After reviewing one Pilates For Beginners program after another I can’t find one that I’d recommend for complete beginners. Sure there are thousands of different books and DVD’s on the market many of them written by some of the current Pilates superstars but none of them really suitable for a complete beginner.

They all assume some Pilates knowledge and aren’t a complete Pilates program. The books are difficult to understand and I don’t know anyone who could learn and apply the correct form from a book alone. The DVD’s are great but how can you perform a Pilates exercise whilst watching the TV?

What’s required is a product that has written instructions, video showing how to perform the exercises and an audio track you can use to sequence the workout.

I’m in the middle of creating such a product which will be a monthly subscription program that month by month will teach you all you need to know to be able to learn Pilates at home and get well known benefits safely and effectively.

If you would like to learn more about my Pilates For Beginners program please click the link and discover for yourself how learning Pilates at home could be easier than you think.

Posted by: At Home Workout Reviews

Pilates For Beginners

And you’re now feeling the pinch – of your pants that is – being slightly too snug round the waist line.  And you’ve also hit the awful realisation that It Isn’t Christmas; It’s Monday. But don’t despair, throw yourself off the roof or reach for the cookie jar – read on about how to get the body of your dreams in 2010. After All, Tomorrow Is Another Day.

(You can tell I’ve gone loco when I start quoting from all the old movies I watched over Christmas instead of exercising!)

The one exciting thing about this dull, grey time of the year is that there is usually some new exercise product on the market, and it’s the perfect time to start on your resolution to slim down, tone up and help yourself to a better life.

A very recent product that has just caught my eye and fired me up is the brand new Iso Bo Body Pro System which has been developed and patented by a duo based in Hollywood who specialise in Martial Arts training and Pilates; now there’s an interesting combination!

The Iso Bo looks very straightforward when you first see it, but has hidden depths.  I’m always mega-enthusiastic about any product that is portable, durable and has more than one function, and Iso Bo ticks every box and is a realistic price too.  Shaped like a flat bar with handle grips at each end, it can be pulled, pushed, held, lifted and bent to target every major muscle group in your body.

At first glance it resembles the former Bullworker which was popular many aeons ago when I was young.  At that time the Bullworker was marketed towards hulking men with bulging muscles, but now the benefits of building and toning muscle is known to all, not just male exercisers.  Women are now much more educated regarding exercise, and know that they won’t develop bulky muscles if they use strength equipment – on the contrary, they will burn buckets of fat while toning muscles to a sleek and beautiful shape.

As soon as you start to use the Iso Bo you will feel it start to work, because as soon as you move any of the handles, it creates tension in your muscles, and your core must also work to maintain your posture.  This means you can change the position of the Iso Bo and strengthen your core whilst specifically targeting any part of your body that you want to — think of toning up those floppy underarms, those droopy shoulder and chest muscles, and tightening and trimming your legs, abs and butt.

And that’s before you even try any of the Pilates exercises.  And the more muscles you use, the more calories you burn at the same time.  Add some cardio workouts like brisk walking, cycling or swimming every week and in just a month you will begin to notice the difference in your body, as your fat melts away to reveal the new shapely you.  And you’ll feel so much better — more energised, more alert and more prepared than ever before to face whatever life throws at you.

The ingenious Iso Bo comes complete with a lifetime replacement guarantee, two sets of resistance bands, a neat carry bag and two DVDs featuring Martial Arts expert Harry Mok and celebrity Pilates Trainer Kim Lees.  You also get a Simply Slimmer diet guide devised by celebrity nutritionist Christine Avanti, plus an at-a-glance pictorial guide to all the exercises.  All this comes to you at a very reasonable price of $99.99 (plus $14.95 S&H) although there is also an optional 30 day Free Trial.

It’s never too late to get the body of your dreams, and the Iso Bo will help you on your way.

Posted by: At Home Workout Reviews

The Iso Bo Body Pro System Review

New equipment in one park to the north of Tokyo has proved so popular that over a dozen elderly Japanese at a time make their way there even in freezing temperatures to exercise, socialise and have fun; where once the squeals of children playing were heard there are now peals of laughter from the senior citizens as they do press ups and balance on special equipment.

Life expectancy in Japan is high, with more and more people now living well into their 80s and 90s.  Combined with falling birth rate, this is posing a social problem for the Japanese government as even in Japan it is more common in elderly people to live alone than with their families as in previous generations.  This means there is a high demand for sheltered housing and nursing homes and this is where the idea of the elderly exercising comes into play, as healthy people are able to live independently for longer and are also much happier that way.

