Rebounding on a mini trampoline accelerates your heart rate and respiration and provides a fairly comfortable way of burning calories. Mini trampoline workouts have their disadvantages as well. Due to their small size, there is...
The difference between speed and RPM, which stands for revolutions per minute, can be confusing for some people, though they both have different purposes when it comes to exercise and performance. Exercise RPM is most commonly ...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly one-third of the U.S. population is obese. Resistance training can be an important part of a balanced exercise plan, decreasing your risk of obesity and some fa...
The Smith machine overhead press works your shoulders and triceps. A hulking, expensive piece of equipment, the Smith machine is not available in every fitness facility or home gym. If your workout calls for Smith machine overh...
The foam roller is your friend. This simple and handy device can reduce muscle soreness, speed recovery, and even relieve stress. Taking a few minutes out of your day to roll out the knots in your muscles will help you train ha...
Boxers and mixed martial artists train with punching bags to improve their striking power and accuracy, yet anyone can reap the cardio benefits of such exercise. Punching bags provide a full-body workout, strengthening the musc...
The muscle on the top of your leg or thigh is actually four different muscles. Collectively called the quadriceps muscles, or quads, these muscles include the vastus medialis, vastus intermedius and vastus lateralis, as well as...
Endurance athletes are always looking for ways to improve performance. Adding more weight to your body would seem to make your body work harder during exercise so that your muscles and respiratory system becomes more efficient...
Dumbbells are invaluable if you're trying to build muscle and tone your arms and shoulders. These free weights are smaller versions of barbells, so you'll typically hold one in each hand while you exercise. Adding weights to yo...
Depending on how tightly you wrap them, resistance bands help you build muscle, elevate your heart rate or train for sports. Because you don’t need to change equipment during a resistance band workout, you can exercise yo...
This makes rock climbing more effective at helping you lose weight. In addition, a weighted vest makes your muscles work harder as you climb with additional pounds, maximizing the strength and toning benefits that rock climbing...
Kettlebells have been around since the early 1700s, when they were used for physical fitness in Russia. They are still popular today, and you can work out with kettlebells without getting too bulked up. Kettlebells are made of ...
The triceps -- the muscles on the back side of your upper arms -- are often neglected during workouts, as fitness enthusiasts tend to give the biceps center stage. However, strengthening and toning the triceps helps complete an...
Strength training only gets more important as you get older. For most people, starting a kettlebell routine at 60 will be more challenging than it would be at 20, but the benefits of working with these weights will often outwei...
Kettlebells can be an effective fitness tool to provide a welcome change from the typical routine of jogging and dumbbells. Kettlebell training can challenge your body differently even from other forms of resistance training. A...
With over 50 million cases per year, headaches are the most common illness in the United States, according to the University of South Florida. Most headaches are not serious and are related to stress, lack of sleep, alcohol or ...
A well-balanced fitness regimen includes exercises from all three planes of movement. The "sagittal plane" describes exercises with a forward-and-backward movement, such as lunges or bicep curls. Exercises in the &quo...
Biceps, triceps and forearms are the main muscles of your arms that need strength training and conditioning. A variety of bicep curl, forearm curl and bench press exercises can provide an optimum workout for these muscle groups...
Kettlebell training was first popularized in the USSR, which used this sort of training for many of its athletes and military professionals. It involves the use of a metal ball with a handle. Kettlebells come in weights ranging...
Exercise balls are popular fitness tools found in gyms, physical therapy offices and even classrooms. The balls come in different sizes, but all work to improve physical capabilities; they may even help mental functions, accord...
Home gym glide boards are a popular new style of total body home workout equipment. They can provide an affordable, challenging and low-impact workout to help you lose weight and build muscle. However, you will receive a far be...
Both counter push-ups and knee push-ups are ideal for beginners, according to the American Council on Exercise. These modified versions of the standard push-up help build upper-body strength to prepare you for a full-body push-...
Some bodybuilders perform pullovers on a workout bench, but floor pullovers are just as effective. Several variations of the pullover can be performed with just a few inexpensive pieces of fitness equipment. Ask your doctor's a...
Lateral epicondylitis, also known as tennis elbow, results from repetitive overuse of your elbow tendons. This repetitive rotating and contracting movement causes tears in the soft tissue around your elbow tendon, leading to pa...
Nearly every health club and gym now offers indoor classes that re-create the road racing conditions experienced by elite cyclists. Working out on an indoor cycling bike differs from an electric bike in both form and exertion. ...
