Home Gym Equipment for You

May 17, 2010

Home gym equipment essentials—Part 5

Filed under: Home gym equipment — Tags: , , , , , , , — info @ 12:30 pm

Cardio Equipment:  Wrap up

As I read over the last few blogs, I see a bunch of boring stuff about cardio equipment.  My intention is not to bore you to death, but if there are some people who need an overview on some good additions to their home gyms there it is. 

To be honest, cardio training is a necessary evil for overall health.  The key word is NECESSARY.  It is probably the most important aspect to health and fitness.  I am a weightlifter at heart, strength training is my passion, but nothing is more important than cardio.

So, if you want to run and bike outside, that’s great.  The nice thing about having a couple of pieces of cardio equipment in your home gym is variety.  Inside you can watch television while doing cardio, which definitely helps the time go by for me.  Or you can read a book while doing light cardio for extra workouts (it’s kind of hard to do intense interval training while reading the latest Harry Potter).

Cardio is for everyone and the machines we’ve gone over can help the beginner to the powerlifter and the next fitness model.  We all can improve our cardio.  Not to mention that cardio will give the endurance necessary to perform intense strength training session in order to build the muscle to shape your body.

-Dr. Mark Mylan
Creating fit and healthy bodies with home gym equipment
www.healthyhomegym.com

May 6, 2010

Home Gym Equipment Tips to Transform Your Life—Part 24

Filed under: Home gym equipment — Tags: , , , , , , , — info @ 12:30 pm

Strength Training:  Deload 1

As your strength training progresses and you are pushing your body harder and harder, you will need to take an active rest period from time to time.  This is called a deload week.  It is one of the most overlooked things in weight training, but is one of the most important things you can do to keep your training progressing and keep yourself from getting injured. 

What can happen when you have been working out hard for a long period of time is overtraining.  This is when your body has had enough and will not work at peak performance until it gets a break.  Symptoms include:  elevated heart rate, problems sleeping, irritability, decrease strength and endurance, and not wanting to workout.

Once you are overtrained, it can take weeks to recover and get your training back on track.  The best way to avoid this is to take one full week every 4-8 weeks and deload.   This is a time to make body restoration your number one priority.  Recuperation can not be overlooked.  If it is, your body will pay a heavy price. 

Many people get scared that they will lose strength, lose endurance, or get fat when considering a deload week.  Nothing could be further from the truth, you will come back stronger and with more energy after giving your body time to recover.

-Dr. Mark Mylan
Creating fit and healthy bodies with home gym equipment
www.healthyhomegym.com

April 25, 2010

Home Gym Equipment Tips to Transform Your Life—Part 13

Filed under: Home gym equipment — Tags: , , , , , , , — info @ 12:30 pm

The Bench Press:

 

The bench press is an exercise that will train chest, shoulders and triceps.  It is also an exercise that can easily cause shoulder injuries if not done properly.  The main thing to focus on with the bench press is to keep your entire body tight.  This will help prevent injury.

To set up, the first thing you need is a firm base. So, make sure your feet are planted firmly on the floor.  No feet on the bench or bouncing on your toes.  Next, keep your butt on the bench, arch your back as high as you can, squeeze your shoulder blades together, and firmly place the majority of your bodyweight on your shoulder blades against the bench.

Now, grab the bar at shoulder width and squeeze as hard as you can.  At the same time, imagine that you could pull the bar apart into two pieces.   This may seem silly, but what this will do is keep your upper body tight and help avoid injury.  To unrack the bar, take a deep breath and hold, pull the bar out from the rack firmly while keeping your entire body tight.

Do not “bounce the bar” or loosen your upper body before performing your first repetition.  This can take you out of position and lead to injury.  Hold the bar for a second to ensure stability.  Lower the bar to your lower chest (an inch or two below your nipples, sorry for the crudeness) and keep your elbow slightly tucked at about 45 degrees from your sides.  As you touch your chest with the bar, press the bar straight up. 

Lowering the bar too high on your chest or keeping your elbows at 90 degrees to your sides (as many “experts” will tell you is actually better for isolating your chest) will lead to shoulder injuries.  Keep your entire body tight.  Always focus on being tight.

-Dr. Mark Mylan
Creating fit and healthy bodies with home gym equipment
www.healthyhomegym.com

Powered by WordPress