One of the major problems with getting older is becoming isolated, and these new senior play parks are also providing important socialisation opportunities for the users; in fact some local residents say laughingly that the oldies can actually become quite boisterous!

Local councils in Japan are delighted with popularity of these parks.  An exercise instructor is on hand to demonstrate how to use the equipment, and then the seniors are left in peace to play, with the instructors commenting how quickly they catch on to ideas and how much easier they are to teach than many youngsters.

Other exercise related posts:

Put the Kettleworx Exercise System on
What on earth is a T-Bow?

Posted by: At Home Workout Reviews

Workout Equipment For Senior Citizens

During the study several thousand youngsters aged 15 were checked, and it was found that those with more fat had stronger and thicker bones, especially the girls who are far more likely to suffer from the painful fractures associated with osteoporosis in later life; it is an established fact that older women are three times as likely to sustain hip fractures than men of the same age.

Research leader Dr Tobias, a university Professor of Rheumatology says that young girls need to be aware that by trying to copy the looks of their favourite star they may be putting themselves at risk.  Moderate levels of fat in the body during the teenage years of growth are absolutely essential for absorption of vitamins A, D and K as well as the strengthening of growing bones, as by age 18 most bone growth and thickening is complete.

Exercise at any age is very important in maintaining a healthy body weight.  Due to the current trend for teenagers spending several hours a day on Facebook or in front of the television, more traditional pastimes played outside are being forgotten.  Low impact exercise such as walking is very good for general health, but as bones respond directly to stresses placed upon them, for young people more higher impact exercise such as running, jumping and skipping are essential for optimal bone density.

Posted by: At Home Workout Reviews

Skinny Girls Risk Brittle Bones

Pole dancing requires considerable upper and lower body strength and core stability, as you rely on your arms and shoulders to support your weight while your legs grip the pole.  For novice exercisers this can be incredibly challenging and they really should not attempt any more spectacular moves until they have mastered the basics.

The lady involved is suing the NYC gym as she claims that she informed the instructor  she was unable to support her body weight when it was her turn to try a challenging upside-down manoeuvre, but the instructor did not assist her, resulting in her falling from the pole and sustaining significant injuries to her shoulders. She is claiming unspecified damages for negligence in supervision on the part of the gym chain.

The word of warning here is that novice or out-of-condition exercisers should never attempt manoeuvres beyond their capability, no matter what the class instructor says.  Pole dancing looks effortless and sexy when performed by a professional but it must be remembered that many hours of practice over probably several years are necessary to gain this proficiency.  On the plus side, if you stick with this delightful and sexy form of exercise you can expect to burn as many calories as running for an hour, with the added bonus that you will trim, shape and strengthen your entire body.  Just be ready for sore arms and legs and bruised thighs!

Posted by: At Home Workout Reviews

Pole Dancing Injury Lawsuit

Hannah is only 5′2″ high and was shocked by seeing a picture of herself resembling Mr Blobby.  With the help of a nutritionist and exercise coach she set out to transform her body, eating nourishing high-protein foods little and often and exercising regularly in short bursts.  This type of working out is called interval training and alternates bursts of intense activity (swimming, running, rowing or cycling) with periods of recovery at a slower pace.

This has long been the training method for athletes and gives excellent results surprisingly quickly.  Hannah’s DVD follows this idea, comprising 3 x 20 minute routines and an extra 10 minute abs and core workout, and Hannah claims that this type of exercising done for an hour three times a week meant that she lost fat at the same time as building muscle and gave her fabulous results in a short five months.

Most personal trainers will tell you that this is the way to go; eat small regular meals, cut down on portion size, eat lots of fruit and veg, minimal junk food and alcohol and your body will change in a way you never thought possible.  Oh, and you will also feel miles better and will have reduced your risk of heart disease and some cancers by up to 50%.  Not a bad thought to be going on with!

You could also try The Firm Wave or Cardio Twister to help you lose that excess weight.

Posted by: At Home Workout Reviews

Hannah Waterman – New Celebrity Workout

According to a best-selling Canadian author, there are several ways to lose weight without fad dieting and these consist of  common sense solutions called “eating clean”.  Tips include not depriving yourself of food that you enjoy because this leads to binges, which leads to putting more weight on and feeling guilty, which leads to further deprivation.  This is not good for your body and definitely not good for your mind, temper, and loved ones.

It is pointless setting yourself a goal of losing 10 lb in a week.  If you eat clean you should drop around two pounds a week; this does not sound much but equates to between 16 and 18lb in two months, which will have you at least one dress size smaller and feeling a lot better.  If you have a friend who is also trying to lose weight, this can be a great motivator as you can find ways to exercise together and exchange ideas regarding sensible recipes.  Forums online can be a great place to find a like-minded weight-loss buddy.

