I would estimate that out of 10 people that work out, at least 5 of them are female. Women, over the years have had a better appreciation of their bodies and health. Fitness has come a long way in understanding how to take care of ourselves. The fitness industry is catering to women’s fitness in a big way, making home gym equipment more user
friendly to women. Where it used to be a man’s world, the gym is now very oriented to female members. And so goes the same for home gym equipment. In my store, a good portion of my customers are female and they want good quality equipment.

Fitness education is expanding with articles like mine written all across the internet. In the past, women were afraid to work out, mainly because they thought that this would lead to enlarged muscles, making them look like a man. Nothing could be further than the truth.

First of all, women don’t produce the amount of testosterone to build large muscles, even when working out. Men produce more testosterone and this is where the difference lies. With that said, women produce estrogen, the female hormone that makes a woman a woman. Most women will have red fiber muscles, which are not prone to enlarging beyond a certain point. As well, the workout performed will dictate the level of growth. This knowledge makes it easier for them to “tone” up without adding bulk and size.

Women want to be shapely without added size. To do this, they must stress the muscles with contractions and expansions,(reps) but do this to get more of a pump of the muscle, rather than strain to muscle failure, when one more rep is impossible. My female students do 12 to 15 reps per set. They take maybe a minute’s rest and do another set for the same reps with  maybe a slight increase in weight. With recovery, the muscles will repair and grow, but not at a level of a man’s recovery. If men want to add a lot of muscle size, they will do sets of 8 reps or under, and add weight every set, usually going to failure. They also take a longer break between sets to allow recovery.

Women have seen over time that shape comes to those that have the patience to stay with it, and that a higher state of health is eminent. They are less sick, have more energy, fit clothes better, eat better, and best of all, they age better….don’t we all wish the same!!

Once a woman has decided to work out for physical and health gains, she needs to set a mandate, or goal. If fat loss is the goal, I recommend a cardio machine, such as a treadmill, elliptical, or a bike. They will up the heart rate, at a level to use fat as the energy source. First thing in the morning when blood sugar is low, or about 3.5 hours
after the last meal will guaranty that fat will be used for energy. Your heart rate should reach no higher that about 120 to 135 bpm.

Ok, so why work out with weight resistance exercises? Simple…A bigger motor will burn more gas while idling, so does a body with denser muscles.

One myth is that muscle burns fat. It doesn’t. But what it does is increase the metabolic rate of the body and more blood sugar is needed for daily activities, even at rest. So there is less chance for sugar levels to rise when eating carbohydrates where insulin is secreted and sugar is sent to fat cells for storage. Some of this sugar (glucose) is
sent to the liver as glycogen, and any excess is sent to fat cells. A fit and muscular body slows down this storage process big time. This is why women should follow a weight resistant exercise program, four times a
week working the four major groups of muscles:

1)chest and triceps

2)legs

3)back and biceps

4) shoulders.

Most can accomplish a workout in less than an hour, including warm ups with crunches and leg raises for the abs, and 4 minutes with light dumbbells to get oxygen in the muscles cells that will be worked. Do not do cardio as it’s not a
good warm up. Half an hour on a treadmill will not send oxygen to the shoulders if that’s what you’re working on that day. Dumbbells work will.

Also, cardio uses valuable glucose that is needed in the muscle cells as glycogen for muscle contractions. Once a weight workout is done, glucose and glycogen levels are low… perfect time to do cardio to burn fat. The body will be thermogenic in about 7 minutes and burn fat as an energy source, as long as the heart rate is under 135 bpm.

After the workout, and a good shower to lose the pump, the body needs to replenish glycogen reserves in the liver and muscle cells, and a proper level of glucose in the blood. This is done with a protein and maltodextrine shake. Maltodextrine is a starchy carb that gets digested very evenly and helps to replenish the energy used for the workout. It will NOT go to fat as most people think. If you don’t replace the sugar levels after the weight workout, muscle will break down to do it for you. We don’t want that.

There is a great little gym that we sell, called EUROSPORT 200i. It’s perfect for most women as it’s smooth, only has a 160 lb stack, and doesn’t take too much room.

