I bet you're frustrated over the long lines at your local gym. Furthermore, I bet you don't appreciate being charged an extra $45 every month for a gym membership that you might not even use any more. Well, a home gym might just be the answer to what you are looking for. Buy the home gym equipment once and you don't have to keep paying the fees over and over again. Home gyms can be a sound investment for anyone looking to install one in their basement or workout room. Let's take a look at a few tips that might come in handy for anyone looking to install a home gym in their home.

1)Don't discard used equipment, but be sure and pick up a good deal on other people's discarded equipment (if that makes any sense). Used equipment can provide you a really good deal because some people (myself not included) go on exercise binges and buy equipment that they just quit using after a month or two. Their investment can certainly be your gain. Look through classifieds and on Ebay to research the best exercise equipment that you can possibly afford. Often times, you will find that the equipment that you are after is priced very reasonably.

2)Consider buying commercial fitness equipment. A lot of the time, the regular home gym equipment that you want to buy isn't what you are used to using at the gym. Find out what types of stuff you like the best and do some due diligence. Look for commercial fitness equipment dealers and you should be able to shop for the same stuff that the local workout spot has for you.

3)Get knowledgeable about the different types of home gym equipment. All equipment is not created equal. Figure out what the different types of equipment are and what the advantages and disadvantages of buying different stuff is. There is an large array of equipment available. Make the right decisions.

To help answer the question of whether hyper extension exercises on a roman chair are appropriate as part of your spine rehabilitation program, first let me provide some background information on the subject. Then, I will describe the muscle control problems that arise with back pain. Next, we need to establish goals for rehabilitation and determine the specific training requirements to obtain those goals. And finally, I will describe the inherent problems of traditional roman chairs, followed by a solution.

Muscle Control during Optimal Health
Research has shown that there are two types of muscles: Superficial strength muscles, and deep stabilizing muscles. Each has its own unique characteristics.

Think of the superficial strength muscles as “sprinter-type” muscles. These muscles contain the same type of muscle fibers that are highly developed in the legs of Olympic sprinters. They are great for producing speed during a 100 meter dash but poor for endurance during a marathon. In contrast, the deep stabilizing muscles are more like “marathon-type” muscles (superior for endurance but poor for speed).

In healthy individuals, the primary role of the superficial strength muscles of the lower back and abdomen is to move the torso. (Torso is defined as: The human body excluding the head, neck, and limbs. This part of the body is also known as the trunk. So, these muscles move the rib cage, lumbar spine, and pelvis.) They are also responsible for controlling trunk posture during high-level activities. These activities may include: lifting, pushing, pulling, jumping, running, and other ballistic (fast) movements of the limbs.

In contrast, the deep stabilizing muscles of the back and abdomen are used to provide continuous postural adjustments of the torso throughout the day during low-level activities. Some examples of low-level activities are: sitting, standing, moving from a seated to standing position, walking, and slow (non-ballistic) movements of the limbs.

Muscle Control Problems that Arise with Back Pain
After experiencing back pain, the brain’s strategy for maintaining trunk posture changes to a simplified, inferior strategy. First, the deep stabilizing muscles stop working properly. Second, the superficial strength muscles of the trunk become over-active and their muscle fibers shorten up to restrict trunk range of motion.

This over-active/shortening-up response is recognized by experts as the brain’s attempt to "lock up" and protect the painful segments of the torso during the acute phase of injury. This compensation pattern typically continues after it is no longer necessary during the chronic phase of back pain (when the injured soft tissue structures have healed).

The strategy of using “sprinter-type” muscles to try to maintain trunk posture throughout the day is like forcing an Olympic sprinter to compete in a marathon, instead of the 100 meter dash. Obviously, the sprinter’s muscles are built for speed, not endurance. So to say the least, this strategy would not be very efficient. But, other problems arise secondary to muscle fatigue and subsequent muscle spasm which result in disc & joint compression.

