Archive for February, 2010

Lose Weight and Build Muscle with Nordik Trak Home Fitness

February 28th, 2010

Nordic Track is the name for home fitness: treadmills, elliptical trainers, steppers and more! For affordable, durable exercise equipment with workout enhancing features, Nordik Trak muscles out the competition. From our Incline Trainer, favorite of fitness star Jillian Michaels, to our Classic Pro Skier and revolutionary strength training machines, whats missing in your home gym?

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Spring Break ‘09: WEDNESDAY Part 2

February 27th, 2010

More of the Octagonal Amrep. Then onto my favorite truck, the LNG Elliptical Amrep.

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Elliptical Exercise Equipment – What to Look For When Buying

February 26th, 2010


Image : http://www.flickr.com

Buying elliptical exercise equipment? There are so many different brands and types of ellipticals out there – it can get confusing! How do you know which one is best for you and how do you avoid buying a lemon?

In order to keep things simple and have the very best buying experience, here are 3 key tips to help you choose the best elliptical exercise equipment:

#1) Price

If you want a quality elliptical trainer, be prepared to spend at least $800. Why? Because most ellipticals under this price point just aren’t built to stand up over the long haul.

Example: My $400 elliptical that I bought from a department store several years back lasted 3 months – 4 if you count the last month it was used as a clothes hanger in my living room.

After 3 months it developed a loud squeaking noise that couldn’t be fixed – no matter how long or hard my handyman husband worked on it.

If I’d been smart enough to spend a bit more, I’d probably still have the elliptical today. In the end it was a huge waste of money and time.

So the bottom line is this: If you’re really serious about getting in shape, you deserve to invest in a piece of exercise equipment that’s going to last you – so be ready to spend a bit more on your elliptical trainer. If you consider how long the elliptical will last you, you actually SAVE money over the long term.

#2) Who Are You Buying It From?

While there are lots of places the sell elliptical exercise equipment – both online and off, make sure they have several years of experience and a solid return policy. If a company has experience selling elliptical equipment, this will make your transaction (and shipping) go much more smoothly.

A solid return policy also gives you peace of mind when buying your elliptical. For example, even if you try your elliptical out in a store, you might get it home and find that after a week it strains your arms or hurts your hips. You want to know that you can return your elliptical without a hassle.

Many specialty fitness stores will offer some kind of return policy and most experienced online elliptical stores also offer you a standard 30 day return policy. But it’s always important to check before you buy.

#3) Upper Body Arms

The beauty of an elliptical trainer is that it offers you a total body workout.

Whereas treadmills and recumbent bikes tend to work mainly the lower body only, ellipticals offer you a chance to burn calories and build strength using upper body arm handles. This means more calories burned in less time.

Surprisingly enough however, not all elliptical trainers offer upper body arms with their units. Make sure you choose an elliptical with upper body workout arms included if this is an option you want.

It usually won’t cost you extra to have upper body arms however one note of caution: Many of the cheaper ellipticals don’t necessarily have the coordination between the arms and legs exactly right. This can result in injury or a less efficient workout.

Rule of Thumb: You should not have to lean over to use the upper body arms.

So there are three things to consider when buying elliptical exercise equipment. Keep these things in mind and you’ll save yourself time and loads of frustration!

Kathryn ONeill writes for Elliptical Trainer Reviews offering the latest elliptical brand reviews, ratings and discount links.

For more the latest elliptical best buys, sales and product reviews visit http://www.EllipticalTrainerReview.com

Reprint Rights: Proper Author Credit must be given and all links MUST be Clickable

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Top 5 Treadmill Workout Tips to Flatten Your Abs – Presented by Smoothfitness.com

February 25th, 2010

Did you know that you can get flat sexy abs without doing sit ups? With my top five treadmill workout tips you will literally walk your way to six pack ABS! Tight abs are not the result of countless sit ups! Instead they are derived from a complete body workout that engages all of the body’s muscles while burning fat.

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What Is The Amount Of Calories Burned On An Elliptical Trainer?

February 24th, 2010

Elliptical trainers are a great way to stay fit and because they exercise the arms and the legs as well as giving you a very good cardiovascular workout they are fast being seen as one of the best ways to stay fit. It is also time saving to use one of these machines because you are exercising everything at once there is no need to use a variety of different machines. In fact, you can get a really great workout in around half an hour using an elliptical trainer.

Interestingly enough, many people use them not so much to keep fit but instead to effective lose weight so naturally one of the most important things to them is the amount of calories burned on an elliptical trainer during a workout.

Of course there is no one set in stone answer to the question on the amount of calories burned on an elliptical trainer. It is actually very dependent on how well you use the exercise machine. After all, if you just use the machine on it’s lowest setting for a short amount of time then it is not likely that you will burn that many calories. Even so, some exercise is better then no exercise so it is still a good idea and even if you do not burn too many calories you should still get some benefit from it actually performing the exercise. The real fitness and weight loss comes from exercising for around 30 minutes then you will really begin to see some advantages to using an elliptical trainer over a treadmill or stair climber.

A good workout on an elliptical trainer can give you real benefits to both your health and fitness and you can begin to notice a difference in your overall health and physique rather quickly. If used properly an elliptical trainer can tone your body better and significantly improve your fitness level. When trying to determine how many calories burned on an elliptical trainer per person the truth is it can depend on your size as well as how you use the machine. An average sized woman can expect to burn around 400 calories on a good workout while a small woman may burn as little as just over 300. If you are bigger then you are usually using more energy to do the same thing as you have more weight to move.

