eFITology's Expert Advice Blog

eFITology Exercise Mythbuster Quiz Contest

eFITology Staff — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:14:35 +0000

There are so many myths and untruths out there about exercise, that it can be confusing to discern what is fact and what is fiction. Exercising without the facts can be a huge time waster, keeping you from getting the maximum out of each workout, and potentially leading to injury.

We’ve created an “Exercise Mythbusters” Quiz in hopes of debunking some of the most popular exercise myths – are you an exercise genius? Take our quiz to find out!

We will give these awesome prizes to 3 winners:

1st prize
E30R Tunturi Recumbent Bike (Retails for $1,399):
http://www.efitology.com/bikes/tunturi-e30r-exercise-bike.html

2nd prize
E30 Upright Bike (Retails for $1,299):
http://www.efitology.com/bikes/tunturi-e30-exercise-bike.html

3rd prize
Power Blocks Classic 5-45lbs Adjustable Dumbbell Set (Retails for $379):
http://www.efitology.com/strength/power-block-classic-personal-5-45lb-set-dumbells.html

Contest by eFITology Fitness

To Run The Contest Quiz On Your Blog: Copy and paste below code.
<p style="font-size:12px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight:bold; text-align:left;">Contest by <a href="http://www.efitology.com/" style="color:#1e7ec8;" target="_blank" title="eFITology Fitness">eFITology Fitness</a></p>

Rules:

Winners will be chosen randomly from players who received a 100% on their quiz.
One entry per user.
Please enter your preferred contact method in order to be notified of winning (email or phone number).
Contest expires March 10th, 2010

Eligibility: open only to individuals who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia and are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry.

eFITology Top Amazon Holiday Seller For 2009

eFITology Staff — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 09:16:26 +0000

eFITology was ranked top of all Amazon sellers over the 2009 holiday season. Our customer satisfaction metrics also received the highest marks (in other words A+) over this period. Thank you all for making this happen!

How to Use an Elliptical Machine to Make the Most Out of Your Workout

eFITology Staff — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:51:14 +0000

An elliptical is the dual action (leg and arm) exercise machine that allows for comprehensive workouts. It is believed to provide even less impact to the body’s joints, while allowing for an intense workout exercising many muscle groups simultaneously. Elliptical is primarily driven via the legs, but also have handle-levers attached to each pedal enabling a burden on the arms.

The Process

Preparation Stage

Make sure you feel comfortable and confident: the machine should be placed so that it feels stable and works smoothly.
Place your feet on the pedals. The pedals should be with a non-slip design; each foot should be placed in the center of the pedal.
Make sure the stride is of optimal length so that you don’t need to lean forward when your hands are placed on the handlebars.

Posture

Adopt the proper standing position:

Your weight should be distributed between the balls of the feet and the heels.
Stay straight to avoid back pain. Don’t reach for or pull anything in order not to lean or slouch on the rail;
Square your shoulders. Keep the back.
Keep your head straight.
Look ahead of you and keep your chin up.

Get Started

Place your hands on the handlebars and gradually begin moving your feet in a forward motion. Start out slowly to warm up. In a few minutes of moving, interrupt your cycling for a few seconds to climb down and do some stretching.
Climb back on the elliptical and continue pedaling. Don’t try to set the speed record, maintain the walking pace. Think over each of your movements working through a full natural range of movement deliberately and smoothly.
After a few days of getting accustomed to the elliptical, gradually intensify by adding resistance and increasing the workout length.
Diversify your workouts:

You can move the pedals either forward or backward – switching it up stimulate different muscles.
You can pedal with or without holding the handles.
- With your hands on the handlebars you are training the upper part of your body;
- Without using the handles, you are learning to maintain balance and working to stabilize muscles of your core. Besides, you can move your arms in a manner similar to that of a runner and thus increase the intensity of your workout.
You can vary speed or resistance to provide a better cardiovascular workout. You can change the incline to train different groups of muscles.

