Exercise bikes are a very popular feature of many fitness gyms, and they are quickly becoming a staple of the home exercise machine industry too. They offer the advantages of a good, solid cardio workout combined with a very low impact technique. They are perfect for folks who have injuries or sensitive joints that don’t take well to higher impact machines like treadmills. So what do you look for when you shop for exercise bikes?

The first thing you are going to find is that there are two different styles of exercise bikes available. One is the upright bike and the other is the recumbent bike. You’re probably very familiar with the former, although you may have seen the latter and did not realize it. The upright bike looks very much like a regular bicycle, only it seems to be missing one or both wheels. The recumbent bike on the other hand has a strange appearance, as if the petals had been taken from their position on the bottom and moved out in front of the machine instead. And most of the time an exerciser actually lays down into the recumbent bike in order to exercise on it.

When you consult the independent exercise bike reviews and ratings both online and off-line, you find that it really doesn’t matter much which type of bike you choose. Either an upright or recumbent exercise bike will give you the exercise that you need. Which you choose depends more on your own personal preference and comfort level.

Some things that you need to look for on the best exercise bikes are easy and extensive height adjustments that will fit almost anyone. Any exercise machine will not be used very often if it is not comfortable enough to be used regularly. So make sure that the seat fits you, or that you can get a seat that will fit you without too much trouble. Pedals should be easy to operate and have a method of strapping your feet in place so they don’t fall off.

For safety sake, make sure that all moving parts are covered with some sort of shroud, eliminating the possibility that small children or others can get caught in the machine and suffer injury.

The bike that you choose should also match your weight level. Each machine comes with its own weight rating that you should observe very carefully. The very best exercise bikes have high weight ratings, on up to 300 to 400 lbs. So if your purpose of buying the exercise bike is to lose weight, be sure that the model you choose will support your current weight level.

A heart rate monitor is a very important piece of equipment for almost any exercise machine to have available. It will help you monitor your workouts more closely, and make sure that you are getting the most calorie burning exercise for the time that you are investing. The best exercise bikes even include an interactive heart rate monitor that will adjust your workout intensity for you as needed to make sure that you are burning the most calories possible in the time allotted for your exercise session.

Also consider the warranty when you buy, looking for a warranty that provides for at least the first full year of use including labor. To get most of these features that we have discussed as being common on the best exercise bikes, you can expect to pay anywhere from $600 - $1500 for a high quality bike. So do your homework and test drive each model you are interested in beforehand to find the exercise bike that will work best for you.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including fitness. You can find exercise bike ratings and the best exercise bike by visiting our Home Fitness website.

Exercise bikes are a very popular feature of many fitness gyms, and they are quickly becoming a staple of the home exercise machine industry too. They offer the advantages of a good, solid cardio workout combined with a very low impact technique. They are perfect for folks who have injuries or sensitive joints that don’t take well to higher impact machines like treadmills. So what do you look for when you shop for exercise bikes?

The first thing you are going to find is that there are two different styles of exercise bikes available. One is the upright bike and the other is the recumbent bike. You’re probably very familiar with the former, although you may have seen the latter and did not realize it. The upright bike looks very much like a regular bicycle, only it seems to be missing one or both wheels. The recumbent bike on the other hand has a strange appearance, as if the petals had been taken from their position on the bottom and moved out in front of the machine instead. And most of the time an exerciser actually lays down into the recumbent bike in order to exercise on it.

When you consult the independent exercise bike reviews and ratings both online and off-line, you find that it really doesn’t matter much which type of bike you choose. Either an upright or recumbent exercise bike will give you the exercise that you need. Which you choose depends more on your own personal preference and comfort level.

Some things that you need to look for on the best exercise bikes are easy and extensive height adjustments that will fit almost anyone. Any exercise machine will not be used very often if it is not comfortable enough to be used regularly. So make sure that the seat fits you, or that you can get a seat that will fit you without too much trouble. Pedals should be easy to operate and have a method of strapping your feet in place so they don’t fall off.

