Build Your Own Fitness Home Gym

If you are looking to build a home gym this year, there are some important criteria that should be taken into consideration. A good home gym offers versatility, the ability to have a few pieces of exercise equipment perform a wide variety of exercises. It must be durable and be able to handle the rigors of hard resistance training over a long period of time. Exercise equipment shouldn't take up a lot of space. There are many exercises you can do with your own body weight and a mat, so the home gym equipment shouldn't clutter up the workout space, nor be difficult to store. Finally it should be affordable. No one likes investing in a $1000 home gym just to use it as a coat rack or have it collecting dust in the corner within 3 months. This list of exercise equipment should offer solutions in each category listed above and it should provide a challenging and fun workout environment.

Exercise Ball

One of the most versatile pieces of exercise equipment, the exercise ball can be used in place of a bench for any supine or seated exercise. The exercise ball comes in a variety of sizes and depending on brand, is made of varying material. Because of the stress placed on a ball during a workout, it is important to look for a ball that is burst proof and it will not pop under you during a workout. To obtain the right size, a ball that sits with your hips and knees at 90 degrees is most likely what you should use for a majority of the exercises. For most, a 55cm or 65cm ball is sufficient. An exercise ball can be purchased for around $25-$60.

The exercise ball will provide an element of instability that cannot be duplicated by a bench; therefore you can improve core stability, and strengthen the integrity of your joints including shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. The more stable you become, the stronger you will be and will drastically reduce the incidence of injury.

Dumbbells

A good home gym isn't complete without a few sets of dumbbells. 5-50lbs in increments of 5 will make a complete set for every type of exercise. Dumbbells are good for full body exercises that resist gravity. Exercises such as lunges, squats, shoulder press, bicep curl and chest press are just a few on the list of dumbbell exercises. They are durable, versatile, and a good set will last you a lifetime. A good set of dumbbells may cost $50-$100 for 3-4 sets of varying weight.

Foam Roll

A hard foam cylinder is used for self myfascial release, or self massage. A supplement to stretching, a foam roll can help to increase flexibility in a way that stretching cannot. In addition, it can help to relieve knots and adhesions within muscle tissue. If you don't like being sore after a workout, a foam roll can help to alleviate the soreness and therefore should be a staple item for your home gym. Invest $20 in a good foam roll that will take away your pain and soreness after a tough workout.

Xerdisc

The Xerdisc is an air filled rubber disc used for improving balance, and stability. The same exercises that you do while standing (ie..shoulder press, squat, bicep curl) can all be done while standing on an Exerdisc. Improving joint integrity and balance will allow you to become a more stable, stronger individual and the exercises are fun and challenging. It can also be used for ab exercises such as crunches, and anything you can do to make ab exercises harder has to be good! A quality Xerdisc may run about $40.

Xertube

Tubing comes in a variety of sizes based on the level of tension you want. Tubing can be used for most exercises in place of dumbbells and they will provide a variable tension. The plus side to using tubing is that you can gain resistance from a lateral position that dumbbells cannot provide. Exercises such as wood chops, torso twists, and pulling exercises like the bent row and lat pull are just a few that you can do with tubing that you can't get with other forms or resistance. Tubing is also safe for seniors looking to stay active as there is no risk of dropping the weight. Tubing is color coded in relation to the resistance it provides. I suggest 3-5 different tubes from thin to thick to give you opportunity to perform many exercises with small and large muscle groups. They are usually about $5-$8 a piece and can be used around doorknobs, in door jams and any other stationary post.

This exercise equipment should provide everyone from the novice to the advanced, a well rounded home gym that you can invest in for less than $200 total. The level of versatility, durability, and challenge that is provided by these pieces of equipment is unmatched by any single unit you can buy, and should give you years of workouts that can be changed and progressed as you continue to get into better and better shape. Consult with your personal trainer as to what exercise equipment may be best for your home gym.

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Understand Your Feet to Reduce Running Injuries

We have all had some nagging muscles like our hamstrings, or discomfort in our side which we can run and train with. Though when the feet start to hurt, it can lay us up for weeks, months, or worse. Your feet and ankles are the foundation of your running and cardio program. When are feet are working correctly, they allows us to perform at our very best.

The two worse runner or jogger injuries are plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis. Both of these injuries can be cause by overuse, lack of strength, or lack of flexibility. Though your feet are tough and can take a lot, we have to understand how important they are to keep them healthy and pain free.

Your foot is important in both the landing of your steps and the pushing off as well. This is why getting the right shows for your feet are so important. If you land or push off poorly it can affect your entire chain from your ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders. Most running injuries can be attributed back to how people either land or push off.

When you land and your foot is stiff the stress can is one of the causes of shin splints. When we land with a loose foot, the effect is the runners' knees pointing inwards which causes many critical problems.

Plantar fasciitis prevents more runners from running than any other injury. The plantar fascia runs the entire length of the bottom of the foot. The two main reasons for this injury are overtraining and tight calves which put undo strain. Because so many cardio injuries are overuse they can be hard to notice until it is too late. The plantar fascia has poor blood flow which makes it slow to heal. Only rest will relieve the inflammation.

To prevent this injury it is vital that your build up your miles slowly and are on a good training program. Don't necessarily just follow your buddies program. Many cardio athletes are over trainers by nature and don't understand how they don't have to run in pain. If you have tight calves active flexibility training can start to alleviate the issues. Important for you to work on active stretching over static stretching.