Another good gym we carry is the EUROSPORT 207i. It has a 200 lbs stack, this time includes a leg press.
A treadmill, elliptical or bike make a great combination package that will allow a weight resistance program match a cardio program. At 1.5 hours per session, 4 times a week, any woman can look her best and be in shape both physically as well as healthy.

Have a great workout!!

January is usually the busiest month for sales in the fitness equipment industry. People set up goals of getting in shape, losing weight, and giving themselves a sense of physical well being. The next step is to figure out what and where this physical activity will take place.

There are 3 options to choose from.

One is the local gym, many members, good equipment, personal trainers to help, and people that have working out in common. Another is the personal training studio, similar to the local gym, but much smaller and run by a trainer usually more qualified than the local gyms. The equipment may not be gym caliber, but the instructions are top notch with a success rate much higher, to go along with the higher price tag. The third option is to train at home. While training at home may not give you equipment that can compare to the gym, you can certainly get your money’s worth if you choose correctly. Never go cheap on any equipment. Good home equipment comes with longer warranties, are stronger, weigh more, better built and will last many years. Always go to a specialty store, where the knowledge is much higher than a hardware store, or a department store.

Deciding to train at home may be a good decision on many counts. You get to chose the music you like. Many times, I’ve trained in different gyms, going up to the counter and asking them to change the music, turn it up, turn it down, etc. It’s never right and it interrupted my workout often.

Another downer is waiting for equipment. When you work out, you have a certain timing you adhere to. You may have to wait till the person ahead of you finishes his sets, or you might be rushed by someone waiting to use the equipment. Another thing that makes me upset is other people’s sweat left on the equipment. Many people don’t clean up after themselves or bring a towel. Now I have to get a paper towel to wipe down someone else’s sweat.  And then, there’s the so called expert who wastes your time by telling you how to train, while he doesn’t even know how to tie his shoes!! Or the constant talker next to you on the treadmill…no wonder people use walkmans and Ipods!

At home, you train when you want, not when the gym is open. you play your kind of music, never wait for equipment, workout at your own pace, and don’t have to clean up your own sweat. (I suggest you do anyway!!) You can workout with your wife or girlfriend, a friend, your kids, and never have to worry about a salesman trying to sell you on a personal trainer.

To start, you must figure out the kind of workouts you want to accomplish. If it’s cardio and weight loss, then choose between a treadmill, bike or elliptical. If you want endurance training, look at an elliptical, rower or stepper. If you want to increase muscularity, tone what you have, or increase your metabolic rate,then choose a gym that will suit your goals. For cardio, chose a room that is well lit, with abundant fresh air, as in close to a window for spring, summer and fall training. Also, cardio can be rather boring after a while. It’s very repetitious and can make you quit halfway through your workout. Either a tv or music will help, so make sure you set up in the recreation room or near a tv. Also, never set any cardio equipment over a hardwood floor without some kind of carpet. Never put cardio equipment over ceramic or marble tile, even if covered by a carpet, as they will crack, given the chance.

For weight training, the choice is made by the goals you want to achieve. A multi gym is good for couples or the person that likes simple fast pace workouts. For the serious trainer, benches and weights are more their style. Make sure that you have plenty or room to walk around and will not hurt yourself bumping into equipment. Again, the room should be well lit so as not to look like a dungeon and cut the workout short. Music is generally better than a tv in this case as music will have a beat and help keep the heart rate elevated.

Last, but not least. Traveling time is non existent when working out at home. If the weather is bad, you don’t have to drive in it. You can be at home babysitting the kids while working out. You can workout in your pajamas if you like!!! No one telling you what to do.

All that’s left is to come to a store like Fitness Superstore that will help you make the right decision on what to buy.

Many people come to my store and want to get a gym to work out in, but are not too sure what to buy. There are many types and some take a lot of room and are very expensive. I’m going to talk about 3 gyms I sell, all 3 below $2000.00. And all 3 fit a particular client.

Let’s start of with the most common gym, the Home Gym with a weight stack. These are designed to keep workouts simple, timely, safe and are easy to use. They are designed today with style in mind, usually colors that match the home decor. People that use these gyms are serious about keeping fit, but not serious about bodybuilding.