Goals for Rehabilitation & Specific Training Requirements
Just as the goals and specific training requirements for sprinters are different than for marathon runners, there are also vast differences in the goals and specific training requirements for a rehabilitation program versus a core fitness routine.

In rehabilitation, one of our goals would be to release the superficial strength muscles. (Remember that they have “locked up” the injured region of the spine.) This is accomplished through slow, low-load, pain-free movement patterns focused on lengthening the superficial strength muscles while relaxed. This is something I describe to my patients as a relaxed muscle release exercise (not to be mistaken as a muscle-stretch exercise).

Although it is true that we must stretch the fascia and related non-contractile tissues, it is important to recognize that muscles must be released while relaxed. This is required in order to reset the muscle spindles that control the set-point of resting tone and muscle length.

The idea of a relaxed muscle release exercise is definitely a change in mind-set. What it means is that typical hyper extension exercises performed on a roman chair bench are not appropriate for the initial stages of rehabilitation for chronic back pain.

If the superficial strength muscles of the back and abdominal wall are over-active (contracting too much) and the muscle fibers are shortened up to restrict trunk range of motion, then “strengthening” exercises would not be the proper type of exercise for rehabilitation.

Our next goal would be to retrain the deep stabilizing muscles in their role as the primary trunk stabilizers during low-level activities. This is difficult to achieve in a person with chronic back pain since the superficial strength muscles are attempting to perform that role by over-contracting and shortening up to restrict motion in the previously injured region of the torso. Therefore, an aggressive exercise utilizing a roman chair that emphasizes the superficial strength muscles of the torso and hips may neglect to activate the deep stabilizing muscles appropriately. A more specific training approach is required.

One important deep stabilizing muscle of the back is called lumbar multifidus. This muscle attaches at each segment of the lumbar spine down to the sacrum and pelvis. The specific training that I recommend on a back exercise machine is a slow, low-load extension movement occurring at each vertebra, instead of holding the curve of the lower back in a locked position while moving through the hips. This exercise should be easy enough to perform 30 repetitions without fatigue.

The Problem and the Solution
The specific training requirements for lumbar multifidus rehabilitation are not likely to be achieved as part of a home exercise program on a traditional roman chair hyper extension bench. The design of the traditional 90-degree exercise angle is too difficult and not properly designed to promote the specific training requirements of spine rehabilitation. This type of roman chair will emphasize the hamstrings, buttocks and superficial strength muscles of the lower back. It is also likely that training on the 45-degree exercise angle will be too difficult and not specific enough.

Fortunately, a solution has been developed that may be designated as a hybrid of the roman chair hyper extension bench. It’s called the Back Trainer Medic by Kettler (made in Germany). The Back Trainer Medic was designed to assure the correct movement pattern, so the individual segments of lumbar multifidus are trained appropriately. The torso pad is curved and the height of the pad is adjustable so it guides the user through the correct motion of the torso for spinal rehabilitation.

To help answer the question of whether hyper extension exercises on a roman chair are appropriate as part of your spine rehabilitation program, first let me provide some background information on the subject. Then, I will describe the muscle control problems that arise with back pain. Next, we need to establish goals for rehabilitation and determine the specific training requirements to obtain those goals. And finally, I will describe the inherent problems of traditional roman chairs, followed by a solution.

Muscle Control during Optimal Health
Research has shown that there are two types of muscles: Superficial strength muscles, and deep stabilizing muscles. Each has its own unique characteristics.

Think of the superficial strength muscles as “sprinter-type” muscles. These muscles contain the same type of muscle fibers that are highly developed in the legs of Olympic sprinters. They are great for producing speed during a 100 meter dash but poor for endurance during a marathon. In contrast, the deep stabilizing muscles are more like “marathon-type” muscles (superior for endurance but poor for speed).

