TRX Suspension Trainer

Suspension Training® creates resistance from your own body weight encouraging core strengthening through multi directional movements increasing performance and reducing or even preventing injuries. No matter where you are, you can achieve results and maximize your training time with the TRX® Suspension Trainer

• Professional Bundle.
• Increase Sports Performance
• Unmatched Versatility
• Extremely Portable
• Fast Set Up
• TRX® Suspension Trainer Professional Bundle includes:
• TRX® All Body Xpress Workout DVD and Guide (
• TRX® Suspension Trainer
• Quick Start Manual
• Door Anchor
• Storage Bag

For More Details go here: Buy TRX Suspension Trainer

Technogym® Wins the Beijing Olympics

(Fitness Gear), All Olympics athletes coming from 205 countries have been training on Technogym fitness equipment during the last four weeks in Beijing.

After Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Turin 2006 Technogym was the Official Supplier for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games: the fourth consecutive Olympics for Technogym that established itself as a reference company in the sports world. Over 12,000 Olympic athletes from 250 countries, more than the UN countries, competing in 28 sports category, have been training with Technogym during the last four weeks in Beijing.

Technogym has been chosen ahead of other US and local Chinese competitors for "the quality of its vast and complete range of products and services, as well as for the experience it has accumulated in the previous Olympic Games" stated Mr. Liu Jun, Deputy Director of Marketing Department at BOCOG (Beijing 2008 Olympics Organizing Committee).

Many international athletes and coaches already training with Technogym in their home countries where very happy to have the opportunity, for the fourth time at the Olympics, to use Wellness System and to be able to keep track of their training data on the TGS key.

At peak hours in the most busy daisy the Technogym facility at the Olympic Village had up to 400 athletes at the same time with a daily attendance of over 5.000 people all managed by a team of 60 Technogym trainers coming from the 5 continents in order to be able to support the athletes with different languages and cultural approaches.

Raffael Nadal, n.1 of the ATP ranking and gold medal in Beijing was one of the frequent gym goers along with the other top tennis players like Jelena Jancovic and Ana Ivanovic from Serbia. All the best volleyball, basketball, handball, baseball, hockey and water polo teams had regular training sessions in the gym at the Olympic Village.

Alongside with the main fitness centre at the Olympic Village Technogym equipped 17 Centres in the main competition venues allowing athletes warm up before the event: at the Olympic Stadium Technogym developed a solution specifically designed on the field and track needs with some cardiovascular, some lower limbs strength equipment and FLEXability, at Water Cube Swimming Centre the most popular equipment was Excite Top, to warm up swimmers upper limbs before the race, tennis player at the National Tennis Stadium have been using a combination of cardiovascular and Kinesis.

For the first time at the Olympics, in Beijing also journalists had the possibility to move their body regularly and share the Olympic spirit at Main Press Centre, where their editorial offices and work stations were based and at the Media Village where their accommodations was.

Finally, Technogym is also behind the big success obtained by the Chinese team on the medal score; the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) itself has chosen Technogym as Official Supplier for the preparation of its national teams. Starting from 2006 Technogym has followed the preparation of the Chinese contingent equipping around twenty fitness preparation centres dedicated to the various Chinese sport federations involved in the great Olympic contest.

Technorati Tags: Technogym, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Sports, fitness equipment, fitness gear, exercise equipment

What You Should Know About Exercise Mats

Exercise mats are porous and coated with a layer of vinyl, PVC or some other water-resistant material. Exercise mats are a versatile tool that can assist any home fitness program and they are essential if you have a hard floor. An exercise mat will help make floor exercises and stretching exercises more comfortable.

Exercise mats are used primarily to cushion the blow between your body and the floor. Whether for yoga, pilates, martial arts, or for a kid's playroom using exercise mats is a common-sense way to prevent injury to yourself and property.

With a focus on shock absorption and an eye on your budget, this post gives you the scoop on exercise mats without overloading you with irrelevant and obscure technical information. You can use exercise mats for yoga and pilates and you can use yoga and pilates mats for other exercises and stretches.

