Fitness

Test a Treadmill Before You Buy – The 5 & 5 Demonstration

Once you step into a fitness equipment retailer, it can become daunting to think about trying out all of your options. Aside from checking out aesthetics, testing the performance of a piece of equipment, including a treadmill, is equally important. Here are a couple of tips to help you through the process. I like to demonstrate […]

Fitness

Ask an expert: Barefoot running and marathon training

Ask Coach Jenny Q: Is starting barefoot running training a bad idea when combined with marathon training with existing trainers? A: It’s not that it’s a bad idea as much as it is an aggressive one. When training for a marathon, the training plan consistently builds in mileage, intensity and volume through the season. Traditional […]

Fitness

How to Eliminate Elliptical Noise

The only noise you want to hear when working out on your elliptical is your music, or the sound of those calories burning up! Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect world and noise can occur over time from using your elliptical. Not necessarily caused by worn parts, noises can occur with use of your machine as […]

Fitness

Turning Energy Saver™ Mode On and Off

Our Classic, Elegant and Touch consoles include an environmentally friendly feature called Energy Saver™ mode. When the feature is activated, the console will go to sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity to save power. A small green LED will light on the display alerting you that the machine is in Energy Saver™ mode. For technical […]

Fitness

Turning Energy Saver™ Mode On and Off

Fitness

Turning Energy Saver™ Mode On and Off

Fitness

Secrets of centenarians

In the ongoing fight against aging, researchers have focused in on so-called “Blue Zones,” where people live — and live well — deep into their 90s and 100s. These places, scattered from Costa Rica to Japan, have become a sort of Mecca for longevity for researchers who seek desperately to understand the common denominator. This examination has […]

Fitness

10 Tips to Stay Motivated with Your Home Workouts

Working out from the comfort of your own home provides numerous benefits that a gym membership cannot offer. They require less travel and prep time, as well as provide a safe environment and a comfortable atmosphere where you can focus on your workout without worrying about other gym goers. Your home provides instant access to […]

Fitness

Active in the snow: Cross country skiing

When snow covers the ground, your activity level could decrease dramatically, and understandably so. Not only can it be difficult just to move in all that snow and slush, but it can be equally hard to find the motivation to do so. The problem is further complicated if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). […]

Fitness

Setting Up Your Home Gym

In today’s fast-paced life, incorporating enough cardiovascular, strength and flexibility exercise to keep you fit and healthy can be a challenge. Creating a workout plan and a home workout area is an economical and convenient way to achieve your desired results. Before you start setting up a home gym, establish a budget and a workout […]

Fitness

Create Your Own Custom Intervals Program

Interval training has been a hot topic in fitness this year. Combining short bursts of high-intensity exercise with longer durations of active rest can improve cardiovascular health, increase your energy levels and provide fat-burning results long after your workout ends, among other benefits. Although the Touch console features the medically proven Sprint 8® workout for […]

Fitness

Ask an expert: How to optimize your pre-run nutrition

Ask Coach Jenny Q: I am an afternoon runner and find it challenging to know what to eat before my runs. I often have stomach upset but I don’t want to skip lunch either. How should I eat during the day to avoid stomach problems? Thanks. ~John A: That is no fun, John, but the […]

Fitness

Is Functional Training Right for You?

Functional training is a very popular term in the fitness community and with the general public these days. Although fitness professionals and enthusiasts are teaching and using the concepts, many in the mainstream population are not that familiar with the potential benefits and actual improvements these training methods could bring to their daily lives. What […]

Fitness

Equipment-free strength training at home

It’s no surprise that bodyweight strength training is one of the hottest trends in fitness today. A natural complement to workouts on your home fitness equipment, this approach to strength training uses your bodyweight as resistance, making for accessible workouts you can take anywhere. The level of difficulty can easily be adapted to your level […]