Warnings!

Avoid strain on your knees when using an elliptical machine
Never push yourself to a level your body is not ready for. Gradually work your way up to at least a 20 minute workout.

A breath test

There is a cool breath test to find out whether you have chosen a suitable rate of exercising: while you’re exercising, try to complete a simple sentence without breathing in between. If you fail (you have to stop many times to take a breath), this means that the chosen rate is too high for you: consider reducing the workout pace. If you can talk easily and complete a long sentence, you can increase the rate.

More Helpful Tips

Avoid long wires: The plug should not be too far from the elliptical or have exposed wires that can be pulled from the wall which will result in sudden cessation of exercise.
Wear comfortable shoes: Wear comfortable running or walking shoes, not casual shoes that have no support. Make sure new shoes are worn in and old shoes have enough cushioning to prevent blisters.
Wear good exercise gear: Wear comfortable exercise gear with breathable, elastic fabric. Jeans, skirts and jackets are not recommended.
Warm up properly: Always warm up before increasing speed in order to get the body accustomed to the exercise routine ahead.
Avoid over speeding: Do not make the elliptical faster than you are capable of moving or increase the speed too suddenly. The elliptical will reject you and leave you behind…on your behind.
Maintain the equipment: Clean and maintain the elliptical according to instructions in order to maximize efficiency and increase durability.
Exercise regularly: Use the elliptical regularly and do not store household items in the way or on top of the elliptical or else you will have obstacles in the way of your workout and never be on top of your training.

More Elliptical Guides to Check

Least Effective Ways To Lift Weight

eFITology Staff — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:41:08 +0000

Who has time to waste on ineffective, risky exercises? Not you. So ditch these nine moves that may not deliver the results you want — and may even cause injury.

WebMD put together an excellent slide show showing some common mistakes that can prevent results and even cause injury. A must watch, so we thought we would share with you:

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/slideshow-9-least-effective-exercises

How to make taking the stairs fun

eFITology Staff — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 05:41:00 +0000

A common and highly effective fitness tip is to take stairs and avoid escalator/elevators where you can – however for most people taking the elevator/escalator is the norm. Here is a great video on piano stairs that make it fun to take the stairs. As you see in the video, there was a sharp increase in the number of people taking the stairs, once taking the stairs was made fun. It highlights the principle that any workout once made fun can become a lot easier to be regular with. Next time you are not feeling inclined to do your usual workout routine, think of bringing in an element of fun to it – like bringing along a friend to the gym.

Video: Five-year-old Romanian weightlifter becomes Internet star

eFITology Staff — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:40:26 +0000

Giuliano Stroe has six-pack abs before turning six years old. And he’s also in the Guinness Book of World Records before he can probably even read it.

Though it’s highly unusual (and possibly unhealthy) for a child to start weight training at such a young age, the pre-schooler entered the record books earlier this year after completing the fastest ever 10-meter walk with a weight ball between the legs, which is both both highly impressive and highly specific. Since then, a four-minute video of Stroe has hit the Internet and made him a viral sensation.

From Prisons into Our Homes: the History of Treadmill

eFITology Staff — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:07:06 +0000

You will be surprised to know that a treadmill, currently one of the most popular exercise machines, started as a disciplinary device to reform the prisoners. Or that the first user of the treadmill was not a man but an animal… This brief overview will guide you through the exciting history of treadmill.

The Walking Power Machine

A treadmill was originally a device operated by an animal treading steps of a wheel to do some type of work. The first “home” treadmills appeared in the 19th century when farmers started to use portable treadmills invented for use by animals.

In 1834 a horse treadmill was patented (it’s been a prototype for a contemporary horse treadmill used to train racehorses):

Dog treadmills were quite popular kitchen equipment used to power centrifugal milk separator or a butter churn, or to run a bean sorter or a corn sheller.

