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To get anywhere, you need to know where you’re starting from and when it comes to weight loss that means giving yourself a basic fitness assessment.

This can be depressing for most people because the results confirm what they have been avoiding: they’re overweight, unfit, and at high risk of heart disease!

But these people a looking at it all wrong. Don’t get depressed, get focused!

This could be one of the biggest turning points in your life. You can get fitter, you can rid yourself of fat, and you can reduce your risk of heart disease. And it doesn’t take much work.

Just commitment!

Ok. Let’s get into the Fitness Assessment. You will need a pen and some paper to write down your measurements, and a cloth measuring tape (like the ones used for sewing). Remember, you should use these results to measure yourself against every 6-8 weeks.

Height

Process:

* Take shoes and socks off.

* Stand against wall with feet together.

* Pull shoulders back and look straight ahead.

* Place a book on top of your head (make sure that it touches the wall and is level).

* Measure from bottom of book to floor.

Weight

This is the one everyone hates. Too much emphasis is placed on weight and it isn’t an accurate measure of how much excess fat you carry. You can burn 10kg of fat but the scales only show you as 5kg lighter. It happens all the time. When you haven’t exercised much and you start a regular program, it can be quite easy to put on a bit of muscle. So remember, your weight is only a measure of gravity (and gravity sucks!).

You should only weigh yourself every couple of weeks. You can measure your progress more accurately with the measuring tape.

Process: * Take shoes and socks off.

* Stand on the scales with feet evenly spaced and weight evenly distributed over both feet.

Resting Heart Rate

This is the number of times that your heart beats, per minute, when totally rested. It’s best to measure this when you first wake up.

Process:

* Sit on a chair and use the first two fingers on your left hand to feel for your pulse on your right wrist. Your palm should be turned up, and you will feel it on the right side of the wrist.

* Count how many beats you have in 60 seconds.

If your heart is healthy, it will be below 80 beats per minute. As you get fitter, your resting heart rate drops, which means that your heart doesn’t have to work as hard. Your goal should be to reach 50-60 beats.

Girth Measurements

Measure your waist, stomach, and hips. Keep the tape measure firm. This is what you will measure your improvements against.

The measuring points can be found at these locations:

Waist: This is the smallest place between your hips and your chest

Stomach: In line with your navel.

Hips: This is the biggest measurement at the pelvis.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body Mass Index basically measures your level of fatness (I know, I just made that word up!).

It’s calculated using the formula: BMI = ( Weight in Kilograms / ( Height in Meters ) x ( Height in Meters ) ). So if your height is 1.73 meters (173cm) and your weight is 90 kilograms, you would start by multiplying 1.73 * 1.73. This equals 2.99. Next you would divide that number into your weight (90).

Therefore, the formula would look like: 90 divided by 2.99 = 30.1!

If you don’t use the metric system, use this formula: BMI = ( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches ) x ( Height in inches ) ) x 703

Although a small amount of excess body fat (26-27) is not likely to be very harmful to the health of most people, having a BMI above 30 (obese) significantly increases the risks of a wide range of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis, and gall bladder disease. This is especially true for people who have excess fat in the abdominal area.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio

This measures your risk of heart attack. It does this by assessing body fat distribution. The closer the score is to 1.00, the higher the risk of heart disease. A good score is <0.88. It can be measured by dividing your waist measurement (cm), by your hip measurement (cm)

The fitness industry has become big business as more and more people work out to get in shape. Many companies have gotten onboard the bandwagon, and the number of different types and brands of home exercise equipment available is amazing. While it is great to have options, trying to figure out which piece of home fitness equipment is right for you can be an overwhelming process. One way to help manage all this information is to identify what type of exercise or training you plan to do. Add in other factors such as your personal fitness level, budget, and space available and pick the equipment that best fits your criteria.

What Is Your Goal?

Before purchasing an exercise bike, treadmill or other type of home fitness equipment, it is important to decide what it is you hope to accomplish. Are you trying to lose weight? Perhaps you want to get in shape, tone your muscles? Maybe you want a good cardio workout? Or you may have several of these results in mind. Exercise equipment varies in its effectiveness in certain areas and by knowing what you want from your workout, you will be able to focus on those that do what you want.

Assess your Fitness Level

Also do an assessment of your comfort level with different types of exercise or movement. Do you have weak knees or a bad back? Would you rather sit than stand? How is your balance? Each type of home fitness equipment requires you to use different posture and movements and you don’t want to pick something that will cause injury or irritate an existing condition. You also don’t want equipment that is uncomfortable to use because it will be difficult to stick to your routine.