So the calories burned on an elliptical trainer can depend both on how use the machine and what size you are but they are, as well as being good for weight loss, some of the most efficient machines that you can use to raise your fitness level and they can also do it with less trouble and quicker than most other forms of exercise.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Elliptical-Trainer-Solutions.com. He provides more elliptical trainer ratings, recommendations and information on the amount of calories burned on an elliptical trainer that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

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The xRide Experience

February 23rd, 2010

A descriptive look at the new Octane Fitness xride after a rigorous workout, highlighting many of the new positive features that set this elliptical apart from the rest.

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Finding The Best Elliptical Machine – A Recommendation For Every Price Range

February 22nd, 2010

Choosing the best elliptical machine is all a matter of figuring out what you want to do with it. Whether you’re a serious athlete cross training for a medal, or an old guy looking to give your heart a boost three times a week as per doctor’s orders, your elliptical needs will be different. Here are three suggestions. These are 3 of the most consistently highly ranked ellipticals.

Best For A Serious Workout

If you are serious about personalizing your workout and getting the most out of your machine, the Precor EFX 5.17i might be the machine for you. Precor is often considered the best elliptical designer in the industry. They have more patents than any other elliptical manufacturer, and build some of the smoothest machines.

The EFX 5.71 has 4 different programs and 20 resistance levels. With all of these options, you can keep your routine varied and interesting. These features also help you to exercise different parts of your body.

You may have used a Precor in your local gym or fitness center before. These models are often used commercially because of their high quality. There are ellipticals that have more features and programmable options, but for a good overall package, Precors are great. They are sturdy and reliable, and relatively easy to use compared to other commercial grade machines.

You can buy a new Precor EFX 5.71 for $2,800.

Best Mid-Range Elliptical

If you want a good, comfortable machine, the Smooth CE 3.2 may be the one. Smooth ellipticals really live up to their name. They use a heavy duty flywheel, rather than the usual rollers most machines use, and this makes for a much more comfortable ride. Being comfortable and relaxed when you work out is important, and the Smooth can’t be beat.

Smooth was one of the first companies to make their machines with movable handlebars. Now, it’s hard to even imagine using one without. Smooth’s design can’t be beat for maximum comfort and efficiency in working out your whole body.

This model also has preset functions in case you want to give yourself a challenge. You don’t have to, of course, but features such as resistance levels and user profiles can add a lot to your workout.

Smooth CE 3.2’s usually retail for about $2,000, but with a little shopping around you can probably find one for around $1,500.

Best Affordable Model

If you’re just looking for a quality machine to run on and don’t need special features or programs, the Sole E25 is the most recommended machine. It is well built, and comes at a reasonable price. Many consider the Sole E25 to be the best elliptical available for under $2,000.

Soles are comfortable because they use a flywheel instead of rollers, and they have fully adjustable foot pedals. This is a feature most ellipticals do not have. You can adjust practically everything on these machines, and get the most comfortable workout possible.

Soles are also sturdy. The E25 can hold up to 300 pounds without pushing it. And, if you feel like challenging yourself, there are options such as resistance settings to challenge yourself with.

Choosing the best elliptical machine is not easy. First, you should know what you’re looking for. Don’t pay extra for features you don’t need. Elliptical prices can get up into the stratosphere. Know what you need and how much you’d like to spend before you go shopping.

You can also find more information at Elliptical Machines and Elliptical Trainer Reviews. Bestellipticalreviews.com is a comprehensive resource to get reviews about elliptical.

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Build Muscle & Lose Fat

February 21st, 2010

Loss fat and gain muscle. www.bodyperformancetv.com www.steveturano.com

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Youll love the Nordic Track Space Saver Plus Elliptical!

February 20th, 2010

The Nordic Track Space Saver Plus Elliptical: intensify your cardio and muscle training in the comfort of your own home! This unique trainer allows you to change the length of your stride: Shortest, to burn calories and tighten thighs, and longest, for lean legs and lifted buns. With 10 built in workouts, a fun DVD and healthy eating guide, you can own this wonder for as low as 29.99/mo!

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Tips For Buying a Used Elliptical Trainer

February 19th, 2010


Image : http://www.flickr.com

Elliptical trainers are one of the most popular pieces of home exercise equipment. But they can also come with a hefty price tag. Buying a used elliptical trainer is one way of getting a quality machine at a reasonable price. These tips will ensure you get a bargain and not end up with a lemon.

Some people have great intentions of starting an exercise program but don’t carry it through. These are the best people to get a used elliptical from. The machine may have only been used once or twice and then put away in cupboard. You can find these type of sales on local private notice boards, on eBay and on Craigslist.

Before you go and view the machine make sure that you know as much about the model as possible. You also want to know what the current selling price for a new model is. Just because the model cost the seller $1500 last year doesn’t mean that’s what it would cost now. There maybe various companies that are selling it as an ‘end of line’ at roughly the same price as a used elliptical trainer.

By their nature elliptical trainers are subject to quite a lot of wear and tear. They also have a nasty habit of breaking down and repairs can be expensive. Check to see where an elliptical has been used. If you are buying it from a gym, it could well have been used continuously and therefore much nearer the end of its working life.

In the last few years there has been a move towards a greater number of features in terms of the quality of the onboard computer, the number of programs available and little extras like a coolaire fan. Check out the features of the used elliptical trainer before you consider buying it. It maybe somewhat out of date.

The last thing to do before parting with any cash for a second hand elliptical, is to try it out. Check that the machine is sturdy and that the mechanism gives a smooth ride with no jerks. Check that the computer is working and all the programs function.

You can get a bargain by buying a used elliptical trainer. Just follow these common sense tips to make sure the machine will be a good long-term investment.

Discover which are the best space saver ellipticals at http://www.my-elliptical-trainer.com You’ll also discover the latest on Trimline ellipticals

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