Information on Home Fitness Machines AKA Your Home Gym Equipment

Information on Home Fitness Machines AKA Your Home Gym Equipment - Buying your own home fitness machines is a normal occurrence nowadays.

You might be asking…

“I don’t want to go to a gym and share equipment with a bunch of sweaty men and women.”
Information on Home Fitness Machines AKA Your Home Gym Equipment
Buying a home gym makes sense to these people. While that may not be the key reason, there are plenty of reasons. Which leads me to my next topic…

Why Should I Buy a Home Gym
You want to know some benefits to buying home gym equipment? There are many reasons and some may or may not apply to you. Having a home gym is convenient. You don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home and you can just go into the next room and work out. You also don’t have to worry about anyone’s sweat but your own.

Another reason is not enough time. You may not have a lot of time to work out. Fortunately you can save time by just walking into your home gym room and work out right away rather than driving to a local gym. It may also be crowded and you would have to wait to use a machine. At your home gym, your home fitness equipment is your own, meaning you can use it anytime without worry of waiting.

A big reason for people is they don’t like the gym environment. This can mean a variety of reasons. Its loud, a lot of smelly people, and even leftover sweat on that certain fitness machine you wanted to use. (it happens to all of us sooner or later at a gym). You may want to exercise by yourself so you can focus better. Many people find this a good reason and do their own home fitness exercises.

While your reason may be different than another’s reason, there is still a good reason to grab a home gym, whether it is one fitness machine or multiple fitness machines, you can build your own home gym to suit your needs.

The Home Fitness Equipment Breakdown
If you decided you want a home gym, then you may want to know more about each of the most popular home gym products.

Well you came to the right place.

I will breakdown the home gym fitness machines and let you choose what is best for you.

Some of the most popular home fitness machines are:
- Bowflex Xtreme 2 Home Gym
- Total Gym 1700 Club
- Bowflex Xtreme XTLU
- Bowflex Conquest Home Gym
- Total Gym 1500
- Bowflex Blaze Home Gym
- Bowflex Ultimate 2 Gym
- Stamina Band Flex Gym
- Bowflex Sport Home Gym
- Total Gym 1100
- Bowflex Xtreme SE Home Gym
- Bowflex Motivator 2 Home Gym

You might be wondering why so many of those are made by bowflex. It’s simple, bowflex is the leading maker of home gyms and right now not many other home gym companies can compete with their wide variety of machines. They have many positive reviews for the most part, which makes them very popular.

I wouldn’t forget the free weights!

One of these is a must for anyone wanting free weights in their home:
- Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells
- OmniSelect 535 Adjustable Dumbbells

Overview
So if you want a home gym I suggest reading the detailed information on each separate fitness machine. They are invaluable to your home gym collection. Also be sure to look at my other home fitness machines categories. You can’t have a home gym without some ab equipment and a treadmill!


Abdominal Fitness Equipment To Tone Your Abs

Abdominal Fitness Equipment To Tone Your Abs - Many people don’t realize how much of a difference abdominal fitness equipment can help them get the abs they want. Don’t be one of those people. Many people simply don’t know that a couple simple abdominal muscle exercises aren’t going to give you the toned abs your looking for. The reason behind this is because you simply don’t exercise all your core ab muscles that you need to give you the ripped look you want.

I suggest that if your serious about toning your abs you set up a routine and stay consistent. Also do not just do sit-ups and crunches. This will end up making only a few of your ab muscles stronger while leaving the other ones behind. If you continue to do this you will not get those uniform ripped looking abs.
Abdominal Fitness Equipment To Tone Your Abs
If you want to, just buy a very basic piece of ab equipment. It will help tremendously.

Why Abdominal Fitness Equipment?
Why not? It is rather inexpensive; it opens up many new abdominal muscle exercises, and can help you obtain your goal much faster and more efficient. Also if you’re not the type to wake up in the morning with a smile on your face because you can’t wait to get up and do ab exercises, (who am I kidding, almost no one is like that) then a simple piece of equipment can motivate you to work out your abs.

