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This section also includes sites offering gym and fitness equipment, exercise machines, multi gym, free weight gym, power racks, upper body machines, abdominal and back machines, leg and hip machines, dumbbells and racks, bars, collars, weights, mats, exercise clothing, exercise classes, fitness centres, gymnasiums and sports centres etc. Also offered is a range of aerobic and cardio vascular machines and equipment for the committed sports person or fitness enthusiast. If what you want is not listed here, then please ask us, or suggest a category or site for inclusion.

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Article: Top 5 Reasons to Exercise

1. Exercising makes you healthier and stronger. It lowers blood pressure, resting heart rate and cholesterol. This gives you the ability to do daily chores such as mowing the lawn and taking out the garbage without getting tired and out of breath.

2. Research has shown that exercising makes you happy. It goes beyond feeling good about what you just did, it has to do with chemicals released when you exercise.

3. Exercising doesn't necessarily make you live longer but it does extend the disease free years of your life. In effect you'll stay younger for longer.

4. In the older population, exercising helps slow down bone deterioration and can even reverse it. By exercising, you actually increase bone density and lower the risk of life threatening accidents as you age.

5. Everyone wants to look great and exercise helps you achieve that goal. It lowers your body fat percentage and increases muscle tone which will make you look great for those beach days.

Articles : How to pick a gym:

ten things you must do before you finally break down and commit to any membership

Men's Fitness, August, 2005 by Alwyn Cosgrove

1 MAKE SURE THE LOCATION IS CONVENIENT. Ideally, your gym should be on the route between your home and your job so you see it every day--and have no excuse for not stopping.

2 CHECK OUT THE GYM DURING THE HOURS YOU PLAN TO WORKOUT (and not some afternoon you take off from the office). That way, you'll know exactly the kind of crowd to expect when you start going. Also, scope out the parking lot. How easily are you able to get a space?

3 VISIT THE GYM DURING ITS PEAK HOURS if you're looking fox a trainer. If you can find one who's available, you know exactly whom not to hire--he's probably no good.

4 MAKE SURE THE GYM HAS WHAT YOU NEED. A good gym should have the following: dumbbells that increase by small increments-particularly ranging from five to 50 pounds a set of two dumbbells for every weight up to 50 pounds at least one set of every weight from 55 to 100 pounds at least one squat rack for every 5,000 square feet

5 LOOK UNDER THE CARDIO EQUIPMENT. If you see dust (or worse) under the treadmills, stationary bikes, or elliptical machines, the gym's equipment isn't well maintained.

6 INSPECT THE CLIENTELE. IS the gym crowd mainly young or old, yuppie or hardcore? More important, how do you fit into the mix?

7 LOOK IN THE SHOWER AND THE LOCKER ROOM and ask yourself, Is this a place I want to be naked in?

8 ASK FOR REFERENCES. Talk to the gym's patrons and ask them what they dislike most about the place. If you find they love the wide selection of free weights but complain that the locker rooms are always filthy, you might decide it's worth joining (if you don't mind showering at home).

9 EVALUATE YOUR CONTRACT. Most reputable gyms use closed-ended contracts (when your membership expires, your payments end). Shady gyms tend to offer open-ended deals (even when your membership expires, you continue to be charged until you tell them to stop). It's legit, but sneaky--they hope you won't notice.

10 GET A FREE SAMPLE. A gym should offer some form of free evaluation, introductory workout, or complimentary session before you join. What you notice during a workout may not have even crossed your radar during your first visit.

Alwyn Cosgrove is the co-owner of Results-Fitness in Santa Clarita, Calif.

No bench? no problem: get a great workout despite a crowded gym

Men's Fitness, Sept, 2005 by Alwyn Cosgrove

WALK INTO ANY GYM AND WHAT'S THE FIRST thing you notice (besides the person who hands you a towel at the front desk)? It's probably guys doing bench presses--and even more guys standing around waiting for those guys to finish. But while benching is a great exercise, there's no reason it has to be the all-time most popular gym activity. We can't change human nature, and we can't help free up any equipment--but we can help you work your chest, even when there's no chance in hell of you getting a turn on the bench. The secret? Two simple moves that you can substitute for the bench anytime five bigger guys get to it first: the dip and the pushup.

