Exercise Equipment to Give Your Whole Body a Workout
If you've ever been to a professional gym you've probably seen equipment that lets you give your body a workout. It can range from expensive, heavy-duty, professional systems to smaller, do-it-all equipment that you can use at home.
Whatever equipment you use, always "bake-in" progression and regression to help your students or clients improve their fitness. And remember that even the best fitness equipment can only produce results when utilized regularly.
All-in-One Exercise Systems
All-in-one systems integrate multiple pieces of equipment in one unit. They typically include the squat rack and bench to help with strength training, as well as a variety of attachments to perform a range of exercises designed to target muscles in the arms, shoulders, back, abdomen and legs. Some may have an electric pulley and cable system to provide resistance to help with weight training. Some all-in-one exercise equipment like the Life Fitness G7 Home Gym come with a selectorized resistance system, which allows you to change the amount of weight you're using by simply getting up from your seat. Some of these machines can be folded down or stowed to save space.
Certain all-in-one exercise systems employ a polymer rod called Power Rods to create tension instead of traditional iron weights. All-in-one systems like the Total Gym and Bowflex systems use this type of technology. These systems let you exercise your entire body without the use of weights. However, they require you to do some exercise routines for strength using your bodyweight.
Other all-in-one fitness systems include weights as well as an incline pulley system and cable like the BodyCraft X3 System. It comes with a dual 200-pound weight stack that allows you to perform dozens of different strength-training exercises. It comes with a variety attachments, including shorter and longer bars, single and dual D-handles and stirrup handles.
Other all-in-one exercise systems, such as the Tonal and Tempo Studios, include technology to ensure the correct posture while exercising. Both of them utilize 3D sensors to monitor the location of 25 joints and compare them with references, like mirrors, to help you identify when your posture is off. They provide real-time feedback to help you get to regain your form. This feature can reduce your risk of injury and make sure you are targeting the correct muscles in the best possible way. This is particularly important when training athletes for sports. For instance, if you're doing upper-body exercises that is related to running blocking, you should make sure that you're targeting the muscle groups required by the sport.
Weights
Weight training can increase the strength of bones, muscle mass and balance. It also helps burn calories. Athletes can train with free weights (dumbbells or barbells) or machines that provide controlled movements, or cables and bars for different pull exercises. Resistance bands can be used to add resistance to bodyweight exercises, and are a great way to incorporate into the workouts of younger athletes or those who do not have access to weights.
When using weights, coaches must avoid putting young athletes in low rep ranges, which could result in injuries and muscle soreness. High and middle school should use weights can be lifted six times or more with proper form.
Tubing and Bands of Resistance
Tubing and resistance bands provide an alternative to exercise with weights. Professional athletes from all sports utilize them to improve performance and increase strength and power, and build muscles without the need to use weights that are heavy.
stationary bikes exercise bikes of elastic resistance training has been in use for almost a century. Athletes of all ages fitness levels, and genders use elastic resistance training to increase muscle strength, speed and agility. Tubes and bands of resistance can be used to provide an entire workout. They are easy to carry and cost-effective.
Flat resistance bands are typically composed of strips of latex or stretchy fabric. They are adorned with handles that are that are attached to both ends. When they're not being used, they can be rolled and put into bags or backpacks. They are lighter than tubes resistance band and can be used for more exercises.
Tube resistance bands are hollow, cylindrical tubes with an elastomer or plastic compound. They are designed to be attached to a door, bar or pole or any other stationary object. These bands are great for pulling and pushing exercises. They offer different levels of resistance, based on their thickness and tension. They're also more resilient than standard resistance bands, and often feature a built-in snap guard to protect against over-stretching and possible injury.
One of the main benefits of using elastic resistance training is that it enables you to change the emphasis put on specific muscles during an exercise by changing the direction of the pull. For example, a study conducted at Brigham Young University showed that changing the direction of force in a squat or step exercise by directing the tubing band to the front of your leg altered the focus on quad and hamstring muscles.
Tubing or a resistance band is also a great option for athletes who prefer working on their own rather than with a trainer or a group. You can also carry them along when you travel as they are compact enough to fit into a backpack or suitcase.
Aerobic Machines
Cardio exercises increase cardiovascular strength and endurance. They also burn calories and release feel-good chemicals called endorphins. Some of the most common kinds of cardiovascular exercises include walking or jogging, using an elliptical machine as well as riding a stationary bicycle and climbing on a stair climber. Although these workouts are able to be done outdoors but indoor gym equipment is often used for a variety reasons. The main advantage of cardio equipment is that it creates the security of a controlled environment, and allows for a customizable workout. Many machines have built-in monitors that track heart rate as well as distance and time to provide a more accurate experience.
Treadmills are a low impact cardiovascular workout that can be used for running, walking, or stair climbing. Users can also adjust their speed, incline, and resistance level. These features make treadmills an excellent option for people who have knee issues or want to get in shape.
Stair climbers have become a popular fitness equipment because they exercise both the lower and upper bodies at the same time and burn a lot of calories. They are designed to mimic a continuous staircase, stair climbers strengthen the legs and core while focusing on muscles in the arms, back and shoulders.
The Jacob's Ladder offers a challenging, total-body workout. This unique piece of equipment designed as a ladder, with separate rungs that serve as foot platforms. The rungs are linked to a chain, which continues to move as the user climbs. The ladder moves at a pace determined by the user’s climbing speed.
Stationary bikes and ellipticals are also popular types of cardio machines since they offer a low-impact, full-body cardiovascular exercise. They also allow users to adjust their resistance to target specific muscle groups. Certain ellipticals feature a "Rolling Hills" program that adjusts the resistance of the machine to simulate biking or running up hills. Other ellipticals and stationary bikes come with interval training programs to improve endurance.