Exercise equipment has certainly changed over the past 20 years! I was looking back over newsletter that were sent to our customers dating back to our first year in business in 1993 and was amazed first of all by the lack of variety in the cardio and strength options back then, and secondly by how much the equipment has evolved in terms of both biomechanics and electronics.

If we remind ourselves that in 1993 the internet was an unknown entity for most people, and individual cell phones were a luxury owned only by the wealthy and top business people, that puts the changes in exercise equipment into some perspective.

1993

In 1993 stair climbers were all the rage, and stationary recumbent cycles were just being introduced. The other options for a cardio workout in the gym or at home were treadmills, rowing machines, upright bikes, and cross country ski machines.  A piece of equipment called the HealthRider made a brief splash about that time as well. Life Fitness, which has always been on the cutting edge of the fitness equipment evolution, had 3 programs options; Manual, Interval and Hill, on their bikes and treadmills. Elliptical machines were not even introduced until later in the 90’s and did not become a household word until well after that!

Home gyms were very traditional with the standard press arm and leg extension/leg curl. Their biomechanics were not great and the number of exercises somewhat limited.

The hot selling accessories in 1993 were the Kelly Roberts Step & Video, Air Weights which were hand weights with a built in pump to fit any hand, the Slide Trainer for lateral lower body training along with the still popular Stretch Bands, Polar Heart Rate Watches, and Floor Exercise Mats.

2013

Today home exercise equipment has evolved to fit the exerciser, whether it is the variety of movements allowed on the variety of standing and seated ellipticals available, as well as unique movements like the Octane LateralX. Treadmill development has evolved to reduce the impact on the runner and the biomechanics of both upright and recumbent bikes has improved by allowing increased seat and mast adjustment. The introduction of the indoor cycling bike made indoor cycling much closer to an actual outdoor cycling experience and became a popular winter activity for avid cyclers.

Of course the most dramatic changes in cardio equipment over the past several years has been in the electronics, that have resulted because of the changes in overall technology. Exercisers can now watch television, listen to music on their IPod, respond to emails or surf the internet on their IPad, ride or run on virtual trails all over the world, and develop their own user programs with the exact speed and intervals that fit their training needs, all while getting a workout in the comfort and privacy of their own home.

Home gyms have evolved into functional training machines that simulate actual activities required in daily living as well as sports specific activities. Accessories such at the TRX and Jungle Gym XT using the individual’s own body weight have also contributed to making strength training more functional and suited to all exercisers with emphasis on strengthening the core stomach muscles which is important for everyone to stay fit and healthy. The Bosu is another best selling accessory that helps to develop balance and works the core muscles.

There are lots of exciting new products and accessories too numerous to mention here that can enhance and improve the efficiency of your regular workouts.  The best way to find out the many options that are now available in exercise equipment, is to browse our product selection online or better yet, stop by a  HealthStyles location near you!

Somewhere far, far away, there is a magical gym where there’s never a wait for a cardio machine at 6:30pm, the boot camp instructor never raises his voice above a whisper, and jiggling upper arms instantly tighten up after just one biceps curl. This mythical place is called Imaginary Fitness Land, and it, like spot-training to burn fat, does not exist.

Welcome to the real world, where workout results take time, energy, and variety, and where our body’s ability to eliminate fat, and which specific areas it will eliminate fat from, are influenced by age, genetics, hormones, and some other factors beyond our control.

Luckily, we can control the fat-melting effectiveness of a cardio workout, so keep this real-world advice from Life Fitness in mind to maximize your results.

Two’s company. Combine fat-reducing cardio exercise with a consistent strength training program to tone and sculpt your muscles. Although spot-training won’t work for burning fat, spot-sculpting will tighten and tone the areas where you want to show off your results. Focus on a specific group of muscles during your strength training routines.

Add instability. Use the BOSU ball, balance disk, or wobble board to throw off your balance and force your core muscles to work overtime. With a strong core, you’ll be able to take on more challenging workouts, and achieve success faster.

Pilates, please. Heralded as the secret behind tons of toned tummies, a Pilates mat workout provides an effective ab routine when you want to add some necessary variety to your exercise program. Pilates utilizes very focused and specific movements, so find an instructor to get you started.

