Fitness

Tips to Help You Choose the Best Fitness Machines

Posted on by Britney Drake

I would assume that you are reading this post because you want to work out right in the comfort of your home.

Do not worry because you are not alone. There are a growing number of Australians who are looking to stay fit without ever going to the gym.

Many do this by reading reviews to help them decide on the best fitness machines to buy. To help narrow down your choices, allow me to give the following tips.

Start with Your Budget

Exercise machines do not come cheap. High-end devices often come with a price tag of up to a few thousand dollars.

There are inexpensive options, of course. But do not expect the quality and features to be equivalent to more expensive fitness machines. The most important thing here is to have a target budget.

Make sure that you account for everything including the maintenance of the machine. You may buy it for a ridiculously low price.

But if it requires expensive maintenance, then you’re better off with a machine that is very easy to maintain.

Determine the Kind of Exercise that You Love Doing

Some people love to run. Hence, a treadmill might be a good idea for them. There are also those who prefer cycling, which makes a stationary bike more attractive. Still, there are individuals who prefer the movements of rowing a boat.

The point here is for you to determine the kind of activity that you love doing. Why is this important, you ask?

One of the reasons why people fail in their fitness goals is because they do not have the correct motivation to begin with. If you perform an exercise because you love doing it, then there is a greater chance of ensuring its success.

Always Consider the Space in Your Home

All machines will take up space. This is a fact that you have to understand right from the very start.

Some fitness machines are bulkier than others, requiring more floor space in your home. Having said that, you might want to consider where to place the equipment in your house.

It would be ideal if you can measure the exact area where you will be placing the machine. Take the length and width of this area and use these dimensions to shop for the fitness machine of your dreams.

If you’re placing the equipment under the stairs, you might as well consider the height of the equipment, too. You do not want to hit your head against the bottom of the stairs while exercising.

Does it Require Assembly and Disassembly?

Another important consideration will be the assembly and disassembly of the machine. Some manufacturers deliver their equipment already pre-assembled.

This eliminates the need for tinkering with the different parts. Other products may require some form of assembly.

You might also want to consider the mobility of the machine. Some pieces of equipment come with a folding design, complete with rolling wheels. This makes it super easy to store in case you have a need for the space.

Always Read Customer Reviews

Customer reviews can provide you with valuable insight into how a particular brand of fitness machine functions in the real world.

It’s one thing to listen to the sales pitch of a store salesperson; it’s a different matter to read the experiences of real people using the real machine.

You can always expect some negatives in these customer reviews. You only need to determine for yourself whether such issues are important or not.

Choosing the best fitness machines for your home is easy. You only need to adhere to these practical tips I shared and you can be on your way to a healthier and fitter you.

Fitness At Home Is Possible Through Indoor Cycling

Posted on by Britney Drake

One of the most popular trends in fitness today is indoor cycling. Indoor Cycling is when you sit on a stationary bicycle and pedal as hard as you can so you can make your heart go up and burn fat. If you ask me, this concept isn’t really new.

In fact, this has existed long before my fitness days. If you go around Sydney’s older gyms, you will definitely see a stationary bike near the treadmills.

A Crash Course on Indoor Cycling

Nobody knows for sure where and when indoor cycling started. Stationary bicycles have been in gyms for as long as I can remember, but the modern definition of indoor cycling has changed the way people understand it.

Today, indoor cycling is the same as spinning. This refers to an organized kind of exercise where a group of people sit on stationary bikes and they pedal depending on the instruction of their facilitator.

The facilitator should be a fitness instructor since he will be dictating when and for how long the people will be pedaling.

To paint you a picture, a spinning class usually has a mirror in front. You sit on one of the stationary bikes and when the upbeat music plays, you pedal as fast as you can.

Some instructors give you a scenario to motivate you to pedal faster. There’s also a downtime wherein the instructor will play a slower beat and you bike leisurely as if you’re in a park.

Benefits of Indoor Cycling

A spinning class won’t be popular if it didn’t give you a set of benefits. In my case, I was convinced to take a few classes because I was driven to burn the extra calories.

Indoor cycling helps build muscle, especially in your legs. It strengthens your core and your legs because you are encouraged to pedal until the song finishes.

This also builds endurance in the long run. But as I have said earlier, indoor cycling also burns calories. One 30-minute session can actually burn at least 420 calories. This beats jogging for the same amount of time.

Indoor Cycling in My Home

So everything seems to be good – indoor cycling is popular and beneficial. However, for people who usually work the whole day, it’s barely a motivation to spend another half an hour to go to a spinning class and get tired.

If you’re like me, then you probably want to do this at home. That is why I got an exercise bike for myself.

When I was first canvasing for indoor bikes, I had no idea what to buy simply because I didn’t know what makes a good exercise bike. My advice for any newbie there is to do their research first before going to a store and buy the first good-looking stationary bike you see.

One of the few things you should look for is the resistance levels. Ideally, the bike you’ll get should have more than 8 resistance levels because most people think that 8 does not get more calories burned.

Besides, the more levels, the better you can customize your exercise depending on your need. Another thing to look at is the sturdiness of the indoor bicycle. The best way to test this out is to actually sit on the model.

By sitting on it, you will have a feel of how comfortable it is and how sturdy it is. If it wobbles softly, look for something else. You can’t risk toppling over.

Lastly, although this is my personal preference, is that it can be folded. I don’t have enough space at my home so I would like to be able to set up and remove my indoor bicycle if I’m not going to use it.

5 Good Reasons Why Futsal is Good for Kids

Posted on by Britney Drake

The benefits of playing futsal are aplenty and they are not only restricted to adult players. Futsal is being recommended even to small children and teenagers as it is just equally fun as it is physically uplifting.

