Treadmills Help You Stay In Great Fitness Shape

By Anna King

Today, a majority of people live unhealthy way of life, as they are influenced by bad diet and long periods of inactivity. These things cause them to be overweight and out of shape. Getting fit will help you lower your cholesterol, shed some pounds, build up endurance and help prevent you from getting sick. A fitness machine, like a home treadmill, can make it easy to incorporate habitual fitness and exercise activities into your busy routine.

Benefits of Treadmills

Frequently using a treadmill will shape up your body over the course of a period of time. Treadmills offer more opportunities for engaging in intensive cardio workouts than other gym fitness machines. There are various treadmill workout apps to lose weight, build muscle or simply improve stamina. Many people find that the treadmill trainer is the best fitness machine to exercise on because it accommodates to so many different fitness needs and because it's so easy to use.

Popular Treadmill Highlights

Speed adjustment is a basic and essential feature on treadmills. Many treadmills also feature incline adjustments, which elevate the tread belt to differing height levels. Having these kinds of treadmill features allows you to stay motivated and interested in working out, because workouts sessions never have to always be the same.

Many of today's treadmills ship with pre-configured workout apps. You can select the program for weight loss, athletic training, muscle building or general body toning before the belt starts moving. When one of these workout programs is set, you'll find that either the speed or the incline, or even both will automatically change. The changes to the speed and incline levels are automatic and predetermined.

Some workouts are developed to control heart rate in line with a heart rate monitor. This monitor may need to be clipped to your body or held in your hand. High-quality treadmills use a chest-strap heart rate monitor to accurately track your heart rate and calories burnt. A treadmill can have several different monitors, in addition to a heart rate monitor. These monitors help you monitor various fitness levels as you workout.

One thing you might be surprised to know is that treadmills usually have personalization settings. Built-in system memory can allow you to remember personalized workout metrics or programs. This is beneficial especially when there are other treadmill trainer users. A handful of treadmills out on the market can use the onboard memory to store workout history, making it easy to see the fitness progress made and to target new fitness goals.

iFit Live technology is a premium treadmill machine feature that gives you hundreds of virtual courses replicating those at the live destinations. Train for marathons and various well known races by selecting maps and trails for each of these events. See how well you compare against others on certain race courses with iFit Compete Live. Any treadmill trainer that has Internet connectivity and is compatible with the iFit Live technology can run this multipurpose feature. Enhanced treadmills also have full-color LCD touch screens and a music player to keep the rhythm going while you exercise.

Parts of a Treadmill

The biggest component found on a treadmill machine is the tread belt, which is driven by usually an electric motor. This belt moves backwards over rollers, so you have to move forward while adapting your walk, jog or run to go with the speed of the belt and avoid falling off. The running deck fits with the treadmill machine belt and rollers to support and move you through. Premium treadmills have decks that have the capability to adjust incline levels. This functionality allows you to mix up the intensity of your workouts. Increasing the incline levels of the treadmill machine deck can give you more intense cardiovascular workouts.

Virtually all treadmill machine running decks sit on top of damping parts. A cushioning system, usually with adjustable tension levels, can help lessen the impact felt when your feet hit the tread belt. The belt, motor, rollers, running deck, and cushioning system all play a role in providing you with different workout experiences on a treadmill machine.

In addition to the components described, you'll find that some treadmill frames are foldable. Systems with foldable frames are ideal where space is scarce. The foldable treadmills have decks that can be lifted up vertically. Foldable treadmills tend to are more pricey than non-foldable ones. Non-foldable platform treadmills are best for personal training studios, as the treadmills here are constantly being used and need to stand up to a lot of wear and tear.

Assortment of Treadmills Available

Aside from the assortment of features, there are treadmills intended for different user types and usage. There are treadmills that are intended exclusively for walking and jogging and there are treadmills that are engineered especially for sprinters. More body weight causes more impact and wear on the treadmill machine; it needs a more robust motor to support heavy users and thus comes at a higher price. The treadmills with long belts and decks are great for tall people because they support their longer strides. Frequent use of a treadmill should justify a more powerful motor and a commercial-grade frame. For some, these workout products are worth the investment, and they're willing to pay more for the better designs.