A strain is an injury to the muscles or tendons. The knee is prone to strains because it is a complex joint; in fact, according to The Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, it is the joint most prone to injury. Stair ste...
A foam roller is a self-massage and stretching device that relaxes the targeted muscles on which it is used. Muscles such as your hip abductors, spanning across your posterior, benefit from foam rolling. You can use three separ...
Exercise equipment can stress your feet to varying degrees. The potential risk of foot injuries from pressure and force on the feet caused by exercise was the subject of a study presented at the 2006 American Society of Biomech...
Barbells are long, steel bars with removable weighted plates on each end. One type of barbell has the weights permanently attached to either end. The other type of barbell can hold several disks, ranging in weight between 5 and...
That’s exactly what the manufacturers of vibrating exercise machines are claiming is possible, however, by shimmying and shaking your way to fitness through the use of whole-body vibration training. Clinical studies conce...
If you've seen a mini trampoline in your fitness store and wondered what all of the fuss is about, you should know that using a mini trampoline for fitness offers a laundry list of benefits, from improved cardiovascular health ...
Ski jumpers jump on snow-covered hills or slick, synthetic, turflike surfaces that let skis glide. You need not only the muscular ability to bend down and jump high, but the ability to time your jumps -- based on the condition ...
Barbell squats can help strengthen and build coordination in several muscle groups and joints, including the hamstrings, quads, glutes, calves, lower back, hips, ankles and knees. Although barbell squats can be beneficial, be s...
Obesity is a dangerous health condition that can raise your risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Shedding excess weight is one of the most effective ways to improve your health and reduce your chances of dev...
Performing workouts with a barbell will often help you tone your arm, shoulders and upper body muscles. If you are looking to change up your normal barbell routine, adding or taking away weight will have different effects on yo...
But walking and rebounding -- exercising on a mini trampoline -- affect your body in different ways. Walking is a purely aerobic exercise, but using a mini trampoline gives you additional benefits.
While popping is a cheerleading technique that is traditionally performed when coming out of a stunt, it can also be an adjective used to describe the velocity with which your legs extend during both a kick and while performing...
Volleyball players train hard to get every possible advantage over the competition. A kettlebell can be another tool to improve performance. You cannot use kettlebells as a substitutes for volleyballs, but you can use kettlebel...
The P90X plan is a comprehensive diet and exercise program designed to sculpt and tone your body in 90 days. You can work out any time of the day while on the P90X plan. After you work out, you should drink the P90X recovery dr...
The following series of simple moves will help you determine your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know the areas where your body is powerful (and where it needs work), you can choose exercises to help you reach your fitness ...
Dumbbells are a highly versatile weight lifting tool that can be adjusted to meet the needs of your workout. If your dumbbells come with adjustable weights, you can generally increase the amount of weight by removing the safety...
Elliptical trainers are a type of aerobic machine that combines the basic mechanics of running with the body motions of cross-country skiing. The result is a long, smooth stride that is measured in flywheel rotations that deter...
Fly exercises are designed to tone and strengthen the muscles in your chest, shoulders and arms. Despite this, the two types of fly moves require different equipment and positioning as they are executed. Both types of exercise ...
While custom modifications may be necessary if you have extremely short arms, chances are you will be able to adjust the machine you are working on manually to fit your body size and length.
The shoulder press exercise strengthens the anterior deltoids, which is the main muscle group on the front of the shoulder. But the overhead pressing motion might be stressful to the shoulder joint and the rotator cuff muscles....
At one time a U.S. size 14, Kelly Osbourne -- daughter of famed rock star Ozzy Osbourne -- has transformed under a strict weight-loss regimen. Her diet features no magic or secrets -- just a typical but challenging approach dem...
Walking, running and cycling are all cardio workouts that can help you slim down your calves by shedding excess fat. However, they all use your calves, so none of these exercises actually reduces the size of your calf muscles. ...
The lats are the large muscles of the middle back that, when developed, give you a V-shaped torso. For fully developed lats, work them using various exercises. The muscle fibers of the lats run diagonally and contract to move y...
An isokinetic contraction is a type of muscular movement in which the muscle shortens at a regular velocity. For example, during an isokinetic contraction of the bicep muscles, the forearm rotates toward the upper arm at a cons...
The American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit fitness organization, reports that boxing with a heavy bag has many health benefits, including improved strength, cardiovascular fitness, balance and muscle tone. The Everlast Cardi...