Human powered treadmills were rare but were also used. The following picture shows the walking treadmill powering the crane.

Prison Treadmill

Human powered treadmills were fairly often used in prisons though. The innovation introduced in 1817 in England, the prison treadmill was meant to “reform the offenders” and to turn their power for good.

The prison treadmill was then introduced in America. In on of New York prisons, offenders stepped on the mill for 10 hours a day grinding grain:

Fitness Treadmill

It was early 20th century that treadmills were first introduced in the health center as a cardio workout machine. The treadmill was used to test patients for heart and lung disease. In 1933 Popular Science magazine published an article describing how treadmills can be used as a “training track”:

A one-man training track for runners is part of the equipment recently installed by an English sporting club. The device consists of a small treadmill platform with an upright pipe frame in front. Gripping the frame, the runner begins his workout, a speedometer at one side of the apparatus indicating how fast he is going…

Home Treadmill

Almost at the same time treadmills started to be used at home as an exercise machine for pets! In 1930 there was a cool post in Modern Mechanix magazine:

the treadmill pictured here will enable the family pet to get all the exercise he needs on the back porch or the front lawn, and if the weather gets too severe he may do his daily dozen in the kitchen.

Treadmills got popular fairly fast. By the 1960s the treadmill became a popular piece of fitness equipment in gyms and in homes. 1960 cartoon featured a popular character George Jetson running the treadmill with his dog, Astro:

Bizarre Bicycle Hybrids: How Your Bike Can Be Turned into Whatever You Want

eFITology Staff — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:05:54 +0000

It is amazing where human imagination and ingenuity can reach. This post is just another proof of that: let us show you how your very ordinary bicycle can be turned into anything you want:

Bicycle House

A guy named Paul built this nice fairly complete and lightweight pedal-powered house to be his home during a week at Burningman. The bike-house is 100% green: food is prepared in a solar cooker and and it is kept warm due to a solar water heating system.

A 100-pound trailer has everything one may need: a bed, a kitchen, a shower, and even a cute flowerbed in front of the window!

A similar concept: camper bike:

Toilet Bicycle

We assume (well, we hope) the toilet isn’t being used as intended but the whole combination looks really extra-ordinary. That must be an awesome way to attract public attention if you enjoy being stared at:

Mowercycle

The innovation and inspiration in their best blend! Why walk if you can ride? I am sure these mowercycle or bikemowers (whichever you prefer) will make your lawn mowing more fun and less time consuming:

via

Bicycle Boat

I have no idea why not use an ordinary boat in this case. But sure it’s a great way for a die-hard biker to ride a bicycle even on water surface:

via

Bicycle Pub

Drinking beer and exercising at the same time – this sounds like something impossible. Yet there’s one way to combine those two: a pedal powered pub. Passengers saddle up, drink beer and pedal at the same time. This makes cycling more fun than you could ever imagine: beer, sightseeing, chatting and exercising – all at the same time!

Bicycle Bus

Probably not the most comfortable school kids transportation method but definitely the coolest one! It is both eco-friendly and really cheap – a school tricycle, how about that?

Bicycle Truck

This actually makes perfect sense: if you need to transport large amounts of things the green way, a biketruck is what you really need!

via

Yes, makes sense until it gets really weird – below is the picture of dekochari: a decorated bicycle truck (deko means “decoration” and chari means “bicycle”):

Bicycle Stroller

A perfect way to cycle together with your newly born kids unless it gets a bit stuffy in there:

And here’s another, more comfortable version (actually there are 5 models to choose from):

Are you aware of any other weird bike hybrids? Please share them!

Progressive Is Impressive With PowerBlock Dumbbells

eFITology Staff — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:06:53 +0000

Adding resistance to your weight workout shows improvement and most people aim to increase their strength when they embark on an exercise program. This does not necessarily mean that they want to increase muscle size as it is not synonymous with strength gain. Gaining strength could merely mean that you can open that jar of peanut butter that you could not budge before. With a progressive resistance program, you will use dumbbells which will target specific muscles, but will also improve grip strength.

