Healthy Tips

Introduction

With the popularity of home workouts on the increase, it becomes important to choose the right equipment for your needs.  You don’t want to commit the time or the money to later find that you chose is impractical or inconvenient to use or to store.  Both dumbbells and resistance bands can provide the resistance you need for a circuit routine, interval training or plain old mass-building resistance training.

Advantages

Resistance bands are made of rubber tubing with plastic or foam covered handles at each end.  They are very easy to store and transport.  They easily fit in a duffel bag or a suitcase and are extremely suitable for trips.  They are very versatile, allowing for a much greater range of motion than do dumbbells.  They are widely used as a means of physical therapy and injury rehabilitation.  Dumbbells come in a range of weights from fairly light to extremely heavy.  It is fairly easy to add weight incrementally by adding plates.  They are more expensive than resistance bands and their prices range from fairly inexpensive to hundreds of dollars for Bowflex, Selecttech,and PowerBlock dumbbells which allow you to change weights more quickly.  There are some exercises, such as dumbbell swings, that can only be done with dumbbells.

Disadvantages

Not only are dumbbells more expensive than resistance bands, you will either need several different sets to use for different exercises during circuit training or one of the high end brands that allow you to change weights quickly.  The same thing holds true as you improve fitness levels.  You either need multiple sets and/or more plates or one of the high end dumbbell sets that allows you to increase weights quickly.  Either way, the expense with dumbbells is hard to avoid.  Dumbbells also require far more space to store than do resistance bands.  It is very difficult to tell how much resistance with resistance bands, which come in different strengths, whereas with dumbbells, you add an exact increment by adding a plate.

Uses

Dumbbells are used for upper body exercises like chest and military presses.  They are also used to provide additional weight for lunges and squats.  Resistance bands are used in both upper and lower body exercises.  Often people put their feet through the handles to add resistance during lower-body exercises like squats.

Choices

Before buying either resistance bands or dumbbells, you have to figure out what type of training you want to use, and what type of lifestyle you have.  If you travel a lot for business, you’re going to go with resistance bands because they are easy to pack and transport.  However, if you have a home gym with a lot of space, you may want to go with dumbbells.  Then there is a matter of comfort.  There are some people who just enjoy the feel of dumbbells in their hands.  If you desire a larger range of motion, resistance bands are more suitable.  Whatever you choose, make sure that you consider your storage needs, your lifestyle, and how much you want to spend.

Many times my friends have asked me… “what are the best fitness bands.”

When it comes to fitness equipment there are several choices. In this article we will discuss resistance or fitness bands as they are also referred to. In fact, they are also called strength bands, tubes or tubing.

Most exercise tubes are made of latex rubber. So, if you’re allergic to latex you may want to take that into consideration before purchasing any resistance tubes.

Here are some helpful tips when looking for the best fitness bands

1. Guarantee or Warranty

Resistance bands after a while lose their tensile strength just like a rubber band. In addition, if you workout regularly with your strength bands they will begin to stretch out and will not provide you the same amount of resistance as they did in the beginning.

That is why it’s so critical for you to choose a fitness bands manufacturer that will provide you with some kind of a defects warranty.

2. Multiple Bands Attachment

Some of the better quality strength tubing manufacturers produce a product that allows you to attach multiple tubes to one handle. In this way, it’s just like having a set of dumbbells but much less expensive. Make sure that the clips that attach to the handle are made out of metal and not plastic.

Cheap resistance bands that use plastic clips to attach to the handles will eventually break or snap apart.

The advantage of having the ability to attach multiple tubes to one handle is that it minimizes the number of bands that you need to purchase.

3. Training and Nutritional Support

Providing you with great fitness equipment is not enough. After all, it’s not the equipment that gets you the results you want. It’s of course the workout program and the nutritional program that you use.

One of the better fitness bands manufacturers, Bodylastics — include with each of their tubing kits access to their Strength Band University. This is a no-cost bonus that gives you access to their membership site where you can watch videos on how to perform several exercise movements correctly.

Make sure that the strength tubes you get come with an exercise guide showing you the proper way to exercise if they don’t offer video training.

These are just 3 must know tips that you need to be aware of before you buy resistance bands of any kind. So when you are looking for the best fitness bands keep these tips in mind.

