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I'm already getting bad reviews on Tony Little:).... so I will ask another question for everyone. Is there any type of exercise equipment that anyone can recommend? A treadmill, stepper, bike, etc.? I really need to tone my stomach muscles and besides the obvious of diet and nutritional changes I need all the imput I can get. I have small children and with winter coming up, its hard to get out and exercise and go for walks. I really would like something I can do in my basement when the kids are in bed. Thanks for the help.
In Reply to: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Shelly on October 03, 2003 at 15:19:01:
If you need to tone your stomach muscles, then a series of crunches are what you need. If you have a floor, you've got your equipment. For reverse crunches, pull the legs up while laying flat on the floor and corkscrew them..also do obliques.... :)
In Reply to: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Shelly on October 03, 2003 at 15:19:01:
Here's what I would recommend:
First, get the book "Power to the People!" by Pavel Tsatsouline. It's written for people who want to workout at home, especially for women (although it's gender-neutral) who want to get stronger but not necessarily bigger, without spending a lot of money or spend hours a day working out. It's a very entertaining read that will open your eyes about exercise. It will rock several myths that many people believe about exercise.
Then I would get a good-old-fashioned barbell set to go with the book, only I'd get a lighter size that is more suited for women. See the link below.
In Reply to: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Shelly on October 03, 2003 at 15:19:01:
I'm a D.C. and I find its really hard to get people to exercise more than 2 weeks with most exercise equipment or videos . People have good intentions but I have said if I was an exercise equipment broker I could make a small fortune by transferring to those that want to but equipment to those that have some in their basement or in their room as a clothes hanger. I would say a few people that are self starters do persist and make great changes. One machie that seems to have a much higher compliance rate is Jakes total body trainer. I believe they go for about 200.00 and I think well worth it but if cost is a factor you might try EBAY. You do 7 exercises and it stresses MOST of the muscle groups in the body. There are better machines but they are MUCH more costly. Does the abdominals pretty well. How we get it to work,..some/many people have a hard time facing 7 exercise, at least on a consistant basis. So we get them to fill out a chart to do 2 in the am before work and 2 when they get home. The next day they 2 the others in the am and pm. (we add a shoulder exercise because the Jakes doesn't get this group very well) I've seen some really great changes in 6 weeks doing this. You can do it without of equipment but the fact that its there and made simple seems to be the big factor for being consistant. BTW doing modified cruches on one of those exercise balls was shown to work (confirmed via electromyograph) the abdominals better than most exercise machines costing much,much more. It sounds at this point you don't need high intensity but you can control how much you put into this exercise ball at first. My problem with the exercise ball is that for many reasons people do not seem to keep it up. A really good Video is Beginning Callenetics (I think the beginning one is all anyone needs and the best laid out one of the group) We have them at Media play,..not sure that is a national chain but its about 10.00 here. "IF" someone does this for 10-15 minutes a day (a bit different than the instructions) You generally see big changes in the persons flexibility and their movement. Has a good abdom exercise too. I personally think that it effects posture and movement more than Rolfing, Synergy,and some other body work IF a person keeps it up for at least 3 months.
In Reply to: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Shelly on October 03, 2003 at 15:19:01:
I'm a D.C. and I find its really hard to get people to exercise more than 2 weeks with most exercise equipment or videos . People have good intentions but I have said if I was an exercise equipment broker I could make a small fortune by transferring to those that want to but equipment to those that have some in their basement or in their room as a clothes hanger. I would say a few people that are self starters do persist and make great changes. One machie that seems to have a much higher compliance rate is Jakes total body trainer. I believe they go for about 200.00 and I think well worth it but if cost is a factor you might try EBAY. You do 7 exercises and it stresses MOST of the muscle groups in the body. There are better machines but they are MUCH more costly. Does the abdominals pretty well. How we get it to work,..some/many people have a hard time facing 7 exercise, at least on a consistant basis. So we get them to fill out a chart to do 2 in the am before work and 2 when they get home. The next day they 2 the others in the am and pm. (we add a shoulder exercise because the Jakes doesn't get this group very well) I've seen some really great changes in 6 weeks doing this. You can do it without of equipment but the fact that its there and made simple seems to be the big factor for being consistant. BTW doing modified cruches on one of those exercise balls was shown to work (confirmed via electromyograph) the abdominals better than most exercise machines costing much,much more. It sounds at this point you don't need high intensity but you can control how much you put into this exercise ball at first. My problem with the exercise ball is that for many reasons people do not seem to keep it up. A really good Video is Beginning Callenetics (I think the beginning one is all anyone needs and the best laid out one of the group) We have them at Media play,..not sure that is a national chain but its about 10.00 here. "IF" someone does this for 10-15 minutes a day (a bit different than the instructions) You generally see big changes in the persons flexibility and their movement. Has a good abdom exercise too. I personally think that it effects posture and movement more than Rolfing, Synergy,and some other body work IF a person keeps it up for at least 3 months.
In Reply to: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Shelly on October 03, 2003 at 15:19:01:
Arrrgh Sorry for the double post ND the typos,..I'm on a friens computer and it knocks me off every 3-10 minutes and I "shoulda" took the time to re-read the post before hitting the send button but after losing the connection 3 times I was triggerhappy, hope it make sense.
In Reply to: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Shelly on October 03, 2003 at 15:19:01:
ALSO some of these keys "skip"!
In Reply to: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Shelly on October 03, 2003 at 15:19:01:
Hi, Shelly.
Listen to Michele. Use your carpeted floor and do knee- bent situps.