Plyometrics, sometimes referred to as jump training, involves fast, high-impact movements that train your muscles to react quickly after being loaded, or stretched. Cable machine training focuses on building and strengthening m...
Two pedals provide resistance for stepping and optional resistance bands let you include your arms in the movement. As when practicing any form of aerobic exercise, pay attention to your diet when beginning a regular routine wi...
When you use an exercise bike, both the amount of resistance the bike offers and the amount of time you ride affect the quality of your workout. Pedaling against resistance means you have to pedal harder, which increases the am...
Flat, well-defined abs are a fitness goal that many people aspire to achieve. If you are looking for an effective way to tone your abdominal muscles, you might be overwhelmed with the plethora of equipment and exercises recomme...
Punching bags toughen your knuckles for martial arts practice, boxing and more strenuous sparring workouts, but you must start slowly. Repeatedly hitting the rough surface of the punching bag with bare hands can lead to abrasio...
The twisting and turning motions of many forms of dance can help tone and strengthen your obliques. Proper execution of these types of dance moves may help prevent injury to your oblique muscles. Turning or twisting improperly ...
Weightlifting equipment comes in a multitude of shapes and sizes, and the types of exercises you can perform are equally numerous. Deadlifts and kettlebell swings are two exercises performed with two very different pieces of eq...
A kettlebell is a piece of fitness equipment that originates from Russia. This canon-shaped ball is available in different weights. Unlike a traditional dumbbell, the center of mass on a kettlebell extends beyond the hand. Beca...
Working out on a Total Gym machine can improve your strength and give you a toned body. It may also help improve your hip bone mineral density and decrease your risk for fractures. Consult your doctor before starting a new exer...
A rebounder is a mini-trampoline that when used for exercise can provide a number of health benefits. Using a rebounder is a great form of cardiovascular exercise that burns calories more effectively than jogging. However, some...
Compound moves for weightlifting mean you work more muscles in less time. One example of a compound exercise that’s included in most weightlifters’ routines is the overhead press. This move works your core, shoulder...
For anyone trying to lose weight, burning fat is essential. The best way to do that? Exercise! And while it's important to note that exercise should be combined with a healthy diet for the best weight-loss results, eight heart...
Believe it or not, it's also the clothes you wear. Exercising without the right kind of fitness apparel can leave you uncomfortable and even stop you from getting the kind of workout you deserve. Look great, feel great and get ...
The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of exercise at least five days a week, although you'll get the same benefit if you exercise several times a day for 10 to 15 minutes each session.
Using the Gold's Gym ab roller without the pro assist helps you better tone your abs, and you can utilize this equipment to tone several muscles in your core. Always consult your doctor before you perform any new strenuous phys...
The Gold's Gym Elliptical 595 machine is one of many elliptical machines in the Gold's Gym lineup. It has many of the functions that other ellipticals have, such as an electronic console and the ability to pedal backward and wo...
A decline dumbbell press is an exercise designed to build muscle in your lower pectorals, obliques and core muscles. An adequate substitute for a decline dumbbell press must strengthen these same muscles at an equivalent angle....
Flying through the air thanks to the bounce of a home trampoline is an exhilarating experience, but it’s also a dangerous one. Not only are trampolines responsible for thousands of injuries, but since 1990, they are respo...
Rebounding on a mini-trampoline is cardiovascular exercise that can help tone your legs. Rebounding is unlikely to hurt your vertebrae if you are healthy, but people with certain health conditions should avoid it, says chiropra...
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says adults can gain substantial health benefits from participating in resistance training, or muscle-strengthening, workouts at least two times each week.
Running would seem to be the wrong activity for those suffering from arthritis. The constant pounding of the joints on a running track or pavement can take a toll on those suffering from the disease. Running on softer surfaces ...
If you golf merely for relaxation or as a casual hobby, you will likely never focus heavily on a strength and conditioning routine designed to enhance your golf abilities. If your goal is to become competitive as a golfer, howe...
That doesn't mean you can twist the night away without hurting a vital part of your anatomy, if you're out of shape. You can start slowly, improve your fitness and end up in better shape if you work out with dance. You may even...
Fitness aficionado Richard Simmons says his "Sweatin' to the Oldie's" workout will get your "heart-pumpin' " and "fat burnin'." The 55-minute dance-aerobic workout can be performed at a pace you ar...
While you can perform a degree of training and conditioning outside of a boxing gym, you will ultimately need the equipment and ring found in a boxing gym to train competitively.