For More Info or to Buy Now: www.hsn.com Achieving your personal fitness goals is easier than ever with the feature-packed ProForm StrideClimber Elliptical with Quick Resistance. The pedals on this sturdy exercise machine moveyour feet… Prices shown on the previously recorded video may not represent the current price. View hsn.com to view the current selling price. HSN Item #387410

• Recumbent stationary bike for effective low-impact aerobic exercises in your home
• Smooth magnetic resistance with dial tension control to set workout intensity
• Six preset fitness programs with pace guide; includes challenging changing speed targets
• Pulse sensors built into handrails to easily stay within target heart rate zone
• Some assembly required; 3-year warranty on frame, 90 days on parts

Product Description
The Stamina Programmable Magnetic 4825 bike with its walk-thru design is easy to get on and off. Its adjustable, padded, molded seat with seatback keeps you in the correct position while you exercise so you get the best workout possible. The InTouch monitor keeps you motivated by tracking workout time, speed, distance, and calories burned. The simple one-button control makes it easy to use and the large LCD display makes it easy to read. Choose from six preset fitness programs with a pace guide. This computer offers a unique user interactive target zone feature. You have the option of interacting with any of six different programs to achieve a workout that is fun and exhilarating as these programs set speed targets that change throughout the program. The target zone display will tell you if your speed is too fast or too slow. If you pedal too slowly, the speed indicator will drift toward the fast zone reminding you to pedal faster. When you pedal faster, it will drift back to the target zone. In addition, if you are pedaling too fast the speed indicator will drift toward the slow zone reminding you to slow down your pedaling.Amazon.com Product Description
Enjoy an effective low-impact aerobic workout in your home with the Stamina 4825 recumbent stationary bike with smooth, silent magnetic resistance–a great tool for increasing your metabolism for more efficient calorie and fat burning without the impact on your joints. It’s designed to put you in a semi-reclined position so you work all the major muscles in your hips, thighs, and buttocks. Its adjustable, padded, molded seat with seatback keeps you in the correct position while you exercise so you get the best workout possible.

The Stamina 4825 one-touch exercise monitor. See larger image for more features.

The easy-to-use InTouch exercise monitor–with one-button control and large LCD screen–provides six preset fitness programs with a pace guide as well as a unique user interactive target zone feature. The programs set speed targets that change throughout the program, and the target zone display will tell you if your speed is too fast or too slow. If you pedal too slowly, the speed indicator will drift toward the fast zone reminding you to pedal faster. When you pedal faster, it will drift back to the target zone. In addition, if you are pedaling too fast the speed indicator will drift toward the slow zone reminding you to slow down your pedaling.

Features and Specifications

• Resistance: Smooth, quiet, magnetic resistance
• Dial tension control to set workout intensity
• Large, easy-to-read monitor displays all tracking information on one screen
• Built-in InTouch monitor tracks time, speed, distance, calories, and scans with simple, one-button control
• 6 preset fitness programs with pace guide
• Pulse sensors built into handrails to easily stay within target heart rate zone
• Comfortable, padded molded seat, multiple seat positions adjusts to fit most users
• Oversized, weighted pedals
• Wheels for easy transport, leveling stabilizer caps
• Maximum user weight: 300 pounds
• Warranty: 3 years on frame, 90 days on parts
• Dimensions: 56 x 26 x 33.5 inches (LxWxH)

About Recumbent Exercise Bikes
Despite the competition from trendy new fitness inventions, exercise bikes continue to be popular options for home exercise. They offer the same aerobic benefits of riding a bicycle at any time, in any weather, without leaving the comfort and safety of home. Exercise bikes don’t take up much space, require little or no balance or coordination, and can provide an effective workout for all levels of users, from beginners to serious competitors. While the same could be said for a number of other types of home fitness equipment, the exercise bike is one of the few that allows you to watch television or read a magazine while you work out.

The term recumbent literally means “lying down.” Exercising in a recumbent or reclining position allows the user to have full ergonomic back support, without causing strain on the arms, neck and shoulders, all of which can be common effects of using an upright bicycle. For many people, having convenient access to quality exercise equipment is critical to sticking with a long-term exercise program.

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The Resistance Gym Wall Grid uses resistance bands and is great for Wheel chair people and others. It fastens to a wall and allows you to get up close on a chair or can be used standing. It its great in a Physical Therapy office, nursing home or for home workouts. Heavy duty and easy to position as you slide the resistance band to the desired location with unlimited positioning. For real workouts or real therapy!