If you have been doing Pilates for a while now you need to start using a reformer. This machine is a wonderful way to step up your Pilates workout and really take your body to a new level of toning, flexibility, core strength and health. The Stamina AeroPilates 4500 is a wonderful reformer to start on.

What is a reformer?

A Pilates reformer is a very fined tuned piece of equipment that has a series of pulleys, slides, straps and springs that let you work with your body with an added resistance. The same principles of Pilates apply when using the reformer and such, if you have done Pilates before you will fit quite well into the reformer exercises.

Features of the Stamina AeroPilates Performer 4500

This is one of the cheaper reformers on the market but, surprisingly, it still comes with all the features you need to get a great Pilates workout. These include:

• Heavy-duty elastic cords provide three levels of resistance
• Super smooth ball bearing rollers
• Cushioned sliding back rest
• Adjustable headrest along with oversized high density foam shoulder pads
• Measures 44 by 17 by 9 inches when folded; 300-pound weight limit

One of the things most people remark when using this product is that it is of an extremely high quality. That is fantastic news for people who want to buy a reformer for their home workout area. You can spend just over $200 and get a product that will last you a very long time.

Price or Buy? If you would like to price or purchase the Stamina AeroPilates Performer 4500 please click here.

I am always on the lookout for a good set of weights. They are hard to find. Normally the weight changing mechanism is too hard to use or wears out quickly. The Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells are different. This set of dumbbells has a great feel about them and they are extremely easy to manipulate. Quite amazingly, you just change the weight by turning a dial! Its a little bit magic.

Features of the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells

I am really keen on these weights. Sure, they look a little bit ugly but, to be honest, as long as they are heavy and easy to adjust they do the job just fine. Here are the main features.

• Adjustable from 5 to 52.5 pounds; adjusts in 2.5-pound increments
• Combines a whopping 15 sets of weights into one set of dumbbells
• Saves money by allowing you to buy one set of dumbbells, not many
• Five-year warranty on weight plates, two-year warranty on parts

These weights are perfect for people who are building their own home gym but don’t want to spend a lot of money or clutter their gym room with weights all over the place. It is really important to note how much these dumbbells will save you. Have you ever priced a set of weights? They are an absolute rip off! You pay per pound and it seems the more you go the more the price increases per pound! The Bowflex SelectTech is a great way to solve this problem.

How do the Bowflex dumbbells work?

It actually took me a while to figure out how they work when reading about them but then when I tired it it became obvious. Basically the dial works by very cleverly selecting the correct weight plates. So, the dumbbell sits in its holder, you select the amount of weight you want to lift and then as you pick it up the bar will only take with it the required plates. When you have finished your exercise you put it back down and it will lock back in with the other weights. Extremely smart technology.

If you would like to price or purchase these dumbbells please click here. Unfortunately they can only be shipped to the main US states.

Talk to any boxer and they will tell you that finding some comfortable hear gear is very important. The Everlast Durahide is just that, comfortable. And for a very reasonable price you will soon understand why so many people choose this as their light sparring head gear of choice.

The main advantages of this head gear are the adjustable straps and the fact that it provides excellent visibility. Some head gears come too far across and can slightly impact your preferably vision. This particular product is extremely open. It is important to note that, despite this products excellent quality, it is not intended for people who are taking heavy punches. We would really only recommend this head gear for sparring sessions where you are just working on your technique. If you want to go hell for leather, hitting each other at full strength then you want to get a heavy duty protective head gear like this one.

The Everlast Durahide head gear is a fantastic investment for light boxing training. It is cheap and durable and will last you a very long time. Please remember to always box safely with mouth guards, pads and professionals on stand by. It is a very dangerous sport.

To price or purchase the Everlast Durahide hear gear please click here.

When you think of boxing gloves you usually think of the classic red boxing gloves like Everlast make so well. But my mind has been changed. I now consider these black Everlast Pro Style Training gloves to be my favorite. These beautifully made boxing gloves are durable, comfortable and ever so good to look at!

Features of the Everlast Pro Style Training Gloves

Let’s take a look at the features of these beautiful gloves. Remember, these are training gloves, not really meant for the ring.

