Tag: Home Gym

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Weight Loss Exercise

Weight Training Bench – Important Things You Should Know



If you are buying weight training equipment for a home gym one of the most important things you will need is a weight training bench. When choosing fitness equipment, you should never compromise on quality. There are several types of weight training benches and you will have to decide which one suits your needs best. Just keep in mind that the weight bench you choose must be strong and stable enough to provide support while you perform a variety of workout exercises.

A weight training bench is a standard piece of exercise equipment that provides support while you do weightlifting exercises. A weight bench can help you maintain proper form while working out with free weights. Weight training benches should be sturdy enough to withstand the strain of heavy weights. They also need a wide base to maintain stability. In most cases, the top surface of the bench is padded for comfort and safety of the user.

Flat Benches

A flat bench is the most common type of weight training bench. There are many exercises that can be performed on a flat bench, including flys, bench presses, and lying rows. Exercises that require you to be seated can also be done on a flat bench.

A flat bench is essential when performing bench press exercises with free weights. You can find flat benches that come with brackets to hold barbells. This accessory makes it easier, safer and more convenient to perform your bench press because it provides a place to set the weight before and after the lift.

You will also find flat benches that fold. This allows you to perform incline bench presses, decline bench presses, and many other exercises.

Hyperextension Bench

A hyperextension bench is a weight training bench designed to provide support for the abdomen and has padded braces behind the ankles and above the knees. A hyperextension bench is used for back exercises and exercises for the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.

Abdominal Bench

As the name suggests, an abdominal bench is used to exercise the abdominal muscles. The bench can be set at different angles of decline to give you a more intense workout when doing crunches. Padded rollers at the highest end allow you to secure your feet so you can exercise your abs safely and effectively.

Preacher Bench

A preacher bench can help you maintain proper form and technique when doing arm curls. When doing biceps curls, for example, you sit on the weight training bench and place your arms on the padded surface that slopes away from you. In this position, you cannot use momentum to complete the biceps curls. Using a preacher bench isolates the biceps and provides a more intense workout.


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Weight Loss Exercise

Body Building At Home: Can It Be Done?


So can you do body building at home? That is, can you effectively work and build all of the necessary muscles to have a toned, sculpted and overall big muscular body without all of the specialized equipment that you will find at a gym?

Of course, you could set up a home gym with your own equipment and then there would be no problem following a routine for body building at home. But let’s assume that you do not and cannot have a fully equipped home gym. What are the bare essentials that you need for effective body building?

Unfortunately you are not going to be able to do body building at home successfully with no equipment at all. There is no way that you can hope to build serious muscle mass without some weights.

Dumbbells are cheap and easy to store in the smallest apartment or dorm room. If you really do not even have the money for those – for example if you are a teen with no job and a tiny allowance – then you could start out by using plastic water bottles, the kind that you can easily grip in the middle. However, you will soon want to move up in the weights, so plan on saving your allowance or asking for a set of dumbbells for your next birthday, Christmas or as a random gift from any family member who is feeling generous.

Hint: you will find that family members are much more likely to buy stuff for you if they can see that you are going to use it and get the value out of it. If you ask before you even start working out, they may say no automatically. If you ask after you have been working out regularly for a month, the answer may be very different.

The next thing that you will need is a flat/incline adjustable bench. This will cost you a little more and it takes up more storage space too but it greatly increases the number of exercises that you can do. The bottom line is that an adjustable bench is going to be essential if you plan on doing any serious body building at home.


Finally, a barbell with a set of barbell weights completes the basic equipment. You can manage with either dumbbells or a barbell, you do not strictly need both, but if you have the space and a few more dollars this can add variety to your workout.

Your workout can then include bench press exercises with and without weights, and the full range of dumbbell or barbell exercises (rows, curls, extensions and raises). Be sure to plan your routine so that you are covering different muscle groups each time. Do not work out every day but have two or three rest days in the week.

So how long will it take before you see results? It would be great if we could bulk up overnight, but that simply does not happen. Be patient, keep to your routine as you planned it for body building at home and you should start to see results in a couple of weeks.

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Weight Loss Exercise

Winter Workout Homework

By Jim Rollince of Gym Source, a vendor of home gym and exercise equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals, arc trainers, bikes and more!

This season, don’t let the arctic temperatures impact your normal exercise agenda – A lot easier said that done, right? Sure, buying yourself a brand new treadmill or any one of a number of different home gyms would be an easy solution, but very costly at that. So why not make your way into the nearest athletic center?

Now you’re saying “anybody could have told me that!” But in actuality, this is trickier than most people think. During the winter, it can become quite habitual to go to work; come home and relax; eat dinner, then go to bed.

And this is a routine that nobody should to get too comfortable with. Some people just can’t bare the cold, or simply aren’t prepared for it. These behaviors can become heightened in frequency as it becomes cooler throughout December, January and February.

A list of general winter predispositions can include:

  • Drinking more coffee/tea
  • Engaging in indoor activities
  • Eating fattening foods

Similarly, holiday parties can have a huge impact on weight, along with increased appetite. And technically, as human beings with certain requirements, we’re exposed to less sunlight, which will certainly lead to fluctuations in hormones and chemicals in the brain. At the same time, the blood vessels in our skin begin to contract, moving blood towards the centre of the body, which impacts our digestive systems.

In combination, all of the above directly affects our ability to stay healthy. Yet, the biggest challenge remains – leaving the house. Here are some great tips:

Clothing

Dress Warm. This includes warm-ups and under armor. And it’s okay to change at the gym; don’t be ashamed to show off your body in the locker room!

This can be a huge obstacle for a lot of self-conscious people. The warmer you are before your workout, the easier the transition into full cardio or strength training. Tighter clothing will also with warmth.

Food

It’s almost guaranteed that as human beings, we’re going to eat more during the winter. But eating at the right while eating the right foods will eventually enhance your workout and drive you to stay at the gym longer. Be sure to eat foods that are high in protein, along with beverages rich in carbohydrates and vitamins. Calcium and Potassium are very important for nutritional health and avoiding sickness. Although these foods/proteins/vitamins may not get you to the gym, they will surely keep you from missing out!

Also, try substituting some of your every day foods for things like almonds, peanuts, dates and raisins – These are high in protein and natural sugar; guaranteed to give you that extra drive during the day.  On a side note, they also are great for your digestive system. If not properly upheld, obstructed bowel movements can cause distress and back pain, lowering workout motivation.

Water

Drinking sufficient amounts of water during the day will also help with digestion, and also acts as a preventive measure for muscle aches and back pain. And most importantly, it helps with weight loss.

Muscles

Lastly, be sure to strengthen your muscles by constantly stretching. This doesn’t have to be at the gym – Use your spare time to stretch your muscles, including the ones in your face. The cold will eventually make you feel achier and tighten everything up. A quirky, yet effective example would be to stretch while in the shower. This is when your core temperature has a chance to rise, allowing for easier stretching.

If you’re already actively involved at a gym, it doesn’t mean that you wont’ gain weight either. Winter’s affects can be quite brutal! Trips the store; walking; playing outside; side-work – This can all be cut in half due to the cold. In order to remedy this, be sure to spend an extra few minutes at the gym, perhaps exploring new exercises. If you abide by these simple stipulations, you’ll find that it’s easy to keep that great summer shape!

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