| With flu season upon us many gym rats around this | | | | Resistance Bands are another fitness gear that gives |
| time of year choose to work out at home. Getting sick | | | | you some of the same benefits that dumbbells do. But |
| is no fun and for those who have fears of catching | | | | with resistance bands the user has more versatility in |
| germs at their favorite workout place now find | | | | the exercise. Bands come in various resistance levels |
| themselves doing their workouts at home. If this | | | | and are easily transportable so if you go on vacation |
| sounds like you, well you are not alone. And if you think | | | | packing them into a suitcase isn't to hard. Use the |
| your workout is going to suffer think again. There are | | | | bands for building muscle or losing pounds. Bands are |
| many fitness equipment options for anyone looking to | | | | relatively inexpensive to own and most bands can |
| exercise at home. The best part is that many types of | | | | start as low $20 price tag. |
| exercise equipment is cheap. Fitness savings under | | | | Fitness Tip: For arms and balance, try standing on the |
| $30 is doable. Online fitness sites specializing in the | | | | band with your right foot, left foot off the ground, and |
| home exercise equipment market are out there. The | | | | holding the ends of the band in your hands. Perform |
| better ones also publish great informative articles on | | | | hammer curls to challenge balance while toning your |
| fitness in their blogs. Just look for blogs or articles on | | | | arms. |
| the sites. | | | | Improving your flexibility is one of the benefits a foam |
| One piece of gear that is a staple for personal trainers | | | | roller can give you. For under $25 foam rollers is one |
| is the exercise ball. Also know as a fitness or stability | | | | very effective balance and alignment tool for |
| ball. This ball can be purchased for around $25. A | | | | developing core stabilization. Rollers help myofacial |
| good exercise ball can range as high as $75, but you | | | | release, loosening and stretching the fascia which is |
| can do a lot with the less expensive one. Balls come in | | | | the connective tissue linking bones, the muscles and |
| various diameters. And you can inflate the ball to your | | | | the organs. Foam rollers have been a favorite in |
| desired level. More air means less stability during | | | | Pilates studios used in a variety of training and |
| exercises. Less air gives the user more stability | | | | exercises. Rollers effectively restructure the skeleton |
| through the exercises. The ball gives you versatility and | | | | system improving ones posture. |
| allows you to work virtual every muscle group. Not | | | | Fitness Tip: Lie down on the roller length-wise with your |
| bad for a inexpensive and dependable piece of fitness | | | | head on one end, your spine aligned with the roller and |
| equipment. | | | | your knees bent and feet on the floor. Lie with your |
| Fitness Tip: Use the ball as a weight bench. Sit on it to | | | | arms straight out at your sides, palms up and arms on |
| perform shoulder presses or bicep curls, or walk out | | | | the floor, relaxing into the stretch for your shoulders |
| into a bridge position to perform lat pullovers or chest | | | | and chest. |
| flies. | | | | Working out at home is not a bad alternative to the |
| Another piece of fitness equipment are weighted | | | | gym. You'll still be able to work up a good sweat and |
| dumbbells. Dumbbells also vary in weights. Some | | | | avoid people who might be spreading germs around. |
| dumbbells come color-coded for ease of recognition. | | | | And with the current economic funk we are in, it's a |
| They are great for doing bicep and tricep curls. Most | | | | good way to save on the monthly gym fee. Look if |
| likely you've used dumbbells at your health facility, but | | | | you're committed to keeping your body in shape, you |
| now that you are working out at home, owning a few | | | | will always find a way to workout. Having a home |
| in various weights with a starting price again around | | | | gym just means you now have the option of staying |
| $25 is a no brainer. | | | | at home if time and convenience come into play. And |
| Fitness Tip: Having various weighted dumbbells allows | | | | if you are involved with a personal trainer just |
| for versatility. Use lighter ones for smaller muscle | | | | remember they do house calls. |
| groups and heavier ones for bigger muscles. | | | | |