How? Well it’s simple… because the more ab workouts that are available to you, the more flexibility you have in your workout. Human beings are curious by nature and this works to your advantage! You want to try new exercises which leads to more excitement in your workout. I suggest if you feel your workout is dull and boring, then mix and match your ab workouts. Overall for $20 or less you can buy some abdominal equipment that can open up well over 10 more exercises to choose from.

Simple Abdominal Fitness Equipment
I recommend the basics for almost everyone, because it is cheap, easy, and efficient. There are three pieces of equipment every person trying to tone their abs should have or have access to. The first is a fitness ball. There are so many fitness ball exercises out there to try. These exercises will shape all of your core abs. This is crucial to achieve those ripped abs you see on tv. It makes working out your abs more fun too and that may be the motivational “push” you need to be on your way to working out.

The next is a medicine ball. It is a very good combo with either the fitness ball or the decline bench. You can perform a few more exercises with those pieces of fitness equipment. It is a great addition to a sit-up workout too because it adds resistance. The next and last piece of simple ab fitness equipment is a ab wheel. You may have seen these before. They are excellent at applying your body weight as resistance to help you with your ab workouts.

While there aren’t as many extra exercises that come with this one, it is the cheapest and provides some of the best ab exercises you can do.

Advance Abdominal Fitness Equipment
I say advance because these ab machines require a slightly bigger investment. These are great if you do not go to a gym. I limited this section because a lot of companies are trying to break into this market. This causes many products to act in the same way. Which means it is pointless to buy two very similar ab machines.

The first is the Fitness Quest Ab Lounge. Fitness Quest has come out with several different types of ab lounges that have many positive reviews. It is a great ab machine to own and requires as much space as two chairs. If done right, provides a great workout.

The second is a decline bench. This is a great piece of equipment because it can be used to workout many parts of your body, not just abs. This is great with sit-ups and crunches because it adds the resistance of gravity to your workout. The decline bench is also a good combo with the medicine ball.

The ab bench is very similar to the decline bench. It is catered to working out your abs. So it does not have very much use working out other muscles. It is mainly used to do different kind of crunches to maximize your ab workout.

Ab Workout Tips
Didn’t think I would leave you without some helpful tips of information did you? Here is a list of helpful ab workout tips. Some of these tips are also very useful for working out other parts of your body. They can also be applied to some Abdominal Fitness Equipment.

This list will grow in time so check back often!
Ab Workout Tip #1
Do you know the basics for getting that six pack?

Ab Workout Tip #2
Are you breathing right when working out?

Ab Workout Tip #3
Are you moving from side to side when doing sit-ups or crunches?


Treadmills The Complete Fitness Machine

Treadmills The Complete Fitness Machine - The Fitness Machine (AKA Treadmill) is a very powerful piece of exercise equipment. It is a rather simple piece of equipment but can do so much. That is what makes this machine rather unique.

Why Call It a “Fitness Machine?”
Why not?
It is a very essential workout tool. I think if you’re going to have 1 piece of home gym equipment you should get a treadmill. I have a treadmill and trampoline in my house, I go to a gym to work out the rest of my body.
Treadmills The Complete Fitness Machine
About Treadmills
Treadmills are very simple. They make an “artificial” walking path with very little space that can go on for infinity. That’s what makes this tool so great. They are not very expensive and can be invaluable to places where there is a lot of rainfall or snow, because not very many people want to endure the harsh weather while running.

Having a treadmill eliminates relying on nature to plan your jog. You simply hop on a treadmill and off you go. They are very convenient and help tone your body and increase your endurance. You can also adjust the speed and incline which is great. Many of the more mid-grade models and up add on special programs that measure your heart rate, how many calories you burned, and have preset tracks you can go on.