For safety sake, make sure that all moving parts are covered with some sort of shroud, eliminating the possibility that small children or others can get caught in the machine and suffer injury.

The bike that you choose should also match your weight level. Each machine comes with its own weight rating that you should observe very carefully. The very best exercise bikes have high weight ratings, on up to 300 to 400 lbs. So if your purpose of buying the exercise bike is to lose weight, be sure that the model you choose will support your current weight level.

A heart rate monitor is a very important piece of equipment for almost any exercise machine to have available. It will help you monitor your workouts more closely, and make sure that you are getting the most calorie burning exercise for the time that you are investing. The best exercise bikes even include an interactive heart rate monitor that will adjust your workout intensity for you as needed to make sure that you are burning the most calories possible in the time allotted for your exercise session.

Also consider the warranty when you buy, looking for a warranty that provides for at least the first full year of use including labor. To get most of these features that we have discussed as being common on the best exercise bikes, you can expect to pay anywhere from $600 - $1500 for a high quality bike. So do your homework and test drive each model you are interested in beforehand to find the exercise bike that will work best for you.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including fitness. You can find exercise bike ratings and the best exercise bike by visiting our Home Fitness website.

In a world where heart disorders and diseases are becoming more common, lets take a look at something most of us can add to our weekly diet for prevention of heart problems.

Omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish oil promotes heart health. A daily dose of fish oil has helped prevent, slow or even reverse the hardening and narrowing of arteries in heart disease in some studies.

In a 2001 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the University of Munich reported that a fish-oil capsule a day may “modestly” improve blood flow to the heart and bolster traditional therapy in patients with atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. In a study of 223 men and women, those who took a dose of fish oil per day for two years had fewer atherosclerosis complications such as heart attack and stroke.

Fish oil, found in fish such as salmon, it is a key component of the low-saturated-fat Mediterranean diet that has been linked to the lower incidence of heart disease in that area of the world.

How does fish oil work? Researchers are not ready to say, but one team of doctors used x-ray to peer into patients heart arteries at the beginning and end of one study. They found that after two years, the arteries of the fish-oil patients, on average, offered more room for blood flow to flow through, with less plaque.

The improvements were not dramatic, however the doctor’s team concluded that the benefits found in this study are significant enough to warrant including fish oil as part of traditional heart-disease treatment. At minimum, taking a daily capsule or dining on fish twice weekly would fulfill the needed amount.

Fish oil has also been found to help heart rhythm problems and can help to thin the blood as well. Research continues and always finds Fish oils to be helpful for the heart. It is certainly worth adding fish a couple times per week to the diet, isn’t it?

Jeannie Crabtree C.Ac, EFT-CC. has helped people increase their health for the last 25 years Visit her site at http://www.health-doc.com and her Healthy Living Blog at
http://www.health-doc.com/blog/health-blog.html

There is so much being said nowadays about working out with an exercise ball that you may have wondered what all the fuss is about.

Originally created for use in physical therapy, the exercise ball, better known as the Swiss ball, is a large, inflated, rubber ball around 25-35 inches in diameter. In the past, the exercise ball was used by physical therapists to help rehabilitate their patients, particularly those with lower back pain.

Today, the exercise ball is a common tool in many physical fitness programs. One reason for this is, like Pilates, the use of the exercise ball helps to firm up the trunk muscles in the core of the body. Training the core of the body not only lends strength to the limbs and trunk but it also keeps the body flexible, balanced and provides support for the spine.

The effectiveness of using an exercise ball for core conditioning is due to the round shape which creates instability for the body. This in turn causes your body’s core muscles to react to the instability caused by the ball. Over time, your body will improve the strength and flexibility of those muscles as it begins to intuitively rely on core muscles for balance.

Using an exercise ball as part of a fitness program can include a wide range of difficulty levels from easy to moderate to difficult - each level requiring support from the core muscles.

If you’ve ever wanted to give the exercise ball a try, here are a few routines to get you started:

1) Squat and Lift

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding the exercise ball in your hands with both hands on either side of ball.