Conclusion

A treadmill will help strengthen your health and your fitness lifestyle. You should think about adding this product to your home gym. Before rushing to make a purchase, consider your health, fitness and durability needs, and the features that you will use often. Also, look at the space available at home to place the treadmill machine and look at the type of users and intended usage. When you think about all these things, you'll be more ready to decide on a particular treadmill model that you want.

About the Author:

Fitness forums are good tools to pick up shopping advice. Research a few and see what people are chatting about and what models are sought after.

How Many Workouts Per Week Will Help You Build Muscle?

By Russ Howe-Pti

Most people in the gym have many questions they'd like to ask on the subject of how to build muscle, but they get confused at the wide variety of answers available so instead just struggle on by themselves. One of the most popular questions undoubtedly concerns how many gym sessions per week are optimal when it comes to building lean tissue. Today we will show you how to answer this.

Before you visit your local gym there are a few changes you should make at home in order to ensure your workouts are more productive.

If you are just starting out with weights or haven't exercised on a regular basis you might find it daunting if you have been told that you need to hit the gym every day of the week. Of course, the good news is that you simply don't need to workout every single day.

A good place to get started is to combine resistance training with cardiovascular training two to three times per week. The best way to get your body ready for a positive change is to ease your way into it rather than blasting your muscles as hard as you possibly can.

This will get your body ready for the lifestyle change you intend to put it through.

Of course, you didn't just start exercising so that you could quit a month later. You want to enjoy lasting results, naturally. Phase two of your exercise routine occurs when you start noticing a positive change in your physique. Instead of worrying how many times you need to exercise, you face an altogether different type of challenge.

When you reach this stage, people tend to buy into the false philosophy that more equals better. In terms of exercise and fitness, it doesn't work that way.

On the contrary, when it comes to muscular hypertrophy your body will progress at a slower rate if you blast it too often. Rest is very important.

When it comes to muscle growth your body simply needs those all important rest periods between sessions. They are almost as crucial as the workout itself. You see, your body does not grow while you are in the gym throwing the weights around. It grows while you are at home resting and sleeping.

If you neglect to take a day off to let a muscle recover before you hit it again you will inevitably just be treading over the same ground for the rest of your training.

If you utilize a split routine there is nothing to stop you from hitting the gym five times a week, however those two extra days should be reserved for rest. One of the most important factors in learning how to build muscle which lasts into the long term is understanding the importance of rest.

About the Author:

About today's writer: Russ Howe PTI is the UK's premier fitness instructor. If you need to learn how to build muscle or how to lose weight our free video guides will help you get the most from your training.

Debunking Muscle Building Myths

By Russ Hollywood

While there are many myths surrounding how to build muscle, there are five which stand out more than most. Today we will be looking at each of these popular theories and examining why they are simply not true.

Should women lift weights? Are supplements good or bad for you in the long-term? These are all questions which will be answered for you. Sadly, many people get so lost in all of the myths out there that they convince themselves building a better body is too confusing for them to succeed. That needn't be the case.

No matter what your fitness goals may be, there are so many myths out there that you can over complicate almost any situation. The moment you feel you have found something which works for you, you can be set back to square one by telling you what you're doing is wrong even though it is working for you... When you base your decisions on scientific research rather than popular opinion you will notice greater results. []

1) Should females do resistance training?

Thanks to stereotypes developed in the mid eighties, lots of women are afraid to venture into the free weights section of their local health club. They need not be afraid. If a lady wanted to bulk up she would need to supplement with testosterone pills and eat an awful lot of calories per day, so you needn't worry about obtaining a bodybuilding physique unless you actually want to. Free weights are vital for getting leaner and the also improve weight loss results dramatically, too.

2) Are supplements vital to success?

