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Let’s face it: as each day goes by, people have less time during the day to spend on keeping in shape. Because of this, they don’t go to the gym as often as they used to anymore. Well, guess what? You can use the tips in this article to save time and make the most of every trip that you make to the gym, even if you only have half an hour to spare for it.

Set a Time for Warmups.

Warmups are important for any workout regimen. Without them, you could actually hurt your muscles as you lift weights or run. So, set a certain time for your warmups instead of leaving it to however you might feel that day. 10 minutes is usually enough for a warmup session before weight training. The same goes for cooling down.

Have a Plan Ready.

Before you even go to the gym, you should already have a plan in mind regarding the different workouts that you want to complete that day. It is never smart to just leave it up in the air and decide when you get there. Ideally, you should already put several routines together based on your own experience. This way, you will be much more focused by the time you enter the gym and will be able to reap more benefits in the long run because of it. Not only will planning things out make your workouts more efficient and your results more consistent, but it will also save you a lot of time.

Alternate Your Sets.

To be honest, the biggest time-wasters in the world of workouts would be the rests that you take in-between each set in the weight room. Well, the truth is that you don’t actually have to rest for a few minutes between any type of set. All you have to do is set up two different exercises and then alternate sets of them with 15 seconds between each one. If you want to work on your chest and your legs, for example, set up a barbell for squats next to your bench for bench pressing. Then, do your squats and then your bench presses. Since you will be working out different groups of muscles, your legs will get to rest when you work on your chest and vice versa. This way, you can finish your weight training in no time at all.

Hydrate Quickly.

Hydration is vital for various reasons. First of all, it will make sure your kidneys always function properly during your workouts. Since all of your systems tend to work at higher intensity levels when you work out, water would be vital to keep your whole body moving smoothly. Aside from that, a lack of hydration could result in muscle spasms and a lack of energy that may stop you from finishing your workout altogether. As such, you have to find time to hydrate during your workout, no matter what. Just make sure you do it quickly instead of taking your time with it in order to maximize your time at the gym.

Every year it seems that there’s a new strength training technique that comes out promising the stars above and then shortly fades away into the sea of other methods. A lot of people will give one a shot and keep at it until the next big one hits the market, but the fact remains that you need to find a plan that makes sense and just stick to it to see any significant results. I’m going to show you a few aspects that you should look for in a program that you want to stick with.

The two essential factors of strength training are the intensity and vigorousness of the exercises and also the recovery that comes after. The main thing you want to look for is a program that offers a short and extremely high-intensity weight training regimen. This is going to give you an increase in muscle size in the shortest amount of time. Keep in mind that it’s not necessarily the volume of the training, but rather the intensity which is going to help you see the most muscle gain. Proper recovery time is also vital to a good strength training program.

Various medical studies have shown that after about thirty minutes of an intense workout session your blood sugar levels can drop dangerously low. Since there are only thirty minutes before the initial drop in blood sugar levels, you should make careful use of your training time. Keep your exercises short and well-rounded to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your training time. If you want to extend your training threshold you should consider a carb heavy meal before your training session.

Make sure that the equipment you’re using is safe and clean. Gym equipment upholstery should always be kept clean to increase hygiene and reduce the risk of mold. This is a commonly overlooked detail but it can be easily taken care of with a little bit of time and effort.

Following some of the guidelines above will ensure that you find a strength training program that is bound to work. Make sure that your program utilizes these qualities and stick to it! Once you’ve found a program that you like, the most important step is to keep at it for as long as you possibly can. This is the only way that you will start to see big results, now get training!

Diet and Nutrition

Discover the true facts about diet and nutrition and how you can improve your dietary and nutritional needs to live a healthy life.

How Diet and Nutrition Works

Diet and nutrition work hand in hand and facilitate each other. The diet element of the two relates to the food you eat whilst nutrition refers to the way in which the food you eat nourishes your body.