Your oblique muscles run along the sides and front of your stomach and are the largest muscle group in your abdominal area. Oblique muscles are located under your bottom eight ribs down into your pelvic area. Your oblique muscl...
Smartphones, like the iPhone, can be convenient tools to help you manage your weight loss. You can download a variety of applications — many of which are free — that help track the calories you take in from food, as...
Working with dumbbells, which are free weights attached to tubular handles, is an effective way to build muscle mass and strength via resistance. Doing a dumbbell curl involves lifting the weight with your hand by bending your ...
A healthful lifestyle needs to involve moderate exercise. Harvard Medical School recommends burning 2,000 calories a week with exercise. Not only will regular exercise strengthen your muscles and heart, but it also aids in weig...
Kinect and Move are two types of motion-detection systems used in game consoles. The first true fitness controller console was the Wii Fit, which allows players to use body movements and physical actions for video games. The Wi...
The rowing machine can be a challenge to your muscular and cardiovascular system, and the amount you use it will depend on your ultimate exercise and fitness goals. However, you will increase your risk of injury if your rowing ...
The Total Gym is a piece of exercise equipment that allows optional routines to engage every major muscle group in the body. Exercising the chest on the Total Gym can potentially cause strains of the chest muscles. When chest ...
York Barbells have helped build bulging biceps, broad shoulders and powerful chest muscles since 1932. Don't forget about the benefits to the lower body -- particularly the calves. Several exercises designed for York Barbells i...
There is, however, one type of exercise you shouldn't do in Shape Ups: stair climbing. Don't worry, though. Once you understand why Shape Ups aren't a good fit for stair climbing, you may be willing to invest in a second pair o...
If you are looking to bulk up in a short period of time, the vest can help you reach your fitness goals with ease. It holds up to 20 pounds of weight across the front and back of the vest. If you are looking for more weight, yo...
Trampolines offer a fun time of jumping, leaping, twisting and bouncing for adults and children. You can find trampolines in fitness centers, gymnastics facilities and in residential backyards. Trampolines are available in a va...
Elliptical machines follow the natural path of your legs and also provide an upper body workout. Machines with inclines tend to be very expensive. By varying your degrees of resistance, you can get the same benefit as an inclin...
If you are looking for a cardio and lower-body conditioning exercise, incorporate the kettlebell rocking squat into your training program. This exercise uses a kettlebell weight, involves squats and a rocking motion similar to ...
Kettlebells are heavy metal weights shaped like a slightly elongated ball with an attached handle. Exercise enthusiasts often appreciate the kettlebell for its ability to give a full-body workout that burns more than 250 calori...
Shortness of breath while climbing can be alarming for anyone. Whether you start panting when you are climbing stairs, working on a stair-climbing machine at the gym or mountain climbing, you may have a serious medical conditio...
The autoclave is an important device for use in the medical field. It is used to sterilize equipment and tools. If you run a body-piercing business, owning a small autoclave adds to your credibility and provides your customers ...
Without a flywheel, an indoor group cycling class would feel very different from how it does. The weight of a flywheel keeps a consistent momentum to your pace, without which the regular rhythm of a indoor cycling class would b...
Although three different pieces of cardiovascular equipment and a full set of weights are more than you strictly need to lose weight or stay fit, it gives you a chance to experiment with different types of exercise and find the...
Both Zumba and kettlebell workouts offer effective ways to improve your fitness. Each differs in its approach to exercise. Therefore, determining which is better depends upon your fitness goals. Zumba emphasizes aerobic fitness...
Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine, sometimes congenital or occurring during childhood. The condition most frequently occurs during the growth spurt just before puberty, according to MayoClinic.com. Although the cau...
The Total Gym is a well-known home fitness machine that utilizes a sliding glideboard and the user's own body weight to provide muscle resistance. The Total Gym is used in many rehabilitation facilities as a gentle way to stret...
Fun, energetic exercise classes that incorporate dance in some form attract participants of all ages. Such classes, which offer overall cardio fitness and specific toning benefits, can be found at gyms and community centers, a...
However, insufficient clinical evidence exists to rate the actual efficacy of either of these therapeutic garments. Both vests equipped with extra weight provide deep pressure touch stimulation, or DPTS. A pressure vest also fi...
Bicycling gets the heart rate up, builds lung capacity and endurance and can be used in weight-loss programs. It also can be done outdoors, with some type of wheeled bicycle, or indoors, with some stationary or exercise cycle. ...
Leg workouts with a pull-up bar are designed to help improve strength in your core muscles as well as your legs. While your ability to work out your leg muscles on a pull-up bar is limited, there are several exercises you can c...
