Will Spring Ever Come to New England?

Spring, is this season just a myth?

Summer, flies by in a blink. Fall, shows up for a couple weeks, feels like summer in the beginning, and then snows by Halloween. Winter. WINTER goes on forever and ever! For example, It's mid March with April knocking on our door. Technically, Spring has almost arrived, by the calendar only!

Still not warm enough to take that workout routine outside. So what does that mean for us? Well, we are still hitting the gyms and home workout routines best we can, but something is missing. That feeling you get when you can take that walk outside! The longer days, the warmer weather, the flowers and buds on the trees. Hello? Has anyone seen them? I mean, I see sand, salt and dirty roads. I see snow, but no grass, it is very hard to stay motivated. I mean come on, we are 3 months away from bikini season? Are you ready? (And no guys, I am not talking to you!) How do we keep it together without losing it all completely?

First idea, book a trip and head to warmer weather! If you can't do that, then get some vitamin D the natural way! It will help believe me. Then, revamp your workout routine. It is time to change it up, and try new things to inspire you to launch into the spring/summer season.

Group classes, hire a trainer, invest in a quality treadmill, elliptical or gym for your home. Think about how you can invest in yourself, by investing in your health. That's my motto, and the one I stick by!

So hang in there, eventually this long winter will turn to spring. Well for maybe a week, then turn to summer, but whatever the case, you will be ready for it!

This has been your "inspiration" to do so..

You are welcome!

If you need more, come visit us at Fit Equipment Etc, 243 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury, MA!

You will be glad you did!

About the Author: Laurie is a CPT at Fitness Equipment Estore which features New England’s largest showroom of commercial & home gym exercise equipment. The showroom and online store feature some of the industry’s best home gyms, commercial and home treadmills and more!

Balls to the Walls!

Really?

Yep. Let's talk balls!

Now stay with me, we are talking about balls to use in our fitness routines.

All kinds of balls. Large, small, hard, soft, weighted, and inflated. I kid you not!

You still with me?

Slam balls are weighted balls, larger in size, made to be slammed against the walls, or floor. Used in cross fit, and boot camps world wide! Varying in weights from 4-20 lbs, they are very durable! Dynamax and Troy make fantastic versions of slam balls.

Medicine Balls are also weighted balls, resembling basketballs. Used in many exercises from squats, to thrusts, and abdominal work. Also varying in weights and sizes, from 4-25 lbs. Cap and Valeo are a few manufacturers.

Body Balls, also called Stability Balls are very popular as well. These can be used in place of chairs, or even benches! Planking on body balls requires core strength and balance. Add dumb bells to these exercises and you have yourself a workout! Sold in various sizes to accommodate different heights. 55cm (from 4'8"-5'3"), 65cm (5'4-5'10"") and 75cm (5'10"-6'4").

Soft Mini Xerball (Weighted Balls) are soft, weighted mini medicine balls. They provide a unique strength conditioning alternative. Durable, 4-inch sand filled balls fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. Also vary in weight, from 4-8 lbs. Spri is a manufacturer of these products.

And there you have it folks! For all your fitness ball needs, check out our website store, or come on down to Fit Equipment Etc. We got you covered!

About the Author: Laurie is a CPT at Fitness Equipment Estore which features New England’s largest showroom of commercial & home gym exercise equipment. The showroom and online store feature some of the industry’s best home gyms, commercial and home treadmills and more!

Let's Talk Spin!

Spin Bikes, how much fun are they?

The craze has been around for a couple years now, and people STILL love to do it!

Spinning can be an incredible workout, depending on how much YOU decide to put into it. Like anything else, you can go easy, or go hard, or just go home!

The Spin Bike was designed to be as close to a real cyclist bike as you can get, without leaving your living room or class. The seat design is an exact replica of your cyclist bike. So comfort is not it's strong point, however the ability to get in and out of the "saddle" makes it a true workout! With the turn of a knob, the resistance is increased or decreased to work in the level you decide. With a strong work ethic, you can easily expend 500 calories in a half hour session! Need some more convincing?

