There is hardly a week that passes without an article or study touting the benefits of exercise. Exercise to cure cancer, exercise to lose weight, feel better, livelonger, and stop dementia, the list appears endless. The benefits of exercise sound fantastic but there is just one problem. You have to exercise to gain the benefits! For many, this is a big problem.
So, what can you do to get yourself motivated to join the wonderful world of exercising? A great solution is to join a gym where you are in the company of like-minded people. Joining a gym for the first time or after a period of inactivity can be a little scary. I hope this article will make your fitness journey a little easier.
Aren’t all gyms pretty much the same?
The short answer would be. . NO. Every gym has it’s own personality both in the equipment and the type of people it attracts. Some gyms cater to weight lifters with lots of free weights and little else, while other facilities might cater to working women and offer activities such as yoga, spinning or aerobics. There are locally owned gyms and nationwide chains. Small gyms as well as mega fitness centers. There is a gym for everybody but it will take a little footwork to find your perfect fit.
What’s the most important feature when looking for a gym?
In my opinion, location must be considered before anything else. Absence will not make the heart grow fonder. A gym more than 10 minutes from your home or office will end up not getting used. If you like to work out in the morning you might want to stick with gyms close to home. If you’re a lunchtime sweat maven then a gym near work could be a better option. Some of the larger chains may have facilities by both work and home. In addition, if you travel, gyms with multiple locations may let you work out for FREE, or at a discount, if they have a facility at your travel destination.
Other Features to Consider
Membership Clientele - Check out the other patrons in the gym you are considering. Each gym has it’s own personality. Is it mostly women or men? Is everybody wearing fashionable workout gear or is it a shorts and t-shirt crowd? Does it cater to families or is it an adult’s only gym?
Equipment - The quality and variety of equipment is very important if you plan on starting a comprehensive fitness program. Is the equipment well maintained? Check to see how many machines are “out of order”. Check to see if free weights are offered as well as machines. Is there an adequate cardio section with plenty of bikes, climbers and treadmills? These tend to be high use pieces of equipment so it is important that the facility have several.
Hours - Everybody has different times for his or her workouts. Make sure the gym you choose will accommodate your schedule. If you are an early bird and your gym opens at 10:00 a.m. then you are probably going to end up not using it despite the other features you find appealing.
Price - Don’t get fooled by a low-ball price. Make sure the membership includes the use of everything of interest to you. Some gyms have a low membership fee and then charge extra for using the tennis courts, pool, classes etc. Read the fine print. Also, there are all-inclusive low priced gyms that are in the business of selling memberships and don’t really care what happens after you sign up. You may find that half your town has a membership and you have to wait in line to use the equipment.
Management - Is there an active owner or manager on the premises? What is there policy regarding restacking your weights and the playing of loud music? In some gyms, anything goes and you may hear 3 or 4 different stereos playing at the same time, weights are thrown around and you can never find the equipment you would like to use. This is a sign of poor and inattentive management and should probably be removed from consideration.
Everybody is different and there is not a single solution for picking the ideal gym. The key is to find a place that you feel comfortable and that you will use on a regular basis. Working out is a habit that takes time to form. Don’t make an impulsive decision that will cause you to lose your desire to get in shape.
Before making a commitment, visit and workout at a few gyms that you are considering. Most facilities will let you try them out for a few days. Make sure you go at the times you would if you were to join. This will give you a feel for how crowded the equipment is at that time. Now, the only thing left to do is just go out and GET STARTED!!
Here is a list of several gyms with nationwide locations. These will offer a good starting point on your quest for the perfect gym. Check for locations in your area.
http://www.powerhousegym.com/
http://www.goldsgym.com/
http://www.worldgym.com/
http://www.ballyfitness.com/
http://www.24hourfitness.com/
Mike Brooks is a life long follower and proponent of the fitness lifestyle. Mr. Brooks believes that being healthy is a choice and includes not only a proper diet but total fitness of the mind, body and soul. His column appears weekly at http://www.ultimatehealthreport.com
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Elliptical cross trainers have been around for quite a while now so there are a good variety of them in the stores. But you still need to know what you are looking for when you choose one to purchase for your home gym. There are a lot of machines that have different features and there is also a wide range of different prices.
