| When you visit your local gym, you could be | | | | compared to a normal walking workout. To challenge |
| overwhelmed if you look at the many available | | | | your muscles even more and to add spice to your |
| equipment and machines available, more so if it is your | | | | exercise session, you could incorporate arm |
| first time. So looking at all those equipment and | | | | movements while walking. Raise your arms up and |
| machines, how do you decide which is the best? Or | | | | down according to the pace of your walk. Try |
| more importantly, which is the best for you? A great | | | | reaching out as far as you can with alternating arms. |
| idea would be to get help. The gym would have | | | | All this can get your heart to beat faster and will |
| employees who will be able to help you. Or you could | | | | increase the amount of calories burned. |
| even get one of the personal trainers to show you | | | | |
| around as well as to show how each machine works | | | | The Lateral Pulldown |
| and how it can help you. Why is it important to know | | | | In all the machines at the gym, there has to be a |
| this? Well, if you were to incorporate using the | | | | weight machine that provides tone and shaping of |
| exercise machines at the gym into your regular | | | | your core muscles, your arms and your back. The |
| workout schedule, you are bound to get fantastic | | | | answer is the lateral pulldown machine. In one simple |
| results as mixing these two will challenge your muscles | | | | movement you can do all that. First stand at the front |
| even more. Machines like the treadmills and the rowers | | | | of the machine with your feet about shoulder width |
| are also excellent for you to combine with your | | | | apart and holding a handle in each hand. Now bring |
| aerobics exercise as they can help cut down the | | | | your arms backward as the weight pulls your hands. |
| stress put on your joints. | | | | Do this slowly, and make sure your arms do not go |
| As mentioned, there are so many machines available | | | | pass your shoulders or else you may get injured. Now |
| at the gym. However among all these machines are | | | | pull the bands slowly down and forward and you can |
| some which are better than others. These machines | | | | feel the effort from your core as well as your back |
| will help you to burn more fat and calories. Not only | | | | muscles. Try to repeat this movement for 3 sets of 20 |
| that, they will also tone, shape and strengthen your | | | | repetitions. One thing you need to make sure is that |
| muscles, thus providing more advantages than other | | | | the weight is manageable. If it is not, do ask for help, as |
| machines. Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with | | | | you do not want to injure yourself in the process. |
| these machines. You can request for a trainer to | | | | Lateral pulldowns can be great for shaping up your |
| demonstrate their usage when you’re at the gym. | | | | core and back muscles, all within three workout |
| On the other hand, most of these machines are pretty | | | | sessions a week. Although the calorie that you burn |
| straightforward, so you can more or less figure out | | | | through this lateral pulldown is not a big amount, you |
| how to use them. If you can utilise one or more of | | | | get to replace all that fat with muscle, thus increasing |
| these machines in your regular workout sessions for | | | | your daily metabolic rate as muscles require more fuel |
| maybe two to three times a week, you will be able to | | | | compared to fat. |
| see the amazing results and changes in your body. | | | | The Rowing Machine |
| The Treadmill | | | | Ok, first of all, don’t be alarmed if this looks like |
| The treadmill is probably the mother of all gym | | | | you’ll be training for the boat race. The rowing |
| machines. More than just your average walking | | | | machine can build a strong back, arms, legs as well as |
| machine, treadmills now come equipped with various | | | | core muscles in as little as four workout sessions a |
| feature including arm tools for you to exercise your | | | | week. Yes, this humble equipment is a powerful tool. |
| arms at the same time, and also incline adjustments | | | | First sit up straight on the seat and make sure your |
| which can provide a greater challenge for your | | | | abdominal muscles are tight. Now grab the handles and |
| muscles. On the front of the treadmill there is a digital | | | | push off with your legs while at the same time pulling |
| panel that can provide you with important information | | | | back your body. To burn the maximum amount of |
| like the calories that you’ve burned and the | | | | calories, make sure you keep a good posture |
| completed distance that you’ve walked. Most of | | | | throughout the workout. Now row for twenty minutes, |
| the treadmills now also come with pre-planned | | | | or thirty depending on your fitness level. After the |
| computerised workouts, which you can choose from. | | | | rowing workout make sure you stretch your body fully. |
| A good workout should challenge your muscles by | | | | If you can do this up to three to four times a week, |
| changing the speed and stride as well as the incline at | | | | you will be able to see the differences in your body in |
| different intervals throughout the workout. This could | | | | as soon as a few weeks. |
| help you burn up to twice the amount of calories | | | | |