If you like to do work outs at home then treadmill is the first machine, which comes to mind. Walking or jogging on a treadmill is very beneficial for your thighs and calf muscles. You can do workouts anytime inside your home.

Tonar treadmill is a good buy and you can fold and keep it anywhere, and save space at home. Most of us buy a treadmill and the first month we work on it and later on we don’t use it at all. To remain fit and reduce fat people need to workout at least 3-4 times a week. There are hundreds of treadmills available in the market and choosing a treadmill is very difficult. While choosing a treadmill you need to know the warranty period of the treadmill provided by the company, whether the treadmill can be used for hours without any problem and the thickness of the walking deck and whether the treadmill can absorb shock (shock absorbers).

You've Been a Dedicated Treadmill User For Years, Is It Time To Give The Elliptical Trainer A Try?

The treadmill has typically been the most popular piece of exercise equipment for both at home and in traditional gyms. Nevertheless, the recent popularity of the impact free elliptical trainer has given the treadmill a run for its money. Let's examine the elliptical trainer versus the treadmill. How does it compare? What are the benefits of each? Is one better than the other?

Both the elliptical trainer and treadmill are great for beginners.

First off, both the elliptical trainer and the treadmill are excellent equipment for getting a great workout for your heart. The treadmill is terrific for beginners because you can start out at a slower pace and work your way up to a light jog and even a full out run.

Besides the speed, you can also adjust the treadmill's incline giving you a greater workout of your hamstrings, quadriceps and gluteus.

The elliptical is also fantastic for beginners. Mimicking the same movement as walking, the elliptical trainer is easy to learn and use.

The elliptical trainer provides a low impact workout versus the treadmill.

The elliptical's low impact movement makes it a great choice for anyone with joint, ankle, hip or back problems. The elliptical trainer is low impact because your feet remaining on the pedals throughout the movement, there is no impact on the ground. In fact, scientific research has proven that the elliptical trainer is a more favourable exercise for overweight patients or individuals with back, knee, or other lower leg limitations.

The treadmill is not considered a low impact exercise. Yes, the treadmill mat is less jarring than running on cement; however, your joints still absorb a significant amount of impact every time you step down onto the mat. In fact, on a treadmill, your body is absorbing up to two and half times your body weight.

The elliptical trainer versus the treadmill; both provide similar physiological benefits.

Research studies have proven that elliptical trainers and treadmills are virtually identical in terms of heart rate, perceived exertion and oxygen retention. 2 So, when evaluating the elliptical trainer versus the treadmill, you are getting the same quality cardiovascular exercise and training benefits no matter which machine you choose.

The elliptical trainer with handlebars provides a great cross training work out versus the treadmill.

The elliptical or oval shaped motion of the elliptical trainer mimics the normal motion of the foot, the extension of the leg and the rotation of the hip during walking or running. This elliptical motion uses all of your leg muscles, giving you a very effective lower body workout.

In addition to this fantastic lower body workout, an elliptical trainer with handlebars concurrently works your upper body. Approximately 30 percent of your upper body gets a workout. The treadmill only works the lower body. In fact, many treadmill users ‘cheat' by hanging onto the handrail provided on the machine. Research shows that by hanging on, treadmill users are not burning as many calories and are creating an unnatural running stride.

Not only will get you get toned arms using an elliptical trainer versus the treadmill, but the arm action actually causes your heart rate to climb more quickly. In theory, this means you need less time to achieve more results.

If you are a runner, the treadmill allows you to mimic your outdoor running whereas the elliptical does not.

If you train for running events, then a treadmill is likely your preferred choice. The treadmill allows you to train indoors while performing the same exercise that you do outside. The elliptical trainer will give you an excellent workout, but may not prepare you as well as the treadmill does.

Exercise bikes are still very popular pieces of equipment in the home fitness field. Although treadmills has taken over the number one sales spot, exercise bikes still get plenty of attention. No doubt, many people are drawn to them because of the familiarity of design. What can be simpler than the design of a bicycle? And riding a bicycle has very good health benefits as we all know.

