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There are a few basics in weight training that people are afraid to ask, because they think that they should already know them. Just knowing what a few terms mean will help in basic weight training, such as  “rep”, which is one lift of a weight or a completion of an exercise movement. A “set or “set of reps” is a series of repetitions, an example would be doing 3 sets of 10 repetitions of bicep curls.  This often written as 3×10 Bicep Curls.

When beginning a weight training program I would highly suggest using a starting weight of no more than half of the weight that you could lift at the present time, and doing only 1 set of each exercise. The reason being that you want to let you body ease into your program and not put to much strain or have a chance for injury because your muscles are not fully ready for a total workout. Take about a 1-2 minute rest in between each exercise when you first start out, and you can cut this down to no longer than 1 minute once you built your endurance up. Starting out all the basic equipment you will need is a bench and a good set of dumbbells and the Xvest TurboBells Adjustable Dumbbells, which take the place of 26 regular ones are a good choice.

Smooth Fitness introduced the first total body elliptical cross trainer in 1997 and has been making improvements every year. The Smooth CE 7.4 Elliptical offers a unique 3:1 ratio of lower body resistance to upper body resistance. This is a great feature because it allows your arms and legs to receive an equal workout without one tiring before the other. Being 6′2″, the 21″ the extra long stride is more than adequate and will accommodate even taller users.

I’ve noticed a much smoother ride than other ellipticals I have been on, because of the heavy duty flywheel they use. The Electromagnetic Braking System allows for smoother transitions and stops even during the most strenuous workouts.This Elliptical Trainer compares to many of the commercial ones for a lot less money. So for a great cardiovascular and low impact workout this is the perfect machine.

Everybody has their own preferences on when to workout, but to me as long as you can commit and stay dedicated that will always will be the most important thing. To me the morning is the best time, because it prepares you for the rest of the day and you don’t have to work it in your schedule later. It installs discipline that will help you in other areas. You will be ready to take on whatever comes your way and handle everything with ease.

They asked a fighter from The Kronk Gym in Detroit why he got up at 5 O’clock every morning instead of getting up at 8 or 9 am and he told them it was strictly for discipline and that if he ever got knocked to the canvas, that while he was laying there he would remember all those early mornings of getting up for training and the effort he made to get up early instead of doing it when he felt like it, that this would help motivate him to get back on his feet no matter how he felt. You don’t have to be a fighter, but the thought of becoming mentally strong along with physically strong is twice the reward. I love starting the day out on my Schwinn Airdyne Evo Comp Exercise Bike because I can get an upper body workout along with a lower body one and start out the day with a bang.

Taking into consideration certain things to look for on a quality treadmill, it would be hard to find a better value than the Sole F80 Treadmill. With its powerful motor, plenty of features, a good folding design, and a deck to run on that is second to none, this sturdily built treadmill delivers a comfortable and challenging workout. It boasts a 3 horsepower continuous duty motor that can take you up to 11 mph and inclines up to 15%. The deck has rollers that are 2.75 inches an this is larger than most competing models.

When working out on it, I noticed that the Sole F80 delivered a smooth and extremely pleasurable workout due to the Cushion Flex Shock Absorption Whisper Deck which reduces impact on joints by 40%. There are many other features on this model plus a great warranty for around $1,500, so if you are looking for a treadmill that delivers and has a good price then check out the Sole F80.

A good variation of the barbell incline press can be performed with great results using dumbbells. While seated on an incline bench, have a spotter hand you a dumbbell for each arm, then with the dumbbells at the sides of your torso, at chest level, press the dumbbell up in an explosive motion slightly touching each other with your palms facing up. Next slowly bend your arms and lower both dumbbells in a slow, controlled fashion to your chest.

The dumbbells should be at the sides of your chest where you feel a comfortable stretch. Repeat this movement as many time until failure, trying to do at least 8 reps and no more than 12 reps. Having a good set of dumbbells is a must and the PowerBlock Adjustable Dumbbells are a good choice because they are easy to handle and they take the place of many individual dumbbells when you start to progress in weight. Try this variation and I think you will agree that you get even more range of motion than using a barbell on this exercise.

I came across a very interesting article that might make you want to your Treadmill Workouts for different reasons. If you have ever partied a little to hard, a study with rats showed that treadmill exercise following alcohol intoxication helped protect the brain against alcohol- induced damage. Rats in the alcohol groups were injected with alcohol and all the rats were injected with a kind of cell found in the hippocampus ( this is the part of the brain that is involved in memory forming, organizing and storing information), this cell can be damaged by alcohol.

The rats that were in the exercise groups had to run on the treadmill for 30 minutes per day for 5 days. When the brains were autopsied, researchers found more signs of cell growth in the exercise groups. The greatest cell proliferation was seen in the exercise/ no alcohol group. While alcohol prohibited cell proliferation showed, exercise following alcohol intoxication induced new cell formation. Not using alcohol is definitely the best way to go, but if that occasion arrives when you have had 1 to many, a treadmill can  help keeping your mind in shape along with the rest of your body.

The ProForm Perspective ES Treadmill is a TV and entertainment model that is sure to take all the boredom out of you workout. The 28  separate workouts are quite extensiv and they range from performance goals, or weight loss programs and they also have some great aerobic programs. Their console is second to none in the $1,500 to $2,500 range. You can choose between watching TV and keeping track of your workout on the brilliant 7″ television with its multicolored screen display (OSD), or when the TV is off you can see all your workout displays plus a multi-color intensity profile that displays your workout’s intensity.

The good news is that after the conversion to digital this TV will still work with all satellite providers and cable with a box so watching your favorite show will never be a problem. Have an MP3 player, no problem just plug it in and discover the ultimate listening experience with Intermix Acoustics with its premium sound system which combines high end speaker and sub woofer components that give you crystal clear sound quality. You will forget you are even working out with all these terrific options, so your next workout won’t come soon enough.

If you do not own a home gym but want to do an exercise similar to the Butterflies for your chest, then try doing the Dumbbell Flyes and it will give you the same results.  I like doing this exercise with Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells. When starting this exercise,  make sure you lying on your back on a flat bench, then have your partner hand you each dumbbell while your arms are stretched out wide to your sides keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing inward, toward each other.

When you lift the dumbbells up together, imagine your arms wrapping around a large tree, like you were hugging it, then at the very peak of the movement, squeeze your pecs together hard for a 1 count. Then upon returning to the start position, be very sure to lower the dumbbells in a slow and controlled movement. You should repeat this action for as many repetitions as you can do until failure. When doing these exercises or any other free weight exercise, it’s always a good idea to have a spotter for safety and to push you to get the most out of your workout.

If you are looking to spend somewhere between $1,000 and $2,000 on an elliptical trainer, Smooth Fitness has a model for you. They have many features that I liked including Ergonomic Pivotal Foot Pedals, which reduces the strain and impact by aligning your feet with the elliptical motion. This can definitely help alleviate the numbness in your feet that you can get from other elliptical trainers. Another important factor in your purchase is the correct stride length and they offer a variety from an 18″ t0 a 21″.

Besides offering a solid and durable machine they offer a great service support team and to me this might be the most important factor in a purchase. Talking to their service department, every question asked was an important question and they would make sure that you fully understood before the conversation ended. Smooth Fitness Elliptical Trainers are a great value, it’s just up to you to figure out which one is a better fit for your body.

Working out at our local gym, I asked the personal trainer to give me his honest opinion on purchasing a set of dumbbells. His first response was, how much room do you have and how much money do you want to spend. His first choice was to have a good set of solid dumbbells in every weight increment, but since he lived in an apartment his space was limited and the cost would be more than he could afford, a sturdy set of adjustable dumbbells would be his second choice. Everyone is different on their personal preferences but there a few things you want to look for are, do they feel comfortable to you, are they well constructed and are the weight increments easily changed.

PowerBlock Dumbbells were his choice and he along his wife each owned a set. He owns the Powerblock Personal Adjustable 5-45 lb Dumbbells, which can be upgraded to 60 lb and his wife had the smaller and easier to handle PowerBlock SportsBlock Adjustable 3-24 lb Dumbbell Set. I’ve always said when you ask a person in a particular field on what they would use in their own home and they give you an answer, there has been a lot of investigation already done for you, so take advantage of their knowledge because personal experience is the best teacher.