In healthy individuals, the primary role of the superficial strength muscles of the lower back and abdomen is to move the torso. (Torso is defined as: The human body excluding the head, neck, and limbs. This part of the body is also known as the trunk. So, these muscles move the rib cage, lumbar spine, and pelvis.) They are also responsible for controlling trunk posture during high-level activities. These activities may include: lifting, pushing, pulling, jumping, running, and other ballistic (fast) movements of the limbs.

In contrast, the deep stabilizing muscles of the back and abdomen are used to provide continuous postural adjustments of the torso throughout the day during low-level activities. Some examples of low-level activities are: sitting, standing, moving from a seated to standing position, walking, and slow (non-ballistic) movements of the limbs.

Muscle Control Problems that Arise with Back Pain
After experiencing back pain, the brain’s strategy for maintaining trunk posture changes to a simplified, inferior strategy. First, the deep stabilizing muscles stop working properly. Second, the superficial strength muscles of the trunk become over-active and their muscle fibers shorten up to restrict trunk range of motion.

This over-active/shortening-up response is recognized by experts as the brain’s attempt to "lock up" and protect the painful segments of the torso during the acute phase of injury. This compensation pattern typically continues after it is no longer necessary during the chronic phase of back pain (when the injured soft tissue structures have healed).

The strategy of using “sprinter-type” muscles to try to maintain trunk posture throughout the day is like forcing an Olympic sprinter to compete in a marathon, instead of the 100 meter dash. Obviously, the sprinter’s muscles are built for speed, not endurance. So to say the least, this strategy would not be very efficient. But, other problems arise secondary to muscle fatigue and subsequent muscle spasm which result in disc & joint compression.

Goals for Rehabilitation & Specific Training Requirements
Just as the goals and specific training requirements for sprinters are different than for marathon runners, there are also vast differences in the goals and specific training requirements for a rehabilitation program versus a core fitness routine.

In rehabilitation, one of our goals would be to release the superficial strength muscles. (Remember that they have “locked up” the injured region of the spine.) This is accomplished through slow, low-load, pain-free movement patterns focused on lengthening the superficial strength muscles while relaxed. This is something I describe to my patients as a relaxed muscle release exercise (not to be mistaken as a muscle-stretch exercise).

Although it is true that we must stretch the fascia and related non-contractile tissues, it is important to recognize that muscles must be released while relaxed. This is required in order to reset the muscle spindles that control the set-point of resting tone and muscle length.

The idea of a relaxed muscle release exercise is definitely a change in mind-set. What it means is that typical hyper extension exercises performed on a roman chair bench are not appropriate for the initial stages of rehabilitation for chronic back pain.

If the superficial strength muscles of the back and abdominal wall are over-active (contracting too much) and the muscle fibers are shortened up to restrict trunk range of motion, then “strengthening” exercises would not be the proper type of exercise for rehabilitation.

Our next goal would be to retrain the deep stabilizing muscles in their role as the primary trunk stabilizers during low-level activities. This is difficult to achieve in a person with chronic back pain since the superficial strength muscles are attempting to perform that role by over-contracting and shortening up to restrict motion in the previously injured region of the torso. Therefore, an aggressive exercise utilizing a roman chair that emphasizes the superficial strength muscles of the torso and hips may neglect to activate the deep stabilizing muscles appropriately. A more specific training approach is required.

One important deep stabilizing muscle of the back is called lumbar multifidus. This muscle attaches at each segment of the lumbar spine down to the sacrum and pelvis. The specific training that I recommend on a back exercise machine is a slow, low-load extension movement occurring at each vertebra, instead of holding the curve of the lower back in a locked position while moving through the hips. This exercise should be easy enough to perform 30 repetitions without fatigue.

The Problem and the Solution
The specific training requirements for lumbar multifidus rehabilitation are not likely to be achieved as part of a home exercise program on a traditional roman chair hyper extension bench. The design of the traditional 90-degree exercise angle is too difficult and not properly designed to promote the specific training requirements of spine rehabilitation. This type of roman chair will emphasize the hamstrings, buttocks and superficial strength muscles of the lower back. It is also likely that training on the 45-degree exercise angle will be too difficult and not specific enough.