Good examples of this type of gym are the Wolverine from Yukon and the Europort Express Gym. Both take about 12 x 13 feet of space and will fit in any decor. There are approx 30-35 different exercises that can be performed with these gyms. Both come with 200 lbs of plates and include leg presses. Most people will work out how they feel that day, mix up the workouts a little and take about an hour to do. They usually work out 3 times a week.

Another gym I sell, and my most popular is the WB-LS Gym from Powertec. It sells under $1000.00, and doesn’t take too much room. You need Olympic plates to use it. You can add accessories like dumbbells, EZ curl bar, Preacher attachment, etc. Safety is the key here. It’s a leverage gym, meaning that the weight of the bar is pushing down on you, but from a pivot point. If you get tired, you don’t need a spotter. You just lower the bar and walk away. This gym can accomplish almost every exercise from any workout.

The big difference from the Home Gym is that with the WB-LS Gym from Powertec, you have to lift the plates onto the bar. With the Home Gym, you move a pin on the weight stack. The WB-LS is more geared to the more serious trainer, one that will workout each body part separate to achieve a long term goal of not only fitness, but of body proportion and a certain muscularity.

The third kind of gym is geared to the hardcore bodybuilder. It involves total usage of free weights and benches. There are a few varieties. You can use a weight bench with a bar (Big Bear Bench from Yukon), power rack for heavy lifting involving safety (Yukon Power Rack), or a Smith Machine (Yukon Caribou III Smith) for safety and muscle isolation. Most trainers will work out with definite programs and at least 4 to 5 times a week, lasting from 1 to 2 hours per workout. Every move should be strict and well thought out, proper pace without swinging or cheating, and at a level to allow muscle tears to occur in the fiber to allow growth from recovery and nutrition. Nutrition plays a very important role in workouts and will be covered in another article. So, if you can place yourself in one of these categories, this may help you decide on your choice of home gyms. If not, call us and we’ll be glad to help you make the right decision.

I’m finding that most people have very little knowledge on how to choose or what to look for when purchasing cardio equipment. They want one just like their relatives, neighbors, or better, or cheaper. What they need to do is figure out why they want the unit and work at meeting the machine with their mandate. This should help make it easier.

Treadmills:
The most asked question here is: How big is the motor? Most today are measured in continuous power. You’ll see anywhere from a low 1.75 hp to as high as 3.5 hp for residential use. Horsepower is subjective to the quality of the treadmill as the number may not be accurate. That’s why I suggest a higher quality brand. For a heavy person, weighing over 225 to over 300 lbs, I suggest at least a 3 to a 3.5 hp motor. If you’re a runner and over 200 lbs, I suggest the same. If you’re a small framed person, and weight about 120 or under, you can get a 2 hp and do well.
Another spec is the length of the track. Most common is 55″ long x 20″ wide. Good for walkers. If you run and are over 6′ tall, I suggest a 60″ track. A longer track provides safety in case your stance on the treadmill fluctuates back and forth. Wider rollers, front and back turn at slower speeds, making them last longer and make it easier for the motor to pull, creating less heat in the motor, adding to it’s life. Most will come with chest straps. They are not used much, but are more accurate than the pulse grip. Where you want your heart rate to be for a specific program is very important to know. This was talked about in a previous article.

Better quality treadmills come with a thick 2 ply running belt that will last a few years longer than a really cheap one. Don’t rely on the amount of programs to decide your purchase. Most people use a manual program, allowing themselves to change the speed or elevation at will.

Ellipticals:

The same can be said about ellipticals and programs. Most will use the manual program, and chest straps are used from time to time, but not often. The biggest question I get is “What is the stride length?” It’s not the stride length that counts, it’s the comfort level of the movement. A tall man may want a 20″ stride, but his wife who is 5′1″ tall may not. It’s too long for her. A good average is from 16″ to 18″. Some ellipticals have the flywheel in front, others at the back. The front wheel ellitpticals usually have a front to back stride, similar to cross country skiing. The back wheel ellipticals have a more up and down motion, great for people who are looking to increase the resistance and endurance, as you get more bend in the knees and use leg muscles more. Again, look at the weight capacity. Look for something that can give you a capacity of 300 lbs. The frame will be warrantied for life and the elliptical will not wobble. Some come with adjustments for height and the pedals can move back and forth to accommodate
someone with long arms.