Space Considerations

The fact is, if you live in a small apartment or have limited space in your home, you may not have room for a large piece of equipment like a home gym or weight sets. Many pieces of equipment fold up for storage, but if you have to move the coffee table or love seat every time you want to fold out the treadmill, you are less likely to exercise on a regular basis.

What’s In Your Wallet?

Some exercise equipment can be quite expensive, especially for a quality product. On the other hand, you can purchase some equipment off TV ads or special promotions for a very reasonable price, but does the stuff really work? And will it last for more than a few weeks? Most experts recommend that you wait to purchase home fitness equipment until you can afford to purchase something that has good customer satisfaction ratings and is made by a respected fitness equipment manufacturer. Also be aware that some types of equipment cost more than others and may not fit your needs or your budget no matter how long you save.

Consider Your Choices

Once you have assessed your needs and situation, you can evaluate the different types of equipment against your criteria.

Exercise bikes have been around for decades and have improved in design and function over the years. They have been proven to provide weight loss and health benefits if used consistently and correctly. They offer a good cardio workout as well, while limiting impact and injury to knees and other leg joints. They typically do not fold up and can tend to take up space. Exercise bikes fall in the economy or moderate range for price in comparison to other types of home fitness equipment, although some can be quite expensive, especially if they are computerized.

Recumbent exercise bikes, which put users in a slightly reclined position, place less stress on the back and knees but tend to cost more. Some people find the position and motion uncomfortable if they are used to traditional bike riding.

Treadmills are another type of fitness equipment that has been around for some time. They also provide a good cardio workout if properly used, and many come with built in features such as an adjustable platform and computerized workout to help enhance the effects of your exercise routine. There is some jarring and joint stress involved with running, on a treadmill or other surface, so this equipment may not be a good choice for those with knee and hip concerns.

Some treadmills fold up for storage, making them a good choice for those with limited space. Treadmills run the gamut in price range, and can usually fit in any budget, but in most cases you get what you pay for and a very inexpensive model may not be safe or effective.

Elliptical trainers are the latest craze in home fitness equipment. They provide the exercise benefits of walking or running while eliminating the impact on hips, knees, or ankles. This can be good for those with injuries or weakness in those areas. But others who are concerned about building or maintaining bone density may prefer a different type of equipment.

Some elliptical machines fold up to save space when not in use. They generally fall in the mid to higher price range compared to other types of fitness equipment, and again, price often reflects quality.

A stair stepper provides another choice for those who want to burn calories and get a good cardio workout with reduced impact to knees and hips. Stepping height can be adjusted to accommodate different body sizes and fitness levels, however, it can be easy to put too much stress on ankles and back when using a stair stepper. Both size and price are in the moderate range.

Some people prefer the variety and intensity provided by a home gym or weight training station. People are more likely to exercise if they have several different options to choose from, and a selection of different or adjustable equipment provides the opportunity to target all areas of the body. However, home gyms tend to take up more space than other equipment and will almost always cost more for quality equipment. It may also be important to have instructions before using some features of the gym to avoid injury.

There are many other types of home fitness equipment, including free weights, ski machines, ab machines, and hybrids like exercise riders. Be sure to research a piece of equipment before buying and avoid those that make claims that sound too good to be true – they probably are.

Many fitness experts and trainers recommend that you try out a piece of equipment before purchasing to be sure it feels comfortable. If buying online, try to find a gym or exercise store that has the equipment and give it a test ride. Most companies charge shipping and handling to return online orders if you return an item for reasons other than manufacturer defects or damage.

With all the choices for home fitness equipment available, you are sure to find a machine that fits your needs and budget. It just takes a bit of realistic planning.

About the Author:

C.J. Gustafson is a successful writer for Fitness-N-Exercise-Equipment.com,
your complete guide to home exercise equipment, the
best treadmill reviews, ab machines,
weight
training equipment and more.

Copyright 2005 Fitness-N-Exercise-Equipment.com

Permission is granted to publish this article on your site only if the
author’s byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.

Is there something specific you don’t like about how your training is coming along? No matter how we are progressing, we always have something we think could be improving faster, right? And for most guys, they want to be the owner of an impressive bench press.

If that’s what you are looking for, it’s time to prioritize your training. Not only will this help improve a weak point, but it will give yourself a new shot of enthusiasm with your training as a whole and ultimately that is what’s really important. After all, you’re not going to get the body you want if you don’t train.

Let’s take a look at a routine I used to priortize my chest training. I’m just not built to bench press so it’s always been a frustrating point of my training. Have you seen those guys who bench huge numbers? They have a really small range of motion because they have short arms and are barrel chested. The bar just doesn’t have to move very far. They are built perfectly for the bench press exericse.