Too many people get caught up in the hype surrounding the latest supplements and they place far too much importance on them. You'll see them in the gym after a workout, acting as if they can 'feel it going into their muscles'. They're looking for a miracle product, which does not exist. Prioritize your diet and workout program, then use supplements as an added benefit to push results further.

3) Which workout frequency is best for results?

Contrary to popular opinion, more does not always mean better. This is particularly true when it comes to exercise. In fact, gym newcomers should not train more than three times per week for maximum results. Those rest periods are as important as the training itself, so be careful not to neglect them. Once you feel ready to step things up try alternating onto a two day split routine, focusing on each muscle a little bit more and hitting different body parts on different days of the week.

4) Is diet crucial to success or not?

If you diet but you don't train, you will find it more difficult to lose body fat and you'll struggle to look any better. If you train but don't diet, you'll enjoy your time in the gym but never see the results your hard efforts deserve because you'll always have stubborn layers of fat covering them up. It's a partnership, not a competition. One aspect is not more important than the other.

5) How many calories should you eat per day?

Most of us don't know whether we are eating the right amount of calories during the course of an average day. In fact, there are many people out there consuming nowhere near enough. Take your target body weight (in pounds) and multiply by 15.

At one stage or another, everybody who uses the gym hears one of the myths discussed today. Now you know the facts, leaning how to build muscle becomes an altogether more straightforward affair.

About the Author:

Next Step: You can learn how to build muscle using Russ Howe PTI's quick, proven guides. Answer questions such as should women lift weights with the latest scientific research and remove myths from your fitness routine.

Why Performing Cardio Before Weights Is Better For Building Lean Muscle

By Howe Russ

Today's question is one of the most popular among those who are trying to learn how to lose weight, should you perform cardio before or after weights? Today you'll discover the factual answer to this often debated topic.

For many years, this was a subject which was usually answered with personal opinion. There was no real proof whether it was more effective to perform cardiovascular activity before or after a workout, so most people would simply do what worked for their own body and pass on their findings to others.

Recent studies showed beyond any doubt that performing a cardiovascular workout before resistance training was far more effective than doing it the other way around. Today we'll be delving into two of the most well documented studies in this area, showing you why they reached their controversial conclusions. []

Participants in a study at the James Maddison University were subjected to an exercise program over a number of months where one group followed a cardio/weights spit and the others followed a weights/cardio split. The muscle growth in those who did their resistance training first was substantially lower than those on the opposite routine.

Furthermore, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning recently carried out a study on this topic to discover the fat loss benefits, too. Their findings were similar. Those who performed aerobic exercise before hitting the iron were able to increase fat loss results considerably over the group of case studies doing it the opposite way around.

Those facts may be controversial to many fitness enthusiasts, who opt to perform their resistance training first. The theory behind that method is that they don't want their muscles to be tired by aerobic exercise when they begin pushing out repetitions. This makes sense and it's an approach which does yield results. However, science suggests that switching them around is far superior for both fat loss and lean muscle development.

The main findings of recent studies focus on the effects of two enzymes:

* AMPK (aka adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase)

* mTOR (aka mammalian target of rapamycin)

While mTOR is the enzyme responsible for kick-starting the body into the muscle building process at the end of a tough resistance workout, AMPK gets released during aerobic activity to adjust the body for endurance. For around 60 minutes after a workout you'll have a surge of mTOR, meaning the golden window for nutrition is this period if your goal is to gain lean muscle and burn excess fat. This surge lasts around 6 hours. []

If you finish your weight training and then sit on a bike for 45 minutes you have not only wasted the bulk of your golden nutrition window, you have also made a fatal mistake. When the body releases AMPK, i.e. during cardiovascular exercise, this hormone doesn't co-exist with mTOR and actually kills it off.

Learning how to lose weight is a journey often shrouded in myths and opinions. However, thanks to the benefits of modern science you now know the true facts behind whether you should do cardio before or after weights to maximize your fat loss results in the gym.

