, universal healthcare system. The counter argument to that is something in the realm of “well that’s why we have the best doctors.” That argument is flawed to say the least. Our nation is not even in the top 10 when it comes to highest life expectancy rates! Why? One reason is that 9/10 people would be clueless if you asked them what an elliptical is, or what a stair climber is, or what their favorite piece of fitness equipment is. Home gym equipment, gym equipment, sports equipment, or weight equipment is foreign to most people.

Let us give you some advice, if you spend more time eating every day, then you do exercising, then you will be unhealthy and you will not have the rock hard body that you would like to have.  Using gym equipment should not be as difficult as math. Your daily exercise routiner should not have the same level of intensity as one of your study sessions. So get up, get out and get something. Don’t just waste your time away like a fat ass sitting on the couch all day and waiting for something good to happen. You must make it happen through staying true to your fitness routine. Daily exercise, along with personalized fitness goals, will enable you to look and feel like you really want to. How many times in your life have you looked in the mirror and told yourself that you are going to start exercising in some form or another? Aren’t you tired of always just hoping and wishing? Isn’t it time to get something done? Even if you have not done any cardio or strength training in the last 10 years, you can still get in shape. You do not have to start of by running on the treadmill for 2 hours everyday at top notch speeds on the “interval training” propgram. The great thing about exercising is that you are your own boss. If you have not worked out in a very long time, then just get on the treadmill for like 10 minutes and walk at low speeds. Do this everyday until you feel comfortable picking up the pace. The key is to walk a little bit longer and start moving a little bit faster as you progress in your workouts.

Are you looking for sports equipment? If so, you have come to the right home fitness store! When is the last time your fitness equipment broke down? If you are like most people, then your exercise equipment and other sports equipment has had many service issues, and the home gym supplier that you purchased from, has done little to help.

The Kings of Cardio set ourselves apart from the rest of the fitness business by actually taking care of our customers. When you call and inquire about exercise equipment, we do not like to just give you a quick price, and then make the sale. Our fitness experts go the extra mile and pay attention to detail more than your standard sales rep just trying to get in your pocket! Whether you are looking for a treadmill, elliptical, an exercise bike, rowing machine, or other “fitness” equipment, our friendly staff full of friendly and informative personal trainers and fitness experts would take great pride in helping you chose the right piece of hoem fitness equipemnt for you!

Speaking of “Sports Equipment”, I was recently involved in an argument with a group of friends over which sport was more dangerous, Rugby or Football? I personally believe, and basically know for a fact, that American Football is much tougher on the body and causes more injuries than Rugby. Those sports fanatics that argue the other side, base their flawed argument on the fact that SPORTS EQUIPMENT is used in American Football and their is no SPORTS EQUIPMENT in Rugby! W A T ?????? That arguement makes zero sense.

The arguement that Rugby is more dangerous because they do not use sports equipment such as football helmets, shoulder pads and so on, is wrong for several reasons. First of all the flow of the game itself, American football that is, is sooooooo much faster than Rugby. The speed difference is extrememly relevant because when players move faster in Sports, whether or not they are using sports equipemnt, they are prone to more injury than if they were moving at slower speeds. For Example, if two cars collide and they are each moving at 10 miles and hour, there will not be nearly as much of an impact as there would be if they were moving at 50 miles per hour. For those of you who do not think the speed differential between American Football players and Rugby players is equal to that of the example mentioned above, then you are right. The speed difference is much greater! Football players are that much faster than rugby players that whether or not they are wearing sports equipment or not is irrelevant.

If you are looking for Precor, Life Fitness, Star Trac, Kettler, BodyCraft, Cybex, BodySolid, Hoist, First Degree Fitness, or any other brand of fitness or weight equipement, then look no further. You have arrived at the promise land! Call 800-990-1108 right now for more exercise equipment and fitness info! Talk to you soon….

I’d always considered myself myself out-doorsy type, and never taken much to gyms or workout equipment for that matter. About 2 months ago, I found myself skipping out on my daily jogs, by lack of motivation. After deciding that a gym membership might inspire me to exercise, since after all I would be paying $30 a month, I couldn’t be happier with my decision. I go at least four times a week now, and exercise all parts of body that simply jogging did not sculpt. After about an hour on the elliptical, weights, treadmill, and crunches, followed by a 15 minute hot tub session, I’ve never felt so revived. I can also pay attention to the numbers of calories and miles I’m burning, and build plans for each week to exceed the previous. I have an entirely new respect for gyms and trainers now, and can’t wait to start building my own home gym soon!

Like everyone else this summer, I am struggling to keep my daily outdoor workouts in the summer heat. My 45 minute jogs have turned into 30 minute walks, and my 30 minute walks are starting to turn into 15 minute strolls. I recently joined a friend of mine on a trip to the gym with a guest pass, and for the first time since it broke 80 degrees was able to fit in a full hour work out. And boy did it feel amazing! After 30 minutes (and 2 miles) on the treadmill, 15 minutes (and a mile) on the elliptical, and 15 minutes of weights, I felt my entire body thirsting for more. It’s funny how easy it is to fall in and out of the groove, and I’ve learned the hard way that once you give up on strength training workout, it can be difficult at least to start back up. But don’t let the summer heat get to you. Try jogging in the late evening after the sun sets, early mornings, and if your still struggling with the heat, take your workout indoors, as I did. Wherever you are though, remember to drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workouts!

In the next installment of Outside the Box – we use 5 basic exercises with an elliptical trainer.  The 5 exercises are push ups, squats, crunches, burpees and parachute jumpers.

The workout will consist of 3 minutes of elliptical trainer in the following sequence 1 min slow 1 min fast 1 min slow coupled with 4 simple body weight exercises to be performed in a circuit fashion.

Warm up:  Get on the elliptical trainer for 3-4 minutes, then get off and do some light stretching.  Warm up with 15 jumping jacks 20 body weight squats and 10 push ups.  Then get ready, the workout is about to begin.

First Circuit:

Push Up 20 reps, Parachute Jumpers 20 reps, and 25 squats, followed by the 3 min sequence on the elliptical trainer and 1 min rest

Second Circuit

20 squats, 10 burpees, 15 push ups, 25 crunches,  3 min Elliptical sequence and one minute of rest

Third Circuit

10 push up 10 burpees 15 parachute jumpers 30 squats then the 3 min circuit on the elliptical and one minute of rest

Last Circuit

25 crunch 10 push up 25 crunch 10 burpees 25 crunch 25 squat followed by 3 min elliptical sequence

Bonus Circuit (if you want to get crazy!)

10 Burpees 15 Parachute Jumpers 15 Push Ups 30 squats followed by the elliptical sequence

Try this workout on days you need to do resistance training workouts and want to fit in some time for cardio – you will do a total of 12-16 minutes on the elliptical in 1 minute intervals of low/high/low intensity and the resistance part should take 12-20 minutes also.

This workout can be fit very easily in a morning or evening 30 minute workout session!  Make sure to cool down after you finish with some stretching after a short easy ride on the elliptical.

Equipment Recommendation: Any elliptical trainer will be good for this workout!

email me if you need more details on any of the exercises!

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.