The Fitness Outlet

In the past decade, one of the most popular ways to achieve a good cardiovascular workout has been through use of elliptical cross-trainers. Here, The Fitness Outlet shares just some of the ways to optimize your next elliptical workout.

It’s a two-for-one workout. You can achieve a full-body workout by moving the handlebars and legs simultaneously. Pushing and pulling the arms, and moving the pedals in a forward or reverse motion will tone your legs and arms while training your heart. You can increase intensity and calorie-burn by using your whole body.

On an Elliptical Cross-Trainer, try the Cross-Trainer Aerobics workout, which emphasizes pushing, pulling, total-body movement, speed changes and forward/reverse motion. This workout offers variety and maximum cross-training benefits.

It’s a low impact workout. Your feet never leave the surface of the foot pads, so there is less impact on your knees, hips, ankles and back versus running on the ground. Try the Hill workout on your elliptical for a good mix of low and high intensity, and a low-impact routine with impressive results.

You can let the console pick your workout. Move beyond manual controls and explore the interactive console options to vary your workouts day-to-day. For example, the Random workout gives you varied intervals that keep you engaged because there is no regular pattern.

The next time you step onto an elliptical cross-trainer, try something new and experience the benefits of a high-intensity, low-impact workout!

These fitness tips are brought to you by The Fitness Outlet, a specialty fitness equipment retailer for fitness facilities and homes nationwide.  For more information about fitness equipment or for additional fitness advice visit our Website or  follow us on Twitteror join our Facebook Fan Page!

Has simply looking at an athlete, fitness trainer or someone in ideal shape inspired you to increase your workouts? Picturing how you want to look and feel can be a big motivator to exercise regularly and make healthy decisions.

Repetitive visualization, combined with your associated emotions, will help develop your power to visualize and take action to achieve your goals. Here, The Fitness Outlet explains the several ways you can use the power of visualization in your quest to live fit.

Create a fitness vision board. Chances are you have a few pictures of yourself that show off your best shape or your athletic prowess. Use those photos to create a vision board that motivates you to keep your commitment to the gym and exercise.

You can use a bulletin board, whiteboard or a piece of paper. Many devoted exercisers and fitness experts, including Life Fitness, are “pinning” their fitness inspiration boards on Pinterest. Be creative. Add photos of others that motivate you or find some empowering quotes. Every time you look at your fitness vision board it will remind you of how you want to see yourself.

Write a vision statement. Most businesses have a mission statement that pin-points the overall objectives, values and goals of the company. Since you’re the CEO of your life, create a vision statement.

Your vision statement should include positive sentences stated in the present tense that you can read regularly to help you visualize your goals. Even if there are a few fitness goals you haven’t yet achieved, write out your vision statement as if you have already achieved those things.

Your vision statement is your ideal scenario. For example: I am fit. I love to exercise. I am strong and my endurance increases daily.

Recommit and refine your vision board and statement. You have to keep refining your vision board and vision statement as your goals change, so continue recommitting to the process. Every time you set your goals higher, soar past your mission posts, or set a new aspiration, you have to recommit to the process of articulating that goal in your mind.

These fitness tips are brought to you by The Fitness Outlet, a specialty fitness equipment retailer for fitness facilities and homes nationwide.  For more information about fitness equipment or for additional fitness advice visit our Website or  follow us on Twitteror join our Facebook Fan Page!

Exercise is the perfect remedy to beat stress because it can alleviate built-up tension and frustration, and helps release endorphin’s to boost your mood. Plus, the social aspects of exercise - interacting with friends at the gym and building camaraderie through small group workouts - can reduce stress and promote your overall sense of well-being.

The more you enjoy the exercise you are doing, the less stressed you will feel. Check out these stress-busting workouts from The Fitness Outlet.

Train like a boxer. Boxing workouts are intense because they incorporate both high-intensity cardio and muscle-building. It’s a great stress release, but getting instruction on proper form is key for safety.

You can also try small group workouts that incorporate boxing, like a personal trainer-led Synrgy360 class. You might find yourself using movements like jabs, hooks, uppercuts, and kicks to get your heart rate up. Because a trainer guides eight or so people through each Synrgy360 class, you’re more likely to learn proper form. Not only can it release your inner tension, but it can also teach you some good self-defense moves.