HERE'S WHAT TO DO

After your warm-up but before your regular routine, go to a dip station and perform five dips [1]. Then immediately drop to the floor and do five pushups [2]. That's one set. Without resting, return to the dip station and do four repetitions, then hit the floor again for four more pushups. Continue alternating between the two exercises, dropping one rep each time until you're down to one rep per exercise--you'll have done 15 total reps for each. Now rest 90 seconds, and repeat the pattern once. (If you can't do another set of five to start, do as many as you can and work down from there.) Each week, try to do one more rep per exercise for each set. So, by week two, you'll start with six reps for the first set of each, then do five, four, and so on for each succeeding set. Changing the angle at which your pecs work will allow you to keep going, hitting them brutally hard the entire length of your workout. In less than a month, you'll have pecs that pop as well as any bencher's, and you'll garner significantly more attention when handing back your towel.

Article: What to Look for When Buying a Home Gym

When buying a home gym there are several things you will want to educate yourself on before making a final purchase in order to ensure you buy the best home gym for you and your family. While there are many things you will need to consider, your budget, goals, space, and personal needs are some of the most important topics to keep in mind. Evaluate all of these points before you start shopping for home gyms.

Budget

First and foremost you need to establish a budget for any strength training equipment you plan to buy. The reason for this is you only want to shop within your budget so as not to cause a financial burden. Once you have evaluated your budget for a home gym you will know what is available to you.

Goals

Before buying a home gym you should also evaluate your goals. Ask yourself why you need a home gym and what will it help you accomplish. Also, ask yourself if there is other fitness equipment that would help you meet your fitness goals. When you know what you are hoping to achieve by purchasing commercial fitness equipment for your home then you will have a better view of what you should buy.

Space

This tip is really important as well because you cannot buy a home gym you do not have space for. If you do this you will certainly never experience any of the benefits because you will not be able to use it. Before shopping for home gyms, or even reading reviews, find an area in your home where you would like to put the exercise equipment and measure the amount of space you have exactly. Take into account as well you will need to maneuver around the machine as well.

Needs

Evaluate your needs when it comes to getting into shape and working out. What parts of your body need the most work and what type of machine will best help you achieve your fitness goals? There are many types of home gyms on the market with a variety of different accessories and options, so you should know what you need and want before shopping and getting talked into a machine that does not meet your needs at all.

Finding Machines that Meet Your Criterion

Now that you are aware of how much you can spend, how much space you have, your personal goals and needs in a home gym then you can start reading reviews about the home gyms and exercise equipment that will meet your criteria.

The best suggestion is to go online and do some product reviews and find out what ratings each machine has that meets your basic standards of price, space, design, and needs. These reviews will really prove helpful because they will shed light on different aspects of the machine that really work and those that do not. Previous owners of the machines also frequently have their e-mail addresses posted so you could respond or either ask a question about a particular machine if you wanted. When you have this information then you will be prepared to start shopping for a home gym knowing that whatever you buy it will be perfectly suited to your needs, fit in your space available as well as your budget.

Shopping for your home gym might begin online or else you might prefer to visit a sporting goods store. Regardless of where you buy, you should always be armed with your information and never let a good sale or salesperson sway you.

The reason for this is if there is a great sale on a machine you might be tempted to buy it, even if it does not meet any of your needs, space, goals, other than budget. Be very careful about this. Also, salespeople will frequently try to talk you into something you do not need or want. Avoid this at all costs and stay focused on the machines you want to look at.

In fact, shopping online might be your best option because there are frequently better prices and no salespeople to worry about and you will probably end up making a better decision and won’t have to worry about loading a heavy machine into your car because it will arrive at your door.

Choosing the Right Machine

Now that you have started the shopping process you will want to locate the top three machines that meet your entire criterion, have the best reviews and ratings, and overall impress you the most. Once you have the top three machines in mind then you can start evaluating them one by one by making a plus and minus list for each machine. Make sure you duly note all things about the machine you really like and are impressed with as well as all of the negatives. After you have completed all of your lists you will then be able to easily compare the three lists and buy the home fitness machine that you have been dreaming of.

Accessories

Once you have purchased your new home gym you might also consider buying some accessories to facilitate your work out and help you get the most out of your fitness routine. Such accessories include stability balls and free weights, among others.

These accessories will not take up much additional room, if any, and can really help you vary your workout and get the most out of your effort. Plus, these accessories don’t cost very much so you won’t be going over you budget by adding them to your checkout.

Buying a home gym does not have to be a difficult or even scary process as long as you do the research and consider all the variables and information available. When you do this you will be sure to not only buy the best machine for you for the best price, but you will also save a lot of time and possible dissatisfaction caused by purchasing the wrong machine. Avoid all of this by simply following the tips outlined above and you will be working out in the comfort of your own home before you know it.

About the author:

Laura Rupert is a successful writer for http://www.homegymsonline.info, your online resource for home gyms and commercial exercise equipment.

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