Most exercise mats you will find in most exercise areas are medium-duty mats of solid colors, and are 3/4 inches thick. If you’re doing vigorous aerobic exercise, thick exercise mats are needed. Since most of your time will be spent on the ground, it only makes sense that you use an exercise mat to protect your body.

Exercise mats start at about $25 online. The best exercise mats we have found are from Sportsmith.net and they have every size, shape and color you could imagine. They even have Eco Yoga Mats as well. Eco Yoga Mats are PVC Free and do not contain phthalates or heavy metals. Eco Yoga Mats are very important particularly if you have allergies to PVC.

More Resources:

Exercise Mats

Eco Yoga Mats

Technorati Tags: exercise mat, exercise mats, yoga mats, eco yoga mats

Get Back to Basics With Your Own Home Gym

After 25 years of inventing and manufacturing fitness equipment, Shifferaw felt it was time to go back to basics. He developed the DG5 with three simple objectives in mind; helping people get into maximum shape for minimal time and money.

The ultra-sleek, red solid-steel of the DG5 makes it look as cool as it performs. The extensive list of patented bells and whistles found on the compact home gym is dizzying. The bench includes a Lift-Assist System which acts as your own personal spotter, an adjustable Depth-Limiter Bar for the most effective squat, a Leg-Extension System which converts dumbbells into leg weights and much more. The gym even includes two 45 lb adjustable dumbbells with a system to safely store the weights when not in use.

Shifferaw says, "Many people need to tighten their belts right now, so they're canceling gym memberships and saving on gas. We kept that in mind when determining the price, a soft economy doesn't have to equal a soft body." The DG5 is like a compact fitness club. You can perform over 40 exercises, literally working every muscle in your body, in a 5 square foot space.

The DG5 isn't the only product Shifferaw has introduced to the fitness market since the Bowflex. After taking Bowflex, Inc. public and selling the company and rights to The Nautilus Group, Shifferaw went on to develop and market several successful fitness products including the Kathy Smith Ab-Lifter Plus®, Torso-Toner® and the Powerboard® to name a few. Shifferaw currently holds 20 worldwide patents, 4 pending patents and a top-secret list of future fitness products up his sleeve.

The DG5 is being offered for $479.00 (plus $99 shipping) through the dosho.com website. Dosho Design, Inc. began testing commercials for the DG5 in June and has had favorable results so far. Shifferaw said the company is working on their media plan based on initial testing, so plan on seeing the DG5 on your TV and computer monitor soon.

For more Information Visit: Dosho Design, Inc

Technorati Tags: FITNESS PRODUCTS, FITNESS EQUIPMENT, HOME GYMS, BOWFLEX

Tone Muscles and Burn Fat Using Resistance and Fitness Bands

(Fitness Gear), Health and fitness professionals do not just use dumbbells but are making use of an inexpensive and portable resistance bands, exercise bands or fitness bands to tone their muscles and lose body fat. The core muscles are involved in the workout with the use of the resistance bands. You can take the bands with you anywhere and exercise at your convenience.

Resistance bands are color-coded based on the levels of resistance. Each resistance band manufacturer may have a different color scheme or resistance level and color scheme. The most common colors of the resistance bands are:

• Yellow (thin)

• Red (medium)

• Green (heavy)

• Blue (extra heavy)

• Black (special heavy),

The resistance bands length usually 4 feet in length will change the resistance, not just the color. The shorter the length of the band is, the more resistance you will feel when exercising.

Other bands like the figure 8 resistance band is used to tone your upper body muscles and burn fat. The Ankle cuff resistance bands attach to your ankles and you perform leg exercise to tone the leg muscles and burn fat. You can achieve an over all body workout with a few simple bands.

Before every start of any kind of exercises, warm up your muscles and joints before performing any exercises with resistance bands. This will prevent the body from incurring injuries. Five to 10 minutes of light aerobic exercises followed by 5-10 minutes of gentle exercises to cool down should be done first.