The top ten reasons to spin:

#1 Spinning workouts can improve your body’s fat burning capability.
#2 Spinning workouts can help you build lean muscle groups.
#3 Improved cardio endurance is the key benefit of spinning workouts.
#4 Spinning workouts can improve posture.
#5 Performing exercises with a spinning bike could target multiple muscles at a time.
#6 Spinning workouts can supercharge your over-all level of fitness.
#7 Spinning workouts can be one of your most beneficial workouts.
#8 Spinning workouts are low impact on your joints.
#9 Spinning uses large muscular tissues in your hip and legs.
#10 Spinning workouts can track miles, calories and time. (with added computers)

Here at Fit Equipment Etc, we offer Spin Bikes from different manufacturers. Whether you decide to go with the original and creator of Spin, Johnny G spinners, Waters Spin, (uses a belt instead of chain, so it is very quiet), Body Solid, Schwinn, Spirit, and Xterra. We got them all!

So check out our website, http://www.fitnessequipmentestore.com or come down for a demo workout at our store location, 243 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury, Ma 01545. Any questions, feel free to call us at 508-756-6774!

Now let's get spinning!

About the Author: Laurie is a CPT at Fitness Equipment Estore which features New England’s largest showroom of commercial & home gym exercise equipment. The showroom and online store feature some of the industry’s best home gyms, commercial and home treadmills and more!

Get A Small Behind For Your Valentine!

   Ok Ladies, (and gents) Let's talk about the largest muscle in  your body!

   Known by many names; Gluteus Maximus, Glutes, buttocks,  butt, derriere, tushy, the junk trunk,    really I can go on all day!

How to get that booty in shape so it is noticed? And I don't mean because it walks in the door 10 minutes after you do, or requires double door openings. I mean, how do we get it to be in a shape that we can love and appreciate? HARD WORK PEOPLE!

But, (see what I did there) with dedication and a few exercises, we can get you to love your "rump" so much more!

Where to start? How about squats? The best exercise to work this area. Using free weights, dumb bells, kettle bells, bars, and bands. Use a rack or without, up to you! At the gym, or at home, you can work it as hard as you want to. Lunges, also are a fantastic exercise to strengthen and tone. Walking or stationery, it is a killer if your form is correct!

Use a body ball, or stability ball for hamstring curls, or even wall squats.

We can not forget the "elephant" in the room, that of course being DIET. Your eating habits are crucial to achieving success!

Give yourself two weeks, TWO WEEKS to see a big difference! I promise, you will love your new buttocks, and so will your Valentine!

Happy Valentines Day from all of us a Fit Equipment Etc!

About the Author: Laurie is a Certified Personal Trainer at Fit Equipment. Fit Equipment Etc. is New England’s largest showroom of fitness equipment. Fit Equipment Etc also has a wide selection of work out equipment for sale online. Offering the best home treadmills, elliptical cross trainers, exercise gear and more, Fit Equipment Etc can supply you with everything you need to create your own home gym.

I Love Working With Dumb Bells All Day!

Now this can be taken a couple ways, and they all apply to me!

Dumb bells are an important part of my routine. I just love the guys I work with!

NO...I don't mean them, I do mean in training. And YES, they are a great part of the workout!

There are so many shapes and styles to choose from. Hexagon, round, square, which shape? Cast iron, rubber coated, neoprene, vinyl, which material? Should you buy sets, or invest in the dumb bell select systems? Well we have a bunch to choose from there too. Bow flex, Power Blocks, Iron Master and Rocket Lock just to name a few. Is it really this difficult of a decision?

Well no. Actually, you need to find out what is most comfortable for you. You need to take a few things into consideration. How much space do you have? You may need a rack to keep all the dumb bells off your floor and save your family from toe injuries. If space is an issue, then I suggest a selectorized dumb bell system. I have the Power Block system, and it is great for travel and a space saver for sure!

The contour of the handles, how do they feel when you hold them? Like the look of cast iron, or chrome? We are here to help you decide what you may require or need. Budget friendly as well, cast iron is the cheaper alternative. Rubber coating over cast iron can be a bit more pricey due to the cost of rubber increasing, so that may play a factor as well. Once all these factors are taken into consideration, you can best make a purchase based on your needs and wants.

