FitSugar

Fit Tip: Use the Diagrams on the Machines

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:30:00 -0700

If you've never used a weight machine before, rather than mimicking the guy next to you or just guessing how to use it, look at the little diagrams provided on each machine. You may or may not know this but every machine states what it does and how you should use it. What's more? The diagram also shows you what muscles it targets. So take the time to read and learn the information provided to you before using an unknown machine. Even if you think you know what you are doing, it wouldn't hurt to double check yourself every once in a while.

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Cardio Machine: Summit Trainer

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 10:00:00 -0800

If you've ever been hiking, you know that it works your entire body - all your muscles, joints and most importantly, your heart. You can hike up a mountain in the winter, but most people choose not to because it's so darn cold and windy.

Recently at the gym, I saw a new machine and just HAD to try it. It's called the Summit Trainer.

I guess it could be compared to a StairMaster or an Arc Trainer. But it's more like hiking than anything else.

You move your feet like you're stepping or climbing up a hill and you can either keep your hands on the front handles, or for more intensity, you can move the side "arms" as well for a total body workout. It also has a built-in digital heart rate monitor located conveniently on the handles.

You can choose a workout that will automatically adjust the resistance level to keep you in your target heart rate zone. Or you can do interval training workouts. You can also set personal goals and the Summit Trainer will give you a workout to meet them.

Not only is it great for your heart and muscles, but it'll get you ready for warmer weather when you can do the real hike thing.

Want to see more pictures? Then read more

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Gym Equipment Explained: Leg Extension Machine

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:00:00 -0800

I'm sure you've seen the Leg Extension Machine at the gym but what does it do, and how do you even begin to use it? Here's the rundown on the Leg Extension Machine.

What: The Leg Extension Machine is an exercise machine that you can use to build muscle in your legs and stronger knee joints.
Area of body it works: Quads, primarily.
Why: The leg extension machine has gotten a bad rep in recent years as being dangerous for the knee, but if done properly, it can be a very effective way of strengthening the quads.
How: To see how to use the machine, just read more.

When seated, adjust the footpad so it rests on the lowest part of the shins (or higher up the leg to reduce stress on knees). Adjust the back of the pad so that your back is flat against it. Keep your abdominal muscles tight, knees bent and chest up. Select a weight that suits you.
Hold on to the handles on the sides of the machine and start the upward motion by extending your legs until your knees are straight, but not locked.
Then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position to complete one.
Do three sets of 10.

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Dual Action: Tone Your Booty on a Cardio Machine

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Let's face it, you can feel the gravitational pull on the backside increases with age, and this part of aging can cause some serious fretting. You are not alone in trying to conjure up new and exciting ways to tone your bum, and the answer might be as simple as tweaking your cardio machine technique.

Researchers in the heartland of American have studied the relationship between cardio machines and the gluteus maximus, the major muscle of your booty. They found that jogging on the treadmill activated the glute muscles most. This is, however, if your heels and not the balls of your feet hit the treadmill first. The second most effective cardio machine for toning your bum is the elliptical. To ensure you are working your glutes, make sure to drive the steps with your heel to fire up the backside of your legs and butt. Somewhat predictably, the recumbent bike has the least impact on your derrière.

Don't forget to add a little strength training to your routine too! Here are five strength training exercises that target the booty.

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Where Do You Primarily Work Out?

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 03:00:00 -0800

I'm grateful that there are so many different ways you can exercise your body. We can run outside, use cardio machines, take dance classes, lift weights, learn Kung Fu, and use fitness DVDs. With all those options I was wondering, where do you usually exercise?

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What's the WORST Part About Going to the Gym

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Having a gym membership can be great. There's tons of equipment you can use, a plethora of exercise classes, and some health clubs even have a sauna, a pool, or a hot tub.

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I usually try to go during my lunch hour at work so I do what I need to do, and get out of there fast. I try to go before the noon crowd hits, because I hate waiting for machines (I don't have much time). Even worse is waiting for the showers after the workout!

And for you...

Exercise, Weight Loss, and the Fat Burning Zone

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:50:01 -0800

Much has been made of late about exercise and its relation to weight loss. There was the Time cover story The Myth About Weight Loss and a recent article on the topic in the New York Times, which recommended working out in the fat burning zone.

You see the phrase on all types of cardio machines: the fat burning zone, aka the "weight loss zone," means working out at a lower intensity to burn fat as fuel. But these workouts also burn considerably fewer calories. I was confused about how we should all be spending our cardio time, so I took my questions to exercise physiologist Jason Karp, who also happens to be an avid runner.