Anyone can use resistance bands the same way they do with their dumbbells. Throughout the exercise, one should be holding the band firmly, wrap around the hands or use the bands with handles.

For the resistance band exercises, 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions or to 25 for the easier colored bands, should be completed. Some of the resistance band exercises are the squats, bent over rows, alternate lying chest presses, diagonal wood chops, triceps extension, lunges, lateral rows, and biceps curls. Rest for 1 or 2 minutes after every set of exercises completed. When pulling the band against the resistance, the muscle work hard to stretch and that is how the muscle is toned.

See Total Body Resistance Band Workout for tips and techniques.

Technorati Tags: personal training, weight loss, resistance bands, fitness bands, tone muscle, burn fat

Why A Polar Heart Rate Watch FS1 is Key to Losing Weight

(Fitness Gear), Monitoring your heart rate while exercising allows to find and maintain a constant heart rate at which your body will burn calories at your bodies optimal rate.

According to the American Heart Association, “Target heart rates let you measure your initial fitness level and monitor your progress in a fitness program. This approach requires measuring your pulse periodically as you exercise and staying within 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. This range is called your target heart rate”.

Polar USA manufactures a wide range of heart rate monitors and polar heart rate straps. Both the Heart rate watch and chest strap work together. The hear rate strap will connect to the watch either from a cable or wirelessly. The heart rate strap used in conjunction with the watch allows you to get a more accurate heart rate measurement.

But whether you use the strap with the heart rate watch or just the watch alone will depend on what type of physical activity you are performing and whether you feel comfortable using the strap.

My favorite Polar heart rate watch is the Polar FS1 and the watch can be used alone to monitor your heart rate or you may use the watch and polar chest strap together. The Polar FS1 will transmit the heart rate information to the watch wirelessly, freeing you of cables.



The basic features of the Polar heart rate watch FS1 are:

EKG accurate heart rate (bpm)

1. Manual target zone (bpm)
2. Visual and audible alarm in target zone
3. Water resistant to 50 meters
4. Extra large digits

Recording Features:

1. Exercise time (total)
2. Average heart rate of total exercises

Watch Features:

1. Time of day
2. Stopwatch

The reason the Polar FS1 is my all time favorite is it’s very economical, it’s easy to operate and it’s somewhat fashionable. Prices for the FS1 watch vary from retailer to retailer but only by a few dollars. Usually Prices range from $59.95 to $69.95

Polar USA sells the watches directly but I find their website hard to navigate to make a purchase. I originally purchased my Polar FS1 at Sportsmith, they offer the FS1 and the polar chest straps in three sizes, small, medium and large. They retail the Polar FS1 for $59.95 plus shipping and their service is top notch. I had my watch in 3 days.

I use my polar watch everyday. It’s interesting to see how many calories you might burn in a eight hour day at the office sitting at your desk. I think in a eight hour day I burn something like 300 calories just working at my desk, but for you that will depend on how stressful your job is. Of course, I use my watch while walking, mowing the lawn, doing house work and the fitness center.

If you don’t currently use a heart rate monitor my advice to you, get one and you’ll be quite surprised how many or how little calories you burn depending on the amount of physical activity you perform.

Technorati Tags: heart rate monitor, heart rate strap, Polar FS1, polar fitness watches

A Three-In-One Workout Kettlebell workouts

(Fitness Gear), The kettlebell workout is old-school Russian workout that uses a solid
cast iron weight--similar to a cannonball with a handle. The new DVD,
"Kettlebell Express", will be the third from Lurie, whose previous
two-part DVD series "Kettlebells the Iron Core Way" The series reached best selling status, and hit the #1spot in the Fitness DVD category of Amazon.com in 2007.

