Today, portable fitness equipment can do everything you desire in your fitness training: YOU CAN get stronger, leaner, improve athletic performance, heal & prevent injuries, increase movement skills, spend little money and train anywhere you want, anytime you want!!!
Portable fitness equipment can also allow you to follow an online training program, almost like having your own personal trainer! Because of all of these tremendous benefits, portable fitness equipment is a common term in the fitness industry.
I feel my Dad and his company, Lifeline USA, are a considerable reason for portable fitness equipment being such an integral part of the fitness industry today. I have always believed in portable fitness equipment, so much that I opened up my Monkey Bar Gymnasium in 2001.
It is the first hard core strength and conditioning training facility in the country that uses ONLY portable fitness equipment!
“Full-body anywhere, anytime training is all we do and all we've ever done” says Monkey Bar Gymnasium, Certified Natural Trainer, Jessica Tucker. “We teach movement mastery first and then add resistance via portable fitness equipment.
Using Resistance cables, Kettle bells, Jungle Gyms, Med & D-balls, Jump Ropes, Power Push-ups, Power Jumpers, Vertical Jumpers and Power Wheels all add more challenge to basic body weight movements, thus taking them to the next level.
It's clearly the main reason everyone who trains with us, either online or at the Monkey Bar Gymnasium is incredibly fit”.
So, what exactly is portable fitness equipment? Any piece of exercise equipment that you can easily pack and take anywhere in the world and get a tremendous workout.
That is why my dad's first Portable Gym's tag line was “a gym in a bag”. Portable fitness equipment gives you a great workout, not just an okay one.
IT WORKS!! A workout with perfect portable fitness equipment improves your strength (functional muscle), conditioning (leaner body), sports performance, agility, mobility, stability, strength, and power. Want proof, At the Monkey Bar Gymnasium we AVERAGE 17 lbs of fat loss and 5.4 lbs of muscle gain over the first 60 days of training…did I mention, only using portable fitness equipment!
More proof. On a recent road trip, Jessica and I brought along all of our favorite Portable Fitness Equipment, a Power Push Up, Jungle Gym, TNT Cable, Power Wheel, Power Jump Rope and even the new Lifeline Kettle bell.
Yes, the Lifeline Kettle bell. This may not be a true piece of portable fitness equipment, but it is a heavier version, it still is portable and definitely is fitness equipment. On our road trip, we really put all the portable fitness equipment to the test.
Could we drive more than 3,000 miles & get great workouts at the same time? The answer was absolutely YES!! Every hour we drove, we stopped and did a killer set with each piece of equipment.
One hour we did a set of squat presses with the TNT Cable, the next hour a killer set of chins and rows with the Jungle Gym, the next hour 100 doubles jumping rope as fast as possible, the next hour 40 snatches each arm with the Lifeline Kettle bell.
Honestly, it was wonderful! Each set only took us 3 minutes! When we would get back in the car,, we felt incredible! We were totally energized and ready to go and looked forward to the next hour and what we would do.
By the end of the day, we had, without question, gotten a heck of a workout, and we were both tired but very satisfied in knowing that we not only can do these workouts anywhere at anytime, but that working out with Portable Fitness Equipment is the best way to attain ultimate fitness.
The World is your Playground” workout anywhere / anytime (AA), indoors or outside!!!
Let's lay out a Backpack of Portable Fitness Equipment for you to work out AA!!
1) Jungle Gym: Pure body weight training: chin-ups (assisted to kip ups), push-ups, dips, rows, fly, assisting pistols /1 leg squats, leg curls, runners, core rollouts and lots more. One piece of equipment that can do full-body training for strength & conditioning! Weight about 1.5 lbs, fits in pocket.
2) TNT Cable: Pure resistance training: squats, full extensions, cable cleans, presses, Russian twists, diagonal chops & lifts, resisted running & backpedaling, 1 arm punches, rows, and lots more. Weight about 1 lb., fits in large pocket.
3) Power Jump Rope: Pure conditioning training: probably the single best tool for overall full-body conditioning. Weight 1.5 lbs, fits in pocket.
We put them all together in the Portable Monkey Bar Gym. It even includes a comprehensive training DVD.
Add more fun to your Backpacks with the following:
The Power Push up: Voted Best piece of exercise equipment by Men Fitness. Can adjust from 20 to 270 lbs of resistance for your push-ups. Weight 2.5 lbs., fits in backpack easily.
The Power Jumper: The Best Jump Training device on the market…and it's portable! Get the Jump Training DVD, it's great. You can do all lower body exercises with it too. Athletes average 6-8" improvements over 12 weeks of training. Weight 2.5 lbs, fits in backpack too.
A Note on the Resistance Cables—3 big points:
1) Non-Fixed ranges of motion—meaning you must react and balance the resistance, this improves motor function and performance greatly.
2) Progressive variable resistance—as cables lengthen they increase in resistance, creating an excellent balance as your leverage becomes greater, it becomes greater.
3) Adjustable resistance—in seconds, you can lighten or increase the resistance. This means you can match body weight movements with precision resistance, can load or resist up to max loads, thus giving covering all levels of strength training from endurance to power.
For those who view portable equipment as a few contraptions of springs and light resistance bands, it would be news to know that the technology has evolved a lot, and today you get a variety of equipment that can give your body an all-round workout that is no less in any way than that of any well-equipped full-fledged gym.
Using portable fitness equipment you would easily be able to achieve your aim of an overall workout right in the comfort of your home and attain your goal, be it increasing the overall appearance and strength and fitness or an increase in performance in any sports activity, or a simple cardiovascular exercise.