Most importantly of all, be gentle with yourself.  That does not mean pat yourself on the head and eat a chocolate bar everyday, it just means that if you make a mistake or have a bad day or get caught out with no healthy food in the house, don’t give up and don’t beat yourself up.  Put it behind you and get back on track the next day.

Don’t forget at home exercise equipment like the ViPR and Kettle Worx can help you with your fat loss goals.

Posted by: At Home Workout Reviews

Lose Weight For Good By Not Dieting

Sadly, say the experts, it’s unlikely your particular device will be particularly accurate.  True, they can get it right, but they can also be way out – up to 30% too high or too low in some cases.  The problem is that everyone is different, it depends on the intensity and duration of the exercise, how many muscle groups you’re using at the same time, and so on -  to get an accurate figure would mean being wired up to space age machinery in a special room, so is simply not practical for your average person.

The calorie counting machines that we all love so much are simply making a guess based on your weight, heart rate and how heavily you are breathing (your oxygen consumption).  But even if your calorie counter starts off accurate, calories burned will alter as you get fitter, as your body will expend as little energy and burn as few calories as it possibly can; a survival trait left over from caveman days!

It stands to reason that the more the machine costs, the more accurate it is likely to be.  Fitness company Life Fitness which supplies top range gym equipment has 38 cal counting programs on its machines, and the client enters their current weight, age and heart rate. More accurate than most, but the best indication of calories burned is also the simplest – how tight are your jeans?

Other articles of interest:

The Kettleworx Workout – Kettle Bells are nothing new but…
The Shake Weight – Saint or Sinner

Posted by: At Home Workout Reviews

How Many Calories Are You Burning?

The letters stand for Vitality Performance and Reconditioning, and this neat piece of kit will do all of those.  It looks like a bit of old pipe, is made from heavy duty rubber with evenly distributed weights within it, and is frankly as tough as an old welly; it can be pulled, pushed, lifted, swung, thrown and even stepped on to give a full body workout that will use muscles you never knew you had.

The new brainchild of a well-known fitness company, the ViPR comes in several weights ranging from 4 kg to 20 kg, so is suitable for both sexes and all age groups.  In fact it is showing so much promise that the Virgin Active gym chain has introduced the ViPR to all of its 70+ gyms across the country. To get the same workout effect as the ViPR you would have to use several small pieces of current gym equipment such as barbells, dumbbells and a medicine ball.  As you can also step on it, it replaces using a BOSU or balance board for stability training and increased core toning.

Although proving popular in the gym it is also a perfect piece of equipment for home workout use, suitable for toning legs, arms  chest, shoulders and abs – in fact any part of the body that you care to target – and you get a superb functional workout at the same time as your core or postural muscles work to stabilise your body while you use the ViPR, unlike conventional exercise machines that lock you into place.  Indeed the new ViPR is currently “Viping The Nose” of other contenders in the lucrative fitness equipment market.

Posted by: At Home Workout Reviews

The ViPR Review – A New Way To Exercise

So is the Shake Weight that killer piece of equipment?

The marketing blurb claims:

• It’s a new workout system called Dynamic Inertia
• It’ll help you get toned and lean arms
• It targets the dreaded Bat Wings (floppy meat under the arms)
• Can give fantastic results in just 6 mins a day
• Causes more muscle fibres to be used compared to a similar weight dumb bell

It reminds me of the Flexi Bar which works on the same principle and has the same limitations. I have no major argument with this product and believe anything that causes people to exercise is a good thing and unlike many other gimmicks this product does not make outrageous claims although 6 mins a day is a bit rich!

If this piece of equipment will motivate you to exercise go for it just be aware of a couple of limitations:

• You can’t workout your lower body with the Shake Weight
• At $19.99 + P&H it’s inexpensive because you could buy a full set of dumb bells for the same price
• Building muscle is building muscle and this piece of equipment has no magic properties compared to any other piece of exercise equipment
• You can’t add weight to the Shake Weight (only one size) so even assuming it’s effective you’ll soon out grow it.

Having said all that if you have a spare $20 this is a simple and easy to use piece of workout equipment and if nothing else could be used as an addition to your current workout to make it less boring and to vary it slightly. For myself I’ll stick with my dumb bells – call me boring if you like

My favourite pieces of equipment (and most effective) would have to be The Firm Wave or The KettleWorx both are more expensive but in my opinion if you invest the time and effort WILL give you a great return on your investment.

But if you’re bound and determined to take a look you can find the Shake Weight here

Posted by: At Home Workout Reviews

Shake Weight Reviews – Killer Workout Or Usual Rubbish?