It should be noted that diet and nutrition can work both ways, providing good or bad nutrition depending on what types of food you eat. However, for the purposes of this article we shall concentrate on creating a healthy diet and providing good nutrition.

To be healthy, fit and well your body has to receive nutrition from the vitamins and minerals found in the food you eat. If you consume a healthy diet and incorporate some exercise in your daily lifestyle, you are less likely to become ill or suffer from any of the various debilitating diseases prevalent in today’s society.  In fact good nutrition combined with physical activity has many benefits.

For example:

• It can improve the function of your heart, lungs, kidneys and other organs, as well as improve your mental alertness, and recovery time from injury or illness.
• It can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain cancers.
• It can increase energy levels and fight fatigue and,
• Best of all it can give you a sense of well-being.

Is Diet and Nutrition the Same for Everyone?

In essence the answer is No. There are a number of different factors that affect an individual’s dietary and nutritional requirements. For example:

What Should You Eat for a Good Diet and Nutrition?

There are general guidelines as to what you should eat in order to create a healthy diet that provides good nutrition. No doubt you have heard about ‘getting your five a day’ and that you should make fruits and vegetables a daily staple in your diet. As well as fruit and veg there are other considerations that include lean proteins, calcium-rich dairy products, whole-grain carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh fruit should be your first choice when choosing fruit but you can also obtain nutrition through juiced, dried, canned and frozen fruit. Fruits provide healthy dietary fibre, calcium, potassium and vitamins A and C.

Dark green, orange and red vegetables are super foods that provide good nutrition through the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants they contain. If you don’t enjoy vegetables, perhaps from past experience of soggy veg, there are many methods such as roasted, stir-fried or curried that create delicious vegetable dishes. Drinking green smoothies is a fashionable way of consuming vegetables.

Calcium-Rich Dairy Products

To build strong bones and teeth you should consume approximately 1000mg of calcium-rich dairy foods daily. Foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, canned salmon and sardines provide the calcium you need. Calcium can also be found in dark green leafy vegetables and pulses, as well as calcium-fortified foods and drinks.

Whole Grain Carbohydrates

The current recommendation is that you should obtain half your energy needs from carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are the best type of carbohydrate to consume as it gives you sustained energy levels throughout the day. You can find whole-grain carbs in bread, cereal, rice and pasta.

Proteins

The main sources of protein are meat or poultry. The advice is to choose lean cuts of meat and remove skin from poultry before eating. You can also get protein from fish, nuts, seeds and pulses.

Healthy Fats

There are two main types of fat, saturated and unsaturated. It is recommended that you limit the amount of saturated fat you consume as it is related to increasing your risk of heart disease.

Unsaturated fats are generally healthier and it is advised that your fat intake comes from this group.

There are other types of fats such as hydrogenated or trans fats that are used in the food industry, but which have been deemed unhealthy and should be avoided.

If you have some spare room in the house, maybe even a garage that could be cleaned out, then there is no reason that you can’t have a home gym setup. Gym fees are expensive, and for most people you are probably paying for the upkeep of a lot of equipment and space that you don’t even use.

The solution is getting equipment that you want and that you will use.  There are many options, such as adjustable dumbbells that will offer anything from 2kg weights to 30kg weights, all in the convenient size of a single pair of dumbbells. Or fully commercial treadmills that will offer a huge range of incline, decline, speed and programs, so you get the best from every workout.

There are plenty of places offering gym equipment for sale, but the majority won’t be offering commercial, high quality equipment. The benefit of commercial over ‘high street’ quality, is you know that each machine has been checked thoroughly to make sure that it will last for years, and offer the safety and reassurance you need for your family.

It is in this area that Health Clubs at Home specialise in. A decade in the industry has taught us that there is no substitute for commercial quality. If you are looking for some equipment that will last as long as the building it is in and also offer you great movement that really gets results, then there is no substitute for commercial.

Health Clubs at Home have a huge range of gym equipment for sale. Cardio machines and strength machines come in many shapes, sizes and brands, but we are happy to help you find the one that is perfect for your needs. Everyone has different needs and requirements when it comes to health and fitness, and that is something we understand, and work with in order to get you the perfect training partner.