The dynamic kettlebell workout is a three-in-one workout (strength,
cardio and flexibility), and has recently re-emerged as a major
movement in fitness, with an array of celebrity fans including Jessica
Biel, Katherine Hiegl, Jennifer Lopez, Ethan Hawk, Matthew McConaughey,
Penelope Cruz, Lance Armstrong, Mariska Hargitay, Claire Danes, Kim
Cattrall and the super-ripped stars of the hit movie "300".

Lurie explains that kettlebell training uses dynamic movements to work
each major muscle group. Each exercise is done precisely, with control,
as your body works to stabilize its core muscles.

"In this day and age, people want time-saving workouts that producenoticeable results in a reduced amount of time," says Lurie. " The Iron

Core Kettlebell Express DVD packs in the fat blasting power of a
three-in-one workout--taking half the time of normal weightlifting,
while burning twice as many calories in a 20-minute session!"

Lurie says this is possible because unlike traditional weights, kettlebells don't isolate muscle groups--instead each part of your body works hard during each exercise, producing more intense results in a shorter time frame.

Smooth Fitness Launches New Gym-Quality 9 Series Treadmills

(Fitness Gear), Smooth Fitness, the largest online retailer of home fitness equipment today announced the launch of its newly updated 9 Series treadmills, which come with a wide variety of features including premium components. The new Hydra Suspension™ adjusts to fit different users, and patented Motion Control™ allows them to adjust the unit's speed with a simple wave of the hand.

"With our new 9 Series treadmills, we're truly able to provide consumers with unique features not typically found in home fitness equipment," said Marc Cerceo, Chief Operating Officer, Smooth Fitness. "The updated components and performance enhancements on the 9 Series makes them our flagship treadmills and furthers our status as a trendsetter in the industry."

Numerous features and attentions to detail make the 9 Series treadmills Smooth Fitness' top-of-the-line treadmills. All three models - 9.35 HR, 9.45ST and 9.45TV - feature Hydra Suspension, which allows users to adjust shock absorption to accommodate any running style, as well as patented Motion Control technology that adjusts speed without having to touch the console.

"By combining commercial components with cutting-edge functionality and convenience, we're creating an exceptional experience for our customers," added Cerceo. "Everyone from the casual fitness enthusiast to the serious athlete will be impressed."

Both the 9.45ST and 9.45TV treadmills include a 60" running deck, perfect for runners of all sizes, and an industry-leading lifetime warranty on all parts, frame and motor with one year of in-home service. The 9.45TV treadmill comes with a 15" LCD TV which is mounted on its own frame so that it remains steady even during intense running.

The Perfect Pushup Isn’t For Wussies

(Fitness Gear), Think back to when you where in gym class and your PT coach made you do all those pushups. Do you remember how they made your arms feel? I remember and I remember how it made my arms, chest, upper back and shoulders feel, as tight as a drum. While researching information on the perfect pushup we found a blog post at crunchgear.com and I quote “Who’s to say the guy pictured here isn’t on Anavar or Sustanon 250, in addition to using the perfect push-up?”

My question to the aforementioned blog post is have you done any pushups in your life? The perfect pushup is one of the best exercise tools to come around in a long time.

The reason the perfect pushup is such a great tool is you are bench-pressing your own weight, thereby increasing strength, building muscle, stamina and it doesn’t cost you an arm or leg to purchase. The basic kit only costs $40.00 that’s a steal compared to other fitness products on the market and half of the other so called fitness products are nothing but hype.

Why else would the military incorporate pushups in their physical training regiment? The answer is because it’s one of the best ways to build strength and endurance without using free weights and pushups don't cost you a dime. Any physical training regiment worth their salt will include pushups.

Take five minutes and do as many pushups as you possibly can in the five-minute time span. Does it feel good?

Now if you do the same number of pushups with the perfect pushup you will work more muscles because of the rotation of the device.

We have purchased the perfect pushup for a review and trial run; we will let you know how we progress with this new fitness tool.

In the mean time give us your thoughts on the perfect pushup and tell us what you think about the product and how it helped you.

