Why You Should Focus On Making Improvements Exercise Equipment

Exercise Equipment to Give Your Whole Body a Workout

If you've been to a gym that is professional, you've seen equipment that allows you to work out your entire body. It can range from expensive professional equipment, heavy-duty, and powerful to smaller, do-it all machines that you can use at home.

Whatever equipment you are using, be sure to "bake-in" progression and regression to aid your clients or students improve their fitness. And remember that even the most effective exercise equipment only produces results when used regularly.

All-in-One Exercise Systems

All-in-one exercise systems combine the functions of several pieces of equipment into one unit. They typically have an squat rack and bench to help with strength training, as well as a variety of attachments to perform a variety of exercises to target muscles in the shoulders, arms abdominal, back, and legs. Some might have the pulley system and cable to offer resistance for weight training. Some all-in-one exercise systems such as the Life Fitness G7 Home Gym have an adjustable resistance system which allows you to change the amount of weight you are using with a pin without having to get up from your chair. Some of these equipments are easily foldable or stowable, which helps to make space.

Certain all-in-one exercise systems employ an elastomer-based rod known as Power Rods that create tension to replace traditional iron weights. All-in-one models like the Total Gym and Bowflex systems use this type of technology. These systems let you train your whole body without the use of weights. However, they do require that you perform some exercises for strength using your own body weight.

Other all-in one exercise systems come with a combination of both weights and a pulley and cable system, such as the BodyCraft X3 System. It comes with two 200-pound weight stacks that allows you to perform numerous different exercises for strengthening. It has a variety of attachments including short and longer bars with dual D-handles, single and double and stirrup handles.

Other all-in-one exercise systems, like the Tonal and Tempo Studio, include technology that helps to ensure the correct posture during your exercise routine. Both systems utilize 3D sensors to track the position of 25 joints, and compare them to reference points, such as a mirror, to assist you in determining when your form is off. They provide real-time feedback to help you get to regain your posture. This feature can help reduce your chance of injury and ensure that you are targeting the right muscles in the best way you can. This is particularly important when training athletes to take part in sports. For instance, if you're doing upper-body exercises that is related to running blocking, you must ensure that you're targeting the muscle groups required by the sport.

Weights

Weight training improves the strength of bones, muscle mass, and balance. It also burns calories. Athletes can train with weights that are free (dumbbells, barbells) and machines that offer instructions for movement or cables with handles and bars to perform a variety of pull exercises. Resistance bands provide resistance to exercises using body weight and can be a great option to incorporate them into training for younger athletes or those with no access to weights.

When using weights, coaches must be cautious about putting young athletes into low rep ranges which can lead to muscle soreness and injuries. High and middle school should use weights that can be lifted at least six times in proper form.

Tubing or Resistance Bands

Tubing and resistance bands provide an alternative to exercise with weights. Professional athletes across all sports use them to improve performance and increase strength and power, and build muscles without having to use heavy weights.

Since nearly a century, elastic resistance training has been used. It's now used by athletes of all ages and fitness levels to train and improve the strength of muscles, speed and agility. Tubes and resistance bands can be used to create a complete workout. They are lightweight and inexpensive.

Flat resistance bands consist of strips of latex or stretchy fabrics. They are equipped with handles on both ends. They can be rolled up and stored in a backpack or suitcase when not in use. They are lighter than a tube resistance band and can be used for a variety of exercises.

Tube resistance bands are hollow, cylindrical tubes made of a rubber or plastic compound. They are designed to be attached to a bar or door or pole, or any other stationary object. These bands are great for pulling and pushing exercises. They offer various levels of resistance based on their thickness and tension. They are also more resilient than regular flat resistance bands and many come with a snap-guard inbuilt that stops overstretching.

The primary advantage of training with elastic resistance is the ability to change the direction of pull during an exercise. For instance, a research performed at Brigham Young University showed that changing the direction of force on a squat or step exercise by directing the tubing or band towards the front of your leg altered the focus of the muscles like the hamstring and quad.

Another benefit of using resistance bands or tubing is that they are a good option for athletes who prefer working independently instead of working with a trainer or group. They're also great for traveling as you can pack them into a suitcase, or backpack, and still have access to your favorite workout routines.

Aerobic Machines

Cardio exercises increase endurance and strength in the cardiovascular system. They also help in burning calories and release feel-good chemicals known as endorphins. Some of the most common kinds of cardiovascular exercises include walking or jogging, using an elliptical machine or a stationary bike and climbing on a stair-climber. While these exercises can be done outdoors however, indoor gym equipment is typically preferred due to a variety of reasons. Cardio equipment has the main benefit of providing the control of an environment that allows for a customized exercise. Many machines also offer built-in monitors to track heart rate, time and distance for more precise workouts.

Treadmills are a low-impact cardiovascular exercise that can be used for walking, running or stair-climbing. Users can also adjust their speed, incline and resistance level.  index  make treadmills an ideal choice for those suffering from knee problems or looking to tone up without putting too much stress on their joints.

Stair climbers have become a popular fitness equipment because they exercise both the lower and upper bodies at the same time and burn a lot of calories. Designed to mimic a never-ending climb up a flight of stairs, stair climbers build strength in the core and legs while targeting muscles in the back, arms and shoulders.

The Jacob's Ladder offers a challenging, total-body workout. This unique piece of equipment shaped as a ladder with separate rungs which serve as foot platforms. The rungs are attached to a chain that is constantly moving as the user climbs. The ladder moves at a pace determined by the user’s climbing speed.

Stationary treadmills and stationary bikes are also popular cardio machines. They offer a full body, low-impact cardiovascular exercise. These machines allow users to adjust the resistance level in order to focus on specific muscle groups. Certain ellipticals come with a "Rolling Hills" program that alters the resistance of the machine to simulate biking or running up hills. Other ellipticals or stationary bikes come with interval training programs to increase endurance.