Fitting cardio workouts into your weekly schedule is, for some, an utter nightmare and it really shouldn’t be. If you are serious about working out, then you need to be serious about all of its aspects. If you want to have a good physique but also want the benefits from all of that weight work, then including cardio is the key to unlocking your body’s potential. It will help keep you flexible and also help to keep your fat levels down if you haven’t quite cracked the diet.

Cardio can be as little as two days of the week. And there can even be a little weights session after if you cannot live without one. But if possible, then stay away from the Treadmills and commercial gym equipment for one of the nights, just get outside and run. The fresh air and freedom will do you wonders, not just for your body but also for your mind and attitude.

If you want to get a well rounded workout, and ultimately well rounded health and fitness then you have to include some cardio into your workout. A swim or a run, it doesn’t overly matter as long as your body is getting the benefits. You will feel better for it, and your body will be getting time to repair between lifting sessions, it is a win-win situation!

For more fitness articles, please visit Love The Fitness

A rowing machine is one of the best forms of exercise equipment for losing weight. Rowing machines have fantastic potential for calorie burning as they exercise all the larger muscle groups, in your upper and lower body.

A rowing machine used for 20 minutes a day for at least 3 times a week, will tone the thighs and buttocks, and firm up the arms and all the back muscles together.

Also use of a rowing machine will help the user to de-stress due to the rhythmic motion while exercising. Its quite easy to get the body into the fat burning zone, due to the amount of the body that is exercised and after about 10 minutes of rowing you can normally be confidant that the exercise routine on a rowing machine isburning fat constantly to help you lose fat weight effectively.

Indoor rowing machines can also benefit with burning lots of calories, it means less workout time is needed for every session than perhaps using a bike or a cross trainer, which only tends to exercise the lower regions over a shorter range of motion. Using a rowing machine could possibly save a user valuable time rather than exercising on a stationary bike for 40 minutes you should be able to comfortably burn the same number of calories with rowing for about 25 minutes,. A rowing machine has many benefits over many other exercise equipment and I personally believe it is one of the best exercises for losing weight!

What are the benefits to using a rowing machine when trying to lose weight?

• Can be used at home, easy to store and move around.
• Fantastic fat burning, if used correctly.
• Great overall calorie burning, used for at least 20 minutes per session.
• Fantastic for building fitness and muscle.
• Suited for every one, including people new to exercise.
• Ideal if bad weather means no other activities available
• Can be used by young or old, Fluid Rowers are very good, for seat hight.
• No strain or pressure to knees and ankles so low injury risk
• Can tone and build muscle, depending on resistance settings.
• Quality rowing machines such as concept 2 are air/fan assisted rowing machines help cool down skin while working out.

Dumbbells Workout to try at home

Dumbbells add variety to any workout. You can achieve a quick and effective total body work out in minimal time using Dumbbells and Free Weights. Why not try bringing your gym dumbbell workout to your home, making it easier and more convenient way to exercise?

Dumbbells are an excellent way to work your primary muscle to develop strength, power, muscle tone and muscle definition. It is easy to work one muscle from many different angles using a dumbbell exercise and you are more likely to achieve greater muscle definition and tone. The great advantage of a dumbbell workout is you can use it in the gym or in the home both giving you the same effective workout.

Using dumbbells to exercise and tone up in your home takes up less space compared to an actual weight machine. Only a few sets of dumbbells, ranging from 2kg-30kg or even higher, take up the space of only one multi-gym machine. They can be stored safely on a dumbbell rack also. Dumbbells can be made of either Chrome, or rubber and sometimes rubber with chrome ends plates or neoprene. Consider buying dumbbells that will not damage your floor such as rubber or neoprene dumbbells  If you do decide to exercise in your home you may need a weight lifting bench to assist your dumbbell workout. However you can improvise inside your home with chairs, aerobic steps, stability balls etc.