Fitness

Choosing the Perfect Workout Playlist

By Bryce Faddis via eReplacementParts All of us have our own unique workout routine. For many, this means spending your lunches at the gym, working specific muscle groups or listening to your favorite songs. Music has become a necessary workout companion for most fitness nuts. And believe it or not, there are good reasons behind […]

Fitness

Ask an expert: Resolution to run this spring

Ask Coach Jenny Q: I had a wonderful holiday season but really let my fitness go to the wayside. I’m not one for setting resolutions, but do you have any tips for where to start and how to get moving again? I was running four times per week for 4-6 miles and I’d like to […]

Fitness

Ask an expert: Perceived effort a better way to train than “race pace”

Ask Coach Jenny Q: How do you find your ‘marathon pace’ or ‘race pace’ (5k, 10K pace)? I know my usual pace for training runs, and have done a couple of half-marathons, but I’m not sure what is meant by those terms for training purposes? ~Pam A: There’s nothing more confusing than to be a […]

Fitness

Some of the Best Elliptical Features: Incline and Foldable Frame

There are numerous choices when it comes to Elliptical trainers. But which choice is best for you? There are a number of things to consider when purchasing an elliptical for your home: How does the elliptical feel, what price point are you most comfortable with, which features you require, where will you put the elliptical […]

Fitness

Could a high-fat diet save your health?

Fat gets a bad rap. We work hard to burn it off our bodies, keep it off and rid our diets of it. Regardless of this social stigma, fat is an essential nutrient that is vitally important to a healthy lifestyle. True, there is an important distinction between healthy and unhealthy fats. Still, the very […]

Fitness

Exercising During Pregnancy

Exercising during pregnancy is just as important as eating right and getting good rest. Sure, we women attempt to take good care of ourselves on a regular basis, but pregnancy seems to elevate our focus on seeking out nutritious foods to help baby develop. But sometimes fitness can fall by the wayside to first trimester […]

Fitness

10 tricks to make your New Year's resolutions stick

Happy New Year! If you’re like many Americans, you’ll resolve to lose weight, hit the gym every day, drink less alcohol or kick your cigarette habit. Unfortunately, few New Year’s resolutions last past January. But that doesn’t mean you should give up hope and enter the New Year without a resolution. Redefining Resolution A resolution […]

Fitness

Should I Exercise When I Have a Cold?

If you’re dedicated to your fitness routine or hit the gym on a consistent basis, coming down with a cold may be enough to derail your workouts indefinitely. But do you really need to abandon the exercise ship at the first sign of some sniffling or sinus congestion? Before you throw in the towel, consider […]

Fitness

Use your home fitness equipment and set New Year's resolutions that stick

Although investing in fitness equipment for your home certainly makes it easier to stick to your healthy lifestyle New Year’s resolutions, it’s not a guarantee that you’ll stay with your plan. If you’re thinking about making fitness the focus of your New Year’s resolutions this year, here are a few ways to make sure you […]

Fitness

How to Align and Tension Your Treadmill Running Belt

Having trouble with keeping your running belt straight and centered? The running belt may stretch with use, causing it to fall out of alignment, shifting too far to the left or the right. This can also create unnecessary noise and wear on the running belt. Most commonly, the running belt may come out of alignment […]

Fitness

Ask an Expert: Time-crunched treadmill workouts

Ask Coach Jenny Q: I struggle this time of year to get in my workouts and I’m limited to the treadmill. Do you have any suggested workouts for the time-crunched runner? ~Jessica A: Hi, Jessica. You’re not alone. In fact, this time of year is when activity falls by the wayside in lieu of parties, […]

Fitness

Train with the Intervals Program on Your Exercise Bike for a Change of Pace

The Intervals program on a Vision Fitness® upright or recumbent bike can be a valuable tool in your fitness regimen. Bikes are a great way to get your cardio training in, while giving your skeletal system a break from the stress of a weight-bearing exercise like treadmill running. One of the keys to exercising on […]