Synthetic leather material
• Ample padding on front and back of wrist to keep it straight
• ThumbLok feature keeps thumb and fist positioned perfectly
• EverFresh materials which stops your sweat growing germs
• Available in 12-, 14-, and 16-ounce sizes in multiple colors

Everlast has an amazing tradition of making very high quality boxing products. If you are new to the sport or just want to hit the heavy bag for fitness then these are the gloves that you should buy. As with any Everlast product, you can rest soundly knowing that your money has been spent on a pair of gloves that will last you a very long time into your career. These gloves are my only choice when hitting the punching bag as the comfort and safety aspects are just too good to ignore.

Take a look at the reviews of this product on Amazon. They are almost all positive, everyone has something nice to say. You can also price or purchase these gloves here.

The Abs Straps from Perfect Pull up are, in my opinion, one of the best things to ever happen to abs training. The provide an alternative to hanging from a chin up bar in order to do your leg and knee raises. They are used by bodybuilders and fitness experts around the world to build, tone and shape their abs muscles.

What are Abs Straps?

As you can see in the image above, Abs Straps are basically two fabric sheets that hang from a bar or beam that you slip your arms into and perform your leg raises. As you probably know, leg raises are the premier exercise for building your abs, especially the problem lower abs area. You see, the leg muscles are extremely heavy and the lower abs are the weakest area. If you can perform regular leg and knee raises you will build some sexy six pack abs in no time at all. They really are that good.

Normally you would do these exercises on a dip and chin station or by hanging from a chin up bar. The problem with these is that the former is really expensive and the latter makes your forearms give way before you have finished with your abs. The Ab Straps are a perfect solution that allow you to rest your arms and just focus on building those abdominal muscles.

How to use the Abs Straps for your abs workout

The Abs Straps are like any other piece of exercise equipment; you need to use proper technique in order to get the most out of the exercise and in order to avoid injury.

Start by placing your arms in the straps and getting comfortable. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed so that you don’t favor one side of your body over the other. Now drop your legs down so that you get a full stretch in your abdominal muscles. Tense your abs and then slowly, very slowly, begin lifting your knees up to your chest. Imagine that your abs are doing all the work and your legs are just like dead weights. Finally, when your knees get close to your chest, tilt your pelvis forward and “crunch” your abs as tight as you can.

Once you are in this position the exercise is not over. You need to begin lowering your legs even slower than you brought them up. This decline motion is, in fact, where a lot of the benefit occurs. The slower you do them the better.

Conclusion

The Abs Straps are a great addition to any home gym. They are a fantastic way to spice up your abs workout and will really kick start your abs progress if you are a beginner. I highly recommend them.

If you would like to price or purchase a pair of Abs Straps please click here.

I don’t really review a lot of fitness DVDs as they are usually pretty stale. Zumba Fitness, on the other hand, is a completely different matter. This fitness DVD program is taking the world by storm. Far from just a boring late night TV product, the Zumba workouts are a fantastic way to burn fat, tone your body and get fitter. It is a great workout for both men and women.

What is Zumba?

Let’s start by talking a little bit about what Zumba is. Quite simply, it is a set of DVDs that teach you how to dance Latin style while using the toning sticks which make the dancing slightly more difficult by adding some resistance. Zumba’s success has come from the fact that it is extremely fun, sexy and doesn’t really feel like working out. You just feel like you are at a dance party or fun dance lesson. I think another reason it has taken off is because many people are too shy to dance in a class so doing it in your own home is a perfect solution.

Zumba takes you through several different dance routines and helps you to target certain problem areas like your butt, flabby arms and stomach. Many women have reported excellent weight loss results in just a few weeks.

Why is Zumba so good?

Zumba Fitness is basically capitalizing off what dancers have known for years; dancing is an amazing way to lose weight and tone up. You see, dancing is a full body workout that incorporates every single muscle in your body in some way or another. This means that it will get your heart elevated quickly and it will stay elevated throughout the workout. Any exercise that combines cardiovascular fitness and muscle work is excellent for losing weight. Boxing is another such example.

This is a great DVD to buy if you feel like your cardio is getting a bit boring. If you want to spice up your workout a bit and just do something different then this is really a great idea.

Want to price or purchase the Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation? Click here.

Have you ever had a shoulder or chest injury? Quite often a physiotherapist will hand you an Xertube Resistance band and show you a bunch of exercises to help get the shoulder back to full health. These bands are fantastic because you can take them anywhere, attach them to almost any door and perform the exercises without getting sweaty or tired. They are a gentle method of exercise and that is why this resistance band is often used on surgical patients to build up strength after an operation.

