The Difference Between Fads And What Really Works

The fitness industry has been bombarded by myriads of ideas in the last 50 years. Thousands of different products have been invented which claim to be the most advanced innovation on the market. The result is that many hopeful fitness enthusiasts will end up cramming their house full of useless fitness equipment and find themselves no better off than someone who was in their same position 50 years ago.

A Sucker Is Born Every Minute

As you may know, I have been known to be a sucker for a good marketing campaign. They present the ‘facts’ they show the ‘results’ and they almost have me hook, line and sinker.

I imagine you’ve heard of products and fitness programs like the Ab Belt, Swiss Balls, Ab Lounge, Tae Bo, 6 Second Abs, Pilates, Ab Swing, Yoga, The Bean… the list can go on for as long as you like! The truth is that all of these products have been marketed heavily by the fitness industry but only some of them will actually benefit you more than a gym floor will.

You see if these products and ideas were as good as they claimed to be then logic would tell us that we would see a whole lot more people with six pack abs. But the fact remains the same as it was 50 years ago, the only way to get a better body is through hard work.

Now due to the inevitability of human progress there are going to be products and ideas that will come up that will actually add additional benefit to us. When they first spring up in the marketplace it is almost impossible to tell whether they are useful and worth buying or just another fad.

Guard Yourself From The Fat Rich Man

I have found that ultimately the best way to tell if is a fad or not is by waiting. Time will tell if the product is actually as good as the ad says it is or that it’s simply the invention of some shrewd marketer. Of course another good technique is following the age old rule – ‘if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.’ Abs in just six seconds a day? Forget it!

Resources
Fitness Infomercial Review
Similar Take Fit article: Wow, it’s too good to be true!

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Dumbbells: Have you made them your friends yet?

Buying a set of dumbbells was one of my first monetary fitness investments and it has turned out to be one of my better. I still use those same dumbbells today and will continue to for the foreseeable future.

Dumbbells are very easy to use and there are numerous profitable exercises that you can use them for. Unless it isn’t possible, I always try and use the KISS principle with everything I do. Dumbbells fit into this principle perfectly.

Dumbbells are also very cheap and require virtually no maintenance compared to other types of exercise equipment. As far as weight training equipment goes, they are extremely portable and do not clutter up your house like so many other products do (just stick them under your bed or couch)!

Furthermore they are relatively safe to use if you stick to a few simple safety pointers.

1. Always look straight ahead and keep a straight back when performing repetitions

2. Never jerk the dumbbell, if you need to do this then you are using to much weight

Anyone (whether male or female) who is serious about their weight loss, fitness or bodybuilding goals should own at least one set of dumbbells – preferably the adjustable kind. Even if you don’t plan to make them part of your main routines I can guarantee they will be useful enough to be worth the purchase.

What exercises should I do with them?

As mentioned previously there are literally hundreds of movements you could implement into your routine using the simple dumbbell.

The basic exercise for beginners is the dumbbell curl, simply stand straight with your arms by your waist with dumbbells in both hands.  Bring one dumbbell fully up and back down at a time, slow and steady.  Pump your biceps as much as possible during the exercise for the maximum workout.

Other exercises that you can do are squats, deadlifts and lunges (exercises that are worth their weight in gold).  Instead of using a barbell just hold 2 dumbbells.   This can get hard on your hands once you progress but for beginners it’s actually better in my opinion as there is less room for error and therefore less room for injury.

How heavy should my dumbbells be?

Heavy enough that you can’t possibly do any more than 16 reps at one time.  For starters I would do 3 sets of 6 reps, till you can get up to 12 or 16 and then put some more iron on.  If your goal is to get as big as possible you probably don’t need to get up to 16 reps (i.e. use more weight instead of more reps).  As always with weights, if in doubt, go with the lighter option at first.

Are they the be all and end all of free weights?

For some people, yes.  Depending on your goals, they may be all you require.  However for those focused on getting as big as possible, you’ll probably want at least a barbell and probably a few other pieces of equipment to go along with dumbbells.

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Kettlebells – Part 1

This is going to be an article written purely from my imagination – written without consulting any experts or recognized sources. So that is why I have called it ‘Part 1’. Because undoubtedly someone is going to pick holes in it and I’ll have to write a new one. Saving myself embarrassment – ha!

Anyway – what are they?

No, its not a bell that you stick on your kettle. That would just be weird. It’s a big heavy iron ball with a thick handle, also iron, on top. I say on top because the underside of the ball is flattened so it wont roll everywhere. At least my one is.

So now we know what it looks like… what is its purpose?

Well I use mine for squashing bugs that I find in my dark and dingy basement I call home. Except that is not the preliminary purpose of them… I actually swing them around my head and lift them up and down quite a few times. Its called a workout and using these things really makes you work out why you want to actually workout. Mine weigh 12kg each and boy am I sore afterwards. I don’t think you’re supposed to be this sore, but hey I’ve just got these darn things and its quite refreshing to follow a kettlebell workout and actually use a kettlebell, not a dumbbell!

But why do people want to do this to themselves?

Good question. I’m not quite sure why I do to be honest… but deeper than honestly I know its good for me. Why is weight lifting good? Cos it builds muscles. Ok so girls these days gripe about muscle and how masculine it looks. Newsflash: it’s hard for guys to build muscle – take a look around – we have WAY less testosterone than they, so it’s even harder for us gals. Second Newsflash: muscle burns fat. The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn – even when sitting still. Another reason why weightlifting is good for girls – it strengthens bones. These days females consume much less calcium than they ought, resulting in something that used to be left for the oldies called osteoporosis. However its not just something for the oldies anymore – younguns can also get it. So, while you should also absorb more calcium, lift weights! It strengthens your bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis and bone degeneration.

Where did I get these ideas from?

Well I first saw a kettlebell at a camp I was on – some guy brought one with him and swore it was his only piece of equipment – yet it was a full gym. Hubby was intrigued and checked it out online. www.mikemahler.com has a heck of a lot of information. We eventually discovered cheap places to buy them and are now both working with kettlebells.

Burning question – does it work?

While some say ‘Oh never say that kettlebells are the be-all-end-all of working out’… that in a sense is true – but there are ways to use the kb’s to absolutely maximize the potential of an optimum workout. For me – yes it works! As soon as I start using the things my posture straightens out, I stand taller, I feel more confident – and I realize I do still have muscles lurking beneath. Yes, it can cause pain, but no pain no gain right?

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