Bend both knees (as if you are going to sit) so that you are squatting slightly as you lower the ball in front of you.

Slowly straighten your legs to a standing position as you lift the ball to shoulder length.

Once you have straightened up completely, slowly raise the ball above your head and then slowly lower it to shoulder height again.

Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times.

2) Hip Extension

Lie on your back on the floor with your heels propped on the exercise ball.

Slowly lift your hips off the floor as you squeeze your buttocks and tighten your abdominal muscles.

Continue to lift your body off the floor until your body is in a straight line.

Hold this position for a few seconds and lower.

Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times.

3) Lunges

Place the exercise ball on the floor and stand with your back towards it.

Standing with your feet together and your hands on your hips, place one foot on the ball behind you.

Slowly bend your front knee, ensuring that your knee doesn’t pass your toes.

Try to keep your back erect - do not lean forward as you bend.

Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times.

These exercises are just the beginning. There are so many exercises you can do on the exercise ball that you’ll never become bored. You may also develop your own routines that you find helpful. Be sure, however, you warm up first for 5-10 minutes before getting started. Used properly, the exercise ball will increase the strength and flexibility of your core muscles with regular use. No matter what your fitness level is, give the fitness ball a try. You’ll be surprised to see how much fun it can be.

Patricia has been interested in Health & Fitness since the early 70’s and knows how to seperate hype from fact.
Largest Selection of Fitness Equipment at the Lowest Prices click here

There is so much being said nowadays about working out with an exercise ball that you may have wondered what all the fuss is about.

Originally created for use in physical therapy, the exercise ball, better known as the Swiss ball, is a large, inflated, rubber ball around 25-35 inches in diameter. In the past, the exercise ball was used by physical therapists to help rehabilitate their patients, particularly those with lower back pain.

Today, the exercise ball is a common tool in many physical fitness programs. One reason for this is, like Pilates, the use of the exercise ball helps to firm up the trunk muscles in the core of the body. Training the core of the body not only lends strength to the limbs and trunk but it also keeps the body flexible, balanced and provides support for the spine.

The effectiveness of using an exercise ball for core conditioning is due to the round shape which creates instability for the body. This in turn causes your body’s core muscles to react to the instability caused by the ball. Over time, your body will improve the strength and flexibility of those muscles as it begins to intuitively rely on core muscles for balance.

Using an exercise ball as part of a fitness program can include a wide range of difficulty levels from easy to moderate to difficult - each level requiring support from the core muscles.

If you’ve ever wanted to give the exercise ball a try, here are a few routines to get you started:

1) Squat and Lift

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding the exercise ball in your hands with both hands on either side of ball.

Bend both knees (as if you are going to sit) so that you are squatting slightly as you lower the ball in front of you.

Slowly straighten your legs to a standing position as you lift the ball to shoulder length.

Once you have straightened up completely, slowly raise the ball above your head and then slowly lower it to shoulder height again.

Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times.

2) Hip Extension

Lie on your back on the floor with your heels propped on the exercise ball.

Slowly lift your hips off the floor as you squeeze your buttocks and tighten your abdominal muscles.

Continue to lift your body off the floor until your body is in a straight line.

Hold this position for a few seconds and lower.

Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times.

3) Lunges

Place the exercise ball on the floor and stand with your back towards it.

Standing with your feet together and your hands on your hips, place one foot on the ball behind you.

Slowly bend your front knee, ensuring that your knee doesn’t pass your toes.

Try to keep your back erect - do not lean forward as you bend.

Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times.

These exercises are just the beginning. There are so many exercises you can do on the exercise ball that you’ll never become bored. You may also develop your own routines that you find helpful. Be sure, however, you warm up first for 5-10 minutes before getting started. Used properly, the exercise ball will increase the strength and flexibility of your core muscles with regular use. No matter what your fitness level is, give the fitness ball a try. You’ll be surprised to see how much fun it can be.

Patricia has been interested in Health & Fitness since the early 70’s and knows how to seperate hype from fact.
Largest Selection of Fitness Equipment at the Lowest Prices click here