Schutzhund training is a rigorous method of dog training that began in Germany in the early 1900s using German shepherd dogs. Trials are performed to develop the traits for police and military dogs such as odor detection, searc...
However, jumping on a trampoline benefits your bone health in ways that using an elliptical does not -- but the trampoline is also harder on your joints. Choosing one over the other will depend on your personal needs and situat...
Exercise machines serve a variety of purposes. They can help you to train for a marathon, tone your triceps or keep your hamstrings from becoming flabby. If you have children, though, the use of exercise machines may not be the...
Although each type of resistance has a different design and function, you can use either for the biceps curl exercise. Using dumbbells or kettlebells for the curl exercise does not change the movement or muscles worked, but ket...
Rebounding is a form of exercise you do by jumping on a small, circular trampoline, also called a mini-trampoline. Instructional videos show you how to use rebounding workouts to build muscle, develop coordination and increase ...
The kettlebell swing is an explosive exercise that targets your legs, shoulders and arms. When you design a kettlebell swing workout, you have to determine the volume and intensity of your workout. In general, these two element...
While the condition can affect any bone, it most often attacks the longer ones in your body. AVN treatment often involves range-of-motion exercises coupled with limiting the amount of weight-bearing on your affected joints. Whi...
Kettlebells and rowing machines can be found in health clubs. Although these two pieces of equipment might be found in different locations in the gym -- the kettlebells near the strength equipment and the rower near the cardiov...
The AirClimber is a simple, home version of a stair climbing machine that you might find in a gym. Instead of having motorized steps or spring-powered steps, the AirClimber uses air, as its name implies. Whether you use an AirC...
With kettlebells, you can also create bodybuilding and sports performance exercises. Understanding how to create four different workouts using these two exercise options will help you meet your fitness goals.
A member of Russia's special forces is credited with bringing the kettlebell to the United States, Ohio State University's Fit News reports, where its popularity has grown in recent decades. The kettlebell looks like a cannonba...
Working out on a stair climber brings a number of benefits to the body. Not only does it facilitate weight loss and improve cardiovascular health, it also strengthens bones because stepping is weight-bearing. Walking on this ma...
The Smith machine, the piece of equipment with a barbell fixed in a sliding plane of motion, has a bad reputation among trainers and coaches -- and with good reason: It encourages poor form, makes strength imbalances worse and ...
The P90X Fitness program consists of 12 routines: five weight-training routines, a yoga routine, a core routine, an ab routine, a stretch routine, a plyometrics routine and two cardio routines. The weight-training routines requ...
The Total Gym is a home exercise unit to work all the muscle groups of your body by using varying percentages of your own body weight. You sit or lie on an adjustable glide board and hold handles attached to cables to pull your...
Although the shoulders are one of the smaller muscle groups, these muscles have many options in which to strength train. Your shoulders move your arms to the front, side, back, over your head and in circles. A muscle that provi...
Bulging biceps and better grip are just two of benefits you will experience from using hammer-style dumbbell curls. While it is common knowledge that your biceps are trained with curls, the hammer curl variation trains other ar...
When you wear a pedometer, your goal is to reach at least 10,000 steps each day. A pedometer counts every step you take. If you are unable to get outdoors due to weather or the time or day, a mini trampoline provides a safe alt...
The heavy bags used in boxing and mixed martial arts work on the same basic concepts, and in fact you can use either style to effectively train for both fight sports. However, the bags manufactured and distributed specifically ...
Strong core muscles are a must for maintaining an injury-free lower back and improving your performance in many different sports. You can strengthen your abdominals in several different ways, but one of the most challenging is ...
Although the biceps curl is a basic exercise that only involves movement at the elbow joint, it has several variations that you can do to emphasize the biceps muscles differently. Twisting curls work the biceps through a forear...
A traditional form of strengthening muscles of your back and lower body, barbell deadlifts are implemented at powerlifting competitions around the world to gauge strength and power. However, this exercise can be modified to tar...
A barbell refers to a long metal bar to which weight plates are attached at the ends. The weight on a barbell varies based on the amount of weights placed on each end. Dumbbells are another type of free weight. However, rather ...
An ab wheel is both a simple and complex exercise device. It is just a wheel with a handle through it and grips on both sides. Using it involves rolling it forward and backward, with hands or feet. Those movements can be so com...
Weight training offers a variety of muscular benefits. Dumbbell front raises target your shoulders and are commonly incorporated in an upper body weight training workout. Perform front raises two or three days per week with at ...
