May
10

Are you interested in using exercise equipment, but don’t want to go to the local gyms to do it?  There’s good news. You don’t have to travel anywhere to exercise using public equipment.

 

Some equipment you can get and use at home for less than the cost of some memberships to these gyms. Mini trampolines are good exercise equipment to use for your at-home program.

 

They can be fun, easy to do, and can be used almost anywhere in the house. You can use them in your bedroom or you can move it to the living room. It folds up easily and can be stored in most closets or under the bed.

 

Hand weights are another option. These are relatively cheap and help tone up muscles in your body.  Hand weights come in many different sizes, so there’s something for beginners as well as those more advanced. They’re also easily stored away in your closet when not in use.

 

Stationary bikes are one of the most common at-home exercise options out there. Most people invest in a stationary bike for their exercise routine because it’s one of the easiest things to do to stay in shape, and you can ride while watching television or listening to the radio. Because it’s not complicated to use, it gives a person satisfaction in knowing that they accomplished their exercise routine for the day.

 

If you do aerobics for your exercise routine, you should consider using a stepping block in your aerobic program. The step increases your calorie burning and helps tone up your legs and buttocks. The steps can be adjusted to the height you need for your personal fitness program and they’re easily stored away in a closet.

 

There are also more expensive exercise equipment options to choose from. The more popular ones include the treadmill, the rowing machine, stair climber and skiing machines. These are much bigger and aren’t moved around very easily.

 

You could also choose an exercise ball to add to your program. These work well to stretch out your muscles and they make exercising more interesting for you. There are many different sizes to choose from and they’re also inexpensive and easy to store.

 

Another option to use for your exercise program may just be a blast from your past. The jump rope is starting to become popular again as exercise equipment. It’s easy to do and they provide an excellent way to burn calories.

 

Plus, they now have jump ropes without the rope!  An electronic device counts the repetitions for you.  It can make your exercise program something to look forward to and it can provide you with some fond memories of your childhood.

 

You can start an exercise routine in your own home without traveling to a gym to get your exercise in for the day. Stock up on exercise equipment for your home and add some fun to your program and you have a perfect recipe for fitness success!

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May
10
Filed Under (Exercise and Fibromyalgia) by Judie on 10-05-2008

         You can exercise at home and still stay safe while doing it.  It could be dangerous since you don’t have a trainer watching you and helping to prevent injuries, but if you follow a few simple rules, you can enjoy a nice, safe exercise program in your own home.

 

The most important thing to always make sure you do before beginning your exercise program is to properly stretch your muscles. Without stretching, you can cause muscles to pull and tear, so stretch them out before beginning to exercise to warm them up.

 

If you’re just beginning to exercise, you should start with a short exercise routine. You don’t want to overdo it and exercise too much. This can cause injuries since your muscles wouldn’t be used to it yet. Once you’ve been at it for a little while, you can slowly start to increase your exercise time.

 

Don’t jump into a program going full force until you know what you’re doing.  Take it easy and go slowly at first. Get your body used to doing these exercises before speeding up and going full throttle.

 

Slowly increase your speed and never do more than you can physically do. Know your limits and stick with them. If you use exercise equipment, make sure it’s in good shape and know how to use it properly.

 

If you don’t know how to use the equipment that you’re planning to use or have faulty equipment, you run a huge risk of getting hurt. Faulty equipment can break while you’re using it and major injuries can occur. If you use the equipment incorrectly from how it should be used, you run the risk of getting hurt as well.

 

If you lift weights for your exercise routine, never ever bench press alone. The bar can get too heavy for you to lift up and can come down on your chest and neck area, cutting off air circulation. This is extremely dangerous and can be fatal, so get someone to come and spot you when performing bench presses.

 

If at any time you start to feel pain during your exercise program, you should stop immediately and take care of the pain. See a doctor if necessary. Don’t continue with your exercises when you’re in pain because it may only make things worse. Stop right away and take care of the injured part of your body.

 

Wear comfortable shoes if you’re going to walk or run. A cheap pair will make your feet hurt. They can also cause you to injure some muscles as well, so make sure they’re good quality shoes that are comfortable.

 

You can exercise at home and still stay safe. Follow these steps and decrease your chances of hurting yourself during your exercise routine. If you take it easy and don’t overdo what your body is capable of doing, then you can exercise freely without any risk of injury.

 

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May
10

Exercise equipment can be enticing to purchase for your home gym, but it can be expensive for someone who’s on a tight budget. There are many exercises you can do in your own home that don’t involve any equipment.

 

Here are 10 ways to get you started exercising without purchasing any equipment.

 

1.      Walking - It’s nice to get outside and walk so that you enjoy the scenery and feel the warmth of the sun, but bad weather days hinder your ability to do that. If you have a flight of stairs that are in good shape, try going up and down them several times.

You can tone up your legs while getting some low impact cardio aerobic exercise at the same time. If no stairs are available, then you can try just walking around your house several times.

2.      Jumping Jacks - This should be fun since most people did these in their school gym class or as kids having fun. They’re good warm-up exercises as well as good cardio exercises.

3.      Pushups - Pushups can be hard to do, but you can do them on your knees instead of keeping your legs straight. You’re building up arm strength and working out muscles in your chest area, so there’s no need to put strain on your legs by doing them with your legs straight.

You can also try doing an even lesser impact version where you do push-ups against a wall, so that you’re not using your legs except for support in a standing position.

4.      Leg lifts - These are good for toning up your legs.  If it’s too hard to do with your legs straight, try doing them with your legs bent.

5.      Sit ups - These are good to tone up your abdominal muscles. You don’t have to raise your head all the way in order to touch your knees. Just raising your head part way until you start to feel the abdominal muscles stretch would be fine to get started.

6.      Jogging in place - Jogging is good for your heart. You can jog in place in your home while watching television or listening to music. This would require a good pair of shoes to eliminate unnecessary stress on your legs, but otherwise no other equipment is needed.

7.      Squats - These are good exercises for your legs and buttocks. If you find that doing these are too hard, try just sitting down in a regular chair and standing back up again. You’ll get pretty much the same effect and it enables you to complete several repetitions without losing interest too fast.

8.      Light weight lifting - Weight lifting doesn’t have to be done with expensive weights. You can use what you already have at home like a can of peas or whatever canned goods you have.

You could also take an old gallon milk jug and fill it with water if you want to add extra weight. Be sure to work your way up to heavier items.

9.      Dancing - Dancing is a great aerobic exercise and can be lots of fun to do.

10.  Step exercises - These can be done using the steps in your home. There’s no need to purchase a step at the store.

 

You don’t have to purchase a membership at a gym or buy expensive equipment in order to exercise. There are plenty of ways to do it at home with what you already have.

 You should talk with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, particularly if you suffer from high blood pressure or dizziness; have had a stroke; have a heart, lung, liver or kidney condition; or if you have recently been hospitalized.  If you are more than 20 pounds overweight, you should not work out at a high intensity level without professional supervision.

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