Nerdistan

An interesting phenomenon is happening in the treadmill market
these days: a lot of home treadmills are being called
‘commercial grade treadmills’. This can be very confusing for
the treadmill buyer.

What’s the difference between a commercial grade
treadmill a home treadmill, and an actual
commercial treadmill?

First of all there are 2 main categories of treadmills:
commercial and home treadmills.

Commercial treadmills differ from home treadmills in that they
are made for harsher environments, like the gym or health club,
and they are built to withstand frequent use. Because of this
they are built with a much higher grade of components and
subsequently cost more.

For example, most commercial treadmills come with a 4 ply
treadbelt instead of the 2 ply treadbelt standard to most home
treadmills. They also usually come with a much higher powered
motor, built with heavier duty commercial parts.

Commercial treadmill prices are much higher and many of them
start at $4000+ whereas home treadmills can range from $400 to
$3000.

Here’s where it can get confusing: Although there used to be
more of a difference between commercial and home treadmills, the
line is blurring as more and more people buy ‘commercial grade’
treadmills for their homes.

Because of this, brands like Landice put out 2 versions of
their treadmill lines: the Limited (or LTD) series of treadmills
- built for high end home or light commercial use, and the Club
series- built for heavy club or gym environments.

And former commercial treadmill brands like Sole, (who have
been supplying treadmills to hotels like Hilton for years) are
now making their treadmills available to the home market - for a
home treadmill price.

These treadmills can truly be called ‘commercial grade’ meaning
they could be used as a commercial treadmill but is mainly
suited for the high end home gym.

However I’ve noticed that even the cheaper brands of home
treadmills are now starting to call their higher end treadmills
‘commercial grade’.

This doesn’t necessarily mean it is suitable for a health club
or even a high end home gym. In my opinion, it simply means that
the treadmill was built with heavier grade components than other
treadmills in that brand’s line up. It may still be a great buy
if you like that brand name.

However, if I wanted to buy a commercial grade treadmill for my
home I would not choose these cheaper brand names - but that’s
just my preference.

Bottom line? When looking at commercial treadmills for a health
club or gym, consider the brand. Make sure it is a well known
commercial brand with a solid reputation. Some examples are
Landice, LifeFitness and Star Trac.

When looking for a higher end ‘commercial grade’ treadmill for
your home gym, consider a ‘lighter’ version of a commercial
treadmill model or a home treadmill brand that is known for
higher end machines. It will serve you just as well and cost you
thousands less. For more examples of top rated commercial and
commercial grade treadmills visit:

http://www.treadmillreview.net/Article_Commercial_Treadmi
lls.html,

One last note: Keep in mind that commercial treadmills take up a
lot more space than home treadmills and they’re also much
heavier. They may not fold so make sure you have several strong
lifters when you have the treadmill delivered.

Good luck and have fun!

A swimming workout can be a new and refreshing way to get or
stay in shape. Swimming is a full body aerobic sport that tones
muscles, improves strength and flexibility, increases
circulation, controls weight and enhances body contours.

Swimming workouts give you a low impact activity that can
easily be tailored to match your abilities. A good way to gain
cardiovascular stamina is to exercise in a swimming pool.

The secret to a good swimming exercise program is to work with
the water. To accomplish this, propel yourself through the water
by using your abs, hips and shoulders.

To understand why water exercise works so well, you need to
know about water’s unique properties. In water, your body has
almost no gravity. You’re relieved of 90% of your body weight so
you become very buoyant.

You can float, bob and relax without feeling like you’re putting
out any effort. Yet water provides 12 to 14 percent more
resistance than air, so as you move through it, it’s like having
weights around you.

Swimming laps is great exercise in a swimming pool. Try
different strokes to vary the muscles you work to keep your
workout balanced.

Going vertical or upright is another very effective exercise in
water. These types of water workouts include water walking,
jogging, water aerobics, water toning, water therapy, water yoga
and water flexibility training.

You can strengthen your muscles with these vertical water
workouts because you experience 75% greater resistance than
swimming horizontally. This vertical position maximizes the
resistance of water against your movements.

Water based activities can provide significant benefits for
older adults too. In addition to increasing metabolism, physical
activity can improve cardiovascular health and increase
strength, not to mention the psychological and social benefits
as well.

Joining an aquatics class or just sharing a swimming workout
with a friend can help you feel better about yourself. You can
be more socially active, engage in community activities and tend
to not lose your independence because you are more physically
fit.

The bottom line is to choose activities that you enjoy and will
stick with. It is never too late to introduce physical activity
into your life. Swimming workouts can provide a healthy and
enjoyable way to get back the fun you use to have as a child.

Copyright © 2005 Treadmill Info.com All Rights Reserved.

Here is an oxymoron for you: Some of the best Yoga teachers are
great listeners. This is a general guideline for Yoga students
who aspire to teach some day. Listening skills, in Yoga, start
when you take your first class, as you learn by hearing,
watching, and doing.

The Yoga student who learns predominantly by listening will be
able to verbally communicate the finer techniques to others in
the future. This is not to say that other methods of learning
have less value, but a skilled Yoga teacher must be a
communicator and be able to reach into each individual student’s
mind.

Therefore, not all Yoga students can learn from you in the same
way. Some will learn by listening carefully to your cues, others
will gain more from an assist, and some will be able to copy
just by watching. As a Yoga instructor, you still have to be a
good listener when it comes to all of your students’ questions.

Most Yoga teachers do a good job with handling student
questions. However, here is something to think about: Do you try
to clarify why a question is being asked? Consider that your
student may not be clear in his or her communication skills and
you need to “get to the heart of the matter.”

The motivation behind a question is more important than the
question itself. You don’t want to waste your time giving
unrelated information before, after, or during a Yoga class. So,
get a clarification about what you are being asked, and learn
why your Yoga student is truly asking you this question. This
will benefit the both of you and avoid wasting your student’s
time, as well.

If a student asks you a simple question, with a “yes” or “no”
answer, you can still find out the motivational source by
saying, “Yes, but why do you ask?” This technique is really that
simple, and you may find the question is much deeper than you
originally perceived.

Another mistake some Yoga teachers make is handling a question
defensively. Your student thinks enough of you to ask for your
opinion and is interested in your answer. If he or she had no
respect for you, your opinion would not be important. Now,
whether you perceive an objection or not, you should ask for a
clarification before answering.

There is a positive side to all of the questions your Yoga
students ask, but you must clearly see the motive behind the
question in order to give the best answer. The bottom line is:
Even though you are now at the front of the Yoga class, your
listening skills must be better than your best listeners in your
class.

© Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications