Sole Fitness

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Sole-E55 Elliptical Trainer Review

The 2009 Sole E55 elliptical trainer is yet another example of the amazing value that Sole deliver in their range of elliptical machines. Based on the Sole E35, the E55 comes with more features to utilize during workouts. Depending on what you want from your equipment, will determine which model is right for you.

The Sole E35 elliptical has been rated as their 'Best Buy' and rightly so, due to the quality and value you receive for the mere $1300. With the Sole E55 elliptical trainer price tag of $1500 you are receiving all what you get with the E35 - the same two year in-home labor and five year parts warranty and all the same features and specifications. The extra $200 sees you now with not 8 but 10 programmed workouts (of which 2 user defined), heart rate control with 2 user programs and a larger display in the console.

Only you will know whether these added extras are worth the $200, as it depends on how hardcore a fitness enthusiast you are. If you are very much into using pre-defined intense workouts or wish to create your own, all while requiring a detailed monitoring of your heart rate, then the Sole E55 elliptical trainer would be the best choice.

Just like the E35, the E55 is not the most compact, so you need to make sure you plan where you wish to position the equipment. Like with most well constructed elliptical machines, the Sole E55 elliptical trainer is very heavy for the average person to move, so a handy tip would be to have a few friends round whenever you are ready to assemble but this all adds to the fun of it. Assembly is simple as instructions are clear, so it should only take a couple of hours. Any problems and the trusty Sole customer support is only a phone call away.

Once you put your feet into the oversize foot pedals and start moving, you begin to see the benefits of the Sole E55 elliptical trainer immediately. It creates the same whisper quiet, smooth motion of the E35, thanks to a heavier 27lb fly wheel and heavy duty rails in the drive system. The power incline is one of the best in its class of elliptical machines, adjustable from 15 to 40 degrees, making for a real tester of your fitness in the greatest of inclines.

The console contains standard features such as the large blue backlit display, an mp3 player jack with built in speakers, a built in fan, a water bottle holder, all of which you would expect in commercial machines.

Pros - Warranty, quality, stability, stride, power incline, features

Cons - Size, slightly more expensive than the E35

The Sole E55 elliptical trainer being slightly more expensive than the E35 really doesn't matter. Compared to other elliptical machines that are priced even higher than $1500, the E55 is offering much more value for money and is a top buy. The specifications and features are that of what you would expect for a health club elliptical, not on an elliptical for home use. However, if you are happy enough to sacrifice the $200 extras, then the E35 would be the 'Best Buy'.

About the Author

Simon P is currently the author of www.elliptical-machines.net and is dedicated to providing fresh information and product reviews on everything about elliptical machines. There is no need to doubt elliptical machines so why not join every other home elliptical user and click here for more FREE information. You have nothing to lose but weight!

Girls With Sole uses athletics to help abuse survivors gain confidence
Rocky River-based nonprofit Girls With Sole is teaching abuse survivors ages 9-18 to respect themselves and their bodies. By offering athletics programs to girls throughout Cuyahoga and Lorain counties, the organization hopes to help them build up their confidence and give them a sense of belonging.

Sole Fitness

Pulse Heart Rate
Special report - Life and death in the age of the bionic heart
BOSTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - In September 2007, Verna Schrombeck gathered three of her six children -- those who could bear it -- to discuss her funeral arrangements.

Pulse Heart Rate

Bike Bicycle Elliptical

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How To Make The Best Exercise Bike Choice

If you're looking for an exercise machine that will give you a good cardio workout without stressing your joints, then maybe an exercise bike is just what you need. Treadmills are still the most popular exercise machine out there, but not everyone can use a treadmill safely, because of the high impact exercise that it asks you to do. If you have very sensitive joints for any reason, you'll have to try a different means of getting a daily workout.

Elliptical trainers can work well for this purpose, but an exercise bike is also a very fine choice. A lot of people seem to gravitate to exercise bikes, probably because they are familiar with the overall design. And everyone knows that riding a bicycle is good exercise, so it only makes sense that if you can perform the same motions indoors you should be able to get similar health benefits.

So what should you look for when you are shopping for exercise bikes? The first thing to decide is whether you wish to have an upright bike or a recumbent bike. The upright exercise bike looks very similar to a real bicycle, with handlebars, a seat, and pedals underneath. The recumbent exercise bike on the other hand, can be a sort of strange looking contraption, that you actually lay in and pedal with your feet straight out in front of you. Most fitness experts seem to agree that either type of exercise bike will work well for you, it just depends on your personal preference and comfort level as to which bike you should buy. For instance, those with chronic back problems may find the recumbent exercise bike much easier to work with.

When looking over the exercise bike candidates, the same general rule of thumb applies here as it does in other exercise machines. You generally get what you pay for. In other words, most of the really cheap exercise bikes will not hold up well over the long haul. So expect to pay at least $600 to $1000 for a good piece of equipment, and $1500 or more for a really heavy-duty gym quality machine.

It's always a good idea to try out any exercise bike model that interests you in advance in person. See how comfortable it is for you to use as you exercise. Does this seat fit you as it should? Can you adjust the seat level to give you a comfortable travel distance to the pedals?

Other considerations include whether or not that particular model has a heart rate monitor. This is a good piece of equipment to have for almost any exercise machine that you want to use. In fact, some machines are even coming with interactive heart rate monitors that keep an eye on your heart rate level and adjust your workout automatically to help you burn the most calories per session. If you can get an exercise bike with this feature, it can be well worth it.

Also make sure that the display on each model gives you the information that you would really like to have as you workout. Does it keep track of the time that you have been on the machine? Does it show the calories you have burned? Does it display your heart rate level? Does it allow you to adjust the resistance of the machine as you workout?

As you test out each machine, take notes on each model, both its strengths and its weaknesses, and then compile the information after you have looked at a good representation of all exercise bike models available. By keeping the suggestions listed above in mind and doing your homework you should be able to make the best exercise bike choice possible for your needs.

About the Author

You can find
exercise bike ratings
and the
best exercise bike
by visiting our Home Fitness website.

Bike Bicycle Elliptical

Stepper Fitness

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Making A Home Fitness Gym At Home

Today, more and more people are becoming conscious of their figure. But because their so busy running their lives and their businesses, they don't have the time for workouts. Although local gym membership is very accessible and provides all the needed equipments for workouts, still conflicts arise. It can include adjusting to the gym's opening times, stress of traveling from your home to the gym, and pressure on the weather condition.

In case you are facing this difficulty, consider building your own home gym to achieve your fitness goals and keep you in shape. There are various ranges of exercise equipments you can utilize at home. Time and weather condition is not a problem anymore. You can do your exercises within your own set schedule. But the question is what equipments you are going to buy.

If you are starting out your venture, or becoming active again after a long break, it is advisable not to pursue your home gym. Instead you must enroll at a local gym within a short period of time. It can help you check out a number of fitness equipments available in the market today. You can ask your fitness instructor about its advantages and disadvantages and how these equipments can meet your fitness needs. Thus, you can list down the equipments that you will purchase for your home gym.

If weight training is your main focus, then the first step is to purchase a set of weights. You can buy free weights which are less expensive. The prices can be as low as 50 dollars or lower. But you need a combination of weights weighing 4.5 kg (10lb) and 9kg (20lb) which is a hand-held dumbbell with a bar. The end of this bar is replaceable with other weights for more flexibility. There are different types of bars. But it is up to you to choose whether you are going to use the plastic or metal weights. Metal weights are the traditional weights used even before but plastic weights are more modern and often are sand-filled weights.

You can consider weight machines if you want to workout specific groups of muscles including the biceps, deltoids, and quadriceps in a safer way. More over, free weights cannot provide good workouts for hamstrings and calves muscle groups. However, you need to pay the price of a weight machine. Costs and configurations may widely vary from a simple resistance machine, to an adjustable, multi-stationed weight stack. You can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars.

A stair stepper is another popular alternative. A simple stair stepper model can offer you a better cardiovascular workout and low impacts on your joints when exercising to build your calves and thighs. This machine is also a space saver and can cost from 80 to 150 dollars. A more complex stair stepper has adjustable speed, resistance level, speed, pedal distances and more. It also includes an HRM (heart rate monitor) as well as digital readouts for distance climbed, calories burnt, and speed. It can cost 1,700 to 2,000 dollars. Treadmills are good workouts machines too for your home gym. The prices depend on the types, models, brand, and features.

Building your home gym can cost you money. However, it is worth investing for to meet your fitness needs.

About the Author

Information on calories in watermelon can be found at the Calories In Food site.

Stepper Fitness

Watch Heart Rate
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In one of the worst mining accidents in recent history on 5 August 33 men became trapped 2300 feet underground in the San Jose copper-and-gold mine near the northern town of Copiapo. We take a look ...

Watch Heart Rate

Nordictrack Skier

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Buying Equipment for a Home Gym: What you Should Know First

So you've gone through all the options and decided that a home gym is right for you. After all it's convenient, private and can save you money by not paying for a gym membership.

You know what's coming next. You have to plunk down 200, 500, maybe even 2,000 dollars to get the system that you want. And with all the choices out there how do you really know what you want anyway?

There are two main types of machines on the market, cardiovascular and strength training. Your body will look very different after you've shed the pounds depending on which exercise machine you choose.

Cardiovascular: These machines get your heart pumping quickly and increase your overall stamina. They include treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes, rowing exercise machines, steppers and skiers. Once you get your heart rate going on one of these machines you'll start shedding calories fast. And most come with a calorie tracker so you can see when you've burned off that hamburger you felt so guilty about eating.

Cardio machines often only focus on a few muscles, meaning that your legs might get toned but you won't get a six-pack or strengthen your arm muscles if all you do is use an elliptical. If you want a toned look all over, you'll need to add other exercises like sit-ups and push-ups to your routine.

When shopping for a safe machine make sure it is sturdy and quiet when in use. Some cheaper brands tend to be wobbly which can be dangerous and distract you from getting the most out of your workout. An anti static floor mat may also help the stability of your machine by creating a hard surface for it to stand on. Compare prices to the quality of a brand you like. It may be worth it to get the upgrade because it will last longer.

You'll also want the control panel to have quick response time because when you've reached your limit on a treadmill you need to stop immediately. Some machines keep going until a few seconds after you press the button.

To avoid having problems order from an online retailer that has a good return policy. Check to see how thick the base legs are. This is something you can find easily on Pro Form treadmills or NordicTrack Ellipticals.

Strength Training: This is what you want if you're looking for the big bulk. Pumping weights is the fastest way to get larger muscles without using harmful drugs. You can also tone your muscles with strength training by lifting smaller amounts.

If you plan to work out alone you'll need to find a machine that has a built in spotter or uses resistance in place of weights. If not you may find yourself at a stalemate with the 100 pounds above your head. Talk about an awkward situation!

Just like cardiovascular workouts, you won't get big arm muscles if all you buy is an AB CoreMaster. So make sure you know what muscles a particular machine targets before buying. You may find that it's worth it to spend a little extra money to get an all-in-one gym that targets most major muscle groups than a machine that focuses on just a few.

And don't be surprised if you don't lose any weight after strength training for a long period of time. Since muscle weighs more than fat you may even find that you've gained a few pounds.

Take the time to analyze your goals. What areas of your body are you concerned about and how do you envision yourself looking at its best? You may decide that what you need is a combination of cardiovascular exercise from a machine like the Pro Form treadmill and strength training from a set of weights. There are a few machines on the market, like the Cardio Cruiser by Jake that do both in one. But no matter what you decide you'll be happier with your purchase and the results you get if you base it on your goals.

About the Author

Karen Gates offers free information on hundreds of different weight loss methods. She also provides honest and unbiased dieting and weight loss product reviews. Go to Best Weight Loss Program also found at http://www.bestweightprograms.com.

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