How to Get Fit Without Spending Hours in the Gym

(Health and Fitness), There's no debating the fact that in addition to watching what you eat, the best way to stay healthy and fit is to get plenty of exercise. So why is it that so many Americans have such a tough time doing it? Among the most popular excuses: "I don't have time," "I don't know what to do," "I'm too tired at the end of the day." You don't hear your kids making those kinds of excuses.



They get plenty of exercise and have fun doing it. But how can you make something as tedious as working out fun? Instead of heading to the gym and using the machines, which can be more of a chore than a fun activity, try taking up sports hula hooping.

Ten minutes worth of vigorously wiggling your hips and moving around can burn off 110 calories, which is about as much as you'd burn if walking an eight-minute mile. But burning calories quickly isn't the only benefit the activity offers.

It also promotes correct body alignment from the circular motions and proper posture in the upper body, which explains why it has become so popular in fitness clubs across the country. Substitute that light, plastic hula hoop your kids play with for a weighted one like the Acu Hoop offered by California's Sports Hoop, Inc., and you can get even more health benefits.

When swiveled for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, weighted sports hoops can provide cardiovascular benefits, help tone muscles, burn calories and fat and facilitate weight loss. Do it religiously every day, and you can trim your waist 2 inches and lose 4 pounds every month until fit. Weighted hoops come in a variety of styles and sizes, ranging from 1 to 6 pounds in weight.

No matter which one you choose to use, here's how to get started:

1) Find enough space around you. Keep your feet one foot wide. Relax your knees, waist and body.

2) Relax your elbows. Lift the hoop and place it tightly against the back of your waist.

3) Grasp the hoop and keep it in a horizontal position before swinging out. Do not position the hoop at a tilt.

4) Horizontally swing out the hoop against your waist, fast and powerfully. Move your waist immediately.

5) Move your waist in a circular motion, all around pressing against the hoop.

6) Keep your motion fast enough to match the circulation speed of the hoop for it to stay up on your waist.

These rings are so much fun to use that it's hard to stop. But overuse in the first few days can result in muscle soreness and even mild bruising. Use the ring for no more than one or two minutes per day, for the first three or four days, then increase the time as you become more comfortable with the ring.

If you overdo it, however, the soreness should go away within a few days of regular use. It is estimated there are now more than one million people throughout the world using Sports Hoops as their major waist-trimming fitness equipment.

For more information on the weighted hoops offered by California Sports Hoop, Inc., or to place an order, visit www.sports-hoop.com or call toll free (866) 700-5668.

SPORTSMITH Publishes The Ultimate Guide to Fitness Equipment Maintenance and Personal Training Products

(Health and Fitness), SPORTSMITH™ President Brad Schupp is proud to announce the release of the 2008 SPORTSMITH™ Summer Edition Catalog, featuring the industry's largest selection of Life Fitness equipment parts, strength and functional training products, with express same-day shipping.



The 204-page catalog is the ultimate guide to health club operators maintaining their fitness facilities. The catalog is packed full of maintenance charts, equipment diagrams, fitness equipment parts, functional training products and maintenance information for the most popular brands of fitness equipment such as Life Fitness, Star Trac, StairMaster, Schwinn, Precor, Landice and many others.

The summer edition catalog features an expanded selection of Life Fitness Equipment Parts and accessories. The newest additions to the LifeCycle parts section are the upright models LifeCycle 90C, LifeCycle 93CI, Life Cycle 95CI, Life Cycle 95CE, also featuring the Life Cycle Recumbent models such as LifeCycle 90R, LifeCycle 93R, LifeCycle 95R, and LifeCycle 95RE.

Life Fitness Cross Trainer models include parts for the popular Cross Trainer 8500 and 9100 rear drive units. The Life Fitness Treadmill T-Series models include the Lifestride 93T, Lifestride 95TI, Lifestride 97TI, and Lifestride 87TE.

All Life Fitness equipment parts distributed by SPORTSMITH are genuine factory replacement parts and carry a full 120-day warranty.

The SPORTSMITH Summer Edition Catalog further offers a new expanded selection of locker room essentials, personal care, body washes, shampoos and conditioners.