Buying a Treadmill
So you may not be certain you want to purchase a treadmill yet? That is okay. I will try to help you decide if you should have a treadmill. Many people get a treadmill for many reasons; such as, convenience, time constraints, no good places to jog, no gym membership, want the ability to multitask while exercising (Example would be watching tv while jogging).

Do you find yourself in one of these categories? Well if you do, and you are able to spend at least a couple hundred dollars to buy one you have a good reason to buy one. It’s a rather cheap investment to your health wouldn’t you say?

If you don’t fall into one of those categories, don’t worry, you still may have a excellent reason to purchase a treadmill. I just simply went over the main reasons why people buy a treadmill.

There are a vast amount of treadmills to choose from. So many in fact, it can be mind boggling. So to make it a little easier I will explain in detail several of the most popular treadmills from the most respectable companies in the business. I will try to make buying a treadmill much easier.

The fitness machine (AKA Treadmill) is one of the most popular pieces of home gym equipment. Because of that popularity you can get a great deal on a treadmill. I will help you get the best treadmill value for your money.

Choosing a Treadmill
Ok so now you’ve come down to choosing the right fitness machine. There is no best treadmill to choose from, it all depends on your needs. I will help you identify what you truly want. Just ask yourself these questions:
“What is my budget?”
“Do I need just a basic treadmill?”
“What type of features am I looking for in a treadmill?”

These are three simple questions you should ask yourself when buying a treadmill. You want to make sure you pick the right treadmill. Now below I separated the treadmills by brand. I did not include very many brands because I want to make it simple for you.

Proform Treadmills :
- Proform 520 Treadmill
- Proform 540 Treadmill
- Proform 585 Treadmill
- Proform 590 Treadmill
- Proform 625 Treadmill
- Proform 730 Treadmill
- Proform 775 Treadmill
- Proform 920 Treadmill
- Proform 930i Treadmill
- Proform 995 SEL Treadmill
- Proform T35 Treadmill

Reebok Treadmills :
- Reebok TR2 Treadmill
- Reebok TR3 Treadmill

Bowflex Treadmills :
- Bowflex TreadClimber TC1000
- Bowflex TreadClimber TC3000
- Bowflex TreadClimber TC5000
- Bowflex TreadClimber TC6000

Other Treadmills :
- Cadence 450 CS Treadmill
- Epic T60 Treadmill
- Landice L7 Treadmill

Overview
If you plan on buying a fitness machine hopefully this information helped you in your decision. Remember to have a open mind, and look carefully when choosing to find your best value.


Information on Amino Acids and Amino Acid Supplements

Information on Amino Acids and Amino Acid Supplements - Did you know that protein is made up of amino acids? Everyone needs protein whether you are working out or not. It is used to help us grow properly, repair and maintain our body.
Information on Amino Acids and Amino Acid Supplements
Essentials
When protein or a protein supplement contains all essential amino acids,(I’ll refer to these as essentials) it is referred to as a complete protein.

Essentials cannot be synthesized by our body. They are instead, obtained from food or supplements. Many foods are incomplete proteins because they lack one or more of the essentials.

An essential means that one must eat those acids daily from supplements or foods. The others are produced in our body.

Nitrogen Balance
Protein contains carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. We as human beings keep nitrogen in our bodies, the more nitrogen the stronger and healthier we become.

When we eat enough protein in our daily diets and no more, we experience something called a nitrogen equilibrium. When we achieve less than our daily needs it is called a negative nitrogen balance. If we achieve more than our daily need of protein it is called a positive nitrogen balance. People who maintain a nitrogen equilibrium stay about the same strength despite working out. That is why it is important to eat the right amount of essentials to achieve a positive nitrogen balance.

Negative nitrogen balance on the other hand can lead to catabolism. This means the body eats its own muscle tissue.

Having a positive nitrogen balance is best. This is because you have an opportunity to gain more muscle and don’t have to worry about catabolism. That is why it is important to watch and maintain a healthy diet to live a healthy lifestyle. People also trying to build muscle mass should take a protein powder.

