Exercise Equipment to Give Your Whole Body a Workout
If you have ever visited a gym with a professional, you've probably seen equipment which allows you to exercise your entire body. It can range from expensive professional equipment, heavy-duty, and powerful to more compact, do-it-all machines that you can use at home.
No matter what kind of equipment, always "bake regardless of the type of equipment, always "bake" progress and regression so your clients or students can improve their fitness. And remember that even the best fitness equipment can only produce results when used regularly.
All-in-One Exercise Systems
All-in-one exercise systems combine the capabilities of several pieces of equipment into one unit. They typically have the squat rack and bench to help with strength training, as well as various attachments to perform a variety of exercises that target muscles in the arms, shoulders, back, abdomen and legs. Some may have a cable and pulley system to provide resistance for weight training. Certain all-in-one fitness systems, like the Life Fitness G7 home gym, have a selectorized system of resistance, which enables users to alter the weight they are using by pulling a pin. Some of these machines can be folded down or stored away to make space.
Certain all-in-one exercise equipment systems make use of the power of a polymer rod known as Power Rods to create tension instead of traditional iron weights. The Bowflex and Total Gym systems are examples of all-in-one fitness systems which make use of this technology. These systems let you train your entire body without using weights. However, they still require that you perform some exercises for strength using your own body weight.
Other all-in-one exercise systems have an amalgamation of weights and a pulley as well as a cable system, like the BodyCraft X3 System. It comes with a dual 200-pound weight stack that lets you perform numerous different exercises for strengthening. It also comes with a broad range of attachments, including bars that are long and short, single and double D-handles, ankle straps, stirrup handles, rope handles and dual arm cuffs.
Other all-in-one fitness systems, like the Tonal and Tempo Studio, feature technology that aids in ensuring the correct posture during your exercise routine. Both of them make use of 3D sensor technology to track 25 joints, compare them with mirrors or other reference points and determine the moment when your posture has changed. They also provide real-time feedback to help you get back into good posture. This feature will reduce the risk of injury and ensure that you are targeting the right muscles in the most effective way. This is especially crucial when you train athletes to take part in sports. If you're doing an upper-body exercise that is correlated with run blocking, for example it is important to ensure that you're targeting muscles required by the sport.
Weights
Weight training helps build muscle, strengthens bones and improves balance, and burns calories. Athletes can train with weights that are free (dumbbells, barbells), machines that provide instructions for movement or cables with handles and bars for various pull exercises. Resistance bands add resistance to bodyweight exercises, and are a great way to incorporate into the training of younger athletes or those who don't have access to weights.
When using weights, coaches should not place young athletes in low rep ranges, which could lead to muscle soreness and injuries. High school and middle school age athletes should generally utilize weights that can be lifted six or more times, with proper form.
Resistance Bands or Tubing
Tubing and resistance bands provide a versatile alternative to exercise with weights. Professional athletes across all sports use them to improve performance and increase strength and power and build muscle without the need to use heavy weights.
The practice of elastic resistance training has been in use for more than 100 years. All athletes of all ages, fitness levels, and genders utilize elastic resistance training to improve the strength of their muscles, speed and agility. Resistance bands and tubes can be used to give you a an entire workout. They are lightweight and cost-effective.
Flat resistance bands are generally comprised of strips of stretchy or latex fabric. stationary bicycle exercise are adorned with handles that are connected to both ends. When they're not being used they can be rolled and put in luggage or a backpack. They're lighter than tube-style resistance bands and can be used for a greater range of exercises.
Tube resistance bands consist of hollow cylindrical tubes that are coated with plastic or rubber. They are designed to be fixed to a door, bar, pole or other stationary object. They are ideal for pulling and pushing exercises. They offer different levels of resistance based upon their thickness and tension. They are also more resilient than regular flat resistance bands and a lot of them have a built-in snap-guard that prevents overstretching.
The primary advantage of training with elastic resistance is the ability to alter the direction of pull during an exercise. A study at Brigham Young University, for example, showed that the tubing was redirected to the front of the leg during a squat or step exercise changed the focus of the quad and hamstring muscles.
Tubing or a resistance band can be a great option for athletes who prefer working on their own rather than working with a coach or a group. You can also carry them along when you travel, as they are small enough to fit into the bag of a backpack or suitcase.
Aerobic Machines
Cardio exercises increase endurance and strength of the cardiovascular system, burn calories and stimulate the release of the feel-good chemicals referred to as endorphins. Some of the most common forms of cardiovascular exercise are walking or jogging, using an elliptical machine or a stationary bike and climbing on a stair-climber. Indoor gym equipment is preferred over outdoor exercise for a variety of reasons. The primary benefit of cardio equipment is that it offers a controlled environment and allows for a customizable workout. Many machines come with built-in monitors to track heart rate as well as time and distance to provide a more accurate workout experience.
Treadmills provide a low-impact cardio workout and can be used to simulate walking, running or climbing stairs. Users can also adjust their speed, incline and resistance level. These features make treadmills an excellent option for people who have knee issues or want to get in shape.
Stair climbers are now a popular fitness equipment because they exercise both the lower and upper body at the same time and burn a lot of calories. They are designed to mimic a continuous staircase, stair climbers build strength in the legs and core, while focusing on muscles in the back, arms and shoulders.
The Jacob's Ladder provides a challenging, total-body workout. This unique piece of equipment shaped as a ladder with rungs that serve as foot platforms. The rungs of this rare equipment are linked 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 treadmills are also popular cardio machines. They offer a full body low-impact cardiovascular workout. These machines can also be adjusted by users to their resistance to focus on specific muscle groups. For example, some ellipticals come with a "Rolling Hills" program that adjusts the resistance of the machine to simulate running or biking up hills. Other ellipticals or stationary bikes have interval training programs that increase endurance.