Frequently Asked Questions - Ask Us
Q: Do you offer financing or lay-a-way?
Chicago Home Fitness offers many interest-free financing options, from 3 Months Interest-Free to 24 Months Interest-Free. We also offer our everyday low monthly payment option.
Q: What forms of payment do you accept?
Chicago Home Fitness accepts cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, and The Home Fitness Card.
Q: Can I buy the same products I'm using at my health club?
Yes. You can purchase the same health club models from our stores.
Q: How do I maintain my new treadmill? Elliptical? Bike? Home gym?
All equipment should be wiped down after being used. Simple Green cleaner can help to remove any sweat, dirt, or debris buildup.
Treadmills: Many of today’s treadmills are maintenance-free, though several still require lubrication under the walking belt. This can be performed once or twice yearly with a lubrication stick (sold at any of our stores.)
Ellipticals: Many of today’s ellipticals are maintenance-free. We would recommend keeping the elevation ramps, wheels, and wheels tracks clean and clear of dirt and debris.
Home gyms: Many of today’s home gyms are maintenance-free. Lubrication of the guide rods (where the weight plates glide up and down) should be performed once or twice yearly (lubrication kits can be purchased at any of our stores.)
How high does my ceiling need to be?
Most treadmills and ellipticals will raise the user 6-12 inches off the floor. An ideal height is to allow for an extra 12” above the tallest user. (A 6 foot tall person would want a 7 foot high ceiling)
Q: How does the warranty work?
Should you ever need service on your fitness equipment, whether in warranty or out of warranty, you can count on Chicago Home Fitness. We will send out a factory-trained technician to diagnose and repair any problem you may have.
Q: How much space do I need for my new treadmill? Elliptical? Bike? Home gym?
Treadmills: Most treadmills, regardless of folding or non-folding designs, will need a usable space of 3 feet in width by 6-7 feet in length.
Ellipticals: Most ellipticals, regardless of folding or non-folding designs, will need a usable space of 3 feet in width by 6-7 feet in length.
Bikes: Most upright exercise bikes will need a usable space of 3 feet in width by 4 feet in length. Most recumbent exercise bikes will need a usable space of 3 feet in width by 5-6 feet in length
Gyms: Home gyms can vary in size, from as small as 3 feet wide by 6 feet long to as large as 10 feet by 10 feet.
Q: How do I use my new equipment?
Be sure to ask one of our fitness professionals for your free, in-home equipment demonstration. Chicago Home Fitness works closely with Chicago’s top personal trainers to help you get started on a fitness regimen that’s right for you.
Q: How do I get my new equipment delivered and setup in my home?
For an additional charge, Chicago Home Fitness offers White Glove delivery service. Your new home fitness center will be delivered to your home, placed in the room of your choice, and completely assembled. Our delivery technicians will also remove all of the packaging and thoroughly test your new equipment.
Q. The equipment at the gym displays the total number of calories burned per workout. Is there any way to know what percentage of these are fat calories?
This can be precisely determined through gas exchange testing. However, as a rule of thumb, for lower to moderate intensity workouts, up to 50% of the calories may be fat calories depending on the individual's muscles ability to burn fat. Training in the lower intensity zones improves the muscle capacity to burn fat during exercise.
-- Lesley Mettler, CT, AFAA, USATF
Q. What and when should I eat before a workout?
Q. Do you get as good a workout on the elliptical as you do on the treadmill?
Yes, on the elliptical, you have a lower rate of perceived exertion, so sometimes it doesn't seem that you're getting as intense of a workout on the elliptical as you are on the treadmill. Other benefits of the elliptical:
* The Precor EFX546 elliptical has an inclining CrossRamp that simulates hill training. You alter the ramp to target different muscle groups.
* There is virtually no impact, so less potential for impact related injury.
* Like the treadmill, you can vary courses and ramps to keep your exercises interesting.
-- Emily Cooper, M.D.
Q. Why does my foot go numb when I'm exercising on the elliptical or stair climber?
This sounds like a neuroma on the bottom of the foot which is an inflammation surrounding a nerve bundle. This is not caused by a specific exercise but rather consistent and prolonged weight bearing while exercising. Fortunately, this neurological nuisance can be alleviated by doing the following:
* Loosen shoelaces if numbness or tingling occur.