Fitness

5 Ways to fit in fitness during the holidays

The holiday season means plenty of shopping, cooking, eating, drinking and … exercise. Exercise? If you’re like most people, maybe not so much. Hectic schedules — coupled with colder temperatures and fewer daylight hours — prompt many people to throw their fitness routine to the curb until after the New Year. But you don’t have to […]

Fitness

Passport™ Media Player with Virtual Active™

Passport™ Media Player with Virtual Active™ transforms a normal indoor workout into a dynamic outdoor adventure. Featuring stunning HD videos from some of the most beautiful destinations around the world, users choose when and where they want to exercise. Explore the scenic diversity of Northern Italy or follow the River Aar out of the mountains […]

Fitness

Passport™ Media Player with Virtual Active™

Fitness

Passport™ Media Player with Virtual Active™

Fitness

Holiday HIIT. Fast home workouts to stay fit this season

We all know that finding time to work out is tough this time of year, but if burning off those holiday calories has you envisioning long sessions on your treadmill or elliptical, think again. Research is showing that efficient, challenging and short interval workouts are highly effective at burning fat, building muscle and bringing home […]

Fitness

6 Holiday stress-busters

As much fun as the holiday season can be, it’s also notorious for stress. You have parties to plan, family politics to navigate, children to please and an increasingly challenging schedule to somehow work your way through. A fortunate few thrive in this environment, letting the extra pressure energize them. For the rest of us, […]

Fitness

Tips for Purchasing a New Exercise Bike

During my days as a sales representative, it always amazed me when people in need of an exercise bike would typically ask a lot of questions about bikes, but would rarely get on and try them. There are many exercise bikes on the market and, like any other product, there are designs that will fit […]

Fitness

Ask an expert: How to train for your first marathon

Ask Coach Jenny Q: How do I start training for a marathon if I’ve never done running before? – Jordana A: Hi Jordana (pretty name btw). There are a lot of ways to train up for a marathon, but most only focus on the physical aspects. When going from the couch to the marathon, your […]

Fitness

5 Tips to Maintain Your Fitness During the Holiday Season

The holiday season is notorious for decadent treats, calorie-laden drinks and a jam-packed schedule. So it’s no wonder that the Thanksgiving feast, watching football and festive beverages are in your top 10 list of things to be thankful for kicking off this holiday season. However, breaking out the elastic waistbands and stocking up on cookies […]

Fitness

Ask an expert: What is the best way to recover after a race?

Ask Coach Jenny Q: How do I recover after short and long races – 5K to marathon? ~Jeff A: Great question, Jeff! The short, sweet, tweet-sized answer is – invest one day for every mile in the race. Although this is very general, it can work in keeping things simple. So, the shorter the race, […]

Fitness

7 Tips to Consider When Purchasing a Treadmill

Are you looking to buy a treadmill in the near future? Walking into a fitness store can be an overwhelming event. There’s typically a wide variety of equipment to view and consider buying for your home. But it doesn’t have to be a fearful experience. Armed with some sound advice, you can find the perfect […]

Fitness

5 Healthy alternative Thanksgiving meals

There’s a reason Thanksgiving dinner leaves you wanting to fall asleep in the middle of the ballgame, and it’s not just the fact that you ate until you had to unbutton your pants. The quantity was certainly a factor, but the quality of your meal — all those simple carbohydrates, the heavy gravies and the […]

Fitness

Switching From Miles to Kilometers on the New Vision Fitness® Consoles

Product personalization is a key consideration when choosing a product, including fitness equipment. One great feature all new Vision Fitness® consoles have is the ability to switch your speed readout from miles to kilometers. The Elegant and Touch consoles also allow you to see distance in either miles or kilometers at any time in your […]

Fitness

Can your workout be destroying your muscles?

If you’ve ever used any piece of cardio training equipment you’ve seen it: the “heart rate zone chart.” This handy reference tool provides you with some research-based general guidelines for where to keep your heart rate to achieve specific fitness goals. The target zone for most people, and the focus of most exercise programs, is […]