About the Author:

Next Step: Learn the easy, straightforward truth behind how to lose weight with Russ Howe PTI, the UK's most watched Personal Trainer online. His free video on whether you should do cardio before or after weights will help you to get started now.

A Popular Home Conditioning Machine

By Surrey Lowe

Today, a lot of people live detrimental lifestyles, as they are affected by bad diet and prolonged periods of lack of exercise. These things cause them to be overweight and out of shape. Getting fit will help you lower your cholesterol, shed some pounds, build up endurance and help prevent you from getting sick. A fitness unit like a home treadmill trainer can make easy the ability to workout whenever you can find the time in your busy schedule of things.

Treadmill Benefits

Frequent use of a treadmill machine, whether it be for walking or for running, can condition and shape up your body. Treadmills offer more opportunities for engaging in intensive cardio workouts than other gym fitness machines. There are various treadmill workout programs to lose weight, build muscle or simply improve stamina. The treadmill accommodates to everyone, whether they're athletes or obese people, because it's so easy to use and because so much can be done with it.

Common Treadmill Features

Almost all treadmills today have the ability to vary workout speeds. Incline adjustment functionality is another commonly found feature in treadmills, and it allows you to raise the tread belt to different heights. The perk of these basic treadmill features is that they allow you to mix up your workouts so that they're always interesting and so that you'll never get bored of exercising.

Modern treadmills have many inbuilt workout apps. You'll find a wide range of fitness programs that are designed by experienced certified fitness trainers. Choose one and stick to the instructions for a helpful guided workout session. As you use the treadmill, the speed and incline will automatically change at regular intervals. The progressive nature of the exercise programs will vary, so be mindful and go with one that you know you'll be able to deal with.

You'll find many treadmills have heart rate monitors built into them. These heart rate monitors are often used with pre-configured cardiovascular workout apps so that you can keep an eye on your vitals. Most heart rate monitors are either clipped to the body somewhere or held in the hand. High-quality treadmills use a chest-strap heart rate monitor to accurately track your heart rate and calories burnt. Checking your fitness levels, such as your aerobic activity and progress through a heart rate monitor, is important to keeping fit and staying in shape.

built with. This is useful especially when there are other treadmill trainer users. A handful of treadmills out on the market can use the onboard memory to bookmark workout history, making it easy to see the fitness progress made and to target new fitness goals.

Popular among treadmill trainer models today is a feature called iFit Live capability. This technology connects online and lets you load up maps and trails to workout on. For example, athletes can train from home for a marathon being held in another city. See how well you compare against others on certain race courses with iFit Compete Live. To use iFit Live, you need a treadmill trainer that has both Internet connectivity and iFit Live capability. Check to see if these two specifications are offered on a machine if you're interested in in this technology. Other premium amenities available on premium treadmill trainer models include features such as color touch displays or video functionalities.

Things Found Inside a Treadmill

A treadmill machine consists of a wide conveyor belt controlled by an electric motor or flywheel of varying power. The motor propels the belt, which then moves over belts that spin, as you walk, jog or run on top. The belt is built into a running deck that extends into the frame of the treadmill trainer and supports your entire body weight. The deck can typically be adjusted at various inclines to provide more resistance during workout sessions. Bump up the incline levels of the running deck and you'll get a better cardio workout.

Most running decks are mounted on damping components to make the treadmill trainer shock-absorbent. The most commonly used damping component is a cushioning system, which in some instances can be adjusted with diverse tension levels. The components just identified all work in conjunction in providing varying workout experiences.

Another element to look at is the frame. Some treadmills have foldable frames and some don't. Systems that have foldable frames work for people that are restricted in space. What happens is you lift the deck up into a vertical position. These units tend to cost a bit more, so keep this in mind. Non-foldable platform treadmills are perfect for fitness health centers, as the treadmills here are constantly being used and need to stand up to a lot of wear and tear.