But which exercise bike is best for you? Actually, the first question to ask is which exercise bike type best for you? You need to answer that question because there are two main types or styles of exercise bikes available for sale. One is the upright bike and the other is the recumbent bike. The upright style looks most like a normal bicycle with a seat and handlebars, and pedals underneath. The recumbent style of exercise bike can look completely different, with a seat that you actually lay in while you work the pedals out in front of you. Either type of exercise bike seems to perform well when it comes to giving you a good thorough cardio workout. So the choice is actually a matter of preference rather then effectiveness.

But which models seem to be rated the best overall? There have been several independent reviews made of exercise bikes over the years, and lots of consumer reviews are available online as well. By going through them, you can get a good feel for both the models that you want to buy, and those that you should stay away from. We have made a search of these available exercise bike reviews and ratings, and here are some recommendations that we can make based on our findings.

1. The Life Fitness C3-5 upright and the Life Fitness R3-5 recumbent bikes are extremely well reviewed and rated highly by almost everyone. In general, Life Fitness exercise bikes seem to get good ratings anyway. But these models enjoy particularly good ratings. They are both packed with features like 20 levels of resistance, an integrated heart rate monitor, and 10 pre-programmed workouts that you can choose from. Another great feature is that they are very solid and sturdy, supporting up to 400 lbs., meaning that even some of the largest consumers will be able to safely use them. And Life Fitness also stands behind their products with a very solid warranty.Expect to pay about $1800 for each.

2. Another manufacturer that gets very high marks in many exercise bike reviews is Schwinn. Of course, Schwinn has been in the bike business for years now, and is no stranger to the exercise bike field. Perhaps one of the best features about Schwinn exercise bikes is how much you get for the money. They don't tend to come loaded up with all the bells and whistles, so if you want all of that you probably need to look elsewhere. But what they do give you is a solid machine for a very good price. For instance the Schwinn 113 upright and Schwinn 213 recumbent models only cost around $600, but they still have a 300 lbs. weight capacity, 16 resistance levels, and 10 programs to choose from, making it a great value in the exercise bike genre. Expect to pay about $600 for these models.

My waist line was slowly growing larger year after year. I always put off getting that gym membership or buying that piece of fitness equipment. Then one day I after seeing a family friend die before his son (whom he thought the world of) graduate high school. I then knew I had to do something.

I went out to the local fitness stores and was surprised by the sheer volume of fitness equipment that was possible to buy. Not to mention the 50 different prices of equpiment that appeared to be the same, at least from my novice perspective.

Then I ran into the store associate who helped me make my decision. Like any good sales person he defined my problem, and presented solutions to my problem.

After hearing what I was looking to do and how much I was looking to spend we settled in on an elliptical trainer.

After taking the elliptical trainer home I began using it daily. The first thing I noticed was how easy it was on my knees, being rather large that was my primary conern, was I actually going to be able to use it long enough to get results.

The second thing I noticed was the quality of the machine, again being rather large I was worried that mid range elliptical I bought may not hold up with daily use.

Finally all my worries were put to rest after six months of continued use. My waist line has deminished considerably and with slight changes in my diet I feel so much better and have so much more self confidence.

It seems that everyone I know that likes to lift weights, has a gym membership. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. I myself have a gym membership and enjoy going to the gym frequently. However, there are many days where it is a big inconvenience for me to have to get out and drive to the gym. Like many bodybuilders, I have a gym bag and certain gym clothes that I have to prepare before I can even leave. That includes supplements and my post workout shake. Well how does somebody get around this inconvenience on those certain days? In this article I plan to tell you just that.

The answer is to bring the gym home! Simply purchase a home gym of some type that you can use any time of the day. There are many benefits to owning a home gym. One benefit is having the freedom to blast your stereo as loud as you want (unless you have restrictions where you live, but still a benefit none the less). Having the stereo pumping at home definitely helps motivate me through some of the toughest workouts. Also, many bodybuilders when first starting out are somewhat self conscious, and feel they have to lift heavier than they should when being watched. When lifting at home, it is easier for a beginner to meet personal bests every week, which in return makes for better quality muscle gains. Yet, another benefit that comes to mind is quick access to a shower without having to use a public one (which I hate!).