Functional training items include fitness boxing, balance & stability, aerobic mats, speed & agility, sports specific training, fitness measurement, audio accessories, resistance tubing & bands, weighted resistance and many more items.

SPORTSMITH Indoor Cycling Products include parts for Schwinn, Star Trac V2 and V-Bike and RevMaster.

Innovative strength training products feature Cybex Classic and VR2 upholstered pads, cable attachment bars, hardware and accessories, kettlebells, dumbbells, racks and international bars.

A variety of the most popular functional training and core/balance products include Polar® heart rate monitors, SportStep, the Original Health Club Step™, SPORTSMITH resistance bands, medicine and stability balls, yoga and exercise mats.

"The SPORTSMITH mission is to supply the most popular fitness equipment parts, the best functional and personal training products in the fitness industry with the benefit of hassle-free customer service, 24/7 online ordering and express same-day shipments," reported Schupp.

All SPORTSMITH fitness equipment parts meet or exceed OEM specifications and include the full SPORTSMITH warranty.

A Medicine Ball Will Help you Lose Weight and Increase Your Stamina

(Health and Fitness), Medicine balls have a long history in fitness and can be one of your best tools for weight loss and muscle building. The medicine ball was first conceptualized around 3,000 years ago by the Persians. They simply filled animal skins with sand in the shape of a round ball.



Medicine balls are a favorite among boxers to strengthen their abdominal muscles during their work outs, ultimately increasing their strength and rock hard abs.

One the the best known medicine ball types are the dual grip medicine balls. The dual grip allows you to perform squats, pushups, swings, rotations, while increasing stamina, joint integrity and range of motion.

The dual grip medicine ball is basically, a round medicine ball, with two handles molded on the ball when the rubber is formed to create the ball. Each dual grip medicine ball is weighted just like the traditional round medicine ball.

Sizes include:

• 6 LBS
• 8 LBS
• 10 LBS
• 12 LBS

The weight of the medicine ball you'll choose will greatly depend on where your stamina level is, if you have relatively low stamina you may want the 6 lbs medicine ball and if you have advanced stamina and endurance you may want a 12 pound medicine ball. But that’s up to you and what you can handle during a 30 minuet work out.

When you are purchasing a medicine ball for your fitness tool box make a list of your goals and try to determine what type of medicine ball will work best for your specific goals. Dual grip medicine balls are more versatile and will allow you to take advantage of a full range of exercises.

Personally I use a 6 lbs medicine ball and have used that same weight for the last couple of years because I can do more aerobic type exercises with the ball.

Bounderball Revolutionizes Exercise and Core Conditioning

(Fitness Gear) Bounderball, a patented form of dynamic exercise equipment, proudly announces its debut as a safe, proven and professionally certified means of enhancing core strength, agility and other training regimens for fitness enthusiasts of all interests, from beginners to acclaimed athletes. This three-handle harness system, made with complex nylon webbing and thick neoprene covers, transforms a standard exercise ball into an incredibly versatile conditioning tool.

The product, available for purchase online at www.bounderball.com/store.html, is the brainchild of Dr. Steven Roberts, a personal healthcare expert and wellness consultant. Video demonstrations of Bounderball are also available at http://bounderball.com/fitnessVideo.html.

"Bounderball reflects my lifelong commitment to intelligent medicine and sound fitness, a philosophy that empowers individuals to incorporate these principles into a wide variety of physical activities.

This revolutionary form of training - the harness straps work intuitively, like a belt - makes a stability ball a conditioning powerhouse for people of all ages. These benefits apply to daily living, enabling users to improve their 'fast twitch' (or torso rotation speed) in sports as diverse as golf, tennis, baseball, soccer, and track and field," states Dr. Steven Roberts, CEO and Founder of Bounderball. "Bounderball also economizes precious floor space: hook it, hang it, transport it, store it - and grab it when you want. The age of cumbersome, expensive exercise equipment is over."