Exercise Equipment to Give Your Whole Body a Workout
If you've ever been to a professional gym you've probably seen equipment that enables you to give your whole body an exercise. It ranges from expensive, heavy-duty, professional systems to smaller, do-it-all machines that you can put to use at home.
No matter what type of equipment you are using, be sure to "bake-in" progression and regression to aid your clients or students improve their fitness. Remember that even the best fitness equipment will only yield results if used regularly.
All-in-One Exercise Systems
All-in-one fitness systems combine the functions of multiple pieces of equipment into a single unit. They typically have a bench and squat rack to help with strength training, as well as an array of attachments that perform a variety of exercises designed to target muscles in the arms, shoulders abdominal, back, and legs. Some might have an electric pulley and cable system to provide resistance to help with weight training. Certain all-in-one exercise systems, like the Life Fitness G7 home gym, have a selectorized system of resistance, which allows users to alter the weight they're using by pulling a pin. Some of these machines are portable or stowable to help make space.
Some all-in one exercise systems utilize the power of a polymer rod, also known as Power Rods, which create tension to replace traditional iron weights. The Bowflex and Total Gym systems are examples of all-in-one fitness systems that make use of this technology. These systems let you train your whole body without using weights. However, they do require that you perform some strength training exercises with your body weight.
Other all-in-one fitness systems include a combination of both weights and a pulley and cable system, such as the BodyCraft X3 System. It comes with two 200-pound weight stacks that lets you perform many different strength-training exercises. It comes with a variety of attachments, including shorter and longer bars as well as dual and single D-handles and stirrup handles.
Other all-in-one fitness systems, like the Tonal and Tempo Studios, incorporate technology to ensure proper posture while working out. Both systems make use of 3D sensors to monitor the position of 25 joints, and compare them with reference points, such as mirrors, to help you identify when your form is off. The devices then provide real-time feedback that will help you get back into proper posture. This feature can lower the risk of injury and ensure that you are focusing on the correct muscles in the best way you can. This is especially crucial when training athletes for sports. If you're performing an upper-body exercise that is linked to running blocking, for instance it is important to ensure you're targeting the muscles required by the sport.
Weights
Training with weights builds muscle, strengthens bones and improves balance, and burns calories. Athletes can train using free weights (dumbbells or barbells), machines that provide instructions for movement or cables with handles and bars for various pull exercises. Resistance bands provide resistance to exercises using body weight and can be a great option to incorporate them into workouts for younger athletes or those who do not have access to weights.
Coaches should avoid placing young athletes in low rep ranges when using weights. This could cause muscle pain and injury. High and middle school should use weights can be lifted at least six times in proper form.
Tubing or Resistance Bands
Tubing and resistance bands are a flexible option for weight training. Professional athletes from all sports use them to improve performance as well as increase strength and power and build muscle without the need for weights that are heavy.
Since almost a hundred years elastic resistance training has been practiced for a long time. Athletes of all ages, fitness levels, and genders utilize elastic resistance training to improve muscle strength, speed and agility. Tubes and resistance bands can be used to create a complete workout. They are lightweight and inexpensive.
stationary bicycle exercise consist of strips of latex or stretchy fabrics. They have handles at both ends. When not in use, they can be rolled and put into bags or backpacks. They are lighter than a tube resistance bands and can be used for a variety of exercises.
Tube resistance bands consist of hollow, cylindrical tubes coated with plastic or rubber. They are designed to be affixed to a door, bar, pole or other stationary object. They can be used for pushing or pulling exercises, and offer various levels of resistance, based on their thickness and tension. They are also more durable than regular flat resistance bands and many come with a snap-guard inbuilt that stops overstretching.
The main benefit of elastic resistance training is the ability to change the direction of pull during an exercise. For instance, a study performed at Brigham Young University showed that changing the direction of force in a squat or step exercise by directing the tubing or band to the front of your leg changed the focus on muscles of the quad and hamstring.
Tubing or a band of resistance can also be an ideal option for those who prefer to work on their own rather than with a trainer or a group. They're also great for traveling since you can fit them into a suitcase, or backpack and still have access to your favorite exercise routines.
Aerobic Machines
Cardio exercises increase endurance and cardiovascular strength they burn calories and stimulate the release of feel-good chemicals known as endorphins. The most well-known kinds of cardiovascular exercises include walking or jogging, using an elliptical machine or a stationary bike and climbing on a stair-climber. Although these workouts are able to be done outdoors however, indoor gym equipment is usually preferred for a variety of reasons. The major benefit of cardio equipment is that it creates an environment that is controlled and allows for a customizable workout. Many machines also offer built-in monitors to track heart rate time, distance and distance for a more accurate workout experience.
Treadmills provide a low-impact cardiovascular workout and can be used to simulate walking, running or stair climbing. They also let users control their pace as well as the incline and resistance levels. These features make treadmills an excellent option for people who have knee issues or want to get fit.
Stair climbers are well-known pieces of equipment for cardio as they work the lower and upper body simultaneously while burning lots of calories. They are designed to mimic a continuous flight of stairs, stair climbers build strength in the legs and core, while targeting muscles in the back, arms and shoulders.
The Jacob's Ladder is a truly unique piece of fitness equipment that offers an intense, full-body exercise. This rare equipment is shaped as a ladder, and comes with separate rungs that function as foot platforms. The rungs of this unique equipment are connected to a chain that moves as the user climbs. The ladder moves at a pace determined by the user's climbing speed.
Stationary bikes and ellipticals can be another popular types of cardio machines because they provide a low-impact, full-body cardiovascular workout. They can also be adjusted by users to their resistance to focus on specific muscle groups. For instance some ellipticals have an "Rolling Hills" program which adjusts the machine's resistance to simulate running or biking up hills. Other ellipticals and stationary bikes come with interval training programs to increase endurance.