All entries posted by Chicago Home Fitness Experts

Don't Hit The Gym Without A Partner

Posted by Chicago Home Fitness Experts on Sunday Jan 23, 2011 1:30 pm

As printed in the Wall Street Journal.

CARDIO TRAINER
While its main function is to serve as a pedometer that uses your phone's built-in GPS to track your distance, route and calories burned, Cardio Trainer also comes with a suite of separetely available (but free) add-ons like "Weight Loss" and "Resolutions" to keep you motivated. The latter, in particular, helps you stick to, say, three workouts a week by asking you to pledge a certain amount of money to charity if you don't meet your weight-loss or workout goals.

Free: worksmartlabs.com

NIKEWOMEN TRAINING CLUB
Need a coach to teach you technique and motivate you as you exercise? The recently redesigned NikeWomen Training Club does just that, thanks to a simple interface that lets you choose workouts based on goals (strength, toning or weight loss) or time (everything from targeted 15-minute workouts to more involved 30- and 45-minute routines.) Click on a program and let the virtual coaches talk you through (and demo via video) each exercise - a mix of cardio and weight-training - all set to a soundtrack you create from your iTunes library.

Free: nike.com

FITNESSCLASS
The 230 streaming video classes available here - everything from boot camp -style weight-loss sessions to stress-reducing yoga - put most other gym apps to shame. The classes are perfect for squeezing in a workout on the fly since they come in schedule-sensitive segments of as little as 10 minutes or as much as 60 minutes. If you're embarrassed to try pilates in public, this could be the ticket.

$3 - $8 for individual classes and 30-day class passes
pumpone.com

How to shop for fitness equipment

Posted by Chicago Home Fitness Experts on Wednesday Dec 29, 2010 12:49 pm

With the New Year close and resolutions just around the corner it is time to review how to buy equipment. The first thing to do is discuss the goals of all the people in the family using the equipment. Chose the type of equipment based on what is most likely to be used.

Pick a room that you frequent regularly, try not to hide your equipment. Out of site out of mind is not an option for achieving goals. You should have a good television straight ahead of your equipment and slightly above head level. You do not want to get a neck ache while you exercise and head slightly up and straight is the best neck position for exercise.

If you do online research look at only quality points and features you think are important. Most equipment review sites are paid or commissioned affiliate sites. Even some of the magazines who take advertising dollars are forced to review the product favorably. The major consumer magazine does not take advertising but the product they review is not always current and sometimes can be wrong. It is a good baseline for brands to look for and points to consider.

Now get on some comfortable cloths and go and try some equipment. Your body will tell you what works best for you. Remember if they are pushing an extended warrantee they don’t have faith in the machine or they are getting paid well for selling extended warrantees. Most times they do not cover wear and tear. Good luck in your quest.

Let cross-training help you run injury-free!

Posted by Chicago Home Fitness Experts on Wednesday Dec 29, 2010 12:47 pm

Cross-training is a great way to keep you injury-free to help ensure a good year of running. Elliptical training, bike riding, resistance training, and vibration training are all ways to add cross-training to your program.

Elliptical training uses all the large muscles of the lower body like running, but hits them at different angles. If you train at 70% of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age), you get the cardiovascular benefits of running. It’s a great workout without the risk of causing an overuse injury. Using an elliptical with a ramp gives you even more cross-training benefits because it gives you more workout options. Some incline elliptical trainers can have as many as 20 different elliptical paths. These different paths recruit different muscles, again helping to prevent muscle imbalances.

Bike riding strengthens your quadriceps to help prevent runner’s knee issues. Training on a bike at 70% of your maximum heart rate will, like an elliptical, keep your cardiovascular system strong for running.

Strength training will keep your core strong and help you maintain good running form. A twenty- minute, three-times-a-week strength program will also help strengthen any muscle imbalances that running can add to. Strength training can be done in many different ways: Stability balls, stretch tubes, dumbbells, home gyms, or functional trainers are all excellent choices.

Vibration training has hit the running world by storm. It’s one of those things you have to try to believe. Some people use it to warm their muscles before a run, while some use it to relieve soreness afterwards. This machine works by vibrating at up to 50 Hz, causing up to 90% of your muscles to fire (fast and slow twitch). The vibration causes large amounts of blood to flow to the muscle which also helps remove lactic acid.

Whatever form of cross-training you choose, the experts at Chicago Home Fitness can listen to your individual needs and set you up with the right home exercise program. They can help you add cross-training to your running no matter what your budget. Just go to chicagohomefitness.com to find a location near you. It’s a “touch and feel” type of place so bring some comfortable clothes!

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