Assortment of Treadmill Systems

Folks will go to treadmills and feature sets that they prefer, but take into account the design of the system as well. A treadmill meant for walking will be different from that which has been manufactured for running. Often heavier user types require more robust treadmill trainer motors. Users over 6 feet tall will want to pick a machine with a longer tread belt so that they're long strides fit within the belt and deck. Consistent use of a treadmill trainer should warrant a more robust motor and a commercial-grade frame. Invest in a high-quality, durable running treadmill in this case even if it costs more.

Summary

The many health and fitness perks of a treadmill make it an important unit for your home gym. When looking around for a suitable treadmill trainer, consider what your needs are and what features you're interested in. Look at the dimensions of the treadmill and make sure that it's going to fit in the spot that you want to place it at. When you consider all these things, you'll be more ready to pick a particular treadmill model that you want.

About the Author:

Treadmill fitness websites are useful places to gather information. Look through some and see what folks are talking about and what products are sought after.

Treadmills Keep You In Good Fitness Shape

By Destiny Nelson

Today, a lot of people live unhealthy way of life, as they are affected by bad diet and prolonged periods of lack of exercise. These points lead them to be overweight and out of shape. Everyday aerobic exercise or muscle building will get you into condition by helping you drop weight, tone up your muscles, boosting your stamina and strengthening your body against injuries. Consider a home fitness treadmill trainer. This machine can help you keep fit by making it easy and convenient for you to exercise whenever you have the time.

Why You Should Exercise on a Treadmill

Running, jogging or even simply walking on a treadmill can really condition and firm up your body over time. Intensive aerobic activity can help you burn calories fast, and eventually help you quickly lose some weight. There are various treadmill workout apps to lose weight, build muscle or simply improve stamina. The treadmill machine caters to everyone, whether they're athletes or obese people, because it's so easy to use and because so much can be done with it.

Popular Treadmill Highlights

Almost all treadmills today have the option to vary workout speeds. There are many other basic features that vary your workouts to help boost fitness levels and achieve your weight loss goals. The perk of these basic treadmill trainer features is that they allow you to mix up your workouts so that they're always interesting and so that you'll never get bored of exercising.

Many of today's treadmills ship with pre-configured workout apps. These programs include workouts designed for targeted fitness goals such as weight loss and training. Just select the app before you begin and follow the treadmill's instructions. The speed and the incline of these set workout programs change automatically, so you don't have to stop your workout to push any buttons. The changes to the speed and incline levels are automatic and predetermined.

Some of these fitness apps work to exercise your heart. A heart rate sensor assists in these types of workouts. Most heart rate monitors are either clipped to the body somewhere or held in the hand. Commercial-grade treadmills, such as those found in gyms, health clubs, universities and luxury resorts, come with chest-strap heart rate monitors, which better keep track of your heart rate. In other words, it can track your cardio fitness level and the intensity of your workout.

Many treadmills come equipped with built in memory, which allow for customized workout programs to be saved for future use. This is useful particularly when there are other treadmill trainer users. Built in memory can also be used to save workout history. This data can be referenced to help assess fitness progress and motivate to new fitness objectives.

iFit Live technology is a advanced treadmill trainer feature that gives you hundreds of virtual courses replicating those at the live destinations. For example, athletes can train from home for a race being held in another city. See how well you compare against others on select race courses with iFit Compete Live. Any treadmill that has Internet connectivity and is compatible with the iFit Live technology can run this multipurpose feature. Enhanced treadmills also have full-color LCD touch screens and a music player to keep your rhythm going as you exercise.

Parts of a Treadmill

The first thing you see when you're checking out a treadmill is its tread belt. It's run by a motor. The belt moves over rollers, which cater to to whatever speed setting you've fixed in the treadmill's electronics. The belt is built in into a running deck that extends into the frame of the treadmill and supports your entire body weight. Premium treadmills have decks that have the ability to adjust incline levels. This capability allows you to mix up the intensity of your workouts. Vary your exercises and never be bored with another workout session.

