Inspired by the popular Life Fitness health club model, the G7 dual adjustable pulley home gym offers you the ultimate in exercise options and customization. The G7 offers exclusive features that allow you to build your own training workouts, track your progress and follow-along with our own certified personal trainer while she guides you through 2 training routines. With these personalized features, it’s easy for any level of user to get started and stay motivated. Bring the health club experience home with the smartly designed G7.

Summer is just around the corner, and soon it will be time to take off all of that heavy winter clothing. Whether you are a woman putting on your new two piece bathing suit, or a guy going bare chested, everyone wants to tighten up those abs and look good with a bare midriff! This core workout from ACE (American Council on Exercise) is a great way to get started toning those abdominal muscles. (more…)

For many of us, stress is a way of life. We have stress in our jobs, stress related to parenting, stress with the care of aging parents, and stress in our interpersonal relations ships. With the economic downturn, many people have experienced an even higher level of stress than in the past. For those of you who are already committed to a regular schedule of exercise, the good news is that exercise can assist in reducing stress, and there are studies to prove it! For those of you who are having trouble staying in an exercise regime, here is yet another reason to get and keep the body moving! (more…)

Are all calories created equal? The basic premise is you need to balance calories consumed with calories burned to maintain a healthy weight, but the type of calorie you choose does indeed make a difference when it comes to fueling your body before, during, and after a workout. Here are some quick tips from the exercise experts at Life Fitness about how to choose your calories wisely. (more…)

With summer coming on, we at HealthStyles would like to make you aware that we carry several items that would not be considered to fit into the “exercise equipment” category. The Sunset Swings (made by the same company that manufactures our Inspire strength equipment) have been a great addition to our line-up and could be a great addition to your back yard or patio! (more…)

by Jessica Mathews, American Council on Exercise Let’s be honest, in a fast paced-world we all want the most “bang for our buck.” And when it comes to cardio workouts this same mentality applies as we search for the most time-efficient way to burn the most calories. So what piece of cardio equipment will elicit the best results? The answer is there isn’t one in particular. Essentially it is the intensity that you work at and the duration of your session that will be the primary factors in dictating the overall effectiveness of your cardio session. Interval training To maximize your cardio sessions, consider interval training. Interval training is defined as short, high-intensity exercise periods alternated with periods of rest. So instead of hopping on a piece of cardio equipment for 30 minutes and performing your workout at the same speed for the entire session, try mixing it up one day with periods of sustained higher intensity exercise followed by a return to lower aerobic intensities used as a recovery period. There are a variety of approaches to interval training, for example you may opt to utilize, including a 1:1 exercise to recovery ratio (e.g. run for 2 minutes then walk for minutes) or a 1:2 ratio (e.g., cycling for 2 minutes at a higher intensity followed by a 4 minute recovery period of cycling at a lower intensity). Interval training can be used by novice exercises and elite athletes alike by simply adjusting the intensity and/or the rest-to-recovery ratio accordingly to meet the needs and current ability level of the exerciser. Research continues to emerge regarding the benefits of interval training, and more recently the researched benefits of high-intensity interval training. Equipment When it comes to equipment, the best suggestion is to choose a mode of activity that you enjoy, as you’ll be more inclined to stick with your regular workouts long-term. To combat boredom and also to reap the benefits that cross-training provides, try completing your cardio workouts on several different pieces of equipment, either within one workout session or from one session to the next. Below are some popular cardio equipment options you may consider incorporating into your cardio program: (more…)

by Marion Webb It wasn’t that long ago when Americans paralleled professional success with getting as little sleep as possible. Today, many have come to realize that chronic sleep deprivation isn’t just bad for business, it’s detrimental to your health. Suddenly the same doctors who have long warned that a chronic lack of sleep and sedentary living can lead to serious health consequences, including weight gain, obesity and associated chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, are getting air time and media attention. Why? (more…)

If your treadmill workout involves exercising at a certain speed, set duration of time or one of the preset programs you’re likely not making the most of your time on the treadmill. ACE’s Jessica Matthews explains an easy to implement alternative with proven results that burns more calories and fat.

Contact your local HealthStyles Exercise Equipment fitness consultant for the best treadmill or folding treadmill recommendation to meet your personal goals, abilities, and budget.

It’s finally here! SPRING that is. And if you are anything like the folks at HealthStyles, you are ready! After a long winter of being indoors there is nothing better for the body and soul than getting out in the elements and enjoying the sunshine. Everyone has different activities that we pursue during the spring and summer months. For some of us, it’s time to start training for that 5k race, sprint triathlon, or even a marathon. For others, a sport such as golf, tennis, baseball, or soccer is the passion and you can’t wait for the snow to melt to get on the course or field again. For still others, mountain biking, hiking or road biking are favorite activities to pursue, and maybe you are one of the many getting ready for one of the Colorado biking events such as Ride the Rockies, or the Courage Classic. No matter if you are an athlete competing at the highest level, or just a weekend warrior, who likes to enjoy an occasional hike or bike ride in the fresh air and sunshine, now is the time to start getting toned up and in shape, so that you can enjoy the great Colorado outdoors. Here are some pointers for avoiding the weekend warrior syndrome and the injuries that go along with it. (more…)

An inspirational mix of some of the world’s best middle distance runners including: Haile Gebresellasie, Hicham El Geurroj, Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett, Paul Tergat, Alan Webb, Billy Mills, Dathan Ritzenhein, Kenenisa Bekele, Abebe Bikila, Steve Prefontaine, Bernard Lagat, Lasse Viren, Craig Mottram, Roger Bannister, Claire Markwardt

By Rick Morris

Fitness is a word with many meanings. To some, fitness means being able to run a marathon. To others it indicates the ability to perform at a top level in their chosen sport. Many believe fitness is related to ideal weight and body fat percentage. The point is that the true meaning of fitness depends upon your goals and daily activities. If you are a highly active athlete, fitness means lofty levels of endurance, strength, flexibility and stamina. To a more sedentary person, fitness may mean simply being able to perform daily tasks without undue difficulty.