So with all the different types of home gyms out there, what type should you get? Don't get me wrong, there are many different quality home gyms out there that will produce great results. However, if you are deep into bodybuilding like I am, then you should know there is only one answer to this question. Get a power rack! A power rack has everything you need, and doesn't take up much room at all. In fact, my power rack allows me to do exercises that my gym doesn't. For some reason my gym doesn't have a power rack, but rather a smythe machine (which uses guides to control the movement of the weights). As any true bodybuilder will tell you, there are three exercises that are practically manditory if you plan to gain any mass. These exercises are squats, deadlifts, and bench press. Power racks allow you to use free weights for all these exercises, and it takes only a minute to switch which exercise you are doing. The best benefit of all however, is the safety pins. These allow you to go as heavy as you want when doing squats or bench press without a spotter.

I am yet to think of one negative aspect of owning a power rack. So, if you plan on purchasing a home gym please make sure you look into a power rack. If you are still not convinced, check out some of the various bodybuilding forums on the internet and ask the members what type of home gym they have. If they are serious about lifting, nearly all of them will answer "Power Rack!" I really do not understand why more people don't own a power rack. I personally would never go without one.

Treadmills are an excellent way to lose excess weight and stay in shape. Walking has long been known for the great health benefits it provides. Heart disease, some cancers and everyday illness are less likely to occur in healthy adults who make exercise a part of their daily activities.

Unfortunately walking on a treadmill is often thought to be extremely boring, so people tend to give it up sooner than anticipated. That doesn't have to be the case though. With a little creativity and thought your workout on the treadmill can be fun again, and you can bring back the enthusiasm you had when you purchased the treadmill.

If you are finding excuses to avoid using your treadmill, it is possible you are simply bored and need a little help to get going again. One simple way to keep you walking is to set your mind on other things. For example walking on the treadmill is a good time to think over decisions you have been putting off. By sending your mind to work on other issues you will forget you are even exercising. The exercise will provide more oxygen to your brain therefore giving you better, clearer thoughts to work out pending decisions.

Another way to rev up your walking workout is to put on fast paced music, and then try to keep walking with the beat. The speeding up and slowing down is good for your workout because then you will develop more endurance.

Watching television is another good way to distract your mind while walking on a treadmill. Turn on your favorite show and start walking. Chances are you will forget once again you are exercising at all. To challenge yourself, on the commercials pick up the pace and jog until your show returns then slow back down to a fast paced walk. This change will be easy to remember and you may find yourself able to jog longer and longer each time you try this approach.

Another way to enhance your workout is to use the incline adjustments. You can program these in on certain machines. This will allow you to work harder and increase weight loss and build muscle tone. Finally if you want to build more muscle in your arms but think there isn't much chance while walking, think again. By carrying dumbbells or even cans of soup in your hands while you walk the arms can get a workout also.

Treadmills are an excellent way to lose weight, maintain weight loss and a healthy body. Although treadmills have gotten a bad rap for being boring, a little creative thinking and your entire workout can be restored, excitement and all.

Treadmill belts make an important part of treadmills. Most often folks in order to save a few dollars end up buying a treadmill with belts that need an early replacement. Wherein, this replacement can cost you more than what you could have spent on buying a treadmill with improved quality belt.

Therefore, while buying a treadmill you must ensure that length and width of the belt is proper to accommodate you. Better go for a trial exercise on the treadmill you are likely to buy. You must also check quality of belt against your comfort level while on workout. In fact it is advisable to go for extensive examination of belt by doing trial workouts of different levels with varying speed and incline. Once you feel comfortable with belt in all such workouts you can strike a deal for that treadmill.

Length of belt in most of the treadmills usually varies between forty five to fifty inches. Normally width is around fifteen to sixteen inches. However, a very obese as well as tall person may feel uncomfortable with this length and width. They may look for an ordered treadmill for desired length and width.