The simplest way to rate elliptical cross trainers is just too look at the price. After all, if you cannot afford some of them no matter how good the features and well build the elliptical machine is if you don’t have enough money then you can cross them off your purchase list.
There are great many cheaper machines that are accessible to most people but it is this part of the market where you need to be careful. Although there are a large amount of many good machines in the lower price levels there are also some that are no good because the quality is not as good. Of course, you sometimes have to expect that if you are paying lower prices, the trick is to know which cross trainer offers a really good value.
Another one of the most basic ways to rate elliptical cross trainers is to look at the build quality. As you can imagine this is not the most interesting aspect but it is one of the most important because if your brand new exercise machine is constantly breaking down then it doesn’t matter how good it is because the reality is when it’s not working it will not be very useful or help you to lose weight and get into better shape.
The build quality for an elliptical trainer is very important and you should look at the overall construction and how well it’s made. Make sure to see if it feels solid and well built. The cross trainer should be of a strong construction as you will be putting in a lot of energy and a weak machine will not last through to many repeated workouts. You should also look at the crank where the footrests are as this can be a weak point on some of the cheaper models. Build quality is one of the best ways to rate elliptical cross trainers and decide whether you think it will be a good buy.
You also have to decide what features you want if you are trying to rate elliptical cross trainers. You need one that has good strong-arm movements so that you get the most from your workout. You also need to make sure that the track is wide enough so that you do not have to try to keep your balance. Probably one of the most important tests is just to try it out and see if it feels right for you. If it doesn’t feel right when you workout with it then no matter what the price and features there is no point in buying it.
Elliptical cross trainers are a great way to work out but you have to make sure that you buy one that is well built and suits your needs so that you get the best workout for your money.
Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Elliptical-Trainer-Solutions.com He provides more elliptical trainer ratings, recommendations and information on how to rate elliptical cross trainers that you can research in your pajamas on his website.
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You’ve been thinking of working out but the thought of regular visits to a health club, spa, or gym doesn’t quite appeal? Well, you can actually save the drive time and get a fairly good workout on a home gym. In this article, we’ll discuss the different types of machines available, how they work, and some considerations to make when purchasing your own home gym.
There are three main types of home gym equipment: traditional, rod systems, and gravity resistance (Of course, there are also free weight bench sets, but these aren’t necessarily for everyone and, depending on whether or not you have small children or pets in your home, may present potential hazards).
Traditional gym machines are generally what you would find in your local gym. These machines tend to be big and heavy, and can take up a lot of space. They involve pulley assemblies
attached to weight stacks and the amount of weight a person can work with can usually range up to 300 lbs. Of course, the precise amount of weight to be used for a particular exercise may be determined by the use of a simple pin-slot system. How much do they cost? Well, they can be quite pricey, starting out in the 800 to 900 dollar range going all the way up to and exceeding 2000 dollars based on chosen options and features.
Traditional home gyms have been around for decades. However, a second type of home gym setup, the rod system, seems to be the wave of the future. These machines use rods with different resistance rates selectable with a hook and bungee system. Rod systems have the advantage of being both smaller and lighter than traditional home gyms. They have a sleeker look and are absent a heavy weight stack—definitely a consideration if you have small children in the home. Power rod machines also feature a full range of exercises, including rowing on some models. The resistance rods are usually standard at 210lbs as the max. However, these are upgradeable to a maximum of 410lbs! What’s the cost? Machines like this range from 900 to 2200 dollars.
Finally, another type of home gym that is growing in popularity is the gravity resistance gym. Gravity resistance systems are very compact and “easily stowed”, using only minimal space when
assembled. They use a system of pulleys and your own body weight to achieve a quality work out. Different settings allow your body weight to utilize greater or lesser amounts of resistance making them easy to use for both the beginner and the advanced user. Gravity resistance systems come in several different sizes and may be configured to fit neatly under a bed or in the corner of a room. Size is certainly an advantage, but here are two other advantages: a user can engage in a wide range of exercises and the machines are reasonably priced at 300 to 600 dollars.
Which home gym set up should you buy? As with most purchases, your decision should ultimately be based on the balancing of several concerns; namely, your needs, preferences, and available
finances. However, rest assured, if working out and getting into shape at home is what you desire, there are certainly more than enough choices to choose from.
The author of this article is Tim Moore, who publishes a website on Vitamins, herbs, and nutrition which features a section on Antioxidants
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