Bikes:

There are two types of bikes to choose from. Recumbent and upright. The recumbent bike has a back rest for those who have a weak lower back, but still want to pedal. Again, most people will use a manual resistance program. Look for a very comfortable seat, good stitching and lumbar support if the bike has it. The upright bike is about the same other than the back rest. The upright bike is great for someone that’s lacking the funds to purchase a treadmill or elliptical, but still wants the cardio. Make sure the seat can move front to back as well as up and down.

Rowers:

Rowers are designed for muscle contraction, targeting mostly the back and biceps. Legs are used a little. With a lot of resistance, one can do interval training, or row with a high resistance over a long period of time to increase endurance. Calories are burned, but mostly from glycogen, energy in the muscle cells. But the heart rate should climb to over 160 bpm.

Steppers:

Steppers are not as popular as they once were. They are similar to a rower in that they demand glycogen from muscle contractions for energy. the legs do all the work. This helps to increase endurance, but does not burn fat like a treadmill or low resistance elliptical and bike would. They don’t take up much room.

For endurance, do short, high resistance intervals lasting from 10 to 20 minutes. For fat burn, low sugar levels are a must and low resistance, long duration are needed for fat to be metabolized as energy. All in all, any piece of cardio equipment has it’s weight in gold and if used properly, will yield the desired effects.

Send us your comments or questions online, or call us today to discuss your fitness needs!

Most people choose cardio equipment based on feel, performance, price, expectations and space availability. Very few choose on what the machine is designed to do, or what accomplishment can be expected if used properly.

There are two kinds of cardio units. Some are designed for aerobic activity and others for anaerobic activity. The main difference between the 2 activities is the intensity and resistance used in muscle contraction, (anaerobic) and light continuous activity using low intensity. (aerobic) Both increase the heart rate, but muscle contraction increases it more due to the higher demand for oxygen. Some equipment like steppers, rowers and sometimes ellipticals are designed for muscle contraction activity and are not great at burning fat as opposed to increasing muscle density by enlarging capillaries to flow more oxygen. Increased resistance must be part of the workout. They are usually in short duration, and the energy used is mostly from glycogen and very little fat. The heart can reach above 135 to as much as 200 bpm. These workouts are usually called interval workouts and are performed all out, after a short warm up at low intensity.

However, if your goal is to burn fat, you must perform exercise with low resistance and intensity. The treadmill, elliptical and bike are great at this level, but with low resistance only and over a long period of time. To get the body in a fat burning mode, you must do these sessions either first thing in the morning, or about 3.5 hours after your last meal, to come in with low blood sugar, or glucose. The heart rate is generally in the 115 to 135 bpm range and the body temperature will rise to expend calories. It takes approx 7 to 9 minutes for thermo genesis to begin, creating heat from the fat sources.

Ellipticals are a favorite due to their double usage and potential. For fat burning, go low intensity over 45 minutes. For endurance, go at high resistance for as long as you can, then get off the machine, walk for about one minute, then return at high intensity again as long as you can. This can be repeated 5, 6, 7 + times as you increase endurance
over time. The duration to failure will also increase. After a few weeks, you’ll climb stairs without breathing hard at all. Muscle density increase metabolic rate, the rate at which glucose is used in the blood. If you can keep stable glucose levels, it’s very difficult to store body fat.

We’ll look at how to select the right cardio equipment for you in another article. Please feel free to call us, or drop into out location or website for further information.

Most people think that if they burn calories in any cardio movement, they burn fat. Not necessarily so. The main difference has to do with heartbeat, muscle contraction and the length of the exercise.