You should constantly keep track of your belt's condition and you must not continue working out on an uncomfortable and frayed treadmill belt. Once belt starts getting thin you should be extra cautious and before it destroys deck of your treadmill you should better replace it.

If you happen to be the owner of a branded treadmill, use facility of replacement belts offered by the company. If you happen to replace your belt within warranty period, the company would offer you a free tread belt.

You should also keep on using belt lubricant. Treadmill belt lubricants could be very effective in minimizing normal wear and tear in your treadmill. If you want to keep your treadmill deck safe you must not give up using lubricants for belts. Constant use of lubricants for belt would increase life of deck and belt. But these belt lubricants should be strictly taken as per the recommendation of treadmill producers. As, all lubricants don't go well with all types of belts.

One point of caution, avoid more than required lubrication of tread belt. By excess lubrication you may end up damaging motor of your treadmill and once this vital part gets disturbed your treadmill would never work properly unless you replace the motor.

So, all folks who do exercise on treadmill should be extremely careful with the care and handling of treadmill parts and treadmill accessories.

If you go into almost any fitness gym in America, you will see a line of exercise bikes, most likely with riders already using them. They have been one of the most popular exercise machines for several years now. Although they seem very simple and easy to use, and they are, they are capable of giving you a very good cardio workout if you use them properly.

Most of the exercise bikes that you see in fitness gyms will probably be the upright kind. However, there are actually two main types or styles of exercise bike in use today. The first is the upright kind that looks most similar to an ordinary bicycle, except that is missing one or both wheels. The second kind of exercise bike is called a recumbent bike, and it can look fairly strange the first time you see it. Rather than sit on an upright seat, you actually lay in the recumbent bike and work the petals with your feet out in front of you.

So when considering an exercise bike for your home fitness workouts, the first choice is whether to get an upright or recumbent bike. Actually, the choice is entirely up to you, and comes down more to which style is most comfortable for you as you exercise. It has been noted though, that those who suffer from chronic back pain may be able to make the most use of a recumbent bike simply because it takes the stress and pressure off their spine as they exercise.

There is actually a third kind of exercise bike although it is not usually thought of in that way. It's called a bike trainer, and it is essentially a stand that you place a real bicycle into in order to lift the rear wheel off the ground and give stability to the bike. There is usually a resistance wheel that makes contact with the rear wheel of the bike and provides the resistance for your workout. If you get a very good model of bike trainer, the stability and ease-of-use will be very good no matter how fast you pedal. One of the advantages of this design is that it lets you use your own bicycle that you may feel very comfortable riding as a virtual exercise machine indoors when you can't use it outdoors. However this solution is not for everyone, even though it is a very inexpensive alternative to exercise bike machines.

Once you have decided on the type or style of exercise bike that you like best, it's time to consider the features of each individual model. Some of the features that are most useful include an interactive heart rate monitor, and a well-designed electronic display.

An interactive heart rate monitor will keep an eye on your pulse rate as you exercise and then adjusts your workout intensity to make sure that you get the most calories burned in each exercise session. This is a real timesaver as it prevents you from having to constantly check your heart rate and make the manual adjustments for resistance on your bike as you go.

The electronic display should be clear and easy to read even when you are peddling fast and at a high intensity level. It should also allow you to make adjustments manually while you are exercising easily and quickly.

The information provided here should help you understand the various kinds of exercise bike equipment that is available and what features are most useful to the average person. And hopefully you can use these suggestions to get the exercise bike that is best for you.

If you're looking for an exercise machine that will give you a good cardio workout without stressing your joints, then maybe an exercise bike is just what you need. Treadmills are still the most popular exercise machine out there, but not everyone can use a treadmill safely, because of the high impact exercise that it asks you to do. If you have very sensitive joints for any reason, you'll have to try a different means of getting a daily workout.

Elliptical trainers can work well for this purpose, but an exercise bike is also a very fine choice. A lot of people seem to gravitate to exercise bikes, probably because they are familiar with the overall design. And everyone knows that riding a bicycle is good exercise, so it only makes sense that if you can perform the same motions indoors you should be able to get similar health benefits.