Your Personal Trainer will tell you that you should lift heavier weights with less repetitions for strength training and to build muscle – 6 to 8 repetitions is ideal, and reduce your weights and increase your repetitions to between 12 to 20 for muscle tone, muscle definition and weight loss. Start your workout with the major muscle groups first eg Chest or Pectorals, Shoulders or Deltoids, Back or Lats, and then the minor muscle groups such as triceps, biceps and calfs.

Companies such as Gymkit UK have a huge selection of new and used dumbbells for sale at the most competitive prices.

Exercise and Fitness Equipment – Creating an affordable Home Gym using Dumbells, Bars and a Weight bench

With memberships to gym and health clubs being very costly and time consuming,  are your finding it hard to keep fit and exercise due to working and family commitments?

gymkituk.com have created the perfect home gym solution, using some of the most tried and tested forms of equipment, used in gyms throughout the world.  Exercise has never been so accessible, training and keeping fit at home.

Healthclubsathome recommend the following gym equipment to get you started on the road to health and fitness, weight loss and overall body toning :

1) Dumbbells
Dumbbells are essential for your  home gym, you will be able to exercise the following, arms, back, chest, shoulders, triceps, calves. There are many types of Dumbbells on the fitness and gym equipment market, from light ladies weights to the heavy Olympic standard used by mainly men for body building and massive muscle gain. There are two types: fixed weight or handles(bar) only.
Handles (sometimes called weight bars even for dumbbells) are plate loaded. This requires you to slide the weight plate or sometimes referred to as a disk, which you slide on yourself and then fasten the weight with collars. Most handles are either standard or Olympic. Standard are smaller in diameter than the Olympic version. You’ll want to coordinate any plate loaded barbells you purchase with your dumbbells. That way the plates are compatible. Standard handles start at around £15.  The Olympic handles do cost more and are generally longer to allow for the extra weight that can be mounted.

2) Barbells
A good barbell is essential, considering that you will be adding weights and doing exercises such as jest press etc,  like dumbbells, they come in a standard and Olympic bar design. Make certain they’re compatible with your dumbbells. An Olympic bar won’t fit on a standard bench; a 7-foot standard bar will work on an Olympic bench.
A standard barbell set can include a 10 kilo bar, 2 dumbbell handles (with collars) and 40 kilos of plates/ weight discs.  This would make an excellent start into weight training and general fitness; you can then add more weights as you progress so you already have a very flexible exercise equipment machine. gymkituk.com supply new and used fitness and gym equipment, used Barbells make excellent value for money as there is no wear and tear or condition element to consider.

3) Weight Bench
Is one of the most under rated item in a gym or health club, yet offers such flexibility when it comes to performing exercise when working out in your home gym, you can use any bench for presses and one-arm rows. If you want the ultimate flexibility choose a bench that offers adjustment to the back rest to create an incline or decline.

Vplate, Vibration Training and Reviews

THE VPLATE

Vibration plate training is now one of the most discussed forms of exercise over the last 2 years; this form of training system can increase weight loss and body toning by burning on average 200 calories in 6 minutes of exercise. Weight loss is only one of the many benefits to this now ever popular celebrity endorsed power Vplate.

The Vplate will Increase Muscle Stimulation

Your muscles will generally contract once or twice every second, but on a Vplate vibration plate this can increase to as much as 28-55 contractions per second. Oscillating and pivotal vibration plate training stimulates the muscles to contract alternately which helps to develop balance, co-ordination and even develop form and posture when standing, walking, and exercising or even swinging a golf club.

The Vplate vibration plate training can stimulate your circulation, induce involuntary muscle contractions. Your improved circulation will increase your lymphatic flow, can help to reduce blood pressure, it will help to increase blood oxygenation and boost your overall energy levels. Users also stand a good chance of reducing cellulite.

Normal exercise carried out in a gym will engage around 38% of your muscles depending on what form of training; involuntary muscle contractions could engage around 95% of muscle fibres, this overall increase could make the difference between a successful training program that will increase overall health and fitness and also help loose weight if your trying to burn the fat.