* Be sure your shoes have a wide toebox and that the toes have plenty of room to wiggle.
* Try a metatarsal pad insert in the shoe to take the pressure off the metatarsals. The metatarsals are the bones of the forefoot beginning atthe base of the toes (but not the toe bones) and extending towards the heel.
* Use toe spreaders (used in pedicures) daily for about 15 minutes to help stretch the ligaments between the toes.
* Focus on technique, keep the heel down and in good contact with the foot pedals on the machine.
* Keep calves stretched.
-- Scott Jurek, RPT
Q. Are free weights or weight machines better?
While neither free weights nor machines are better for every person and every exercise, they each have their advantages and disadvantages. Free weights, for instance, force you to engage your core and other muscles to maintain balance and postural control. They also more closely mimic real world activities and motions. Weight machines, on the other hand, force you to maintain a specific range of motion and are generally better at isolating specific muscles.
-- Jessica Smith, Fitness Consultant
Q. How can I optimize my workouts for weight loss?
An important factor in exercising for weight loss is to be at the proper exercise intensity. You'll want to be sure that when you are on the stepper, in your spin class or running at 6mph, you are still in an aerobic zone, meaning you can carry on a conversation without being breathless. If you are above this intensity, you're not in the fat burning zones and over time, won't train your system to burn more calories during exercise.
Strength training can be very helpful for weight loss as it helps to build muscle which in turn helps you burn more calories throughout the day. Be sure to include a warm up and cool down consisting of very low intensity aerobic training, either on an elliptical, treadmill or bike before and after the weight training.
Try to increase your frequency of aerobic exercise to four or five days per week which is recommended for weight loss and general health promotion. Proper nutrition also can aid in weight loss by providing key nutrients needed for metabolism. Active women who restrict their caloric intake too much can actually lose muscle mass which slows down metabolism and can lead to increased body fat percentages and even weight gain over time.
-- Emily Cooper, M.D.
Q. Is there data on whether or not more pressure is applied to the foot using the elliptical machine vs. running or walking on a treadmill?
While the pressure is constant on the elliptical, it is much lower than that of running or walking on the treadmill due to the lack of impact forces. With running, the impact of landing applies much larger amounts of pressure due to the momentum and forces of the body weight traveling vertically and horizontally, distributed across the surface of the foot. This is why the elliptical can be safely used as a crosstraining tool for injured runners, including those suffering from stress fractures in the lower extremity.
-- Emily Cooper, M.D
Q. I am a big fan and user of the Precor ellipticals at the YMCA here in the Bay Area. I know why my hip flexors are stronger, but why are my lower abs getting a workout?
The moving platform requires that the abdominals stabilize the torso. Some stability can also come from the hip flexors as they compensate for any remaining instability. Therefore, both muscle groups get worked. This is especially true at the lower ramp and resistance settings when you can really mimic a running motion.
-- Emily Cooper, M.D.
Q. We have several workout machines in our office and I want to use them, but I'm confused about the different heart rate zones
This is a great question that many people ask. It is important to realize that the body has two different fuels it converts to energy: carbohydrates and fats. The body burns these fuels in different proportions depending on your fitness and the intensity of your workout. Your body stores fewer carbohydrates than fat, yet it accesses the carbohydrates more easily. So the goal is to make your body more efficient at burning the stored fat while sparing the carbohydrates. Working out at higher heart rates will burn more carbohydrate calories in the short term, but it is working out in the lower zones that trains your body to become efficient at fat burning. In turn, this improves your endurance and aerobic fitness, eventually leading to a faster metabolic rate during exercise. This means that over time, you can burn as many calories at a low intensity as you were previously burning at a high intensity. With proper training this can happen in as little as three to six months.
Therefore, the best intensity for weight loss is one that seems 'fairly light' to 'somewhat hard'. Often people who cannot lose weight, or who even gain weight despite high intensity exercise and restrictive dieting, find success through a combination of slowing down their exercise, and improving the quality of their diet. This approach is not only more effective, but it's more fun and easier to stick to long-term!
-- Emily Cooper, M.D.
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