Benefits of using a resistance band
Resistance bands are not just for people with surgery wounds and injuries. In fact, the Xertube is so heavy duty it is used by professional athletes around the world. With this band you can:

• tone muscles
• strengthen hard to work areas
• build muscle mass
• give muscles better endurance for sport
• create a new type of workout for plateaued muscles

If you are a sport player, bodybuilder or pilates enthusiast you will benefit greatly from the Xertube resistance band. It is a best seller and has been getting rave reviews from experts all over the world for its ability to shape and tone muscles and revitalize boring workouts. When you buy the Xertube brand you also get a door attachment, a choice of different strengths (green, red, etc.) and an exercise chat to show you how to do the resistance band exercises.

The best thing about this resistance band, however, is the price. For under $10 you get a piece of workout equipment that is going to last you a long time while giving you a workout that is constantly progressing and challenging your body.

If you would like to purchase or price the Xertube resistance band with door attachment please click here. Or you can see there are any available in our second hand gym equipment store.

When you are trying to lose weight there are two things to remember. Firstly, you need to eat smarter. Secondly, you need to exercise more. The less calories you eat and the more you burn will give you greater weight loss. And one of the best ways to see if you are increasing your exercise activity is with an Omron Pocket Pedometer.

Features of the Omron Pedometer
The Omron Pocket Pedometer is a fantastic little device that you can carry in your pocket and back so as to measure how many steps you take on a walk or during a run.

• LCD display so you can see easily while running
• Sensitive sensor so you can carry it in your bag on pocket
• Calorie and energy consumption measurements
• Distance traveled measurements

It is called a Pocket Pedometer but it is important that this device is positioned correctly in order for it to function as indicated. It must be standing up for the sensors to properly detect the steps. If you have large pockets or are doing some aggressive form of running this might cause a problem. That being said, reviews of this device are nothing but positive. Everyone seems to enjoy its simple functionality. Of all the pedometers on this market the Omron HJ-112 digital pocket is considered the best.

If you would like to purchase the Omron Pocket Pedometer please click here.

If you are at all interested in losing weight, toning your muscles or gaining some mass you need a set of dumbbells for your home. Even if you have a gym membership you should still have a set at home and the Cap Barbell 40 Pound Dumbbell set is perfect.

What can you do with dumbbells?
Dumbbells are, in a way, the ultimate workout device. They are free weights that you hold in both hands in order to perform a variety of exercises including:

• Should presses
• Arnold presses
• Bicep curls
• Concentration curls
• Lateral side raises
• Lunges
• Tricep extensions
• Etc.

You can get a full body workout using a good set of dumbbells. And while this set is not particularly heavy, it will be enough to give a good workout that will increase your fitness and muscle tone. Sometimes even the biggest bodybuilders need a day of super high reps (50 and upwards) in order to shock the muscles out of their regular pattern of training. These are the ones for you. They come with several different size plates, a carry case and the bars themselves. Remember, you can always add more weight as you go on.

You can buy or price the dumbbell set here.

We have all stayed up late at night watching TV and laughing at all the new abdominal gadgets that are on the market. There has been the Ab Roller, Ab Swing… the list is endless. But something is happening with these ab machines. Something interesting. They are getting better. The Ab Circle Pro is good.

Many gym experts laugh at these abdominal machines saying that they don’t work. But they do. In fact, they work very well. The reason that not many people see results when they buy these ab gadgets is because they don’t use them enough. They give it a go for a week and when they don’t see washboard abs right away they give up and call the machine a failure. But the failure in this situation is the user, not the machine.

Here’s the thing. When they say on the advert that you only need to do one or two minutes to get results, they are wrong. You need to give it a good amount of time. But if you worked on the Ab Circle Pro for five to ten minutes every second day and get out a lot of unnecessary calories from your diet then you will start to see results. Remember, sexy abs is about losing the fat that is covering the abs, not building up the muscles for years at a time. Chances are you have great abs, they are just hidden under the fat tissue.

How does it work?
The Ab Circle Pro works in a similar way to doing the “bridge” exercise with a pivot thrown in. You can definitely feel the burn when you are using it. Just slot your knees into the holders, grab on the the bars and start swinging your knees from side to side. It is quite a new motion for abdominal exercises, most of them involved some sort of upper body crunch or lower body curl. This one doesn’t. But it seems to work. If you are looking for something new to spice up your workout then this is the one for you.

You can price or purchase the Ab Circle Pro here or look for a second hand one in our gym equipment store.