To burn fat, certain conditions must apply. Your glucose or blood sugar must be low, as in first thing in the morning, or approx 3.5 hours after a meal. Secondly, you must raise the heart rate with an exercise that demands up to 135 beats per minute of heart rate, depending on age, health and condition of the body. The reason the heart beats is to
send oxygen to the cells. The more oxygen is needed, the more the heart beats. For fat to burn, one must not raise the heart rate to contract muscles. You must raise the heart rate where the usage of energy can be replaced easy and use fat as the energy source, once the blood is low on sugar. Fat is dense and will take time to break down. That’s why you do cardio at low intensity, so that glycogen, the energy used in muscle contraction is not used. If you do cardio at a low level, like a fast walk, and no incline on a treadmill, or low resistance on an elliptical, you’ll achieve a heart rate that will use up glucose then change to fat usage. On low sugar levels, this takes approx 7 to 9 minutes. A good time to stay on the treadmill, elliptical or an exercise bike is from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. Along with controlled nutrition, one can expect to lose about 2 lbs of fat per week. Each lb of fat contains 3500 calories.

Endurance training is very different. You can use all of the cardio equipment I’ve mentioned above, like the treadmill, bike and elliptical, and then some like rowers, spin bikes and steppers and but more muscle contractions are needed. Conditions must be met. The mandate is to enlarge capillaries so you transfer more oxygen to the cells. However, more oxygen is needed because the exercise demands more resistance, elevation and muscle contraction. The endurance portion comes in when an exercise is done at high intensity or resistance over a long period of time, going to failure, where the body cannot supply enough oxygen and glycogen to contract muscles further. Then you would get off the treadmill, elliptical or bike and allow recovery, for perhaps a minute. Then you would go on again and repeat this as much as you can. The longer you can stay on a cardio machine at high resistance or elevation, the more efficient the body is at using oxygen and you don’t produce free radicals or oxidated cell for the liver to get rid of. You’ll go up a flight of stairs and feel like you’ve walked across the floor. It’s like having more power in your car and using less gas. To allow recovery, you must not do this method of exercise every day. Give about 3 days in between sessions. Cardio for fat burn can be done every day.

Check out the bikes, ellipticals and treadmills on our site and ask us which ones would be suited to your needs.

We not only sell equipment, but also provide expert guidance on how to use it, so you can get the most out of it!

The most common pain that most suffer in life is lower back pain. Most of the time, it’s caused by improper heavy lifting or twisting. Injuries can occur by over stretching lower muscles or stressing a disc between vertebrae. Lower muscles stresses should heal in time with warm compresses and massages. Disc problems are another thing altogether.

Discs are located between every vertebrae down the back, starting from the back of the neck to the tail bone. They are soft in nature, allowing us to twist and bend in all directions. What gives them strength are the inner fibers that run criss-cross and are attached to the vertebrae.

Two problems can occur when damage is done. A disc can be ruptured (herniated) or bulging. A bulging disc is like flattening out a balloon. The disc would protrude on the sides and the bulge would touch the root nerve that goes from the spine down to the leg.  This is know as the sciatic nerve. Pain associated with it is called sciatica. It is very
painful and can usually be relieved a little from time to time by body movements at the waist. However, this relief is usually short term. One method that’s had great success is the inversion table.

An inversion table is a pivoting board made usually of metal and cloth. You step on a small platform and your ankles are held in place. You then pivot the board so you lie upside down, stretching the disc and relieving the pressure on the spinal root nerve. The pain goes away fast.  One usually stays on for about half an hour.  This is something that can be done every day for a week or two, stretching the disc back to it’s original shape, or at least enough to stop the pain. The results are not typical of it’s use, however, depending on the severity of the injury.

A herniated disc is a different story. The disc might have gone through a severe stress that fractures the disc, causing the gel in the middle of the disc to escape to the outside. Once outside the disc, it protrudes and hardens putting pressure on the root nerve. Sometimes, it may dissipate and the pain goes away. Most of the time, it hardens and
is there permanent, causing pain down the leg and side of the foot.

An inversion table has a low success ratio in this case. To alleviate the pain, a procedure called lumbar discectomy, usually performed by a neurosurgeon is done and the pain relief is almost immediate following recovery.

To be able to discern which  disc problem one might have is the usage of the MRI machine. They are by appointment only and usually recommended by a specialist.  They’re pretty accurate to tell if one has a herniated or a bulging disc. Since it’s an expensive method, it may take a few months to get an appointment. Physiotherapy can sometimes make things worse, so I recommend seeing your doctor and a neurosurgeon before going to a therapist.