The use of dumb bells is crucial to improving strength in each arm independently. We all have a more dominant side, training with dumb bells help the "weaker" side keep up with the more prominent. It is a proven fact! You can also challenge yourself with different weights for different exercises per body part. In conclusion, dumb bells are a great little investment to make any home gym more complete! Easy to use, convenient, versatile and really budget friendly! So come on down to Fit Equipment Etc. and let us help you!

About the Author: Laurie is a Certified Personal Trainer at Fit Equipment.  Fit Equipment Etc. is New England’s largest showroom of fitness equipment. Fit Equipment Etc also has a wide selection of work out equipment for sale online. Offering the best home treadmills, elliptical cross trainers, exercise gear and more, Fit Equipment Etc can supply you with everything you need to create your own home gym.

The Holiday Season is Upon Us....Uh Oh!

The Holiday Season is now upon us. Are you ready? For all of it?

What a great time of year to spend with family and friends! To be social, and have fun reminiscing about past memories, and creating new ones! But it is not all rainbows and sprinkles is it?

The stress and the work of it all. The anxiety levels raise high, and we do it to ourselves.

So why is it the first thing we let fall to the wayside is our fitness regimen. Our workouts, all of a sudden we are way too busy to make it to that class, or that gym. Our diet, starts to hit the fan from Thanksgiving Eve to New Years. I mean come on. Why would we get back on the wagon, only to fall off next week, or the week after? Let's just keep rolling till January. Let's just add the 10-15 lb weight gain that becomes "average" among most individuals during this time period.

STOP THE CYCLE! We must! (laughing as I type this, but it is true!)

So many of us fall into the abyss of the holidays, only to start off the new year with added regret and added body fat!

So do yourself a favor, DON'T FALL INTO THE ABYSS! (Use that as your daily motivator)

Move..go to that class, find a good home routine to start. Use a DVD as inspiration! Make sure your back up piece of equipment at home, whether it be an elliptical, treadmill, or bike, is in good working condition. If not, take the time to make that stop into Fit Equipment Etc. to purchase something that will help you achieve your goals! Every day is a new beginning! So make sure to stay motivated and positive. If you fall, it is OK, you are not a failure! Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and hit it hard again the next day. Just don't fall down and never get up!

We are here for you! So now..there are NO EXCUSES!

 

About the Author: Laurie is a CPT at Fit Equipment Etc. Fit Equipment Etc. is New England’s largest showroom of fitness equipment. Fit Equipment Etc also has a wide selection of work out equipment for sale online. Offering the best home treadmill, elliptical cross trainers, exercise gear and more! Fit Equipment Etc can also supply you with everything you need to create your own home gym! Stop in, call or check out our website today! http://www.fitnessequipmentestore.com

Foam Rollers...Do they live up to the hype?

With all the new fitness crazes out there, lets look at one on the rise.

Foam Rollers..are they worth all the hype? Well, in my opinion...YES!

As we age, we tend to get "tight". Stretching helps keep our bodies flexible. When we are more flexible, we can move easier, and prevent injuries. A foam roller is a device that originated from the physical therapy world, and has crossed over into the fitness industry.

Think of it as a "rolling pin" for your muscles. As a rolling pin can eliminate air bubbles in dough, a foam roller can eliminate "knots" in the muscles. It can increase blood circulation to the areas of pain, and promote healing that much faster! Does it work? YES! It can cut your healing time in half!

After a good leg workout day my legs can be tight, and even with stretching feel sore. So I foam roll as well, and it makes me feel more limber. Investment is inexpensive. Prices ranging from $15 to $45. But well worth it!

Check them out here at Fit Equipment!

About the Author: Laurie is a CPT at Fit Equipment Etc. Fit Equipment Etc. is New England’s largest showroom of fitness equipment. Fit Equipment Etc also has a wide selection of work out equipment for sale online. Offering the best home treadmill, elliptical cross trainers, exercise gear and more!  Fit Equipment Etc can also supply you with everything you need to create your own home gym! Stop in, call or check out our website today! http://www.fitnessequipmentestore.com