Improving Back and Joint Pain

The recurring movement on the vibrating Vplate will gently improve the joints around your pelvis, activating and developing core pelvic and torso muscles. The snake like movement of the Vplate programmable vibration pattern repeats throughout your whole body and through your spine, helping and improving your mobility and clearing stagnant fluids, the Vplate vibration plate can also help to reduce inflammation, allowing fresh oxygenated blood to circulate. After using the Vplate for a few sessions you could alleviate back and joint pain and continued use of the Vplate can improve your flexibility and range of motion, which could help to improve your mobility and the ability to exercise more effectively.

The Vplate and your Immune System

All exercise will stimulate the human growth hormone which promotes the development, repair and regeneration of bones; increases muscle mass; boosts your immune system and promotes the breakdown of fat cells. Using the Vplate will accelerate your exercise program to the next level will have a positive and overall effect on all of these processes, as well as improving the emission of hormones including testosterone, serotonin which makes you feel happy and good it will help to reduce your cortisol stress hormones. Providing you with an overall improvement in your “General Well Being”

The Vplate provides a variety of programs, with a massive range of adjustable speeds to suit your body, the Vplate has no age restrictions and can be used by young and old, you could see many of the benefits listed below once you start using the Vplate in your fitness and exercise program including:

• Increased calorie burn
• Increased body toning
• Improved flexibility and joint suppleness
• Increased balance and continence
• Faster permanent weight loss
• Improvements in muscle strength
• Increased development of all muscles
• A reduction in back & joint pain
• Improved circulation and lymphatic flow
• Reduction in blood pressure
• Helps to reduce the likelihood of  varicose veins
• Increased fat reduction
• Users have reported better skin quality
• Higher rate of metabolism

With a complete range of home use products and commercial solutions the Vplate will take your fitness and exercise program to the next level. For more information you can call 44 01733 205551 or visit our web site on http://www.vplate.co.uk/ or to purchase online why not visit http://www.gymkituk.com

Guide to Buying Rowing Machines

Commercial rowing machines are designed to simulate the action of rowing a boat. They are one of the best forms of fat burning and body toning workouts available, and they have a very low impact, on your knees and ankle joints. If you are looking to tone up or build strength, or stay supple as you get older an indoor rowing machine is a great choice of fitness equipment to help you achieve your fitness goals.

• Rowing provides a superb aerobic work-out.
• It exercises every major muscle group.
• Having the machine at home is a time efficient form of exercise and a great stress reliever.
• Rowing is non-jarring and so is suited for rehabilitative exercise.
• Used for as little as 15 minutes a day it is a very effective fat burning and weight loss exercise.
• A lifelong exercise, suitable for people of all ages for both men, women and children.
• Rowing is a very safe and enjoyable form of exercise.

They are one of the most used pieces of equipment found in all modern gyms and health clubs, spas and hotels.

With a large range of choice and variety how do you know what rowing machine to buy?

First of all healthclubsathome.com only sell high quality indoor rowing machines for sale from makers such as Concept 2 and Fluid Rower (First Degree Fitness)

What do you want to achieve using a rowing machine think about your fitness goals; get fit, loose weight, muscle building all can be achieved by using a rowing machine.

• Lose weight – a low cost rowing machine with light resistance will help get you started.
• Strength building – go for models with more tension levels, providing a great intensity to your workout.
• Train for an event – look for a range of resistance and programmes to give you an all round workout.

The main types of resistance systems found on the commercial rowing machines healthclubsathome.com recommend are all Cable Driven which gives a smooth action that makes you feel like you’re rowing, using a rope system attached to a t-bar.

• Water Resistance found on the fluid rower gives a realistic action and water sounds as metal blades are used within a water chamber with adjustable resistance.
• Air Resistance Technology which captures the rhythm and feel of rowing on the water by using a carefully balanced and calibrated flywheel is used on the Concept 2 range of rowing machines.