The Essentials
The list of essentials are:

  • Isoleucine
  • Leucine
  • Lysine
  • Threonine
  • Tryptophan
  • Methionine
  • Histidine
  • Valine
  • Phenylalanine
The Non-Essentials
The list of non-essentials are:
  • Alanine
  • Arginine
  • Asparagine
  • Aspartic Acid
  • Cysteine
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Glutamine
  • Glycine
  • Proline
  • Serine
  • Tyrosine
Supplements
There are some supplements to help you achieve a positive nitrogen balance when working out without over eating, these will help you gain more lean muscle mass. I suggest taking one if your protein supplement doesn’t have any if you’re planning on building muscle.

Overview
As you can now see nutrition in general plays a vital role in your goals, whether it is toning your body or building muscle. So make sure you maintain a positive nitrogen balance. It is hard sometimes but in the long run, it is worth it.


Information on Creatine Supplements

Information on Creatine Supplements - Creatine Supplements are useful for people who want to build muscle mass fast. It is used by a lot of sports athletes and bodybuilders. It is one of the fastest growing supplements. Many bodybuilders in the gym like to use this with another protein supplement. A creatine supplement is good to build muscle mass fast if you’re consistent in taking it and working out.
Information on Creatine Supplements
Remember to read the instructions on how to use it because you are supposed to take a break after a certain timeframe of using it. This is to prevent your body from being immune to its effects.
What Exactly is Creatine?
Creatine is a natural substance created in our bodies by using amino acids in our digestive cycle. It is used to help deliver vitamins and nutrients throughout our body. Most of the creatine stored in our bodies is stored in our muscles.
Fish and meat have large concentrations of creatine.
How do Creatine Supplements Work?
What creatine does is increases the muscle’s energy reserve. When you digest the creatine your body stores it in your muscles.
After your body stores the creatine in your muscles, when you work out you have more energy reserved in your muscles. You can last longer since you have more energy, therefore gaining more muscle mass.
Why is Creatine Used by So Many Body Builders?
Well, if more nutrients our delivered to our muscles, we can then do more repetitions and then we can ultimately build more muscle mass. Because you’re able to work your body harder you can build more muscle. That is why creatine is used.
The Brands of Creatine Powder
Here is a list of the major creatine powders:
  • MuscleTech Cell-Tech Hardcore
  • BSN CellMass
  • BSN No-Xplode
  • GNC Pro Performance Mega Creatine Extreme
  • GNC Pro Performance Creatine Burst
  • Optimum Nutrition Pre-Load Creatine Complex
  • BodyTech Nitrojack
The Brands of Creatine Pills
Here is the list of popular creatine pills:
  • MuscleTech Creakic
  • MyoTrend Nutritional Technologies CreA3
  • Labrada Nutrition CreaLean2
  • NxLabs Anavol
MRI CE2 Platinum
The Different Methods of Taking Creatine
There are two main ways you can take creatine.
One way is to take a creatine powder. It usually comes in fruit flavors.
Another way is to take it in pill form.
I recommend if you take creatine you go for creatine powder rather than pills for several reasons.
  1. You need to “load up” on creatine when you first take it. It is much easier to “load up” on creatine in powder form than taking several pills. (Loading up means to take high volumes of it first for it to take effect)
  2. Its more cost effective. You get much more creatine in powder form than you do in pills for the money.
  3. Creatine powder is much more convenient. You may think pills are more convenient but you have to take several at once, many times a day. For creatine powder you just take a couple scoops usually one time a day unless your loading.
Is Creatine right for you?
It depends; many people take creatine supplements. If you want to go all out and are committed then go for it.
Just make sure your protein powder doesn’t have creatine already in it. I personally take a protein powder with creatine in it so I skip this. Creatine can be rather expensive alone compared to regular protein.