Kenneth Gardner
As you prepare your Christmas list this season, be sure to make fitness equipment your number one gift item. Christmas is a season of giving and receiving and what better gift to give than one which helps to promote longevity.
Choosing the right fitness equipment is the first step towards better health and fitness this Christmas. To find out what's available, I suggest that you check the daily newspapers, various sports catalogues and the Internet. If you devote some time window-shopping, you will undoubtedly find good quality fitness equipment - from simple hand-held weights to elaborate home gym machines.
The wide range of available fitness equipment is quite astonishing and can often be confusing and complex. The secret to choosing good fitness equipment is to do quality research and use your own personal experiences to figure out which equipment you'll actually use on a regular basis. Choose equipment that will provide maximum enjoyment, reduce your chances of injury and encourage the likelihood of your continued participation.
Two types of equipment
In order to make an informed decision, you will need to know that there are two basic types of fitness equipment - aerobic and weight bearing.
Aerobic exercisers are used to develop the cardiovascular system. This is achieved by raising your heart rate, boosting metabolism and placing your body into fat-burning mode while you exercise. Types of aerobic exercisers include; treadmills, elliptical trainers, recumbent bikes, pedal exercisers, stair steppers, rowing machines and exercise bikes.
Weight-bearing exercisers, whether mechanical or non-mechanical, are used to develop the large muscle groups of the body and increase their mass. Types of weight-bearing exercisers include home gyms, workout benches, barbells, dumbbells, abdominal exercisers, Universal, Nautilus and Cybex machines. Be sure to select equipment that allows you to build endurance, burn fat and develop muscle mass.
Choosing the right aerobic or weight-bearing exercisers will largely depend on the intensity of your workout. Most equipment are designed for individuals with superior levels of strength, fitness and skill, and would definitely pose a challenge for beginners.
A treadmill is a fitness equipment that is generally simple in design and very affordable and it can be manually or mechanically operated. It allows you to set your own pace on manual - and it goes only as fast as you go. Other exercisers, such as rowing machines, exercise bikes and elliptical trainers, will surely provide the endurance workout you desire to strengthen your cardiovascular system.
A home gym equipment is quite expensive but will ensure a total body workout. These machines (like the Bowflex) allow you to perform health club quality exercises like presses, curls, pull-downs and squats on a single exercise unit.
Most home gyms differ due to the type of resistance they use. In the past, home gyms were equipped with weights, their main form of resistance; but nowadays, weights are becoming obsolete and resistant bars are taking their place. Other weight-bearing exercisers, such as abdominal machines, barbells and dumbbells, are good, inexpensive fitness equipment which will produce excellent muscular development.
Get an understanding
Try not to be pressured into buying defective fitness equipment. Visit a reputable gym and try out their machines in order to get an understanding of what they feel like before you make your purchase. Cheap fitness equipment are often inferior in durability and workmanship and ultimately, are not worth the bargain. The smooth action and fluid operation of fitness equipment will make your workout at home very enjoyable and beneficial.
For this Christmas, make fitness a lifelong endeavour by purchasing fitness equipment with reliable operation and quality components.
Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education. Email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