Fortunately, a solution has been developed that may be designated as a hybrid of the roman chair hyper extension bench. It’s called the Back Trainer Medic by Kettler (made in Germany). The Back Trainer Medic was designed to assure the correct movement pattern, so the individual segments of lumbar multifidus are trained appropriately. The torso pad is curved and the height of the pad is adjustable so it guides the user through the correct motion of the torso for spinal rehabilitation.

Have you ever imagined using potentially dangerous exercises in your workout? You have to be very careful with strength training equipment because it may not be the most effective or functional available.

How do you know that the exercises you are performing are safe? Found below are some potentially dangerous exercises with suggestions on how they should be done correctly or avoided completely.

Sit-up

Traditional abdominal exercises such as the sit-up, incline sit-up and hip-raises are exercises that are used to train the obliques and the upper and lower abdominals.

They are performed by first anchoring the feet on an abdominal board which prevents you from sliding back then raising your shoulders up towards your feet, tensing your abs at the top of the movement. Slowly lowering your shoulders back down and then completing the movement again.

The dangers of performing this movement are the shearing forces on the vertebrae and spinal discs when you have a flexed and rounded spine. In this position, the pressure is mostly placed on a very small area of the disc area, which can cause small ruptures.

The safest and most productive way to train the abs is to use the brace and hollow technique. This is a basic isometric exercise that helps strengthen the abs and the muscular girdle around your waist.

Pec Deck

The pec deck is an exercise that trains the chest (pectorals) and shoulder (front deltoid) muscles.

This exercise is performed by sitting at the machine with your back flat against the back pad. Placing your forearms on the padded levers and position your upper arms parallel to the ground.

Pushing the levers slowly together and squeezing your chest muscles at the end of the movement. Return slowly to the starting position.

This exercise is potentially dangerous because it places the shoulder into one of its least stable positions, the dislocation position. Because of the extreme position when performing this exercise at the starting position it can also cause tearing of the ligaments and injury to the rotar cuff tendons.

More effective and less dangerous is the bench press, keeping the arms at shoulder width and exercising in the strongest range of motion (partial reps) and the parallel bar dip with the elbows out.

Behind the neck Press

This exercise trains the neck (traps) and shoulder (deltoid) muscles and is performed by placing a loaded barbell onto your upper back just above the trap muscle.

This exercise is done by standing with your feet about shoulder width apart. Placing your hands on the bar about three inches wider than the width of your shoulders.

Rowing machines offer one of the best aerobic fitness workouts. A workout on a rowing machine or rowing ergometer achieves two things: a cardiovascular and muscle workout. If you are keen on developing your cardiovascular systems, but also your muscular system, then a rowing machine could well be what you have been looking for.

A full body workout on one machine

Other cardio machines, such as exercise bikes, stair climbers, and treadmills do wonders for your legs and butt, but do not give an adequate workout to your upper body. Rowing machines, believe it or not, actually work both upper and lower body. In fact, workout analysts say that your legs get up to 70% of the workout benefits, but your upper body gets the rest. This basically translates to getting a full body workout on just one machine.

Rowing machines are low impact

The other major plus is that the rowing machine offers a safer alternative to jogging. Jogging, whether you do it on a treadmill or in the outdoors, is a high impact exercise and is not suitable for everyone. Each time you jog you are in danger of trauma to your bones and joints. Rowing machines offer a low impact workout, which is a very safe way to increase your overall health and fitness.

Which rowing machine is for you?

There are a number of rowing machines on the market today. A hydraulic machine is a good choice if you don't want to spend too much. Air or flywheel rowing machines have a real outdoor rowing feel. Air and flywheel rowing machines feel natural and smooth, while hydraulic machines don't. The magnetic resistance machine is a very popular rowing machine because it is very smooth and quiet.

Whatever machine you choose, you will get your full body aerobic workout that is low impact and the best thing for your muscles and your heart.