Treadmill decks are built with shock-absorbent damping parts. A cushioned belt cuts down on jarring impact on your feet while in motion; the tension in the cushioning can be modified for your comfort and resistance requirement. The belt, motor, rollers, running deck, and cushioning system all play a role in providing you with distinct workout experiences on a treadmill.

Treadmill structures are designed foldable or non-foldable. Fitness treadmills with foldable frames are more of a recent enhancement, and suit users where space is confined. Lift the deck of a treadmill trainer that has a foldable frame and you'll be able to recoup some space. These products tend to cost a bit more, so keep this in mind. You'll find that non-foldable treadmills are more commonplace because they're less costly and more long-lasting in construction.

Treadmill Feature Considerations

In addition to the variety of features, you can find treadmills designed for different user types and usage. There are treadmills that are developed exclusively for walking and jogging and there are treadmills that are created specifically for sprinters. Often heavier user types require more powerful treadmill trainer motors. Taller users need a treadmill trainer with a longer tread belt that can readily accommodate their long strides. Consider a commercial-grade fitness treadmill trainer. These will last you for the long haul. Invest in a high-quality, durable exercise treadmill in this case even if it costs more.

Conclusion

A treadmill trainer will help better your health and your fitness lifestyle. You should think about adding this system to your home gym. When looking around for a suitable treadmill machine, consider what your needs are and what features you're interested in. Be sure you take appropriate measurements of the location of where you want the treadmill trainer to go to ensure that it'll fit. If you think about all these things, you'll be more ready to decide on a certain treadmill trainer model that you want.

About the Author:

Treadmill review sites are useful places to gather product recommendations. Look into some and see what folks are discussing and what systems are trusted.

Is HIIT More Effective On An Empty Stomach?

By Russ Howe

High intensity interval training is a great way to burn fat but most people fail to change their nutrition accordingly and don't get the results their hard efforts in the gym deserve. In this post we show you how to tailor both your diet and your supplements to perfectly balance your fat loss and muscle gains when using HIIT.

Your workouts will be greatly improved by following the simple steps shown in today's article.

You probably know at least one person who insists upon training first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This is more habit than anything else, but they'll swear it's better for your results. In fact when looking into high intensity interval training scientists discovered the direct opposite. Hitting the gym with your body stocked up on all the correct nutrients, which we will cover in just a moment, will give you better results.

The majority of gym users discovered high intensity interval training in the last ten years but this technique has been used in sports for over twenty years, so research into the nutritional aspect is anything but sparse. The problem is, however, most people short change themselves by not taking any time out to discover what they need to change with their diet to make the most of this new way of performing cardio for fat loss.

Today's article will focus mainly on people looking towards the fat loss benefits from high intensity interval training. There are two very important keys here, which are:

* Most people perform their workout on an empty stomach and consume their protein or other supplements after they have finished in the gym. Research actually shows that you can obtain far greater fat loss results if you also take a whey protein shake around twenty minutes before your session, particularly with high intensity cardiovascular workouts.

* Try adding some essential amino acids to your supplement routine and consuming them before your cardio workout to maximize results. EAA's are proven to help retain muscle mass while burning fat.

There are two sides to the workout window, and those folks who insist on only feeding their body after a session are missing out on some great results. Ensure you hit your next high intensity level training fully prepared with protein and essential amino acids.

Studies also show that individuals who use essential amino acids get more from them when consumed before a workout as opposed to after. One particularly useful experiment showed us that our body is able to use up to 42% of this supplement if taken prior to a big gym session, compared to just 16% when taken afterwards.

And that's it. Pretty simple stuff in the end, right? By ensuring your body has enough essential amino acids and a nice serving of whey protein around 20 minutes before you do your next HIIT session you will greatly improve your results.

About the Author:

About the author: Russ Howe PTI is the UK's most subscribed fitness instructor. He reglarly teaches gym members how to lose weight , introducing many to hiit workouts on a daily basis.