If you’ve decided it’s time to get fit good for you. Many decide they’d rather do it from the comfort of home and that’s a great idea because you don’t have to try to find time to get to the gym. It’s all in the comfort of your home. But you’ll want to get the best home fitness equipment your budget can handle.

The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to go broke to get fit at home. Yes there are those fancy machines that can break your pocket book but you really don’t need them to stay fit. There are some excellent fitness equipment options that are very affordable. These 10 basics for your home gym which will help you get into shape in no time!

1. Weight lifting gloves
Although not a piece of equipment but certainly essential to avoid developing calluses on your hands and to provide you with a much better grip your weights making using your fitness equipment a lot safer.

2. Weight Training For Dummies
This great little book just can’t be beaten for simplicity, ease of use, terrific diagrams, and a little bit of humor too. Although there are plenty of weight training books available this is by far the best in my books and the perfect way to learn about your fitness equipment.

3. An Exercise Mat
Your exercise mat is the most basic equipment you’ll need. You can use this to do your weight work outs, abs workouts, and for general stretching before moving on to your fitness equipment.

4. Exercise Ball
An exercise ball is one of the most versatile pieces of fitness equipment to have. It’s good for strengthening the back, doing ab workouts, and doing overall strengthening and toning exercises. It even works great for sitting on while working on the computer or watching TV.

5. Ankle Weights
Cheap and a great addition to your fitness equipment. They are nice and compact so you can even drag them along if you travel and they are perfect for a variety of lower leg work outs including toning and strengthening exercises.

6. Barbells
A barbell set lets you do heavier weights and it also allows you to do a nice range of exercise. You’ll get a bar plus around 160 pounds of weights so you’ll be able to do squats, and lower leg exercises. Your barbell is an important part of your fitness equipment.

7. Hex Dumbbell Set
A 100 pound dumbbell set is best but you can get away with a 50 pound set. You need a minimum of two 5 pound, two 8 pound, and two 12 pound weights to complete your fitness equipment basics.

8. Bench
Your bench is a basic part of your fitness equipment needed to do chest and back exercises. It’s also good for abs and triceps work outs. Make sure the bench you buy is adjustable so you can incline it or decline it.

9. Resistance bands
Your fitness equipment needs to include resistance bands which will allow you to give your full body a workout. And they are so small you can pack them anywhere you go. These bands are perfect to work different muscle groups in a variety of ways that are different than your weights so they provide excellent versatility to avoid gain plateaus.

10. Cardiovascular
Your cardiovascular equipment might include a stationary bike, a treadmill, or a step. The step is used quite regularly with aerobic type exercises in.

That’s it! That’s all the fitness equipment you need to do a full workout. Now that’s not so bad is it? You’ll be fit in no time at all!

By: Roger Michaelson
Get all the latest information about Fitness from the only true source at http://www.1fitnessinformation.com.

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Relaxation is a big part of fitness and a good way to relax is to laugh. Check out our jokes section where you will find jokes, humor and humorous anecdotes.

Elliptical trainers are slowly becoming more popular than the traditional treadmill in many fitness centers. They are both excellent tools for getting a good cardio fitness workout. However there are some significant differences in these fitness machines and what they accomplish. If you are in the market to purchase a good aerobic trainer, knowing these differences can assist you in your decision making.

Elliptical trainers are very popular due the almost total lack of body impact with the ground. This is very important for people with damaged joints or suffering from arthritis. Treadmills are harder on your joints and many fitness professionals and physical therapist have concluded that you are better off doing your exercise outside. Treadmills have a problem that is little talked about but can be serious if you have joint problems. When your foot hits the belt on the treadmill the belt slips forward. Many times this is because the treadmill is improperly maintained. However this slip forward can cause knee stress and problems.

Elliptical trainers can also cause problems it the trainer does not have a long enough stride for people with long legs and if the pedals do not adjust to your natural foot position. The motion of an elliptical trainer has been compared to running on air. However it is poor training for marathon runners as the motion is relatively unnatural. In this case with good joint health a treadmill would certainly be a better choice.