I have seen my children reap the benefits of playing the sport and I cannot help but share them to my fellow parents:

It Fosters Sportsmanship

Futsal is being played globally and became the sole indoor soccer game that earned the official recognition of both FIFA and UEFA. In fact, there is a Futsal World Cup attended by over 100 countries worldwide. So to speak, it is a competitive sport.

Allowing our children to engage in futsal early on teaches them the value of sportsmanship. It further inculcates the values of hard work and team effort which are essentially needed to survive in the world as it is.

It Promotes Strategic Thinking

The game only consists of 5 players per team and the chances are high for a player to face head on with another opponent, especially that the field is relatively smaller than a typical soccer field.

The events are also relatively short-spaced that quick, strategic thinking is required almost always, all throughout the competition. I have witnessed my child in action playing the infamous futsal and I can attest to how the game has improved his analytical skills.

The changes may not come on big and obvious, yet the improvement is solid and persistent. For instance, I notice how quickly he changes his direction when a speeding car approaches him. Or, amazingly he’s able to find ways to crunch several household chores in such a short period.

It Prepares the Kid for Soccer

If you examine both sports closely, you’ll realize there is not much difference between indoor futsal and soccer, except for a few ball techniques and rules.

Messi, Ronaldo, and Pele are the world’s most famous soccer players who are proud former futsal players. Because futsal can be played indoors, consistency of practice is assured, rain or shine.

More so, with the relatively smaller number of players involved, the passing of ball becomes extremely critical. Studies show that futsal players receive the ball 6 times more than when playing soccer.

In effect, your individual technical becomes more improved, ready for a bigger game, especially when your child wishes to one day transition to soccer.

It Boosts Self-esteem

Concomitant to the advantage of increased ball exposure is the enhancing of self-esteem. The players become more confident in their ability to score. Futsal, suffice it to say, is more empowering to kids.

I have seen kids as young as 7 years old who seem to enjoy futsal and feel confident about their skills. This spills over outside the confines of a court, even in their performance at school or other organizations.

It Provides an Opportunity for Cathartic Release

Children and teenagers generally have higher energy than most adults. Their body, brought about by hormonal changes, is at its most optimum state to engage in any sport.

Alongside puberty, emotional and mental challenges also come their way and I, having been exposed to kids of several age groups, can attest to the wavering emotions of a youngster.

Futsal then becomes a very good outlet for any pent-up emotions. It is rough, yet never abusive. So it becomes perfect for releasing the stresses that kids may not express well just yet.

Ultimately, I can say that futsal keeps the youth active, away from vices and other unhealthy habits. It instills discipline and furthers their agility and endurance. Maneuvering the ball is difficult, after all. It promotes sharp thinking and sharper physical skills.

A Simple Review of the Theragun G2Pro Percussion Massager

Posted on by Britney Drake

I never really believed in percussion massagers, opting instead to get my post-workout massage treatment from my favourite massage clinic. After all, the clinic is very near the gym where I work out. But then a friend of mine lent me her Theragun G2Pro, a percussion massager that she says is used by professionals in clinical practise settings.

I was hesitant to try it, not really believing it will work. However, since my friend is going to lend me the device for a full month, I decided to give it a try. This is my personal experience and review of this machine. I have to reiterate that this is not a Theragun G2Pro detailed review. It’s a simple one that I hope will somehow enlighten you about percussion massagers.

The Design                                                                       

Looking like an impact drill with a different attachment, the Theragun G2Pro is currently marketed for those who are dead serious about managing post-workout muscle pain and strain while also facilitating the faster repair of injured muscle tissues. This allows them to get straight back into the action.

It has a modest design powered by a 12-volt rechargeable lithium battery that sends electrical juices to its oscillating motor that delivers 2,400 vibrations per minute. Each vibration is rated at 36 kilogrammes of force. The oscillations are designed to move up to 16-mm in a vertical motion.

The Theragun G2Pro already comes with 4 massager head attachments, each one designed to produce a specific type of massaging action. It only weighs a little more than a kilogramme, making it portable enough for frequent use.

What I Consider Fantastic

There are a number of things that I find really pleasant with the Theragun G2Pro. First, the massaging action is simply superb. No wonder people love it because of its ability to activate deeper muscle tissues. I love my massage therapist, but given the fact that I’ve already been introduced to the Theragun G2Pro,

I think I’d also want to keep this for those my-therapist-is-not-around scenarios. I later found out that this percussion massager delivers 36 kg of force with each of the 40 percussions that it produces every second. It’s unthinkable, yet the results are unquestionable.

This percussion massager also comes with angle placements – four to be precise – allowing me to reach certain parts of my body with relative ease. I’ve seen another percussion massager that looks more like a shower head. This one looks like an impact drill. It comes with 4 massager heads; although my friend only has three (I think she misplaced one).

Suffice it to say, the massager heads work like a charm as I get to use the right attachment for the right massaging action that I need.

What I Find Troublesome

Okay, so the Theragun G2Pro is a professional-grade massager. But given the fact that it is very pricey, this is something that no ordinary Aussie will want to get. Moreover, I find the battery life to be ridiculously short. The published battery life is 40 to 45 minutes.

Personally, the longest I was able to use it in between recharges was a little less than 30 minutes. But I can always live with a half-hour massager.

The real headache is the noise. I once brought it to the office so that I can have a half-hour massage session right in my cubicle during break time. My officemates were all looking at me because of the noise that it created. No wonder my friend never brought the device to work.

Personally, I like the Theragun G2Pro. Unfortunately, its noise is something that I find a real drawback.