So what should you look for when you are shopping for exercise bikes? The first thing to decide is whether you wish to have an upright bike or a recumbent bike. The upright exercise bike looks very similar to a real bicycle, with handlebars, a seat, and pedals underneath. The recumbent exercise bike on the other hand, can be a sort of strange looking contraption, that you actually lay in and pedal with your feet straight out in front of you. Most fitness experts seem to agree that either type of exercise bike will work well for you, it just depends on your personal preference and comfort level as to which bike you should buy. For instance, those with chronic back problems may find the recumbent exercise bike much easier to work with.

When looking over the exercise bike candidates, the same general rule of thumb applies here as it does in other exercise machines. You generally get what you pay for. In other words, most of the really cheap exercise bikes will not hold up well over the long haul. So expect to pay at least $600 to $1000 for a good piece of equipment, and $1500 or more for a really heavy-duty gym quality machine.

It's always a good idea to try out any exercise bike model that interests you in advance in person. See how comfortable it is for you to use as you exercise. Does this seat fit you as it should? Can you adjust the seat level to give you a comfortable travel distance to the pedals?

Other considerations include whether or not that particular model has a heart rate monitor. This is a good piece of equipment to have for almost any exercise machine that you want to use. In fact, some machines are even coming with interactive heart rate monitors that keep an eye on your heart rate level and adjust your workout automatically to help you burn the most calories per session. If you can get an exercise bike with this feature, it can be well worth it.

Also make sure that the display on each model gives you the information that you would really like to have as you workout. Does it keep track of the time that you have been on the machine? Does it show the calories you have burned? Does it display your heart rate level? Does it allow you to adjust the resistance of the machine as you workout?

As you test out each machine, take notes on each model, both its strengths and its weaknesses, and then compile the information after you have looked at a good representation of all exercise bike models available. By keeping the suggestions listed above in mind and doing your homework you should be able to make the best exercise bike choice possible for your needs.

Exercise bikes have been some of the most popular fitness machines for many years, found in many gyms and homes alike. The health benefits of riding a bike are well-known, and no doubt this has contributed to the popularity of the exercise bike as well. But before you buy an exercise bike for your home workouts, there are a few things that you should know in order to make the right decision.

First of all, exercise bikes come in two different varieties. The first is what you are probably most familiar with, as it resembles a normal bicycle with the wheels removed. The second type is called a recumbent bike, and rather than sit on it as you would a normal bicycle, you actually said in it instead. Some are not sure which type of exercise bike would be best for them, but generally speaking, either one will do a fine job of giving you a cardio workout at home. The biggest advantage of the recumbent exercise bike is that it could be a more comfortable fit for those who have back problems.

Other than that, it's probably best to visit a local sporting goods store and try out she type of exercise bike to see which style works best for you. Is the upright bike more comfortable for you, or the recumbent bike? The answer to that question is entirely up to you and your preference.

Now that you have settled on whether your exercise bike will be either upright or recumbent, it's time to start looking for the most important features to buy. Perhaps one of the single most important considerations is whether an exercise bike can be adjusted to fit you comfortably. Believe it or not, there are models on the market that fit the average person very well, but do not adjust well to someone who does not fall in that average category. So make sure that the exercise bike you buy has plenty of adjustment room for you.

Also be sure to actually test drive any exercise bike that you are serious about purchasing in person before you actually buy it. This is the best course to take with many consumer items, and exercise bikes are no exception. There are wide differences in exercise bike designs, and that means what fits one person very easily and well, may not work at all for someone else, and the only way you will know that a model will work for you for sure, is to actually use it yourself and give it a test drive.

While you test it out, ask yourself if you feel comfortable using it. Does the see fit you well? If not, can you replace it out with a different one until you find one that will work well for you? Can you read the display comfortably? Does it give you all the information that you would like to have while you are exercising? How solid and stable does the bike feel? Does it seem to run smoothly, and quietly?