Not me. I have long arms and the bar has to travel a long way to go from my chest up to lockout. After being stuck for a long long time, I decided to really give it priority and do some things differently than I’ve done in the past.

Here’s what my 8 week chest training routine looked like

I worked out three days per week, on nonconsecutive days, such as Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.

Day 1

Bench Press 4 x 6, 6, 5, 4

Flat bench flyes 2 x 10

Seated Alternat Dumbbell Presses 2 x 8

Dumbbell Upright Rows 2 x 12

Incline One Arm Dumbbell Laterals 1 x 12

Lying Tricep Extensions 2 x 8

Overhead Tricep Extensions 1 x 12

Triceps Dumbbell Kickbacks 1 x 15

Day 2

Deadlifts 2 x 6

Negative Only Bench Presses 4 x 3, 3, 2, 1

Pec Deck Flyes 1 x 12

Undergrip Pulldowns 2 x 8

Machine Pullovers 2 x 10

Stiff Armed Pulldowns 2 x 10

Day 3

Squats 2 x 8

Sissy Squats 1 x 15

Leg Extensions 2 x 12

Incline DB Curls 1 x 10

Barbell Curls 1 x 10

Incline DB Hammer Curls 1 x 10

DB Concentration Curls

As you can see, I worked my chest twice a week with more intense work while working my other body parts only once per week. Even so, I still only hit the gym 3 days per week, giving myself ample recovery time for the stress I was placing on my chest and body as a whole.

This prioritization allowed me to jump my max bench press 45 pounds in only 8 weeks! And that was as long as I was gonna do this. After those 8 weeks, my body needed a break from that type of training and I didn’t perform any serious chest work for the next two weeks.

Looking back, I probably would’ve been smarter to end this routine after 7 weeks instead of going the full 8 weeks.

Use this routine as a starting point for some ideas on how you can focus on your weak point.

And here’s a tip for all you long armed bench pressers as well as anyone that either get’s some shoulder pain from bench pressing or just plain feels the bench press a lot in the shoulders. Try doing decline bench presses instead. You’ll find that it places less stress on the shoulders and more stress on the pecs where it belongs. For most people, the decline actually puts you in a more advantageous position than the flat bench and puts much less stress on your rotator cuff as well.

At one time, or another, we all think, “Why am I here?” Sometimes we think, “Why do I even bother?” Thinking about giving up is a temptation for all of humankind, but we continue to pursue our goals just like our ancestors did.

My wife, Marie, puts it bluntly, “You have two choices, push forward or give up.” Sometimes, it is a joy to sit in the back of her Yoga classes, so I can listen to a candid approach to life and teaching Yoga.

Look at how far we have come as a species in regards to Yoga, art, holistic health, medicine, technology, and much more. It is easy to look at the downside of humanity, but a lot of our ancestors did not give up. In fact, they recorded past failures and achievements from which we could learn.

As a Yoga practitioner, or Yoga teacher, you have the ability to learn a complete health maintenance system, “loaded with archives.” The archives of Yoga are so plentiful that none of us will be able to study, digest, and practice it all in one lifetime. We know that knowledge is power, and Yoga will improve our lives exponentially.

In getting back to making excuses: Everyone makes them now and then. Some Yoga practitioners have stated they are too old, too stiff, and too weak to continue practicing with intensity. Most Yoga students, interns, and Yoga teachers, will admit to being distracted by life. Sometimes, this is a good thing because your body, or mind, needs a rest, and a little change is harmless.

However, this is not an endorsement to avoid the benefits of steady Yoga practice. Also, this is not an endorsement to become a “couch potato.” Having worked with Yoga students who have a variety of physical disabilities, Yoga can be practiced on your couch, on the floor, in your bed, or sitting down.

Granted, some of the vigorous styles of Yoga would have to be modified, but there is still no reason to abandon Yoga practice for long. Having seen the improvement of Yoga students in wheelchairs, and hospital beds, there is no reason why the study of Yoga should be, “put on the back burner.”

There is a saying that, “Seeing is believing.” This is true for most of the world, but the evidence of improved health, from steady Yoga practice, is obvious. If you want to worry less, become stronger, become more flexible, or clear your mind, Yoga does all of these things and much more.

There is no excuse for keeping the gift of Yoga to yourself. If you have seen Yoga improve your life, you are a “witness”, and you have the ability to help others improve their lives. Almost every obstacle that life throws in front of us can be overcome, unless we give up.

© Copyright 2005 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications