Modern Kettlebells For Fitness Without The Elevated Risk Of Injury Associated With Older Designs

Taking a stroll on a gold course can be enjoyable. But not during a thunderstorm. Your odds of being hit by lightning are around 576000 to 1. If you like to wander around in the rain, you radically increase your chance of being hit by lightning; it’s no secret.

However, if I saw you working out with a kettlebell, I’d come to the conclusion that your chances of getting an injury — perhaps a minor injury like a bruise, but it could be a more serious injury like a tweaked back — were much, much greater. Actually, the experts who hang out on the web’s number 1 forum for discussing kettlebells say that kettlebell beginners run a risk because, believe it or not, 1 in 6 kettlebell enthusiasts gets injured to the point of not being able to work out for a week or more.

Listen, I don’t want to give you the wrong idea. Kettlebells, in and of themselves, are not particularly dangerous. The idea that I think it’s important you grasp is that old-fashioned kettlebell design isn’t as good as modern, refined design. Let me show you what I mean.

Everyone who starts a fitness program using kettlebells suffers from bruised forearms. Avoiding these forearm bruises is difficult (if not impossible), because of the way the ‘bell swings into the arm during overhead movements. Since the rounded surface of the kettlebell impacts your arm, it hits with more force than it would if the surface was flatter. Even if your kettlebell isn’t moving very fast, it still hits hard. It’s like getting hit by a rounded baseball bat, you can’t avoid bruising from even a moderate impact. However, picture your kettlebell without the rounded surfaces. Imagine instead that it had flat sides. Instead of feeling like you forearm bones got tapped by a baseball bat, you’d feel like the energy of the impact was distributed across a much larger area. It would feel like you were hit by the flat side of a board rather than by a rounded bat. Bruises would be a thing of the past.

The news is good. An adjustable kettlebell with a modern design like the Ironmaster kettlebell handle have flat instead of rounded surfaces. This makes your workouts a lot easier and more productive because the ergonomically-designed modern kettlebell works with you instead of against you. With a properly-designed kettlebell, you can go through your workout and not get bruised up as if you got smacked with a Louisville slugger baseball bat. .

People get injured when it’s really avoidable. Here’s another way this happens. Lots of kettlebell athletes get blisters and other hand injuries because traditional bells have large, thick handles that are not very comfortable to grip. I’ll tell you why this has happened…

In the past, kettlebell manufacturers made thick-handled kettlebells not because thick handles were what athletes wanted or needed, but simply because they made their bells from cheap cast iron that would break if the handles were thinner. You understand the problem now — in order to keep cast iron kettlebell handles from possibly breaking if they are dropped onto the ground, the manufacturers made the handles thicker than comfort alone would dictate. But modern times bring innovation, and these days things are better.

Modern kettelbells are built with thinner steel handles. Steel is forged instead of cast in a mold. It’s thinner and stronger, and it fits the hand properly.

Today’s kettlebells, like the Ironmaster adjustable kettlebell, are built with proper grip in mind. They don’t destroy the hands and palms like thick-grip bells. No matter how tight you grip it, it won’t cause as many blisters as older, thick handle kettlebells. And if you want to swing it or press it overhead, it’ll find its groove in your hand and go right where it should. Today’s modern adjustable kettlebells give you options, and they’re ergonomically designed. They blow stubby kettlebells out of the water. Say goodbye to blisters.

Do the sensible thing and leave the golf course when thunder makes itself heard in the distance. And just like you’d avoid lightning by taking prudent precautions, avoid kettlebell injuries by using sensibly-designed equipment like modern adjustable kettlebells. Today’s designs are better than their predecessors, and that means you’ll work out more often and more safely.

All Of New York City’s Five Boroughs Offer Fitness

Are you looking to get in shape, or maintain an optimal fitness level? If you live within the five boroughs of New York City you will find many avenues for fitness. Whether it is Yoga in Queens, personal training in Manhattan, Pilates in Brooklyn, boot camp in the Bronx or one of many other options you can find it in the Big Apple. New York City is home to one of the largest concentrations of fitness professionals in the United States. While a majority of them work in gyms, many of them are independent fitness professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit to strike out on their own to start a business.

I had a friend who once walked from the Upper East Side of Manhattan to Coney Island. Along his 13 mile walk, he must have passed a number of fitness facilities. From a Brooklyn Yoga studio offering many exciting and interesting classes to an Upper East Side personal training gym providing one-on-one training to satisfy the beginner or the professional athlete. Every nook and cranny of New York City has mind/body studios, gyms, Crossfit workouts, dance studios and much more available for the fitness conscious person. Once you have decided what interests you, it is easier to begin to focus on which place will suit you best.

In Manhattan there are several places utilizing Russian Kettle bell training. Classes like these are approximately a half-hour long and designed to be an intense muscle workout through the use of these simple, but versatile weights. A form of exercise that is centuries old, is just now picking up steam again.

Queens yogaclasses offered, some with Pilates. Bikram Yoga in Rego Park and Astoria Queens offers the Original Hot Yoga. The classes are ninety minutes and are done in a room that is 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat allows muscles to stretch more easily, therefore the muscles can be stretched further as in after you Warm-Up without actually going through the process.

Many of the Upper East Side Personal Trainers available have certifications from some of the top certification agencies such as the American College of Sports Medicine. You need only look at a short bio or profile of these trainers to see what they are about and their level of experience. What is unique about working with an Upper East Side personal trainer is that not only can they meet you at a gym, but apartment dwellers with a gym in their building can utilize personal training services there. The fact is that if you want to be fit, there is no shortage of ways to accomplish your goals in the five boroughs of New York City. Remember, before starting any physical fitness or nutritional program see your primary care physician for a consultation and check up.

Four Ways To Build And Boost Your Fitness Motivation

You have to increase your fitness motivation so that you could persist and endure on getting the body that you really want. Fitness motivation just happens to be one of the biggest problems most people face in trying to reach their goals. And that comes as nothing new… 1. Results actually take some time. Even with the best designed fitness program or regimen, it might take even at least one month to witness some visible results. That is not really that long but it can sure feel that way. 2. Your body will be in constant painat least for the first two weeks, that is.

When you are not used to it, it would not be the best feeling. So for the first to second weeks, your body is still in its adjustment period to exercising and weight training. 3. At first, you would gain weight. If you’re smart enough, youre weight training. And you may be surprised to see that you gained a little weight to start with. But that is before the massive fat loss. These could be difficult to deal with at first, especially when youre just a newbie to this fitness stuff. Nevertheless, when you stick and endure it for at least one month, then you would be amazed with your slimmer, and toned body.

There are 4 ways to boost your fitness motivation: 1. Competitionthe competitive spirit is sure a fantastic synergist for action and making fitness lifestyle a part of your life. Build some friendly competition with other individuals who share similar stages in fitness. You can not just push each other, but let the zest for results impel you to speedy action. 2. Inspirationthats why having some “like minded” persons for you to relate and associate with delivers the results. You could find fellows who have been where you are now and have eventually succeeded. Make these people your inspirationconsult and be motivated by them. Also, you can let them be your mentor. 3. Supporthow many times have you ever turned to family and friends whenever you needed help and support? Having your own support group, someone to turn to is one of the influential and effective method in keeping your motivation constantly flowing and increasing. Actually, you need to have a support group and use it. The factor in getting the motivation support groups could offer is to participate. It might be hard to open up to various strangers, but remember that these individuals are mostly going through the same thing as you are. 4. Accountabilitywhen it comes to accountability, first things first…you have to tell someone your fitness goals and designate a time line to them. Now, youre on the hook and has to pull through. Accountability in fact goes hand in hand with support groups. You have to look for people to hold you accountable. Also remember that it means opening up to others and sharing your targets and goals. Always learn to commit yourself to fitness motivation and utilize it in setting new goals.

How to Use a Treadmill and Stay Motivated

Treadmills are the ubiquitous piece of fitness equipment-they seem to be everywhere. Typically, when an exerciser buys an at home piece of cardio equipment, they opt for the treadmill-which is a great idea, if you use it. However, it is easy to grow bored and find yourself using it as a clothes rack.

In order to keep yourself motivated and on that treadmill, there are some things you can do. First, make sure to choose the home treadmill that best suits your needs. There are folding treadmills that save space and, obviously, fold up out of the way when not in use. If you don’t have a room devoted solely to working out, this may be a good option for you. After all, these machines can take up a lot of room in a bedroom or living room. Or, you may be a person who likes a lot of upgrades and gadgets. If so, look for one of the newer models that offer different preprogrammed workouts, such as hill climbs or intervals. There are even treadmills out now that have video monitors for you to watch that show outdoor scenes as you walk or run. These city scenes, beach scenes, wooded climbs, etc serve to motivate and keep the exerciser interested. Some of these video monitors include a virtual trainer that will provide motivation as you walk or run, updating you on your progress as you go and offering encouragement as you near your goals.

Additionally there are some things you can do to help yourself stay motivated while working out. The first thing you should do is write down your goals and chart your progress as you make your way towards those goals. Vary your workouts. One day, plan to do sprints, with brief intervals in between to let the heart rate come down. Another day, increase your incline and really work the muscles in your legs. Variety is the key-it will help you find gains in your workout and will keep you motivated.

Robin Dwyer is a fitness enthusiast and consultant for FitnessLyceum.com. We sell a large selection of treadmills and all types of fitness equipment from leading manufacturers at competitive prices.

Elliptical Equipment The Best Piece Of Fitness Equipment For Your Home

The newest cardio equipment that has hit the fitness market is the elliptical training equipment. It gives individuals full and low impact body workouts. However, people must learn if these machines have been living up on the beneficial claims.

The University of Wisconsin’s researchers known as La Crosse have compared the motorized treadmill from the NordicTrack Ellipse elliptical trainer. They focused on parts like the cycle ergometer and stairstepper to determine the differences among the provided exercise modes of both equipments. Their study revealed that running a treadmill and Ellipse displays no important differences in terms of heart rate, calorie expenditure, and oxygen consumption. Both equipments have provided superior workouts on its test subjects over the cycle ergometer and stairstepper.

The researchers also discovered that impact forces that are produced by the Ellipse is similar to walking, while running a treadmill became the number one activity in providing maximum amounts of exercise impact, which could cause knee and joint pain. John Porcari who is the lead researcher explained that the Ellipse ground forces reaction is less than a half, compared to treadmill running, thus the motion of each equipment is giving workouts with similar intensity. Moreover, orthopedic injury is less likely to be acquired.

The ACE (American Council on Exercise) commissioned a recent study headed by Doctor Len Kravitz. It was conducted at the University of Mississippi camparing 4 elliptical trainer’s overall qualities.

The equipment being tested are the NordicTrack’s Ellipse selling at $599.95 dollars, the ICON Health and Fitness, Incorporated’s HealthRider Elliptical Crosstrainer at $499.99 dollars, the Guthy-Renker’s Power Train at $199.80 dollars, and the Quantum Television’s Cyclone Crosstrainer at $399 dollars.

Seven women and seven men performed the rigorous elliptical trainer testing. The four elliptical trainers surprisingly displayed similar test outcomes including perceived exertion ratings, calorie expenditure, heart rate, and stride speed. The perceived exertion ratings range from 12.5-13 correlating to a challenging yet a comfortable workout. The ACE’s study on each equipments revealed that effective workouts are given to both women and men. Their burnt calorie was equivalent to an 11.5 minutes mile running or a powerful aerobic dancing.

University of Mississippi’s researchers also surveyed each machine’s personal responses on the provided test subjects. The overall preferences based from the fourteen participants have ranked the equipments from the top to the least of their favorites. The Ellipse is on the top of the list, second was the HealthRider, third was the Power Train, and the last was the Cyclone. Nevertheless, Consumer Reports magazine have recently reported problems on the Ellipse in the form of durability failures. Needless to say the researchers and test subjects have proven the effectiveness of NordicTrack’s Ellipse.

The research team of Dr. Kravitz also provided their comments. Five out of seven women has been hit on the knees by the Cyclone’s center guard panel. The HealthRider started to make an extremely loud noise on its metal parts after a one hour use.

Moreover, Kravitz stated that the Cyclone and the Power Train appears to be made inexpensively to have a competitive price. The HealthRider is a product launched before it’s ready but it’s very smooth when running on it and gives a highly satisfactory service although the quality has not been tested. The ellipse compared to other equipment is more solidly built, feels smooth, runs smooth, and the most durable.

The studies from both universities lend credibility on the elliptical trainer’s effectiveness. Make sure you thoroughly do your own research prior to purchasing any fitness equipment including elliptical trainers.