Those two definitions may sound very different and unique. In reality, they are very similar. Both require adequate levels of cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength. It’s just the level of fitness that is changed. Fitness is being able to live your life the way you want to live it. Some individuals live to be fit, but when you dig deeper, it isn’t really a matter of living to be fit; it’s more like being fit to live. It’s being fit enough to live the life that you desire.

To obtain the balance of endurance, strength and stamina you need to be fit to live you need to perform cardiovascular, strength and stamina building exercises on a consistent basis. There’s no better way to do that than by using your treadmill. Your treadmill allows you to design nearly any type of exercise to meet your goals. Best of all you can to it in the comfort of your home or gym at any time of the day or night and in any weather.

This fit to live program uses five basic workouts rotated over a 15 day period. Just keep repeating this 15 day routine, changing the intensity and length of the workouts to match your life goals and current fitness level. The five workouts are easy endurance runs, strength circuit, aerobic circuit, stamina builder and VO2 max building mile repeats.

Easy Endurance Run

This is a basic workout that will build up your endurance and improve your ability to burn fat. To perform this workout, elevate your treadmill to level 1 or 1 percent and run at an easy pace. Your pace should feel fairly comfortable. A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to talk but not sing. If you can’t speak clearly you are running too fast. If you can sing you’re running too slowly. Start with your longest run in the past 3 weeks. Each time you do this workout add about ½ mile until you reach the longest run that meets your goal. For most fitness goals a run of up to 6 miles is sufficient. For more high level athletes a long run of 12 to 15 miles may be more appropriate.

Strength Circuit

This workout uses short runs alternating with simple strength exercises. There are an unlimited number of ways to design this workout. Below I have outlined just one sample. Feel free to adjust this workout to meet your needs.

• Run at an easy pace at 1% elevation for 5 minutes
• Abdominal crunches for 30 seconds
• Run at a hard pace at 3% for 5 minutes
• Body weight squats for 30 seconds
• Run at a hard pace at 5% elevation for 5 minutes
• Bicep curls for 30 seconds
• Run at a hard pace at 3% elevation for 5 minutes
• Push ups for 30 seconds
• Run at an easy pace at 1% elevation for 5 minutes

Aerobic Circuit

This is another treadmill circuit workout. During this workout you will alternate between treadmill running and another cardiovascular exercise. Just as the strength workout, there are a nearly unlimited number of ways to design this routine. The circuit below is just a sample to get you started. Make any adjustments you wish to customize this routine to meet your needs. Possible cross training exercises include stair steppers, elliptical machines, exercise bikes or jumping rope.

• Run at a moderate to hard pace at 1% elevation for 5 minutes
• Cross train for 5 minutes
• Run at a hard pace at 3% elevation for 5 minutes
• Cross train for 5 minutes
• Run at a hard pace at 5% elevation for 5 minutes
• Cross train for 5 minutes
• Run at a hard pace at 8% elevation for 3 minutes
• Cross train for 5 minutes
• Run at a hard pace at 5% elevation for 5 minutes
• Cross train for 5 minutes
• Run at an easy pace at 1% elevation for 5 minutes

Stamina Builder

Running at an easy pace does a good job of improving your cardiovascular fitness, fat burning ability and of course your overall endurance. One thing it doesn’t do a great job of is improving your stamina or your ability to maintain a relatively high level of exercise for an extended period of time. This workout will raise your stamina level to new highs. To perform this workout you will run on your treadmill for 20 to 60 minutes at a pace that feels moderately hard. If you are a runner this pace is about 15 to 20 seconds slower than your 10K race pace. For you heart rate monitor users out there it is at about 75% of your maximum heart rate. Start with 20 minutes for your first workout and gradually build up the distance to about one hour.

One Mile Repeats

This is a workout that is very popular among track and cross country athletes that is easily accomplished on your treadmill. These faster paced runs will do a good job of building your VO2 max. VO2 max is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen you body can process to fuel your running. Higher VO2 levels indicate a superior level of fitness. This workout is just like is sounds. You simply run one mile repeats with rest intervals between each run. Run your repeats at a pace that feels hard or about 10K pace for you runners out there. Your heart rate should be maintained at around 85% of your maximum heart rate. Start with 2 repeats and build up to around 6 repeats. Take 5 minutes of rest between each repeat.

Treadmill Fit to Live Schedule

Day	Workout
1	Easy Endurance Run
2	Strength Circuit
3	Aerobic Circuit
4	Stamina Builder
5	One Mile Repeats
6	Easy Endurance Run
7	Strength Circuit
8	Aerobic Circuit
9	Stamina Builder
10	One Mile Repeats
11	Easy Endurance Run
12	Strength Circuit
13	Aerobic Circuit
14	Stamina Builder
15	One Mile Repeats

* Originally publlished in Fitness Rx magazine

Rick Morris is the author of Treadmill Training for Runners and is the creator of Running Planet, a website with tips, advice, programs and workouts for runners.