Elliptical trainers have been hyped for there ability to give the users a better aerobic workout with less perceived effort. They give the user an opportunity to do an upper body workout at the same time as a lower body fitness routine. Basically this means you have the potential to burn more calories using an elliptical trainer during the same period of time than if you were exercising on a treadmill. It goes without saying you will still have to do some strength training to get a complete upper body work out but given that time is a premium this is better than no upper body workout.

Elliptical trainers are a favorite tool for many physical therapists when rehabilitating hip and leg joints. Exercise physiologist also use them when working with elderly patients. One drawback to ellipticals is their height. People with balance problems or fear of falling are not good candidates for elliptical trainers.

Elliptical trainers have an additional feature that make them a unique fitness machine and that is the ability to go backwards. At first you may think this is no big deal but if you do an exercise routine in reverse your quadriceps will some be notifying you of your error. If you have a Life Fitness elliptical trainer you have the ability to change the angle or incline which will further provide exercise benefits. Different exercise programs and features reduce exercise boredom, which means you will more likely continue your exercise and fitness efforts.

Treadmills are great if you are young, fit and without joint problems. They are especially suited for distance runners. However the newer elliptical trainers have taken over in many fitness centers. Ellipticals ability to give you a high intensity upper and lower body workout while protecting your joints has drawn rave reviews. Now may be the time to take an elliptical trainer for a test ride and see if you agree that provide a quality exercise routine.


By: Jim Kesel
If you need additional information on elliptical trainers visit our website at http://www.elliptical-trainer-information.com. We have reviews on Reebok, Horizon, Nordic Track, Life Fitness, ProForm, TunTuri, Nautilus and Schwinn elliptical trainers.

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Relaxation is a big part of fitness and a good way to relax is to laugh. Check out our Humor section where you will find jokes, humor and humorous anecdotes.

If you are looking to buy a piece of home gym equipment but don’t know if you should go with a treadmill or an elliptical trainer. You know they can both be readily bought in the open market and they can be used inside. This of course, means that a temperature of 20 below doesn’t get you out of exercise. But how do you know what is best for you? Here are a few things to consider and keep in mind before you go shopping. Thsi article wil help answer the question of the treadmill vs elliptical trainer - which works better?

Treadmill Features

The treadmill was one of the first pieces of home gym equipment. It appeals to runners, joggers and walkers, so it is attractive to a large range of people.

At one time, the treadmill was little more than a flimsy belt wrapped around hard to walk on metal bars that would hurt your feet to use. There was no incline and there was no console to help keep track of the progress you make. It seemed like the stone ages.

Today, however, there are a ton of bells and whistles you can get for your treadmill. They can be programmed to simulate jogging, walking and running, including up hill programs. Simply input your personal information such as age, weight and fitness goals. The machine will then provide you with a program for weight loss or toning, whatever you need to get from your workout.

One thing that you may have to watch for is the weight of the person who will be using the machine, as well as the type of use. Some machines are better suited for a brisk walk by a person less than 200 pounds. Higher quality, and therefore higher priced units, can be used by larger people and at a faster pace. While home units usually have to give way to the commercial treadmills found in gyms, the very high-end home models can hold their own as far as weight and speed of the user.

One big thing to watch for with treadmills is the impact involved with this kind of exercise. When your feet hit the belt, your body absorbs up to two and a half times your body weight. This is where the elliptical trainer comes in,

Elliptical Trainer Features

These machines are still relatively new to the fitness market, but they have a lot to offer a person looking to get fit. They offer a similar workout and burn about the same amount of calories as a good jog. What they don’t have is the shock and risk of injury to your ankles, knees, hips, back and other points because your feet never leave the machine itself. Using an elliptical trainer has been compared to running in the air because there is no impact at all.

Also, the arms are used when working out on an elliptical trainer. And, because you are working both halves of your body, the results will be more quickly noticed.

These machines can also take the information you input as far as age, weight and fitness goals and give you a custom workout for maximum results.

By: Tim Gorman
For more information on treadmill features try visiting http://www.treadmill-solutions.com, a website that specializes in providing treadmill related tips, advice and resources to include information on the best treadmills.

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