Let us know how you do.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Richard on October 04, 2003 at 08:37:59:
I work out regularely at the 24 hour Fitness, 5-6 times a week and about 3 hours at the time. I switch machines all the time to avoid burn out and vary the workout. For aerobics I do bike, treadmill and snow shoe machine and for weight training I use machines for all muscle groups to tone the whole body.I am not afraid of using heavy weights, it's a mith that women will build big muscles. I just had a surgery ( breast ) and all the exercise helped tremendously.
I was walking to the bathroom by myself from day one, now I am able to stand up and sit down using only my leg muscles since I can't use my upper body. I am walking for now about 2 miles a day to keep myself in shape and the doctor is amazed with my progress. I will not be able to get to the gym for 2 months but as soon I am told I can, I will be back as before. That is why I have to go to the gym, at home I just wouldn't be able to have enough equipment to vary the workouts and work on all muscle groups without getting bored witht the same routine. At home free weights, a large ball and jump rope might be the best alternatives and instead of spending big bucks on expensive home equipment, it is better to join the gym. I think it is also easier to work out with other people around and have trainers around to show the right way of doing those exercises.
I am 52 going on 25, in better shape than people half my age, with blood preassure of 110/65 and resting pulse of 55 and all thanks to the exercise and healthy eating.
Luba
Luba
In Reply to: Re: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Luba on October 05, 2003 at 23:32:46:
Congratulations, Luba.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Walt Stoll on October 04, 2003 at 10:51:29:
The problem with Michelle's recommendation is the erroneous assumption that ab muscles can be 'toned'. Frankly there really no such thing as a 'toned' muscle. What most doctors think of as 'toned' is what you call bracing! Which has nothing to do with the condition of the muscle and everything to do with the central nervous system. What most lay people think of as 'toned' is really low bodfat, especially when talking about the abs! Which has nothing to do with the condition of the muscle, again.
Michelle's recommendation is fine for strengthening the abdominals, which is a good thing for body FUNCTION, but by itself probably won't accomplish what Shelly really is asking for, which is to be able to see her abs. (Bodyfat is covering them.) Her abs are really just a SYMPTOM of a general problem - higher bodyfat and lower conditioning. The way to do this is to simultaneously reduce bodyfat and increase muscle size. If she works on improving her OVERALL fitness, using big exercises to work the biggest muscles, not just small muscles like the abs, then she'll be more likely to achieve her goals. (And see her abs.)
The most irritating thing I see in the gym is people using ab exercises as a cardio routine. Cardio does not build muscles! There are 600-some muscles in the body. Work the big muscles first, not the little ones!
In Reply to: Re: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Lincoln on October 06, 2003 at 11:30:53:
I SOOO agree with this statememnt. Doing situps will not get rid of the fat on the stomach, no matter how many you do. It's the walking, running, biking, cross country skiing,
dancing, hiking and swimming that will get rid of that fat covering those abs and it helps to engage in resistance training while loosing that fat because when the fat goes, muscles appear in it's place instead of wrinkly, sagging skin. I know because I did it, it took a lot of effort and hard work and right kind of food. There are no miracles that would take off the fat while we sit and watch TV. We have to get up and go to the gym or take a backpack and go hiking.
Luba
In Reply to: Re: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Michele on October 03, 2003 at 16:43:22:
Hi Michelle,
This is great when your fat is 15% and you just need to work on muscles and build them so they would show in your slim body. If there is a considerable fat layer covering the stomach, no amount of crunches will make a difference without aerobic exercises and the right diet. Those muscles will not show under the fat. The best way to have a good body is to burn calories through biking, swimming or walking, eat only nutrition dense food and do resistance traning ( of course cranches would be great as a part of this program ). It's amazing what all 3 will do when we stick to it.
Luba
In Reply to: exercise at home... posted by Lincoln on October 03, 2003 at 19:38:40:
I don't agree with your statement that only light weights are suitable for women. You mentioned the myths and women getting big muscles working with heavier weights is one of them. I use heavy weights at the gym and so far I wish my muscles were bigger but no such luck. Using the heaviest weight we can comfortably handle will give much faster results especially when used in conjunction with aerobics.
Luba
In Reply to: Re: exercise at home... posted by Luba on October 06, 2003 at 13:58:38:
"I don't agree with your statement that only light weights are suitable for women."
I did not say that. In fact, I believe most women use weights that are WAY too light.
In the gym I belong to, we start people with nothing heavier than a broomstick. Even the biggest guys start that way. A 45 pound barbell is too heavy to start for many exercises and for many people, especially women and kids. That's not a myth; that's a fact based on experience. That's why I like the lighter barbells - you can start with a barbell as light as 10-15 pounds and keep using that same bar for weights up to 150 pounds.
The girls here are squatting up to 350 pounds (Erin Okonek) and the guys are squatting up to 500 pounds (Casey Burgener.) Erin has lifted a 240 pound barbell over her head, starting from the floor. Clearly we aren't afraid of lifting heavy weights, regardless of sex. But we start with a manageable weight and work up from there.
In Reply to: Re: exercise at home... posted by Lincoln on October 06, 2003 at 18:00:23:
Thanks, that makes more sense. Because you didn't say that the light weights would be more suitable for women who haven't exercise before, it was easy to misunderstand.
I agree with you here, first timers should use light weights at first but increase them as soon as they are able to. I think that working with light weight for prolonged time is a waste of time and has no benefits unless it's used as a part of an aerobic workout.
Luba
In Reply to: Re: another question on exercise equipment..... posted by Lincoln on October 06, 2003 at 11:30:53:
Thanks, Lincoln.
Once again, right on.
Walt
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