You can increase muscle mass throughout your arms by following a strict dumbbell training regimen. Training with free weights places great stress on your muscles during the full exercise range of motion. This heavy workload pro...
Many people find they have excess weight on their inner or outer thighs, or feel that those muscles are weaker than necessary. Muscles in the hip include the hip flexors, hip adductors — on the inner thigh — and hip...
As you age, your body naturally loses muscle and gains fat. But you can combat these changes through exercise, even when you're elderly. When approaching exercise, those above the age of 60 often have special concerns, like art...
The cable shoulder press is a multi-joint exercise that works muscles in your shoulders, arms and upper back. Overhead shoulder exercises, although effective for strengthening the muscles in your upper body, possess an inherent...
Heavy bag training is only one of the techniques boxers use to develop the physical attributes they use in the ring. Although the strength, reaction speed and cardiovascular training of a boxing workout are important to throwin...
Dumbbells provide an easy and effective way to get a good workout. The lift exercise can be easily performed with a set of dumbbells. Instead of focusing on one lift, get the most of your workout and take part in a series of li...
The P90X program places the emphasis of most of its exercises on using your own weight as the resistance weight. This works great for pushups, pullups, squats and lunges, but there are a few exercises such as biceps curls and s...
The decline dumbbell press is an upper-body strength training exercise. It works your pectoralis major, particularly the lower portion of the muscle, according to "Serious Strength Training." Because the joint motion ...
The best way to move around a heavy bag depends on the kind of training you're doing in a particular workout. Using a heavy bag can build different skills and attributes, and your movement during bag work can help determine whi...
Rowing machines can be found in most gyms and many homes. Competitive water rowers use rowing machines for indoor training, and some rowers even compete at large-scale indoor rowing events. Rowing provides a great workout but o...
Trainers perform dumbbell fly presses by lying on a bench with arms extended above the body while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Elbows are then slightly bent before the trainer proceeds to lower arms to the sides of the benc...
Dumbbells give you an advantage that machines don’t when it comes to working out. These tools are free weights, which grant you the ability to move them around in multiple directions without any restraints. This, in turn,...
The dumbbell curl is an isolation weight-training exercise, meaning it requires movement only around one joint. Lifters use the exercise to develop strength and size in the upper-body muscles. Use an appropriately weighted dumb...
"Guns," "pythons," "Thunder and Lightning," however you refer to them, the biceps are glamor muscles, and many who train with weights seek big ones. Building biceps that fit snugly in your T-shirt ...
Along with different weights, dumbbells come in various shapes, sizes, colors and materials. Dumbbells help to balance your muscles by allowing each arm to do an equal amount of work rather than letting your dominant side take ...
A barbell snatch is an Olympic weightlifting exercise. It is one of two movements -- the clean and jerk being the other -- athletes perform during the Olympic weightlifting event. The barbell snatch is an explosive movement tha...
Workouts on an elliptical machine offer many benefits, whether your goal is to lose weight or increase your cardiovascular health. They provide a no-impact workout exceptional at burning calories and toning muscles. With featur...
There are various kinds of leg exercises to strengthen and tone the leg muscles. Depending on which muscles you wish to target, you may use different machines. Muscles in the leg include the quadriceps at the front of the thig...
One difference immediately discernible between a curl bar and dumbbell is size, with dumbbells smaller and lighter in weight than curl bars. In addition, dumbbells are intended for a one-handed lift, while curl bars require two...
Some of the body's largest muscles are found in the lower body. Strengthening these muscles is important for creating an overall strong physique and burning more calories throughout the day. Performed much like traditional squa...
Force equals mass times acceleration. That's a Newton's Second Law, a tenet of physics and a truth of martial arts training. If you want to impart more energy on a punching bag, that means delivering each strike with more force...
This is because a punching bag develops a variety of physical attributes important not only to boxing success but also to overall health and fitness.
A squat involves lowering your torso and hips from a standing position with your feet on the ground about shoulder-width apart. Your feet should be parallel to each other or slightly turned out. Before you perform any squatting...
Dumbbells are an integral component of the P90X Fitness Program. Tony Horton, designer of P90X, recommends using various dumbbells weighing from 5 to 70 pounds in order to fully work out each muscle group. However, to avoid pur...
Although punching a heavy bag certainly will exercise your arms, it may come as a surprise that they aren't the only -- or even the most important -- muscles engaged when you throw a punch with good form. A strong punch is less...