Muscle spasms can usually be treated with compresses and massages. The inversion table helps here as well, stretching the muscles back into their proper alignment. If you’ve been diagnosed with a bulging disc or spasms, try an inversion table. You may like the results!

The quick reference guide below is our recommendation for those who need help in narrowing down their choices. This is by no means a complete guide - to consult our specialists please dial (905) 720 4594 or contact us via email.

Also feel free to use our contact form on each product page - we will be happy to answer all your questions!

Read the rest of this entry »

Weight training is what it takes to “tone” muscles. Cardio equipment does not tone, unless resistance is applied.

Weight equipment comes in different formats. Free weights are the most common usage of weight training equipment. Bodybuilders will use benches, bars, plates, dumbbells, and separate equipment to work out with. Others will use a good multi gym that incorporate many exercises with the safety of the machine. They usually take up less room, and are easy to use when increasing resistance by moving a pin on the weight stack. Either way, create a mandate of what you want to accomplish and set up an appropriate program designed by a professional with years of experience.

Read the rest of this entry »

Treadmills let you walk or run at different speeds and inclines for more resistance. Most come with programs and will give you statistics like speed, distance, timing, pulse rate and calories burned. Some come with a chest strap to work with heart rate programs.

A tall person that wants to run should consider a 60 in. belt. Most treadmills today are about 20 in. wide. If you are over 250 lbs, you should consider at least a 2.5 horsepower motor. If you’re the only user, and you weigh under 150, and are only walking, you could get away with a motor of 2 hp or a little less. Specialty stores will sell better quality treadmills, usually with longer warranties than department stores. Suggested purchase price: Spend at least $1000.00 to 1200.00. If you weigh over 250 lbs, spend at least $1500.00 to ensure a high quality product.

See our selection of best treadmills.

---

Elliptical trainers, also known as cross trainers, are extremely popular. They simulate cross country skiing, and allow upper body movements that help increase heart rate an additional 10-15 beats per minute. They are very easy on the knees, and will accommodate most people, depending on weight and height. Some ellipticals can vary foot placement as well as height adjustment. Most come with programs and some with chest straps for heart programs.
Suggested purchase price: if your weight is between 100 to 150 lbs, spend at least $500.00 to $700.00. Otherwise, I suggest going over $1000.00 for an elliptical you will have for the next fifteen years.

See our selection of best elliptical trainers.

---

Stationary exercise bicycles come in two categories: recumbent bikes or upright bikes. People with hip problems, bad knees or a bad backs usually buy a recumbent bike. Upright bikes come in two categories as well: regular, and spinners. Spinner bikes are geared to the athlete that wants to emulate outdoor biking.

Suggested purchase price: from $499.99 to 799.99 for an upright bike, and from $599.99 to $1299.99 for a recumbent bike.

See our selection of upright bikes and recumbent bikes.

---

Steppers simulate climbing up a flight of stairs. They are more of a light anaerobic activity because they demand a muscle contraction different than that of a treadmill. Energy used will come from muscle glycogen and very little fat. Calories burned will not indicate fat burned. For the athlete, it’s a great piece of equipment to increase endurance. Suggested purchase price: spend at least $700.00 for a quality product.

See our selection of exercise steppers.

---

Rowers work in a similar way. Muscle contraction is used, so most of the energy comes from muscle glycogen. Back muscles, as well as leg, biceps and forearms get a great workout. Duration should be about 20 minutes, unless looking to increase endurance. Suggested purchase price: A non athlete should spend at least $700.00. Otherwise, I suggest spending over $1100.00 for a good quality product.

See our selection of quality rowers

---

Spinners are very popular in gyms that give spinning classes. They are an upright bike that turn a very heavy flywheel, usually 40 lbs or heavier. It simulates riding a bike outdoors in hilly conditions. It’s geared towards the athlete and creates great endurance. Average workout should be no longer than 20 minutes for the average person, and 40 minutes for the athlete, as you will deplete glycogen reserves from your muscle cells and your liver. Suggested purchase price: from $600.00 for the non athlete, and over $1100.00 for the athlete wanting programs and heart monitoring.

See our Spinner Bikes in our Upright Bikes section.