All of the commercial rowing machines that healthclubsathome.com sell are quality commercial indoor rowing machines, these are not to be confused with the cheap high street models. The Fluid Rower and Concept 2 range of indoor rowing machines are rated as the best in the world.

Indoor rowing was created to help athletes and professional Olympic rowers train without having to get into a physical boat, due to the popularity and the success of many athletes training on an indoor rower it has developed into a sport in its own right, testament to the quality and the realistic rowing action found on a commercial fitness equipment machine.

The First Degree Fitness range of Fluid Rowers offer a unique and realistic approach to rowing;

Water has unique “cube rule” physical properties, which mean that to go twice as fast through it requires 8 times the effort!

So as the athlete increases workout intensity, the Fluid Technology resistance unit responds instantaneously.

No slack, no slippage, no flat spots, just full on resistance, in an instant, always there for you at the precise moment you want it!

Every competitive rower knows the feel of the cube rule, and just how tough it can be to squeeze that tiny extra bit of speed out of the boat in the race to the line.

And that’s why we say  NO SLIP – NO SLACK

How it works

Two chambers are contained within one tank.
The inner (passive) chamber stores water.
Resistance is created by impeller blades churning water in the outer
(active) chamber.
Moving the level indicator varies the level of water in each chamber.
Maximum resistance occurs when the greatest
volume of water is in the outer (active) chamber.
Level 1 Light resistance.
Most water in the inner
(passive) chamber.
Level 10 Medium resistance.
Water levels equal
between chambers.
Level 20 Heavy resistance.
Most water in the outer
(active) chamber.

Why it works

Water has a unique “cube rule” – this means that to go twice as fast requires 8 times the effort! Any increase in the user’s exercise intensity is instantly met by a corresponding increase in resistance. At a given water level this provides a range of resistance.
Patented Fluid Technology further enhances this, providing infinite variation of that range by varying the volume of water against which the user works.
Fluid Technology also supplies the most consistent linear resistance system available. There are no “flat spots”, common to other designs of water and wind resistance mechanisms.
Why settle for second best? Experience the difference that Variable Fluid Resistance makes to your exercise.

The Concept 2 Rowing machine range consists of the Model C and Model D.

One of the main reasons that drive the success of the Indoor Rower is the Performance Monitor, it’s extreme accuracy: all the times and distances it shows are comparable between different machines and users. As well as giving you reliably data to chart your progress, this has also led to the development of such things as the Concept Ranking and the sport of indoor rowing. The PM3 displays on an LCD screen information live  when you row, as a user you can race against your previous workouts, or against a PaceBoat. Users can choose from a variety of units and display options, including watts, calories, a Bar Chart and a Force Curve. The removable LogCard stores all your data and workouts and allows you to transfer them to different machines or to your computer. This also allows you to upload information to various websites to compete all over the world with your time trials and compares how well your workout ranks world wide. So from rowing at home you really can come part of one the most rated froms of exercise.

The Concept2 Indoor Rower is based on air resistance, which captures the rhythm and feel of rowing on the water by using a carefully balanced and calibrated flywheel almost like a large fan and as you row wind is generated to also help cool the rower. The resistance you feel using the Indoor Rower is the wind resistance generated by the spinning flywheel. With no brake pads to wear out, and no friction mechanism to generate heat, the flywheel motion is smooth, long lasting, and maintenance free. James Cracknell said  “Wherever we train we always take a Concept 2; it’s brilliant. It registers your power output, monitors the distance rowed, all the stuff you need to know really. It’s probably about 80-90 per cent similar to rowing a boat on the river.”

So if your considering any form of exercise at home it really is worth considering a quality commercial rowing machine, Gymkit UK have several models on display for you to try and compare.

The big question is which machine would we recommend ? Why not visit us and you can test for yourself both the Concept2 and The Fluid Rower range, GymkitUK.com have a great team of expert fitness staff that will advise on what suits you. Why not call us on 01733 205551.