The incline dumbbell press exercise targets the clavicular head of the chest muscle. This head sits higher than the sternal head, which is the larger of the two chest muscles. To increase the incline of the dumbbell press, you ...
Resistance bands are lightweight, portable alternatives to free weights. You can use a resistance band to do just about any exercise you can do with free weights. Resistance bands are available in a variety of tensions, but the...
A standard barbell weighs 45 pounds and it has accompanying weight plates that range from 2 1/2 to 45 pounds. This gives you plenty of resistance to choose from while working out. Trying to find the right exercises to do can be...
Boxers regularly use three types of punching bags to increase punching accuracy, build punching power and increase the rate they can throw punches. The speed bag, heavy bag and floor-to-ceiling bag all help a boxer increase his...
If you can easily perform more than 100 crunches in one sitting, it´s time to take your abdominal exercise program to the next level. Certain types of abdominal exercise machines either add resistance, impose a significant...
Skip those shaking and twisting abdominal machines at the gym if you're looking to lose only belly fat. Exercise equipment that targets belly fat specifically does not exist, as spot-reducing body fat is not possible. Any gym e...
The exercises in the P90X workout program require the use of a chin up bar and dumbbells. If, however, you cannot complete some of the exercises due to their difficulty, you may choose to use only the P90X resistance bands. Usi...
Stair climbing burns roughly the same amount of calories in the same amount of workout time as jogging at 5 miles per hour, but with roughly the equivalent joint impact as walking. The heavy workload of stair climbing comes fro...
The large muscles of your thigh and calf -- the quadriceps and the gastrocnemius -- are involved in every standing-up exercise you complete. You don't need fancy gimmicks or specialized equipment to build up layers of lean musc...
Your body is a factory. All day long, chemical processes work to synthesize nutrient molecules, carry energy to the cells and combat disease and infection. At any given moment, targeted blood tests can take a snapshot of these ...
Strengthening muscles not only gives you a more developed physique, it also helps you burn calories more efficiently -- helping you maintain a healthy body weight. Your biceps are one of your major muscle groups that require at...
In addition to cardiovascular benefits, using an exercise bike provides an excellent, low-impact lower-body and abdominal-muscle workout. Two primary types of exercise bikes exist — upright and recumbent — with each...
The E-Z curl bar is a barbell with curves on the bar that can provide less stress on the wrists. There two types of E-Z curl bars: fixed and adjustable. You cannot change the weight of fixed bars, but you can alter adjustable b...
Using a single or double triceps rope attachment on a pulley machine enables you to focus on creating that horseshoe-like shape on the back of your arms. Unlike grasping a barbell or dumbbell to work your triceps, holding a rop...
The primary muscles targeted by decline dumbbell flyes are your chest muscles, along with secondary muscles in the arms and shoulders. Specifically, this exercise strengthens the anterior deltoids, the pectoralis major and the ...
Free weights, including barbells, force your body to control and stabilize the weights through the entire range of motion. Although this provides an effective, versatile workout, it also creates the additional risk of getting t...
Developing a set of shirt-tearing guns requires a multifaceted training regimen, proper diet and adequate recovery time. All of the muscles of the arms must be trained proportionately to maintain balance of size and strength, a...
In addition, if you prefer being outside or are shy about your body, the gym isn't for you. This doesn't mean, however, that you can't get a good workout using some basic equipment that you make yourself. The gym may have intri...
Strengthening your muscles with a band is a good alternative to using weights. The bands can be tied tighter to create more resistance so you do not have to keep buying different bands. They are lightweight; making them easy to...
When you walk into your gym, you have many different options for resistance exercise. Many people understand machines and free weights and use them regularly. But you can gain muscular fitness benefits and exercise each major m...
Slimming exercises that target the quadriceps -- the muscle of the front thighs -- can be performed with various types of fitness equipment. However, fat-burning exercises are necessary to eventually reveal the results of your ...
Working your abdominal muscles can be a frustrating component of your daily exercise regimen. Finding alternate methods of exercising this muscle group provides your muscles with a new challenge and can help you avoid muscle pl...
Dumbbells give you freedom of movement that you do not always get on a weight machine. Because these free weights are not bound by cables or attachments, you can move them in multiple planes of motion to target all of the major...
The seated leg press is a machine commonly found in gyms, designed to strengthen various muscle groups in and around the legs. Using a leg press machine involves sitting with legs bent at the knee and both feet placed firmly on...