Intensify. Interval training is a great way to incorporate high-intensity exercise into your workouts. Start with 30 seconds of jogging followed by 2-3 minute of walking, then repeat for 30 minutes. Once you can complete the program with ease, lengthen the jogging intervals. Your increased intensity and elevated heart rate will result in more calories burned and a smaller waist line.

The trick to getting the fit, sculpted body you want is to be realistic. If you have overall body fat to lose, you aren’t going to see washboard abs without eliminating that excess insulation first.

Fit Tips are provided by Life Fitness, the leader in designing and manufacturing high-quality exercise equipment for fitness facilities and homes worldwide. For more information on Fit Tips and other fitness advice and expertise visit www.lifefitness.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lifefitness or join our Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/lifefitness.

Visit your local HealthStyles Retail store in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Glenwood Springs, or Grand Junction for the best holiday gift ideas.

Resistance Bands $6.99 – $12.99	5lb – 15lb Kettlebells $7.95 – $23.95	Jump Ropes Only $8.99	Fitness Handbooks Only $9.95
$9.99 – $14.96 Yoga Blocks	$12.99 – $24.99 Foam Rollers	Only $14.99 Push Up Bars	Only $21.95 FitBall Balance Disc

Medicine Balls $22.95 – $49.95	Yoga and Exercise Mats $26.99 – $49.99	Pull Up Bars $29 – $46.95	Heavy Resistance Bands $29.99 – $49.99
10lb – 15lb Dumbbells $32 – $48	20lb – 30lb Kettlebells $32.95 – $47.95	FitBall Exercise Balls $32.95 – $41.95	Weighted Hula Hoops $39.99 – $49.99

20lb – 30lb Dumbbells $64 – $96	35lb – 60lb Kettlebells $55.95 – $95.95	Balance Boards $59.95 – $99.95	Power Wheel $59.99
Heart Rate Monitors Starting at $59.95	Jungle Gym XT $99.99	Trampolines $59 – $79	Weight Storage Racks Starting at $55

TRX Suspension Trainer Pro $164.95	BOSU Balls $109.99	Inversion Tables Starting at $329	PowerBlock Dumbbells Starting at $149
Functional Trainers	Vibration Trainers	Benches & Racks	Exercise Bikes

Are you looking for ideas for unique Christmas gifts?

HealthStyles Exercise Equipment has some great gifts for fitness enthusiasts in all price ranges!

Whether your gift is for an avid runner, a Cross-Fit or P90X junkie, or a friend or loved on who is trying to firm up or lose weight, here are just a few of the many possible gifts you can put under the tree for those important people in your life.

What’s Happening in the World of Fitness Equipment?

The 2010 Health and Fitness Business Trade Show was held in Las Vegas last month and the owners and regional managers of HealthStyles Exercise Equipment went to the show, eager to see what was new and innovative for the upcoming year.

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With spring just around the corner, everyone wants to have a flat stomach and even, better six-pack abs! The question is, how do I go about getting them? There is a lot of misinformation out there about this topic that can cause a lot of frustration. Many people think that they can get flat abs if they do enough abdominal exercises. This is based on the inaccurate premise that you can do an exercise for a certain area of the body, and get rid of fat there. A review of the headlines of any popular fitness magazine will help you understand what feeds that belief. Headlines like “Flat Abs in 2 Weeks” and “10 Quick Tips to Flatten Your Tummy” lead one to believe that spot reduction is not only possible, but easy! The real truth is that the only way to get flat abs is to lose body fat, and the only way to lose body fat is to: (more…)

Here is an example of an advanced ab exercise, the V-Up, using a Bosu, Balance cushion, or other balance board.

Recommended Exercise Equipment:

BOSU Home Balance Trainer 

FitBALL Balance Disc – Blue 

FitBall Deluxe Balance Board 

Fitter First Classic Wobble Board 

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

The use of fitness accessories to expand and enhance your cardiovascular and strength routines have never been more popular than they are today as is obvious by the number of equipment manufacturers that are getting into the fitness accessory game. Life Fitness, one of the major cardiovascular equipment manufacturers, is set to roll out Body Shape Kits this fall, which combine many of the most popular accessories sold by HealthStyles Exercise Equipment, into one all inclusive kit. Octane Fitness will combine an elliptical workout with stretch bands in the programming and design of their new ellipticals to be introduced later this Fall, to create circuit training workouts that add strength training to the traditional cardio workout. (more…)