When I asked him if we should all be scaling our workouts back and aiming for the fat burning zone, Karp explained that it's not the type of fuel your body is burning, but the overall calories that count. "It doesn't matter if you're using fat or carbohydrates. In order to lose fat from your waistline you don't have to be using fat as fuel during workout," he said. He offered up the example of sprinters; they don't train in the fat burning zone, but they're mighty trim in the torso. Losing weight comes down to math - you want to be in a calorie deficit to shed pounds and body fat. Higher intensity exercise puts you at a higher burn rate. To burn the most calories in a cardio workout, skip past the fat burning zone and work out with more intensity. To really burn up calories, Karp recommends intervals. To learn why, read more.

Essentially, interval workouts give you the most bang for your sweat buck. Karp explains that with "intense exercise you're pushing your body more out of homeostasis," that is, the equilibrium of energy the body prefers to maintain. During the few hours after an interval workout, the body must go through a recovery period, and a lot needs to happen to return to the body to pre-exercise levels. "You've got to drop the heart rate, synthesize glycogen for the muscles, remove lactate from muscle and take it to the liver," says Karp. All these actions require energy, which raises the metabolic rate for many hours after exercising. Thirty minutes of exercise at a low intensity doesn't place nearly as much stress on the body as intervals, so you burn fewer calories both during and after the workout.

Before you hit the track and start running intervals, Karp recommends building a strong cardiovascular fitness base and working with a trainer for guidance. Even if you're not ready for sprints, play with your speed during your next cardio session. Slow and steady might win the race, but intervals will burn more calories.

Source: Flickr User pistoldrawn

True or False: Exercise Machines Are Always Safe

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 11:45:00 -0700

A lot of us head straight to the weight machines at the gym because they're easy, but does using a machine mean that you're doing the exercise correctly and safely?

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Take the quiz

Celebs Like to Shake It

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:50:58 -0700

At first, the Power Plate seems like another gimmicky weight-loss product, but its website features endorsements from fit celebs like Madonna, Courteney Cox, and Hilary Swank. On top of that, it's used by over 60 college and pro sports teams, and the Police brought one with them on their reunion tour. That's some serious ~~celeb~~ street cred.

The secret behind the Power Plate is its vibrating plates. The manufacturer claims that if you stand on it for 10 minutes a day, three times a week, you'll lose weight, tone your body, and improve bone density. To really maximize the benefits of the machine, it's encouraged that you do the same exercises you would do on the floor - sit-ups, for example - on the Power Plate.

Cougar Town actress Cox says the Power Plate was essential in shaping her up for her new role: "The Power Plate machine has dramatically changed my workout. I know that every muscle in my body is being ignited in ways that you can't do with traditional training."

To see a video of Cox's trainer Michelle Lovett demonstrating the Power Plate, read more.

They call the technology behind the machine Acceleration Training: the vibrations transmit energy waves to the body that are able to contract muscles 25 to 50 times per second. This is suppose to help stimulate blood flow, work the muscles harder than ever before, and increase strength and flexibility.

Vibration training is not a new thing in the fitness world (remember the black rubber belts that used to go around the waist to shake off fat?), but it's been picking up steam especially as it garners more backing from the medical community and health professionals.

Studies done on the effects of vibration training show that if used properly, it's more beneficial at building lean muscle mass, improving weight loss, and increasing strength and speed than exercise regimens without vibration training. Researchers warn that the machines should not be used for more than 30 minutes a day due to health concerns about engaging the body in high-amplitude vibrations like back pain or blurred vision.

I remain a little skeptical, mostly because I can't get the Shake Weights infomercial out of my head, but my curiosity is piqued. My gym doesn't have a Power Plate yet, does yours? I'd love to hear what you think of this new workout.

Fitness 101: Smith Machine

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:00:15 -0700

When it comes to strength training, I am usually a free weight kind of gal. Then I learned to love the cable pulley machine. I was still looking to branch out a little more, so my trainer Hannah introduced me to the Smith machine. Essentially, the weight machine consists of a barbell that slides on a fixed rail, and can lock into place at the fixed points along the track. Twisting the barbell activates J-shaped hooks on the side of the bar that lock into holes on the rails. This simple locking mechanism turns the Smith machine into a "spotter," making it easier to work on hardcore moves like bench presses when you're alone at the gym. The Smith machine only moves in the vertical plane, which makes some exercises harder on the joints. Although squats seem to be a popular exercise to do using this machine, many fitness experts think the fixed plane of motion of the machine forces the body into compromising positions. You can still use this machine to get a full body workout, and by locking the bar you can do variations on incline pull-ups and push-ups.

While I always think of the Smith machine as something for gym dudes, I am keen to learn more. If your gym has this machine, ask someone to show you how to use it. See if they can teach you a few different types of exercises with it.