It's tempting to stand around with friends at a dance, sipping your drink and chatting, but you could be burning calories and having fun doing it. Don't worry about getting sweaty or dirtying your clothes. Exercise is all about...
Using a punching bag for a hitting and kicking workout requires the use of all your major muscle groups. While providing an aerobic advantage, bag work is a resistance workout as your muscles must generate force during a hit as...
The trapezius is a large muscle that runs across the top of the shoulders and down into the middle of the back. When it comes to training, dumbbells make effective tools because they can be moved in multiple planes without bein...
Freestanding punching bags use a reservoir as a counterweight to simulate the resistance and swing of a hanging bag. Theoretically, you could fill the reservoir with any substance heavier than air. In practice, most users choos...
Leg curl and leg extension machines both exercise your legs, but each works muscles on different sides. Using a leg curl machine involves loading the muscles in the back or posterior of the leg. You either sit or lie down for t...
A variety of dumbbell exercises will allow you to build the size and strength of your arms. While you cannot use as much weight with dumbbells as you can with a barbell, the use of dumbbells allows you a greater range of motion...
The P90X program allows you to perform certain exercises with resistance bands instead of dumbbells or a chin-up bar. Although Tony Horton, the P90X creator, recommends using the P90X-brand resistance bands, you can use any res...
Think of the word abduction to mean "to take away." Therefore, the leg or hip abduction exercises lift your leg out to the side and away from your mid-line. You can perform side leg raises without equipment and still ...
If you don't have access to any indoor space for your boxing workout, or if you would just prefer to train outside, there are options for outdoor punching bags. Because of the potential for weather damage from rain and snow, so...
Some people with big egos refuse to use anything but big weight, so you'll only see them using barbells. While barbells do have the advantage of letting you move a lot of weight, there are a number of advantages to training wit...
The triceps sit on the back of the upper arms. They have a lateral, medial and long head. Skull crushers, which are referred to as triceps extensions, zero in on this muscle group. Because there is only one joint movement and o...
Barbell exercises are used to strengthen major muscle groups. You lift, press, push, pull, curl, extend, squat and lunge with a barbell. Although the ways in which you modify a barbell exercise are limited because the bar does ...
Building significant muscle mass and increasing your size are results of participating in a high-volume weight-training program. High volume means that it consists of a relatively high number of exercises, sets and repetitions....
The force of an object is a product of that object's acceleration and mass. English physicist Isaac Newton introduced this fundamental identity of classical mechanics with his second law of motion, F = ma. F represents force; m...
A barbell machine, also called a Smith machine, is a rack with a barbell that runs on guide rails. The barbell can only follow the path of the rails, so it offers a limited number of exercise choices. However, the main advantag...
A rear delt fly done with dumbbells strengthens your upper back muscles and shoulders while working on stabilization strength in your spine, deep abdominals and hips. The exercise requires you to maintain a neutral spine positi...
Elliptical trainers, gliders and cross trainers are usually loosely grouped together as “elliptical” machines. All of these machines focus on movement fluidity, but despite the similarities, the machines have differ...
Strong hamstrings are critical for knee stability, but these muscles often go underdeveloped due to sedentary lifestyle or simply not choosing exercises that emphasize hamstring involvement. Although your hamstrings do work dur...
A resistance band is an effective and affordable piece of exercise equipment that helps add an element of strength training to your workout. The American Council on Exercise recommends four resistance-band exercises to target t...
The latissimus dorsi is a muscle in the middle of your back that runs from your spine, under your arms, to the front of your humerus bone. It functions in moving your shoulder and scapula and can be strengthened with few resist...
Maintaining healthy hip joint muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments reduce the risk of experiencing hip fractures, sprains and tears. Hips are responsible for everyday body movements, including bending, turning, twisting and ru...
Dumbbell pullovers are an excellent upper body exercise, working the major muscles of your chest, back and core. Doing pullovers on a fitball instead of a weight bench challenges your core even more. Before you start, select th...
Boxers use a variety of punching bags when they are in training and preparing for a fight. The speed bag, heavy bag and floor-to-ceiling bags all add to skill levels and help a fighter get in better overall condition. There are...
Done correctly, a dumbbell press works your chest, shoulders and triceps, with some minor support from your core muscles. Done incorrectly, a dumbbell press can lead to rotator cuff problems, torn pectorals and even wrist strai...
The Total Body Works and the Total Gym are workout systems that use your body weight for resistance. Weider Fitness makes the Total Body Works gym and Fitness Quest produces the Total Gym line of machines. Although you can do m...
