Exercise Equipment to Give Your Whole Body a Workout
If you've been to a professional gym, you've likely seen exercise equipment that allows you to give your body a workout. The equipment ranges from heavy-duty professional equipment to small machines that are able to be used at home.
No matter what type of equipment you use, always "bake-in" progression and regression to help your students or clients improve their fitness. Remember that even the best fitness equipment only produces results when used regularly.
All-in-One Exercise Systems
All-in-one exercise systems combine the functions of multiple pieces of equipment into one unit. They typically include the squat rack, bench and attachments for various exercises that target muscles in the arms, the back, shoulders, and legs. They may also have a pulley and cable system that provide resistance to help you train weights. Certain all-in-one fitness systems, like the Life Fitness G7 home gym, have a selectorized system of resistance that allows users to adjust the weight they are using by simply pulling a pin. Some of these equipments are portable or stowable to help save space.
Certain all-in-one exercise equipment systems make use of a polymer rod referred to as Power Rods to create tension instead of traditional iron weights. The Bowflex and Total Gym systems are examples of all-in-one exercise equipment which make use of this technology. These systems allow you to train your whole body without using weights. However, they do require you to do some exercises for strength using your bodyweight.
Other all-in-one exercise systems have a combination of both weights, a pulley and cable system, such as the BodyCraft X3 System. It comes with a dual 200-pound weight stack that allows you to perform many different strength-training exercises. It comes with a variety attachments, including shorter and longer bars as well as dual and single D-handles and stirrup handles.
Other all-in-one fitness equipment, such as the Tonal and Tempo Studios, use technology to help ensure proper posture while working out. Both systems use 3D sensors to monitor the position of 25 joints, and compare them with other reference points, such as mirrors, which aid you in identifying when your posture is off. The devices then provide real-time feedback that will assist you in regaining proper form. This feature can help reduce your risk of injury as well as ensure that you are targeting the correct muscles in the most effective way. This is particularly crucial when training athletes for sports. For instance, if you're working on an upper-body exercise that is similar to running blocking, you want to be sure you are working on the muscles required by the sport.
Weights
Weight training builds muscle, strengthens bones and improves balance, as well as burns calories. Athletes can train with free weights (dumbbells or barbells), machines that provide instructions for movement or cables with handles and bars to perform a variety of pull exercises. Resistance bands offer resistance to bodyweight exercises and can be a great option to incorporate them into workouts for 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. Middle and high school athletes should generally utilize weights that they can lift six or more times with proper form.
Tubing or Resistance Bands
Tubing and resistance bands are a great alternative to weight training. Professional athletes in all sports use them to improve performance and increase strength and power, and build muscles without having to use heavy weights.
The practice of elastic resistance training has been around for almost a century. It's now utilized by athletes of all levels of fitness and age to improve and train the strength of muscles, speed and agility. Resistance bands and tubes can be used to create a complete workout. They are portable and inexpensive.
Flat resistance bands are strips of latex, or stretchy fabrics. They are equipped with handles on both ends. indoor cycling trainer can be folded up and placed in a backpack or suitcase when not being used. They are lighter than tubes resistance bands and can be used for more exercises.
Tube resistance bands are hollow, cylindrical tubes coated with plastic or rubber. They are designed to be fixed to a door, bar or pole, or any other stationary object. They can be used for pushing or pulling exercises, and provide various levels of resistance, based on their thickness and tension. They're also more resilient than regular resistance bands and usually come with a built-in snap guard that safeguards against over-stretching, which could cause injury.
One of the main advantages of using elastic resistance training is that it allows you to alter the focus placed on specific muscles during an exercise by changing the direction of the pull. A study conducted at Brigham Young University, for example, showed that redirecting the tubing to the front leg of the leg during a squat or step exercise changed the focus of the hamstring and quad muscle groups.
A resistance band or tubing can also be an ideal option for those that prefer to work alone rather than working with a coach or a group. They're also great for traveling because you can put them in a suitcase or backpack and have access to your preferred exercises.
Aerobic Machines
Cardio exercises improve endurance and cardiovascular strength they burn calories and stimulate the release of a variety of chemicals that are known as endorphins. Jogging, walking and using an elliptical are some of the most well-known cardiovascular exercises. While these exercises can be performed outdoors, indoor gym equipment is often preferred for a variety of reasons. Cardio equipment has the main benefit of offering a controlled environment that allows for a customized exercise. My Source of machines come with built-in monitors that can track heart rate, distance and time for an enhanced experience.
Treadmills are a low-impact cardiovascular workout that can be utilized for walking, running, or stair climbing. Users can also adjust their speed, incline and resistance level. These features make treadmills a great alternative for those who suffer from knee issues or want to get in shape.
Stair climbers are well-known pieces of equipment for cardio because they work the upper and lower body simultaneously while burning off a lot of calories. Created to resemble a never-ending flight of stairs, stair climbers work the core and legs while targeting muscles in the back, arms and shoulders.
The Jacob's Ladder offers a challenging, total-body workout. This rare equipment is shaped like a ladder and has separate rungs that function as foot platforms. The rungs on this rare equipment are connected to a continuous chain that moves with the speed at which the user climbs. This causes the ladder to move according to the user's speed of climbing and allowing them to select their own intensity.
Stationary bikes and ellipticals are another popular types of cardio machines since they offer a low-impact, full-body workout. These machines let users adjust the resistance level in order to focus on specific muscle groups. For example certain ellipticals feature a "Rolling Hills" program that adjusts the resistance of the machine to simulate running or biking up hills. Other stationary bikes and ellipticals feature interval training programs to increase endurance.