Advantages of Portable Fitness Equipment
With this equipment, you can follow up your routine training without any break; hence it is a better form of work-out to improve your health.
You can choose the activity that is personalized for you and can get help online to derive maximum benefit, under expert supervision.
There is a giant variety of portable fitness equipment to decide from, depending upon your choice as well as budget.
You can follow a routine exercise program without having to bother about the timings and dress codes associated with a normal gym.
The overall weight of any equipment is very less (around 1 lb (0.45 kg) to 2.5 lbs) and can fit in a minimal pouch that can be easily carried anywhere.
Variety of Portable Fitness Equipment.
There is a large variety to decide from. Some commonly used items are:
Jungle Gym: Used for complete weight training exercises like push-ups, leg curls, core roll-outs, runners, etc.
TNT Cable: Used for resistance training that includes squats, cable cleans, presses, full extensions, Russian twists, resisted running, diagonal lifts, backpedaling, rows etc.
Power Jump Rope: This is ideal for overall conditioning of the entire body.
Power Push up: This has been voted as the best exercise equipment as per the Men's Fitness magazine. It has adjustable resistance key for push-ups.
The Power Jumper: This is a Jump Training device that is simple in usage and is one of the best weight training equipment available in the market today.
Benefit of fitness equipment
Cardiovascular Exercise
The benefits of cardiovascular exercise cannot be overstated. By performing cardio exercise regularly, your body gains stamina and endurance and becomes more efficient at burning calories.
Another benefit is a more efficient metabolism and a strengthening of the immune system. Cardiovascular exercise can also reduce stress and improve self-esteem.
There are several types of cardio equipment on the market today. Treadmills, exercise bikes, and elliptical trainers are the most popular choices for cardio exercise and are excellent for building cardio endurance and are easy to use as well.
If you have knee problems, then an exercise bike is an exceptional choice. Ironcompany.com offers upright bikes, recumbent bikes, and the popular indoor cycle bike used in spinning classes.
If you prefer walking or running, then check out Iron company's commercial treadmills with computer control panels and built-in programs. They also offer several types of equipment mats and athletic flooring surfaces to help absorb shock and protect flooring surfaces.
Strength Training
If you want to change your overall look and become more tone, then the importance of strength training should not be underestimated. Strength training has been proven to benefit young athletes to seniors. Women, in particular, see tremendous benefits from strength training.
If you desire that “ripped” look, then strength training is absolutely vital if you want to change the visual appearance of your body.
Another added benefit is that strength training creates strong muscle and strengthens ligaments and tendons, which serve to support our joints and decrease the possibility of injury from other activities.
Wouldn't it be great if you could burn more calories throughout the day, even while relaxing? Well, you can make this happen if you strength train. The fact is, the more muscle mass you possess, the more calories you will naturally burn.
So get up and start pumping that iron. Don't forget that muscle weighs approximately 3 times more than fat, so if you have embarked on a fitness regimen of strength training, cardio exercise and a healthy diet, don't be dismayed if the scale goes up instead of down.
A good way to measure your progress is by using a tape measure to keep track of your results. Measure your arms, thighs, waist, hips, and calves and keep a weekly log of your progress.
The proper selection of strength training equipment depends on several factors including, age, fitness goals, health, and budget. One of the most common questions in the fitness industry today is whether to perform strength training using free weights or machines.
Free Weight Equipment
The major advantage of free weights is that they are more efficient in strengthening the whole body. You can perform a wide variety of upper and lower body exercises using just a set of dumbbells. A dumbbell or barbell set is also usually less expensive than a weight machine.
Using free weights also gives you the ability to imitate real life or sports related motions. Weight machines essentially guide your range of movement; however, free weights provide the user with a free-range of motion.
This brings us to the disadvantage of using free weights: safety. Free weights require a much higher amount of control by the user to avoid injury to muscles and joints. Proper technique and the use of the correct amount of weight are critical safety concerns when using free weights.
The most popular free weights are dumbbells and barbells. Dumbbells can be either fixed weight or adjustable with weight plates that can be switched out.
The most popular dumbbells are pro-style fixed weight dumbbells. At Iron company, we offer a wonderful selection of free weights, dumbbells, and dumbbell sets from 5 to 200 lbs. by top manufacturers like Ivanka, Troy, and Cemco in several types of materials including cast iron, rubber-coated, urethane, chrome, and solid steel for low maintenance.
Weight Machines
You may be more inclined to lift heavier because a machine is typically safer than going heavy with free weights. Furthermore, you can also introduce changes to the weight quickly and easily.
Weight machines are typically more expensive than purchasing free weights, which is a consideration if you are setting up a home gym; however, the investment can be well worth it when you see the results they can provide.
There are two types of weight machines: Single exercise machines that are designed for a specific muscle or exercise, and multi-use exercise machines like a home gym or smith machine.
Each of these types of weight machines can have a weight stack or accept weight plates. The obvious advantage to a weight stack or reflectorized machine is the ability to quickly switch weights.
The stack is usually held in place by a pin, and the simple movement of the pin can add or subtract from the weight stack. Free weight machines require the addition or subtraction of weight plates each time you desire a change.
Athletic Flooring
Let's not forget the importance of a proper athletic flooring surface to protect your equipment, flooring surfaces, and help absorb shock and static electricity. Ironcompany.com also specializes in athletic flooring surfaces for weight rooms, gyms, locker rooms, and fitness facilities including interlocking rubber flooring, rubber sports rolls, shower tiles, aerobic tiles, fitness mats, equipment mats, and flooring supplies all at great prices.
Conclusion
Ironcompany.com has hundreds of free weight and weight stack machines to choose from for every type of exercise and every muscle group. One of the hottest items on the market today is the smith machine.
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