Adding extra weight to your program is important from the following points:

Muscle Stimulation – the more stress the working muscle is placed under, the more fibres will be recruited to perform the work. The more muscle fibres recruited, the more the systems of the body will react to the external load. By stimulating a particular muscle such as the biceps, the stronger that muscle will become, enabling heavier loads to be lifted after a period of training.
Prevent Osteoporosis – the more resistance training a muscle undergoes, more range of motion and movement will be required that will prevent or delay calcification of the bone. Improved range of movement will keep the joint and surrounding tissues mobile. Do not lift excessively heavy weights that will put unnecessary strain on the muscles as this will injure the muscle which could lead to the premature onset of osteoporosis.
Increase Metabolism – the more muscle fibres recruited, the harder the body works. This results in the heart pumping more blood to the working muscles which leads to an increase in metabolism during work and recovery as the muscle must repair after being stressed.
Challenge The Muscles – by increasing weight in a resistance training program, the muscles will not get used to specific load and they will be constantly challenged to lift heavier loads which increases overall strength. The muscles adapt to exercise and need to be taken to the next level.
Improve Self Confidence – along with the physical gains of a progressive resistance program, there are mental and psychological benefits. With muscle and strength grow, comes a healthier self image and more self worth as you realise that your body is a wonderful machine capable performing and lifting loads beyond your expectations.

The Power Block dumbbell is the first compact and convenient quick change dumbbell that will increase along with your strength needs. You do not have to buy new dumbbells each time you get stronger because one set of Powerblock dumbbells can replace up to 37 pairs of traditional dumbbells.

Five Expert Tips To Make the Most Of Your Workout

eFITology Staff — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:56:06 +0000

Like most people in the world, you have limited time to exercise and want maximum benefit from your time of the home treadmill, cycle or elliptical. Balancing work, family, social life and exercise can be difficult and the suffering equation is usually your own workout. Use these tips to keep a healthy lifestyle and keep your home exercise equipment in good working order, just like your body.

Do not wait or procrastinate – do not leave your workout until after work or plan your schedule too far in advance. By starting the day with some exercise, you are waking up your body in the best possible way. By warming up properly and spending twenty minutes on the treadmill, cycle or elliptical you can plan your day and give your metabolism a kick start before breakfast. If you do not manage to exercise again after work, you have done half a workout for the day. Postponing the workout leaves you dreading exercise the entire day and you will feel guilty if the evening workout is missed and you do exercise for the day.
Exercise twice a day for shorter duration – by breaking up the workout into two shorter sessions, you are able to speed up metabolism and start and end the day with a good workout that will be manageable and not too tiring. The muscles will not be too fatigued from being exhausted so early in the day as the workout is shorter, yet still quite intense. After a hard day at work, the energy levels will be replenished after a post-work workout and lead to a good sleep.
Always warm up – warming up prepares the body for exercise and will prevent injury. Skipping the warm up and going directly into a run or intense session will shock the body and cause damage. Warming up is an opportunity to plan the workout ahead and get the working muscles used to the movement before being stressed.
Exercise in intervals – instead of staying at the same pace and resistance, vary the speed and intervals of the cardio activity as this will keep the body and mid challenged and prevent boredom. Vary the pace and workout every time to prevent your body getting used to the exercise.
End on a high – for the last few minutes of exercise it is important to challenge yourself by sprinting or applying extra resistance to work up a sweat and increase heart rate. By pushing yourself, you are making the most of your workout and adding to the sense of accomplishment.

From the warm up to the final sprint and stretch, every second of a workout should be made to count for the exerciser. Home exercise equipment has been designed for the amateur and professional athlete and each person can use it accordingly. By starting at a slower pace, the final sprint can be a strong finish to each workout. Remember to leave time for stretching at the end of the workout.