Try a new way to cycle. A good group cycling class can burn more than 500 calories along with loads of stress. The combination of tension on the flywheel, pedal speed and breathing creates the perfect setting for endorphin release. Find an instructor that plays music you like and motivates you, and spin class can be an hour of stress busting bliss!

Do Yoga. The combination of deep breathing, thoughtful movements and melodic music can change your mood in seconds and help relieve pent up stress. If you are new to yoga, try out a beginner class and ease into the poses. There is no perfection in yoga -only progress. Yoga is the perfect complement to any other form of exercise or as your mind/body therapy for the week.

These fitness tips are brought to you by The Fitness Outlet, a specialty fitness equipment retailer for fitness facilities and homes nationwide.  For more information about fitness equipment or for additional fitness advice visit our Website or  follow us on Twitter or join our Facebook Fan Page!

What could be more motivating than having a gym inside your very own house? When you make it easier to exercise, you are more likely to do it. Depending on your budget and the space in your house, The Fitness Outlet explains how you can create a home gym that’s perfect for you.

If you want cardio and entertainment: Consider purchasing home cardio equipment with advanced technology features like an iPod and iPhone docking station, family fitness customization and virtual trainer connectivity. The Life Fitness Track Console provides a great workout experience and can be customized to the individual, allowing you to get exactly what you need from the machine and your workout. The Track and its streamlined counterpart, the Go Console, can be added to Life Fitness treadmills, elliptical cross-trainers and Lifecycle Exercise Bikes.

If you have a tight budget: A stability ball, resistance tubing and hand weights will give you a complete system for strength training at home. Add a jump rope for cardio. The number of exercises you can do with this combination of equipment is seemingly endless.

Use the stability ball to engage your core muscles (abs and back) as you try to stay balanced. Resistance bands offer variety and allow you to switch up the level of difficulty. Plus, you can do all sorts of exercises, from bicep curls to overhead presses, with both the bands and hand weights.

If you are tight on space: A cable motion machine like the Life Fitness G7 Dual Adjustable Pulley gives you the most versatility for cardio and strength in a compact space. The cables allow you to define the motion of the exercise instead of following a fixed path. This creates unlimited exercise variety, similar to free weights. You can perform several exercises in a row with little rest in between to increase your heart rate.

This style of weight machine is often referred to as a functional fitness system, which basically means that many of the exercises preformed mimic everyday activities, and can ultimately help you move more comfortably throughout your day.

Bottom line, the major advantage of a home gym is convenience. And that convenience can result in a more focused and effective exercise regimen.

These fitness tips are brought to you by The Fitness Outlet, a specialty fitness equipment retailer for fitness facilities and homes nationwide.  For more information about fitness equipment or for additional fitness advice visit us at www.TheFitnessOutlet.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FITOUTLETor join our Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/TheFitnessOutlet

Many exercisers wonder what the differences are between interval training and steady pace training. Both workout styles offer valuable health benefits, but it helps to understand the effect each style has on the body, so you get the most out of your workout time.

Endurance training helps develop a stronger cardiovascular system, including the heart, lungs and blood vessels, and can add years to your life. Cardiovascular endurance also enhances your heart’s ability to control the oxygen flow to all of your muscles, improving your overall workout efficiency.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of daily physical activity – do this and you will see improved endurance, stronger muscles, better sleep and reduced stress levels.

Endurance exercises to try include running, walking, swimming, bicycling, dancing – any sport or exercise that can be performed for longer periods of time to get the heart pumping.

For the average exerciser who is trying to lose fat, interval training is more effective than steady pace training. Swap out an endurance run for an interval workout to help burn calories faster. By breaking up your workout and adding some high intensity bursts, you’ll churn through calories.

What is an interval? Interval training simply means alternating the intensity by changing your pace, resistance or movement several times during your workout.

You can create interval workouts with almost any mode of cardio activity – create a pattern of working at a moderate pace of 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate, then push your level up to a high intensity of 75 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate, followed by an active recovery period to bring your heart rate back down. Keep in mind that active recovery means keeping your feet moving and breathing deeply; don’t stop dead in your tracks. For more assistance seek out the help of a certified personal trainer.

These fitness tips are brought to you by The Fitness Outlet, a specialty fitness equipment retailer for fitness facilities and homes nationwide.  For more information about fitness equipment or for additional fitness advice visit us at www.TheFitnessOutlet.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FITOUTLETor join our Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/TheFitnessOutlet