The Achilles tendon, which runs up the back of the leg from the heal to the calf, is the other common body injured in runners. Overuse and rapid increases in mileage are the two main culprits that affect your Achilles tendon. Only rest will take away the effects of Achilles tendonitis. Getting a properly fitted shoe is one way to support this issue from not happening.

If you see the trend that overuse is always the main problem with running injuries. The reality is you don't have to do so many miles like most people think. With proper heart rate training, you can train with faster workouts which are less miles and less wear and tear on the body. Interval, tempo, and threshold runs are a bigger key to running success and are a lot less miles.

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Don't Run To Buy A Pair Of Running Shoes!

The runner has to be very careful and has to consider many factors before selecting or buying a pair of running shoes. Some of the factors that has to be considered are

• weight of the shoes
• shape of the shoes
• location where the runner plans to use the shoe
• style of running
• arch of the runner’s foot
• budget provisions

It is always better to visit a store that specialises in selling running shoes. They are the best people to suggest and are very knowledgeable about the product they are dealing and will have great deal of information and will also suggest the runner which shoes are the best for him.

Many of these shops will have treadmills and video cameras set up and they will have the clients run on the treadmill and take video of their feet. This will provide a lot of information to the runner. The runner can screen the video clippings and see for himself how he is striking the ground while running and also whether he is over-pronating or under-pronating. The staff’s working in these stores is specialists in dealing with this product and will be able to guide the runner to make the best choice.

Some of the stores allow the buyer to take the running shoes outdoors and go for a short run while others have treadmill for trying out purposes.

If proper care is not taken when selecting the right type of running shoes, the runner may suffer physical discomforts like shin splints, tendonitis and plantar faciatis. When deciding on the runner shoe the amount of support needed in the shoe also has to be considered.

It is always better to visit a specialist shop before deciding on the runner shoe. They not only suggest the kind of shoe suitable for the runner but also recommend a shoe that will work for the life style of the runner.

Various types of shoes are available for different sports like marathon race, casual running or a sprint running.

Before deciding on the purchase take suggestions from people who run on a regular basis and use a particular brand of shoes and consider the feedback received from them.

Another important point to be considered is to use two different kinds of shoes - one for running and the other for everyday use. The main reason for this is that the foot tends to expand when running long distances.

If the right size and shoe is not chosen it may cause the skin under the toe nails to bruise which in turn will cause the toe nails to fall off. Finding the right shoe is definitely important for your health and enjoyment of the sport.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Thomas

Heart Rate Training Optimizes Your 5k Training Program

Are you looking for a 5k training program? When you start looking you see many program offering beginner programs and advanced programs. What is interesting is that most beginner programs are too many miles for the average beginner. The key to effective 5k cardio plans is for every person to have their own heart rate profile. With optimal heart rate training every workout will be optimized for the greatest impact for your results. Heart rate training is for advanced and beginners; the difference is the heart rate profile not using a heart rate monitor.

The most effective cardio workout for running faster races and burning fat is interval training. Interval training is short durations of high intensity followed by short durations of low intensity and then repeated. Most programs only offer interval training for advanced programs though effective programming is good for all levels. The key is a person's heart rate profile. The most advanced you are the higher heart rate you want to train at for your interval.

Each person has a different level of fitness associated by their heart rate. As you run the energy required needs a certain consistent heart rate produce the energy. The more fit you are the lower your heart rate is for a given speed. This is why heart rate training is so effective. By finding a person's targeted heart rate profile you can make sure each workout is training in the right zone to optimally improve your performance. Often, people's lack of results comes from not training hard enough, or very common with cardio runners is overtraining by running with too high of a heart rate on every workout.

What is important for your metabolism and race speed is the rate at which you burn calories not how many calories you burn. This is why walkers and people who run mile after mile seem to never achieve their results. The more calories you burn the more calories you need to eat to restore energy back to your muscles cells. It is challenging your muscles to burn more energy by going harder relative to your fitness level forces your metabolism to improve and than makes you fun faster and burn more fat. People after completing an interval workout burn more fat 24 hours after their workout than any other form of cardio or strength exercise.

Though the interval workout is important it isn't the only workout that makes an effective 5k running program. Two other key workouts is a threshold workout and a long day. The threshold workout is a medium intensity workout that almost no person does. The reason why is people can always go harder and there is this myth that you have to push yourself in every work to your max. The other reason is people go on their slow steady pace never picking up the pace for a shorter run. An optimal threshold workout is between 15-30 min. If you can last longer than 30 min. you should run faster. When you run at your threshold level you are at the max at what your aerobic metabolism can burn for energy. When you go harder your anaerobic metabolism is kicked in to produce the needed extra energy. A threshold workout trains your body to burn energy the most effectively utilizing oxygen. It is the best workout for creating a good race pace.

The long day is the last workout you need every week in your 5k training program. Having running session that go for slower speeds and longer durations trains your body to burn fat and increases effectiveness of burning energy while running. You only need to do one long day a week and spending hours doing cardio during every workout may be a key reason why you are no longer seeing results.

To truly see your results you want a program that creates a personal heart rate profile. The charts on most treadmills are not accurate and the doctors who came up with the charts admit they made them up as a best guess for insurance companies and were never supposed to use as training heart rates. The other major key as you continue to run is a 5k program that uses specific and multiple threshold and interval workouts. The workout that worked for the first month won't work for the second as your body needs a new stimulus. With proper heart rate profiles you will be running your first or fastest 5k in no time.

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